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There exist several abilities that have the text similar to, this effect lasts while you maintain concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). One such example is the Bard College of Glamour: Mantle of Majesty ability.

At 6th level, you gain the ability to cloak yourself in a fey magic that makes others want to serve you. As a bonus action, you cast command, without expending a spell slot, and you take on an appearance of unearthly beauty for 1 minute or until your concentration ends (as if you were concentrating on a spell). During this time, you can cast command as a bonus action on each of your turns, without expending a spell slot.

Another example is the Cleric Trickery Domain: Channel Divinity: Invoke Duplicity ability.

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to create an illusory duplicate of yourself.

As an action, you create a perfect illusion of yourself that lasts for 1 minute, or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell).

While you are concentrating on maintaining such an ability would you also be able to maintain concentration on a spell that requires concentration?

There does not seem to be any RAW that limits this however the limitation around concentrating on a second spell exists which may suggest that the intent is that a character cannot concentrate on 2 effects at the same time unless explicitly stated.

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1 Answers1

23

Unfortunately, No

The introduction to Xanathar's Guide to Everything (page 5) reiterates a rule about concentration:

As soon as you start casting a spell or using a special ability that requires concentration, your concentration on another effect ends instantly.

Therefore, any spells/abilities that require concentration to maintain end when another spell or ability that also requires concentration is cast.

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Rykara
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  • You say this "reiterates" a rule about concentration. Can the same rule be found in the Player's Handbook or Dungeon Master's Guide? – gto Feb 12 '21 at 04:20
  • @gto The rule for concentration that is being reiterated is found under spell duration in the PHB: "The following factors can break concentration: Casting another spell that requires concentration..." – Rykara Feb 13 '21 at 06:38
  • Got it -- PHB pg. 203 -- but that's only explicitly applicable to spells. It makes no mention about any other "special abilities" causing concentration on a spell to be lost. – gto Feb 14 '21 at 07:09
  • @gto It says if you cast a spell that requires concentration you lose concentration on (whatever) you're concentrating on previously. That would include special abilities. Such abilities are unusual: most of the time, only spells involve concentration so the rules focus on that generality. The bit from Xanathar's is not an optional rule (it's under 10 Rules to Remember [from the PHB/DMG]), as pretty much everything else in the book is, which means it's reiterating (and clarifying) the existing rule from the PHB. – Rykara Feb 14 '21 at 22:32
  • It says "You lose concentration on a spell if you cast another spell that requires concentration." No mention of non-spells. Don't get me wrong; I do believe your interpretation is RAI, but I don't think it's RAW with the PHB alone. It only becomes RAW after adding XGtE (or TCoE, which has the same sentence as XGtE). – gto Feb 14 '21 at 22:57
  • @gto and the sentence right before that says "the following can break concentration:" that means in general, not just for spells. Even if you ignore that and focus on the first bullet point, the fact of the matter is that XGtE groups spells and effects together under "rules to remember." That is, concentration treating abilities like spells is not meant to be understood as a revision but as a reaffirmation. Are you objecting to my word choice ("reiterate") or are you suggesting that the rule for concentration was somehow changed? – Rykara Feb 15 '21 at 03:39
  • I think the rule for concentration was broadened in XGtE to make RAW match RAI, so a strict GM who's only using PHB & DMG may consider simultaneous concentration on a spell and a non-spell to be allowed. [Probably should end this thread, as it's becoming a "discussion" in the comments...] – gto Feb 15 '21 at 20:36
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    "as if you were concentrating on a spell" indicates that the rules for concentrating on a spell apply. We don't need XGtE to answer this, but the rule given there is helpfully clear. – Thomas Markov Dec 02 '21 at 19:23