The existing Epic spells need some TLC and new ones can be added.
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General Epic Spell Updates
Multiple Epic Spells
You will be able to take the same Epic spell up to 10 times for multiple uses a day. This is done with successor feats.
Epic Spell Save DC
3.5E uses "The saving throw against a character’s epic spell has a DC of 20 + the character’s relevant ability score modifier. It’s possible to develop epic spells that have even higher DCs, however, by applying the appropriate factor." https://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/spellsIntro.htm#metamagicItemsandEpicSpells
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Therefore we've upped it to include the relevant spell focus feats, meaning you could get 26 + caster ability score boosting the power somewhat.
Spellcraft Requirement
From D&D source it is essentially the DC to develop the spell minus 20 (for take 20) so DC 46 spellcraft check needs a 26 spellcraft requirement.
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I think "just make it make sense" is best. Given spellcraft is base level, it is a minimum of DC - 3 for the level (so 33 spellcraft needs character level 30 minimum).
Lore for Epic Spells?
Usually Knowledge skills / 10 are used to have an amount you can have. This might be doable by having multiple feats with different Lore skill requirements perhaps, and they be parented somehow.
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But you don't get a ton of epic feats anyway, and in 3.5E you have to just get Epic Spellcasting then develop however many you like.
Updated Descriptions
The feat description always was lacking information. An improved version:
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Type of Feat: Epic Spell
Prerequisites: 21st level, the ability to cast 9th level spells and 32 ranks in spellcraft
School: Evocation
Descriptor(s):
Component(s): Verbal, Somatic
Range: Long
Area of Effect / Target: Mega (20M radius)
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: Reflex 1/2 (+10 DC) (No Evasion)
Spell Resistance: No
The caster creates a huge ball of energy that does 10d6 points of acid, fire, electrical and sonic damage to all targets in its blast radius.
Additionally all creatures are knocked down for 1 round (no saving throw allowed).
Hellball ignores Spell Resistance, Evasion and Improved Evasion. |
Existing Epic Spells
Spellcraft skill requirement essentially means take 3 off to get the level requirement.
| Spell (feat) (Spellcraft Requirement) | Current Effects | Planned ChangesChange Made | Notes | ||
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mummy dust (feat) (15) | Summons a mummy warrior | Potentially make the Mummy Lord scale with the caster level. Make the weapons held more versatile - could even have different summon options for different damage types. A niche at least. | Would be great pre-epic but the Mummy Lord doesn't perform the best. The original actually summons 2 mummies making this seem even lamer.
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dragon knight (feat) (22) | Summons a powerful adult red dragon | Low duration. While much better than the Mummy Lord, it still takes quite a bit of investment for such a short duration spell - 20 rounds instead of the Mummy Dust 24 hours. Could possibly:
| Low duration. | ||
greater ruin (feat) (25) | Damage: 35d6 positive energy damage to a single target (save for half, fortitude) | Added Hostile flag Adjusted VFX to match timing. | Actually is to the rules! Not awful but have to think. Scaling is probably the answer (Start at 35d6 and scale up from there?) | We are removing the IGMS way of targeting a single target that makes this slightly more viable, but scaling is probably best. | |
epic mage armor (feat) (26) | +5 of 4 armor types. | Utterly pants. Instead need to change to +20 Armor AC - simple change and much more effective if we're only running +5 to +10 armor robes. This goes in line with having Mage Armor and Greater Mage Armor do +4 and +8 respectively. | Only ever used for the dodge AC. Urgh. | School changed to Conjuration (For what it's worth) Made to be bonus Armor Enchantment AC not +5 of each type. Loses the dodge but gets the generally much more powerful +20 enchantment. | VFX is same as Epic Warding, could recolour/adjust it. It seems like this is more sensible to have as Epic Mage Armor (it is shields after all) but Epic Warding has it persistently first. |
| 10d6 points of acid, fire, electrical and sonic damage to all targets in its blast radius. Reflex save for half. | Projectile updated to be Accelerating so it loses the cool factor but gains the sensible "fire it at the target NOW!" Long range. 1 round of knockdown always occurs regardless of save (buff). Evasion and Improved Evasion are ignored (buff) so always does at least half damage. | That's 40d6 so great for mobs with no resistances, less good against things with resistances. Scaling the damage up may be nice. The increased DC from Evocation Spell Focus is helpful at least. Alternatively maybe we could just force one damage type as a subdial option - mixed / fire / electrical / sonic / acid then you can choose, easier to pick one that's effective. We can make the knockdown more prevalent - 3 rounds of knockdown if failed a save maybe or just always.instead of 1? Or Arelith changed it to be not typically resisted damage (like divine) and always knocks down for 3 rounds. Also limits it to Evocation casters who have the right feat since otherwise you take a lot of self damage.We can also remove the "evasion removes damage" part of the saving throw test, beefs up the damage (so it always does at least half). NWN2 also reduced the spellcraft requirement to 30. | |||
epic warding (feat) (34) | It grants damage reduction 50/+20 and absorbs 50 points of damage per caster level before collapsing. | Removed Hostile flag, AI Category changed to "Protection Self", Range changed to 0, Remove erroneous spell projectile | Not really much needed here - this essentially is 50 DR against any enemy, since +20 weapons are the pinnacle and not usually found in the game. VFX is same as Epic Mage Armor, but probably keep it for this since it's the "persistent" version (although could use a fix pass). |
Implemented New Epic Spells
| Spell Name | Sources | Spellcraft Requirement | Description | Notes | Work Required |
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Potential New Epic Spells
3.5E source: https://www.d20srd.org/indexes/epicSpells.htm
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