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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cheiromancer" data-source="post: 3067293" data-attributes="member: 141">I think it is a good idea to include a mitigating factor for reducing spell duration.  I'd make it -4 per step of reduction, though, and allow a 1 round duration to be the step below 20 rounds.  It reminds me of the mechanic for swift spells; cast as a swift action, but they only last 1 round.[sblock=text of Reduce Duration Mitigating Factor]DurationEach reduction in the duration category of an epic spell reduces the final Spellcraft Prerequisite by –4. Spell durations are calculated from spells with durations given in some number of hours per level, 10 minutes/level, 1 minute/level or 1 round/level. By applying the 'reduce duration by one category' mitigating factor:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A spell with a duration given in hours has its duration reduced to 200 minutes.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A spell with a duration of 200 minutes has its duration reduced to 20 minutes.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A spell with a duration of 20 minutes has its duration reduced to 20 rounds. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A spell with a duration of 20 rounds has its duration reduced to 1 round.</li> </ul>Spells with a duration of special, concentration, permanent or instantaneous may not apply this factor.[/sblock]I've revised my version of the fortify seed taking this factor into account.  The base durations that were in minutes have been scaled up to 10s of minutes, but weakened by a factor of 4 SP.  The base anibuff only does +8 (not +2), and spell resistance starts at 28 (not 32).  I added a factor to buff several stats at once to replicate the belt of magnificence effect.[sblock=text of Fortify Creature]Seed: Fortify CreatureTransmutationRoot Spell: Bull’s strength, barkskin, heroism, stoneskin, spell resistance, etc.Spellcraft Prerequisite: 14+ Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature touchedDuration: 200 minutesSaving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) Spells using the fortify creature seed augment one or more of the target's faculties, either to enable it to withstand a particular kind of threat, or to lend it additional power or effectiveness in a certain area. Fortify creature is a versatile seed with many possible applications.At a base Spellcraft Prerequisite of 14, the caster can choose to develop a spell which can do one of the following:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The caster can choose to develop a spell which grants a +8 enhancement bonus to any ability score. The ability score to be enhanced must either be chosen during spell development, or the spell flexibility factor included in development to allow such an enhancement to be determined when the spell is cast. Factor: For each additional +1 bonus, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +2. Factor: To enhance either all physical ability scores or all mental ability scores increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +8.  To enhance all six ability scores increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +12.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The fortify creature seed can also be used to grant 4 temporary hit points per hit dice of the target. Factor: For each additional temporary hit point bestowed per target’s hit dice, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +4.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The fortify ability seed can grant spell resistance 28. Factor: Each additional point of spell resistance increases the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +1.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The fortify ability seed can grant damage reduction 10/adamantine, preventing a total of 200 points of damage in this fashion before it is discharged. Factors: For each additional point of damage reduction, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +1; for each additional 50 points which can be absorbed before the spell is discharged, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +2. To increase the damage reduction value to adamantine and epic, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +10.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Grant a +8 enhancement bonus to natural armor which stacks with existing natural armor, but not with other enhancement bonuses to natural armor. Factor: For each additional +1 bonus, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +2.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Grant a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls, saving throws and skill checks. Factor: For each additional +1 bonus assessed to all three of these categories, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +2.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Grant a +4 morale bonus to either attack rolls, saving throws or skill checks. Factor: For each additional +1 bonus assessed to one of these categories, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +2.</li> </ul>Fortify creature cannot be made permanent.[/sblock]I think it might be worthwhile to increase the base duration of epic seeds when possible, scaling back the effects by 4 USP for 10-fold increases, or 8 USP for 100-fold increses.  This might be easier than trying to manage dramatic increases in duration with the Extend factor, or exponential factors.  If a 10-fold increase is appropriate, let it be in the base seed.  If it isn't appropriate, let them pay through the nose for it. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Despite our revision of the base seed costs (to 4 + 2 x level) I'm still keeping my version of the Animate Dead seed at USP 20.  I sort of think of it as a conflation of animate dead and an hour casting time (USP 14 + 6) together with create greater undead cast as a standard action (USP 20).  But mostly I like it because the numbers scale so nicely; it is like having the energy seed do 10d6 at a cost of 10 USP, with each +1d6 costing +1 SP.  (The dispel seed has a similar numerical elegance).[sblock=text of Animate Dead]Seed: Animate Dead Necromancy [Evil] Root Spell: Animate dead, create undead, create greater undeadSpellcraft Prerequisite: 20+ Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: One or more corpses touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No The caster can turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow his or her spoken commands, or alternatively create more powerful undead which he or she must control through some other means. A destroyed undead can’t be animated again. At a base Spellcraft Prerequisite of 20, the caster can use the animate dead seed to create undead:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Up to 40 HD of skeletons and/or zombies may be created. The undead can follow the caster, or they can remain in an Area and attack any creature (or a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed, and remain under the caster’s control indefinitely. Factors: For each additional 2 HD of undead created, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +1. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Control: A caster can naturally control 4 HD per caster level of mindless undead creatures he or she has personally created, regardless of the method used. If the caster exceeds this natural limit, newly created creatures fall under his or her control, and excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (the caster chooses which creatures are released). If the caster is a cleric, any undead he or she commands through his or her ability to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the natural limit. Factor: For every 4 HD of skeletons or zombies that will not count towards the natural limit, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +1.  These undead will be automatically controlled.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The caster can also create undead other than skeletons and zombies, including intelligent undead and undead with templates: a templated undead is built upon the race, class, hit dice and abilities which the target creature or character possessed in life. Intelligent undead can follow more sophisticated commands and have a base attitude of indifferent, but are not automatically under the control of the caster.  The caster may create any single undead.  This has a Spellcraft Prerequisite of 20, or twice the CR of the undead created, whichever is higher.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Multiple undead of the same type can be created as long as the total challenge of the created undead is less than one quarter the square of the Spellcraft Prerequisite.</li> </ul>[/sblock]</blockquote>

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