Spell components gone

[Li Shenron]

Judging from the preview characters, is it true that spell somatic/verbal/material components are GONE?

Some of the class powers say "Implement", which makes me think that you need (or can benefit from) some focus, which is one of those already mentioned in various articles.

Otherwise, there is no mention of the other 3. Does it mean that powers have NO S/V/M components at all, or that all powers have all three S/V/M components by default?

Frankly, I'm hoping for the first option. It would get rid of a lot of things I dislike such as:

- not being able to cast without advertising it to everyone around

- grappling as universal anti-caster method

- Silence as best anti-caster spell ever

- discussions about how many free hands you have/need

- lame attempts at circumventing the need of a free hand like leather straps on a cleric's mace

If components are required by rituals rather than spells, then it's not a big deal since rituals are for out-of-combat only.

 

[hong]

Yeah, it looks like V/S/M have gone to the great cow graveyard in heaven. (I would expect that you still need to make some physical gesture to cast, but not so much that grappling will shut you down.)

 

[Falling Icicle]

Judging from the preview characters, is it true that spell somatic/verbal/material components are GONE?

It looks like components are gone. That's right. Wizards are all now like Harry Potter. Well, actually, I don't think they even have to speak anymore, which is even easier than Harry Potter has it. The ghost sound cantrip says it is cast with a wink, while mage hand and light are cast with a simple gesture.

So yeah, we can now sing hallelujah and throw away all those balls of bat guano and sulfur!

Frankly, I'm hoping for the first option. It would get rid of a lot of things I dislike such as:

- not being able to cast without advertising it to everyone around

- grappling as universal anti-caster method

- Silence as best anti-caster spell ever

- discussions about how many free hands you have/need

- lame attempts at circumventing the need of a free hand like leather straps on a cleric's mace

Agreed. Since magic is really no better now than martial abilities, I doubt any of those balancing factors will be necessary.

If components are required by rituals rather than spells, then it's not a big deal since rituals are for out-of-combat only.

Yeah, I expect rituals to include chanting, expensive material components, and all that stuff. They just wouldn't be rituals without them.

 

[green slime]

Hooray.....

or not.

DM's always had the option of removing spell components, if they felt it detracted from their game.

 

[lasergreger]

How 'bout dem rituals? Do they require components? I'd like if they did, I agree that those components for casting the run o' the mill spells could be a pain in the a--, but for a ritual, I think it could be cool, since well, it's a ritual! Paraphernalia is something associated with the word I'd say.

/L

 

[Falling Icicle]

Hooray.....

or not.

DM's always had the option of removing spell components, if they felt it detracted from their game.

And DM's will always have the option to add them back in, if they feel it adds to their game.

 

[hong]

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

 

[lasergreger]

Bah! Someone had already raised the rituals topic, that's what you get from just skimming through a post, sorry about that.

/L

 

[delericho]

I'm happy with the removal of Material components, which always felt more suited to ritual magic anyway. Not so keen on the loss of Verbal and Somatic ones, though.

- not being able to cast without advertising it to everyone around

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

- grappling as universal anti-caster method

- Silence as best anti-caster spell ever

Agreed, both of these were too powerful.

Personally, I think the big problem here was that virtually all spells had both V and S components. If the game had included a range of spells with both, one, the other, or neither, then I think things would have been a lot more interesting. (Silence would also have been better placed affecting a single target, giving a save and/or having a handful of low-level counter effects, such as the old Vocalise spell.)

 

[Nebulous]

How 'bout dem rituals? Do they require components? I'd like if they did, I agree that those components for casting the run o' the mill spells could be a pain in the a--, but for a ritual, I think it could be cool, since well, it's a ritual! Paraphernalia is something associated with the word I'd say.

I sure hope so. I would expect so, actually. I always liked the idea of components as adding to a spell, like the duration or damage or some other metamagic. Requiring it though always seemed to be a pain the ass, despite the cool flavor text.