Concentration

[AvangionQ]

Hello. I have two quick questions.

First, if a caster is concentrating on a spell such as Detect Magic and casts another spell or takes any other standard action such as attacks in melee, is the concentration on the original spell automatically broken? Or is concentration on the initial spell only broken if one of the conditions that forces him to make a concentration check applies, such as being distracted, struck in combat or grappled?

Second, if a caster is concentrating on a spell such as Detect Magic and casts another spell which requires concentration such as Detect Undead, can he keep concentration on both spells and use both spells actively and simultaneously?

Thanks in advance for your assistance in regards to this matter. Its been wracking my brains trying to figure out the spirit of the rules for concentration skill according to the PHB.

 

[Shayuri]

Concentrating on a spell is a standard action, unless mitigated by a fear or spell or ability.

You generally only get one standard action per turn.

If you don't use that action for concentrating on a spell...then you're no longer concentrating on the spell. If the spell ends when concentration ends...then the spell ends.

Some spells will persist for a few rounds after losing concentration though. Check the description.

Detect spells don't end when you're not concentrating on them. They just stop yielding information during that time.

 

[frankthedm]

Detect spells don't end when you're not concentrating on them.

Yes, they do. ...at least most of them.

Detect Evil
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 min./ level (D)

Detect Magic
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min./level (D)

Detect Undead
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute/ level (D)

Detect Secret Doors
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 min./level (D)


Detect Scrying
Duration: 24 hours

 

[Michaluk]

There's a cool feat that allows you to concentrate on a spell as a move action. So now your character can concentrate, cast another spell, and next round even concentrate on both if he wishes. This works extremely well with the cleric spell Implode. With this feat and mobile spellcasting my 21st level cleric could do some slick stuff.

First turn: cast quickened spell, cast Implode while moving, move again
2nd turn: concentrate on Implode, cast quickened spell, cast a spell while moving
3rd turn: etc.

 

[Shayuri]

Interesting...my bad then. For some reason, I thought it was a spell you could come back to.

Thanks, Frank.

 

[backbeat]

There is also a trick from complete Scoundrel that lets you hold concentration for one round as a swift action.

IIR, casting another spell always breaks concentration, even if you have the actions to do it.

 

[frankthedm]

Interesting...my bad then. For some reason, I thought it was a spell you could come back to.

Perhaps because players try to ignore the "concentration, up to" part of the duration. Many a time I have had to direct a player back to that part of the spell when he asks, "How long since i cast detect magic? I might have some duration left."

Being annoyed by players with "selective memory when it helps me" is a big chunck of why I am anal retentive when it comes to the rules and why i post so much SRD stuff..

 

[AvangionQ]

Thanks for answering the first part of the question. I've picked up Swift Concentration skill trick from Complete Scoundrel for the character.

Now would the usage of Swift Concentration allow the character to simultaneously concentrate one and detect two types of effects (as per the previous example, Detect Magic and Detect Undead)?

If not, are there any other means available to a single character to detect two types of effects simultaneously?

 

[Shayuri]

Perhaps because players try to ignore the "concentration, up to" part of the duration. Many a time I have had to direct a player back to that part of the spell when he asks, "How long since i cast detect magic? I might have some duration left."

Being annoyed by players with "selective memory when it helps me" is a big chunck of why I am anal retentive when it comes to the rules and why i post so much SRD stuff..

In fairness, it may not be so much a case of selective memory as it is just a failure to read thoroughly. The significance of that "up to" is easy to miss if you aren't carefully paying attention to what you're seeing. I know I'm guilty of that...

 

[Nerfwright]

I believe that Melodic Casting from Complete Mage contains an interesting sidelight to this issue.

Bardic Music-using characters with the requisite Spellcraft and Perform ranks can 'weave their music and magic together into a single perfect voice".

This allows the character to use a Perform check in lieu of a Concentration check, AND can
"activate magic items by command word or spell completion while using a Bardic Music ability. Bardic Music abilities that require concentration still take a standard action to perform." (My bold for emphasis)

I think the 'spell completion' detail is deliberately specific, precluding concentration on more than one effect at a time, even with this nifty combo feat.