Counterspell is bullshit design anyway.
— Matt Colville? (@mattcolville) September 29, 2021
I've come to realise that Counterspell as a DM punches very differently to Counterspell as a PC.
I always feel bad using it as a DM.
So I save it for campaign finales when they’re trying to revivify a PC. Counterspelling a players "big moment" honestly sucks for them. It's tactical. It makes narrative sense. But it sucks. A player counterspelling the villain is a WIN for everyone.
— Sherlock Hulmes – HighRollers Sun @ 5pm GMT (@sherlock_hulmes) September 29, 2021
Want to try and save it for stuff like Counterspelling Revifys (because a quest to Raise Dead leads to more great story), stop stun/lockdown effects, or to help the villain Escape (because again leads to more great story & encourages players to think of workarounds). Totally agree. It took nearly a year of foreshadowing for me to work up the courage to do this!
Counterspell 100% hits different when cast by a PC than it does a DM. It feels dirty when cast from behind the screen.
— Justice Ramin Arman (@justicearman) September 29, 2021
It took a player having a bad time, in a fight I was excited about, to help bring me around on it. My love of “gotcha!” moments (I am a Blue Magic player…) was overshading Players feeling cool, had to reassess. Blue magic is a great comparison.
The only other time I think I've used counterspell is in a wizard duel with a PC and an archmage (I let them both continue to cast it and play "spell tennis").
— Justice Ramin Arman (@justicearman) September 29, 2021
Yes, that's a cool scenario to do it in!
— Sherlock Hulmes – HighRollers Sun @ 5pm GMT (@sherlock_hulmes) September 29, 2021
I would disagree, Lord @mattcolville , it makes you feel AMAZING as a player. Sure, it ruins GM plans, but it often increases overall fun. Doesn’t that make it good design? Nope.
— Matt Colville? (@mattcolville) September 29, 2021