They theoretically have to then acquire the components specific to their spells. Depending on the type of game you are running, for example, one where you are track all items, it may be necessary to make sure they acquire the items. Most casters can use a spell casting focus which replaces the need for components. In my campaigns, spellcasting focus is the way to go.
Unless the component is consumed when the spell is cast, I see little point in keeping track of it. Most material components are just little jokes anyway. A grasshopper leg for the Jump spell for example. Note that they don't say it's consumed. You would only need one, so I assume that it's around even if you don't have a component pouch. It could be in a normal pouch, the coin purse that they never say you get as part of your standard equipment even though you do get money, or even in your backpack. The only exception is things that are not consumed but really hard to get, like fresh demon blood, or the scale of a red dragon. I'm going to ask where and how you got that. I usually don't bother with common stuff that isn't consumed unless it costs one hundred or more gold. Those go in the component pouch with the exotic stuff and can be ignored once the character has bought one.
There are a few things that they don't say are consumed, but it would be mighty difficult to get them back. A sprinkling of holy water might not be used up, but it does make you wonder how they pick it up off the ground again. I usually figure 10 castings and then they need more holy water.
A component pouch contain all the necessary material components and if any non-costly ones are consumed somehow, it should be easily restocked either in nature, some shop or herbalist.
Most of the strange and arcane would likely be byproducts of other crafts and trades. Powdered gem is likely a byproduct of the jeweler's work as are "gems worth X gp". You could very well include the expensive components, like 50 and 300 gp diamonds, in treasure found in dungeons or on the looted corpse of fallen enemy casters.
Sending the party on a quest to gather/collect spell components for the local arcane supply store or alchemist could be a way to make your world live and breathe.
Component pouches and spellcasting foci are great for the mundane components that aren't consumed during casting or that don't have the gp value listed.
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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
Also, remember that spellcasters can use a spellcasting focus in place of material components that don't have a GP value. So if you have a player who really wants to keep track of all those components, let them. They can build their own little quests to acquire a jar full of smoked bat guano or whatever. They'll have a blast. If you have players that don't want to deal with that, just tell them to get a spellcasting focus and then they can ignore those material components.
In my last adventure I ignored material components completely but then I had players casting really powerful spells far too often. So next time I'm going to enforce the rule that if the component has a GP value, the character has to have that specific item. So if your Cleric wants to be ready to cast revivify to bring a character back from the dead when they die in combat. They need to have 300 GP worth of diamonds in their pocket each time. Otherwise, they'll just be bringing something back from the dead every session.
How do spell casting playing characters acquire their material components:
Do they buy it from a shop?
Find it along the way during exploration?
Does the player just state that they “have [component]” automatically by owning a component pouch? 🤔
They theoretically have to then acquire the components specific to their spells. Depending on the type of game you are running, for example, one where you are track all items, it may be necessary to make sure they acquire the items. Most casters can use a spell casting focus which replaces the need for components. In my campaigns, spellcasting focus is the way to go.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules/spellcasting#MaterialM
~ May all your rolls Crit ~
Unless the component is consumed when the spell is cast, I see little point in keeping track of it. Most material components are just little jokes anyway. A grasshopper leg for the Jump spell for example. Note that they don't say it's consumed. You would only need one, so I assume that it's around even if you don't have a component pouch. It could be in a normal pouch, the coin purse that they never say you get as part of your standard equipment even though you do get money, or even in your backpack. The only exception is things that are not consumed but really hard to get, like fresh demon blood, or the scale of a red dragon. I'm going to ask where and how you got that. I usually don't bother with common stuff that isn't consumed unless it costs one hundred or more gold. Those go in the component pouch with the exotic stuff and can be ignored once the character has bought one.
There are a few things that they don't say are consumed, but it would be mighty difficult to get them back. A sprinkling of holy water might not be used up, but it does make you wonder how they pick it up off the ground again. I usually figure 10 castings and then they need more holy water.
<Insert clever signature here>
A component pouch contain all the necessary material components and if any non-costly ones are consumed somehow, it should be easily restocked either in nature, some shop or herbalist.
Depends on the component.
Most of the strange and arcane would likely be byproducts of other crafts and trades. Powdered gem is likely a byproduct of the jeweler's work as are "gems worth X gp". You could very well include the expensive components, like 50 and 300 gp diamonds, in treasure found in dungeons or on the looted corpse of fallen enemy casters.
Sending the party on a quest to gather/collect spell components for the local arcane supply store or alchemist could be a way to make your world live and breathe.
Component pouches and spellcasting foci are great for the mundane components that aren't consumed during casting or that don't have the gp value listed.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
Also, remember that spellcasters can use a spellcasting focus in place of material components that don't have a GP value. So if you have a player who really wants to keep track of all those components, let them. They can build their own little quests to acquire a jar full of smoked bat guano or whatever. They'll have a blast. If you have players that don't want to deal with that, just tell them to get a spellcasting focus and then they can ignore those material components.
In my last adventure I ignored material components completely but then I had players casting really powerful spells far too often. So next time I'm going to enforce the rule that if the component has a GP value, the character has to have that specific item. So if your Cleric wants to be ready to cast revivify to bring a character back from the dead when they die in combat. They need to have 300 GP worth of diamonds in their pocket each time. Otherwise, they'll just be bringing something back from the dead every session.