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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pming" data-source="post: 8093975" data-attributes="member: 45197">Hiya!First, Schools: I use them as "magical descriptions of a general nature" for those able to Detect Magic in some way. I also use the school in regards to those using various Skills (Arcana, Religion and various others, if appropriate). For example, a chest may have "ancient runes carved around the lock". Now the player makes an Arcana (lets say) check and succeeds: "The runes are a warning involving concepts of Evocation". So, now the PC might decide to actually cast a Detect Magic on it to see if they can get more specific info...or leave it alone...or cast Dispel Magic just to be sure, etc. Another example, I might describe an area, but then give more info to the elven druid after a Nature Skill roll: "You, however, distinctly get a feeling of unease. The place has little patches of Moonlight Moss, and you can see a few Glow-Bugs flitting about...the area has a focus of Enchantment about it, but you can't make out anything specific".In a nutshell...I use it every now and then to reward and encourage Players/PC's to utilize things other than Flame Bolt and Sneak Attack. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Second, Material Components: YES! Definitely use them! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> One of the first things I adjusted was to encourage Players to try and keep track of and pick up the specific Material Components. I did this by simply adding a 'carrot': If the PC actually has the appropriate Material Components that DO NOT have a "specific mention and price" (re: "A diamond worth at least 50gp's")...then they can get a 'bonus' to the spell. They can choose this bonus, and it is basically a +1 to the DC save, or +10% to the spells Range or Area of Affect, or maybe +1 extra person if it normally affects several people, etc), or maybe some other minor effect that they think would be cool or "character thematic". It may not be as cool as "You don't have it, you can't cast it...or you have to use a substitute and hope for the best"...but it's better than just "Oh, I have Spell Component Pouch". Bleeaachh! <img class="smilie smilie--emoji" alt="🤢" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f922.png" title="Nauseated face    :nauseated_face:" data-shortname=":nauseated_face:" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" />IMNSHO, irrelevant stuff I’ve said many times before and is virtually assured to start arguments.Please don’t keep doing this.  You’re approaching a literal point of no return.^_^Paul L. Ming</blockquote>

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