The setting in the world where it takes place also has a lot of magic. I've been thinking a lot, but from the setting, casting without Arkaner focus and material components fits better. So only using verbal and somatic to cast spells.
Nevertheless, I run into some problems if I would change this mechanic a bit. Do you have any experience with this? Am I forced to use the mechanics fully and completely without it disturbing the balancing? I am unsure and don't have too much experience with it.
I would be happy to receive your answers and your wisdom.
Ensure that a caster who wants to be able to freely cast is holding at most one weapon or shield. This is circumvented by several features, notably War Caster.
Sets the accessibility of certain spells. Even if you have identify available, you can't cast it unless the DM has given you the opportunity to buy or find the expensive component.
Those should be the problems that you should consider. If you don't mind giving casters the ability to cast with hands full, and you don't mind limiting access to spells like awaken, revivify, and the like, then go for it.
As long as materials which have a (significant) cost retain that cost, then no there aren't really any very serious balance issues to completely ignore focus and material requirements.
You could simplify a version of the rules to say that no one can cast M spells while holding two weapons, and only clerics (and paladins?) can cast them while holding a weapon and shield.
Most powerful spells have a gold cost as part of the material components. That could throw balance for a loop if you're not careful (infinite reviving spells, infinite heroes feast, infinite simulacrum, e.t.c - limited only by rests to recover some spell slots).
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
In my world we suggested that "tattoos" served as the components for spells. Basically, a blend of henna or ink and "dragon's blood" used to write draconic symbols on the arms or other areas of the caster's body. When the spell was cast, the tattoo would be "consumed" to fuel the magical energy of the spell. A higher level caster could write smaller, so they could fit more spells on the same arm/torso/etc.
This was based on the old "prepared spells" rules, so it doesn't make as much sense that a wizard just needs to sleep to regen spell slots. It cut down on the idea that the wizard was constantly dipping into his bag of components and he never ran out of beetle wings or whatnot, but it also presented "dragon's blood" as a commodity that inspired a few quest ideas.
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~not a "lazy dungeon master"
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Hey guys,
I'm currently writing a campaign of my own.
The setting in the world where it takes place also has a lot of magic.
I've been thinking a lot, but from the setting, casting without Arkaner focus and material components fits better. So only using verbal and somatic to cast spells.
Nevertheless, I run into some problems if I would change this mechanic a bit.
Do you have any experience with this? Am I forced to use the mechanics fully and completely without it disturbing the balancing?
I am unsure and don't have too much experience with it.
I would be happy to receive your answers and your wisdom.
Greetings Del
M components do 2 things:
Those should be the problems that you should consider. If you don't mind giving casters the ability to cast with hands full, and you don't mind limiting access to spells like awaken, revivify, and the like, then go for it.
As long as materials which have a (significant) cost retain that cost, then no there aren't really any very serious balance issues to completely ignore focus and material requirements.
You could simplify a version of the rules to say that no one can cast M spells while holding two weapons, and only clerics (and paladins?) can cast them while holding a weapon and shield.
Most powerful spells have a gold cost as part of the material components. That could throw balance for a loop if you're not careful (infinite reviving spells, infinite heroes feast, infinite simulacrum, e.t.c - limited only by rests to recover some spell slots).
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
In my world we suggested that "tattoos" served as the components for spells. Basically, a blend of henna or ink and "dragon's blood" used to write draconic symbols on the arms or other areas of the caster's body. When the spell was cast, the tattoo would be "consumed" to fuel the magical energy of the spell. A higher level caster could write smaller, so they could fit more spells on the same arm/torso/etc.
This was based on the old "prepared spells" rules, so it doesn't make as much sense that a wizard just needs to sleep to regen spell slots. It cut down on the idea that the wizard was constantly dipping into his bag of components and he never ran out of beetle wings or whatnot, but it also presented "dragon's blood" as a commodity that inspired a few quest ideas.
~not a "lazy dungeon master"