@_Vic_
I won't take it the wrong way. I didn't know anything about 5e rules, until that trailer with Nautiloid dropped. My tabletop group stop playing over 20 years ago. Since then I bought digital copies of the PHB, XGtE, SCAG, the Artificer and several races from other official sources.
Treantmonk's Temple on YouTube, which is in my opinion the best YT builder, it was his interpretation. He goes level by level, with his builds. He said the RAW was tricky but that was his interpretation. That with weapon and shield, a somatic and material component; that you could cast spells with the emblem on the shield, or a holy symbol. But with no material, you needed a hand free. He even has a video on the Warcaster feat. Those Cleric builds and Wizard builds are around 9 months old. When did Jeremy Crawford post that? Anyway I DMed AD&D and 2e for about 15 years. I had to deal a lot of stupid rules, like THAC0 and it's reverse AC and the combat round yeesh. I just thought one of those stupid rules.
Thanks for the update. 9 of my current 30 builds on D&D Beyond, have at least a dip in Cleric. And I have 5 Paladins as well. Now I get to rework some of those that took Warcaster. It passes the time, waiting for ea. And is the closest I can come to playing until then. lol
Edited: If an arcane caster has a spellcasting focus, can they use that hand to perform the somatic component?
Hey, you Dm`d AD&D and 2e? That was playing in hard mode times, at least everybody told me so. Yeah, I know reverse AC and Thaco and saves vs polymorph because of IE games like BG or IWD...
Only people who loved D&D were brave (and crazy) enough. Mate, my hat`s off to you.
Now we have digital support, updates in a minute, dowloadable maps and a 176 page manual and there are a lot of people still saying that DM-ing is hard ha ha (well, still is but you have apps
)
Uh, about the Jeremy Crawford`s sage advice, I´m not sure but the sage advices are official material of WOTC so since they have D&D consultants in Larian helping with the game I assume that they already implemented that rule into the game (and some others). Happy to help a fellow crazy guy!
Warcaster is still a very useful feat, maybe still could have a place in your builds.
If they colour "melf´s acid arrow" in pink I´m sorry but I´m out...
Edited: If an arcane caster has a spellcasting focus, can they use that hand to perform the somatic component?
Yes, of course, you need a free hand, but you can use the same hand that holds the spellcasting focus to perform the somatic component. And wizards and Sorcerers can use a staff as spellcasting focus, for example.
Bards use his favourite instrument as a spellcasting focus (Some subclasses the weapon too), like drums, a Lyre, or a horn.
And if you have the warcaster feat you can you can perform the SOMATIC components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands. You still need a hand free to have access to your materials or your spellcasting focus if the spell requires MATERIAL.
But as stated, you can have a shield in one hand and a staff-spellcasting focus in the other hand and cast all spells (somatic and material) using that hand.
