Devices maintaining multiple concentrations

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

I am fiddling with a lesser enchanted device providing veil of invisibility. Using concentration and maintaining concentration is better than Sun duration, since it can then be cancelled at will.

The obvious device is a ring or other wearables which act on the wearer, but isn't it nice to have umpteen uses so that you can turn all your grogs invisible if need be.

Now is the question, can the device maintain concentration on the invisibilities of umpteen grogs at the same time? I do not think there is anything in RAW saying no, but my gut does. It feels a wee bit abusive, and does not the maintenance of concentration strain the device in any way?

1 Like
2

I've always played with extra uses for Concentration/maintains providing the ability to turn it on/off more times, not having more simultaneous instances. Otherwise we have to assume nearly all magi are idiots for ever making D: Sun items despite having roughly Int +3. This way there remains value to both.

4 Likes
3

Trying to parse ArM5 p.98 and 99 for you:

The concentration modification from ArM5 p.99 has an instilled effect maintained by concentration of the device. So if a maga instills several instilled effects into the same device and gives each one of these the concentration modification, then that device can independently maintain each of them by concentration.

But just using a single instilled effect with concentration modification several times per day (from the table on p.98) does not provide the device with several capabilities to simultaneously maintain concentration on its uses.

6 Likes
4

I am still unable to find the words that you parse to this effect, but two firm veteran voices for a conservative reading is a good answer for the purpose. Thank you both.

1 Like
5

This has been our interpretation too. You can tell items to stop concentrating, and the spell fizzles, and then later reactivate it with additional uses. At sunset/sunrise the wielder must concentration or the spell fizzles. The item level of low level Item Maintains concentration is higher than the the Sun duration spell, but most of the time they are same.

Why use Sun duration? Beucause they are 1 magnitude harder to dispel. The item effect is dispelled at its effect level, not at its item level. The item is disenchanted at item level.

3 Likes
6

And sometimes you want an effect that survives moving out of range of an item, too.

2 Likes
7

Concentration stuff can move out of the range of the item, too.

Yes, dispelling can get harder, which is sometimes advantageous and sometimes disadvantageous. Using MuVi on it is harder, too, which is usually a negative. Sun frequently causes more Warping, which is always a disadvantage when it shows up on your buffs.

1 Like
8

Recently answered a similar question in another thread, would have pointed them here. My answer in that thread was each instance of paying for an item to Maintain Concentration can only maintain a single instance at once. Functionally identical to OneShot's reading.

I did mention an option that could be used as a House Rule. You could allow the instilling of multiple Item Maintains Concentration into a single effect, with each instance allowing the item to maintain one. So for example adding three copies (and paying +15 levels) would allow three instances to be maintained. This would of course be a HR rather than RAW.

3 Likes