Aquillion
2009-01-13, 12:13 AM
One of the things that 4.0 got right, I think, was making Ritual Casting something available for anyone with a feat. So... why not try and add that to 3.5? It isn't even that difficult, even.
So...
Ritual Casting [General]
Prerequisite
Int 13 or Wis 13 or Cha 13
Benefit
You have learned a method of utilizing spell-completion or spell-trigger items (such as wands and scrolls) by carefully, laboriously following them as a ritual formula. This process takes extended time, but can be done without a chance of failure.
To use an item with this feat, you must devote ten uninterrupted minutes to performing the necessary ritual; during this time, you can take no other actions. If you are interrupted or choose to stop, the spell is not cast and the item/charge you are using is not consumed. The spell you are casting may be no higher than your ECL / 2, rounded up. On the final round of the ritual, you may use the item in question, exactly as if you were a caster who satisfied all the necessary prerequisites to use it without a chance of failure.
The ability granted by this feat may not be used to satisfy any prerequisites.
Fighters may select this feat as one of their bonus feats.
...so, is it underpowered? You're still using up a scroll and can't do it in combat, after all. Admittedly, this sort of stomps on UMD's out-of-combat functionality, but ten minutes is still a rather major limitation, especially if you're spending a feat on this. The basic idea is that you can get access to some essential spells without having a caster on your party... it's unlikely that anyone would take this feat if they have someone around who can cast the necessary spells for free.
Making it a fighter bonus feat might seem a little odd, but I figure it's the sort of thing lone fighters would often pick up to complement their abilities in combat.
Should the time taken to perform the ritual be longer? Possibly dependent on the level of the spell?
So...
Ritual Casting [General]
Prerequisite
Int 13 or Wis 13 or Cha 13
Benefit
You have learned a method of utilizing spell-completion or spell-trigger items (such as wands and scrolls) by carefully, laboriously following them as a ritual formula. This process takes extended time, but can be done without a chance of failure.
To use an item with this feat, you must devote ten uninterrupted minutes to performing the necessary ritual; during this time, you can take no other actions. If you are interrupted or choose to stop, the spell is not cast and the item/charge you are using is not consumed. The spell you are casting may be no higher than your ECL / 2, rounded up. On the final round of the ritual, you may use the item in question, exactly as if you were a caster who satisfied all the necessary prerequisites to use it without a chance of failure.
The ability granted by this feat may not be used to satisfy any prerequisites.
Fighters may select this feat as one of their bonus feats.
...so, is it underpowered? You're still using up a scroll and can't do it in combat, after all. Admittedly, this sort of stomps on UMD's out-of-combat functionality, but ten minutes is still a rather major limitation, especially if you're spending a feat on this. The basic idea is that you can get access to some essential spells without having a caster on your party... it's unlikely that anyone would take this feat if they have someone around who can cast the necessary spells for free.
Making it a fighter bonus feat might seem a little odd, but I figure it's the sort of thing lone fighters would often pick up to complement their abilities in combat.
Should the time taken to perform the ritual be longer? Possibly dependent on the level of the spell?