What spells do you end up using as a ritual caster?

[Willie the Duck]

Hopefully the name says it all.

I'm looking at a Tomelock or rogue with ritual caster feat to supplement a rather low-magic party (actually not that low, it's cleric, paladin, and ranger. They just... use their spells to kill things and then kill more things, and then heal up to kill more things). I'm just wondering what spells actually end up coming up (and as corollary, what class to choose if I go the feat route).

Thanks in advance!

[nickl_2000]

Detect Magic, Identify (if you DM doesn't allow short rest identity), comprehend languages, and Alarm are the ones that I've used the most.

[Hellstick]

Lomunds Tiny Hut for sure!

[Renduaz]

Phantom Steed.

The knowledge monkey - Augury + Divination + Commune + Contact Other Plane + Commune with Nature cast in succession one after another within the hour. Now that's how you get information about something.

[cZak]

In an OotA game passing Chapter 14 my wizard has basically acquired nigh every ritual available.
The thing about rituals is the cost is almost negligible after getting them; no spell slot prep. The offset is non-combat (or prior knowledge) availability.

I consider having Unseen servant up always. It's almost like having an extra action to interact with objects.
Floating disc has popped up several times to transport stuff without worrying about burdening party members.
I've used Water breathing multiple times to explore coves & sunken ships for the party.
Leomund's Hut for a pillbox opportunity during travels when on a ship & camping.
Detect magic, Identify are regularly convenient/usable.
Magic mouth in Graklestugh for RP shenanigans
Just acquired Rary's telepathic bond & intend to put that up as much as I can

The ability to cast rituals without slot prep are a huge asset for the Wizard chassis.
It's not a matter of planning for a use of a ritual. It's about having a more equipped toolbox to handle situations that come up.

[Willie the Duck]

In an OotA game passing Chapter 14 my wizard has basically acquired nigh every ritual available.

Alright. So actual play experience. Glad to hear it. Thanks for responding.


The thing about rituals is the cost is almost negligible after getting them;

Let's not dismiss that cost, though. Acquiring spells is a non-negligible cost. At the very least, it is spending precious amounts of gaming time interacting with that goal rather than doing something else.


no spell slot prep.

As you mention later, this is true of wizards only.



I consider having Unseen servant up always. It's almost like having an extra action to interact with objects.
Floating disc has popped up several times to transport stuff without worrying about burdening party members.
I've used Water breathing multiple times to explore coves & sunken ships for the party.
Leomund's Hut for a pillbox opportunity during travels when on a ship & camping.
Detect magic, Identify are regularly convenient/usable.
Magic mouth in Graklestugh for RP shenanigans
Just acquired Rary's telepathic bond & intend to put that up as much as I can

Ok, so the usual suspects, plus magic mouth. Good to know.

[JackPhoenix]

Alarm, because it's good way to activate/recharge Arcane Ward
Detect Magic, usually to check loot for anything interesting
Comprehend Languages, because despite the party knowing 14 different languages between 4 of them, sometimes there's something less common (it helps that, for example, not every kobold tribe speaks generic "draconic")
Tenser's Floating Disc to haul loot, and (with the hosuerule that the caster can control how it moves) to fly over dangerous terrain
Unseen Servant from the lazy ("I'm not lazy, I'm a noblewoman, I won't sully my hands with manual labor!") bard
Find Familiar, because obviously
Speak with Animals was used few times by druid, but not to any great effect
Water Breathing and Water Walking from a tomelock. Even if they are situational, when you need them, you really need them.

[ghost_warlock]

I've used Identify, Unseen Servant, and Ceremony (from the Starter Spells Unearthed Arcana article) the most.

Detect Magic would probably see more use, but the party druid decided he wanted that job, for some reason.

[cZak]

Let's not dismiss that cost, though. Acquiring spells is a non-negligible cost. At the very least, it is spending precious amounts of gaming time interacting with that goal rather than doing something else..

What do I spend my money on?
(http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?528299-Uh-what-do-I-spend-money-on)
I agree, time is probably the greatest factor. Monetary cost is probably the least factor in this.
But I think the cost is more in table time than the quest hourglass. And I'd like to think that my fellow players would be accommodating in my character developing for everyone's benefit. If you're spending the resource for rituals, it benefits the party.
Kinda like them refusing to take a short rest for some temp hit points (Inspiring leader)


As you mention later, this is true of wizards only..

Right on for <wizard.
But if ritual casting is picked up from a feat or via Tomelock, there is still no slot prep requirement, I think..?

Personal opinion, but I don't think it's worth it for a limited spells known class (Bard, Sorcerer) to pick up ritual spells. Ritual spells are pretty niche in useful circumstances. Definitely NOT saying a cleric/ druid could not benefit from having some. But their ability to know all spells & swap them out is a benefit. With some advanced knowledge, hopefully they can prepare for such circumstances

[Naanomi]

I have a warlock in one of the games I DM that spams augury, commune, contact other plane, and divination... much to my chagrin

I myself make most use of identify, tiny hut, detect magic, phantom steed, and telepathic bond

[Willie the Duck]

You must be right about feat and tome rituals, cZak. Hard for my theoretical rogue with ritual caster feat to have prepared identify for the day so he can use it ritually. :-P


I have a warlock in one of the games I DM that spams augury, commune, contact other plane, and divination... much to my chagrin

Players cannot abuse divinations, illusions, or enchantments, only DMs can. :smallbiggrin:

[kaoskonfety]

Took ritual caster (wizard) on a barbarian.

Everything is friggin GOLD

Big winners from that game?
Find Familiar - A set of eyes with the option to switch out favoured terrain and vision types? Yes please! - as a side benefit, robes + unarmored defense + familiar left our foes often thinking I was "the wizard" (I was) and closing to melee. Then rage happened. Word got around by the time we were 6-7th level but I went Eagle totem so by then escape was not really an option for our foes.
Comprehend languages - Take a look, its in a book.
Gentle repose - a niche effect, but really solid when you need it. In our case? We needed (wanted) information from the outerplanes but the clerics we had access to could only cast revivify... so ya. Playing Orpheus? Its kinda like that.
Water Breathing - cast on the whole party in the morning, lasts all day. Holy Cattle. Turns every body of water into a weapon, most things can drown. Barbarian grapple powers activate.

and my favorite:
Contact Other Plane - when I absolutely positively need to fail a save and go insane from delving into things man was not meant to know. (we were opposing an Aboeth for the campaign, I passed the save myself, but would not have been disappointed in a fail.)