Spellcasting Focus
A Spellcasting Focus is a very flavourful part of magical fantasy, and it's a bit underwhelming that it is only used to substitute material components, which also add a nice narrative and worldly touch to magic. Thus, it only feels proper to give a Spellcasting Focus a use outside of substituting material components.
Tying the Proficiency Bonus that was previously automatically given to spell attack rolls and spell save DC to a Spellcasting Focus makes mechanical sense, especially given the reduced importance of the Proficiency Bonus for spell attacks now that the Hit DC of enemies is largely unchanging throughout the levels.
No Automatic Spell Attack Roll Proficiency: Your Spell attack modifier is now only equal to your Spellcasting ability modifier. To add your Proficiency Bonus, you now require a Spellcasting Focus associated with the spells school.
Enhanced Schools: Every Spellcasting Focus has three associated spell schools, as shown below. When you cast a spell while using a Spellcasting Focus that is associated with its school, you add your Proficiency Bonus to the Spell check and to the Spell attack rolls.
| Spellcasting Focus | Type | Associated Schools |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal | Arcane | Illusion, Necromancy, Transmutation |
| Orb | Arcane | Conjuration, Divination, Illusion |
| Rod | Arcane | Abjuration, Divination, Necromancy |
| Staff (also Quarterstaff) | Arcane | Abjuration, Conjuration, Evocation |
| Wand | Arcane | Enchantment, Evocation, Transmutation |
| Sprig of Mistletoe | Druidic | Abjuration, Divination, Transmutation |
| Staff (also Quarterstaff) | Druidic | Abjuration, Conjuration, Evocation |
| Yew wand | Druidic | Enchantment, Illusion, Necromancy |
| Amulet (worn or held) | Holy | Abjuration, Conjuration, Evocation |
| Emblem (borne on fabric or a Shield) | Holy | Abjuration, Enchantment, Transmutation |
| Reliquary (held) | Holy | Divination, Illusion, Necromancy |
| Percussion (drum) | Bardic | Abjuration, Conjuration, Evocation |
| Strings (dulcimer, lute, lyre, viol) | Bardic | Enchantment, Necromancy, Transmutation |
| Woodwind (bag pipes, flute, pan flute, shawm) | Bardic | Divination, Enchantment, Illusion |
| Brass Instrument (horn) | Bardic | Conjuration, Enchantment, Evocation |
Other Spellcasting Foci: If a feature gives you something as a Spellcasting Focus that isn't listed above or lets you use something as a Spellcasting Focus without associating spell schools with it, choose two spell schools to associate with that Spellcasting Focus.