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I thought of this looking at this question, where contingency is used to cast revivify (which consumes 300 gp worth of diamonds). A more common example would be stoneskin, which consumes 100 gp worth of diamond dust.

The spell contingency reads, in part:

Choose a spell of 5th level or lower that you can cast, that has a casting time of 1 action, and that can target you. You cast that spell—called the contingent spell—as part of casting contingency, expending spell slots for both, but the contingent spell doesn’t come into effect. Instead, it takes effect when a certain circumstance occurs...

The contingent spell takes effect immediately after the circumstance is met for the first time, whether or not you want it to, and then contingency ends...

If you cast this spell again, the effect of another contingency spell on you ends. Also, contingency ends on you if its material component is ever not on your person.

Contingency says that you cast the contingent spell. Full stop. As long as you satisfy the listed requirements, the spell gets cast, and the contingency is set. The listed requirements are: it's a level 5 or lower spell; you can cast it; it has a casting time of 1 action; it can target you.

How is the material requirement for revivify handled? Is the 300 gp worth of diamonds consumed when the contingency spell is cast? What happens if someone swipes your 300 gp worth of diamonds part way into the casting of contingency?

Is the general idea that you have to burn a material component every time you set the contingency, whether it's triggered or not?

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    \$\begingroup\$ What is your exact question? Sorry, but I can't parse it. \$\endgroup\$
    – Szega
    Jul 12, 2018 at 17:22
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Szega What are the material requirements-- i.e. are the material requirements of the contingent spell needed, and if so, when? \$\endgroup\$
    – Greg Faust
    Jul 12, 2018 at 17:29
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    \$\begingroup\$ @GregFaust The "choose a spell that you can cast" is unrelated to my statement. It explicitly says "You cast that spell." Not "the effects of that spell are imitated", not "you prepare that spell for casting", "You cast that spell." \$\endgroup\$
    – Tin Wizard
    Jul 13, 2018 at 4:37
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    \$\begingroup\$ @GregFaust They're definitely required. You need them to 'cast the spell', therefore you need them to 'cast the spell... as part of casting contingency'. My point is that by using the word 'cast' there, they are including every part of 'casting a spell', save for what's excluded by 'the contingent spell doesn't come into effect.' \$\endgroup\$
    – Tin Wizard
    Jul 14, 2018 at 17:03
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Walt If I cast a spell that says "Do X", then there are no additional requirements to be met before I do X. Specific rules beat general rules. I don't like this argument, but I haven't found an unambiguous counterargument by reading the rules. It's a reasonable question even if you're dead-set on interpreting the rules one way. \$\endgroup\$
    – Greg Faust
    Jul 15, 2018 at 17:56

1 Answer 1

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All components are finished once the contingency trigger is set

Contingency states:

...You cast it as part of casting this spell, expending spell slots for both, but the contingent spell doesn’t come into effect. Instead, it takes effect when a certain circumstance that you describe occurs.

...The contingent spell takes effect immediately after the circumstance is met for the first time...

The charged spell is cast and spell slots spent, but has no initial effect. Consumable items are expended when the spell slot is spent.

The contingency spell also states that the contingency is canceled if you are removed from the MATERIAL component, the only remaining part of the contingency spell. At this time, it does not mention components the charged spell may require, such has Somatic or Verbal, which are equally as important as the material component.

It's assumed then that all of the components, besides the ivory statue, have already been accounted for by the time contingency has been cast.

This is compounded from the fact that the charged spell is cast "immediately" with no requirement for an action or reaction, or any mentions of any components.

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    \$\begingroup\$ On the flipside, you can hold that charged spell for 10 days. When they stripped you naked, with no spellbook, no raw materials, no focus of any kind, they forgot to account for your contingency plan. \$\endgroup\$
    – Man_Over_Game
    Jul 12, 2018 at 19:05
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    \$\begingroup\$ @DanielZastoupil: Seems weird that they'd leave "a statuette of yourself carved from ivory and decorated with gems worth at least 1,500 gp" on your person if they strip you naked and take everything else... \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Jul 12, 2018 at 20:25
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    \$\begingroup\$ @V2Blast if you were the kind of wizard that enjoyed being incredibly frustrating, you could always use a contingent fireball, triggered in the event that someone tries to take away your ivory voodoo doll. \$\endgroup\$
    – Carcer
    Jul 12, 2018 at 20:53
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Carcer Seems really circular to create a contingency for the specific purpose of punishing anyone who messes with your contingency. Also hitting yourself with a fireball seems like poor planning. \$\endgroup\$
    – Darth Pseudonym
    Jul 12, 2018 at 21:16
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Carcer You're limited to only having a single Contigency on your person, anyway. \$\endgroup\$
    – vonBoomslang
    Jul 12, 2018 at 22:05

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