Stupid Question of the Day: Rituals

[WizarDru]

Since I'm at work and have neither my DMG nor PHB in front of me, a straight-forward question (I hope): what kind of access, by default, do players have to Rituals? Setting aside the issue of what a DM provides, I'm mostly looking to understand how players get them, if it's specified within the core.

That is to say, are they all readily available (I assume not)? Or are they viewed more as treasure or an asset? If the latter, from what I can recall, they are available both in book and scroll form, correct? And keeping with those formats, the former is preserved for repeated use and the latter is consumed? And both can be distributed?

With regards to components, I see GP values listed for most rituals, but not specifics on the components themselves. Is this a DM-to-DM choice? That is, it's left to the individual DM (and specific rituals) what level of detail components are given?

Thanks much.

 

[Kordeth]

Since I'm at work and have neither my DMG nor PHB in front of me, a straight-forward question (I hope): what kind of access, by default, do players have to Rituals? Setting aside the issue of what a DM provides, I'm mostly looking to understand how players get them, if it's specified within the core.

That is to say, are they all readily available (I assume not)? Or are they viewed more as treasure or an asset?

Like magic items, it's largely up to the DM whether or not rituals are commonly and readily available for purchase.

If the latter, from what I can recall, they are available both in book and scroll form, correct? And keeping with those formats, the former is preserved for repeated use and the latter is consumed? And both can be distributed?

Yes, although most of the time when you buy a book version of a ritual you'll want to copy it into your own ritual book rather than buying a new, physical book to lug around. This costs the same amount of money as buying a ritual book with the ritual in it. Also remember that you don't need the Ritual Caster feat to cast a ritual from a scroll, and rituals cast from scrolls take half the time to cast.

With regards to components, I see GP values listed for most rituals, but not specifics on the components themselves. Is this a DM-to-DM choice? That is, it's left to the individual DM (and specific rituals) what level of detail components are given?

Thanks much.

See p. 300 of the PHB. The type of components required depends on the ritual's key skill: alchemical reagents for Arcana, mystic salves for Heal, rare herbs for Nature, and sanctified incense for Religion. Residuum can also be used as a component for any ritual. It's up to the DM if you want to get more specific than those categories.

 

[Regicide]

That is to say, are they all readily available (I assume not)? Or are they viewed more as treasure or an asset?

Everything in 4E is assumed to be readily available and stocked in sufficient supply at the local store on a level-appropriate basis available for purchase if the players can afford it with their gold which has been given to them in a carefully balanced amount.

 

[Kordeth]

Everything in 4E is assumed to be readily available and stocked in sufficient supply at the local store on a level-appropriate basis available for purchase if the players can afford it with their gold which has been given to them in a carefully balanced amount.

Not exactly:

You can sometimes buy magic items just as you can mundane equipment. It’s rare to find a shop or a bazaar that routinely sells magic items, except perhaps the lowest-level items. Some fantastic places, such as the legendary City of Brass in the heart of the Elemental Chaos, have such markets, but those are the exception rather than the rule. Your DM might say that you can track down a seller for the item you want to buy or that you might have to do some searching, but in general you can buy any item you can afford.

You can generally find what you can afford, but it's not necessarily as easy as popping down to the local store and browsing the "+2 weapons" rack.

 

[fba827]

also remember that some classes start off with rituals (wizard, cleric, druid, bard, and invoker come to mind) so you will have some PCs that will start with ready access to some rituals.

and then it's a matter of aquiring new rituals (through purchase or finding). If they find actual ritual books, they can cast it repeatedly. If they just find ritual scrolls then it is a onetime use of the ritual.

 

[WizarDru]

Excellent, that's what I thought. Kordeth and fba827, thank you.

 

[frankthedm]

Everything in 4E is assumed to be readily available and stocked in sufficient supply at the local store on a level-appropriate basis available for purchase if the players can afford it with their gold which has been given to them in a carefully balanced amount.

Not exactly:

You can sometimes buy magic items just as you can mundane equipment. It’s rare to find a shop or a bazaar that routinely sells magic items, except perhaps the lowest-level items. Some fantastic places, such as the legendary City of Brass in the heart of the Elemental Chaos, have such markets, but those are the exception rather than the rule. Your DM might say that you can track down a seller for the item you want to buy or that you might have to do some searching, but in general you can buy any item you can afford.

Am I the only one who feels like that paragraph does a 180^o turn at the end?

 

[aurance]

Am I the only one who feels like that paragraph does a 180^o turn at the end?

That was my impression at first, but upon some examination, not really.

It's saying only two things:

1) PCs are assumed to have or able to buy level-appropriate magic items they can afford, in order to properly face challenges.

2) From a narrative angle, the in-game explanation for this is most likely not a plain magic item shop.

This still leaves room for a great deal of possibilities.

 

[Regicide]

This still leaves room for a great deal of possibilities.

Like a 4th level ritual giving access to pretty much whatever you want for a fist full of gold coins. It's like God's own vending machine.

 

[the Jester]

Like a 4th level ritual giving access to pretty much whatever you want for a fist full of gold coins. It's like God's own vending machine.

In my epic-level 3.5 game, the party's cleric had a portable store with access to most any magic item most of the time.