Ritual Path Magic - Basic vs Effect-Shaping

[Varyon]

I haven't truly used either of them, but Effect-Shaping has the benefit of being more reliable and less time-consuming at the table (you don't have to keep rolling over and over to accumulate energy, which is where both of those effects come into play). I will note there's a more fleshed-out version of Effect-Shaping RPM in the form of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 19: Incantation Magic, written by Christopher Rice (the author of the Pyramid Article with the variant in it). The Paths there are geared more toward Dungeon Fantasy, just as the Paths of the original RPM were geared more toward Monster Hunters, but you'd be able to use the original Paths without issue (or change things up to better match the metaphysics of your own setting). I think it does away with the divide between Greater and Lesser Effects (as DF isn't a "secret magic" setting), so if you liked that dichotomy you'll need to bring it back.