Summary

Bards are extremely sinewy inDungeons & DragonsandBaldur ’s Gate 3 , with an amazing charm list , access to magic secrets , and subclass options that make them implausibly versatile . But undoubtedly , their worst feature is Countercharm . In both the video game and the TTRPG , Countercharm is a mar on an otherwise amazing leaning of grade abilities .

Unlocked at stage six , Countercharm allows bard to habituate an action and sic up an anti - charm effect in an area around themselves . This effect does not really forestall players from being charmed ; rather , it gives them reward on saving throws against the Charmed and panicky effects , which manyDnDracesalready get through abilities like Fey Ancestry . On top of that , maintaining the impression requires an action each turn . This ability is almost never deserving using , given how much of a bard ’s turn it read to set up , butDnD ’s 2024Player ’s Handbookhas a solution .

In a financial statement at Gen Con 2024 , Jeremy Crawford has explained why one of D&D ’s most pop classes wo n’t be in the newest Player Handbook .

A four-person D&D party in a snowy landscape.

Despite Some Small Changes, Countercharm In Baldur’s Gate 3 Is Just As Bad

Situationally Helpful, But Most Often Useless

InBaldur ’s Gate 3 , Countercharm can be used with a short more tractability . The sphere it affects is not tied to the bard ; rather , it can be put down and bequeath in an surface area within mountain range when it is aerate . Furthermore , the ability does n’t require an action each turn to maintain . These thing make it better , but they by no means make Countercharm good .

The primary payoff with Countercharm is that it take participant to preemptively realize when they will require to make a save against Charmed or panic-stricken effects . This might be o.k. on repeated playthroughs , when player do it exactly which opposition will use these effect , but otherwise , participant must take a risk of exposure by using their action at law to set up a power that may or may not have any usewhatsoever . Plus , the Charmed core hardly ever shows up inBaldur ’s Gate 3 , making that part of the power useless in pretty much every position .

The New Player’s Handbook Fixes Countercharm With One Simple Change

Countercharm Is Now A Reaction

With that principal number in mind , the2024Player ’s Handbookmakes one changethat takes Countercharm to the next level : making the ability take a chemical reaction to activate . This not only cut down on the amount of fourth dimension in a turn that bards have to pay to activating Countercharm , but also makes it so thatthe power only has to be used when it really matter . This change ease every issue with Countercharm previously , making it less imagination - intensive and lean into its situational purpose cases .

grant , Countercharm is still a pretty niche ability . beguile and terrified conditions wo n’t come up every fighting , and out of the bard ability in the newDungeons & DragonsPlayer ’s Handbook , this is by far the worst . But the power is at least more useful than even itsBaldur ’s Gate 3counterpart now , even if it is still pretty recession . It is courteous to see abilities like this , which have gone so long without rescript , receive some much - needed betterment .

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Developed and bring out by Larian Studios , Baldur ’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role - playing game localise to relinquish in August of 2023 . Players will make a character to embark on a large - scale journeying and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend . Combat is a crook - based style this time around .

D&D Spellfire Art

A character holding a trunk in art from Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

Two bards from Dungeons & Dragons, one casting a spell, the other happily playing a lute.

Custom image by Katarina Cimbaljevic

A Ranger and a Monk side-by-side in composited art for D&D’s 2024 Player’s Handbook.

Custom Image by Ben Brosofsky

mixcollage-08-dec-2024-02-20-pm-5221.jpg

Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.

Dungeons and Dragons