Spells As Rituals

On paper, I like what Wizards is doing with transforming some types of spells into rituals. It may not appeal to the power-gaming wizard-players amongst us but I think it adds another tactical layer, as well as some flavor, to the game.

First of all, as a ritual, a spell causes players to use time. Thus, a ritual can't be undertaken lightly: it must be planned, its risk weighed against the reward. Because the action spends time, place is also important. Is the location secure? How exposed is the spellcaster and any helpers?

By putting the players in a place for a period of time, NPCs are given latitude in reacting to the ritual. Does an NPC overhear a ritual and choose to try and stop it? Do they choose to change their tactics? By the same token, NPCs must also take the time and choose the place to perform a ritual. Players can use that to their advantage, should they discover it.

From a pure power-gaming aspect, all rituals do is slow down wizards. If Knock takes ten minutes to cast, it's effectiveness in a dungeon is greatly diluted. However, by doing so, it restores some power to the rogue and other "specialty" classes who previously could easily become overshadowed by a wizard with an arcane utility belt.

I also like the flavor of ritual. It lends the spells cast a more mystical aspect that had been lost through the wizard's ability to spam spells at the speed of sound across the landscape. A ritual as a sense of power about it, even if the actual effect is anything but powerful.

Having said all of the above, I haven't yet played the system so, on a practical level, I don't know whether or not this works. I am, however, ready to try it. I like the idea and I'm hopeful that, power-gaming arguments aside, that rituals will make the game a deeper experience to play from either player or GM side of the table.