Level
3rd
Casting Time
1 Reaction *
Range/Area
60 ft
Components
S
Duration
Instantaneous
School
Abjuration
Attack/Save
None
Damage/Effect
Negation
You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a spell. If the creature is casting a spell of 3rd level or lower, its spell fails and has no effect. If it is casting a spell of 4th level or higher, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a success, the creature's spell fails and has no effect.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the interrupted spell has no effect if its level is less than or equal to the level of the spell slot you used.
* - which you take when you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell
Hey, something I've always wondered about is how this spell interacts with the sorcerer's "Distant Spell" metamagic, just because the reaction is so specific about "see a creature within 60 feet of you."
"When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double the range of the spell."
Now, because you can't take the reaction till after you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell, it reads that Distant Spell wouldn't let you counter from further away, even though you could double the range after casting, it just wouldn't do anything for you.
What're your thoughts? Is it a fully intentional feature, perhaps a happy little accident, or would you handwave it and ignore the 60 ft. limit on seeing a creature casting a spell?
Personally, if I were dm'ing somebody, and a big part of their character was using counterspell, I'd absolutely let a sorcerer spend their sorcery points as frivolously as their spell slots, there's plenty of other ways around counterspell, and if it's their character's thing, I'd just let them have their character's thing.
According to a sage advice response, counterspell's trigger is intentionally separate from its range, and as such wouldn't be affected by distant spell. Personally I'd probably agree with that ruling since I see the logic behind it, but I also think that if it's more fun for you and your players to allow distant spell to affect counterspell, then that could totally be on the table! I'd hardly think it'd be game breaking to allow it.
Can counterspell be used on magic items? For example, could you counterspell a fireball from a Wand of Fireballs, or a Staff of Power?
Yes as long as the user uses the wand or item to cast the spell. So you can't counter the +1 of a sword but can cancel magic missile or fireball. Now word of warning you are using spell slots to counter non spell slot abilities. It can't counter a dragons breath or necklace of fireball or anything like that because they are not spells. Most wands and staves say the welder casts the spell and uses a charge and as long as the caster casts the spell it can be countered unless it is subtle spelled
The necklace of fireballs states:
This necklace has 1d6 + 3 beads hanging from it. You can use an action to detach a bead and throw it up to 60 feet away. When it reaches the end of its trajectory, the bead detonates as a 3rd-level fireball spell (save DC 15).
Accordingly, it is a spell.
No, this is not the case. While it "is" a spell effect, it is not being cast. Counterspell will do nothing to the bead being thrown through the air. Counterspell requires runes drawn in the air or words of power being chanted. Notice the wording in NoF. "the bead detonates AS a... fireball spell." It does not say a bead casts or the owner casts a spell when they throw the bead.
Why would anyone use Counterspell in your world Qoray? If in a spell duel with a polymorph attempting to change you, there is no reason to waste a spell slot if successfully countering just means you are incapacitated instead. Sure, it works fine if an adversary counters you trying to polymorph your ally into a T-REX (in theory). The problem with your system over all is you have to come up with individual results for each spell. It sounds like you might have fun with that though. To each their own. :-)
As Hodsonius pointed out, on page 202 of the PHB:
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.
good spell but I've had better
No that's throwing a bead that has the effect of a spell not casting a spell. This is different from a staff of power say that says: While holding this staff, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its Charges to cast one of the following Spells from it, using your spell save DC and spell Attack bonus: Cone of Cold (5 charges), Fireball (5th-level version, 5 charges), Globe of Invulnerability (6 charges), Hold Monster (5 charges), Levitate (2 charges). Lightning Bolt (5th-level version, 5 charges), Magic Missile (1 charge), Ray of Enfeeblement (1 charge), or Wall of Force (5 charges).
I really dislike the idea of this as a class feature. It would make this type of action far more ubiquitous and lengthen combat. Maybe a subclass that focuses on this element of spell battling would be ok, but as a class feature it is broken.
What about a FEAT as a means to get counter spell instead of a class ability...
Unless you're a bard who took counterspell as a magical secret, especially a lore bard. Because it is specifically called an ability check, jack of all trades applies, so you can add half of your proficiency bonus to the check. If you are a level 14 or higher lore bard, you can also use peerless skill on this check, which will be a d12 by level 15. So, from LV. 17 and up, you're getting +8 to this roll (assuming +5 CHA) plus an optional d12 (6.5 average role), meaning you should be able to stop a level 9 spell more than 50% of the time with a 3rd level spell slot plus an inspiration die (which you wouldn't even need to use if you roll an 11 or higher).
I could imagine a DM getting annoyed by this.
"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."
To be fair, there are literally only 2 cantrips you can cast as a bonus action: Magic Stone and Shillelagh, but then again, they are more than none.
I think RAI, you can cast 3 Spells in one turn.
1 Level Spell as Action
1 Cantrip as Bonus Action
1 Level Spell Reaction
(there are no Reaction Cantrips)
-
1 Cantrip as Action
1 Level Spell as Bonus Action
1 Level Spell Reaction
It's a bit problematic how it is written. My understanding @RAW is, that the reaction is universal.
Let's take the Opportunity attack and a LV20 Fighter as example:
1 Action = 4 Attacks
1 Bonus Action = 1 Attack (fighting Style)
Action Surge:
1 Action = 4 Attacks
1 Reaction (OA) = 1 Attack
So, most Fighters would get up to 10 Attacks in a round, 9 on their turn, and they can still use their opportunity attack, even if they used all their actions.
It even gets worse if they are a hasted Samurai, as they get 1-2 more attacks depending on if they have advantage or not. (So 11-12 Attacks in one round)
Now, I think RAW it was simply overlooked. But, sure, you could maybe argue that Counterspell can't be cast additionally on YOUR turn, but you could still do that on someone elses turn in the same round.
Ending note: In the Sage advice Compendium 2016 it is written
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 coun-terspell on him. Cornelius has counterspell prepared, so he uses his reaction to cast it and break his foe’s counterspellbefore it can stop fireball.
I could see a DM making the counter spell part of a Feat perhaps called Wizard Dueler. define number of castings out side the spell slot mechanism (X times + Y, or at level x= n, at level Y x= N+3 per level) per time period (day, short rest etc.)day the wizard dueler can cast counter spell... especially in a magic dominated culture. great seed thanks
Can you counterspell a counterspell?
Yes. There's a Sage Advice from Wizards specifically for this:
I had an encounter where we were invited to an evil archmage's mansion. We're sitting at the dinner table, all suspicious and trigger-happy, just waiting for someone to make the first move. Then I try to dispel the mind control one of the archmage's minions. The archmage tries to counterspell me, our eldritch knight counterspells the archmage, the archmage's apprentice counterspells the eldritch knight and the minion I freed counterspells the archmage's apprentice. So like 4-5 dispels just went off at once, the room goes dead silent and we just stare at eachother for a moment, then burst out laughing.
Best. Spell. Ever.
I don’t like this spell or the mechanic. It’s annoying and overpowered. As a DM I have house rule that prohibits this spell. If the players want to insist on its use I make sure to use against them constantly. I despise ‘counter spell’.
Can you counterspell through a wall if you know a spell is happening?