So why can ANYONE use rituals?

[hong]

Egalitarianism is a very elitist idea. That's not a joke.

RUTHLESS EGALITARIAN
lvl 10 elite brute
Large aberrant humanoid
Initiative -1
Hp 120
AC 30, Fort 24, Ref 12, Will 10
Hive mind: +2 def when adjacent to 2 other ruthless egalitarians

 

[Drammattex]

"Candyman! Candyman! Candyman!"

There. Anyone can do a rituaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

*splatter*

 

[Harshax]

For those excited about rituals I ask you this question. Does the fact that anyone can use rituals bring us one step closer to no classes and point based character builds? I mean it's not too far from saying you want to play a spell caster, then spend two feats and some skill points.

4E is a point by system. WotC spent most of them, and presented you with 8 builds.

The question is can my wizard spend a few feats and wield a great sword and plate armor as well as the fighter. I haven't kept up on the news releases and leaked PDFs to know the answer.

The question implies that a Fighter casting rituals is as good as a wizard casting rituals. No and No.

 

[hong]

They make the classes too narrow, and people complain. They make the classes too broad, and people complain.

 

[Voss]

For those excited about rituals I ask you this question. Does the fact that anyone can use rituals bring us one step closer to no classes and point based character builds? I mean it's not too far from saying you want to play a spell caster, then spend two feats and some skill points.

Thankfully not. The rituals are pretty much stuff you do outside of combat, while 90+% of your class is stuff you do in combat. In a way its a separate group of 'skills' that doesn't impact your class. Though various classes have an easier time accessing it than others. Clerics and wizards get it for free, its only one feat for warlocks and paladins, and two feats for everyone else.

In a way its hedge magic, or depending on how you look at it, 'high magic' while the wizard is really just a battlemage- someone optimized for combat magic and nothing else.

The question is can my wizard spend a few feats and wield a great sword and plate armor as well as the fighter. I haven't kept up on the news releases and leaked PDFs to know the answer.

Absolutely not. He can swing a greatsword, and even be proficient in it, but he doesn't have the stats or the powers to back it up. You could cripple his ability to be a wizard and invest the stat points into strength and con to put him in a place where he can make a basic attack thats roughly similar to a fighter, but he's going to be really bad at both.

And a heavy armor wearing wizard isn't worthwhile. Since AC involves armor bonus and int/dex bonus for light armor, he's going to have a competitive AC without spending the resources on plate... and it will get more competitive as he goes up in level and his int increases

 

[Ten]

RUTHLESS EGALITARIAN
lvl 10 elite brute
Large aberrant humanoid
Initiative -1
Hp 120
AC 30, Fort 24, Ref 12, Will 10
Hive mind: +2 def when adjacent to 2 other ruthless egalitarians

Propoganda (Minor): Close Burst 2, Every time Ruthless Egalitarian scores a critical hit, it may use this ability. Target is Stunned (Save ends). If target succeeds his save, target is Dazed (Save ends). If target fails his save, target is forcibly and painfully converted into a Ruthless Egalitarian no longer under player control.

 

[see]

To summarize:

An 8th level wizard or cleric can Raise Dead from a ritual book.
An 8th level paladin or warlock can Raise Dead from a ritual book if he expended one feat for Ritual Caster.
An 8th level fighter, ranger, rogue, or warlord can Raise Dead from a ritual book if he expended two feats (one for training in either Arcana or Religion, one for Ritual Caster).

 

[Jack Colby]

It's not disappointing, it's awesome. And it's about time. It only makes sense that anyone could follow written instructions, once they understand how to make sense of them.

Plus, now we can ditch spellcasting classes and use rituals only, which at least in my mind simulates the magic of Sword & Sorcery fiction pretty well. Even Conan uses magic once in a REH story, by imitating the actions of a Pict.

Rituals are one of the very best changes made in 4E.

 

[Stogoe]

No he can't. He still needs the Divine Ritual Feat. (unless it was a scroll)

I would totally let a player take Ritual Casting (Restoration Only) if his character was only trained in Heal.

But I have a feeling that most available rituals in my campaign are going to be found as scrolls. Ritual tomes will be rare beyond rarity. Although maybe not so much that it screws over spellcasters.

 

[Incenjucar]

I just treat "Ritual Caster" as a class you can multiclass into without hitting your multiclass limit.

Really not that big a deal.