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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sepulchrave II" data-source="post: 3031604" data-attributes="member: 4303">1. OVERVIEWChapter Summary• The Epic Spellcasting feat has been modified, and grants a single epic spell slot. It may be taken more than once to gain additional epic spell slots• Spellcraft checks are abandoned in favour of a Spellcraft Prerequisite (given in ranks) as the governing mechanic for epic spells• Developing epic spells is cheaper and less XP intensive, but takes longer. There is some flexibility in the development process• Development costs are based upon the Spellcraft Prerequisite before mitigating factors are considered• The standard casting time for all seeds is reduced from 1 minute to 1 actionWhat Are Epic Spells? Epic spells are, in their most basic sense, spells which exceed the normal limits of spellcasting power represented by 9th-level spells – most notably the results which can be achieved by the potent spells of wish and miracle. Epic spells can be used to explain certain effects within the game world which are beyond the remit of even those powerful magics: spells which can grant longevity, or raise islands from the ocean floor, or summon demon princes, or devastate kingdoms. Epic spells can be plot devices which form the basis of adventures or entire campaign arcs. They represent the pinnacle of spellcasting power, the point at which raw magic – be it arcane or divine – can be shaped by the spellcaster to the extent of his or her imagining. As such, access to epic spells is reserved for an elite few. In some ways – most notably with regard to the investment in time and energy which their development demands – epic spells are more akin to magic items than to conventional spells.Epic spells are developed from the ground up using a list of magical ingredients called seeds. Despite their power, epic spells still follow the basic rules for casting spells, except as specifically noted otherwise. Epic casters can manipulate the seeds of true magic, but knowing the seeds and how to manipulate them does not instantly grant ultimate power. Each epic spell must be laboriously developed before it can be used.How Does One Acquire Epic Spells? In order to cast Epic Spells, a spellcaster must be in possession of the Epic Spellcasting feat: EPIC SPELLCASTING [EPIC] [NEW]Prerequisite: Knowledge (arcana, religion OR nature) 24 ranks, Spellcraft 24 ranks, ability to cast 9th-level arcane or divine spells. Benefit: You may develop and cast epic spells. You gain 1 epic spell slot.Special: This feat may be taken more than once. Each time you take it, you gain another epic spell slot.The rules regarding the development and casting of epic spells are largely identical for arcane and divine casters, although in certain areas – most notably with regard to epic spells which heal or restore life to the deceased – the details are somewhat different. However, a character who meets more than one set of criteria for the Epic Spellcasting feat may determine whether an individual epic spell which he or she develops is arcane or divine in nature. Unlike with nonepic spells, the number of epic spell slots available to a spellcaster is not modified by the ability score keyed to spellcasting.A character with the Epic Spellcasting feat may start acquiring Epic Spells immediately. How Do Epic Spells Differ From Other Spells? How Are They Similar?A character's nonepic spellcasting ability is governed by character level prior to 21st level, and by virtue of the Improved Spell Capacity epic feat thereafter. Epic spells depart from this scheme: to cast an epic spell, a character must meet a Spellcraft Prerequisite: he or she must possess a minimum number of ranks in the Spellcraft skill as detailed in the specific individual epic spell description. The ability to cast an epic spell does not entail a skill check, and is more akin to the minimum number of ranks that a character must possess to qualify for certain feats, or for entry into certain prestige classes. If the character does not meet the Spellcraft Prerequisite, the epic spell in question is beyond his or her ability to cast.• Epic Spell Levels: Epic spells have no fixed level. However, for purposes of Concentration checks, saving throws, spell resistance, and other possible situations where spell level is important, epic spells are all treated as if they were 10th-level spells.• Metamagic and Epic Spells: Metamagic feats and other epic feats that manipulate normal spells cannot be used with epic spells. Certain epic feats apply specifically to epic spells, however.• Items: 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. Epic Spell TermsEpic spells have their own vocabulary associated with them. Some of the most important terms are detailed below:• Epic Spell: Spells that are different from common spells. Epic spells are usually custom-made. Epic spells do not take up normal spell slots, but instead are gained and used under a completely separate progression.• Epic Spell Slot: A character must have an available epic spell slot to prepare or cast an epic spell, just as he or she needs a normal spell slot for a nonepic spell. A character doesn’t gain epic spell slots by virtue of his or her level and class, however. The Epic Spellcasting feat grants one epic spell slot each time that it is taken.• Seed: Every custom epic spell created by spellcasters begins with a base effect called a seed. Seeds are the fundamental building blocks of epic spells.• Factor: When creating an epic spell, a character can modify the basic use of a seed. Each modification is called a factor, and most factors increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite, and therefore the difficulty of casting the spell.• Mitigating Factor: The opposite of a normal factor, a mitigating factor modifies the spell but makes it easier to cast.• Spellcraft Prerequisite: For epic spells, the Spellcraft Prerequisite is a measure of how difficult the spell is for a spellcaster to cast. It is an inaccurate way of measuring how powerful an epic spell is, however, because mitigating factors applied to a spell will distort this measurement. • Unmitigated Spellcraft Prerequisite: The Spellcraft Prerequisite of a spell before any mitigating factors are applied to it. It governs how long it takes to develop an epic spell, and how much its development costs in gold pieces and XP. The Unmitigated Spellcraft Prerequisite is the most accurate means of measuring an epic spell's power.Developing Epic SpellsBefore it can be cast, an epic spell must be developed – this is a time-consuming and expensive process, which can seriously erode a spellcaster's personal energies (represented by experience points). The GM and the player should work together closely in this, as the GM is the final arbiter of balance in his or her game world and a single ill-conceived epic spell is capable of throwing an entire campaign into chaos. Nonetheless, the GM should be prepared to make adjustments to his campaign vision in order to accommodate the effects of an epic spell – these magics are developed by the most powerful of spellcasters, and they should be capable of profoundly impacting the game world. A consensual approach to epic spell development is vital. The GM should be involved in all stages of the spell's development, alert to the possible exploitation of loopholes which a player may seize upon, but also to offer advice if a player is not recognizing ways in which a epic spell can be brought within his or her character's grasp. To allow a character to develop an epic spell which is a 'dud,' something which is certainly possible within the rules as written, will only lead to feelings of resentment from the player, as he or she will feel that their character has been cheated out of valuable resources and experience.Player Development vs. Character Development of Epic SpellsIt's important to distinguish between a player's understanding of the epic spell development process (which may take a few minutes), and the character's understanding of the process (which may take months of game time). It is during development that a caster determines whether a given epic spell lies within his or her abilities or beyond them. While numerous attempts and failures are assumed to take place in that time, this should not be reflected by the GM penalizing a character by refusing a spell, and insisting that development begins anew. A player might submit several possible variations on a spell theme to a GM, but the final – mutually agreed – version is the one which, in the campaign world, holds. This spell is the version which determines the cost in development.Using Spells in this ResourceThe easiest way to develop an epic spell is to use one already given, either as-is, or as a template which can be further modified by factors to suit the player's needs. These spells are not 'pre-made' in the game world, however, unless the GM has included them in the repertoire of powerful NPC casters, or has them placed (as inscribed tablets) as a special treasure. Generally, an epic spell has no existence independent of its developer, and a player who wishes for his or her character to use one of the spells listed here must still develop that spell in the context of the campaign. The description of each of these unique spells gives the amount of gold, time, and experience points required to develop it. If a character pays a spell’s development cost, he or she develops (and thus knows) that spell. Building BlocksAn epic spell is developed from smaller pieces called seeds and connecting pieces called factors. Every epic seed has a Spellcraft Prerequisite, and every factor has a Spellcraft Prerequisite adjustment. When a desired spell is developed, the spellcaster spends resources and time to assemble the pieces that make up the epic spell. The base Spellcraft Prerequisites of each seed are added together; then the Spellcraft Prerequisite adjustments of the factors are added to that total. The sum equals the final Spellcraft Prerequisite for the epic spell. Minimum Spellcraft PrerequisiteNo developed epic spell can have a final Spellcraft Prerequisite of less than 24, regardless of how many mitigating factors are used to modify it. A separate category of epic spells called impulses exist which do not follow this rule, but they are not 'developed' in the conventional sense.Role-Playing Spell DevelopmentThe exact nature of the development procedure for an epic spell is left to the individual GM to decide, although it should not impact the actual mechanics in terms of resources expended. Perhaps the development of an epic spell involves journeys to procure rare items, burning exotic incense while engaging in deep meditative states or trances, consulting with powerful wizards, or erecting a special shrine for the focusing of energies. It might require a spellcaster to spend weeks perusing musty tomes in forgotten libraries, access to which is restricted and costly, or it may necessitate the binding and bribery of extraplanar entities. While possibilities for additional role-playing opportunities abound, these rules do not cover them: it is assumed such activities are hand-waved, and simply subsumed in the spell development process. Mechanics of DevelopmentThe basic mechanisms by which epic spells are developed are outlined below, although subtleties in the process are further explained in later sections of this book. These mechanisms hold true for the development of all epic spells, be they arcane or divine in nature, except as noted individually in very specific circumstances.• Base Resource Cost: The development of an epic spell uses up raw materials costing a number of gold pieces equal to 1000 x the Unmitigated Spellcraft Prerequisite of the epic spell. • Base Development Time: Developing an epic spell takes one day for each 1000 gp in resources required to develop the spell.• XP Cost: To develop an epic spell, a character must spend one twenty-fifth (1/25) of its base resource cost in experience points. Alternatively, this cost can be expressed as 40 x the Unmitigated Spellcraft Prerequisite.• Modifying Resource Cost and Development Time: It is possible to speed research into an epic spell by increasing the resource cost, or to reduce resource cost by increasing the development time. By doubling the cost, the development time is halved; by doubling the development time, the cost is halved. An epic spell cannot have its development time reduced to less than one half of its base development time, nor its resource cost reduced to less than one half of its base resource cost. In all cases, the XP Cost in developing the spell is derived by its base resource cost, not its modified one.   • Adding Seed DCs: When two or more epic seeds are combined in an epic spell, their base Spellcraft Prerequisites are added together. Both contribute toward the spell’s final Spellcraft Prerequisite. If the same seed is applied more than once to a particular spell, the second and subsequent applications of that seed also count the Spellcraft Prerequisite for determining the final Spellcraft Prerequisite.• Determining School: When combining two or more seeds to develop an epic spell, the school of the finished spell is decided by the base seed. The seed most important to the spell’s overall purpose is the base seed. The other seeds apply only their specific effects to the finished spell. • Combining Descriptors: When two or more epic seeds are combined in an epic spell, all the descriptors from each seed apply to the finished spell.• Combining Components and Casting Times: Every epic spell has verbal and somatic components and a casting time of 1 standard action, regardless of the number of epic seeds combined. Epic spells with the heal and life seeds also have a divine focus component when used by divine casters and an XP component when used by arcane casters. • Combining Range, Targets, Area, and Effect: Range, targets, area and effect are determined by the base seed. Seeds which combine together must also demonstrate a certain degree of compatability: see Chapter 5: Combination, Congruence.• Combining Durations: When combining two or more seeds to develop an epic spell, the seed with the shortest duration determines the duration of the finished epic spell: the exception to this rule is if a spell combines an instantaneous and a non-instantaneous effect, or contains a descriptive seed. Descriptive seeds may be included in epic spells without impacting the duration. If any seed of an epic spell is dismissible by the caster, the epic spell is dismissible.• Spell Resistance: When combining two or more seeds to develop an epic spell, if even one seed is subject to spell resistance, the finished epic spell is subject to it as well.• Factors: Factors are not part of epic seeds, but they are the tools used to modify specific parameters of any given seed. Applying factors to the seeds of an epic spell can increase or decrease the final Spellcraft Prerequisite, increase the duration, change the area of a spell, and affect many other aspects of the spell• Saving Throws: Even if more than one seed has an associated saving throw, the final spell will have only a single saving throw. If two or more seeds have the same kind of saving throw (Fortitude, Reflex, or Will), then that will be used for the spell’s saving throw. If the seeds have different kinds of saving throws, use the saving throw associated with the base seed. If the base seed has no saving throw associated with it, choose the saving throw that seems most appropriate for the final spellEpic SpellcastingOnce an epic spell is developed, the caster knows the spell. A developed epic spell becomes an indelible part of the caster's repertoire and may be prepared without a spellbook if the character is a wizard. Druids, clerics, and similar spellcasters can likewise prepare epic spells using epic spell slots. Characters who cast spells spontaneously, such as sorcerers, can cast any developed epic spell by using an open epic spell slot. A spellcaster can prepare or cast any epic spell he or she knows as many times per day as he or she has available epic spell slots. The rules for rest between casting a day’s allotment of epic spells are the same as for rest required to prepare standard spells. If the caster doesn’t use up a day’s allotment of epic spell slots, the unused slots remain available whether or not the spellcaster receives appropriate rest.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 by applying the appropriate factor. Development is an Art Many times developing a completely new epic spell requires some guesswork and rule stretching. As with making and pricing magic items, a sort of balancing act is required. Often the description of a seed will need to be stretched for a particular spell. If necessary, assess an “ad hoc” Spellcraft DC adjustment for any effect that cannot be extrapolated from the seeds and factors presented here—the example spells use ad hoc factors frequently. In all cases, the GM determines the actual Spellcraft DC of the new spell.ApprovalPerhaps the most famous (or infamous) rule of epic spellcasting still pertains, and is worth citing again. It is in the very nature of epic spells to stretch the rules, and break new ground. Therefore:The epic spell development work and reasoning must be shown to the GM and receive his or her approval. If the GM doesn’t approve, then the epic spell cannot be developed. However, the GM should explain why the epic spell wasn’t approved and possibly offer suggestions on how to create an epic spell that will be acceptable.</blockquote>

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