Cake throwing wizards?

[Project_Mayhem]

Ok, this might be somewhat unimportant, but I noticed that the material component for the spell Hideous laughter is

Material Component
Tiny tarts that are thrown at the target and a feather that is waved in the air.

Tiny tarts? Or is it a typo for darts?

While darts doesn't really fit with the spell concept, it kinda makes more sense than a spellcaster carrying very small cakes around.

Obviously this doesnt really matter - I just felt it killed the vermilsitude, which I cant spell.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

Ohhh, it is tarts.

[RandomNPC]

my wife laughs at it and i don't even have spell components, trust me, it's tiny cake.

[Riffington]

It makes more sense if you imagine that he throws a pie in the victim's face

[SmartAlec]

Wizards do carry around a lot of weird stuff. I mean, Grease is cast using a bit of pork rind. Horrid Wilting with a sponge.

[J.Gellert]

I had never noticed that - the things you miss when you houserule spell components out

Edit: Horrid Wilting with a sponge?
Wizard: "Here, here, dirty gnolls, time for your bath!"

[Project_Mayhem]

my wife laughs at it and i don't even have spell components, trust me, it's tiny cake.

Yeah, I suppose the cake throwing is part of what makes the target laugh

Still a silly idea though. I mean, they'd go off quickly, smell, and splat in the component pouch. (Shakes head)

[Crow]

It could be promiscuous pixies...

[Riffington]

It could be promiscuous pixies...

Who are in fact the ones doing the feather-waving, as they tickle the victim senseless?

[AslanCross]

On the subject of spell components and foci, I love how ray of stupidity uses a miniature dunce hat.

[Project_Mayhem]

Oh my god, they're all stupid. I never actually read the components before I noticed this - hell, the even well known stuff makes no sense. What's bat turd got to do with anything magical?

WOTC ARE TOYING WITH OUR SANITY!!?!

[Chronos]

A small nitpick: A tart is a little pie, not a cake.

A larger nitpick: A "tiny" tart, as the spell specifies, is a large enough object that it'd be a full-fledged pie, not a tart.

[SmartAlec]

Hold on. A tart is smaller than a pie, but a tiny tart is the same size as a pie?

[Altair_the_Vexed]

It's been said before - the material components are [usually] a joke.

Okay, some components are important, cause they're meant to balance the spell out with a cost. My house rule is that there are no material components for spells that have no listed cost for the component.

[Mewtarthio]

Hold on. A tart is smaller than a pie, but a tiny tart is the same size as a pie?

It's Tiny sized. Though that could also mean that it's sized for Tiny creatures...

Anyway, yeah, the material components are truly horrible. Take a look at the component for detect thoughts. Shameful, really.

[Sleet]

What's bat turd got to do with anything magical?

Bat guano is highly flammable. Seriously.

[deadseashoals]

It's supposed evoke a whimsical and absurd flavor for a spell that makes you literally roll around on the floor laughing your *** off. At least, that's what I figured when I read the components.

[AslanCross]

WOTC ARE TOYING WITH OUR SANITY!!?!

If that was their intention, it seems to have worked. o_O

Edited for typoness.

[Crow]

Bat guano is highly flammable. Seriously.

So is non-dairy creamer. Little known fact.

[kpenguin]

WOTC ARE TOYING WITH OUR SANITY!!?!

Actually, I think bat guano goes back to TSR days.

[Kaelik]

All the components end up being examples where the component itself could create the same effect even if you didn't cast the spell.

See Invisibility: Through flour at them
Glitterdust: Throw Glitter at them
Fireball: Throw flammable substance at them
Hideous Laughter: Throw a Pie in their face
ect.

[Sleet]

So is non-dairy creamer. Little known fact.

Dude. I have a bottle of Coffee-mate, a box of strike-anywhere matches, and a night off. I know what I'm doing.

[Chronos]

So is non-dairy creamer. Little known fact.

I knew that, too. But while creamer produces an impressive little explosion, you can actually make gunpowder out of bat guano.

All the components end up being examples where the component itself could create the same effect even if you didn't cast the spell.

Most of these, while the component could have a similar effect, it wouldn't be nearly as impressive as the spell. But a rotten egg, all by itself, produces a perfectly effective Stinking Cloud.

[F.L.]

Bat guano is highly flammable. Seriously.

I thought it wasn't. It's merely potassium nitrate, that serves as the oxidizer for flammable things, like charcoal, sulphur, gasoline, etc. Similar to perchlorate or lox in other mixtures, or the nitro groups on high explosives.

And, you could, I suppose, make gunpowder out of KNO3+dairy creamer.

[Mr.Moron]

So is non-dairy creamer. Little known fact.

Just don't put in the microwave, you could turn into a mouse.

[Mewtarthio]

Just don't put in the microwave, you could turn into a mouse.

Anything could happen, really. Nobody really knows how non-dairy creamer works. You could always sue, of course...

Actually, I think bat guano goes back to TSR days.

I've seen some of the original VSM components. To be quite honest, I'm not sure if I believe that they existed. They were really... strange.

[Maerok]

Or is it a typo for darts?

So... so... the cake is a lie?

I've rolled a natural 20 on my eternal damnation!!!

[BCOVertigo]

So... so... the cake is a lie?

I've rolled a natural 20 on my eternal damnation!!!

You....

[Pandaren]

That kind of reminds me of Finger of Death...

GIANT BLACK FLOATING SKELETON HAND
*tickle*
*tickle*
*tickletickle*
*tickletickle*
*BLARF*

[Roderick_BR]

It's Tiny sized. Though that could also mean that it's sized for Tiny creatures...

Anyway, yeah, the material components are truly horrible. Take a look at the component for detect thoughts. Shameful, really.

Lol! I never used that spell before, but I know what I'll say next time I play a spellcaster and we need to interrogate someone...