D&D 5E Material components

[Charlaquin]

What exactly does it mean for a spell to consume a valuable gemstone? Does it just vanish? Does the Wizard grind it to dust (and if so do they now have gem dust to use as a component for other spells?) Do the bury it as an offering to some deity?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Some spells shield me
Some spells buff me
I think they're ok

But if I don't have the proper components
Then my casting goes astray

I can beg and I can plead
But the DM won't see the light (that's right)

'Cause the wizard with the cold hard cash
Can always cast spells right

'Cause wizards all need to use material components
When casting a spell at our opponents
You know that wizards all need to use material components
When casting a spell at our opponents

 

[jasper]

What exactly does it mean for a spell to consume a valuable gemstone? Does it just vanish? Does the Wizard grind it to dust (and if so do they now have gem dust to use as a component for other spells?) Do the bury it as an offering to some deity?

Depends on how much you left in the special effects budget. If a lot it blows up in pretty colors. If not, we stop the film, put dust in the wizards hand and restart the film. If you asking seriously, the gemstone vanish.

 

[Weiley31]

What exactly does it mean for a spell to consume a valuable gemstone? Does it just vanish? Does the Wizard grind it to dust (and if so do they now have gem dust to use as a component for other spells?) Do the bury it as an offering to some deity?

I'm assuming it gets consumed or disapates on the spot.

 

[Oofta]

I have the player describe what happens to components that are consumed if they want.

For example, a revivify may require holding the diamond in the cleric's hand which start to glow with the light from a soul that's been captured. Then the cleric slams the diamonds into the head of the fallen PC, reviving them.

Another may make a prayer, clap their hands and dribble the dust into the mouth of the PC.

 

[jasper]

I have the player describe what happens to components that are consumed if they want.

For example, a revivify may require holding the diamond in the cleric's hand which start to glow with the light from a soul that's been captured. Then the cleric slams the diamonds into the head of the fallen PC, reviving them.

Another may make a prayer, clap their hands and dribble the dust into the mouth of the PC.

darn oofta every time you bring back from the dead I have a headache. And this time I didn't have an axe in my skull.

 

[Lanefan]

For me it comes down to what type of game does the DM and players want to run? If its a meticulously tracked inventory game where encumbrance is used then Id definitely track components, how many pages each spell takes up in a spellbook and how much it weighs. Chances are a high level wizard is going to have more than one spellbook, and non-magical backpacks and pouches only hold so much. Add spell components to this and theres alot of factors that can dictate which spells are available to a wizard at any given time.

We played a campaign where we took all of this into account where I played a Mage. I remember having multiple spellbooks and having to choose which ones to take and which ones to leave behind when preparing to go out on an adventure. Including spellbooks, components, magical items and mundane equipment I could only carry so much. This was a fun campaign, made for very realistic game.

We do this. Some years ago I assigned page counts to every arcane spell we have (mostly so I could better cost out ink and paper for casters trying to learn/copy spells), and now we track these in our games.

Were it not for her handy backpack of holding, the main MU I play these days couldn't carry her spellbooks; never mind the rest of her gear.

 

[Lanefan]

Or in prior editions, when the component is a freaking LIVE SPIDER. I mean, how and where do you keep something like that? And why would you want to eat it? Just get a party rogue.

Given as the assumption is you're crawling around in dusty old dungeons, finding a spider when you need one should be the least of your worries...

 

[Lanefan]

I have the player describe what happens to components that are consumed if they want.

For example, a revivify may require holding the diamond in the cleric's hand which start to glow with the light from a soul that's been captured. Then the cleric slams the diamonds into the head of the fallen PC, reviving them.

Another may make a prayer, clap their hands and dribble the dust into the mouth of the PC.

For divine spells my baseline assumption is that the material components are offered up in sacrifice to the deity; and when the deity takes them they vanish. Most of the time, this results in a successful spell.

One thing I try to stay away from, other than a few specific spells, is having exact material requirements e.g. diamond dust for spells (particularly divine spells) that simply have a cost attached. For example, Raise Dead carries a cost of around 5000-7000 g.p. in my game; but as it's all just sacrificed to a deity anyway I'm not too fussed about what particular things/items/coins/gems go into making up that value. It's up to the players/PCs as to what is actually used.

 

[R_J_K75]

We do this. Some years ago I assigned page counts to every arcane spell we have (mostly so I could better cost out ink and paper for casters trying to learn/copy spells), and now we track these in our games.

Were it not for her handy backpack of holding, the main MU I play these days couldn't carry her spellbooks; never mind the rest of her gear.

Off hand I dont remember how many pages a spell takes up in a spellbook in 5E or 3E for that matter, but in 2E Im pretty sure that a spell took up "x" amount of pages per level plus 1d(?) pages. This made it rather tricky when adding spells to a spellbook depending if it was a 100 page regular spellbook or the 50 page travelling spellbook. I think in regards to the OP if you're using material components, these factors make a difference too, as you said ink, parchment, etc all adds up.