Q: Preventing spell completion (5e)

[Gurifu]

Is there any way for a non-caster to prevent a character from casting a spell or spell-like abiliity other than 100%-0-ing him before he starts?

[JAL_1138]

Is there any way for a non-caster to prevent a character from casting a spell or spell-like abiliity other than 100%-0-ing him before he starts?

Not as explicit abilities other than Counterspell, as far as I'm aware. Spells tend to either take longer than most combat is likely to take to cast, giving plenty of time to drop them to 0 or cause them to stop and do another action for sheer self-preservation, or else they fire off instantly. On the longer spells, presumably status effects like unconsciousness, petrification, polymorph, or paralysis that prevent somatic and verbal component use would work, but I don't think it's spelled out (pardon the pun), just the logical conclusion. For the instant spells, they go off on the caster's turn, e.g., "I cast Fireball! *fireball immediately happens unless counterspelled*." Being in an antimagic field works to stop it from affecting you; if the caster is standing around casting a 1-minute spell and you've got AMF up you could move it to put the caster in it or shove the caster into it. But there's no "hit caster = spell fizzles" like in 2e I'm aware of.

[Gurifu]

A preemptive, Readied, or Contingency'd Silence or Antimagic Field should also work, but as I said... non-caster.

[Forum Explorer]

A preemptive, Readied, or Contingency'd Silence or Antimagic Field should also work, but as I said... non-caster.

You could argue a grapple check in order to pin the wizard (preventing the somatic components) would work, which could lead to you gagging them as well.

[Rilak]

Ready an attack. Hit. Kill the Wizard :)

[Person_Man]

As noted above, your best bet is to kill your target quickly (which isn't that difficult to do in many cases in 5E) or impose a status condition that would prevent spellcasting (which can be done with spells, poison, grapple, stunning fist, etc).

It's also worth mentioning that Counterspell is very effective in this edition (and in many cases works automatically). So while non-casters don't have an automatic way to stop casters, the presence of any spellcaster on your team (or your enemy's) with Counterspell can be a very big deal.

[Talderas]

It's also worth mentioning that Counterspell is very effective in this edition (and in many cases works automatically).

Slow is also a wonderful spell against casters.

[asorel]

What about the Mage Slayer feat? The PHB doesn't state that your attack disrupts the spell, but you could make a Grappling attack, thus disrupting the spell's somatic components. Same as what a previous poster suggested, but you don't have to use your Action for it to work.

[CrusaderJoe]

Grappling doesn't stop spell casting... At least the condition under Appendix A doesn't call it out. Nor does it say anything under Somatic components.

I'm using the basic version as I'm AFB, if there is something different please let me know.

Hell, restraining (via grappling or otherwise) doesn't stop casting if the mage has at least 1 hand free. Being restrained doesn't say both hands are tied up or what not...

Grappling is useless against the mage.

I hope I'm wrong...

[asorel]

Grappling doesn't stop spell casting... At least the condition under Appendix A doesn't call it out. Nor does it say anything under Somatic components.

I'm using the basic version as I'm AFB, if there is something different please let me know.

Hell, restraining (via grappling or otherwise) doesn't stop casting if the mage has at least 1 hand free. Being restrained doesn't say both hands are tied up or what not...

Grappling is useless against the mage.

I hope I'm wrong...

I was going mainly off of what previous posters had said, and common sense. It's not RAW, and that's fine, but I don't think it's unreasonable for the DM to rule that you can try and interrupt a casting with an attack or grapple.

[CrusaderJoe]

I was going mainly off of what previous posters had said, and common sense. It's not RAW, and that's fine, but I don't think it's unreasonable for the DM to rule that you can try and interrupt a casting with an attack or grapple.

Me either, I just brought it up because you shouldn't go into a game expecting a house rule. Everyone should come to the game under the impression that the rules in the book will be used.

Maybe the designers left it out because they thought that is the best way to balance the game?

[JAL_1138]

I was going mainly off of what previous posters had said, and common sense. It's not RAW, and that's fine, but I don't think it's unreasonable for the DM to rule that you can try and interrupt a casting with an attack or grapple.

I'd certainly allow it...then again I still think it's odd that any hit doesn't disrupt a spell automatically, and that's been gone for fifteen years...god I feel old now. Dagnabbed whippersnappers.

[Solusek]

Readied actions happen *after* the event that triggers them in 5e. If you ready an action to attack someone when they cast a spell, you don't get to actually do your attack until after the spell has already gone off. Yes, this is different than how readied actions and immediate actions worked in 3e. Some other *reaction* effects and spells do get to happen before the trigger resolves, though (like counterspell), so you have to pay attention to what the text on your reaction ability says to know whether it resolves before or after the trigger does.

It appears from the rules that neither grappled or even restrained (as per what the "Grappler" feat can let you do) have any effect on spell casting. Even when casting somatic component spells. It looks like stopping a spell caster is going to take either a combination of grappled and a silence spell, or afflicting them with a different condition that would stop them from taking actions all together (like incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, stunned).

While it is relatively easy to disrupt concentration, it seems that stopping a spell from being cast in the first place is very difficult in 5e.

[RulesJD]

Can use the rules for Disarm provided in the DMG.

Battlemaster Fighter can make a Disarming Strike.


If you Disarm the target you can pickup their arcane/divine focus or components pouch and remove their ability to cast spells that require material components.

[Icewraith]

Readied actions happen *after* the event that triggers them in 5e. If you ready an action to attack someone when they cast a spell, you don't get to actually do your attack until after the spell has already gone off. Yes, this is different than how readied actions and immediate actions worked in 3e. Some other *reaction* effects and spells do get to happen before the trigger resolves, though (like counterspell), so you have to pay attention to what the text on your reaction ability says to know whether it resolves before or after the trigger does.

It appears from the rules that neither grappled or even restrained (as per what the "Grappler" feat can let you do) have any effect on spell casting. Even when casting somatic component spells. It looks like stopping a spell caster is going to take either a combination of grappled and a silence spell, or afflicting them with a different condition that would stop them from taking actions all together (like incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, stunned).

While it is relatively easy to disrupt concentration, it seems that stopping a spell from being cast in the first place is very difficult in 5e.

Ok, so "when they start casting a spell".

[CrusaderJoe]

Readied actions happen *after* the event that triggers them in 5e. If you ready an action to attack someone when they cast a spell, you don't get to actually do your attack until after the spell has already gone off. Yes, this is different than how readied actions and immediate actions worked in 3e. Some other *reaction* effects and spells do get to happen before the trigger resolves, though (like counterspell), so you have to pay attention to what the text on your reaction ability says to know whether it resolves before or after the trigger does.

It appears from the rules that neither grappled or even restrained (as per what the "Grappler" feat can let you do) have any effect on spell casting. Even when casting somatic component spells. It looks like stopping a spell caster is going to take either a combination of grappled and a silence spell, or afflicting them with a different condition that would stop them from taking actions all together (like incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, stunned).

While it is relatively easy to disrupt concentration, it seems that stopping a spell from being cast in the first place is very difficult in 5e.

Funny enough this is why no one ever takes OA. The OA happens after you leave their threatened space... Only they can no long reach you haha.

[ProphetSword]

Funny enough this is why no one ever takes OA. The OA happens after you leave their threatened space... Only they can no long reach you haha.

Opportunity Attacks are one of the exceptions that actually do allow you to interrupt something. You don't strike after they leave a threatened area, but as they leave it.

[ProphetSword]

Ok, so "when they start casting a spell".

Doesn't work. The rules are quite clear that they get to complete their action before any readied actions occur. The only exceptions are actions which specify that they can interrupt something.

[Gurifu]

Doesn't work. The rules are quite clear that they get to complete their action before any readied actions occur. The only exceptions are actions which specify that they can interrupt something.

Oh, I hadn't noticed that. That's... really terrible, actually.

[charcoalninja]

Doesn't work. The rules are quite clear that they get to complete their action before any readied actions occur. The only exceptions are actions which specify that they can interrupt something.

Seriously, now you can have a person pinned down by having 34 snipers with xbows trained on him, all readied their action for if they move a muscle to fire, and the character can just move to cover and completes their move before they get their reaction.

Hillariously stupid.

[asorel]

Seriously, now you can have a person pinned down by having 34 snipers with xbows trained on him, all readied their action for if they move a muscle to fire, and the character can just move to cover and completes their move before they get their reaction.

Hillariously stupid.

Movement isn't an action in this edition, it's just movement. I'm AFB, but wouldn't that bypass the rule about action completion?

[Gurifu]

Movement isn't an action in this edition, it's just movement. I'm AFB, but wouldn't that bypass the rule about action completion?

Dash is an action.

[asorel]

Dash is an action.

True, but that doesn't cover the basic move speed that everyone receives. It's a bit gimmicky, but I think it would work RAW (As I said, I'm AFB).

[ProphetSword]

Dash is an action.



PHB, Page 192:
When you take the Dash action, you gain extra movement for the current turn.

Technically, the Dash action would complete immediately, as all it does is add to the amount of movement a character gets. As already pointed out, movement isn't an action. So, a trigger for a ready action on movement would still happen even if Dash is taken.

[Demonic Spoon]

A preemptive, Readied, or Contingency'd Silence or Antimagic Field should also work, but as I said... non-caster.

Readied does not work. Ready actions typically take place after the completion of their trigger.