Freedom of Movement material component question

[jcook119]

For the spell Freedom of Movement, the material focus is a leather strap or thong tied around the target. Is this consumed by the casting of the spell, or can it be worn continually by a character to allow them to be targeted any time?

Also, the spell is a touch spell. If I want to cast this in combat, do I have to go running around tying things on my fellow party members?

Thanks,
James

[Ross Byers]

A material component is consumed by casting.

A focus is reusable.

[Lathiira]

A focus is not used up in spellcasting and may be reused. A material component is. So the focus could be reused.

For the touch aspect, I'd rule you could tie the focus in place in advance myself, using the spell to empower the person through the existing focus (you DID tie leather straps on everyone that morning before you left to adventure, right?). It'd be perfectly understandable if someone required the focus to be tied on during casting, but no one I know has ever required the loss of an action to do so, as it becomes questionable what you'd have to do in addition to spellcasting.

[Happler]

maybe you just focus on either armor straps, weapon sheath straps, belts, amulet thong, etc that the character already has on them. It does not state that the straps are special in any way, or that you need to tie them on yourself.

Just about the only character that would not have a leather strap somewhere on themselves would be a naked one, or one who specified that they did not. Otherwise, pretty much anything in a medieval setting could be considered to have a leather strap somewhere on it.

[Starglim]

The leather strip is a material component. It's consumed when the spell is cast.

I don't see a problem with the leather strip being tied on beforehand, but the caster must manipulate it when he casts the spell, like any other material component, so it makes no practical difference except to restrict his choice of targets.

[Happler]

Or just get eschew materials. :)

And sorry, I misunderstood the spell as having a focus and not a component. See what happens when I do not check the PRD before posting.. :P

There is still nothing that states that the leather strap must be pre-tied. Also there is nothing that restricts you from attaching it in the standard action that it takes to cast the spell. You could just have a little leather lasso that you flick over some part of the target you can reach as part of the spell. It is up to the GM/Player to describe. Playing it any other way just makes the spell not follow RAW for it.

[jcook119]

Sorry about the confusing wording, I meant "material component", not "material focus". Thanks for the replies folks, that answers my question.

[Noh Masuku]

You know what is interesting is this is one of the very few divine spells that doesn't go by the "M/DF" actual listing...and I'm betting that it is a typo they just keep using. Why of all the zillions of spells that just use a DF would this one need a leather loop, I mean really...the gods of leather just really needed some form of sacrifice or what...the loop is probably for the bard version only but another thing paizo never cleaned up...the other ones make sense in needing holy water, some reliquary or whatnot but this is totally out of left field.