D&D 5E (2014) How do you remember concentration duration/checks?

[el-remmen]

It's the players' responsibility in my view to remember to make saves if they need to to maintain concentration.

I mean sure, but we're all forgetting.

 

[iserith]

I mean sure, but we're all forgetting.

Just need to set a goal to do better.

 

[Quickleaf]

Not sure what you use for visualizing the scene (if anything), but I've found when I run combat online I still need a physical copy of the monster stats printed out in front of me. I highlight things that have concentration, and when they're active I use a sticky note next to that stat block.

When we use a VTT (Roll20 or Owlbear Rodeo right now), I tend to use a graphic to signal concentration. Roll20 has these colored dots you can put in the upper right of the minis. They're kiiiinda small for my liking, but we've adopted white dots to signal "concentrating", though I've seen it get overlooked quite a bit, so I've been thinking about a big white circle around the token instead.

 

[Oofta]

VTT I use a token marker, in person a bottle top ring on the mini.

 

[The Green Hermit]

While I was skeptical at first, I have really come around to loving 5E's leaning in on concentration as a duration and limiting spellcasting power in that way (I don't want to argue about how or if that is necessary, I'm just saying it feels like a move in the right direction for my sense of wonder), that said, I am having a hard time remembering that people need to make concentration checks when they take damage while one of those (MANY) spells is in effect.

In the session I ran today, twice I had a player bring it up after the fact and make the roll as soon as he remembered, because I just keep forgetting to call for them from players (and in their defense, this system is new to them as well) and I forget about them about half the time for opponents as well.

So does anyone have a trick for remembering? Or is it just a matter that we need to just get used to it? And also, if the latter - well, I've been running 5E since January 2020, so way over a year!

I don't remember that. Oops.

 

[jgsugden]

In physical games, I ask people to put a concentration marker on their HPs, as well as a ring on their mini.

In virtual table top, I add tracking it myself with a whiteboard next to my keyboard that tracks hp, AC, skill checks, spells on them, etc...

 

[Hussar]

VTT as well. Fantasy Grounds automatically tracks concentration checks, to the point of automatically rolling them when required. Does take a huge amount of processing load off of me.

 

[Shiroiken]

IRL games I've used poker chips to denote concentration, but on a VTT there's usually condition markers you could use instead.

 

[billd91]

Just need to set a goal to do better.

No kidding.
If it were that easy, it would already be done. The question is how to achieve that goal when it hasn’t been achieved so far.
When I’ve been on the player side, I’ve used spell cards. I’ll give that a try on the DM side, it may help me there too... or it would if I had more desktop space.

 

[iserith]

No kidding.
If it were that easy, it would already be done. The question is how to achieve that goal when it hasn’t been achieved so far.

Just being mindful of it and wanting to be better at remembering it was enough for my group. We don't even use token markers on the VTT. I think part of it is wanting to disrupt or preserve concentration on a spell in a tactical sense.