I'm learning more about running a spell caster and wanna make sure I didnt misunderstand something here. Your arcane focus makes it so you DON'T have to have physical components for spells such as the materials to cast them correct?
Kind of. Your arcane focus is your material component for spells where the material component does not have a GP value listed. It does not replace the material component for spells like Chromatic Orb however.
so the arcane focus would not be used up correct? Also any components that have a GP value such as a diamond or what not would be used up each time yes?
Your arcane focus will never be used up. Some spells consume their material components though and those spells have notes in their descriptions saying that the material components are consumed by the spell. Protection from Evil and Good is a spell where the components are consumed by casting the spell.
No, it wouldn't be used up. Your arcane focus is kind of like your permanent material component (your arcane focus doesn't cover materials with a GP value next to it).
It's also incorrect. In the specific example given of Protection from Evil and Good, the spellcasting focus cannot substitute for the required material components. If the spell's description states that the components are consumed, you need to actually use the specified components, which are consumed. Your focus doesn't cut it. (The focus isn't consumed, because you can't use the focus to cast spells like this to begin with.)
No, the focus replaces those materials, as long as it doesn't have a GP value, it works. Consumed or not.
That is incorrect. The section on material components is clear: "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." Additionally, there is a Sage Advice dealing with exactly this question.
No, the focus replaces those materials, as long as it doesn't have a GP value, it works. Consumed or not.
That is incorrect. The section on material components is clear: "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." Additionally, there is a Sage Advice dealing with exactly this question.
No, the focus replaces those materials, as long as it doesn't have a GP value, it works. Consumed or not.
That is incorrect. The section on material components is clear: "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." Additionally, there is a Sage Advice dealing with exactly this question.
Then what would be the point of an arcane focus?
To replace material components that aren't consumed and don't have an explicit listed value, i.e. "most of them." A focus is just a different flavor of component pouch that looks cooler and that you can smack people with.
So I can use an arcane focus for fireball but not for protection from good and evil?
Correct.
ok so if I have an arcane focus, i can use it for any physical spell components that do NOT have a monetary value listed and also do not say a material is consumed correct? Also it does not do anything for verbal and somatic spells if I recall?
Well, it depends. Some focii can be used as weapons and some focii are magical themselves - a magic staff or wand can be used as an arcane focus. But yes, a mundane focus is a re-flavored mundane component pouch.
On page 203 of PHB, it is very vague, it can support both sides of the argument.
The PHB is pretty clear. Material components are only for spells that require them. Spells without M do not need components or a focus, thus those items do nothing for those spells. I'm not exactly sure what argument you mean.
So I can use an arcane focus for fireball but not for protection from good and evil?
Correct.
ok so if I have an arcane focus, i can use it for any physical spell components that do NOT have a monetary value listed and also do not say a material is consumed correct? Also it does not do anything for verbal and somatic spells if I recall?
That's right. And no, it doesn't replace verbal or somatic components.
I'm learning more about running a spell caster and wanna make sure I didnt misunderstand something here. Your arcane focus makes it so you DON'T have to have physical components for spells such as the materials to cast them correct?
Kind of. Your arcane focus is your material component for spells where the material component does not have a GP value listed. It does not replace the material component for spells like Chromatic Orb however.
Professional computer geek
so the arcane focus would not be used up correct? Also any components that have a GP value such as a diamond or what not would be used up each time yes?
Your arcane focus will never be used up. Some spells consume their material components though and those spells have notes in their descriptions saying that the material components are consumed by the spell. Protection from Evil and Good is a spell where the components are consumed by casting the spell.
Professional computer geek
ok so in that example you would need no other physical components other than the arcane focus, but would it be used up?
No, it wouldn't be used up. Your arcane focus is kind of like your permanent material component (your arcane focus doesn't cover materials with a GP value next to it).
D&D is a game for nerds... so I guess I'm one :p
Perfect! That's how I've been using it. Glad I was understanding it. Thank you.
It's also incorrect. In the specific example given of Protection from Evil and Good, the spellcasting focus cannot substitute for the required material components. If the spell's description states that the components are consumed, you need to actually use the specified components, which are consumed. Your focus doesn't cut it. (The focus isn't consumed, because you can't use the focus to cast spells like this to begin with.)
No, the focus replaces those materials, as long as it doesn't have a GP value, it works. Consumed or not.
D&D is a game for nerds... so I guess I'm one :p
That is incorrect. The section on material components is clear: "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." Additionally, there is a Sage Advice dealing with exactly this question.
Then what would be the point of an arcane focus?
To replace material components that aren't consumed and don't have an explicit listed value, i.e. "most of them." A focus is just a different flavor of component pouch that looks cooler and that you can smack people with.
A component pouch would also have any materials needed to cast a spell, except when those have a listed cost. Consumed ones aren't excluded.
So I can use an arcane focus for fireball but not for protection from good and evil?
Correct.
ok so if I have an arcane focus, i can use it for any physical spell components that do NOT have a monetary value listed and also do not say a material is consumed correct? Also it does not do anything for verbal and somatic spells if I recall?
So an arcane focus is useless it seems.
D&D is a game for nerds... so I guess I'm one :p
On page 203 of PHB, it is very vague, it can support both sides of the argument.
D&D is a game for nerds... so I guess I'm one :p
Well, it depends. Some focii can be used as weapons and some focii are magical themselves - a magic staff or wand can be used as an arcane focus. But yes, a mundane focus is a re-flavored mundane component pouch.
The PHB is pretty clear. Material components are only for spells that require them. Spells without M do not need components or a focus, thus those items do nothing for those spells. I'm not exactly sure what argument you mean.
That's right. And no, it doesn't replace verbal or somatic components.
I disagree that it's at all ambiguous, but these things are subjective, which is why Sage Advice exists to clarify things, which it does for this.