The Bard in my campaign does not like or use countercharm in its state. So we worked on this together. What do you folks think?
Countercharm
At 6th level, you gain the ability to use your charismatic nature to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As a reaction, you can inspire a friendly creature or yourself using a heroic pose or gesture or an inspirational catchphrase. During that time, the target that is within 30 feet of you may add your charisma modifier to any saving throw against being frightened or charmed. A creature must be able to hear or see you to gain this benefit. You may also use this feature to allow a target to include yourself to immediately repeat their saving throw that is currently frightened or charmed. You may use this feature once per long rest.
I would really appreciate any feedback. Whether it be constructive or a subjective and opinionated roasting, I don't even care. I just wanted to get some dialogue going about it.
I'll bite. :) (Bearing in mind that I am a relative neophyte when it comes to D&D, but I do play a bard character, so I have some thoughts.)
Much of what I think about the current countercharm and your variant relates to how it compares with counterspell, which, yes, is a spell, but in my mind they (should) have comparable characteristics. So, regarding your variant countercharm:
What I like:
it's a reaction! Yay for this! I think it makes total sense, especially since counterspell is a reaction. ("But counterspell also has to be a known spell and uses a spell slot" some might counter. Yeah, but countercharm only gives advantage on saving throws against being charmed, while counterspell always works against 3rd level or lower and against higher level spells, on a successful roll. And, you rarely can swing a dead rat without an opportunity/need to use counterspell, while countercharm opportunities seem much fewer. Besides, IMHO class benefits should be a little freer than spells in general.)
option to repeat saving throw for an already charmed/frightened character -- neat angle!
What I don't like:
a heroic pose or gesture? Hm...doesn't seem tremendously "bard-y" to me. Seems to me there should be oratory, poetry, song, or some sort of performance involved.
you may use this feature once per long rest -- does this refer only to the second possible use above or to the variant countercharm in general? I'm not really in love with the restriction in either case, but if it applies to using the ability in general that would be a complete deal breaker for me.
Generally speaking, though, I don't have much issue with countercharm as it is, except for it not being a reaction. I wonder why your bard doesn't like it.
So, FWIW, there's some feedback. Hope it's of at least a little use. :)
The main issue with countercharm is that it's a waste of an action if the enemy doesn't use a charm or fear effect (unless the DM tells you exactly what you're fighting and lets you reference the MM in play, you often won't even know that it's capable of doing so, let alone whether it will actually choose to do so), and not super strong even if you do know. You're probably better off just knowing Calm Emotions and casting it after the effect. However, I'm not sure that making it a reaction is the best option; I might just make it an action that can also dispel charm and fear effects.
So, I like the immediate save re-roll and I think that makes this a lot more useful. I'm a little ambivalent about it being a reaction (since monks can do the same thing for themselves as an action), but I can probably let it go. The once-per-day limitation is where you lose me. It's not that powerful a class feature, unless you're constantly throwing fear and charm effects at your party. It also doesn't guarantee success, as the re-roll plus the CHA mod could still fail the DC. But if you're worried it'll get abused, maybe consider limiting it to a number of times equal to the character's proficiency bonus. That way they can try again another round if they failed the first attempt or use it in another battle later on that day.
fiatnix Thank you for the feedback! After reading it I think it should scale up like a channel divinity does for clerics and paladins. There needs to be a resource attached to it that can run out but once per long rest for the life of a character does seem quite restrictive.
The Bard in my campaign does not like or use countercharm in its state. So we worked on this together. What do you folks think?
Countercharm
At 6th level, you gain the ability to use your charismatic nature to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As a reaction, you can inspire a friendly creature or yourself using a heroic pose or gesture or an inspirational catchphrase. During that time, the target that is within 30 feet of you may add your charisma modifier to any saving throw against being frightened or charmed. A creature must be able to hear or see you to gain this benefit. You may also use this feature to allow a target to include yourself to immediately repeat their saving throw that is currently frightened or charmed. You may use this feature once per long rest.
Damien Steinrich
I would really appreciate any feedback. Whether it be constructive or a subjective and opinionated roasting, I don't even care. I just wanted to get some dialogue going about it.
Damien Steinrich
I'll bite. :) (Bearing in mind that I am a relative neophyte when it comes to D&D, but I do play a bard character, so I have some thoughts.)
Much of what I think about the current countercharm and your variant relates to how it compares with counterspell, which, yes, is a spell, but in my mind they (should) have comparable characteristics. So, regarding your variant countercharm:
What I like:
What I don't like:
Generally speaking, though, I don't have much issue with countercharm as it is, except for it not being a reaction. I wonder why your bard doesn't like it.
So, FWIW, there's some feedback. Hope it's of at least a little use. :)
The main issue with countercharm is that it's a waste of an action if the enemy doesn't use a charm or fear effect (unless the DM tells you exactly what you're fighting and lets you reference the MM in play, you often won't even know that it's capable of doing so, let alone whether it will actually choose to do so), and not super strong even if you do know. You're probably better off just knowing Calm Emotions and casting it after the effect. However, I'm not sure that making it a reaction is the best option; I might just make it an action that can also dispel charm and fear effects.
So, I like the immediate save re-roll and I think that makes this a lot more useful. I'm a little ambivalent about it being a reaction (since monks can do the same thing for themselves as an action), but I can probably let it go. The once-per-day limitation is where you lose me. It's not that powerful a class feature, unless you're constantly throwing fear and charm effects at your party. It also doesn't guarantee success, as the re-roll plus the CHA mod could still fail the DC. But if you're worried it'll get abused, maybe consider limiting it to a number of times equal to the character's proficiency bonus. That way they can try again another round if they failed the first attempt or use it in another battle later on that day.
I liked it very much, will suggest for the bard in my campaign.
I would just make prof. bonus times per long rest instead of once per long rest.
fiatnix Thank you for the feedback! After reading it I think it should scale up like a channel divinity does for clerics and paladins. There needs to be a resource attached to it that can run out but once per long rest for the life of a character does seem quite restrictive.
Damien Steinrich
RaSeyssel Not a bad idea there. I might do that or leveling it up as they go like Channel Divinity.
Damien Steinrich