If I for example use scorching ray does it have to fire out of my focus or can I hold the focus in one hand and fire the spell from the other?
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\$\begingroup\$ Welcome to RPG.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already and see the help center or ask us here in the comments (use @ to ping someone) if you need more guidance. Good Luck and Happy Gaming! \$\endgroup\$– Someone_Evil ♦Commented Dec 12, 2021 at 14:35
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2\$\begingroup\$ Scorching ray has no M component. Could you provide a relevant example? The answer might depend on the specific spell. \$\endgroup\$– enkryptorCommented Dec 12, 2021 at 15:03
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\$\begingroup\$ Are you interested only in Scorching Ray or more generally on all spells? Because the title asks a general question, the body a more specific one. \$\endgroup\$– EddymageCommented Dec 12, 2021 at 21:24
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\$\begingroup\$ Also, what problem are you trying to solve here? It might be useful to give an example of a situation where this has come up or an explanation of, essentially, why you think this matters. Are there rules you've found that interact in an uncertain way if the spell has to originate from the focus? Has this cause an argument or uncertainty at the table that needs to be resolved? Brevity is fine and sometimes all that is needed but it can definitely be useful to include context and details surrounding what caused this question to be asked. \$\endgroup\$– Purple MonkeyCommented Dec 12, 2021 at 22:27
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1 Answer
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As long as you meet the requirements to cast the spell, you can flavor the casting however you like.
Scorching ray has verbal and somatic components. As long as you are able to speak, and you have a free hand to perform the somatic components, you can cast the spell (certain situations or features may remove either of these requirements). Beyond this, the narrative flavor of the casting is up to you.
If you want it to come from your focus, that’s fine. If you want to do finger guns, that’s cool. If you want to turn around and flatulate three fire beams, that’s great (assuming your table is cool with fart jokes). The flavor of the casting is not a matter of rules and mechanics.
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything gives some guidance on this:
Just as every performer lends their art a personal flair and every warrior asserts their fighting styles through the lens of their own training, so too can a spellcaster use magic to express their individuality. Regardless of what type of spellcaster you’re playing, you can customize the cosmetic effects of your character’s spells. Perhaps you wish the effects of your caster’s spells to appear in their favorite color, to suggest the training they received from a celestial mentor, or to exhibit their connection to a season of the year. The possibilities for how you might cosmetically customize your character’s spells are endless. However, such alterations can’t change the effects of a spell. They also can’t make one spell seem like another—you can’t, for example, make a magic missile look like a fireball.
Tasha goes on to give more concrete examples as well as a spell theme table with some ideas for personalizing your arcane arsenal.
It should be noted that certain spell descriptions have somewhat flavorful instructions in them, and there is some measure of debate on what to do about them, see this Q&A on burning hands: Does Burning Hands really require touching thumbs?
answered Dec 12, 2021 at 15:12
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2\$\begingroup\$ wow I was gonna go with spitting the fire beams like godzilla but okay yeah fart jokes \$\endgroup\$ Commented Dec 13, 2021 at 3:45
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\$\begingroup\$ @SeriousBri also worth noting the debate on the burning hands issue rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/46603/… \$\endgroup\$– MJDCommented Dec 13, 2021 at 14:10