Combining different features allows the Bard to become a very effective anti-magic class, making it’s counterspell nearly unbeatable.
Other videos mentioned in this video:
The Best Tank in Dungeoons and Dragons is an Artificer
Other Resources
- Jeremy Crawford Tweet About Invisibility
- Jeremy Crawford Tweet about Illusory Duplicate
- Level 1 Character Sheet
- Level 4 Character Sheet
- Level 5 Character Sheet
- Level 7 Character Sheet
- Level 9 Character Sheet
- Level 13 Character Sheet
- Level 15 Character Sheet
- Level 17 Character Sheet
- Level 20 Character Sheet
- Critical Role episode with Level 9 Counterspell
Credits
“Ancient Rite” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Transcript:
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:26:22
Speaker 1
Monsters of the Multiverse and One D&D are both nerfing Counterspell. But until one D&D comes out, it is still one of the most powerful spells in the game. So, while I still can, I want to talk about every single way I have been able to think of to make Counterspell more powerful. Let's start with a review of Counterspell and how it works, and then we will discuss every single way we can break it.
00:00:27:00 - 00:00:37:10
Speaker 1
Counterspell is a third level spell that you cast as a reaction when you see a creature within 60ft of you casting a spell. It says.
00:00:37:11 - 00:00:59:05
Speaker 1
You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a spell. If the creature's casting a spell of third level or lower, the spell fails and has no effect, it's casting a spell of fourth level or higher. Making ability check using your spell casting ability. The DC equals ten plus the spells level. So a ninth level spell would be DC 19 on a success.
00:00:59:05 - 00:01:18:00
Speaker 1
The spell fails and a failure. The spell goes in when you cast higher than third level, it can cancel spells equal to whatever level you cast Counterspell it. Sam Regal's ninth level Counterspell in Critical role campaign one is an example of how sometimes that's the right move to make.
00:01:18:00 - 00:01:19:00
Matt Mercer
a counterspell.
00:01:19:04 - 00:01:21:03
Speaker 2
Oh, shit.
00:01:21:05 - 00:01:24:02
Matt Mercer
Never mind. What level.
00:01:24:04 - 00:01:31:05
Speaker 5
900, that was pretty clutch.
00:01:31:06 - 00:01:34:16
Speaker 7
That's right. He's like.
00:01:34:18 - 00:01:37:05
Matt Mercer
Well, that definitely works.
00:01:37:07 - 00:01:39:08
Speaker 2
Ha ha ha ha ha.
00:01:39:08 - 00:01:43:20
Speaker 1
There are a few key things here that matter as we try to break this spell.
00:01:43:22 - 00:01:55:21
Speaker 1
First, we make an ability check, which means later we will be finding ways to boost our ability checks. This way we'll be able to land our counterspell way more often.
00:01:55:21 - 00:02:12:08
Speaker 1
The other part is the requirement that the person counterspelling has to see the person casting the spell. We will play with this requirement so that we can cast our counterspell in a way where it cannot be counterspell, helping us win those classic.
00:02:12:10 - 00:02:26:16
Speaker 1
I cast counterspell like Counterspell their counterspell. Mage versus mage battles with the basics of Counterspell. Out of the way! Let's see what things can help us make it more powerful. Starting with races,
00:02:30:02 - 00:02:43:05
Speaker 1
the halfling race gets a racial feature called lucky, which says that when you roll a one on the d20 for an attack roll ability checker saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
00:02:43:06 - 00:02:52:12
Speaker 1
Not super important for Counterspell, but being able to reroll ones and ability checks does meaningfully improve your likelihood of interrupting someone. Casting a spell.
00:02:52:16 - 00:03:12:16
Speaker 1
The Hobgoblin race gets a feature called fortune from the mini, which says if you miss with an attack, roll or fail an ability check. Remember, ability checks are what matters here or a saving throw. You can draw on your band of reciprocity to gain a bonus to the roll, equal to the number of allies you can see within 30ft of you.
00:03:12:17 - 00:03:42:09
Speaker 1
Maximum bonus of plus three, and we can use this equal to our proficiency bonus times per long rest. This is much better than the halfling ability, allowing us to add basically three extra levels of spell interrupting ability to our counterspell. Quite nice. The auto gnome has a feature called built for success. This lets you add a D4 to one attack roll ability check or saving throw you make and you do so after seeing the d20 roll,
00:03:42:09 - 00:03:48:11
Speaker 1
and you are allowed to use this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.
00:03:48:13 - 00:04:05:12
Speaker 1
Again, here we get anywhere from 1 to 4 extra spell levels. We can interrupt. We can do it several times per day. It is a nice little boost to our counterspelling ability. Those are the races which have like the easy benefits that can help with counterspell. Let's talk about classes now.
00:04:08:22 - 00:04:13:15
Speaker 1
bards get a feature at second level called Jack of All Trades.
00:04:13:17 - 00:04:49:18
Speaker 1
This feature lets you add half your proficiency bonus rounded down to any ability check you make that doesn't already include your proficiency bonus. Remember how we said Counterspell requires an ability check? You see how this says we get to add half our proficiency bonus to ability checks? That means we get to add half of our proficiency bonus to all of our counterspell checks with a 20 charisma and the plus six proficiency bonus you get in the end game that is eight plus eight on your counterspell checks, and that's before you add any other benefits to it.
00:04:49:20 - 00:05:21:00
Speaker 1
A truly nice feature and makes taking Counterspell as one of your magical secrets is a bard very much worth it. Now, the College of Lower Subclass for bards gets a feature called Peerless Skill and this reads starting at 14th level, when you make an ability check, you can expand one use of your Burdick inspiration roll that day and add that number to your ability check, which means we get to add our Bardic Inspiration die potentially to these counters.
00:05:21:00 - 00:05:40:01
Speaker 1
Spell checks. This is a really powerful ability for the College of Lord bard. It. It lets you make your counterspells so much more likely to succeed. Adding a d10 or a d12 to this check. Massive. An average of 5 to 6 extra spell levels that you can just make. Go poof.
00:05:40:06 - 00:05:47:21
Speaker 1
The piece domain cleric gets a feature called Emboldening Bond at first level, which reads
00:05:47:23 - 00:06:11:10
Speaker 1
You can forge an empowering bond among people who are at peace with one another. As an action, choose a number of willing creatures within 30ft of you, potentially including yourself, equal to your proficiency bonus. You create a magical bond among them for ten minutes, and all those creatures can roll a d4 and add it to an attack, an ability check, or a saving throw.
00:06:11:10 - 00:06:19:09
Speaker 1
It makes once per turn, and you can create this or a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. So most fights you'll have it
00:06:19:09 - 00:06:32:12
Speaker 1
again since you add a D4 to the ability check, and technically you can do it on yourself if you multi-class cleric with something that gets counterspell not huge, but works if you do it, or if someone in your party does it.
00:06:32:14 - 00:06:57:00
Speaker 1
The rogue gets a capstone feature called Stroke of Luck, which reads at 20th level, you have an uncanny knack for succeeding when you need to. If your attack misses a target within range, you can turn this miss into a hit. Alternatively, if you fail an ability check, you can treat the d20 roll as a 20. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a rest.
00:06:57:02 - 00:07:19:09
Speaker 1
Rogues are obviously not the best counterspell class, but arcane tricksters do get access to Counterspell, and with this capstone ability, once per day, you basically get to make your Counterspell stop any spell you want. Your opponent casts wisp doesn't matter. You have counterspell and stroke of luck, so you blow it up with a little third level spell slot.
00:07:19:11 - 00:07:42:04
Speaker 1
Is this worth 20 levels in rogue? That's between you and whatever gods you have forsaken. Rogues also get the cunning action feature, and I want to talk about that briefly, because I think how this works is going to depend a lot on your table. I'm going to go over what it says. Rules is written, but this interpretation may not apply at your table like we were talking about Counterspell.
00:07:42:04 - 00:08:06:12
Speaker 1
It often leads to like mage versus mage battles where the enemy mage cast something you counterspell it, the enemy mage counterspells your counterspell. So their spell still goes off. Someone else in your party with counterspell. counterspells that their apprentice counterspells, the person in your party, etc. etc. until a whole bunch of things have been depleted and eventually the spell either goes or doesn't go.
00:08:06:13 - 00:08:14:06
Speaker 1
However, counterspell has a requirement that you must see the person casting the spell that you were trying to interrupt.
00:08:14:09 - 00:08:40:11
Speaker 1
This led me to an interesting question. If you cast Counterspell from hidden, then does it become something that cannot be counterspelled? If you hide, then you gain benefits described in the Unseen Attackers and Target section in the PHB. This section states combatants often try to escape their foes notice by hiding, casting the invisibility spell, or lurking in darkness.
00:08:40:13 - 00:08:50:20
Speaker 1
When you attack a target that you can't see, you have disadvantage on the attack group. This is true whether you're guessing the target's location or you're targeting a creature you can hear, but not see
00:08:50:20 - 00:08:54:16
Speaker 1
When a creature can't see you, you have advantage and attack rules against it.
00:08:54:18 - 00:09:15:20
Speaker 1
If you were hidden both unseen and unheard, when you make an attack, you give away your location. When the attack hits or misses. That last paragraph is the important one here because it says we give our location when we make an attack, which we are not doing. We are casting a spell that does not require an attack.
00:09:15:20 - 00:09:38:18
Speaker 1
So we're giving away our location. It would seem like no, it doesn't Counterspell doesn't require a verbal component, and we need to be out of line of sight to be hidden. So our sematic component is going to be hidden. However, before you get too excited about hiding, remember you need to be entirely unseen and also have the ability to see the person.
00:09:38:18 - 00:10:07:21
Speaker 1
Casting. Your DM is likely to be stingy about places you can simultaneously break line of sight from your enemy, and also keep your own line of sight on that enemy. If your DM is really generous and lets you get this combination, then hiding will be valuable. I do not think I would often that players get this benefit because of the competing line of sight requirements, but your table and DM may be different.
00:10:07:23 - 00:10:33:04
Speaker 1
If your DM is more generous than me. Then things like the rogues cunning action which let you hide as a bonus action become way more powerful. This would similarly apply to features like the Rangers Vanish feature, or any other feature that lets you hide. That's all I'm going to say about hiding, because I'm not convinced they work without something weird like X-ray vision helping you make it work.
00:10:33:06 - 00:10:56:00
Speaker 1
Now, sorcerers. At third level sorcerers get a feature called meta magic, which lets them change their spell casting to make it more powerful. One of these features is really important for Counterspell, and will be an important part of the build at the end of this video. The important one we need to make sure to take is subtle spell, which reads.
00:10:56:02 - 00:11:21:04
Speaker 1
When you cast a spell, you can spend one sorcery point to cast it without any somatic or verbal components. This is powerful because it means we can cast counterspell without moving, which means our enemy has no idea we are counterspelling. This makes our counterspell something that cannot be countered. Super powerful and pretty cheap and only one sorcerer a point.
00:11:21:06 - 00:11:48:23
Speaker 1
Later in this video, I'll even explain how you can get this without taking sorcerer levels. Sorcerers also get a feature called Magic Guidance at level five, which can help out. This feature reads you can tap into your inner wellspring of magic to try to conjure success from failure. When you make it ability check that fails, you can spend one sorcery point to reroll the d20 and you must use the new rule, potentially turning the failure into a success.
00:11:49:01 - 00:12:00:01
Speaker 1
Like we've said before, counterspells an ability to check this gives us a chance to turn a failure into a success. Super helpful. And again, pretty cheap in terms of sorcerer points.
00:12:00:01 - 00:12:15:18
Speaker 1
Some sorcerer origins also get a couple of useful features. Arguably the trance of order that the clockwork soul gets counts. This feature reads at 14th level, you gain the ability to align your consciousness to the endless calculations of Mechanus.
00:12:15:20 - 00:12:34:20
Speaker 1
As a bonus action, you can enter this state for one minute for the duration attack rolls against. You can't benefit from advantage, and whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can treat a roll of nine or lower, and the d20 is a ten. Once you use this, you can't use it again unless you spend five.
00:12:34:20 - 00:12:57:18
Speaker 1
Sorcery point. Not a super broken feature, but as we mentioned before, the counterspell check is an ability check. And if you combine this feature with a plus five charisma modifier, we can basically guarantee our counterspell lands on any spell of fifth or lower. In this feature stacks with other abilities we have discussed which can make this more powerful.
00:12:57:23 - 00:13:20:15
Speaker 1
The Wild Magic Sorcerer gets a useful feature at level one called Tides of Chaos. This feature reads starting at first level, you can manipulate the forces of chance and chaos to gain advantage and one attack rule ability check or saving throw. Once you do so, you must finish a long rest before you can use this feature again. Anytime you use this feature.
00:13:20:18 - 00:13:42:02
Speaker 1
The DM can have you roll on the Wild Magic search table immediately after you cast a sorcerer spell of first level or higher. You then regain the use of this feature. Another feature that lets us reroll ability checks, potentially turning a failure into a success. Moving on from sorcerer, the Warlock gets a couple of things which could potentially help.
00:13:42:04 - 00:14:06:18
Speaker 1
This includes the pact of the talisman, which reads your patron grants you an amulet, a talisman that can aid the wearer when the need is great. When the wearer fails an ability check, they can add a D4 to the rule, potentially turning the rule into a success. This benefit can be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and it's restored when you finish a long rest.
00:14:06:20 - 00:14:23:07
Speaker 1
Since Counterspell is an ability check. That means we can add the D4, potentially turning failure into success. A nice little boost. The Fiend Patron also has a feature called Dark One's Own Luck, which can help us as well. It reads
00:14:23:14 - 00:14:46:10
Speaker 1
Starting at six level. You can call on your patron to alter fate in your favor. When you make an ability check or saving throw. You can use this feature to add a d10 to your roll. Then you have to wait until you complete the rest to do it again. A d10 is huge. On average, an extra 5 to 6 levels of spell breaking ability on your check.
00:14:46:12 - 00:15:11:01
Speaker 1
A wonderful little bonus. Wizards also get a couple of features. The School of Abjuration Wizard gets one called Improved Abjuration, which reads beginning at 10th level. When you cast an abjuration spell that requires you to make an ability check as part of casting the spell, as in counterspell and Dispel Magic. You add your proficiency bonus to that ability check.
00:15:11:03 - 00:15:37:16
Speaker 1
This is massive adding plus four to every check. When we get this feature, which scales to plus six with a plus five intelligence, that means it level ten or average Counterspell becomes 19, enough to stop a ninth level spell, a huge feature. The school of Divination gets another useful feature called portent. This feature reads starting at second level, when you choose this school.
00:15:37:18 - 00:15:55:17
Speaker 1
Glimpses of the future begin to press in on your awareness. When you finish a long rest, roll 2D 20s and record the numbers rolled. You can replace any attack, roll, saving, throw, or ability check made by you, or a creature that you can see with one of these foretelling rolls.
00:15:55:17 - 00:16:02:10
Speaker 1
You must choose to do so before the roll, and you can replace a roll in this way only once per turn.
00:16:02:12 - 00:16:09:21
Speaker 1
You only use each roll once, so if you ended up rolling high on portent, you can throw that in for a counterspell.
00:16:13:07 - 00:16:24:22
Speaker 1
There's a few spells which actually can make our counterspell more powerful. This includes the cantrip guidance, which reads you touch one willing creature once before the spell ends.
00:16:25:00 - 00:16:30:06
Speaker 1
The target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to one ability check of its choice.
00:16:30:06 - 00:16:53:11
Speaker 1
That means if you can cast guidance on yourself where someone can cast it on you, then when you make the ability check for Counterspell, you can add a D4, potentially turning a failure into a success. I didn't see any great first level spells that help us, but at second level we have enhanced ability which reads you touch a creature and bestow upon it a magical enhancement.
00:16:53:13 - 00:17:13:21
Speaker 1
Choose one of the following effects. It lists ones for each of the different abilities scores. You would pick your spell casting ability. Well, you're concentrating on this, or someone else can concentrate on it for you. You gain advantage on checks associated with that ability. Again, huge for Counterspell.
00:17:13:21 - 00:17:25:01
Speaker 1
Besides enhance ability, we should also talk about invisibility. Invisibility reads a creature you touch becomes invisible until the spell ends.
00:17:25:03 - 00:17:57:10
Speaker 1
The spell ends for a target that attacks or cast the spell. I remember all my annoying prattling on about hiding before. Would you believe me if I said the invisible condition help solve these problems? Invisible means that mostly we cannot be seen, which means we cannot be. Counterspell and Jeremy Crawford has confirmed that the invisible condition ends after we cast the counterspell, which cannot be counterspell unless the enemy can see us while invisible.
00:17:57:12 - 00:18:21:18
Speaker 1
I'm not going to try to find every way you can gain invisibility, but having invisibility seems to let you counterspell without the risk of being counterspell. And hey, you know what's better than invisibility? Greater Invisibility. Greater invisibility is a fourth level spell that reads your creature you touch becomes invisible until the spell ends.
00:18:21:18 - 00:18:30:23
Speaker 1
And the great thing about this one is you stay invisible even when you're casting counterspell or any of your other spells.
00:18:31:01 - 00:18:37:05
Speaker 1
Is it a little bit rude to use something like this? Maybe, but it's honestly what the spell is built for.
00:18:37:05 - 00:18:45:07
Speaker 1
There is another way to win mage versus mage Counterspell Wars, and that is to increase the number of people who can cast counterspell in your party
00:18:45:07 - 00:18:50:18
Speaker 1
for seventh level spells. There's one that lets you do that, but it is a bit expensive.
00:18:50:20 - 00:19:17:17
Speaker 1
Simulacrum states you shape an illusory duplicate of one beast, or humanoid that is within range for the entire casting time of the spell. The duplicate is a creature partially real and formed from ice or snow, and it can take actions or otherwise be affected. As a normal creature. It appears to be the same as the original, but has half the creature's hit point maximum and is formed without any equipment.
00:19:17:19 - 00:19:44:12
Speaker 1
Otherwise, the illusion uses all the statistics of the creature duplicate, except that it is a construct. Simulacrum is friendly to you and creatures you designate. It obeys your spoken commands, moving and acting in accordance with your wishes and acting, and your turn in combat. The simulacrum lacks the ability to learn or become more powerful. It never increases its level, nor can it regain expanded spell slots.
00:19:44:12 - 00:19:54:07
Speaker 1
This spell is helpful because it gives you another little mini me that can also counterspell, and also has most of your features. If you make your counterspell better, its counterspell will get better.
00:19:54:14 - 00:20:25:13
Speaker 1
For eigth level spells. If your counterspell is cast with charisma, like if you were warlock, bard or sorcerer and there's a really good spell you can use to basically make sure that your counterspell succeeds glibness until the spell ends. When you make charisma check, you can replace the number you roll with a 15. Additionally, no matter what you say, magic that would determine if you're telling the truth indicates that you were being truthful with the spell.
00:20:25:13 - 00:20:52:17
Speaker 1
Means is that if you have a plus five charisma modifier, then every single counterspell you cast succeeds, even against a ninth level spell, because 15 plus five equals 20. And that's more than the 19 DC for ninth level spells. It's a huge spell to pull out, but it can be a battle changer. Ninth level spells. foresight works, I guess.
00:20:52:19 - 00:21:15:20
Speaker 1
You touch a willing creature and bestow a limited ability to see the immediate future for the duration. The target can't be surprised and has advantage and attack rolls, ability checks and saving throws. Other creatures have disadvantage against you. This is a far more expensive way than enhance ability to get advantage on ability checks, but it does work basically all day.
00:21:16:01 - 00:21:19:11
Speaker 1
It helps with counterspell checks and everything else
00:21:22:21 - 00:21:42:00
Speaker 1
besides spells. There's also a couple of feats which can come in handy, with the most important arguably being lucky. Lucky reads you have inexplicable luck that seems to kick in at just the right moment. You have three luck points whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw.
00:21:42:02 - 00:21:56:22
Speaker 1
You can spend one luck point 2 million additional d20. You can choose to spend one of your luck points after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined, you choose which of the d20 is used for the attack roll ability check or saving throw.
00:21:56:22 - 00:22:04:20
Speaker 1
Main benefit here again is getting to add that extra d20, potentially turning our failures into successes.
00:22:04:22 - 00:22:27:13
Speaker 1
The other feat you should consider is meta magic adept. This feat reads you've learned how to exert your will on your spells to alter how they function. You learn too many magic options of your choice from the sorcerer class can only use one meta magic option and spell when you cast it, unless the option says otherwise. When you reach a level, yadda yadda yadda yadda.
00:22:27:15 - 00:22:37:04
Speaker 1
So we have two sorcery points to spend on meta magic, and we are using subtle spells because we already talked about how powerful subtle spell is
00:22:40:14 - 00:22:49:04
Speaker 1
besides these feats and before we get into the build, I also want to briefly talk about things your party can do to help make your counterspell more powerful.
00:22:49:09 - 00:23:11:01
Speaker 1
Does your party have an artificer in it? They should consider using Flash of Genius to help you. Flash of genius reads. Starting at seven, you gain the ability to come up with solutions under pressure. When you or another creature you can see within 30ft of you makes an ability check or a saving throw. You can use your reaction to add your intelligence modifier to the roll.
00:23:11:03 - 00:23:34:13
Speaker 1
They can do this a number of times equal to their intelligence modifier, and then they need to take a long rest. If your artificer friend has a high intelligence, they can help you add plus four or plus five to the roll. Another massive bonus, as I've talked about on here before, and something I got wrong in my tank video, you cannot do this on yourself because it takes your reaction.
00:23:34:15 - 00:23:39:13
Speaker 1
Does your party have a bard in it? Then their bardic inspiration can help you as well.
00:23:39:13 - 00:23:58:08
Speaker 1
bardic inspiration means you can inspire others through stirring words or music. To do so, you must use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60ft. That creature gets your Bardic Inspiration Day, which starts as a d6 and scales to a d12 when they make it.
00:23:58:08 - 00:24:14:04
Speaker 1
Ability check in the next ten minutes or other d20 rolls they can add that day, potentially turning a failure into a success. That is several extra levels of spell busting power just sitting there and waiting for you to take advantage of it.
00:24:14:08 - 00:24:39:13
Speaker 1
Does your party have a circle of the stars Druid in it? Well, then on days they roll a weal and their Cosmic Omen feature, they can help you out. This feature reads whenever you finish a long rest, you can consult your star map for omens. When you do so, roll a dice until you finish your long rest. You have access to a special reaction based on whether you rolled an even or an odd number on the die. Weal which we need is even never.
00:24:39:13 - 00:24:50:03
Speaker 1
Creature you can see within 30ft of you is about to make an attack roll a saving dawn ability check. You can use your reaction to roll a d6 and add the number rolled to the total.
00:24:50:03 - 00:25:04:15
Speaker 1
Do you have a Rune Knight fighter in your group? If they carve a storm rune, they can potentially help you out. The feature reads using this rune, you can glimpse the future like a storm. Giant seer while wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune.
00:25:04:21 - 00:25:27:00
Speaker 1
You have advantage on our kind of checks, and you can't be surprised as long as you aren't incapacitated. In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action to enter a prophetic state for one minute or until you're incapacitated, until the state ends. When you or another creature you can see within 60ft of you makes an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check.
00:25:27:02 - 00:25:45:12
Speaker 1
You can use your reaction to cause the roll to have advantage or disadvantage. Because this uses your reaction, it cannot help your own counterspells which also use your reaction. But if someone in your party has this, they can give you advantage. Once per rest and a counterspell check, which is nice.
00:25:45:12 - 00:25:48:00
Speaker 1
Do you have a wild magic sorcerer in your party?
00:25:48:02 - 00:26:09:05
Speaker 1
Then potentially their bend luck feature can help you. This feature reads starting at six level, you have the ability to twist fate using your wild magic. When another creature you can see makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw. You can use your reaction and spend two sorcery points to roll one d4 and apply the number rolled as a bonus or a penalty.
00:26:09:07 - 00:26:23:23
Speaker 1
Two sorcery points for d4 is a bit expensive, I'll admit, but could be worth it to turn a failure into a success. Do you have a gnome in your party? They can take the Bountiful luck feat to potentially help you out. This feature reads.
00:26:23:23 - 00:26:43:12
Speaker 1
When an ally you can see within 30ft of you rolls a one on the d20 for an attack rolling ability check or a saving throw, you can use your reaction to let the ally roll the die. The ally must use the new die. Not a great feature, especially since it only works a natural one, and you only have a 5% chance to roll in that one less if you have advantage.
00:26:43:12 - 00:26:50:15
Speaker 1
And we've got a couple ways to get advantage you, but can still technically convert a failure to a success. So I included it here.
00:26:54:01 - 00:27:06:08
Speaker 1
Before we get to the build, I do want to talk about a couple things I thought might work, but after reading the rules, I do not think these work. I'm including them because I want some feedback on how you think these things would work at your table.
00:27:06:13 - 00:27:17:21
Speaker 1
The Trickery domain cleric gets a feature called Invoke Duplicity that maybe works for Counterspell. If your DM is quite generous, but I don't think it works.
00:27:17:21 - 00:27:31:08
Speaker 1
The feature reads. Starting at second level, you can use your channel Divinity to create an illusory duplicate of yourself. As an action, you create a perfect illusion of yourself that lasts for one minute or until you lose your concentration.
00:27:31:10 - 00:27:51:17
Speaker 1
The illusion appears in a space 30ft or less away from you. As a bonus action, you can move it. It must stay less than 120ft away, and you can cast spells as though you were in the illusion space, but must use your own senses. Additionally, when both you and your illusion are within five feet of a creature, you've advantage.
00:27:51:17 - 00:28:07:13
Speaker 1
An attack falls against that creature. Okay, this feature uses our senses, so we actually need to be within 60ft to use this feature. It does not limit itself to cleric spells, which is good because we need it to work with Counterspell.
00:28:07:13 - 00:28:11:08
Speaker 1
So then the question becomes can the enemy counterspell the illusion?
00:28:11:08 - 00:28:36:13
Speaker 1
Who seems to be casting the counterspell? Because if they can't, then we have a powerful counterspell buff. Unfortunately, Jeremy Crawford says yes, the enemy can't. So unless your team rules it differently and this won't work for an item, but unfortunately rather we cannot make this future work for us. Sorcerers have a meta magic feature that I thought was going to work called Distant Spell.
00:28:36:14 - 00:28:49:22
Speaker 1
This reads when you cast a spell that has a range of five feet or greater, you can spend one sorcery point to double the range of the spell. When you cast a spell that has a range of touch, you can spend one sorcery point to make the range of the spell 30ft.
00:28:50:03 - 00:29:16:07
Speaker 1
This seems like it would be really powerful for Counterspell because it has a range of 60ft. Having this meta magic would make it initially seem like we could be more like 120ft away, meaning we could counterspell, but our enemy couldn't counterspell us. However, I don't think that actually works. Rules as written. The specific trigger for Counterspell is when you see a creature within 60ft of you casting a spell.
00:29:16:09 - 00:29:38:07
Speaker 1
If it said a creature within range of you casting a spell, then this strategy would work. But since the trigger has an explicit distance, they need to be within range to you. The extra range cannot help. I was really excited about this strategy too, but unfortunately it seems to be wrong. Maybe your DM will be more permissive though.
00:29:38:12 - 00:29:59:10
Speaker 1
The Order of Scribes Wizard, my favorite wizard subclass gets a great feature which I thought worked, and I am incorrectly used when I was playing in order of scribes, Wizard. Sorry about that Austin, but actually realized I was misreading it when playing it. The feature reads you can conjure forth the mind of your awakened spellbook. As a bonus action.
00:29:59:10 - 00:30:19:19
Speaker 1
You can cause the mind to manifest as a tiny spectral object. It can move around, it can hear, you can see through it. And the important part whenever you cast a wizard spell on your turn, you can cast it as if you were in the spectral mind space instead of your own. Using its senses, you can do so.
00:30:19:19 - 00:30:34:03
Speaker 1
A number of times per day, equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. As a bonus action, you can cause your mind to move steps manifesting if someone dispels it, etc. etc. etc..
00:30:34:03 - 00:30:49:11
Speaker 1
Back when I was playing a wizard, I thought I was able to place my manifest mind within 60ft of the enemy, keep myself more than 60ft away and they would transfer my senses to the mind and then potentially use my reaction to cast counterspell from the mind
00:30:49:13 - 00:31:06:15
Speaker 1
Because my senses were in the mind. I gave the DM advantage on attacks against me and gave myself disadvantage on saves, but then would have counterspells that could not be counterspell because I was casting it and I was casting as if I was in the physical location of the mind, putting me within range for the triggers and stuff.
00:31:06:17 - 00:31:14:20
Speaker 1
But I was not actually within range for the enemy's triggers. However, this does not work for several reasons.
00:31:14:20 - 00:31:31:11
Speaker 1
One manifest. Mine says on your turn. It does not say on an opponent's turn. Your DM may rule that your counterspell can still be counterspell because manifest mine reads you cast as if you were in the spectral mine space.
00:31:31:13 - 00:31:43:11
Speaker 1
So your DMA rule that you were effectively in range for the enemy Counterspell three A strict reading of Counterspell may not work because it requires the enemy to be within 60ft of you.
00:31:43:18 - 00:31:51:05
Speaker 1
So again, just like with distance spell, I was trying to play with range, but it just doesn't work. Rules as written.
00:31:51:07 - 00:31:57:07
Speaker 1
Okay, so with all that handled, let's take a look and see if we can make a really powerful counterspell build.
00:32:00:19 - 00:32:26:14
Speaker 1
There's a lot of great backbones for a strong counterspelling mage. You can go school of abjuration, get that improved abjuration at level ten. That's massive. You can go sword luck. Combine Dark One's own luck with magical guidance and things like that. with subtle spells to really boost it up. I think for the backbone, I'm going to go bard because I went jack of all trades and I went glibness.
00:32:26:16 - 00:32:39:09
Speaker 1
I'm going to take some levels in sorcerer as well. But Bard is going to be the through line for this. Without further ado, let's jump in. For Race, I think it makes most sense to go with either
00:32:39:09 - 00:32:40:02
Speaker 1
Hobgoblin.
00:32:40:02 - 00:32:50:05
Speaker 1
or autognome. One of them adds up to a plus three in the other. A D4 on ability checks mathematically pretty close in both proficiency times per long wrist.
00:32:50:07 - 00:33:13:06
Speaker 1
Go with whichever one fits your world better, whichever one has features that work well with you. I think since I will primarily be putting points into Charisma and Constitution, we will go with Auto Gnome. Since they have an unarmored defense, they will help us out since we will not mostly have great armor choices. If your DM is not about automatons in their world, then consider hobgoblins.
00:33:13:07 - 00:33:35:13
Speaker 1
They're not okay with monstrous races either. Then consider variant human or custom origins. You can take one of the feats in this build a little bit earlier, based on whatever you think is going to work best. For background, I almost always say pick your favorite. None of them super matter for this. You could pick one. I like the plain scape ones that give you free feats, but that's cheating.
00:33:35:13 - 00:34:03:20
Speaker 1
Let's be honest, I went with investigator and I imagine that my unknown realm was created specifically to investigate the ill fated schemes of magic users for abilities were doing point by so that everyone can get the same scores eight strength, 14 dex 15 con, ten intelligence, ten wisdom and 14 charisma going to put her plus two in the charisma to make it 16 and her plus one into Constitution to make it 16.
00:34:03:22 - 00:34:36:10
Speaker 1
With that set up, it's time to discuss level one. At level one, we're wild magic sorcerer I know, I know, I know, I just said that I was going into a bard backbone, but and then started with sorcerer. That delays us getting Counterspell to later getting glibness delays, us getting peerless skill and delays our first easier feat. But it gives us some useful spells, useful cantrip constitution saving to proficiency in the Tides of Chaos feature, which will end up giving us occasional advantage on her counterspell check.
00:34:36:12 - 00:34:38:05
Speaker 1
Once we get counterspells.
00:34:38:05 - 00:34:53:12
Speaker 1
For spells first level here, mostly pick your favorite. Most of the first level spells I would take compete for reaction. We'll use them early on, but less once we have Counterspell. These include things like shield absorb elements and silvery barbs.
00:34:53:12 - 00:35:02:01
Speaker 1
For can trips again, pick your favorites, but take at least one decent, damaging cantrip, since the Bard List will not have a ton of options for that.
00:35:02:03 - 00:35:17:22
Speaker 1
I would take mending, too, if you went autognome because it just makes sense. We are not super survivable or powerful at this level. Having nine hit points in an AC of 15, so be a little bit careful after this. We're going to be racing through until we get Counterspell.
00:35:18:00 - 00:35:25:22
Speaker 1
Level two we're adding a level in bard. Pick whatever skill and musical proficiency fit your character for spells. Mostly pick your favorites. Again,
00:35:25:23 - 00:35:43:01
Speaker 1
I would try to pick up good concentration control spells, things like hideous laughter, bane berry fire or non concentration control spells like command level three. We're adding another level. In bard this gives us our powerful jack of all trades feature, which will come in handy once we have counterspell
00:35:43:01 - 00:35:47:07
Speaker 1
as well as Song of Rest, which helps us help our allies when they take a short rest.
00:35:47:09 - 00:36:14:01
Speaker 1
Level four we're adding another level in bard and We get to pick our Bard College. We are taking College of Lore. Pick your favorites for expertise in bonus proficiencies. We also get cutting words, which uses a reaction so we will almost never worry about it when you do need to worry about it. Like if there's no one for you to counterspell or this is a life or death situation, cutting words lets you subtract your bardic inspiration, die from one of your enemies.
00:36:14:01 - 00:36:37:10
Speaker 1
D20 rolls are not saving throws though. Attacks, ability checks or damage, not saving throws for spells. We want to make sure to take invisibility and then probably also enhance ability because those are the second level spells which boost counterspell. Once we get it, we probably won't be using those often. So consider taking things like silence to shut down verbal components for a spellcaster, though.
00:36:37:10 - 00:36:56:16
Speaker 1
Note Counterspell does not have verbal components, and this does not prevent enemy spellcasters from counterspelling. You lesser restoration for a great healing spell. Hold person or suggestion for powerful control spells, or see invisibility. If you're worried about your DM using the invisibility tricks I discussed above.
00:36:56:17 - 00:37:12:10
Speaker 1
Level five. We are taking another level in Bard and get our first ability score increase or feat. My first instinct is to bumper charisma because that improves every counterspell we make, as well as every spell attack and her spell save DC plus we get more bardic inspirations.
00:37:12:10 - 00:37:15:14
Speaker 1
But mathematically, I think I'm going to need to take a feat.
00:37:15:16 - 00:37:34:22
Speaker 1
And so in between either Lucky or Metamagic adept, arguably we should pick lucky. It's a little more versatile. I think mathematically, maybe a touch better. We can potentially get metamagic eventually by shifting back to sorcerer, but I really want to race to peerless skill and maybe even push all the way to level 15 and Bard.
00:37:35:00 - 00:37:54:14
Speaker 1
Before I go back to sorcerer. Flavor wise, I love counterspells that cannot be counterspell more than I love rerolling and tracking luck points. So I'm going to take meta magic adept. You pick whatever works best for you. Remember, you're taking subtle spells that once you get counterspell, you will be able to counterspell without getting counterspell.
00:37:54:17 - 00:38:16:11
Speaker 1
Level six. When you're taking another level in bard, we get font of inspiration. So now our bardic inspirations reset on a short rest. Nice. We can bump those out more often. We also get third level spells I would consider to spell magic to remove spell effects, hypnotic pattern for control, slow for control, where things like tiny hut or tongues for utility.
00:38:16:13 - 00:38:39:13
Speaker 1
Slow is my favorite control spell against spellcasters, so really look at that. Remember Jack of all trades works on disple magic as well. Level seven. We're taking another level in bard, and we finally get the nearly worthless countercharm in the super powerful counterspell. Counterspell comes from our additional Magic Secrets feature, which lets us learn spells from other class lists.
00:38:39:15 - 00:39:02:15
Speaker 1
Please take Counterspell at this level. Other than that, pick something you like. Bless for buffs, Spirit Guardians to whack people near you. I took guidance even though it's just a cantrip, because if we get a set up round, it can be a useful cast to make our counterspell more powerful in an actual game. I probably wouldn't take this, but here for this build, we're trying to maximize our counterspell.
00:39:02:15 - 00:39:17:19
Speaker 1
So now that we have Counterspell, let's check in on how it does. We have a plus three from our charisma and a plus one from our jack of all trades, giving us a plus four on counterspell checks. This means we expect to be able to take out a fourth level spell using our Counterspell.
00:39:17:20 - 00:39:37:10
Speaker 1
We have metamagic adept so we can set a spell cast this twice per day, making our counterspell impossible to counterspell. Additionally, we can use our Tides of Chaos feature to give us advantage once per long rest or until the DM makes us roll on the wild magic table, which, gives us an extra d20 on that roll.
00:39:37:12 - 00:39:42:09
Speaker 1
Furthermore, we can use our built for success feature to add an additional D4.
00:39:42:09 - 00:39:56:22
Speaker 1
This means that we have a plus four plus potentially advantage plus. We can add another D4, make it too close to an expected value of like 21 on the tie. If we burn all those resources on a single roll.
00:39:56:23 - 00:40:18:21
Speaker 1
Level eight. If you decided not to take a magic adept, you might want to jump back to sorcerer, take two more levels and get meta magic. Like I said before, I am racing to peerless skill and maybe glibness. So I am sticking with bard here, finally getting fourth level spell slots. I'm taking greater invisibility for the counterspell reasons we discussed before.
00:40:18:23 - 00:40:31:02
Speaker 1
Level nine. We're sticking with Bard. Get our next ASI or feat again. It might be worth taking an charisma boost. Increasing bardie inspiration counterspell checks and or spell attacks and DCs.
00:40:31:07 - 00:40:51:05
Speaker 1
However, I think mathematically the best choice is to take the lucky feat three Rerolls and Counterspell checks is massively powerful. Additionally, our proficiency bonus has increased to plus four, so jack of all trades bonus has increased to plus two. This means their counterspell check is now a plus three from charisma, plus two from Jack of all trades.
00:40:51:07 - 00:41:11:02
Speaker 1
For an expected roll of about 15. To this we can add our built for success, our tides of chaos, our lucky rolls bringing our expected value to something like a 23. Mostly you don't want to roll all those days if you can avoid it, but it's good to have it when you need it. Level ten. As I said before, we are stuck with Bard for a while on this build.
00:41:11:02 - 00:41:36:08
Speaker 1
Now. So yeah, back to Barak. We are level ten with nine levels. In Bard we get fifth level spells that none of these are super important for Counterspell arguably mislead can work, but not worth it in my opinion. I would consider dominate person, hold monster animate objects, telepathic band scrying seeming and synaptic static depending on your party. Level 11 we are still a bard ten levels.
00:41:36:08 - 00:41:53:07
Speaker 1
Now we get more expertise. Wherever you want, you gain two more magical secret spells. None of them specifically apply to Counterspell at this point, so pick what you want. Wall of force is a super useful control ability, Vortex Warp is fun from ability. There's a ton of fun choices. Pick what works for you.
00:41:53:11 - 00:42:19:08
Speaker 1
Level 12 we're taking another bard level and we get six level spells. None of these are super specific to Counterspell though. I can give your enemy disadvantage and ability checks hurting their counterspell, but this build is about boosting our counterspell, not hurting other people's. Seriously. Consider Heroes Feast if you want to boost your party mass suggestion for control or true seeing if your enemy mage is a dick.
00:42:19:10 - 00:42:36:21
Speaker 1
Level 13. We're a 12th level bard and we get another ASI or feat and we finally get to boost our charisma. Boosting our charisma to an 18 gives us a plus four. This means for Counterspell, we now have a plus six by default. Then we can stack the rest of our ridiculous features on top of it, making it like an expected 24.
00:42:36:21 - 00:43:02:09
Speaker 1
I think a really nice way to take out annoying spellcasters. Level 14 we’re a 13th level bard we get seven level spells. There's tons of great options here, most of which are not directly tied to Counterspell, so pick your favorites. I would take force cage for control. Magnificent mansion to make every long rest luxurious resurrection. If it's important in your party and teleport to open up the map.
00:43:02:13 - 00:43:21:22
Speaker 1
Level 15. We finally get the feature we have been waiting for because we are a level 14 bard, and as a College of Lore bard, that means now we get peerless skill, which means on any ability check, including our counterspell checks, we can add our bardic inspiration die, which is a d10 that goes up to a d12 at our next bard level.
00:43:21:23 - 00:43:30:14
Speaker 1
This means that with all or different bullshit we can add on, our Counterspell is up to something wild like a 29 expected value.
00:43:30:18 - 00:43:48:15
Speaker 1
We are doing so good at blocking magic and it's about to get so much better. We also get to pick more magical secrets. Pick your favorites. I chose Soul Cage because it's a really cool warlock spell. It lets you do a bunch of different things with one dead person and one spell slot. I also took simulacrum for breaking the counterspell Action economy.
00:43:48:15 - 00:44:13:02
Speaker 1
At level 16, we are sticking with bard because we really want Glibness. We also upgrade our bard inspiration with Glibness active. The lowest we can roll on our counter. Spell check is now a 21, and after take out any spell without Glibness active, we still have enough resources that we can basically guarantee our counterspell will land. We are a terrifying sight for any major diseases as we basically shut them down.
00:44:13:06 - 00:44:34:11
Speaker 1
At level 17, I'm going to switch back to sorcerer. I understand if you want a stick bard to get level nine spells, but I want to be able to do more subtle spell casting. And hopping back to sorcerer gives this font of magic. This lets us convert our spell sets to sorcery points and vice versa, allowing us to burn more spell slots to get more sorcery points.
00:44:34:16 - 00:44:58:10
Speaker 1
We now have a total of four points and we can keep those full so way more of our counterspells can be subtle spells, and any spell we don't want counterspelled can also be counterspelled. Also, our proficiency bonus went up again and we have a ninth-level spell set. This means that with Glibness active, the lowest we can run our counterspell check is now a 22 and we can cast Glibness twice without Glibness active.
00:44:58:10 - 00:45:10:01
Speaker 1
We still have a plus seven. We had every counterspell checked. We can add our D12 Bardic Inspiration Day and our D4 built for Success day. We can roll it to advantage and we can basically reroll it whenever we want.
00:45:10:01 - 00:45:23:15
Speaker 1
Level 18. We're taking a third level in sorcery. But again, I understand if you're just trying to get to bard, I want some more sorcerer points and a little more meta magic so I can take heighten spell, giving one target disadvantage on a saving throw on our spells.
00:45:23:21 - 00:45:55:16
Speaker 1
Letting me land for my big control spells for second-level sorcerer spells. I'm going to make a strange recommendation and say Misty Step because mobility can help us stay in range of enemy mages. Level 19 and level 20. We're taking bard to get 9th level spells. You can stick with sorcerer if you really want. Magical guidance so that sometimes we can re-roll, but I mean, come on, we never need it if Glibness is active and if Glibness is not active, we have Tides of Chaos and are lucky to get several of that already.
00:45:55:17 - 00:46:20:05
Speaker 1
So I'm going bard. We get another ASI. I'm going to use it to max out my charisma. Glibness is active; the lowest we can roll is a 23; without glibness, the lowest we can roll, we get a plus eight plus all of our abilities. We can interrupt basically any spell for ninth-level spells. Arguably, you could use foresight to give yourself an advantage on those counterspell checks.
00:46:20:07 - 00:46:31:03
Speaker 1
Frankly, I would probably take power word kill because the best way to counterspell a mage is to make sure they're dead, and they have very few hit points. Those mages.
00:46:31:03 - 00:46:53:00
Speaker 1
That's about it. There's a lot of things you could have done based on this video to make an effective build of ten levels, and Abjuration Wizard makes you very good at Counterspell. Combine it with metamagic adept or a few levels in sorcerer and who we're cooking. Make a sorlock with a fiend. You can roll and eventually add a d10 to the rolls, as well as have subtle spells and magical guidance.
00:46:53:02 - 00:47:14:04
Speaker 1
Go just warlocks so you can eventually get glibness. Just make sure you end combat quickly, because if you don't have a ton of spell slots, similarly, it's pretty clear how you could convert the spell to just a straight Bard build, right? You skip the sorcerer, you get to Glibness that much sooner, and then you get to ninth-level spells that much sooner.
00:47:14:04 - 00:47:15:11
Speaker 1
Afterwards.
00:47:15:15 - 00:47:45:11
Speaker 1
I love Counterspell; it fits with my somewhat technical style of play, but I understand why Wizards of the coast were worried about its tendency to bog down combat, and sometimes it feels like half the reasons they make sorcerers fight with their hands behind their backs is because they're worried about things like my subtle spells and shenanigans because it messes with the expected counterspell I counterspell that counters by counter, spell that counters by the counter that counters by counters, but that comes with the country that counterspells type of mage versus mage battle.
00:47:45:11 - 00:47:47:16
Speaker 1
Which contender? Current high levels of play.
00:47:47:16 - 00:48:01:11
Speaker 1
Anyways, before you and your table upgrade to the new Player's Handbook or before your DM starts pulling too many monsters from monsters of the multiverse, throw a bard at them that shuts their mages down. Did I miss anything in this way too long video?
00:48:01:15 - 00:48:12:05
Speaker 1
Did anyone actually make it to this point? Let me know in the comments! There's a PDF of character sheets at different levels for the build, linked in the description below. Thank you for joining me.
