D&D 4E Any word on spell components for 4E?

[RigaMortus2]

I wonder if they are keeping somatic, verbal, material and foci (priest holy symbol, mistletoe, etc) for spell components? Anyone heard anything about this aspect of casters?

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Blind Speculation

I think it will still be present, but that expensive / rare components will be cut down on. No more 100 gp perl for Identify, but keep the expensive diamond for Raise dead kind of thing. I suspect the role of material components may be replaced by the Orb / Wand / Staff in most cases where it might matter.

Verbal and Somatic components may also be kept since they create some useful game play situations (grapple type situations vs somatic, and the Silence spell for verbal components). Without that kind of rule in place, than a spell caster is pretty difficult to capture and imprison.

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[Xethreau]

I sure hope not. Things like that should be the grounds of RP, not mechanics. Besides, I absolutely hate somatic and material components as default flavor/mechanics...

Simple rules like "A player cannot use a 'Spell' power while grappled' or the like would suffice, I think.

If something like it still exists, it might be a 'material component' for a ritual power, or a implement, like a wand, to increase the effectiveness of a power.

 

[Oldtimer]

I don't remember seeing anything about it in Races&Classes.

 

[RigaMortus2]

I suspect the role of material components may be replaced by the Orb / Wand / Staff in most cases where it might matter.

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That is basically what I was thinking. Orb/Wand/Etc. would become the new "focus" items.

 

[Stormtalon]

I can see components being kept and made more distinct in the case of Rituals, but for the everyday spells and powers, they'll probably be minimized.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

Spell foci as in Shadowrun and materials for rituals?

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I like the concept of spell components making your spells a little bit better than when they are cast normally. For example, a Wizard casting Fireball would do more damage if he used a Red Dragon's tooth as an expendible material component during the casting of the spell. Of course balancing things out would be the difficult thing. If Red Dragon teeth (or whatever the spell component was) were common then everyone would be casting the more powerful version of the spell.

Olaf the Stout

 

[vic20]

I wonder if they are keeping somatic, verbal, material and foci (priest holy symbol, mistletoe, etc) for spell components? Anyone heard anything about this aspect of casters?

Would somebody who uses the RAW for spell components please raise your hand? Please don't think I'm looking to start any sort of debate. I seriously have wondered if there was no larger than 2-5% of the d&d population. There must have been an ENWorld poll on this topic at some point.

 

[Xethreau]

I like the concept of spell components making your spells a little bit better than when they are cast normally. For example, a Wizard casting Fireball would do more damage if he used a Red Dragon's tooth as an expendible material component during the casting of the spell. Of course balancing things out would be the difficult thing. If Red Dragon teeth (or whatever the spell component was) were common then everyone would be casting the more powerful version of the spell.

Olaf the Stout

That would be fine with me, but needing bat guano for every last fireball you ever cast? I'll pass.