As you can probably guess by the title of this thread, this is my attempt to create a sort of cooperative spell casting method. Please let me know what ya think, eh?
Definitions:
Ritual: a cooperative attempt by 2 or more arcane spellcasters to combine their power and accomplish something neither of them could accomplish alone.
Mana level: During a ritual, arcane energy gets built up. The amount of energy currently held by the ritual is refered to as the 'mana level'. The mana level of a ritual cannot exceed the total arcane caster levels of it's participants. If the mana level is at it's maximum or the maximum mana level is reduced, the excess arcane energy is lost, dissipating harmlessly into the surrounding enviroment.
Ritual Process
Begining
Before the ritual begins, each of it's participants must position themselves around a central point and be free to move. All participants must be within 15 ft of the central point and must not move further than 15 ft from the central point. If a participant becomes no long able to function, the remaining participants may continue the ritual, but the maximum mana level is reduced appropriately. Note that once the ritual has begun, no new participants may join.
The Ritual
During a ritual, a participant's total focus and concentration is required. If an individual stops participating in the ritual, they may not rejoin it.
A ritual lasts for at least 1 hour. Each hour, each participant must make a Caster Level check equal to 10 + the number of previous hours. If all participants succeed, the ritual's mana level increases by 1. Failure may have a variety of effects depending upon how badly the participant failed their check.
Perhaps the most spectacular of these mishaps is when the mana pool collapses. A mana pool collapse cause the arcane energy to detonate like a bomb dealing 1d6 damage per mana level to everything within a 20 ft radius of the ritual's central point as well as draining all the energy thus far collected, resetting the mana level to 0. Non-participants can make a reflex saving throw (DC = 10 + the mana level) for half damage.
After caster level check, the participants may continue the ritual or choose to end it.
Caster Level Check Failure
Failure by... Effect
1-4... No mana level gained
5-10... No mana level gained and take 1d6 damage
11-15... No mana level gained and mana pool collapses
16+... No mana level gained, mana pool collapses AND all participants gain 1 negative level per mana level
Ending the Ritual
At any time during the ritual, the participants may focus together and expend the accumulated arcane energy to cast a spell. This is a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
The ritual can cast any spell that is on any of the participant's spell list, assuming it's mana level is high enough (see below).
Once the ritual's energy has been used to cast a spell, any excess energy dissipates and all of it's participants become fatigued. Note that if the spell has an XP cost, the cost must be paid by all participants. In addition, if the spell has a costly material component, it must be provided (but only once per casting).
Mana Level Requirement
Spell Level....Mana Level
1...................1
2...................4
3...................6
4...................8
5...................10
6...................12
7...................14
8...................16
9...................18
So... Comments? Gripes? Glaring loop-holes?
Edit 1: Clairified 'caster level checks result'. Thanks, Cheiromancer.
Edit 2: Clairified that a mana pool collaspe resets the mana level to 0.
Definitions:
Ritual: a cooperative attempt by 2 or more arcane spellcasters to combine their power and accomplish something neither of them could accomplish alone.
Mana level: During a ritual, arcane energy gets built up. The amount of energy currently held by the ritual is refered to as the 'mana level'. The mana level of a ritual cannot exceed the total arcane caster levels of it's participants. If the mana level is at it's maximum or the maximum mana level is reduced, the excess arcane energy is lost, dissipating harmlessly into the surrounding enviroment.
Ritual Process
Begining
Before the ritual begins, each of it's participants must position themselves around a central point and be free to move. All participants must be within 15 ft of the central point and must not move further than 15 ft from the central point. If a participant becomes no long able to function, the remaining participants may continue the ritual, but the maximum mana level is reduced appropriately. Note that once the ritual has begun, no new participants may join.
The Ritual
During a ritual, a participant's total focus and concentration is required. If an individual stops participating in the ritual, they may not rejoin it.
A ritual lasts for at least 1 hour. Each hour, each participant must make a Caster Level check equal to 10 + the number of previous hours. If all participants succeed, the ritual's mana level increases by 1. Failure may have a variety of effects depending upon how badly the participant failed their check.
Perhaps the most spectacular of these mishaps is when the mana pool collapses. A mana pool collapse cause the arcane energy to detonate like a bomb dealing 1d6 damage per mana level to everything within a 20 ft radius of the ritual's central point as well as draining all the energy thus far collected, resetting the mana level to 0. Non-participants can make a reflex saving throw (DC = 10 + the mana level) for half damage.
After caster level check, the participants may continue the ritual or choose to end it.
Caster Level Check Failure
Failure by... Effect
1-4... No mana level gained
5-10... No mana level gained and take 1d6 damage
11-15... No mana level gained and mana pool collapses
16+... No mana level gained, mana pool collapses AND all participants gain 1 negative level per mana level
Ending the Ritual
At any time during the ritual, the participants may focus together and expend the accumulated arcane energy to cast a spell. This is a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
The ritual can cast any spell that is on any of the participant's spell list, assuming it's mana level is high enough (see below).
Once the ritual's energy has been used to cast a spell, any excess energy dissipates and all of it's participants become fatigued. Note that if the spell has an XP cost, the cost must be paid by all participants. In addition, if the spell has a costly material component, it must be provided (but only once per casting).
Mana Level Requirement
Spell Level....Mana Level
1...................1
2...................4
3...................6
4...................8
5...................10
6...................12
7...................14
8...................16
9...................18
So... Comments? Gripes? Glaring loop-holes?
Edit 1: Clairified 'caster level checks result'. Thanks, Cheiromancer.
Edit 2: Clairified that a mana pool collaspe resets the mana level to 0.
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