The description for the Emblem Holy Symbol is as follows (PHB, p. 151):
Holy Symbol. A holy symbol is a representation of a god or pantheon. It might an amulet depicting a symbol representing a deity, the same symbol carefully engraved or inlaid as an emblem on a shield, or a tiny box holding a fragment of a sacred relic. Appendix B lists the symbols commonly associated with many gods in the multiverse.
It weighs nothing (unlike the other holy symbols) and costs 5gp (all three holy symbols cost the same). The fact that it weighs nothing makes sense because it isn't really an object that can exist by itself; it is an engraving or inlay on a shield.
So my question is, if you walk into a shop and "buy" an emblem (it costs 5gp, so it must be possible to purchase it), what exactly are you buying? This is my main question. The below offers some context and background to this question…
Here are some of my thoughts on the matter, which I've included for context:
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Are you buying some kind of "official pattern" that is required for a shield to count as having a proper "holy symbol" (as in, satisfies the material components for spellcasting) emblem on it? Almost like a "patented pattern"? Then why couldn't you just buy one and replicate it yourself for free forevermore after that initial purchase?
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Are you buying the "manual labour" to actually engrave/inlay the thing onto your shield? Then would it make sense that this can only be purchased from a blacksmith rather than from the local temple (where one might expect the other holy symbols–amulets or reliquary–to be purchased)? And could someone with Smith's Tools (and proficiency with them) not do it themselves for free?
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Are you effectively buying a shield that has already been made with that engraving/inlay "officially done", so you're basically buying a shield for 15gp (or a 5gp markup on whatever shield you're buying), and you can't actually buy just the emblem by itself for 5gp?
Note that the above questions are not actually my main question, they are just included to show my train of thought, which I feel is important to show the context of the main question. I do not expect answers to address these questions individually!
What I'm really getting at here, if I use my real example, is that in a game I am DMing, the party's paladin (who has a shield with an emblem on it as per starting equipment) has raised concerns about having to buy a new holy symbol if they get a +1 shield in the future. This is unlike any other holy symbol, which you simply have forever (assuming you don't lose or destroy it), since it is it's own distinct object, so the emblem would need to be replaced is a unique case here.
Following the rules of what is required for a shield to satisfy the material components for spellcasting, I would say that they could just "buy" a new emblem and apply it to their new shield. But that got me thinking, what exactly would the paladin be buying at that point, and would it be possible to simply transfer the symbol over from their old shield to the new shield at no cost? This is a unique case, as for the other holy symbols, replacing some other piece of equipment would not impact them like this.
So, what exactly is an Emblem with regards to what a PC would be buying in-universe?
Note that I'm not looking for opinions, and if the answer is simply "this is not explained anywhere, as DM you have to decide what this means", then that's the answer.
Best Answer
What exactly is an Emblem with regards to what a PC would be buying in-universe?
It is an ornate carving or inlay on a shield. When placed on a shield, it is essentially ornate artwork that exists in addition to the shield itself.
It would either be a ready-made product with the holy symbol already applied you're buying off a shelf or a pattern you're picking from a pre-made list (or supplying yourself) and having a craftsman apply it a shield you're providing.
The DMG and Xanathur's guide cover item creation, so you could find the mechanics to reproduce the pattern, but item creation takes time which isn't always a resource adventurers have to spare.
You're buying the manual labor to carefully engrave and inlay the chosen pattern in the shield. Engraving a shield is not as simple as stamping on a pattern or painting on a plain symbol. It involves setting dyes in wood, chemically treating and tempering metals to change its color, and many other laborious expertly performed crafting tasks.
Not all patterns chosen to be inlaid on a shield are holy ones, and not all holy symbols would have to be sanctioned by a church. Your paladin's interpretation of their god's holy symbol could very well be a personal one and not something recognized outside their own beliefs.
Smith's Tools would allow them to create a shield. Artisan's tools would allow them to create the design. The combination of the two could potentially be used to engrave and inlay the design in an ornate fashion, but there are no rules as written that specify this process. Out of game knowledge identifies that it is two different skillsets to create an item and then make that item look pretty.
Here's an example of a traditional Indian engraved shield:
More ornate and decorative designs exist, but this one looks like it could still be functional.
Making the buckler is relatively simple compared to larger shields, but the engraving is not something a blacksmith who makes the bucklers necessarily knows how to do.
You could be buying a holy symbol'd shield off the rack or commissioning someone to make one. The books don't specify one way or the other since it shouldn't really matter for the overall narrative.
The text you quoted does specify that the holy symbol is an entity separate that is placed onto the shield, so to have a shield with a holy symbol is 5gp in addition to the shield's cost.