D&D 5E Rituals in 5e

[nnms]

My main problem with rituals is that their casting times mean that they very rarely could be used in a fight. They took elements of pre 4E spells and made them into rituals which restricted how you used them.

In previous editions, it was left up to the players to decide how and when to use their spells and to come up with creative ways to use those spells to overcome the challenges they face (like a fight).

So I don't really like rituals that do the same things as pre 4E spells but then decide in advance which ones can't be used in a fight rather than letting the players be creative with it.

And i utterly detest gold as a form of XP that you spend to get items and then having to use that to fuel the use of rituals. I also really disliked 3.x item creation rules for much the same reason.

 

[Aldarc]

Mike Mearls should also consider looking at how rituals and ceremonies were done in the old Arcana Unearthed supplement Mystic Secrets written by this great guy named Mike Mearls. (I wonder if they're related?)

 

[herrozerro]

though recently in dragon they put out some cool new rituals that when made int oscrolls could be used as standard actions. it got me thinking that im going to revisit some of the lesser power rituals and conver them for my games.

 

[Viking Bastard]

combine wizard spells and rituals. Allow most spells to be cast as a ritual/incantation or let them be memorized. This way the system is very flexible.

This is a fairly good and simple solution, really. I would still separate Combat and "Utility" spells, if only in presentation.

 

[Minigiant]

I like the idea of rituals, they were just handled poorly. I think Rituals should be split into 3 types.

Long Rituals: Spells that take too long to cast in combat but can be casted over and over with little change of breaking the game. The hard part is the skill check
Animal Messenger, Instant Summons, Phantom Steed, Make Whole

Draining Rituals: Quick rituals that could be used in combat but drains healing surges to discourage spamming.
Hold Portal, Fly, Feather Fall, Disguise Self, Knock, Remove Disease

Costly Rituals: Rituals that create or return resources to the target.
Raise Dead, Brew Potion, Heroes Feast, Enchant Item, Observe Creature

 

[Ahnehnois]

I would still separate Combat and "Utility" spells, if only in presentation.

I find that distinction artificial. Feather Fall may not be a combat spell, but if you're bull-rushed off a cliff it becomes one. Disintegrate may be a combat spell until you come upon a door you can't open. Creative use of spells is a hallmark of D&D.

I think the spell/ritual distinction is useful because it's valuable to separate things functionally; some that take time and effort to do (like raising the dead, various divinations, involved illusions, creating portals, etc.) are rituals, and some that you can do in six seconds or less are spells.

Long Rituals: ...Instant Summons,...

Huh? I'm sure that wasn't intentional, it just seems like a non-sequitur.

 

[Minigiant]

Huh? I'm sure that wasn't intentional, it just seems like a non-sequitur.

Placing the arcane mark on the item you wish to summon takes as hour.
Summon the item is a free action.

 

[Dice4Hire]

I would like to see all rituals have:

Multiple casting tiems, longer being cheaper in otehr costs
Non-gold costs, like healing surges. This would change based on casting time.
Be tied to skill checks. (5E has skmills, if not another check)

Be very broad and multi-use.

 

[Ainamacar]

Rituals are such a compelling idea, I really hope we get a better implementation this time.

Within the game's narrative I consider spells and rituals as basically unified. Most spells probably began life as someone's imperfect tinkering, trying to get all the magical pieces to come out properly. Eventually this was refined to the point that many of these "rituals" could be internalized and performed very quickly. I figure the first fireball ever cast (by mortal mages anyway) is more likely to have been cast slowly during a siege than quickly while fighting some kobolds. A good analogy might be mathematical proofs. Original proofs are often far longer than necessary, but eventually very elegant forms are found for some. Or it might be like algorithms in computing. Sorting algorithms like bubble sort get the job done, for example, but there is hardly any reason to use it if quicksort or its brethren are available. Of course, there is a reason bubble sort came first. Similarly, rituals are closer to the original forms while spells are the refined and elegant ones (when it is possible).

I think a lot could be done by with casting classes and rituals by emphasizing this continuity. I might give most casters a unique method for limited ritual access in combat (or other short time scales). For example, a wizard could perform most of a ritual (say long-range teleport) beforehand by expending the time and components, and keep it prepared in a spell slot like a spell. This might take a more precious character resource as well, so a character can't have 10 rituals on call. A cleric might be able to perform small miracles. The druid might be able to tap into "ambient magic" to quickly perform some kinds of rituals in appropriate terrain. A sorcerer might be able to give up something really significant (like a class ability) to master a ritual it can cast spontaneously (at reduced cost), or slowly (at greatly reduced cost). In all these examples the ritual can be cast like a spell, but the special efforts and requirements emphasize that it has not been refined to the same degree as one.

 

[Sonofapreacherman]

Yes to rituals.

You know those spells that adventurers never learn/memorize because they aren't useful when fighting monsters and are only cast in between battles/during cut scenes when time isn't a huge factor to the story?

Make those spells rituals.