Eschew materials and spell learning.

[Vipersfang]

If a player has the Eshew Materials feat and a Wizards spellbound do they still need the materials cost to learn spells? Or does Eshew materials provide it. Or are they just for spell ingredients?

[aobst128]

It's only for casting spells with material components that don't have a specific cost.

[Jared Walter 356]

As it states in the feat,this only apply to the Cast a spell activity:

Source Core Rulebook pg. 209 2.0
You can use clever workarounds to replicate the arcane essence of certain materials. When Casting a Spell that requires material components, you can provide these material components without a material component pouch by drawing intricate replacement sigils in the air. Unlike when providing somatic components, you still must have a hand completely free. This doesn't remove the need for any materials listed in the spell's cost entry.

[breithauptclan]

Yeah, Eschew Materials is really a low power feat. Most spellcasting classes get something similar for free. Sorcerers have magic blood that lets them do the same thing. Clerics have their holy symbol token - Druid similar. Magus can wave their sword around.

Material Components are generic and (as far as I know) actually free to get. Needing to have material components just means that you could have them forcibly removed from you, and then not be able to cast spells. Eschew Materials prevents that.

[Vipersfang]

So you can't use eschew materials to learn from a spellbook to cut the gold requirements?

[Asethe]

Vipersfang wrote:

So you can't use eschew materials to learn from a spellbook to cut the gold requirements?

No. Only when casting a spell, not learning one.

The feat just replaces a Material Component Pouch, so also doesn't remove the requirement for any special materials casting the spell might have listed in it.

[breithauptclan]

Asethe wrote:

Vipersfang wrote:

So you can't use eschew materials to learn from a spellbook to cut the gold requirements?

No. Only when casting a spell, not learning one.

The feat just replaces a Material Component Pouch, so also doesn't remove the requirement for any special materials casting the spell might have listed in it.

For example, Continual Flame has both material components (along with somatic and verbal components) and a Cost: 6 gp of ruby dust.

Eschew materials would change the casting actions to only require the somatic and verbal components. It would still take 3 actions to cast the spell. And you would still need a hand completely free (not holding any other objects).

Eschew materials would not remove the requirement of having 6 gp of ruby dust though. That would still have to be purchased and consumed in the casting.

And yes, learning the spell would still take the normal amount of downtime time and cost.