When you make your character do you choose Arcane Focus or Component Pouch? I find component pouch better, because

• Some spells make it really hard to roleplay arcane focus
• When you ask for a spellcaster to cast a simple spell for gold, you can supply the components.

Arcane Focus is definitely simpler, plus it lets players play out their fantasy of Harry Potter/Gandalf using their wand/staff to cast spells. 

Quote from Kotath >>

Quote from Lamoon01 >>

Arcane Focus is definitely simpler, plus it lets players play out their fantasy of Harry Potter/Gandalf using their wand/staff to cast spells. 

 

Plus for a bard it is a no-brainer to focus spells through your instrument rather than pulling out bits of whatever from a bag.

 I don't think bards get component pouches lol

I'm more of a wand guy myself, though for a more MacGyver-style wizard I'd go more for the pouch

I have to ask why "Depends on the character" isn't an option? Some of mine use a component pouch and others use a focus.

I use neither or I use both. Whatever my players decide. Except for the obvious - which is spell components with an actual cost and/or those that indicate the components are "consumed" upon spell cast, it's not a thing worth tracking or detailing.

The manner in which my players channel their spellcasting is entirely glossed over or elaborated on - depending on how much they want to invest in it.

I like ‘em both - and I agree with Emmber that it really depends on the character.

Do you wanna wear a wand in a holster, Eberron/gunslinger style, and draw it meaningfully when the bad guys threaten the party to try and get them to back off?

Or do you wanna be thinking about constantly picking up crickets, bits of fluff, berries and feathers as you wander through the world, stuffing them into your pouch for when you might need them for a spell? I mean sure, that level 1 spell might not consume the feather, but it’s gonna get a bit ratty and gross after a few weeks...

And of course this choice isn’t permanent. Most spellcasters know how to use both. If someone captures you takes away your wand, and you can find a pinch of sand in the bottom of your cell and have sleep prepared, you can cast it on the guards to aid your escape.

I generally like to have a focus, but look for opportunities to have components anyway; you can’t escape needing them for some spells, after all!

I am using both on my Druid although the component pouch is more of a seed pouch. And I love using water for Ice Storm and Tidal Wave.  (Just a drop of water for a tidal wave).

It doesn't matter unless the DM wants you to literally try to find every component ever which would slow the game way down and be boring as hell.  Every game I've ever played, no one cares about a component unless it has a gold value.  But with an arcane focus you still have to buy those components anyway.

A character can use a component pouch or a spellcasting focus (found in chapter 5, “Equipment”) in place of the components specified for a spell.

Component Pouches work mechanically just the same as any of the spellcasting focuses, so the only reason to pick one over the other is flavor. If your spellcaster waves a wand or dips their fingers into a pouch to pull up ash or whatever makes no difference in gameplay. If anything, component pouches are more versatile because they can be used by any spellcasting class, no matter the circumstance. It's just assumed that they contain just enough of whatever to fill the need of whichever spell is being cast. You can fit a lot of worthless bits into a 25gp purse.