Spells with Duration of Concentration

[Darksol the Painbringer]

Simple question.

Let's say I have Wall of Fire. It has a duration of Concentration + X Rounds/level. If I cast it, and I quit concentrating on it, can I later concentrate on it to halt its duration expenditure each round (assuming it's still active) or can I no longer concentrate on it and just have to let it run its course?

[Kayerloth]

Don't believe there's a utterly clear answer to the question.

I've never had the issue crop up in game. I'd lean strongly towards no you can't 'resume' concentrate later. You've essentially 'ceased' concentrating immediately and resuming or starting to concentrating later is not specifically allowed by the wording of the spell and I wouldn't generally give a spell an ability that it doesn't specifically grant in the description without a really good reason. This isn't like having to create a ruling, for example, about how long one could concentrate on a spell to keep it active (before passing out from lack of sleep or hunger or whatever).

[Zhayne]

My reading is that, once you've stopped concentrating, it's on the automatic timer and you can't change it.

[Elbedor]

It appears that once you cease concentration, you lose "contact" with the spell and now it ends or winds down of its own accord.

Although I wouldn't be against a Houserule that says you can make a Spellcraft check to pick it back up again and cease the countdown. :)

[BillyGoat]

Zhayne wrote:

My reading is that, once you've stopped concentrating, it's on the automatic timer and you can't change it.

Without an FAQ, this is the only rules-supported interpretation.