Spell Components--do you use them?

[Mouseferatu]

I have my own system, which I created in an attempt to add a bit of creativity to spellcasting, on the part of the player. I wanted to encourage them to do more than just say "I cast fireball." So here's how my system works:

Every spell requires a material component, even the ones that don't have an M component listed in the book. (Well, with a few exceptions, but not many.) But, the component can be anything at all--an arrowhead, a rock, a bit of jewelry, an old glove--anything at all, so long as the player can explain to me how the component somehow symbolizes/fits with the spell effect.

For instance, I've seen detect magic cast with a compass, a prism, and a pair of spectacles. I've seen magic missile cast with an arrowhead and a thorn. The more creative the better, but as I said, the player must be able to reasonably justify the link between spell and item; anyone trying to cast detect magic with a tomato is going to get scowled at and told to try again.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Oh, for the record, the above system applies to arcane casters only. Divine casters don't need components, but they do need their focus, and the player actually has to come up with a brief prayer/request of the deity/power/whatever's granting the spell. That keeps the requirements of playing a divine caster on par with an arcane caster, in terms of player creativity.

 

[Blue_Kryptonite]

I voted no. Heck, we don't even use spell slots.

 

[Ylis]

I voted no. Heck, we don't even use spell slots.

I've always hated the whole spell slots thing as well...so how do balance out characters not using spell slots? I'd be interested in maybe implementing that in my games as well...if you don't mind sharing your secrets

 

[Desdichado]

No, that's too much trouble for me with no payoff in terms of fun for the players. I have no interest in material components.

 

[jasper]

I do rare and expensive but created the sheet below for my players. Note this has not been updated for 3.5. The reason I made them pay is years ago I was dming a game and had some one cast spell which cost 10K. The group hardly ever had that much on hand and the mage's cut was never that much.

Spell Cost GP and XP
If the material component, focus or divine focus has an GP cost, the cost is listed; otherwise the player can assume that the actual materials involved are at the discretion of the caster and have no significant monetary value. The XP cost is also listed

Analyze Dweomer 1500 gp focus
Animate Dead 50 gp black onyx gem
Astral Projection 1000 gp + 5 gp x persons
Atonement 500 gp focus 500 XP
Augury 25 gp focus
Awaken XP 250

Binding 500 gp per prop + 500 gp x hit dice for target
Bless Water 25 gp +

Circle of Death 500 gp +
Cloak of Chaos 500 gp focus
Clone 1000 gp lab supplies + flesh of subject + 500 gp focus
Commune 100 XP
Consecrate 25 gp
Contingency cost of original spell, quick silver, eyelash of spell using creature, + focus 1,500 gp
I would say 1000 gp for material components.
Continual Flame 50 gp
Create Greater Undead 50 gp black onyx gem x hit dice
Created undead 50 gp black onyx gem x hit dice
Curse Water 25 gp

Desecrate 25 gp
Destruction 500 gp focus
Detect Thoughts 1 CP
Divination 25 gp
Drawmij’s Instant Summons 1000 gp gem

Fire Trap 25 gp
Forbiddance 1500 gp per 60 cubic ft or 6500 per 60 if password included
Force cage 1500 gp

Glyph of Warding 200 gp
Greater Glyph of Warding 400 gp
Greater restoration 500 XP
Identify 100 gp
Legend Lore 250 gp 50 go focus
Leomund’s Secret Chest 5050 gp
Leomund’s Trap 50 gp
Limited Wish 300 XP or Spell cast XP plus spell material component

Magic jar 100 gp
Magic mouth 10 gp
Miracle 5000 XP plus material component if about 100 gp , or XP of duplicated spell,
Mord’s Sword 25 gp focus

Nondetection 50 gp

Permanency Check book/srd
Permanent Image 100 gp
Programmed Image 25 gp
Protection from Spells 500 gp + 1000 gp gem focus

Raise Dead 500 gp
Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer 50 gp focus
Refuge 1500 gp
Restoration 100 gp
Resurrection 500 gp

Scrying 1000 gp mirror arcane, cleric 100 gp bowl, druid 0 gp
Sepia snake sigil 500 gp
Shape change 1500 gp focus
Shield of Law 500 gp focus
Shield other 50 gp focus
Simulacrum 1000 XP, 100 gp + 100 gp per hit pt
Soul Bind 1000 gp gem x hit dice focus
Stone skin 250 gp
Symbol 5000 gp per rune
Sympathy 1500 gp

Teleportation Circle 1000 gp
Temporal Stasis 5000 gp
Tenser’s Transformation potion of strength
Trap the soul 1000 gp gem x hit dice + trigger object
True resurrection 5000 gp
True Seeing 250 gp

Unhallow 1000 gp + 1000 gp x spell level
Unholy aura 500 gp focus
Vision 100 XP

Wall of iron 50 gp
Wish 5000 XP + material component over 10000 gp

 

[Matafuego]

Well for Wizards we keep track of every single material component, although I tend to change a lot of them and turn them to Focuses.. if a player dislikes that (and I've had players who enjoyed it) he's always welcome to play a sorcerer.

 

[Hypersmurf]

For instance, I've seen detect magic cast with a compass, a prism, and a pair of spectacles. I've seen magic missile cast with an arrowhead and a thorn. The more creative the better, but as I said, the player must be able to reasonably justify the link between spell and item; anyone trying to cast detect magic with a tomato is going to get scowled at and told to try again.

Did you sleep through that lecture?

You know tomatoes are high in lycopene, right?

-Hyp.

 

[evileeyore]

In our games Spell Components go the way of food, torches, and ammunition.

Unless it is 'special' or cost more than 1gp, they are a plenty. We are assumed to have a stock of them easily accessable. If it is costly and used frequently (much like x-bow bolts and arrows are) our 'party clerk' keeps track and keeps the 'storehouse' stocked. X amount is handed out to the players and they keep track of what is used.

Should the DM need it to matter we start keeping an accurate track (of ammo, food, whatever), with the DM stating things like "You have X spells of level 1-3 in components left, and Y of spells 4-6, and Z of ...". Know (Local) and Survival/Wilderness Lore checks can be made to replenish so much at a time until whatever is causing the shortage ends. Usually our Dms don't do this though, as even without his sword and armor the Fighter can still fight. Without components, most spells are just inexcessable.

TTFN

EvilE

 

[Mouseferatu]

Did you sleep through that lecture?

You know tomatoes are high in lycopene, right?

-Hyp.

Find me a PC who has a reason to know, in character, what lycopene is, and maybe I'll consider it.