fectin wrote:You could also just duct tape attach in some unspecified way your material component to your shield. Nothing says you actually have to keep them in a spell component pouch.
Also, can bards not just sing anymore? If no, can they kazoo?
They can sing. And the flavor text for the class and abilities mentions singing , oratory, stirring words and so on. A lot. But in terms of a spellcasting focus (which replaces material components), the text specifies a musical instrument. (And, of course, singing would involve a weird meshing of verbal and material components, and personally... yeah, don't want to touch that).
The 5e rules vary wildly between the extremes of really, really precise and specific (which is the problem here) or really vague and MTP. There doesn't seem to be much middle ground.
But spell component pouches are a different thing, in point of interest.
You can either use the actual components for each spell, have a spellcasting focus (which varies by class) or have a spell component pouch. But the latter is actually its own specific piece of equipment.
But when you cast hold person, regardless of whether you use a staff, a wand, a crystal, a holy symbol, a sprig of mistletoe, a musical instrument, (or any other other options); a spell component pouch; or the straight pieces of iron that are the actual components for hold person, you must have a free hand. You don't actually have to be holding the <whatever you use>, but you have to have a hand free to .... fondle it, wave it, play it or whatever it is you actually do. You "access" it in some way that requires a free hand, though that hand can also do somatic components.
So you can attach the components to the shield if you like, but you still explicitly have to have the hand free.
And if the material component has a gp cost, you have to have that as well as the spell component pouch or focus item.
For combat casters with shields, the obvious thing to do is start every battle with shield up and an empty hand. Cast whatever you need to do at the start of the battle, then just switch to swording. (Which is fine, since drawing a weapon is part of the attack action, at least according to the 'use an object' action). Once you do that, you never want to switch back to casting.
For most casters this becomes pretty moot, as throwing cantrips are better than weapon attacks at 5th level. So shield/empty hand is the way to go.
Druids, by the by, get mildly fucked here. Their two attack cantrips are produce flame and shillelagh. The latter requires you to have a club or staff which shoots out a 10' range melee attack whip of natural power that does bludgeoning damage. Produce flame fills your hand with flame (or attaches to the 'end of an item you hold'), which you then throw. So by default, your hands ends up not free. Both require material components, and shillelagh has no duration- you cast the cantrip on your weapon and then immediately attack, which means no shield if you use the bloody thing. Produce flame isn't as bad, since you'll have a hand to fill with flame, or you can put it on an item, or throw it as part of casting the spell.
