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| 18 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
Swarms possess the distraction universal monster rule. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swarm requires a caster level check (DC 20 + spell level).
Is this an error? Or does being in a swarm really require you to make a caster level check, rather than a concentration check?
Yep.
Now you get to decide:
Are you a slavish follower of RAW?
Or a good GM that obviously knows it's supposed to be a Concentration check?
Fire spells underwater makes sense for a caster level check as you'd have to alter the parameters of the spell during casting to make it function. IT wouldn't be a concentration check, since you're not simply doing the same old thing, with a distraction, but having to slightly vary the effect.
FAQ; it's probably a mistake.
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Concentration is based on caster level, but is not defined solely by caster level. In 3.5, concentration was a skill and not related directly to caster level. This is not an error related to edition change. I think it is a reasonable house rule to use concentration rather than caster level. As written, and in campaigns relying on RAW, the rule uses caster level, not concentration.
The swarm's ability is "distraction". It's pretty obvious the intent was that it, well, disrupts your concentration. It may not be an edition change error, but it may still be an error.
FAQ hit.
Distraction ability requires a save against being nauseated. So the way this all reads a spell caster could be making as many as three checks or saves. One save against nauseation. The caster/concentration check in OP. Concentration check against damage, or is the intent for that to be included in the former?