D&D 5E Let’s Read Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.

[Micah Sweet]

Naah. It's easy to make it work, just say those abilities come out too fast to be counterspelled.

And how has that suddenly happened, when before they could be?

 

[JEB]

And how has that suddenly happened, when before they could be?

Vecna broke the multiverse again, I'm betting.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Bless is a spell that can be countered, but bardic inspiration cannot, even though the latter is magical as well. Countercharm is magic, but it's not a spell like many other protective spells, and thus it can't be counterspelled. Performance of creation from the College of Creation subclass is a very magical ability that creates something out of nothing, but it can't be counterspelled as it's not a spell. There is a spell called creation however.

Channel divinity is a magical ability that is not a spell. It can't be countered. It's just as magical and comes from the divine as the cleric's or the paladin's spells. Wrath of the Storm is a magical reaction for the Tempest domain, but it's not a spell and can't be countered. The warlock spell hellish rebuke however is a reaction spell that can be countered.

Wild shape is a magical ability that can't be countered. Polymorph and the other shapeshifting spells can be countered. Spirit totem is a magical ability of the Circle of the Shepherd subclass that summons a spirit, but it can't be counterspelled unlike spells that summon things.

You get the point? We could go on and on. 5e has been selective and inconsistent about counterspelling from the very beginning. It was never logical.

Never logical, no, and that indeed presents its own set of problems. But changing an effect from spell to not-spell for "simplicity" and so it can't be counterspelled is blatant mid-edition revisionist gamism and I don't like it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Vecna broke the multiverse again, I'm betting.

You jest, but they could go right out and say that. They used to, when stuff like this happened. Now they don't explaining themselves from the perspective of the world the game is designed to let you play in.

 

[Reynard]

I just want to point out that the bold text isn't quite true. A CR 19 solo it a threat for 4-5PCs in the lvl10-11 range. I think a lot groups make it close to that.

Also the CR system is so broken that high CR opponents hit waaaay below their weight class, especially solo. I've seen 13th level parties successfully fight CR 25+ enemies when they can nova (which they almost always can).

 

[JEB]

You jest, but they could go right out and say that. They used to, when stuff like this happened. Now they don't explaining themselves from the perspective of the world the game is designed to let you play in.

Well, sort of. Die Vecna Die is the only multiverse-wide explanation for edition changes that I can recall. Every other edition transition was only explained in-universe within the Realms (Time of Troubles, Spellplague, Second Sundering). Well, that and 1E->2E Greyhawk, in Fate of Istus.

That said, I agree that it would be nice to provide some in-universe explanation for why things changed starting with Tasha's, and why VGTM and MTOF went from not-confirmed-canon to just plain non-canon. I joke about Vecna, but there is a potential explanation in Icewind Dale...

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Yeah, or what with all the counterspelling (apparently) going on, a technique was developed to obfuscate spell-attacks to make them not quite work like known spells. This trick has been shared far and wide (but not with pesky adventurers!)

some wizards learned to obfuscate spell casting to avoid counterspelling...

 

[GMforPowergamers]

You jest, but they could go right out and say that. They used to, when stuff like this happened. Now they don't explaining themselves from the perspective of the world the game is designed to let you play in.

I don't know about you but I never used the switch ups mid campaign (even 3 to 3.5) so we never needed a reason for the change, it was always that way for each campagin

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Also the CR system is so broken that high CR opponents hit waaaay below their weight class, especially solo. I've seen 13th level parties successfully fight CR 25+ enemies when they can nova (which they almost always can).

The CR system doesn't work at all... I have seen a few shadows pose a deadly threat to a 17th level party (one lucky crit to a low str build) that can have lasting effects on carrying equipment. I have also watched 9th level parties smack around CR20+ monsters.

although not my story per say, at a table in my local store there was a campaign where mind flayers were supposed to be the big bads... the game went form 0xp first to 9th level... starting around 4th the PCs were fighting flayers... but at 9th 2 out of 5 of them died to intellect devourers and the 3 tried to run... and 2 more died to traps

 

[Leatherhead]

Well you might be interested in hearing that they are rethinking the CR system a bit. But only a bit.

They figured out CR is a measure of DPR, and made it so that most monsters can do their gimmick while maintaining an appropriate DPR via Multiattack substitution and various other mechanics. (Most of which are similarly cheesing the action economy)

Unfortunately, DPR is still just DPR and not an indicator of true lethality. Nearly infinite intangible tactical considerations need to be taken into account, and often creatures with alternative win conditions or action denial still end up punching above their supposed weight class.