D&D 4E 4e Rituals -> 5e

[happyhermit]

Objectively superior, exactly.

More situational, and different enough that it isn't possible to objectively compare the two wholesale, only on certain aspects.

 

[Yunru]

More situational, and different enough that it isn't possible to objectively compare the two wholesale, only on certain aspects.

Superiorly objective

 

[Quartz]

Just turn the Ritual Caster feat into a Skill, add extra rituals - there are far too few IMHO - and have done. Perhaps require a skill roll or something. KISS. It will make the game slightly different, making magic more common, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Yunru]

Just turn the Ritual Caster feat into a Skill, add extra rituals - there are far too few IMHO - and have done. Perhaps require a skill roll or something. KISS. It will make the game slightly different, making magic more common, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I mean, Ritual Caster shoulde be the single most common feat that non-combatants should have (ignoring how they get levels, since there clearly is a civilian way to be the equivalent of a high level PC).

 

[Draegn]

Just turn the Ritual Caster feat into a Skill, add extra rituals - there are far too few IMHO - and have done. Perhaps require a skill roll or something. KISS. It will make the game slightly different, making magic more common, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

This is about the same as I have done. There are litany and liturgy skills for each deity, non divine characters can mimic what a cleric etc..., says and does and hope for intervention. I also use piety (from Harn) as a means for "true believers" to increase the chance of success.

How this worked in game: an early quest the players had to help a group of farmers recover their stolen oxen so their fileds could by plowed before a storm came. The druid stayed behind and shifted into a bull and pulled the plow. The farmers then helped to build a small shrine under a tree in the center of the fields. The druid prayed (cast spells) to bless the crops. A few farmers decided to follow the druid's example. With a small chance for intervention they may one day be blessed. When that happens the farmer will "be chosen" and the druid could if wanted take on an apprentice.

I do not allow rituals to mimic arcane characters with the exception of summoning fiends.

 

[jgsugden]

What I think 4E was missing in this area, and what we can insert into 5E if we add the ritual/rite to it, is a sense that these are powerful and dangerous magics. You run risks using them, although powerful folks can control those risks. However, a ritual/rite used to summon a demon might be attempted by an arrogant youth... who finds himself overshelmed by the magic and destroyed by the demon he brings to his home town. That will keep them from feeling like generic spells in another format.

 

[CleverNickName]

I also like the idea of the characters having to do multiple skill checks to complete the Rite, though I'm not entirely sure how I'd want to do that.

How about requiring different tool proficiencies for different kinds of rituals? Like, maybe a character would need to make a....

• Tools: Tarot Cards check for Divination magic,
• Tools: Witch's Ladder check for Transmutation magic,
• Tools: Healing Kit check for curative spells,
• Tools: Gris-gris Bag check for protection spells,
• Tools: Voodoo Doll check for hexes and curses...

...and so forth. Just spitballing ideas here.