Can False Focus be used to supply multiple material components to the same spell?

Question

As an example, if I'm casting Ray of Frost, can I use False Focus to supply both Liquid Ice and Black Powder?

False Focus:

By using a divine focus as part of casting, you can cast any spell with a material component costing the value of that divine focus (maximum 100 gp) or less without needing that component. For example, if you use a silver holy symbol worth 25 gp, you do not have to provide material components for an arcane spell if its components are worth 25 gp or less. The casting of the spell still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. If the spell requires a material component that costs more than the value of the divine focus, you must have the material component on hand to cast the spell, as normal.

In response to questions about the use of 'Alchemical Power Components' and whether False Focus can be used to 'supply' them:

An alchemical power component is an alchemical item used as a material component or focus for a spell in order to alter or augment the spell's normal effects. What follows is a sample of these effects using this item as a component; your GM may allow other combinations.

Spells followed by an (M) expend the alchemical item as a material component

Spells followed by an (F) use the item as a focus and do not expend it

In both cases, the alchemical item does not have its normal effect and does not affect any other parameters of the spell. You cannot use the same item as both a focus and a material component at the same time.

In response to further discussion about using multiple alchemical power components on the same spell: it is correct that multiple alchemical reagents do not stack, and multiples cannot be used on the same spell. What is incorrect, however, is the assertion that all alchemical power components are alchemical reagents. Not only is that connection never stated in the official rules sources, but also the official rules source does provide an explicit list of what the alchemical reagents are (the same rules source that says reagents don't stack, Alchemy Manual, which first introduced the term). This is a sub list of all alchemical power components, and is as shown here:

Answer 1

Yes, False Focus can be used to replace multiple material components in the same spell, as long as the total cost is below the cost of your divine focus.

This is shown in the example in the rules text you quoted (emphasis mine):

By using a divine focus as part of casting, you can cast any spell with a material component costing the value of that divine focus (maximum 100 gp) or less without needing that component. For example, if you use a silver holy symbol worth 25 gp, you do not have to provide material components for an arcane spell if its components are worth 25 gp or less. The casting of the spell still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. If the spell requires a material component that costs more than the value of the divine focus, you must have the material component on hand to cast the spell, as normal.

In the bolded line, it uses the plural "material components," indicating that the divine focus can be used for multiple components.

Answer 2

Yes.

I have always read "material component" as a descriptor of the spell. It has a material component, even if that component is more than one thing, just like it has a verbal component, even if that component is more than one word.

Even if you read it differently though, False Focus still provides all the needed components. As you already quoted,

By using a divine focus as part of casting, you can cast any spell with a material component costing the value of that divine focus (maximum 100 gp) or less without needing that component. For example, if you use a silver holy symbol worth 25 gp, you do not have to provide material components for an arcane spell if its components are worth 25 gp or less. The casting of the spell still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. If the spell requires a material component that costs more than the value of the divine focus, you must have the material component on hand to cast the spell, as normal.

(emphasis added to plurals).

Answer 3

No, you cannot use False Focus to create an Alchemical Component

False Focus does not provide a material component. Its text says only

You can cast any spell with a material component costing the value of that divine focus (maximum 100 gp) or less without needing that component.

False Focus allows you to cast the spell - no more. It does not create the component, nor provide power that an alchemical component would provide.

Additionally, even if you could, you would still only be able to use a single achemical component per spell.

From the Alchemical Components page linked in the question:

Reagents do not stack with either themselves or one another

Thus, you cannot use use both Liquid Ice and Black Powder in the same spell anyway.

However, you can use False Focus to cast a spell even if that spell has multiple material components

From the example in the spell text:

For example, if you use a silver holy symbol worth 25 gp, you do not have to provide material components for an arcane spell if its components are worth 25 gp or less.

Here, components is pluralized, indicating that is the intent that it allows you to bypass the requirement for components if the total cost is less than the value of your holy symbol.

Answer 4

No, it cannot.

On the inside cover of the Alchemy Manual, it says "Reagents do not stack with either themselves or one another". So whether you're using False Focus or you physically have the reagents, you can't apply more than one to the same spell.

Answer 5

It is unclear wether False Focus can supply multiple materials or not

There is a lengthy discussion about this on paizo messageboards, and when people start discussing the meaning of words and linking to dictionaries, the rule is unclear and should be FAQ'ed. As you can see, it has over 30 FAQ requests on that topic, which is fairly high for such a specific subject, but still no developer answer.

That said, you can rule it the way you see best, there is no right or wrong here or consensus on the community. Especially considering how little this affects the game as a whole.

Many people will use the wording on False Focus to forbid this ("with a material component"), but for the cost of a feat, that isn't really game breaking as you will generally only supply one material component, or one alchemical reagent, but hardly both on the same spell.