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Pathfinder Unchained / Esoteric Material Components

Buying Esoteric Components

Source Pathfinder Unchained pg. 150
Each common esoteric material component has the same price, and a spellcaster buys them based on their gp value. Though each type of component comes in different sizes and purities, it’s usually simplest to just track the total gp value of each type of component a spellcaster carries rather than the specific forms of those components. In a collection of geodes, some might be large and some small, some fine and some flawed.

Each bit of esoteric component goes a long way, so 500 gp worth of components weighs 1 pound regardless of its type. Esoteric material components aren’t inherently magical, and can’t be found using detect magic.

Material components can be found either in the form of raw, unprocessed base components or ref ined units of various values. They can be found in nature, purchased from merchants, or discovered in treasure hoards. How often a PC finds esoteric components is determined by the variant you are using (see below). Especially among the treasure of a spellcaster, it would be reasonable to f ind various quantities of multiple types of esoteric components. The same could be said for an alchemist’s lab or a stash hidden by bandits who recently raided a wizards’ college.

The rare esoteric component yliaster is a special case. Yliaster appears only in major treasure hoards, especially those belonging to powerful spellcasters. A GM who would prefer not to allow the effects of yliaster can simply use only the common esoteric components and leave the rare one out of the game entirely.

Archives of Nethys

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Buying Esoteric Components