D&D 5E Object Interaction and Spell Material Components

[Charlaquin]

I voted other. Here’s the way I see it: if martial characters have to use their object interaction to draw their weapon, casters should have to use their object interaction to draw their spellcasting focus too. However, if martial characters don’t have to use their object interaction to attack once their weapon is drawn, casters shouldn’t have to use their object interaction to use their arcane focus once it’s drawn either. And if casters with an arcane focus don’t have to use their object interaction to use it once drawn, casters with component pouches shouldn’t need to use their object interaction to draw the components from it every time they cast a spell.

IOW, everyone should have to use their object interaction at the start of the fight to “ready” their combat implement of choice, or to switch to a different combat implement. But nobody should have to use their object interaction to properly utilize their combat implement of choice.

 

[Bolares]

I voted other. Here’s the way I see it: if martial characters have to use their object interaction to draw their weapon, casters should have to use their object interaction to draw their spellcasting focus too. However, if martial characters don’t have to use their object interaction to attack once their weapon is drawn, casters shouldn’t have to use their object interaction to use their arcane focus once it’s drawn either. And if casters with an arcane focus don’t have to use their object interaction to use it once drawn, casters with component pouches shouldn’t need to use their object interaction to draw the components from it every time they cast a spell.

IOW, everyone should have to use their object interaction at the start of the fight to “ready” their combat implement of choice, or to switch to a different combat implement. But nobody should have to use their object interaction to properly utilize their combat implement of choice.

This seems very reasonable.

 

[commandercrud]

The only way to avoid absurd abuse of "object interaction" is to remove that rule altogether. It's idiotic as written. I rule whatever the player is asking to do as either an action, bonus action, or part of movement. The 6-seconds per round given all that players can do is already pushing it too far.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I generally am pretty lenient - if you've got it, that's fine enough for me. I'll assume you can get to it. I don't need to spend my DMing time policing whether spellcasters have a hand free or not. The exception is if your hands are bound or otherwise unable to be used - then the somatic and material components of a spell are going to be a problem.

And I really only care about material components if they're expensive or exotic. I once tried a campaign where every spell component had to be tracked and counted, and I found out that it was way too much bean-counting for me.

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

I voted option 3 as I'm very liberal with item swapping and components. If you have it then it is an option for you without having to waste a turn swapping things around. Casting a spell with a sword and shield out? Go for it. Have a sword and shield out but want to switch to your long bow? Sure (just no switching back for that shield AC).

 

[DND_Reborn]

I voted other. Here’s the way I see it: if martial characters have to use their object interaction to draw their weapon, casters should have to use their object interaction to draw their spellcasting focus too. However, if martial characters don’t have to use their object interaction to attack once their weapon is drawn, casters shouldn’t have to use their object interaction to use their arcane focus once it’s drawn either. And if casters with an arcane focus don’t have to use their object interaction to use it once drawn, casters with component pouches shouldn’t need to use their object interaction to draw the components from it every time they cast a spell.

IOW, everyone should have to use their object interaction at the start of the fight to “ready” their combat implement of choice, or to switch to a different combat implement. But nobody should have to use their object interaction to properly utilize their combat implement of choice.

Once it is out and "in hand", sure you don't have to spend your free interaction, just as a martial doesn't have to with a drawn weapon, but I am more talking about the cost-components which a spell component pouch or focus won't replace. They have to be somewhere on your person, you can't hold all that junk all the time after all. And if you need to retrieve such a component for a spell (I've been sticking to the 25 gp diamond for Chromatic Orb as an example), will that cost you your free interaction?

 

[Li Shenron]

You just stepped on a... cr4ppy area of the rules.

In terms of action, you need to "use" the material component, which suggests at least to utilize the one free object interaction. However if the material component is inexpensive, you can instead use a generic component pouch, arcane focus, druidic focus, musical instrument or holy symbol, depending on your class. Which actually doesn't make a difference, except for the holy symbol which you can "use" simply by wearing it. Why? Because Cleric.

All other types of focus don't specify what it means to "use" them actually. You don't have to play the bard's instrument, or swing the Wizard's staff, but "use" them.

So if you want to be FAIR to your players, I'd say make them all work equally for every class. Say that "use" means just "use AS focus" (self-defining, no other meaning here related to usages outside spellcasting). And since "wear" qualify as "use" for Clerics, make it valid for all. Hence, do not require even the free object interaction.

Now, if someone really insists non-clerics need to spend that extra interaction, let's get started on how the Cleric with mace & shield needs to have a free hand for his somatic components and to get that free hand he needs to interact with the mace to pass it to the other hand, which requires to spend an object interaction...

 

[Charlaquin]

Once it is out and "in hand", sure you don't have to spend your free interaction, just as a martial doesn't have to with a drawn weapon, but I am more talking about the cost-components which a spell component pouch or focus won't replace. They have to be somewhere on your person, you can't hold all that junk all the time after all. And if you need to retrieve such a component for a spell (I've been sticking to the 25 gp diamond for Chromatic Orb as an example), will that cost you your free interaction?

Personally, I assume expensive material components can be kept in a component pouch in addition to generic ones (as long as they could reasonably fit inside it). So, if you’re using a component pouch already anyway, no, I wouldn’t make you use your object interaction to retrieve your diamond for Chromatic Orb. On the other hand, if you’re using an Arcane Focus and keeping your expensive components in your coin purse or something, yeah, that requires an object interaction to grab.

 

[Krachek]

Personally, I assume expensive material components can be kept in a component pouch in addition to generic ones (as long as they could reasonably fit inside it). So, if you’re using a component pouch already anyway, no, I wouldn’t make you use your object interaction to retrieve your diamond for Chromatic Orb. On the other hand, if you’re using an Arcane Focus and keeping your expensive components in your coin purse or something, yeah, that requires an object interaction to grab.

Do you mean that casting stoneskin should take two rounds? It is already considered a bad choice, it will reach abyssal rating.

 

[Charlaquin]

Do you mean that casting stoneskin should take two rounds? It is already considered a bad choice, it will reach abyssal rating.

Why would it take two rounds? If you use a component pouch, the diamond should be in there so you just need to draw the pouch at the start of the fight. If you use a spellcasting focus, grab your diamond on round 1 so you can cast Stoneskin and draw your wand or whatever next round. You don’t need both to cast it.