Belac93
2016-06-27, 03:30 PM
I want to make a character who is the best at fighting spellcasters.
So, lets get into it.
So, here I will be pointing out all the ways you can fight spellcasters.
Saving throws. Wisdom and Constitution are your most important, followed by Dexterty, then Charisma, with Strength lagging behind and Intelligence almost gone.
ScoresHowever, Intelligence is actually one of your most important ability scores. It will let you know your enemy, and give you a high arcana. I would keep it at least 12, if not 14.
Hill dwarves give bonuses to the most important saves, extra hit points against blasters, and a resistance to poison. Not bad.
Elves are great, mainly for Fey Ancestry. Enchanters get a huge penalty when they are up against you. A niche ability that is not well known, ghouls in the MM have paralyzing claws that do not work on elves, so that is also good against necromancers. If you are a drow, watch out for the sunlight.
Stout Halflings have resistance to fear, lucky (no more 1s on saving throws), and poison resistance. A pretty good race.
Humans get to start with either Resilient or Mage Slayer at level 1. My go-to race after gnomes.
Dragonborn have resistance to a single damage type. I wouldn't bother with them.
Gnomes are an obvious choice. Bonuses to intelligence, two of the important saving throws, and then their best ability, advantage on all mental saving throws against magic! How awesome is that!? What's more, being a Deep Gnome lets you cast Nondetection at will! Diviners don't stand a chance against you! I would recommend this race over all others.
Half elves are good for the same reasons as Elves, but with a small penalty. They do not gain the resistance to ghoul touches, which is a bit of a bummer. However, you have more flexible ability score increases, and extra skills, making you possibly better than elves.
Half orcs pretty much just have extra CON and relentless endurance.
Tieflings have resistance to fire damage, which is nice, and darkness at higher levels is cool. With SCAG, you can take Feral Tiefling (better ability scores), and winged to try and stay out of their reach.
Aasimar are only really nice against clerics and necromancers, or people who have curse spells.
Fire and Water genasi are alright for their resistances and ability scores.
Barbarians are extremely hard hitters, have advantage on dexterity saving throws, and with the wolf totem, give advantage to their allies. Great when paired with Mage Slayer. Beware Wisdom saving throws.
Bards have countercharm (no more enchanting), and magical secrets which lets them gain any mage-fighting spell they want. Nice.
Clerics are decent. Turn undead makes then the best characters at fighting necromancers. Nature domain can also give resistance to energy damage types. Arcane domain has dispel magic and the ability to dispel summoned creatures, as well as removing spells on their allies and gaining anti-magic field at level 17.
Druids are not so good at this. Arctic druids will give you slow, and makes you protected from elementals and fey. They do have dispel magic and restoration spells, but no counterspell or anti-magic.
Fighters are quite good. Action surge is nice for when you need to take them down right now, an abundance of ability score increases gives you the feats you need, and Indomitable lets you re-roll saving throws. Eldritch knights also have spells up to 4th level, allowing them to cast counterspell and dispel magic a couple times. If UA is allowed, you have the Monster Hunters, which are literally the definition of this guide. They have resistance on saving throws, and can disrupt concentration, as well as a couple of protective spells. No dispel magic or counterspell sadly.
Monks are very nice. Stunning strike is awesome for when you need them to stop casting for a turn, evasion gives advantage on some saves, and then there is stillness of mind, purity of body, and diamond soul. They are niche, but awesome. Shadow monk also gets darkness and silence.
Paladins are probably the best martial mage-hunters. Good spells, aura of protection and courage, and immunity to disease are the least of their powers. Cleansing touch lets them end a single spell on a creature they touch. Devotion gains protection from good and evil permanently on themselves and immunity to charms. Ancients have, and bestow, resistant to magic! Not only are you a mage hunter, so is your entire party!
Rangers are bad mage hunters. Enough said.
Rogues have evasion, blind sense, slippery mind, and stroke of luck. Arcane tricksters can steal spells from opponents and use them for themselves, and masterminds are immune to all forms of truth telling magic.
Sorcerers have good spells, and some good metamagic.
Warlocks have most of the right spells, witch sight, and detect magic at will, along with the best attack cantrip in the game. A solid choice. Fey and great old one warlocks also have nice immunities and resistances to mind magic. Undying warlocks also get silence.
Wizards are amazing, and probably the best spellcaster mage hunters. Abjuration wizards have resistance to magic and better counterspelling. Diviners have portent. Transmuters get proficiency in constitution saving throws. And they have every spell you need. Bladesingers also function surprisingly well in anti-magic field. I'm not certain of this, but bladesong is technically not magic.
You only need to consider lucky, resilient, and mage slayer. All the others are not useful to you. Only take mage slayer if you are a martial, or a part time martial (bladelock, bladesinger).
Cantrips
Chill touch is good against necromancers, and lets you prevent pesky foes of healing (perfect against vampires).
Resistance lets you help your friends save against enemy spells. +1-4 is pretty nice.
Thorn Whip means that enemies cannot escape you quite to easily.
Level 1 spells
Bane means opponents will fail against your spells.
Bless means allies will resist opponent spells.
Command pretty much incapacitates an enemy for a turn, allowing you (or your allies) to get in the strikes you need.
Compelled Duel makes it so the squishy spellcaster will come out and try to fight you like a warrior, and promptly be squished by the real warrior.
Detect Evil and Good can be useful against summoners.
Detect magic lets you know what you are up against, without having to use arcana.
Fog cloud means the enemy can't see you. Enormously powerful if cast by an arcane trickster with blindsight.
Protection from Evil and Good gives you a huge advantage over summoners.
Sleep. Spellcasters aren't known for having high health, right? Can be a lifesaver at lower levels.
Level 2 spells
Blindness/Deafness means the spellcaster can't see you, and so cannot target you.
Darkness makes it so the spellcaster can't see you. Beware if you don't have devil's sight however, because you won't be able to see either.
Enhance Ability gives advantage on saving throws.
Lesser Restoration helps you get rid of your allies conditions.
See Invisibility means no more invisible enemies, obviously.
Silence stops all spells with verbal components! The first actual, proper, anti-magic spell.
Level 3 spells
Beacon of Hope gives all your allies advantage on Wisdom saving throws. Hopefully this can prevent the barbarian from coming after you, charmed once again.
Blinding Smite accomplishes pretty much the same thing as Blindness/Deafness.
Blink means opponents can't cast spells on you 50% of the time.
Counterspell is the anti-magic spell. Prevents an enemy from doing anything in the first place, effectively making them lose a turn and a spell slot, at the cost of one of yours.
Dispel magic is right up there with counterspell. Sadly, it takes up an action, but it gets rid of one magical affect, anywhere. GET IT!!!
Haste. If you are a melee character and manage to get your hands on this, do. You can cast dispel magic, and attack, on the same turn! Or you could, you know, just attack twice. But that's lame.
Nondetection means you are immune to divination for a while. Be a deep gnome to get this at-will.
Protection from Energy is useful against blasters.
Remove Curse lets you get rid of your, and your allies debuffs.
Slow prevents enemies from casting properly, It gives opponents a 50% chance to take 2 turns casting the spell.
Level 4 spells
Aura of Purity gives resistance to pretty much every debilitating effect.
Banishment lets you get rid of the spellcaster for a turn, and then all prepare to attack them once they come back out of where they were.
Confusion means that a spellcaster affected by it only has a 20% chance to be able to cast a spell at all on their turn. With 2 people, combine with slow to pretty much destroy them.
Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere. Either you, an ally, or a spellcaster is completely sealed off from the world. Can give you a little while to ready actions and cast buffs, just remember they will be doing that as well.
Level 5 spells
Banishing Smite is like banishment, but you also get to smite them! Best of both worlds!
Circle of Power. Awesome! All friendly creature within 30 feet of you has magic resistance. This is an awesome spell.
Dispel Evil and Good lets you get rid of the things that up until now, you could only protect against or detect. Great against summoners.
Dominate Person prevents an opponents from doing anything helpful for them self for a while, and even lets you control them.
Greater Restoration is pretty much the ultimate cure-all.
Wall of Force lets you have an indestructible wall to protect yourself.
Wall of Stone. Enemies can't see through this, or you can separate the caster from their minions.
Level 6 spells
Disintegrate is a nullifying dispel magic to many spells, keep it handy.
Eyebite prevents an opponent from taking actions, so its good.
Forbiddance lets you negate all teleportation, and is good against summoners.
Globe of Invulnerability lets you make the spellcaster either come to you, or stand your arrows forever.
Otto's Irresistible Dance lets you immobilize an enemy with no save. Nice.
Wall of Thorns has the same effect as wall of stone, but can be passed through. However, it is slow, and damages enemies who try to get through it.
Level 7 spells
Divine Word is blinding, stunning, deafening, and possibly even killing in one action. Very cool, very good against summoners.
Forcecage lets you trap enemies, and best of all, it is mostly magic proof.
Symbol is a nasty surprise, and you can code it to certain creatures, including any who can cast spells.
Level 8 spells
Antimagic Field. Forget what I said about counterspell. Forget what I said about dispel magic. You won't need those anymore. Everything within 10 feet of you is simply not magic anymore. Spells can't got through it, be cast in it, can't project into it, can't enchant anything in it. Even summoned creatures disappear when in it. The ultimate antimagic spell.
Dominate Monster is like dominate person, but it can affect anything.
Maze is like banishment, but I like it more somehow.
Mind blank means immunity to brain spells. No more domination or enchantment, ever. You simply cannot be targeted by them.
Level 9 spells
Mass Heal is everyone cured of blindness and deafness, as well as any diseases, instantly.
Power Word Heal is one creature fully recovered, all hit points back, and most importantly, all conditions gone.
Prismatic Wall is the best wall spell, and nearly impossible to penetrate. Its good if you need to make a plan or rest for about 10 minutes.
Time Stop; cast this, and then either dispel magic, or simply Antimagic Field and end it.
Wish; and now you can cast almost everything on this list.
So, thoughts, critiquing, ideas?
So, lets get into it.
So, here I will be pointing out all the ways you can fight spellcasters.
Saving throws. Wisdom and Constitution are your most important, followed by Dexterty, then Charisma, with Strength lagging behind and Intelligence almost gone.
ScoresHowever, Intelligence is actually one of your most important ability scores. It will let you know your enemy, and give you a high arcana. I would keep it at least 12, if not 14.
Hill dwarves give bonuses to the most important saves, extra hit points against blasters, and a resistance to poison. Not bad.
Elves are great, mainly for Fey Ancestry. Enchanters get a huge penalty when they are up against you. A niche ability that is not well known, ghouls in the MM have paralyzing claws that do not work on elves, so that is also good against necromancers. If you are a drow, watch out for the sunlight.
Stout Halflings have resistance to fear, lucky (no more 1s on saving throws), and poison resistance. A pretty good race.
Humans get to start with either Resilient or Mage Slayer at level 1. My go-to race after gnomes.
Dragonborn have resistance to a single damage type. I wouldn't bother with them.
Gnomes are an obvious choice. Bonuses to intelligence, two of the important saving throws, and then their best ability, advantage on all mental saving throws against magic! How awesome is that!? What's more, being a Deep Gnome lets you cast Nondetection at will! Diviners don't stand a chance against you! I would recommend this race over all others.
Half elves are good for the same reasons as Elves, but with a small penalty. They do not gain the resistance to ghoul touches, which is a bit of a bummer. However, you have more flexible ability score increases, and extra skills, making you possibly better than elves.
Half orcs pretty much just have extra CON and relentless endurance.
Tieflings have resistance to fire damage, which is nice, and darkness at higher levels is cool. With SCAG, you can take Feral Tiefling (better ability scores), and winged to try and stay out of their reach.
Aasimar are only really nice against clerics and necromancers, or people who have curse spells.
Fire and Water genasi are alright for their resistances and ability scores.
Barbarians are extremely hard hitters, have advantage on dexterity saving throws, and with the wolf totem, give advantage to their allies. Great when paired with Mage Slayer. Beware Wisdom saving throws.
Bards have countercharm (no more enchanting), and magical secrets which lets them gain any mage-fighting spell they want. Nice.
Clerics are decent. Turn undead makes then the best characters at fighting necromancers. Nature domain can also give resistance to energy damage types. Arcane domain has dispel magic and the ability to dispel summoned creatures, as well as removing spells on their allies and gaining anti-magic field at level 17.
Druids are not so good at this. Arctic druids will give you slow, and makes you protected from elementals and fey. They do have dispel magic and restoration spells, but no counterspell or anti-magic.
Fighters are quite good. Action surge is nice for when you need to take them down right now, an abundance of ability score increases gives you the feats you need, and Indomitable lets you re-roll saving throws. Eldritch knights also have spells up to 4th level, allowing them to cast counterspell and dispel magic a couple times. If UA is allowed, you have the Monster Hunters, which are literally the definition of this guide. They have resistance on saving throws, and can disrupt concentration, as well as a couple of protective spells. No dispel magic or counterspell sadly.
Monks are very nice. Stunning strike is awesome for when you need them to stop casting for a turn, evasion gives advantage on some saves, and then there is stillness of mind, purity of body, and diamond soul. They are niche, but awesome. Shadow monk also gets darkness and silence.
Paladins are probably the best martial mage-hunters. Good spells, aura of protection and courage, and immunity to disease are the least of their powers. Cleansing touch lets them end a single spell on a creature they touch. Devotion gains protection from good and evil permanently on themselves and immunity to charms. Ancients have, and bestow, resistant to magic! Not only are you a mage hunter, so is your entire party!
Rangers are bad mage hunters. Enough said.
Rogues have evasion, blind sense, slippery mind, and stroke of luck. Arcane tricksters can steal spells from opponents and use them for themselves, and masterminds are immune to all forms of truth telling magic.
Sorcerers have good spells, and some good metamagic.
Warlocks have most of the right spells, witch sight, and detect magic at will, along with the best attack cantrip in the game. A solid choice. Fey and great old one warlocks also have nice immunities and resistances to mind magic. Undying warlocks also get silence.
Wizards are amazing, and probably the best spellcaster mage hunters. Abjuration wizards have resistance to magic and better counterspelling. Diviners have portent. Transmuters get proficiency in constitution saving throws. And they have every spell you need. Bladesingers also function surprisingly well in anti-magic field. I'm not certain of this, but bladesong is technically not magic.
You only need to consider lucky, resilient, and mage slayer. All the others are not useful to you. Only take mage slayer if you are a martial, or a part time martial (bladelock, bladesinger).
Cantrips
Chill touch is good against necromancers, and lets you prevent pesky foes of healing (perfect against vampires).
Resistance lets you help your friends save against enemy spells. +1-4 is pretty nice.
Thorn Whip means that enemies cannot escape you quite to easily.
Level 1 spells
Bane means opponents will fail against your spells.
Bless means allies will resist opponent spells.
Command pretty much incapacitates an enemy for a turn, allowing you (or your allies) to get in the strikes you need.
Compelled Duel makes it so the squishy spellcaster will come out and try to fight you like a warrior, and promptly be squished by the real warrior.
Detect Evil and Good can be useful against summoners.
Detect magic lets you know what you are up against, without having to use arcana.
Fog cloud means the enemy can't see you. Enormously powerful if cast by an arcane trickster with blindsight.
Protection from Evil and Good gives you a huge advantage over summoners.
Sleep. Spellcasters aren't known for having high health, right? Can be a lifesaver at lower levels.
Level 2 spells
Blindness/Deafness means the spellcaster can't see you, and so cannot target you.
Darkness makes it so the spellcaster can't see you. Beware if you don't have devil's sight however, because you won't be able to see either.
Enhance Ability gives advantage on saving throws.
Lesser Restoration helps you get rid of your allies conditions.
See Invisibility means no more invisible enemies, obviously.
Silence stops all spells with verbal components! The first actual, proper, anti-magic spell.
Level 3 spells
Beacon of Hope gives all your allies advantage on Wisdom saving throws. Hopefully this can prevent the barbarian from coming after you, charmed once again.
Blinding Smite accomplishes pretty much the same thing as Blindness/Deafness.
Blink means opponents can't cast spells on you 50% of the time.
Counterspell is the anti-magic spell. Prevents an enemy from doing anything in the first place, effectively making them lose a turn and a spell slot, at the cost of one of yours.
Dispel magic is right up there with counterspell. Sadly, it takes up an action, but it gets rid of one magical affect, anywhere. GET IT!!!
Haste. If you are a melee character and manage to get your hands on this, do. You can cast dispel magic, and attack, on the same turn! Or you could, you know, just attack twice. But that's lame.
Nondetection means you are immune to divination for a while. Be a deep gnome to get this at-will.
Protection from Energy is useful against blasters.
Remove Curse lets you get rid of your, and your allies debuffs.
Slow prevents enemies from casting properly, It gives opponents a 50% chance to take 2 turns casting the spell.
Level 4 spells
Aura of Purity gives resistance to pretty much every debilitating effect.
Banishment lets you get rid of the spellcaster for a turn, and then all prepare to attack them once they come back out of where they were.
Confusion means that a spellcaster affected by it only has a 20% chance to be able to cast a spell at all on their turn. With 2 people, combine with slow to pretty much destroy them.
Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere. Either you, an ally, or a spellcaster is completely sealed off from the world. Can give you a little while to ready actions and cast buffs, just remember they will be doing that as well.
Level 5 spells
Banishing Smite is like banishment, but you also get to smite them! Best of both worlds!
Circle of Power. Awesome! All friendly creature within 30 feet of you has magic resistance. This is an awesome spell.
Dispel Evil and Good lets you get rid of the things that up until now, you could only protect against or detect. Great against summoners.
Dominate Person prevents an opponents from doing anything helpful for them self for a while, and even lets you control them.
Greater Restoration is pretty much the ultimate cure-all.
Wall of Force lets you have an indestructible wall to protect yourself.
Wall of Stone. Enemies can't see through this, or you can separate the caster from their minions.
Level 6 spells
Disintegrate is a nullifying dispel magic to many spells, keep it handy.
Eyebite prevents an opponent from taking actions, so its good.
Forbiddance lets you negate all teleportation, and is good against summoners.
Globe of Invulnerability lets you make the spellcaster either come to you, or stand your arrows forever.
Otto's Irresistible Dance lets you immobilize an enemy with no save. Nice.
Wall of Thorns has the same effect as wall of stone, but can be passed through. However, it is slow, and damages enemies who try to get through it.
Level 7 spells
Divine Word is blinding, stunning, deafening, and possibly even killing in one action. Very cool, very good against summoners.
Forcecage lets you trap enemies, and best of all, it is mostly magic proof.
Symbol is a nasty surprise, and you can code it to certain creatures, including any who can cast spells.
Level 8 spells
Antimagic Field. Forget what I said about counterspell. Forget what I said about dispel magic. You won't need those anymore. Everything within 10 feet of you is simply not magic anymore. Spells can't got through it, be cast in it, can't project into it, can't enchant anything in it. Even summoned creatures disappear when in it. The ultimate antimagic spell.
Dominate Monster is like dominate person, but it can affect anything.
Maze is like banishment, but I like it more somehow.
Mind blank means immunity to brain spells. No more domination or enchantment, ever. You simply cannot be targeted by them.
Level 9 spells
Mass Heal is everyone cured of blindness and deafness, as well as any diseases, instantly.
Power Word Heal is one creature fully recovered, all hit points back, and most importantly, all conditions gone.
Prismatic Wall is the best wall spell, and nearly impossible to penetrate. Its good if you need to make a plan or rest for about 10 minutes.
Time Stop; cast this, and then either dispel magic, or simply Antimagic Field and end it.
Wish; and now you can cast almost everything on this list.
So, thoughts, critiquing, ideas?