D&D 5E Is the only purpose of a spellcasting focus to eschew common material components?

[77IM]

My interpretation of the rules is, if you have a focus or a component pouch, materials without a GP price listed just don't matter and can be ignored, even if they would get consumed.

I'm also planning to house-rule that if you have a component pouch, you can buy costly materials at any time. Like if you're in the field and need a 50 GP onyx for a spell, you can just pay 50 GP and pull one out of your pouch. It's a hand-wave to avoid having to track that stuff, with the rationale that you know what components your spells might need so you stocked the pouch with them last time you were in town.

 

[Kobold Stew]

For some reason, I was convinced that there was a time when the focus was necessary to get your proficiency bonus, but I can find no evidence of this now.

you are correct: Check the October '13 play test -- under each spell casting class, the spellcasting bonus lets you add your proficiency bonus when you have a focus.

 

[seebs]

you are correct: Check the October '13 play test -- under each spell casting class, the spellcasting bonus lets you add your proficiency bonus when you have a focus.

Ah-hah. And that's why there's occasional references to whether something can be used as a focus, even though the proficiency bonus is now automatic.

 

[Stalker0]

This is one of my favorite little rules in 5e.


5e wanted to provide a means to say "A spellcaster stripped down to their jimmies cannot case most spells". But also recognized that a lot of people don't give a lick about components and tracking bat guano....so they offered a very elegant solution imo.


The only thing I would have changed is to allow sorcs to use just a drop of their own blood to count as a spell focus....because frankly forcing them to mix their "inner power" with "external ingredients" just makes no sense. But an easy houserule for me.

 

[Mr Fixit]

The only thing I would have changed is to allow sorcs to use just a drop of their own blood to count as a spell focus....because frankly forcing them to mix their "inner power" with "external ingredients" just makes no sense. But an easy houserule for me.

Haven't thought of that. A great idea.

 

[BlazeNPhoenix]

So...I'm late to the game, but just because a wizard uses *a* focus doesn't mean they can't use a component pouch, right? I mean, my wizard uses a reskinned orb as a focus (a carnelian geode). If he loses his focus, can't he just pick up a component pouch or search for the components for his spells if he loses his focus? I mean, i would think that's the way I would go until I could find the right crystal geode to take the place of my last focus....

 

[Kobold Stew]

Yes; a component pouch or a focus replace the need for non-costed material components. If you lose one, you can use another.

Welcome to the boards!

 

[Mortilupo]

Unless it's magical than it affects the DC of spells cast.

 

[Ilbranteloth]

Looking through the basic set, I see each spell caster gets a different type of spellcasting focus. It's referenced under the class description and then again in the equipment. Both areas mention rules will be found in Chapter 10. In Chapter 10, the only reference to a focus' use is it acts, like a spell component pouch, to replace any cheap (and perhaps non-consumed -- it depends on how you read the paragraph) material component.

Is that its only use?

Mechanically, RAW the answer is yes. It was rendered relatively useless with the addition of a component pouch, since that means you always have the right material component anyway. If it were a difference of a focus or having the right material components, there would be more value.

However, there is one situation RAW where it makes a bigger difference, because of a couple of rules taken together.

If a spell requires a material component and a somatic component, then the use of that component (including retrieving it from a component pouch) counts as the somatic component as well.

So a cleric that has their holy symbol on a shield that is their spellcasting focus can use that shield to replace the material and somatic components, but only when the spell requires a material component.

Since the spellcasting focus doesn't replace somatic components on their own, it can't be used in this way unless the spell has a material component.

There's another thread complaining about this. My answer is simple - if that's a problem for you, allow a spellcasting focus to replace somatic components too.

 

[Recueillir]

I think it primarily exists so casters can be disarmed in some way.