So the only attack cantrip material components affect is infestation. It is more problematic to dual wield or sword/board for the S spells that don't have a material component, as you would need a free hand, unless you have warcaster.
Edit: I forgot friends, another non-attack cantrip.
The problem is casting spells in combat while wielding sword and shield, or two weapon fighting, especially with their war magic capabilities that replace an attack with a Cantrip or Spell. Obviously the Warcaster Feat helps, and the Ruby of the War Mage was specifically designed for this issue per Crawford but it's never been officially added in the RAW according to some.
It's not a huge issue, really. 1 instance of sheathing or drawing is a free action, and if you have a component pouch you only need a free hand, not to then draw the pouch. Mechanically you can simply remember that you can't make AoO's with the weapon the turn you cast.
Or, alternatively, you can consider needing to leave a hand free the trade-off for adding spell slots to the class.
The focus issue is fixed in the 2024 Player's Handbook Eldritch Knight rules:
Spellcasting Focus. You can use an Arcane Focus as a Spellcasting Focus for your Wizard spells.
Yes, but no? Now Eldritch Knights can use Arcane Foci, but what Arcane Focus would be useful to them? They probably want to be wielding something with more oomf than a staff. Technically, it's an improvement but in practice, it's pretty much the same.
Adding the bit about specifically using foci is mostly just to let them use the relevant Bastion facilities for flavor/verisimilitude purposes. Beyond that, I'm pretty sure they deliberately built it so you're strongly encouraged to pass on shields with this subclass as a trade-off for stacking spellcasting on Fighter weapon dpr.
If your Eldritch Knight is using a heavy (two handed) weapon it would be easy to hold the heavy weapon in one hand (you are not attacking at the moment) and use the other hand with your focus to cast a spell. Sword and board are still problematic but with the new weapon stowing it should still work.
Could the focus be incorporated into the weapon and/or shield?
Not under the Rules As Written, no. There are classes that allow this (Clerics and Paladins can effectively use a shield as a focus, and Artificers can use any infused item including weapons and shields) but Eldritch Knights do not have this feature.
Well, the ruby of the war mage still exists, and one of the arcane focuses is can be used as a (versatile) weapon. But otherwise, Wagnarokkr is correct, the eldritch knight doen't get the ability built in, and doesn't have the option of putting a symbol on a shield.
Darn. And here I was hoping to take the crystal arcane focus and strap it to the hilt of my sword.
Well, as WolfOfTheBees pointed out, that's basically what a Ruby of the War Mage is. It's listed as a common-level magic item, so it shouldn't be too hard to get ahold of in most settings.
Darn. And here I was hoping to take the crystal arcane focus and strap it to the hilt of my sword.
Well, as WolfOfTheBees pointed out, that's basically what a Ruby of the War Mage is. It's listed as a common-level magic item, so it shouldn't be too hard to get ahold of in most settings.
I know. I was just thinking it would be nice to be able go to any magic supply shop, spend the 10 gp to purchase the standard run-of -the-mill crystal arcane focus and do something similar. Thanks though.
It's not what you're looking for since it involves multiclassing, but I wanted to mention the option of Martial Training, the College of Valor Bard's feature:
Level 3: Martial Training You gain proficiency with Martial weapons and training with Medium armor and Shields.
In addition, you can use a Simple or Martial weapon as a Spellcasting Focus to cast spells from your Bard spell list.
EDIT: probably not super useful, since I’m guessing you’re more focused on casting Wizard spells than Bard ones.
It's not what you're looking for since it involves multiclassing, but I wanted to mention the option of Martial Training, the College of Valor Bard's feature:
Level 3: Martial Training You gain proficiency with Martial weapons and training with Medium armor and Shields.
In addition, you can use a Simple or Martial weapon as a Spellcasting Focus to cast spells from your Bard spell list.
EDIT: probably not super useful, since I’m guessing you’re more focused on casting Wizard spells than Bard ones.
If multi classing is an option, a single level dip into warlock unlocks pact of the blade, which may not do much for your casting, but does give you the option of using a weapon as a focus that isn't tied to a specific class. "Until the bond ends you have proficiency with the weapon, and you can use it as a Spellcasting Focus."
This might be the only feature that works this way (maybe besides individual items).
Edit1:What in the world is so broken about the quoting feature? I didn't even edit the quote and it shows up all jank. Maybe a dev should look into this.
Edit2: after a while of messing around with the code, I think I fixed it to be legible.
It's not what you're looking for since it involves multiclassing, but I wanted to mention the option of Martial Training, the College of Valor Bard's feature:
Level 3: Martial Training You gain proficiency with Martial weapons and training with Medium armor and Shields.
In addition, you can use a Simple or Martial weapon as a Spellcasting Focus to cast spells from your Bard spell list.
EDIT: probably not super useful, since I’m guessing you’re more focused on casting Wizard spells than Bard ones.
If multi classing is an option, a single level dip into warlock unlocks pact of the blade, which may not do much for your casting, but does give you the option of using a weapon as a focus that isn't tied to a specific class. "Until the bond ends you have proficiency with the weapon, and you can use it as a Spellcasting Focus."
This might be the only feature that works this way (maybe besides individual items).
Wooo, it's true it doesn't say "as a spellcasting focus for your Warlock spells". The same wording for Pact of the Tome.
Edit1:What in the world is so broken about the quoting feature? I didn't even edit the quote and it shows up all jank. Maybe a dev should look into this.
Edit2: after a while of messing around with the code, I think I fixed it to be legible.
Darn. And here I was hoping to take the crystal arcane focus and strap it to the hilt of my sword.
Well, as WolfOfTheBees pointed out, that's basically what a Ruby of the War Mage is. It's listed as a common-level magic item, so it shouldn't be too hard to get ahold of in most settings.
I know. I was just thinking it would be nice to be able go to any magic supply shop, spend the 10 gp to purchase the standard run-of -the-mill crystal arcane focus and do something similar. Thanks though.
You can create one in 5 days for 50 GP if you have Arcana and Tinker's Tools proficiency.
Darn. And here I was hoping to take the crystal arcane focus and strap it to the hilt of my sword.
Well, as WolfOfTheBees pointed out, that's basically what a Ruby of the War Mage is. It's listed as a common-level magic item, so it shouldn't be too hard to get ahold of in most settings.
I know. I was just thinking it would be nice to be able go to any magic supply shop, spend the 10 gp to purchase the standard run-of -the-mill crystal arcane focus and do something similar. Thanks though.
You can create one in 5 days for 50 GP if you have Arcana and Tinker's Tools proficiency.
One 10 GP Crystal and 40 GP in glue and protective straps. :)
Darn. And here I was hoping to take the crystal arcane focus and strap it to the hilt of my sword.
Well, as WolfOfTheBees pointed out, that's basically what a Ruby of the War Mage is. It's listed as a common-level magic item, so it shouldn't be too hard to get ahold of in most settings.
I know. I was just thinking it would be nice to be able go to any magic supply shop, spend the 10 gp to purchase the standard run-of -the-mill crystal arcane focus and do something similar. Thanks though.
You can create one in 5 days for 50 GP if you have Arcana and Tinker's Tools proficiency.
One 10 GP Crystal and 40 GP in glue and protective straps. :)
I just realized that spellcasting ability isn't required to create one (unless I'm missing something); it's just the proficiencies.
This means it is not an unreasonable assumption that you could find NPCs making them in larger cities without too much difficulty (probably more likely in magic-rich campaigns and less likely in a very magic-poor campaign simply due to supply and demand) starting at around 100 GP.
All DM dependent, or course. Along with all magic item availability (including crafting materials for crafting them).
Of course. I really am drifting off of 'rules' when I talk about this since it is not specified anywhere. This is much more firmly in the area of 'what rules can lead to' and following them too slavishly can lead to some false assumption (like assuming that a huge percentage of the NPC are Magical Initiates since the origin feat is highly available to Human PCs).
I simply meant to point out that according to the Rules as Written it shouldn't be inconceivably difficult to get ahold of (again, depending upon the campaign setting) since it only requires a pair of skills, no feats, and no specific class features. You are probably looking at someone a bit more skilled than your normal craftsman (who only requires a single skill) so something like an expert maker of Arcane foci, but not necessarily an actual Wizard.
Really, it is, by the rules at least, probably as difficult as getting a Silver weapon (also a Common magic item, now).
Of course the downside of this interpretation is that it also makes some other items more common than the DM might like (things like Smoldering Armor and Moon-Touched Swords)
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The only cantrips on the wizard list that require a material component are dancing lights, infestation, light, mending, message, and two whose component is a weapon you'll use to attack with: green-flame blade and booming blade.
So the only attack cantrip material components affect is infestation. It is more problematic to dual wield or sword/board for the S spells that don't have a material component, as you would need a free hand, unless you have warcaster.
Edit: I forgot friends, another non-attack cantrip.
It's not a huge issue, really. 1 instance of sheathing or drawing is a free action, and if you have a component pouch you only need a free hand, not to then draw the pouch. Mechanically you can simply remember that you can't make AoO's with the weapon the turn you cast.
Or, alternatively, you can consider needing to leave a hand free the trade-off for adding spell slots to the class.
The focus issue is fixed in the 2024 Player's Handbook Eldritch Knight rules:
Spellcasting Focus. You can use an Arcane Focus as a Spellcasting Focus for your Wizard spells.
Nathair Sgiathach is my co-pilot
Yes, but no? Now Eldritch Knights can use Arcane Foci, but what Arcane Focus would be useful to them? They probably want to be wielding something with more oomf than a staff. Technically, it's an improvement but in practice, it's pretty much the same.
How to add Tooltips.
Adding the bit about specifically using foci is mostly just to let them use the relevant Bastion facilities for flavor/verisimilitude purposes. Beyond that, I'm pretty sure they deliberately built it so you're strongly encouraged to pass on shields with this subclass as a trade-off for stacking spellcasting on Fighter weapon dpr.
If your Eldritch Knight is using a heavy (two handed) weapon it would be easy to hold the heavy weapon in one hand (you are not attacking at the moment) and use the other hand with your focus to cast a spell. Sword and board are still problematic but with the new weapon stowing it should still work.
Nathair Sgiathach is my co-pilot
Could the focus be incorporated into the weapon and/or shield?
Not under the Rules As Written, no. There are classes that allow this (Clerics and Paladins can effectively use a shield as a focus, and Artificers can use any infused item including weapons and shields) but Eldritch Knights do not have this feature.
pronouns: he/she/they
Well, the ruby of the war mage still exists, and one of the arcane focuses
iscan be used as a (versatile) weapon. But otherwise, Wagnarokkr is correct, the eldritch knight doen't get the ability built in, and doesn't have the option of putting a symbol on a shield.Darn. And here I was hoping to take the crystal arcane focus and strap it to the hilt of my sword.
Well, as WolfOfTheBees pointed out, that's basically what a Ruby of the War Mage is. It's listed as a common-level magic item, so it shouldn't be too hard to get ahold of in most settings.
pronouns: he/she/they
I know. I was just thinking it would be nice to be able go to any magic supply shop, spend the 10 gp to purchase the standard run-of -the-mill crystal arcane focus and do something similar. Thanks though.
EDIT: probably not super useful, since I’m guessing you’re more focused on casting Wizard spells than Bard ones.
If multi classing is an option, a single level dip into warlock unlocks pact of the blade, which may not do much for your casting, but does give you the option of using a weapon as a focus that isn't tied to a specific class. "Until the bond ends you have proficiency with the weapon, and you can use it as a Spellcasting Focus."
This might be the only feature that works this way (maybe besides individual items).
Edit1:What in the world is so broken about the quoting feature? I didn't even edit the quote and it shows up all jank. Maybe a dev should look into this.
Edit2: after a while of messing around with the code, I think I fixed it to be legible.
Wooo, it's true it doesn't say "as a spellcasting focus for your Warlock spells". The same wording for Pact of the Tome.
Yeah, sometimes it happens :(
You can create one in 5 days for 50 GP if you have Arcana and Tinker's Tools proficiency.
One 10 GP Crystal and 40 GP in glue and protective straps. :)
How to add Tooltips.
I just realized that spellcasting ability isn't required to create one (unless I'm missing something); it's just the proficiencies.
This means it is not an unreasonable assumption that you could find NPCs making them in larger cities without too much difficulty (probably more likely in magic-rich campaigns and less likely in a very magic-poor campaign simply due to supply and demand) starting at around 100 GP.
All DM dependent, or course. Along with all magic item availability (including crafting materials for crafting them).
Of course. I really am drifting off of 'rules' when I talk about this since it is not specified anywhere. This is much more firmly in the area of 'what rules can lead to' and following them too slavishly can lead to some false assumption (like assuming that a huge percentage of the NPC are Magical Initiates since the origin feat is highly available to Human PCs).
I simply meant to point out that according to the Rules as Written it shouldn't be inconceivably difficult to get ahold of (again, depending upon the campaign setting) since it only requires a pair of skills, no feats, and no specific class features. You are probably looking at someone a bit more skilled than your normal craftsman (who only requires a single skill) so something like an expert maker of Arcane foci, but not necessarily an actual Wizard.
Really, it is, by the rules at least, probably as difficult as getting a Silver weapon (also a Common magic item, now).
Of course the downside of this interpretation is that it also makes some other items more common than the DM might like (things like Smoldering Armor and Moon-Touched Swords)