Level
3rd
Casting Time
1 Reaction *
Range/Area
60 ft.
Components
S
Duration
Instantaneous
School
Abjuration
Attack/Save
CON Save
Damage/Effect
Negation
You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a spell. The creature makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the spell dissipates with no effect, and the action, Bonus Action, or Reaction used to cast it is wasted. If that spell was cast with a spell slot, the slot isn’t expended.
* - which you take when you see a creature within 60 feet of yourself casting a spell with Verbal, Somatic, or Material components
There are class features which allow you to cast spells without certain components.
For example: Subtle Spell Metamagic.
I think everyone on here is looking at this from different viewpoints, and that is great! Having a variety of opinions is what makes D&D so lively and diverse. Here is a summary of what has been stated thus far:
- Since it only interrupts casting a spell with V, S, or (inclusive) M components, this makes subtle casting more useful.
- Since casting spells with magic items requires no components (unless otherwise specified in the item description) these can not be counterspelled.
- Since spell slots aren't wasted in the casting, this means player spell slots aren't consumed, but daily use abilities (like species or feat abilities) are.
- Enemies have shifted away from having spell slots to using x/day, which is explicitly non-slot use, and therefore that use is consumed.
- Even in a circumstance where it delays the inevitable for one round (as others have said), that might be enough to succeed or avoid a tpk.
- Allowing the monster to use its legendary resistance to succeed on counterspell does admittedly sound bad, but at least it's another way to pull out those legendary resistances rather than using high level spell slots.
- Allowing the player to have agency on resisting the counterspell changes strategy to buff up the caster with saving throw bonuses before using counterspell.
Understandably, each individual will find themselves on different sides of the issue, especially when campaigns can be so varied as to have enemies never cast spells, never cast counterspell, or always cast spells. Depending on your theme you will find that it changes your strategy and feel. There is no correct answer on whether it's a buff or a nerf, as others have said, this would mostly effect PC on PC combat, rather than monster combat (since monsters rarely have counterspell, and spellcasters don't use slots). I think it will certainly change how people plan in combat, but I don't think it's breaking anything.
On D&D Beyond, it doesn't show that it can be upcasted. Does anyone know if it can be upcasted or if you're limited to your 3rd level spell slots?
every spell of 1st level and above can be upcasted with a higher level slot, it just means there are no benefits to casting it at a higher level, same with other similar spells like zone of truth and aura of vitality
So... high level caster-monsters that have the Magical Resistance trait will rarely fail the save...
Impressive, very nice. Let's see Paul Allen's Counterspell.
It seems feature's like Heightened Spell and Dark One's Own Luck got new uses.
My fellow players over here are doing sorcerer and artificer dips just for CON save proficiency. Resilient and Manuals of Bodily Health for those who don't like multiclassing.
Welp I'm not using this version of the spell...
" If that spell was cast with a spell slot, the slot isn’t expended."
Since more and more monsters don't use spell slots I think this is a hidden benefit to players. If they are not using a spell slot and instead a 1/day ability I believe this is intended to waste it for the enemy. So against players its not so punishing, unless your using a free casting as well.
If the counterspell works, do you lose any material compo, if you were using any? Say I counterspell a player casting revivify, is the diamond gone?
Apologies if following scenario already asked and answered:
3 players: A, B, C
A casts Fireball
B casts Counterspell on A
Can C cast Counterspell on B?
((cause that is exactly what my players would do!))
Yes.
A can't counterspell B's counterspell, but C can.
I hate this version of counterspell. And i am the one with a wizard with the resilient in con feat. The worst part about it is when facing a creature with legendary res, so basically all casters at higher levels. I understand that counterspell was overpowered in old version, but they were others ways to turns around it.
In my group, we used something close to the 2014 version, with just one change: you auto counter only if the spell slot you used to cast counterspell is at least one level higher than the level of the spell. (So yeah, no auto counters of wish, but i find it fair game to dismiss a lower level spell than the one you sacrificed for sure, and that bbg dont get a just "f*ck you i use legendary res".) If you dont like that system, we also thought about making a check contest using both spellcasters ability modifiers (so int for wizard, cha for sorcerer...). A lot of high level spellcasters ennemies have their spellcasting ability modifier way over 20, so it turns it into an actual challenge for PC to counterspell Vecna, but with still a chance to do it, while they can easily Block a mere apprentice.
Anyway if i was in a campaign with counterspell spelled in such way after lvl 12, i would definitly remove it from my prepared spells cause of those legendary res, thanks. Absorb element and shield become way more viable use of my reaction.
correct, if it didnt had any components theres no way you would detect the casting before the spell comes into effect
I thought of a house rule to help the spell feel more organic like last one. (In regards to the level of the soell you’re trying to counter and upcasting it)
Level of spell you’re interrupting = 3rd or lower= straight con save.
Each level above third= they add a +1 to their save unless you upcast it too! Or they get a minus if you’re upcasting.
That makes sense? Thoughts?
horrible change. this spell did not need to be changed at all. 0/10
one benefit is now i'll have a open slot for a different spell at those levels
So are warlocks just getting screwed here??? a ton of people have pointed out that since monsters have per day casting instead of spell slots they lose the casting whereas a player keeps the spell slot. How do mystic arcanum work with this? my understanding is that mystic arcanum were once per day, so if the monster lose their once per day does that mean a warlock is just inherently screwed as well by this new counterspell? That is my understanding, and with that high level warlocks are even less attractive than ever since I play at a table where counterspell was not super uncommon by when I play and when I DM.
Ya done ****ed it up A a ron.
First no. This is ruined. Most enemies have really high con saves. Making this spell a real joke . Second, you had to be able to see an enemy casting a spell within 60ft of you. There are plenty of spells that out range that by a lot. Fireball 120ft, animate objects 120 ft, befuddlement 150ft, bigsby hand 120ft. And i could keep going. You're not countering any of that. Third, you are still burning resources in order to cast spells. So if you don't lose a spell slot. Does that mean you don't lose components as well. Fourth, you could always use the metamagic subtle spell to counter counter spell. Fifth, it stiwas a gamble for a low level caster with counter spell to counter a higher level caster. It was only an auto, if you meet or beat the spell level. So if you use a 9th level spell and i only had a 3rd level slot left I would have to beat a dc of 19 to counter. [Redacted]
Exactly. Recommend folks try playing without it. Makes bad guys and encounters so much more fun.