Do you use spell components in your game?

[Telperion]

I use the variant found in Player's Guide to Wizards, Bards and Sorcerers (S&SS). There are different sized spell pouches that can be filled with "spell component units". If a spell component doesn't have a cost assigned to it that component uses up a unit. If a spell component's cost is 1 gp or more, then a unit won't do it and you actually have to inventory these components.

The new spell listings in the PHB 3.5 are very handy for this use, since spells have an "m" marking if their casting requires a spell component that is more expensive than 1 gp (for the use of Eschew Materials feat, but it also serves this variant very nicely).

 

[gunter uxbridge]

Want to have some fun? Give your party an NPC wizard with the Vow of Poverty feats. He can cast anything with material requirements as long as they have no real value, but he can trade XP for gold value. It hasn't really come up yet, but it can make choosing spells interesting.

In general though, I don't worry about it. Only in a situation where the wizard might be separated from his spell components, grappled or the spell costs for than a few gold would I take it into consideration.

 

[johnsemlak]

One component I always enforce is the pearl required for identify.

As a player I always roleplay the use of the component, of course.

 

[Rimple Serf]

Rimple

Does the GM in your game(s) make you keep track of and resupply your spell components, thereby keeping a form of control over the spells that players can cast?

No, It takes too much time in the game. The flow of the game is important and must not be hindered by pesky spell components. As a fail safe to the game so players don't get rich, we must pay 1000gp prior to the game starting. As our characters advance in level so will the price.

Some rare spells that require specialist componets are however controlled.


Rimple

 

[johnsemlak]

A couple of observations on the results. I just posted the 80th vote and so far the results are 40/40 yes/no. Surprising.

I'm also surprised no one chose the third choice just for humor.

 

[Li Shenron]

I would let a player keep track of every component if she finds it fun, but that hasn't happened so far

 

[Fenes]

As a player, I like keeping track of components - I fondly remember that expedition into the jungle where components (and clothes and such) were starting to run out. 50 pellets for fireballs sound like a lot, but they do not last that long if you cast 4 fireballs a day.

 

[Khaalis]

I only make players track the rare components/foci not in the Spell Pouch. I also keep a vague reference in mind of how many spells the casters have gone through and occasionally tell them on a "shopping" downtime... "And you notice that your spell pouch is running low, its time to pick up a new one." In most campaigns this is nothing more than a minor cash sink, like meals and lodgings.

 

[Whisper72]

As most ppl here said, IMC I do not really enforce having to purchase or acquire the really easy stuff (sand for sleep spell f.ex.), but DO strictly enforce the more expensive or exotic ones.

What I usually DO do, is have the mage players keep a list similar to the ammunition tracking, with the amount of times per spell the components are present. They have to tick them off for each use. Once they get into civilized territory, they can assume they will visit stores to fill up on the regular stuff wihout really having to pay / roleplay for it. For the expensive stuff, it would depend upon where they are to see for availability etc....

 

[Connorsrpg]

Yeah now

We are moving in the other direction in our campaign. We are beginning to track all components. However, components depend upon class, not spell, in our Cellworld CS (much like in Monte's AU).

A wizard for eg needs material components. Ignore the line in the books under each spell, wizards need components for ALL spells and they can choose what to use. As we also have a sepll roll the DM judges the appropriateness of the component and may apply a penalty or bonus to this roll. Exceptional/rare/expensive components may even have benefits such as auto application of metamagic feats.

This adds to the RP during a session where items are sought after or taken..."Hmmm that might come in handy later" sort of stuff (don't track weight for all this - assume component pouch = 3lbs).

Spells requiring XP or expensive components are still required by all casters.

Connors