So is it official now? Counterspelling

[Markh3rd]

So is the last word that you can counterspell a counterspell on your turn? First I heard yes, then no, now yes again. I’m asking from an AL point of view, not home brew.

 

[jasper]

Yes.

 

[Krachek]

And counterspell is made blindly, you don’t know the spell you counter.
But if you cast a spell and your opponement cast in reaction you can assume it is counterspell.
But which level did he use?
I made once a wizard duel against an npc. It was like a poker game.

 

[5ekyu]

I dont think I ever saw it officially "no" always yes.

 

[Blue]

AFAIK it's always been allowed officially. I've seen some DMs make rulings that you couldn't cast a reaction spell in the middle of casting another spell, but that was for home campaigns.

 

[AriochQ]

EDIT: Just for clarity. You can normally cast reaction to counterspell a counterspell on your turn, but there is a strange interaction if you have cast a bonus action spell on your turn, outlined below.

Keep in mind if you cast a spell using a bonus action, the only other spell you can cast on your turn is a cantrip. This means no counterspell if you have already cast a spell using a bonus action on that turn. It doesn't happen very often, but it is possible.

Just to be clear...It can really only happen on your own turn (since that is when you get a bonus action); you would have already cast, or be casting, a bonus action spell; the enemy is now either countering the bonus action spell, or a cantrip you cast after the bonus action spell; you cannot counterspell the counterspell. It may also occur during a spell based legendary action, since they occur at the end of other creature's turns.

 

[FrogReaver]

Keep in mind if you cast a spell using a bonus action, the only other spell you can cast on your turn is a cantrip. This means no counterspell if you have already cast a spell using a bonus action on that turn. It doesn't happen very often, but it is possible.

Just to be clear...It can really only happen on your own turn (since that is when you get a bonus action); you would have already cast, or be casting, a bonus action spell; the enemy is now either countering the bonus action spell, or a cantrip you cast after the bonus action spell; you cannot counterspell the counterspell. It may also occur during a spell based legendary action, since they occur at the end of other creature's turns.

I don’t think that’s actually the rule but I’m welcome to being proven wrong

 

[AriochQ]

I don’t think that’s actually the rule but I’m welcome to being proven wrong

From PHB: Casting Time: Bonus Action: A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn. You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.

If there is another rule that overrides the rule above, I am unaware of it.

 

[FrogReaver]

From PHB: Casting Time: Bonus Action: A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn. You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.

If someone there is another rule that overrides the rule above, I am unaware of it.

That’s only a rule about bonus action spells. If you cast a regular action spell and then reaction counterspell that rule doesn’t apply since you didn’t use any bonus action spells right?

 

[Bacon Bits]

From the Sage Advice Compendium:

Can you also cast a reaction spell on your turn?

You sure can! Here’s a common way for it to happen: Cornelius the wizard is casting fireball on his turn, and his foe casts counterspell on him. Cornelius has counterspell prepared, so he uses his reaction to cast it and break his foe’s counterspell before it can stop fireball.

Keep in mind, of course, that Sage Advice rulings are not "this is how you must play the game". The first page of the SA Compendium makes it clear that it's up to the DM to use the rulings as he or she sees fit, and that the default answer in the rulings is just "rules as written". In other words, SA is most often just reading the book back to you.

As far as I'm aware, this answer has been in place in the Compendium since 2016.