[sophieheyes]

Hey all,

I'm new to Shadowrun and I'm creating a mystic adept character who focuses on spell casting. My question is how useful ritual spellcasting is. The reason I'm asking is because if I take it, then I have to take the sorcery spell group and can only get my spellcasting and counterspelling up to level 4. Whereas, if I drop it, then I'm not actually taking the group and I can have spellcasting and counterspelling at higher levels. Or at least I believe that's how it works. From what I've read, ritual spell-casting seems like a big hassle and something that you probably won't engage in all that often. So, is it alright to drop it or does it actually come in handy and should be kept? Thanks ahead of time for any input.

 

[Charybdis]

Heyo, welcome to the forums.

It's one of those 'Damned if you do, Damned if you don't' scenarios.

My main PC began with Sorcery group at 4 (= 40BP)
If I just had Spellcasting, Counterspelling @4, that's 32BP.
Even to just have the option of Ritual Casting (R1) would make that 36BP, so I chose to instead suck up the 4 BP, and take the whole Sorcery group @4

I have used ritual sorcery once in my current campaign, and had the Sorcery skill-group at 4 at character creation, However, that one time was mucho-important, and there was no other way the group could find to get the job done, so seeing as at best, I would have only saved myself 4BP and lost 3 Dice on the skill, in my mind it's worth having just the option of performing (or participating in) ritual casting once in a blue moon.

Otherwise, to perform the same requirements you have to:
- A) Find NPC services to do it
- B) Buy NPC services to do it
- C) TRUST NPC services to do it

For me, 4-8BP was a small price to pay to cover these requirements, but it really depends on your campaign.

If you're NEVER going to need it, and the above requirements are easy to find, then by all means, save the BP and don't get the ritual casting.

However, if there's a CHANCE you'll need it, I recommend the BP investment....

[baronspam]

I agree that it doesn't come up very often, but when it does come up it can be a game changer to be able to pull it off.  If you are content with sorcery 4 and no spec to start with take the skill group.  If you want to max out sorcery then you will probably be short points and need to skip it.

[Sliver]

I don't see the use of this at all. I mean, if you have to have a spotter in the group that can see the target, then why can't that spotter just cast the spell himself?

and how often do you really have enough PC's with the same tradition?

[nojosecool]

Both of today's games at Origins, it seemed expected that I would have ritual magic.  It can't be not worth it if there's a common expectation that a Voodoo caster has it.

[fikealox]

Don't forget that material, sympathetic and symbolic links can be used to target ritual magic in lieu of astral spotters (among other things). The rules are set out in Street Magic.

[sophieheyes]

I totally glossed over the part about material, sympathetic and symbolic links. Part of why I thought it was such a hassle was because I thought I had to have the spotter every time I cast a ritual spell. But if I just need the links, I can definitely see it's usefulness.

[Charybdis]

I totally glossed over the part about material, sympathetic and symbolic links. Part of why I thought it was such a hassle was because I thought I had to have the spotter every time I cast a ritual spell. But if I just need the links, I can definitely see it's usefulness.

Indeed, having links to negate the spotter component make this very useful when required.

As for the tradition query, any spellcaster who initiates will likely find themselves an Initiate group (canon or created), and very likely have a bunch of new contacts with the same tradition...

Different strokes for different folks