Concentration

A few weeks ago I gave my players a pop quiz about concentration. Researching the quiz taught me a lot about the rule, especially about how many things require it.

Q1. What specific things require concentration?

• Casting a spell that has duration "Concentration".
• Casting a spell with a casting time longer than a single Action or Reaction. This includes all ritual casting.
• Readying a spell.
• Using a feature. For example, Draconic Presence (Draconic Sorcerer lvl 18), Visions of the Past (Knowledge Cleric lvl 17), Invoke Duplicity (Trickery Cleric lvl 2), Dark Delerium (Archfey Warlock lvl 14), Minor Alchemy (Transmutation Wizard lvl 2). This might include the Paladin and Cleric Holy Water ritual and the Warlock pact Weapon ritual (the rules don't specify).
• Using a magic item. For example, marvellous pigments, ring of djinni summoning, ring of shooting stars.

Q2. What can break concentration? What is the roll and DC, if applicable?

• Doing something else that requires concentration (automatic).
• Entering Barbarian Rage (automatic).
• Taking damage (CON saving throw, DC is half the damage, minimum 10).
• Being incapacitated (automatic).
• Being killed (automatic).
• The environment around you (CON saving throw, DC varies).

D&D 5E Weapon Analysis

Putting the weapons into a PivotTable shows some interesting properties.

Weapon PivotTable (click to embiggen)

What do we learn?

Damage comes from size. Light is 1d4, one-handed is 1d6, versatile is 1d8/1d10, two-handed is 1d10. Martial weapons are a die size larger. Reach weapons are a die size smaller, as are throwing weapons.

There are no two-handed heavy weapons using simple proficiency, and only one two-handed non-heavy simple weapon. I guess the designers figure that weapons of that size require martial skill.

There are no finesse bludgeoning weapons. The words "finesse" and "blunt instrument" do not go together.

Tridents are bad.

Handaxes are good (especially when dual-wielded by monks).

There are no one-handed slashing weapons. This is strange, because this is what I would call a "scimitar". I think what the game calls a "scimitar" is more like a machete or parang. If you added a martial slashing weapon, which did 1d8 damage, called a "sabre" or "falchion", it probably wouldn't break the game. It might be another option for rogues if you made it finesse.

Quarterstaves are weird. As far as I've encountered them, a "quaterstaff" is a heavy wood staff, shod with iron at one or both ends. This is not a weapon that can be used one-handed with a shield, yet in D&D it can be used one-handed, with a shield, while taking advantage of Polearm Mastery!