(Old Rules for) Rituals

Rituals

Almost any known spell can be performed in ritual form. This negates the needs for the normal method of memorization or preparation. A ritual requires three elements: time, space, and materials.

1. Time: A ritual will take 10 minutes (one turn) per level of the spell, or 6 times the normal casting length, whichever is longer. During this time the magic-user or cleric can take no other actions, just like normal spell casting.

2. Space: A ritual may require the celebrant to move in circles, make gestures, light candles, or face certain directions. 5 square feet of space per level of spell must be available and clear of obstacles or anyone not involved in the rituals. Other magic-users or clerics that know the spell may participate, but no bonus effects are granted.

3. Materials: Special materials, expended in the performance of the ritual are required. The cost of these materials is Spell Level squared x 100gp (thus 2nd level materials would cost 400 gp), and their encumbrance is equal to their cost. Ritual material have limited compatibility: they are specific to the school of magic, but can be used for rituals of a lower level. Thus a set of 3rd level Evocation ritual materials could also be used to perform 1st or 2nd level Evocation rituals, but not Necromantic rituals.

Table A1	Cost Multiplier	Available?	Amount Found	Test Frequency	Time to Find
Village	90%	40% - 10%/level	1d4	Monthly	One hour
Town	Normal	55% - 5%/level	1d6	Weekly	One hour/level
City	Normal	100% - 5%/level	2d6	Weekly	One hour/level
Guild	125%	100% - 2%/level	3d6	Weekly	One hour
Wilderness	10%	25% - 2%/level	1	Weekly	One Week

Availability of materials: Tests for the availability of materials are made on a school by school basis. You may find 2 sets of Alteration ritual materials one week, but no sets of Conjuration ritual materials. Time spent finding materials is NOT cumulative. Example: In three hours, a magic-user can make a test to find ritual materials for 3rd level spells and lower of any number of schools of magic. Acquiring materials at a Magic-User's guild requires membership in good standing. Acquiring materials in the wilderness requires an active search of a week's time.

Quick and Dirty Skills

The OSR crowd generally frowns on skill systems, with the exception of LotFP. I understand the concerns about player immersion and seek ways preserve that. Likewise, I have friends that cringe at the absence of something under the hood.

Some people will cry out "D20!", but think of these guidelines like armor classes. Filthy ascending armor classes. If your adventurous, make a chart with a repeating 20 like the AD&D attack matrices so the system scales more gracefully.

What to roll:

• Regular Tasks: D20 + Skill bonus vs 10 (like an unarmored guy of AC10)
• Challenging Tasks: D20 + Skill bonus vs 15
• Hard Tasks: D20 + Skill bonus vs 20 (like hitting someone with platemail and a magic shield)
• Impossible Tasks: D20 + Skill bonus vs 25

How do I get a skill bonus:

• Class skills: Equal to your level. You class provides one of more class skills. You never spend points on these. The skill bonus is always equal to your level.
• Secondary skills: Start at 3, requires a skill point to increase. These are minor skills from your past or upbringing. Roll on the DMG table, choose Education or a Tradecraft. You can only increase them by spending skill points.
• Other skills: Start at 0, requires a skill point to increase. Everything is an "other" skill. You spend a skill point to gain a increase their bonus. The skill bonus can not be higher than your level.

You get one skill point at first level and each time you gain a level.

Here's a draft skill list:

Animal Handling - Riding, training, controller animals

Arcane Lore

Athletics - Running, swimming, jumping

Climbing

Construction

Coordination - Dodge, balance, acrobatics, juggling, dance, knots, ropework

Diplomacy - Leadership, Negotation

Education- history, geography, reason, philosophy

Find Traps

Folk Lore - creature lore, regional lore, geography, superstitions, local customs

First aid

Insight - includes detect lies, estimate sums, evaluation, gauge opponent

Intimidate

Locks

Searching

Stealth

Streetwise

Survival - encompasses hunting, fishing, foraging, nature lore

Theology

Tradecraft (specify type) - smithing, carpentry, jewellery making, brewing, engineering, performance

The Purpose of Mapping...

The purpose of mapping is to allow the possibility of the characters getting lost. Anything else is pixel-bitching.