ORIGINAL: What was the problem with it? It's rather easy for a caster to avoid, and intelligent casters (both PC and opposition) should be taking those precautions when they can.I tried 3 different houserules for counterspell in 3 different games, and finally just banned it outright. I hated the spell, and since the ban I have never once looked back.
Once you can see the three bolts, it's too late to Counterspell. The effect of what is happening occurs after the completion of casting.I've only experienced this on the player side, but usually neither I as DM nor the DMs I have had speak in spell names when describing the action. It might be "It gestures and three bolts of force fly out striking Gumar in the chest." but generally not "it casts magic missile, three bolts, all at Gumar." But that would be completely normal on the PC end to communicate to the DM your action "I cast magic missile, three bolts all at the hag."
A lot of my fights were in dungeon / room scenarios, so getting out of range was often not an option.ORIGINAL: What was the problem with it? It's rather easy for a caster to avoid, and intelligent casters (both PC and opposition) should be taking those precautions when they can.
EDIT: I see from a later post that the issue was that the players were counterspelling all the time, and you disliked counterspelling them as it negates their action and wastes a slot.
Just like it seems every attacker knows about area of effect and spreads out, many/most casters able to cast 3rd+ level spells should probably know of Counterspell. And just like spreading out, there are tricks they can use to avoid it.
Why? Most intelligent foes will spread out because of area effects, they are adjusting their behavior due to the presence of magic. That casters, the most magical, are the ones most likely to have their behavior impacted by magic.A lot of my fights were in dungeon / room scenarios, so getting out of range was often not an option.
and the tactics was part of the issue, I was tired of having all of my caster fights having to use the same tricks over and over because of one spell.
Actually I think your idea makes less sense than also including a reaction as in Xanthar's. To me it is all about time. In roughly 6 seconds you get your turn + reaction. If I am taking the time to study a caster's spell, when would I also have the time then cast my own spell (on top of everything I am doing on my turn). Now, I could see circumventing this if a ready action. So if ready a spell casting and then use my reaction to decipher a spell I could cast counterspell with my readied action. Also, I could see improving as you get higher in level. So at some point you can identify and cast counterspell with the same reaction if you want. I just wouldn't make that the default.I use the 3e rules here, because the 5e PHB has no guidance and the Xanathar's rules here are totally stupid.
As long as the counterspeller can see (somatic component) and/or hear (verbal component) the baddy casting the spell, the counterspeller can make an Arcana check (DC 15+spell level) to identify the spell, no action required.