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MyKill
2020-09-03, 12:05 PM
What are your thoughts regarding a dedicated spell focus?

The inspiration for this idea came from the Dresden Files. Harry has a focus for his shield spell, one for fire spells, one for wind spells and one for navigating the Nevernever. He can cast the spells without his foci, but using them gives more control.

A dedicated focus for evocation spells could grant a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls and damage, similar to a +1 melee weapon. Or a dedicated focus for enchantment spells might add +1 to the spell save DC.

For a +2 bonus the focus might have to be more specific, i.e., only for fire spells or only for Wisdom spell saves. A +3 bonus might target a particular spell, i.e., only works for Scorching Ray or only works for Charm Person.

It could be magic treasure, but I also like the idea that an arcane focus should be created by and specific to the caster.

Just as a fighter can have a +2 sword, +1 bow, +3 shield and +1 armor, with this idea a spell caster could have a +2 fire focus, +1 enchantment focus, +3 Charm Person focus and a +1 illusion focus.

I am new to 5e, any suggestions/refinements/cautions will be appreciated.

MoleMage
2020-09-04, 09:40 AM
The DMG has the Wand of the War Mage (and its warlock equivalent the Pact Keeper's Rod) as effectively +X items for magic users.

I like the idea of the bonus being more narrowly defined though. Both of the above items apply to all spells.

Silly Name
2020-09-04, 10:16 AM
3.5 had something similar in the form of special material components for spells. In short, they were special spell components that could substitute for material components and give boosts to the appropriate spells. I.e, a Sunflower of Pelor would boost Light/Sun spells. Something else may increase the DC of Necromancy spells, or increase the duration of your enchantment spells.

Eberron had a few such components, but I didn't really like them because they only had a chance of working, which wasn't particularly fun.

Since they were material components, they were consumed as the spell was cast, which may be more balanced than a flat permanent +X to spells of a certain school.

MyKill
2020-09-04, 09:55 PM
Here’s my idea after some feedback and further thought...

Dedicated Spell Focus Rules.

If a spell caster lacks the material components required to cast a given spell it can be cast with a -5 penalty to any associated die roll. If a cost is indicated for a component, the character must still have that specific component before they can cast the spell.

All 1stLvl spell casters can craft a Tier One spell focus which simply negates the penalty for not having material components. The focus can take most any form, i.e., ring, wand, staff, holy symbol, weapon, etc...

At 5thLvl the spell caster can now craft a Tier Two spell focus and employ two spell foci in their casting, the original Tier One focus and the new Tier Two. A Tier Two spell focus grants a +1 bonus to the attack roll of a specific spell or cantrip. For example, one might craft a wand which grants a +1 to the attack roll for Fire Bolt. The bonus is specific to that spell and the new focus cannot be used for any other spell casting.

At 9thLvl the caster can now craft a Tier Three focus and employ up to three spell foci. This more powerful focus can grant one of the following options;
* +2 bonus to a specific spell’s attack roll.
* +1 bonus to the attack roll of a damage type (fire, cold, radiant, etc...).
* +1 bonus to one specific spell’s DC.
Examples; a +2 Fire Bolt wand, +1 Force damage ring, +1 Charm Person diadem.

At 13thLvl the caster can now craft a Tier four focus and employ up to four spell foci. This focus grants one of the following options;
* +3 bonus to a specific spell’s attack roll.
* +2 bonus to the attack roll of a damage type (fire, cold, radiant, etc...).
* +1 bonus to all Evocation attack rolls.
* +2 bonus to one specific spell’s DC.
* +1 bonus to one school’s DC (Enchantment, Illusion, Necromancy, etc...).
Examples; a +3 Fire Bolt wand, +2 Force damage ring, +1 Staff of Evocation, +2 Charm Person diadem, +1 Rod of Illusion.

At 17thLvl the caster can now craft a Tier five focus and employ up to five spell foci. This focus grants one of the following options;
* +3 bonus to the attack roll of a damage type (fire, cold, radiant, etc...).
* +2 bonus to all Evocation attack rolls.
* +3 bonus to one specific spell’s DC.
* +2 bonus to one school’s DC (Enchantment, Illusion, Necromancy, etc...).
Examples; a +3 Force damage ring, +2 Staff of Evocation, +3 Charm Person diadem, +2 Rod of Illusion.

General rules:
* Bonuses do not stack. A spell may only be cast through one focus.
* A caster may only have one focus of each Tier.
* Crafting a second focus of any given Tier disenchants the first focus.
* A focus may only have one bonus chosen at the time of crafting.
* Once crafted the bonus is fixed and cannot be changed.
* To choose a different bonus, craft a new focus.
* Spell foci can only be used by the caster who crafted it.
* All full casters may craft spell foci.