ENHANCED RITUAL MAGIC

Dean Simmons
Colorado
 Ritual Magic

This document describes a mechanism for  All other classes follow the procedure
letting spell casters cast any spell as a ritual. If laid out in the Ritual Caster feat
added to a campaign, some benefit should be
given to classes which do not have access to Multiclass characters
ritual magic to maintain balance. A multiclass character gains ritual spell slots and
ritual spells independently for each class which
grants ritual magic, as though that were the
Memorized Spell only class the character possessed.
The definition of a memorized spell is one that
you could possibly cast using a normal spell slot, For example, a level 5 cleric / level 3 wizard has
assuming all the regular conditions such as the ritual spells and slots of a level 5 cleric, and
verbal, somatic, and material components were those of a level 3 wizard. A ritual slot gained by
available. virtue of being a cleric cannot be used to cast a
 For a Bard, Eldritch Knight, Ranger, spell which is not on the cleric spell list; a ritual
Arcane Trickster, Sorcerer, or Warlock, slot gained by virtue of being a wizard cannot
this means a spell you know. be used to cast a spell which is not on the
 For a Cleric, Druid, Paladin, or Wizard, wizard spell list.
this means a spell you prepared the last
time you prepared spells.
Two spell lists in one book
If a Bard, Cleric, Druid, or Wizard takes the
Ritual Book Ritual Caster feat for a different class, e.g., a
To cast rituals, a character must have a ritual Wizard takes Ritual Caster and selects Cleric as
book containing one or more spells. the class, spells from both class spell lists may
 For Wizards, this is their spell book. be copied into the ritual book. Such a character
 For Bards, Clerics, and Druids, the does not gain any additional ritual slots.
character receives a ritual book at first
level which contains two first level
spells from their class list which have Ritual Slots
the ritual tag A character capable of ritual magic will have
 For any other class, the character ritual slots; a character not capable of ritual
receives a ritual book when they take magic has no ritual slots. Ritual slots are used to
the Ritual Caster feat, and they receive perform spells as rituals which do not have the
the book described in that feat Ritual tag. For each class the character has
which is capable of ritual magic, the character
Adding spells to a ritual book gains a number of ritual slots equal to their
Spells which are found in a written form, such class level divided by 2, dropping fractions. If a
as a scroll, may be copied into a ritual book. The character takes the Ritual Magic feat, at the
spell must be on the character’s spell list (Bard, time the feat is taken two classes must be
Cleric, Druid, Wizard) or on the spell list for the chosen; the first is the class which determines
class selected with the Ritual Caster feat (all the spell list, and the second is the class which
other classes). To determine the cost and time determines the number of ritual slots. For
requirements to add a spell: example, a character whose player intends
 A Wizard follows the normal procedure them to be a single-classed Rogue might take
for adding spells to their spell book Ritual Caster and select Wizard as the class
whose spell list is used, but Rogue as the class
determining ritual slots. The level of each ritual

Page 1 of 4
 Ritual Magic

slot is determined by the class which Performing rituals of spells with

determines the number of slots received,
according to the following tables. the Ritual tag
Level Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Some spells lend themselves especially easily to
Sorcerer, Warlock, Ranger ritual magic. These spells are marked with the
Wizard ritual tag. If a caster has the ability to perform
2 L1: 1 L1: 1 rituals, and they have a spell with the ritual tag
4 L1: 1 L2: 1 L1: 2 memorized, they may cast that spell as a ritual.
6 L1: 1 L2: 1 L3: 1 L1: 2 L2: 1 If they have a spell with the ritual tag in their
8 L1: 1 L2: 1 L3: 1 L4: 1 L1: 2 L2: 2 ritual book, and they have their ritual book in
10 L1: 1 L2: 1 L3: 1 L4: 1 L1: 2 L2: 2 L3:
their possession and open, they may cast that
L5: 1 1
spell as a ritual. In this case, the spell always
12 L1: 1 L2: 1 L3: 1 L4: 1 L1: 2 L2: 2 L3:
L5: 1 L6: 1 2
succeeds, requires no material components
14 L1: 1 L2: 1 L3: 1 L4: 1 L1: 2 L2: 2 L3: besides those needed to cast the spell normally,
L5: 1 L6: 1 L7: 1 2 L4: 1 requires no ritual slot, and takes 10 minutes
16 L1: 1 L2: 1 L3: 1 L4: 1 L1: 2 L2: 2 L3: longer to cast than normal. The exception is if
L5: 1 L6: 1 L7: 1 L8: 1 2 L4: 2 the ritual is interrupted, such as by someone
18 L1: 1 L2: 1 L3: 1 L4: 1 L1: 2 L2: 2 L3: attacking the caster. In this case the DM may
L5: 1 L6: 1 L7: 1 L8: 1 2 L4: 2 L5: 1 require a concentration roll in order to continue
L9: 1 the ritual; failure means the ritual is interrupted
20 L1: 1 L2: 1 L3: 1 L4: 1 L1: 2 L2: 2 L3: and must be begun anew, presumably after the
L5: 1 L6: 1 L7: 1 L8: 1 2 L4: 2 L5: 2 interrupter is removed.
L9: 2

Level Arcane Trickster, Other (normally

Eldritch Knight spell-less) Performing rituals of spells that
2 L1: 1 L1: 1 lack the Ritual tag
4 L1: 2 L1: 2
Those spells that lack the ritual tag do not lend
6 L1: 3 L1: 3
themselves to casting as rituals and thus require
8 L1: 3 L2: 1 L1: 4
greater effort. A ritual slot of the level of the
10 L1: 3 L2: 2 L1: 5
12 L1: 3 L2: 3 L1: 6
spell or higher is required; if no sufficient ritual
14 L1: 3 L2: 3 L3: 1 L1: 7 slot is available, the rules for Ceremonial Magic
16 L1: 3 L2: 3 L3: 2 L1: 8 are used.
18 L1: 3 L2: 3 L3: 3 L1: 9 Material Costs
20 L1: 3 L2: 3 L3: 3 L1: 10 Casting a non-ritual-tag spell as a ritual requires
L4: 1 additional material components which are
consumed by the ritual, such as incense, blood
So no class gains access to a ritual slot of higher of rare creatures, and so on. The costs for these
level than they get normal spell slots, with the additional materials are equal to 1 GP for a first
exception of classes which normally get no spell level spell and (spell level * 10) GP for higher
slots at all; these normally spell-less classes get level spells. Some magic items exist which
only first level ritual slots. Note that ritual slots substitute for these additional materials but are
are not required to perform spells with the not consumed by the ritual.
Ritual tag.
Time Required
Casting a non-ritual-tag spell as a ritual requires
a length of time equal to the normal casting

Page 2 of 4
 Ritual Magic

time of the spell, plus 5 minutes, plus 5 minutes god of healing might grant advantage and
per level of the spell. expertise to a cleric of that god casting healing
Determining Success magic as a ritual.
Unlike a normal casting of a spell, a ritual
casting of a non-ritual-tag spell does not always Consequences of failure
succeed. The caster must make an ability check If the caster fails the ability check or the
against their spell casting ability score, with a concentration check (if required), the result is
DC equal to 10 + spell level + spell level / 2, “fizzle” – loss of the ritual slot and the special
dropping fractions. The caster is proficient in material components, and any exhaustion
this check if the spell is a memorized spell. normally imposed by the spell level, but no
Fatigue further negative consequence. Missing a
Performing a ritual for a non-ritual-tag spell of required check by 10 or more imposes one
6th or 7th level imposes one level of exhaustion additional level of exhaustion. If a
on the caster. Performing a ritual for a non- concentration check is required and both the
ritual-tag spell of 8th level imposes two levels of ability check and the concentration check are
exhaustion on the caster. Performing a 9th level missed by more than 10, the results are likely to
non-ritual-tag ritual imposes 3 levels of be catastrophic. It is up to the DM what form
exhaustion on the caster. This fatigue depends catastrophe takes, but being turned into a
upon the level of the spell, not the level of the newt, teleported to a distant plane, or conjuring
ritual slot. something you really didn’t want to conjure are
all possible.
Wish Using higher level ritual slots
No. Just … no. You cannot perform Wish as a If a spell cast normally increases in power by
ritual. If you want ultimate cosmic power, you use of a higher level spell slot, the same
will burn a normal spell slot. benefits are gained by using a higher level ritual
slot. The exhaustion imposed is determined by
the spell level, not the ritual slot level.
Gaining advantage and disadvantage
A caster who is in a place that is very familiar to
them, and where they feel safe and secure, may Ceremonial Magic
make the ability check at the end of the spell Sometimes someone will want to cast a spell of
with advantage. Examples of such places might a level higher than their highest ritual magic
be a druid’s grove, a wizard’s laboratory, or a slot. Special spells, called ceremonies, can be
shrine dedicated to a cleric’s god. A room at an found or researched for this situation. A
inn or a ship’s cabin are unlikely to qualify. ceremonial casting of a spell still requires a
Conversely, a caster who is in a place where ritual spell slot, but that spell slot does not have
they fear interruption or attack, or where there to be of the level of the spell. A ceremonial
are external noises and disturbances, must version of a spell will be significantly different
make a concentration check before they make than the normal or ritual version, as the magical
the ability checks. The DC for this check is 10 + energies are not being supplied in total by the
the level of the spell. An additional caster and must come from elsewhere.
concentration check may be required each time Ceremonial versions of spells will require rare
the caster is disturbed, at the whim of the DM. and elaborate material components when
compared to the normal version of the spell,
Some special places might grant not only and a ceremony will take much longer than the
advantage, but expertise in the ability check. ritual equivalent. The Concentration DC for a
For example, a great and famous temple of a ceremony is 15 + spell level + (spell level – ritual
slot level) and is always required. The ability

Page 3 of 4
 Ritual Magic

check DC for a ceremony is 15 + twice spell level

+ (spell level – ritual slot level). Obviously
ceremonial magic is very difficult and requires
the caster to seek every possible edge. Not only
should ceremonies be performed in favorable
places, often they become easier if the
ceremony is performed when the stars align or
no moon is in the sky or some similar special
moment. In addition, ceremonies often include
roles for others to support the caster in the
form of chanting, singing, dancing, self-
flagellation, and so on. Sometimes only the
Chosen One can perform the ceremony, or the
Chosen One must be sacrificed as part of the
ceremony. Since ceremonial magic is so special,
it is up to the DM to decide what these other
factors are which make the ceremony workable.

Page 4 of 4