Epic Spellcasting Questions

[ArcanistDragonborn]

I was doing some more concept work for my theoretical IH campaign, and I wanted to ask a few questions on exactly epic spellcasting works, and where a few concepts for spells would fall on the power scale. The first concept for a spell is for a necromancer player, and it's a take on the infamous Locate City Bomb. It takes the form of a eruption of umbral energy that envelops a radius that's approximately the size of a large mortal city, and kills all mortals with less than 100 HP, like a Disintegrate spell. Then, the spell revives the mortals as undead creatures with the same HD, that are under the full control of the caster. I might write more concepts later.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey there ArcanistDragonborn!

I was doing some more concept work for my theoretical IH campaign,

...is this a theoretical 5e game or 3.5E/Pathfinder game?

and I wanted to ask a few questions on exactly epic spellcasting works, and where a few concepts for spells would fall on the power scale.

Okay, fire away - although these might be tricky to answer without giving spoilers for the new books.

The first concept for a spell is for a necromancer player, and it's a take on the infamous Locate City Bomb. It takes the form of a eruption of umbral energy that envelops a radius that's approximately the size of a large mortal city, and kills all mortals with less than 100 HP, like a Disintegrate spell. Then, the spell revives the mortals as undead creatures with the same HD, that are under the full control of the caster. I might write more concepts later.

Necronomibomb sounds a cooler name.

All this catered for in the new rules, that sounds like a Level 11 spell. You'd need to be a Lesser God (or better) and have the requisite Divine Abilities OR use a lot of Mitigating Factors to cast as a mortal (or group of mortals)...and in the latter case there is a misfire % chance.

 

[ArcanistDragonborn]

Hey there ArcanistDragonborn!





...is this a theoretical 5e game or 3.5E/Pathfinder game?



Okay, fire away - although these might be tricky to answer without giving spoilers for the new books.



Necronomibomb sounds a cooler name.

All this catered for in the new rules, that sounds like a Level 11 spell. You'd need to be a Lesser God (or better) and have the requisite Divine Abilities OR use a lot of Mitigating Factors to cast as a mortal (or group of mortals)...and in the latter case there is a misfire % chance.

Thanks for the rapid response! It is a theoretical 5e IH game, and Necronomibomb sounds like an incredible name.

 

[ArcanistDragonborn]

If I can ask another question, what would a theoretical Level 25 spell look like in terms of scope, effect and damage?

 

[Upper_Krust]

If I can ask another question,

Of course you can ask amigo!

what would a theoretical Level 25 spell look like in terms of scope, effect and damage?

You get to rewrite all the rules and create your own RPG, omniverse and characters.

Spell Level 25 is not 100% set in stone but it will be in around that ballpark. Of course spell 'levels' are a metagaming thing. So whether I assign a spell to Level 15, 20, 25 or 30 is secondary when compared to its actual capability.

 

[ArcanistDragonborn]

Of course you can ask amigo!



You get to rewrite all the rules and create your own RPG, omniverse and characters.

Spell Level 25 is not 100% set in stone but it will be in around that ballpark. Of course spell 'levels' are a metagaming thing. So whether I assign a spell to Level 15, 20, 25 or 30 is secondary when compared to its actual capability.

I was also wondering if Wish would have any particular restrictions against Epic creatures/Immortals? I know that RAW, Wish allows for all kinds of stunts like healing, time-reversal, etc, but I was wondering if, for example, an Immortal could be healed using Wish, or if their actions could be reversed.

 

[Upper_Krust]

I was also wondering if Wish would have any particular restrictions against Epic creatures/Immortals?

Base form 'Wish' duplicates 0-8th level spells.

An immortal can use it for other things (raise someone's stats, create magic items out of thin air etc.) but when you do that it costs the immortal quintessence (basically immortal XP). So its not something Gods do lightly.

Evil Gods (like Devils) might also have a mortal 'pay' the XP cost when selling their soul for power - if the Wish is being granted.

I know that RAW, Wish allows for all kinds of stunts like healing, time-reversal, etc, but I was wondering if, for example, an Immortal could be healed using Wish, or if their actions could be reversed.

You can certainly duplicate a Heal spell with a Wish. I think a Wish could also be used to reverse a recent spell (such as a Heal); however a deity might use Legendary Resistance to ignore this - in which case action wasted.

I think the problem you run into at Epic & Immortal Levels is action economy. It might not always be in an immortals best interests to heal if it means giving up an action, when you could be dishing out 'x' amount of damage instead.

Now this is slightly different for immortal 'specialists'. A Demi-goddess of life/healing who was also a Level 20 cleric could restore hundreds of hit points with a single heal spell.

So even though all immortals have access to Wish as a spell-like ability, that won't be as powerful as 1. Epic Magic, and 2. Those immortals with spellcasting classes as part of their 20 levels.

 

[ArcanistDragonborn]

To add to the conversation, I was reading Journey to the West recently, and I was wondering how Sun Wukong's instantaneous leap to the edge of the universe would work as a spell or spell-like ability.

 

[Obly99]

To add to the conversation, I was reading Journey to the West recently, and I was wondering how Sun Wukong's instantaneous leap to the edge of the universe would work as a spell or spell-like ability.

I will say Interplanetary Teleport – d20PFSRD

 

[Upper_Krust]

To add to the conversation, I was reading Journey to the West recently, and I was wondering how Sun Wukong's instantaneous leap to the edge of the universe would work as a spell or spell-like ability.

Anyone that can cast Plane Shift can effectively 'teleport' to any (unprotected) location in the universe within 2 rounds.