Topic: Spells - Breaking Concentration / Disruption of Casting

[aarcc]

Breaking Concentration / Disruption of Casting

What actions will cause a Spell Caster to cease concentration on a spell already cast or disrupt one that a Spell Caster in the process of casting?

[Hurin]

I think you have to specify what edition of Rolemaster you are playing to answer that question accurately; there are some differences.

[Ginger McMurray]

Anything that they want to complete in one round which takes more percentage of the round than concentration (i.e. they choose to stop). Also being stunned, knocked out, or any other effect which would drop them below the 50% required activity.

At least that's how we always did it. RM2.

[aarcc]

I think you have to specify what edition of Rolemaster you are playing to answer that question accurately; there are some differences.

RMC ATM but would like to know what the suss is in RMSS too?

[Majyk]

This was always a good go-to resource:
https://www.icewebring.com/errata/rolemaster-rulings/#Magic

[Majyk]

For my games of old, being told I was more of a communist all these years later, LOL - a crit letter A-E was assigned a number from 1-5 and multiplied by 5% for a chance of disrupting a concentrated upon spell if a Stun result or worse was obtained against the caster.

I tempered this by the PC’s Self Discipline Total Mod. used as a bonus to reduce the chance.
Mentalism users usually excelled at such checks due to SD being one of their usual stats within their skills they’d often develop.

[jdale]

In RMSS, you can't concentrate while stunned ("may only parry with half of his offensive bonus. The only other allowable actions are movement and maneuvering"), so I would say if you get stunned, your concentration is over. But otherwise, if you are physically able to continue (e.g. not unconscious), you can.

The RMSS Mentalism Companion adds a Spell Concentration skill. If you are using those rules, they specify a Spell Concentration roll is required to maintain concentration when damaged, at a penalty of -20 for any strike inflicting damage plus -10 per critical severity (up to -50 for E). These rules don't say anything about stun, but I think that's consistent with the assumption that stun simply ends concentration.


In RMU, characters can take a wider variety of actions while stunned, so it's not an absolute barrier to concentration (and also concentration applies to a lot of other things besides spells). If stunned, you have to make a Mental Focus roll every round to continue concentration. Outside of that, you need to inflict enough damage so they are physically incapable of continuing.

[Hurin]

In RMU, characters can take a wider variety of actions while stunned, so it's not an absolute barrier to concentration (and also concentration applies to a lot of other things besides spells). If stunned, you have to make a Mental Focus roll every round to continue concentration. Outside of that, you need to inflict enough damage so they are physically incapable of continuing.

Thanks for the explanation. One thing I've wondered: is there any modification to the Mental Focus roll for different levels of stun or multiple rounds of stun? Do you have the same chance of success versus a -50 stun for one round as you do for a -75 stun for 6 rounds?

[jdale]

You would take the usual penalty for being stunned, so Stun[-75] is -75 and Stun[-25] is only -25. The number of rounds wouldn't matter, but you have to keep making those rolls until you stop being stunned.

[Hurin]

You would take the usual penalty for being stunned, so Stun[-75] is -75 and Stun[-25] is only -25. The number of rounds wouldn't matter, but you have to keep making those rolls until you stop being stunned.

Ok, that's good then. Thanks!