Dante & Vergil
2009-12-30, 07:26 PM
This system was developed by J.Karpan “Fëanáro” and A. Silva-Miramon “Mercucio” over at Dicefreaks. I have added a stipulation to their original rules so it could be more balanced. Hopefully this will work well.
DESIGNING EPIC SPELLS USING THE IMPROVED SPELL CAPACITY SYSTEM
First and Foremost
the Improved Spell Capacity epic spellcasting system does not require a caster to possess the Epic Spellcasting feat. Any character capable of casting 10th level or higher spells using Improved Spell Capacity can develop epic spells using this system.
0. Design Concept
Sketch out a rough idea of what you want your spell to do.
1. Choose a Base Spell Seed
Now that you know what kind of spell effect you want, choose an existing spell(s) as the base seed. A spell seed’s base DC is equal to the minimum caster level for the developer’s class to cast that spell + 13.
Adding Seed DCs: When two or more spell seeds are combined in an epic spell, their base Spellcraft DCs are added together. Both contribute toward the spell’s final Spellcraft DC.
Determining School: When combining two or more spell seeds to develop an epic spell, the school of the finished spell is decided by the caster from among the seeds that make up the epic spell.
Combining Descriptors: When two or more spell seeds are combined in an epic spell, all the descriptors from each seed apply to the finished spell.
Combining Components and Casting Times: Almost every epic spell has verbal and somatic components and a 1 action time, regardless of the number of epic seeds combined.
Combining Range, Targets, Area, and Effect: One spell seed might have a range of Long, another seed might have a range of touch feet, and a third seed might not have a range at all. Likewise, some spell seeds have targets, while others have an effect or an area. To determine which spell seed takes precedence in the finished epic spell, the caster must decide which spell seed is the base seed. The seed most important to the spell’s overall purpose is the base seed, and it determines the casting time, range, target, and so on. The other spell seeds apply only their specific effects to the finished spell. It is occasionally difficult to determine a base seed by examining the spell’s effects. If no one seed is most important, simply pick one seed for the purposes of making this determination.
Combining Durations: When using two or more seeds to develop an epic spell, the seed with the shortest duration determines the duration of the finished epic spell. If any spell seed of an epic spell is dismissible by the caster, the epic spell is dismissible.
Saving Throws: Even if more than one seed has an associated saving throw, the final spell will have only a single saving throw. If two or more seeds have the same kind of saving throw (Fortitude, Reflex, or Will), then obviously that will be used for the spell’s saving throw. If the spell seeds have different kinds of saving throws, simply choose the saving throw that seems most appropriate for the final spell.
Spell Resistance: When combining two or more spell seeds to develop an epic spell, if even one seed is subject to spell resistance, the finished epic spell is subject to it as well.
Combining Spells Seeds and Epic Seeds: Although this new epic spellcasting system now uses spells to form the basis of its spell seeds it does not completely ignore the existing epic spellcasting seeds. Many of the pre-existing epic seeds grant effects not found in published spells and in such cases it is permissible to use the epic seed as one of your spell seeds. These epic seeds use the revised general Spellcraft DC modifiers that follow rather the pre-existing ones, but the DC modifiers inherent to each seed, remain unchanged.
2. Factors
Factors are not part of epic seeds, but they are the tools used to modify specific parameters of any given seed. Applying factors to the seeds of an epic spell can increase or decrease the final Spellcraft DC, increase the duration, change the area of a spell, and affect many other aspects of the spell.
There are three kinds of factors:
1. Those that can affect a number of spell seeds.
2. Those that can only be used with specific spell seeds.
3. Those that reduce the Spellcraft DC rather than increasing it. These are referred to as mitigating factors. To calculate the final Spellcraft DC of an epic spell correctly, it’s important to determine the mitigating factors last, after all the factors that increase the DC have been accounted for.
Development Is an Art: Many times developing a completely new epic spell requires some guesswork and rule stretching. As with making and pricing magic items, a sort of balancing act is required. Often the description of a spell will need to be stretched for a particular spell. If necessary, assess an “ad hoc” Spellcraft DC adjustment for any effect that cannot be extrapolated from the seeds and factors presented here—the example spells use ad hoc factors frequently. In all cases, the GM determines the actual Spellcraft DC of the new spell
Table: Epic Spell Factors
Casting TimeSpellcraft DC Modifier
Reduce casting time by 1 minute (min. 1 minute)+2
Reduce casting time by 1 round (minimum 1 round)+2
Change full round to standard action casting time+2
Swift action (limit one swift action/round)+28
Contingent on specific trigger (as contingency) 1+26
ComponentsSpellcraft DC Modifier
No verbal component+5
No somatic component+5
Duration2Spellcraft DC Modifier
Increase duration by 100%+2
Permanent duration (apply this factor after all other epic spell factors but before mitigating factors)x5
Dismissible by caster (if not already)+2
RangeSpellcraft DC Modifier
Range Increase range by 100% (fixed range spells)+2
Increase range 1 step (close to medium, ect.)+4
Target3Spellcraft DC Modifier
Add extra target within range+4
Change from single target to 1 target/level (max. 20)+40
Change from personal to melee touch+4
Change from personal to ranged touch (close)+10
Change from melee touch to ranged touch (close)+4
Change from ranged touch to target+4
Change from target to ranged touch+4
Change from target to Area (pick Area option below)+10
Area4Spellcraft DC Modifier
Change Area to bolt (5 ft. wide at medium range, or 10 ft. wide with 1/2 medium range)+2
Change Area to cylinder (10-ft. radius, 30 ft. high)+2
Change Area to 40-ft. cone+2
Change Area to four 10-ft. cubes+2
Change Area to 20-ft. radius+2
Increase Area by 100%+4
DamageSpellcraft DC Modifier
Add one die of damage to a fixed damage spell+2 per die
Increase maximum damage dice by caster level+1 per die
Increase damage die by one step (d12 maximum)+10
OtherSpellcraft DC Modifier
Gain +1 bonus on caster level checks to overcome target’s spell resistance+4
Gain +1 caster level to resist dispel effects+4
Unless stated otherwise, the same factor can be applied more than once.
1 Each contingent spell in use counts as a slot used from the caster’s daily Improved Spell Capacity spell slots.
2 Seeds that already have an instantaneous or permanent duration cannot be increased.
3 When changing a targeted or Area seed to a touch or ranged attack, the seed no longer requires a save if it deals damage, instead requiring a successful attack roll. Seeds with a nondamaging effect still allow the target a save. Area spells changed to touch or ranged attacks now affect only the creature successfully attacked.
4 When changing a touch or ranged attack seed to a targeted seed, the seed no longer requires an attack roll if it deals damage, instead requiring a saving throw from the target. On a failed saving throw, the target takes half damage. Area seeds changed to targeted seeds now only affect the target. The GM determines the most appropriate kind of saving throw for the epic spell.
Table: Epic Spell Mitigating Factors
OtherSpell DC Modifier
Backlash 1d6 points of damage (max d6 = final spell level x2)1–2
Burn 100 XP during casting (max 20,000 XP)–1
Additional participants (ritual)Special
DurationSpell DC Modifier
Decrease duration from 1 hour/level to 10 min./level–10
Decrease duration from 10 min./level to 1 minute/level–10
Decrease duration from 1 minute/level to 1 round/level–10
AreaSpell DC Modifier
Halve area (fixed area)–4
Decrease Area to single target–10
TargetsSpell DC Modifier
Change target from ranged touch to melee touch–4
Change target from melee touch to personal–10
Change target from target to ranged touch–4
Change target from target to melee touch–10
Change target from target to personal–14
RangeSpell DC Modifier
Halve fixed range–4
Decrease range one step (long to medium, ect)–4
Casting TimeSpell DC Modifier
Increase casting time from standard to full-round action–1
Increase casting time by 1 round (max 1 minute)2–1
Increase casting time by 1 minute (max 10 minutes)2–2
Increase casting time by 1 day (max 100 days)2–2
DamageSpell DC Modifier
Decrease damage die by one step (d4 minimum)–5
Note: Mitigating factors are always applied last all other spell factors (see above) are accounted for. Mitigating factors cannot be used to reduce the Spell DC bellow half of what it was before the mitigating factors.
1 A caster cannot avoid or make himself immune to backlash damage. Backlash damage is always considered lethal for creatures with regeneration and only heals naturally, magic and psionics are incapable of healing backlash. Creatures with fast healing heal backlash damage at value listed for their fast healing score every hour, not every round. Spells with durations longer than instantaneous, the backlash damage is only applied once. You cannot use backlash to mitigate the cost any spell with a permanent duration. If backlash damage kills a caster, no spell or method exists that will return the caster’s to life without costing the caster a level—not even wish, true resurrection, miracle, or epic spells that return life to the deceased. Spells that normally penalize the recipient one level when they return him or her to life penalize a caster killed by backlash two levels.
2 When increasing the casting time of a spell in order to reduce the Spellcraft DC, a caster must first “use up” the maximum of 1 minute, then 10 minutes (for a total DC modifier of –28). After that, a caster can continue to add days to the casting time, with a further modifier of –2 per day, up to the maximum of 100 days.
Additional Participants: Epic spells can be developed that specifically require additional participants. These spells are called rituals. An epic spell developed as a ritual requires a specific number of additional participants, who each must use up one spell slot of a specified level for the day. During an epic spell’s development, the spell’s creator determines the number of additional participants and the level of the spell slots to be contributed. If the exact number of spellcasters does not partake in the casting, or if the casters do not each contribute the proper spell slot, the epic spell automatically fails. To participate, each participant readies an action to contribute his or her raw spell energy when the primary caster begins the epic spell. Additional participants in a ritual spell reduce the Spellcraft DC, as shown on Table: Additional Participants in Rituals. Each additional participant may only contribute one spell slot. It doesn’t matter whether the additional participants are arcane or divine spellcasters; only the level of the spell slot contributed matters. A contributed spell slot is treated as if normally cast. A wizard may contribute either a prepared, uncast spell slot, or an open, unprepared slot. The Spellcraft DC adjustments for each additional participant stack.
Special: A ritual epic spell that takes longer than 1 action to cast requires all extra participants to stand as if casting for the same amount of time. If an extra participant is attacked while contributing a spell slot, the participant must make a Concentration check as if casting a spell of the same level as the slot contributed. If the attack disrupts the participant in the ritual, the epic spell is not necessarily ruined. However, the Spellcraft DC reduction that would have been provided by that additional participant cannot be applied to the final Spellcraft DC of the epic spell. Thus the ritual epic spell will be harder for the primary spellcaster to cast.
Table: Additional Participants in Rituals
Spell Slot Level ContributedSpellcraft DC Reduction
1st–1
2nd–3
3rd–5
4th–7
5th–9
6th–11
7th–13
8th–15
9th–17
For each additional spell level above 9th the Spellcraft DC reduction increases by 2 points.
Determine Costs: Sum all factors and mitigating factors together to determine the final Spellcraft DC. The spell’s research cost in gold pieces is equal to the final Spellcraft DC times 7000, and the spells experience point cost is equal to 1/25th the research cost.
Determine Level: Divide the final spell DC by 10, round to the nearest whole number, and add +7. This is the level of the Improved Spell Capacity spell slot needed to cast the spell. This also sets the base save DC of the spell.
Approval: This is the final step, and it’s critically important. The epic spell development work and reasoning must be shown to the GM and receive his or her approval. If the GM doesn’t approve, then the epic spell cannot be developed. However, the GM should explain why the epic spell wasn’t approved and possibly offer suggestions on how to create an epic spell that will be acceptable.
DESIGNING EPIC SPELLS USING THE IMPROVED SPELL CAPACITY SYSTEM
First and Foremost
the Improved Spell Capacity epic spellcasting system does not require a caster to possess the Epic Spellcasting feat. Any character capable of casting 10th level or higher spells using Improved Spell Capacity can develop epic spells using this system.
0. Design Concept
Sketch out a rough idea of what you want your spell to do.
1. Choose a Base Spell Seed
Now that you know what kind of spell effect you want, choose an existing spell(s) as the base seed. A spell seed’s base DC is equal to the minimum caster level for the developer’s class to cast that spell + 13.
Adding Seed DCs: When two or more spell seeds are combined in an epic spell, their base Spellcraft DCs are added together. Both contribute toward the spell’s final Spellcraft DC.
Determining School: When combining two or more spell seeds to develop an epic spell, the school of the finished spell is decided by the caster from among the seeds that make up the epic spell.
Combining Descriptors: When two or more spell seeds are combined in an epic spell, all the descriptors from each seed apply to the finished spell.
Combining Components and Casting Times: Almost every epic spell has verbal and somatic components and a 1 action time, regardless of the number of epic seeds combined.
Combining Range, Targets, Area, and Effect: One spell seed might have a range of Long, another seed might have a range of touch feet, and a third seed might not have a range at all. Likewise, some spell seeds have targets, while others have an effect or an area. To determine which spell seed takes precedence in the finished epic spell, the caster must decide which spell seed is the base seed. The seed most important to the spell’s overall purpose is the base seed, and it determines the casting time, range, target, and so on. The other spell seeds apply only their specific effects to the finished spell. It is occasionally difficult to determine a base seed by examining the spell’s effects. If no one seed is most important, simply pick one seed for the purposes of making this determination.
Combining Durations: When using two or more seeds to develop an epic spell, the seed with the shortest duration determines the duration of the finished epic spell. If any spell seed of an epic spell is dismissible by the caster, the epic spell is dismissible.
Saving Throws: Even if more than one seed has an associated saving throw, the final spell will have only a single saving throw. If two or more seeds have the same kind of saving throw (Fortitude, Reflex, or Will), then obviously that will be used for the spell’s saving throw. If the spell seeds have different kinds of saving throws, simply choose the saving throw that seems most appropriate for the final spell.
Spell Resistance: When combining two or more spell seeds to develop an epic spell, if even one seed is subject to spell resistance, the finished epic spell is subject to it as well.
Combining Spells Seeds and Epic Seeds: Although this new epic spellcasting system now uses spells to form the basis of its spell seeds it does not completely ignore the existing epic spellcasting seeds. Many of the pre-existing epic seeds grant effects not found in published spells and in such cases it is permissible to use the epic seed as one of your spell seeds. These epic seeds use the revised general Spellcraft DC modifiers that follow rather the pre-existing ones, but the DC modifiers inherent to each seed, remain unchanged.
2. Factors
Factors are not part of epic seeds, but they are the tools used to modify specific parameters of any given seed. Applying factors to the seeds of an epic spell can increase or decrease the final Spellcraft DC, increase the duration, change the area of a spell, and affect many other aspects of the spell.
There are three kinds of factors:
1. Those that can affect a number of spell seeds.
2. Those that can only be used with specific spell seeds.
3. Those that reduce the Spellcraft DC rather than increasing it. These are referred to as mitigating factors. To calculate the final Spellcraft DC of an epic spell correctly, it’s important to determine the mitigating factors last, after all the factors that increase the DC have been accounted for.
Development Is an Art: Many times developing a completely new epic spell requires some guesswork and rule stretching. As with making and pricing magic items, a sort of balancing act is required. Often the description of a spell will need to be stretched for a particular spell. If necessary, assess an “ad hoc” Spellcraft DC adjustment for any effect that cannot be extrapolated from the seeds and factors presented here—the example spells use ad hoc factors frequently. In all cases, the GM determines the actual Spellcraft DC of the new spell
Table: Epic Spell Factors
Casting TimeSpellcraft DC Modifier
Reduce casting time by 1 minute (min. 1 minute)+2
Reduce casting time by 1 round (minimum 1 round)+2
Change full round to standard action casting time+2
Swift action (limit one swift action/round)+28
Contingent on specific trigger (as contingency) 1+26
ComponentsSpellcraft DC Modifier
No verbal component+5
No somatic component+5
Duration2Spellcraft DC Modifier
Increase duration by 100%+2
Permanent duration (apply this factor after all other epic spell factors but before mitigating factors)x5
Dismissible by caster (if not already)+2
RangeSpellcraft DC Modifier
Range Increase range by 100% (fixed range spells)+2
Increase range 1 step (close to medium, ect.)+4
Target3Spellcraft DC Modifier
Add extra target within range+4
Change from single target to 1 target/level (max. 20)+40
Change from personal to melee touch+4
Change from personal to ranged touch (close)+10
Change from melee touch to ranged touch (close)+4
Change from ranged touch to target+4
Change from target to ranged touch+4
Change from target to Area (pick Area option below)+10
Area4Spellcraft DC Modifier
Change Area to bolt (5 ft. wide at medium range, or 10 ft. wide with 1/2 medium range)+2
Change Area to cylinder (10-ft. radius, 30 ft. high)+2
Change Area to 40-ft. cone+2
Change Area to four 10-ft. cubes+2
Change Area to 20-ft. radius+2
Increase Area by 100%+4
DamageSpellcraft DC Modifier
Add one die of damage to a fixed damage spell+2 per die
Increase maximum damage dice by caster level+1 per die
Increase damage die by one step (d12 maximum)+10
OtherSpellcraft DC Modifier
Gain +1 bonus on caster level checks to overcome target’s spell resistance+4
Gain +1 caster level to resist dispel effects+4
Unless stated otherwise, the same factor can be applied more than once.
1 Each contingent spell in use counts as a slot used from the caster’s daily Improved Spell Capacity spell slots.
2 Seeds that already have an instantaneous or permanent duration cannot be increased.
3 When changing a targeted or Area seed to a touch or ranged attack, the seed no longer requires a save if it deals damage, instead requiring a successful attack roll. Seeds with a nondamaging effect still allow the target a save. Area spells changed to touch or ranged attacks now affect only the creature successfully attacked.
4 When changing a touch or ranged attack seed to a targeted seed, the seed no longer requires an attack roll if it deals damage, instead requiring a saving throw from the target. On a failed saving throw, the target takes half damage. Area seeds changed to targeted seeds now only affect the target. The GM determines the most appropriate kind of saving throw for the epic spell.
Table: Epic Spell Mitigating Factors
OtherSpell DC Modifier
Backlash 1d6 points of damage (max d6 = final spell level x2)1–2
Burn 100 XP during casting (max 20,000 XP)–1
Additional participants (ritual)Special
DurationSpell DC Modifier
Decrease duration from 1 hour/level to 10 min./level–10
Decrease duration from 10 min./level to 1 minute/level–10
Decrease duration from 1 minute/level to 1 round/level–10
AreaSpell DC Modifier
Halve area (fixed area)–4
Decrease Area to single target–10
TargetsSpell DC Modifier
Change target from ranged touch to melee touch–4
Change target from melee touch to personal–10
Change target from target to ranged touch–4
Change target from target to melee touch–10
Change target from target to personal–14
RangeSpell DC Modifier
Halve fixed range–4
Decrease range one step (long to medium, ect)–4
Casting TimeSpell DC Modifier
Increase casting time from standard to full-round action–1
Increase casting time by 1 round (max 1 minute)2–1
Increase casting time by 1 minute (max 10 minutes)2–2
Increase casting time by 1 day (max 100 days)2–2
DamageSpell DC Modifier
Decrease damage die by one step (d4 minimum)–5
Note: Mitigating factors are always applied last all other spell factors (see above) are accounted for. Mitigating factors cannot be used to reduce the Spell DC bellow half of what it was before the mitigating factors.
1 A caster cannot avoid or make himself immune to backlash damage. Backlash damage is always considered lethal for creatures with regeneration and only heals naturally, magic and psionics are incapable of healing backlash. Creatures with fast healing heal backlash damage at value listed for their fast healing score every hour, not every round. Spells with durations longer than instantaneous, the backlash damage is only applied once. You cannot use backlash to mitigate the cost any spell with a permanent duration. If backlash damage kills a caster, no spell or method exists that will return the caster’s to life without costing the caster a level—not even wish, true resurrection, miracle, or epic spells that return life to the deceased. Spells that normally penalize the recipient one level when they return him or her to life penalize a caster killed by backlash two levels.
2 When increasing the casting time of a spell in order to reduce the Spellcraft DC, a caster must first “use up” the maximum of 1 minute, then 10 minutes (for a total DC modifier of –28). After that, a caster can continue to add days to the casting time, with a further modifier of –2 per day, up to the maximum of 100 days.
Additional Participants: Epic spells can be developed that specifically require additional participants. These spells are called rituals. An epic spell developed as a ritual requires a specific number of additional participants, who each must use up one spell slot of a specified level for the day. During an epic spell’s development, the spell’s creator determines the number of additional participants and the level of the spell slots to be contributed. If the exact number of spellcasters does not partake in the casting, or if the casters do not each contribute the proper spell slot, the epic spell automatically fails. To participate, each participant readies an action to contribute his or her raw spell energy when the primary caster begins the epic spell. Additional participants in a ritual spell reduce the Spellcraft DC, as shown on Table: Additional Participants in Rituals. Each additional participant may only contribute one spell slot. It doesn’t matter whether the additional participants are arcane or divine spellcasters; only the level of the spell slot contributed matters. A contributed spell slot is treated as if normally cast. A wizard may contribute either a prepared, uncast spell slot, or an open, unprepared slot. The Spellcraft DC adjustments for each additional participant stack.
Special: A ritual epic spell that takes longer than 1 action to cast requires all extra participants to stand as if casting for the same amount of time. If an extra participant is attacked while contributing a spell slot, the participant must make a Concentration check as if casting a spell of the same level as the slot contributed. If the attack disrupts the participant in the ritual, the epic spell is not necessarily ruined. However, the Spellcraft DC reduction that would have been provided by that additional participant cannot be applied to the final Spellcraft DC of the epic spell. Thus the ritual epic spell will be harder for the primary spellcaster to cast.
Table: Additional Participants in Rituals
Spell Slot Level ContributedSpellcraft DC Reduction
1st–1
2nd–3
3rd–5
4th–7
5th–9
6th–11
7th–13
8th–15
9th–17
For each additional spell level above 9th the Spellcraft DC reduction increases by 2 points.
Determine Costs: Sum all factors and mitigating factors together to determine the final Spellcraft DC. The spell’s research cost in gold pieces is equal to the final Spellcraft DC times 7000, and the spells experience point cost is equal to 1/25th the research cost.
Determine Level: Divide the final spell DC by 10, round to the nearest whole number, and add +7. This is the level of the Improved Spell Capacity spell slot needed to cast the spell. This also sets the base save DC of the spell.
Approval: This is the final step, and it’s critically important. The epic spell development work and reasoning must be shown to the GM and receive his or her approval. If the GM doesn’t approve, then the epic spell cannot be developed. However, the GM should explain why the epic spell wasn’t approved and possibly offer suggestions on how to create an epic spell that will be acceptable.