[RPM] Simple Ritual Questions

[X the Unknown]

Hi All,

I’ve got more questions about rituals. This time they’re on the lower power side and I just want to make sure I haven’t missed something or done something blatantly wrong. I’ve tried to keep them simple so that just the part I’m having questions about are covered, while still making them complete rituals. Hopefully I did alright. As always, any enhancements are welcome.

Turncoat
Spell Effects: Greater Control Mind
Inherent Modifiers: Range
Greater Effects: 1 (x3)

When cast upon a subject within 20 yards, they must roll a Quick Contest of Will vs. the caster’s Path skill. If they fail, they will immediately begin fighting against their comrades. At the end of the duration, they can fight as they wish, but their comrades may no longer trust them.

Typical Casting: Greater Control Mind [5] + Range: 20 yds. [6] + Duration: 10 minutes [2]
Cost: 39 energy (13x3)

Wolf Radar
Spell Effects: Lesser Sense Mind
Inherent Modifiers: Range (Long Distance)
Greater Effects: 0 (x1)

(This spell is based loosely on Seeker and Trace from GURPS Magic.)
The intent of this ritual is that whenever the caster concentrates, they are aware of the direction and distance of all wolves within a 3 mile radius.

Typical Casting: Lesser Sense Mind [2] + Range (Long Distance): 3 miles [3] + Duration: 12 hours [6]
Cost: 11 energy


Enough!
Spell Effects: Greater Destroy Undead
Inherent Modifiers: Damage, Double Knockback, Explosion
Greater Effects: 1 (x3)

When cast, an explosion of arcane energy goes off centered on the caster. The explosion does 2d6 damage with double knockback to all undead caught within the blast.

Typical Casting: Greater Destroy Undead [5] + Damage (External): 2d6 cr, dkb, exp(level 2) [4+4+20]
Cost: 99 energy (33x3)

[Christopher R. Rice]

[QUOTE=X the Unknown;2350754]
Turncoat
Spell Effects: Greater Control Mind
Inherent Modifiers: Range
Greater Effects: 1 (x3)

When cast upon a subject within 20 yards, they must roll a Quick Contest of Will vs. the caster’s Path skill. If they fail, they will immediately begin fighting against their comrades. At the end of the duration, they can fight as they wish, but their comrades may no longer trust them.

Originally Posted by X the Unknown

Typical Casting: Greater Control Mind [5] + Range: 20 yds. [6] + Duration: 10 minutes [2]
Cost: 39 energy (13x3)

By T:RPM, this is correct. But like being able to summon allies you might not want it to be if you're the GM. I offer a solution in How to be a GURPS GM: Ritual Path Magic that makes mind control more fair and balanced.

Originally Posted by X the Unknown

Wolf Radar
Spell Effects: Lesser Sense Mind
Inherent Modifiers: Range (Long Distance)
Greater Effects: 0 (x1)

(This spell is based loosely on Seeker and Trace from GURPS Magic.)
The intent of this ritual is that whenever the caster concentrates, they are aware of the direction and distance of all wolves within a 3 mile radius.

Typical Casting: Lesser Sense Mind [2] + Range (Long Distance): 3 miles [3] + Duration: 12 hours [6]
Cost: 11 energy

You need to add Area of Effect for multiple subjects like this. Then you can pick an area up to three miles away and know if there are any wolves in that area.

Originally Posted by X the Unknown

Enough!
Spell Effects: Greater Destroy Undead
Inherent Modifiers: Damage, Double Knockback, Explosion
Greater Effects: 1 (x3)

When cast, an explosion of arcane energy goes off centered on the caster. The explosion does 2d6 damage with double knockback to all undead caught within the blast.

Typical Casting: Greater Destroy Undead [5] + Damage (External): 2d6 cr, dkb, exp(level 2) [4+4+20]
Cost: 99 energy (33x3)

If it's centered on the caster you're gonna need emanation up there and at least an area of 2 yards.

[X the Unknown]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

Turncoat

By T:RPM, this is correct. But like being able to summon allies you might not want it to be if you're the GM. I offer a solution in How to be a GURPS GM: Ritual Path Magic that makes mind control more fair and balanced.

And where does this valuable tome reside? I searched Google only to get a 404 page on Warehouse 23 and a specific search on Warehouse 23 got me got me Pyramid #3/75: Hero's Jackpot that has an interesting article called "A Familiar Path", butt it doesn't seem to have what you mentioned based on the description.

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

Wolf Radar

You need to add Area of Effect for multiple subjects like this. Then you can pick an area up to three miles away and know if there are any wolves in that area.

Yes, I knew this, but I forgot to put it in there. Sorry, and thank for the vetting of the full ritual.

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

Turncoat

If it's centered on the caster you're gonna need emanation up there and at least an area of 2 yards.

So you're saying this would be better modeled as an Area of Effect with the Emanation modifier than with an explosion. Interesting. Thank you.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by X the Unknown

And where does this valuable tome reside? I searched Google only to get a 404 page on Warehouse 23 and a specific search on Warehouse 23 got me got me Pyramid #3/75: Hero's Jackpot that has an interesting article called "A Familiar Path", butt it doesn't seem to have what you mentioned based on the description.

Drat. It was part of the 2020 PDF Challenge Kickstarter but doesn't appear to be on sale for everyone yet. :-( Ah well. Sorry. I didn't know.

Originally Posted by X the Unknown

Yes, I knew this, but I forgot to put it in there. Sorry, and thank for the vetting of the full ritual.

Sure.

Originally Posted by X the Unknown

So you're saying this would be better modeled as an Area of Effect with the Emanation modifier than with an explosion. Interesting. Thank you.

Yeah, it would likely work better. Also, Explosion needs Area of Effect anyways so you need to add that if you keep the Explosion effect. Explosion isn't usually great unless it's at level 3 for the most part.

[AlexanderHowl]

Explosion does not usually need Area Effect.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Explosion does not usually need Area Effect.

It does if you want to affect anything worth a darn.

[zoncxs]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

It does if you want to affect anything worth a darn.

Wait, Where is that written? I just checked my copy of T:RPM and it does not mention that explosive damage requires area of effect.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by zoncxs

Wait, Where is that written? I just checked my copy of T:RPM and it does not mention that explosive damage requires area of effect.

It doesn't - unless you want to actually do damage with your effect. In almost all cases you'll want Area of Effect instead of Explosion because with the former you get 100% damage within that area. With the latter it tapers off eventually. It's also cheaper for AoE then it is for adding Explosion. So most attacks that are thought of as "explosive" in fiction or pop culture are really just AoEs. I almost never use explosive attacks in game or design because those rules are kind of a can of peas with a peaches label.

Another note, Explosive attacks don't actually add that modifier, my bad. (I am used to my own distillation of RPM and I wrote those out of the rules in favor of the modifier or AoE.) Instead, they have special rules per pg. 17 of GURPS Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic.

A missile does triple the damage shown on the Spell Modifiers
Table (e.g., a 3d+3 fireball for +1 energy) – or double damage if
it’s also explosive. It is blatant and visible, and can be blocked or
dodged normally. The target’s DR protects against it.

[X the Unknown]

OK, a quick comparison:

Enough! (with Explosive Damage)
Spell Effects: Greater Destroy Undead
Inherent Modifiers: Damage, Double Knockback, Explosion
Greater Effects: 1 (x3)

When cast, an explosion of arcane energy goes off centered on the caster. The explosion does 4d6 explosive damage with double knockback to all undead caught within the blast.

Typical Casting: Greater Destroy Undead [5] + Damage (External): 4d6 cr, dkb, exp(3) [4+4+30]
Cost: 129 energy (43x3)

Assuming an average damage roll of 14, the exp damage goes: 14, 7, 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1 (1 point out to 14 yards).



Enough! (with Area Effect and Emanation)
Spell Effects: Greater Destroy Undead
Inherent Modifiers: Damage, Double Knockback, Area of Effect, Emanation
Greater Effects: 1 (x3)

When cast, an explosion of arcane energy goes off centered on the caster. The explosive emanation does 4d6 damage with double knockback to all undead caught within the blast.

Typical Casting: Greater Destroy Undead [5] + Damage (External): 4d6 cr, dkb [12+4] + Area of Effect (Emanation): 15 yards [10-2]
Cost: 87 energy (29x3)

This does 4d6 to all undead within 15 yards radius!

[X the Unknown]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

Drat. It was part of the 2020 PDF Challenge Kickstarter but doesn't appear to be on sale for everyone yet. :-( Ah well. Sorry. I didn't know.

Wow! Nice tease. The Kiskstarter was up for only 12 days. Any idea when this will be available?