Are Rituals Vaporware?

[Deep Blue 9000]

No, we just haven't seen a lot of non-combat situations. We have very little idea about how they're actually handling rules on everything else.

The only piece of noncombat information we've had is skill challenges and tiers of play.

The only TWO pieces of noncombat information we've had are skill challenges, tiers of play and multiclassing.

The only THREE pieces of noncombat information we've had are skill challenges, tiers of play, multiclassing and paragon paths.

The only FOUR pieces of noncombat information we've had are skill challenges, tiers of play, multiclassing, paragon paths and racial benefits.

... mang, that was the BEST part of Life of Brian.

Situations is the key word. You know, like the noncombat encounters with their cool new system (which we haven't seen). Not like the OGL (which we have seen) which is noncombat but not exactly a "situation."

Although judging form some of the reactions, maybe the OGL's not noncombat either.

 

[Staffan]

In particular, the 'any missing monster abilities are just rituals now' has wandered solely out of the heads of people on this board, with no help from the devs at all.

It probably originated from the Pit Fiend preview a long time ago (at least in 4e terms), where the Lore section stated that every 99 years, the pit fiend could perform a ritual to grant a wish.

 

[hong]

Situations is the key word.

In which case, I'm patiently waiting for a combat situation.

 

[Lizard]

The only piece of noncombat information we've had is skill challenges and tiers of play.

Which tell you which monsters you will face in comabt.

The only TWO pieces of noncombat information we've had are skill challenges, tiers of play and multiclassing.

Which lets you pick up abilities from another class to use in combat.

The only THREE pieces of noncombat information we've had are skill challenges, tiers of play, multiclassing and paragon paths.

Which give you a whole bunch of new abilities to use in combat.

The only FOUR pieces of noncombat information we've had are skill challenges, tiers of play, multiclassing, paragon paths and racial benefits.

Which tell you all the ways your race can kick ass in combat.

 

[hong]

Which tell you which monsters you will face in comabt.

And the nature of the situations you will encounter leading up to combat.

Which lets you pick up abilities from another class to use in combat.

And the abilities from another class to use out of combat.

Which give you a whole bunch of new abilities to use in combat.

And a new place in the world out of combat.

Which tell you all the ways your race can kick ass in combat.

And how you can play things to your advantage out of combat.

 

[Lurks-no-More]

As I see it, the rituals have the following purposes.

a) Clear up the stat blocks. No more mariliths with animate dead in their loooong list of spell-like abilities... because against a party that stands a chance to beat the demon herself, the undead are going to be a speedbump at most. And what if you wanted your demoness to be able to do something outside her list of SLA's? Great, she knows the Unspeakable Communion ritual and uses it to turn the captured peasants into slavering beasts.

b) Eliminate some cheese. The problems with divinations and Teleport are well known. Making long-distance travel magic a ritual, for example, helps curb this sort of a thing, and forces the characters to approach combats with more care, since you can't just teleport back to safety if things are starting to go wrong.

c) Give people a reason to use this stuff. Hands up: how many people prepare Ghost Sound, Phantom Steed, Gentle Repose or any number of other, narrowly useful utility spells except when they know beforehand they're going to use those? Damn few, I'm sure. (Sorcerers were even worse; with their few spells known, it was doubly important to focus on the most powerful, widely applicable tricks, and ignore all the amusing, less often seen spells.)

 

[muffin_of_chaos]

^ This, thanks Lurks.

 

[Leatherhead]

They all fall under the category of noncombat.

I can use a dagger in a noncombat situation to cut a rope or make a meal (at least I hope I still can), but that doesn't mean it isn't designed for killing things.

 

[hong]

I can use a dagger in a noncombat situation to cut a rope or make a meal (at least I hope I still can), but that doesn't mean it isn't designed for killing things.

I can use my changed position in the world due to having taken up a paragon path to kill more monsters for great justice, but that doesn't mean it's designed for killing things.

 

[Charwoman Gene]

It probably originated from the Pit Fiend preview a long time ago (at least in 4e terms), where the Lore section stated that every 99 years, the pit fiend could perform a ritual to grant a wish.

Yes, with help from a few other forum conversations.