Secret Lesson 76

Spellcasting Focuses, Component Pouches, Costly Materials, Consumed Materials, and Hands

In Lesson 75, we learned that spells can require:

VERBAL — V

SOMATIC — S

MATERIAL — M

Now we are going to concentrate on:

MATERIAL COMPONENTS

because this apparently simple letter:

M

creates one of the most important equipment systems for spellcasters.

A Material component might be:

A BIT OF PHOSPHORUS

A DRIED CARROT

A DROP OF WATER

or something much more valuable:

A 50 GP DIAMOND

A 100 GP PEARL

A 300 GP DIAMOND

Sometimes the material remains after casting.

Sometimes:

THE SPELL DESTROYS IT

And sometimes you don't need the listed material at all because you can substitute:

A COMPONENT POUCH

or:

A SPELLCASTING FOCUS

Understanding the difference is essential.

PART ONE — THE GOLDEN RULE OF MATERIAL COMPONENTS

The SRD establishes the following sequence.

A Material component is the particular material listed in parentheses in the spell's:

COMPONENTS ENTRY

By default:

THE MATERIAL IS NOT CONSUMED

unless the spell says otherwise.

To access actual Material components, the spellcaster must have:

A HAND FREE

That hand can also be the hand used for any:

SOMATIC COMPONENTS

Then comes the substitution rule.

If the spell:

DOESN'T CONSUME THE MATERIAL

and:

DOESN'T SPECIFY A COST

you may use:

A COMPONENT POUCH

instead.

Or you may substitute:

A SPELLCASTING FOCUS

if you have a feature that allows you to do so.

PART TWO — THE ENTIRE MATERIAL SYSTEM IN ONE TABLE

Material Component Component Pouch? Authorized Focus? Actual Component Required?
No cost, not consumed Yes Yes No, if substituting
Cost specified, not consumed No No Yes
No cost, consumed No No Yes
Cost specified, consumed No No Yes

This table contains the central rule of:

LESSON 76

Only one category qualifies for normal substitution:

NO SPECIFIED COST

and:

NOT CONSUMED

Both conditions must be true.

PART THREE — CASE 1: NO COST AND NOT CONSUMED

Imagine a spell requires:

M — A BIT OF PHOSPHORUS

and doesn't specify that the material is consumed.

You have three possible routes.

OPTION A

Use:

THE ACTUAL PHOSPHORUS

OPTION B

Use:

A COMPONENT POUCH

OPTION C

If your spellcasting feature permits it:

USE A SPELLCASTING FOCUS

This is the easiest type of Material component.

PART FOUR — CASE 2: COSTLY BUT NOT CONSUMED

Now imagine:

M — A DIAMOND WORTH 50+ GP

The spell doesn't consume it.

Can a Component Pouch substitute?

NO

Can an ordinary Spellcasting Focus substitute?

NO

Why?

Because:

THE SPELL SPECIFIES A COST

The fact that the diamond survives the casting doesn't change that.

PART FIVE — CHROMATIC ORB

Chromatic Orb requires:

V, S, M

The Material component is:

A DIAMOND WORTH 50+ GP

The spell does not say the diamond is consumed.

Therefore:

YOU NEED THE DIAMOND

but after casting:

YOU STILL HAVE IT

EXAMPLE

Wizard owns:

1 DIAMOND WORTH 60 GP

Can the Wizard use it for Chromatic Orb?

YES

After casting:

Does it disappear?

NO

Can the Wizard potentially use the same diamond for another Chromatic Orb?

YES

provided all other casting requirements are met.

PART SIX — IDENTIFY

Identify requires:

V, S, M

with:

A PEARL WORTH 100+ GP

The pearl isn't stated to be consumed.

So:

FOCUS? NO

COMPONENT POUCH? NO

100+ GP PEARL? YES

And after the spell:

THE PEARL REMAINS

PART SEVEN — COST IS NOT AN ENTRANCE FEE

This distinction is worth understanding conceptually.

When Identify requires:

A PEARL WORTH 100+ GP

you don't pay:

100 GP PER CASTING

You must possess:

A QUALIFYING OBJECT

Unless the spell consumes it, that object remains.

WRONG

"Identify costs 100 GP every time."

CORRECT

"Identify requires a pearl worth at least 100 GP."

That pearl isn't normally consumed.

PART EIGHT — CASE 3: CONSUMED BUT NO COST

The substitution rule also fails if a spell says:

THE MATERIAL IS CONSUMED

even when:

NO GP COST IS SPECIFIED

The rule requires both:

NO COST

and:

NOT CONSUMED

Therefore a consumed component doesn't qualify for normal Pouch/Focus substitution merely because it is inexpensive.

 

IMPORTANT

This is the logic of the general rule.

We don't need to invent a particular spell example if the SRD spell list doesn't provide one conveniently.

The rule itself is sufficient:

CONSUMED = NO NORMAL FOCUS/POUCH SUBSTITUTION

PART NINE — CASE 4: COSTLY AND CONSUMED

This is the most restrictive category.

Example:

REVIVIFY

Components:

V, S, M

Material:

A DIAMOND WORTH 300+ GP

and:

THE SPELL CONSUMES IT

 

Therefore you need:

THE ACTUAL QUALIFYING DIAMOND

You can't replace it with:

COMPONENT POUCH

or:

NORMAL SPELLCASTING FOCUS

And once the spell consumes it:

IT IS GONE

PART TEN — REVIVIFY IN PRACTICE

Cleric has:

REVIVIFY PREPARED

and:

A LEVEL 3 SPELL SLOT

The Cleric also carries:

A HOLY SYMBOL

But has:

NO DIAMOND

Can the Cleric cast Revivify?

NO

The Holy Symbol does not turn:

0 GP OF DIAMONDS

into:

300+ GP OF DIAMOND

Suppose the Cleric finds:

A DIAMOND WORTH 350 GP

Now?

YES

assuming all other requirements are satisfied.

After Revivify consumes it:

THE DIAMOND IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE

for another casting.

PART ELEVEN — ILLUSORY SCRIPT

Illusory Script requires:

S, M

Material:

INK WORTH 10+ GP

which:

THE SPELL CONSUMES

 

Therefore:

ACTUAL QUALIFYING INK REQUIRED

A Component Pouch doesn't replace it.

A Spellcasting Focus doesn't replace it.

After casting:

THAT MATERIAL IS CONSUMED

PART TWELVE — CONTINUAL FLAME

Continual Flame requires:

RUBY DUST WORTH 50+ GP

and the spell consumes it.

So each casting normally requires:

ANOTHER 50+ GP OF QUALIFYING RUBY DUST

This is different from Identify's reusable pearl.

COMPARE

Identify

100+ GP pearl:

EXPENSIVE

NOT CONSUMED

Continual Flame

50+ GP ruby dust:

EXPENSIVE

CONSUMED

The cheaper Material component may therefore cost more over many castings.

PART THIRTEEN — WHAT IS A COMPONENT POUCH?

A Component Pouch costs:

25 GP

and weighs:

2 LB.

The SRD describes it as:

WATERTIGHT

with compartments containing the:

FREE MATERIAL COMPONENTS

of your spells.

WHAT DOES "FREE" MEAN HERE?

For casting purposes, combine the equipment description with the Material-component rule.

The pouch can substitute when:

THE MATERIAL HAS NO SPECIFIED COST

and:

THE SPELL DOESN'T CONSUME IT

It does not contain magical infinite versions of:

50 GP DIAMONDS

100 GP PEARLS

300 GP DIAMONDS

or other specifically priced components.

PART FOURTEEN — THE COMPONENT POUCH IS NOT CLASS-SPECIFIC

The general Material-component rule says:

A SPELLCASTER CAN USE A COMPONENT POUCH

when the qualifying conditions are met.

It doesn't require your class feature to say:

"YOU MAY USE A COMPONENT POUCH."

That additional feature requirement applies to:

SPELLCASTING FOCUSES

 

This is a useful distinction.

COMPONENT POUCH

General qualifying substitution.

SPELLCASTING FOCUS

Requires:

A FEATURE THAT ALLOWS THE SUBSTITUTION

PART FIFTEEN — USING THE COMPONENT POUCH REQUIRES A FREE HAND

The SRD explicitly says that to use a Component Pouch:

YOU MUST HAVE A HAND FREE TO REACH INTO IT

 

So simply owning the pouch isn't enough.

EXAMPLE

Wizard has:

SWORD IN ONE HAND

ANOTHER OBJECT IN THE OTHER HAND

and wants to use:

COMPONENT POUCH

for an M spell.

If neither hand is free to:

REACH INTO THE POUCH

the pouch cannot satisfy the Material requirement at that moment.

PART SIXTEEN — THE SAME HAND CAN HANDLE M AND S

When using actual Material components, the SRD explicitly permits the hand accessing them to be:

THE SAME HAND

used for:

SOMATIC COMPONENTS

 

So the system doesn't require:

ONE HAND FOR M

plus:

A SECOND HAND FOR S

EXAMPLE

Spell:

V, S, M

Wizard's right hand reaches into the Component Pouch.

The same hand can also be used to satisfy the spell's:

SOMATIC MOVEMENTS

as permitted by the component rules.

PART SEVENTEEN — WHAT IS A SPELLCASTING FOCUS?

A Spellcasting Focus is an object that a permitted spellcaster can use instead of qualifying Material components.

It is:

A SUBSTITUTE FOR M

It is not:

A SUBSTITUTE FOR V

and it is not automatically:

A SUBSTITUTE FOR S

The normal focus rule applies only to the qualifying:

MATERIAL COMPONENT

PART EIGHTEEN — THE FOCUS MUST NORMALLY BE HELD

The general rule says:

TO USE A SPELLCASTING FOCUS, YOU MUST HOLD IT

unless:

ITS DESCRIPTION SAYS OTHERWISE

 

This final clause is extremely important.

It creates specific exceptions such as:

SOME HOLY SYMBOLS

PART NINETEEN — A FOCUS IS NOT UNIVERSAL

Finding:

A CRYSTAL

doesn't automatically allow every spellcaster to use it as a focus.

You need:

A FEATURE THAT ALLOWS THAT KIND OF FOCUS

for the relevant spells.

This is why different classes use different magical implements.

PART TWENTY — THE CLASS FOCUS MATRIX

The SRD class features establish the following:

Class Spellcasting Focus
Bard Musical Instrument
Cleric Holy Symbol
Druid Druidic Focus
Paladin Holy Symbol
Ranger Druidic Focus
Sorcerer Arcane Focus
Warlock Arcane Focus
Wizard Arcane Focus or Spellbook

The Bard explicitly uses a Musical Instrument for Bard spells, while the Wizard can use either an Arcane Focus or spellbook for Wizard spells.

The SRD similarly gives Holy Symbols to Clerics and Paladins, Druidic Focuses to Druids and Rangers, and Arcane Focuses to Sorcerers and Warlocks.

PART TWENTY-ONE — ARCANE FOCUSES

An:

ARCANE FOCUS

channels arcane magic.

The Equipment section says Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards can use these objects as Spellcasting Focuses.

The available Arcane Focuses are:

Arcane Focus Weight Cost
Crystal 1 lb. 10 GP
Orb 3 lb. 20 GP
Rod 2 lb. 10 GP
Staff, also a Quarterstaff 4 lb. 5 GP
Wand 1 lb. 10 GP

PART TWENTY-TWO — THE ARCANE STAFF HAS TWO FUNCTIONS

The Arcane Focus:

STAFF

is also:

A QUARTERSTAFF

 

That means one object can have two game identities relevant to different rules:

SPELLCASTING FOCUS

and:

WEAPON

This doesn't mean every magical staff automatically works exactly this way.

Use the actual item's description.

But the standard Arcane Focus staff in Equipment is explicitly:

ALSO A QUARTERSTAFF

PART TWENTY-THREE — DRUIDIC FOCUSES

A:

DRUIDIC FOCUS

channels primal magic.

A:

DRUID

or:

RANGER

can use one as a Spellcasting Focus.

The SRD options are:

Druidic Focus Weight Cost
Sprig of mistletoe — 1 GP
Wooden staff, also a Quarterstaff 4 lb. 5 GP
Yew wand 1 lb. 10 GP

PART TWENTY-FOUR — DRUIDIC STAFFS CAN ALSO BE WEAPONS

Just as with the Arcane Focus staff, the Druidic:

WOODEN STAFF

is also:

A QUARTERSTAFF

 

That can be practically useful for a character who wants one object to serve as:

A WEAPON

and:

A SPELLCASTING FOCUS

But the rules for the weapon and the rules for the focus remain:

SEPARATE RULES

PART TWENTY-FIVE — HOLY SYMBOLS

A:

HOLY SYMBOL

channels divine magic.

A:

CLERIC

or:

PALADIN

can use a Holy Symbol as a Spellcasting Focus.

Holy Symbols are particularly interesting because their equipment description contains:

EXCEPTIONS TO THE NORMAL "HOLD THE FOCUS" RULE

PART TWENTY-SIX — THE THREE HOLY SYMBOL FORMS

Holy Symbol How Used Weight Cost
Amulet Worn or held 1 lb. 5 GP
Emblem Borne on fabric or a Shield — 5 GP
Reliquary Held 2 lb. 5 GP

 

Remember:

SPECIFIC RULE BEATS GENERAL RULE

The general focus rule says:

HOLD IT UNLESS ITS DESCRIPTION SAYS OTHERWISE

The Holy Symbol description:

SAYS OTHERWISE

for certain forms.

PART TWENTY-SEVEN — HOLY SYMBOL AMULET

An:

AMULET

can be:

WORN

or:

HELD

Therefore a Cleric or Paladin does not necessarily need to hold that amulet separately to use it in the manner its description permits.

This is a specific exception to the general focus rule.

PART TWENTY-EIGHT — HOLY SYMBOL EMBLEM

An:

EMBLEM

can be borne on:

FABRIC

such as a tabard or banner,

or on:

A SHIELD

 

This is tactically important for:

SHIELD-USING CLERICS

and:

SHIELD-USING PALADINS

The Shield itself can bear the emblem.

EXAMPLE — PALADIN WITH SWORD AND SHIELD

Paladin carries:

LONGSWORD

in one hand.

In the other:

SHIELD

The Shield bears:

A HOLY SYMBOL EMBLEM

The Paladin's Spellcasting feature permits:

HOLY SYMBOL

as a focus for Paladin spells.

For a qualifying Material component:

THE EMBLEM CAN FUNCTION AS THE FOCUS

because its description explicitly allows it to be borne on:

THE SHIELD

IMPORTANT SOMATIC NOTE

If that spell also has:

S

the Somatic requirement still exists.

SRD 5.2.1 defines Somatic components as requiring the caster to:

USE AT LEAST ONE HAND

It does not add the older universal wording that the Somatic hand must be empty or free.

So don't silently import a different edition's hand rule.

PART TWENTY-NINE — HOLY SYMBOL RELIQUARY

A:

RELIQUARY

must be:

HELD

It doesn't receive the worn or Shield-borne options of the other two Holy Symbols.

So if you want to use the reliquary as your Spellcasting Focus:

HOLD IT

PART THIRTY — MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AS BARD FOCUSES

The Bard's Spellcasting feature says:

YOU CAN USE A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AS A SPELLCASTING FOCUS FOR YOUR BARD SPELLS

 

This is important because:

TOOL PROFICIENCY

and:

SPELLCASTING FOCUS USE

are related to the Bard's design but are not the same rule.

PART THIRTY-ONE — DOES A BARD HAVE TO PLAY THE INSTRUMENT TO CAST?

The SRD says the Bard can:

USE A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AS A SPELLCASTING FOCUS

It does not establish a universal additional requirement saying:

"YOU MUST PLAY A SONG EVERY TIME YOU CAST A SPELL"

The general focus rule says:

HOLD THE FOCUS

unless its description says otherwise.

Therefore don't invent:

A PERFORMANCE CHECK

A SONG REQUIREMENT

or:

A MUSICAL SOLO

every time the Bard casts a spell.

Those might be enjoyable narrative descriptions.

They are not automatically:

ADDITIONAL CASTING RULES

PART THIRTY-TWO — THE WIZARD'S SPELLBOOK IS SPECIAL

The Wizard can use:

AN ARCANE FOCUS

or:

THEIR SPELLBOOK

as a Spellcasting Focus for:

WIZARD SPELLS

 

This gives the Wizard a unique alternative.

Their spellbook isn't only where their level 1+ Wizard spells are recorded.

It can also function as:

THEIR SPELLCASTING FOCUS

PART THIRTY-THREE — SPELLBOOK AS FOCUS DOES NOT ERASE COSTLY COMPONENTS

Wizard wants to cast:

IDENTIFY

The Wizard holds:

THEIR SPELLBOOK

Can it replace:

THE 100+ GP PEARL?

NO

The Wizard's spellbook is an authorized:

SPELLCASTING FOCUS

but the normal focus-substitution rule doesn't work when:

A COST IS SPECIFIED

PART THIRTY-FOUR — A FOCUS DOESN'T REPLACE EVERY M SPELL

This is probably the most common misunderstanding.

A player says:

"I HAVE A FOCUS, SO I NEVER NEED MATERIAL COMPONENTS."

That is:

WRONG

A focus only replaces Material components when:

THE SPELL DOESN'T CONSUME THEM

and:

THE SPELL DOESN'T SPECIFY A COST

PART THIRTY-FIVE — A COMPONENT POUCH DOESN'T REPLACE EVERY M SPELL EITHER

Exactly the same eligibility test applies.

NO COST?

and:

NOT CONSUMED?

If both:

YES

then Pouch substitution is available.

If either:

NO

then:

BRING THE ACTUAL COMPONENT

PART THIRTY-SIX — ACTUAL MATERIALS ARE STILL LEGAL

A Spellcasting Focus does not mean:

YOU MUST USE THE FOCUS

Suppose Dancing Lights requires:

A BIT OF PHOSPHORUS

You can simply supply:

THE ACTUAL MATERIAL

You don't need a focus or Component Pouch if you can otherwise satisfy the component directly.

The Pouch and Focus are:

ALTERNATIVE METHODS

not mandatory methods.

PART THIRTY-SEVEN — MULTICLASS CHARACTERS

Focus permissions are normally written in terms of:

THAT CLASS'S SPELLS

For example:

BARD SPELLS

WIZARD SPELLS

PALADIN SPELLS

So a multiclass character should not assume:

ONE CLASS'S FOCUS PERMISSION AUTOMATICALLY APPLIES TO EVERY OTHER CLASS'S SPELLS

EXAMPLE — BARD / WIZARD

Character is:

BARD 3 / WIZARD 3

The Bard feature says:

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FOR BARD SPELLS

The Wizard feature says:

ARCANE FOCUS OR SPELLBOOK FOR WIZARD SPELLS

A lute doesn't automatically become:

A WIZARD FOCUS

merely because the same character is also a Bard.

Likewise, the Wizard spellbook isn't automatically:

A BARD FOCUS

PART THIRTY-EIGHT — COMPONENT POUCHES ARE VERY USEFUL FOR MULTICLASS CASTERS

Now consider the same:

BARD / WIZARD

A qualifying spell requires:

M

with no cost and no consumption.

The general Component Pouch rule is not tied to:

ONE CLASS'S FOCUS PERMISSION

Therefore the Component Pouch can be a convenient common solution for qualifying Material components across the character's spells.

PART THIRTY-NINE — HAND MANAGEMENT: ACTUAL MATERIAL

If you use:

THE ACTUAL MATERIAL

you need:

A HAND FREE TO ACCESS IT

The same hand may perform:

S

if needed.

PART FORTY — HAND MANAGEMENT: COMPONENT POUCH

If you use:

COMPONENT POUCH

you need:

A HAND FREE TO REACH INTO IT

Again, the component system allows the hand dealing with Material components to handle Somatic movement where applicable.

PART FORTY-ONE — HAND MANAGEMENT: HELD SPELLCASTING FOCUS

For most focuses:

HOLD THE FOCUS

unless its description says otherwise.

The spell's other component requirements still apply.

EXAMPLE

Wizard is holding:

AN ARCANE WAND

Spell:

V, S, M

The wand legally substitutes for M only if the Material component is:

NOT CONSUMED

and:

HAS NO SPECIFIED COST

V must still be spoken.

S must still be performed.

The focus doesn't erase:

V

or:

S

PART FORTY-TWO — DON'T IMPORT A DIFFERENT SOMATIC HAND RULE

This deserves repetition because it causes enormous confusion between versions.

SRD 5.2.1 says:

A SPELLCASTER MUST USE AT LEAST ONE OF THEIR HANDS

for Somatic components.

It separately says:

A HAND FREE

when accessing Material components or a Component Pouch.

Those are:

DIFFERENT WORDINGS

Therefore don't silently transform the current Somatic rule into:

"THE CASTER MUST ALWAYS HAVE AN EMPTY HAND."

That isn't how SRD 5.2.1 phrases it.

PART FORTY-THREE — INTERPRETING A HELD FOCUS WITH S

Suppose a spell is:

S, M

and the caster is holding an authorized focus.

The focus legally substitutes for qualifying M.

For S:

THE CASTER MUST USE AT LEAST ONE HAND

The SRD does not separately say that hand must be empty.

Therefore holding the focus does not itself create an additional universal:

EMPTY-HAND REQUIREMENT

This conclusion follows from the wording of the current component rules; don't replace it with a remembered 2014 formulation.

PART FORTY-FOUR — TRUE STRIKE: THE WEAPON IS THE MATERIAL

True Strike provides an excellent exception.

Its components are:

S, M

and M is:

A WEAPON WITH WHICH YOU HAVE PROFICIENCY

worth:

1+ CP

 

Because:

A COST IS SPECIFIED

the normal Focus/Pouch substitution doesn't apply.

WHY?

True Strike isn't asking for generic spellcasting material.

It specifically requires:

THE WEAPON USED IN THE SPELL'S CASTING

And the spell then instructs you to make:

AN ATTACK WITH THAT WEAPON

PART FORTY-FIVE — TRUE STRIKE AND A FOCUS STAFF

Suppose a Wizard uses an Arcane Focus staff.

That staff is also:

A QUARTERSTAFF

If the Wizard has proficiency with it and it satisfies True Strike's:

1+ CP

requirement, the same physical object can potentially qualify as:

THE WEAPON REQUIRED BY TRUE STRIKE

But note the reason.

It isn't replacing the component because:

"IT'S A FOCUS"

It satisfies the component because:

IT IS THE REQUIRED QUALIFYING WEAPON

That distinction matters.

PART FORTY-SIX — AN OBJECT CAN QUALIFY IN MORE THAN ONE WAY

This teaches a larger 5E principle.

An object can have multiple rules attached to it.

A staff may simultaneously be:

EQUIPMENT

A WEAPON

and:

A SPELLCASTING FOCUS

But when a rule asks a specific question, determine:

WHY THE OBJECT QUALIFIES

PART FORTY-SEVEN — COSTLY MATERIALS DON'T HAVE TO BE EXACTLY THE MINIMUM VALUE

If a spell requires:

A PEARL WORTH 100+ GP

then:

99 GP pearl

NO

100 GP pearl

YES

125 GP pearl

YES

The:

+

means at least the listed value.

PART FORTY-EIGHT — DON'T CONVERT COSTLY MATERIALS INTO COINS

Suppose Revivify requires:

A DIAMOND WORTH 300+ GP

You possess:

300 GP IN COINS

but:

NO DIAMOND

Can you simply spend the coins during casting?

NO

The spell requires:

THE DIAMOND

The GP value defines:

THE REQUIRED VALUE OF THAT COMPONENT

It doesn't turn the component into a generic cash payment.

PART FORTY-NINE — A MORE EXPENSIVE QUALIFYING COMPONENT CAN STILL WORK

Revivify requires:

A DIAMOND WORTH 300+ GP

A diamond worth:

500 GP

meets that minimum.

But because Revivify:

CONSUMES THE DIAMOND

the entire qualifying Material component used for that casting is consumed as specified by the spell.

The spell does not provide a rule for:

MAKING CHANGE

out of a single diamond.

PART FIFTY — DON'T INVENT PARTIAL DIAMOND ACCOUNTING

If a character owns:

ONE 1,000 GP DIAMOND

and a spell requires:

A DIAMOND WORTH 300+ GP

don't automatically invent a rule that says the spell removes exactly:

300 GP

and leaves:

A 700 GP DIAMOND

The spell refers to:

THE MATERIAL COMPONENT

and says that component is consumed.

If characters want smaller gemstones, acquiring or dividing valuables is a separate situation for:

THE GM

and the fiction.

PART FIFTY-ONE — SUBTLE SPELL CHANGES THE COMPONENT SYSTEM

The Sorcerer's:

SUBTLE SPELL

costs:

1 SORCERY POINT

It allows a spell to be cast without:

V

S

or:

M

except Material components that:

ARE CONSUMED

or:

HAVE A COST SPECIFIED

 

This creates a powerful special exception.

PART FIFTY-TWO — SUBTLE SPELL MATRIX

Material Subtle Spell Removes It?
No cost, not consumed Yes
Cost specified, not consumed No
No cost, consumed No
Cost specified, consumed No

Notice how closely this mirrors the Focus/Pouch distinction.

PART FIFTY-THREE — SUBTLE CHROMATIC ORB

Chromatic Orb requires:

50+ GP DIAMOND

Use Subtle Spell.

Does the Sorcerer need V?

NO

S?

NO

Diamond?

YES

because:

IT HAS A SPECIFIED COST

PART FIFTY-FOUR — SUBTLE IDENTIFY

Identify requires:

100+ GP PEARL

Not consumed.

Subtle Spell still does not remove the pearl.

Why?

COST IS SPECIFIED

PART FIFTY-FIVE — SUBTLE REVIVIFY

Revivify's diamond is:

300+ GP

and:

CONSUMED

Subtle Spell cannot remove it.

It has not one but:

TWO REASONS

to remain required.

PART FIFTY-SIX — SUBTLE ORDINARY MATERIAL

Suppose a spell has:

M — A BIT OF PHOSPHORUS

with:

NO COST

and:

NO CONSUMPTION

Subtle Spell can remove that M requirement entirely.

In that casting you don't need:

ACTUAL PHOSPHORUS

COMPONENT POUCH

or:

SPELLCASTING FOCUS

because the specific Metamagic feature removes that component.

PART FIFTY-SEVEN — FOCUS VERSUS SUBTLE SPELL

These mechanisms aren't the same.

SPELLCASTING FOCUS

Substitutes:

QUALIFYING M

It does not normally remove:

V OR S

SUBTLE SPELL

Removes:

V

S

and qualifying:

M

for that casting.

PART FIFTY-EIGHT — MATERIAL COMPONENTS AND MAGIC ITEMS

There is another specific exception.

Under the general Magic Item rules, when a magic item allows you to cast:

A SPELL FROM THE ITEM

that spell requires:

NO COMPONENTS

unless:

THE ITEM'S DESCRIPTION SAYS OTHERWISE

This was introduced earlier and is another example of:

SPECIFIC OVERRIDES GENERAL

It doesn't change your ordinary class spellcasting.

PART FIFTY-NINE — FOCUS PERMISSION IS SPELL-SPECIFIC BY CLASS

Consider a:

PALADIN / SORCERER

The character possesses:

A HOLY SYMBOL

and:

AN ARCANE WAND

For Paladin spells:

HOLY SYMBOL

is authorized.

For Sorcerer spells:

ARCANE FOCUS

is authorized.

Don't simply declare:

"I AM A SPELLCASTER, SO ANY FOCUS WORKS FOR EVERYTHING."

The class features specify the relevant focus for:

THEIR SPELLS

PART SIXTY — THE COMPONENT POUCH SOLUTION

The same Paladin/Sorcerer could instead carry:

A COMPONENT POUCH

For qualifying M components, the general rule allows the Pouch substitution without needing to match:

DIVINE

versus:

ARCANE

focus categories.

This is one reason a Component Pouch can be mechanically convenient.

PART SIXTY-ONE — AT THE TABLE: THE FIVE-SECOND MATERIAL CHECK

When you see:

M

do this.

QUESTION 1

Does the material have:

A SPECIFIED COST?

If yes:

ACTUAL MATERIAL REQUIRED

under the normal rule.

QUESTION 2

Does the spell say the material is:

CONSUMED?

If yes:

ACTUAL MATERIAL REQUIRED

under the normal rule.

QUESTION 3

If neither applies:

Do I have:

THE ACTUAL MATERIAL?

If yes:

USE IT

QUESTION 4

Otherwise:

Do I have:

A COMPONENT POUCH?

If yes:

USE IT

provided you can access it with a free hand.

QUESTION 5

Otherwise:

Do I have:

AN AUTHORIZED SPELLCASTING FOCUS?

If yes:

USE IT

according to its handling rules.

If none of those work:

YOU CAN'T PROVIDE M

and therefore:

YOU CAN'T CAST THE SPELL

PART SIXTY-TWO — COMPLETE EXAMPLE: DRUID

Druid casts a spell with:

V, S, M

Material has:

NO COST

and:

IS NOT CONSUMED

The Druid has:

A YEW WAND

A Yew Wand is an SRD:

DRUIDIC FOCUS

and the Druid's Spellcasting feature permits a Druidic Focus.

Therefore:

THE WAND CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR M

The Druid must still provide:

V

and:

S

PART SIXTY-THREE — COMPLETE EXAMPLE: BARD

Bard casts a Bard spell requiring:

M

No cost.

Not consumed.

Bard is holding:

A LUTE

The Bard can use:

A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

as a Spellcasting Focus for Bard spells.

Therefore:

THE LUTE CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR M

No Performance check is required merely because:

THE LUTE IS THE FOCUS

PART SIXTY-FOUR — COMPLETE EXAMPLE: WIZARD

Wizard wants to cast a Wizard spell requiring:

V, S, M

M:

NO COST

NOT CONSUMED

Wizard is holding:

SPELLBOOK

The Wizard's Spellcasting feature expressly allows the spellbook to function as:

A SPELLCASTING FOCUS

Therefore:

M IS SATISFIED

assuming all other casting requirements are met.

PART SIXTY-FIVE — COMPLETE EXAMPLE: IDENTIFY

Wizard wants:

IDENTIFY

Has:

SPELLBOOK

Has:

COMPONENT POUCH

Has:

NO 100+ GP PEARL

Can either substitute?

NO

Because Identify specifies:

A COST

Result:

CAN'T CAST IDENTIFY NORMALLY

until the Wizard obtains the qualifying pearl.

PART SIXTY-SIX — COMPLETE EXAMPLE: PALADIN WITH SHIELD

Paladin carries:

LONGSWORD

and:

SHIELD WITH HOLY SYMBOL EMBLEM

Spell has:

M

No cost.

Not consumed.

The Paladin's Holy Symbol is authorized, and the emblem's description specifically permits it to be:

BORNE ON A SHIELD

Therefore:

THE EMBLEM CAN PROVIDE THE FOCUS SUBSTITUTION

No separate reliquary or held amulet is needed for that M requirement.

PART SIXTY-SEVEN — COMPLETE EXAMPLE: REVIVIFY

Paladin has:

HOLY SYMBOL EMBLEM

and:

LEVEL 3 SPELL SLOT

but no:

300+ GP DIAMOND

Can the emblem substitute?

NO

Can a Component Pouch?

NO

Can a Druidic Focus?

NO

Can an Arcane Focus?

NO

The spell needs:

THE ACTUAL DIAMOND

and consumes it.

PART SIXTY-EIGHT — COMPLETE EXAMPLE: MULTICLASS CHARACTER

Bard/Wizard owns:

LUTE

but no:

ARCANE FOCUS

They cast a:

BARD SPELL

with ordinary M.

Lute works:

YES

They cast a:

WIZARD SPELL

with ordinary M.

Can the Bard focus permission automatically make the lute a Wizard focus?

NO

Not under the listed class features.

But they also possess:

COMPONENT POUCH

Can that satisfy the qualifying M of the Wizard spell?

YES

because the general Pouch substitution is not class-focus-specific.

COMMON BEGINNER MISTAKES

MISTAKE 1 — THINKING EVERY M SPELL REQUIRES THE LISTED OBJECT

Not if:

NO COST

NOT CONSUMED

and you legally substitute:

POUCH OR FOCUS

MISTAKE 2 — THINKING A FOCUS REMOVES ALL COMPONENTS

It normally substitutes only:

QUALIFYING MATERIAL COMPONENTS

MISTAKE 3 — THINKING A FOCUS REMOVES V

It doesn't.

MISTAKE 4 — THINKING A FOCUS AUTOMATICALLY REMOVES S

It doesn't.

MISTAKE 5 — THINKING A COMPONENT POUCH CONTAINS EXPENSIVE MATERIALS

It doesn't substitute:

COSTLY COMPONENTS

MISTAKE 6 — THINKING A 25 GP COMPONENT POUCH CONTAINS A 300 GP DIAMOND

No.

MISTAKE 7 — THINKING A FOCUS CAN REPLACE IDENTIFY'S PEARL

No.

The pearl costs:

100+ GP

MISTAKE 8 — THINKING IDENTIFY CONSUMES THE PEARL

It doesn't.

MISTAKE 9 — THINKING CHROMATIC ORB CONSUMES ITS DIAMOND

It doesn't.

MISTAKE 10 — THINKING REVIVIFY'S DIAMOND IS REUSABLE

No.

The spell:

CONSUMES IT

MISTAKE 11 — THINKING COST AND CONSUMPTION ARE THE SAME THING

They are:

SEPARATE PROPERTIES

MISTAKE 12 — THINKING ONLY COSTLY MATERIALS BLOCK FOCUS SUBSTITUTION

Consumed materials also block it.

MISTAKE 13 — THINKING ONLY CONSUMED MATERIALS BLOCK FOCUS SUBSTITUTION

A specified cost also blocks it.

MISTAKE 14 — CHECKING ONLY ONE CONDITION

You must check:

COST

and:

CONSUMPTION

MISTAKE 15 — THINKING A SPELLCASTING FOCUS WORKS FOR EVERY CLASS

Focus permission comes from:

FEATURES

MISTAKE 16 — USING AN ARCANE FOCUS FOR PALADIN SPELLS WITHOUT ANOTHER RULE ALLOWING IT

The normal Paladin feature uses:

HOLY SYMBOL

MISTAKE 17 — USING A HOLY SYMBOL FOR WIZARD SPELLS WITHOUT ANOTHER RULE ALLOWING IT

The Wizard feature uses:

ARCANE FOCUS

or:

SPELLBOOK

MISTAKE 18 — THINKING A MULTICLASS CHARACTER'S ONE FOCUS AUTOMATICALLY WORKS FOR ALL CLASS SPELLS

Focus permission is written:

CLASS BY CLASS

MISTAKE 19 — FORGETTING THAT A COMPONENT POUCH IS MORE GENERAL

The Material-component rule itself allows it for:

QUALIFYING COMPONENTS

MISTAKE 20 — THINKING A COMPONENT POUCH DOESN'T NEED A HAND

It requires:

A FREE HAND TO REACH INTO IT

MISTAKE 21 — THINKING A NORMAL FOCUS CAN REMAIN IN YOUR BACKPACK

General rule:

HOLD IT

unless its description says otherwise.

MISTAKE 22 — THINKING EVERY HOLY SYMBOL MUST BE HELD

No.

Amulet:

WORN OR HELD

Emblem:

FABRIC OR SHIELD

Reliquary:

HELD

MISTAKE 23 — FORGETTING THE SHIELD EMBLEM OPTION

A Holy Symbol emblem can be borne on:

A SHIELD

MISTAKE 24 — THINKING A BARD MUST MAKE A PERFORMANCE CHECK TO CAST THROUGH AN INSTRUMENT

No such general requirement exists.

MISTAKE 25 — THINKING THE BARD MUST PLAY A COMPLETE SONG FOR EVERY SPELL

Not a general SRD rule.

MISTAKE 26 — FORGETTING THE WIZARD SPELLBOOK CAN BE A FOCUS

It can be a Spellcasting Focus for:

WIZARD SPELLS

MISTAKE 27 — THINKING THE SPELLBOOK REPLACES COSTLY COMPONENTS

It doesn't.

MISTAKE 28 — THINKING AN ARCANE STAFF IS ONLY A FOCUS

The standard equipment version is also:

A QUARTERSTAFF

MISTAKE 29 — THINKING A DRUIDIC WOODEN STAFF IS ONLY A FOCUS

It is also:

A QUARTERSTAFF

MISTAKE 30 — REPLACING TRUE STRIKE'S WEAPON WITH A GENERIC FOCUS

True Strike specifies:

A QUALIFYING WEAPON WORTH 1+ CP

That cost prevents normal focus substitution.

MISTAKE 31 — THINKING 300 GP IN COINS REPLACES REVIVIFY'S DIAMOND

The spell requires:

A DIAMOND

not merely equivalent currency.

MISTAKE 32 — THINKING A 90 GP PEARL WORKS FOR IDENTIFY

Requirement:

100+ GP

MISTAKE 33 — THINKING THE COMPONENT MUST BE EXACTLY THE MINIMUM PRICE

100+ means:

AT LEAST 100 GP

MISTAKE 34 — AUTOMATICALLY BREAKING A SINGLE GEM INTO ABSTRACT GP UNITS

The spell consumes:

THE MATERIAL COMPONENT

Don't invent a generic change-making system.

MISTAKE 35 — THINKING SUBTLE SPELL REMOVES COSTLY MATERIALS

It doesn't.

MISTAKE 36 — THINKING SUBTLE SPELL REMOVES CONSUMED MATERIALS

It doesn't.

MISTAKE 37 — THINKING SUBTLE SPELL WORKS LIKE A FOCUS

Subtle Spell can also remove:

V AND S

A normal focus cannot.

MISTAKE 38 — USING OLD SOMATIC HAND WORDING

SRD 5.2.1 says:

USE AT LEAST ONE HAND

Do not silently replace that rule with wording from another version.

MISTAKE 39 — THINKING S AND M AUTOMATICALLY REQUIRE TWO HANDS

They don't.

The Material rule explicitly allows the hand accessing M to also perform:

S

MISTAKE 40 — IGNORING SPECIFIC EXCEPTIONS

Always remember:

SPECIFIC RULE BEATS GENERAL RULE

Holy Symbol handling, Subtle Spell, magic items, and individual spell descriptions can all alter the normal situation.

QUICK RECAP

When a spell has:

M

first inspect the material.

NO COST + NOT CONSUMED

You may use:

ACTUAL COMPONENT

COMPONENT POUCH

or:

AUTHORIZED SPELLCASTING FOCUS

COST SPECIFIED + NOT CONSUMED

Use:

ACTUAL COMPONENT

It remains afterward unless something says otherwise.

Examples:

IDENTIFY

CHROMATIC ORB

NO COST + CONSUMED

Use:

ACTUAL COMPONENT

Normal Pouch/Focus substitution doesn't apply.

COST SPECIFIED + CONSUMED

Use:

ACTUAL COMPONENT

and:

IT IS USED UP

Examples:

ILLUSORY SCRIPT

CONTINUAL FLAME

REVIVIFY

COMPONENT POUCH

Cost:

25 GP

Weight:

2 LB.

Works for qualifying:

FREE, NON-CONSUMED MATERIALS

Requires:

A FREE HAND TO REACH INTO IT

SPELLCASTING FOCUS

Works only if:

YOUR FEATURE AUTHORIZES IT

and only substitutes Material components that:

HAVE NO SPECIFIED COST

and:

ARE NOT CONSUMED

Normally:

MUST BE HELD

unless its description says otherwise.

CLASS FOCUSES

Bard:

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

Cleric:

HOLY SYMBOL

Druid:

DRUIDIC FOCUS

Paladin:

HOLY SYMBOL

Ranger:

DRUIDIC FOCUS

Sorcerer:

ARCANE FOCUS

Warlock:

ARCANE FOCUS

Wizard:

ARCANE FOCUS OR SPELLBOOK

HOLY SYMBOL EXCEPTIONS

Amulet:

WORN OR HELD

Emblem:

FABRIC OR SHIELD

Reliquary:

HELD

SUBTLE SPELL

Removes:

V

S

and ordinary:

M

But doesn't remove M that:

IS CONSUMED

or:

HAS A SPECIFIED COST

PRIME HERO CHALLENGE

You are the GM.

Five spellcasters each try to cast a spell.

Determine whether they can.

SCENARIO 1 — THE BARD

The Bard casts a Bard spell requiring:

V, S, M

The M is:

A SMALL FEATHER

No cost.

Not consumed.

The Bard has:

A LUTE

Can the lute substitute for M?

YES

The Bard's Spellcasting feature permits a Musical Instrument as a focus for Bard spells.

Does the Bard still need V?

YES

Does the Bard still need S?

YES

SCENARIO 2 — THE WIZARD

Wizard wants to cast:

IDENTIFY

Has:

SPELLBOOK

COMPONENT POUCH

but only:

A 75 GP PEARL

Can the Wizard cast Identify?

NO

Identify requires:

A PEARL WORTH 100+ GP

Neither the spellbook nor the Component Pouch replaces that cost requirement.

SCENARIO 3 — THE PALADIN

Paladin holds:

LONGSWORD

and:

SHIELD

The Shield bears:

HOLY SYMBOL EMBLEM

The Paladin casts a Paladin spell with ordinary:

M

No cost.

Not consumed.

Can the Shield-borne emblem function as the focus?

YES

The Holy Symbol description explicitly permits an emblem to be borne on:

A SHIELD

SCENARIO 4 — REVIVIFY

Same Paladin wants to cast:

REVIVIFY

They possess:

A 300 GP DIAMOND

Can the Holy Symbol replace the diamond?

NO

Do they need the diamond?

YES

After casting Revivify, do they keep it?

NO

The spell consumes it.

SCENARIO 5 — SUBTLE SPELL

Sorcerer casts Chromatic Orb with:

SUBTLE SPELL

They possess:

NO 50+ GP DIAMOND

Can Subtle Spell eliminate the diamond requirement?

NO

The Material component has:

A SPECIFIED COST

BONUS CHALLENGE — MULTICLASS

Character is:

BARD / WIZARD

They hold:

A LUTE

and want to cast a Wizard spell with an ordinary non-costly, non-consumed M component.

Does their Bard focus permission automatically make the lute a Wizard focus?

NO

But the character also owns:

A COMPONENT POUCH

and has a free hand.

Can the Pouch substitute?

YES

FINAL CHALLENGE — THE FOUR MATERIAL CATEGORIES

Complete this table from memory.

Cost? Consumed? Normal Pouch/Focus?
No No ?
Yes No ?
No Yes ?
Yes Yes ?

Answers:

Cost? Consumed? Normal Pouch/Focus?
No No Yes
Yes No No
No Yes No
Yes Yes No

If you remember only one formula from this lesson, remember:

FOCUS/POUCH = NO COST + NOT CONSUMED

LESSON 76 — KEY TAKEAWAYS

Material components are not all alike.

The first thing a skilled player asks when seeing:

M

is:

DOES IT HAVE A COST?

Then:

IS IT CONSUMED?

Those two answers determine almost everything.

If the answer to both is:

NO

you have flexibility.

You may normally use:

THE ACTUAL MATERIAL

A COMPONENT POUCH

or:

AN AUTHORIZED SPELLCASTING FOCUS

But if either answer is:

YES

the normal substitution rule stops working.

That is why:

A BIT OF PHOSPHORUS

can often be handled effortlessly by a Focus,

while:

A 300 GP DIAMOND

can determine whether an ally returns from death.

A good spellcaster therefore doesn't only manage:

SPELLS

and:

SPELL SLOTS

They also manage:

EQUIPMENT

COMPONENTS

HANDS

and sometimes:

VERY EXPENSIVE OBJECTS

The Component Pouch offers a general solution for ordinary Material components.

Spellcasting Focuses give each magical tradition its own physical identity:

INSTRUMENT

HOLY SYMBOL

DRUIDIC FOCUS

ARCANE FOCUS

SPELLBOOK

But these objects are:

TOOLS OF SUBSTITUTION

not unlimited permission to ignore the Components entry.

Read the spell.

Check:

COST

Check:

CONSUMPTION

Check:

YOUR FOCUS PERMISSION

Check:

YOUR HANDS

Then cast.

NEXT LESSON

LESSON 77 — SPELL DURATION AND CONCENTRATION

We now know:

WHAT SPELL YOU CAN CAST

WHEN YOU CAN CAST IT

WHERE IT CAN REACH

and:

WHAT COMPONENTS YOU NEED

The next question is:

HOW LONG DOES THE MAGIC LAST?

Lesson 77 will cover:

INSTANTANEOUS DURATION

TIME-SPAN DURATIONS

CONCENTRATION

ENDING CONCENTRATION

TAKING DAMAGE

CONSTITUTION SAVING THROWS

MULTIPLE SOURCES OF DAMAGE

INCAPACITATED

STARTING ANOTHER CONCENTRATION EFFECT

LONG CASTING TIMES

READYING SPELLS

and the tactical consequences of maintaining powerful magic while enemies are trying to:

BREAK YOUR CONCENTRATION

SRD 5.2.1 ATTRIBUTION

This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 (“SRD 5.2.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.