Level Up (A5E) Circular Breathing RAW shenanigans

[thuter]

Circular breathing provides waterbreathing, bard QOL, and advantage against gases or breath-related dangers. At first level it has a duration of 5 minutes, which increases at higher levels. To combat effectively recasting this every time just before the duration ends to make it pseudo-permanent, the spell requires a "long breath of clean air" as a material component, which makes total sense. However...

A spell with a material component lists a specific physical object which the spellcaster must provide. If no cost is specified for the object and it does not require part of the target (such as some of the target’s hair), a character may substitute a component pouch or spellcasting focus (see Chapter 4: Equipment ).

Using an arcane focus removes the need to actually provide the material component, making Circular Breathing effectively permanent as long as I can spend a bonus action every so often. My suggestion would be to add: "...which the spell consumes" to the end of the material line. Would not make sense really, but does make it impossible to get unlimited waterbreathing and other benefits at the cost of selecting a cantrip. It also would make it that you benefit from higher levels of the cantrip.

(O5E has the same problem with Summon Lesser/Greater Demon(s), which requires a "vial of blood from a humanoid killed within the last 24 hours.")

 

[xiphumor]

Circular breathing provides waterbreathing, bard QOL, and advantage against gases or breath-related dangers. At first level it has a duration of 5 minutes, which increases at higher levels. To combat effectively recasting this every time just before the duration ends to make it pseudo-permanent, the spell requires a "long breath of clean air" as a material component, which makes total sense. However...



Using an arcane focus removes the need to actually provide the material component, making Circular Breathing effectively permanent as long as I can spend a bonus action every so often. My suggestion would be to add: "...which the spell consumes" to the end of the material line. Would not make sense really, but does make it impossible to get unlimited waterbreathing and other benefits at the cost of selecting a cantrip. It also would make it that you benefit from higher levels of the cantrip.

(O5E has the same problem with Summon Lesser/Greater Demon(s), which requires a "vial of blood from a humanoid killed within the last 24 hours.")

Your fix doesn’t actually remove the underlying issue, RAW. I think it would be better to just change the description of the spell to specify when you’re able to recast it.

Alternatively, one could rule that a breath of fresh air constitutes part of the target, which isn’t a ridiculous idea; air only becomes a breath when you incorporate it into yourself. Then you can’t use a focus for it, and you could leave everything as it is.

Also, I am now appreciating how the wording of this rule plays into the spell:

A spell cast with a material component requires that the caster hold the material component during the casting of the spell.

 

[thuter]

Your fix doesn’t actually remove the underlying issue, RAW. I think it would be better to just change the description of the spell to specify when you’re able to recast it.

I have always ruled that consumed components cannot be substituted by a focus, but you're right; I cannot find rules stating this.