Help with (DUHM DUHM DUUUUHHHM) Ultimate Power!

[SpiderMonkey]

This is probably a left-field sort of question.

So what would be the 23 most powerful 'spells' (not PHB spells, but generic magic effects) you can think of?

Background:

In a rather long and convoluted campaign arc, one of my players discovers he's the terminus of a bloodline that can use a book penned from the materials in a library Beyond The Confines of Space and Time. This book, though currently sundered into its 23 pages, contains the most powerful spells ever penned: stuff like immortality and time-travel. Campaign-wise, its assembly will act as a sort of key that will allow him to reach the climax of the campaign, somewhat like the end of 'The Ninth Gate' or 'The Dark Tower' series. Theoretically, he'll be able to use the individual pages, though I'd like some sort of powerful taint attached so that though he'll be somewhat tempted, he won't be dumb enough to actually use them without dire need.

Can you give a quaking DM some ideas?

 

[WmRAllen67]

This is probably a left-field sort of question.

Which means you'll probably get a lot of left-field answers-- including this one...

In a rather long and convoluted campaign arc, one of my players discovers he's the terminus of a bloodline that can use a book penned from the materials in a library Beyond The Confines of Space and Time. This book, though currently sundered into its 23 pages, contains the most powerful spells ever penned: stuff like immortality and time-travel. Campaign-wise, its assembly will act as a sort of key that will allow him to reach the climax of the campaign, somewhat like the end of 'The Ninth Gate' or 'The Dark Tower' series. Theoretically, he'll be able to use the individual pages, though I'd like some sort of powerful taint attached so that though he'll be somewhat tempted, he won't be dumb enough to actually use them without dire need.

Can you give a quaking DM some ideas?

If I remember correctly (it's not around the web any more) Ken Hood's take on magic in his Sleeping Imperium campaign was that spellcasters read the "words" underpinning reality, at the risk of their sanity (he posts here, so maybe he'll elaborate if we ask him nice...)

Magic over in the Conan site comes at the cost of Str/Dex, or some such...

In the end, though, it's pretty simple-- If he's got Ultimate Power, then when he gets the last page of the book, make HIM be the DM!

 

[Umbran]

One man's "ultimate power" is another's complete waste of time. It might make a nice touch to have the spells deal with things other than what the character woudl initially expect. To quote one of my favorite mystics:

"...we know many things."
" Such as?"
"The true secrets, the important things. 14 words to make someone fall in love with you forever. 7 words to make them go without pain, or say good-bye to a friend who is dying. How to be poor. How to be rich. How to rediscover dreams when the world has stolen them."

 

[Dark Jezter]

The Real Ultimate Power!

You knew somebody was going to post it sooner or later.

 

[SpiderMonkey]

The Real Ultimate Power!
You knew somebody was going to post it sooner or later.

...I only realized it after I hit "submit post."

"heh heh...hey waitaminute, that's my post! Crap."

 

[MDSnowman]

The Real Ultimate Power!

You knew somebody was going to post it sooner or later.

Ultimate Spell #1: Summon Ninja
This spells summons 1d4+Caster Level Ninja. These Ninja are essentially Rogue/Monks with the Shadow template. However Ninja summoned by this spell are unable to talk and are only capable of flipping out and chopping people's heads off.

 

[DM with a vengence]

I'd go with universal absolutes.

Immortality, Destruction, Creation, Protection, Travel, Healing, etc. The final spell should be Happiness.

These spells should be overwhelmingly powerful in effect. Destruction should allow you to anhilliate everything from people, to entire planes, to ideas. Creation can bring about new universes, Travel can send you back in time, etc.

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Well, there are 22 domains in the PHB, why not base a spell off of each of their concepts?

For instance, for the Knowledge domain you could have a spell called "Omniscience" which maybe could work like Moment of Prescience, except you can use it 1/round for 1 round/level. For Protection you could have Invulnerability, which would give you DR 30/epic for 1/round level.

Alternatively, you could base the spells off of the SDA's in the Deities & Demigods handbook, where the caster's level/2 = the divine rank for the intents and purposes of casting the spell.

And then again there's the Epic Level Handbook, which you can just steal the sample spells from

Hope that helps.

 

[SpiderMonkey]

Thanks so far to those generous enough to respond. At least now I have some direction, and the suggestions have definitely helped get the wheels rolling.

To facilitate the other half, what do we think of taint, or insanity, or whatever...?

 

[MDSnowman]

Thanks so far to those generous enough to respond. At least now I have some direction, and the suggestions have definitely helped get the wheels rolling.

To facilitate the other half, what do we think of taint, or insanity, or whatever...?

I advocate Ability Drain... preferably Consitution, assessed when the spell ends. Your player should know using these is a last resort, and everytime he uses one he risks permentally injuring himself.