Hi all, could someone clarify the concept of spell durations and concentration in PHB?
As a newer DM, I prefer to be less strict on turn-taking, or ignore it altogether besides general table management to keep quiet players involved, if we're not in combat mode in order to keep the RP flowing.
Using Banishment as an example, it has a duration of Concentration, up to one minute.
How do DMs keep track of how long player's spells are active so they're not indefinite, but also not cut off abruptly? Do you use the "combat turn = 6 in-game seconds" rule to gauge time passing for the characters? Do you lean toward "sure, your character can concentrate for this amount of time and hasn't experienced any of the criteria for getting interrupted" and not bother so much with minutes? Do you click on spellcasting as "we're working in turns right now" and later resume a more relaxed flow?
when you're in a combat scenario, yes, it is easy to keep track of the duration of spells because one round equals six seconds.
Outside of combat though, rounds don't exist (they are purely a combat mechanic) so you should estimate where needed. I recommend never trying to use rounds outside of combat.
If someone casts a spell with a duration of a minute, then it's reasonable to have the focus of the next 60 seconds roleplay be around that character and what they are doing in that minute.
If you find you're needing to establish some form of order to who is acting, when outside of combat, I recommend getting used to turning to a player who hasn't done much recently and asking them what their character is doing, placing agency with them. It is very much something that most DM's I've gamed with seem to play by ear.
I just use the guidelines in Player's Handbook/Basic Rules Chapter 8: Adventuring.
Time
In situations where keeping track of the passage of time is important, the DM determines the time a task requires. The DM might use a different time scale depending on the context of the situation at hand. In a dungeon environment, the adventurers' movement happens on a scale of minutes. It takes them about a minute to creep down a long hallway, another minute to check for traps on the door at the end of the hall, and a good ten minutes to search the chamber beyond for anything interesting or valuable.
In a city or wilderness, a scale of hours is often more appropriate. Adventurers eager to reach the lonely tower at the heart of the forest hurry across those fifteen miles in just under four hours' time.
For long journeys, a scale of days works best. Following the road from Baldur's Gate to Waterdeep, the adventurers spend four uneventful days before a goblin ambush interrupts their journey.
In combat and other fast-paced situations, the game relies on rounds, a 6-second span of time.
The most common thing players do out of combat in my games is search for hidden traps, clues, and items, so I've assigned a standard duration of 1 minute to examine a 5-foot-square section of wall or floor, or to examine a single item of interest like a chest or drawer.
Other than that I just use their travel pace to determine how much time it takes to get from point A to point B.
EDIT: I know I'm opening a huge can of worms here but...
Outside of combat though, rounds don't exist (they are purely a combat mechanic) so you should estimate where needed. I recommend never trying to use rounds outside of combat.
Tracking turns and rounds outside of combat is rarely useful, but they're not strictly a combat thing. If for whatever reason you're in a situation where you need that level of detail, it's fine to roll for initiative and start working with turns. The DMG has rules for handling chases and complex traps and both use rounds to structure the gameplay.
That said, use whatever time scale and method of deciding who talks/acts next seems best at the time. If players are just talking and walking, initiative order is often overkill.
Thank you both for the replies! I do own the three core books so I use those guidelines generally; I was curious what people's preferences are since I haven't played with many groups at this point. :)
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Hi all, could someone clarify the concept of spell durations and concentration in PHB?
As a newer DM, I prefer to be less strict on turn-taking, or ignore it altogether besides general table management to keep quiet players involved, if we're not in combat mode in order to keep the RP flowing.
Using Banishment as an example, it has a duration of Concentration, up to one minute.
How do DMs keep track of how long player's spells are active so they're not indefinite, but also not cut off abruptly? Do you use the "combat turn = 6 in-game seconds" rule to gauge time passing for the characters? Do you lean toward "sure, your character can concentrate for this amount of time and hasn't experienced any of the criteria for getting interrupted" and not bother so much with minutes? Do you click on spellcasting as "we're working in turns right now" and later resume a more relaxed flow?
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D&D Beyond FoundersHi there,
when you're in a combat scenario, yes, it is easy to keep track of the duration of spells because one round equals six seconds.
Outside of combat though, rounds don't exist (they are purely a combat mechanic) so you should estimate where needed. I recommend never trying to use rounds outside of combat.
If someone casts a spell with a duration of a minute, then it's reasonable to have the focus of the next 60 seconds roleplay be around that character and what they are doing in that minute.
If you find you're needing to establish some form of order to who is acting, when outside of combat, I recommend getting used to turning to a player who hasn't done much recently and asking them what their character is doing, placing agency with them. It is very much something that most DM's I've gamed with seem to play by ear.
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I just use the guidelines in Player's Handbook/Basic Rules Chapter 8: Adventuring.
The most common thing players do out of combat in my games is search for hidden traps, clues, and items, so I've assigned a standard duration of 1 minute to examine a 5-foot-square section of wall or floor, or to examine a single item of interest like a chest or drawer.
Other than that I just use their travel pace to determine how much time it takes to get from point A to point B.
EDIT: I know I'm opening a huge can of worms here but...
Tracking turns and rounds outside of combat is rarely useful, but they're not strictly a combat thing. If for whatever reason you're in a situation where you need that level of detail, it's fine to roll for initiative and start working with turns. The DMG has rules for handling chases and complex traps and both use rounds to structure the gameplay.
That said, use whatever time scale and method of deciding who talks/acts next seems best at the time. If players are just talking and walking, initiative order is often overkill.
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Thank you both for the replies! I do own the three core books so I use those guidelines generally; I was curious what people's preferences are since I haven't played with many groups at this point. :)