Epic Prestige Class Progression Question

[Diarmuid]

My RL group is in a game that the DM is looking to extend into Epic and we were discussing Epic progression and we came up with a question we couldnt answer.

For Prestige Class levels taken after 20, do you still get the basic PrC abilities that generally come along every level or so?

[Cog]

Yes, but you don't get the bonus epic feats. You only use an epic class progression after you've completed the nonepic levels of the class, no matter what level you're at. You can, of course, still pick epic feats with your every-third-HD feats.

[Douglas]

I don't think he's talking about taking a new PrC, Cog, but rather continuing a PrC beyond its 10th class level.

The general principle is that anything that follows a clear repeating pattern or progression continues exactly as before, no new one-offs appear, and you get a bonus epic feat progression calibrated to roughly balance things out. Classes with tons of powerful class features that continue progressing get bonus feats every 5 or 6 levels, classes with almost no class features (Fighter) get bonus feats every 2 levels, most classes get bonus feats either every 3 levels or every 4 levels.

[Diarmuid]

Doug, Cog actually had the right of it.

Cog, thanks for the confirmation. I'm gonna start pouring through the SRD but if you have a link to that specific rule I would be very grateful.

Edit - So I found something in the SRD about advancing classes and adding additional classes but I'm still not clear on something.

I see that advancing beyond 20th does not add new spell slots, but would adding a casting class below 20th at character level over 20 still add the usual spell slot?

Example:
Character Level 20
Wiz 5, Warlock 5, Eldritch Thuerge 10

at Char lvl 21 add a Wizard level. Would the 6th level of wizard add the appropriate spell slots for a 16 level wizard caster or would just the caster level increase?

[Cog]

It's a function of what the epic classes are. The first level of, say Epic Arcane Archer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/prestigeClassProgressions.htm#epicArcaneArcher) isn't just what you take when you're epic; it's the eleventh level of Arcane Archer, as you can see by the way the Enchant Arrow bonus increases. You can't take the 11th level of a class before you take the 10th, so you don't get an epic progression until you complete the basic progression.

[Douglas]

Example:
Character Level 20
Wiz 5, Warlock 5, Eldritch Thuerge 10

at Char lvl 21 add a Wizard level. Would the 6th level of wizard add the appropriate spell slots for a 16 level wizard caster or would just the caster level increase?
Spell slots would increase.

The "no new spell slots after 20th" rule is really referring to class level - each casting class has a table of spells per day and spells known for levels 1 through 20, and that rule is saying that going epic does not automatically extend any such table beyond the table's existing end.

An epic level character who takes a non-epic level of any class gets all the normal benefits of that class level exactly as if he were non-epic except for BAB and saves. Any combination of levels contributing to spell slots that adds up to 20 or more in the same class's progression just gives you the level 20 slots, though, because that's where the table ends.

If your Eldritch Theurge then decided to branch out and take a level of Cleric, he'd get level 1 Cleric casting to add to his existing abilities.