Epic questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Epic questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
tos_shai_hulud
06-15-07, 08:18 AM Familiar Spell:

According to the SRD, I can choose any spell up to eighth level which normally has no material component or XP component as a spell-like ability once per day for my familiar. If I have the Ignore Material Components epic feat, would that include all spells that do not possess an XP component? What if the spell had a focus? Ignore Material Component does not ignore a focus, Familiar Spell does not mention a focus, and spell-like abilities do not use a focus. Was this an oversight?

Polymorph Any Object:
I am playing a level 100 game, so I chose a Rogue 3/Fighter 2/Wizard 5/Eldridtch Knight 10/Arcane Trickster 80. We are trying out epic rules to see how well it plays. Anyway, I had the idea of using Polymorph Any Object on my familiar to turn it into a mount. My familiar is a pseudodragon (Improved Familiar feat). With polymorph any object, I can turn my familiar into a true dragon with the stats of a 15 HD dragon (like the Bronze Dragon, which is Large at that age category). The change is permanent (Same kingdom +5, Same class +2, Same or lower Intelligence +2). Now, my familiar has an intelligence of 53 at that level (I took the Obtain Familiar feat from Complete Arcane to add my Eldridtch Knight and Arcane Trickster levels as familiar levels). Polymorph any object gives the familiar the intelligence of the new creature. By virtue of being a familiar, would he retain his 53 intelligence, or would the polymorph any object give him the intelligence of whatever creature he is polymorphed into? Would the familiar bond be broken by the spell since bronze dragons of that age category can not be familiars without a special feat?
Marcus Majarra
06-15-07, 02:12 PM On familiar spell, it doesn't. Just because you can ignore material components doesn't change the fact that a spell would have material components in the first place. As for whether spells with focus components, they are free game for familiar spell. Whether it's an oversight or not is not known.

On polymorph any object, the familiar would gain the intelligence of whatever form it was transmuted to. The familiar wouldn't be broken either. Polymorph any object is dispellable, which could downsize your pet dragon substantially.
tos_shai_hulud
06-15-07, 09:38 PM That kind of makes for a fun start to a campaign. I start everyone as normal humans. I don't tell them what is going on. In reality, the ruler of the kingdom is Lawful Evil. He has proclaimed that there must be equality for all. As soon as a child is born within his kingdom, he targets the child with a polymorph any object spell, changing it into an adult human. No messy childhoods, no differences in physical abilities, no differences in intelligence. Everyone is absolutely average (except for wisdom and charisma). I like it :)
tos_shai_hulud
06-15-07, 11:07 PM Ooh, big question....

The caster cannot somehow avoid or make him or her self immune to backlash damage. For spells with durations longer than instantaneous, the backlash damage is per round. If backlash damage kills a caster, no spell or method exists that will return life to the caster’s body without costing the caster a level—not even wish, true resurrection, miracle, or epic spells that return life to the deceased. Spells that normally penalize the recipient one level when they return him or her to life penalize a caster killed by backlash two levels.

This description is confusing. Is the backlash dealt every round of casting? Or is it every round that the spell is active? If it is every round that the spell is active, then there are some problems with a lot of those epic spells. Just look at Enslave. Cast it, and unless you have fast healing 12, eventually you are going to die from backlash.
NoldorForce
06-15-07, 11:29 PM Every round that the spell is active. Which is why you should attempt to manage to make it Instantaneous. One of the books out there includes it as an ad-hoc multiplier; the consensus (from what I can tell) seems to be that it's either x10 or x2 when applied to something that is already Permanent (which requires x5).

Keep in mind that many of the example epic spells are stinkers, by the way.
tos_shai_hulud
06-16-07, 12:23 AM Was backlash meant to be useless for most spells? I mean, 17 of the seeds have non-instantaneous durations, while only 10 have instantaneous ones (there are some seeds which can be both instantaneous or non-instantaneous). But the point is, a large majority do not have instantaneous durations, and may cannot, even if you wanted them to (it doesn't make sense for an instantaneous ward seed that makes a character immune to spells, especially since instantaneous effects cannot be dispelled by any means).
tos_shai_hulud
06-18-07, 09:37 PM Another question:

Can I use the spell-like abilities granted by familiar spell to satisfy a ritual component of a spellcaster giving up an 8th level spell slot? For instance, I give my familiar Polymorph Any Object as a spell-like ability once per day. I decide to cast an epic spell that requires one caster to use an 8th level spell slot. Does my familiar's spell-like ability of Polymorph Any Object qualify as an 8th level spell slot?
lears_fool
06-18-07, 10:14 PM Another question:

Can I use the spell-like abilities granted by familiar spell to satisfy a ritual component of a spellcaster giving up an 8th level spell slot? For instance, I give my familiar Polymorph Any Object as a spell-like ability once per day. I decide to cast an epic spell that requires one caster to use an 8th level spell slot. Does my familiar's spell-like ability of Polymorph Any Object qualify as an 8th level spell slot?
Technically no. If it's a spell like ability it's no longer in a 'spell slot'.
Kuronue
06-18-07, 11:36 PM Here's a question I've been wondering: at level 100, do 3 levels of rogue really make a difference at all? I gather you took them to qualify for your PrC, but I was curious if they then cease to matter once you qualify, or if you somehow manage to work them in
tos_shai_hulud
06-18-07, 11:44 PM Oh, they absolutely matter. My character has 42d6 sneak attack, a caster level of 94 (with Practiced Spellcaster, it is treated as 98), a +16 BAB (courtesy of the two levels of fighter), Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, and a whole slew of arcane feats. While he does not have as much proficiency with magic as a straight wizard would, he is quite potent in many fields. Having Use Magic Device as a class skill allows him a great deal more versitility, as well. With Craft Staff and Master staff, Craft Wand and Master Wand, etc., he can cast any spell from a wand by expending a spell of equal or higher level. I equipped him with a Staff of Life, so he can cast a level 13 heal spell so long as he has a 6th level or higher arcane spell available to trade-in.

All in all, rogue comes quite in handy. I missed out on Uncanny Dodge, but I don't particularly miss it.
Kuronue
06-18-07, 11:47 PM Ah, that's right, things stack with it! And of course normal people play with silly things like "class skills" (I'm actually smacking my forehead at this point, because I forget things like this after 2 straight campaigns, each running for years, where I houseruled that all skills are class skills). Thanks for answering me

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
tos_shai_hulud 06-15-07, 08:18 AM	Familiar Spell: According to the SRD, I can choose any spell up to eighth level which normally has no material component or XP component as a spell-like ability once per day for my familiar. If I have the Ignore Material Components epic feat, would that include all spells that do not possess an XP component? What if the spell had a focus? Ignore Material Component does not ignore a focus, Familiar Spell does not mention a focus, and spell-like abilities do not use a focus. Was this an oversight? Polymorph Any Object: I am playing a level 100 game, so I chose a Rogue 3/Fighter 2/Wizard 5/Eldridtch Knight 10/Arcane Trickster 80. We are trying out epic rules to see how well it plays. Anyway, I had the idea of using Polymorph Any Object on my familiar to turn it into a mount. My familiar is a pseudodragon (Improved Familiar feat). With polymorph any object, I can turn my familiar into a true dragon with the stats of a 15 HD dragon (like the Bronze Dragon, which is Large at that age category). The change is permanent (Same kingdom +5, Same class +2, Same or lower Intelligence +2). Now, my familiar has an intelligence of 53 at that level (I took the Obtain Familiar feat from Complete Arcane to add my Eldridtch Knight and Arcane Trickster levels as familiar levels). Polymorph any object gives the familiar the intelligence of the new creature. By virtue of being a familiar, would he retain his 53 intelligence, or would the polymorph any object give him the intelligence of whatever creature he is polymorphed into? Would the familiar bond be broken by the spell since bronze dragons of that age category can not be familiars without a special feat?
Marcus Majarra 06-15-07, 02:12 PM	On familiar spell, it doesn't. Just because you can ignore material components doesn't change the fact that a spell would have material components in the first place. As for whether spells with focus components, they are free game for familiar spell. Whether it's an oversight or not is not known. On polymorph any object, the familiar would gain the intelligence of whatever form it was transmuted to. The familiar wouldn't be broken either. Polymorph any object is dispellable, which could downsize your pet dragon substantially.
tos_shai_hulud 06-15-07, 09:38 PM	That kind of makes for a fun start to a campaign. I start everyone as normal humans. I don't tell them what is going on. In reality, the ruler of the kingdom is Lawful Evil. He has proclaimed that there must be equality for all. As soon as a child is born within his kingdom, he targets the child with a polymorph any object spell, changing it into an adult human. No messy childhoods, no differences in physical abilities, no differences in intelligence. Everyone is absolutely average (except for wisdom and charisma). I like it :)
tos_shai_hulud 06-15-07, 11:07 PM	Ooh, big question.... The caster cannot somehow avoid or make him or her self immune to backlash damage. For spells with durations longer than instantaneous, the backlash damage is per round. If backlash damage kills a caster, no spell or method exists that will return life to the caster’s body without costing the caster a level—not even wish, true resurrection, miracle, or epic spells that return life to the deceased. Spells that normally penalize the recipient one level when they return him or her to life penalize a caster killed by backlash two levels. This description is confusing. Is the backlash dealt every round of casting? Or is it every round that the spell is active? If it is every round that the spell is active, then there are some problems with a lot of those epic spells. Just look at Enslave. Cast it, and unless you have fast healing 12, eventually you are going to die from backlash.
NoldorForce 06-15-07, 11:29 PM	Every round that the spell is active. Which is why you should attempt to manage to make it Instantaneous. One of the books out there includes it as an ad-hoc multiplier; the consensus (from what I can tell) seems to be that it's either x10 or x2 when applied to something that is already Permanent (which requires x5). Keep in mind that many of the example epic spells are stinkers, by the way.
tos_shai_hulud 06-16-07, 12:23 AM	Was backlash meant to be useless for most spells? I mean, 17 of the seeds have non-instantaneous durations, while only 10 have instantaneous ones (there are some seeds which can be both instantaneous or non-instantaneous). But the point is, a large majority do not have instantaneous durations, and may cannot, even if you wanted them to (it doesn't make sense for an instantaneous ward seed that makes a character immune to spells, especially since instantaneous effects cannot be dispelled by any means).
tos_shai_hulud 06-18-07, 09:37 PM	Another question: Can I use the spell-like abilities granted by familiar spell to satisfy a ritual component of a spellcaster giving up an 8th level spell slot? For instance, I give my familiar Polymorph Any Object as a spell-like ability once per day. I decide to cast an epic spell that requires one caster to use an 8th level spell slot. Does my familiar's spell-like ability of Polymorph Any Object qualify as an 8th level spell slot?
lears_fool 06-18-07, 10:14 PM	Another question: Can I use the spell-like abilities granted by familiar spell to satisfy a ritual component of a spellcaster giving up an 8th level spell slot? For instance, I give my familiar Polymorph Any Object as a spell-like ability once per day. I decide to cast an epic spell that requires one caster to use an 8th level spell slot. Does my familiar's spell-like ability of Polymorph Any Object qualify as an 8th level spell slot? Technically no. If it's a spell like ability it's no longer in a 'spell slot'.
Kuronue 06-18-07, 11:36 PM	Here's a question I've been wondering: at level 100, do 3 levels of rogue really make a difference at all? I gather you took them to qualify for your PrC, but I was curious if they then cease to matter once you qualify, or if you somehow manage to work them in
tos_shai_hulud 06-18-07, 11:44 PM	Oh, they absolutely matter. My character has 42d6 sneak attack, a caster level of 94 (with Practiced Spellcaster, it is treated as 98), a +16 BAB (courtesy of the two levels of fighter), Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, and a whole slew of arcane feats. While he does not have as much proficiency with magic as a straight wizard would, he is quite potent in many fields. Having Use Magic Device as a class skill allows him a great deal more versitility, as well. With Craft Staff and Master staff, Craft Wand and Master Wand, etc., he can cast any spell from a wand by expending a spell of equal or higher level. I equipped him with a Staff of Life, so he can cast a level 13 heal spell so long as he has a 6th level or higher arcane spell available to trade-in. All in all, rogue comes quite in handy. I missed out on Uncanny Dodge, but I don't particularly miss it.
Kuronue 06-18-07, 11:47 PM	Ah, that's right, things stack with it! And of course normal people play with silly things like "class skills" (I'm actually smacking my forehead at this point, because I forget things like this after 2 straight campaigns, each running for years, where I houseruled that all skills are class skills). Thanks for answering me