[RPG] Does wearing a focus keep your hands free

dnd-5edruidmagic-itemsrangerspellcasting-focus

So the text for the Nature's Mantle in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything states:

while wearing the cloak, you can use it as a focus for your druid and ranger spells." Other foci specify "while holding the focus.

So does mean that by wearing it you do not need a hand free to access mundane material components?
Thank you!

Best Answer

Only if the spell does not also have somatic components.

So the general rule is this:

A spellcaster must have a hand free to access a spell's material components — or to hold a spellcasting focus — but it can be the same hand that he or she uses to perform somatic components.

The Nature's Mantle creates an exception to this rule when it says:

While wearing the cloak, you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your druid and ranger spells.

You don't have to hold it in hand, the only condition for its use is "while wearing the cloak".

But this does not excuse somatic components:

Spellcasting gestures might include a forceful gesticulation or an intricate set of gestures. If a spell requires a somatic component, the caster must have free use of at least one hand to perform these gestures.

So if the spell requires both S and M components, you still need a free hand to perform the S components. If the Spell is (V,M), then the cloak allows you to cast the spell hands-free.

Rangers Don't Get Foci

All classes that use a focus have a "Spellcasting Focus" subheading to their Spellcasting (or Warlock) feature:

Wizard (arcane focus)
Warlock (arcane focus)
Sorcerer (arcane focus)
Paladin (holy symbol)
Druid (druidic focus)
Cleric (holy symbol)
Bard (musical instrument)

The wizards feature for instance reads:

SPELLCASTING FOCUS

You can use an arcane focus (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells.

PHB 114

With the exception of the Ranger and Eldritch Knight, which specifically don't mention foci as part of the spell casting feature. Who have no such text.

It Is Intentional

Jeremy Crawford clarified in a tweet that the omission of focus for the ranger class is intentional. He was asked:

[D]o rangers use spellcasting foci, and/or do they need to buy component pouches at 2nd level?

And replied:

The ranger doesn't have a spellcasting focus. The trusty component pouch will do the job.

https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/687417277231267844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

This makes sense as most rangers would likely have a bow. All bows, even the hand cross bow (even with Crossbow Expert), requires a free hand to load. So holding a focus would mess with the traditional ranger with bow. You keep a free hand for spells, pouch and loading firing arrows.

Mechanically

Using a bow, you have the weapon in one hand and the other on string. After you fire, your hand is free again. When you cast you pull out the components and put them back, or they are consumed, and your hand is free again. Works great with a bow. However, the arcane and druidic focus require object iterations, and you either have to drop it or spend the book keeping at the start and end of each turn.

Yes, a holy symbol could be worn and keep the hands free, likely why they did that for paladins, but they chose to go a different direction with the ranger.

Thematically

Ranger forage for food and materials, they are self reliant. It isn't hard to see them restocking their component pouch as they move through the wild area.

What about the Mistletoe?

it might be impossible to find mistletoe in the desert when a material component is needed.

The PHB says this about the component pouch:

Component Pouch. A component pouch is a small, watertight leather belt pouch that has compartments to hold all the material components and other special items you need to cast your spells, except for those components that have a specific cost (as indicated in a spell's description).

PHB 151

The pouch has all the components your spells require, and Material Components aren't consumed unless the spell says they are:

If a spell states that a material component is consumed by the spell, the caster must provide this component for each casting of the spell.

PHB 203

So, you have mistletoe once, and you have it forever -- unless your DM rules that lose it or it goes bad, etc. Then you have to buy more mistletoe or buy a new pouch. Such a thing, however, isn't in the rule.

Unearthed Arcana / Tasha's Cauldron of Everything

A recent released play test (UA), and page 57 of Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (optional rule) provides the following to the Ranger class:

Spellcasting Focus

2nd-level ranger feature (enhances Spellcasting)

You can use a druidic focus as a spellcasting focus for your ranger spells. See chapter 5, “Equipment,” of the Player’s Handbook for a list of things that count as druidic focuses.

[RPG] Does using a focus/divine focus to cast spells require to hold it in hand

The extraordinary ability ranged weapon bond of the magus archetype eldritch archer says, "Holding her bonded item does not prevent the eldritch archer from providing somatic components for her spells."

But on Choosing a Spell says, "To cast a spell, you must be able to… manipulate the material components or focus (if any)" necessary for casting the spell. Unless the GM can be convinced that the PC can manipulate the material or focus components with his mouth, the PC'll likely need an empty hand to manipulate any of the spell's material or focus components.

Thus, as written, an eldritch archer magus must still manipulate material and focus components, probably using an empty hand. (Also note that I've never heard of a GM that didn't allow a spell's somatic components, material components, and focus components to all be used with the same at-first-empty hand, but I've also not heard of a GM who allows a caster to manipulate material and focus components with his mouth.)

In sum, this means the typical eldritch archer magus must pick his spells carefully—that is, spells without material and focus components—if he's to cast spells while wielding a two-handed ranged weapon. However, it's a free action to take a hand off a two-handed weapon and a free action to put a hand back on a two-handed weapon (see here), so that's an option instead (although that's usually not an option if casting off turn a spell that possesses a casting time of 1 immediate action).

The feats Eschew Materials or False Focus (perhaps by wearing armor or employing a bow created with the feat Create Reliquary Arms and Shields) will certainly be useful if manipulating material components has become an issue for the eldritch archer magus.