Spellcasting focus and component pouch? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Coolossus2123 Aug 23, 2015 21:12:41	Can someone explain to me how spellcasting focuses work, and what they do? How about component pouches? I’m pretty unfamiliar with both, but I’ve heard many complaints that the spellcasting focus was not explained well, and I'm having trouble finding much information about it.
#2 mellored Aug 24, 2015 8:54:04	Focus (wands, staffs, rods, ect...) and pouch are functionally the same thing. It's upto you weather you want to cast fireball with a wand or pull a bit of bat guano from your pouch. You need one, and a hand to hold it, to cast any spell that has "M" in the descipion. If you have a spell that has "S" and "M", then you can use the same hand for both. The confusing part is that if you have a spell that has "S", but not "M", then you need a free hand. So you need to put your wand down to cast it. Most DM's ignore the rule, cause it's stupid. The other exception is cleric/paladins, who can use a drawing of their god's symbol. So they usually emboss it on their shield, letting them hold a weapon. The main purpose of "M" spells, is so that you can be disarmed. Take away a caster's wand/pouch/shield, and they lose access to several spells.
#3 Tempest_Stormwind Aug 24, 2015 10:46:41	mellored wrote:
#4 Rya.Reisender Aug 24, 2015 11:09:10	The confusing part is that if you have a spell that has "S", but not "M", then you need a free hand. So you need to put your wand down to cast it. Most DM's ignore the rule, cause it's stupid.
(Reply to #2) Macv12	It's far easier to accessorize with a cute component pouch than a wand or staff. You can get the "ready for anything" look and actually be ready for anything. If your favorite song comes on, you don't want to be jumping around with a wand in your hand! D: Also, orbs are cool and all, but they're kinda new-agey and that can be a real turnoff when someone just wants to have a wild time. Fun tip: when you're going out for the night and don't plan to cast any spells (or your parents took your ID, UGH), you can fill your pouch with glitter for extra craziness ;)
#6 Slagger_the_Chuul Aug 24, 2015 23:14:40	Macv12 wrote:
#7 Strill Aug 24, 2015 23:35:39	Rya.Reisender wrote:
#8 Rya.Reisender Aug 25, 2015 0:00:26	Well first of all I think it makes sense. S+M spells have their energy collecting on the material / focus, where S only spells collect energy on your palm. But I didn't mean well thought out from a realistic viewpoint, it's more a strategical thing. Depending on the different combinations of V, S and M, each combination is quite a bit different, meaning that in certain situations, certain spells become more viable than others. That requires some more in-depth strategical thinking. Also in the last thread we talked about someone (forgot his name, sorry), listed all the S-only spells and pointed out how some of these seem to be really intentionally made S-only to be affected by this rule. So I don't think it's just something they slapped on quickly. Though they kind of shot themselves into the foot when they said that dropping a weapon is not an object interaction. So nothing really stops you from just dropping your weapon, cast the S spell and then use your object interaction to pick your weapon back up on the same turn. Well UNLESS the enemy is smart and puts a reaction like "If he drops his weapon, I kick it away". That would make it even more strategical, heh.
#9 mellored Aug 25, 2015 5:34:18	Macv12 wrote:
(Reply to #2) Coolossus2123	mellored wrote:
#11 Slagger_the_Chuul Aug 25, 2015 22:23:08	Coolossus2123 wrote:
#12 Strill Aug 25, 2015 23:17:25	Rya.Reisender wrote:
(Reply to #12) AaronOfBarbaria	Strill wrote:
#14 Strill Aug 26, 2015 2:02:50	AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
(Reply to #14) AaronOfBarbaria	Strill wrote:
(Reply to #12) Macv12	Strill wrote:
(Reply to #16) Strill	Macv12 wrote:
#18 mellored Aug 26, 2015 7:51:50	Coolossus2123 wrote:
#19 Yunru Aug 26, 2015 8:22:21	Actually your hand can be free without being empty. So... For example, even with my smart phone in hand I can make a wide range of gestures.
(Reply to #17) Macv12	Strill wrote:
#21 Tempest_Stormwind Aug 26, 2015 9:55:43	Note as well that several magic items don't say they're still fully usable as mundane items, yet clearly must be. Most apropos here, the instruments of the bards say that if you "use" them to cast a spell that charms a creature... and then goes on to describe that this happens if you use it as a spellcasting focus. The only indication that they actually do count as musical instruments (especially those that don't also appear on the musical instruments table, like the cittern or the harp) is that they clearly are, at first glance, instruments. Same logic for staffs, wands, and rods, or magic shields with holy symbols embossed on them. Orbs would count too, but I don't think there are any published yet.

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

Coolossus2123

Aug 23, 2015 21:12:41

Can someone explain to me how spellcasting focuses work, and what they do? How about component pouches? I’m pretty unfamiliar with both, but I’ve heard many complaints that the spellcasting focus was not explained well, and I'm having trouble finding much information about it.

mellored

Aug 24, 2015 8:54:04

Focus (wands, staffs, rods, ect...) and pouch are functionally the same thing. It's upto you weather you want to cast fireball with a wand or pull a bit of bat guano from your pouch.

You need one, and a hand to hold it, to cast any spell that has "M" in the descipion.

If you have a spell that has "S" and "M", then you can use the same hand for both.

The confusing part is that if you have a spell that has "S", but not "M", then you need a free hand. So you need to put your wand down to cast it.

Most DM's ignore the rule, cause it's stupid.

The other exception is cleric/paladins, who can use a drawing of their god's symbol. So they usually emboss it on their shield, letting them hold a weapon.

The main purpose of "M" spells, is so that you can be disarmed. Take away a caster's wand/pouch/shield, and they lose access to several spells.

Tempest_Stormwind

Aug 24, 2015 10:46:41

mellored wrote:

Rya.Reisender

Aug 24, 2015 11:09:10

The confusing part is that if you have a spell that has "S", but not "M", then you need a free hand. So you need to put your wand down to cast it.
Most DM's ignore the rule, cause it's stupid.

(Reply to #2)

Macv12

It's far easier to accessorize with a cute component pouch than a wand or staff. You can get the "ready for anything" look and actually be ready for anything. If your favorite song comes on, you don't want to be jumping around with a wand in your hand! D: Also, orbs are cool and all, but they're kinda new-agey and that can be a real turnoff when someone just wants to have a wild time. Fun tip: when you're going out for the night and don't plan to cast any spells (or your parents took your ID, UGH), you can fill your pouch with glitter for extra craziness ;)

Slagger_the_Chuul

Aug 24, 2015 23:14:40

Macv12 wrote:

Strill

Aug 24, 2015 23:35:39

Rya.Reisender wrote:

Rya.Reisender

Aug 25, 2015 0:00:26

Well first of all I think it makes sense. S+M spells have their energy collecting on the material / focus, where S only spells collect energy on your palm. But I didn't mean well thought out from a realistic viewpoint, it's more a strategical thing. Depending on the different combinations of V, S and M, each combination is quite a bit different, meaning that in certain situations, certain spells become more viable than others. That requires some more in-depth strategical thinking.

Also in the last thread we talked about someone (forgot his name, sorry), listed all the S-only spells and pointed out how some of these seem to be really intentionally made S-only to be affected by this rule.

So I don't think it's just something they slapped on quickly.

Though they kind of shot themselves into the foot when they said that dropping a weapon is not an object interaction. So nothing really stops you from just dropping your weapon, cast the S spell and then use your object interaction to pick your weapon back up on the same turn.

Well UNLESS the enemy is smart and puts a reaction like "If he drops his weapon, I kick it away". That would make it even more strategical, heh.

mellored

Aug 25, 2015 5:34:18

Macv12 wrote:

(Reply to #2)

Coolossus2123

mellored wrote:

#11

Slagger_the_Chuul

Aug 25, 2015 22:23:08

Coolossus2123 wrote:

#12

Strill

Aug 25, 2015 23:17:25

Rya.Reisender wrote:

(Reply to #12)

AaronOfBarbaria

Strill wrote:

#14

Strill

Aug 26, 2015 2:02:50

AaronOfBarbaria wrote:

(Reply to #14)

AaronOfBarbaria

Strill wrote:

(Reply to #12)

Macv12

Strill wrote:

(Reply to #16)

Strill

Macv12 wrote:

#18

mellored

Aug 26, 2015 7:51:50

Coolossus2123 wrote:

#19

Yunru

Aug 26, 2015 8:22:21

Actually your hand can be free without being empty. So...

For example, even with my smart phone in hand I can make a wide range of gestures.

(Reply to #17)

Macv12

Strill wrote:

#21

Tempest_Stormwind

Aug 26, 2015 9:55:43

Note as well that several magic items don't say they're still fully usable as mundane items, yet clearly must be. Most apropos here, the instruments of the bards say that if you "use" them to cast a spell that charms a creature... and then goes on to describe that this happens if you use it as a spellcasting focus. The only indication that they actually do count as musical instruments (especially those that don't also appear on the musical instruments table, like the cittern or the harp) is that they clearly are, at first glance, instruments.

Same logic for staffs, wands, and rods, or magic shields with holy symbols embossed on them. Orbs would count too, but I don't think there are any published yet.