I'd just like to point out that the same wooden quarterstaff can be a weapon (quarterstaff), an arcane focus (staff), and a druidic focus (wooden staff).
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Improved Pact Weapon (Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature): You can use any weapon you summon with your Pact of the Blade feature as a spellcasting focus for your warlock spells. In addition, the weapon counts as a magic weapon with a +1 bonus to its attack and damage rolls, unless it is already a magic weapon that you transformed into your pact weapon.
I mean to add probably a moot point at this stage it sounds cool and I think as long as you the DM are cool with it its great. As a ddition to one of the earlier points on finding a suitable crystal/gem to use. I would look up making a lightsaber fluff from the old legacy fluff of star wars. It may give you some creative ideas of what you could do for that quest.
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Loex - A Lizardfolk Lvl 4/6/4 Hexblade Profane Blood Hunter/ Battlesmith Artificer/ Cleric of the Forge Arborea - A Warforged Lvl 1 Hexblade Warlock
I think it's a neat idea to have a weapon that can be used as an arcane focus. I always thought that the important thing about arcane focuses in these sort of discussions is if the focus is removable. I'd say it's important that an arcane focus has the ability to be taken away or disarmed. So thing's like magical tattoos I would regard as inappropriate. But you can disarm or remove a weapon, usually, from a character. Therefore a weapon that is a focus or has a focus attached to it is fine.
I think it's a neat idea to have a weapon that can be used as an arcane focus. I always thought that the important thing about arcane focuses in these sort of discussions is if the focus is removable. I'd say it's important that an arcane focus has the ability to be taken away or disarmed. So thing's like magical tattoos I would regard as inappropriate. But you can disarm or remove a weapon, usually, from a character. Therefore a weapon that is a focus or has a focus attached to it is fine.
Disarming is an optional rule though and dumb monsters wouldn't think to do that anyways. In practice, players aren't at risk of being disarmed unless it's part of the campaign's plot.
Not necessarily the war caster feat is only for you not to need Somatic components when both hands are holding weapons/shield. If they used their arcane focus on a sword but kept the other hand free they would not need the feat. Unless the DM wanted to use it as a requirement.
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Loex - A Lizardfolk Lvl 4/6/4 Hexblade Profane Blood Hunter/ Battlesmith Artificer/ Cleric of the Forge Arborea - A Warforged Lvl 1 Hexblade Warlock
I feel like a good example for this is what I did with my character, which is a variant of the unearthed arcana artificer. At one point our group beat a demon (I don't remember what kind), and i took the horns as loot, and proceeded to make a warhammer with a demon horn haft. The basic assumption was that an arcane focus had to have a connection to the weave, which is the source of arcane magic.
Improved Pact Weapon (Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature): You can use any weapon you summon with your Pact of the Blade feature as a spellcasting focus for your warlock spells. In addition, the weapon counts as a magic weapon with a +1 bonus to its attack and damage rolls, unless it is already a magic weapon that you transformed into your pact weapon.
This is awesome. But would a Bladelock using a glaive need the Warcaster feat to be able to cast spells with Somatics then? Or can they just hold the Glaive in one hand while casting the spell and then reattach the hand to the glaive after doing the somatics?
This is awesome. But would a Bladelock using a glaive need the Warcaster feat to be able to cast spells with Somatics then? Or can they just hold the Glaive in one hand while casting the spell and then reattach the hand to the glaive after doing the somatics?
You don't need it. The two-handed property is only relevant for attacking with the weapon, not for merely holding it.
This is awesome. But would a Bladelock using a glaive need the Warcaster feat to be able to cast spells with Somatics then? Or can they just hold the Glaive in one hand while casting the spell and then reattach the hand to the glaive after doing the somatics?
You don't need it. The two-handed property is only relevant for attacking with the weapon, not for merely holding it.
1 reaction, which you take in response to being damaged by a creature within 60 feet of you that you can see
Range:
60 feet
Components:
V, S
Duration:
Instantaneous
You point your finger, and the creature that damaged you is momentarily surrounded by hellish flames. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. It takes 2d10 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 1st.
But what happens when your wielding a glaive and then decide to use a reaction like Hellish Rebuke?
The intent is that taking your hand off something requires no effort and isn't an object interaction. Also consider that you automatically drop whatever you're holding if you fall unconscious, so clearly it doesn't take any effort to let go of things; it takes effort to hang on to them.
This is awesome. But would a Bladelock using a glaive need the Warcaster feat to be able to cast spells with Somatics then? Or can they just hold the Glaive in one hand while casting the spell and then reattach the hand to the glaive after doing the somatics?
You don't need it. The two-handed property is only relevant for attacking with the weapon, not for merely holding it.
1 reaction, which you take in response to being damaged by a creature within 60 feet of you that you can see
Range:
60 feet
Components:
V, S
Duration:
Instantaneous
You point your finger, and the creature that damaged you is momentarily surrounded by hellish flames. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. It takes 2d10 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 1st.
But what happens when your wielding a glaive and then decide to use a reaction like Hellish Rebuke?
Roll Persuasion to get your DM to let you not count it as an object interaction.
i am quite new to D&D myself and am wondering if i can get a little help on what a Spellcasting Focus does.... i saw this thread and hoped someone would be able to help me out.
Does it add any modifiers to the spell? - Sorry this is probably a very noob question to ask but i cant work it out.
Thanks Guys
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DM - the Twilight of an Age | Vulgrim - Bard - Shackles of Silver | DM - the Call of Fate
A spellcasting focus is essentially the same as an Arcane Focus from the Player's Handbook, but each Druids and Rangers use different Items, as do Clerics and Paladins. It allows the caster to ignore the component requirements for any that don't have a price, and usually doesn't add a modifier, unless the item specifies otherwise.
Let's take a step back and look at why these rules are in place.
The component rules do two things.
First, they don't let a character do everything all at once. The player have to make meaningful choices. Want to attack someone? Then you need a hand with a sword in it. Want to cast a spell? Then you need a hand with a focus in it. Want to defend? Then you need a hand with a shield in it. Want to do all 3, well, you can't. You have to make a choice.
Second, they let the GM take things away from the character, to give the players some extra challenge. Want to challenge the warrior's player? Take away the warrior's sword. Same for a spellcaster's focus.
Considering a weapon to be a focus, you just need to think about how it is going to change these things. If a wizard's arcane focus is a sword then they can, in fact, do all three things at once. They have no need to make any meaningful choices. And if the GM takes away one thing, the sword, then the player now has no choices because they can't attack or cast a spell.
Uh, has nobody read Xanthar's yet? I feel like the designers read the OP first post request and added the very 'ruby' that can affix to a weapon to make it a focus.....
My table's rule (partly created because of the Ruby of the War Mage) is that if a weapon can function as a focus, it must be either A. Affixed with a Ruby of the War Mage or B. A ceremonial weapon. A ceremonial weapon is an improvised weapon dealing equivalent damage to weapon it's made to resemble. If the character critically fails while attacking with it, however, it breaks.
I haven't read this thread, I just wanted to add what my rule is. Apologies if I'm retreading already covered ground.
Edit: Also apologies for the thread necromancy. Totally didn't notice.
I'd just like to point out that the same wooden quarterstaff can be a weapon (quarterstaff), an arcane focus (staff), and a druidic focus (wooden staff).
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
The last set of Unearthed Arcana Warlock Invocations had this:
Improved Pact Weapon (Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature): You can use any weapon you summon with your Pact of the Blade feature as a spellcasting focus for your warlock spells. In addition, the weapon counts as a magic weapon with a +1 bonus to its attack and damage rolls, unless it is already a magic weapon that you transformed into your pact weapon.
This latest bit of the discussion has led me to firmly believe that staves are OP.
Nerf!
:p
I mean to add probably a moot point at this stage it sounds cool and I think as long as you the DM are cool with it its great. As a ddition to one of the earlier points on finding a suitable crystal/gem to use. I would look up making a lightsaber fluff from the old legacy fluff of star wars. It may give you some creative ideas of what you could do for that quest.
Loex - A Lizardfolk Lvl 4/6/4 Hexblade Profane Blood Hunter/ Battlesmith Artificer/ Cleric of the Forge
Arborea - A Warforged Lvl 1 Hexblade Warlock
DM - "Malign Intelligence"
I think it's a neat idea to have a weapon that can be used as an arcane focus. I always thought that the important thing about arcane focuses in these sort of discussions is if the focus is removable. I'd say it's important that an arcane focus has the ability to be taken away or disarmed. So thing's like magical tattoos I would regard as inappropriate. But you can disarm or remove a weapon, usually, from a character. Therefore a weapon that is a focus or has a focus attached to it is fine.
Also if they do have a weapon as a focus or have the focus in it, they need the War Caster feat.
Not necessarily the war caster feat is only for you not to need Somatic components when both hands are holding weapons/shield. If they used their arcane focus on a sword but kept the other hand free they would not need the feat. Unless the DM wanted to use it as a requirement.
Loex - A Lizardfolk Lvl 4/6/4 Hexblade Profane Blood Hunter/ Battlesmith Artificer/ Cleric of the Forge
Arborea - A Warforged Lvl 1 Hexblade Warlock
DM - "Malign Intelligence"
I feel like a good example for this is what I did with my character, which is a variant of the unearthed arcana artificer. At one point our group beat a demon (I don't remember what kind), and i took the horns as loot, and proceeded to make a warhammer with a demon horn haft. The basic assumption was that an arcane focus had to have a connection to the weave, which is the source of arcane magic.
The intent is that taking your hand off something requires no effort and isn't an object interaction. Also consider that you automatically drop whatever you're holding if you fall unconscious, so clearly it doesn't take any effort to let go of things; it takes effort to hang on to them.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
Greetings DMs & Adventurers,
i am quite new to D&D myself and am wondering if i can get a little help on what a Spellcasting Focus does.... i saw this thread and hoped someone would be able to help me out.
Does it add any modifiers to the spell? - Sorry this is probably a very noob question to ask but i cant work it out.
Thanks Guys
DM - the Twilight of an Age | Vulgrim - Bard - Shackles of Silver | DM - the Call of Fate
A spellcasting focus is essentially the same as an Arcane Focus from the Player's Handbook, but each Druids and Rangers use different Items, as do Clerics and Paladins. It allows the caster to ignore the component requirements for any that don't have a price, and usually doesn't add a modifier, unless the item specifies otherwise.
Awesome thanks heaps
DM - the Twilight of an Age | Vulgrim - Bard - Shackles of Silver | DM - the Call of Fate
Let's take a step back and look at why these rules are in place.
The component rules do two things.
First, they don't let a character do everything all at once. The player have to make meaningful choices. Want to attack someone? Then you need a hand with a sword in it. Want to cast a spell? Then you need a hand with a focus in it. Want to defend? Then you need a hand with a shield in it. Want to do all 3, well, you can't. You have to make a choice.
Second, they let the GM take things away from the character, to give the players some extra challenge. Want to challenge the warrior's player? Take away the warrior's sword. Same for a spellcaster's focus.
Considering a weapon to be a focus, you just need to think about how it is going to change these things. If a wizard's arcane focus is a sword then they can, in fact, do all three things at once. They have no need to make any meaningful choices. And if the GM takes away one thing, the sword, then the player now has no choices because they can't attack or cast a spell.
Uh, has nobody read Xanthar's yet? I feel like the designers read the OP first post request and added the very 'ruby' that can affix to a weapon to make it a focus.....
My table's rule (partly created because of the Ruby of the War Mage) is that if a weapon can function as a focus, it must be either
A. Affixed with a Ruby of the War Mage
or
B. A ceremonial weapon. A ceremonial weapon is an improvised weapon dealing equivalent damage to weapon it's made to resemble. If the character critically fails while attacking with it, however, it breaks.
I haven't read this thread, I just wanted to add what my rule is. Apologies if I'm retreading already covered ground.
Edit: Also apologies for the thread necromancy. Totally didn't notice.