Does Jack of All Trades Work on Counterspell?

The short answer is a definitive yes, Jack of All Trades from the Bard class does indeed work on Counterspell. However, the application is specific and nuanced. It’s not about directly boosting the effect of Counterspell itself, but rather about improving the ability check required to successfully counter a higher-level spell. Let’s break this down:

Understanding Jack of All Trades

Jack of All Trades is a core Bard class feature that states: Starting at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn’t already include your proficiency bonus. This means that if you’re rolling a Strength check, a Wisdom (Survival) check, or in this case a spellcasting ability check when using Counterspell, and you aren’t already adding your proficiency bonus to it, Jack of All Trades provides a bonus.

Counterspell and Ability Checks

When you attempt to Counterspell a spell that is 4th level or higher, you must make an ability check using your spellcasting ability (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma). The DC for this check is 10 + the spell’s level. Here’s where Jack of All Trades comes into play.

If you’re a Bard using Counterspell, you are already proficient in your spellcasting ability, which you would add to your roll. However, if you use Counterspell to react to a spell that is not part of your class spell list or if your spellcasting ability check does not involve a skill proficiency to which you are applying your full proficiency bonus, then Jack of All Trades would apply. You would add half your proficiency bonus (rounded down), to that roll. It’s important to note that even if you already have proficiency in a given skill, if you use that skill in a way that does not explicitly add your proficiency bonus to the roll, Jack of All Trades will still apply.

For example, a 10th-level Bard with a Charisma modifier of +4 and a proficiency bonus of +4 would typically use that to cast spells with a +8 to hit. When using Counterspell on a 5th-level spell, they would make an ability check using their Charisma modifier and add half their proficiency bonus from Jack of All Trades and no proficiency bonus. This could bring their roll total to a +6. Without Jack of All Trades, that check would be +4, making the bonus quite significant.

Why this is important

This distinction is vital for the following reasons:

• Reliability: Against higher-level spells, the chance to successfully Counterspell decreases drastically without some form of bonus. Jack of All Trades gives you an edge.
• Tactical Advantage: Knowing that you are slightly more likely to succeed at countering enemy magic lets you make more informed tactical decisions during encounters.
• Bard Versatility: This demonstrates the versatility of the Bard class by allowing it to be an effective counter-mage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What specific ability check does Counterspell use?

Counterspell uses your spellcasting ability modifier – Intelligence for Wizards, Wisdom for Clerics and Druids, or Charisma for Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Bards. The actual type of ability check will vary depending on the circumstance and if a skill is being used, but typically the bonus you add is your modifier, plus half your proficiency bonus.

2. Can I use Jack of All Trades with other spells that require ability checks?

Yes, Jack of All Trades can be used with any ability check where you don’t already add your full proficiency bonus. This could include situations like attempting to dispel a magical effect, identifying a magical item, or making an improvised spellcasting attempt.

3. How do I know if I’m already adding my proficiency bonus to a check?

Generally, if you’re using a skill you are proficient in, you add your proficiency bonus. However, the ability check required by Counterspell is not usually associated with a skill, therefore your proficiency bonus would not be added directly to it. Instead, your spellcasting modifier is added to it. That’s when Jack of All Trades kicks in, providing the additional bonus.

4. Does Jack of All Trades apply to Initiative checks?

Yes. Since Initiative is a Dexterity check, and typically doesn’t add a proficiency bonus unless you have a feature that allows it, Jack of All Trades applies, making Bards more likely to act early in combat.

5. Can I use Jack of All Trades to counter a cantrip?

No. Counterspell cannot be used to counter a cantrip, so the question becomes moot. However, Jack of All Trades will apply to any ability checks you make in other situations related to a cantrip. For example, attempting to determine the nature of a cantrip.

6. Can I counter a Counterspell with my own Counterspell?

Yes, you can. This creates a “Counterspell war” where players use their reactions to attempt to block the initial spell, making combat more dynamic. Keep in mind, you can only have one reaction per round.

7. Can I use Subtle Spell to prevent my spells from being counterspelled?

Generally, yes, the Metamagic option Subtle Spell of the Sorcerer class can prevent Counterspell, provided it removes any visible somatic or verbal components of casting, as a casting needs to be seen to be countered.

8. What if a spell has a verbal component I can’t hear? Can I still Counterspell it?

No. The requirement is that you have to see the components of the spell being cast. If you cannot see them or hear them, you generally cannot counter it.

9. Does being Invisible prevent Counterspell?

It depends on how you are invisible. If it’s simply by being behind total cover, that works because you can’t target someone if you can’t see them. Being under the effects of the Invisibility spell generally doesn’t work, as most sources of invisibility don’t prevent you from being seen and don’t block verbal or somatic spell components.

10. How does Counterspell work against Force of Will from Magic: The Gathering?

Force of Will from Magic: The Gathering is a different system than D&D. They both exist in their own respective rulesets, therefore the two cannot interact.

11. Does Counterspell make you lose a spell slot?

Yes. When you cast Counterspell, you expend a spell slot of the same level as the spell you are attempting to counter, or a higher level spell slot. This is irrespective of whether the Counterspell succeeds or fails.

12. Can I use Bardic Inspiration on the ability check of Counterspell?

Yes, you can apply Bardic Inspiration to an ability check you make to counter a higher-level spell with Counterspell. This greatly increases your odds of success. It is important to note that you can only use Bardic Inspiration to empower the roll, and you cannot roll an inspiration die as a reaction.

13. What classes are best at Counterspelling?

While many classes have access to it, the Lore Bard, with its Jack of All Trades and Bardic Inspiration, is widely considered one of the best, with the Abjuration Wizard close behind.

14. If a spell is of higher level, is there a chance I might fail?

Yes. If you fail to successfully make the required spellcasting check with your spellcasting ability modifier plus half your proficiency modifier from Jack of All Trades, the attempted Counterspell fails, and the original spell goes off as normal.

15. Can I “ready an action” to Counterspell?

No, you can’t ready a reaction. You are free to use your Reaction, during the initiative round, when a triggering action happens.