So DnD has a boatload of information about what can count as Druid's spellcasting focus and the only details that Paizo has given for Pathfinder 2e, that I have found, is that the object(s) could be holly and mistletoe. Literally that is the only information about what forms the primal spellcasting focus can take that I can find. Anyone have further details?
What I can find from Pathfinder 1e is... CR pg. 213: The divine focus for a druid or ranger is a spring of holly, or some other sacred plant.
For reference, here are just some of the bits of information from DnD 5e...
PHB pg. 151: Druidic Focus. A druidic focus might be a sprig of mistletoe or holly, a wand or scepter made of yew or another special wood, a staff drawn whole out of a living tree, or a totem object incorporating feathers, fur, bones, and teeth from sacred animals. A druid can use such an object as a spellcasting focus, as described in chapter 10.
PHB pg. 66: A druid holds certain plants to be sacred, particularly alder, ash, birch, elder, hazel, holly, juniper, mistletoe, oak, rowan, willow, and yew. Druids often use such plants as part of a spellcasting focus, incorporating lengths of oak or yew or sprigs o f mistletoe. Similarly, a druid uses such woods to make other objects, such as weapons and shields. Yew is associated with death and rebirth, so weapon handles for scimitars or sickles might be fashioned from it. Ash is associated with life and oak with strength. These woods make excellent hafts or whole weapons, such as clubs or quarterstaffs, as well as shields. Alder is associated with air, and it might be used for thrown weapons, such as darts or javelins.
Druids from regions that lack the plants described here have chosen other plants to take on similar uses. For instance, a druid of a desert region might value the yucca tree and cactus plants.
I am going to just default to those bits of flavor without additional information, but I was wondering if anyone else had more information that has come from Pathfinder 2e?
You could also just have the focus ready in-hand. If you're using the cleric or druid component substitution, you'll be using the same focus all the time, so there's no need to put it away. A druid using a component pouch would need to keep that hand free anyway, so it isn't too much of a cost.
Yes, that is how I understand it as well. I guess I will just haggle with my GM (who is also my spouse, LOL) about how I can incorporate my primal focus object/thing into something I am already carrying all the time, like maybe something dangling from my bracer or shield or something. I mean, I could maybe even make it the handle of my axe...
Wearing a necklace with your focus seems pretty straight forward.
Just look at all the cross necklaces Christians wear.
But since your a druid, instead it would be some sacred plants. I don't imagine it always has to be holly and mistletoe.
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Wearing a necklace with your focus seems pretty straight forward.
Just look at all the cross necklaces Christians wear.
But since your a druid, instead it would be some sacred plants. I don't imagine it always has to be holly and mistletoe.
Does it have to be a plant? I could imagine some druids going in for a sacred rock or maybe something from an animal if they are an animal or wildshape druid
Does it have to be a plant? I could imagine some druids going in for a sacred rock or maybe something from an animal if they are an animal or wildshape druidWearing a necklace with your focus seems pretty straight forward.
Just look at all the cross necklaces Christians wear.
But since your a druid, instead it would be some sacred plants. I don't imagine it always has to be holly and mistletoe.
Eh, they never really give us enough direction but yeah maybe.
Personally I think I'd rather see things that were/are alive. So tiger claw, okay. Rock less so.
But really, anything in theory should work as a focus assuming it meets the same mechanical requirements as the ol' Holly and Mistletoe.
Druid Focus
Well as people said there are many things that could work and it probably makes sense if it is related to the order
so plant druids might use holly and mistletoe but also other plants, cuttings from old trees, a piece of wood given by (or taken from) a treant or leshy, a wooden carving depicting a symbol of nature
animal and wild order are probably all about animal paraphenalia but I can imagine that the animal order is more about peacefully collected and the wild order more about aquiring the focus in a hunt
so animal order would be things like a shed antler or an effigy made from woven fur while wild order uses the tiger claw or small animal bones
the storm order tries probably things that have a relation to the storms, even though that is more hard
examples could be wings of birds, pieces of wood from a tree struck down by lightning, obsidian created by a lightning striking in the sand, crystals that have a natural affinity to lightning and storm
I partially disagree with claxons notions that rocks wont work
Rocks probably don't work in general but if they have affinity to whatever your druid wants to accomplish, certain crystals and gems could certainly work imo (of course gems would have to raw and not cut and polished)
I just said personally I wouldn't want to see rock, I feel it's less connected to the druid's shtick than all the other stuff you (or I) mentioned.
But please pay attention to the part where I said anything should work assuming it meets the same mechanical aspects as Mistletoe and Holly, which is basically you need an item (doesn't need to be valuable) and you must handle it while casting the spell. A necklace works well, but technically:
A focus is an object that funnels the magical energy of the spell. The spell gains the manipulate trait and requires you to either have a free hand to retrieve the focus listed in the spell or already be holding the focus in your hand. As part of Casting the Spell, you retrieve the focus (if necessary), manipulate it, and can stow it again if you so choose.
Foci tend to be expensive, and you need to acquire them in advance to Cast the Spell.
As part of the casting you can retrieve it, use it, and return it without any additional actions, you just need a freehand.
The part about expensive foci I believe applies to specific spells which have specific foci, not generically using a focus to replace other spell components.
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As part of the casting you can retrieve it, use it, and return it without any additional actions, you just need a freehand.
For the focus related to a specific spell that's true. For the substitution focuses, the sidebar says you can't.
"Unlike the normal rules for a focus component, you can’t retrieve or stow the focus when making this substitution."
I like the idea that a Druid’s focus is something meaningful to them, personally. The above ideas about the different orders influencing what focus is chosen are all great.
I also like the idea that he Druid’s area influences their choice. A druid living in the high peaks may have a weathered chunk of quartz. A seaside cleric may have some kelp wound around a driftwood stick. A swamp druid might have a bunch of hanging mosses. And so on.
Personally I’m more interested with “is it natural” and “are you following the rules about having a free hand to manipulate your focus per the rules” than I am about whether it's specifically holly or mistletoe.
If you're a Leshy made from alder, ash, birch, elder, hazel, holly, juniper, mistletoe, oak, rowan, willow, or yew can you be your own focus?
As part of the casting you can retrieve it, use it, and return it without any additional actions, you just need a freehand.
For the focus related to a specific spell that's true. For the substitution focuses, the sidebar says you can't.
"Unlike the normal rules for a focus component, you can’t retrieve or stow the focus when making this substitution."
I really don't like they put in so many exceptions to stuff.
I mean, I don't really play spell casters and have always found a spell component pouch to be pretty easy when I have.
In this edition you're going to need a free hand regardless, so there's little difference except thematics. As you need to either manipulate the focus or get the components, but retrieving the components takes the same actions total actions to cast the spell.
You could also just have the focus ready in-hand. If you're using the cleric or druid component substitution, you'll be using the same focus all the time, so there's no need to put it away. A druid using a component pouch would need to keep that hand free anyway, so it isn't too much of a cost.You think that's bad? Spare a thought for the poor bards, since all the musical instruments in the crb require two hands.
The magical Horn of Blasting is a one handed instrument in the CRB.