There are two levels of rituals: basic and advanced.
Character must have at least basic Thaumaturgy or 3 occult abilities to use or teach basic rituals.
Characters must have advanced Thaumaturgy or 6 occult abilities to use or teach advanced rituals.
Rituals may not be bought with freebies; they may only be bought with XP.
Rituals cost double if bought at character creation and the character is not Tremere.
They can be bought in one of four ways:
Tremere characters pick one free common basic at character creation;
any number of common basic or common advanced may be bought with XP at character creation;
one common or restricted (either basic or advanced) may be learned in-game from another character per month;
or any number of restricted (either basic or advanced) may be researched from scratch.
See the New Rituals section for information on research and the
distinction between common and restricted.
Rituals last until discharged, the caster dies, or the caster chooses to deactivate it.
However, while that specific ritual is active, it cannot be cast again by that character.
Characters may buy multiple copies of any ritual and make each copy of the ritual active.
The same type of rituals may not be stacked on objects or characters.
Rituals may be cast on others unless specifically prohibitied.
Example of multiple rituals: Bob can buy two "deflection"s for 1 XP each for a total of 2 XP -
He cannot cast both on himself, but he can cast one on himself and one on a
friend. After those two are active, he may not cast any more deflections.
Unless otherwise specified, basics and advanceds cost 1 blood from the caster
and may be cast on any willing person, basics take 5 minutes, and advanced take 10 minutes.
Rituals may not be cast while using influences, hunting, projecting, obfuscating, staked, or in torpor,
but may be cast "in plain sight" without others knowing that a ritual is being cast
(caster would not be able to talk or move around during casting).
In order for a character to recognize a ritual being cast on them or used on them, the victim
must have the ritual or have 3 occult ability (if the ritual is basic) or
6 occult ability (if the ritual is advanced).
Whenever any character has a ritual cast on them, the receiving character
should have a 3x5 card with the ritual name, who cast it, and when it was cast.
The casting character should have another 3x5 card in their folder noting the
ritual name, who it was cast on, when it was cast, its expiration date (if any),
and any important details (such as if the caster placed a different ritual on
the receiver or which characters are immune to a ward). Several rituals can be
represented by the same card. If items have rituals on them, that should be
noted on the item card.
Rituals go through a four step life cycle: approval, research, restricted use, and common use.
Approval: The first step is out of game. A player can suggest a ritual to the Storytellers.
The STs will decide if the ritual is workable, balanced, and reasonable, and will notify that player of that decision.
This may take several days to a month.
If the ritual is approved, it is that player's choice if the ritual should be published in the ritual list
(this document) and marked as "approved on MM/YYYY". It does not have to be published at this time - it may
be kept private by the STs and the suggesting player.
If an approved ritual does not move to the second and third steps in a reasonable time,
it will be removed from the ritual list (if it is in the list) and will need to be reapproved by the STs.
Research: The second step is for a character to research the ritual.
Resarching a new (or restricted) ritual costs more effort than researching a common ritual.
Restricted Use: The third step is for a character with the appropriate research to learn the ritual.
Once any ritual is learned by a character, the ritual must be published in the ritual list and noted as
"restricted use on MM/YYYY, common use on MM/YYYY". The first date is the date that a character learned
it and the second date is six months after the first date.
During this step, the character with the ritual can teach it to another character.
Common Use: The fourth step occurs six months after the ritual has been learned by a character,
at which point it is considered common knowledge.
Any notes about being approved/researched are removed.
Note that if a ritual does not have any notes about being approved/researched, it is considered common.
Apport Object: Activating this ritual counts as
an instant action and immediately brings that enchanted object to the caster's hand /
immediate presence (caster's choice).
Cast on a handheld item. The item cannot contain more than five points of blood.
Duration: until triggered.
Aura Wash:
[note: restricted use on 01/2001, common use on 07/2001]
Upon casting this ritual, any black veins in caster's aura are masked. Any tester using Auspex 1b (or its equivalent)
to look for diablerie veins in the caster will get a "no black veins" result.
Cost: one blood of caster, one willpower of caster, and 5 minutes.
Duration: until next sunrise.
Blood Taint: Makes the user's blood completely undrinkable by anyone else.
Duration: one month.
Blood Step: When triggered, this ritual gives the recipient an additional 8 paces of movement
(which cannot be modified) usable during the normal movement phase of that
round.
It is triggered during the instant action phase. Duration: until triggered.
Ritual of the Braveheart:
Once cast, the recipient receives a bonus of +3 physical traits in their next combat.
Duration: until next sunrise or the end of recipient's next combat.
Contagion: A single point of the target's blood added to any other blood will instantly convert
all the mixed blood to the target's blood.
Duration: one month.
Deflection: The first successful staking attempt (successful melee and
then successful stake test) discharges this ritual and turns the
stake into dust. The stake target takes no damage from the stake and is not staked.
Duration: until triggered.
Donning The Mask Of Shadows: Renders the target invisible as per Obfuscate 1a;
the target's obfuscate bid is the target's mental traits + subterfuge ability + level of obfuscate.
Duration: until recipient becomes visible for any reason.
Monomancy: Temporarily cancels any blood bonds among the participants.
Cast on any number of willing participants.
Duration: 10 minutes or a scene, whichever is longer.
Scan: The caster will be aware what people and items in that area have active rituals on them,
but not what ritual, the strength of the ritual, or how many rituals are active.
If the person or item is obfuscated, the caster knows that there are at obfuscated targets, but not
how many or where they are. Maximum size of scanned area is a 4 pace radius
circle, and the area may be anywhere within the caster's line of sight.
Cast on an area.
Duration: instant - when ritual is complete, caster gets information.
Spontaneous Combustion [note: approved on 04/2000]
If the target enters torpor, the target bursts into flames, killing her and reducing her body
and all possessions to ash.
Duration: one month.
Vessel of Transference: One point of blood is transferred from an object to the victim
and vice versa. The first person who has skin contact with this item triggers the transfer.
Cast on an item capable of holding one pint of fluid.
Cost: one point of blood of the caster and one point of blood to be transfered and 5 minutes.
Duration: until triggered.
Abandon Fetters: Allows breaking of both pure and shared blood bonds.
Cost: 30 minutes, one permanent physical trait from the target,
and a blood point from each person whose bond is to be broken (either one point of
blood from the regnant, in the case of a pure bond; or one point of blood
from one, some, or all of the donors, in the case of a shared bond).
Apport Person: The caster may activate this ritual as an instant action and
brings that person to the caster's immediate presence.
If the apported person is in combat when this ritual is triggered, the person
is not apported until the combat is over.
The apported person is considered in total surprise for the remainder of that round, then not
surprised the round after.
Cost: one hour and one blood of caster.
Duration: one month.
Bitter Rose: Allows shared diablerie.
Each person taking part in this ritual makes a single test:
win: the tester drops a generation (if the victim is of lower generation than the tester );
tie: no effect;
loss: this tester may never benefit from this ritual again.
After completion, the victim turns to ash.
Cast on up to six willing persons.
Cost: 30 minutes and requires a torpored or staked kindred victim.
Enhanced Blood Taint:
[note: approved on 12/1999]
Makes the user's blood completely undrinkable by anyone else
and completely immune to vessel (basic and enhanced).
Cost: one blood of caster and 10 minutes.
Duration: one month.
Enhanced Deflection:
[note: approved on 12/1999]
The first successful staking attempt (successful melee and then successful stake test) discharges this ritual
and turns the stake into dust. The stake target takes no damage from the stake and is not staked.
May be used with the basic ritual Deflection (in which case if a stake attempt is successful, the basic ritual
is triggered first - the advanced version is triggered on second successful staking attempt).
Duration: until triggered.
Enhanced Vessel of Transference:
[note: approved on 12/1999]
One point of blood is transferred from an object to the victim and vice versa.
The first person other than the caster who has any physical contact with this item triggers the transfer.
Upon triggering, a ST will fill in a "stored blood" card.
Cast on an item capable of holding one pint of fluid.
May be used with the basic ritual Vessel (in which case, the item must be capable of holding two
pints of fluid and after triggering both vessels the item has two points of the victim's blood.
If only one of the rituals is triggered, the item has one point of the victim's blood.
The two original points and the other ritual are destroyed).
Cost: one blood of caster, one blood contained by the item, and 10 minutes.
Duration: until triggered.
Force Of Will: The next time the user spends a willpower (including under total surprise), the
ritual fades instead of losing a willpower.
Cast on self only.
Cost: one blood of caster, one willpower of caster, and 10 minutes.
Duration: until triggered.
Pavis Animalism: The target may choose to win one Animalism test initiated by someone else;
if the the test was Animalism 1a or 2a, it is reflected at the caster at the same bid
(play rock paper scissors until one party wins).
After that test is reflected / won, the ritual is over.
Duration: until triggered.
Pavis Presence: The target may choose to win one Presence test initated by someone else;
if the the test was Presence 1a or 1b, it is reflected at the caster at the same bid
(play rock paper scissors until one party wins).
After that test is reflected / won, the ritual is over.
Duration: until triggered.
Ritual of Transference: This ritual allows the recipient to transfer one ritual that they have on them
(not on an item) to another person that is either willing, staked, or in torpor.
To activate the ritual, the recipient must touch the victim (either through roleplay, use of a power
that causes a touch, or a successful brawl test) and spend 1 willpower.
Duration: one month or until triggered.
Sanctuary:
[note: approved on 12/1999]
All offensive challenges initiated while in an area affected by this ritual will be at half traits.
All defensive bids will be at full traits.
The caster is not immune to this halving.
The volume affected by this ritual may be irregular, but must be a small room or within a 3 pace radius sphere.
All enlightened creatures entering an area affected by this ritual will understand its consequences immediately.
Sanctuary is not considered a ward for stacking purposes.
Cost: one blood of caster and must be cast during downtime.
Ward vs. Kindred - Area: Any kindred who enters the warded area except for the caster plus
anyone else who contributes blood during the casting takes 3 aggravated wounds.
The volume affected by this ritual may be irregular, but it must be within a 20 pace radius sphere.
Any kindred will feel they are about to take damage, and may choose not to enter the warded area, if possible.
If this ritual is cast too close (within 4 paces) of an existing ward, the new ward casting fails.
Cast on an area.
Cost: one blood of caster, one blood from anyone "excluded" from the effect, and must be cast during downtime.
Ward vs. Kindred - Weapon: Any kindred who is hit with the item except for the caster plus anyone
else who contributes blood
during the casting has one wound level of per hit is converted to aggravated.
Only one warded item may be used by an attacker at a time, and this damage may not
stack in any way with wolf claws or hand of flame.
Cast on an item.
Cost: one blood of caster, one blood from anyone "excluded" from the effect, and must be cast during downtime.
Ward vs. Spirit - Area: Anyone in spirit form (telepath, projector, possessor, or umbral)
who enters the warded area except for the caster plus anyone else who
contributes blood during the casting is stopped (forcing the Telepath or Possessor out of the
host body; the projector is simply stopped from entering the area). If this ritual
is cast too close (within 4 paces) of an existing ward, the new ward casting fails.
Cast on an area.
Cost: one blood of caster, one blood from anyone "excluded" from the effect, and must be cast during downtime.
The volume affected by this ritual may be irregular, but it must be within a 20 pace radius sphere.
Anyone affected by this ward will feel they are about to be stopped / thrown
out, and may choose not to enter the warded area, if possible.
