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[Belzamus]

Hey, U_K (and others).

I've noticed (or at least perceived) that, unlike the regular game, casters are hugely gimped in higher-level Immortals Handbook play. The sheer synergy of all the physcial abilities gives melee's a huge advantage, or at least it seems that way to me, mostly because there's a dearth of spellcasting focused abilities in Ascension.

With that in mind, I drafted up a bunch of epic feats, divines, cosmics, and transcendentals to attempt to rectify the problem. At first glance some of them look a little on the powerful side, but most of them are things you can do already for other kinds of attacks, so it only seems fair to me. And to me, nothing really competes with Perfect Weapon Focus/Spec, Perfect Crit/Multiplier, Ultimate Power Attack. Can you say 1-round?

They're all very mutable at the moment, prerequisites, tiers, and even effects could be easily changed. Most of the prereqs are just guesses on my part anyway.

So, without further adieu, (my formatting's gone since I had to post it in Notepad first. )

Annihilating Spell [Epic] [Metamagic]
Your magic obliterates those it strikes.
Prerequisites: 6 Metamagic Feats, Spellcraft 43 ranks
Benefit: Any damage dealt by the spell is considered Permanent Damage.
Special: A spell modified by Annihilating Spell occupies a slot 6 levels higher.

Cataclysmic Spell [Epic] [Metamagic]
Your magic strikes with all elemental fury.
Prerequisites: Spellcraft 38 ranks, Energy Admixture (Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire), Energy Substitution (Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire)
Benefit: Any spell that deals elemental damage deals damage of all four elements instead. i.e. a Cataclysmic Fireball would deal 10d6 points of Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Fire damage.
Special: A spell modified by Cataclysmic Spell occupies a slot 5 levels higher.

Dire Spell [Epic] [Metamagic]
Your spells are terribly powerful.
Prerequisites: Empower Spell, Heighten Spell, Spellcraft 28 ranks
Benefit: Any variable numeric components of the spell have their die-size increased by two categories to a maximum of d12s.
Special: A Dire Spell uses up a spell slot 2 levels higher.

Theurgic Spell [Epic] [Metamagic]
Your magic is infused with divine power.
Prerequisites: 6 Metamagic Feats, Spellcraft 43 ranks
Benefit: Any damage dealt by the spell is considered Divine Damage.
Special: A spell modified by Theurgic Spell occupies a slot 6 levels higher.

Unbound Spell [Epic] [Metamagic]
Your magic surpasses its own limits.
Prerequisites: Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Widen Spell Spellcraft 33 ranks
Benefit: Any non-variable numeric components of the spell are doubled. i.e. A Tenser’s Transformation spell affected by this feat would provide +8 to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, +10 to Natural Armor, a +10 Competence Bonus on Fortitude Saves, and last for 2 rounds/Caster Level.
Special: An Unbound Spell takes up a slot 3 levels higher.

Dolorous Spell [Divine] [Metamagic]
Your spells are grievously powerful.
Prerequisites: Dire Spell, Spellcraft 63 ranks
Benefit: Any variable numeric component of the spell is increased from its original die-size to d20s.
Special: A Dolorous Spell takes up a slot 6 levels higher.

Quintessential Spell [Divine] [Metamagic]
Your spells are especially effective against Immortals.
Prerequisites: Theurgic Spell, Spellcraft 78 ranks
Benefit: For every 4 points of Divine Bonus possessed by the spell’s target, the all numeric components of the spell double. i.e. a Quintessential Fireball cast at a Greater Deity would deal 40d6 damage.
Special: A Quintessential Spell takes up a slot 5 levels higher than normal.

Resonating Spell [Divine] [Metamagic]
Your magic resounds through all that you perceive.
Prerequisites: 12 Metamagic Feats, Spellcraft 73 ranks
Benefit: The spell effects every creature within the caster’s Divine Aura.
Special: A spell modified by Resonating Spell occupies a slot 7 levels higher.
Special: If the caster does not possess a Divine Aura, the spell effects everything within 100 ft. + 10 ft. per Caster Level.

Supreme Metamagic [Divine] [Metamagic]
Your mastery of your art is unequalled.
Prerequisites: 12 Metamagic Feats, Spellcraft 68 ranks
Benefit: Choose a specific Metamagic feat that you possess that modifies a spell’s numerical component in some way. Its effect is doubled. i.e. an Empowered Fireball cast by a wizard with this ability would deal 20d6 instead of 15d6 for a +2 spell-level adjustment.
Special: This ability may be taken multiple times, each for a different Metamagic feat. It does not stack with itself.

Telluric Spell [Divine] [Metamagic]
Your magic intensifies with each use.
Prerequisites: 12 Metamagic Feats, Spellcraft 83 ranks
Benefit: The spell’s effect is doubled each time it is cast against the same target.
Special: A spell modified by Telluric Spell occupies a slot 8 levels higher.
Special: This feat uses Double-Double=Quadruple rather than Double-Double=Triple multiplication.
Special: The same spell must be cast at the same target for the feat to take effect. i.e. if a Telluric Fireball is cast three times at the same target, it would deal 40d6 damage on the third casting, whereas if the caster instead cast a Telluric Fireball, a Telluric Lightning Bolt, and a Telluric Polar Ray, each spell would only have its normal effect.

Transient Spell [Divine] [Metamagic]
Your magic warps space and time.
Prerequisites: 12 Metamagic Feats, Spellcraft 83 ranks
Benefit: The spell strikes three times simultaneously, once in the present, once in the immediate past, and once in the immediate future.
Special: A spell modified by Transient Spell occupies a slot 9 levels higher.

Unfettered Spell [Divine] [Metamagic]
Your magic defies all limits.
Prerequisites: Unbound Spell, Spellcraft 73 ranks
Benefit: Any non-variable numeric components of the spell are quadrupled. i.e. A Tenser’s Transformation spell affected by this feat would provide +16 to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, +20 to Natural Armor, a +20 Competence Bonus on Fortitude Saves, and last for 4 rounds/Caster Level.
Special: An Unbound Spell takes up a slot 6 levels higher.

Devastating Spell [Cosmic] [Metamagic]
Your spells are catastrophically powerful.
Prerequisites: Dolorous Spell, Spellcraft 123 ranks
Benefit: Any variable numeric component of the spell is increased from its original die-size to d100s.
Special: A Devastating Spell takes up a slot 12 levels higher

Immediate Spell [Cosmic] [Metamagic]
Your spell is cast faster than thought.
Prerequisites: Quicken Spell, Spellcraft 148 ranks
Benefit: The spell is cast as an Immediate Action, allowing it to be used on another character’s turn.
Special: An Immediate Spell takes up a slot 10 levels higher.

Ultimate Metamagic [Cosmic] [Metamagic]
Your mastery of your art is beyond teckoning.
Prerequisites: 24 Metamagic Feats, Spellcraft 143 ranks
Benefit: Choose a specific Metamagic feat that you possess that modifies a spell’s numerical component in some way. Its effect is quadrupled. i.e. an Empowered Fireball cast by a wizard with this ability would deal 30d6 instead of 15d6 for a +2 spell-level adjustment.
Special: This ability may be taken multiple times, each for a different Metamagic feat. It does not stack with itself.

Ultima Spell [Cosmic] [Metamagic]
Your magic knows no limits.
Prerequisites: 24 Metamagic Feats, Spellcraft 183 ranks
Benefit: The spell recasts itself for a number of rounds equal to the caster’s Caster Level.
Special: A spell modified by Ultima Spell occupies a slot 18 levels higher.

Untrammeled Spell [Cosmic] [Metamagic]
Your magic is unsurpassable.
Prerequisites: Unfettered Spell, Spellcraft 133 ranks
Benefit: Any non-variable numeric components of the spell are octupled. i.e. A Tenser’s Transformation spell affected by this feat would provide +32 to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, +40 to Natural Armor, a +40 Competence Bonus on Fortitude Saves, and last for 8 rounds/Caster Level.
Special: An Unbound Spell takes up a slot 12 levels higher.

Doomsday Spell [Transcendental] [Metamagic]
Your spells are impossibly powerful.
Prerequisites: Devastating Spell, Spellcraft 243 ranks
Benefit: Any variable numeric component of the spell is increased from its original die-size to d1000s.
Special: A Doomsday Spell takes up a slot 24 levels higher

Omega Spell [Transcendental] [Metamagic]
Your magic is absolute.
Prerequisites: 48 Metamagic Feats, Spellcraft 263 ranks
Benefit: The effects of the spell are permanent and cannot be undone by any means. i.e. a target slain by an Omega Finger of Death cannot be returned to life by any means.
Special: A spell modified by Omega Spell occupies a slot 32 levels higher.

Unreal Spell [Transcendental] [Metamagic]
Your magic is irresistible.
Prerequisites: 64 Metamagic Feats, Spellcraft 343 ranks
Benefit: The spell allows no Spell Resistance, no Saving Throw, and ignores any resistance or immunity.
Special: An Unreal Spell takes up a slot 48 levels higher.