TEXT: Written by CHRISTOPHER R. RICE
  Edited by SEAN PUNCH
  Illustrated by TITHI LUADTHONG
  Additional Material by JASON “PK” LEVINE
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  Contents
  IntroductIon  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .2
  About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
  1 . tIps, trIcks, and More  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .3
  Tips .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  Lesser or Greater? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  About GURPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  Fairer Bonuses and Penalties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  Spells Based on Technology Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  “You Allowed That to Be a Lesser Effect!”. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  When to Add Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  When to Use Altered Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  Tricks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  Conjuring, Enhancing, and Modifying Weapons. . . . . . . 5
  Leeching Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  “Over Time” Damage or Healing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Margin-Based Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  piTfalls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Limiting Buffing Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Optional Rule: Buffing Spells Stacking Limit . . . . . . . 7
  Limiting Grimoires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Optional Rule: Spell Familiarities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Limiting World-Changing Spells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Magical Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Summoning Monsters for Fun and Profit . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  New Spell Modifier: Summoned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Controlling Minds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  New Spell Modifier: Controlled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  2 . rItual path MagIc  
  ultra-lIte  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .9
  3 . exaMples .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .10
  Agony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Blight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Burning Blade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Capturing Roots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Fortuitous Weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Resurgence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Soul-Eater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
   
  Contents and IntroduCtIon 
  2
  IntroduCtIon
  The Ritual Path magic system first appeared in GURPS 
  Monster Hunters 1: Champions. It quickly became a 
  hit – thanks to its smoothness, and its ability to build spells con-
  sistently and logically – and spawned GURPS Thaumatology: 
  Ritual Path Magic (“Ritual Path Magic” to its fans), which 
  expanded the rules and provided a slew of sample spells.
  But Ritual Path magic requires significant GM involvement 
  and careful consideration of consequences: A spell that’s fine 
  in one campaign may be abusive in another. A “harmless” rit-
  ual might have far more applications than originally intended. 
  Spells to create endless supplies of valuables are theoretically 
  possible, and Ritual Path Magic 
  is mum on whether to allow 
  such things.
  Ritual Path Magic covers 
  most of what a GM needs 
  to know. This supplement 
  seeks to fill its gaps, answer 
  questions it leaves open, 
  offer advice on avoiding its 
  pitfalls, and provide tips 
  and examples that reveal its 
  secrets. Consider it a primer 
  for 
  moderate-to-advanced 
  usage rather than a “bible” 
  on how to use the system. 
  That said, Chapter 2 does 
  offer a quick way to create and cast spells on the fly, abrogat-
  ing the need to flesh them out fully (and thus slow down play).
  about the author
  Christopher R. Rice has been published in Pyramid 
  many times. He co-authored GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 19: 
  Incantation Magic, with Antoni Ten Monrós, and Dungeon 
  Fantasy Traps, with Jason “PK” Levine. His first solo work 
  was GURPS Monster Hunters Power-Ups 1. He also wrote 
  additional material for GURPS Monster Hunters 6: Holy 
  Hunters and GURPS Thaumatology: Ritual 
  Path Magic. Of course, if he’s not writ-
  ing about GURPS, he’s blogging about 
  it. Visit his site, “Ravens N’ Pennies”  
  (www.ravensnpennies.com), for more 
  GURPS goodies.
  From Portsmouth, Virginia, he’s spin-
  ning words of whimsy into gold. He wishes 
  to thank L.A., for being the wonder-
  ful, amazing, inspiring woman that she 
  is – not every man gets his muse person-
  ified in the flesh! He also wishes to thank 
  his gaming group, the Headhunters, for 
  alpha testing; his family (especially his 
  mother); and Elizabeth “Archangel Beth” 
  McCoy, his Sith Editrix mentor.
  
   
  tIps, trICks, and More 
  3
  Ritual Path magic offers many unobvious ways to get the 
  effects you want. Making good spells sometimes involves 
  knowing hidden principles . . . and there are things to avoid 
  when considering player-created spells!
  tIps
  Ritual Path magic is a broad system with many implica-
  tions and few hard-and-fast rules for dealing with outliers. 
  Let’s look at some of the bigger problems GMs might face 
  when judging spells in their campaigns.
  Lesser or 
  Greater?
  GURPS Thaumatology: Ritual 
  Path Magic is an “open” system, 
  allowing nearly any conceivable 
  spell. That’s one of its greatest 
  strengths . . . and greatest weak-
  nesses. It relies on the GM to deter-
  mine many things – including the 
  dividing line between Lesser and 
  Greater effects, which can be an 
  overwhelming task. Each Path 
  skill’s description offers sample 
  effects, but the rules cannot list all 
  conceivable possibilities!
  Some guidelines on how to 
  determine whether a spell requires 
  a Lesser or Greater effect:
  • Does 
  the 
  effect 
  obviously 
  break the laws of physics (e.g., lev-
  itation, creating matter or energy, 
  or teleportation)? If so, it’s usually 
  a Greater effect. If not – or if the 
  spell’s impact on the situation is 
  extremely minor – keep reading.
  • Could a person in the game 
  world – with no relevant advan-
  tages or disadvantages, and mini-
  mal tools – produce the same effect 
  within a reasonably short period of 
  time (e.g., dig a hole with a shovel, 
  chop down a tree with an axe, or balance accounts with access 
  to scrap paper and maybe an abacus)? If anyone without spe-
  cial traits could produce the same results as the spell, within a 
  modest amount of time, it’s probably a Lesser effect.
  Chapter one
  tIps, trICks, 
  and More
  about GURPS
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  errata/gurps.
  Rules and statistics in this book are specifically for the GURPS Basic Set, 
  Fourth Edition. Page references that begin with B refer to that book, not this one.
  
   
  tIps, trICks, and More 
  4
  • Could someone with traits that hinder them produce the 
  same outcome anyway, given help, extra time, or better tools 
  (e.g., someone with Claustrophobia mapping a small cave sys-
  tem, a low-ST person felling a tree with a chainsaw, or two 
  people maneuvering heavy furniture up stairs)? If not, or if 
  this would require a lot more time or much better tools (e.g., 
  days to map that cave system, or a chainsaw in a world where 
  that technology doesn’t exist), it’s probably a Greater effect.
  • Will the spell obviously “break the campaign” if permit-
  ted as a Lesser effect? If so, it’s a Greater effect! If even that 
  would destroy the campaign’s foundations – as raising the 
  dead or turning matter into antimatter might – the GM is jus-
  tified in ruling the effect impossible.
  In general, Greater effects speed things up enormously or 
  have a large effect on the situation: The tree is felled in sec-
  onds, lines of ink map the cave system as the explorer wanders 
  through it, the accountant grasps the numbers at a glance, a 
  mage hurls fireballs at foes.
  Lesser effects boost abilities or have a small effect on cur-
  rent events: The tree is chopped down in half the time; the 
  spelunker can sketch out each portion of the cave freehand, 
  without needing measuring equipment; the accountant gets 
  +5 to Accounting skill; a mage produces a small light source, 
  which happens to be a sphere hovering behind their shoulder 
  instead of a flashlight or torch.
  When in doubt, the GM should err on the side of caution 
  and charge a Greater effect. They can always reconsider after 
  seeing the spell in play! Simply rule that the caster’s successful 
  use let them refine the ritual, so it will be charged as a Lesser 
  effect going forward.
  FaIrer bonuses  
  and penaLtIes
  Bestows a (Bonus or Penalty) (Ritual Path Magic, p. 17) 
  is one of the most versatile spell modifiers. It can represent 
  weather magic (e.g., sleet as “Bestows a Penalty, -3 to Vision 
  rolls, HT rolls for cold, and DX rolls for movement”), make 
  a weapon hit harder (e.g., “Bestows a Bonus, +5 to sword 
  damage”), and so on. It’s because of this potential versatility 
  that its energy cost starts out modest but quickly grows.
  However, many bonuses and penalties are inherently 
  self-limiting. For example, no matter how high a skill is raised, 
  it’s subject to automatic failure on a 17 or 18. Similarly, the 
  energy cost for added damage should arguably flatten out at 
  a certain point, since all other damage effects do the same. 
  Because of this, the GM may allow the following optional 
  change to the Bestows a (Bonus or Penalty) table. Even with 
  this change, they retain the right to declare that a given mod-
  ifier does not provide diminishing returns and therefore must 
  use the cost from the original table.
   
  Modifier 
  Broad 
  Moderate 
  Narrow
   
  ±1 
  5 
  2 
  1
   
  ±2 
  10 
  4 
  2
   
  ±3 
  20 
  8 
  4
   
  ±4 
  40 
  16 
  8
   
  ±5 
  60 
  24 
  12
   
  ±6 
  80 
  32 
  16
   
  etc. 
  +20 
  +8 
  +4
  For examples of this pricing in action, see Capturing Roots 
  and Fortuitous Weapon (p. 10).
  speLLs based on 
  teChnoLoGy LeveL
  Ritual Path magic already assumes that hostile spells 
  can – as a Lesser effect – inflict damage equivalent to hand-
  held weapons in the setting (Ritual Path Magic, p. 8). But 
  what about other effects, such as armor? Damage Resistance 
  is expensive compared to damage in Ritual Path magic; 
  compare Ghost Shirt (Ritual Path Magic, p. 43) to Fireball 
  (Ritual Path Magic, p. 42). The difference is over 100 
  energy for protection that will stop only a little over half the 
  Fireball’s damage.
  As an optional rule, to enable magical DR to compete with 
  magical damage: If the campaign has equipment that would 
  give the same benefit as an advantage bestowed by Altered 
  Traits, the energy cost for an equivalent effect is 1/5 normal. 
  “you aLLowed ThaT to be a Lesser eFFeCt!”
  The campaign has been running for a while, and you 
  were a less experienced GM when it started. Maybe a 
  player made their Fast-Talk roll way back then. Or per-
  haps someone suddenly realizes the game-breaking 
  potential of a seemingly innocent spell, in use for many 
  sessions. Oops!
  If the campaign hasn’t been irrevocably broken – or 
  if the players are fine with “rewinding” events to before 
  someone started turning dust bunnies into thermo-mag-
  ical bombs – revamp the offending spell’s limits and 
  continue.
  If fixing the limits would unwind too many of the cam-
  paign’s prior events, you may have to tweak “the laws of 
  magic.” Unbeknownst to the caster, the spell has some 
  other cost or drawback. Perhaps it’s somehow draining 
  the mage’s vital essence (start inflicting disease-like dis-
  advantages or penalties whenever it’s used). Maybe it’s 
  using up magic in areas where it’s cast, penalizing any 
  other attempts at spells, or sickening mages for months or 
  years afterward. Possibly it has a limited number of uses 
  ever, and between the troublesome caster and anyone else 
  who tries to duplicate the effects, that number will fall to 
  zero when you decide a dramatic fizzle would be appro-
  priate. Or each use could call the name of some eldritch 
  abomination, causing cracks in reality that give everyone 
  an excellent reason to not just stop using the spell, but 
  also thwart anyone who tries!
  Ritual Path magic is supposed to be a flexible magic 
  system – not a way to make the game un-fun.
  
   
  tIps, trICks, and More 
  5
  This will affect the available levels of DR. Use the lower value 
  of split DR, if the campaign’s best armor has it; e.g., in a TL9 
  setting where powered combat armor (GURPS Ultra-Tech, 
  p. 186) with DR 70/50 is best, the GM could allow DR 50 rit-
  uals at a reduced cost.
  when to add daMaGe
  Not all spells need all modifiers. An exception to this is 
  damage. Magically damaging a target always requires adding 
  the Damage spell modifier (Ritual Path Magic, p. 17). For 
  example, creating an anvil above a target’s head using Greater 
  Create Matter would require Subject Weight, Range, and 
  Damage, because you’re going to hurt a target directly – the 
  damage is due to Damage from Falling Objects (p. B431), but 
  the anvil’s falling because of magic! In general, determine how 
  much damage such an attack would do, then assign it damage 
  using the rules for external damaging attacks.
  when to use  
  aLtered traIts
  Knowing when to use Altered Traits – and when not 
  to – can be tricky. Some guidelines:
  • Does the spell put the effect under the caster’s control or 
  the subject’s? If the effects are normally under the caster’s 
  control, Altered Traits isn’t appropriate. Use Altered Traits 
  to grant the subject control over the effects. For example, if 
  a caster levitates (“makes fly”) a target via a Greater Control 
  Body effect, the caster determines where the subject is going; 
  adding Altered Traits (Flight) grants the subject control over 
  their aerial course.
  • Does the spell significantly modify the subject’s native abili-
  ties? For example, a mage might turn a human into a cat using 
  Greater Transform Body, which lasts for the duration of the 
  spell, and only the caster decides when the subject transforms 
  during this period. Alternatively, the caster could provide 
  Altered Traits (Alternate Form), allowing the subject to turn 
  into a cat when they choose to.
  • Does the spell already do what you need it to do?  
  Some spells affect the target, but either the whole point of 
  the spell is that it isn’t under the subject’s control, or the 
  “added traits” are an implicit part of the effect. For example, 
  a caster wouldn’t need Altered Traits (Reprogrammable) to 
  use a Lesser Control Mind effect to enslave a target – the 
  spell effect does that already!
  • Does the spell require you to use Altered Traits instead of 
  another ritual modifier to make sense? When a spell affects 
  both its target and those who interact with its target, Altered 
  Traits may be appropriate to express how that interaction 
  works. For example, a spell that simultaneously protects the 
  target and damages others needs Altered Traits for the pro-
  tection as well as Damage for the damage.
  To summarize: If the GM needs to refer to specific GURPS 
  traits to describe a spell’s game mechanics, the spell needs 
  Altered Traits (see, for instance, Agony, p. 10). If the GM can 
  describe the spell’s effects without referring to traits, it prob-
  ably doesn’t.
  trICks
  Here are a few tricks for customizing your Ritual Path 
  magic spells to function in different ways.
  ConjurInG, enhanCInG,  
  and ModIFyInG weapons
  Conjuring weapons – or at least, improving existing weap-
  ons with magic – is a staple of fantasy. There are three basic 
  possibilities:
  Conjuring Weapons: Use Internal Damage (Ritual Path 
  Magic, p. 17) – adding an appropriate Melee Attack (p. B112) 
  limitation – and combine it with Duration. If you’ll also be 
  adding your basic damage to this, include the ST-Based 
  enhancement (GURPS Powers, p. 103) as well. The GM might 
  allow you to determine basic damage from an attribute other 
  than ST; this uses a variant of Based on (Different Attribute) 
  (p. B102), with half normal cost. Conjured weapons always 
  require a Greater effect. For an example of a conjured 
  weapon, see Burning Blade (p. 10).
  Enhancing Weapons: Add Bestows a Bonus and Duration 
  to the spell. This might enhance damage, Parry, or skill (all 
  narrow categories) when using the weapon; all offensive or 
  all defensive uses (both moderate categories); or all uses (a 
  broad category). Since most weapons weigh less than 10 lbs., 
  such spells aren’t likely to need Subject Weight, except when 
  affecting groups of nearly identical weapons. Enhancing 
  weapons is usually a Lesser Strengthen Matter effect, but not 
  always – see Fortuitous Weapon (p. 10). Enhancing a group 
  of weapons might be a Greater effect, at the GM’s option.
  Modifying Weapons: The caster can add enhancements 
  directly to a weapon’s damage, without changing the 
  amount or type of damage. This follows the rules for add-
  ing enhancements to a spell’s damaging component (Ritual 
  Path Magic, p. 17), but halve energy cost for small piercing 
  effects, or double it for corrosion, fatigue, huge piercing, or 
  impaling attacks. Note this as “Damage, Direct (Enhance-
  ment, +x%).”
  LeeChInG speLLs
  A spell can damage the target and heal the caster. This is 
  as simple as adding two Transform effects: one for the Path 
  skill the caster falls under, one for the Path skill the target falls 
  under. For example, a human mage draining from another 
  human requires Path of Body to cast, though this still requires 
  two Transform Body effects – but a human leeching from a 
  spirit would require Path of Body and Path of Spirit. Figure 
  the amount of damage to be dealt, and then double the energy; 
  this always uses the costs for Internal Damage. It requires 
  a Lesser effect as long as the spell doesn’t exceed the maxi-
  mum damage of a handheld weapon in the campaign setting. 
  
   
  tIps, trICks, and More 
  6
  Damage the spell deals heals the caster on a 1-to-1 basis. For a 
  sample leeching spell, see Soul-Eater (p. 10).
  Optionally, spells can be crafted to leech traits, such as 
  attributes or advantage levels; e.g., a spell could steal 3 ST 
  from its target and give 3 ST to the caster. Use the above 
  method, but with Altered Traits instead of Damage. Don’t for-
  get to add Duration, so you can keep what you steal for longer 
  than a second!
  When adding Duration to vampiric spells, two caveats 
  apply: First, cost for damage or healing becomes ¥4 (not ¥2). 
  Second, the spell can heal the caster for at most twice the 
  amount of dice it’s rated for; after that, it fizzles out no matter 
  its original duration.
  “over tIMe”  
  daMaGe or heaLInG
  Spells that inflict damage or healing can be designated as 
  working “over time.” This means the effect is spread out over a 
  specific duration, designated when the spell is made.
  First, determine the number of dice of damage or heal-
  ing the spell does. Next, set the interval between “bursts” of 
  damage/healing. Finally, figure the total number of inter-
  vals and multiply the dice by that figure. For example, if you 
  wanted to heal 1d per second for the next 10 seconds, the 
  spell would need 10d of healing. Such spells do not require 
  you to add Duration! See Resurgence (p. 10) for an example.
  Keep Visualizing the World (Ritual Path Magic, p. 8) in 
  mind: Dice of damage over the campaign limit require a 
  Greater effect.
  MarGIn-based eFFeCts
  A damaging spell can base damage on margin of victory 
  over the target’s resistance instead of inflicting a fixed number 
  of dice; this is a zero-energy feature. Damage equals the mar-
  gin; each +1 energy adds +1 damage, if the spell overcomes 
  resistance. You can also use a multiple of the margin: Damage 
  equal to double the margin costs +4 energy, triple the margin 
  costs +8 energy, and so on. The Rule of 16 (p. B349) applies to 
  the base margin only; spells that inflict more damage still add 
  to or multiply that. For example, rolling 11 when casting a 
  spell at effective skill 20 on a target who fails their Will roll to 
  resist produces a margin of 16 - 11 = 5 (not 20 - 11 = 9) – but if 
  that spell does damage equal to four times margin of victory, 
  it still inflicts 20 damage.
  Margin-based spells may be external or internal. This 
  doesn’t change the amount of damage dealt – but for external 
  spells, the caster may use the higher of their Path or Innate 
  Attack skills to determine the margin!
  For an example of a margin-based damaging spell, see 
  Blight (p. 10).
  Optionally, effects made by adding Bestows a (Bonus or 
  Penalty) may be margin-based, too. This is a zero-energy fea-
  ture for a narrow task or roll, but costs +1 energy for a moder-
  ate one or +3 energy for a broad one. Bestows a Penalty uses 
  margin of victory over resistance to determine the penalty. For 
  Bestows a Bonus, the subject may choose not to resist – roll 
  against the better of their HT or Will, or your effective Path 
  skill, to determine the margin. The modifier is ±1 per two 
  points of margin for a narrow task or roll, ±1 per three points 
  of margin for a moderate one, or ±1 per five points of margin 
  for a broad one. In all cases, the minimum modifier is ±1.
  
   
  tIps, trICks, and More 
  7
  pItFaLLs
  Ritual Path magic isn’t perfect. In particular, it requires 
  the GM to adjudicate every spell in the campaign. The learning 
  curve can be daunting, as there are many rules and guidelines 
  to follow (or consciously choose to ignore!). Here are some 
  ways to stay on top of things.
  LIMItInG buFFInG speLLs
  “Buffing” is a time-honored RPG tradition, but it can get 
  out of hand – especially if mages cast spells on not just allies, 
  but also gear, weapons, etc. Often, it takes only a few seconds 
  for a spell to influence its target’s abilities drastically. Although 
  this is just the system working as intended (it’s magic!), it can 
  be difficult for the GM to keep track of what’s affecting what, 
  and for how long. To make things more manageable, consider 
  using the following optional rule for stacking buffing spells.
  Optional Rule: Buffing Spells  
  Stacking Limit
  No one can be the subject of more than two buffing spells. 
  This applies to all spells whose effects give the subject bonuses 
  (Bestows a Bonus), advantages (Altered Traits), etc. If some-
  one is the subject of two such spells when a third is cast, the 
  two with the highest energy total remain; the lowest-energy 
  spell fizzles. For example, if you cast Lesser Strengthen Body 
  for +1 ST, then Greater Strengthen Mind for +5 IQ, and then 
  Lesser Strengthen Chance for +1 to active defenses, the Body 
  ritual would fade. Where energy totals are tied, the oldest 
  spell disappears.
  LIMItInG GrIMoIres
  The more spells in a character’s repertoire, the more 
  complex the GM’s job. The following optional rule lets 
  overwhelmed GMs restrict the number of spells a given 
  caster “knows.”
  Optional Rule: Spell Familiarities
  This rule adapts Familiarity (p. B169) to magic. 
  Every two character points a caster has spent on Magical 
  Skills (below) gives them one “known spell” at charac-
  ter creation. All other spells are unfamiliar, and suffer 
  a penalty equal to -2 ¥ (total number of spell effects).
  Unfamiliarity penalties can eliminated by studying a spell 
  for eight hours per -1. Natural Caster (Ritual Path Magic, 
  p. 12) gives the usual time reduction of 10% per level. A caster 
  familiar with the spell can roll against Teaching to help; suc-
  cess reduces time by 5% per point of success. A suitable gri-
  moire reduces time by 5% ¥ half its bonus (round down). 
  Reductions for Talent, teacher, and grimoire add, but 
  minimum time is 20% of normal.
  LIMItInG  
  worLd-ChanGInG speLLs
  Casters can create tons of “fairy gold” (fairy oil, 
  fairy uranium, etc.) and give the stuff a duration of 
  decades – all for a fairly low energy cost. Until some-
  one dispels them, such valuables are no different from 
  the mundane kind. This can radically change the cam-
  paign’s scope! Ways to deal with it include:
  • Social Contract: The GM and players agree not to wreck 
  the campaign world because it isn’t fun.
  • Large Changes Are Disallowed: Mages simply can’t create 
  huge quantities of stuff!
  • Large Changes Are Expensive: Energy costs become expo-
  nentially expensive for destabilizing spells, placing them in the 
  realm of possible “plot points” for the GM’s use only.
  • Large Changes Have Side Effects: Spells producing large 
  changes automatically inflict, say, one quirk on the caster per 
  10 points of energy from Subject Weight (round up).
  All of this assumes magic isn’t widely known! It’s probably 
  unnecessary if merchants can tell magically created matter 
  from normal matter.
  For less quantifiable campaign-trashing – e.g., a spell that 
  makes many people immortal or brings back all the dead – the 
  GM must decide on boundaries and stick to them. Be sure to 
  tell players these boundaries, lest player and GM expectations 
  clash mid-play.
  In games where none of the above factors prevent mages 
  from profoundly changing the game world, the GM should 
  charge people with magical abilities a huge Unusual Back-
  ground cost to represent the fact that they’re effectively gods.
  Magical Skills
  Certain skills are as much magical theory as they are 
  specialized training: Alchemy, Astronomy (Observational), 
  Autohypnosis, Dreaming, Esoteric Medicine (any magic-re-
  lated specialty), Exorcism, Fortune-Telling, Hazardous Mate-
  rials (Magical), Herb Lore, Hidden Lore (any supernatural), 
  Innate Attack, Meditation, Mental Strength, Occultism, Ritual 
  Magic, Symbol Drawing, and Thaumatology; any “mystical” 
  specialty the GM permits for other skills, such as Area Knowl-
  edge (any supernatural locale), Forensics (Occult), Heraldry 
  (Magical), Law (Esoteric Contract), or Physics (Metaphysics); 
  and all Path skills.
  Genius is another word for 
  magic, and the whole point of 
  magic is that it is inexplicable.
  – Margot Fonteyn
  
   
  tIps, trICks, and More 
  8
  suMMonInG Monsters  
  For Fun and proFIt
  Summoning beings requires no added effects in stan-
  dard Ritual Path magic. With no limit on what can be sum-
  moned – or its power level – this can get out of hand! Adding 
  Allies could balance this, but it gives casters the ability to 
  summon specific creatures, which might not suit the cam-
  paign. To fix this problem, the following optional rule is 
  highly recommended.
  New Spell Modifier: Summoned
  Use this modifier for summoning or conjuring beings. It 
  relies on “Static Point Total,” defined as the campaign’s start-
  ing points. (The GM may prefer to use the current average 
  point total of all the PCs, in which case more powerful crea-
  tures become gradually easier to summon.) The more pow-
  erful the being – expressed as a percentage of Static Point 
  Total – the greater the energy required. Where point total is 
  unknown, the GM may estimate it.
   
  Power 
  Added Energy
   
  Up to 25% 
  +4 energy
   
  Up to 50% 
  +8 energy
   
  Up to 75% 
  +12 energy
   
  Up to 100% 
  +20 energy
   
  Up to 150% 
  +40 energy
   
  +50% 
  +20 energy
  The GM sets the upper limit on power, and may declare 
  that archangels, demon lords, and similarly powerful beings 
  cannot be summoned in the usual sense, only contacted: Use a 
  Lesser Sense effect – remembering to add the extra energy for 
  crossing dimensions – and make a reaction roll. Bad reactions 
  result in the being’s minions appearing and causing havoc; 
  good ones grant an audience of sorts.
  Unless the GM deems otherwise, all summoned crea-
  tures use the base template. You cannot add traits to pad 
  the point total!
  More than one being can be summoned at once. Add 
  together the energy – not point values! – for all the conjured 
  creatures.
  ControLLInG MInds
  Like summoning (above), controlling minds requires no 
  additional energy cost in standard Ritual Path magic. This 
  makes it easy to control most IQ 1-5 minds with Lesser Control 
  Mind, and IQ 6+ ones with Greater Control Mind, which can 
  be abusive in many campaigns. To reduce cases of “instant 
  henchmen,” the GM may require the following modifier for all 
  Control Mind spells.
  New Spell Modifier: Controlled
  If the spell’s target would effectively have the +0% Minion 
  modifier (p. B38), the spell requires additional energy equal to 
  half that required to summon that being. If they would effec-
  tively have the +50% version of Minion, and require no micro-
  managing, add the full summoning cost.
  
   
  rItuaL path MaGIC uLtra-LIte 
  9
  Ritual Path magic can be intimidating! Spell creation is 
  simultaneously “hard” (requiring math) and “soft” (requiring 
  GM approval). This dichotomous approach can discourage 
  newcomers. To help GMs and players get used to the process, 
  here’s a quick-start system.
  In regular Ritual Path magic, creating spells involves 
  adding effects and modifiers, applying any Greater effects 
  multiplier, and assigning an energy cost and bonus or pen-
  alty to cast. In this system, follow the rules for effective skill, 
  safe threshold, and modifiers in Quick-and-Dirty Rituals and 
  Charms (Ritual Path Magic, p. 26), but use these energy cost 
  guidelines instead of tallying up everything:
  • Spells that afflict targets with detrimental effects (pp. B35- 
  36) cost 8 energy, +1 energy per +5% the Affliction modifier is 
  worth. This is a ranged effect.
  • Divination or information spells generally cost 7 energy. 
  Consult Divinations (Ritual Path Magic, p. 24) after a suc-
  cessful roll. This is an instant effect.
  • Spells to move a subject are typically 15 energy for 10 lbs. 
  or less, with a speed of up to 10 yards/second. Add +2 energy 
  for each order of magnitude increase (e.g., 19 energy for up to 
  1,000 lbs.). Triple these values for unnatural movements (e.g., 
  making a bowling ball fly). This is an instant effect.
  • Spells that heal human-sized subjects up to 1d are 9 
  energy. Add +12 per +1d of additional healing. For larger sub-
  jects, increase energy cost by +6 for each ¥10 in mass.
  • External spells (e.g., fireballs or balls of force) that dam-
  age a subject cost 6 energy per die of crushing or burning 
  damage, up to 3d. Halve the energy cost for small piercing 
  attacks; double it for corrosion, fatigue, huge piercing, or 
  impaling attacks.
  • Internal spells that damage a subject cost 24 energy for 
  1d of crushing or burning damage. Each additional 1d costs 
  +12 energy. Halve the energy cost for small piercing attacks; 
  double it for corrosion, fatigue, huge piercing, or impaling 
  attacks. This is a ranged effect.
  • Protective spells that take the form of magical force fields 
  are 78 energy to stop 1d of damage, +60 energy per additional 
  1d prevented. If the spell’s manifestation is “tough skin,” tem-
  porary armor plating, etc., each 1d of damage stopped costs 
  only 1/3 as much.
  • Dispelling spells costs 35 energy and wipes out any spell 
  whose energy is 35 or less. Add more energy to remove more 
  powerful spells. See Magic vs. Magic (Ritual Path Magic, 
  p. 24). This is an instant effect.
  • Spells that create spatial gates cost 129 energy. This 
  allows any number of SM 0 beings to pass through the gate 
  one at a time, and instantly transit to a location up to a mile 
  away. Every ¥10 to distance adds +36 energy.
  • Protective spells that ward against magic cost 15 energy 
  for +3 to rolls to resist. Add +6 energy per further +3 they 
  grant. Such a spell also gives a penalty to cast magic, equal in 
  size to the bonus it grants.
  • Buffing spells that give +1 to specific activities are 8 
  energy for narrow subsets of tasks (e.g., Climbing or Stealth 
  rolls), 10 energy for moderate subsets of tasks (e.g., rolls 
  to hide or Vision rolls), or 13 energy for broad subsets of  
  tasks (e.g., active defenses). Double required energy per 
  additional +1.
  • Spells that physically transform the subject cost 11 + 
  3 ¥ (point cost of traits granted). If this breaks Path skill 
  barriers (e.g., turning someone to stone is Path of Body and 
  Path of Matter), use the lower of the two skills to determine 
  safe threshold.
  • Spells that create matter from nothing are 18 energy for 
  10 lbs. of material. Add +6 energy per ¥10 weight (24 energy 
  for 100 lbs., 30 for 1,000 lbs., etc.). This assumes bulk matter. 
  If you’re conjuring, say, a sword or guillotine from nothing, 
  add +16 energy to the base cost, but you get +5 to rolls to craft 
  it; see the Crafting Penalties Table (Ritual Path Magic, p. 16).
  All of these guidelines assume a 10-minute duration for 
  spells that aren’t instant or damaging. Ranged effects can be 
  targeted up to 100 yards away; other spells require the target 
  to be within two yards.
  For spells with assorted trivial or surreal intentions, the 
  GM can charge 10 energy for most minor effects (cutting 
  someone’s hair, doing laundry, etc.), 20-30 energy for moder-
  ate effects (changing a car’s color, souping up its engine, etc.), 
  and 31+ energy for broader effects (turning a lake to Jell-O, 
  making a tree bloom in winter, etc.). The greater the effect, the 
  more energy it needs.
  Chapter two
  rItuaL 
  path MaGIC 
  uLtra-LIte
  
  Here are the sample spells mentioned in Chapter 1, in one 
  place for quick reference.
  Agony
  Spell Effects: Greater Destroy Body + Lesser Destroy Body.
  Inherent Modifiers: Afflictions, Agony, Suspendable + 
  Altered Traits, Low Pain Threshold and Negated High Pain 
  Threshold.
  Greater Effects: 1 (¥3).
  Subject loses any High Pain Threshold, gains Low Pain 
  Threshold, and suffers agony (p. B428). The caster can start 
  or stop the pain at will while the spell endures (10 minutes).
  Typical Casting: Greater Destroy Body (5) + Afflictions, 
  Agony, Suspendable* (24) + Lesser Destroy Body (5) + Altered 
  Traits, Low Pain Threshold and Negated High Pain Threshold 
  (4) + Duration, 10 minutes (1) + Subject Weight, 300 lbs. (3). 
  126 energy (42¥3).
  * New modifier to accompany Afflictions or Altered Traits: 
  While the spell endures, the caster can start or stop its effects 
  without canceling it entirely. +4 energy.
  Blight
  Spell Effects: Greater Destroy Body.
  Inherent Modifiers: Damage, Inter-
  nal Toxic, Margin-Based.
  Greater Effects: 1 (¥3).
  If the target fails to resist, they 
  instantly take 3 ¥ (your margin of vic-
  tory) in toxic damage.
  Typical Casting: Greater Destroy Body 
  (5) + Damage, Internal Toxic, Margin-Based (8) + Range, 20 
  yards (6) + Subject Weight, 300 lbs. (3). 66 energy (22¥3).
  Burning Blade
  Spell Effects: Greater Create Energy.
  Inherent Modifiers: Damage, Internal Burning (Melee 
  Attack, Reach C, 1, ST-Based).
  Greater Effects: 1 (¥3).
  Summons a fiery blade that does swing+1d or thrust+1d 
  burning. The thrust is considered tight-beam burning (p. B399) 
  as a zero-energy feature. The blade lasts for 10 minutes.
  Typical Casting: Greater Create Energy (6) + Damage, Inter-
  nal Burning 1d (Incendiary, +10%; Melee Attack, Reach C, 1, 
  ST-Based, +80%; Tight-Beam Thrusting Damage, +0%) (18) + 
  Duration, 10 minutes (1). 75 energy (25¥3).
  Capturing Roots
  Spell Effects: Lesser Control Body.
  Inherent Modifiers: Bestows a Bonus, +5 to Binding rolls.
  Greater Effects: 0 (¥1).
  Animates existing roots to grab anyone nearby – an 
  area-effect Binding with effective ST equal to Path of 
  Body+5. If the roots attack laterally (from a wall, fence, etc.), 
  any active defense is allowed; if they attack from below, only 
  a parry with the feet or a dodge at -3 is permitted. Cannot 
  animate sapient plants.
  Typical Casting: Lesser Control Body (5) + Bestows a Bonus, 
  +5 to Binding Rolls (12) + Area of Effect, 5 yards, Excludes 12 
  allies (10) + Range, 10 yards (4) + Duration, 10 minutes (1) + 
  Subject Weight, 1,000 lbs. (4). 36 energy (36¥1).
  Fortuitous Weapon
  Spell Effects: Lesser Control Chance.
  Inherent Modifiers: Bestows a Bonus, Next attack roll.
  Greater Effects: 0 (¥1).
  The forces of fate guide the caster’s weapon, giving 
  them +10 for a single attack.
  Typical Casting: Lesser Control Chance (5) + Bestows 
  a Bonus, +10 to next attack roll (32). 37 energy (37¥1).
  Resurgence
  Spell Effects: Greater Restore Body.
  Inherent Modifiers: Healing.
  Greater Effects: 1 (¥3).
  Heals subject 1d HP every second, for the next 3d-1 
  seconds. This spell uses Modifying Dice + Adds (p. B269) to 
  give a variable duration.
  Typical Casting: Greater Restore Body (4) + Healing 10d 
  (36). 120 energy (40¥3).
  Soul-Eater
  Spell Effects: Lesser Transform Body ¥2.
  Inherent Modifiers: Damage, Internal Vampiric.
  Greater Effects: 0 (¥1).
  Drains subject of 4d HP and heals the caster for the same 
  amount. If the subject resists, they suffer no injury and the 
  caster receives no healing.
  Typical Casting: Lesser Transform Body (8) + Lesser Trans-
  form Body (8) + Damage, Internal Vampiric 4d (24). 40 energy 
  (40¥1).
  Chapter three
  exaMpLes
   
  exaMpLes 
  10
  
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/GURPS [multi]/GURPS 4e - How To Be A GURPS GM - Ritual Path Magic.pdf