Epic Skills: Broken but HILARIOUS

[silyolpooh]

Then don't use it

There was a lot of controversy about the Epic Handbook when it came out. It completely removed the Deities and Demigids rules, and overrode much of the core ruleset. But it is, in the end, optional. And if you don't like some, part, or all of it, don't use it. In my group, for instance, we decided the epic magic rules were silly and cumbersome, so we simply continued the spells-per-day chart until you cap out at 9 per level per day. And we disregarded everything but the TU rules from Unearthed Arcana. Thant's the beauty of optional books: they're optional. Now, less whining and more playing!

 

[Crothian]

That's crazy talk!!

 

[Anubis]

It's not that I don't like it, it's that I find it hilarious that the epic skills are through sheer skill alone. In all the fantasy settings where these miracles happen, the heroes often have heroic powers, such as you would find in FCTF. This is how Goku can demolish mountains by throwing someone else into one and many other such feats.

D&D portrays skills as the "real-life" flavor, while most of the epic skill uses should be considered heroic powers, way beyond extraordinary. I just find it funny that the book implies this stuff can be done through sheer skill alone. I definitely allow it in my game, but it's just silly to consider them acts of skill and not coming from a greater power such as heroic powers.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

D&D portrays skills as the "real-life" flavor, while most of the epic skill uses should be considered heroic powers, way beyond extraordinary. I just find it funny that the book implies this stuff can be done through sheer skill alone. I definitely allow it in my game, but it's just silly to consider them acts of skill and not coming from a greater power such as heroic powers.

I can't imagine what your definition of a "heroic power" as distinct from a "skill" is, here. To me, being able to make a DC bajillion skill check constitutes "heroic power." I don't need there to be some different (to me, totally extraneous) game mechanic for that to be so.

 

[solates]

He gets a laugh at the skills but not out of the feats or epic spell section of the book, now thats epic in humor.

Skills are the least of your concerns as a dm at epic levels, your more concerned about the fighter who just picked up devastating crit or the mage who finally got automatic quicken spell III. OR the rogue who just picked up his 3rd improved sneak attack feat.

I would be more concerned with the rogue doing 30d6 sneak, the mage zipping out 3 spells a round, or the fighter 1 critting everything non-boss in the dungeon.

And i would really be concerned about the cleric, druid, mage, sorcerer casting hellball or devastation, or crown of vermin etc.. vs the rogue being able to find a hole in a wall of force to squeeze through.

Tag one for the skills are fine crowd.

Oh and as far as the skill checks go...items with skill bonuses on them are stupid cheap(look it up in the dmg) its 100gp x skill bonus....

So yeah im gonna round out this ensemble with a vest of swimming, jumping, hiding, moving silent, diplomacy +25....125,000? sure np.
ITS EPIC LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT.

Solates