I'm trying to create a ritual that will cover an area 5 yards in radius, 4 yards high with webs. These webs will attempt to trap anyone or anything within the area when cast, and if trapped will force them to roll a contest of ST to break free. Also, anyone or anything entering the area will also have to go through this process.
Ok, I have two attempts at a ritual. Will they both work? The first scales very well (read: cheap) towards targets with normal STrength using the Golden Rule (T:RPM p. 24), but gets quite expensive using Bestows a Bonus for high STrength targets, going all exponential and... stuff. Version 2 uses Binding (Basic p. 40) and can be more expensive at normal levels, but expands linearly forever so is much friendlier at higher STrength targets. Version 1 costs more than version 2 from STrength 20 and higher.
I'm going to assume an Effective Skill of 15 for comparison sake. I know with a higher Effective Skill I would get a higher "Spell STrength" for the escape contest on the first version, but I need a constant for the comparison.
Trapping Webs - Version 0.1
Spell Effects: Greater Create Matter
Inherent Modifiers: Area of Effect
Greater Effects: 1 (x3)
This ritual creates an area 5 yards in radius that binds anyone or anything within it or entering it for the duration or until they can succeed in a contest of ST vs the Effective Skill of the ritual. Excludes caster and one other at time of casting.
Typical Casting: Greater Create Matter (6) + Area of Effect (Excludes caster and one other): 5 yards (5) + Duration: 10 minutes (1)
Cost: 34 energy
Trapping Webs - Version 2
Spell Effects: Greater Create Matter
Inherent Modifiers: Area of Effect, Binding
Greater Effects: 1 (x3)
This ritual creates an area 5 yards in radius that binds anyone or anything within it or entering it for the duration or until they can succeed in a contest of ST vs the Effective Skill of the ritual. Excludes caster and one other at time of casting.
Typical Casting: Greater Create Matter (6) + Binding: ST 15 (30) + Area of Effect (Excludes caster and one other: +1): 5 yards (5) + Duration: 10 minutes (1)
Cost: 121 energy
I know that Binding is essentially a Missile Spell and offers benefits above the first, but I'm just more interested in the binding aspect for now.
Ok, questions beyond whether the rituals will work as is.
- Do I need to use Persistent in order to get the binding effect to continue to grab items that enter the area?
- If I use Bestows a Penalty in the ritual to lower any target's STrength that fails to resist the ritual will it effect subsequent rolls against STrength to break free? I think it will.
- In the event that both rituals can work, what are people's feelings about allowing both: The first for STrengths lower than 20, the second for 20 and higher?
- Without changing these from webs to something that already exists in the environment like vines, could some version of this ritual be a Lesser Create Matter effect?
Thanks in advance!