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Material component
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2002 1:02 pm
by Bruce Lee
Do you guys use this to cast a spell and if so how? I have never used I just let my players cast the desired spell, provided of course that they know the spell and have it memorized. Are they supposed to buy or find some special material to be able to cast certain spells?
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2002 1:13 pm
by Kayless
Yeah, I usually have mages use Material Components. Part of being a wizard is finding those rare ingrediants for certain powerful spells (Karsus' Avatar, the most powerful spell ever made, required pieces of a Tarrasque 
). Material Componets can be a little annoying with lower level spells, but that's why they have the 3E Eschew Materials feat. This allows mages to cast spells without material componets (so long as the components aren't worth more than 1gp). However, a mage should be able to by the more mundane ingredients for low level spells.
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2002 8:47 am
by Kharvak
Actually this was one of the mechanisms I used to employ for 'side quest' generation when I played. All low level material components were readily available in Marketplaces etc, but the more esoteric stuff was something the guys n gals had to go look for....
This prompted some great ad libbing (and frantic prep from me) but really livened up the whole experience.... until some clever so & so decided that surely other spell casters had these ingredients........ and then proceeded to form an 'arrangement' with the local thieves guild..........
Players... cant live with 'em... so throw in a Hive Mother Beholder !
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2002 3:21 pm
by Xyx
Mages can buy a Spell Component Pouch for only 20 gold. It supposedly provides them with every ingredient they'll ever need, as long as the spell description does not mention a monetary cost.
Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2002 2:41 am
by Mr.Waesel
Karsus' Avatar, the most powerful spell ever made, required pieces of a Tarrasque
What's it do?! is it better than wish? i don't remember it being in the PH, so where is it?
Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2002 10:28 am
by Durwyn
Mystra banned the use of such spells after Karsus died.
Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2002 8:16 am
by Mr.Waesel
Ummm...kaaaayyyy
Than what DID it do?
Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2002 7:28 am
by Durwyn
It gave Karsus the ability to astablish a link between the Goddess of Magic and himself, stealing all of her power and knowledge, becoming a god himself.
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2002 3:45 am
by Mr.Waesel
Well, then i can see why it was "banned", it would be a strange sight indeed to see mages scurrying all over the place looking for the tarrasque, or chopping bits off it with a pickaxe...
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2002 1:17 am
by Akani Shrike
Originally posted by Mr.Waesel
mages scurrying all over the place looking for the tarrasque, or chopping bits off it with a pickaxe...
that is something i'd PAY to see.
what i do, is have everyone but sorcerers buy spell component pouches, which have 10 uses, or charges, if you will, and they have the components you need in 'em.
Sorcerers, however, i've deemed shouldn't really need it, because it's an innate power in them, so in my campaign, all sorcerers have eschew material components. it's all in my effort to sap them of their money... 'cept they're all either sorcerers, or not spellcasters
ah, well, what'cha gonna do, eh?
Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2002 3:32 am
by Mr.Waesel
If Sorcs don't need it, why do they start with a SC pouch?
Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2002 1:06 pm
by The Stranger
I usually look at spell components as a price of power. Mages are arguably the most powerful characters at high levels, but if you make it difficult to cast those high level spells, then it evens them out a bit. Just because a spell is in thier spell book dose not mean that they should be able to cast it all of the time. It also offers alot of opportunities for role playing and adventure if you make them hunt for the reagents.
I personally would make 'em find the spell components.