D&D 5E How well can your players and NPCs maintain concentration for spells?

[EroGaki]

I'm wizard is currently 6th level. He's blown at least a dozen concentration checks, mainly because whenever I cast a concentration spell, I get targeted almost immediately. And with a Constitution of 11 and no proficiency, I usually fail those.

 

[KarinsDad]

if you're not actively trying to take down a PC's concentration, you're missing out on a key tactical element of the game. It took me a while to realize it, but concentration blitzing consistently takes the power edge away from caster types.

Not in my experience. The NPCs are too busy to worry about any PCs except the ones directly in front of them. Without the 5 foot step mechanism, 5E really limits the "gang up on the caster" tactics.

 

[Sadrik]

As a DM, my players don't use a lot of concentration spells in the first place.

This. I think concentration spells disadvantage is one that will be avoided by not selecting spells with concentration. Spells that are not limited by concentration are vastly better. From my experience as a player playing a wizard, I simply try not to prepare concentration spells. And when I do I select things I can cast on others. Invisibility gets cast on a different character so they do not have to make concentration checks and I stay out of the way.

So in my xp, not many concentration rolls but it was designed that way by the player in the game.

 

[DaveDash]

There are some pretty nasty concentration spells and others that are basically useless.

Hold Person is an incredibly devastating concentration spell, especially when your DC starts getting up to 16-17.
Bigbys Hand, Wall of Force, Wall of Fire, and Banishment are all good concentration spells.
Silence basically shuts casters down completely. Detect Magic is great to have on all the time in between fights.

On the other hand..Force Cage doesn't require concentration, which surely needs errata.

 

[Joe Liker]

Who loves a feat tax?

I don't think you know what "feat tax" means.

If every member of a class had to take the feat in order to be effective, it would qualify as a feat tax. But since you don't have to cast concentration spells in the first place, you don't have to take the feat.

Would you also claim that Great Weapon Master is a feat tax on fighters, even though many fighters do not use two-handed weapons?

 

[EroGaki]

I don't think you know what "feat tax" means.

If every member of a class had to take the feat in order to be effective, it would qualify as a feat tax. But since you don't have to cast concentration spells in the first place, you don't have to take the feat.

Would you also claim that Great Weapon Master is a feat tax on fighters, even though many fighters do not use two-handed weapons?

I'm sorry, but it is a feat tax. Considering a good majority of the spells require concentration, and none of the spellcasters are proficient with constitution, it's a pretty big requirement. Especially when the only alternative is never casting 80 percent of available spells because they have that stupid concentration mechanic stapled to it.

The only way I've managed to make the few concentration checks I have made is because I broke down and spent a feat on it. Frankly, it's really annoying.

 

[Joe Liker]

I'm sorry, but it is a feat tax. Considering a good majority of the spells require concentration, and none of the spellcasters are proficient with constitution, it's a pretty big requirement. Especially when the only alternative is never casting 80 percent of available spells because they have that stupid concentration mechanic stapled to it.

Most evokers will never bother with the feat because their focus is on damage, not spells with a duration.

Conjurers can ignore the feat because their concentration on conjuration spells cannot be broken by damage.

Spellcasters who are good at avoiding damage may choose not to take the feat.

Multiclass characters who already have proficiency in Con from another class will not need the feat.

It's not a feat tax.

 

[the Jester]

I'm sorry, but it is a feat tax.

I disagree.

Clearly, experiences vary. And if experiences vary enough that not every caster feels it's necessary to take the feat... it's not a feat tax.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I LOVE the Concentration mechanic. It's clever game design. And as a player, it adds a fun element to spell selection. The optimal setup is to maintain a Concentration spell, while casting other spells. The fun is in deciding which Concentration to cast and maintain. Good games = interesting choices, and this mechanic forces many interesting choices (round-by-round, and day-by-day).

Bravo to Rodney, Mike, and the rest of the 5E design crew.

(also: no, it's not a feat tax. For the many reasons stated by Joe Liker. My preferred solution is two levels of Fighter. Action Surge is super scary with a spellcaster.)

 

[jodyjohnson]

I heard a rumor that home games were allowed to house rule. ...Just a rumor mind you.

At our table, we flip the DC mechanic. DC 10 or half damage, whichever is lower.

We played through the entire playtest without damage breaking Concentration and it seemed to play fine. Especially if potions don't require Concentration. (But then there's a potion miscibility table somewhere).