Topic: Concentrating %activity

[jaranka]

I think to concentrate on a spell requires 50% activity.  Normally, this would preclude other spellcasting since preparing and casting both require more than 50%.  There is errata that specifically states that you can cast a spell while concentrating on another one, but I always thought this only applied to instantaneous spells, which only need 10% activity.

Casting Spells

Penalties from criticals do apply to SCSM's, but not ESF rolls. [4/26/00]
You may cast a spell while concentrating on another spell. [4/27/00]

I saw something recently that made me question my understanding of the rule, so I'd like to know if I should change my thinking.  Is spellcasting a special exception to the activity rule?  Is preparing a spell while concentrating also allowed?  What are ESF rolls?

Thanks.

[pastaav]

I hasted character has more than 100% activity and thus also can combine concentration with casting a new spell.

[Nders]

Esf is extraordinary spell failure. It is a series of rulings that govern casting spells under conditions that are not optimal. This includes casting spells in armor or spells of higher level than the caster or casting spells faster than usualy allowed.

On acticity and concentrating: I think I remember that a class III spell takes 230% activity (i.e. takes three rounds to cast). If you already spend 50% of every round concentrating you would have another 50% left meaning that it would take you 5 rounds to cast a class III spell while concentrating. You could do it this way it seems resonable though we usually do not allow casting spells while concentrating. We do however stick rigidly to the original saying on concentration spells that says that the only penalty you have when concentrating is a -50 to all you attacks - we also penalise manuvers by -50 when concentrating.

Hope this mumbling is of any use

[Marc R]

I concur with Paas, speed and haste offer you more than 100% per round.

[Cory Magel]

I'm with the Speed/Haste group.

While actions can be performed over multiple rounds I don't think I'd use that as a way to allow cast one spell while concentrating on another.  I could logically argue that it's really not much different than using Speed/Haste to accomplish it, but I believe it's more of a balance factor.

[jaranka]

Ok I wasn't thinking about a hasted character that makes sense.  The idea of using partial activity over multiple rounds to accomplish something has always been a gray area for me, but for the most part I've been of the mind that you need all that activity in one round.  But it certainly makes sense that you can blur those lines with something like drawing and firing a bow.  I've got 10% activity left? I wanna spend it drawing my bow so I can fire next round at full activity and then adrenal speed! (if drawing a bow takes 30%).

I can't remember if it explains somewhere that you have to spend the required activity in the same round.  What got me thinking about all this was a couple spells on a Ranger base list:
7) Traceless Passing
Hide Tracks I

Both have a duration of "C", but it explains in the description of one of them that you can concentrate on both spells at the same time, allowing you to hide your own tracks (Traceless Passing) plus someone else's (Hide Tracks I):

This spell and Traceless Passing can be used simultaneously and caster will still maintain 50% activity (i.e., he can concentrate on both spells at the same time).

Just seems to me that you weren't meant to have to go that extra mile and haste yourself in order to be able to do this.

[Old Man]

I hasted character has more than 100% activity and thus also can combine concentration with casting a new spell.

I do it as the player effectively has 2 100% rounds hence can not combine concentration w a 2nd spell in either of the "effective" rounds.

[providence13]

Certain spell descriptions may preclude the RAW (Rules as Written). These are the effects of specific magical spells...
I think that there are other precedents.

[kevinmccollum]

I do it as the player effectively has 2 100% rounds hence can not combine concentration w a 2nd spell in either of the "effective" rounds.

I do precisely the same thing.

[MariusH]

RMSS specifically states that preparing spells is NOT something you can "split up"; it comes in "chunks" of 90% activity. See RMSS 18.2.4 and 18.2.5. Here "Multi-round actions" are discussed. NORMAL actions, like drawing a bow, is NOT a multi-round action, and HAS to be completed within the specific round (in fact, the specific phase). If you don't have enough activity left, you must wait until next round to do this.

As for concentrating while casting spells: I've read that this CAN be done, but also that it CAN'T. As for the CAN standpoint: Speed/Haste has been mentioned, but I think the most common situation where you'd cast a spell while concentrating, is when you'd cast an instantanous spell, which require only 10% activity, and thus is easily achieved combined with concentration.

[providence13]

Now if you want to make spell prep, drawing a bow or cutting down a tree with a steak knife multi-round actions, it's ok.
Using House Rules won't break your game any more than rolling a D4 for Initiative will break the game.

Other issues may occur because of the change, but it's your game. Have fun!
I do allow certain skills to be handled as multi-round actions.
You could allow the Mage to prep 70%Act now and 20%Act next round to cast a 75%Act standard spell in that same round and still have 5%Act left to move. *

For us, reloading a bow is just how you described. 

I would suggest all actions still be declared, or suffer the change of action penalty (We use 40%Act or -40 to new action, if appropriate.)

We stick to the 3 allowable actions/round, even if it's only started in one round and resolved in another.
I do not recommend combat and spell casting to be multi-round acts. What a headache..

Now the player must declare intended actions for 2 rounds! If they deviate because something changed.. to bad. Take the penalty or continue as stated.

There's also 2 rounds that the action can be interrupted.

* My players tended to try and declare each 1%Act of the round, until they realized that saving at least 10%Act or more for Instants or movement/whatever was a good idea.