Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Paladin's Pride 01-26-07, 05:52 PM	Well, I thought I'd put down what I've been coming up with for my own personal epic rules. I'd appreciate any feedback you guys have and I hope maybe folks can mine one or two ideas out of what I came up with. Some of this is borrowed from or inspired by other sources, when it is, I try to give credit. REVISED NON-EPIC RULES A paladin’s divine grace now counts as a luck bonus. Design Notes: An unnamed bonus with no cap means that a paladin will eventually make all saves on a natural 2 that others may only make on a natural 20. This change allows paladins to keep their morbidly high saving throws but allows other characters a means of closing the gap (by having a luck bonus to their saving throws). Removing Immunities Much of these ideas are heavily drawn from www.immortalshandbook.com, which spent much time addressing the problem of immunities at epic. By epic levels, the number of attacks a player will regularly be immune to has grown staggering. This chokes the life from the game and causes a great deal of frustration among some types of characters (most rogues become more and more annoyed at the number of opponents immune to critical hits at high levels). These changes are meant to help keep epic viable by allowing most types of attacks to remain effective. Immunity is Replaced by a quality known as Protection from X (i.e. protection from death effects, protection from transmutation, etc.) Protection does the following: --A character gains a +10 bonus to all saving throws against the appropriate type of attack. In rare cases, this bonus may be higher. --A character always gains a saving throw against an effect of the appropriate type, even if a saving throw is not normally granted. --A character does not automatically fail on a natural 1. --A successful saving throw eliminates any partial effects the attack would normally have (such as the 5d6 damage on a successful saving throw from disintegrate. A few types of immunity works differently: protection from critical hits. In this case the character receives a +10 bonus to their AC for the purposes of confirming a critical hit. In the case of sneak attack and other such effects, the character only deals sneak attack damage when she beats the target’s AC by more than 10. Immunity to an energy type is usually replaced by resistance to that energy type (usually 50 if the CR of the creature is 1-9, 100 if the CR is 10-15, and 150 if the CR is 16-20, +50 for every 5 points of CR above 16). If the immunity extended from a subtype (such as fire or cold) the creature also only takes half damage from that type of energy (in addition to having resistance appropriate for its CR). In rare cases where the creature is made of the element (such as in the case of elementals), immunity is retained. Some immunities are maintained and not changed to protection. --creatures that lack an ability score retain immunities that stem from this quality. Likewise, creatures who are immune to an attack on the basis of lacking a certain organ or sense retain this immunity (such as a grimlock being immune to visual effects). --undead retain all their immunities based on type, except immunity to critical hits, which becomes protection. Incorporeal undead retain immunity to critical hits. Undead who have additional immunities have these changed to protection accordingly. --constructs and plants remain immune to mind-affecting abilities --oozes remain immune to critical hits. ALTERED SPELLS Most of these spells were altered to eliminate immunities and impossible to avoid effects, which detract from epic level play. Death effects, as well as charm and dominate effects, were altered so that a powerful opponent could not easily be defeated by one failed saving throw, as this reduces the value of characters whose primary function is to deal damage (i.e. fighter,s barbarians, etc.). Negative energy effects were altered because they become broken when large amounts of metamagic are applied. A few spells remain to be converted, most notably Antimagic Field and Mordekainen’s Disjunction. Baleful Polymorph Transmutation Level: Drd 5, Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One creature Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: Fortitude negates, Will partial; see text Spell Resistance: Yes As polymorph, except that on a failed fortitude save roll 3d6/level (maximum 45d6) and total the result. If the sum exceeds the subject’s current hit points, you change the subject into a Small or smaller animal of no more than 1 HD. If the new form would prove fatal to the creature the subject gets a +4 bonus on the save. If the spell succeeds, the subject must also make a Will save. If this second save fails, the creature loses its extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities, loses its ability to cast spells (if it had the ability), and gains the alignment, special abilities, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores of its new form in place of its own. It still retains its class and level (or HD), as well as all benefits deriving therefrom (such as base attack bonus, base save bonuses, and hit points). It retains any class features (other than spellcasting) that aren’t extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-like abilities. Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to being polymorphed, and a creature with the shapechanger subtype can revert to its natural form as a standard action. Charm Animal Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting] Level: Drd 1, Rgr 1 Target: One animal with no more than 10HD. This spell functions like charm person, except that it affects a creature of the animal type. Charm Monster Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting] Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 4 Target: One living creature with no more than 20HD. Duration: One day/level This spell functions like charm person, except that the effect is not restricted by creature type or size and the target may have up to 20 hit dice. Charm Monster, Mass Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting] Level: Brd 6, Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V Targets: One or more creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart Duration: One day/level This spell functions like charm monster, except that mass charm monster affects a number of creatures whose combined HD do not exceed twice your level (to a maximum of 40HD). If there are more potential targets than you can affect, you choose them one at a time until you choose a creature with too many HD. Charm Person Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting] Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One humanoid creature with no more than 10HD. Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target’s attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw. The spell does not enable you to control the charmed person as if it were an automaton, but it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn’t ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed person breaks the spell. You must speak the person’s language to communicate your commands, or else be good at pantomiming. Death Ward Necromancy Level: Clr 4, Death 4, Drd 5, Pal 4 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Living creature touched Duration: 1 min./level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) The subject gains protection against all death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and any negative energy effects. Against such effects the subject gains a +10 bonus to saving throws, does not automatically fail on a natural one, and always receives a saving throw against the effect, even ones that normally do not grant a save (in which case the subject makes a fortitude saving throw). This spell doesn’t remove negative levels that the subject has already gained, nor does it affect the saving throw necessary 24 hours after gaining a negative level. Death ward does not protect against other sorts of attacks even if those attacks might be lethal. Dimensional Lock Abjuration Level: Clr 8, Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: 20-ft.-radius emanation centered on a point in space Duration: One day/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes You create a shimmering emerald barrier that completely blocks extradimensional travel. Forms of movement barred include astral projection, blink, dimension door, ethereal jaunt, etherealness, gate, maze, plane shift, shadow walk, teleport, and similar spell-like or psionic abilities. Once dimensional lock is in place, extradimensional travel into or out of the area is not normally possible. However, an extradimensional travel effect that normally has no chance of failure and a caster level of at least 10 higher than the caster level of dimensional lock works normally within the radius of the spell. A dimensional lock does not interfere with the movement of creatures already in ethereal or astral form when the spell is cast, nor does it block extradimensional perception or attack forms. Also, the spell does not prevent summoned creatures from disappearing at the end of a summoning spell. Discern Location Divination Level: Clr 8, Knowledge 8, Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Unlimited Target: One creature or object Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Will negates (see text) Spell Resistance: No A discern location spell is among the most powerful means of locating creatures or objects. On a failed saving throw you learn the exact location of a single individual or object. You gain a +10 bonus to the DC of the willpower saving throw needed to resist this spell. If the target succeeds on this saving throw, it is immune to all further discern location attempts by you for 24 hours. Discern location automatically rolls a natural 20 on any checks needed for interacting with normal means of protection from scrying or location, and the caster is treated as being under the effects of a true seeing spell for the purposes of seeing through illusions that interfere with the spell. The spell reveals the name of the creature or object’s location (place, name, business name, building name, or the like), community, county (or similar political division), country, continent, and the plane of existence where the target lies. To find a creature with the spell, you must have seen the creature or have some item that once belonged to it. To find an object, you must have touched it at least once. Dominate Monster Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Level: Sor/Wiz 9 Target: One creature with no more than 40HD This spell functions like dominate person, except that the spell is not restricted by creature type and the creature may have up to 40 hit dice. Dominate Person Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Level: Brd 4, Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 round Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One humanoid with no more than 25HD Duration: One day/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes You can control the actions of any humanoid creature through a telepathic link that you establish with the subject’s mind. If you and the subject have a common language, you can generally force the subject to perform as you desire, within the limits of its abilities. If no common language exists, you can communicate only basic commands, such as “Come here,” “Go there,” “Fight,” and “Stand still.” You know what the subject is experiencing, but you do not receive direct sensory input from it, nor can it communicate with you telepathically. Once you have given a dominated creature a command, it continues to attempt to carry out that command to the exclusion of all other activities except those necessary for day-to-day survival (such as sleeping, eating, and so forth). Because of this limited range of activity, a Sense Motive check against DC 15 (rather than DC 25) can determine that the subject’s behavior is being influenced by an enchantment effect (see the Sense Motive skill description). Changing your instructions or giving a dominated creature a new command is the equivalent of redirecting a spell, so it is a move action. By concentrating fully on the spell (a standard action), you can receive full sensory input as interpreted by the mind of the subject, though it still can’t communicate with you. You can’t actually see through the subject’s eyes, so it’s not as good as being there yourself, but you still get a good idea of what’s going on. Subjects resist this control, and any subject forced to take actions against its nature receives a new saving throw with a +2 bonus. Obviously self-destructive orders are not carried out. Once control is established, the range at which it can be exercised is unlimited, as long as you and the subject are on the same plane. You need not see the subject to control it. If you don’t spend at least 1 round concentrating on the spell each day, the subject receives a new saving throw to throw off the domination. Protection from evil or a similar spell can prevent you from exercising control or using the telepathic link while the subject is so warded, but such an effect neither prevents the establishment of domination nor dispels it. Energy Drain Necromancy Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9 Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text for enervation This spell functions like enervation, except that the creature struck gains 6 negative levels, and the negative levels last longer. There is no saving throw to avoid gaining the negative levels, but 24 hours after gaining them, the subject must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC = energy drain spell’s save DC, without +10 bonus) for each negative level. If the save succeeds, that negative level is removed. If it fails, the negative level also goes away, but one of the subject’s character levels is permanently drained. An undead creature struck by the ray gains 2d4x5 temporary hit points for 1 hour. Enervation Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: Ray of negative energy Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (see text) Spell Resistance: Yes You point your finger and utter the incantation, releasing a black ray of crackling negative energy that suppresses the life force of any living creature it strikes. You must make a ranged touch attack to hit. If the attack succeeds, the subject must make a fortitude saving throw or gain 3 negative levels. Enervation is nearly impossible to resist, and the DC receives a +10 bonus. If the subject has at least as many negative levels as HD, it dies. Each negative level gives a creature a –1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and effective level (for determining the power, duration, DC, and other details of spells or special abilities). Additionally, a spellcaster loses one spell or spell slot from his or her highest available level. Negative levels stack. Assuming the subject survives, it regains lost levels after a number of hours equal to your caster level (maximum 15 hours). Usually, negative levels have a chance of permanently draining the victim’s levels, but the negative levels from enervation don’t last long enough to do so. An undead creature struck by the ray gains 1d4x5 temporary hit points for 1 hour. Finger of Death Necromancy [Death] Level: Drd 8, Sor/Wiz 7 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One living creature Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude partial Spell Resistance: Yes You can slay any one living creature within range. Roll 5d6/level (maximum 100d6) and total the result. If the sum equals or exceeds the subject’s current hit points, the target must succeed on a fortitude save or be killed instantly. If the save is successful, the creature instead takes 3d6 points of damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +25). The subject might die from damage even if it succeeds on its saving throw. Flesh to Stone Transmutation Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One creature Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes When this spell is cast, roll 3d6/level (maximum 60d6) and total the result. If the sum equals or exceeds the current hit points of the subject, then the subject along with all its carried gear, turns into a mindless, inert statue. If the statue resulting from this spell is broken or damaged, the subject (if ever returned to its original state) has similar damage or deformities. The creature is not dead, but it does not seem to be alive either when viewed with spells such as deathwatch. Only creatures made of flesh are affected by this spell. Material Component: Lime, water, and earth. Forcecage Evocation [Force] Level: Sor/Wiz 7 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Area: Barred cage (20-ft. cube) or windowless cell (10-ft. cube) Duration: 2 hours/level (D) Saving Throw: Reflex negates (see text) Spell Resistance: No This powerful spell brings into being an immobile, invisible cubical prison composed of either bars of force or solid walls of force (your choice). A forcecage is nearly impossible to avoid, and receives a +10 bonus to the DC of the reflex save. Creatures within the area are caught and contained unless they are too big to fit inside, in which case the spell automatically fails. Teleportation and other forms of astral travel provide a means of escape, but the force walls or bars extend into the Ethereal Plane, blocking ethereal travel. Like a wall of force spell, a forcecage resists dispel magic, but it is vulnerable to a disintegrate spell, and it can be destroyed by a sphere of annihilation or a rod of cancellation. Barred Cage: This version of the spell produces a 20-foot cube made of bands of force (similar to a wall of force spell) for bars. The bands are a half-inch wide, with half-inch gaps between them. Any creature capable of passing through such a small space can escape; others are confined. You can’t attack a creature in a barred cage with a weapon unless the weapon can fit between the gaps. Even against such weapons (including arrows and similar ranged attacks), a creature in the barred cage has cover. All spells and breath weapons can pass through the gaps in the bars. Windowless Cell: This version of the spell produces a 10-foot cube with no way in and no way out. Solid walls of force form its six sides. Material Component: Ruby dust worth 1,000 gp, which is tossed into the air and disappears when you cast the spell. Freedom of Movement Abjuration Level: Brd 4, Clr 4, Drd 4, Luck 4, Rgr 4 Components: V, S, M, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Personal or touch Target: You or creature touched Duration: 10 min./level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) This spell enables you or a creature you touch to move and attack normally for the duration of the spell, and grants protection from effects that usually impedes movement, such as paralysis, solid fog, slow, and web. Against such effects the subject gains a +10 bonus to saving throws, does not automatically fail on a natural one, never suffers any secondary effects on a successful saving throw, and always receives a saving throw against the effect, even ones that normally do not grant a save (in which case the subject makes a reflex saving throw). The subject gains a +20 bonus on grapple checks made to resist a grapple attempt, as well as on grapple checks or Escape Artist checks made to escape a grapple or a pin. The spell also allows the subject to move and attack normally while underwater, even with slashing weapons such as axes and swords or with bludgeoning weapons such as flails, hammers, and maces, provided that the weapon is wielded in the hand rather than hurled. The freedom of movement spell does not, however, allow water breathing. Material Component: A leather thong, bound around the arm or a similar appendage. Mind Blank Abjuration Level: Protection 8, Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One creature Duration: 24 hours Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) The subject is protected from all devices and spells that detect, influence, or read emotions or thoughts. The subject gains a +10 bonus against all mind-affecting spells and effects as well as information gathering by divination spells or effects. In addition, the subject does not automatically fail against such effects on a natural one and is always granted a saving throw, even against effects that do not normally grant saving throws (in which case the subject makes a willpower saving throw). Mind blank even provides these benefits against limited wish, miracle, and wish spells when they are used in such a way as to affect the subject’s mind or to gain information about it. In the case of scrying that scans an area the creature is in, such as arcane eye, the spell works but the creature simply isn’t detected on a successful saving throw. Scrying attempts that are targeted specifically at the subject do not work at all on a successful saving throw. Neutralize Poison Conjuration (Healing) Level: Brd 4, Clr 4, Drd 3, Pal 4, Rgr 3 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature or object of up to 1 cu. ft./level touched Duration: 10 min./level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object) You detoxify any sort of venom in the creature or object touched. A poisoned creature suffers no additional effects from the poison, and any temporary effects are ended, but the spell does not reverse instantaneous effects, such as hit point damage, temporary ability damage, or effects that don’t go away on their own. The creature gains protection from any poison it is exposed to during the duration of the spell. Unlike with delay poison, such effects aren’t postponed until after the duration —the creature need not make any saves against poison effects applied to it during the length of the spell. This spell can instead neutralize the poison in a poisonous creature or object for the duration of the spell, at the caster’s option. Arcane Material Component: A bit of charcoal. True Seeing Divination Level: Clr 5, Drd 7, Knowledge 5, Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: 1 min./level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) You confer on the subject the ability to see all things as they actually are. The subject sees through normal and magical darkness effects of 9th level or lower, gains protection from figments, patterns, phantasms and shadows, sees through glamers of 9th level or lower, and sees the true form of polymorphed, changed, or transmuted things. Further, the subject can focus its vision to see into the Ethereal Plane (but not into extradimensional spaces). The range of true seeing conferred is 120 feet. True seeing, however, does not penetrate solid objects. It in no way confers X-ray vision or its equivalent. It does not negate concealment, including that caused by fog and the like. True seeing does not help the viewer see through mundane disguises, spot creatures who are simply hiding, or notice secret doors hidden by mundane means. In addition, the spell effects cannot be further enhanced with known magic, so one cannot use true seeing through a crystal ball or in conjunction with clairaudience/clairvoyance. Material Component: An ointment for the eyes that costs 250 gp and is made from mushroom powder, saffron, and fat. ALTERED MAGICAL TREASURE --The Vorpal special quality now increases the critical multiplier by x5 when a natural 20 is rolled and the critical hit is confirmed. --The Brilliant Energy Quality ignores only the first 20 points of armor bonus.
Paladin's Pride 01-26-07, 05:55 PM	EPIC CLASSES EPIC BARD Spells: The bard’s caster level is equal to his or her class level. The bard’s number of spells per day does not increase after 20th level. The bard does not learn additional spells unless he or she selects the Spell Knowledge feat. A bard who selects the improved spell capacity feat can cast spells with a level higher than 6. No matter how many times the feat is selected, the maximum spell level a bard can cast is 7 at 21st level, +1 for every 4 additional levels. EPIC CLERIC Spells: The cleric’s caster level is equal to his or her class level. The cleric’s number of spells per day does not increase after 20th level. A clerc who selects the improved spell capacity feat can cast spells with a level higher than 9. No matter how many times the feat is selected, the maximum spell level a cleric can cast is 10 at 21st level, +1 for every 4 additional levels. EPIC DRUID Spells: The druid’s caster level is equal to his or her class level. The druid’s number of spells per day does not increase after 20th level. A druid who selects the improved spell capacity feat can cast spells with a level higher than 9. No matter how many times the feat is selected, the maximum spell level a druid can cast is 10 at 21st level, +1 for every 4 additional levels. EPIC PALADIN Spells: The paladin’s caster level equals 10 (the caster level of a 20th level paladin) +1 per level of epic paladin. The paladin’s number of spells per day does not increase after 20th level. A paladin who selects the improved spell capacity feat can cast spells with a level higher than 4. No matter how many times the feat is selected, the maximum spell level a paladin can cast is 5 at 21st level, +1 for every 4 additional levels. EPIC RANGER Spells: The ranger’s caster level is equal to 10 (the caster level of a 20th level ranger) +1 per level of epic ranger. The ranger’s number of spells per day does not increase after 20th level. A ranger who selects the improved spell capacity feat can cast spells with a level higher than 9. No matter how many times the feat is selected, the maximum spell level a ranger can cast is 5 at 21st level, +1 for every 4 additional levels. EPIC SORCERER Spells: The sorcerer’s caster level is equal to his or her class level. The sorcerer’s number of spells per day does not increase after 20th level. The sorcerer does not learn additional spells unless he or she selects the Spell Knowledge feat. A sorcerer who selects the improved spell capacity feat can cast spells with a level higher than 9. No matter how many times the feat is selected, the maximum spell level a sorcerer can cast is 10 at 21st level, +1 for every 4 additional levels. EPIC WIZARD Spells: The wizard’s caster level is equal to her class level. The wizard’s number of spells per day does not increase after 20th level. Each time the wizard achieves a new level, he or she learns two new spells of any spell levels that he or she can cast (according to his or her new level). A wizard who selects the improved spell capacity feat can cast spells with a level higher than 9. No matter how many times the feat is selected, the maximum spell level a wizard can cast is 10 at 21st level, +1 for every 4 additional levels. Design Notes: All spellcasting classes increase at a rate of 1 caster level per level at epic. While the old epic rules standardized saves and base attack, caster level continued at its pre-epic rate, causing spell resistance to become a greater and greater problem for those classes that did not have a full rate of advancement. Bonus feat lists shall be forthcoming.
Paladin's Pride 01-26-07, 06:01 PM	EPIC FEATS (some of these feats were originally inspired by the changes made at www.immortalshandbook.com) Feats Removed: Augmented Alchemy (made a part of the skill normally, thanks Bluemage!) Automatic Quicken Spell Automatic Silent Spell Automatic Still Spell Blinding Speed (Haste is no longer as necessary in epic as it was in 3.0, and in general I prefer feats to not have limited uses per day unless they are spellcaster feats) All epic item creation feats (replaced by craft epic magical item) Improved Metamagic Music of the Gods (not necessary when immunities are generally removed) ARMOR SKIN [EPIC] Benefit: The character gains a +2 epic bonus to Armor Class. Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack. AUTOMATIC METAMAGIC [EPIC] Prerequsites: Any three metamagic feats. Benefit: If a character prepares a spell in a higher level spell slot than necessary, they may automatically add the effects of metamagic feats the character knows. The total spell level modifier of the added metamagic feats cannot exceed the difference between the spell slots level and the spell’s normal level. Using metamagic in this way requires no extra casting time for spellcasters who cast spells spontaneously. In addition, a character that possesses heighten spell who makes use of this feat has the spell automatically heightened a number of levels equal to the total level modifier of the metamagic feats applied. Design Note: This feat is intended so that wizards gain a sort of spontaneous metamagic. As long as they prepare a spell in a lower level slot than needed, they can apply the metamagic feats as they cast it instead of preparing metamagic in advance. It also allows sorcerers to use quicken spell and makes it so that a metamagic spell is treated as the spell level it occupies. BANE OF ENEMIES [EPIC] Prerequsites: Survival 24 ranks, five or more favored enemies. Benefit: Any weapon the character wields against one of his or her favored enemies deals +1d12 damage CHAOTIC RAGE [EPIC] Prerequsites: Rage 5/day, chaotic alignment. Benefit: Any weapon the character wields while in a rage is treated is treated as chaos-aligned and deals an extra +1d8 points of damage against creatures of lawful alignment. CRAFT EPIC MAGICAL ITEM [ITEM CREATION][EPIC] Prerequsites: one item creation feat, Spellcraft 24 ranks. Benefit: The character can craft magical items that exceed the normal limits. The character must still meet all the normal prerequisites for crafting such an item. Design Note: A character should not need to spend multiple epic level feats to continue to craft the same types of magical items they have been crafting at pre-epic. Feats represent a much higher proportion of a character’s power than they did at pre-epic levels, and feats that are not spent improving a character’s combat ability tend to weaken a character more at epic than at pre-epic. Thus all the epic item creation feats are rolled into one. DAMAGE REDUCTION [EPIC] Prerequisite: Con 21. Benefit: The character gains damage reduction 2/–. This does not stack with damage reduction granted by magic items or nonpermanent magical effects, but it does stack with any damage reduction granted by permanent magical effects, class features, or this feat itself. Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Each time he or she gains the feat, his or her damage reduction increases by 2. DEATH OF ENEMIES [EPIC] Prerequsites: Bane of Enemies, Survival 30 ranks, five or more favored enemies. Benefit: Any time the character scores a critical hit against one of his or her favored enemies, it takes constitution damage equal to the character’s favored enemy bonus. DEVASTATING CRITICAL [EPIC] Prerequsites: Str 25, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (chosen weapon), Overwhelming Critical (chosen weapon), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (chosen weapon). Benefit: Whenever the character scores a critical hit with the chosen weapon, the target takes constitution damage equal to the weapon’s critical multiplier. (Creatures immune to critical hits can’t be affected by this feat.) Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time a character takes the feat, it applies to a different type of weapon. DIRE CHARGE [EPIC] Prerequisite: Improved Initiative. Benefit: If the character charges a foe, he or she can make a full attack against the opponent charged. Normal: Without this feat, a character may only make a single attack as part of a charge. DIRE CLEAVE [EPIC] Prerequisite: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack. Benefit: If the character cleaves a foe, the attack deals double damage. Normal: Without this feat, a character may only make a single attack as part of a charge. EFFICIENT ITEM CREATION [EPIC] Prerequsites: Item creation feat to be selected, Knowledge (arcana) 24 ranks, Spellcraft 24 ranks. Benefit: Divide the cost of magical items by 2 for the purposes of determining how much XP must be spent to create the item. In addition, creating a magic items requires one day per 5,000 gp of the item’s market price, with a minimum of one day. Normal: Without this feat, creating a magic item requires one day for each 1,000 gp of the item’s market price. Special: This feat may be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken the market price of the item is again divided by 2 to determine the amount of XP required to craft the item. The gold piece value used to determine how many days the item takes to craft is multiplied by 5. These multipliers are exceptions to the normal rule that two doublings equal a tripling (i.e. someone who takes this feat three times divides the market price by 8 to determine the XP cost required to craft the item and the item takes one day for every 125,000 gp of the item’s market price). ENERGY RESISTANCE [EPIC] Benefit: Choose a type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). The character gains resistance 20 to that type of energy, or the character’s existing resistance to that type of energy increases by 20. This feat does not stack with energy resistance granted by magic items or nonpermanent magical effects. Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. If the same type of energy is chosen, the effects stack. EPIC ABILITY FOCUS [EPIC] Prerequisite: Ability focus (chosen special attack), Special attack. Benefit: Add +2 to the DC for all saving throws against the special attack on which the creature focuses. This bonus stacks with the benefit from ability focus. EPIC BULL RUSH [Epic] Prerequsites: Str 21, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack. Benefit: When you perform a successful bull rush, you may push the defender back 10 feet plus 10 feet for every 5 points your check exceeds the defender’s check. You also gain a +8 bonus on the opposed Strength check you make to push back the defender. This overlaps (does not stack) with the bonus from improved bull rush. Normal: You may only push a foe back 5 feet plus 5 feet for every 5 points your bull rush check exceeds the defender’s check. EPIC DISARM [EPIC] Prerequsites: Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Int 19 Benefit: When you disarm a foe, you may immediately make a melee attack against the foe. You gain a +8 bonus on the opposed disarm check. This overlaps (does not stack) with the bonus from improved disarm. EPIC DODGE [EPIC] Prerequsites: Dex 25, Dodge, Tumble 30 ranks Benefit: The dodge bonus granted by the Dodge feat increases to +4. EPIC ENDURANCE [EPIC] Prerequsites: Con 25, Endurance. Benefit: Whenever the character makes a check for performing a physical action that extends over a period of time, he or she gets a +10 bonus on the check. In addition, the character can survive in extreme or even overtly damaging environments such as the plane of fire of a total vacuum for 1 round per point of constitution before suffering the normal effects of the environment. EPIC OVERRUN [EPIC] Prerequsites: Str 21, Improved Overrun, Power Attack. Benefit: When you perform an overrun you do not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender. You also gain a +8 bonus on the opposed Strength check you make to push back the defender. This bonus overlaps (does not stack) with the bonus from improved overrun. EPIC SPEED [EPIC] Prerequsites: Dex 21, Run. Benefit: The character’s speed increases by 10 feet. Special: This feat only functions when the character is wearing medium armor, light armor, or no armor. EPIC SPELLCASTING [EPIC] Prerequisite: Spellcraft 24 ranks, Ability to cast 9th level spells. Benefit: You may develop and cast epic spells that you meet the prerequisites for. EPIC SPELL FOCUS [EPIC] Prerequsites: Greater Spell Focus and Spell Focus in the school selected, ability to cast at least one 9th-level spell of the school to be chosen. Benefit: Add +2 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the school of magic the character selects to focus on. This stacks with the bonuses from Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus. Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time the character takes the feat, it applies to a different school of magic. EPIC SUNDER [EPIC] Prerequsites: Str 21, Improved Sunder, Power Attack. Benefit: After a successful sunder attempt you deal double damage to the weapon or shield. You also gain a +8 bonus on the opposed Strength check you make to the opposed roll. This bonus overlaps (does not stack) with the bonus from improved sunder. EPIC TOUGHNESS [EPIC] Benefit: The character gains +1 hit point per hit dice, and gains an extra +1 hit dice when he or she gains a new level. Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack. EPIC TRIP [EPIC] Prerequsites: Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Int 19. Benefit: You gain a +4 on the attack roll made to attack a foe after a successful trip attack. You also gain a +8 bonus on the opposed Strength check you make to trip the defender. This bonus overlaps (does not stack) with the bonus from improved trip. EPIC WEAPON SPECIALIZATION [EPIC] Prerequsites: Epic Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization (all in the chosen weapon), Fighter Level 21. Benefit: Add a +10 bonus to all damage the character deals using the selected weapon. If the weapon is a ranged weapon, the damage bonus only applies if the target is within 30 feet. Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time the character takes the feat, it applies to a different type of weapon. Design Note: I greatly debated the increase to epic weapon specialization. It is my contention that as hitpoints increase exponentially relative to challenge rating, by epic levels a mere doubling of weapon specialization is not sufficient. I increased it by a factor of 5 instead. FAST HEALING [EPIC] Prerequisite: Con 25. Benefit: The character gains fast healing 5, or the character’s existing fast healing increases by 5. This feat does not stack with fast healing granted by magic items or nonpermanent magical effects. Special: This feat may be taken multiple times. Its effects stack. GREAT POTENTIAL [EPIC] Benefit: The character gains 2 non-epic bonus feats. Design Note: This feat is bound to be a little controversial, but I thought it necessary so that a character who needed non-epic feats to meet the prerequisites for an epic feat could take these feats without having to use an epic feat to gain a non-epic feat. A character should not be punished merely because they did not take feats in a certain order. GREAT SMITING [EPIC] Prerequsites: Cha 25, smite ability (from class feature or domain granted power). Benefit: Whenever the character makes a successful smite attack, add twice the appropriate level to damage (rather than just the character’s level). HEAVY ARMOR MASTERY [Epic] You are unimpeded by wearing heavy armor. Prerequsites: Light Armor Mastery, Medium Armor Mastery, Str 35. Benefit: You suffer no check penalty for wearing heavy armor. You have no maximum dexterity bonus to AC while wearing heavy armor. HOLY STRIKE [EPIC] Prerequsites: Smite evil class feature, any good alignment. Benefit: Any weapon the character wields is treated as a good-aligned and deals +1d8 points of damage against creatures of evil alignment. IMPROVED COMBAT CASTING [EPIC] Prerequsites: Combat Casting, Concentration 25 ranks. Benefit: The character’s spells cannot be disrupted by suffering damage while casting a spell. IMPROVED FAVORED ENEMY [EPIC] Prerequisite: Five or more favored enemies. Benefit: Add +2 to the bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks and damage rolls against all the character’s favored enemies. Special: This feat may be taken multiple times. Its effects stack. IMPROVED HEIGHTEN SPELL [EPIC] Prerequsites: Ability to cast 9th level spells or higher, Heighten Spell, Improved Spell Capacity Benefit: Whenever heighten spell raises a spell level to 10 or higher, the DC of the spell increases by +1 for each level of the spell above 9, in addition to the higher DC from occupying a higher level spell slot. You may also apply this bonus to epic spells as if they had been heightened to the highest level spell you can cast. IMPROVED MULTISPELL [EPIC] Prerequsites: Quicken Spell, ability to cast 9th-level arcane or divine spells, Spellcraft 32 ranks. Benefit: The character may cast up to 2 quickened spells as a free action (in addition to one normal quickened spell that can be cast as a free action). IMPROVED SPELL CAPACITY [EPIC] Prerequisite: Spellcraft 24 ranks, ability to cast spells of the normal maximum spell level in at least one spellcasting class. Benefit: When the character selects this feat, each of the character’s spell slots can be used to cast a spell of up to one level higher than normal. The spell is treated in all ways as the spell’s normal level, not as a spell of the level slot it occupies, for factors such as saving throw DC, penetrating a globe of invulnerability, or the ability score needed to cast the spell. Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. No matter how many times the character takes the feat however, the character cannot cast a spell of higher than the class’s normal maximum spell level (as noted in the class description). Design Note: This feat deserves additional explanation. In affect, it allows every spell slot the character possesses to be treated as a spell slot of 1 higher. Your 9th level slots can be filled with 10th level spells, and your cantrip slots can hold a 1st level spell. There is no limit to the number of times the feat can be taken, but the maximum spell level is limited by the class. For example, a 40th level wizard who had taken this feat 13 times (using all her epic feats) could prepare a 13th level spell in a cantrip slot, but only 14th level spells from his 9th level spell slots, since this is the maximum spell level for a 40th level wizard. This wizard could also cast 14th level spells from his 1st through 8th level spells. Needless to say, this wizard would have an incredible number of 14th level spells, but would have no other epic capabilities whatsoever. The reason I came up with this feat is because it means that a character is not stuck with more and more useless spell slots at higher levels. In addition, it means that the ratio of spells per day between the classes is preserved into epic. A sorcerer who takes improved spell capacity the same number of times as a wizard will have just as many more of his highest level spells per day over the wizard as he did at 20th level. INFINITE DEFLECTION [EPIC] Prerequsites: Dex 25, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Improved Unarmed Strike. Benefit: The character may perform a number of deflections equal to the character’s dexterity bonus, as the Deflect Arrows feat. INSPIRE EXCELLENCE [EPIC] Prerequisite: Perform 30 ranks, bardic music class feature. Benefit: The character can use song or poetics to grant a bonus to one ability score to his or her allies. To be affected, an ally must hear the bard sing for 1 full round. The effect lasts as long as the bard sings and for 5 rounds after the bard stops singing (or 5 rounds after the ally can no longer hear the bard). While singing, the bard can fight but cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), or activate magic items by command word (such as wands). Each ally to be inspired gains a competence bonus equal to the bard’s inspire courage bonus to the same ability score, which the character must choose before he or she begins inspiring. Inspire excellence is a supernatural, mind-affecting ability. Use of this feat counts as one of the character’s bardic music uses for the day. Special: This feat is treated as a bardic music inspiration ability for purposes of feats that affect such abilities. INSTANT RELOAD [EPIC] Prerequisite: Quick Draw, Rapid Reload Benefit: The character may fire crossbows at his or her full normal attack rate. Reloading the crossbow does not provoke attacks of opportunity. KEEN STRIKE [EPIC] Prerequsites: Str 23, Wis 23, Improved Critical (unarmed strike), Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning fist, ki strike (adamantine). Benefit: The character’s unarmed strike has a critical threat range of 18-20 and deals slashing damage (at the character’s option any attack can deal bludgeoning damage, but cannot then take advantage of the enhanced threat range). LIGHT ARMOR MASTERY [Epic] You are unimpeded by wearing light armor. Prerequsites: Str 25. Benefit: You suffer no check penalty for wearing light armor. You have no maximum dexterity bonus to AC while wearing light armor. MEDIUM ARMOR MASTERY [Epic] You are unimpeded by wearing light armor. Prerequsites: Light Armor Mastery, Str 30. Benefit: You suffer no check penalty for wearing medium armor. You have no maximum dexterity bonus to AC while wearing medium armor. MIGHTY RAGE [EPIC] Prerequsites: Str 21, Con 21, greater rage class feature, rage 5/day. Benefit: When the character rages, he or she gains an additional +2 bonus to Strength and Constitution and a +1 morale bonus on Will saves. (These bonuses replace the normal rage bonuses.) Special: A character can take this feat multiple times. Its effect stack. MULTISPELL [EPIC] Prerequsites: Quicken Spell, ability to cast 9th-level arcane or divine spells. Benefit: The character may cast 1 quickened spells as a free action each round (in addition to a normal quickened spell cast as a swift action). OVERWHELMING CRITICAL [EPIC] Prerequsites: Str 23, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (chosen weapon), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (chosen weapon). Benefits: This feat increases a weapons critical hit multiplier. If the weapon normally threatens a critical hit on a 20 then increase the weapons critical multiplier by 3. If the base threat range of the weapon is between 19-20 then increase the multiplier by 2. If the standard threat range is between 18-20 then increase the critical multiplier by 1. Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time a character takes the feat, it applies to a different type of weapon. PERFECT HEALTH [EPIC] Prerequisite: Con 25, Great Fortitude. Benefit: The character gains protection from disease and poison. PLANAR TURNING [EPIC] Prerequsites: Wis 25, Cha 25, ability to turn or rebuke undead. Benefit: The character can turn or rebuke outsiders as if they were undead. An outsider has effective turn resistance equal to its charisma modifier (if positive). If the character can turn undead, he or she turns (or destroys) all evil outsiders and rebukes (or commands) all nonevil outsiders. If the character can rebuke undead, he or she rebukes (or commands) all evil outsiders and turns (or destroys) all nonevil outsiders. POLYGLOT [EPIC] Prerequsites: Int 25, Speak Language (five languages). Benefit: The character can speak a number of additional languages equal to twice his or her intelligence modifier. If the character is literate, he or she can also read and write these languages. If the character’s intelligence modifier later permanently increases, he or she gains additional languages. POSITIVE ENERGY AURA [EPIC] Prerequsites: Cha 25, ability to turn undead, ability to cast dispel evil. Benefit: Every undead creature that comes within 15 feet of the character is automatically affected as if the character had turned it. This doesn’t cost a turning attempt, and the character doesn’t have to roll turning damage (it automatically affects all undead in a 15-foot burst). Just as with normal turning, the character can’t affect undead that have total cover relative to him or her. RIGHTEOUS STRIKE [EPIC] Prerequsites: Wis 19, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, any lawful alignment. Benefit: The character’s unarmed strike is treated as lawfully aligned and deals an extra +1d8 points of damage against creatures of chaotic alignment. RUINOUS RAGE [EPIC] Prerequsites: Str 25, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, rage 5/day. Benefit: While in a rage, the character ignores the first 20 points of hardness of any object he or she strikes. Also, double the character’s Strength bonus for the purposes of any Strength check made to break an object with sudden force rather than by dealing normal damage (including bursting bindings, such as ropes or manacles). SOUL ARMOR [EPIC] Prerequsites: Cha 13 Benefit: The character may add his or her charisma bonus to his or her touch AC against spells. THUNDERING RAGE [EPIC] Prerequsites: Str 25, rage 5/day. Benefit: Any weapon the character wields while in a rage deals +1d6 electricity damage. UNHOLY STRIKE [EPIC] Prerequsites: Smite good class feature, any evil alignment. Benefit: Any weapon the character wields is treated as evil-aligned and deals an extra +1d8 points of damage against creatures of good alignment.
Paladin's Pride 01-26-07, 06:15 PM	EPIC SPELLS 1 (Thanks to DragonbringerX from who I drew much inspiration) WHAT ARE EPIC SPELLS? Epic spells are powerful spells that use a normal spell as the base and one or more additional spells to alter the base spell’s effect into a much more potent effect. Despite their power, epic spells still follow the basic rules for casting spells, except as specifically noted otherwise. However, such power does not come quickly. Each epic spell must be laboriously developed before it can be used. EPIC SPELL DEVELOPMENT Before it can be cast, an epic spell must be developed. Much like creating a magical item, epic spell development requires time, gold, and the sacrifice of experience points. Developing an epic spell also has a few additional requirements. The spellcaster must possess the epic spellcasting feat, must know and be capable of casting the proper base spell, and must have a requisite number of ranks in the spellcraft skill. Developing an epic spell requires 1,000 gp x required ranks in spellcraft. The cost in experience points are 1/25 of the cost in cold, and the process requires 1 day for every 1,000 gp of the cost. EPIC SPELLCASTING Once an epic spell is developed, the caster knows the spell. A developed epic spell becomes an indelible part of the caster and may be prepared without a spellbook (if a wizard is the caster). To cast an epic spell, the spellcaster expends two or more spells simultaneously. These spells must always come from the casters daily spells, they cannot ever be expended from an item or spell-like ability. The first spell must be the prerequisite base spell. This spell must be prepared if the caster prepares spells, and must be a spell known if the caster casts spells spontaneously. Occasionally a spell has multiple spells as a base spell. The spell may require that the caster use all the listed spells as base spells (the caster must be able to cast all of them), or simply allow any of the spells to be selected as the base spell. The caster must then expend an additional number of spells which may be any spell that the caster has remaining. The total number of spell levels expended (including the base spell) must equal or greater to the spell’s required ranks in spellcraft. For example, a spell with 24 required ranks in spellcraft that uses Meteor swarm as the base spell could be cast by sacrificing Meteor Swarm (9 spell levels), any 8th level spell, and any 7th level spell for a total of 24 spell levels. There is no limit to the total number of spells expended in this way as long as the total number of spell levels equals or exceeds the required ranks in spellcraft. Spell slots expended are used as if cast, but the spells are not actually cast and the caster does not pay any material costs or experience point costs, nor does the caster have to meet any verbal, somatic, or material components beyond those required by the epic spell. Epic Spells and Special Spell Slots: A character cannot expend extra spell slots from a cleric’s domains or a from a wizard’s school specialization on epic spells unless the epic spell possesses the right qualities. In the case of a domain spell slot, the cleric can only sacrifice a domain spell if the base spell is also on that domain list. In the case of a wizard’s school specialization the character can only sacrifice a school specialization spell slot if the epic spell is also of that school. Epic Spell Levels: Epic spells have no fixed level. However, for purposes of Concentration checks, spell resistance, and other possible situations where spell level is important, epic spells are all treated as if they are the highest level spell that you can cast, with a minimum level of 10. If the caster chooses, they may cast the spell as a lower level spell (but no lower than 10). Metamagic, Items, and Epic Spells: Metamagic feats and other epic feats that manipulate normal spells cannot be used with epic spells. A character can’t craft a magic item that casts an epic spell, regardless of whether the item is activated with spell completion, a spell trigger, a command word, or simple use. Only major artifacts, which are beyond the means of even epic characters to create, can possibly contain magic of this power. Design Note: I have no hard and fast epic spell guidelines such as existed in the old 3.0 epic rules. In every area of non-epic D&D where some aspect of the game has an infinite capacity for varied effects (magic treasure, non-epic spells, etc), they have never tried to create a system that can precisely give guidelines for every possible effect. Epic spell creation has always been an art. The old system produced spells that were unusable so often that I do not believe the system is worth saving. As to other changes I made. These epic rules draw on the characters normal non-epic spells to power them and require a base spell to be used during the casting. This has a number of effects. Characters who cast more spells pre-epic can still cast more epic spells at epic level. In addition, the requirement of a base spell means that casters generally only have access to the types of effects they had access to pre-epic. There will be no wizards raising the dead in this version. To some this is a negative, but I didn’t want spellcasting classes to lose their distinctive feel at epic level. The base spell requirement also means that those casters who have a limited number of spells known will be able to meet the base spell for less epic spells, providing a limitation to their epic spellcasting even though they may technically research infinite epic spells. EPIC SPELL DESCRIPTIONS Each epic spell description follows the same format used for 0- to 9th-level spells. There are two additional entries for epic spells: Spellcraft DC and To Develop. Spellcraft Ranks: The total number of spellcraft ranks that a character must possess to develop the spell, and the total number of spell levels the character must expend to cast the spell. Base Spell: The required spell that must be expended as part of the casting of the spell, and counts towards the total number of spell levels expended. Animus Blast Necromancy Spellcraft Ranks: 25 Base Spell: Animate Dead Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: 20-ft.-radius hemisphere burst Duration: Instantaneous and 1 round/level Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes When this spell is cast, enemies within range are dealt 1d8 points of negative energy damage per caster levels (maximum 30d8). However, up to twenty victims that perish as a result of this blast are then instantly animated as skeletons. These skeletons serve the character for 1 round per caster level and then collapse into a pile of bones if they are over 20 HD or the character has exceeded the normal limit for controlled undead. Other means that allow the character to exceed the normal limit for controlled undead work just as well with undead created with animus blast. Animus Storm Necromancy Spellcraft Ranks: 38 Base Spell: Create Greater Undead Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: 20-ft.-radius hemisphere burst Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes When this spell is cast, enemies within range are dealt 1d8 points of negative energy damage per caster level (maximum 40d8). However, up to five victims that perish as a result of this blast are then instantly animated as devourers. These five devourers serve the character indefinitely. The character cannot exceed the normal limit for controlling undead through use of this spell, but other means that allow the character to exceed the normal limit for controlled undead work just as well with undead created with animus storm.. Contingent Resurrection Conjuration (Healing) Spellcraft Ranks: 32 Base Spell: Resurrection or True Ressurection Components: V, S, D F Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Target: You or creature touched Duration: Contingent until expended, then instantaneous Saving Throw: None (see text) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) Contingent resurrection returns the subject to life if he or she is slain. Once cast, the spell remains quiescent and does not activate until the trigger conditions have been met (but each day it remains untriggered, the caster cannot use the expended spell slots, even if the character cast it on another creature). Once triggered, the spell is expended. If the subject is killed (the trigger), he or she is restored to life and complete health 10 minutes later, so long as even a tiny bit of dust remains for contingent resurrection to act upon. A shaft of light shines down from the heavens, illuminating the subject and everything within 20 feet. The creature is restored to full hit points, vigor, and health, with no loss of prepared spells. However, the subject loses one level (or 1 point of Constitution if the subject was 1st level). Contingent resurrection does not work on a creature that has died of old age. Crown of Vermin Conjuration (Summoning) Spellcraft DC: 30 Base Spell: Creeping Doom Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: 10ft. Area: 10-ft.-radius, centered on you Duration: 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: None (see text) Spell Resistance: No After casting crown of vermin, thousands of venomous, biting and stinging spiders, scorpions, beetles, and centipedes erupt from the very air around the character. This swarm forms a living aura around the character to a radius of 10 feet. The character is immune to his or her own crown of vermin. The swarm goes where the character goes at his or her speed, even if the character takes to the air or water (though water drowns the vermin after 1 full round of immersion, unless the spell is cast underwater, in which case aquatic or marine vermin answer the call and cannot leave the water). Except for these differences, the swarm has the statistics of a ruin swarm. Any creature that enters the swarm is attacked by the swarm, taking 5d6 damage. In addition, the character must make a fortitude save (DC51) or be blinded permanently, and another fortitude save (DC45) or be nauseated for one round. Spellcasters casting within the swarm must make a concentration check (DC = 20 + spell level). The character has utter control over the vermin in his or her aura, and can force them into areas that would normally deter common vermin. The character can completely suppress his or her vermin aura as a free action so that no vermin are visible at all. The time that vermin are suppressed does not count toward the spell’s duration. Alternatively, the character can roughly shape and move the vermin in any fashion he or she desires within the limits of the 10-foot-radius spread as a move-equivalent action. The vermin cannot be wrested from the character’s control through any means. The vermin make all saving throws to avoid damaging effects using the character’s base saving throw bonuses. They gain the character’s spell resistance, if any, and they get saving throws against spells that would otherwise automatically slay vermin. If the swarm is dealt 725 points of damage, it disappears and the spell ends. A character can see through his or her crown of vermin without difficulty, but gains full concealment against enemy attacks launched both outside and within the character’s crown of vermin. Damnation Conjuration and Enchantment (Compulsion) [Teleportation] Mind-Affecting] Spellcraft Ranks: 36 Base Spell: Plane Shift and Suggestion Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: Instantaneous (1/hour level for compulsion) Saving Throw: Will negates (see text) Spell Resistance: Yes The character sends his or her foe to hell. If the character succeeds at a melee touch attack, the target must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC = the standard epic spell DC + 15). If he or she fails this saving throw, he or she is sent straight to a layer of a lawful evil plane (or a chaotic evil plane, at the character’s option) swarming with fiends. The subject will not willingly leave the plane for 1 hour per caster level, believing that his or her predicament is a just reward for an ill-spent life. Even after the compulsion fades, he or she must devise his or her own escape from the plane. Unless the GM devises a specific location and scenario in the Nine Hells, the subject encounters a group of 1d4 pit fiends (or balors, if in a chaotic evil plane) every hour he or she spends in hell. XP Cost: 2,000 XP. Demise Unseen Necromancy (Death, Evil), Illusion (Figment) Spellcraft Ranks: 26 Base Spell: Finger of Death and Major Image Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One creature Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fort negates Spell Resistance: Yes If the target fails its fortitude save, roll 8d6/level and total the result (maximum 240d6). If the sum exceeds the target’s hit points it is instantly slain. The spell animates the body so that it appears that nothing has happened to the creature. The target’s companions (if any) do not immediately realize what has transpired. The target remains in its exact position with no apparent ill effects. In reality, it is now a ghoul under the character’s control. The target’s companions notice nothing unusual about the state of the target until they interact with it, at which time each companion receives a Will saving throw to notice discrepancies. The ghoul serves the character indefinitely. The character cannot exceed the normal limit for controlling undead through use of this spell, but other means that allow the character to exceed the normal limit for controlled undead work just as well with undead created with demise unseen. Dire Winter Evocation [Cold] Spellcraft Rank: 41 Base Spell: Control Weather Components: V, S Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: creature or object touched Area: 2 mile.-radius emanation Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: None The creature or object targeted emanates bitter cold to a radius of 2 miles for 1 hour per caster level. The air grows progressively colder for 10 minutes, at which point the emanation begins to deal damage. The emanated cold deals 2d6 points of damage per round against unprotected creatures (the target is susceptible if not magically protected or otherwise resistant to the energy). The intense cold freezes water out of the air, causing constant snowfall and wind. The snow and wind produce a blizzard effect within the area. Dragon Knight Conjuration (Summoning) [Fire] Spellcraft Ranks: 25 Base: Summon Monster IX or Summon Nature’s Ally IX Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effects: One summoned adult red dragon Duration: 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: None (see text) Spell Resistance: No This spell summons an adult red dragon. It appears where the character designates and acts immediately. It attacks the character’s opponents to the best of its abilities (on the first round, it prefers to breathe fire on an enemy, if possible). The character can direct the dragon not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions. This is a ritual spell requiring two other spellcasters, each of which must contribute an unused 8th-level spell slot to the casting. Dragon Strike Conjuration (Summoning) [Fire] Spellcraft Ranks: 42 Base: Summon Monster IX or Summon Nature’s Ally IX Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effects: Ten summoned adult red dragons Duration: 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: None (see text) Spell Resistance: No This spell summons ten adult red dragons. They appear where the character designates and act immediately. They attack the character’s opponents to the best of their abilities (on the first round, they all prefer to simultaneously breathe fire on an enemy, if possible). The character can direct the dragons not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions. Eclipse Evocation [Darkness] Spellcraft Ranks: 36 Base: Deeper Darkness Components: V, S Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: 5 miles Area: 5-mile radius, centered on you Duration: Up to 1 hour/level (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No With this spell, the character can create a limited eclipse, as though a heavenly body moves between the sun and the earth. The landscape within a five-mile radius of the character’s location experiences the dimming of the sun as the sun is covered in a cloud of darkness. The eclipse follows the character across the landscape for up to 1 hour per caster level or until the character dismisses the eclipse. The character does not need to concentrate on the eclipse while it lasts. Eidolon Conjuration (Creation) [Transportation] Spellcraft Ranks: 34 Base Spell: Trap the Soul Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: 1 minute Range: 5 ft. Effects: One duplicate of caster Duration: 24 hours Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No Upon casting eidolon, the character creates a duplicate version of him or her self as the character was when he or she was a 21st-level character, and the character gains one negative level while the duplicate persists. For each additional negative level the character bestow upon him or her self at the time of casting, the eidolon has one additional character level. No matter how many negative levels the character bestows on him or her self, the eidolon can never have more character levels than the character has (taking the negative levels into account). Treat the duplicate as the character with a number of negative levels conferred that would lower him or her to the character level of the eidolon. The eidolon is considered fresh and rested when created. It may cast any spell the character has access to, including an epic spell. Use the eidolon’s effective character level as a basis for its skills, feats, and other abilities. The eidolon is effectively lower level than the character and probably can’t cast all the spells he or she knows. A powerful enough eidolon might conceivably cast the eidolon spell itself. The eidolon appears in whatever mundane clothing the character desires when initially conjured, but it has no other possessions. It shares part of the character’s soul, so it is the character for all intents and purposes. The character and his or her eidolon communicate with each other normally. Usually, the eidolon does not begrudge its brief existence, because it is still part of the character. If the eidolon is killed prior to the expiration of the spell’s duration, the character immediately regains the lost levels. Normally, the eidolon does not last long enough to threaten the character with permanent level drain. XP Cost: 2,500 XP. Enslave Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Spellcraft Ranks: 30 Base Spell: Dominate Monster Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One living creature with 80HD or less Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes The character makes a permanent thrall of any living creature. The character establishes a telepathic link with the subject’s mind. If the creature has a language, the character can generally force the subject to perform as he or she desires, within the limits of its abilities. If the creature has no language, the character can communicate only basic commands. The character knows what the subject is experiencing, but does not receive direct sensory input from it. A subject forced to take an action against its nature receives a saving throw with a penalty of –10 to resist taking that particular action, but if it succeeds, it still remains the character’s thrall despite its minor mutiny. Once a subject makes a successful saving throw to resist a specific order, it makes all future saving throws to resist taking that specific action without a penalty. Protection from evil or a similar spell can prevent the character from exercising control or using the telepathic link while the subject is so protected, but it does not prevent the establishment of enslave or dispel it. Epic Mage Armor Conjuration (Creation) [Force] Spellcraft Ranks: 36 Base Spell: Mage Armor Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: 24 hours (D) Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) An invisible but tangible field of force surrounds the subject of epic mage armor, providing a +20 armor bonus to Armor Class. Unlike mundane armor, epic mage armor entails no armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, or speed reduction. Because epic mage armor is made of force, incorporeal creatures can’t bypass it the way they do normal armor. Epic Spell Reflection Abjuration Spellcraft Ranks: 45 Base Spell: Spell Reflection Components: V, S, X P Casting Time: 1 day Range: Touch Target: Object or creature touched Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes The character can create a permanent ward against all spells of 1st through 9th level that target the subject. These spells are reflected back on the caster. Spells that affect an area are not affected by this spell. XP Cost: 10,000 XP. Eternal Freedom Abjuration Spellcraft Ranks: 45 Base Spell: Freedom of Movement Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: 1 day Range: Touch Target: Touched creature or object of 2,000 lb. or less Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes The subject gains the effects of a permanent Freedom of Movement spell and additionally gains protection from transmutation effects. XP Cost: 10,000 XP. Greater Spell Resistance Transmutation Spellcraft Ranks: 24 Base Spell: Spell Resistance Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: 24 hours Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) The character grants the subject touched spell resistance equal to 12 + caster level (maximum 52). The spell resistance granted does not stack, but overlaps with, any previous spell resistance. Greater Ruin Transmutation Spellcraft Ranks: 44 Base Spell: Disintegrate Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Target: One creature, or up to a 40-foot cube of nonliving matter Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude half Spell Resistance: Yes The character deals 8d6 points of damage per caster level to a single target within range and line of sight (maximum 400d6). If the target is reduced to 0 hit points, it is utterly destroyed as if disintegrated. Only a trace of fine dust remains. Hellball Evocation [Acid, Fire, Electricity, Sonic] Spellcraft DC: 24 Base Spell: two evocation spells of 6th level or higher that deal acid, fire, electricity, or sonic damage (any two) Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: 40-ft.-radius spread Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes A hellball deals 1d6 points of acid damage, 1d6 points of fire damage, 1d6 points of electricity damage, and 1d6 points of sonic damage to all creatures within the area per two caster levels (maximum 15d6 damage of each energy type). Unattended objects also take this damage. The character takes 5d6 points of damage upon casting this spell. The character points his or her finger and determine the range (distance and height) at which the hellball is to detonate. A sun-bright, fist-sized globe of energy streaks forth and, unless it impacts a material body or solid barrier prior to attaining the indicated range, expands into its full area. Kinetic Control Abjuration Spellcraft Ranks: 40 Base Spell: Stoneskin Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Personal; touch Target: You; creature or object touched Duration: 24 hours or until discharged Once a character has cast this spell, he or she can absorb, store, and redirect the energy contained in any physical (melee or ranged) attack. The character absorbs 20 points of each separate slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing attack made against him or her, saving it for later. A character can absorb up to 150 points of damage in this fashion; however, if the stored damage is not discharged prior to reaching the 150-point limit, the spell automatically discharges, dealing the 150 points of damage to the character. The character keeps track of the number of points of damage he or she has absorbed (the character doesn’t have to keep track of the type of damage). At any time during the spell’s duration, the character can make a touch attack against another creature or object. If successful, the character deals the target some or all (character’s choice) of the points of damage he or she has stored. The damage delivered is considered bludgeoning damage. A character can absorb and discharge damage any number of times during the spell’s duration, so long as the character doesn’t absorb more than 150 points at a time. When the spell expires, any stored damage the character has not redirected is discharged harmlessly. Let Go of Me [Force] Evocation Spellcraft DC: 24 Base Spell: Bigby’s Crushing Hand Components: None Casting Time: 1 swift action Range: Touch (see text) Target: One creature or force grappling you Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes The character deals 20d6 points of damage to any creature grappling him or her. The damage dealt by pure force, and can also affect incorporeal creatures (though such creatures cannot normally make grapple checks). If grappled by a creature the creature must make an immediate grapple check versus the amount of damage it received from the spell. If it fails, you are released from grapple. If grappled by a magical force the force is destroyed on an opposed caster level check (you receive a +10 bonus). Living Lightning Evocation [Electricity] Spellcraft Ranks: 42 Base Spell: Any evocation spell of 6th level or higher that deals electricity damage Components: None Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) or 150 ft. Area: 300 ft.-line Duration: 1 minute/level Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes When the character casts this spell, a stroke of energy deals 2d6 points of electricity damage per caster level to each creature within the spell’s area (maximum 100d6). After this, living lightning continues to “cast itself” once per round at the caster’s enemies. This requires no effort on the part of the caster and continues even if the caster is incapable of casting spells (but see below). Living lightning follows all the standard rules for epic spell casting when the character casts it. Living lightning is sentient and generally friendly toward the character. It has the character’s mental ability scores, but it has no physical ability scores. It senses the world through the character’s senses and communicates with him or her by thought. For this reason, it ceases to cast itself if the caster is incapacitated, killed, or otherwise ceases to be able to perceive the world around it. As a self-triggering spell, it isn’t truly alive but is a fragment of the character’s personality. It cares little for the world around it, but at the character’s urging (and sometimes at its own discretion) it casts itself at his or her foes. When the spell casts itself, it acts on the character’s initiative but does not count against his or her own actions in the round. The character cannot hve more than one living lightning spell active at a time. Lord of Nightmares Conjuration (Summoning) Spellcraft Ranks: 34 Base Spell: Gate Components: V, S, X P Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effects: One summoned creature Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No The character is possessed by a dream larva. For round per caster level, the dream larva’s body physically replaces the character’s, though the dream larva has the character’s equipment. The dream larva is free to call on all its own powers and abilities, or use the character’s equipment. The character’s consciousness and physical form are suppressed for the duration of the possession. The character has no way to dismiss the spell, communicate, or otherwise maintain awareness once possession has commenced. The dream larva, temporarily freed from its imprisonment in some distant nightmare, will attempt to slay and incapacitate any creature it can see or find, whether it is a friend or foe of the caster. Casting lord of nightmares entails some risk for the caster, since it’s unknown what a dream larva might do over the course of 20 rounds. The larva will dispatch all enemies it can find before turning to its own concerns. Sometimes a dream larva will attempt to place itself in a dangerous or precarious situation prior to the end of the spell, leaving the caster to extricate him or herself. If the dream larva is slain during the duration of the spell, the character’s consciousness is instantly restored to aware-ness within his or her own body. The character’s condition remains what it was when he or she completed casting lord of nightmares, regardless of what damage the dream larva received. However, magic item charges used, potions consumed, and other physical resources used up by the dream larva are permanent. XP Cost: 1,000 XP. Mass Frog Transmutation Spellcraft Rank: 24 Base Spell: Baleful Polymorph or Polymorph Any Object Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Targets: 1 creature/level, no two which can be more than 60 ft. apart Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes As polymorph, except that you roll 8d6 per caster level and sum the result (maximum 240d6). If the sum exceeds a subject’s current hit points, this spell changes the subject into a frog. The creature loses its extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities, loses its ability to cast spells (if it had the ability), and gains the alignment, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores of a frog in place of its own. It loses its class levels (or HD), as well as all benefits deriving therefrom (such as base attack bonus, base save bonuses, and hit points). The creatures type changes to animal and it loses any subtypes it once possessed (including the shapechanger subtype). In addition, mass frog is instantaneous; once the spell has been cast, there is no magic left keeping the target transformed and the target is for all intents and purposes an ordinary mundane frog. Dispel Magic, Greater Dispel Magic, and break enchantment are all incapable of restoring the subject to its original form, though a carefully worded wish or miracle spell as well as the superb dispelling epic spell are all capable of breaking the spell. Even gaseous or incorporeal creatures can be transformed into frogs through this powerful spell. . Momento Mori Necromancy [Death] Spellcraft Ranks: 46 Base Spell: Finger of Death Components: None Casting Time: 1 immediate action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One living creature Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude partial (see text) Spell Resistance: Yes When momento mori is cast, roll 8d6 per caster level and total the result (maximum 400d6). If the sum exceeds the target’s current hit points, the character wills the target dead without a word or gesture. The character’s thought snuffs out the life force of a living creature of 100 or fewer HD, killing it instantly. The subject is entitled to a Fortitude saving throw to have a chance of surviving the attack. This spell is nearly impossible to resist, and the DC receives a +10 bonus. If the save is successful, the target instead takes 3d6+20 points of damage. Mummy Dust Necromancy [Evil] Spellcraft Ranks: 24 Base Spell: Create Undead Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Effects: Two 18-HD mummies Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No When the character sprinkles the dust of ground mummies in conjunction with casting mummy dust, two Large 18-HD mummies (see below) spring up from the dust in an area adjacent to the character. The mummies follow the character’s every command according to their abilities, until they are destroyed or the character loses control of them by attempting to control more Hit Dice of undead than he or she has caster levels. Material Component: Dust of ground mummies XP Cost: 100 XP. Mummy, Advanced: CR 8; Large undead; HD 18d12+3; hp 120; Init -1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 20, touch 8, flat-footed 20; Base Atk +9; Grp +24; Atk +20 melee (1d8+16 plus mummy rot); Full Atk +20 melee (1d8+16 plus mummy rot); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA Despair, mummy rot; SQ Damage reduction 5/–, darkvision 60 ft., undead traits, vulnerability to fire; AL LE; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +13; Str 32, Dex 8, Con --, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 15. Skills and Feats: Hide -5, Listen +9, Move Silently +10, Spot +9; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (slam). Despair (Su): At the sight of a mummy, the viewer must succeed at a Will save (DC 21), or be paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds. Whether or not the save is successful, that creature cannot be affected again by that mummy’s despair ability for one day. Mummy Rot (Su): Supernatural disease—slam, Fortitude save (DC 21), incubation period 1 minute; damage 1d6 Con and 1d6 Cha. The save DC is Charisma-based. Unlike normal diseases, mummy rot continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or is cured as described below. Mummy rot is a powerful curse, not a natural disease. A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell on a creature afflicted with mummy rot must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character. To eliminate mummy rot, the curse must first be broken with break enchantment or remove curse (requiring a DC 20 caster level check for either spell), after which a caster level check is no longer necessary to cast healing spells on the victim, and the mummy rot can be magically cured as any normal disease. An afflicted creature who dies of mummy rot shrivels away into sand and dust that blow away into nothing at the first wind. Nailed to the Sky Conjuration [Teleportation] Spellcraft Ranks: 30 Base Spell: Imprisonment Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: Creature or object weighing up to 1,000 lb. Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes Nailed to the sky actually places the target so far from the surface of the world and at such a speed that it keeps missing the surface as it falls back, so it enters an eternal orbit. The forces that hold the character in orbit are completely nonmagical, so the effect cannot be dispelled once it is cast. Unless the target can magically fly or has some other form of non-physical propulsion available, the target is stuck until someone else rescues it. Even if the target can fly, the surface is 2 to 4 hours away, assuming a fly spell, which allows a maximum speed of 720 feet per round while descending. The target may not survive that long. Depending on the world where nailed to the sky is cast, conditions so far from its surface may be deadly. Deleterious effects include scorching heat, cold, and vacuum. Targets subject to these conditions take 2d6 points of damage each from heat or cold and 1d4 points of damage from the vacuum each round. The target immediately begins to suffocate. Origin of Species Conjuration (Creation) Spellcraft Ranks: 24+ (see text) Base Spell: Wish or Miracle Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: see text Range: 0 ft. Effects: One constructed creature Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell creates a new creature of the caster’s choosing. The spell takes 1 day to complete for every hit dice the creature possesses and has a number of required spell ranks equal to 20 + the creature’s CR (minimum 24). A caster cannot create a creature with more than twice his or her caster level in hit dice. A created creature does not possess the treasure, culture, or specific knowledge of a normal creature of its type. If the creature is capable of speech, it speaks one language its creator knows. The creature is not under the control of its creator in any way and acts as its mental ability scores dictate, possibly even attacking the caster if it is primarily driven by instinct. If released to be among its own kind, it quickly picks up the normal traits and alignment. Even if it is not released among its own kind, creatures tend to develop the habits and alignment normal for the creature over time, and exceptionally powerful creatures often become dissatisfied with their creator unless their living conditions are to their liking. XP Cost: 500 XP per HD of the creature. Peripety Abjuration Spellcraft Ranks: 27 Base Spell: Entropic Shield or Protection from Arrows Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 24 hours Ranged attacks targeted against the character rebound on the original attacker. Any time during the duration, five attacks are automatically reflected back on the original attacker; the character decides which attacks before damage is rolled. If an attack exceeds the caster’s AC by 10 or more the attack may not be deflected. The reflected attack rebounds on the attacker using the same attack roll. Once five attacks are so reflected, the spell ends.
Paladin's Pride 01-26-07, 06:16 PM	Pestilence Necromancy Spellcraft Ranks: 29 Base Spell: Contagion Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: 1 hour Range: 0 ft. Area: 2-mile.radius hemisphere Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes When pestilence is successfully cast, a wave of illness radites outward from the site of the ritual, instantly infecting every living thing in the area with the debilitating disease known as slimy doom. Within 24 hours, everything in the area begins to show signs of rot and decay. Each day that a victim fails a Fortitude save, it takes 1d4 points of temporary Constitution damage. If the victim then fails a second save, 1 point of that damage is permanent drain. If the victim succeeds at the first saving throw of the day on consecutive days, he or she has recovered from the disease. This magical form of the disease is contagious and will not spread beyond those initially infected. Fruits and vegetables infected with slimy doom are unfit for consumption, as are disease-ridden livestock. Rain of Fire Evocation [Fire] Spellcraft Ranks: 41 Base Spell: Control Weather Components: V, S Casting Time: 10 minutes Target: creature or object touched Area: 2-mile-radius emanation Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: None This spell summons a swirling thunderstorm that rains fire rather than raindrops down on the character and everything within a two-mile radius of him or her. This functions as the epic spell dire winter except that the damage dealt is fire damage and all plants and vegetation are scorched and burned in the area instead the blizzard effect. Raise Island Conjuration (Creation) Spellcraft DC: 25 Base Spell: Wall of Stone Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: 10 days Range: 0 ft. Area: 100-ft.-radius hemispherical island Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No The character can literally raise a new island from out of the sea, bringing to the surface a sandy or rocky but otherwise barren protrusion that is solid, stable, and permanently established. The island is roughly circular and about 200 feet in diameter. Raise island only works if the ocean is less than 1,000 feet deep where the spell is cast. XP Cost: 1,000 XP. Ruin Transmutation Spellcraft Ranks: 24 Base Spell: Disintegrate Components: V, S, X P Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Target: One creature, or up to a 20-foot cube of nonliving matter Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude partial Spell Resistance: Yes The character deals 4d6 points of damage per caster level to a single target within range and line of sight (maximum 120d6). If the target is reduced to 0 hit points, it is utterly destroyed as if disintegrated. Only a trace of fine dust remains. On a successful save, the subject instead takes 10d6 points of damage. Safe Time Transmutation Spellcraft ranks: 38 Base Spell: Time Stop Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Touch Target: You or creature touched Duration: Contingent until expended, then 1 round of safe time Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No Safe time can move the character (or the target) out of harm’s way by shunting him or her into a static time stream. Once cast, the spell remains quiescent and does not activate until the trigger conditions have been met. Each day it remains untriggered, it uses up an epic spell slot, even if you cast it on another creature. Once triggered, the spell is expended normally. When the character would otherwise be subject to any instantaneous effect that would reduce him or her to 0 hit points, he or she is instead transported to a static time stream where time ceases to flow. The character’s condition becomes fixed—no force or effect can harm him or her until 1 round of real time has passed. Thus, the character avoids the damage he or she would otherwise receive, but the character also misses out on one round of activity. To the character, no time passes at all, but to onlookers who are part of real time, the character stands frozen and fixed in space for 1 full round. Soul Dominion Divination, Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Spellcraft Ranks: 28 Base Spell: Dominate Monster and any scrying spell. Components: V, S Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: See text Target: One other living creature with no more than 60HD Duration: 1 minute/level (D) Saving Throw: Will negates (see text) Spell Resistance: No When a character casts this spell, he or she is temporarily able to take control of another sentient creature with whom the character is familiar (by meeting, observing, or successfully scrying the subject). The target receives a Will save, and if successful, prevents the character from making the telepathic connection. The target is aware of the attempted takeover as a strange, momentary tingling. If the Will save fails, the character is able to control the subject’s body as if it were his or her own, hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, and tasting everything the target senses. Once the character dismisses the spell or its duration ends, the target resumes control of its body, fully aware of all events that occurred, having been a helpless witness trapped inside its own body. The target knows the name and general nature of its possessor if it succeeds at an additional Will saving throw. A character cannot control undead or incorporeal creatures with soul dominion. Soul Scry Divination Spellcraft Ranks: 28 Base Spell: any scrying spell Components: V, S Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: See text Target: One other living creature Duration: 20 minutes (D) Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: No When a character casts this spell, he or she is temporarily able to tap the consciousness of another sentient creature with whom the character is familiar (by meeting, observing, or successfully scrying the subject), experiencing everything he or she does with all five senses. The target receives a Will save, and if successful, prevents the character from making the telepathic connection. Whether the saving throw is successful or not, the target is unaware of the attempted intrusion. Once the subject is tapped, the character is able to hear, see, feel, smell, and taste everything the subject senses. The character cannot control the subject, however. The character can only see what the subject chooses to look at, and the character tastes something only if the subject eats or drinks it during the spell’s duration. During this time, the character’s own body remains in a trance-like state. If the subject takes damage, the character senses the injuries, although his or her own body does not actually suffer any ill effects. If the subject is knocked unconscious or killed, the spell immediately ends. Spell Worm Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Spellcraft Ranks: 25 Base Spell: Feeblemind Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One living creature Duration: 1 hour/level or until completed Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes On a failed save, the subject must spend a standard action each round abandoning his or her highest-level spell (or losing his or her highest-level unused spell slot). Each round, the subject eliminates another spell or spell slot, moving to lower-level spells once all the higher-level spells are gone. In the case of prepared spells, the subject decides which spells to abandon at each level. The subject may spend other actions available in the round normally (including casting spells, if possible). The subject doesn’t realize the spells or spell slots are gone until he or she tries to cast a spell and finds it unavailable (the character wastes the action attempting to cast a spell that is no longer available). Abandoning a spell slot or losing a spell is standard action, but it does not draw an attack of opportunity. It is a purely mental exercise not obvious to observers. Summon Behemoth Conjuration (Summoning) Spellcraft Ranks: 28 Base Spell: Summon Nature’s Ally IX Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effects: Summoned creature Duration: 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No The character can summon a behemoth gorilla or behemoth eagle to attack his or her enemies. It appears where the character designates and acts immediately, on the character’s turn. It attacks the character’s opponents to the best of its ability. If the character can communicate with the creature, he or she can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions. Summoned creatures act normally on the last round of the spell and disappear at the end of their turn. Superb Dispelling Abjuration Spellcraft Ranks: 26 Base Spell: Greater Dispel Magic Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One creature or object Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No As greater dispel magic, except that the maximum bonus on the dispel check is +40, and the spell can dispel any effect, even instantaneous effects, a wall of force, prismatic wall, or other epic spells. It cannot be reflected by spell turning or an epic spell turning effect and nothing short of divine intervention can grant immunity to its effects. Time Duplicate Conjuration [Teleportation] Spellcraft Ranks: 35 Base Spell: Gate Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 swift action Effects: You Duration: 1 round (see text) Saving Throw: None (harmless) Spell Resistance: None (harmless) The character snatches him or her self from 1 round in the future, depositing this future self in an adjacent space. The character’s future self is technically only a possible future self (the time stream is a maelstrom of multiple probabilities), but snatching that future self from 1 round in the future collapses probability, and the possible future becomes the definite future. The character and his or her future self are both free to act normally this round (the character has already used up the limit of one swift action per round, but his or her duplicate hasn’t). The future self has all the resources the character has at the moment he or she finishes casting time duplicate. Because the future self was previously only a possibility, his or her resources are not depleted as a result of whatever might occur this round (even if the character dies this round). Likewise, he or she doesn’t have any special knowledge of what might occur during this round. Because the future self is still part of the time stream, the round it spends with the character is a round it misses in its own future. Because the chracter’s future duplicate is also the character, the character misses the next round as well. He or she simply isn’t there. Tampering with the time stream is a tricky business. Here is a round-by-round summary. Round One: The character casts time duplicate, the future self from round two arrives, and both act normally. Round Two: The future self—the character—gets snatched back in time to help the past self. During this round, there are no versions of the character present. Round Three: The character rejoins the time stream. The character arrives in the same location and condition that the future self ended with at the end of the first round. Any resources (spells, damage, staff charges) the future self used up in round one are gone for real. Record them now. Using this spell to snatch a single future self stretches time and probability to its limit; more powerful versions of time duplicate are not possible. A character cannot bring more than a single future version of him or her self back at one time, nor can a character snatch a version of him or her from farther in the future. Vengeful Gaze of God Transmutation Spellcraft Ranks: 69 Base Spell: Destruction or Disintegrate Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Target: One creature Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes The target of this spell is subject to 10d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 750d6). If the target is reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is utterly destroyed, leaving nothing of the body behind. The caster is likewise dealt 200d6 points of damage. If this damage kills the caster, the caster cannot be revived by a raise dead or resurrection spell, and only has a 50% chance of being raised successfully by a true resurrection spell. If this fails to raise the caster, only an epic spell or divine intervention can raise the character successfully. Verdigris Conjuration (Creation) Spellcraft Ranks: 30 Base Spell: Plant Growth Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: 100-ft.-radius hemisphere Duration: 24 hours Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: No This spell creates a tsunami of grass, shrubs, and trees that overgrows the area like a tidal wave. The plant growth creeps and curls across every-thing in the area, ensnaring it and coiling around it as if it had been growing there for a century or more. Creatures in the area must make a Reflex saving throw to avoid the fast-moving growth, which otherwise deals 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 40d6) from the crushing press. Buildings and other structures are especially affected as there foundations are destroyed and the building is engulfed. They take 200 points of damage, enough to collapse masonry buildings, but not ones built from stone or magically protected reinforced masonry. Movement along the ground is reduced to 1/10 the normal rate. The plant growth remains for 24 hours, after which it vanishes. Verdigris Tsunami Conjuration (Creation) Spellcraft Ranks: 40 Base Spell: Earthquake and Plant growth Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: 1,500 ft. Area: 1,000-ft.-radius hemisphere Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half This spell creates a tsunami of grass, shrubs, and trees that overgrows the area like a tidal wave. The plant growth creeps and curls across every-thing in the area, ensnaring it and coiling around it as if it had been growing there for a century or more. Creatures in the area must make a Reflex saving throw to avoid the fast-moving growth, which otherwise deals 2d6 points of damage from the crushing press (maximum 100d6). Buildings are engulfed and they likewise take 1,000 points of damage, enough to destroy any structure other than one built from magically reinforced stone. Those destroyed by the damage have their foundations uprooted and walls crumbled. The plant growth is permanent, and becomes nonmagical once the spell is cast. XP Cost: 5,000 XP.
Paladin's Pride 01-26-07, 06:18 PM	EPIC TREASURE I'll get this up in a bit, until then it's pretty much covered at this link.http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=772336
Paladin's Pride 01-26-07, 06:30 PM	EPIC MONSTERS This portion is still under much construction. The main change I have made to epic monsters is separating hit dice into epic and non-epic hit dice. Epic hit dice follow all the same rules as epic levels do for player characters. They receive a +1 epic attack bonus at every odd numbered epic hit dice, and a +1 epic save bonus at every odd numbered hit dice. At every even numbered hit dice, epic monsters also receive a bonus epic feat. Creatures of the construct, ooze, or undead type receive epic toughness as a bonus feat at every odd numbered hit dice. This is even true of mindless constructs, oozes, or undead creatures who do not normally receive feats. Creatures with epic hit dice advance by increasing their epic hit dice only, never their non-epic hit dice. For every 2 epic hit dice added, the CR increases by +1 (regardless of type). Why wizards standardized advancement for class levels but allowed saves and attack bonuses to advance at their standard rates for monsters is baffling. This change also gives a clearly set number of epic and non-epic feats for each monster instead of the current rules where there are no rules governing how many of creatures feats may be epic feats. A slightly subtler change is that in giving out bonus epic feats the overall strength per hit dice is increased for creatures like undead or constructs while remaining the same for creatures like outsiders or dragons. This is intended to allow epic creatures to have less hit dice without losing as much power. The fact that many epic monsters had obscene amount of hit dice produced saves for their special abilities which no character could conceivably make. In removing immunities from the game, this had to be corrected. I am still working hard on this portion of my altered epic rules. An example of a converted Atropal follows. Note that the creature was reduced from 66HD to 45. ATROPAL Large Undead (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 45d12 (15 epic) +360 (900 hp) Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) Speed: 5 ft., fly 240 ft. (perfect) AC:57 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +6 epic, +40 natural) Base Attack /Grapple: +29/+49 Attack: Touch +44 (2d6 Con drain; 19-20/x5 and 5 con damage) melee touch Full Attack: 2 touches +44 (2d6 Con drain; 19-20/x5 and 5 con damage) melee touch, eye ray +25 (negative level damage;19-20/x5) ranged touch Space/Reach: 10 ft/10 ft. Special Attacks: Constitution drain, energy drain (2d4 negative levels, Fort DC 45), spell-like abilities, summon nightcrawler Special Qualities: Abomination traits, undead traits, rebuke/command undead, regeneration 20, SR 42, DR 15/good and epic and silver, negative energy aura Saves: Fort +21, Ref +25, Will +36 Abilities: Str 43, Dex 15, Con –, Int 28, Wis 22, Cha 36 Skills: Bluff +60, Concentration +64, Diplomacy +72, Hide -1, Jump +1, Intimidate +66, Knowledge (arcana, history, religion, the planes) +57, Listen +56, Search +57, Sense Motive +54, Spellcraft +63, Spot +66 Feats: Dodge, Expertise, Improved Critical (touch), Improved Critical (eye ray), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (finger of death), Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack Epic Feats: Armor Skin x3, Devastating Critical (touch), Dire Charge, Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflexes, Epic Toughness x8, Epic Will, Improved Whirlwind Attack, Overwhelming Critical (eye ray), Overwhelming Critical (touch), Undead Mastery, Zone of Animation Climate/Terrain: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 30 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 46–90 HD (Large); 91–135 HD (Huge) An atropal’s natural weapons are treated as epic, evil, and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Combat Spell-Like Abilities: At will—blasphemy, create greater undead, desecrate, finger of death, greater dispelling, greater teleport, greater invisibility invisibility, plane shift, slay living, speak with dead, unholy aura; 3/day—haste, project image, superb dispelling, weird. Caster level 30th; save DC 23 + spell level. The save DCs are Charisma-based Rebuke/Command Undead (Su): Atropals can rebuke or command undead as a cleric with a level equal to the atropal’s HD + 6. Negative Energy Aura (Su): A 30-foot-radius spread negative energy aura spreads from each atropal. All undead in the field (including the atropal) are treated as if having turn resistance +20 and a negative energy version of fast healing 20. Living creatures in the aura are treated as having ten negative levels unless they have some sort of negative energy protection or protection from evil. Creatures with 10 or fewer HD or levels perish (and, at the atropal’s option, rise as spectres under the atropal’s command 1 minute later). Constitution Drain (Su): When the atropal hits a living opponent with a touch attack, the opponent takes 2d6 points of permanent Constitution drain, or 10d6 points on a critical hit. The atropal heals 20 points of damage, or 100 points on a critical hit, whenever it drains Constitution, gaining any excess as temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last a maximum of 1 hour. The attack allows a Fortitude save (DC 45). The DC is Charisma-based. Energy Drain (Su): When the atropal hits with a ranged touch attack (a ray of darkness that it shoots from one eye to a range of 400 feet), the resultant energy drain bestows four negative levels, or eight negative levels on a critical hit. For each negative level bestowed on an opponent, the atropal heals 10 points of damage, or 20 on a critical hit, gaining any excess as temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last a maximum of 1 hour. After 24 hours have passed, the afflicted opponent must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 45) for each negative level. If successful, the negative level goes away with no harm to the creature; otherwise, the creature’s level decreases by one. The DC is Charisma-based. Regeneration (Ex): Atropals take normal damage from good weapons or sentient weapons (or otherwise living weapons). Summon Nightcrawler (Sp): Five times per day an atropal can summon a nightcrawler. Abomination Traits: protection from polymorphing, petrification, and other form-altering attacks; protection from energy drain, ability drain, or ability damage; protection mind-affecting effects; resistance to cold and fire 20; nondetection; true seeing at will; blindsight 500 ft.; telepathy out to 1,000 ft. Undead Traits: Immunity poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death, effects, necromantic effects, mind-affecting effects, and any effect requiring a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects. Protection from critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Negative energy heals. Destoryed at 0 hit points or less. Darkvision 60 ft. Cannot be raised; resurrection works only if creature is willing.
Alias 01-27-07, 01:10 PM	This is a lot of stuff to wade through and comment on, so I'll just post some random comments right now. A paladin’s divine grace now counts as a luck bonus. Why not make it a sacred bonus? It makes more sense, being a paladin, and luck bonuses are extremely rare, which means it's not going to overlap with much else - prayer (and why is that a luck bonus, anyway). Immunity is Replaced by a quality known as Protection from X (i.e. protection from death effects, protection from transmutation, etc.) I like that. No matter how many times the feat is selected, the maximum spell level a cleric can cast is 10 at 21st level, +1 for every 4 additional levels. Full-progression classes (cleric, druid, sor/wiz) should get new spell levels every 3 levels, not every 4. Baleful Polymoprh .. As polymorph, except that on a failed fortitude save roll 3d6/level (maximum 45d6) and total the result. If the sum exceeds the subject’s current hit points, you change the subject into a Small or smaller animal of no more than 1 HD. Why not just put a cap on it, say, 2 HD/caster level? It'd be a lot easier, and more logical, than having to roll huge numbers of dice every time someone casts this spell. You already did it with the charm spells (good idea, BTW). This spell functions like enervation, except that the creature struck gains 6 negative levels, and the negative levels last longer. Why 6? Why not 2d4, like it was? An undead creature struck by the ray gains 2d4x5 temporary hit points for 1 hour. You forgot to change this - 2d4 was derived from the number of levels drained, and if you're draining 6 every time, the undead would gain 30 hp every time. You can slay any one living creature within range. Roll 5d6/level (maximum 100d6) and total the result. If the sum equals or exceeds the subject’s current hit points, the target must succeed on a fortitude save or be killed instantly. If the save is successful, the creature instead takes 3d6 points of damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +25). You're hamstringing a spell that's already balanced. Number one, it's 7th level, which is high enough for save-or-die effects. Number two, it's already got two saves - SR and the Fort save. And third, you're adding in that wonky "roll a pile of dice and compare it to the target's HD" mechanic. Freedom of Movement I didn't see anything wrong with this spell in the first place. If you think it's overpowered, increase the level. Neutralize Poison You didn't change anything here, that I could see... DEVASTATING CRITICAL [EPIC] Benefit: Whenever the character scores a critical hit with the chosen weapon, the target takes constitution damage equal to the weapon’s critical multiplier. (Creatures immune to critical hits can’t be affected by this feat.) Interesting fix. Much better than the original feat. Benefit: The character may cast 1 quickened spells as a free action each round (in addition to a normal quickened spell cast as a swift action). What about those of us who don't use swift/immediate/whatever actions? I stick with free/move/standard, personally. SOUL ARMOR [EPIC] Prerequsites: Cha 13 Benefit: The character may add his or her charisma bonus to his or her touch AC against spells. You're adding your Cha bonus as an unnamed bonus to AC, with no cap. Hmm...
Paladin's Pride 01-27-07, 03:09 PM	First of all, thanks for the post Alias, I was afraid the size of this post would stop anyone from giving me feedback. I appreciate you taking the time to look at it. Why not make it a sacred bonus? It makes more sense, being a paladin, and luck bonuses are extremely rare, which means it's not going to overlap with much else - prayer (and why is that a luck bonus, anyway). Well, when I finish adding in epic items, I have one item that grants a luck bonus to AC and Saves (though I am still avoiding the type of epic game where you can get every type of bonus to AC and saves). I considered sacred bonus, but as far as I could tell, there was even less that would overlap with sacred as compared with luck. Full-progression classes (cleric, druid, sor/wiz) should get new spell levels every 3 levels, not every 4. I have everyone at epic gaining a spell level every four levels (though only if they take improved spell capacity). Assuming they all take enough improved spell capacity, a wizard is always three spell levels ahead of a bard, and five ahead of a paladin or ranger (though I think these characaters won't take improved spell capacity at all). It's intended to be a standardized progression. Why not just put a cap on it, say, 2 HD/caster level? It'd be a lot easier, and more logical, than having to roll huge numbers of dice every time someone casts this spell. You already did it with the charm spells (good idea, BTW). Glad you like changes to the charm spells, I guess what I don't like about using HD for instant elimination effects is that it means that the spell can either eliminate an encounter in one spell (which I don't think should happen to epic level opponents) or cannot be used at all (which is frustrating for the spellcaster). The way I had written it, an instant death isn't going to work on most epic level opponents until it is weakened by the fighter or a few maximized meteor swarms. I never wrote it down, but it was always my intention that folks would use the average roll per die optional rule for spells like these, to avoid the insane amount of rolling (they'd just take 10.5 per level). I could have made it a set amount of hitpoints per level (say 10 or so), but this would have made it impossible to increase the power of these spells through metamagic, which I wanted to be possible (i.e. a maximized finger of death that can kill an opponent with up to 600 hitpoints as a 10th level spell). This was actually a very important change to me. It seems like the way epic has been written, epic opponents have to have ludicrous saves or immunities so that spells cannot eliminate them too quickly. With spells working as I have written them, its okay if epic monsters fail their saves more often. Why 6? Why not 2d4, like it was? It is my contention that enervation and energy drain become broken when large amounts of metamagic are dropped onto them. An intensified energy drain can inflict 16 negative levels on an opponent. Unlike damage, negative levels don't really become less effective at epic levels. That negative 1 to saves and attack rolls means just as much at epic as it does at non-epic (i.e. 5% less chance of hitting or making a save). If huge amounts of negative levels are to be inflicted on an epic monster, it either has to have insanely high saves and attack rolls to begin with to the point its going to be nigh unbeatable without inflicting negative levels (which would unfairly punish a group without the capacity to inflict negative levels), or the battle will be effectively over with one spell (also unsatisfying). That is why I changed it to a set amount instead of 2d4. That said, I realize 2d4 averages out to 5, not 6. That was because I rounded the average of enervation up to 3, instead of dropping it down to 2, and I wanted to maintain the balance that energy drain inflicts twice as many negative levels as enervation. I didn't see anything wrong with this spell in the first place. If you think it's overpowered, increase the level. It wasn't really my intention to weaken the spell, simply to stop it from being an absolute protection. If Kord god of strength attempts a grapple against a 7th level character, he shouldn't automatically fail because of one 4th level spell. (referring to neutralize poison) You didn't change anything here, that I could see... Just changed immunity to poison to protection from poison. I forgot to add precisely what that implies (+10 on saves against poison, no automatic failure on natural 1) What about those of us who don't use swift/immediate/whatever actions? I stick with free/move/standard, personally. Hmmm.....well, swift actions are pretty standard now. You can just change it to how one use of multispell worked before (and improved multispell would be as if you had two of the old multispell, but it isn't possible to go any higher than that). You're adding your Cha bonus as an unnamed bonus to AC, with no cap. Hmm... well....I could give it a type, but it is only to AC against the touch attacks of spells, not AC generally. I didn't think that it was too broken, but if you have an example to why it is, I'd be happy to hear it.
DragonBringerX 01-27-07, 03:27 PM	your welcome for the spells... Now that you took the time to go through and actually word out all of the spells I thank you. (I realy don't have a lot of time to do such things due to school and work). I will have to use these myself. :clap: I would still recomend however that you still use the Seed system, unless of course you feel that it is too broken (as in overpowering). Which I dont feel is so b/c the DM still has say yes or no to a spell. (Just as much emphasis as in the ELHB)
Paladin's Pride 01-27-07, 04:07 PM	your welcome for the spells... I would still recomend however that you still use the Seed system, unless of course you feel that it is too broken (as in overpowering). Which I dont feel is so b/c the DM still has say yes or no to a spell. (Just as much emphasis as in the ELHB) Yes, breaking away from the epic seed system was something I was fairly sure about. Overall, I felt like even when the epic spell system didn't produce spells that were broken or useless, it still produced spells that were clunky and ugly to look at. Every spell requiring multiple casters, experience points, and excessive casting times makes epic spells feel very different from their non-epic counterparts, which managed to be balanced without such measures. Generally, a spell is either balanced at a certain level or not. If an effect requires an XP component or some other limiting factor, its usually because the effect is broken if cast repeatedly, not because the effect would be balanced if it were higher level as the seed system implies. All that said, I do recognize that without guidelines, it places alot more responsibility in the hands of a DM to decide whether an epic spell is balanced or not, and gives him or her little help in making that decision. It probably also undermines the player's ability to come up with their own epic spells, and that is a real loss. I can understand why some want those hard and fast guidelines. However, I still believe that the best epic spell system is the one where we write up an effect, decide what level its appropriate for, and go.
thompsja 01-27-07, 09:54 PM	The published Epic spell system is very abusable - It isn't hard to have a character with +60 Int, +40 AC, virtually immune to most spells via ward, with a character who is just barely able to get Epic Spellcasting. (Assume the character has 30 helpers in a ritual every day, and extends his spells so that they last several days. The spells layer on top of each other, giving enormous benefits) To me, Epic means a large change in an area. When the demi-lich casts a terrible necromancy spell on a battlefield, and thousands of zombies rise. A druid spell that turns cropland into primeval forest. A cleric spell that makes the sun rise, briefly, in the middle of the night. I like the idea of massive, awesome spells. I also like that personal nature of them - no two would be alike. It really needs a cooperative negotiation between the player and DM. My recommendations for systems changes are: Bonuses, dice of damage are still limited by level - You couldn't make an energy attack do more d6's than your caster level, nor could you raise your AC by more than caster level. Second, adjustments to Spellcraft DC by using rituals cannot exceed more than 50% of total deduction. Thus, if your base spell is DC100, and you want to make it DC 50, you can't have more than 25 points of reduction from using ritual helpers. A discussion on another board about Epic Magic suggested that all permanent duration spells require some sort of XP burn. I think that should be explored. Right now, characters can get a +5 inherent in every stat if they get a year or so of free time.
Alias 01-28-07, 01:37 PM	I have everyone at epic gaining a spell level every four levels (though only if they take improved spell capacity). Right. but ISC's a feat, which you're gaining every 3 levels, not 4. Unless you're using some chart that we don't have access to? I considered sacred bonus, but as far as I could tell, there was even less that would overlap with sacred as compared with luck. True. I thought there were a few cleric/paladin spells that granted it, but... nope. I never wrote it down, but it was always my intention that folks would use the average roll per die optional rule for spells like these, to avoid the insane amount of rolling (they'd just take 10.5 per level). I could have made it a set amount of hitpoints per level (say 10 or so), but this would have made it impossible to increase the power of these spells through metamagic, which I wanted to be possible (i.e. a maximized finger of death that can kill an opponent with up to 600 hitpoints as a 10th level spell). Ah, I see. That makes sense now. Unlike damage, negative levels don't really become less effective at epic levels. You're right - so why nerf them? A simple death ward will provide adequate protection against them. Or, if the players use energy drain overly much, the DM could just toss undead and constructs against them until they get the hint. It wasn't really my intention to weaken the spell, simply to stop it from being an absolute protection. If Kord god of strength attempts a grapple against a 7th level character, he shouldn't automatically fail because of one 4th level spell. I'm not totally convinced freedom of movement should work against grappling anyway, but that's just me. Being able to move through areas that impair movement (grease, spike growth, entanglement, water, etc.) is fine, but if you're being physically held, that's a different situation entirely - I'd give the target a bonus to escape grappling (+10) but not an automatic success. Hmmm.....well, swift actions are pretty standard now. You can just change it to how one use of multispell worked before (and improved multispell would be as if you had two of the old multispell, but it isn't possible to go any higher than that). Eh. I don't use Multispell anyway, because it's a hideously broken feat. Being able to cast more than 2 spells a round should be limited to gods of magic. well....I could give it a type, but it is only to AC against the touch attacks of spells, not AC generally. I didn't think that it was too broken, but if you have an example to why it is, I'd be happy to hear it. I was comparing it to the paladin's Divine Grace ability, which was the same thing, but you changed to a luck bonus with a cap. But yeah, touch AC against spells only is good, I guess. However, I still believe that the best epic spell system is the one where we write up an effect, decide what level its appropriate for, and go. I've been advocating a level-based system for a long time now, and I still say it works better than a Spellcraft-based system. To me, Epic means a large change in an area. When the demi-lich casts a terrible necromancy spell on a battlefield, and thousands of zombies rise. A druid spell that turns cropland into primeval forest. A cleric spell that makes the sun rise, briefly, in the middle of the night. I like the idea of massive, awesome spells. Amen! That's what epic spells should be all about, not just adding huge amounts of stat bonuses or making permanent wards against xyz spells.
Paladin's Pride 01-29-07, 01:49 PM	Right. but ISC's a feat, which you're gaining every 3 levels, not 4. Unless you're using some chart that we don't have access to? Nope, I didn't change any of the classes bonus feat progressions. There were a couple of reasons I wanted spell levels to cap at +1 per four levels. 1) Tanks get only +1/2 BAB at epic (half their non-epic advancement), I decided the standardized spell level advancement should also be half the fastest non-epic rate of advancement. 2) I wanted the spell level advancement to be slightly slower than wizard and sorcerer bonus feat progression, so that these classes could occasionally use a bonus feat on something other than ISC without feeling like they are falling behind. 3)My version of ISC may be too good as it is, without a fairly slow cap, it almost definitely is. You're right - so why nerf them? A simple death ward will provide adequate protection against them. Or, if the players use energy drain overly much, the DM could just toss undead and constructs against them until they get the hint. Perhaps the way I should have stated it was that I think negative level effects may get better and better at higher levels until the point that they are too strong. Really, inflicting 6 negative levels on someone is strong as it is. Inflicting 12 or 16 or even more than that is starting to get pretty close to a death effect with no saving throw (because honestly, the quickened finger of death is just a formality at that point). That's why I rewrote the effect to disallow metamagic. Other than that, the spells are no weaker except for the fact that they can now be resisted by a very very high fortitude save (nearly imposible), and that's not really intended to come up very often, only when someone is fighting an enemy with ludicrous saving throws. Amen! That's what epic spells should be all about, not just adding huge amounts of stat bonuses or making permanent wards against xyz spells. Seconded! I really want to write up some spells that make epic gameplay truly different than even high level play, and not merely high level play with bigger numbers. Divination spells that reveal secrets forgottens for eons, transportation effects that allow characters to visit planes divorced from the standard cosmology, and spells that can change the course of a kingdoms history, or even make changes to the fundamanetal qualities of a plane itself. Btw, any comments on the mechanic I chose to use for epic spellcasting. I was interested in seeing what people thought of sacrificing multiple spell slots to power epic level spells instead of having epic level spell slots, since this potentially allows a character to cast many more epic spells during a day (at the cost of severely reducing the number of regular spells that the character will be able to cast).
rob_douglas 01-29-07, 02:33 PM	I don't have time to comment on all, but I will add this thought regarding paladin's saves. I know you are trying to limit the effect, and I am not sure if you are trying to limit it for all paladins or just those that "dip" for 2 levels. My solution to stop dipping is to put a cap on the bonus granted by a class of the class level. This will also help at epic levels. This applies to monk AC bonus, as well as Paladin Divine Grace - as was done for the Duelist, and Bladesinger PrCs. This mitigates the problem of Paladin saves, as you need to invest a lot of paladin levels to use your Cha bonus. In general I appreciate your revision, it took a lot of work, even if I don't agree (regarding immunity - I don't have a problem with it). impressive work. ROB
Alias 01-30-07, 11:55 AM	3)My version of ISC may be too good as it is, without a fairly slow cap, it almost definitely is. No may about it - it is too good. Being able to cast 14th level spells in a 1st level slot, no matter how many feats you spend to do it, is way too powerful. Besides, if you go with your version of epic spellcasting where you burn lower-level slots to power higher-level spells, no one's going to use this feat - they'll be using all their lower slots for the epic spells. BTW, UK uses 1/3 levels. Just thought I'd point that out. :) Btw, any comments on the mechanic I chose to use for epic spellcasting. I was interested in seeing what people thought of sacrificing multiple spell slots to power epic level spells instead of having epic level spell slots, since this potentially allows a character to cast many more epic spells during a day (at the cost of severely reducing the number of regular spells that the character will be able to cast). Our group uses it for casting ritual spells, but not epic spells (though a lot of the epic spells are rituals...). I think early on, when I was first trying to rebuild the epic spell system, a friend of mine suggested doing it this way too, then I settled on the straight level-based system. If you use a progression like they have for non-epic, you'll get more spells too.
AngelLemmingThief 01-30-07, 01:17 PM	Great stuff, like what you've done, especially with the immunities and feats. When my PCs get to 21st level they will be play-testing for you ;)
brun01 01-31-07, 07:24 AM	Great work, man! :clap: I don't have time to read all of it right now, but I read the basics and I must admit I like your stuff much better than what's in the SRD.
Paladin's Pride 01-31-07, 09:33 PM	No may about it - it is too good. Being able to cast 14th level spells in a 1st level slot, no matter how many feats you spend to do it, is way too powerful. Besides, if you go with your version of epic spellcasting where you burn lower-level slots to power higher-level spells, no one's going to use this feat - they'll be using all their lower slots for the epic spells. It's broken even if you have to spend 14 epic feats to do it? I can fully entertain the idea that you may be right on this one, and I myself had some reservations about this. Certainly the feat immensely increases a characters spells. However, there wouldn't really even be any point in taking it as many times as the example I gave. When a character can already cast the maximum level spells out of his or her 9th level slots, then 8th, then 7th, then 6th, there just comes a point where you can't actually use that many spells in a day. Any person who took the feat enough times to actually be casting maximum spell level from his or her cantrip slots would be hailed as an idiot and would give any power gamers in the room aneurysms. Compare this feat to the epic feat improved metamagic (which I actually forgot to mention that I had removed from the game, ISC replaces both the original ISC and Improved metamagic). A character who had taken that feat 13 times could do immensely more impressive things with his or spells than in my system (A quickened, repeat, twinned, maximized, empowered, sonic substituted chain lightning could be quite vicious, and most of you can think of better), whereas in my system a 40th level can't get above 14th level spells, taking ISC a bunch of times just means he'll have more and more of them on hand. My gut says that this is a bit like the monk, where it looks broken until you try it. But as I have yet to playtest this, I cannot yet say for sure. BTW, UK uses 1/3 levels. Just thought I'd point that out. :) I feel dumb...I totally can't decipher what this means then I settled on the straight level-based system. any chance you could PM it to me? I really appreciate the encouragement from people who like my ideas, and I anyone who playtests this for me has my eternal gratitude if they could let me know how it goes.
s4ndm4n 03-01-07, 01:42 PM	man,since you wrote down all this, why not post it as an article at Redgar's Repository? anyway, nice job
Szatany 03-04-07, 07:18 AM	It's really a fantastic piece of works. Must have taken a while :) I noticed some feats are missing from the list (and they are not posted as removed either). Since I can't find epic skill focus or those that improve ability score, am I to assume they are unchanged from ELH?
Paladin's Pride 03-04-07, 05:50 PM	Yes, if a feat is not listed and wasn't removed, then it is left as is. It's also worth noting that a few feats have only had their prerequisites changed. I don't have another update ready, but I am considering a few changes to what I had written above, one of which would be to make improved spell capacity a class feature that epic spellcasters receive at a regular intervals rather than making it a selectable feat, and slowing down the rate of wizard bonus feats to compensate. I like advancing spell slots by having all slots hold higher and higher level spells, but the feat may just be just too good. I'm still trying to play around with DC's too (I'm trying to figure out a way that spell-like abilities can remain viable at epic, instead of having the pitiful DC's they do now).
Szatany 03-04-07, 06:22 PM	I've been thinking about a change concerning epic BAB and saves, and I'd like you to evaluate it: BAB grows normally (according to class) until it reaches 20 (for pure wizard, that's 40th level, for barbarian 20th). When it does, you no longer gain BAB from class, but instead use epic BAB progression (+1 per 2 levels, regardless of class). Same is true for each save - as soon as it reaches 20 (36th level for pure good save, 60th level for pure weak one), it grows at the rate of 1 per 2 levels.
Paladin's Pride 03-08-07, 04:04 PM	I've been thinking about a change concerning epic BAB and saves, and I'd like you to evaluate it: BAB grows normally (according to class) until it reaches 20 (for pure wizard, that's 40th level, for barbarian 20th). When it does, you no longer gain BAB from class, but instead use epic BAB progression (+1 per 2 levels, regardless of class). Same is true for each save - as soon as it reaches 20 (36th level for pure good save, 60th level for pure weak one), it grows at the rate of 1 per 2 levels. Sure, Szatany, I'll be happy to analyze your house rule :) . The effect on BAB is pretty minimal, it doesn't effect those with full BAB (who will still gain epic BAB at level 21 just like originally) or those with 1/2 BAB (whose BAB doesn't change in epic), so only those with medium BAB are effected. Overall, these characters end up only 3 behind a full BAB character instead of 5 behind. The other major difference is that everyone eventually get's 4 attacks per round. whether or not these changes make a significant difference depends on what type of epic game you run. If you allow use activated items of lesser wish to make you auto-hit, then the actual attack rating of a character matters little, but the number of attacks they receive is significant. However, if you like me find such items to be cheesy, then this improves the power of medium BAB characters somewhat (and the fourth attack doesn't matter much). Also, if perisistent tenser's transformation spells are present, BAB also doesn't matter much. The save change is more dramatic. At level 6, the difference between a high save and a low save will be 12 instead of 6. On one hand, this may strengthen mage characters slightly, who rely on failed saves to attack their enemies. However, it will cause alot more situations where a character can't fail on their good save and can't pass on their bad save (because the total difference between the two is more than 20 after abilty modifiers and such). And I don't think it will be enough to make spells that grant saves worthwhile at epic. To figure out how much of a difference this will make on your players, ask yourself "how often are my players actually rolling saves now?" do they generally avoid most threats through total immunity, or are their saves so high that they can't fail any save except on a natural 1? Overall, the change seems a bit more complicated to me than the current system where all changes occur at level 21, and I can't see it adding much to the system. My question would be what is the change designed to accomplish? If it is difficult to articulate a good reason for the change, perhaps it is best to go with the current system, though I am by no means conservative when it comes to the changes in the epic level system (as I'm sure this thread makes clear).
Diplominator 03-14-07, 07:16 PM	Why the change to Polyglot? Tongues made it almost unnecessary, and even if it hadn't, it wouldn't have been that great. I'm not sure a nerf is necessary.
Paladin's Pride 03-15-07, 03:24 PM	Heh, you're probably right with polyglot, the nerf was more out of philosophical reasons than anything else, as part of the "remove absolutes" ideal that I was trying to implement. However, polyglot wasn't really overpowered before, if anything I probably should have powered it up rather than nerfing it.
Alias 03-16-07, 12:26 PM	Sorry PP, didn't know you'd replied to me. BTW, UK uses 1/3 levels. Just thought I'd point that out. I feel dumb...I totally can't decipher what this means Sorry.. what I meant was that the way he does spell progression for epic spells is that you have to spend ISC feats to get new levels - 1/3 levels. My version is automatic spell gain (like the non-epic spells; you automatically gain new spell levels as you go up) but they're also 1/3 levels. I'll send you the proofs for that along with the system.