ccs
41st lv DM
You have each caster provide you with an itemized list of whatever components you feel like tracking.
When they cast a spell that uses one of these componants YOU check it off the list.
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D&D 5E Spell components. Anyone have a DM actually enforce them?
- Thread starter wicked cool
- Start date
You have each caster provide you with an itemized list of whatever components you feel like tracking.
When they cast a spell that uses one of these componants YOU check it off the list.
pming
Legend
Hiya!
Easy: I don't keep track. That's a player task, note mine. Of course, if you have players who cheat, this may be a problem. Luckily for me my players don't cheat (and if they do, they do it subtly and in such a way that nobody notices).
^_^
Paul L. Ming
Easy: I don't keep track. That's a player task, note mine. Of course, if you have players who cheat, this may be a problem. Luckily for me my players don't cheat (and if they do, they do it subtly and in such a way that nobody notices).
^_^
Paul L. Ming
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
My experience is very similar to [MENTION=6785438]Warmaster Horus[/MENTION] - we need to buy and keep track of individual expensive components (how much diamond dust, a jade pendant worth at least 100gp, etc.), and if the caster has been captured / rogue has stolen the component pouch.
Had a great time in a 3.5 game where my wizard was kidnapped, trying to see what spells I had memorized would work without components (or with my hands tied) and what common items I could get for components. I remember spending a round grubbing on a dirt road still tied up to get a white stone, wish I could remember what spell it was for.
A more recent example is the start of Out of the Abyss, where things like sand for sleep was gotten in preparation of breaking out.
Had a great time in a 3.5 game where my wizard was kidnapped, trying to see what spells I had memorized would work without components (or with my hands tied) and what common items I could get for components. I remember spending a round grubbing on a dirt road still tied up to get a white stone, wish I could remember what spell it was for.
A more recent example is the start of Out of the Abyss, where things like sand for sleep was gotten in preparation of breaking out.
MechaPilot
Explorer
Spell components generally come in two varieties:
1) Components that exist solely for the sake of flavor
2) Components that are intended to balance a spell with some kind of significant cost (often a significant gp cost)
Unless I'm running a setting where I care about the flavor, I ignore the first type and only care about the second type. For example, right now I'm running my group through PotA in FR. I haven't been using the flavor components. However, I am transitioning the group from FR to my homebrew setting of Tenesia. As part of that transition, I will be implementing the flavor components.
One of the huge flavor components my players may run into is that human(oid) sacrifice is required to bring back the dead. The gods jealously guard the souls they collect, and if you want one back you have to give one in return. And it can't just be any soul. If the gods don't approve of the trade, you aren't getting the soul you want in return. But, you might get an entirely different soul. Consequently, attempts to raise the dead often require sacrificing virgins or the incredibly pious.
1) Components that exist solely for the sake of flavor
2) Components that are intended to balance a spell with some kind of significant cost (often a significant gp cost)
Unless I'm running a setting where I care about the flavor, I ignore the first type and only care about the second type. For example, right now I'm running my group through PotA in FR. I haven't been using the flavor components. However, I am transitioning the group from FR to my homebrew setting of Tenesia. As part of that transition, I will be implementing the flavor components.
One of the huge flavor components my players may run into is that human(oid) sacrifice is required to bring back the dead. The gods jealously guard the souls they collect, and if you want one back you have to give one in return. And it can't just be any soul. If the gods don't approve of the trade, you aren't getting the soul you want in return. But, you might get an entirely different soul. Consequently, attempts to raise the dead often require sacrificing virgins or the incredibly pious.
Jester David
Hero
I've tried a couple things to make spell components more interesting, such as tracking charges on pouches or rolling a d20 every time a component is used to see if the pouch runs out. But those haven't worked well.
There was one time when I was playing and my character lost their spell component pouch. That was interesting, as I had to hunt down components in play until we could reach a town. Frustrating, but interesting and certainly memorable.
Really, components are just a neat bit of flavour that makes magic interesting and not very routine. It adds wonder to the game.
There was one time when I was playing and my character lost their spell component pouch. That was interesting, as I had to hunt down components in play until we could reach a town. Frustrating, but interesting and certainly memorable.
Really, components are just a neat bit of flavour that makes magic interesting and not very routine. It adds wonder to the game.
pdzoch
Explorer
For those tracking components, ever tried component cards? And a small deck would be what was in the pouch. Perhaps each component would have a number of uses allowed before it wore out or lost ability to support the magic? I bet I could work some up if anyone was actually interested.
Bitbrain
Lost in Dark Sun
Not sure if this counts, but the Oathbreaker Paladin in the group I play with lost his holy symbol once. He replaced it a while back, but there was one session where we were wandering around and he was asking everyone (PCs and NPCs) "Does anyone see a mirror? My Perception's bad, and I need it to cast this one spell."
Since then, everybody in our group that can cast spells has taken to carrying extra spellcasting focuses.
Since then, everybody in our group that can cast spells has taken to carrying extra spellcasting focuses.
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Helldritch
Hero
I only keep track of components if:
A) The spell components are expensive. Then the player must provide the number of component. I have a sheet especially made for that.
B) The caster lost his/her spell focus. Then the player will have to find the appropriate components. It is a poor spell caster that don't take care to have some spell that don't require components in his daily allotment.
A) The spell components are expensive. Then the player must provide the number of component. I have a sheet especially made for that.
B) The caster lost his/her spell focus. Then the player will have to find the appropriate components. It is a poor spell caster that don't take care to have some spell that don't require components in his daily allotment.
LexStarwalker
First Post
Absolutely. If a spell has material components, you need a component pouch or focus to cast it. If it has material components with a gold price, then you need that specific component. It's part of the balance of the game, especially priced components. Without them spells like raise dead and stoneskin can get ridiculous pretty quickly. Also, another one DMs seem to often miss-chromatic orb.
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