A few questions on Ritualist

[Nyrath]

Alright, so it's not strictly about a character being built; but I'd appreciate a few official words on a couple of usages for the Ritualist feat, and since my primary character is a high-grade magic-user it'll possibly have a bit of an impact.

First; Preresearched Rituals: your stance

Variant 1: "Only if previously carried out in an rp on the forum and a HP is paid as prescribed by the Core Rulebook."

Expected, and I could certainly live it, though see next one.

Variant 2: As above, but add: "Though a reasonable, and understandable, ritual researchable and possible to carry out without having to roll (i.e Taking 10) could be allowed to be counted as Previously Researched."

Basically what I'd be saying in a game I'd run; I wouldn't allow any ritual that doesn't seem general purpose and fitting to the concept, but one or two preprepared tricks could be allowed.

Variant 3: As above, but add/alter to fit: "In the case of a character and scenario which would allow for prior preparation it might be allowed for a ritual to be considered researched normally prior to actually 'beginning' the scenario."

Not certain what you'll have to say here, in case you'll allow it it'd help me somewhat; playing a Villain and all tends to allow for a little more prep time than with a Hero.

Variant 4: "Just do the proper rolls, and pay the HP, and it'll be fine."

I hardly believe this to be the case, I'm just listing it for the sake of completeness.

Secondly: Boost & Rituals

In short; got anything against people using Ritualist, or Inventor/Artificer, to come up with a one encounter use of a Boost breaking PL limits within the limits described within the Game Rules section?

[Heridfel]

I'd lean towards the first one, just because so much can be done with those feats. If you need something fast, that's what jury-rig is for.

[Sandman XI]

Sorry if this constitutes hijacking the topic, but I have similarish questions. You say to use Artificer you have to RP the creation, correct? Now, what's the time limit on use of the items? What's the limit on number of creations? Say I wanted to make a magical wand of healing and a magical wand of shooting, would the second one cancel out the first one? If not, could I save one for one encounter and use the other later or do they both have to be used at the same time? Lastly, what the limit on power of the items?

[Heridfel]

1) There is no time limit on when the invention must be used.

2) Most games assume that the players are only able to take long-term actions like inventing for a limited time. We have something more of a persistent world here. I would limit people to having one invention on-hand, with the following caveat. If you roleplay out the acquisition of the materials needed to make an invention, which will include at least one combat or non-combat challenge requiring dice rolls, you can have the invention that you make with them on-hand without spending a hero point. This allows for multiple inventions on-hand. Otherwise, it just counts as having made the invention before. You wouldn't have to re-roll the checks, but you would have to spend a hero point.

3) If you have more than one invention on-hand, you do not need to use them both during the same encounter (a.k.a. in the same thread).

4) The limit on powers gained through invention is the same as your character's PL. It would not be fair to other players if Ritualist, Inventor, and Artificer allowed a character to get around PL limits that affect all of the character's other powers.

[Dr Archeville]

2) Most games assume that the players are only able to take long-term actions like inventing for a limited time. We have something more of a persistent world here. I would limit people to having one invention on-hand, with the following caveat. If you roleplay out the acquisition of the materials needed to make an invention, which will include at least one combat or non-combat challenge requiring dice rolls, you can have the invention that you make with them on-hand without spending a hero point. This allows for multiple inventions on-hand. Otherwise, it just counts as having made the invention before. You wouldn't have to re-roll the checks, but you would have to spend a hero point.

Interesting idea (and a good way to inspire some semi-solo adventures), though I can see it easily getting abused.

In the (few) games I've run where this has come up, I've gone by the guideline from the core book (and reiterated in Book of Magic): a character can have an invention "on-hand" ("Good thing I remembered to pack the Anti-Shark Spray!") if

A) it's an item that readily fits their capabilities (defined as "can be made if the design & construction rolls had both been 10"),

they spend a Hero Point, and

C) it doesn't horrendously break the flow of the story (the "No Ruining The GM's Adventure" clause).

[Sandman XI]

Is Ultimate Effort (construction checks) cool with the rules?

[Barnum]

Is Ultimate Effort (construction checks) cool with the rules?

I don't see a problem with that, but I've never been in a game where it was done. It sounds good from here. :)

[Heridfel]

Yep, Ultimate Effort (construction checks) is perfectly ok by the rules. Remember, though, if you're using a hero point to jury-rig an item, you're spending two hero points to make your item.

I'm less certain about the on-hand rule being applied to inventions (technological or magical). I just got my hard copy of Book of Magic in the mail, and I see where it suggests that GMs might want to use the on-hand system for equipment for magical inventions as well (page 59). I'm not sure I agree with that suggestion.

It would normally take 50 hours of work to design and build a 10-pp invention. If the character needs the invention now, then the character can jury-rig it. It costs a hero point to jury-rig an invention. If you allow a character to use the on-hand system, there's no chance of failure (unlike with jury-rigging) and no actual time spent, for the same cost.

[Sandman XI]

4) The limit on powers gained through invention is the same as your character's PL. It would not be fair to other players if Ritualist, Inventor, and Artificer allowed a character to get around PL limits that affect all of the character's other powers.

If I had a sidekick, would the limit on that apply to my power level or it's power level?

[Barnum]

I would say that since sidekicks are limited to 1/2 the PL of their better half, devices made for or used by them should also be so limited.

Basically any attempt to get around PL limits (of any kind) by Inventing or Ritualist is a bad idea in my book.