My Wizard has just acquired the spell Banishment and I am curious as to how most people interpret the material component. The spell says "an item distasteful to the target", so do most people take that to mean something that creatures of this species don't like, or do you have to do your homework and find something that a particular foe doesn't like, i.e. Joe the Grey Dragon doesn't like plaid, so in order to Banish this dragon you have to use a piece of plaid cloth.
That's the kind of situation that makes me so glad that arcane foci exist. Since that material component has no specified cost, and it is not consumed in the casting, it may be ignored if the caster is using their spell-casting focus (like a wand or whatnot). See page 203 of the Player's Handbook for reference, in the paragraph about material components.
If your table does not use spell-casting foci, then yeah, you're gonna need to carry a buttload of stuff around and hope that the target hates something in your backpack. It could lead to a kinda funny scene where your party is under attack and you're just rummaging through your pack, you pull out one object, shake it at the monster and yell "BLEAAHHHH!!" and nothing happens, then you pull something else out, wiggle it at the monster and yell "OooOOoOO!!!" and nothing happens, then you finally pull one last object out, throw it at the monster and yell "Ah-HAH!" and the monster finally vanishes from sight.
You may even have a talk with your DM about using your character's downtime to do some really thorough research on a particular monster the party is expecting to face, and if your research (investigation checks) goes well and you acquire something particularly odious to that particular monster, then maybe the DM will consider you extra-prepared and maybe even impose disadvantage on that monster's save against your Banishment attempt one time.
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Tayn of Darkwood. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Retired.
Ikram Sahir ibn Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad, Second Son of the House of Ra'ad, Defender of the Burning Sands. Lvl 9 Brass Dragonborn Sorcerer + Greater Fire Elemental Devil.
Viktor Gavriil. Lvl 20 White Dragonborn Grave Cleric, of Kurgan the God of Death.
If your table does not use spell-casting foci, then yeah, you're gonna need to carry a buttload of stuff around and hope that the target hates something in your backpack.
If your table does not use spell-casting foci, then yeah, you're gonna need to carry a buttload of stuff around and hope that the target hates something in your backpack. It could lead to a kinda funny scene where your party is under attack and you're just rummaging through your pack, you pull out one object, shake it at the monster and yell "BLEAAHHHH!!" and nothing happens, then you pull something else out, wiggle it at the monster and yell "OooOOoOO!!!" and nothing happens, then you finally pull one last object out, throw it at the monster and yell "Ah-HAH!" and the monster finally vanishes from sight.
Goodbye Beni. - Rick O’Connell
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My Wizard has just acquired the spell Banishment and I am curious as to how most people interpret the material component. The spell says "an item distasteful to the target", so do most people take that to mean something that creatures of this species don't like, or do you have to do your homework and find something that a particular foe doesn't like, i.e. Joe the Grey Dragon doesn't like plaid, so in order to Banish this dragon you have to use a piece of plaid cloth.
Thanks
That's the kind of situation that makes me so glad that arcane foci exist. Since that material component has no specified cost, and it is not consumed in the casting, it may be ignored if the caster is using their spell-casting focus (like a wand or whatnot). See page 203 of the Player's Handbook for reference, in the paragraph about material components.
If your table does not use spell-casting foci, then yeah, you're gonna need to carry a buttload of stuff around and hope that the target hates something in your backpack. It could lead to a kinda funny scene where your party is under attack and you're just rummaging through your pack, you pull out one object, shake it at the monster and yell "BLEAAHHHH!!" and nothing happens, then you pull something else out, wiggle it at the monster and yell "OooOOoOO!!!" and nothing happens, then you finally pull one last object out, throw it at the monster and yell "Ah-HAH!" and the monster finally vanishes from sight.
You may even have a talk with your DM about using your character's downtime to do some really thorough research on a particular monster the party is expecting to face, and if your research (investigation checks) goes well and you acquire something particularly odious to that particular monster, then maybe the DM will consider you extra-prepared and maybe even impose disadvantage on that monster's save against your Banishment attempt one time.
Tayn of Darkwood. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Retired.
Ikram Sahir ibn Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad, Second Son of the House of Ra'ad, Defender of the Burning Sands. Lvl 9 Brass Dragonborn Sorcerer + Greater Fire Elemental Devil.
Viktor Gavriil. Lvl 20 White Dragonborn Grave Cleric, of Kurgan the God of Death.
Anzio Faro. Lvl 5 Prot. Aasimar Light Cleric.
Err, no. That's what a component pouch is for.
Goodbye Beni. - Rick O’Connell