Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Psikerlord Jul 15, 2014 14:00:30	so the starter set potions dont mention concentration at all? do they just work then? if that is so, potions are your best bet for in combat utility like fly. i guess, since potions of flying etc ought to be pretty rare, this is probably ok. is there a mixing potions rule, was there one in the last playtest, i seem to recall some kind of anti-mixing rule earlier on.   Any thoughts?
#2 Saelorn Jul 15, 2014 14:07:38	I'll admit that it's kind of weird if potions are just better than their associated spells. Maybe, in order to balance their lack of concentration, any Dispel attempts could be automatically successful? After all, you don't have the sustaining force of will that you would get from an active spellcaster.   Although I can't imagine that there are many potions for spells higher than third level, so I don't know how much of a benefit that would really be.
#3 Mephi1234 Jul 15, 2014 15:42:31	I thought someone brought this up to Mike over the twitter feed.    I was under the impression that the potions, or any similar magic items, still follow Concentration rules.    I'm going to have to go back through the stuff and see if I can find it.
#4 Archon007 Jul 15, 2014 16:05:28	Like a poison once you injest the healing potion it's affects are done. Not sure if this really confusing, it's magical so it works. Why would a potion work any different than a cure light wounds spell?
#5 Saelorn Jul 15, 2014 16:09:05	Archon007 wrote:
#6 Psikerlord Jul 15, 2014 16:18:18	Mephi1234 wrote:
#7 FallingIcicle Jul 15, 2014 16:18:59	As long as characters can't easily manufacture these potions, I don't really see a problem. For one thing, it gives casters a reason to want these potions too, since they're better than the spell versions.
#8 Psikerlord Jul 15, 2014 17:32:18	I dont disagree
#9 2Chlorobutanal Jul 15, 2014 21:31:19	I like the fantasy of a wizard bringing various potions to help his group better than a wizard who just casts a "fly" spell at opportune times (at least as far as buff spells go.)   I'd rather see magical effects occur because of enchant items that any character can use/acquire rather than have them mostly depend on a spellcaster.  This is not to say that a spellcaster shouldn't, you know, cast a lot of spells, but I think that a lot of buff-type spells or effects could be transferred to the space of potions, magic boots, gloves, belts, shields, weapons, etc.
#10 UYtrdennis Jul 15, 2014 21:39:06	We are playing them as 'concentration effects' basically. So, the way we're understanding it, fly from a potion, wand, scroll, magical item, etc. is still a 'concentration effect'. Meaning that you can only have the one 'concentration effect' regardless of its source. A  potion of haste would remove and replace a fly spell be it from wand, scroll, potion, item, or spell.  Otherwise, you could simply stack the affects. Admittedly, I don't know for certain with potions. Don't wands, items, or scrolls allow you to 'cast' the spell? Maybe potions are different.
#11 Psikerlord Jul 15, 2014 21:56:06	Yes staffs are different and refer to casting the relevant spell and the spell being on your class list. The wand given in the starter set says it is usable by anyone, but I expect most wands will say it needs to be a spell on your class list.   In contrast the potions fly and invisibility just say you turn invisible/fly for an hour (or something like that). I do believe there was a "mixing potions" rule in the playtest though to prevent stacking potions - when you drank a second potion the first effect ends, something like that. I presume there will be something similar in the full rules (or maybe concentration will apply, I dunno)   I should say I REALLY like the magic items in the starter set, they have a very 2e feel to them, very flexible and awesome.
#12 mellored Jul 16, 2014 7:04:28	Hmm...   So if i drink stone skin, and get hit, i need to make a Con check.   But if someone administers a potion of stone skin, and then runs around a corner, what happens?
(Reply to #12) Jenks	mellored wrote:
#14 Karnos Jul 17, 2014 8:10:24	Potions basically have reverse concentration.  If you hit them *before* using them, they could shatter and be wasted, while hitting an empty potion bottle isn't going to do anything at all.
#15 Sailing_Pirate_Ryan Jul 17, 2014 21:05:14	If a mage casts a concentration spell on the fighter, is the mage responsible for maintaining the concentration or is the fighter? If the former, can the cleric also buff the fighter? If the fighter holds the concentration, then the imbiber of the potion must also maintain concentration. If the caster holds the concentration, then I'm rather inclined to let potions be the one exception to the concentration rules, in the sense that the potion is the "caster" and the potion is the thing "maintaining concentration", not the imbiber. That's just being consistent.
#16 2Chlorobutanal Jul 17, 2014 21:07:11	I don't have the Starter Set, so I don't know anything about how potions work, but requiring "concentration" (under that name) to drink and use a potion seems counterintuitive to me.   At best, I'd say a "potion mixing" rule would handle the case of multiple buff potions, but, again, I'm unfamiliar with the new magic item rules.
#17 Noon Aug 04, 2014 2:49:46	Sailing_Pirate_Ryan wrote:
#18 kanageddaamen Aug 04, 2014 7:20:37	Sailing_Pirate_Ryan wrote:
#19 Joe_the_Rat Aug 04, 2014 8:52:18	The drinker is both caster and recipient. Simple, no?
#20 Plaguescarred1 Aug 04, 2014 9:48:28	A potion should not require concentration unless noted otherwise in its duration. If not, it follows the indicated duration despite what a similar spell it mimic the effect state. If a potions let you directly cast a spell it will say so in its description, which then you will have to refer to for its effect and duration.   So if a potion of flying gives you a fly speed for 1 hour, no concentration is needed compared to the fly spell since they don't have the same duration; (they are not the same even if bearring similar name and effect)     Potion of Flying:  This potion gives you a fly speed equal to your normal speed for 1 hour. If the potion wears off while you’re flying and nothing else is holding you aloft, you must use your movement to descend. If you fail to land before 1 minute passes, you fall.   Fly Spell:  You touch a willing creature. The target gains a flying speed of 60 feet for the duration  (Concentration, up to 10 minutes). When the spell ends, the target falls if it is still aloft, unless it can stop the fall.
#21 Plaguescarred1 Aug 04, 2014 9:32:20	Same for the potion of invisibility. Just to be clear, the potion of flying or invibility have nothing to do with the fly or invibility spells.     Potion of Invisibility:  When you drink this potion-you along with the clothing, weapons, armors and other equipment on your person- become invisible for 1 hour. WThe invibility ends early if you attack or cast a spell.   Invibility Spell:  A creature you touch becomes invisible until the spell ends (Concentration, up to 1 hour). Anything the target is wearing or carrying is invisible as long as it is on the target’s person.
#22 Psikerlord Aug 04, 2014 17:59:01	Yeah I think that's probably right. I guess DMG will have the full rules. Possibly updated basic might include some potion rules.
#23 Dyndrilliac Aug 04, 2014 18:41:52	Unless the description for the potion or staff or wand says otherwise, I operate under the assumption that the effect works identically to the spell, which would include concentration.
#24 E-Tallitnics Aug 04, 2014 21:42:55	http://community.wizards.com/comment/51006471#comment-51006471   Plaguescarred's answer seems like the best bet. It clearly shows that there is a difference between a spells effect and a potions effect.