Feats

[Cheiromancer]

See post 13 for a revised version. Much less math.

[sblock]Arcane Accoutrement [Epic]
You augment whole armies.
Prerequisites: Epic Spellcasting, Spell Focus (Transmutation), Spellcraft 30 ranks, access to [augment] or [fortify].
Benefit: When you develop an epic spell based on [augment] or [fortify] that provides only non-epic bonuses, gain 30 SP in free factors. If these free factors are applied to increase the range, duration and/or area of the seed, they actually change the base values: Subsequent increases of these parameters are calculated from their new base values.
Special: A spell modified with Arcane Accoutrement can only affect willing subjects and their items.


Structurally this is very similar to Magnipotent, but I'm wondering if its main effect will be to highlight the flaws of our system. Or at least the parts of it that are my doing, since it exploits the heck out of the Mass Effect factor I am proposing. The armies of a sorcerer-king will be pretty scary!

Of course, when you are a 30th level spellcaster you should be able to handle a virtually unlimited number of mooks. If you have an army to back you up, and no epic spellcasters to oppose you... Well, this feat will make your armies pretty much unstoppable.

Dunno it that'd be bad or not. Epic spells change campaigns.

[edit] CR 20 made me nervous. I dropped it to 10.

[edit2] Free factors restricted.

[edit3] Dropped reference to [polymorph] (which is what the edit above refers to)[/sblock]

 

[Sepulchrave II]

Magnipotent [Epic]

Arcane Accoutrement [Epic]

Excellent names. Both seem pretty powerful - I'm inclined to say remove the free 10SP to any parameter (plus triples), and simply include free 30SP to specific parameters: Magnipotent could otherwise be used to increase the damage or Save DC as well, which I'm a little wary of.

Epic spells change campaigns.

That's why I like 'em so much. Magnipotent + Herald of the [Blast] is big trouble. A very big primordial fireball is appealing.

 

[Cheiromancer]

What do you think about this version?

Arcane Accoutrement [Epic]
You augment whole armies.
Prerequisites: Epic Spellcasting, Spell Focus (Transmutation), Spellcraft 30 ranks, access to [augment] or [fortify]
Benefit: When you cast an epic spell based on [augment] or [fortify] that provides only non-epic bonuses, the spell affects any number of willing targets within range that you designate.​

[Fortify] would mostly apply weapon, armor and shield bonuses. Probably each +1 is +1 SP, to a maximum enhancement bonus of +5, and a total bonus of +10 or less.

The mass effect factor is +14, and the unlimited targets is +4. This is for the targets being within a 20-ft. radius spread; the remaining 12 points of SP provided by the feat widen the spell (via an exponential factor) to an appropriately large scale. I don't want to be stingy with the range of the thing; there are various strategms whereby such limits can be overcome anyway.

If you like Arcane Accoutrement, here's one for [polymorph].

Quicksilver Army [Epic]
Your troops have a reputation for shapeshifting.
Prerequisites: Epic Spellcasting, Spell Focus (Transmutation), Spellcraft 30 ranks, access to [polymorph]
Benefit: When you cast an epic spell based on [polymorph] that grants a form whose CR does not exceed 10, the spell affects any number of willing targets within spell range that you designate.​

The main problem is finding stuff to spend SP on. Flexibility factors, I suppose. Or Lore of Circe. I've tinkered with that feat a bit; this is the revised form:

Lore of Circe [Epic]
Prerequisites: Brew Potion, Spellcraft 24 ranks, Knowledge Nature 13 ranks, access to [polymorph]
Benefit: Pay 20 SP to enhance a [polymorph] spell with Lore of Circe. A spell enhanced in this way has a permanent duration and can affect unwilling targets (Fortitude negates). You may dismiss the effect from any number of targets within range as a standard action. The spell gains a +5 bonus to its Save DC and caster level when cast against someone who, in the hour prior to casting, ate food you helped prepare. You may pay an additional 20 SP to make the spell pernicious.​

Just as Magnipotent + Herald of [blast] would be a potent combination, so too these two [polymorph] feats. I'll have to think about this some more.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

Arcane Accoutrement [Epic]
You augment whole armies.
Prerequisites: Epic Spellcasting, Spell Focus (Transmutation), Spellcraft 30 ranks, access to [augment] or [fortify]
Benefit: When you cast an epic spell based on [augment] or [fortify] that provides only non-epic bonuses, the spell affects any number of willing targets within range that you designate.

I assume that the range is the range of [polymorph] - i.e. 1200 ft?

I've gotta say I love it, if it does.

For me, it begs the synergy:

Legendary Commander + Arcane Accoutrement + Quicksilver Accoutrement -> ?

This '?' should be a higher-order feat which corresponds to Herald of the Eschaton for the [Destroy] specialist; maybe more impressive, because of the stiffer prereqs (5 epic feats, no less).

Side note:

Are we allowed to do [Reserve] feats, or are they protected? Can we use their equivalent, and call them something else? Or not call them anything? The idea of an epic spell being held in order to power nonepic spell-like abilities is very cool. They could be unlimited uses - which helps with bookkeeping, too.

Might I suggest Quicksilver Army or Quicksilver Mantle as possible alternative names, depending on how explicit you would like the intent of the feat to be?

 

[Cheiromancer]

There are various ways that spell slots can be used as resources: the Archmage is one example, the system of reserve feats is another. My recollection of Spellfire is vague; did it use spell slots? I think there are some Forgotten Realms spells that allow you to use spell slots for healing or blasting or whatever too.

In an early version of [conjure] I floated the idea of "investing" spell slots in order to grant a duration to conjured magic items. As long as you reserved a 9th level spell slot you could keep a mirror of mental prowess. That would be yet another way of using spell slots as resources.

Perhaps there can be a class of epic spells that work by occupying an epic spell slot; as long as you don't use that spell slot for something else, you get various abilities. It would be very similar to a permanent spell that grants abilities, but couldn't be dispelled. Of course if you got energy drained or lost massive amounts of intelligence or something you'd be hosed, but there's always a downside to any new trick.

If I understand our system correctly, epic spell slots aren't prepared; Jake can cast any spell he knows. We'd need a feat, Dedicated Spell, that changes this; it provides an epic spell slot, but can't be used spontaneously; the spell has to be prepared for it. To compensate for this lack of flexibility, Dedicated Spell could provide a suite of benefits depending on the school of the epic spell that was prepared for this slot. Perhaps the equivalent of a 4th or 5th level spell, usable at will.

There might be different versions of Dedicated Spell, each with a different palette of spell-like abilities. Some of these feats might also have prerequisites. You could make a very rich school of magic this way. It would probably step on the Warlock's feet a little, but that's OK.

Alternatively (or additionally) Epic spells could also be developed to provide benefits; probably price an additional +20 or so factor into them to make it into an unlimited spell-like ability.

So Jake could cast a 30d6 blast 1/day at level 21. Or he could cast that same spell at will at level 41.

Are these the kinds of things you were thinking of?

 

[Sepulchrave II]

If I understand our system correctly, epic spell slots aren't prepared; Jake can cast any spell he knows.

I've been working on the assumption that epic spells are prepared by classes which normally prepare spells, and cast spontaneously by sorcerers.

Are these the kinds of things you were thinking of?

Yep. Not that I think that we're in a position to really explore this properly yet, but it's something to bear in mind when we flesh things out:

Serpenteye [Epic]
Prerequisites: Epic Spellcasting, Persuasive, Spell Focus (Enchantment), Bluff 15 ranks, Spellcraft 33 ranks, must prepare arcane spells
Benefits: As long as you retain a prepared epic spell which uses [compel] as its base seed, you gain the use of the following powers as spell-like abilities, usable at will: charm monster, dominate person and suggestion. These abilities use your caster level, where appropriate. They are not subject to metamagic, but may be modified by feats which specifically extend to spell-like abilities (such as Quicken Spell-Like Ability).

 

[Cheiromancer]

I've been working on the assumption that epic spells are prepared by classes which normally prepare spells, and cast spontaneously by sorcerers.

I guess I was conflating the spellbookless preparation of epic spellcasters with spontaneous spellcasting.

Re: Serpenteye
I wonder if there is a way of granting a character at-will spell-like abilities other than by [polymorph]? I guess I'm thinking that there ought to be a serpenteye epic spell that allows you to use charm monster, dominate person and suggestion at will. Probably around SP 33 or 36 or so.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

How do you feel about this?

Peerless Infusion [Epic][Item Creation]
Prerequisites: Epic Spellcasting, Brew Potion, Craft (Alchemy) 30 ranks, Spellcraft 30 ranks
Benefit: You may create an infusion, capturing the essence of an epic spell which specifies you as its target in a potent elixir which others may then drink. The cost (in both gold and experience), and time required for creating a peerless infusion is equal to one fifth of the base cost of the epic spell infused. You may have any number of peerless infusions in your possession at any given time, but a specific epic spell may only have one infusion with regard to it extant.
Consumption of the peerless infusion unlocks its magical potential, and the imbiber gains the full benefit of the spell as though he had cast it himself.

 

[Cheiromancer]

I think the "as though he had cast it himself" is a little vague. Does that mean a non-spellcaster has a caster level of zero? I assume that backlash and other costs are paid at the time of making the infusion. How about other decisions? Can the recipient take advantage of flexibility factors?

The cost is in line with what the DMG suggests for crafting a one shot use activated item; spell level (10) x caster level (20) x 25 = 5000 gp. One fifth the cost to develop a SP 24 spell is 4,800 gp, which is almost identical.

I've sometimes thought that the cost of researching epic spells might be too cheap. Given that arcane casters can only prepare a very finite number of spells, I don't think there is any harm in their having fairly large repertoires of epic spells. And the costs do add up. But if the cost of developing an epic spell is too cheap (maybe you should add 200,000 gp to it? ) then the peerless infusion would be too cheap. But that isn't a problem considering that you can only make one peerless infusion of a spell at a time.

Although I'm not sure how that would work. If you make a peerless infusion and give it away, what happens a year later when you try to make another? Do you risk having the second infusion not work? Do you automatically know if the first infusion has been consumed or not?

And could you research a nearly identical copy of the spell (for another 24000 gp) in order to be able to make a second peerless infusion?

The feat also suggests a Peerless Scrivener feat, to make scrolls of epic spells. And a whole line of Peerless Item feats, to make scrolls and rings and wondrous items. That opens up a door that the ELH had very firmly closed; no items that reproduce epic level spells.

How do you feel about this?

Uneasy. A lot of questions and issues are raised by the existence of the feat.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

Clerical feat. It's taken me ages to get here, and I still don't know if I like it. It has some weird ideas, like apportioning backlash as part payment for its powers.

I thought about a feat which applied to several seeds (also allowing integration of prismatic sphere into a [ward] effect), but got frustrated, as we don't have a [ward] yet.

This feat offers 10 points up front and 12 more from the halo effect; the halo is costed as a root spell raised to epic status, and then incorporated as an invisible secondary seed. Subsequent widenings apply to the halo, as well. I also broke with precedent and made the benefits of the feat force a separate saving throw - it seemed the only way to make it work: I have weighed this at an arbitrary +6. There's a little spontaneity, so that's worth +2.

I reckon it's about +30 in goodies altogether, minus a certain loss of flexibility. I thinf SF (Evo) is pretty stiff for a cleric (they could be taking a bunch of [divine] feats, instead).


Coronal [Epic]
You are incandscent.
Prerequisites: Epic Spellcasting, Knowledge (religion) 30 ranks, Spell Focus (Evocation), Spellcraft 30 ranks, ability to cast sunburst as a domain spell.
Benefits: [Blast] is always considered an associated seed for you when you develop spells which admix only [fire] and [electricity] energy types in a spherical spread effect. You always use primordial energy without considering it a factor in any such epic spell which you develop.
You gain access to a number of esoteric powers which manifest as haloes which extend beyond the area of the blast; creatures within the primary blast radius are also subject to the halo's effects. A single halo can be added to any eligible spell which you cast. You choose the halo to attach at the moment of casting:

• Prismatic: Creatures within the area of the halo are subject to the effects of a prismatic spray. The halo extends 40 feet beyond the primary blast radius.
• Lucent: The [blast] generates a sunburst effect which extends to 220 feet beyond the primary blast radius. A lucent halo dispels all nonepic spells with the [darkness] descriptor.
• Ionic: Any number of targets whom you designate within the blast radius and up to 60 ft. distant from it are struck by additional primordial lightning strikes, each dealing 30d6 points of damage. Evoking an ionic halo deals 2 points of backlash damage.

The halo effect of this feat prompts a second Saving Throw (Reflex half for the ionic or sunburst effect, various Saves against the prismatic halo).


*

Prismatic spray (+42) + Heighten (+3) + Range (+4) + Modified shape (+2) + 3x Widened (+9) = 60. This is an 80' radius sphere.

Sunburst (+48) + Heighten (+2) + Predicted Epic Benefit (dispel all nonepic darkness effects) (+4) + 2x Widened (+6) = 60. 240' radius sphere.