Epic Spells for a Demon Prince

[Cheiromancer]

An interesting discussion of Epic Magic is going on over in the Rogue's Gallery. It's the thread devoted to Sepulchrave's Story Hour, the "Eadric and Friends" thread. Here is a link to page 18, but the discussion continues on page 19, of course.

The Demon Prince is Graz'zt, and Sepulchrave's conversion is here. His basic stat-block (for those of you who don't follow links) is:

GRAZ’ZT(Demon Prince)

Large Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar, Tanar'ri)
Hit Bice: 36d8 +324 (486hp)
Initiative: +14
Speed: 40 ft.
Armour Class: 45 (-1 size, +10 Dex, +6 insight, +13 natural, +7 shield), touch 25, flat-footed 35
Base Attack/Grapple: +36/+48
Attack: +5 acidic burst keen unholy bastard sword +48 melee (2d8 +13/15-20 plus 1d6 acid plus 1 vile)
Full Attack: +5 acidic burst keen unholy bastard sword +48/+43/+38/+33 melee (2d8 +13/15-20 plus 1d6 acid plus 1 vile)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Fear, spell-like abilities, spells, summon tanar'ri
Special Qualities: Archfiend qualities, damage reduction 20/cold iron and good and epic, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, immunity to electricity and poison, item master, resistance to acid 10 cold 10 and fire 10, spell resistance 38, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +29, Ref +32, Will +26
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 30, Con 28, Int 35, Wis 22, Cha 49
Skills: Balance +53, Bluff +58, Concentration +48, Diplomacy +66, Disguise +58 (+60 acting), Gather Information +58, Hide +49, Intimidate +62, Jump +51, Knowledge (Arcana) +51, Knowledge (History) +51, Knowledge (Religion) +51, Knowledge (The Planes) +51, Listen +45, Move Silently +49, Search +51, Sense Motive +45, Spellcraft +85, Spot +45, Tumble +53
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Combat Expertise, Dark Speech, Epic Spellcasting, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Improved Critical (bastard sword), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (greater dispel magic), Spellcasting Harrier, Vile Martial Strike (bastard sword), Violate Spell-Like Ability (wretched blight), Weapon Focus (bastard sword).

Environment: Infinite Layers of the Abyss
Organization: Graz’zt plus 6 lamias, succubi or mariliths
Challenge Rating: 30
Treasure: Nonstandard (see below)
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: –
Level Adjustment: –


Fear (Su): With a sneer and a word (free action), Graz’zt can invoke a fear effect (Will DC 47 negates) at will. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will – blasphemy, charm monster, damning darkness, darkbolt, deeper darkness, demand, desecrate, detect good, detect law, detect thoughts, discern location, eyebite, insanity, Graz’zt’s long grasp, greater dispel magic, magic missile, mass charm, mirror image, suggestion, telekinesis, teleport without error, tongues (self only), unhallow, unholy aura, unholy blight, wall of iron, water breathing, wretched blight. 2/day – baleful polymorph, dominate monster, polymorph any object; 1/day – disintegrate, trap the soul, shapechange, veil. Save DCs are 29 + spell level.

Spells: Graz’zt casts spells as a 24th level sorcerer (6/10/10/9/9/9/9/8/8/8 per day; save DC 29 + spell level). Spells known: 0 – acid splash, arcane mark, daze, disrupt undead, ghost sound, mage hand, no light, prestidigitation, slash tongue; 1st – corrosive grasp, darklight, identify, know protections, nether trail; 2nd – obscure object, whispering wind, unheavened, sap strength, sadism; 3rd – arcane sight, clairaudience/clairvoyance, glimpse of truth, haste; 4th – bestow curse, dimensional anchor, polymorph, scrying; 5th – call nightmare, dismissal, imprison possessor, permanency; 6th – acid storm, gate seal, snare astral traveller; 7th – forcecage, simulacrum, vision; 8th – binding, horrid wilting, symbol of death; 9th – astral projection, gate, wail of the banshee.

Epic Spells: See below for Graz'zt's epic spells.

Fast Healing (Ex): Graz’zt regains lost hit points at the rate of 5 per round. Fast healing does not allow Graz’zt to regrow or reattach lost body parts.

Item Master (Ex): Graz’zt can use any magic item, even spell completion items such as wands and scrolls.

Summon Tanar’ri (Sp): Once per day Graz’zt can automatically summon 2d4 succubi or 1d2 mariliths.

Archfiend Qualities (Su): These qualities are continually in effect upon Graz’zt’s person – see invisibility, detect magic, true seeing, freedom of movement, mind blank, protection from spells, foresight, antipathy toward all good-aligned creatures, and sympathy towards all evilly aligned creatures. Graz’zt is considered to have an experience point cushion of 15,000 xp per week when casting spells which have an xp component.

There's a lot on the thread, go see it!

 

[Cheiromancer]

Now Graz'zt has been around for a long, long time, and has undoubtably developed some epic spells over that time. Here's the suite of spells that I suggest Graz'zt would use to buff himself with. He would buff his intelligence before researching and casting other spells.

Waxing clarity is the first buff he casts, and only if he is not already buffed. Immediately upon completing it Graz'zt casts sustained clarity. Immediately after casting sustained clarity he casts the first 2 of the mind spells, and the following day he casts the other three. This gives the dark prince a 188 Intelligence indefinitely, provided he spends 4 days out of every 35 casting sustained clarity and the mind spells. (The mind spells can be cast at any time during the month). Note that thanks to his amulet, no 7 day period ever sees him spend more than 15 000 xp from his "float."

Graz'zt has 39 ranks in spellcraft, a synergy bonus of +4 from having 25+ ranks in Knowledge (arcana) and +30 from a minor artifact (his amulet). So a base of 73 + Graz'zt's intelligence bonus. The amulet can pay 2000 xp 1/day of spellcasting costs.

Waxing Clarity
To Develop: Seed: fortify (17 DC). Factors: enhancement bonus of 83 points to intelligence (+164) DC). Increase Duration by 400% (+8) (to 4 days 4 hours): Mitigating factors: increase casting time by 3 days 10 minutes (-26 DC), burn 6800 xp (-68). Final spellcraft DC: 95
(boosts intelligence by 83, to 118. New Spellcraft score is 73+54= 127)

Sustained Clarity
To Develop: Seed: fortify (17 DC) Factors: enhancement bonus of +83 to intelligence (+164 DC). Increase Duration by 4100% (+82) (to 35 days): Mitigating factors: increase casting time by 3 days 10 minutes (-26 DC), burn 10 000 xp (-100). Final spellcraft DC: 137

Profane Mind
To Develop: Seed: fortify (23 DC) Factors: profane bonus of +12 to intelligence (+66 DC). Increase Duration by 4100% (+82) (to 35 days): Mitigating factors: increase casting time by 10 minutes (-20 DC), burn 1400 xp (-14) Final spellcraft DC: 137
(new spellcraft score is 133)

Insightful Mind
To Develop: Seed: fortify (23 DC) Factors: insight bonus of +13 to intelligence (+72 DC). Increase Duration by 4100% (+82) (to 35 days): Mitigating factors: increase casting time by 10 minutes (-20 DC), burn 1400 xp (-14) Final spellcraft DC: 143
(new spellcraft score is 139)

Lucky Mind
To Develop: Seed: fortify (23 DC) Factors: luck bonus of +14 to intelligence (+78 DC). Increase Duration by 4100% (+82) (to 35 days): Mitigating factors: increase casting time by 10 minutes (-20 DC), burn 1400 xp (-14) Final spellcraft DC: 149
(new spellcraft score is 146)

Circumstantial Mind
To Develop: Seed: fortify (23 DC) Factors: circumstance bonus of +15 to intelligence (+84 DC). Increase Duration by 4100% (+82) (to 35 days): Mitigating factors: increase casting time by 10 minutes (-20 DC), burn 1300 xp (-13) Final spellcraft DC: 156
(new spellcraft score is 154)

Immoral Mind
To Develop: Seed: fortify (23 DC) Factors: morale bonus of +16 to intelligence (+90 DC). Increase Duration by 4100% (+82) (to 35 days): Mitigating factors: increase casting time by 10 minutes (-20 DC), burn 1100 xp (-11) Final spellcraft DC: 164
(new spellcraft score is 162)

These mind spells add a total of 70 more points to Graz’zt’s intelligence, for a total of 188. New spellcraft score is 73+89= 162.

The spells he will research and cast while buffed have a DC of 172 or less (which would take 31 days to research, so can be learned within the time when he is fully buffed.)

Graz'zt's 15000 xp cushion works out to be about 2100 xp per day; he has an amulet that provides 2000 xp for spell costs 1/day; I include it for every spell that takes at least a day to cast.

The epic level handbook says that backlash damage is taken each round of the effect of a spell. Sepulchrave thinks (and I agree) that it should be each round of spellcasting. So you can increase your spell casting time or take damage, but not both. (In fact, to reduce casting time to 1 round requires a +18 DC). This would improve his spells even more.

Cooperative spellcasting is not Graz'zt's style, so there are no spells involving secondary casters.

So anyway, he spends 4 days out of 35 casting Sustained Clarity and the Mind spells. Really only 3 days are taken up by chanting. The epic spells/day of two more days could send the rest of his stats through the roof:

Profane Boost
To Develop: Seed: fortify (17 DC) Factors: profane bonus of +47 to one ability score (+92 DC). Increase Duration by 4100% (+82) (to 35 days): Mitigating factors: increase casting time by 10 minutes (-20 DC) Final spellcraft DC: 171

Likewise for Spell Resistance!

Note that on the days when Graz'zt is casting the mind suite of spells and profanely boosting his other abilities, he is quite free to do other things; they only take up 30 minutes per day. He probably spreads these spells through the month so that he will still be able to cast two epic spells on any given day (he can cast 3 total).

His buffed stats will be:
Abilities:Str 73, Dex 77, Con 75, Int 188, Wis 69, Cha 96
Saves: Fort +52, Ref +55, Will +49

Save DCs for spells and spell-like abilities will be 53+spell level. His spell resistance is 85.

Combat-wise his stats are as follows:

Hit Dice: 36d8 +1152 (1314 hp)
Initiative: +37
Speed: 40 ft.
Armour Class: 68 (-1 size, +33 Dex, +6 insight, +13 natural, +7 shield), touch 48, flat-footed 35
Base Attack/Grapple: +36/+71
Attack: +5 acidic burst keen unholy bastard sword +71 melee (2d8 +36/15-20 plus 1d6 acid plus 1 vile)
Full Attack: +5 acidic burst keen unholy bastard sword +71/+66/+61/+56 melee (2d8 +36/15-20 plus 1d6 acid plus 1 vile)

Pretty awesome, huh? Unless the buffs are dispelled, Graz'zt will be quite a challenge to any opponent. He undoubtably knows some kind of epic counterspell to prevent a superb dispelling or greater magic from affecting him. Even so, it might be wise to tweak the spells so that they have a +6 bonus to resisting enemy dispel checks. That way they would work even in an anti-magic field. (Dispel check in an AM field is 1d20+20 vs 11+ caster level. Graz'zt is a 24th level sorcerer, so with a +6 bonus that is a DC of 41- the AM field will never work. See ELH 73 for interactions between an AM field and epci spells.)

Now think how different the situation would be if these epic buff spells were nerfed like the anibuff spells were? Instead of a base duration of 20 hours, they would have a base duration of 20 minutes, and none of this would be possible. A common house rule makes the duration in 10s of minutes- in this case the duration of the buff would be a base 200 minutes. Instead of lasting for 35 days, they would last a little less than 6 days.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Actually, if you refer to the ELH erratta (available on the Wizards site), the backlash damage is only counted once. Not once per round of casting, or once per round of the spell duration, just once. So these spells could be further optimized!

Even with the restriction on backlash and co-operative spells, I think that the difference between Graz'zt without epic buffs and Graz'zt with epic buffs is pretty extreme. The easiest fix is to make the base duration of the fortify seed 200 minutes instead of 20 hours.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Binding Graz'zt

Let's say, then, that fortify has a base 200 minute duration. Or is physically debilitating and addictive when maintained for such a long time. Or something like that. In other words, it is the basic Graz'zt that we are dealing with.

If you are an epic level spellcaster who has incurred Graz'zt's enemy, what can you do? The following spell suite is a suggestion.

These spells are all optimized around the idea of a coven of 6 high level wizards, 3 or 4 of which can cast epic spells. Toughness of Body is to help soak up backlash damage, while Sharpness of Wit is to make subsequent spells almost impossible to save against. The Sphere of Irresistable Magic and Mist of Dreams are centred on the thaumaturgic diagram where Graz'zt is to be called. Unless Graz'zt has buffed himself quite extensively, he will find his SR sharply reduced, and thus will be unable to resist the Mist of Dreams. The latter spell should render Graz'zt utterly catatonic (and therefore helpless). If it does not, he might actually be able to escape.

Call Graz'zt has a brief duration, so his captors will wish to act quickly to finally dispose of him. Binding or Trap the Soul are both possibilities. Or a character with a Wisdom of at least 33 could enter the Mist of Dreams and chop off his head (coup de grace).

The full sequence requires 6 each of 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th level spells, and 5 epic spells. Three epic casters working in parallel could research the spells in only 4 days, for a cost of "only" 468 000 gp.

Toughness of Body
Transmutation
Spellcraft DC: 11
Components: V, S, Ritual
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 0 ft.
Area: 20-ft radius sphere centred on you
Duration: 20 hours
To Develop: 99,000 gp; 2 days; 3960 XP. Seed: fortify (DC17). Factors: grant additional +39 enhancement bonus to ability score (+78 DC), 1-round casting time (+18 DC), change from touch to target (+4 DC), change from target to area (+10 DC). Mitigating factors: 6 secondary casters contribute 7th level slots (-78 DC).

All characters within a 20-ft radius circle centred upon the caster gain a +40 enhancement bonus to Constitution, with the appropriate changes to hit points and Fortitude savings.

Sharpness of Wit
Transmutation
Spellcraft DC: 11
Components: V, S, Ritual
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 0 ft.
Area: 20-ft radius sphere centred on you
Duration: 60 hours
To Develop: 99,000 gp; 2 days; 3960 XP. Seed: fortify (DC17). Factors: grant additional +63 enhancement bonus to ability score (+126 DC), 1-round casting time (+18 DC), change from touch to target (+4 DC), change from target to area (+10 DC); +200% duration (+4 DC). Mitigating factors: primary caster sustains 42d6 backlash (-42 DC), six secondary casters each sustain 21d6 backlash (-126 DC).

All characters within a 20-ft radius circle centred upon the caster gain a +64 enhancement bonus to Intelligence. Wizards thus enjoy a bonus of +32 to the DC of their spells.

Sphere of Irresistable Magic
Enchantment (Compulsion)
Spellcraft DC: 10
Components: V, S, Ritual
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 300 ft.
Area: 20-ft radius sphere
Duration: 20 hours
Saving Throw: Yes (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes (see text)
To Develop: 90,000 gp; 2 days; 3600 XP. Seed: afflict (DC 14); ward (DC 14). Factors: Additional 29 point penalty (+116 DC), +32 to caster level checks to overcome Spell Resistance (+64 DC), 1-round casting time (+18 DC), change from target to area (+10 DC), effective vs mind blank (+14 DC). Mitigating factors: primary caster sustains 30d6 backlash (-30 DC), six secondary casters each sustain 15d6 backlash (-90 DC), six secondary casters contribute 8th level spell slots (-120 DC).

Creatures within the Sphere of Irresistable Magic suffer a -30 penalty to their SR for as long as they remain there. The creature's spell resistance must be overcome (check only once), with the caster gaining a +32 to the caster level check. A will save also applies (DC 20 + caster's ability modifier), but each round that they remain within the Sphere of Irresistable Magic they must succeed at the saving throw – failure indicates that they suffer the effects until they leave it. Leaving and then re-entering the zone prompts a further saving throw.

Mist of Dreams
Enchantment (Compulsion)
Spellcraft DC: 10
Components: V, S, Ritual
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 300 ft.
Area: 20-ft radius sphere
Duration: 20 hours
Saving Throw: Yes (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes (see text)
To Develop: 90,000 gp; 2 days; 3600 XP. Seed: afflict (DC 14); ward (DC 14). Factors: Additional 31 point penalty (+124 DC), 1-round casting time (+18 DC), change from target to area (+10 DC), effective vs mind blank (+14 DC). Mitigating factors: primary caster sustains 30d6 backlash (-30 DC), six secondary casters each sustain 15d6 backlash (-90 DC), six secondary casters contribute 5th level spell slots (-54 DC).

The forces of the unconscious are released to overwhelm affected creatures with powerful waking dreams. If a creature's SR is overcome and their will save failed (DC 20+ caster's ability modifier), they suffer a -32 penalty to their Wisdom scores for as long as they remain within the affected area. Each round that they remain within the Mist of Dreams they must succeed at the saving throw – failure indicates that they suffer the effects until they leave it. Leaving and then re-entering the zone prompts a further saving throw.

 

[Kalanyr]

I think the secondary suite shows why the longlasting buffs are a necessary to survival for those of Grazz't stature.

The idea that its a bad idea for Grazz't to be constantly buffed vs the idea its reasonable to have a spell designed for no other purpose than to summon Grazz't so you can kill him, is IMO disturbing. (Especially given that the proposed changed makes them the perfect tools for Buff,Scry , Fry tactics or worse Buff, Call , Fry tactics while effectively negating their other uses.)

If you really can't live with the way the buff's work I'd find it more logical to disallow any bonus other enhancement or inherent from fortify.

 

[Cheiromancer]

BTW, one rule that Sepulchrave has with ritual magic is that the backlash of each secondary caster is at most half that of the primary caster. Of course, the primary caster cannot take more than 2d6 damage per hit dice.

The spell Call Graz'zt has a number of unusual features. According to page 73 of the ELH, epic spells are treated as level 10 spells whenever their level is important. Page 101 of the ELH says that ward can be used to nullify a specific spell or set of spells. This spell thus nullifies any magic that may be protecting Graz'zt from magical assault.

Except for an antimagic field. The AM field makes a dispel check of 20+1d20 vs 11 + caster level. To deal with that, I include a bonus to dispel checks in this spell. The dispel seed can dispel supernatural effects, so I think that it, together with the ward seed, will suppress even Graz'zt's (Su) mind blank ability.

The summon seed seems to be based on the summon monster spells and gate. This spell is a little more like planar binding, but has a very short duration.


Call Graz’zt
Conjuration (Summoning)
Spellcraft DC: 10
Components: V, S, M, Ritual, XP
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 75 ft.
Effect: One summoned demon prince
Duration: 20 rounds (and see below)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
To Develop: 90,000 gp; 2 days; 3600 XP. Seeds: Compel (DC 19), Dispel (DC 19); Summon (DC 14); Ward (DC 14). Factors: gain +16 bonus on caster level to defeat SR (+32 DC), ward effective against spells of 10th level or less (+180 DC), +10 on caster level to beat foe’s dispel effect (+10 DC), summon specific individual (+60 DC), full round action to cast (+18). Mitigating factors: primary caster sustains 42d6 backlash (-42 DC), six secondary casters each sustain 21d6 backlash (-126 DC), 6 additional participants contributing 9th level slots (-102 DC), caster burns 1300 xp (-16 DC), six secondary casters burn 1200 XP (-72 DC), 5000 gp cost (ad hoc -1 DC).

In a brief ritual requiring six additional participants, the spellcaster conjures and confines the demon prince Graz’zt into a readied thaumaturgic diagram. This diagram takes a day to draw, requires a DC 40 spellcraft check to complete successfully (the caster may take 10), and requires 5000 gp in special materials (powdered diamonds).

Graz'zt is entitled to a Will saving throw (DC 20+ relevant ability modifier) in order to resist being called. He can make two attempts to escape from the diagram (and break the spell) by first making a successful Charisma check (DC 30 + 1/2 caster level + caster's charisma modifier), and then by pitting his spell resistance against the caster's caster level check. Note that the caster receives a +16 bonus to his caster level when making this check. Graz’zt’s continual mind blank ability and other magical protections are ineffective against this spell.

Once Graz’zt is successfully confined he may not leave the diagram without aid, nor may he use any of his spells, or supernatural or spell-like abilities. He will remain quiescent, but may still communicate normally with those outside of the diagram. Any attack upon him constitutes a negation of the original compulsion, and he will be free to attack or flee if he survives it. If the circle is broken, the spell is similarly ended.

This spell does not last long enough for Graz'zt to be coerced into service, or for him to make additional attempts to escape. The compulsion binding him to the diagram expires after only 2 minutes. At then point (or earlier, if the spell is broken before then) Graz'zt is free to do as he pleases.

 

[the Jester]

A couple of points:

Epic spells aren't really '10th level' spells; they transcend level. For certain very specific purposes they're treated as if 10th level, but they really aren't. So I don't think you can ward against them.

Also, I personally wouldn't allow all those bonus types to ability scores, but that's up in the air.

 

[Cheiromancer]

If you really can't live with the way the buff's work I'd find it more logical to disallow any bonus other enhancement or inherent from fortify.

Following the most lenient version of the backlash rule (that it applies only once) allows Sustained Clarity to provide another +36 intelligence. Make it a ritual spell and you can get by without the secondary buffs.

But I agree that it is very fishy to allow circumstance, luck and morale bonuses to intelligence. It makes about as much sense as a dodge bonus to intelligence.

I think the secondary suite shows why the longlasting buffs are a necessary to survival for those of Grazz't stature.

Especially since only one of those spells is specific to Graz'zt. Once you've slain him, why not do Orcus next? Or work your way through the Dukes of Hell?

The idea that its a bad idea for Grazz't to be constantly buffed vs the idea its reasonable to have a spell designed for no other purpose than to summon Grazz't so you can kill him, is IMO disturbing. (Especially given that the proposed changed makes them the perfect tools for Buff,Scry , Fry tactics or worse Buff, Call, Fry tactics while effectively negating their other uses.)

It's just that there is such a *huge* difference between Graz'zt without the epic buffs, and Graz'zt with. How much difference is there in Graz'zt's CR due to that one feat? And the difference in combat effectiveness depends on the DM inventing various suites of epic spells- that's a lot of work.

Though I suppose if you kept to variations of what is in the ELH, it's not too hard. Although that's tantamount to banning all the spells I've posted here so far, which is also a bit extreme.

 

[Cheiromancer]

A couple of points:

Epic spells aren't really '10th level' spells; they transcend level. For certain very specific purposes they're treated as if 10th level, but they really aren't. So I don't think you can ward against them.

The ELH says

Epic spells have no fixed level. However, for purposes of Concentration checks, spell resistance, and other possible situations where spell level is important, epic spells are all treated as if they were 10th-level spells

Emphasis mine. If a creature's spell resistance varies according to the level of the spell being resisted (like the old style Rakshasa), you would take the level of the epic spell as equal to 10. Is using ward that different from this special kind of spell resistance?

Also, I personally wouldn't allow all those bonus types to ability scores, but that's up in the air.

I doubt I would either. But the wording of fortify seems to support it.

 

[Cheiromancer]

I've just noticed something- is it legal for secondary casters to take backlash? None of the example spells work that way. Although secondary casters can pay XP - there are lots of examples of that.

But without secondary backlash, the second suite of spells is a lot more difficult. The effects will have to be toned down, and the costs have to be increased (higher level spell slots, probably more xp).

The first suite of spells might not be as much of a problem as I thought. It is easier to dispel magic than to protect against being dispelled: a +1 to caster level costs +1 DC when using the dispel seed, but other seeds need a +2 DC to get the +1 CL.

It's all very confusing.