Why Do Many DMs Overlook This Restriction for Spellcasters?

[F5]

I get around the hassle of keeping track of spell components in-game with an item-based fix, a lot like Sarellion's.

When an apprentice wizard graduates from his master, his master presents him with a wand. This "wand" actually works more like a Rod, with the Eschew Materials ability, usable an unlimited time per day. I just call it a wand bacause I like the term better. A wizard who loses his wand, or doesn't have one for some reason can still use the spell components rules normally, and they have to pay for "costly material components", wand or no wand. But their wand takes care of the piddly stuff, and everyone's happy.

But I really like Sarellion's skill/focus method, too. I may adapt mine slightly.

 

[kengar]

I toyed around with a tighter bookkeeping policy for material components but gave it up as an unnecessary complication. Only about a third of the cantrips & first level arcane spells even have a material component and most of them are of negligible cost.

That said, a few things I do enforce IMC:

1. If you are a spellcaster and lose your equipment -including you component pouch- I will limit you to spells with no material component or those components you can scrounge.
2. If a spell component is unusual or rare or has a listed cost (100gp pearl for Identify etc.) I require that the caster show that they have it on hand or make them find/buy it.
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   Beyond that, and things like clerics having bought a wooden holy symbol for their Divine Focus, I don't worry about it too much. If I were running a low power, low magic, high grit, WHFRP-style game instead of D&D, then I would make them measure out every pinch of sand, but that's not D&D. If a player keeps track themselves and actually makes note of what components they require, then that might be worth some RP experience...My gawd, if a player actually said "Damn! I can't can't cast that spell because I'm out of the material component!" I think I would just give them a level!

 

[Quinn]

I don't see how the "silliness" of some of the components implies a shop where they can be purchased. Using your example, couldn't a wizard put a rank or two into Profession: Cook, and then bake his own jam tarts for the spell?

Fighter: "Well, wizard, are you ready to explore yonder castle of the half-dragon/half-drow demilich of Menzoberanzenenenen?"

Wizard: "Sorry, you go ahead without me. I still have five baking sheets of jam tarts in the oven...AH, DAMN IT! NOT AGAIN!...sorry, my crystal ball keeps on losing reception on the Food Network. Maybe next level I'll use a feat on Skill Focus: Cooking so I don't have to worry about it anymore. Ooh, drow? They live underground. If you see any bats, bring me back some guano, wouldya?"

 

[kengar]

...Ooh, drow? They live underground. If you see any bats, bring me back some guano, wouldya?"

hee hee *cackle*

I don't know why, but that's REALLY funny to me!

 

[Sagan Darkside]

OMG, I can't even get people in my group to deduct arrows and food from their character sheets, and I badger them constantly! They're SOOO bad.

Heh, probably just casual like my players. I try not to badger them about resupplying common arrows. As long as they keep track and don't over use the ones they have on them.

As for food- unless it is essential to the story (like a survival adventure) then I try not to bother with it. They don't care, and there is only so many times I want to go through a foraging/hunting scene.

SD

 

[Arnwyn]

Yes, I do enforce the use of spell components. Luckily, however, I use the normal 3e "spell component pouch" rule for those small worthless items.

As Psion said, it can come into play if the wizards loses his/her pouch at an "inopportune" time.

 

[Murrdox]

I know I'm really bad about the somatic and DF and material components as well. If a wizard fired his bow last turn, if he wants to cast a spell with all 3 components, does he need to drop his bow in order to do so?

I usually say "no" and lump the "setting the weapon aside for a moment" in with the various things involved in spellcasting that provoke attacks of opportunity.

Reasoning? It's way annoying if you have to keep track of what kind of actions are required for casting every spell ALL of the time.

If a wizard is "Silenced" or gagged, and wants to cast something, obviously we check to see if a verbal componant is needed. If he is without his spell pouch, we check to see if a material component is necessary. If his hands are bound in some way, just about everything becomes a problem.

We only keep track of what components actually list GP value for their components in the PHB. As a DM, I tell spellcasters to deduct 1 GP for buying spell components when they return to town.

 

[MThibault]

Touche. It just rubs me wrong that these things last forever once bought. I'll admit that I didn't think about it for a while, but once I sat down and thought about it, it just really bothered me. I don't think whetstones, spell component pouches, and armor upkeep should be overlooked.

I generally impose an upkeep fee on my players. I'm not overly picky about it, but about once per level at an appropriate time (when they are in the city) I make everyone pay up 20gp at lower levels and as much as 500gp at higher levels to account for all of the nickle-and-diming that has been going on behind the scenes. This also keeps the players from completely tapping out their bank accounts on potions and such.

The wizard is going to be purchasing penny-ante spell components, the bard lute strings and the fighter new buckles for his shield or whatever. No need to force anyone to get any more detailed than that, but they aren't living off a trust fund either.

Cheers.

 

[Spatula]

But as some have pointed out on this thread, most GMs don't bother with even costly componets

The vast majority in this thread have said they do bother with making players pay for components with a listed cost. I don't know which thread you're reading. Components that do not have a listed cost are not tracked - it even tells you not to bother with doing so in the rulebooks. Still, if a wizard loses his spell component pouch, he can't cast spells with Material components. Psions can manifest powers while bound, gagged, and stripped to the bone. Spellcasters cannot unless they have the right feats, and even then they have to use higher level slots for those spells.

This thread proves that in practical terms, this advantage is moot more than 95 percent of the time.

Depends on the situations that your DM throws at you. Just because your druid was never grappled doesn't mean that it doesn't happen in other games. And the sorcerer is still shelling out cash for his Stoneskins and True Seeings, the cleric for his Resurrrections, etc.

 

[Mordane76]

I'm sure glad that some people think this is humorous...

However, I was actually being serious.


The toilet paper extreme is a little extreme, and probably calculated to get a rise out of me, so I'll just let it slide, Hong.


And just because a wizard knows how to cook, doesn't mean he has to turn into a homebody-ninny. Having a character with Profession: Cook could be useful.


As for the people throwing Eschew Materials into the mix, I think this is an excellent idea -- I like it, and I wondered just how many people used it as an out to get around simple components.

And the alternative focus idea is probably my favorite alternative presented in this thread. I'm eagerly awaiting some more specifics from Sarellion on these.