New "Ritual" Mechanic

[reddawn]

I thought it would be an interesting idea to somehow apply the "Extendable" mechanic of walls to the other spell types, particularly Incantations and Attack spells.  MW could do this through a mechanic called "Ritual."

The Ritual mechanic would function similarly to the Extendable mechanic.  When your mage casts a spell with the "Ritual X" trait, you may immediately search your spellbook for another copy of the same spell, pay the "X" cost specified to "commit" that spell to the ritual and receive a bonus effect, cast and resolve the spell, and discard both cards.  Of course, the player could also choose not to pay the Ritual X cost, in which case no additional effect would occur.

Through this mechanic, MW could make the act of casting Attacks and Incantations more engaging and offer more strategic options to players. 

For example, I made up some cards that illustrate the idea:


Spiritfire (mana cost = 5) (range = 0-2) (target = object) (type = flame, ritual) (level 1 fire & air school Attack spell)

Attack Dice: 3, Effect Die: 7+ = Burn

If Spiritfire's Ritual cost is paid, it gains the Indirect and Ethereal traits.

Ritual 2


Bestial Fury (mana cost = 5) (range = 0-1) (target = corporeal creature) (type = command, ritual) (level 1 war school & level 2 nature school Incantation spell)

Target gains the Fast, Charge +1, and Melee +1 traits.

If Bestial Fury's Ritual cost is paid, the Target gains an additional Charge +1, Melee +1 and gains the Uncontainable trait until the end of the round.

Ritual 3


Profane Prayer (mana cost = X) (range = 0-1) (target = living creature) (healing, curse, ritual) (level 1 holy school & level 1 dark school Incantation spell)

Remove as many conditions from the target as you wish, paying the removal cost for each one.  Then, if Profane Prayer's Ritual cost is paid, redistribute those same conditions onto any creature they may legally affect in the same zone as the target.

Ritual X (X = removal cost of conditions)


I'm not sure 100% about the balance of these prospective cards, but you get the idea.  The Ritual mechanic is basically a way of giving players some neat options that allow them to adapt to and capitalize on changes in the arena.

Thanks all, constructive feedback welcome.

[nitrodavid]

sounds interesting, this would make a spell like force push have ritual 3 to push through walls.

on a note about the spells you suggested I don't think they would be used in many books because multi school spells get very expensive unless you own both schools. eg your 1 holy, 1 dark will cost 4 points for every Mage (currently) so there isn't really an incentive for them to be used by priest or warlock.

[reddawn]

The examples were mainly there for flavor and illustration purposes. I won't pretend I know how to balance a card, so yes, you're probably right about them not being used much...but they're kind of there just for a general feel of how Ritual could work and maybe some card ideas to use with it.

[nitrodavid]

yeah I get it, your making spells that get extra effects if you pay more mana. it might just be me but it sounds like ritual is the wrong word. ritural sounds like a passive mage skill more then a power buffed or like the cantrip trait.

the word "enhanced" sounds more appropriate because you pay more mana (or life) to get a better effect.

[reddawn]

Idk, enhanced sounds like I'm offering you MW viagra or something lol.

I don't see what is passive about the word "ritual."  A ritual is an activity, whether you mean it in a mundane or magical sense.  It's something you do.  Yeah, it's essentially a player "enhancing" a spell, but in my view, ritual sounds cooler.  Maybe "ritualize" instead?  Whatever the case, it's the mechanic I'm interested in implementing rather than worrying about a particular name for the mechanic.

I'm sure the smart guys at AW, if they decide to take my suggestion someday, can figure out a mechanic name that fits the general idea.

[nitrodavid]

ritual: (noun) a series of actions habitually and invariably followed by someone (ref oxford)
enhance: (verb) improve the quality, value or extent of (ref oxford)

having ritual on a spell imply that is always happens which is counter to the "pay extra mana". while enhance make better distinction between may more mana for more effect. even the word ritualized is just the verb of ritual so it has the same meaning.

I CAN see a ritual mechanic that would be something like "ritual: fire" where if you belong to fire school you get bonus effect or decrease mana cost.