Spelljammer Dark Sun confirmed? Or, the mysterious case of the dissappearing Spelljammer article...

[Faolyn]

Out of curiosity, what did you think of 5E Eberron? Since that was basically a rehash of stuff already in 3E and 4E, with a couple of updates?

I'd barely skimmed 3x/4e Eberron, so to me it was almost entirely new.

 

[JEB]

I'd barely skimmed 3x/4e Eberron, so to me it was almost entirely new.

Fair enough. What about the Forgotten Realms? Did you have much familiarity with Forgotten Realms lore before 5E? If so, is it boring to you in 5E, since it largely carries on the lore of earlier editions? (That is, when it didn't roll it back to pre-4E lore.)

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The ONLY thing the rules for wizards do is allow wizards to use the general arcane focus on page 151 and those rules. There are no other rules for wizards and arcane foci in the wizard class. They even refer you to chapter 5 to see the rules.

"You can use an arcane focus (see chapter 5, "Equipment") as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells."

Yes, that's the point. There are no rules for arcane foci, other than as specified in the wizard (sorcerer and warlock) class descriptions. The word "arcane" mealy indicates which classes can use that item as a focus. The same as "druidic" is a focus that druids can use and "divine" is a focus that clerics and paladins can use. If an arcane focus could be used by "all arcane casters: list of all arcane casters here" then "arcane caster" would have a mechanical significance. But the 5e rules don't work like that. Earlier editions did, but 5e isn't earlier editions.

As for the feats, I'm not going to look them up, but if they don't say it would be a DM call.

It's a call that no DM will ever have to make. Because it doesn't matter. "arcane" and "divine" have no mechanical effects in 5e.

 

[Maxperson]

Yes, that's the point. There are no rules for arcane foci, other than as specified in the wizard (sorcerer and warlock) class descriptions.

Point to the rules in the wizard, sorcerer and warlock class descriptions, because I don't see them. What I do see is this. "You can use an arcane focus(whatever that is, because the class doesn't say) as a spellcasting focus(which does nothing, since there are no rules here) for your wizard spells." If that's all you are going by, you have nothing at all. If instead you are going by the rules on page 151 and chapter 10, then the rule is that it's a focus for arcane spells.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Point to the rules in the wizard, sorcerer and warlock class descriptions, because I don't see them. What I do see is this. "You can use an arcane focus(whatever that is, because the class doesn't say) as a spellcasting focus(which does nothing, since there are no rules here) for your wizard spells."

Yes, that's the rule. The only rule that describes what an arcane focus does.

There is no other point in the rules where you can say "this is an arcane focus, therefore I can do X with it".

 

[Maxperson]

Yes., that's the rule. The only rule that describes what an arcane focus does.

Then going ONLY by that "rule," what does it do?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Then going ONLY by that "rule," what does it do?

Let's you cast that class's spells without using a component pouch. You know, what it says in the class description?

 

[Faolyn]

Fair enough. What about the Forgotten Realms? Did you have much familiarity with Forgotten Realms lore before 5E? If so, is it boring to you in 5E, since it largely carries on the lore of earlier editions? (That is, when it didn't roll it back to pre-4E lore.)

My favorite settings were Ravenloft, Planescape, and Spelljammer, and I honestly paid very little attention to any other setting outside of the monsters, because I'm obsessed with monsters. Also, I never bought any adventures prior to 5e and I've only read a handful of novels and some of the comics (the ones put out by TSR). Because of that, I never even knew the meta-plots behind Ravenloft and Planescape until years after the fact and promptly ignored the whole "Necropolis" thing in Ravenloft when I found out. And if I were to ever run Planescape, I'd ignore the Faction Wars as well.

 

[Maxperson]

Let's you cast that class's spells without spells without using a component pouch. You know, what it says in the class description?

No no no. You don't get to go outside of the class for rules. Going ONLY by what's in the class description, which is what you said the ONLY rule was, what does an arcane focus do?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

No no no. You don't get to go outside of the class for rules. Going ONLY by what's in the class description, which is what you said the ONLY rule was, what does an arcane focus do?

Let's you cast that class's spells without using a component pouch. You know, what it says in the class description?