2 - Drawing or sheathing a sword is one option for your free item interaction. Important part of that is or. If you start with two daggers and want to cast a spell you cannot sheathe one dagger AND draw your focus as your free item interaction. Drawing your focus would take an action. If the spell you want to cast is a bonus action you could cast the spell. But if the spell took an action you would have to wait a turn. For a component pouch it gets a little weird because it's already on your person. Pulling the materials out of the pouch is considered part of casting the spell (your Action) so sheathing your dagger and pulling the materials out of your pouch would seem like you can then cast the s
As per p190 of the PhB, you can make whatever brief gestures you want without using an action, a bonus action or even a free action, so you can say "I do jazz hands" causing you to drop one or both daggers. You can then draw your focus as a free item interaction, and then use your action to cast the spell. I'm not sure the developers intended it this way but the logic is sound and it's exactly what the rules say so no reason not to.
But there's no section of the PHB that suggests that using a material component require a free "other activity" action, instead of just being a "part of" casting a spell like drawing Ammunition is part of making an attack that doesn't require a free action.
Option A: It's a free action interaction, meaning you only have one, meaning that Sorcerers using quickened spellcasting, gishes, and any caster that wants to be able to cast a spell and open a door on the same turn either can't do it or needs to take Dual Wielder or start doing "jazz hands" and dropping their shit all over the place.
Option B: It isn't a free action interaction, so spellcasting works exactly how everyone already treats it, with the number of spells you can cast constrained by the number of actions you have to cast them, not the number of non-action interactions you've performed this turn.
I vote B, because the rules don't describe it being A, and A makes spellcasters not fun to play, and B doesn't enable anything exploity that suggests that it isn't working as intended.
2 - Drawing or sheathing a sword is one option for your free item interaction. Important part of that is or. If you start with two daggers and want to cast a spell you cannot sheathe one dagger AND draw your focus as your free item interaction. Drawing your focus would take an action. If the spell you want to cast is a bonus action you could cast the spell. But if the spell took an action you would have to wait a turn. For a component pouch it gets a little weird because it's already on your person. Pulling the materials out of the pouch is considered part of casting the spell (your Action) so sheathing your dagger and pulling the materials out of your pouch would seem like you can then cast the spell. But I don't think that is intended as it gives an advantage to component pouches over foci.
The thing that gets me about the focus part of this is that it's essentially saying that Spellcasters don't get a free action on their turn if they want to cast a spell with a focus. If we forget about my ambitions for wanting a Battlemage and think about the scenario where I'm a Sorcerer with a quarterstaff in one hand and I'm using a focus to cast, we have a couple situations:
1) My offhand is empty and I need to grab my focus for the spell. With the quoted rule above, grabbing my focus takes my free action and I cannot do anything else except for bonus actions.
EDIT FOR CLARIFICATION: I'm thinking of an arcane focus in these situations as an Orb or Crystal. I agree that it might be more difficult to use a Staff for the kind of interactions I'm describing, but I imagine an Orb or Crystal would behave very similarly to a Component Pouch
Sorry I should clarify, interacting with your focus for the purpose of using the material component of a spell is part of casting the spell. So in your example if your offhand is empty and you need to get your focus (maybe it's on your belt). Drawing the focus is your item interaction so you still have your Action to cast the spell.
Visualizing it might be easier - You want to cast Fireball which has a V, S, and M component (bat guano and sulfur). Your arcane focus works as the bat guano and sulfur. You go into battle wielding your Longsword as a 2H weapon (both hands on it). You take one hand off of your sword (Longsword is versatile) and grab your focus (an Orb) off of your belt. This is your free interaction. You then wave your hand in a spiral (somatic component) and say a few arcane words (vocal component) and cast Fireball. If you had a component pouch instead, your free item interaction would be pulling the guano and sulfur from the pouch.
Here's the visualization I have: someone using a shortbow is currently holding only their shortbow. They take the attack action, and as part of the attack action, they draw an arrow from their quiver. Drawing the arrow does not take their free action, so the player can still do something simple like open a door for their free action. Identically, a mage is currently holding a quarterstaff in one hand (or two - it's versatile, doesn't matter). They take the cast a spell action, and as part of casting the spell action, they grab some components from their component pouch or access their focus. Interacting for the M component this way does not take their free action, so the player can still do something simple like open a door for their free action.
Anything else implies that spell casters don't get a free action if they want to cast a spell because the free action is required by the spell. This is both counter-intuitive and lacking any support in the RAW.
2 - Drawing or sheathing a sword is one option for your free item interaction. Important part of that is or. If you start with two daggers and want to cast a spell you cannot sheathe one dagger AND draw your focus as your free item interaction. Drawing your focus would take an action. If the spell you want to cast is a bonus action you could cast the spell. But if the spell took an action you would have to wait a turn. For a component pouch it gets a little weird because it's already on your person. Pulling the materials out of the pouch is considered part of casting the spell (your Action) so sheathing your dagger and pulling the materials out of your pouch would seem like you can then cast the s
As per p190 of the PhB, you can make whatever brief gestures you want without using an action, a bonus action or even a free action, so you can say "I do jazz hands" causing you to drop one or both daggers. You can then draw your focus as a free item interaction, and then use your action to cast the spell. I'm not sure the developers intended it this way but the logic is sound and it's exactly what the rules say so no reason not to.
But you don't need to drop your weapons. At the most, you need to take your free action to sheath one dagger, and now you have a free hand that can interact with the material component of a spell. There's nothing in the RAW saying that accessing the M components for a spell (whether it's grabbing components or interacting with a focus) takes a free action, and I think it's fair to assume it works in a similar way to Ammunition. If it didn't, spell casters would inherently never get a free action if they want to cast a spell. That seems counter-intuitive since everyone should have the same kinds of actions available, and it's not supported by anything in the RAW.
But there's no section of the PHB that suggests that using a material component require a free "other activity" action, instead of just being a "part of" casting a spell like drawing Ammunition is part of making an attack that doesn't require a free action.
Option A: It's a free action interaction, meaning you only have one, meaning that Sorcerers using quickened spellcasting, gishes, and any caster that wants to be able to cast a spell and open a door on the same turn either can't do it or needs to take Dual Wielder or start doing "jazz hands" and dropping their shit all over the place.
Option B: It isn't a free action interaction, so spellcasting works exactly how everyone already treats it, with the number of spells you can cast constrained by the number of actions you have to cast them, not the number of non-action interactions you've performed this turn.
I vote B, because the rules don't describe it being A, and A makes spellcasters not fun to play, and B doesn't enable anything exploity that suggests that it isn't working as intended.
I agree with B. Option B makes the most sense, makes it more fun to play, makes spell casters more equal with other classes in the sense that they get the same amount of actions per turn, and seems to be what the rules imply. Especially since there's nothing in the rules explicitly stated otherwise, I think the community should assume that magic users should be treated equally to other classes in their object interactions (archer pulling and nocking an arrow vs spell caster grabbing and waving around some components or a focus).
edit: I feel that if WotC intended otherwise, they would have explicitly stated that you have to have the focus equipped or have the components in hand. They don't say this, though. All they say is that you need a free hand to access them, implying that as long as your hand is free, you can access the required stuff while casting the spell in the same way that an archer can access an arrow while firing a shot.
2 - Drawing or sheathing a sword is one option for your free item interaction. Important part of that is or. If you start with two daggers and want to cast a spell you cannot sheathe one dagger AND draw your focus as your free item interaction. Drawing your focus would take an action. If the spell you want to cast is a bonus action you could cast the spell. But if the spell took an action you would have to wait a turn. For a component pouch it gets a little weird because it's already on your person. Pulling the materials out of the pouch is considered part of casting the spell (your Action) so sheathing your dagger and pulling the materials out of your pouch would seem like you can then cast the spell. But I don't think that is intended as it gives an advantage to component pouches over foci.
The thing that gets me about the focus part of this is that it's essentially saying that Spellcasters don't get a free action on their turn if they want to cast a spell with a focus. If we forget about my ambitions for wanting a Battlemage and think about the scenario where I'm a Sorcerer with a quarterstaff in one hand and I'm using a focus to cast, we have a couple situations:
1) My offhand is empty and I need to grab my focus for the spell. With the quoted rule above, grabbing my focus takes my free action and I cannot do anything else except for bonus actions.
EDIT FOR CLARIFICATION: I'm thinking of an arcane focus in these situations as an Orb or Crystal. I agree that it might be more difficult to use a Staff for the kind of interactions I'm describing, but I imagine an Orb or Crystal would behave very similarly to a Component Pouch
Sorry I should clarify, interacting with your focus for the purpose of using the material component of a spell is part of casting the spell. So in your example if your offhand is empty and you need to get your focus (maybe it's on your belt). Drawing the focus is your item interaction so you still have your Action to cast the spell.
Visualizing it might be easier - You want to cast Fireball which has a V, S, and M component (bat guano and sulfur). Your arcane focus works as the bat guano and sulfur. You go into battle wielding your Longsword as a 2H weapon (both hands on it). You take one hand off of your sword (Longsword is versatile) and grab your focus (an Orb) off of your belt. This is your free interaction. You then wave your hand in a spiral (somatic component) and say a few arcane words (vocal component) and cast Fireball. If you had a component pouch instead, your free item interaction would be pulling the guano and sulfur from the pouch.
Here's the visualization I have: someone using a shortbow is currently holding only their shortbow. They take the attack action, and as part of the attack action, they draw an arrow from their quiver. Drawing the arrow does not take their free action, so the player can still do something simple like open a door for their free action. Identically, a mage is currently holding a quarterstaff in one hand (or two - it's versatile, doesn't matter). They take the cast a spell action, and as part of casting the spell action, they grab some components from their component pouch or access their focus. Interacting for the M component this way does not take their free action, so the player can still do something simple like open a door for their free action.
Anything else implies that spell casters don't get a free action if they want to cast a spell because the free action is required by the spell. This is both counter-intuitive and lacking any support in the RAW.
I understand what you're saying and I think I know where we differ. The PHB gives "a few examples" of what you can do in tandem with your movement and action. Drawing a sword or a potion from your backpack are listed examples. I would consider drawing an arcane focus the same as drawing a weapon or a potion. But then I would have to consider drawing the components from your component pouch a free item interaction but that is definitely not how it works so component pouches seem to have an advantage.
Now I'm leaning more toward if it doesn't break the game or an encounter, you're allowed to do it.
Yeah, and I imagine it in a way that grabbing components would require me to reach down to my belt, maybe open or unbuckle an individual pouch, grab some components, and bring them back out to wave around (for S part of spell) or do whatever I need with them. If I'm using an Orb or Crystal as my arcane focus, and maybe storing it on my belt or in a pocket or something, I'd need to reach down to where it is, maybe open or unbuckle an individual pouch (or unclasp it if it's on a necklace or something), grab it, and bring it out to wave around or just channel energy.
Both of these seem like identical actions to me, so I can only imagine that either they both cost a free interaction or neither of them do. And since the PHB doesn't explicitly say anywhere that a focus/component needs to be equipped and in-hand before taking the Cast A Spell action, it makes the most sense to me that accessing a focus/components does not take a free interaction. This isn't breaking any rules, there's nothing written saying that this is untrue, and now my spellcaster gets just as many actions as an archer who has to get an arrow from a quiver and nock it in their bow before firing. It's the simplest way.
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As per p190 of the PhB, you can make whatever brief gestures you want without using an action, a bonus action or even a free action, so you can say "I do jazz hands" causing you to drop one or both daggers. You can then draw your focus as a free item interaction, and then use your action to cast the spell.
I'm not sure the developers intended it this way but the logic is sound and it's exactly what the rules say so no reason not to.
But there's no section of the PHB that suggests that using a material component require a free "other activity" action, instead of just being a "part of" casting a spell like drawing Ammunition is part of making an attack that doesn't require a free action.
Option A: It's a free action interaction, meaning you only have one, meaning that Sorcerers using quickened spellcasting, gishes, and any caster that wants to be able to cast a spell and open a door on the same turn either can't do it or needs to take Dual Wielder or start doing "jazz hands" and dropping their shit all over the place.
Option B: It isn't a free action interaction, so spellcasting works exactly how everyone already treats it, with the number of spells you can cast constrained by the number of actions you have to cast them, not the number of non-action interactions you've performed this turn.
I vote B, because the rules don't describe it being A, and A makes spellcasters not fun to play, and B doesn't enable anything exploity that suggests that it isn't working as intended.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Here's the visualization I have: someone using a shortbow is currently holding only their shortbow. They take the attack action, and as part of the attack action, they draw an arrow from their quiver. Drawing the arrow does not take their free action, so the player can still do something simple like open a door for their free action. Identically, a mage is currently holding a quarterstaff in one hand (or two - it's versatile, doesn't matter). They take the cast a spell action, and as part of casting the spell action, they grab some components from their component pouch or access their focus. Interacting for the M component this way does not take their free action, so the player can still do something simple like open a door for their free action.
Anything else implies that spell casters don't get a free action if they want to cast a spell because the free action is required by the spell. This is both counter-intuitive and lacking any support in the RAW.
But you don't need to drop your weapons. At the most, you need to take your free action to sheath one dagger, and now you have a free hand that can interact with the material component of a spell. There's nothing in the RAW saying that accessing the M components for a spell (whether it's grabbing components or interacting with a focus) takes a free action, and I think it's fair to assume it works in a similar way to Ammunition. If it didn't, spell casters would inherently never get a free action if they want to cast a spell. That seems counter-intuitive since everyone should have the same kinds of actions available, and it's not supported by anything in the RAW.
I agree with B. Option B makes the most sense, makes it more fun to play, makes spell casters more equal with other classes in the sense that they get the same amount of actions per turn, and seems to be what the rules imply. Especially since there's nothing in the rules explicitly stated otherwise, I think the community should assume that magic users should be treated equally to other classes in their object interactions (archer pulling and nocking an arrow vs spell caster grabbing and waving around some components or a focus).
edit: I feel that if WotC intended otherwise, they would have explicitly stated that you have to have the focus equipped or have the components in hand. They don't say this, though. All they say is that you need a free hand to access them, implying that as long as your hand is free, you can access the required stuff while casting the spell in the same way that an archer can access an arrow while firing a shot.
I understand what you're saying and I think I know where we differ. The PHB gives "a few examples" of what you can do in tandem with your movement and action. Drawing a sword or a potion from your backpack are listed examples. I would consider drawing an arcane focus the same as drawing a weapon or a potion. But then I would have to consider drawing the components from your component pouch a free item interaction but that is definitely not how it works so component pouches seem to have an advantage.
Now I'm leaning more toward if it doesn't break the game or an encounter, you're allowed to do it.
Yeah, and I imagine it in a way that grabbing components would require me to reach down to my belt, maybe open or unbuckle an individual pouch, grab some components, and bring them back out to wave around (for S part of spell) or do whatever I need with them. If I'm using an Orb or Crystal as my arcane focus, and maybe storing it on my belt or in a pocket or something, I'd need to reach down to where it is, maybe open or unbuckle an individual pouch (or unclasp it if it's on a necklace or something), grab it, and bring it out to wave around or just channel energy.
Both of these seem like identical actions to me, so I can only imagine that either they both cost a free interaction or neither of them do. And since the PHB doesn't explicitly say anywhere that a focus/component needs to be equipped and in-hand before taking the Cast A Spell action, it makes the most sense to me that accessing a focus/components does not take a free interaction. This isn't breaking any rules, there's nothing written saying that this is untrue, and now my spellcaster gets just as many actions as an archer who has to get an arrow from a quiver and nock it in their bow before firing. It's the simplest way.