D&D 5E Can a cleric use his weapon as a spellcasting focus?

[Awkward Narrator]

Our cleric (of Apollo) wants to cast spells through his weapon- specifically, he wants to temporarily charge the weapon with a spell, which will be cast on the enemy when he attacks with it. Are there existing rules that could support this? If not, what could I put together that would still be balanced? The party is level 11 at the moment.

 

[Charlaquin]

Our cleric (of Apollo) wants to cast spells through his weapon- specifically, he wants to temporarily charge the weapon with a spell, which will be cast on the enemy when he attacks with it. Are there existing rules that could support this? If not, what could I put together that would still be balanced? The party is level 11 at the moment.

Using a weapon as a spellcasting focus? No, but given that they can use a shield emblazoned with their holy symbol as a spellcasting focus, there would be basically no negative impact to allowing them to do the same with a weapon instead.

Imbuing a weapon with a spell, that will be automatically cast when they hit with it? Definitely not, and I wouldn’t recommend allowing it. Though they could accomplish something similar with the various Smite spells. They’re normally Paladin spells, but you could let the player replace one of their Domain spells with one of them. Or give them a magic weapon that can expend a charge to cast one of them. Or just use the expanded cleric spell list from the recent Unearthed Arcana, which includes some smite spells.

 

[Tonguez]

Would War Caster help?

I’d be fine with the holy symbol being engraved into the weapon and allow the fx of something like radiant bolt to work by originating from the symbol and shooting out from i => its all Rule of Cool

however you still need to have one hand free for the somatic components and by the rules cant do spells with consumable materials components (eg shield of faith or continual flame) without sheathing the weapon to pull out the materials. That said I think some of the material component rules are dumb (eg whose really gonna crush a 50gp ruby for Continual flame or destroy a gem-encrusted bowl for Heroes feast?), so convince your DM to forgo them

 

[Oofta]

I'm pretty flexible when it comes to fluff. So yes, I would allow a weapon as a focus, and no I don't care too much about somatic components (I assume they're making the gestures with their weapon). Most DMs I've played with would also allow it.

But charging up a weapon is something completely different and would effectively allow them two actions at once. If you want to allow it as DM it's up to you, I don't think the cleric is particularly overpowered but I would not allow it.

 

[Umbran]

I see no general reason why a weapon cannot be used as a spellcasting focus (which, let us all remember, is just a replacement for miscellaneous material components that don't have a specific cost). If you can emblazon a symbol on your shield and use that, I can see no reason not to have it on a weapon.

Heck, for a cleric with the War domain, I'd call it pretty darn natural. I might say no if the deity in question were, not so much on the melee combat, or it would otherwise seem as an unfitting symbol of the deity.

Charring a weapon with a spell? That's an entirely different kettle of fish, that has some notable mechanical impact. That's what Smite spells are for.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Not RAW. However, I did have a dagger with the holy symbol of Bhaal in the handle show up in my game. Since no-one was a cleric of Bhaal they didn't get to use it, but I would have allowed it. There is also Ruby of the War Mage in Xanathar's, which can turn any weapon into a spellcasting focus.

In other words, there is room for the DM to be flexible on this.

 

[NotAYakk]

5e attempts to maintain combat balance sanity by being careful with the action economy.

Each character can do certain things each round. Depending on class, they get better at some of them.

Being able to do more things on any one round is a major class feature. Extra Attack, War domain's bonus action attack, EK's attack after cantrip, Sorcerer quicken spell, Rogue cunning action, Paladin smites.

Your player wants to deliver a spell and attack on the same action. That is a request for something 5e regulates as a major class feature.

And even as a major class feature, you may have noticed most of the above cost bonus actions; this permits them to be gotten at level 1-2 without being able to be assembled together into doing all of them on a round.

The closest to the PC's request is the war priest domain bonus action attack. Note that the spell here is delivered independently of the attack.

 

[Fanaelialae]

Would War Caster help?

I’d be fine with the holy symbol being engraved into the weapon and allow the fx of something like radiant bolt to work by originating from the symbol and shooting out from i => its all Rule of Cool

however you still need to have one hand free for the somatic components and by the rules cant do spells with consumable materials components (eg shield of faith or continual flame) without sheathing the weapon to pull out the materials. That said I think some of the material component rules are dumb (eg whose really gonna crush a 50gp ruby for Continual flame or destroy a gem-encrusted bowl for Heroes feast?), so convince your DM to forgo them

The War Caster feat only allows you to use a hand with a weapon in it for somatic components. It doesn't actually allow you to use the item as a focus (or substitute for material components). Although, clerics can use shields as a focus, so I agree that allowing a weapon with an engraved holy symbol or such isn't unreasonable.

That said, you actually don't need a hand free for somatic components when using a focus. PHB 203 (under Material) states that, "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". So, leaving aside costly components, the same hand used for your spell focus can be used for somatic components. The cleric may have to drop or stow their weapon when casting a spell with costly components, but those spells are in the minority anyway, so it probably won't come up that much.


As for a way to cast a spell into a weapon, which you can then cast when you hit someone? I think in earlier editions there used to be a magic item called a Weapon of Spell Storing that allowed exactly that. I don't think I've seen it in 5e, but you could use that as a template for homebrewing your own version.

 

[jasper]

A Focus is what $25. Just add that to cost of weapon.

 

[delphonso]

Charging a spell sounds cool and you can let your player do it as flavoring, but require the actions to be spent. One turn to cast the spell, a second turn to swing and hit, dealing both damages. This conserves the action economy well enough. The risk being their chance to miss the swing and miss both spell and attack.