New rituals!

[KidSnide]

I think the right answer is to make rituals orthogonal to skills whenever possible and have a downside. For example, rituals should provide effects like invisibility that makes it much easier to hide (since you are always concealed), but should still require a stealth roll to move around without being detected.

That is exactly how invisibility works. If you're invisible, you have total concealment from your foe (-5 to his attack), but unless you also make a Stealth check, he knows what square you're in.

Exactly. I'm saying that rituals should provide effects, like invisibility, that allows skills to be used in new (i.e. easier) ways rather than replacing skill checks with arcana checks.

-KS

 

[Klaus]

Exactly. I'm saying that rituals should provide effects, like invisibility, that allows skills to be used in new (i.e. easier) ways rather than replacing skill checks with arcana checks.

-KS

But Stealth has a unique mechanic that relates to locating stuff, the hidden condition, etc. Other skills don't have those mechanics.

I have nothing against a druid using Nature in place of Endurance, or a priest using Religion in place of Intimidate on a demon. Those are very flavorful effects.

Stuff like Suggestion (substitute Arcana for Diplomacy), Spook (substitute Arcana for Intimidate) or Chameleon's Mask (substitute Arcana for Stealth) are not without their costs, since they take up a power slot. And it allows the character to navigate a broader scope of circumstances without the need of pumping far too many skills (which are often off-class).

It's not unlike Fast Talk (re-roll Bluff or replace Diplomacy or Intimidate with Bluff), Improvisational Arcana (reduce ritual cost and use Bluff instead of the usual ritual skill), Damning Secret (replace Intimidate with Insight), Try the Stick (replace Diplomacy with Intimidate), etc.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

I loved this article.

Glad to see they've caught on to the ritual casting houserules I set up two years ago

Shorter casting times, more utility effects, and cheaper casting costs for nonpermanent effects are all positive things I get from this article. Now, if only they'd go back and errata all the existing rituals... (I know it won't happen)

 

[Mengu]

Like the article. I never used or wanted to introduce rituals into my game, as they were written in PHB and other supplements. This makes me give it a second look.

The feats have too big an opportunity cost during heroic tier, so it is doubtful they will be picked all that often. However, since the implementation of house rules in CB, I've been pondering adding non-combat feats to characters as bonus feats at level 5/10/15/20/25/30. I just need to make a respectable list of such feats for my players to pick. These ritual caster feats would certainly make the list.

 

[tuxgeo]

I loved this article.

. . . and, to no one's surprise, it's Schwalb again.

No flavor of netherShadow, or FeyWhatsit, or Rethmil, or Nerathi-hoohah of Legend* -- merely a bunch of well-written crunch, organized alphabetically.

The way it appears to me is this: When WotC runs out of stuff that mystically materialized over the transom (through e-mail), or when they have something they want done that nobody else has offered to do, they call on Rob Schwalb. He has an impressive track record, and really does chunk out the word-count -- on schedule, within budget, and appreciated by the readers. What's not to like?

* and no gargfighters of karkoth, either!