The rules of Dungeons and Dragons (DND) were made to be broken – and that includes the rules about spell concentration.
Can you concentrate on two spells in DND?
In DND, you can concentrate on two spells at the same time if the right conditions are met. You can concentrate on more than one spell by using a familiar, a twinned spell, a Glyph of Warding, a clone, or a dominated non-player character. The general rules of DND do not permit dual concentration.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about doubled spell concentration in DND.
Can You Concentrate on Two Spells at Once in DND? (Official Answer)
Many Dungeon Masters (DMs) and players get confused by the general rules of spell concentration.
As stated in the DND Player’s Handbook:
Some spells require you to maintain concentration in order to keep their magic alive. If you lose concentration, such a spell ends.
A few sentences later, the Player’s Handbook explains what can break concentration:
Casting another spell that requires concentration. You lose concentration on a spell if you cast another spell that requires concentration. You can’t concentrate on two spells at once.
Ok, so far that sounds pretty cut and dry.
No, you can’t concentrate on two spells at the same time. If you want a simple and straightforward guideline, you got it.
Except, there are a few sneaky ways to dance around the edges of this rule.
Keep reading to find out five.
5 Ways To Concentrate on More Than One Spell
In fact, there are at least five ways that I know to concentrate on more than one spell.
Those five ways are:
- Using a Magic Item
- Chained Device Feature
- Twinning a Spell
- Cloning Yourself
- Dominating an NPC
Let’s examine each one of these methods in a bit more detail.
Dual Spell Concentration With Magic Items
One option is to acquire and use a magic item.
For example, a Glyph of Warding allows you to store a prepared spell within its magical confines. When the time is right, you can release the stored spell alongside another spell that requires constant concentration – giving you the benefit of both effects.
The downside to this method is that the stored spell can only be of third level or lower.
However, it’s still a useful tool in the right hands.
Another option for those seeking to concentrate on two spells at once is to ask their Dungeon Master if they can create a magical item – such as gloves or an ankle bracelet.
That gives the player character the power of dual concentration.
This homebrewed solution is highly DM-dependent, so it’s best not to get your hopes up too high.
Ultimately, being able to concentrate on two spells simultaneously can be a complete game-changer in Dungeons and Dragons – so it’s worth looking into all your options before committing to one method.
Concentrate on Two Spells With the Chained Device Feature
You could also use a feature mentioned in the article, Modern Magic, an extension of the Unearthed Arcana.
The article describes the spellcasting feature:
By 14th level, you have learned to imprint vestiges of your consciousness on electronic devices with significant computing power. When you cast a concentration spell, you can use a device whose computing power is equal to or greater than a tablet computer to maintain concentration of the spell on your behalf. The device must be held or worn by you to maintain this effect. If the device is destroyed, taken from you, dropped, or turned off, the concentration ends. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Yes, this is not going to apply to many DND worlds or campaigns, but it is another way to dodge the dual concentration rules.
Twinning a Spell
We can’t forget to mention twinning a spell.
A sorcerer character (like the one in the image at the beginning of this blog) can use metamagic to double-dip into spell concentration.
Metamagic allows a sorcerer to modify a spell on the fly, making it more powerful or versatile
Although this doubles the spell targets (and not really the concentration), the outcome is essentially the same.
If you’re going to twin a spell, you might as well make it one of the most powerful spells.
Here is a good video that goes over the top 10 most powerful concentration spells:
Clone Yourself
A 7th-level wizard can cast Simulacrum to project an illusion of him or herself.
You basically clone yourself.
Then, you command your clone to cast a spell that requires concentration on your turn. At the same time, you can cast a completely different spell that requires concentration.
Boom, two concentration spells at once.
Dominating an NPC
A player might also try dominating the mind of an NPC that also has spellcasting ability.
By doing so, the original spellcaster and the dominated spellcaster can now both perform separate magic.
For example, the original spellcaster could cast Fly.
Meanwhile, the dominated spellcaster casts Haste. This would be an incredibly powerful combination that would help a DND party escape almost any dangerous scenario.
Can You Concentrate on Two Spells If You Take Damage?
If the wizard takes damage in the heat of combat, their concentration is interrupted and the spell is disrupted.
This is especially a likely case when fighting in close quarters against a group of enemies.
For example, a wizard might be concentrating on Invisibility and Heat Metal spells.
If a goblin makes a wild swing and hits the wizard with an arrow, both spells might be disrupted and the magical effects will fizzle out.
A similar thing happens if the wizard character is incapacitated.
If conscious, the wizard is left to decide whether to recast the spells or take another action.
All while facing down the cold, inhuman eyes of their goblin enemies.
Final Thoughts: Can You Concentrate on Two Spells in DND?
If you’ve read my other articles on this site, you know that you can also use the Wish spell or get divine intervention from a deity.
Additionally, a non-official DND book about the Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting includes the Dual-Focused Feat.
Those are almost always options.
After finishing this blog post, you might be curious if you can cast spells underwater or with a shield.
No worries: We have blog posts written about these and many other magic topics on this site.
Read These Next:
- Can You Cast Spells With a Shield in DND? (SOLVED)
- How Many Spells Can You Have in D&D? (Answered & Solved)
- 21 Spells You Can Cast on Yourself in DND (Solved)
Sources
Wizards of the Coast (DND Player’s Handbook)
