D&D 5E Basic question: Do material components get consumed?

[Ancalagon]

Hello

We had a small discussion about this at the table - I couldn't find the answer quickly enough so I ruled "for now, no, but I will look it up" ... and now I'm out of town without my books.

So, by default, are material components consumed? The question arose for Identify, but it's really applicable to most spells.

thanks!

 

[ArchfiendBobbie]

I would say it depends on how much bookkeeping you want to do on spellcasting. If as little as possible, go ahead with the no.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Not unless the spell says so. You'll note that some say "requires X, which the spell consumes" or something to that effect.

If it doesn't say that, it's not consumed.

 

[Harzel]

Hello

We had a small discussion about this at the table - I couldn't find the answer quickly enough so I ruled "for now, no, but I will look it up" ... and now I'm out of town without my books.

So, by default, are material components consumed? The question arose for Identify, but it's really applicable to most spells.

thanks!

Since some spells note particularly that the material components are consumed, it seems fairly clear that for the others the intent is that the material components are not consumed. Then there are a few others (like Imprisonment and Stone Shape) for which the material components must be customized for a particular casting of the spell; for these, you would need a new version of the customized material component(s) for each casting of the spell even though the component might not actually disappear.

 

[Valetudo]

The only ones that get consumed are the ones that the spell specifically says so. The only time I as a dm care about components is fi it has a cost to it. So if the spell needs a 100gp pearl the player needs to have that pearl whether it gets consumed or not. Otherwise, a wand or spellpouch will do the trick.

 

[thorgrit]

From the SRD, under "Casting a Spell" / Components / Material (M)

Casting some spells requires particular objects, specified in parentheses in the component entry. A character can use a component pouch or a spellcasting focus (found in “Equipment”) in place of the components specified for a spell. But if a cost is indicated for a component, a character must have that specific component before he or she can cast the spell.
If a spell states that a material component is consumed by the spell, the caster must provide this component for each casting of the spell. 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.

(emphasis mine) Since there is no rule that all components are consumed, the general rule is that material spell components are not consumed. This specific rule beats the general rule, and leaves it up to the spell to say if the component is consumed.

As for your example, Identify does not state the materials are consumed, so you're free to keep that 100g pearl around for later castings. Or if you don't have one, you can borrow someone's jewelry for the spell, and return it unharmed afterwards.

 

[ArchfiendBobbie]

From the SRD, under "Casting a Spell" / Components / Material (M)



(emphasis mine) Since there is no rule that all components are consumed, the general rule is that material spell components are not consumed. This specific rule beats the general rule, and leaves it up to the spell to say if the component is consumed.

It's also on page 203 of the PHB. Found it once you quoted the text and it tagged a memory.

I think I've played too many games with variant rules as of late.

 

[Ancalagon]

So this is a change from 3.x and 2nd ed then? Interesting!

Thanks folks

 

[jaelis]

So this is a change from 3.x and 2nd ed then? Interesting!

Thanks folks

Well, 3e anyway was the same in that some spells consumed their components and some didn't. The difference here is that in 3e the default was that components were consumed, in 5e the default is that they are not.

 

[jasper]

here is list of spells that cost money and maybe consumed
C = consumed when cast
Arcane Lock 25 gp gold dust c
Arcana Sword 250 gp miniature platinum sword
Astral Projection 1,000 gp piece of Jacinth C, 100 gp silver bar for each creature c
Augury 25 gp tokens
Awaken 1,000 gp agate C
Circle of Death 600 gp black pearl
Clairvoyance Focus 100 gp horn or eye
Clone 1,000 gp diamond C, 2, 000 gp coffin
Contingency 1,500 gp statuette
Continual Flame 50 gp ruby dust C
Create Undead 150 gp black onyx per corpse
Divination 25 gp offering C and incense C
Find Familiar 10 gp of herbs and spices C, brass brazier
Find the Path 100 gp divinatory tools
Forbiddance 1000 gp ruby dust, rare incense
Forcecage 1,500 gp ruby dust
Gate 5,000 gp diamond
Glyph of Warding 200 gp diamond dust C and incense C
Greater restoration 100 gp diamond dust C
Guards and Wards 10 gp silver rod
Hallow 1,000 gp herbs & Spices C
Heroes’ Feast 1,000 gp gem encrusted bowl C
Holy Aura 1,000 gp reliquary
Identify 100 gp pearl
Illusory Script 10 gp lead base ink C
Imprisonment 500 gp per hit pt statuette
Instant Summons 1,000 gp sapphire
Legend Lore 250 gp incense C, 50 gp each 4 ivory strips
Magic Circle 100 gp silver dust C
Magic Jar 500 gp gem
Magic Mouth 10 gp jade dust C
Magnificent Mansion 15 gp polished marble, ivory door mini, silver spoon
NonDetection 25 gp diamond dust C
Planar Binding 1,000 gp jewel C
Plane Shift 250 gp tuning fork attuned to plane.
Programmed Illusion 25 gp jade dust
Project Image 5 gp replica
Protection from Evil and Good 1 gp silver dust, iron dust, holy water C
Raise Dead 500 gp diamond C
Reincarnate 1,000 gp rare oils C
Resurrection 1,000 gp diamond C
Reverse Gravity 1 gp lodestone and iron filings
Revivify 300gp loose diamonds C
Scrying 1,000 gp crystal ball focus
Secret Chest 5,000 gp chest 50 gp replica chest
Sequester 5,000 gp mixture of diamond, emerald, ruby, sapphire dust C
Shapechange 1,500 gp jade circlet
Simulacrum 1,500 gp ruby dust, snow man and piece of subject
Stoneskin 100 gp diamond dust C
Sunbeam 100 gp magnifying glass
Symbol 1,000 gp diamond dust, opal etc C
Teleportation Circle 50 gp rare chalk gem dust C, 18,250 gp + 1 year to be permanent
True Resurrection 25,000 gp loose diamonds C
True Seeing 25 gp ointment
Warding Bond 100 gp 2 platinum rings