A bit of pretext. I was thinking about making an earth Genasi rogue because of their ability to cast Pass Without Trace once for free. But then I started thinking about whether lockpicking is a thing that would take concentration according to the rules, and therefore break spell concentration, and then about what else could do that.
I know about the ruling with casting spells and taking damage, but what about everything else? What all takes concentration (and breaks it)?
Casting spells with a casting time longer that 1 action.
Readying a spell.
Class features and abilities that specifically say "as if concentrating on a spell."
That is it I think.
Correct. Concentration is only relevant to spells, and to effects that specifically say that they require concentration. It's an abstraction and a game mechanic for the sake of game balance, not a question of whether you can focus on a given task.
A couple of years ago I gave my players a pop quiz about concentration. Researching the quiz taught me a lot about the rule, especially about how many things require it.
Q1. What specific things require concentration?
Casting a spell that has duration "Concentration".
Casting a spell with a casting time longer than a single Action or Reaction. This includes all ritual casting.
Readying a spell.
Using a feature. For example, Draconic Presence (Draconic Sorcerer lvl 18), Visions of the Past (Knowledge Cleric lvl 17), Invoke Duplicity (Trickery Cleric lvl 2), Dark Delerium (Archfey Warlock lvl 14), Minor Alchemy (Transmutation Wizard lvl 2). This might include the Paladin and Cleric Holy Water ritual and the Warlock pact Weapon ritual (the rules don't specify).
Using a magic item. For example, marvellous pigments, ring of djinni summoning, ring of shooting stars.
Q2. What can break concentration? What is the roll and DC, if applicable?
Doing something else that requires concentration (automatic).
Entering Barbarian Rage (automatic).
Taking damage (CON saving throw, DC is half the damage, minimum 10).
Being incapacitated (automatic).
Being killed (automatic).
The environment around you (CON saving throw, DC varies).
Casting spells with a casting time longer that 1 action.
Readying a spell.
Class features and abilities that specifically say "as if concentrating on a spell."
That is it I think.
Correct. Concentration is only relevant to spells, and to effects that specifically say that they require concentration. It's an abstraction and a game mechanic for the sake of game balance, not a question of whether you can focus on a given task.
It's decidedly both. No rule in the game functions in a vacuum. The mechanics and the fiction need each other. If I as a designer wanted to make it some untouchable mystic bond, I would give it a name that disconnects it from common understanding, like "magelink" or "conduition." Those names imply that it's something purely fictitious and that it has its own internal logic that doesn't map onto anything real. If I call it "concentration," then I'm trying to tell you how it works by associating it with something you already understand.
The only reason it's not broken by loud noises and annoying party members is because your character is assumed to be pretty hardcore. Their focus usually only gets challenged when they're in a knife fight, which is honestly really impressive. But the PHB does suggest possibly calling for a save in some circumstances, "such as a wave crashing over you while you’re on a storm-tossed ship." The way you can identify those circumstances? By thinking about whether it would break your concentration IRL. (Provided that you were a badass, anyway.) Because concentration is concentration.
That's not to say a DM should be calling for Concentration saves all over the place, necessarily. It's usually not needed. But I do think it's entirely fair to rule that a Wizard can't, say, maintain an ongoing spell while also picking a lock. Though I personally would probably rule that this activity would fall under the banner of things you're badass enough to handle without having to check.
What about a magic item that casts a spell that requires concentration? Does the magic items part of this somehow circumvent the concentration requirement of the spell, or not?
What about a magic item that casts a spell that requires concentration? Does the magic items part of this somehow circumvent the concentration requirement of the spell, or not?
Unless specified otherwise, you still have to concentrate. An example of an exception is the potion of speed, which gives you the effects of the haste spell for 1 minute, specifically without concentration.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Paladin main who spends most of his D&D time worldbuilding or DMing, not Paladin-ing.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Hi.
A bit of pretext. I was thinking about making an earth Genasi rogue because of their ability to cast Pass Without Trace once for free. But then I started thinking about whether lockpicking is a thing that would take concentration according to the rules, and therefore break spell concentration, and then about what else could do that.
I know about the ruling with casting spells and taking damage, but what about everything else? What all takes concentration (and breaks it)?
That is it I think.
Correct. Concentration is only relevant to spells, and to effects that specifically say that they require concentration. It's an abstraction and a game mechanic for the sake of game balance, not a question of whether you can focus on a given task.
You also lose concentration on a spell if you are incapacitated or if you die, as well as any environmental phenomena decided by the DM.
A couple of years ago I gave my players a pop quiz about concentration. Researching the quiz taught me a lot about the rule, especially about how many things require it.
Q1. What specific things require concentration?
Q2. What can break concentration? What is the roll and DC, if applicable?
It's decidedly both. No rule in the game functions in a vacuum. The mechanics and the fiction need each other. If I as a designer wanted to make it some untouchable mystic bond, I would give it a name that disconnects it from common understanding, like "magelink" or "conduition." Those names imply that it's something purely fictitious and that it has its own internal logic that doesn't map onto anything real. If I call it "concentration," then I'm trying to tell you how it works by associating it with something you already understand.
The only reason it's not broken by loud noises and annoying party members is because your character is assumed to be pretty hardcore. Their focus usually only gets challenged when they're in a knife fight, which is honestly really impressive. But the PHB does suggest possibly calling for a save in some circumstances, "such as a wave crashing over you while you’re on a storm-tossed ship." The way you can identify those circumstances? By thinking about whether it would break your concentration IRL. (Provided that you were a badass, anyway.) Because concentration is concentration.
That's not to say a DM should be calling for Concentration saves all over the place, necessarily. It's usually not needed. But I do think it's entirely fair to rule that a Wizard can't, say, maintain an ongoing spell while also picking a lock. Though I personally would probably rule that this activity would fall under the banner of things you're badass enough to handle without having to check.
What about a magic item that casts a spell that requires concentration? Does the magic items part of this somehow circumvent the concentration requirement of the spell, or not?
Unless specified otherwise, you still have to concentrate. An example of an exception is the potion of speed, which gives you the effects of the haste spell for 1 minute, specifically without concentration.
Paladin main who spends most of his D&D time worldbuilding or DMing, not Paladin-ing.