Curious on opinions on gaining epic levels

[Gilby]

What are peoples opinions on simply gaining xp to gain epic lvl VS. gaining required xp and performing an epic deed to gain an epic lvl?

[Eldariel]

I tend to always go for #1. The characters have done plenty of epic stuff if they're level 20 already; no need to make some stupid barrier between proceeding beyond it. Although if I want to consider epic characters divinities, then I of course force them to go about something that causes their divine ascension. But just the "standard" epic stuff would require nothing but being damn good at what you do in my games.

[UserClone]

I tend towards requiring accomplishments to gain ANY level, Epic or otherwise, actually. I generally don't even use XP unless I am running a module, and that's only to keep the PCs' levels on target with where the writer(s) expected them to be when they were writing the module. [/2cp]

[Remmirath]

Well, epic level just means that you're the same, only better at what you do. I don't think there's any reason for people to have to do something special for it.
It might make sense to require epic deeds of the right nature to take an epic prestige class (more as an initiation ritual or something), but certainly not a normal class only epic. You'll already have defeated a whole bunch of powerful foes by that point anyhow.

[zerombr]

Epic-ness is a cause to celebrate, it should be a big deal in-game, as well as out. My GM, knowing how close we were to 20, made the entire 'becoming epic' subplot part of the overall campaign closure. It was rather memorable, don't deny players that.

[Samakain]

Have to agree with Zero here.

sure your've carved your way through untold amounts of pure nasty to get to the 20-21 bracket but common, its epic, the progression itself needs to be epic, or at least memorable.

Last epic game i ran i had the characters leading a rebellion through the non-epic careers through proxies while then went off and did heroic deeds, found the lost line of kings, made alliances, gathered powerful artifacts, eventually they brought down the empress in her throne room, but like all good overlords, she was just a puppet for a lich who was seeking god hood and was generating worshipers with his position.

so between 18-20 they where carving there way through a necropolis and i put every piece of undead pwnt in there i could :P as long as it made sense, and there was some epic freaking battles in there, they finally confront the lich who summons the divine essence of a dead god to absorb for himself. They destroy the lich's soul-gem-thing-i-cannot-spell as well as his corporeal body. The divine essence explodes (kinda) freed once again to revive the old god, but in the act of the energy passing through said players is the transition point and where they "dinged" between 20-21.

Long story short, you don't have to do something entirely separate, but you can weave it in just fine. Also the important question to ask is are your characters the first ones to go epic? or have people gone before?

[Gilby]

The thing is the group's characters are already epic. I was actually inquiring about gaining lvls of 22 and beyond.

[Samakain]

My apologies then ^^

If thats the case then no :P make em grind.