D&D 5E Potions of spells which require concentration

[AmerginLiath]

It's also cheaper and easier to hire a bunch of low level casters to follow you along and buff you with all that gold you can't spend on magic items and have a hard time spending on poison since it's illegal.

HIRELINGS!!!

(Pro-tip: Choose bards; they can also sing of your legend as you go, in-between buffs!

 

[Psikerlord#]

This makes me think bringing back the Potion Miscibility Table would be a fun idea.

Oh yeah that would be very cool , I hope that table it back!!

 

[Tormyr]

HIRELINGS!!!

(Pro-tip: Choose bards; they can also sing of your legend as you go, in-between buffs!

Brave, brave, Sir Robin
Rode forth from Camelot...

 

[Tormyr]

It worries me that you could end up stacking a bunch of potions to fly around while
Invisible and stoneskinned. Obviously the DM can prevent that, if they keep a close tally of what the pcs have stashed away in their bags for 10 levels.

There was a potion miscibility table in the September 2013 play test, so it is defintitely possible.

 

[baradtgnome]

5E has a different bias in the rule language which I have not completely absorbed yet. If it is silent on a topic, it means it is not a requirement/concern. This is more than just a subtle difference from previous editions. Not good or bad, but different. Thanks for the comments all - it does help.

I can see that potions will become an important addition to the arsenal in the future. Various threads have asked, what do I do with my gold. I think the answer may be - buy potions.

 

[Plaguescarred]

A potion that creates a magical effect usually provide the duration. If the duration doesn't state "Concentration, up to 1 hour" but instead "for 1 hour" for exemple, then it means it doesn't require concentration IMO.

 

[Li Shenron]

If rules are silent and DMs must make rulings, perhaps a possible idea is to require concentration only if the spell originally targets the caster only (and requires concentration in the first place). That's because it is always the caster who needs to concentrate, not the target.

 

[Sage Genesis]

A potion doesn't cast a spell on you. It has its own unique, self-contained effect. This is most obvious when contrasting a potion of flying with the Fly spell. There's no reason to assume that the rules for spellcasting apply to something that isn't spellcasting. Asking whether you need to maintain concentration on a potion is like asking if you need to maintain concentration on wearing your armor.

 

[Authweight]

A potion doesn't cast a spell on you. It has its own unique, self-contained effect. This is most obvious when contrasting a potion of flying with the Fly spell. There's no reason to assume that the rules for spellcasting apply to something that isn't spellcasting. Asking whether you need to maintain concentration on a potion is like asking if you need to maintain concentration on wearing your armor.

This. Potions are not just "bottled spells" in 5e. They do their own thing. The fact they often have similar effects to spells does not mean they act like spells or follow any of the rules that govern spells.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

5E has a different bias in the rule language which I have not completely absorbed yet. If it is silent on a topic, it means it is not a requirement/concern. This is more than just a subtle difference from previous editions. Not good or bad, but different. Thanks for the comments all - it does help.

Good point. I think we often come to 5e with more rule-biases than are warranted. I think it's easiest to see it when "that other guy" has some wonky idea, but we probably ought to watch our own assumptions.

One that I picked up on fairly early in the playtest(others might disagree with my interpretation) is that when an effect is silent on whether you have to declare using something before attempting it, 5e seems to me to generally intend that you don't. The released game is clearer in many occasions about whether or not you need to declare things before you roll the dice, but the spirit of the edition makes me want to rule that you don't have to unless indicated if the rules don't clearly say you do.