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<blockquote data-quote="NotAYakk" data-source="post: 8369132" data-attributes="member: 72555">Xanathar's adds an optional rule where you expend a reaction to identify a spell as it is cast.Without the Xanathar's optional rule, the DM dictates what, if any, information about the spell being cast is revealed to the player.&nbsp; Common ways to handle that is you can recognize spells on your class's spell list you are of sufficient level to cast, or just giving an Arcana check, or simply always saying what the spell is.---Note that you can use reactions, including counterspell, on your turn.&nbsp; This results in the classic &quot;I cast a spell&quot;, &quot;I counterspell&quot;, &quot;I counter your counterspell&quot; slot tax, where lots of words are said, slots expended, but the narrative remains unchanged.&nbsp; A game of slot level poker can develop.However, note that Counterspell uses a S component.&nbsp; To perform a S component, you must be able to move one hand freely while casting the spell.&nbsp; And if you are casting a spell with a S component, one hand is occupied by casting that spell.&nbsp; If your other hand isn't free, you won't have a hand free to cast counterspell while casting the first spell.&nbsp; This can short-circuit the counterspell slot tax.Most DMs allow a hand holding a focus to also be used for S components, but some only permit this for spells with a M component.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="NotAYakk, post: 8369132, member: 72555"] Xanathar's [B]adds an optional rule[/B] where you expend a reaction to identify a spell as it is cast. Without the Xanathar's optional rule, the DM dictates what, if any, information about the spell being cast is revealed to the player. Common ways to handle that is you can recognize spells on your class's spell list you are of sufficient level to cast, or just giving an Arcana check, or simply always saying what the spell is. --- Note that you can use reactions, including counterspell, on your turn. This results in the classic "I cast a spell", "I counterspell", "I counter your counterspell" slot tax, where lots of words are said, slots expended, but the narrative remains unchanged. A game of slot level poker can develop. However, note that Counterspell uses a S component. To perform a S component, you must be able to move one hand freely while casting the spell. And if you are casting a spell with a S component, one hand is occupied by casting that spell. If your other hand isn't free, you won't have a hand free to cast counterspell while casting the first spell. This can short-circuit the counterspell slot tax. Most DMs allow a hand holding a focus to also be used for S components, but some only permit this for spells with a M component. [/QUOTE]

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