NPCs, Spell components and innate spellcasting

[driador]

Question regarding NPCs and innate spell casting. When creating new NPCs I see that there is a section for innate spell casting. Some creatures say that they have innate spell casting abilities with no material components. Would one make note of the no components required under the creature's block for innate spell casting in their traits section or how would this be done?

TIA

[LordEntrails]

Nope, at least I never would. To me, Innate Spellcasting means the NPC can always cast those spells. They don't need components or a focus or anything else. Otherwise, why would I give an NPC Innate Spellcasting rather than regular Spellcasting?

Besides, why give a creature an ability is they can't normally use it?

[GavinRuneblade]

Nope, at least I never would. To me, Innate Spellcasting means the NPC can always cast those spells. They don't need components or a focus or anything else. Otherwise, why would I give an NPC Innate Spellcasting rather than regular Spellcasting?

Besides, why give a creature an ability is they can't normally use it?

https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/...334530048?s=09
Q: innate spellcasting doesn't require material components. Verbal and somatic?
A: Casting a spell requires all its components unless a trait or feature says otherwise.

Personally, I home rule it the way you said LordEntrails, and for the same reason: it doesn't make sense to me to give a being a power they cannot use. My best guess at the rule's intention is because Drow, Pureblood Yuanti, and some elves have innate spell casting abilities and the limit is for play balance on PCs. I'm ok letting these slide because to me it makes them feel different and more natural than learned spells. Especially when the PC has a class that gives spells, their innate ones feel different to the player because they have different rules even if the same effect.

Edit: Here is the only rule for innate spell casting, found in the MM page 10 you can see that some parts of spell casting were removed, but components are not among those parts thus the general rule still applies:

Innate SpellcastingA monster with the innate ability to cast spells has the Innate Spelllcasting special trait. Unless noted otherwise, an innate spell of 1st level or higher is always cast at its lowest possible level and can't be cast at a higher level. If a monster has a cantrip where its level matters and no level is given, use the monster's challenge rating.
An innate spell can have special rules or restrictions. For example, a drow mage can innately cast the levitate spell, but the spell has a “self only” restriction, which means that the spell affects only the drow mage.
A monster's innate spells can't be swapped out with other spells. If a monster's innate spells don't require attack rolls, no attack bonus is given for them.

[Zacchaeus]

Here's a link to a post about the wording you should use to automate certain effects in NPC's. I could be wrong but I think the two posts above don't really answer the question that you asked.

You should include a trait as noted in that post headed Innate Spellcasting and use the wording and the spell list so that the spells are populated correctly when the NPC is placed on the CT. The phrase 'no material components' I think is sufficient indication that material components aren't needed in order for the creature to cast its spells. The phrase is just there for convenience since Fantasy Grounds does not track material components or the fact that they may or may not be required.