Strictly by RAW, do Focus/Material component need a free hand?

[Diirk]

In general, I'm ok with that. However, take the True Strike spell. The focus is a small wooden archery target. Would you allow a wizard to make a "signet" ring with the target as the device, and thereby always have it at hand?

Thats a good question !

*hides*

Just for consistancies sake I'd probably require a free hand still. Altho my opinion of true strike isn't particularly high (my groups have never focused on 1 hit kill type builds, so its always seemed a bit underwhelming to me)

 

[DM_Fiery_Fist]

I certainly would allow a wizard to make a ring like that. In my experience, it's not exactly game-breaking for a wizard to have something in both hands, and by making the focus into a ring, he would give spell components a bit more prominence in the game. I think it would be a clever idea and I'd allow it if only for the roleplaying potential. I always enjoyed the "mysterious components" that spells required.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I guess what I'm getting at here is that the optimal solution, from my point of view, is that the DM would work with his players and determine, for that player's spells, what is required in terms of manipulating foci. (I wouldn't worry, generally, about material components, as they are annihiliated each casting, and are therefore expected to be carried in bulk.)

So, for instance, with True Strike, I'd be happy with a player who determined that manipulating the target consisted of just brandishing it - accordingly, this particular spell could be cast with no actual hands "free," so long as the target was included in a ring. (Think Green Lantern.)

A wizard (or sorceror) from a different magical tradition might be required to trace each ring of the target, ending by pressing the bullseye - and, accordingly, anyone who learned spell from a scroll or spellbook written by such a wizard would be required to cast it in the same fashion.

A third wizard might have, instead of a "competition" archery target, a "military training" archery target - a man-shape, rather than a circle, and would be required to touch the "heart ring" when speaking the magic words.

This lends further rationale to the Spellcraft check required to identify a spell as it's being cast, as well as the Spellcraft check required to prepare a spell from someone else's spellbook.

 

[apesamongus]

I'd still assume the 1 free hand for manipulating the components is required (after all, you have to fetch them out of the component pouch somehow...)

So, in essence, saying a spell has compoents "V,M" or "V,F" is misleading, because it would actually be "V,M,S" and "V,F,S" or you could say that every spell listed as "V,S,M" is repetative, because it could just as easily say "V,M", because using M has the same limitations as a somatic component. Really, if using a material component/focus requires a free hand, what is the difference between a spell listed as "V,F,S" and one listed as "V,F"? Is it simply the Arcane Failure chance?

 

[werk]

So what is the difference between a spell listed as "V,F,S" and one listed as "V,F"? Is it simply the Arcane Failure chance?

IMC, yes.

 

[Voadam]

So, in essence, saying a spell has compoents "V,M" or "V,F" is misleading, because it would actually be "V,M,S" and "V,F,S" or you could say that every spell listed as "V,S,M" is repetative, because it could just as easily say "V,M", because using M has the same limitations as a somatic component. Really, if using a material component/focus requires a free hand, what is the difference between a spell listed as "V,F,S" and one listed as "V,F"? Is it simply the Arcane Failure chance?

What spells are "V, F" or "V, M"?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

What spells are "V, F" or "V, M"?

Apart from anything with V, S, M/F/DF prepared with Still spell (which would be most spells in the game) ...

Darkness (V, M/DF)
Displacement (V,M)
Light (V, M/DF)
Suggestion (V, M)
Teleportation Circle (V, M)
Tongues (V, M/DF)
True Strike (V, F)
Ventriloquism (V, F)

 

[Felnar]

Then the important question becomes, "What does 'manipulate the material components' mean?"

Does it mean "touch it"? Does it mean "wave about appropriately"? Or, sometimes even, "eat"?

somewhere theres a spell (probly in 2nd ed) that required you to eat a live spider

 

[The Souljourner]

somewhere theres a spell (probly in 2nd ed) that required you to eat a live spider

Spider Climb:

Material Component: A drop of bitumen and a live spider, both of which must be eaten by the subject.

3.5 baby. Note that it is the subject that must eat the spider.

-The Souljourner

 

[Hypersmurf]

Really, if using a material component/focus requires a free hand, what is the difference between a spell listed as "V,F,S" and one listed as "V,F"? Is it simply the Arcane Failure chance?

And whether or not it can be used in a grapple.

V,S,M - cannot be used in a grapple, ASF applies.
V,M - can be used in a grapple if the component is in hand, ASF does not apply.

-Hyp.