Ah, I must have missed this thread. Quoting myself from the reaction megathread about how a preset system with **appropriately modified abilities** could work well:
Cutting Words is a good example of an ability modified for Larian's "automatic use" system. Instead of lowering one roll of the player's choice, instead it lowers all rolls for a round. We've traded the ability to specifically negate one single attack for the reduced chances to hit with possibly multiple attacks. It still uses your Reaction, but it does so on your terms.
Bardic Inspiration, however an example of a poor translation to BG3 as it is strictly nerfed compared to PnP. You don't have a choice when to use that d6, so it's very likely it will be used in a situation where 1d6 won't affect the roll.
IF Larian is going to continue with this "first applicable use" system for activating reactions & other abilities, then the best option imo is probably a preset system where these abilities are modified to be more powerful to compensate for the lack of precision when to use. E.g.,
- Make Bardic Inspiration apply to all rolls for the next round, or maybe to the next 3 rolls.
- Make Counterspell castable on your turn, using your reaction and the spellslot, and it works on the next single leveled spell or next 2 cantrips. Maybe it stays active for a 2nd turn if no spells (or a single cantrip) is cast during the first turn, but your reaction on the 2nd turn isn't used up. This reduces the likelihood that your 3rd level spell slot is wasted.
Essentially, make every reaction and reaction-like ability work more similar to BG3's Cutting Words
