Useful RPM rituals [Thamutology]

[AlexanderHowl]

I was hoping that people would share their most useful RPM rituals. Here are a couple of mine:

Diplomatic Envoy: Lesser Strengthen Mind (Altered Traits: Charisma 5, Empath 4, and Talker 4), Duration, 1 day, Subject Weight (300 lbs). 78 energy.

Perfect Lover: Lesser Strength Body (Altered Traits: Double-Jointed and Very Fit), Lesser Strength Mind (Allure 4), Duration, 1 day, Subject Weight (300 lbs). 66 energy.

[ericthered]

I find the most useful rituals are the most basic, plain, and repeatable:

Find Source:
Lesser Detect Matter(2) + Range 1000 miles (8) [10]

finds where part of an object came from, giving the caster distance and direction. For instance, the source of mud tracked onto the floor

Find Owner:
Lesser Detect Body(2) + Range 1000 miles (8) [10]

finds the person a bit of blood, hair, spit, or other bodily remnant comes from.

[AlexanderHowl]

Another few useful rituals:

Broadsword Excellence: Lesser Strengthen Body (Bonus, Broadsword+5 and Shield+5), Lesser Strengthen Mind (Altered Trait, Combat Reflexes), Duration (1 day), and Subject Weight (300 lbs). 63 energy.

Natural Leader: Lesser Strengthen Mind (Altered Trait, Born War-Leader 4 and Charisma 5), Duration (1 day), and Subject Weight (300 lbs). 58 energy.

Strategic Genius: Lesser Strengthen Mind (Altered Trait, Born War-Leader 4), Lesser Strengthen Mind (Bonus, Strategy +5), Duration (1 day), and Subject Weight (300 lbs). 52 energy.

Tactical Mind: Lesser Strength Mind (Altered Trait, Born War-Leader 4 and Combat Reflexes), Duration (1 day), and Subject Weight (300 lbs). 48 energy.

[Humabout]

Originally Posted by ericthered

I find the most useful rituals are the most basic, plain, and repeatable:

Find Source:
Lesser Detect Matter(2) + Range 1000 miles (8) [10]

finds where part of an object came from, giving the caster distance and direction. For instance, the source of mud tracked onto the floor

Find Owner:
Lesser Detect Body(2) + Range 1000 miles (8) [10]

finds the person a bit of blood, hair, spit, or other bodily remnant comes from.

The Dresden Specials for a reason!

I'd add in some basic multipurpose rituals like

Lesser Create Energy(6) + Damage, 1d burning, with incendiary(1) [7] for both starting campfires, creating distractions, and satisfying your pyromania

Or

Lesser Strengthen Body(3) + Altered Trait, Temperature Tolerance 1(1) [4] for avoiding exposure, heat stroke, etc.

[AlexanderHowl]

You would need to add Subject Weight, 300 lbs (+3) and Duration, 1 day (+7) for the latter ritual to be useful, so the final cost would be 14 energy. As for the former, indirect damage is 0 energy for 3d, and burning damage is always incendiary, so it would be 6 energy with a fuel source.

[Humabout]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

You would need to add Subject Weight, 300 lbs (+3) and Duration, 1 day (+7) for the latter ritual to be useful, so the final cost would be 14 energy. As for the former, indirect damage is 0 energy for 3d, and burning damage is always incendiary, so it would be 6 energy with a fuel source.

Rituals aren't defined by things like subject weight (which does assume certain things about the subject...) or duration (which assumes certain things abount context...)

For example, maybe I need to protect a child in the Sonoran Desert in August. The kid weighs 90 lbs (not 300!!!) and temperatures only break that 90 degree mark in the Sonoran between about 10:00 am and 10:00 pm that time of year, not all day.

[AlexanderHowl]

They are defined by such in the RPM book, any that alter characters physically have Subject Weight and Duration included. As for the child in the desert, it is better to shield them for a month as opposed to twelve hours, as the energy difference is only +5, and it would greatly reduce the chance of cumulative critical failure.

[GarenLiLorian]

Broadsword Excellence: Lesser Strengthen Body (Bonus, Broadsword+5 and Shield+5), Lesser Strengthen Mind (Altered Trait, Combat Reflexes), Duration (1 day), and Subject Weight (300 lbs). 63 energy.

Natural Leader: Lesser Strengthen Mind (Altered Trait, Born War-Leader 4 and Charisma 5), Duration (1 day), and Subject Weight (300 lbs). 58 energy.

Strategic Genius: Lesser Strengthen Mind (Altered Trait, Born War-Leader 4), Lesser Strengthen Mind (Bonus, Strategy +5), Duration (1 day), and Subject Weight (300 lbs). 52 energy.

Tactical Mind: Lesser Strength Mind (Altered Trait, Born War-Leader 4 and Combat Reflexes), Duration (1 day), and Subject Weight (300 lbs). 48 energy.

Diplomatic Envoy: Lesser Strengthen Mind (Altered Traits: Charisma 5, Empath 4, and Talker 4), Duration, 1 day, Subject Weight (300 lbs). 78 energy.

Perfect Lover: Lesser Strength Body (Altered Traits: Double-Jointed and Very Fit), Lesser Strength Mind (Allure 4), Duration, 1 day, Subject Weight (300 lbs). 66 energy.

YMMV, but there isn't a thing on that list I wouldn't charge a Greater Effect for, if not a bunch of them. Granting more than a +3 to a single group of skills is usually a Greater Effect. Granting more than 10 cp of advantage is usually a Greater Effect.

Also, usually Altered Traits should be a final resort: if something can be paid for with 'Grants a Bonus,' it's fairer to do it that way. I'd say equivalent to a Talent is certainly a Broad category.

So that first ritual might look like:
Broadsword Excellence:
Greater Strengthen Body (Grants a Bonus, Moderate Group: Broadsword and Shield +5)
Lesser Strengthen Mind (Grants a Bonus: +1 to Active Defenses (Broad),
Lesser Strengthen Body (Grants a Bonus: +1 all Fast-Draw Rolls (Moderate),
Lesser Strengthen Mind (Grants a Bonus: +2 Fright Checks (Narrow),
Greater Strengthen Mind (Grants a Bonus, +6 to rolls to recover from mental stun (Narrow)
Duration (1 day),
Subject Weight (300 lbs). 98 Energy x 5= 490 Energy. A punishing cost! Dropping the sword and shield bonus to +3 (the highest I'd let be a lesser effect) and dropping the Mental stun bonus into Lesser territory as well would bring the spell all the way down to 46 Energy, and make it much more reasonable.

[AlexanderHowl]

I disagree. Talents are mundane mental advantages and specially fit within the purview of Lesser Strengthen Mind. Bonuses derived from advantages (and penalties derived from disadvantages) are already incorporated in the altered trait effect. For example, it would be absurd to charge 48 energy for the bonuses from Double-Jointed when the advantage costs only 15 CP.

[GarenLiLorian]

I would argue that +5 to a group of skills (like Double-Jointed gives) is covered by 'Grants a Bonus': there's no need to use Altered Traits, and it would be a point crock to do so. But obviously the system could work either way, and those decisions are between a GM and their players. I use RPM in a long running monster hunters game with a couple of 700+ cp witches, and it's important to keep them from being able to do everything, at better levels than the non-witches.

I agree that a rank or two of a five point talent should fall under lesser strengthen, but 4 ranks of a talent is potentially character defining, and certainly frustrating for the guy that actually bought (frex) a couple levels of Born War-Leader! Using Grants a Bonus gives a fairer cost.