3.5 Epic Feats

[DwarvenRanger]

Greetings ...

My character is about to become epic level, and I have never played a character this high level before, so I am unfamiliar with the Epic Feats.

I have read through them in the Epic Level Handbook, but its a lot to take in, so I am wondering if you fellows have any suggestions on the best epic feats to take.

I am a Mystic Theurge 10/ Wizard 5/ Cleric 3/ Fighter 2

Current feats include:
Practiced Spellcaster
Extend Spell
Empower Spell
Spell Penetration
Greater Spell Penetration
Improved Initiative
Energy Substitution Acid
Quicken Spell

Thanks!

[Lostbutseeking]

Most epic feats are pretty weak due to when the epic material was published.

For a caster though some good ones are Epic spellcasting (broken as hell) , Multispell, Improved metamagic and if your casting stats are high enough Improved spell capacity.

You should also get Persist spell if it's allowed.

[AWiz_Abroad]

Maybe not for your current build (M/T Really?) but Innate spell out of Complete Arcane is really only worth it once you get a high enough level of improved spell spell capacity to make it useful

For those following at home, Innate= up to 1/rd use of a spell as a SLA. Req.= sacrificing a spell slot 8 levels higher, silent spell, quicken spell, eschew materials, still spell.

1/rd Arcane conversion means never having to worry about not being flexible.
1/rd Teleport makes distance even more trivial.

I also would +1 Multispell. Automatic quicken is really fun as well.

[tyckspoon]

Most of the caster feats are pretty good (Automatic [metamagic], Multispell, Improved Spell Capacity, and especially Epic Spellcasting, although that last requires some chat with your DM about how he's going to work it.) Unfortunately, they also almost all require you to already be capable of casting 9th level spells, which.. you aren't. Which you means you don't qualify for anything really worth taking. Familiar Spell is ok, and I guess you could take Epic Spell Penetration if you're still having trouble with SR rolls, but there are better ways to solve that problem. For your current build, you'd probably be better off taking more good non-Epic feats until you can qualify for the better Epic ones.

[Feralventas]

If I'm reading that right, you've got 15th level wizard casting and 13th Cleric.
A lot of epic feats require that you're already done with 20 levels worth of casting before you qualify for a lot of epic spellcasting feats, and increasing your Caster Level alone won't suffice, so Practiced Caster and the like won't help this, so Automatic Metamagic feats are off the table, as is Epic Spellcasting.

That said, the fact that you have epic feat slots doesn't mean you can Only use epic feats; the standard feats are still available, so things like crafting feats, spell augmentations/alteration feats, and even fluff stuff like the Heritage or bloodlines are viable, and in some cases might be more effective.

[Jarveiyan]

A number of the epic feats were rewritten in quite a few of the 3.5 books. So you might want to give them a look before deciding to use the ELH version.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Since I see energy sub, I'm guessing you do some blasting from time to time?

If so, consider intensify spell. IIRC, it makes the effected spell do double its normal maximum damage. KABOOM!

[nedz]

Have you taken Practiced Spellcaster twice, for both Cleric and Wizard ?
Assuming CL matters for the spells you actually cast this might be worth it.

[Lostbutseeking]

Since I see energy sub, I'm guessing you do some blasting from time to time?

If so, consider intensify spell. IIRC, it makes the effected spell do double its normal maximum damage. KABOOM!

It also had a spell slot modifier of +7 and needs empower+maximize as pre-reqs which makes it awful.

You will want to try and convince your DM to MT's epic progression the same as it's normal progression instead of alternating between arcane and divine.

If you can't consider dropping divine spellcasting where it stands and just take a decent arcane prc instead.

[Kelb_Panthera]

It also had a spell slot modifier of +7 and needs empower+maximize as pre-reqs which makes it awful.

You will want to try and convince your DM to MT's epic progression the same as it's normal progression instead of alternating between arcane and divine.

If you can't consider dropping divine spellcasting where it stands and just take a decent arcane prc instead.

He's already got empower, so he just needs maximize. An intesified touch of idiocy is just plain mean on pretty much everything. The three rays on scorching ray doing 48 damage each is kinda nice too.

Besides, he'll eventually end up with spells of 10th level and higher if he plays long enough and knows what he's doing.

In epic, you don't have to worry about getting all the feats you want by X level. You can pick up whatever strikes your fancy and if it doesn't work out, just wait a couple more levels. If epic spellcasting is in, then whenever he gets it, that's pretty much the end of the spellcasting game.

[Lostbutseeking]

@Kelb the reason why intensify is bad stems from Improved metamagic and similar effects.

One -1 to all effects turns intensify to +6 for double max damage.

It also turns empowered, maximized to +3 from +5 for 1.5 max damage.

And it turns empowered, maximized, twinned, split ray to +7 from +11 for six times max damage.

The more reducers you add the worse intensify gets.

[Kelb_Panthera]

@Kelb the reason why intensify is bad stems from Improved metamagic and similar effects.

One -1 to all effects turns intensify to +6 for double max damage.

It also turns empowered, maximized to +3 from +5 for 1.5 max damage.

And it turns empowered, maximized, twinned, split ray to +7 from +11 for three times max damage.

The more reducers you add the worse intensify gets.
FIFY

That assumes reducers are in play. Looking at the OP's build, it doesn't appear that they are.

[only1doug]

Automatic quicken will be the best feat for you, unfortunately you won't be able to take it until L24. (then L27 and again at L30).

What can you take at L21?
Well theres a long list... (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/epicFeats.htm#) to check pre-reqs against. What is worth Taking?
Familiar spell: (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#familiarSpell) 1/day your familiar can cast an 8th level spell as a SLA
Great (Stat): (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#greatIntelligence) permantly increase 1 stat by 1 point
Permanent Emanation: (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#permanentEmanation) pick an emanation spell that you could make permanent, you can dismiss or restart as a free action.
Scribe epic scroll: (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#scribeEpicScroll)

[Lostbutseeking]

FIFY

That assumes reducers are in play. Looking at the OP's build, it doesn't appear that they are.

Split ray from CA doubles a ray spells output if it has only 1 original ray (reduced effect on spells that fire multiple rays by default, such as scorching ray).

Improved metamagic is an epic feat from the ELH/SRD that can be taken from 27 up (multiple times too).

[Kelb_Panthera]

Split ray from CA doubles a ray spells output if it has only 1 original ray (reduced effect on spells that fire multiple rays by default, such as scorching ray).

Improved metamagic is an epic feat from the ELH/SRD that can be taken from 27 up (multiple times too).

Oops, overlooked split ray.

Though split ray does require a ray spell, while intensify works on any spell with variables.

He can spend two feats to get maximize then intensify and 2X or he can spend 3 to get maximize, twin or split ray, and easy metamagic to get 3x or 4 feats M, SR, T, and EMM to get 6X.

Of course, you can twin or split-ray an intensified spell too, or both for 8X.

Easy metamagic is probably the best pick for his next feat, and enhance spell might be worth looking at too.

BTW, wasn't there some contention over whether or not empower and maximize worked that way together? I seem to recall reading somewhere that they apply seperately, which would actually generate something close to 1.25X the maximum damage of the spell.

[Lostbutseeking]

Oops, overlooked split ray.

Though split ray does require a ray spell, while intensify works on any spell with variables.

He can spend two feats to get maximize then intensify and 2X or he can spend 3 to get maximize, twin or split ray, and easy metamagic to get 3x or 4 feats M, SR, T, and EMM to get 6X.

Of course, you can twin or split-ray an intensified spell too, or both for 8X.

Easy metamagic is probably the best pick for his next feat, and enhance spell might be worth looking at too.

BTW, wasn't there some contention over whether or not empower and maximize worked that way together? I seem to recall reading somewhere that they apply seperately, which would actually generate something close to 1.25X the maximum damage of the spell.

Hmm apparently so. It's Max + half die which you then roll which will be a little over 125% on average for a d6 (varies by die size). Which does somewhat reduce the effects of stacking.