The history of ritual magic in England dates back to ancient times, with evidence of early magical practices found in various archaeological sites. These practices were deeply rooted in the belief that supernatural forces could be tapped into through rituals and incantations. As the centuries passed, the practice of magic evolved and became more structured, giving rise to formal systems such as ceremonial magic and theurgy. During the Middle Ages, ritual magic in England was heavily influenced by various esoteric traditions, including Hermeticism and Kabbalah. These traditions provided practitioners with a framework for understanding the mysteries of the universe and harnessing its hidden powers. English magicians of this era, such as John Dee and Edward Kelley, played pivotal roles in spreading these arcane teachings and pushing the boundaries of magical knowledge.
When you say mage, it's important to understand what exactly you mean and who is allowed or not allowed to be included on the list.
The opening chapter of Ultimate Magic jumps immediately into the nittiest of gritties with new classes, archetypes, and abilities for each of the spellcasters in Pathfinder. Lots of feats dumped into a single school are expected, and even specializing in a single spell is a very good path to go with for this sort of limited greatness.
English magicians of this era, such as John Dee and Edward Kelley, played pivotal roles in spreading these arcane teachings and pushing the boundaries of magical knowledge. The flourishing of ritual magic in England reached its peak during the Elizabethan era, also known as the Renaissance. The courts of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I were known to have a keen interest in these mystical arts, providing a platform for magicians and alchemists to showcase their skills.
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As each of these spells rocks (except maybe succor), I'm expecting some healthy debates here!
Edit: I know that time stop in particular is subject to a lot of rules arguments as to how it is supposed to work. When I vote, I use my definition:
Anything frozen in time cannot directly be affected by the magic-user. A magic-user could cast a spell like web though, which will catch frozen individuals when the time stop duration ends. A delayed blast fireball is also an effective way to damage them if it is delayed to go off until just after the spell duration ends. While time stopped, the magic-user may cast spells in rapid succession; for example if the duration of the spell is 11 segments the magic-user could cast any combination of spells adding up to 11 segments.
Edit 2: should we have done top 5?
Edit 3: Switched to 5, though the old votes remain.
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Re: Top 10 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by Heaf Meato » Fri May 15, 2009 5:54 pm
I am dissing the following. Astral Spell is better accomplished by some other device or method than by using up a 9th. Clerics' Plane Shift is only 5th and both cleric and illusionist get Astral Spell as a 7th level spell. Bigby's does a lot of damage, but it takes too long to ramp up and most powerful creatures will have a way out. Meteor Swarm just does damage, and if you have very good saving throws it doesn't do very much unless it hits you head on. Monster Summoning 7 is just weak compared to Gate and Temporal Stasis is a poor version of Imprisonment.
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Re: Top 10 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by ken-do-nim » Fri May 15, 2009 6:08 pm
Heaf Meato wrote: I am dissing the following. Astral Spell is better accomplished by some other device or method than by using up a 9th. Clerics' Plane Shift is only 5th and both cleric and illusionist get Astral Spell as a 7th level spell. Bigby's does a lot of damage, but it takes too long to ramp up and most powerful creatures will have a way out. Meteor Swarm just does damage, and if you have very good saving throws it doesn't do very much unless it hits you head on. Monster Summoning 7 is just weak compared to Gate and Temporal Stasis is a poor version of Imprisonment.
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by phantasm72 » Fri May 15, 2009 6:44 pm
Honestly, I dont think I have enough experience with 9th level spells to actually vote, so I wont.
Sure I can go and read the spell descriptions, but I actually havent used them enough to find how useful they actually are in gameplay. A lot of spells sound great on paper, but have some serious limitations that affect its over all use, and other spells, which perhaps look a bit dull and mundane, with a little experience and imagination can truly shine.
All I can say for sure is that crystalbrittle sucks, and if you wanted us to pick the worst spell in the lot, that would be it. Its like a very limited version of polymorph any object thats a few spell levels higher.
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by ken-do-nim » Fri May 15, 2009 7:24 pm
Okay, I turned on 'allow revoting' so that those who picked 10 can drop down to 5.
My 5 are:
- prismatic sphere: the ultimate defense, and the magic-user can move in and out freely. Only drawback is that it is stationary.
- time stop: if you get enough segments, you can dramatically improve your defenses or activate items
- bigby's crushing hand: against the right opponent, they are just toast. Obviously if you all come into contact with are teleporting demons & devils, this isn't a good choice
- shapechange: the uses are endless
- meteor swarm: the target of the spell takes 40-160 no save for half. It also has other, less obvious uses critical to high levels like battering down a cube of force.
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by Nazim » Fri May 15, 2009 7:45 pm
ken-do-nim wrote: Sorry Nazim, I couldn't wait!Ack! THIEF! It's mine! Give it back! Where are the admins when you need them?
My only odd vote out is Meteor Swarm. I just like it. I know even Power Word Kill is more potent, but Meteor Swarm is more flexible.
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by ken-do-nim » Fri May 15, 2009 7:58 pm
Nazim wrote: ken-do-nim wrote: Sorry Nazim, I couldn't wait! Ack! THIEF! It's mine! Give it back! Where are the admins when you need them? And I screwed it up too, with my 10, no 5, votes. I'm just no Nazim!My Games
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by chris107 » Fri May 15, 2009 8:41 pm
With due respect (and I did vote) I think with all the hard work Nazim has done, it should have been left to him.
And I still don't use the UA abominations!
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by garhkal » Fri May 15, 2009 8:44 pm
I went with wish, bigbys hand, mordakeins disjunction, shape change and Power word kill. Confuscious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!shimrod Lesser Deity of Dragonsfoot
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by shimrod » Fri May 15, 2009 8:49 pm
1. Temporal Stasis: No touch required, no saving throw. Automatically takes out any foe without magic resistance, and by the time you get level 9 spells even a fairly high MR will be no match. Unlike PW:K, foe's hit points are irrelevant. Totally unsure why this is getting so little love. Unfamiliarity perhaps?
2. Prismatic Sphere: Best defensive spell, hands-down. Essentially impossible to bring down w/o Rod of Cancellation. Great duration too!
3. Shape Change: Change into ANYTHING! Titan, Iron Golem, Troll, you name it. So versatile.
4. Time Stop: Buying some time to get off a spell is the best thing that can happen to a mage.
5. Wish: Since it can duplicate any other spell, I don't see how this could not be Top 5.
Others:
- Astral Spell: Let the cleric take it, or use of the many devices out there
- Bigby's: Meh.
- Crystalbrittle: Yawn. Situational, and redundant after Polymorph Any Object (while not permanent, who cares? Plenty of time to do what you need to do). Must touch the object in question too. Boo!
- Energy Drain: Far more useful to an NPC mage, since the effects really only hit home in the long-term. Requires a To Hit roll too! Except for goth-kids who dream of being some Dark Uberl33t Necromancer, I can't imagine anyone getting excited if this was their only Level 9 spell.
- Gate: Love this spell, but would rather the cleric take it to free up the mage for more useful stuff.
- Imprisonment: Again, requires a touch. Why would a mage be ANYWHERE near touch-distance for a creature powerful enough to require this spell, even if he could actually make the touch with his wretched Thaco? Plus, you have to spend a round of casting time. Yech.
- Meteor Swarm: He has plenty of nuclear weapons from lower level spells, he doesn't need another.
- Monster Summoning VII: Only marginally more powerful than the ones that came before - and he'll have more slots to use on the lower-level ones.
- Mordenkainen's Disjunction: Yay, let's destroy all the loot on purpose!
- Power Word: Kill: Almost picked this one, but decided Temporal Stasis was better for taking out a baddie. 60 hp minimum is tricky. Can take out multiples, but only if they have 10 or less HP. Yawn.
- Succor: Word of Recall given to others? Very nice actually, but takes a day for each casting. Again, I'd rather have the cleric do this.
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by genghisdon » Sat May 16, 2009 2:21 am
astral spell is vastly better than planeshifting, you get to adventure with almost no risk of death. It's in my top 5, I couldn't care less about clerics also getting it. I have played in large VHL parties without clerics L16+/18+ wisdom, I wouldn't count on them being around ever & prefer to be in charge of my own spell rather than a religous zealot.(Unless I'm playing the religous zealot of course ) Shapechange is far & away the #1 spell, it is so good it shatters the game into tiny pieces. No aging spell makes my list, casting a wish or gate gets you killed sooner or later, though they would enter after #5
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by garhkal » Sat May 16, 2009 5:42 am
I thnk why there is not as much love for time stop is some rule that while it is active you cannot affect those under the influence it.
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by Madalch » Sat May 16, 2009 6:37 am
Crystalbrittle and energy drain are the worst ninth level spells around. With crystalbrittle, you get to make an object fragile enough to break- why not just disintegrate the thing and be done with it? With energy drain, you run the risk of losing one of your own levels- sod that!
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by PaladinesAngel » Sat May 16, 2009 7:39 am
Imprisonment. Sure its a touch spell, but we discount armour as its literally touching someone, not hitting them where it hurts. PLUS no save and lasts forever. And i have always loved it since kelek got bitten by Venger in the D&D cartoon.
Prismatic Sphere. Totally any wizards first choice. Completely secure, can be made permenant, only you can enter and exit safely, can cast you spells without fear of interruption just by sticking your hand through. NICE.
Succor. This spell is AMAZING! A: you dont have to memorize it so it doesnt take up a spell slot. B: its like a word of recall for whoever. C: potentially Everyone could have one, even the magicuser himself set to his home sanctuary, even into his permenant prismatic sphere in his tower where his permenant unseen servant waits with a potion of life or healing or whatever, Love it.
Temporal stasis. Another fab no save lasts forever spell. Not looking as dramatic but still a bloody good thing all told.
Wish. Ultimate life saver, but with the aging not something any mage would use willy nilly. Same with gate. The aging and chance of instant death isnt something very versatile. But its a must just in case.
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by zarathustra » Sat May 16, 2009 11:06 am
I've never cast a 9th level spell as player or dm but the one I covet is wish. Its versatility is obvious and it plays fun in the sense that casting it right (wording etc) is a little sense of achievement in itself.
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by ken-do-nim » Sat May 16, 2009 11:18 am
PaladinesAngel wrote: Succor. This spell is AMAZING! A: you dont have to memorize it so it doesnt take up a spell slot. B: its like a word of recall for whoever. C: potentially Everyone could have one, even the magicuser himself set to his home sanctuary, even into his permenant prismatic sphere in his tower where his permenant unseen servant waits with a potion of life or healing or whatever, Love it.
I never thought of it like that. Huh. I guess I always felt the magic-user has contingency for emergencies, but giving a succor to everyone in the party is mighty handy.
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by genghisdon » Sat May 16, 2009 12:18 pm
Madalch wrote: Crystalbrittle and energy drain are the worst ninth level spells around. With crystalbrittle, you get to make an object fragile enough to break- why not just disintegrate the thing and be done with it? With energy drain, you run the risk of losing one of your own levels- sod that!
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by genghisdon » Sat May 16, 2009 12:35 pm
ken-do-nim wrote:PaladinesAngel wrote: Succor. This spell is AMAZING! A: you dont have to memorize it so it doesnt take up a spell slot. B: its like a word of recall for whoever. C: potentially Everyone could have one, even the magicuser himself set to his home sanctuary, even into his permenant prismatic sphere in his tower where his permenant unseen servant waits with a potion of life or healing or whatever, Love it.
I never thought of it like that. Huh. I guess I always felt the magic-user has contingency for emergencies, but giving a succor to everyone in the party is mighty handy.
It is very good, a 1 shot magic item essentially. I prefer 18+ mages to make their items via item creation, however. This is more UA non-goodness, though I have much experiance w the spell from 1.5e to TETSNBN. It really IS useful (& anoying). The cleric version is better & the reverse of the spell saw more use. The only good thing I can say, is that it makes a good reward for players from powerful NPC's/Monsters, esp the reverse again. Being able to bring His Venerable Reverance Hazen to the party for aid & "succor" is a sweet reward for those deserving heroes.
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by ken-do-nim » Sat May 16, 2009 6:38 pm
genghisdon wrote: ken-do-nim wrote:PaladinesAngel wrote: Succor. This spell is AMAZING! A: you dont have to memorize it so it doesnt take up a spell slot. B: its like a word of recall for whoever. C: potentially Everyone could have one, even the magicuser himself set to his home sanctuary, even into his permenant prismatic sphere in his tower where his permenant unseen servant waits with a potion of life or healing or whatever, Love it.
I never thought of it like that. Huh. I guess I always felt the magic-user has contingency for emergencies, but giving a succor to everyone in the party is mighty handy.
It is very good, a 1 shot magic item essentially. I prefer 18+ mages to make their items via item creation, however. This is more UA non-goodness, though I have much experiance w the spell from 1.5e to TETSNBN. It really IS useful (& anoying). The cleric version is better & the reverse of the spell saw more use. The only good thing I can say, is that it makes a good reward for players from powerful NPC's/Monsters, esp the reverse again. Being able to bring His Venerable Reverance Hazen to the party for aid & "succor" is a sweet reward for those deserving heroes.
Last I checked, Hazen is still suffering from the effects of a temporal stasis spell cast by Tul-Oc-Luc on the Mitrik Commons. Ah, the memories
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Re: Top 5 best level 9 magic-user spells
Post by genghisdon » Sat May 16, 2009 8:01 pm
Not for long, once the gallant heroes call him up with the R succor spell he gave um!
I'll bite: who is Tul-Oc-Luc?
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Chapter 3: Feats
It was during this time that the infamous grimoire, the Key of Solomon, was translated into English, further fueling the fascination with ritual magic. However, the practice of magic in England was not without controversy. The witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries saw many innocent men and women accused of practicing dark magic and consorting with demons. These trials were fueled by superstition, fear, and a lack of understanding of the true nature of ritual magic. Many lives were lost as a result, and the practice of magic went underground, taking on a more secretive and clandestine nature. In the 19th and 20th centuries, ritual magic experienced a resurgence in England, with the rise of various occult societies and magical orders. Figures such as Aleister Crowley, Dion Fortune, and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn played significant roles in reinvigorating the study and practice of ritual magic. Their teachings and writings continue to influence modern magical traditions to this day. Today, ritual magic in England continues to thrive, with numerous individuals and groups exploring its mysteries and incorporating its teachings into their spiritual practices. From ancient incantations to complex ceremonial rituals, the history of ritual magic in England is a testament to humanity's eternal fascination with the supernatural and our ceaseless quest for spiritual enlightenment..
Reviews for "Modern-day Ritual Magic in England: Continuing the Ancient Tradition"
1. Emma - 2/5: As someone who has a genuine interest in the history of magic and witchcraft, I was excited to delve into "The History of Ritual Magic in England." However, I was quite disappointed with the content and presentation of the book. The writing felt dry and lacked the storytelling element that I was hoping for. Additionally, I found the information to be repetitive and lacking depth. Overall, while the book may serve as a general overview for beginners, it fails to captivate and provide any substantial insights for someone seeking a deeper understanding of ritual magic in England.
2. John - 3/5: While "The History of Ritual Magic in England" covers a wide range of topics related to ritual magic, I found it to be a rather disjointed read. The book jumps from one era to another without providing a smooth transition or clear connection between them. This made it difficult for me to follow the narrative and fully grasp the evolution of ritual magic in England. Additionally, I felt that the author's bias towards certain practices and interpretations was evident throughout the text, which limited the objective analysis of the subject matter. Overall, I believe this book could benefit from better organization and a more balanced perspective.
3. Sarah - 2/5: As someone who enjoys books on history and occult practices, I had high hopes for "The History of Ritual Magic in England." However, I was sorely disappointed with the lack of depth and supporting evidence provided in the book. The author's claims and interpretations often felt speculative and unsubstantiated, leaving me questioning the reliability of the information presented. Furthermore, the writing style was overly academic and jargon-filled, making it a challenging read for those who don't have a background in the subject. Overall, this book fell short of my expectations in terms of both content and accessibility.
4. David - 2/5: "The History of Ritual Magic in England" promised an intriguing exploration of a fascinating topic, but it failed to deliver. The book felt more like a collection of loosely related anecdotes rather than a cohesive narrative. The lack of clear organization made it difficult to follow the timeline and understand the progression of ritual magic practices in England. Additionally, I found the writing to be overly verbose and unnecessarily complex, making it hard to engage with the material. Overall, I was disappointed with the lack of structure and readability of this book on a subject that has the potential to be incredibly captivating.