Ritual Rules

Ritual Magic is a form of casting for spells with particularly complex preparation, rituals, or components that makes them less of a combat resource and more of a source of utility.

Regardless of if a caster is prepared or spontaneous, the complexity of a ritual requires the user to own a ritual book. Similar to a spell source for a prepared caster, a ritual book contains all the rituals for that person. A ritual book and the rituals within are attuned to the individual spellcaster requiring expensive components to even copy one into the book. Creatures attempting to read a ritual book that they do not own requires a Knowledge(Arcana) check DC 15 + the SPB of the caster it belonged to. Prepared spellcasters may choose to store their rituals within their spell source.

Rituals are very similar to spells, but do not count against the talents a creature knows, meaning any creature with the spellcasting class feature may qualify to learn to use rituals. Ritual casting requires the Ritual Casting Initiate (Magic) feat to begin inscribing spells into a ritual book. Prepared spellcasters automatically start with Ritual Casting Initiate as a bonus feat. A GM may decide ritual casting is common enough within their world that all spellcasters automatically start with this feat.

The cost of the ritual is the representation of the cost to purchase the ritual to add it to one’s ritual book. If a ritual is found then the cost to copy a ritual is 10% of the ritual’s cost.

Casting time indicates the amount of time for the ritual to be set up and complete. Setup and the actual casting are included in this time, but it means interruptions to any portion of this may require the caster to start from the beginning of the ritual.

Component cost is any additional GP cost of components that must be supplied to the ritual for completion. Usually this is represented in a simple GP cost, though a GM may require the players to obtain these costly materials to perform the ritual. Components for a ritual are not consumed until the ritual is complete, meaning interruptions; unless they’re particularly destructive, do not waste the components.

Rituals and Meta Talents

Rituals may have a meta talent applied to them if applicable. Each meta talent applied adds 100% of the base casting time of a ritual to the overall casting time (2 meta talents would increase it by 3x the base casting time for example). Any spell point adjustments increase the ritual cost by an additional 10%. Meta talents that reduce the casting time of a spell may not be applied.

Rituals and Use Magic Device

Creatures with ranks in use magic device may substitute their ranks for the BCB requirement of a ritual in order to cast it. The creature must still make Knowledge(Arcane) checks to read a ritual book that is not their own.

The creature must still make a DC 15 UMD check to emulate any missing affinity talents a ritual may require. When a ritual calls for a SPB check, the caster may substitute their SPB with their ranks in Use Magic Device. If a ritual calls for CAM you may use your associated ability score (usually charisma) for use magic device instead.

List of Rituals