Why are the Arcane Focus items so much heavier than those for Cleric (Spiritual) or Druid (Primal)? The staff for mage and druid are the same mass, as would be the weight of a cleric's sword or small shield. I can see a rod being about 3 pounds if it to be used as a mace by a warlock, but not for a wizard. And why is an arcane wand a massive two pounds when a druid's wand is negligible? Doesn't seem right.
Also, a 1 pound (quartz) crystal would be about as large as a fighting man's fist! The size of a large gemstone hidden in a fist would seem more reasonable. Or, is this so that the item can't be hidden, but must be exposed or presented (boldly)? If so, kinda ruins the purpose of Subtle Spell (Metamagic) where the focus replaces the need for (costless/reusable) material components.
Or is simply up to the DM to approve what is a focus and what isn't?
If the focus could be hidden, that would make subtle spell redundant in those cases. Subtle Spell doesn't allow you to use the focus to bypass material components... that's the purpose of the focus itself. Subtle Spell allows you to bypass the need for them entirely, making the focus unneeded as well. And even if it didn't, bypassing the verbal and somatic components of a spell are also incredibly useful in some situations.
AHHH! I see what I was missing! The 2014 version of Subtle Spell read: "When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to cast it without any somatic or verbal components." The 2024 version reads: "...without any Verbal, Somatic, or Material components." As you said, thus making the focus unnecessary.
Still, why is a crystal and wand Arcane Focus so heavy?
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Why are the Arcane Focus items so much heavier than those for Cleric (Spiritual) or Druid (Primal)? The staff for mage and druid are the same mass, as would be the weight of a cleric's sword or small shield. I can see a rod being about 3 pounds if it to be used as a mace by a warlock, but not for a wizard. And why is an arcane wand a massive two pounds when a druid's wand is negligible? Doesn't seem right.
Also, a 1 pound (quartz) crystal would be about as large as a fighting man's fist! The size of a large gemstone hidden in a fist would seem more reasonable. Or, is this so that the item can't be hidden, but must be exposed or presented (boldly)? If so, kinda ruins the purpose of Subtle Spell (Metamagic) where the focus replaces the need for (costless/reusable) material components.
Or is simply up to the DM to approve what is a focus and what isn't?
Just wondering.
If the focus could be hidden, that would make subtle spell redundant in those cases. Subtle Spell doesn't allow you to use the focus to bypass material components... that's the purpose of the focus itself. Subtle Spell allows you to bypass the need for them entirely, making the focus unneeded as well. And even if it didn't, bypassing the verbal and somatic components of a spell are also incredibly useful in some situations.
AHHH! I see what I was missing! The 2014 version of Subtle Spell read: "When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to cast it without any somatic or verbal components." The 2024 version reads: "...without any Verbal, Somatic, or Material components." As you said, thus making the focus unnecessary.
Still, why is a crystal and wand Arcane Focus so heavy?