Spell components gone

[Wednesday Boy]

Does that mean without somatic spell components there is no arcane spell failure for armor and mages can wear any type or armor? Or is there some other rule/mechanic to keep mages in robes?

 

[Halivar]

Hooray! Light and mage hand at will, and no vocal, material, or somatic components. I can finally play Gandalf.

 

[Halivar]

Does that mean without somatic spell components there is no arcane spell failure for armor and mages can wear any type or armor? Or is there some other rule/mechanic to keep mages in robes?

I believe they have already stated that wizards are no longer limited in what they can wear. This may change, however.

 

[Li Shenron]

As opposed to the Fighter, who can attack freely without advertising it to everyone around?

I was thinking of the cases when you are hiding, or in a social situation where spellcasting may be seen threatening, or just trying to be quiet enough not to wake anyone up.

Whether spells should or should not be possible to cast quietly, is actually debatable IMO.

There are always questions like, if you're hidden somewhere and cast a spell on you, will everyone hear you? I'm not sure if 4e, by removing verbal components, officially answers "NO" to that for instance.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Does that mean without somatic spell components there is no arcane spell failure for armor and mages can wear any type or armor? Or is there some other rule/mechanic to keep mages in robes?

The rules no longer forbid/hamper mages in armor. Though since they won't start out with armor profiencies (as far as we know), I suppose most wizards will still shy away from taking the neccessary feats to use the armor. I believe the armor check penalties (or whatever the 4E equivalent is called) will apply to all kind of attacks, even magical ones, so wearing armor without training isn't the best idea...

 

[Li Shenron]

Does that mean without somatic spell components there is no arcane spell failure for armor and mages can wear any type or armor? Or is there some other rule/mechanic to keep mages in robes?

That is a separate matter. Even in 3e ASF doesn't depend on the somatic components!

I think 4e will address the matter simply through proficiencies, meaning that Wizards will be fully able potentially to wear any armor, but will start with less proficiencies and therefore it will carry a cost. The archetype still stands, because probably most mages would rather invest in other abilities than armor.

 

[shilsen]

You have to admit, bat guano does have a certain flavour.

I wouldn't know. And didn't your mama ever tell you that licking it will make you go blind?

 

[Mephistopheles]

Hooray! Light and mage hand at will, and no vocal, material, or somatic components. I can finally play Gandalf.

Too late the Balrog learned the power of the K.I.S.S. principle when Gandalf defeated it with nothing but a light spell and a well placed mage hand.

 

[Stonesnake]

I was at DDXP and played in 4 delves and both LFR campaigns.

From what I know you can now cast spells in just about any environment and under just about any conditions. We had a delve with Chris Perkins and he even briefly mentioned about being able to now cast spells underwater if you want. Or even if you are grappled and being held down. And nowhere within any of the preview books were vocal, material, or somatic components mentioned ... they appear to be completely gone.

Remember there is a BIG difference between spells and rituals. Spells are cast during combat while rituals are cast only outside of combat and ANYONE can learn rituals now. You will need the correct feats to learn some rituals, such as raise dead, but ANYONE can now learn raise dead if they want.

Also some rituals cost gold (such as raise dead) to cast, so if material components survived they did for rituals, but only as some abstract manner (I believe the only component you'll ever need is gold, you'll never need "diamond dust" or anything like that anymore).

 

[Shroomy]

I would like material components to factor into some, but not all, of the ritual systems. Otherwise, chuck'em out the door. As for armor, I agree that this will be covered by armor proficiencies (kind of going back to an earlier explanation of why wizards don't wear armor); that said, wizards can probably burn a feat to get access to better armor.