According to the PHB, you can interact with one object as part of your movement or action, such as drawing your weapon on the same action as you attack. Is using material components for a spell considered interacting with one object?

The use of the material component is part of the action to cast the spell, as long as the material component is accessible and within reach.

As long as it is the only object that you're using during your turn, I think it would be as SladeTracey describes, since there are many interactions you get for free. It begins to be a problem when you need to use two in a turn (such as using spell components and drawing a weapon).

Quote from WolfOfTheBees >>

As long as it is the only object that you're using during your turn, I think it would be as SladeTracey describes, since there are many interactions you get for free. It begins to be a problem when you need to use two in a turn (such as using spell components and drawing a weapon).

 

 I think it's just as SladeTracey describes. The rules never make mention of needing an object interaction to access spell components.

What you describe would prevent casting two spells with material components in a turn, even with action surge. It would also prevent reaction casting any spell with material components, like feather fall, since you don't get a free object interaction except in your turn.

Since the same hand performing somatic components can also be used for material components, I think it's fair for that hand to access the material components as part of that motion.

If you can't draw one weapon, attack with it, sheath it, then draw another weapon, and attack with it all in one turn, I don't really see a problem with saying the same thing is true for spell components. The rule says you can have one as part of your action, but more than one requires your action. ...Unless there is some subtly that makes component objects different from weapon objects that I've missed.

Edit: I mean, you are probably right that you've described how most people run the game and how it should probably be. But I just don't get how that works according to the sentences written under the "interact with an object" action.

Casting a spell is not under interact with an object though. It is under its own definition. Casting a spell is not a free action like interacting with an object. A spell is an action, a bonus action, or a reaction. Now you can “downgrade” your action to a free action, but you can’t “downgrade” your reaction or bonus action to a free action. 

@SladeTracey is correct, there is a whole chapter which expands on what can or must be done as part of the Cast a Spell action (Bonus Action or Reaction). Using components is part of that definition. 

I mean you can play it that interacting with components are part of the action of casting the spell (and most people probably do), but that doesn't seem to be what the rules say... and the lead rules designer seems to agree.

Using your spell components is an automatic thing, like loading a bow is part of the action to attack with it. 

Quote from IamSposta >>

Using your spell components is an automatic thing, like loading a bow is part of the action to attack with it. 

 There is literally a sentence for ammunition that says that drawing it is part of the attack. There is no such sentence for spellcasting.

Then how can a Sorcerer Quicken a spell, and then cast a second spell? How can any caster cast a spell as a bonus action and then another as their action? If it took an action to draw a component, why would there ever need to be rules governing casting multiple spells in a turn? And if that were the case, why would they not specify it in the rules governing those cases?

Are you talking about manipulating the components or drawing them?

Drawing them. Going by your interpretation a Component Pouch would be objectively weaker than an Arcane Focus. I am sure that was not the designers’ intention.

 Your argument seems to be "but I don't want it to be that way." Show me some rules text and I'll consider it.

Luckily, I don’t have to. I’m the DM, and you’re not one of my players. You do you, I’ll do me.

I will say however, that I could not find 1 line of text in any rule book supporting your position either.

 Well according the lead designer it is impossible to cast spells like:  Flaming Sphere (cast is one action, requires three material components), Feather Fall (can't interact with an object during a reaction), Shillelagh (Bonus action can't interact with object plus requires three material components), Hideous Laughter (requires two material components), and a whole host of other spells which all have the same types of conflictions. 

The PHB states you must have a free hand to access components.  You only need to provide components which have a defined value, whether they are consumed or not.  Provide, does not actually mean one needs to hold it, though that is inferred by accessing it.  

What is funny is you can draw a weapon, attack with it, drop it, draw another weapon, attack with it, drop it, and do so until you run out of attacks.  Likewise if say one was an EK, one could draw a weapon, attack with it, action surge, hold onto weapon with your shield hand, access material component with your somatic hand, and then switch weapon back to your open hand.  contrarian advice given to more contrarian advice...

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.

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.”

Quote from WolfOfTheBees >>

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.

And one still can't cast any spells which require a component pouch/mundane components or an arcane/divine focus AND a component with any material cost for ANY spell which requires an action.  Nor spells which require a Reaction and have ANY material components, nor spells which require a Bonus Action unless you use your Action to "interact" with them.

By design, a component pouch, an arcane focus, and just regular old mundane components are all equal in "effectiveness" of use.  A component pouch is there for the folks who don't want to have to create shopping lists for things with little to no cost, the arcane focus serves the same purpose, the "old fashion way" of going out and getting your individual components is designed to be identical in use to using an arcane focus or a component pouch.

Now if you really want a mind blown, components are not objects, they are components...  8D

Quote from Pedroig >>

Now if you really want a mind blown, components are not objects, they are components...  8D

 Go and read the definition of components. It calls them objects.