Pre-Cast Rituals?

[Immortalis]

I really do like what WotC has done with rituals, overall and generally.

However the one thing I do not like is that using rituals to make up for a lack of a skill-set within a party basically grinds everything to a halt.

If you are pursuing some bad guys and they close and lock a door on you, if you can't break it down, the chase is done.

Backed into a corner on the 9th Plane of Hell? no more using a Planar Portal to escape at the last second.

I know, you can use scrolls, but still...

So I was thinking of adding a class skill for at least the wizard and cleric.

Infuse Implement
This skill will allow a character to cast a ritual and store the magic in their implement. They may choose to release the magic and complete the ritual up to 24 hours later before the magically stored energy dissapates. Releasing a stored ritual is a minor action. Only a number of rituals may be stored equaling a characters prime attribute modifier.


So, does this appear game breaking or imbalancing or particularly abusable?

Thanks!

 

[Doc Eldritch]

Interesting. And while I see where you are coming from, 4e seems like it is trying to get away from the "spells solve everything" issue.

it IS a neat idea however. I don't think I would let them store more than one ritual at a time though, and would not make it a class skill.

Probably a feat of some kind (or perhaps another ritual that temporarily enchants an implement to store a second ritual) would be better.

Friend of mine was thinking of redoing tatoo magic in a similar way (if he ever writes it up, I'll get him to post it, or post for him), where the tatoo "stored" the ritual, but it was very harsh on the body, and "ate" a number of healing surges based on the ritual level to be able to store it.

 

[savage3e]

I think it works pretty well as written, but as a Feat instead of a Skill. I'll probably introduce this in my game as a feat. It allows (Ritual) magic to have an in-encounter effect, but in a limited fashion. And since the magic dissipates after 24 hours (or after an extended rest, since that seems to better fit the new flavor) it doesn't seem too overpowered. I rather like this. Well done, and thanks.

 

[dragon_eater]

The biggest abuse I can see is Raise Dead. I could easily see a party using it to raise people from the dead in the middle of combat instead of taking the normal eight hours.

However I really like the magic tattoos idea.

 

[savage3e]

The biggest abuse I can see is Raise Dead. I could easily see a party using it to raise people from the dead in the middle of combat instead of taking the normal eight hours.

True. But if the ritual magic dissipates after 24 hours (or after an extended rest), then you're taking an expensive gamble (in ritual cost) that someone will die during the day's outing.

 

[Immortalis]

Thank you all for your comments.

I don't really want spells to solve all problems, but if a group (for example) lacks a rogue, I'd like the knock spell or something to be a more viable on-the-fly option instead of halting for 10 minutes at every locked door or what-not.

Sure, it will take 10 minutes to prep up another ritual and re-infuse an implement, but that can be done while everyone is resting after a combat or searching a room or whatever.

I like the idea of the tatoo magic as well. I may outright steal that especially if it gets written up and posted.

As for the raise dead abuse, I didn't think about that...but you are gambling and you are paying out quite a bit of gold on a gamble, so that might balance out.

On the other side the text reads "you apply mystic salves, then pray to the gods to restore the dead creature's life" The DM could rule its inapplicable for use with this feat or requires a couple of rounds of your time.


So it's not perfect, but I think its pretty simply workable:

Heroic Tier Feat:

Infuse Implement
Prerequisite: Ritual Caster
Benefit: You gain the ability to infuse a ritual casting into your chosen implement. You may use the stored ritual as a minor action.
Special: You may only have one ritual stored in an implement and its magic dissapates during an extended rest or 24 hours.

 

[Aegir]

This actually looks a little like a sorcerer feat I wrote in a 3.x game of mine: basically, the sorc could "prepare" the spell stored in a scroll, and it'd be handled just like he were a wizard. The spell is stored in a spell slot, and once he casts it it uses his stats (instead of the scrolls), but if its not used before his next sleep, its lost.

I could see this working well as the daily power on a magic item (store a previously prepared ritual), or even a wizard could devote a daily slot to a pre-cast ritual.

 

[Propagandroid]

In my latest blog post I highlighted a system for Stored Rituals that one of the users at The Gamer Dome Wiki posted. It might be just what you're looking for.

http://thegamerdome.wetpaint.com/page/4e+Rituals

 

[Doc Eldritch]

As promised, here is the spell tattoo feat idea we came up with, just finished hashing it out. Let me know what you think!


Spell Tattoo

Prerequisite: Level 11+, Int 16+, Dex 16+
Benefit: You have been taught the techniques of imbuing special tattoos with the power of a spell that will draw upon it's bearers life force to cast itself at a later date. Spell Tattoos are a method of storing Rituals to be instantly released instantly without having to go through the lengthy casting time. To create a spell tattoo takes twice the casting time of the ritual involved and costs the same component cost, plus an additional 50% for special inks and quills to make the tattoo. The recipient loses one of his Healing Surges so long as he bears a tattoo, but may instantly use the imbued Ritual at any time. Using it depletes the tattoo's magic and it slowly fades from the user's body over a period of a day. To trigger a tattoo requires that the user spend a number of Healing Surges based on the level of the stored ritual (One for levels 1-5, Two for 6-10, Three for 11-15, Four for 16-20, Five for 21-25, and Six for 26-30) to power the ritual. Also, the associated skill check must be made by the user, not the caster, at the instant the ritual is triggered. If the user does not have enough healing surges to trigger the tattoo, the tattoo triggers anyways, but deals him an amount of damage equal to the healing surges that would have been needed. Thus, these tattoos can kill their user if he is not careful. Certain rituals, such as Raise Dead, can not be stored in a tattoo.

 

[VannATLC]

I like both of these, and I don't find either to be very overpowered.

With the Implement, I might actually require that the implement be of a particular quality to hold the ritual, not just have the feat, as well as having use of the ritual triggering a 'magic item use' for the day.

But, very nice.

I like the Spell Tattoo, as well.