D&D 5E 5 Years in: Concentration

[MiraMels]

(a warlock trying to limit the number of concentration spells they know, or paladin and rangers having to use concentration spells while in the thick of melee).

Why would a warlock try to limit the number of concentration spells they know? They only have a few spell slots to begin with, so their the class least likely to be hampered by the inability to layer their spells together?

 

[Charlaquin]

Concentration encourages cowardly play from casters. It's better to hide behind a corner after casting your spell than to risk taking any hits at all and losing concentration.

I’d call that smart play.

 

[cmad1977]

It works great. For and against the PCs

 

[dave2008]

I think the concept could actually be expanded to more uses than just spells. That being said, I think the mechanic / spells that require concentration could be tweaked. For instance, a feat allowing you to concentrate on an additional spell would seem safe.

 

[Don Durito]

It's nicer in theory then in actuality. In practice it's a bit of a blunt instrument.

It's definitely needed (or at least something like it is) to handle the old flying invisible wizard with stone skin issue. So for that reason alone I wouldn't want to see it gone and will likely introduce something like it in earlier editions if I run them.

The bigger issue with buff spells is that because you can't stack them in practice you resort to the best ie Bless. It also has some weird interactions. Is 'Thundering Smite' so powerful that it couldn't be stacked with Bless?

There's room for a bit more nuance. I'd like to see a version of the bard that is perhaps able to break the limits, ie perhaps maintaining a number of concentration spells so long as they are woven into an ongoing song (perhaps make them less of a full caster to compensate).

We're also missing the whole aspect of being able to interrupt spells while they're being cast, and I've increasingly come to feel that that's an important aspect of the tactical team aspect of the original game.

 

[Xeviat]

There's room for a bit more nuance. I'd like to see a version of the bard that is perhaps able to break the limits, ie perhaps maintaining a number of concentration spells so long as they are woven into an ongoing song (perhaps make them less of a full caster to compensate).

Every once and a while, I consider taking the Bard to the drawing board and making them a half-caster. I'm often reminded of my desire to do that when the Bard gets ahold of a Paladin or Ranger spell that wasn't balanced to be around so early.

We're also missing the whole aspect of being able to interrupt spells while their being cast, and I've increasingly come to feel that that's an important aspect of the tactical team aspect of the original game.

5E did go rather far in limiting what triggers opportunity attacks, didn't it?

 

[Don Durito]

5E did go rather far in limiting what triggers opportunity attacks, didn't it?

Yes, but I think I actually prefered the older method, where you had to declare casting and it could be interrupted by someone acting before you got your turn.

Simpler - and it also gives pcs a chance to eat some free attacks to go over and try and smack the evil spellcaster before they finish.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I'm torn about concentration. I think it might be on too many spells, but usually it doesn't cause any issues for us at the table.

 

[TwoSix]

I love concentration; it's one of my favorite novel mechanics in 5e. The fact that concentration is applied so liberally means that it's easy to tweak it up to taste. Giving out custom spells that are concentration-free versions of other spells, or magic items that maintain concentration on one particular spell for the caster, are great rewards for casters.

 

[RogueJK]

Another positive for the Concentration mechanic is that it allows you to have things like magic items and class abilities that are similar to existing spells, but which aren't rendered obsolete or less valuable by an existing party member having those spells, since the items/abilities don't require Concentration.

For example, a Potion of Speed allows non-concentration Haste.

Or the UA Love/Unity Cleric gets non-concentration quasi-Guidance/Bless.