[RPG] How many rounds does a spell with a duration of 1 minute last

dnd-5edurationspellstime

If a concentration spell lasts for one minute (60 seconds, 10 rounds), when does one start counting down how much time it has left? Does the round you cast it in count towards how long it stays active?

First example, what if I use Aura of Vitality, which uses an action to cast then a bonus action can be taken to heal a target? The spell lasts for 1 minute, or 10 rounds. So on the turn I cast it I can use a bonus action to immediately use it, then do I get 9 more rounds or 10 more?

What about spells like Moonbeam, which don't take effect on your turn? Moonbeam activates when a creature enters it or starts its turn there. If you're first to go in a round then you'll get 10 uses out of it, but if you're last does that mean you only now get 9 uses out of it since it acts during an opponents turn?

Best Answer

It lasts for 10 turns of the character who cast it, including the turn it was cast on, and expires just before the character takes their 11th turn ... assuming of course that the character's concentration doesn't get broken.

So you get the following setup in combat:

  1. Round 1: Character casts the spell, and it remains active for the remainder of this round
  2. Round 2: Spell still active
  3. Round 3: Spell still active
  4. Round 4: Spell still active
  5. Round 5: Spell still active
  6. Round 6: Spell still active
  7. Round 7: Spell still active
  8. Round 8: Spell still active
  9. Round 9: Spell still active
  10. Round 10: Spell still active
  11. Round 11: Spell fades as soon as the casting character's turn comes up

To address Moonbeam specifically:

Moonbeam creates an obstacle on the battlefield, and you can force one or more creatures start their turn in the first round by making it appear in their space.

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