I want to do more of a survivalist game, so the players aren't starting with all their equipment in a pile. As such, normal resources become precious and limited. My question is;
How many spells can you cast from a standard spell component pouch?
Is it written in RAW anywhere?
What would your opinion be?
I am allowing them to find material components for spells using skills or free if it is an obvious, "sand on a beach" situation.
Sorcerer's don't have to worry. RAW have them getting Eschew Materials as a free feat which lets them ignore any material component of 1gp cost or less.
Other classes might be harder hit but you might make it more fun and more survivalist by letting them make survival, perception, profession, etc checks to find spell components. I'd personally have them spend an hour and a DC15 skill check to find spell components for a day or few days or until it starts getting old.
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RAW - A spell component pouch is assumed to have all the spell components and focuses that don't have gold piece costs.
So... I dunno, infinite? An interesting idea would be for your caster(s) to have to make a spell component pouch out of things they find. Not in the "components for today" sense but in the "I made this and now I get to carry it through the whole AP" sense.
Would also encourage you to let your potential arcane and divine casters know you want to do this during character creation. Once had a GM decide deep into a campaign that they wanted the party wizard to keep track of all items in their spell pouch to try and restrict the number of fireballs they could throw and it did not go over well. If the player really hates the thought of having to do this, they can always take Eschew Materials.
You can play it as more of a survivalist game, but eventually you're going to have your non-spellcaster character players get up in arms about the tenth time that session the spellcaster player has stopped the action to notify you, loudly and repeatedly so you know and don't later claim he just made it up and wrote it on his character sheet, that he is catching a live spider or cricket, gathering a pinch of sand or rosepetals, pestering a shopkeeper for a laundry list of esoteric grot they probably don't stock, etc. etc. etc.
The spell component pouch is basically Eschew Material component in a bag. If you want to take the feat away for some reason, you take away the bag the same as you can take away their spellbook. However, unless you want the character to be gimped forever and the player pissed, you better give both of them back in short order.
Thanks for the responses, even though not 1 of them actually answered the questions. I am well aware of what I am doing.
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Thanks for the responses, even though not 1 of them actually answered the questions. I am well aware of what I am doing.
How many spells can you cast from a standard spell component pouch? Is it written in RAW anywhere?
Not that I could find. There is no set limit and it is probably a house-rule you will need to create.
What would your opinion be?
I would set the limit of spells fairly high for lower levels (1st-3rd level) and then gradually make the higher level components less in number. Not sure what would be a good number of castings. Still, if the component is an easily accessible item, you should make it really easy to acquire it.
How long would a spellbook survive exposure to the ocean/jungle? Thinking about how the PCs arrive on Smuggler's Shiv, and knowing that they will be in humid environments, should it be assumed that those who need tomes to do the work of their class have books that are designed to be fine in tropical areas? Thanks!
Usually in more civilized settings, upkeep is based on a month to month system. I would assume that part of monthly "upkeep" is to pick up a few bits and pieces here and there to fill in one's spell component pouch.
If I were trying to simulate the spell component pouch running out, I'd do it by time, and then use something like a spellcraft check and compare the results to what one would make with a profession for the day. When someone rolls high enough to "earn" the cost of a spell component pouch, they have found enough components to have a new one.
I couldn't begin to guess how many "castings" are in a spell component pouch, as one of the reasons the item was introduced was to keep people from trying to keep track of such things.
How long would a spellbook survive exposure to the ocean/jungle? Thinking about how the PCs arrive on Smuggler's Shiv, and knowing that they will be in humid environments, should it be assumed that those who need tomes to do the work of their class have books that are designed to be fine in tropical areas? Thanks!
I'd recommend the following spells:
Prestidigitation: Dry a wet spellbook.
Mending: Repair a damaged spellbook.
If you go back to the old 3.0 Magic of Faerun, there's also a number of ways to protect your spellbook. Perfect magical waterproofing is done for 1000 GP by means of Endure Elements cast at 3rd level.
I'd say that it would be easy enough to invent alchemical Scotch Guard following the same formula to waterproof anything you want.
Without the alchemy, waxed leather and oil cloth can be used to waterproof things mundanely.
I plan on starting off the campaign a bit on the survivalist side as well: Players will present their characters and then I will treat their listed equipment as a "wish list" and place various items as "washed up on the beach" and others may be recoverable from the wreckage of the Jenivere or just be lost in general. Some things will remain on the characters and be there when they wake up... such things include worn or light-weight carried items like daggers, belt pouches, spell component pouches and holy symbols. Also any armor that could arguably be worn on ship without being a detriment to rescuing that character from drowning (light armors) will still be there. The rest will be found scattered around the beach in various crates or random piles... the party will need to scrounge and make do. I think it's a great idea!... but be careful of going too far because there is no general store available till the party hits 5th level and reaches the mainland! So what they find is all they will have for the first several levels, aside from what they loot from the shipwrecks and residents of the Shiv.
As for the specific stats on Spell Component Pouches, there are none. The item was created for 3rd edition D&D for the express purpose of not having to worry about whether Joe Mage had enough sand n' rose petals to cast a sleep spell or whether he could get a better price on bat guano at the next town down the road. If you want to put restrictions on it, you'll have to house-rule it. Me, I would just have the caster make a relevant skill check (survival, spellcraft, etc.) and spend a few hours every three or four days of heavy casting to find enough mats in the wilderness to fill their bag. Just a suggestion...
"Me, I would just have the caster make a relevant skill check (survival, spellcraft, etc.) and spend a few hours every three or four days of heavy casting to find enough mats in the wilderness to fill their bag. Just a suggestion..."
That's generally what I decided to do as well, though I choose Know:Nature. I made it similar to gathering food using Survival, but replace food with material components. I also made a new Camp Duty, Gather Material Components. It gives a survivalist feel, without the bookkeeping.