Thursday, December 10, 2009

4e D&D; Rituals

Rituals could have been a very enjoyable aspect of 4th edition D&D. In fact, I think they could have been one of the ‘best’, had they been implemented in a functional and valuable manner. Alas, their presence remains an unfortunate red headed stepchild, one whose presence in the room is simply tolerated. Where did WotC go wrong? Could their idea have even worked under different circumstances? Let’s discuss.

As far as I can ascertain, the two major problems associated with the ritual process are the price of components and the inherent availability of ritual casting. Each and every DM runs their game somewhat differently than the next. I tend to be a little on the cheap side with doling out rewards while others pile them on at every possible turn. The negatives arise when one realizes that ritual casting bridges entirely from the amount of coin available to the players. Need to cast the knock ritual? If your DM has run you through the game on a decidedly cheap reward system, you might well be out of luck. Can an issue like this be fixed by the DM simply altering his treasure mechanics? Assuredly. But what if he doesn’t want to/doesn’t feel like it would be realistic to? WotC’s decision to base such a wide array of utility abilities solely on the basis of currency seems a little odd to me.

The other difficulty revolves around a comparison between 3.5 and 4th edition. In 3.5, wizards were the kings and queens of utility spells very similar, and in many cases identical, to the 4th edition ritual compendium. It was, to be frank, their ‘thing’, and they were highly valued for it. In 4th edition, anyone with the proper skill training and a feat or two to invest can acquire the ability to cast rituals. Here you may hold up your hand in protest. “So what? The wizards and other casters get it for free and everyone else has to pay with a feat. That’s definitely a trade.” I would agree. In purest form, it is also an issue of the 4th edition balancing act, or ‘anything you can do I can do almost as well’. But that remains the problem. Wizards ‘need’ something to call their own, something arcane and magical that no one else can manifest… that is, in essence, the nature of being a wizard (or cleric/invoker etc.). Why, I wonder, couldn’t WotC have created certain rituals, slightly augmented in power or utility, which were available only to certain classes? Unfortunately, I know the answer already: balance.

I think that sums it up quite well. The reason that rituals are so poorly implemented lies with WotC’s most debated design technique, and in spite of everything, I’m mostly a fan of it. I enjoy having my players all able to contribute something useful during the play session. I only hope that the designers are able to institute a feasible method for making rituals truly epic. As it stands now, my players almost never use them, and it really is a shame.

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