D&D 5E Casting spells with costed components

[Malovaan]

Just want to check something that came up in our game last night.

Some spells have components which have an associated cost - these components need to be actually owned by the character and can't just be produced from a component pouch or otherwise. That much me and the DM agree on.

The problem came where I wanted to see if I could borrow an item to cast a spell with and give it back later. DMs ruling was that I wouldn't be able to do that as the costed item would be used up by the spell, but I don't think that should be the case.

The spell in question is a level 1 spell "Identify", which allows the identification of magical items. Its description lists a component (a pearl worth at least 100gp).

There are other spells which have a costed item, and explicitly state "x item worth x which the spell consumes". This spell does not say that the pearl is consumed, therefore I assumed that a single pearl could be used over and over again for identification.

DMs argument was that learning the properties of magical items is a rare thing, not easily done, so 100gp per identification is fair, making it as difficult to do as it should be.

My argument is that it's a level 1 spell, therefore clearly not actually all that difficult to do, and it already has a gold cost associated with it. Making it 100gp per use of the spell makes it completely prohibitive for a low level character to use.


In the end it is the DMs game, so he can DM it however he feels works best for his world, but I would still like a clarification on how it should actually be played.

 

[Paraxis]

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 chapter 5) 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 these components, but it can be the same hand that he or she uses to perform somatic components.

-Only if the spell states the component is consumed do you need to replace it, you can keep using the same 100 gp pearl over and over again for identify. Chromatic orb for example is not worth 50gp each time you cast it, that would be outrageous.

-You can also spend a short rest and identify a magic item without ever casting the Identify spell.

 

[SirAntoine]

I am sure Paraxis is correct. I just want to add that some spells can be low level but still difficult for a low level character to cast, because they are meant to be easy to cast for a higher level character. If they had to use a higher level spell slot, that would be prohibitive for them.

This particular spell used to have a cost of 100-200 gp if you employed a sage to cast it for you. You had to touch the item in question for eight hours, too, not just one minute. So it's basically a give away now, but there are many who felt the old restrictions were far too big.

 

[Paraxis]

In the end it is the DMs game, so he can DM it however he feels works best for his world, but I would still like a clarification on how it should actually be played.

I just want to point out that my first post is in response to how the rules are as written, and yes it is the DM's game so he will change and adapt things to get it to have a desired feel.

In my games this is how I run identification, if the item has no attuned benefit then you can spend time during a short rest to identify it's properties, if it does have an attuned benefit you could just attune it and learn all of the properties, so why is there the identify spell? Cursed items, I use them just often enough and usually they are a double edged thing where they are cursed but in some way helpful at the same time, Identify tells you before you attune something if and what the curse is.

Also use identify to figure out exactly what magic traps, wards, and other things like that do. Mostly this means it takes some time to cast it as a ritual while exploring, and is like an automatic investigation roll on magic stuff.

 

[PnPgamer]

Couldnt have said it better myself, paraxis is correct. This way, some spells are always available after an investment. See chromatic orb for example. There is no point casting it if it hogs 50 gp diamond everytime you cast it, while there is arguably better spells with no costs at all. Magic missile for example.

 

[Ricochet]

How about a case like "Protection from Evil and Good".

Says you need to use holy water or ground powdered silver, but doesn't annotate the cost. Should we assume that this spell costs 25g to cast (what Holy Water costs in the PHB?), or is it free to cast because the price isn't mentioned.

Interestingly, a price is mentioned in the level 3 variant, Magic Circle, so my initial conclusion is that the level 1 version is free through the use of a component pouch. Thoughts?

 

[SirAntoine]

How about a case like "Protection from Evil and Good".

Says you need to use holy water or ground powdered silver, but doesn't annotate the cost. Should we assume that this spell costs 25g to cast (what Holy Water costs in the PHB?), or is it free to cast because the price isn't mentioned.

Interestingly, a price is mentioned in the level 3 variant, Magic Circle, so my initial conclusion is that the level 1 version is free through the use of a component pouch. Thoughts?

I'd use 5 gp worth.

 

[MasterTrancer]

Just want to check something that came up in our game last night.

Some spells have components which have an associated cost - these components need to be actually owned by the character and can't just be produced from a component pouch or otherwise. That much me and the DM agree on.

The problem came where I wanted to see if I could borrow an item to cast a spell with and give it back later. DMs ruling was that I wouldn't be able to do that as the costed item would be used up by the spell, but I don't think that should be the case.

The spell in question is a level 1 spell "Identify", which allows the identification of magical items. Its description lists a component (a pearl worth at least 100gp).

There are other spells which have a costed item, and explicitly state "x item worth x which the spell consumes". This spell does not say that the pearl is consumed, therefore I assumed that a single pearl could be used over and over again for identification.

DMs argument was that learning the properties of magical items is a rare thing, not easily done, so 100gp per identification is fair, making it as difficult to do as it should be.

My argument is that it's a level 1 spell, therefore clearly not actually all that difficult to do, and it already has a gold cost associated with it. Making it 100gp per use of the spell makes it completely prohibitive for a low level character to use.


In the end it is the DMs game, so he can DM it however he feels works best for his world, but I would still like a clarification on how it should actually be played.

You're right, per the rules the pearl is not consumed. Your DM may rule otherwise though.

 

[MasterTrancer]

How about a case like "Protection from Evil and Good".

Says you need to use holy water or ground powdered silver, but doesn't annotate the cost. Should we assume that this spell costs 25g to cast (what Holy Water costs in the PHB?), or is it free to cast because the price isn't mentioned.

Interestingly, a price is mentioned in the level 3 variant, Magic Circle, so my initial conclusion is that the level 1 version is free through the use of a component pouch. Thoughts?

The spell descrpition doesn't specify the quantity of the material component which will be used so yes, the cost should be waived. Especially since a Cleric or a Paladin should be able to hallow some drops of water at will (if there's any water around, at least).

 

[SirAntoine]

Note that it requires a ruling, though. There is no way to know how the game says to do it by the book.