D&D 5E Experimental Concentration Spell Stacking Houserule

[Laurefindel]

In my last campaign, the fighter/wizard character had a magic shield that could concentrate on a 1st level spell cast by the wielder. At a later stage, it could concentrate on a level 2 spells.

if I was to allow a wider use of double concentration, I’d cap the level of the second spell somehow, or the total combined level of both.

something like a second 1st level spell until level 4, a 2nd level spell as of 5th character level, a 3rd level spell at 11th level, and a 4th level spell at 17th level.

or a combined spell level up to proficiency bonus, or up to your highest spell slot level.

 

[DND_Reborn]

An option could also be you can have a concentration spell count as an attunement slot. So, if you had no attuned items, you could concentrate on up to 3 spells.

Just a thought... shrug

 

[Stalker0]

So after tried this system out last session, it was as many people noted....just too complicated. Players have trouble understanding, and even as the DM I had trouble remembering XYZ.

So I'm to try a much simplier system next time:


Concentration Houserule

1) A character with proficiency +3 (aka 5th level) can maintain concentration on 2 spell effects. At Proficiency +6 (17th level), they can maintain it on 3 effects.
2) Only 1 spell effect can be at the highest level the caster can cast (Warlock spells do not follow this restriction, just one of their class perks).
3) If a concentration roll is failed, all concentration spells are lost.



This is definitely a power boost for casters, but its simple, and the risk of losing all of their concentration spells might at least provide some pause. We will see how this one goes.

 

[DND_Reborn]

@Stalker0

We used a homebrew feat for a while and it worked well:

Focused Caster
You can maintain concentration on two spells or effects that would require your concentration. When you are forced to make a Concentration check, you must make the check with disadvantage. If you fail, you lose your concentration on any spell or effect you are currently concentrating on.

So, like your #3 really, but a feat instead of a house-rule. I don't think double-concentration (or triple) should come without a cost. Casters are already powerful enough, you don't really need to add more fuel to the fire IMO.

At the very least, when the second concentration spell is cast, you must make a check or lose both. This way, there is an inherent risk in even attempting such a difficult task.

Hope that helps.

 

[Musing Mage]

Interesting idea. How about this (combining some ideas put forth upthread):

A caster may concentrate on a number of spells equal to their Proficiency bonus.

If they keep it at one spell at a time, it's simply btb.

But for every concentration spell beyond the first, they must make a DC 10 + (combined spell levels) concentration check or lose them all.

After it's done they must make one DC 10+ (total combined spell levels) Constitution check for EACH spell they had going. Each failed roll adds a level of exhaustion.

I'll add it to my list of things to try!

 

[Helldritch]

I think that your house rules is going against what concemtration and the 5ed philosophy stand for.

Concentration is the rule by which the number bloating (along with bounded accuracy) of previous edition has been eleminated. With one spell per caster upon which it is possible to concentrate, you make sure that a caster will not become untouchable by adding layers and layers of protections. It also prevents the famous CODZILA of the 3.xed in an elegant matter.

Concentration has an inherent weakness, it can be lost. But it also has a few design flaws.
1) Some spells should not be concentration. Two of these are Hunter's mark and Hex. Both spells should have been class feature but to add injury to the insult, they have been made concentration spells.

2) Quite a few concentration spells also allow a save at the end of a creature's turn. This is one of the worst offender in the concentration mechanic, IMHO. It makes some spell almost useless as it is entirely possible for an enemy to shrug off the effect of a spell before any character had a chance to act. Hold person comes to mind.

3) A few damage over time that use concentration are not only concentration but also use your action to actually inflict damage. Witch bolt is such a spell. As soon as 5th level, the spell is useless as a cantrip will do more damage.

Possible ways to enhance concentration spells.
1) Remove some spells from the concentration mechanics. This is what I did with two of these. So far, it works really well and the two spells are still spells and classes that uses them are not unbalanced in the least. We are currently checking for an other spell to remove from the concentration mechanic but I am not sure that Shield of faith should be one that should be free of concentration.

2)The save at the end of turn. This is a big problem as I wrote earlier. We circumvented this by using the reactivation rule. Reacrivation allows a caster to reactivate the effect of a concentration spell that has been shrugged off by a successful save from a creature. It costs a bonus action to do so and limits a caster to cast only a cantrip when he reactivate an effect. If a creature succede its initial save or a reactivation save the spell ends as normal for this creature. Only one reactivation is allowed.

3) The damage over time effect of some concentration spells should not use your action but a bonus action instead. This one could be quite powerful if allowed with some powerful spells. We concluded that using a bonus action should also count as spell cast with a bonus action. This limits a caster of witch bolt to cantrip casting.

These three modifications are easy to remember, do not change the concentration mechanic much and keeps its philosophy mostly intact.

At four players, keeping track of only one spell per caster is easy. With six players, all of them casters, it starts to be a bit more tedious. Imagine with 12 different spells...

I certainly would not like to return to the spread sheets of 3.xed, it slowed combat way too much, especially after a dispel magic where everything had to be calculated anew.

Your solution is not bad in itself, especially at low levels and with 4 players or less. But as the levels rise, so is the complexity of the game and the tracking of "boosting" spells. At 6 players, it will become tedious much earlier.

If you absolutely need to concentrate on two spells at a time, I would go for @dnd4vr 's solution. It is simpler and it offers a high risk high reward trade off.

 

[DND_Reborn]

@Helldritch makes very good points.

I have always felt spells should interact with targets in only one way: an attack roll or a saving throw. If saves are allowed each turn, concentration should NOT be part of that spell. The effects are lingering and the target has a chance to shake them off. When a target fails the initial save, a concentration for it means the caster has to focus on it to keep it going and once affected, the target is out of luck.

There is one or maybe two spells which require an attack roll, a saving throw, and concentration, which I think is ridiculous.

 

[Helldritch]

Ho, and by the way. The "patches" I mentioned is what we and 13 other DMs are using. So far, in 20 or different campaigns of various levels, no problems have arisen.

 

[Gadget]

I agree that many spells are poorly written and can use an update, some of them not even concentration (Ray of sickness does not really need both a to hit roll and a save). I also feel that some still overvalue Witch Bolt (concentration is not the spell's main problem), it is not a very good spell at 1st level, let alone the whole "by the time you reach 5th level."

Normally, I'm a fan of "fixing the spells" or adding an "at higher levels" clause that removes concentration, but I realize that this is cumbersome. Part of the problem is that 5e has added a couple more variables to the ranking of a spell, beyond mere x level. As others have mentioned, there is the somewhat new dimension of having to roll a to hit and having a save, which was rare before. This is even worse when it is a save every round type of thing. Then you have spells that require an action every round to maintain (Witch Bolt, Crown of Madness, Enervation, etc.). Finally, you have concentration itself. The combination of these things just makes some spells untenable.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

How about “you can concentrate on two spells at once, but concentration checks are made with disadvantage, and if you fail both at once you gain a level of exhaustion.”

this... plus the caster needs to make a DC 15 + (combined spell level) Arcana check to pull it off in the first place. Fail the check, 2nd Concentration spell doesn’t fire and your spell slot is used. Too harsh?