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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FANGO" data-source="post: 37146" data-attributes="member: 2368">I HATE CONCENTRATION!!!!...So much so that I have never, and will never, give any of my characters any ranks in it whatsoever (even my bard that has ranks in every single skill, except concentration and read lips (read lips cause I couldnt, concentration cause I won't).  I personally think it is incredibly absurd that a caster can sit there in front of a guy with a sword and that knows how to use it and make methodical actions while the guy just stands there gawking.  In 2e we played that for every segment your spell had in casting time (that is, if the casting time were 3, it was 3 segments), anyone who could attack you at the time got a free attack against your AC without dexterity modifier, and if you were hit for any damage at all you lost the spell.  This may be slightly severe, but the point of the spellcaster is not to be in melee (except for very few spells, like burning hands...but then, I've never thought this to be a very good spell (in either game mechanics or RP sense) in the first place).That someone can roll vs. a DC of FIFTEEN plus spell level and get off a spell is insane...I make a lot of skill-based characters, and they usually have 20+ in their 'specialized' skills by the time i hit double digit levels, if not earlier.  With good con, toad familiar, combat casting, maxed skill, and possibly some sort of magical help (endurance, stat items, etc.), it's VERY EASY to get your concentration check up to snuff very quickly, so that you will never, ever miss a concentration check.It's gotten to the point that while I'm playing, if I see any casters trying to do anything that would require a concentration check (casting in melee, in grapple, when being shot with an arrow, etc.), I immediately change my focus to them in combat, and make the last few moments of their lives a complete hell as they try to make usually 3 or 4 concentration checks with every spell they cast, if they get a chance to cast at all (Large sized grappling raging str 30+ barbarians do not a happy wizard make...and neither do rogue/sorcerors with quasit familiars that have magical daggers/touch spells cast on them).I suppose there are plenty of ways to get around concentration, but the very fact that the enemy of the spellcaster has to take steps to get around concentration already makes it quite powerful.  Even by failing to use the skill correctly, you still have managed to change your enemy's tactics, and that can be a very significant part of a battle (if you learn to exploit the fact that the non-hasted enemy has suddenly given himself only one attack this round, that might even miss due to your persistent shield and mage armor and ring of protection and so on and so forth, then you will have a huge advantage over him in battle, because not only were you able to effectively eliminate one of the forces opposing you by occupying him with the petty task of stopping a magic missile, but you will probably still get the magic missile off anyway and have nothing to lose!)Well, maybe that rambled.  But I don't like concentration.  Really.</blockquote>

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