Ok, I've been searching in SR4A for this, but can't seem to find anything that answers this:

Can a Ritual Spell be cast more than once in the same ritual?

Given how it's phrased in the rulebook, it sounds like after you do the Ritual, all the participating magicians all take Drain the equivalent of casting the spell normally...but it's the Drain if the spell was cast once.

Naturally, Ritual Spells would be a death trap if the Drain was cumulative every time you cast a spell within on ritual, and no one would use it even if the situation arose for its usefulness.

Still, doesn't hurt to check. Otherwise, it would kind of suck if you cast the spell once and it automatically broke the ritual, even if the target didn't go down.

And if you were wondering why I would need to know if you can cast a Ritual spell multiple times in one ritual, all I will say is.....magic artillery.

... Are you talking about Multicasting with Ritual Spellcasting? Technically you could, since Ritual Spellcasting states it works like Spellcasting and Multicasting is a sub-heading for Spellcasting. Just remember that you're also increasing the Drain of each spell for everyone involved also.

you can cast one spell. only one. the big thing about ritual casting is you can cast it without seeing the target yourself and the fact you get (as the main caster) extra dice added to your DP based on the hits of the other mages participating. nothing says you cannot redo the ritual again though.

When casting begins, the dice pool is equal to the leader’s
Magic + Ritual Spellcasting. Each additional member of the
team makes a Magic + Ritual Spellcasting test as if they were
casting the spell; their net hits are added as dice pool bonus to
the leader’s Ritual Spellcasting dice pool (see Teamwork Tests, p
59). Individuals may use foci to supplement their own tests.

Step 1: Choose a Spell.
Step 2: Choose the Force up to the caster’s
Magic attribute (unless overcasting—
see p. 172).
Step 3: Choose a Target within the caster’s line
of sight.
Step 4: Roll Magic + Spellcasting.
Step 5: Determine Effect (see spell description).
Step 6: Roll Willpower + attribute to resist
Drain.
Step 7: Determine Ongoing Effects (–2 sustaining
modifier).

Edit: nothing says you cannot affect multiple targets with the same spell by splitting the dp.

What is this multi-casting that you speak of? Book title and page number, pretty please.

Citation? Because in my book it says that Ritual Spellcasting works just like Spellcasting except for the specific differences noted in the book (SR4A, page 184, Ritual Spellcasting, first sentence). Further, it says the actual spellcasting process is the exact same as Spellcasting except as further noted by the text (primarily about the time and Ritual leader: SR4A, page 185, Casting a Ritual Spell, first paragraph, first sentence).

Can you cast more than one spell per IP? Not that I know of. Several times it also references a spell. Not spells. The time required for tgr ritual is the equvilant of casting a normal spell in your IP.not with books just ATM now.

Yes, you can... it is called Multi-Casting.

You can Cast 2 Stun Bolts at two different Targets...
OR
You can cast a Fireball (on the Target on the roof), a Levitate (on yourself as you leap off the building) and an Extended Detect Enemies (on yourself to determine what you will be facing when you land) all at the same time, should you be willing to split your pools appropriately and soak the horrendous drain involved. Of course, doing so means that you will likely be horrendously less effective than if you cast a single spell, but one does not always have a choice in these matters. *shrug*

Sometimes you need to cast a Levitate Spell on all members of your team simultaneously or watch them all fry in the impact of multiple missile strikes as you leap off the building, saving only yourself.

I knew you could split a spell via splitting the dp. I did not know you could cast several different spells At one time what book and what page is it at as this sounds nifty. Though I still believe ritual casting is one spell unless someone can find something otherwise stating. Of course I believe this only because of how most of the wording is written throughout the section, the way it increases the potential power of the spell, and a few other things. I cannot say that I remember anywhere that it says you cannot cast multiple spells in the section. Even if you can I still believe you get one cast. Such as one cast whether split or not. Per IP for normal casting.

EDIT: forgot I had this on a phone here is something

CASTING A RITUAL SPELL SR4E A. page 185.

Ritual spellcasting is carried out in the same manner as spellcasting except the ritual Requires twelve hours, minus the leaders magic (minimum of one hour)
Ritual Spellcasting can be either a success test or an Opposed test depending on the spell in question and whether the target can resist it. (see Spells, P.87)

note it says requires 12 hours. not that it CAN last that long. it seems to me that it is requiring that amount of time per one casting. now whether you can split the DP to cast several DIFFERENT spells I do not know. though I would rule no. since once again I believe it is one spell per ritual.

also never mind about multiple casting seems I read over it the first time. silly me.

Please read your highlight again. It does not require 12 Hours... It requires 12 Hours minus the Leaders Magic Rating. So the time is variable, and in fact will never take longer than 11 Hours (for those mages with only a magic Rating of 1).

Wait a sec, I thought the 12 hours or less thing was how long it took to prepare the Ritual, not how long the Ritual lasts?

Sorry I meant it to point out that it required an amount of time per casting. Not 12 hours every time per say. I had not thought it was confusing and I apologize.

From what I can remeber it seems to imply that the spell must be cast during the ritual. Correct me on that if I am wrong.

Well, the Ritual Takes What it takes. Whether you consider that prep work leading up to the actual spell, or whether you consider that to be the time the actual ritual spellcasting takes, is really irrelevant in the end. If you are interrupted during that time and the Ritualist stops the ritual, then it has come to a close and Drain is had by everyone involved. Hope you have someone there to keep them off of you until the ritual ends.

But from what I have seen of RL Ritual practices, I have always considered it as actual casting times, not prep work.

Was not confusing to me, just wanted to point it out, is all. The Ritual IS the spell, writ large.

Raiden: re-read what I referenced from the BBB - Ritual Spellcasting is handled like normal spellcasting except for the differences; namely in time cast, LoS requirements, number of participants and Drain allocation. Since it uses the rest of the exact same rules as Spellcasting, and since Multicasting is a subheading of those rules, Multicasting can be used while casting a Ritual Spell.

It never states that it is just like it except for named differences per say but that's just being worse than a lawyer . Even so. You have to pick the spells at the start. Not just say. Oh. It didn't work cast another. Which is what I was meaning I just poorly worded posts.