Silver holy symbols, mirrors and holy water.

[AxeMental]

Do the rules describe the advantages to having silver vs wooden or iron?
Also, are there any religious requirements needing a silver mirror or holy water (perhaps mentioned in the DMG)? Also, what sorts of nonsilver mirrors exist?

[TRP]

Also, what sorts of nonsilver mirrors exist?

Polished metal, often bronze I think.
I usually pick metal mirrors for my PCs, because they're more durable than glass. FWIW, I don't imagine that D&D silver mirrors are made of silver metal, but they're the silvered glass variety. Thus, they're more expensive than what a polished silver mirror would cost.

[Geoffrey]

Do the rules describe the advantages to having silver vs wooden or iron?

Consult the SAVING THROW MATRIX FOR MAGICAL AND NON-MAGICAL ITEMS (on page 80 of the DMG). A cleric is going to want a holy symbol as resilient as possible, because a cleric without his holy symbol is merely a weak fighter with restricted weapon choices:

"All clerics have certain holy symbols which aid them and give power to their spells." (p. 19 of the PHB)

"Clerics are empowered with the ability to turn away undead creatures, as well as certain lesser demons, devils, godlings and paladins through the power of their profession and holy/unholy symbols." (p. 104 of the PHB)

Also, the Prayer spell requires a silver holy symbol.

[darnizhaan]

I am pretty sure that clerics don't need to use a holy symbol as a component for all their spells. The spell descriptions list which ones require the holy symbol. Slow Poison requires a holy or unholy symbol, while Snake Charm does not (doesn't even have a material component at all).

[francisca]

I am pretty sure that clerics don't need to use a holy symbol as a component for all their spells. The spell descriptions list which ones require the holy symbol. Slow Poison requires a holy or unholy symbol, while Snake Charm does not (doesn't even have a material component at all).

Right, and in case anybody is wondering, we have this form the DMG:

Spell components for a spell are generally lost/used when the spell is cast.
Exceptions: holy/unholy symbols, druids' mistletoe, et al

However, it's generally been the notion in my head that clerics are at least wearing or displaying a holy symbol during casting, even if it isn't a proper component of the spell.

[grodog]

Right, and in case anybody is wondering, we have this form the DMG:

Spell components for a spell are generally lost/used when the spell is cast.
Exceptions: holy/unholy symbols, druids' mistletoe, et al

Hmmm: interestingly, I've always thought that mistletoe was a consumable component, which was, I thought, part of the point of it needing to be harvested monthly with the bowl, sickle, etc.

[EOTB]

Maybe it doesn't disappear, but just runs out of juice after a month like a worthless battery. Then the druid has to go and get a fresh bunch of mistletoe or risk having the aspirants snicker behind his back when they catch him using holly.

[Mudguard]

It says the holly(the good stuff) must be harvested on midsummer evening. I didn't realise that it wasn't consumed by spell use either. Perhaps the holly could just decompose over time? Or maybe it'd get munched up by bugs? Or maybe when your druid gets hit by a fireball or something else it burns up then.

[AxeMental]

I could have sworn there was some real world association with mirrors and religion, but have no idea what (besides vampires not casting reflections) I think I remember seeing some Coptic or Orthodox Greek mirrors sometime in the past. The silver mirror might have some special use religiously as well.

[AxeMental]

It says the holly(the good stuff) must be harvested on midsummer evening. I didn't realise that it wasn't consumed by spell use either. Perhaps the holly could just decompose over time? Or maybe it'd get munched up by bugs? Or maybe when your druid gets hit by a fireball or something else it burns up then.

Why did you guys think eating it? There's gotta be some real world reference to what druids supposedly did with this (unless made up)? Do we have a resident druid fanatic?

[Juju EyeBall]

Why did you guys think eating it? There's gotta be some real world reference to what druids supposedly did with this (unless made up).

The decked the (dungeon) halls.

[Mudguard]

Eating it? I just meant like the equivalent of moths or something. Yes, I would also like one of our fellow members(who is also a druid in real life) to come forth.

[AxeMental]

Eating it? I just meant like the equivalent of moths or something. Yes, I would also like one of our fellow members(who is also a druid in real life) to come forth.

I suspected Shaman, until he turned into a black pirate.

[Black Vulmea]

For what it's worth, we hung up some mistletoe at Christmas, and without any special efforts at preservation it's still intact . . .

. . . four years later.

I suspected Shaman, until he turned into a black pirate.

[ScottyG]

The holy symbols listed in the PH are just generic examples. In most campaigns a cleric's holy symbol is going to depend on his god. If you're a cleric of St. Cuthbert, in the order of the billets, a wooden holy symbol is all you'll ever need. The order of Stars, on the other hand, use a jewel-encrusted starburst. Etc, etc, etc.
At first level, I would allow any type of holy symbol to work for the cleric, but the cleric would have to work towards upgrading ASAP. Sooner or later that wooden disc isn't going to cut it any longer if your order's actual holy symbol is a diamond-studded, platinum dodecahedron.