Casting some spells requires particular objects, specified in parentheses in the component entry. A character can use a component pouch or a spellcasting focus (found in “Equipment”) in place of the components specified for a spell. But if a cost is indicated for a component, a character must have that specific component before he or she can cast the spell.
If a spell states that a material component is consumed by the spell, the caster must provide this component for each casting of the spell. A spellcaster must have a hand free to access a spell's material components -- or to hold a spellcasting focus -- but it can be the same hand that he or she uses to perform somatic components.
The brazier has no cost indicated and it's not consumed; only the "charcoal, incense, and herbs" have a specified cost. So I believe that, RAW, you could use a component pouch or a spellcasting focus in place of the "brass brazier" specified for the spell.
That said, I doubt many DMs are going to quibble over whether or not you have a brass brazier in inventory. For all practical purposes of RAW, you need to expend 10 gp of materials the first time you summon your familiar, when you summon it back after it was reduced to 0 HP, and whenever you want to change its form. How exactly the brazier fits into that cost on an ongoing basis is undefined, but shouldn't change the cost or the conditions under which you can summon the familiar.
You could use the 2024 version of the spell; it's basically the same (I checked) but it no longer mentions the brass brazier in the material component, and it doesn't make you Blind or Deaf when using the Familiar's senses. Up to you: here's a video of the spell.
That's interesting that this was changed in the new version. Probably because people have had this same question!
As for the 2014 version, I think that the RAI is that they were trying to define a particular ritual that would be used to cast this spell, requiring a particular use of the material components in order to cast the spell.
But the RAW is that the brazier can indeed be substituted out for a spellcasting focus. By rule, a spellcasting focus can be used "in place of" the components specified. So, wherever and however the brazier was used, the spellcasting focus is used in place of that. It's as if the other ingredients ARE being consumed in a brazier, but there's just something else being used instead of the brazier which functions identically and meets all of the same requirements for the casting of the spell. As far as the magic spell is concerned, it's the same, and the requirements are being met.
That said, I doubt many DMs are going to quibble over whether or not you have a brass brazier in inventory. For all practical purposes of RAW, you need to expend 10 gp of materials the first time you summon your familiar, when you summon it back after it was reduced to 0 HP, and whenever you want to change its form. How exactly the brazier fits into that cost on an ongoing basis is undefined, but shouldn't change the cost or the conditions under which you can summon the familiar.
I am that kind of DM :D But I was curious about how you guys understand the spell, because one of my players uses it often.
You could use the 2024 version of the spell; it's basically the same (I checked) but it no longer mentions the brass brazier in the material component, and it doesn't make you Blind or Deaf when using the Familiar's senses. Up to you: here's a video of the spell.
Yeah! I was looking into my question a bit today and even found a screenshot of the 2024 spell on X/Twitter. Thank you so much for your answer and the link! Your advice is really helpful to me :D
As for the 2014 version, I think that the RAI is that they were trying to define a particular ritual that would be used to cast this spell, requiring a particular use of the material components in order to cast the spell.
But the RAW is that the brazier can indeed be substituted out for a spellcasting focus. By rule, a spellcasting focus can be used "in place of" the components specified. So, wherever and however the brazier was used, the spellcasting focus is used in place of that. It's as if the other ingredients ARE being consumed in a brazier, but there's just something else being used instead of the brazier which functions identically and meets all of the same requirements for the casting of the spell. As far as the magic spell is concerned, it's the same, and the requirements are being met.
I also found this tweet from the Dev, with the same reasoning as you (and me!):
@seekay Find Familiar: Does a component pouch/arcane focus provide/sub for the brass brazier? Seems an intentionally big component. @JeremyECrawford The 10 gp of other components need to be burned in something, brazier or not.
I treat a component pouch as automatically containing the brass brazier if they take that spell but not the spellcasting focus. I treat it as one of the benefits of a pouch compared to the focus.
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In the spell Find Familiar spell, can the brass brazier be replaced by a spellcasting focus?
These are the required components for the spell:
And according to the rules:
The brazier has no cost indicated and it's not consumed; only the "charcoal, incense, and herbs" have a specified cost. So I believe that, RAW, you could use a component pouch or a spellcasting focus in place of the "brass brazier" specified for the spell.
Is this assumption okay?
Since the items need to be “consumed by fire in a brass brazier” I would say no you can’t use a focus.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
That said, I doubt many DMs are going to quibble over whether or not you have a brass brazier in inventory. For all practical purposes of RAW, you need to expend 10 gp of materials the first time you summon your familiar, when you summon it back after it was reduced to 0 HP, and whenever you want to change its form. How exactly the brazier fits into that cost on an ongoing basis is undefined, but shouldn't change the cost or the conditions under which you can summon the familiar.
You could use the 2024 version of the spell; it's basically the same (I checked) but it no longer mentions the brass brazier in the material component, and it doesn't make you Blind or Deaf when using the Familiar's senses. Up to you: here's a video of the spell.
That's interesting that this was changed in the new version. Probably because people have had this same question!
As for the 2014 version, I think that the RAI is that they were trying to define a particular ritual that would be used to cast this spell, requiring a particular use of the material components in order to cast the spell.
But the RAW is that the brazier can indeed be substituted out for a spellcasting focus. By rule, a spellcasting focus can be used "in place of" the components specified. So, wherever and however the brazier was used, the spellcasting focus is used in place of that. It's as if the other ingredients ARE being consumed in a brazier, but there's just something else being used instead of the brazier which functions identically and meets all of the same requirements for the casting of the spell. As far as the magic spell is concerned, it's the same, and the requirements are being met.
I am that kind of DM :D But I was curious about how you guys understand the spell, because one of my players uses it often.
Yeah! I was looking into my question a bit today and even found a screenshot of the 2024 spell on X/Twitter. Thank you so much for your answer and the link! Your advice is really helpful to me :D
I also found this tweet from the Dev, with the same reasoning as you (and me!):
I treat a component pouch as automatically containing the brass brazier if they take that spell but not the spellcasting focus. I treat it as one of the benefits of a pouch compared to the focus.