Spell Components--do you use them?

[Buttercup]

Do you use spell components in your game? Why or why not? If you do, is it because you think they add flavor, or because you think leaving them out would unbalance the game?

Discuss.

 

[DragonLancer]

Only if the component has a monetary cost. To keep track of every component would slow the game down too much, and I have tried in the past.

 

[Talon5]

My wizard buys a new spell component pouch every few adventures (depending on how much spell casting he does by my perception), and keeps an extra on his person.

Any component that cost coinage is a must to have on the character sheet for all characters. Even one of our fighters carries diamond dust for restoration (course he's mine too).

The components arn't counted unless as I said they cost coinage.

 

[JesterPoet]

We use a system of "If it is an expensive or rare component you need to prove that you can provide it, but if it is common and/or cheap, it's assumed you keep a supply in your component pouch"

Our rules for what is rare/expensive are pretty arbitrary, but nobody has ever had a problem with them. A 100gp pearl for the identify spell is probably the best example of a common component that you need to prove you bought on a regular basis.

I think our reasons for this are a holdover from 2e, where mages had a tendency to suck REALLY bad at low levels, and it made people even less interested in playing them if you limited their spells even more with component regulations.

But I could see the fun in having strict rules about components.






My guess is that most people will not have strict rules about components, but I'll be interested to see if that is correct.

 

[Piratecat]

We use a system of "If it is an expensive or rare component you need to prove that you can provide it, but if it is common and/or cheap, it's assumed you keep a supply in your component pouch"

We use the exact same system. I also give eschew materials to sorcerers for free.

It just occurred to me - I need to pick pocket our wizard's spell component pouch before a battle some time.

 

[StalkingBlue]

We use a system of "If it is an expensive or rare component you need to prove that you can provide it, but if it is common and/or cheap, it's assumed you keep a supply in your component pouch"

That's close enough to the default rule isn't it? - Under which all spell components that don't have a gp price put on them in the spell description are assumed to be available in the caster's spell component pouch.

All the DnD groups I've been in have used that default rule.

I've played in other game systems where all spell component supplies had to be tracked by the player. The flavour that added to the game was drowned dead in the flood of bookkeeping, rules-conferring and plain waiting-for-the-mage-to-finish-picking-bloom-off-that-seventh-bush-over-there-this-morning.

 

[KB9JMQ]

We use a system of "If it is an expensive or rare component you need to prove that you can provide it, but if it is common and/or cheap, it's assumed you keep a supply in your component pouch".

This is the way I have always played it. When the characters are in town I make sure that they do say what expensive components they are trying to purchase so I know that they did.

 

[diaglo]

i prefer to use all spell components. V,S,M/F for arcane as well as divine casters.

 

[Lamoni]

Do you use spell components in your game? Why or why not? If you do, is it because you think they add flavor, or because you think leaving them out would unbalance the game?

Discuss.

We don't use any spell components in our game. We keep track of V, and S, but as far as the cost of anything, we don't bother (except for XP costs). It hasn't been unbalancing in our campaign and it allows the casting of spells without looking up what is required for them.

In my ideal campaign world, no spells would have any gold or XP costs. If a spell ended up being too good without it, I would just raise the spell level or add to the casting time. A casting time of 24 hours would limit enough spells. If you felt like you really needed a certain spell before you were able to cast it, you could always buy a scroll or wand for the appropriate amount of money of course. Then hope the rogue had a high UMD skill.

 

[Arnwyn]

We use a system of "If it is an expensive or rare component you need to prove that you can provide it, but if it is common and/or cheap, it's assumed you keep a supply in your component pouch"

That's the method we use, as well. (Which, IIRC, is actually the 3e default rule.)

We use it for both a combination of flavor and balance (more heavily weighted to flavor).