Keep on the Shadowfell and Rituals

[Jer]

Are there any descriptions of what these rituals actually do?

If not, their inclusion in this introductory product is pointless.

If this were JUST an "introductory product" then your point MIGHT be valid. I might dispute it on the principle that just listing those things is enough for a creative 12 year old to know what sorts of things the priest can do just by the name - if one of the PCs gets a disease she can cure it, and if one gets killed she can bring him back. Maybe the game also gives a gp figure for her to perform these rituals for the PCs. You don't really need more than that.

But I don't have to dispute it on THAT principle. Instead I'll just point out that, in addition to being a preview product, this is also the first adventure in the first 4e Adventure Path. And so even folks who own all of the core books might be running this adventure as if it were any other 1st level adventure - and that bit of information is worth having in an intro adventure. Just because it has value as an intro product that doesn't mean that it's valueless for those who already own the books.

And now, I do the happy dance. Because this is an acknowledgment that the designers might just be thinking "not all priests are clerics". And if they apply that thought to PC classes, I'll be a happy camper.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

And now, I do the happy dance. Because this is an acknowledgment that the designers might just be thinking "not all priests are clerics". And if they apply that thought to PC classes, I'll be a happy camper.

We'll be seeing "humans as monsters" in one of the upcoming previews, so I imagine we'll know the score then.

 

[Kralin Thornberry]

I went to my FLGS, and I got the chance to page through the store copy, and I have to say I'm pretty excited to play this.

We've arranged a "playtest" session using Keep on the Shadowfell, and I can't wait!

 

[Lurker59]

Some NPCs do have heroic class levels. Specifically, one character in KotS is mentioned as a being a warlord (though no stats are given).

 

[Wolfspider]

But I don't have to dispute it on THAT principle. Instead I'll just point out that, in addition to being a preview product, this is also the first adventure in the first 4e Adventure Path. And so even folks who own all of the core books might be running this adventure as if it were any other 1st level adventure - and that bit of information is worth having in an intro adventure. Just because it has value as an intro product that doesn't mean that it's valueless for those who already own the books.

Yes. But a lot of people are going to be playing this adventure as their introduction to the D&D 4e game. It sure would be nice for them if the rituals that are listed in the adventure were actually detailed, even briefly. Sure, an imaginitive 12 year old could figure out what they do--but I thought D&D 4e was trying to make things easier for DMs, not more difficult....

I hope there are not many omissions like this--if it is an omission. Any confirmation on whether these rituals are detailed in the book?

 

[CleverNickName]

I'm confused. How does the priest know how to perform rituals, without having any levels of cleric? Does this mean that characters can learn rituals apart from their class levels? Or is this one of those "NPCs use different rules" situations?

Come on, June.

 

[PrecociousApprentice]

Pretty positive it hasn't been confirmed, and no source to back it up, but it seems to me that popular opinion has it that rituals will be available through feats. The feats could be linked to class, but I hope that the out of combat magic is completely divorced from class. If not, I guess we could settle for multiclass feats opening it up, but really, I feel that it would open up a lot of character concepts to have rituals divorced from class.

 

[tuffnoogies]

The important question is "How did you get your paws on a copy so soon?"

 

[Mindseye]

The important question is "How did you get your paws on a copy so soon?"

I was fortunate to be loaned a copy from my FLGS!!

On a second readthrough, I found no more detail about the listed rituals.


I am looking forward to teeing this up for my players. Some fun rooms and encounters!!

 

[Sir_Darien]

I'm confused. How does the priest know how to perform rituals, without having any levels of cleric? Does this mean that characters can learn rituals apart from their class levels? Or is this one of those "NPCs use different rules" situations?

Come on, June.

I would assume that the NPC could just take the Ritual Casting feat in order to gain the ability to use rituals. I'm more wondering about how the level requirements are going to work.