Material Components...do you use them?

[Dr. NRG]

There is a factor called PiB that gets applied to whether nuances like spell components get used IMC. That's the Pain in the Butt factor. PiB for components is simply too high.

Besides, villains don't have to use 'em, do they? I'd love to hear a DM chime in here to say that they figured out whether or not the opponents of the party have all the relevant material components...

Without villains being limited by components, I'd say that you balance play against the party by forcing players to use them.

NRG

 

[Caliber]

I haven't even made anyone pay for spell component pouches. I figure that if it doesn't have a cost, they'll have it.

If it DOES have a cost, I'll normally give them a small amount (so far its been 10, but I am thinking of toning that down)

I am not sure how I should handle focuses. I am truthfully thinking of making them pay for ALL of their expensive components (ie, no freebies)

The rule was invented because not all of my players have all of the books, nor are they all very rules-savy, so many of them don't know what the components for several spells are (and as much as I know, I don't know the spells chapter inside and out, so outside of the more popular spells, I normally don't know the components needed either)

 

[Kraedin]

There are not material components in my game. On the whole, they didn't add anything to the game but irritation. Some of the material components are ludicrous, too. Anyone around here willing to cast spider climb?

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I never use material components, not even the expensive ones. I do enforce focuses, since they're reusable. However, there are situations where a Wizard or Sorceror might find themselves completely without their equipment-- in which case, they're limited to whatever spells they can manage with Eschew Materials and Spell Mastery. I allow spontaneous Eschew Magic without affecting casting time.

This is one big edge that Psions have, since they require neither components nor foci-- they can wake up in the orcish dungeon in their Fruit of the Looms and they're automatically smooth and deadly.

 

[IceBear]

Isn't "by the book" just keeping track of the expensive components and assume that they have the free ones (unless some weird circumstances - like thrown in prison or something - occur). I just ask because I think it's skewing the poll results. I voted for "by the book" because that's how I understand the offical rules to be, but everyone who only tracks expensive components are doing the same thing

IceBear

 

[Dingleberry]

Finally, if you are not keeping track of components that you are probably not keeping track of the move equivalent actions necearry to retrieve the components for casting spells. When components are stored anywhere other than in your hand, in a Heward's Handy Haversack, or in a Glove of storing, it would require a move equivalent action to get the components from your pouch, spell component pouch, or wherever, per the retrieving an item rules (hence the rule about not being able to cast any spells with M in a grapple unless they are in hand). Again, this is a very necessary part of balancing spellcasters as they are by far the most powerful characters in the game. Again, there are ways to get around this (and I would rule, as with a weapon, that you could retrieve spell components in a spell component pouch while moving), but they are still there.

I disagree. Table 8-4 (PHB p. 128) lists "Prepare spell components to cast a spell" as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. I read the grapple rule to simply mean you can't reach your spell component pouch when grappled.

Rules aside, I think it would grossly penalize spellcasters to require an additional move-equivalent action to cast a spell with a material component. By that interpretation, a hasted spellcaster couldn't cast two spells with material components each round, and a spellcaster with a Quickened spell with a material component would still have to spend a move-equivalent to get the component out first.

Isn't "by the book" just keeping track of the expensive components and assume that they have the free ones (unless some weird circumstances - like thrown in prison or something - occur). I just ask because I think it's skewing the poll results. I voted for "by the book" because that's how I understand the offical rules to be, but everyone who only tracks expensive components are doing the same thing

Agreed. PHB p. 151: "Unless a cost is given for a material component, the cost is negligible. Don't bother to keep track of material components with negligible cost. Assume you have all you need as long as you have your spell component pouch."

Also: "As with material components, the cost for a focus is negligible unless a specific price is listed. Assume that focus components of negligible cost are in your spell component pouch."

 

[Sarellion]

In the new capaign I want to start I will try something else.

Wizards are using a focus for all their spells, this can be a staff, a torc or special gloves or something else. The foci are nsribed with arcane runes or the runes are stitched in. The focus will look special. The kind of focus will depend on your wizard school.
A wizard still needs costly material components, the focus will not replace them.

Nearly all people in the world recognize most of the items and know of their importance. Every wizard is running around with such an item and there are enough rumors that tie spellcasting to the focus. Some people even believe they only need the item to cast spells.

Of course most people would prefer gloves. most of the time there is a problem wearing magic gloves and focus gloves, but you have to go back to school to change the magic gloves. Another possibility is wearing a special gloves like the villains wear in the Star Gate series.

Staves have another advantage besides being not such a hassle if you wish to wear gloves. You can get a price reduction of 10% if you purchase wands. Instead of a wand you install a gem in a socket of your staff. There will be some special abilities for the staff that you can purchase with exp, like hovering beside you, reduce size, even more resistance against outside influences (foci are hard to destroy even at the start of the game), come to the wizards side and teleport staff to the wizards side.

Sorcerers don't need normal cheap, so they have an advantage that their spellcasting is not tied to a focus.

 

[Drawmack]

Here is what I do:
A caster must allot a certain amount of funds to components. Then when he casts a spell the cost of the components is deducted from his spell component kitty (unless he actually has the component and sacrafices it like a blade of grass).

However, if it is a focus that is not destroyed the item is then added to their list and the money is deduceted from their spell components kitty.

As far as retrival of components I assume the game designers to have balanced this with casting times but I make sure the casters are keeping stuff within easy reach.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Again, this is a very necessary part of balancing spellcasters as they are by far the most powerful characters in the game.

Not necessarily.

I also give Sorcerors the "eschew materials" feat for free at 1st level, as a stylistic thing (as it saves them all of, what, 25gp of starting gear ...).

It still means that they must cast it as a full-round action. I instead changed the sorc's a bit so they have no need of material components (and their verbal and somantic components are differant from the studied stuff the pyjama-people do). They have to pay with xp for materials with a price, and may pay with xp for costly focuses.

Wizards (and the rest, except bards), on the other hand, don't have to keep track of their material components or focuses, except the ones with a price, which they have to get first.

They still can be kepf from spellcasting if someone grapples them, steals their component pouch or "disarms" them when they cast.

Anyone around here willing to cast spider climb?

I think I have never seen a character cast that spell. Maybe from a scroll, or potion (and don't, ever, wonder what they make those potions with). I wonder what would happen to a spider kisser drow if he cast that spell. A male would be killed on the spot I think (or the drow have a different version of that spell without that particular ingredient)

 

[Deadguy]

I guess I am an 'other' option. I require Wizard PCs to buy a new Spell Component Pouch every month or two, and I ask them to keep track specifically of the expensive spell components and foci.

I use Monte's Sorcerer, so they don't have to worry about material components, but they do end up spending XPs for 'expensive' spells.

Needing components is one of the limits of Wizardry, and I find that using it marks the Wizards as different.