Pyramid Support for Ritual Path Magic (and other books)
 

Ritual Path magic isn't really a "new" system. It first appeared in GURPS Monster Hunters 1: Champions, which meant that authors -- especially Christopher R. Rice (our own Ghostdancer) -- were expanding upon and tweaking the system in Pyramid long before the actual RPM book was released!

• Pyramid #3/43: Thaumatology III introduced Bottled Magic, an early version of what would eventually become the official RPM alchemy system, with a large handful of sample potions. I could only squeeze one example into the RPM book, so if you like elixirs, you'll appreciate these nine additional ones!

• Pyramid #3/46: Weird Science has Metatronic Generators, which converts character-point-based enchanted items (such as the ones used in RPM) into a dollar cost, for those who want their magical doodads to be less "an extension of my personal power" and more something easily bought, sold, and traded.

• Pyramid #3/48: Secret Magic features two useful articles. Magical Tradecraft is a detailed grimoire of RPM spells (and potions) designed for spies, thieves, and anyone else who has to operate undercover -- and Onomancy offers casters a way to accumulate energy passively, merely by living a lie.

• Pyramid #3/56: Prehistory includes The Old Ways, a large collection of spells aimed at basic survival and shamanistic practices. "Totem" is a favorite of mine! It also gives rules for using Herb Lore to make elixirs, transferring or tattooing charms, and has a neat table for naming trees.

• Pyramid #3/58: Urban Fantasy II has Hunting the Cabal. The Cabal's practice of true Hermetic magic is supposed to give them an edge over other spellcasters, so this article includes rules for using Ritual Magic (Hermetic), Symbol Drawing, and a host of other methods to grant the Cabalists sizable spellcasting bonuses.

So if you're looking for more RPM in your life, you do have places to turn. :)

Admittedly, I'm a sucker for anyone expanding on the stuff I wrote (it's really awesome to be able to inspire ideas in others!), so I'm asking for honest opinions on the articles above. How useful and well-written were they? This thread is the perfect place to let other RPM fans know which of those Pyramid are must-haves and which aren't. (Also, let me know if I missed any!)

I'd also love to hear about any cases where Pyramid stepped in to support a book that needed it -- and how well it did (or didn't do) so.

Re: Ritual Path Magic already has supplements?
 

Oy I feel like a one-trick pony now. >_< Did I write all that? Man, I got like six more articles in the queue too... As a apology for all that flotsam, here, have a guide for using Metatronic Generators as a ritual path magic enchantment system.

The Basics

• Instead of using Electronics Operation (Metatronics) use Thaumatology instead. GMs may allow Path skill rolls instead for certain items. For example, a Wand of Fireballs might require a Path of Energy roll instead of Thaumatology.
• Treat Critical failures as a botch on a spell and make a HT roll.
• Use the Extra Effort rules normally, but make a Will-Based Thaumatology roll.
• RPM metatronic generators can be cumulative with the wearers abilities but only for Magical Tools (see Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic, p. 33).
• RPM metatronic generators use Magical as a standard power modifier.
• Do not use the modifiers under Enchanted Limitations (Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic, p. 33), the item’s “gadget” modifiers are already taken into account using the Power Table.
• Unprotected objects use the regular costs (and anyone can use them), but protected objects require incense, special oils, etc equal to one hundredth the final cost of the generator and the expenditure of character points equal to (one quarter the Final Cost divided Campaign Starting Wealth). So a TL 8 RPM metatronic generator that cost $80,000 would require $800 in special materials to bind it to your aura and the permanent expenditure of 1 character point. No one but you could use it and it would occupy one of your Conditional Spell Slots.

Designing and Building

Most RPM metatronic generators are going to apparatuses, for magical staves, swords, etc, go through the regular design process.


Using the Generator

This is pretty much the same. For “power rings” and the like, use the Innate Attack skill to hit instead of Thaumatology.


Powering a Generator

• Energy may be accumulated to pay a generator’s FP cost using the following formula: 5 x FP cost. This uses the Path of Magic (exactly as if you were filling your mana reserve). For example, a generator that costs 1 FP to use, can instead be powered by 5 points of accumulated energy.
• Capacitors buy Energy Reserve (Mana Reserve) at 3 points per level. If a given generator can only use a capacitor, use the rules for the built in ER. If a generator must use accumulated energy, add “Accessibility, FP costs must be accumulated normally, -5%.”
• Self-Powered generators accumulate energy over time, assume a Path of Magic skill of 15 and roll each turn. This is exactly as if you were filling a mana reserve. For a Path of Magic skill of 20, quadruple, not double the final cost of the item.
• It isn’t suggested that battery costs be used, but if the GM wants too he’ll need to figure out how much FP is in each battery type and shape.

Generator Examples

• Tiny generators: rings, circlets, etc.
• Mini generators: wands, daggers, etc.
• Small generators: staves, rods, etc.
• Portable generators: armor, swords, etc.
• Semi-Portable generators: cloaks, robes, etc.
• Large generators: vehicles, golem horses, etc.

Ritual Path Magic Metatronic Generator "Magic Item" Examples

Amulet of N’thr’ki (A Bound Spell)
This device grants the wearer a powerful necromantic aura that drains 1d-2 points of HP from all targets within two yards if they fail to win a Quick Contest of Will with the wearer. The wearer heals the same number of HP (regardless of how much he actually drained. Activating the device requires a Path of Undead roll instead of Thaumatology due to its insidious necromantic nature. Mini, $690,000, 0.3 lbs. Self-Powered. LC1.

Statistics: Leech 1d-2 (minimum of 1 point) (Accelerated Healing, +25%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Aura, +80%; Magical, -10%; Malediction 1, +100%; Melee Compatible, reach C, +10%) [115].


Staff of the Magi (A Magical Tool)
This staff makes turns the bearer into a powerful caster! It grants the following abilities in addition to be used as a Fine Balanced Styled (+3) quarterstaff.

• Absorbs the first 10 points of damage from magical attacks and reduces Armor Divisors by one step. Additionally, every point of damage this stops heals 1 point of the staff’s mana reserve or your mana reserve. You can even hold onto excessive magical energy that exceeds your reseve, with excess points “bleeding away” at one point per second.
• Energy Reserve 30 (Mana Reserve).
• Improve Magery (Ritual Path) by five levels.
• Magic Resistance 5 (Improved).
• Ritual Adept (if the caster didn’t already have it, if he did it adds four additional levels of Magery (Ritual Path) instead!).
• Retributive Strike: If a caster is desperate, he can sacrifice the staff, destroying it permanently in the process. This magical strike does 23d burning explosive damage to everything but the caster in a 16-yard radius and has a Armor Divisor (2). This burning damage treats the flammability class (Making Things Burn, p. B433) of all subjects as four steps lower than it actually is!
• It has a Path of Magic skill of 20 for determining recharge times to its Energy Reserve.

Small, $2,810,144, 5 lbs. Self-Powered. LC2.

Statistics: Damage Resistance 10 (Absorption, Heals Mana Reserve*, +80%), Force Field, +20%, Hardened 1, +20%; Limited, Magic, -20%) [50] + Energy Reserve 30 (Mana Reserve) [90] + Magery 5 (Ritual Path) [50] + Magic Resistance 5 (Improved, +150%; Magical, -10%) [24] + Ritual Adept (Magical, -10%) [40] or Magery 4 (Ritual Path) [9†] + Retributive Strike [18‡].
* This heals the ER of the staff first and then your own mana reserve instead of HP or FP, and can “overcharge” your mana reserve if it is full, with a point over your normal Mana Reserve “melting” away every second.
† This is a alternate ability of Ritual Adept.
‡ Burning Attack 23d (Area Effect, 16 yards, +200%; Armor Divisor /2, +50%; Backlash, Instant Destruction, -300% Cosmic, Higher levels of Incendiary, +300%; Incendiary 4, +40%; Magical, -10%) [18]. This is both a One-Use Ability and a Alternate Ability of Energy Reserve.


Thanks to our local Mad Spanish Rules Lawyer for help with the Leech build for the Amulet of N’thr’ki.

Re: Ritual Path Magic already has supplements?
 

Ditto. I never get the much feedback for the Pyramid articles I write which I like to assume is the literary version of "Can't talk, mouth full, nom nom nom," but I never know if that's true. Reviews would be nice. Even if it's "This is good." :-)

Re: Ritual Path Magic already has supplements?
 

You rang?
Using the battery powered costs is a simple matter:

• A non-self powered item has the standard cost
• Instead of batteries, the item is powered by casting a special spell, requiring a single Restore Magic effect, plus a duration. The item functions as normal for the duration of the spell.

The rationale is simple, if the item was actually battery powered, and the batteries had run out, you could use Restore Energy to make them work as if they were full for the duration, right? This works the same, only there aren't actually any batteries involved, and the path has been changed to Magic instead of Energy for flavor.

Re: Ritual Path Magic already has supplements?
 

Hmm. That could work. Thanks!

Re: Ritual Path Magic already has supplements?
 

Well, I can't give an opinion on Ghostdancer's articles, as I helped shape most of them ;). As for you liking to have other people playing in your sandbox, well, I guess that my articles must sometimes please you from, because I have done so from time to time ;)

Ditto here. I guess it's the Curse of the Pyramid, in that individual articles aren't usually enough for people to send a lot of feedback for. At least with mine that happens, and I guess that part of the reason is that my articles are not often designed to provoke further thoughts, but instead of be usable straight away, "take it or leave it" style.

Re: Ritual Path Magic already has supplements?
 

I think the people who review Pyramid the most (Ken Peters and Doug Cole) aren't especially interested in the fantasy stuff that you guys usually write. I keep meaning to review Pyramids but I tend to read them months late...

Re: Ritual Path Magic already has supplements?
 

The nice thing about Pyramid is that back issues are always available -- which means that reviews are always relevant! I've longed for lively conversation about issues past, present, and future -- either here or on the Pyramid forum -- but it's usually pretty quiet on both fronts . . .

Re: Ritual Path Magic already has supplements?
 

Hmm... it still seems weird to me to review a monthly magazine months late, but I'll see what I can do.

Re: Ritual Path Magic already has supplements?
 

The only thing I can say about that is that I took Antoni's Warrior Saint and now actively PLAY one in a DF campaign. The highest praise I can think of for a Pyramid article is "I use this in play."