Arcane magic and divine magic are very different things. But I guess we just have to agree to disagree because it looks like we're at an impasse on how we think about these things
Arcane magic and divine magic are hangovers from previous editions of D&D. They don't exist in 5th edition, there is just magic.
They do exist in 5E as written in various places in the books, but mechanically speaking, there's no difference between them
Cleric: Divine magic, as the name suggests, is the power of the gods, flowing from them into the world.
Wizard: As a student of arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing spells that show the first glimmerings of your true power. S
Shoot I now realize I have been DMing Counterspell wrong, since I usually allow the player an Arcana check when a spell is being cast to see if they know what it is prior to deciding if they want to Counterspell.
Identifying A Spell
Sometimes a character wants to identify a spell that someone else is casting or that was already cast. To do so, a character can use their reaction to identify a spell as it's being cast, or they can use an action on their turn to identify a spell by its effect after it is cast.
If the character perceived the casting, the spell's effect, or both, the character can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check with the reaction or action. The DC equals 15 + the spell's level. If the spell is cast as a class spell and the character is a member of that class, the check is made with advantage. For example, if the spellcaster casts a spell as a cleric, another cleric has advantage on the check to identify the spell. Some spells aren't associated with any class when they're cast, such as when a monster uses its Innate Spellcasting trait.
This Intelligence (Arcana) check represents the fact that identifying a spell requires a quick mind and familiarity with the theory and practice of casting. This is true even for a character whose spellcasting ability is Wisdom or Charisma. Being able to cast spells doesn't by itself make you adept at deducing exactly what others are doing when they cast their spells
-Xanathar's Guide to Everything (pg 85)
I did not know it took your reaction to identify the spell. Of course, the BBEG is doing to have the same problem with Counterspelling the PC's spells now too.
If you’re concerned, let them identify without a reaction using their Passive Arcana. That simplifies things too.
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They do exist in 5E as written in various places in the books, but mechanically speaking, there's no difference between them
If you’re concerned, let them identify without a reaction using their Passive Arcana. That simplifies things too.