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<blockquote data-quote="NeutronSoup" data-source="post: 6358310" data-attributes="member: 66782">I'm probably (most likely) overthinking this, but I'm trying to get my head around spellcasting focuses as they relate to the bard. Since Bard spells are cast through music, my assumption was that the musical instrument serving as a focus would need to be played, which seems to require two hands in almost all cases. However, that would leave no hands free for the somatic component of the spell, and the spellcasting focus only replaces the Material component. I suppose you could argue that playing the instrument IS the somatic component, but that still leaves the issue of using a weapon while needing two hands free to cast spells, which would significantly reduce the attractiveness of the College of Valor. It would pretty much restrict you to using a one-handed weapon with no shield, and you would lose the ability to take opportunity attacks after you cast a spell (Since you probably would have sheathed your weapon that turn.)I know that in the playtest, Cleric focuses just needed to be worn or displayed on a shield, but I can't find anything to that effect about any sort of focus in the PHB. Is there any prevailing wisdom on how Bard spellcasting Focuses (Or spellcasting focuses in general) work at the moment?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="NeutronSoup, post: 6358310, member: 66782"] I'm probably (most likely) overthinking this, but I'm trying to get my head around spellcasting focuses as they relate to the bard. Since Bard spells are cast through music, my assumption was that the musical instrument serving as a focus would need to be played, which seems to require two hands in almost all cases. However, that would leave no hands free for the somatic component of the spell, and the spellcasting focus only replaces the Material component. I suppose you could argue that playing the instrument IS the somatic component, but that still leaves the issue of using a weapon while needing two hands free to cast spells, which would significantly reduce the attractiveness of the College of Valor. It would pretty much restrict you to using a one-handed weapon with no shield, and you would lose the ability to take opportunity attacks after you cast a spell (Since you probably would have sheathed your weapon that turn.) I know that in the playtest, Cleric focuses just needed to be worn or displayed on a shield, but I can't find anything to that effect about any sort of focus in the PHB. Is there any prevailing wisdom on how Bard spellcasting Focuses (Or spellcasting focuses in general) work at the moment? [/QUOTE]

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