Sage advice: spell casting rules

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

ppaladin123

Mar 23, 2015 18:49:27

http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/rules-spellcasting

 

Jeremy Crawford lays down some rules clarifications...note this one:

 

"Another example: a cleric’s holy symbol is emblazoned on her shield. She likes to wade into melee combat with a mace in one hand and a shield in the other. She uses the holy symbol as her spellcasting focus, so she needs to have the shield in hand when she casts a cleric spell that has a material component. If the spell, such as aid, also has a somatic component, she can perform that component with the shield hand and keep holding the mace in the other.

If the same cleric casts cure wounds, she needs to put the mace or the shield away, because that spell doesn’t have a material component but does have a somatic component. She’s going to need a free hand to make the spell’s gestures. If she had the War Caster feat, she could ignore this restriction."

 

So you can cast a spell with a holy symbol in hand if it has a material component even if it has a somatic component (I suppose touching the material component is the somatic component of the spell) . But if the spell has no material component but does have a somatic component you need your hand to be empty to perform the somatic component.  Oddly enough the additional material component requirement actually makes it easier for clerics/paladins to cast a spell in combat since it gives them an excuse to hold their shield.

 

 

#2

JRutterbush

Mar 23, 2015 21:43:31

ppaladin123 wrote:
#3

Kalani

Mar 23, 2015 22:02:56

In the case of a holy symbol emblem - the somatic component would be presenting your shield with divine conviction. As I have said on numerous ocassions, spellcasting foci only work when casting VSM, SM and the theoretical VM spells (although I am not aware of any examples of the latter). 

(Reply to #3)

Nevvur

Kalani wrote:
#5

Kalani

Mar 23, 2015 23:13:16

Well there you go. I guess there are examples of VM spells, although I can't imagine how you would cast a VM spell without an S component (I guess manipulating the component doesn't count as gesturing).