History Main / ConcentrationBoundMagic

** [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] with Sympathy. Forming a sympathetic spell requires mental focus powerful enough to bend reality, a state called "Alar", so practitioners hone their concentration with various mental exercises. However, once formed, sympathetic links are often lingering, sometimes undesirably -- a young Kvothe nearly dies when an ill-considered spell immobilizes the air in his lungs.

* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'': Channeling the One Power takes focus and [[CastFromStamina stamina]]. By default, maintaining a spell relies on the channeler to feed it power, though it's less taxing than actively casting a spell. ZigzaggingTrope in that there's also an option to "tie it off" and make it self-sustaining. Because concentration is so important, the UltimateFinalExam to become [[MagicalSociety Aes Sedai]] is a sequence of 100 difficult spells in chaotic, dangerous environments.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': ImpliedTrope. The Zorua line has the Illusion ability, which disguises them as the last Pokémon in your party. However, it breaks if they get hit, causing it to reveal itself.

** ''Film/ANewHope'': When training Luke, Ben Kenobi urges Luke to connect with the Force by reaching out his feelings instead of relying on his senses. Later at the climactic battle at the Death Star, Luke must tap into this power to make the one-in-a-million shot, during which he turns off his targeting computer and directs all his attention to the Force to tell him when to fire.

!!Examples

* ''Anime/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'': In episode 13, Myne attempts to slay her younger sister and Naofumi as they travel through a mountain pass. She first tries fire arrows, but these are blocked. She next tries to drop a huge fireball on them, but Raphtalia teleports behind Myne and skewers her through the brisket with a spirit sword. This doesn't kill Myne, but it does break her concentration, which makes the fireball disappear.

[[folder:Fanfics]]

* ''{{WesternAnimation/Onward}}'': The growth spell requires all the focus one can muster on the object one wants to grow. If you can't focus, you shrink something -- or someone in Barley's case.

* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Carrie's [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]] is reliant on her concentration (at least until she gets significantly more powerful right at the end). This is how a few people manage to survive the Black Prom, as she gets distracted watching people burn to death and suffer, and they manage to slip out of the one free door. She realizes her mistake, severs a few people's fingers, and doesn't make the same mistake again.

* ''VideoGame/DodgeballAcademia:'' The game has special moves called "focus abilities", which only work if the player can "focus" for a certain amount of time.

* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'':

* ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'': Psionic abilities require the entity using them to be conscious. Disabling a psionic enemy using an ability can have various effects. A regular Sectoid who's initiated a mind meld with another enemy will generate psychic backlash that heavily damages the mind meldee, and any mind control effects will instantly fade, granting you control of your troops once again.
* ''VideoGame/XCOM2'': Sectoids are now capable of using an ability called "Mindspin" which can either confuse, panic, or mind-control an XCOM soldier, but once again, killing them results in the effect fading. Other psi-powers, such as the Rift produced by Codices, can persist after the caster is dead.
* ''Yuu Yuu Hakusho: Makyo Toitsusen'' (Genesis): Itsuki can use the "Yaminade Shou Kan" attack, that is, he can summon two neon blue spectral hands that attack the opponent. The attack lasts until the magic/mana meter depletes, the player dismisses them, or the opponent hits Itsuki, which causes the hands to disappear.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': Sally Impossible had only her ''skin'' turned invisible in the FreakLabAccident that empowered her family. Her "power" is to make it ''visible'', which requires concentration. If she loses it -- such as being startled or turned on -- it goes back to being invisible and making her look like she's been FlayedAlive.

[[folder:Fanfic]]

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''Anime/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'': In episode 13, Myne attempts to slay her younger sister and Naofume as they travel through a mountain pass. She first tries fire arrows, but these are blocked. She next tries to drop a huge fireball on them, but Raphtalia teleports behind Myne, and skewers her through the brisket with a spirit sword. This doesn't kill Myne, but it does break her concentration, which makes the fireball disappear.

It co-occurs with MagicIsMental, ThoughtControlledPower, and/or CastFromStamina. It may also be part of an ImaginationBasedSuperpower, since YourMindMakesItReal. The inverse is PowerIncontinence, where ''restraining'' one's powers is the thing that requires effort. See also NoOntologicalInertia, where something stops existing when its creator does, but without ongoing effort required.

SisterTrope to PsychoactivePowers, where the power depends on the wielder's emotional energy rather than mental focus. There's a good deal of overlap between the two, however, since minds and emotions can interact in many ways.

SisterTrope to PsychoactivePowers, where the power depends on the wielder's emotional energy rather than mental focus.

This makes multitasking near impossible. Any {{Distraction Trope|s}} may break the person's focus. The concentration is commonly taxing, and even without interruption, one's stamina may fail eventually.

It co-occurs with MagicIsMental, ThoughtControlledPower, and/or CastFromStamina. The inverse is PowerIncontinence, where ''restraining'' one's powers is the thing that requires effort. See also NoOntologicalInertia, where something stops existing when its creator does, but without ongoing effort required.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'': All spells that do not resolve instantly must be concentrated on by the caster to maintain them. This does not cost an action, but concentrating on more than one spell causes a cumulative penalty per spell to all actions done by the mage. This includes casting rolls, so once you're concentrating on three to four spells at once makes the mage pretty much useless for anything but to keep concentrating. Specific totems or the ''Quickening'' power can be used to maintain free concentration on spells; both are extremely expensive and rare.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'':
** In ''TabletopGame/BasicDungeonsAndDragons'', ''TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons1stEdition'', and ''TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons2ndEdition'', some spells are designated as requiring concentration, preventing the spellcaster from taking other actions. Also, casting spells is considered to require at least some form of concentration, where taking any damage would disrupt the spellcasting.
** ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition'' has some spells designated as requiring concentration, which requires an action each turn. While concentrating, the spellcaster can't cast another spell.

* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Carrie's telekinesis is reliant on her concentration (at least until she gets significantly more powerful right at the end). This is how a few people manage to survive the Black Prom, as she gets distracted watching people burn to death and suffer, and they manage to slip out of the one free door. She realizes her mistake, severs a few people's fingers, and doesn't make the same mistake again.

* ''Film/DungeonsAndDragonsHonorAmongThieves'': Simon's illusion spell requires him to concentrate or the illusion will break apart, as demonstrated when he creates an illusion of Edgin to distract some guards. When hid foot gets stuck in a pothole, he loses his focus which causes the illusion to distort and eventually vanish.

* ''Film/DungeonsAndDragonsHonorAmongThieves'': Simon's illusion spell requires him to concentrate or the illusion will break apart as demonstrated when he creates and illusion of Edgin to distract some guards. When he foot gets stuck in a pothole, he loses his focus which causes the illusion to distort and eventually vanish.

** In ''TabletopGame/BasicDungeonsAndDragons'', ''TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons1stEdition'', and ''TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons2ndEdition'', some spells were designated as requiring concentration, preventing the spellcaster from taking other actions. Also, casting spells were considered to require at least some form of concentration, where taking any damage would disrupt the spellcasting.

** ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsFifthEdition'': The Concentration mechanic is used to reduce the number of non-instantaneous spells that a caster can have up at one time, whether those be simple self-buffs or massive damage spells that blanket an entire battlefield. Two Concentration spells cannot be performed simultaneously- the moment someone starts to cast one while already concentrating on another, the first one ends automatically. If you take damage, you have to make a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration, with the spell instantly ending if you fail.

** ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsFifthEdition'': The Concentration mechanic is used to reduce the number of gigantic area-of-effect spells that covered the battlefield at one time. Two Concentration spells cannot be performed simultaneously. If you take damage, you have to make a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration, with the spell instantly ending if you fail.

[[folder:Comicbooks]]

* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': A Lantern's Power Ring is described as the most powerful weapon in the universe, capable of creating literally anything so long as the user has the imagination and concentration to do so. However, the more complex the construct, the more effort and concentration it takes to maintain. Should the user's will or concentration falter, the construct can shatter or dissipate.

Many conceptualizations of magic -- or superpowers or [[MagicByAnyOtherName whatever else you call it]] -- center around mental energy. Wielding it requires continuous focus and effort. Magic may be likened to holding a thought in your mind, or pulling on a rope. Within such a metaphor, there's also the possibly of "letting go" and ending the spell.

* ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'': Shadowcat has the ability to send the mind of someone back in time to inhabit their younger body. This only lasts so long as she is in proximity to the person and concentrating, so usually she only sends someone back a few minutes. However, when she has to send Logan's mind back '''decades''' it's a real strain. She has to maintain her concentration for a few days. In the theatrical cut this is {{handwave}}d away, but in the Rogue Cut she's able to get a reprieve by having Rogue steal her powers temporarily and take over the connection to Logan's body.

** In ''Deryni Rising'', Morgan has to use his new-found Healing power on himself, after he was seriously wounded in a duel. He needs the magickal support of his cousin Duncan [=McLain=] to do it, because the wound is deep and extremely painful.

* ''TabletopGame/DeviantTheRenegades'': The "Concentration" Scar causes it's entangled Variation(s) to have a chance to shut down or be harder to activate if the user's concentration is broken in some way.

* ''TabletopGame/MageTheAwakening'': Concentration is a Yantra, a type of magical shorthand Awakened use to make casting spells easier. Mechanically, it adds two dice to the spell's dice pool (increasing its chance of success by roughly 10-15%) with the tradeoff that if the caster is hurt or takes any other action the spell ends. It is not, however, mandatory, and spells can be made Indefinite (permanent barring dispellation) without ever resorting to the Concentration Yantra.

* ''VideoGame/EverQuest'': The psychotic prismatic dragon Kerafyrm was held for countless millenia inside the Sleeper's Tomb by four dragons who swore to their Goddess Veeshan to keep him in stasis for all eternity. As long as the four Warders concentrated, Kerafyrm would never wake. Ultimately, it was mortal adventurers who's meddling and greed that would kill all four warders and wake Kerafyrm from his slumber.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'': This is why Star Butterfly has a hard time controlling her magic. She is very impulsive and hyperactive, thus cannot concentrate on making her spells work the way they are supposed to. One of the most basic spells is [[PowerFloats "Levatato"]], which requires the user to concentrate, and lasts as long as the user wants it to. Star is able to do a lot of spells, but she cannot do spells like Levitato because of her poor concentration skills.

[[/folder]]

* ''{{WesternAnimation/Onward}}'': The growth spell requires all the focus one can muster on the object one wants to grow. If you can't focus, you shrink something or someone in Barley's case.

* ''Film/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'': During Harry's first quidditch match, Hermione and Ron suspect someone is interfering with Harry's effort to capture the golden snitch. They notice that Professor Snape is muttering something, and watching Harry ''without blinking''. The two students deduce that Snape is casting a spell of some type, and conclude he's the saboteur. It turns out Snape was casting a spell, but a protective one, as he'd detected magical interference before Hermione and Ron did.

* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'': Channeling the One Power takes [[MagicIsMental focus]] and [[CastFromStamina stamina]]. By default, maintaining a spell relies on the channeler to feed it power, though it's less taxing than actively casting a spell. ZigzaggingTrope in that there's also an option to "tie it off" and make it self-sustaining. Because concentration is so important, the UltimateFinalExam to become [[MagicalSociety Aes Sedai]] is a sequence of 100 difficult spells in chaotic, dangerous environments.

->'''Ciri:''' How long will [the spell] hold?
->'''Mousesack:''' As long as I hold.

! Index on: MagicAndPowers, SpeculativeFictionTropes

-->'''Ciri:''' How long will it hold?
-->'''Mousesack:''' As long as I hold.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': '''[This is pieced together from a bunch of different people's writeups. If someone who knows about the franchise as a whole could rewrite the section such that it all fits together, that'd be great.]'''