No. I would interpret this the same way that other magical items like staves work. Many staves like the staff of striking clearly imply that the bonus is only to weapon attacks made with the staff, even though several classes can use a staff as a focus. Foci that specifically allow a bonus to spells say so, like the staff of power.
So, if I understand it well enough. Specific rules are prioritised over general rules and the staff of power specifies that the bonus also applies to spell attack rolls. Therefore when weapons say "bonus to attack and damage rolls" they mean bonus to WEAPON attacks and damage rolls.
I think that's how I would describe it, but I'm having trouble pointing to any specific rule that says it. In magic weapon text, "attacks made with it" seem to be referring to weapon attacks, whereas attacks from spells are always called "spell attack rolls" in magic item descriptions.
As an aside and as far as I know, magic items don't increase the damage of spells; most only boost attack rolls while rod of the pact keeper and some of the newer foci from Tasha's apply to spell save DC as well. Moon sickle and the bard instruments show this pefectly, if you have access to that book. The sickle can be used to attack, so it has "attacks with it" text as well as spell attack/save text. The instruments cannot be used as weapons and only have the spell attack/save text.
Yea this is something that could possibly be a bit more clear in the rules but using an item as a spellcasting focus does not mean that you are using that item to attack with, it just takes the place of the material component for the casting.
Foci that does add a bonus to your spellcasting all have the "while holding this" text in their description.
While it could be clearer, there's nothing in the rules that suggests a spell attack directed by a spell whose casting involved a weapon as focus constitutes making the attack with the weapon. The attack is being made with the spell. What item casting that spell involved is incidental.
It wouldn't do anything for a Bard player anyways: they have zero attack spells that use a material component that an arcane focus can stand in for. Even using Magical Secrets, there are basically no attack spells in the entire game that would work for this combo.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Since the swords bard gets a feature that says:
"If you’re proficient with a simple or martial melee weapon, you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells."
And + 1/2/3 weapons give that bonus to attack and damage rolls with the weapon.
Does this mean the bonus applies to spell attack and damage rolls when used by a swords bard?
No. I would interpret this the same way that other magical items like staves work. Many staves like the staff of striking clearly imply that the bonus is only to weapon attacks made with the staff, even though several classes can use a staff as a focus. Foci that specifically allow a bonus to spells say so, like the staff of power.
So, if I understand it well enough. Specific rules are prioritised over general rules and the staff of power specifies that the bonus also applies to spell attack rolls. Therefore when weapons say "bonus to attack and damage rolls" they mean bonus to WEAPON attacks and damage rolls.
I think that's how I would describe it, but I'm having trouble pointing to any specific rule that says it. In magic weapon text, "attacks made with it" seem to be referring to weapon attacks, whereas attacks from spells are always called "spell attack rolls" in magic item descriptions.
As an aside and as far as I know, magic items don't increase the damage of spells; most only boost attack rolls while rod of the pact keeper and some of the newer foci from Tasha's apply to spell save DC as well. Moon sickle and the bard instruments show this pefectly, if you have access to that book. The sickle can be used to attack, so it has "attacks with it" text as well as spell attack/save text. The instruments cannot be used as weapons and only have the spell attack/save text.
Yea this is something that could possibly be a bit more clear in the rules but using an item as a spellcasting focus does not mean that you are using that item to attack with, it just takes the place of the material component for the casting.
Foci that does add a bonus to your spellcasting all have the "while holding this" text in their description.
While it could be clearer, there's nothing in the rules that suggests a spell attack directed by a spell whose casting involved a weapon as focus constitutes making the attack with the weapon. The attack is being made with the spell. What item casting that spell involved is incidental.
It wouldn't do anything for a Bard player anyways: they have zero attack spells that use a material component that an arcane focus can stand in for. Even using Magical Secrets, there are basically no attack spells in the entire game that would work for this combo.