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
Being able to burn a 3rd level spell to counter a higher level spell is too powerful for our campaign. Here is an alternative...
Counterspell (arcane casters)
Starting at 5th level, you can use your reaction to attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting an arcane spell that requires an action. You expend a spell slot of equal or higher value and you and the creature make opposed Intelligence (Arcana) checks. If the creature wins, the spell succeeds. If there is a tie, the spell succeeds, but any damage is halved. If you win, its spell fails and has no effect. If you win the contest by 5 or more, the creature takes 1d6 force damage per the spell's level.
Using Counterspell to try to counter a 4th or higher level spell isn’t overpowered compared to the suggested ability because it’s not all that likely. Your DC a minimum of 14 (for a 4th level spell), and it’s an ability check, so all you get is whatever your raw ability bonus is (no proficiency bonus). You’ll rarely face better than 50/50 odds of success (and then only with a very high spellcasting ability.
In contrast, the suggested ability of making opposed Arcana checks will more often result in success then the spell as written, because of the potential for the opponent to roll much lower. In 5th edition, the d20 is much more powerful than in earlier editions. Also, in the spell, there are no extra effects other than canceling the target spell.
I do like the idea of having it be a class feature (especially for Wizards), though, as it doesn’t tie up a Known Spell, and I like the idea of all Wizards being able to spell battle.
Oh my god, thats amazing...
So make it a Class ability for wizards (or all arcane casters even), and if the counter is successful the countered caster doesn't lose a slot? That would in theory make the spell battle limitless? Maybe a Concentration check to retain the slot? I dont know im just spit balling.
This seems to be predicated on the assumption that the caster knows what spell is being used by the opponent. Assuming the caster is able to recognize the opponent is casting a spell, then they can either use their reaction to identify the spell being case (as per Xanathar's Guide to Everything) or use their reaction to cast counterspell. It's a gamble for the caster. They may end up countering a low level spell automatically, or they may end up having to roll a significant ability check in attempting to counter a higher level spell. That caster won't know until they use counterspell, because the same caster can't identify and counterspell as they only get one reaction per turn.
This, and who's to say the DM can't give the enemy caster subtle-spell? If the wizard can't see that a spell's being cast, they can't counter it. Counterspell is NOT overpowered so long as the DM knows how to get around it when it's necessary.
I don't like the idea of it being a class feature, because I like the synergy of counterspell and jack of all trades.
What are the ways a PC/DM can use magical counterspell versus a mystic’s psychic abilities? Would the arcane power counterspell the psychic power because magic & psionics are the same? Would the arcane power fail because arcane magic is different than psionics?
Of course it's entirely up to the DM but I'd say it's not possible to Counterspell a Mystic. The spell specifies one has to "see" a creature casting a spell. Mystics' abilities have no verbal, somatic, or material components to them so I'd argue a player wouldn't be able to know a Mystic was casting anything. If the DM wanted to be lenient they could maybe have the player roll a d100 to simulate the odds of taking a shot in the dark with Counterspell on a Mystic.
Can you counterspell a counterspell targeting a spell you just cast in your turn? I have seen it in a few streams, but RAW I do not think this works. You are very specifically limited to an action cantrip and a bonus action slotted spell as the only recourse to cast multiple times in a turn.
The evil wizard's apprentice can counterspell the player's counterspell. The apprentice's counterspell will automaticall succeed, meaning the bad guy spell will be cast barring other interruptions.
And actually, since counterspell is a reaction and not a concentration spell, by RAW, the evil wizard can be in the middle of casting a spell that takes more than 1 action to cast, and still cast counterspell at any point other than his turn when the spell actually goes into effect. All that is needed to cast a spell with a long casting time is uninterrupted concentration and the caster's action on his turn. And of course, there remains the limitation that you can only burn one spell slot during your turn.
I say practically it not possible based on the rule "You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action."
Counterspelling a level 3 or below spell I get. I'm not sure of the mechanics counterspelling higher level spells.
"If it is casting a spell of 4th level or higher, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability."
So, I'm casting a level 3 counterspell to counterspell a level 4 spell. So DC is 14. I roll a d20.
What modifiers if any do I add?
If you are a Wizard, then Intelligence in your spell casting ability so you add your Intelligence modifier to the roll. E.g. with 18 Intelligence you get a +4 modifier to the D20 roll and must beat the DC of 10+the level of the spell you are trying to counter.
cheer!
So if I DM a wizard and I cast improved invisibility on myself, all subsequent spells cannot be counterspelled. Plus I cast spells like fly and misty step and they have no clue where the fireball is coming from
That rule only applies when you cast a spell with a casting time of one bonus action. It's complicated, counter intuitive, and honestly kind of a mess, but it's intended for you to be able to cast an action and a reaction spell on your turn, which is backed up by Sage Advice. https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/SA-Compendium.pdf All in all, it works out like this:
-If you cast a spell with a casting time of an action, you cannot cast a spell with a casting time of one bonus action, unless it's one of the two bonus action cantrips. This means you could action surge and cast another action spell, or counterspell someone else's reaction spell, or both. This means you could counterspell someone else's counterspell of your fireball, for example.
-If you cast a spell with a casting time of one bonus action, you are done. You can only cast action cantrips. Because it's still your turn and you've prevented yourself from casting more spells, you cannot use a reaction spell, and if you used action surge you could only cast another cantrip. This means you could NOT counterspell someone else's counterspell of your hex, for example.
I have no idea why the rules work this way, and personally disagree with it, but like all things it's really up to your DM at the end of the day.
Per the Mystic UA, "Psionics is a special form of magic use, distinct from spellcasting." Counterspell only affects creatures who are casting a spell, so RAW, counterspell does not affect Psionics. More interesting still, Dispel Magic does not affect Psionics, because Dispel Magic specifies it ends spells, not magical effects. So Psionics cannot be counterspelled or dispelled.
An antimagic field, however, would suppress Psionics, as antimagic field specifies that, "spells and other magical effects, except those created by an artifact or a deity, are suppressed in the sphere and can't protrude into it." Since it specifies it suppresses other magical effects besides just spells, and Psionics is expressly a magical effect, antimagic field will work against Psionics.
If Eldritch Blast isn't a class ability for warlocks, counterspell shouldn't be a class ability for wizards.
To add, spells are the class features for wizards. You don't get any modifiers to them, or any way to customize them, but you get the largest, most versatile, and most powerful spell list in the game (the only kind of spell you do not get is healing spells), and can conceivably learn all of them. Getting what is essentially a spell as a wizard class ability somewhat betrays the idea of magical versatility a wizard has. That is what subclasses are for.
You know, I didn't realize you couldn't cast a reaction spell and bonus action spell in the same turn. I always read the rule (which is, I agree, quite confusing--my dedicated wizard player still gets it very wrong on occasion) as saying "any combination flies except (action spell of 1st level or greater) + (bonus action spell of 1st level or greater)."
Before reading your post, I would have definitely ruled incorrectly on the question of, "Can I counterspell the counterspell of my hex?" but would have correctly ruled on, "Can I counterspell the counterspell of my fireball?"