Spell components¶
A spell’s Components entry lists what its caster must provide. V means Verbal, S means Somatic, and M means Material. If you cannot provide a required component, you cannot cast the spell unless a specific feature removes that requirement.
| Symbol | Component | What you provide |
|---|---|---|
| V | Verbal | The spell’s audible magical utterance |
| S | Somatic | The spell’s gestures, using at least one hand |
| M | Material | The specified materials, or an allowed substitute |
Verbal (V)¶
Speak the magical sounds at a normal speaking volume. These are particular sounds, pitches, and rhythms; simply saying the spell’s name is not the rule. A gag or magical silence prevents you from providing a Verbal component. A spell without V does not need this utterance.
Somatic (S)¶
Make the spell’s required gestures with at least one hand. Keep a hand available for those gestures unless a feature says otherwise. A spell with both S and M can use the same hand for gestures and for accessing or holding its Material component or permitted focus.
Holding a focus does not automatically satisfy the hand requirement for a spell with S but no M. War Caster is an example of a specific exception that permits Somatic components while weapons or a Shield occupy your hands.
Material (M)¶
Provide the objects named in parentheses. You need a hand free to access them. A Component Pouch can replace materials that are neither consumed nor assigned a cost. A Spellcasting Focus can do the same when your spellcasting feature permits that focus. Hold the focus unless its description says otherwise.
Costly or consumed materials cannot be replaced by a pouch or focus. Provide the specified item when the spell assigns it a cost, and provide any material the spell consumes. Consumption means that material is used up; a later casting needs another supply. Costly materials are not automatically consumed: the spell must say so.
Examples: Fireball’s ordinary bat guano and sulfur can use an eligible substitute. Revivify’s consumed diamonds worth 300+ GP must actually be provided.
Exceptions and ritual casting¶
A feature can waive components, but read exactly which ones. Subtle Spell, Psionic Sorcery, innate casting, and item casting each have their own wording; a free casting does not automatically waive all components.
Ritual casting saves a spell slot, not its components. Concentration, casting time, range, and target requirements still matter. A Shield also affects hand availability; see armor and Shield training.
Source: supplied Player’s Handbook (2024), chapter 7, Components (PDF pages 235–236; printed pages 236–237), plus the specific features and spells used as examples. Paraphrased reference.
Imported source¶
Original internal-site content. The rulebook citations in the original page are retained.