During combat, one of my players casted consecrate...
Usually you don't need to worry about components, but when you can't use a component for some reason or when a material or focus component is expensive, then the components are important.
Unless these components are elaborate, preparing them is a free action.
A spellcaster with a spell component pouch is assumed to have all the material components and focuses needed for spellcasting, except for components that have a specific cost, divine focuses, and focuses that wouldn't fit in a pouch.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT HAVING A FREE HAND FOR MATERIAL COMPONENTS. Although Holy Water is not a negligible component, so the ruling that somatics and materials are same hand loophole wouldn't apply. (That's not what this discussion is about, unless you'd like to include it with your ruling).
Components V, S, M (a vial of holy water and 25 gp worth of silver dust), DF
I ruled it was not in his pouch, but I gave my player the benefit of the doubt and assumed he kept the two items together (as they're components for the same spell)in his haversack, so I cost him a move action to retrieve it. Then the argument started.
I've always understood that retrieving a material component is a free action as part of the casting a spell, especially if it's coming from the pouch, but Holy Water and 25 gp of silver dust isn't being held in the pouch, is it safe to rule that retrieving these items is more than a free action?
The way I rule it as a GM is that as long as the character has bought those components for the spell, they can retrieve them as a free action.
I also don't RP buying individual spell components like this and usually just tell players to subtract from their free gold to save time.
I'm lenient with the RP and the purchasing, I don't micromanage their inventory. That's not my issue.
"except for components that have a specific cost, divine focuses, and focuses that wouldn't fit in a pouch."
Retrieving any specific item from a haversack is a move action
"Unless these components are elaborate, preparing them is a free action."
"Since manipulating a material component (including a focus) is part of casting the spell, it's best to consider the hand that holds the material component or focus as "free" for purposes of completing a somatic component."
I'm willing to question how it's possible that holy water could be same hand as somatic, but materials is material, AND a cleric that needs to hold his divine focus, make somatic component gestures, and consume the materials in question, the casting of a spell becomes almost impossible.
I'm just questioning the action required to retrieve the materials if they aren't "negligible."
Elaborate doesn't necessarily mean expensive. In this case elaborate would mean either especially large and unwieldy (say the chest for a secret chest spell) or something complex to set up (I don't have a good example.)
It is reasonable that if the character has either memorized that as a spell of the day or has it as one of their extremely limited spontaneous spells known they have the components easily available and ready to cast the spell. (assuming of course that they have purchased any expensive components)
I would absolutely rule that it is a free action.
If you were dead set on ruling otherwise, at a minimum I would allow it to be a free action for that casting but inform him (and the rest of your players) that you view any non-negligible cost item as 'elaborate' and will require a move action to retrieve so they will know that in the future. If it is a spontaneous caster I would also offer them free retraining of any spells effected by this ruling.
Elaborate doesn't necessarily mean expensive. In this case elaborate would mean either especially large and unwieldy (say the chest for a secret chest spell) or something complex to set up (I don't have a good example.)
It is reasonable that if the character has either memorized that as a spell of the day or has it as one of their extremely limited spontaneous spells known they have the components easily available and ready to cast the spell. (assuming of course that they have purchased any expensive components)
I would absolutely rule that it is a free action.
If you were dead set on ruling otherwise, at a minimum I would allow it to be a free action for that casting but inform him (and the rest of your players) that you view any non-negligible cost item as 'elaborate' and will require a move action to retrieve so they will know that in the future. If it is a spontaneous caster I would also offer them free retraining of any spells effected by this ruling.
A pretty good answer, I'd go with that ruling too.
Since the cleric only needs the divine focus for most of their spells, I think it's fair to let him carry a couple of... Vials of Holy Water with silver powder mixed in it, pherhaps?
NOW THAT I'VE DUG DEEPER, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SPELL COMPONENT POUCH AND A COMMON BACKPACK IS A COMPONENT POUCH IS WATERPROOF. SO, THE COMPONENTS IN QUESTION CAN IN FACT FIT WITHIN. NORMALLY RETREIVING A STORED ITEM IS A STANDARD ACTION (MOVE ACTION WITH HAVERSACK), BUT THE FREE ACTION PREPERATION OF MATERIAL COMPONENTS FOR CASTING A SPELL APPLIES FOR THE RETREIVAL OF THESE ITEMS.
I RULED WRONG.
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Why wouldn't silver dust and a vial of holy water fit in the pouch?
A 6"x6"x6" bag can totally fit a vial and a bit of dust with the rest of its stuff.
A backpack fits 2 cubic feet. A spell component pouch fits 1/8 cubic feet. I admit that for that latter statistic, I don't know where it came from. It's listed on the d20pfsrd, but there is no source.
Also, the holy water absolutely has a negligible cost. Reasoning the first: a price isn't listed.
Reasoning the second: this isn't the same as the alchemical weapon holy water. At least, not by amount. The alchemical weapon is a pound of holy water. That's like throwing a small water bottle. This is just a tiny vial.
Also, retrieving an item is typically a move action (exception being retrieving an item from a bag of holding with a lot of stuff in it). The haversack makes it so retrieving an item doesn't provoke an AoO.