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 chapter 5, “Equipment”) in place of the components specified for a spell.
and
You normally interact with an object while doing something else, such as when you draw a sword as part of an attack. When an object requires your action for its use, you take the Use an Object action. This action is also useful when you want to interact with more than one object on your turn.
So there it is. If you need objects, and you need to interact with more than one, then the second requires your action. Material components are objects. Nothing else in the rules counters any of that - as far as I found.
I will say that according to the sentences in the material components section, when using the component pouch, the interaction is with the pouch and not individual components within it apparently. That makes it effectively equivalent to the focus.
Nothing you’ve quoted here says you only get one interaction. All it says is that normally object interactions are part of other actions. Based on just what you’ve quoted, handling somatic components IS part of the casting action. I know the “one free interaction” thing is in the book somewhere, but I couldn’t find it. If you have that section handy, quoting it might help shine light on the issue.
I mean it is in the "Use an Object" action definition: "This action is also useful when you want to interact with more than one object on your turn."
The way I always interpreted it was that the Component Pouch allowed for those free interactions. I imagine that they could wave the pouch around, but I also imagine that others pull out what they need, cast the spell, and then put them back in.
As far as I am concerned it is pretty much a flavor/narrative thing. If any DM wishes deny their players the creative license to narrate their Spellcasting by imposing strict rules on how many components they can pull out of their purse in a given round, that DM should get bopped on the nose with a rolled up magazine and told what a bad DM they are. “BAD!! Look what you did!! You shit all over the player’s fun! No! Bad! You should know better than that. You shit in that backyard. You don’t shit on the players’ fun.”
It also calls them components. So a Verbal Component is an object? Is a Material Component a component or an object? (Both of those are rhetorical, pointing out the misuse/overuse of terms in the rulebook.)
Regardless, you are affirming that one cannot cast any spells requiring a component with a cost and any other component, nor can one cast any bonus action or single action spells that have any material component, unless they already have those material components in their hands.
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 chapter 5, “Equipment”) in place of the components specified for a spell.
and
You normally interact with an object while doing something else, such as when you draw a sword as part of an attack. When an object requires your action for its use, you take the Use an Object action. This action is also useful when you want to interact with more than one object on your turn.
So there it is. If you need objects, and you need to interact with more than one, then the second requires your action. Material components are objects. Nothing else in the rules counters any of that - as far as I found.
I will say that according to the sentences in the material components section, when using the component pouch, the interaction is with the pouch and not individual components within it apparently. That makes it effectively equivalent to the focus.
Nothing you’ve quoted here says you only get one interaction. All it says is that normally object interactions are part of other actions. Based on just what you’ve quoted, handling somatic components IS part of the casting action. I know the “one free interaction” thing is in the book somewhere, but I couldn’t find it. If you have that section handy, quoting it might help shine light on the issue.
I mean it is in the "Use an Object" action definition: "This action is also useful when you want to interact with more than one object on your turn."
A component pouch or spellcasting focus is just one object, so I’m not sure what information we can glean from that sentence. Even absent that consideration, the sentence in question doesn’t say you can’t use a focus as part of a cast a spell action and also as part of a cast a spell bonus action on the same turn.
Again, I know I’ve seen the rule that actually comes out and says “you can do one interaction for free, after that it takes an action.” I’m not suggesting that that isn’t true. But without its exact text, this particular issue is dead in the water.
It also calls them components. So a Verbal Component is an object? Is a Material Component a component or an object? (Both of those are rhetorical, pointing out the misuse/overuse of terms in the rulebook.)
Regardless, you are affirming that one cannot cast any spells requiring a component with a cost and any other component, nor can one cast any bonus action or single action spells that have any material component, unless they already have those material components in their hands.
Material components are objects - it is under the Material components section. Sorry I didn't make it clear enough for you to understand.
My position is that you can draw your material component (or focus or pouch) as part of casting a spell - once. If you need to draw more than one material component, then that is when you need to use the "use an object" action. That is what the rules say about objects.
It also calls them components. So a Verbal Component is an object? Is a Material Component a component or an object? (Both of those are rhetorical, pointing out the misuse/overuse of terms in the rulebook.)
Regardless, you are affirming that one cannot cast any spells requiring a component with a cost and any other component, nor can one cast any bonus action or single action spells that have any material component, unless they already have those material components in their hands.
The technical rule is that a character can pull out their component pouch as part of the action of casting the spell the same way that an archer pulls out ammunition to shoot as part of the action to shoot the bow. The component pouch itself contains all of the non-cost listed items for all of the spells that character knows. Interacting with the component pouch replaces any interaction with those specific items. The character can also use their 1ce/turn free item interaction to pull out the material components that do have an associated gp cost.
For example: A character wishes to cast Identify which requires “a pearl worth at least 100 gp and an owl feather” to cast.
If that character has neitherArcane Focus, nor a component pouch, then the would have to use their free item interaction to pull out one of the components, and their action to pull out the other. Then on their next turn they could use their action to tickle the pearl with the feather and cast the spell.
If that character has either an Arcane Focus, or a Component Pouch, then they could use their free item interaction to pull out the Pearl, and as part of the action to cast the spell also interact with their focus/pouch and cast the spell that same turn.
On your turn, you can move a distance up to your speed and take one action. You decide whether to move first or take your action first. Your speed--sometimes called your walking speed--is noted on your character sheet.
The most common actions you can take are described in the Actions in Combat section. Many class features and other abilities provide additional options for your action.
You can forgo moving, taking an action, or doing anything at all on your turn. If you can't decide what to do on your turn, consider taking the Dodge or Ready action, as described in "Actions in Combat."
Bonus Actions
Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you take an additional action on your turn called a bonus action. The Cunning Action feature, for example, allows a rogue to take a bonus action. You can take a bonus action only when a special ability, spell, or other feature of the game states that you can do something as a bonus action. You otherwise don't have a bonus action to take.
You can take only one bonus action on your turn, so you must choose which bonus action to use when you have more than one available.
You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action's timing is specified, and anything that deprives you of your ability to take actions also prevents you from taking a bonus action.
Other Activity on Your Turn
Your turn can include a variety of flourishes that require neither your action nor your move.
You can communicate however you are able, through brief utterances and gestures, as you take your turn.
You can also interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or your action. For example, you could open a door during your move as you stride toward a foe, or you could draw your weapon as part of the same action you use to attack.
If you want to interact with a second object, you need to use your action. Some magic items and other special objects always require an action to use, as stated in their descriptions.
The DM might require you to use an action for any of these activities when it needs special care or when it presents an unusual obstacle. For instance, the DM could reasonably expect you to use an action to open a stuck door or turn a crank to lower a drawbridge.
Reactions
Certain special abilities, spells, and situations allow you to take a special action called a reaction. A reaction is an instant response to a trigger of some kind, which can occur on your turn or on someone else's. The opportunity attack, described later in this section, is the most common type of reaction.
When you take a reaction, you can't take another one until the start of your next turn. If the reaction interrupts another creature's turn, that creature can continue its turn right after the reaction.
On your turn, you can move a distance up to your speed and take one action. You decide whether to move first or take your action first. Your speed--sometimes called your walking speed--is noted on your character sheet.
The most common actions you can take are described in the Actions in Combat section. Many class features and other abilities provide additional options for your action.
You can forgo moving, taking an action, or doing anything at all on your turn. If you can't decide what to do on your turn, consider taking the Dodge or Ready action, as described in "Actions in Combat."
Bonus Actions
Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you take an additional action on your turn called a bonus action. The Cunning Action feature, for example, allows a rogue to take a bonus action. You can take a bonus action only when a special ability, spell, or other feature of the game states that you can do something as a bonus action. You otherwise don't have a bonus action to take.
You can take only one bonus action on your turn, so you must choose which bonus action to use when you have more than one available.
You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action's timing is specified, and anything that deprives you of your ability to take actions also prevents you from taking a bonus action.
Other Activity on Your Turn
***Your turn can include a variety of flourishes that require neither your action nor your move.***
You can communicate however you are able, through brief utterances and gestures, as you take your turn.
You can also interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or your action. For example, you could open a door during your move as you stride toward a foe, or you could draw your weapon as part of the same action you use to attack.
If you want to interact with a second object, you need to use your action. Some magic items and other special objects always require an action to use, as stated in their descriptions.
The DM might require you to use an action for any of these activities when it needs special care or when it presents an unusual obstacle. For instance, the DM could reasonably expect you to use an action to open a stuck door or turn a crank to lower a drawbridge.
Reactions
Certain special abilities, spells, and situations allow you to take a special action called a reaction. A reaction is an instant response to a trigger of some kind, which can occur on your turn or on someone else's. The opportunity attack, described later in this section, is the most common type of reaction.
When you take a reaction, you can't take another one until the start of your next turn. If the reaction interrupts another creature's turn, that creature can continue its turn right after the reaction.
The way I always interpreted it was that the Component Pouch allowed for those free interactions. I imagine that they could wave the pouch around, but I also imagine that others pull out what they need, cast the spell, and then put them back in.
As far as I am concerned it is pretty much a flavor/narrative thing. If any DM wishes deny their players the creative license to narrate their Spellcasting by imposing strict rules on how many components they can pull out of their purse in a given round, that DM should get bopped on the nose with a rolled up magazine and told what a bad DM they are. “BAD!! Look what you did!! You shit all over the player’s fun! No! Bad! You should know better than that. You shit in that backyard. You don’t shit on the players’ fun.”
It also calls them components. So a Verbal Component is an object? Is a Material Component a component or an object? (Both of those are rhetorical, pointing out the misuse/overuse of terms in the rulebook.)
Regardless, you are affirming that one cannot cast any spells requiring a component with a cost and any other component, nor can one cast any bonus action or single action spells that have any material component, unless they already have those material components in their hands.
The technical rule is that a character can pull out their component pouch as part of the action of casting the spell the same way that an archer pulls out ammunition to shoot as part of the action to shoot the bow. The component pouch itself contains all of the non-cost listed items for all of the spells that character knows. Interacting with the component pouch replaces any interaction with those specific items. The character can also use their 1ce/turn free item interaction to pull out the material components that do have an associated gp cost.
For example: A character wishes to cast Identify which requires “a pearl worth at least 100 gp and an owl feather” to cast.
If that character has neitherArcane Focus, nor a component pouch, then the would have to use their free item interaction to pull out one of the components, and their action to pull out the other. Then on their next turn they could use their action to tickle the pearl with the feather and cast the spell.
If that character has either an Arcane Focus, or a Component Pouch, then they could use their free item interaction to pull out the Pearl, and as part of the action to cast the spell also interact with their focus/pouch and cast the spell that same turn.
First Identify has a 1 minute casting time, so you can interact with 10 objects without issue.
Second you are double stating the Free Interaction. If you don't already have the Arcane Focus or Component pouch "in hand" then they must use their free interaction to put it in their hand, and then they can't cast a spell since they are using their interaction as their action. On top of that, they can't cast any bonus action or reaction spells unless they already have ALL the material components in their "free" hand already.
This along with the asinine part of having to drop an arcane focus in order to cast a somatic spell without a material component, except you don't since you can have a free hand anytime you want by simply holding an object in your other hand, switching hands is not an action at all, and you can hold an infinite amount of items with your hand, you simply can't use them if more than one item is in a single hand, with of course a shield, which can still be used as it is donned, which can also hold a weapon, pouch, focus, etc. but the held item can't be used, except you can freely switch it to the "open" hand any time you want as a non-action. Which means, you simply never put anything on your belt, in your pack, etc. which you may need to use for spellcasting, you simply hold it in a hand, but it requires a free hand to use...
And @IamSposta I totally agree with your underlined text.
Okay, so maybe the 1 minute casting time made Identify a poor example in and of itself.
I did specifically state: “If that character has either an Arcane Focus, or a Component Pouch, then they could use their free item interaction to pull out the Pearl, and as part of the action to cast the spell also interact with their focus/pouch and cast the spell that same turn.” You will note that I did not say that they could draw it, one presumes that a Wizard has their pouch out the same way one presumes that the archer has their bow out.
Oddly enough, nothing in the Material Component's section actually requires that you have to hold the components themselves, only that you have a free hand to "access" them
Material (M)
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 chapter 5, “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.
One could infer then, that you don't have to actually draw out the components at all, so long as you have a free hand and can access them. Ultimately, I think its stupid to have to spend your action collecting your ingredients from your pouch/bag/pocket/extraplanar storage dimension and wait a whole turn to cast a spell. I don't think that is RAI, and it certainly isn't RAF. If you wanted that level of realism, it would take minutes to cast any material component spell, since you would be searching a bag full of tiny ingredients for the 1-3 you need for the spell in particular. While that would be funny in combat; it would wear thin almost immediately.
I will say that I don't actually think my earlier interpretation is necessarily RAF or RAI, but there isn't no one has pointed out anything in the rule books that makes it wrong. I don't play that way in the game I'm in. I also think that most of the time, your free interaction isn't the use of the component in the spell, but drawing the wand or getting to your component pouch. Really, the only time that my interpretation should cause a problem is using individual components (rather than a component pouch) or when trying to go from a weapon to components.
I will say that I don't actually think my earlier interpretation is necessarily RAF or RAI, but there isn't no one has pointed out anything in the rule books that makes it wrong. I don't play that way in the game I'm in. I also think that most of the time, your free interaction isn't the use of the component in the spell, but drawing the wand or getting to your component pouch. Really, the only time that my interpretation should cause a problem is using individual components (rather than a component pouch) or when trying to go from a weapon to components.
You're right that no one has pointed out where you're wrong, but you also haven't addressed the implication of your interpretation with respect to reaction spells. If you're using the object interaction rules, that only happens "on your turn".
It's precisely because of how I think your interpretation interacts with reaction spells that I think you're wrong.
I will say that I don't actually think my earlier interpretation is necessarily RAF or RAI, but there isn't no one has pointed out anything in the rule books that makes it wrong. I don't play that way in the game I'm in. I also think that most of the time, your free interaction isn't the use of the component in the spell, but drawing the wand or getting to your component pouch. Really, the only time that my interpretation should cause a problem is using individual components (rather than a component pouch) or when trying to go from a weapon to components.
You're right that no one has pointed out where you're wrong, but you also haven't addressed the implication of your interpretation with respect to reaction spells. If you're using the object interaction rules, that only happens "on your turn".
It's precisely because of how I think your interpretation interacts with reaction spells that I think you're wrong.
I would simply say that it is like weapon attacks. If you don't already have your weapon drawn, does your DM let you make attacks of opportunity with that weapon? Then it is the same for your component pouch or focus - it needs to be already ready.
I will say that I don't actually think my earlier interpretation is necessarily RAF or RAI, but there isn't no one has pointed out anything in the rule books that makes it wrong. I don't play that way in the game I'm in. I also think that most of the time, your free interaction isn't the use of the component in the spell, but drawing the wand or getting to your component pouch. Really, the only time that my interpretation should cause a problem is using individual components (rather than a component pouch) or when trying to go from a weapon to components.
You're right that no one has pointed out where you're wrong, but you also haven't addressed the implication of your interpretation with respect to reaction spells. If you're using the object interaction rules, that only happens "on your turn".
It's precisely because of how I think your interpretation interacts with reaction spells that I think you're wrong.
I would simply say that it is like weapon attacks. If you don't already have your weapon drawn, does your DM let you make attacks of opportunity with that weapon? Then it is the same for your component pouch or focus - it needs to be already ready.
Let's say you start the fight with your Arcane Focus in hand and a shield. Your turn comes around and you want to cast Hex. You already have your Arcane Focus in hand so the M component of the spell is satisfied and so is the S component as stated in the rules for Material Components. You say your magic words to satisfy the V components and you successfully cast the spell only having used your Bonus Action. Then you want to cast Eldritch Blast. As silly as this is, you have to stow your Arcane Focus or Shield in order to satisfy the S component because this spell does not have a M component. This uses your free item interaction. You say the magic words and you successfully cast the spell having used your Action.
Let's say you are attacked before your next turn and want to cast Hellish Rebuke. You can do this without issue since you already stowed your Arcane Focus. If you still had your Arcane Focus in hand you could not cast the spell because you cannot stow it on another character's turn.
Is that example dumb? Yes, yes it is. The whole idea that you cannot cast a spell with only a S component if you have don't have a hand free is ridiculous. Watch me wave my hand around while holding this Orb or Bat Guano and Sulfur and throw a Fireball at your face but now I can't summon hellish flames even though I can wave the same hand around?
And for anyone who thinks accessing a spell's components means if a spell has multiple material components like Fireball you cannot access both components without using an Action is ridiculous. I'll just say the ball is comprised of both bat guano and sulfur, one object, let's move on with the game.
@SexyDanger but you don't have to stow your Arcane Focus, just hold it in your shield hand. Switching hands is a non-action, you can't use the arcane focus while it is in your shield hand, but you still get the benefit of the shield. Also, the question is on spells which require mundane components (which can be substituted with Component Pouch or Arcane Focus) and valued components which cannot. That would require two interactions under @WolfOfTheBees reading.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I mean it is in the "Use an Object" action definition: "This action is also useful when you want to interact with more than one object on your turn."
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
It also calls them components. So a Verbal Component is an object? Is a Material Component a component or an object? (Both of those are rhetorical, pointing out the misuse/overuse of terms in the rulebook.)
Regardless, you are affirming that one cannot cast any spells requiring a component with a cost and any other component, nor can one cast any bonus action or single action spells that have any material component, unless they already have those material components in their hands.
A component pouch or spellcasting focus is just one object, so I’m not sure what information we can glean from that sentence. Even absent that consideration, the sentence in question doesn’t say you can’t use a focus as part of a cast a spell action and also as part of a cast a spell bonus action on the same turn.
Again, I know I’ve seen the rule that actually comes out and says “you can do one interaction for free, after that it takes an action.” I’m not suggesting that that isn’t true. But without its exact text, this particular issue is dead in the water.
Material components are objects - it is under the Material components section. Sorry I didn't make it clear enough for you to understand.
My position is that you can draw your material component (or focus or pouch) as part of casting a spell - once. If you need to draw more than one material component, then that is when you need to use the "use an object" action. That is what the rules say about objects.
The technical rule is that a character can pull out their component pouch as part of the action of casting the spell the same way that an archer pulls out ammunition to shoot as part of the action to shoot the bow. The component pouch itself contains all of the non-cost listed items for all of the spells that character knows. Interacting with the component pouch replaces any interaction with those specific items. The character can also use their 1ce/turn free item interaction to pull out the material components that do have an associated gp cost.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Your Turn
On your turn, you can move a distance up to your speed and take one action. You decide whether to move first or take your action first. Your speed--sometimes called your walking speed--is noted on your character sheet.
The most common actions you can take are described in the Actions in Combat section. Many class features and other abilities provide additional options for your action.
The Movement and Position section gives the rules for your move.
You can forgo moving, taking an action, or doing anything at all on your turn. If you can't decide what to do on your turn, consider taking the Dodge or Ready action, as described in "Actions in Combat."
Bonus Actions
Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you take an additional action on your turn called a bonus action. The Cunning Action feature, for example, allows a rogue to take a bonus action. You can take a bonus action only when a special ability, spell, or other feature of the game states that you can do something as a bonus action. You otherwise don't have a bonus action to take.
You can take only one bonus action on your turn, so you must choose which bonus action to use when you have more than one available.
You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action's timing is specified, and anything that deprives you of your ability to take actions also prevents you from taking a bonus action.
Other Activity on Your Turn
***Your turn can include a variety of flourishes that require neither your action nor your move.***
You can communicate however you are able, through brief utterances and gestures, as you take your turn.
You can also interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or your action. For example, you could open a door during your move as you stride toward a foe, or you could draw your weapon as part of the same action you use to attack.
If you want to interact with a second object, you need to use your action. Some magic items and other special objects always require an action to use, as stated in their descriptions.
The DM might require you to use an action for any of these activities when it needs special care or when it presents an unusual obstacle. For instance, the DM could reasonably expect you to use an action to open a stuck door or turn a crank to lower a drawbridge.
Reactions
Certain special abilities, spells, and situations allow you to take a special action called a reaction. A reaction is an instant response to a trigger of some kind, which can occur on your turn or on someone else's. The opportunity attack, described later in this section, is the most common type of reaction.
When you take a reaction, you can't take another one until the start of your next turn. If the reaction interrupts another creature's turn, that creature can continue its turn right after the reaction.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
I think you made your point.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
First Identify has a 1 minute casting time, so you can interact with 10 objects without issue.
Second you are double stating the Free Interaction. If you don't already have the Arcane Focus or Component pouch "in hand" then they must use their free interaction to put it in their hand, and then they can't cast a spell since they are using their interaction as their action. On top of that, they can't cast any bonus action or reaction spells unless they already have ALL the material components in their "free" hand already.
This along with the asinine part of having to drop an arcane focus in order to cast a somatic spell without a material component, except you don't since you can have a free hand anytime you want by simply holding an object in your other hand, switching hands is not an action at all, and you can hold an infinite amount of items with your hand, you simply can't use them if more than one item is in a single hand, with of course a shield, which can still be used as it is donned, which can also hold a weapon, pouch, focus, etc. but the held item can't be used, except you can freely switch it to the "open" hand any time you want as a non-action. Which means, you simply never put anything on your belt, in your pack, etc. which you may need to use for spellcasting, you simply hold it in a hand, but it requires a free hand to use...
And @IamSposta I totally agree with your underlined text.
Okay, so maybe the 1 minute casting time made Identify a poor example in and of itself.
I did specifically state: “If that character has either an Arcane Focus, or a Component Pouch, then they could use their free item interaction to pull out the Pearl, and as part of the action to cast the spell also interact with their focus/pouch and cast the spell that same turn.” You will note that I did not say that they could draw it, one presumes that a Wizard has their pouch out the same way one presumes that the archer has their bow out.
And thank you. 😉
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Thanks everyone for your feedback!
Oddly enough, nothing in the Material Component's section actually requires that you have to hold the components themselves, only that you have a free hand to "access" them
Material (M)
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 chapter 5, “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.
One could infer then, that you don't have to actually draw out the components at all, so long as you have a free hand and can access them. Ultimately, I think its stupid to have to spend your action collecting your ingredients from your pouch/bag/pocket/extraplanar storage dimension and wait a whole turn to cast a spell. I don't think that is RAI, and it certainly isn't RAF. If you wanted that level of realism, it would take minutes to cast any material component spell, since you would be searching a bag full of tiny ingredients for the 1-3 you need for the spell in particular. While that would be funny in combat; it would wear thin almost immediately.
I will say that I don't actually think my earlier interpretation is necessarily RAF or RAI, but
there isn'tno one has pointed out anything in the rule books that makes it wrong. I don't play that way in the game I'm in. I also think that most of the time, your free interaction isn't the use of the component in the spell, but drawing the wand or getting to your component pouch. Really, the only time that my interpretation should cause a problem is using individual components (rather than a component pouch) or when trying to go from a weapon to components.You're right that no one has pointed out where you're wrong, but you also haven't addressed the implication of your interpretation with respect to reaction spells. If you're using the object interaction rules, that only happens "on your turn".
It's precisely because of how I think your interpretation interacts with reaction spells that I think you're wrong.
I would simply say that it is like weapon attacks. If you don't already have your weapon drawn, does your DM let you make attacks of opportunity with that weapon? Then it is the same for your component pouch or focus - it needs to be already ready.
RIP feather fall. We hardly knew ye.
Let's say you start the fight with your Arcane Focus in hand and a shield. Your turn comes around and you want to cast Hex. You already have your Arcane Focus in hand so the M component of the spell is satisfied and so is the S component as stated in the rules for Material Components. You say your magic words to satisfy the V components and you successfully cast the spell only having used your Bonus Action. Then you want to cast Eldritch Blast. As silly as this is, you have to stow your Arcane Focus or Shield in order to satisfy the S component because this spell does not have a M component. This uses your free item interaction. You say the magic words and you successfully cast the spell having used your Action.
Let's say you are attacked before your next turn and want to cast Hellish Rebuke. You can do this without issue since you already stowed your Arcane Focus. If you still had your Arcane Focus in hand you could not cast the spell because you cannot stow it on another character's turn.
Is that example dumb? Yes, yes it is. The whole idea that you cannot cast a spell with only a S component if you have don't have a hand free is ridiculous. Watch me wave my hand around while holding this Orb or Bat Guano and Sulfur and throw a Fireball at your face but now I can't summon hellish flames even though I can wave the same hand around?
And for anyone who thinks accessing a spell's components means if a spell has multiple material components like Fireball you cannot access both components without using an Action is ridiculous. I'll just say the ball is comprised of both bat guano and sulfur, one object, let's move on with the game.
@SexyDanger but you don't have to stow your Arcane Focus, just hold it in your shield hand. Switching hands is a non-action, you can't use the arcane focus while it is in your shield hand, but you still get the benefit of the shield. Also, the question is on spells which require mundane components (which can be substituted with Component Pouch or Arcane Focus) and valued components which cannot. That would require two interactions under @WolfOfTheBees reading.