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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MNblockhead" data-source="post: 7501062" data-attributes="member: 6796661">My next campaign is going to involve a lot of resource management and downtime rules. I would like part of the resource management to be spell components. I was reading over the spellcasting rules and spell descriptions today and looking at the required material components for many of the spells, I became a bit sad that a very flavorful part of the game is generally ignored. We have some interested components, many of which would require some effort or a side quest to get. But we just handwave them with a focus or component pouch. For example, Aganazzar’s Scorcher is only a second-level spell, yet it requires a red dragon's scale. It would seem that obtaining this would be difficult and not just something that is going to be hand-waved away as in your component pouch. But forget the component pouch, just use a focus. The read-dragon scale is just trivia, with no mechanical weight, and another adventure hook is lost in the weeds. While trying to be mostly true to RAW, here is how I am thinking of handling material components in my next game:1. You get a component bag at first level with the components for your cantrips and 1st-level spells that require them. 2. You also get a focus. 3. I will have intelligent foes try their very best to take, break, or knock away a wizard's focus in battle. I will be merciless about it. In a world where at least low-level wizards are known, the smart combatant will know to disrupt the wizard and taking away his focus is one of the easier ways to do this. 4. Rule three means that having a component pouch with material components prepared is important as a backup. 5. Beyond the first level, the spell caster will need to obtain the material components for any spells she will want to cast. A spellcaster can't use a focus to replace a material component until she has studied the spell with the material component. So, maybe she just finds someone with the rare component who will let her study with it. After which she can cast it with her focus, but she may still want to obtain her own material as a backup. The party will find some components in the course of adventuring. Some will be obtained as a downtime activity. And in some cases, there will be side quests to get particularly rare items. 6. The RAW regarding components with costs printed in the rules still applies.  If a value is given for the component, you MUST have that component. A focus will not replace any component with a price attached. I'm wondering how others have made components matter in their 5e game without straying too far from the RAW.</blockquote>

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