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sirpercival
2013-01-13, 11:42 PM
Note:
This is part of a much larger project. I'm currently working on a high-level + epic campaign setting, with the lofty goal of completely revamping the high level and epic rules to be playable, challenging, and fun without being stupid, crappy, or completely and utterly borked.

(This is an ambitious project, I know, but worry not -- I have some people helping me with it. Once it's a little more complete (still in the very beginning stages now), I'll post some of it over here for everyone's perusal.)

This is my WIP revamp of Epic Spellcasting. Now, I know, your first response is "but, but, you have to fix non-epic magic before you can tackle epic magic!!" Yes, I know. That's in the works as well, worry not. But it's not really relevant for this idea, so I hope you can evaluate this for what it is.

EPIC SPELLCASTING [Epic]
You have mastered the traditional magicks of spellcasters, and have ascended to the pinnacle of your craft.
Prerequisites: Spellcraft 24 ranks, Knowledge (arcana, nature, or religion) 24 ranks, ability to cast 9th-level arcane or divine spells
Benefit: You gain the ability to cast one non-apex epic spell for which you qualify from any epic sphere. Epic spells are cast just as normal spells, subject to the specific details given below; you may cast epic spells any number of times per day. You may not apply metamagic feats to epic spells.
Special: You may select this feat multiple times, each time choosing either a new epic spell, or attaining another refinement on a spell you already know.

APEX SPELLCASTING [Epic]
Your mastery of a single epic sphere is unparalleled.
Prerequisites: Spellcraft 33 ranks, Knowledge (arcana, nature, or religion) 33 ranks, ability to cast all non-apex spells in an epic sphere.
Benefit: Choose an epic sphere for which you know all the non-apex spells. You gain the ability to cast the apex spell from that sphere.
Special: You may select this feat multiple times, each time choosing either a new sphere, or attaining another refinement on a apex you already know. To attain a refinement level for a apex, you must have equal or greater refinement for all other spells in that sphere. For example, you may not attain the second refinement of a apex until you have two refinements for each other spell.

{table=head]Sphere|Prerequisites
Awareness |Discern Location, Moment of Prescience, True Seeing, Vision
Death |Create Greater Undead, Destruction, Soul Bind, Sphere of Ultimate Destruction
Creation (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15873592&postcount=25) |Cocoon of Life, Gate, Genesis, Pavilion of Grandeur, True Creation
Force |Bigby's Crushing Hand, Maze, Mordenkainen's Sword, Otiluke's Telekinetic Sphere
Life |Heal, True Resurrection
Mind |Brain Spider, Mind Blank
Obscure |Antipathy, Mind Blank, Screen, Sequester, Skyrift
Portal |Astral Projection, Gate, Greater Plane Shift, Greater Teleport, Reality Maelstrom, Teleportation Circle
Radiance |Blinding Glory, Prismatic Sphere, Sunburst
Shadow |Greater Shadow Evocation, Shades, Weird
Shape |Polymorph Any Object, Shapechange
Summons |Greater Planar Binding, Summon Elemental Monolith, Summon Monster IX
Time |Foresight, Greater Celerity, Hindsight, Time Stop[/table]Note: the above table is very much a WIP; bold spheres are complete.

You can cast an epic spell in an Antimagic Field or Dead Magic Zone by making a caster level check against a DC of 15 + the caster level of the effect (25 for a DMZ).

The Spheres

Force

Prerequisites: Crushing Hand, Maze, Lash of Force, Telekinetic Sphere

Force Puppet
Sphere: Force (Evocation, Force)
Prerequisite: Crushing Hand
Casting Time: 1 full-round action
Range: 5 ft
Effect: One mannequin of force
Duration: 1 minute

As you complete the casting, a shimmering figure appears adjacent to you, taking on your exact dimensions. You concentrate briefly, and it moves off to do your bidding.

When you cast this spell, you create a body made of force -- a glowing, featureless version of yourself. The body has a Dexterity equal to your caster level, a speed of 30 feet, and a Strength score of 10 + your primary spellcasting modifier. Each round, you can spend a swift action to mentally control the puppet's actions as an additional body, directing it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions.

The projection can make two slam attacks, as a natural attack dealing 2d6 + Str force damage; it has an attack bonus equal to your caster level + its Strength modifier. Alternatively, the puppet can cast non-epic spells which do not have verbal components (the projection does not need to supply material components with a value of 1 gp or less), using your spells known/prepared, spell slots, caster level, and any relevant feats (i.e., the puppet can only cast spells you have access to, and any spell the puppet casts counts against your spells per day).

The projection is made of the same substance as a wall of force, and has the same vulnerabilities and immunities that a wall of force does, with the following exceptions:
the puppet can pass through other force effects without interacting (including forceward);
the puppet can withstand a single interaction with an effect which would otherwise destroy it (such as disintegrate or a rod of cancellation);
the puppet is easily visible unless steps are taken to hide it.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell increases the puppet's Strength and Dexterity by +4 and its base speed by +20 feet. In addition, the duration increases by 1 minute, and the puppet can survive one additional interaction with an effect which would otherwise destroy it.

Hyperkinesis
Sphere: Force (Transmutation, Force)
Prerequisite: Telekinetic Sphere
Casting Time: 1 swift action, 1 move action, or 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round

As you finish the simple casting, suddenly you can feel vectors of impetus between you and other nearby objects. With a simple thought, you set them to dancing.

This spell grants you incredible telekinetic control over your surroundings. When you cast this spell, you gain a pool of Grasp equal to your caster level, which you may then spend to exert your will over creatures and objects within a range of 20 feet per caster level. The actions you an take depend on how long you spend casting the spell, though you may not cast it more than once per round. You may make use of any number of these options for the appropriate casting time as part of the casting, up to the limit of the amount of Grasp you have; however, you may not target the same creature or object more than once with the same option with the same casting. Swift Action Casting:
Force target to make a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + primary spellcasting ability modifier) or be flat-footed until the beginning of their next turn. (3 Grasp)
Create a telekinetic barrier, granting a target a deflection bonus to AC against one attack equal to your highest mental ability modifier. The target may choose the attack to which it applies, as long as it occurs before the beginning of your next turn. (2 Grasp)
Move a number of nonmagical, unattended objects equal to your caster level, weighing no more than 10 lbs each, up to 25 feet in any direction. (2 Grasp)
Move Action Casting:
Grant a target creature a fly speed equal to 10 feet times your primary spellcasting ability modifier, with perfect maneuverability, for 1 round (1 Grasp +1 per size category greater than Medium)
Impel a telekinetic spin on a target, causing it to make a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + primary spellcasting ability modifier) or be moved 2d3 squares in a series of random directions, choosing a new direction for each square of movement. (2 Grasp +1 per additional 1d3 squares)
Reorient a target's gravity in any direction for 1 round, causing the target to fall towards the nearest solid surface in that direction. The target falls 60 feet in the round, and suffers falling damage as normal if striking a solid surface. (3 Grasp)
Moving a target up to 30 feet in a single direction along the ground (or through the air, if the creature is flying). The creature may attempt a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + primary spellcasting ability modifier) to resist. This motion does not damage the target, though it provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. (3 Grasp)
Standard Action Casting:
Hurl an unattended object or a creature with deadly force (see the telekinetic thrust power for details), with a total weight no greater than 25 lbs per caster level. (4 grasp)
Bull rush, disarm, grapple, pin, or trip a creature, as per the telekinetic maneuver power, using your caster level in place of base attack bonus and your primary spellcasting ability modifier in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier. (4 Grasp; each +1 Grasp grants a +2 to any required checks)
Attempt to crush (bludgeoning), tear (slashing), or twist (piercing) a target directly, dealing 1d6 damage per caster level, with a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + primary spellcasting ability modifier) for half damage. (3 Grasp)


Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell increases the pool of Grasp by 3.


Impulse Jungle
Sphere: Force (Evocation, Force)
Prerequisite: Maze
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10 ft/level)
Area: One 10-foot cube/level (S)
Duration: 1 minute

As you exert your will upon the world around you, a veritable labyrinth of razor-sharp force planes springs into existence, glowing a faint blue. They shift and weave, creating fractal intersections which bend the laws of space-time.

This spell creates a force maze in the area you indicate, trapping creatures inside. Creatures within the jungle have cover and concealment from each other, but the maze is enclosed, preventing any attacks, spells, or other effects to cross in or out (line of effect is blocked). Inside the jungle, creatures are subject to a dimensional lock effect, preventing dimensional travel into, out of, or within the area.

Any creature which attempts to move must make a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + primary spellcasting ability modifier) or take 1d4 slashing damage (with the [Force] descriptor) per caster level as the warping and moving force sheets slice into it. A trapped creature can make a DC 20 Intelligence check as a full-round action; a successful check means that the creature can move at up to one-quarter speed in any direction, while a failure means that the creature ends up back where it started. In addition, any time a creature moves, there is a 25% chance that it will fall through a loop in spacetime and arrive in a different square within the jungle, chosen at random. Such transportation never places a creature on a surface that can't support its weight.

You can move through the jungle freely, without suffering damage or a chance of being transported, and can even enter and exit without difficulty. You can designate 1 additional creature to move through the jungle with the same ease as you.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell increases the DC of the Intelligence check by 3, the duration by 1 minute, and the number of additional creatures you can designate by 1.


Potent Spear
Sphere: Force (Evocation, Force)
Prerequisite: Lash of Force
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Unlimited
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instantaneous

You gather your wits, and release a bolt of force, which finds your opponent unerringly, burrowing through anything that stands in the way.

A missile of force leaves your hand and strikes its target, dealing 1d10 damage per caster level. The damage is untyped, and carries the [Force] descriptor. You must specify the creature's square (which means you must know the distance, direction, and specific square the target resides in), but the target can be at any distance, as long as it is on the same plane as you. The missile strikes unerringly, even if you do not have line of sight or line of effect, or if the creature has total cover or concealment from you. It passes through any barrier, even if the target is underground.

When the target is struck by the potent spear, any [Force] effects currently affecting the creature with caster level less than your caster level are automatically dispelled. You can make a caster level check against a DC of 11 + the caster level of the effect to attempt to dispel any [Force] effects affecting the target which have a higher caster level than yours.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell grants you an additional spear with each casting, which you can direct at the same or a different target. Every spear after the first deals half damage.


Inimitable Scion [Apex]
Sphere: Force (Evocation, Force)
Prerequisites: Force Puppet, Hyperkinesis, Impulse Jungle, Potent Spear
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round

With little more than a thought, you transform into a being of undeniable will.

The Apex spell of the Force Sphere allows you to ascend from your normal physical existence, and become (for a brief time) a being of pure force. You and all your equipment turn invisible, and take no damage from any effects that cannot affect a wall of force. You can pass through other force effects with impunity, without interacting (including forceward and impulse jungle). You are affected by disintegrate normally (i.e., you are not destroyed immediately like a wall of force, but the spell does affect you), while interacting with a rod of cancellation, sphere of annihilation, or mage's disjunction causes this spell to end immediately but has no other effect on you (including the normal effect of the rod, sphere, or spell).

While this spell is in effect, you may grant any other spell you cast the [Force] descriptor. You gain 2 slam attacks, each of which deals 1d4 bludgeoning [Force] damage per caster level and attacks your opponent's touch AC; your base attack bonus with these attacks is equal to your caster level. You also gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to your primary spellcasting ability modifier, which stacks with any other deflection bonus you are benefiting from.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell increases the duration by 1 round.



Obscure written by Amechra

New Term: Obscured. If an object, creature, concept, or place is obscured, it counts as one step less familiar or common for all purposes for each veil of Obscurement it has placed on it.

For example, a well-known figure, whose life story would normally be common knowledge, has two veils of Obscurement placed on him. For the purposes of a Bardic Knowledge check, he would be obscure; for the purposes of a friend scrying him, he would be a second-hand acquaintance.

If an object, creature, concept, or place is more obscure or unfamiliar than the most obscure or unfamiliar category that is normally allowed by the effect (for example, if a place is obscured one step past Extremely Obscure), that effect automatically fails to give any sort of information about the object, creature, concept, or place.

Acting Below Notice
Sphere: Obscure (Illusion, Glamer)
Prerequisite: Mind Blank
Casting Time: 1 standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft / 2 levels)
Target: One willing creature
Duration: 24 hours

You place a powerful illusion that there is nothing worth noticing about... something?

When this spell is cast, your target benefits from a single veil of Obscurement, due to simply being so incredibly below notice by everyone. For the next 24 hours, your target gains a +20 circumstance bonus on all Disguise, Hide, and Move Silently checks, and benefits as if from the mind blank spell.

In addition, whenever a creature interacts with your target for the first time during the duration of this spell, that creature must make a Will Save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + your spellcasting ability score); on a failed save, the creature's attitude moves one step closer to Indifferent for the duration of the spell. If a creature who is already Indifferent fails its save, that creature instead loses the ability to perceive the target or any of the target's actions through any of its senses, unless those actions would directly cause it harm.

Multiple castings of this spell on the same target do not stack. You are immune to the effects of this spell when you cast it on targets other than yourself.

Refinement: This spell may be refined a maximum of five times; the first four tiers of refinement each cause the spell to place an additional veil of Obscurement on your target, increase the duration of the effect by 24 hours, and move creatures interacting with your target one step closer to Indifferent.

The last tier of refinement changes the duration of the spell to Permanent, but only for the purposes of attempting to learn about your target's actions over the five day period when this spell is in effect (i.e., any actions the target takes during the 120-hour duration of the spell are permanently obscured, though the effect of the spell itself ends after 120 hours).


Aeternal Shade
Sphere Obscure (Evocation, Darkness)
Requirements: Skyrift (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20050114a)
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Area: 100 square miles of land, 1 mile high
Duration: Permanent (D)

Sighing, you close your eyes; within an hour, the whole area is shrouded with mist and mystery.

Upon completion of this spell, the area is covered in a metaphysical darkness. To anyone outside it, the area looks dimly-lit at best.

Within the area, light levels are considered one step darker for all purposes (natural daylight -> bright illumination -> shadowy illumination -> darkness -> magical darkness); those inside experience this effect as a hazy mist that restricts their vision and dulls their hearing.

The dimness which covers the area extends to all senses, restricting all sensory information as thoroughly as sight; however, creatures with low-light vision or darkvision apply the effects of those abilities to their other senses as well.

In addition, any divination (or similar) effect originating from or targeting any place, object, or creature within the area has its caster level (or equivalent) and save DC reduced by 2 for each step darker that area is than bright illumination (e.g., magical darkness would reduce the caster level and save DC of a divination effect by 6).

This spell is considered a 10th level Darkness effect for the purposes of interacting with Light effects; in addition, each 10-ft cube is considered its own spell for the purposes of being dispelled by Light effects.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement increases the reduction to caster level by one, and causes the area to be treated as if it were one step darker. Every second tier of refinement increases the reduction to save DCs by one.


Everdistant Imposition
Sphere: Obscure (Abjuration, Enchantment)
Prerequisite: Antipathy
Casting Time: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: Self
Duration: 10 minutes

You whisper a few words, and suddenly seem far away -- very far away.

For the duration of this spell, all divination or clairsentience effects, Spot checks, and Listen checks concerning you are made as if you were ten times further away from the creature using the effect or making the check than you actually are.

In addition, you may, as a swift action, reduce the duration of the spell by 1 minute to become Unreachable; while Unreachable, your effective distance is increased by a factor of 10, and Divination spells treat you as if you were on a different plane.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain increases the duration of this spell by 10 minutes, and increases your effective distance by a factor of 10. In addition, while Unreachable, you are treated as if you were (1 + number of tiers of refinement) times further away for all effects not already covered by this spell.


Shrouded in Lies
Sphere: Obscure (Abjuration, Illusion)
Prerequisites: Screen, Sequester
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: See text
Target: A single concept
Duration: Instantaneous

You spend 10 minutes lecturing your friends on topic that they steadily find harder and harder to understand.

While casting this spell, select a person, place, group, or concept that is generally known -- common knowledge, a public figure, etc. When you finish casting, the knowledge of your target has a single veil of Obscurement placed on it, making it more difficult for any entities to know or remember the target. The DC for Knowledge checks made to know or remember the target is increased by +5 by the veil of Obscurement.

In addition, you may choose a single piece of misinformation, called a Lie, that is permanently imbedded in the information itself. This misinformation could consist of removing a single fact about the target ("Dragons are really really scary"), adding a single "fact" ("King Murderface will give you half his kingdom if you give him a belly-rub"), or altering a single fact ("Dwarves Elves are prissy, nature-loving stuck-up pretty boys"). If an effect or a skill check is made to learn any information about your target and fails, but would have succeeded if your target wasn't under the effects of Obscurement, they are treated as if they had succeeded, except that they are subject to the Lies placed by the casting of this spell.

Over the course of the 24 hours immediately after this spell is cast, any memories, stories, or records about the subject are altered to match the altered "truth"; the pervasiveness of this effect is so total that effects that detect or forbid lies treat the misinformation as truth for all purposes.

Casting this spell multiple times, targeting the same piece of information, overlaps in terms of the number of veils of Obscurement (i.e., no new veils are added unless you have attained additional tiers of refinement since the previous casting); however, you may change an appropriate number of Lies about the subject with each casting.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement for this spell increases the number of veils of Obscurement placed by 1, and allows you to add another Lie to that subject.


There Never Was A You [APEX]
Sphere: Obscure
Prerequisites: Acting Below Notice, Aeternal Shade, Everdistant Imposition, Shrouded in Lies
Casting Time: 1 or more consecutive full-round actions
Range: See text
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instantaneous

You list every reason why your target never was, has never been, and the world obliges. They oblige. You smile.

When you begin casting this spell, select a single creature within Close range as a full-round action. The target must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + your primary spellcasting ability modifier) or begin to have their past made so secret that it never happened.

If the creature fails its Will save, you may continue casting this spell for up to one minute, spending a full-round action each round. Each round that you spend casting the spell, your target receives a single negative level. This negative level does not stem from negative energy, but from a pervasive sense of secrecy, hiding the target from itself; if the target receives enough negative levels to kill it, its instead is rendered catatonic as it forgets how to think, breathe, and move.

Once the casting is complete, your target is inflicted with a number of veils of Obscurement equal to the number of rounds you spent casting the spell. Additionally, all memories of the target (by any creature) are erased, up to a maximum number of years of memory (for each remembering creature) equal to 10 times the number of negative levels inflicted by the spell.

Alternatively, you may cast the spell such that the negative levels are imposed at the end of the casting (instead of during), and each round of casting inflicts one veil of Obscurement and removes 10 years of memories from any creatures that knew the target (instead of all veils and memory loss being inflicted at the end).

Either way, once the casting of this spell has begun, there is nowhere your victim can hide or run to escape the effects of the spell; if the creature fails the initial Will save, it suffers the effects of the spell even if it teleports to the ends of the earth, or travels to a different plane. Even if the subject dies, the memory of its existence is relentlessly effaced from reality, leaving mourners wondering why their cheeks are wet.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain increases the number of negative levels or years of memory erased each round by 1 and ten, respectively.


Time

Assembled Past
Sphere: Time (Divination, Scrying)
Prerequisite: Hindsight
Casting Time: 1 day
Range: See text
Target: See text
Duration: Instantaneous; see text

After your day-long meditation, your mind is freed from its flesh prison and soars over the ocean of time, searching for the information you seek.

When you cast this spell, your mind trawls the depths of time, allowing you to observe and remember events as they truly happened, then returning to where and when you started. You can see and hear into the past, observing events that happened anywhere on your current plane which was (at the time) accessible via greater teleport. You can observe the past as if you were actually there, gaining whatever information is available to you with your senses, including detailed knowledge of the people, conversations, and events which transpired.

You must choose a starting time and location for your observations each time you cast this spell. The location is chosen as normal for the greater teleport spell. The starting time must be relatively specific -- "the year 1473, on the fifth day of the eighth month, midmorning" is acceptable, but "500 years ago" is not. If you are not specific enough in your target time, you incur a 2d100 year uncertainty in the date you begin observations.

You may observe in subjective time for a total number of minutes equal to your caster level; however, you may have the observed time pass forward or backward at any of the following rates:
1 round per round (speed factor 1)
1 minute per round (speed factor 2)
1 hour per round (speed factor 4)
1 day per round (speed factor 8)
1 week per round (speed factor 16)
1 month per round (speed factor 32)
1 year per round (speed factor 64)
1 decade per round (speed factor 128)
1 century per round (speed factor 256)

While time is moving forward at 1 hour per round or faster, or while moving backward at any speed, you do not get observations in full detail. The faster the observed time is moving, the less detail you gain. If you are seeking a particular event or person, you may make an Intelligence check (DC 10 + speed factor; speed factor is doubled for backwards time) to return to forward time at speed factor 1 when you observe that event or person. For an event which spans a longer period of time, at the DM's discretion you may reduce the DC accordingly.

While you are observing, you are limited by your own senses. As part of the 1-day casting time of this spell, you may spend a total number of rounds equal to your primary spellcasting ability modifier casting non-epic spells which enhance your senses; these take effect when you reach your target time and location, and last for the duration of the observations. Your scry sensor is undetectable.

You can remain in one place while observing, or you can move with a speed of up to 120 feet, moving through walls and magical effects without interacting with them. However, you cannot enter or see into any area which has been warded to prevent scrying unless you make a caster level check against a DC of 20 + twice the caster level of the warding effect.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell reduces speed factors by half (minimum 1), doubles the amount of subjective time you may spend observing, increases your sensor speed by 30 feet, and grants you a +2 bonus on the caster level check to see or move through a scry warding.


Evolving Present
Sphere: Time (Transmutation)
Prerequisite: Celerity, Greater
Casting Time: 2 rounds
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level

A few seconds after beginning this complex ritual, the world around you blurs and stutter-steps -- and suddenly the candles have burned lower. As you move, flickers of possibility fringe at the edge of things, and you find yourself able to react more swiftly, slipping more time between the moments.

As part of casting this spell, you store up a round's worth of actions, for use as necessary later. You gain a pool of 6 Seconds, which last for the duration of the spell. At any time, you may spend these seconds to gain extra actions, as shown in the table below.
{table=head]Action Type|Seconds Cost
Swift action|1
Move action|2
Standard action|3
Full-round action|5[/table]

The types of activities you can perform with these extra actions are as described in the Greater Celerity spell. {Author's note: these will be defined elsewhere.} You may not spend more than 6 Seconds, or gain more than two of the same type of action, in any given round. The act of spending Seconds is a free action which you can perform even when it is not your turn; however, actions of a given type cost twice as much when it is not your turn, and you cannot spend Seconds if you have not yet acted in a given encounter. For the purposes of this spell (irrelevant of initiative count), a round begins at the beginning of your turn, and ends at the beginning of your next turn.

The effects of this spell end once you have no more Seconds left in your pool. If you have Seconds remaining when the duration of the spell ends, they are lost. You may not benefit from this spell more than once at the same time; if you cast the spell again while you still have Seconds in your pool, the remaining Seconds are lost.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell increases the pool of Seconds by 3.

Subtle Futures
Sphere: Time (Divination, Transmutation)
Prerequisite: Foresight
Casting Time: See text
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: See text

You meditate, and a river of possible futures washes over you, giving you insight into coming events. Your mind ranges wide over the curve and buckle of probability and improbability; you realize that everything is mutable, and all can change, to become or to be forever lost among the stones. This insight sinks deep into your subconscious, to resurface when it will be most useful.

When you cast this spell, you gain knowledge of possible futures. Since the actual future which will come to pass changes with every choice made by every sentient, free-willed creature, it is not possible to gain perfect predictive powers. However, this spell makes you aware of certain probabilities, to see what is most likely to happen under certain circumstances.

The amount of foreknowledge you gain is represented by your pool of Chances, and depends on how long you spend observing the flow of time. For each minute you spend casting this spell, to a maximum number of minutes equal to your caster level, you add 5 Chances to your pool. You can spend these Chances in a number of ways to gain different benefits, as shown on the table below.
{table=head]Benefit|Chances Cost|Notes
Gain a +2 insight bonus to any d20 roll|1|Stackable up to +10
Gain a +5 insight bonus to any Knowledge check|1|Stackable up to +15
Gain a +4 insight bonus to armor class|1|Stackable up to +20
Exchange a prepared spell for another spell of same level|*|Costs # of Chances equal to spell level
Reroll a failed save|5|Must take result of second roll
Redo a round's worth of actions|15|Cannot repeat the round more than once[/table]

However, as the present evolves into the future, probabilities change and erode, making your foreknowledge less useful. You lose 1 Chance from your pool every minute; the spell ends when you have no more Chances left in your pool. You may not benefit from this spell more than once at the same time; if you cast the spell again while you still have Chances in your pool, the remaining Chances are lost.

Rather than looking for general information, you can focus on one particular event which you believe will happen; if you do so, you get twice as many Chances per minute of casting, but they decay at twice the rate, and the spell ends as soon as the event has happened (or irrevocably been avoided) even if you have Chances remaining in your pool. You may only spend Chances from this sort of casting when participating in events which directly relate to the event on which you focused.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell grants you 1 additional Chance per minute of casting time.

Timeless Self
Sphere: Time (Transmutation)
Prerequisite: Time Stop
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level (D)

With a thought, you feel an abrupt, sharp tear -- and you float free, watching time pass you by.

By casting this spell, you briefly sever the portion of your self which connects you with normal time-flow, vanishing from sight. Until the spell ends, you are nearly in stasis, with only your mind still active.

In this state, you are invisible and undetectable by any means, but you can see in all directions with your normal vision. You do not age, and any magical, psionic, or other effects which were active on on you have their durations suspended for the duration of this spell. (Durations resume with no lost time when this spell ends.) You cannot interact with your surroundings, only observe; however, in return you are not affected by the creatures, spells, environment, or any other effects around you.

With an effort of will (requiring a DC 20 Concentration check as a full-round action), you can move your position at the rate of 5 feet per round. You may only pass through squares which you could enter normally -- magical or mundane barriers confound you. You may take no other actions other than making Knowledge checks, Listen checks, Spot checks, or Search checks which require no manipulation of your environment.

You remain in this state for 1 minute per level, or until you dismiss the spell, reappearing in your current square.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell increases the speed at which you can move by 5 feet.

Unbroken Stream [Apex]
Sphere: Time (Divination, Conjuration, Teleportation, Transmutation)
Prerequisites: Assembled Past, Evolving Present, Subtle Futures, Timeless Self
Casting Time: 1 day
Range: Personal (see text)
Target: You (see text)
Duration: See text

Your incantation is complete, and with little more than a breath, you step away from the world of the Present. Time immediately tries to sweep you away in its pull, but you rise above it, searching for your destination. Behind you is the massive, immovable current of the Past, and ahead of you the combining and recombining rivulets of Future.

The Apex spell of the Time Sphere allows you to achieve true mastery of the river of time, moving up and down its length to write your story where you choose. You leave your original Where and When and teleport to a new set of four-dimensional coordinates.

Travel to the Past is simple in execution. You must specify a time and location on your current plane as in Assembled Past, with the same restrictions and hazards. You simply disappear from your original time and place and reappear in the new time and place.

The true danger with traveling to the Past is in the avoidance of Paradox. The river of time is extremely difficult to divert, and the results of attempting to do so are often unexpected. The Universe does not allow Paradox, and will attempt to resist it by any means necessary. Small changes to details can be executed with relative ease, thanks to faulty and fickle memory and records. However, if your actions would lead to a true Paradox, you will often find obstacles appearing out of nowhere to confound you -- strange luck, misunderstandings, etc. Sometimes your very actions will facilitate the occurrence of the events you are trying to prevent or alter.

If you succeed even against the Universe's wishes to alter the Past in ways that create a Paradox with your present, you merely succeed in diverting your piece of the River onto a new course. You might return to your original Present to discover things wildly different than you had left -- perhaps without you in it. Your original timeline would still exist… somewhere inaccessible to you.

Travel to the Future carries no risk of Paradox; however, it is in itself a risky endeavour for the same reason. The Future is mutable, and so it is impossible to determine exactly where or when you will arrive. You specify a time and location just as if you were traveling to the Past, but you do not arrive precisely when and where you mean to, appearing with a 1d4% error in time in either direction (i.e., if you attempted to travel 1000 years into the Future, you arrive 10-40 years in either direction), and 1d100 miles from your intended target. There is similarly no way to predict exactly what the conditions will be when you arrive in the Future.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell allows you to bring an additional creature with you when you travel.

Arcanist
2013-01-14, 12:26 AM
This very much confuses me. So it takes away the ability to create Epic Spells? That is nice (not for people like me, but it is a rather large step towards balance).

*5 minutes later*

OHHHHHH... Hmm... This is actually pretty interesting to implementation. Not digging how feat heavy it is though and the way the prerequisites are set up makes it favor prepared casters.

Maybe going easier on the prerequisites? and instead adding a progression for the Epic Spells? (3 levels after you take the first Epic spell feat or something?).

On a side note: Love Unbroken Stream and the Time Sphere... just screams "Chronomancer" :smallamused:

Amechra
2013-01-14, 05:26 AM
Well, this brings caster balance at epic a bit closer to that of Mundanes, since they don't just get "you are the DM now" as a feat.

I'd also remove the Improved Spell Capacity feat, or replace it with something a bit more limited.

sirpercival
2013-01-14, 07:57 AM
This very much confuses me. So it takes away the ability to create Epic Spells? That is nice (not for people like me, but it is a rather large step towards balance). Yes, it is a complete rework of the Epic Spellcasting system from the concept phase up (just like all of the Epic rules I'm going to be fixing).


*5 minutes later*

OHHHHHH... Hmm... This is actually pretty interesting to implementation. Not digging how feat heavy it is though and the way the prerequisites are set up makes it favor prepared casters. The feat-heaviness is on purpose, actually, for a couple reasons. (1) Epic feats as it turns out are a relatively controlled resource. You can't get them through DCFS, for example -- by RAW the only way to take an epic feat is either in place of a nonepic feat granted every 3 levels to an epic character, or through a bonus feat list from an epic class (e.g., if you are a Wiz20/Fighter 1, your Fighter bonus feats are not epic until you reach Fighter20). (2) Mundane characters are built to rely on feats (which is why Fighters get so many of them), whereas nonepic spellcasters could have no feats at all and still break the game. This is another balancing point for that. The Epic Spells (even with this rework) are a completely separate power tier, and I wanted to slow down the progression as much as possible.

As for the prepared caster thing, I didn't think about that... one possibility is to loosen the sphere concept somewhat by tying a prereq spell to each individual epic spell rather than to the sphere as a whole. Then the [Apex] spell requires you to have all of them, as normal. Thoughts?


Maybe going easier on the prerequisites? and instead adding a progression for the Epic Spells? (3 levels after you take the first Epic spell feat or something?). See above ;)


On a side note: Love Unbroken Stream and the Time Sphere... just screams "Chronomancer" :smallamused: Yes, my thoughts on the Chrononaut gave me some ideas for the Time Sphere, which is why I wrote it first!


Well, this brings caster balance at epic a bit closer to that of Mundanes, since they don't just get "you are the DM now" as a feat. Yup, that was the idea.


I'd also remove the Improved Spell Capacity feat, or replace it with something a bit more limited. This will likely happen.

sirpercival
2013-01-14, 08:39 AM
Just a note on the prepared vs spontaneous caster thing, I just realized that it won't be an issue for the ruleset that I'm using this for, since all casters are both spontaneous and prepared, and all cast from limited lists. Because of that latter part, I probably should loosen the spheres.


EDIT: Spheres loosened. Is that better?

Arcanist
2013-01-14, 02:14 PM
Yes, my thoughts on the Chrononaut gave me some ideas for the Time Sphere, which is why I wrote it first!

Ooo... I'd love to see some of those thoughts :smallbiggrin:

sirpercival
2013-01-14, 02:21 PM
Ooo... I'd love to see some of those thoughts :smallbiggrin:

Huh... I never did post that, did I. OK, I'll put it together and drop it on the Gramarie thread.

Arcanist
2013-01-14, 02:39 PM
Huh... I never did post that, did I. OK, I'll put it together and drop it on the Gramarie thread.

I rewriting the text for the Chrononauts Journey's anyhow (since Min/Max won't be back up for a while) so that is why I'm asking :smallsmile:

sirpercival
2013-05-03, 10:22 AM
Alrighty, thanks to Amechra we now have the Obscure sphere; I'm also working on the Force sphere in the miniscule amounts of time that I have.

Vadskye
2013-05-03, 12:40 PM
koffkoff Mage the Ascension koffkoff

sirpercival
2013-05-03, 12:50 PM
koffkoff Mage the Ascension koffkoff

Yes, the terminology ("spheres") is similar, though I'll point out that 2E clerics had spheres as well.

sirpercival
2013-08-21, 01:50 PM
And now we have the Force sphere.

Creation is next!

Network
2013-08-21, 02:05 PM
So... what are the specific details mentioned by the first feat? Better hope it includes the ability to cast epic spells in an AMF, otherwise epic spellcasters become useless (which is why they needed epic spellcasting in the first place).

sirpercival
2013-08-21, 02:19 PM
So... what are the specific details mentioned by the first feat? Better hope it includes the ability to cast epic spells in an AMF, otherwise epic spellcasters become useless (which is why they needed epic spellcasting in the first place).

AMF isn't that helpful even against prepared non-epic spellcasters... it's incredibly limited, and there are a number of ways to get around it. Either way, I don't like the idea of "you can cast epic spells in an AMF and DMZ" as a blanket statement, because it makes the sheer existence of those things at epic levels completely pointless.

Hanuman
2013-08-21, 02:35 PM
Apex spell flavor:

A spell that allows you to sense the entirety of a being.

Works on all planes.

Learn their memories.

Learn every piece of information ABOUT them.

Know every picture of them, every footprint, everything.

And have all of that information, thought and physical existence be a part of you, you could act through a painting of them as if you were that painting, you could become a memory and change it, you could be like a schism inside their head.

sirpercival
2013-08-21, 02:39 PM
Apex spell flavor:

A spell that allows you to sense the entirety of a being.

Works on all planes.

Learn their memories.

Learn every piece of information ABOUT them.

Know every picture of them, every footprint, everything.

And have all of that information, thought and physical existence be a part of you, you could act through a painting of them as if you were that painting, you could become a memory and change it, you could be like a schism inside their head.

Awesome. That sounds like it should be the Apex of the Awareness sphere.

Network
2013-08-21, 02:55 PM
AMF isn't that helpful even against prepared non-epic spellcasters... it's incredibly limited, and there are a number of ways to get around it. Either way, I don't like the idea of "you can cast epic spells in an AMF and DMZ" as a blanket statement, because it makes the sheer existence of those things at epic levels completely pointless.
I was thinking of something along the SRD rules on epic spells : they can be cast in an AMF or a DMZ, but the caster must succeed on a caster level check.

To my knowledge, the only other ways to get around an AMF or a DMZ are Initiate of Mystra (which is OP), a 8th-level spell from LoM (which only works for one spell at a time) and Disjunction (which has a chance of failure and only works for 1 round at best if the target has Permanent Emanation (AMF)).

sirpercival
2013-08-21, 03:09 PM
I was thinking of something along the SRD rules on epic spells : they can be cast in an AMF or a DMZ, but the caster must succeed on a caster level check. Ah, yes. I'd forgotten that. Sure I can put in something like that.


To my knowledge, the only other ways to get around an AMF or a DMZ are Initiate of Mystra (which is OP), a 8th-level spell from LoM (which only works for one spell at a time) and Disjunction (which has a chance of failure and only works for 1 round at best if the target has Permanent Emanation (AMF)).

I don't want this thread to devolve into a discussion about AMF, so I'm spoilering my response to this.

First of all, you're thinking of Invoke Magic, which is actually 9th level. But anyway, here are the issues with AMF:

1. It's an incredibly small area, which means that it's hard to catch a spellcaster in one because you have to be right next to them. Even sculpting doesn't help, because the spell has no effect beyond its range.
2. Even separate from the limitations of the effect itself (i.e., the things it doesn't protect you from), the easiest way to avoid an AMF is not to be inside it. There are a number of ways to achieve this:
Contingency or Contingent Spell with any teleportation, or anything which lets you move. Set it to trigger when you cast Nerveskitter, which is an immediate action you can do even when you're flatfooted.
In that vein, psionic contingency + hustle
Abrupt Jaunt
Celerity et al
Tinfoil hat, tower shield, other ways of blocking LoE

Carl
2013-08-21, 03:49 PM
Only real issue i have here. You could achieve the same effect much more easily within the existing rules.

Create spells with a spell level of 10th and high and then require the spellcasters to take feats to access the individual spells or Schools.

That said the real issue with epic spellcasting is two fold.

1. There's no equivalent for mundane's.

2.There's no level based or spellcasting progression based upper limit on max DC attempt-able. Which leads to cheesing caster checks to cast DM fiat grade spell effects. A lot of the most abusable capabilities would be trivial to place out of reach if you couldn't have virtually infinite DC spells and still make them work.

sirpercival
2013-08-21, 05:28 PM
Only real issue i have here. You could achieve the same effect much more easily within the existing rules.

Create spells with a spell level of 10th and high and then require the spellcasters to take feats to access the individual spells or Schools. I'm not sure what you're saying, unless you're saying that I should (instead of making this "epic spellcasting") just write some 10th level spells which you can access with feats. I'm not sure what the difference is between that and this, or if I'm missing something.


That said the real issue with epic spellcasting is two fold.

1. There's no equivalent for mundane's. False. There are epic disciplines (though no published ones). I myself have homebrewed almost half of the epic disciplines which exist, that I know of, and I'm sure I'll be writing more for this project.


2.There's no level based or spellcasting progression based upper limit on max DC attempt-able. Which leads to cheesing caster checks to cast DM fiat grade spell effects. A lot of the most abusable capabilities would be trivial to place out of reach if you couldn't have virtually infinite DC spells and still make them work. If you notice in the notes, this is part of a larger project which involves (among other things) fixing the non-epic magic rules. One aspect of that will include making it impossible to cheese caster level to nigh-infinite levels.

Carl
2013-08-21, 06:23 PM
1. My point was this:

Your method of dealing with the brokenness of epic spellcasting, whilst valid, basically does what lower levels have been doing all along. Limit the spell access and define precisely what each spell can do. At this point it makes no sense to not integrate it with the already existing spell level system. Or some other existing casting system.

In short, ask yourself, "what does having this as a separate casting system bring that justifies the separation".

2. If it's outside core i'm not aware of it unless it's pointed out ;). Thanks for the mention though, now i'm aware i can do some research at a later date.

3. That's fair enough but i can only evaluate something in light of the info i have :).

sirpercival
2013-08-21, 06:57 PM
1. My point was this:

Your method of dealing with the brokenness of epic spellcasting, whilst valid, basically does what lower levels have been doing all along. Limit the spell access and define precisely what each spell can do. At this point it makes no sense to not integrate it with the already existing spell level system. Or some other existing casting system.

In short, ask yourself, "what does having this as a separate casting system bring that justifies the separation". The advantage that it has is that once you add a spell level to something (aka 10th-level spells), that comes with a whole load of baggage and rules that I didn't really want to include. This lets me make a clean break and deal with the epic system in a far more isolated environment. It also gives much more credence to the separation of "Epic" and "Not Epic" that you see in the base mechanics: once you go Epic, you've entered a separate realm, where things work slightly differently.

These spells have well-defined effects because the fuzziness of the previous system (which leads to a whole wealth of abuse) is what I was trying to avoid. If someone comes up with an idea for an epic spell effect which isn't possible with the ones that are already written (of course once much more of them are complete...), then we just write another sphere and then it'll be available via feats (in character, "research").


2. If it's outside core i'm not aware of it unless it's pointed out ;). Thanks for the mention though, now i'm aware i can do some research at a later date. Perhaps you will enjoy this. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255468)


3. That's fair enough but i can only evaluate something in light of the info i have :). If you like, you can see the rest of the project (still in its infancy) here (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?board=145.0).

Hanuman
2013-08-21, 07:00 PM
By the time you reach epic level you WILL comprehend the form of Giygas Attack.


META sphere.

Your mastery of the fabric of reality within the world becomes so strong you can literally rend the barrier between paper and imagination, changing the physical world the game is hosted in.

-------
Min-Max
During casting you may open up any core, sourcebook, physical homebrew or digital homebrew stored on a flat surface such as a piece of paper, a book, a tablet or a phone.

Roll 1d6 per 3 class levels onto any pre-existing representation of game data, such as rules, your character sheet, monster description (stat changes work for modified or similar parallels to the monster in use), ect. Pick up to 1 different numerical aspects the die land on per 3 class levels (or that are slightly touching) and raise or lower them by the result stated on the single die assigned to effect them.
-------
Blackout
Similar to minmax open any content (except fragiles like phones or tablets) and toss 1d6 into the air onto the page, then take that result and drop that many more d6's ontop of it. Any information or statistic covered by the die are erased from existence, carefully remove the die one at a time and recover what information and statistics are covered.

This dies not mean whole statistics are lost, it means that any information, numerical bonus or statistic, or anything of the like is erased as if it was a character sheet and read as-is.

For instance, if this happened to Belkar Bitterleaf and a d6 landed on his name it may read Bel[∴ 6 ∴]terleaf, or, Belterleaf. Part of his name would be erased from existence, causing him to always have been named Belterleaf.

Items may be changed entirely due to what is removed, a weapon focus Rapier may be changed to a weapon focus Rap, the hair might be changed from Brown to Brow, causing the eyebrow hair to extend around the head (or go bald), and you may get Falco from starfox as your familiar instead of a Falcon.

If this rolls over a modifier it is reset to 0, if this lands on an attribute it immediately takes attribute damage to bring it to 0 which can only be restored by a wish or miracle spell.
-----------
Yellow Card
Take a piece of paper and write down a character choice but not it's mechanical bonus nor it's readiness or allowance. For instance you could overlay a few class skills, change prepared spells (but not ready them again nor allow more readiness), change weapons and armor materials, enchantments and special properties but not if you are wearing them or not, you could change things that you were carrying but not their weight or supply. Ect.
-----------
Carpe DM
This works similarly to time stop (but effecting all players) with a few exceptions:
For 1d4 rounds the DM has no say on the going-ons of the players nor the world, time still moves but the world except the players lose their actions.
Clear rulings can be pushed forward but the more vague the result the more temporary it's effect, the DM's ruling and action is on pause during this spell's effect, but the ruling resumes at the end of it, allowing the players to potentially bite off more than they can chew within the infinite realms of absurdity that comes with potentially hacking the base-concepts of the world with only a temporary time window.
-----------
Meta Unity
For the duration of the spell your character's knowledge and your knowledge are one.
-----------
Smudge
Erase one digit from any number.
-----------
Black Curtain
For the duration of the spell your character's knowledge and the DM's knowledge are one, when the spell ends that knowledge is forgotten, you possess nothing but 10 free actions during the spell, speaking is considered a round every time you speak or for every 6 seconds you speak in or out of context.

sirpercival
2013-08-21, 07:16 PM
By the time you reach epic level you WILL comprehend the form of Giygas Attack.


META sphere.

Your mastery of the fabric of reality within the world becomes so strong you can literally rend the barrier between paper and imagination, changing the physical world the game is hosted in.

-------
Min-Max
During casting you may open up any core, sourcebook, physical homebrew or digital homebrew stored on a flat surface such as a piece of paper, a book, a tablet or a phone.

Roll 1d6 per 3 class levels onto any pre-existing representation of game data, such as rules, your character sheet, monster description (stat changes work for modified or similar parallels to the monster in use), ect. Pick up to 1 different numerical aspects the die land on per 3 class levels (or that are slightly touching) and raise or lower them by the result stated on the single die assigned to effect them.
-------
Blackout
Similar to minmax open any content (except fragiles like phones or tablets) and toss 1d6 into the air onto the page, then take that result and drop that many more d6's ontop of it. Any information or statistic covered by the die are erased from existence, carefully remove the die one at a time and recover what information and statistics are covered.

This dies not mean whole statistics are lost, it means that any information, numerical bonus or statistic, or anything of the like is erased as if it was a character sheet and read as-is.

For instance, if this happened to Belkar Bitterleaf and a d6 landed on his name it may read Bel[∴ 6 ∴]terleaf, or, Belterleaf. Part of his name would be erased from existence, causing him to always have been named Belterleaf.

Items may be changed entirely due to what is removed, a weapon focus Rapier may be changed to a weapon focus Rap, the hair might be changed from Brown to Brow, causing the eyebrow hair to extend around the head (or go bald), and you may get Falco from starfox as your familiar instead of a Falcon.

If this rolls over a modifier it is reset to 0, if this lands on an attribute it immediately takes attribute damage to bring it to 0 which can only be restored by a wish or miracle spell.
-----------
Yellow Card
Take a piece of paper and write down a character choice but not it's mechanical bonus nor it's readiness or allowance. For instance you could overlay a few class skills, change prepared spells (but not ready them again nor allow more readiness), change weapons and armor materials, enchantments and special properties but not if you are wearing them or not, you could change things that you were carrying but not their weight or supply. Ect.
-----------
Carpe DM
This works similarly to time stop (but effecting all players) with a few exceptions:
For 1d4 rounds the DM has no say on the going-ons of the players nor the world, time still moves but the world except the players lose their actions.
Clear rulings can be pushed forward but the more vague the result the more temporary it's effect, the DM's ruling and action is on pause during this spell's effect, but the ruling resumes at the end of it, allowing the players to potentially bite off more than they can chew within the infinite realms of absurdity that comes with potentially hacking the base-concepts of the world with only a temporary time window.
-----------
Meta Unity
For the duration of the spell your character's knowledge and your knowledge are one.
-----------
Smudge
Erase one digit from any number.
-----------
Black Curtain
For the duration of the spell your character's knowledge and the DM's knowledge are one, when the spell ends that knowledge is forgotten, you possess nothing but 10 free actions during the spell, speaking is considered a round every time you speak or for every 6 seconds you speak in or out of context.

Lol. You get an internet.

sirpercival
2013-08-22, 12:54 PM
More spheres that won't fit in the OP!

Creation

Prerequisites: Cocoon of Life, Genesis, Greater Fantastic Machine, Pavilion of Grandeur, True Creation

Abundant Animus
Sphere: Creation (Conjuration, Creation, Healing)
Prerequisite: Cocoon of Life
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous

In a moment of panicked thought, you concentrate, and then your target's old body crumbles to dust, reappearing unscathed next to a pile of clothes and equipment.

When you cast this spell, you create a perfect duplicate of your target, and the target's original body crumbles to dust. The new body has exactly the same stats, abilities, and memories as the original -- it is the same creature, but is created at full hit points, suffering from no conditions, and unaffected by any non-permanent spells or effects (as if the duration of those effects had ended). It appears in an empty square of your choice adjacent to its original position (you must choose a square which can support its weight), and it leaves behind any equipment, clothes, and items it had in its original square. You may choose up to 1 piece of clothing or equipment to transfer to the new body. An unwilling creature receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + your primary spellcasting ability modifier) to resist this effect.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell allows you to transfer 1 additional piece of equipment, and to form the duplicate 1 square further away from the original's square.


Harrowing Construct
Sphere: Creation (Conjuration, Creation)
Prerequisite: Greater Fantastic Macine
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Effect: 1 iron golem
Duration: 1 hour/level

As you complete the spell, the raw materials in front of you assemble into a massive creature of metal, which belches acrid gas into the air.

When you cast this spell, you create an iron golem out of 100,000gp of specially-prepared iron and magical treatments. The golem is under your control, and follows your commands to the best of its ability for the duration. Once the duration of the spell expires, the golem falls inert, and the iron cannot be used for this spell again; however, a creature with the Craft Construct feat, using the inert golem, can reanimate it as if creating a new iron golem, without paying the materials cost.

You may have only one casting of this spell in effect at a time; if you cast a second before the first has expired or the golem has been destroyed, the first golem falls inert.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell increases the number of castings you may have simultaneously by 1.


Hero's Welcome
Sphere: Creation (Conjuration, Creation)
Prerequisite: Pavilion of Grandeur
Casting Time: 1 standard action or 1 full-round action; see text
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Effect: Portal to an extradimensional area
Duration: See text

As you finish the casting, you step through the ephemeral portal into a grand palace, decorated to your specifications and filled with sumptuous food and restful beds.

The first time you ever cast this spell, which requires a full-round action, you open a portal to an extradimensional palace which you design with any layout you desire. The palace can be any size, and is decorated and furnished however you wish, with any non-masterwork materials. It is equipped with an unlimited number of unseen servants to do your bidding, and has as much food and drink as is required (when it is all eaten, the food and drink replenishes as necessary). Any creature who feasts for an hour in the palace gains benefits identical to those of a heroes' feast, and any creature who sleeps (or otherwise rests, for creatures who don't sleep) in the palace for at least 8 hours receives the benefit of a heal spell.

At any time after the first, you may cast the spell as a standard action to open a portal to the same extradimensional space; it persists in perpetuity, and you may access it at any time (e.g., allowing you to leave equipment, materials, or allies there, or to cast spells or craft items to enhance the place). You may also redesign the palace with another full-round casting of this spell, altering, adding, or subtracting rooms and walls as you please.

Each time you access your palace, the time flow in the palace is identical to that of the plane where the portal was created. You may allow any number of creatures through the portal; when you enter the portal, it closes behind you, leaving no trace of its existence whatsoever. Transdimensional spells cannot reach through the portal to affect your palace. When you leave the palace, returning to the square from which you entered, the portal disappears until you cast this spell again (which means that any creatures inside must leave before you or they are trapped until you return).

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell reduces the amount of time one must rest in the palace (to receive a heal spell) by 1 hour.


Nascent Reality
Sphere: Creation (Conjuration, Creation)
Prerequisite: Genesis, True Creation
Casting Time: 1 day
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Effect: A planar seed
Duration: 1 day/level

At the end of the marathon casting, you observe the results of your labor: a small blue-green pellet resting in your hand. You place it in its final location, and the seed begins to swell as you watch, ballooning outward into unseen dimensions.

With this spell, you create a planar seed, a small pebble which, when activated, creates a brand new plane. You may cast this spell on any plane you wish; however, the seed may only be activated on the Astral Plane, and must be activated (as a full-round action) within 1 day per caster level before losing its potency.

The new plane is initially only accessible through a color pool from the Astral, which forms at the location you placed the seed. Through the color pool, the plane begins as a 5-foot-radius sphere, and grows in all directions at the rate of 5 feet per round until it reaches its final size, as determined by the properties of the seed. The seed has exactly the same properties as the plane on which you cast this spell, but with a single exception. You may alter any one of the following properties: atmosphere, water, temperature, terrain, gravity, shape, size, morphic trait, any one elemental or energy trait, any one alignment trait, or magic traits. You may not alter the Time trait of your plane; this is determined by the properties of the original plane.

The fledgling plane has life as appropriate for its parent plane, and any valuable materials (such as mithril or adamantine) form with similar frequency, subject to the variations in properties you choose. However, the new plane does not have any construction when it is first formed.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell allows you to change one additional property of your planar seed.


Conception [Apex]
Sphere: Creation (Conjuration, Creation, Transmutation)
Prerequisites: Abundant Animus, Harrowing Construct, Hero's Welcome, Nascent Reality
Casting Time: See text
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Effect: One creature of a new species
Duration: Instantaneous

At long last, the branch of your inspiration bears fruit: a brand-new creature, born of your thought.

The Apex spell of the Creation Sphere allows you to design and create a completely new race of creature, formed from inanimate materials. The spell creates a single creature, capable of reproducing with another of its kind, as appropriate. The default creature is of Humanoid type, Medium size, and a single Hit Die. It has the same age categories as a human, but its natural rate of population growth is half the human standard. Minor features such as hair or skin color, skin type or thickness, and other things with little in-game effect are determined by the caster with no difficulty. The creature has 3 10s and 3 11s for stats, no natural attacks, +0 natural armor, and a base speed of 30 feet.

All other changes must be purchased through the use of Design Points. You gain 4 Design Points to spend on altering the features of the creature, as shown in the table below. The casting time of the spell is equal to 1 day per Design Point spent (with a minimum of 1 day).

Creating an entirely new creature is a difficult art, and it's best to ask your DM if the creature you are trying to make fits into the campaign. It is well within his rights for the DM to refuse the creation of a creature if he feels it is too powerful, but should offer suggestions about how to improve it to make it acceptable.


{table=head]Point Cost|Alteration
2|Add one additional Hit Die
1 |Change type from Humanoid to Animal, Plant, or Vermin
2|Change type from Humanoid to Fey, Giant, Magical Beast, or Monstrous Humanoid
3 |Change type from Humanoid to Aberration, Construct, Elemental, Ooze, or Undead
4|Change type from Humanoid to Dragon or Outsider
1 |Add a subtype other than Aquatic or Incorporeal
2|Add the Incorporeal subtype
1 |Add the Aquatic subtype (creature's land speed changes to a swim speed, and it breathes water instead of air)
1|Increase an ability score by 2 (creature must have at least as many Hit Dice as the new ability modifier - 1); you cannot decrease the ability score
-2 |Decrease an ability score other than Intelligence by 2; you cannot increase the ability score
-3|Decrease Intelligence by 2; you cannot increase Intelligence
1 |Increase natural armor bonus by +1
3|Creature gains an additional natural attack mode*
2 |Creature gains an additional attack with an existing natural attack mode*
3|Increase damage die size of natural attack mode*
2 |Creature gains a bonus feat
2|Creature gains DR 1/magic or its existing DR /magic increases by 1 (must have at least as many Hit Dice as new DR)
1 |Change DR from /magic to /slashing, /bludgeoning, or /piercing
2|Change DR from /magic to /alignment or /material
5 |Change DR from /magic to /epic
-1|Add a second means (other than /epic) by which DR can be bypassed; cannot be used more than once, and creature must have DR
1 |Add a second means (other than /epic) by which DR must be bypassed; cannot be used more than once
2|Increase existing movement speed by 10 feet
6 |Creature gains a fly speed of 30 feet (average maneuverability)
2|Increase maneuverability by 1 step
-1 |Decrease maneuverability by 1 step (minimum clumsy)
4|Creature gains a burrow or climb speed of 10 feet
4 |Creature becomes amphibious and gains a swim speed of 30 feet
-1|Reduce existing movement speed by 5 feet (minimum 0)
16 |Change size to Fine (with appropriate adjustments based on size change)
8|Change size to Diminutive (with appropriate adjustments based on size change)
3 |Change size to Tiny (with appropriate adjustments based on size change)
1|Change size to Small (with appropriate adjustments based on size change)
4 |Change size to Large (with appropriate adjustments based on size change); must have at least 2 HD
12|Change size to Huge (with appropriate adjustments based on size change); must have at least 6 HD
24 |Change size to Gargantuan (with appropriate adjustments based on size change); must have at least 12 HD
40|Change size to Colossal (with appropriate adjustments based on size change); must have at least 20 HD
2 |Creature gains a 1st-level spell as an SLA it can use 1/day
X|Increase the level of an existing SLA by 1; costs DP equal to new level of SLA (must have at least 2X Hit Dice)
1 |Increase uses of one SLA to 3/day
5|Creature can use an existing SLA at will
3 |Creature can reproduce asexually
+50%|Creature has same fertility rate as a human
+100% |Creature has double human fertility rate
+150%|Creature has triple human fertility rate
1 |Creature ages as an elf
2|Creature does not age
7 |Creature gains 1 HD and increases natural armor and all ability scores by +1 every 50 years
6|Creature gains 1 HD and increases natural armor and 4 ability scores of your choice by +1 every 50 years
5 |Creature gains 1 HD and increases natural armor and 2 ability scores of your choice by +1 every 50 years
+50%|Maturation time decreases to 30 years
+80%|Maturation time decreases to 20 years[/table]

*Must have at least as many Hit Dice as 3 times the total number of natural attacks. The damage begins at 1d6 for a Medium creature's primary attack, and 1d4 for a Medium creature's secondary attack.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell grants you 4 additional Design Points.

Note: many thanks to this post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3515727&postcount=17) for Conception.



Portal

Prerequisites: Gate, Greater Plane Shift, Greater Teleport, Reality Maelstrom, Teleportation Circle

Empyrean Obverse
Sphere: Portal (Conjuration, Teleportation, Necromancy)
Prerequisite: Astral Projection
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

You meditate briefly on the dual nature of reality, and call your spirit-self into being in front of you.

You project your spirit from your body to stand nearby and aid you in your endeavors. This spell creates an astral copy of you and all you wear or carry, which appears in a square you designate adjacent to you. The copy and its equipment manifest physically, and have the same capabilities as you and your equipment, subject to the restrictions of the Astral Projection spell (but it does not disappear due to being on the same plane as you). However, unlike Astral Projection, your original body is not placed in suspended animation.

Your consciousness is shared between your original body and the astral duplicate. You are aware of everything which either body experiences, and your duplicate can attack, cast spells, use items, or anything else the original body could do. However, your consciousness is limited in scope to its previous capabilities, which means that your duplicate and original body share your pool of actions (i.e., the swift action and move+standard/full-round action that you get each turn).

During your turn, assign each action you take to one or the other body. In addition, whenever you take a move action or an action which would allow you more than one attack, you may divide the attacks and/or movement between the bodies. For example, if you decide to make a charge with a full attack at the end, you could divide the movement between both bodies, as long as the total distance moved by both bodies does not exceed your movement speed, and each body could make some number of attacks as long as the total number of attacks made by both bodies does not exceed the number of attacks you would receive.

Since your astral duplicate forms on the same plane as you, there is no silver cord which can be attacked. If your astral duplicate is slain, it simply vanishes, returning to your psyche with no harm done. If your original body dies, however, your astral duplicate is destroyed as well. You may only have one casting of this spell active at any given time. If you cast the spell again, the previous duplicate vanishes as if destroyed.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell doubles the duration.


Immaculate Advent
Sphere: Portal (Conjuration, Teleportation)
Prerequisite: Greater Plane Shift, Greater Teleport
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched, or yourself plus up to eight additional willing creature joining hands with you
Duration: Instantaneous

Your incantation complete, you vanish from reality, reappearing instantly at your chosen destination.

The target is transported instantaneously to another location, on the same or a different plane, with no chance of error. You need not move to a waypoint, though you can still only shift to coterminous planes, as normal. This spell can even move creatures into or out of places which are protected by dimensional lock, forbiddance, anticipate teleport, or similar effects, as long as you make a caster level check against a DC of 15 + the caster level of the blocking effect.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell allows you to move to a plane one step further removed from coterminous with your origin plane.


Transcendent Rift
Sphere: Portal (Conjuration, Creation, Teleportation)
Prerequisite: Gate, Teleport Circle
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Effect: A circular portal of radius 5 feet
Duration: Instantaneous

With a wave of your hands, you create a shimmering circle in the air. Stepping through, you find yourself on another plane -- and the portal remains behind you.

This epic spell allows you to create permanent portals between locations, even on different planes (the origin and destination planes must be coterminous, as normal). When cast, this spell creates a portal, as described on page 59 of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, which leads to any location you wish with no chance of error, on the same plane or any other plane you could access with a plane shift spell. Unlike a gate, the portal has no duration, requires no concentration on your part to remain open, and can be used by any number of creatures, as normal for portals. If it connects two different planes, your portal may be used as a planar waypoint.

You may also cast this spell again to permanently close and remove a portal, but only one that was created by a casting of this spell (and not by the Create Portal feat), by a creature with a caster level no greater than your own.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell increases the radius of the resulting portal by 5 feet. In addition, with at least one tier of refinement, you can create a random, variable, or creature-only portal if you desire.


Vortex of Psychosis
Sphere: Portal (Conjuration, Teleportation, Evocation)
Prerequisite: Reality Malestrom
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft + 40 ft/level)
Area: Cylinder (10-ft radius, 40 ft high) and cylinder (30-ft radius, 60 ft high)
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

At your imposition, a whirlwind of swirling, nauseating colors warps the area, drawing your enemies in kicking and screaming.

This spell creates a powerful vortex of pure madness that moves through the air, along the ground, or over water at a speed of 30 feet per round. You can concentrate on controlling the vortex's every movement or simply specify a simple program. Directing the vortex's movement or changing its programmed movement is a standard action for you, and it always moves during your turn. If the vortex exceeds the spell’s range, it moves in a random, uncontrolled fashion for 1d3 rounds and then dissipates. (You can’t regain control of the vortex, even if comes back within range.)

At the center of the vortex is a hole in reality which sucks all loose material and creatures through into other planes. Any unattended object weighing 100 pounds or less, as well as any creature who fails a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + primary spellcasting ability modifier), that comes in contact with the central column is sent through to a random plane (roll on the table below; unlike other teleportation effects, this movement does not require a waypoint, and can move creatures between planes which are not coterminous). Creatures who are not sent through take 1d6 points of damage per caster level (Fort save at same DC for half damage) as their bodies are torn and rent by the twisting fabric of reality; however, they can move and attack normally.

In addition, at the end of your turn each round, the force of the vortex draws creatures and objects in the outer area towards the central column. Any unattended object within the outer radius that weighs 50 pounds or less is pulled into the central column and sent on its way. Creatures within the outer radius must make a Reflex save (same DC) or be pulled into the central column.

The vortex is a one-way portal, so nothing ever emerges from it.


{table=head]d%|Plane
01-46|Far Realm
47-48|Wilderness of the Beastlands
49-50|Olympian Glades of Arborea
51-52|Heroic Domains of Ysgard
53-54|Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo
55-56|Windswept Depths of Pandemonium
57-58|Infinite Layers of the Abyss
59-60|Tarterian Depths of Carceri
61-62|Gray Waste of Hades
63-64|Bleak Eternity of Gehenna
65-66|Nine Hells of Baator
67-68|Infernal Battlefield of Acheron
69-70|Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus
71-72|Peaceable Kingdoms of Arcadia
73-74|Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia
75-76|Twin Paradises of Bytopia
77-78|Blessed Fields of Elysium
79-81|Concordant Domain of the Outlands
82|Elemental Plane of Fire
83|Elemental Plane of Earth
84|Elemental Plane of Water
85|Elemental Plane of Air
86|Positive Energy Plane
87|Negative Energy Plane
88|Paraelemental Plane of Magma
89|Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
90|Paraelemental Plane of Ice
91|Paraelemental Plane of Smoke
92|Quasielemental Plane of Radiance
93|Quasielemental Plane of Ash
94|Quasilemental Plane of Mineral
95|Quasielemental Plane of Dust
96|Quasilemental Plane of Steam
97|Quasielemental Plane of Salt
98|Quasilemental Plane of Lightning
99|Quasielemental Plane of Vacuum
100|Plane of DM's Choice[/table]


Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell increases the speed by 10 feet and the outer and inner radii by 5 feet each.


Rapture [Apex]
Sphere: Portal (Conjuration, Teleportation)
Prerequisites: Empyrean Obverse, Immaculate Advent, Transcendent Rift, Vortex of Psychosis
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: 500 feet/level
Area: Emanation of radius 500 feet/level, centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous

You walk the land, chanting quietly under your breath; when you finish, the surroundings begin to change, transitioning to match your destination, and a multitude of creatures stir, surprised at their predicament.

The Apex spell of the Portal Sphere transports all creatures in the area to a plane of your choice, as per the Greater Plane Shift spell. Unwilling creatures receive a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 caster level + your primary spellcasting ability modifier) to resist. You can teleport any number of creatures this way.

Refinement: Each tier of refinement you attain with this spell allows you to move all affected creatures to a plane one step further removed from coterminous with your origin plane.

Hanuman
2013-08-22, 01:02 PM
If I go out into the desert and master the art of fire-swordchaku may I have another internet?

Falcon777
2013-08-22, 02:45 PM
If I may so request, could you do the portal sphere next? This homebrew intrigues me, and I'm curious to know what kind of epic spells a Teleporter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168948) would have, given that their spell list is mostly set in stone.

sirpercival
2013-08-22, 04:58 PM
Actually the Portal sphere isn't likely to exist. There will be three epic spells in the teleportation subschool (that I have planned): Unbroken Stream {Time Apex}, Transcendent Rift {Creation}, and one which requires both Greater Teleport and Greater Plane Shift, which is probably going in the Summoning sphere. Looking at the Teleporter spell list, there are going to be several more they qualify for (prereqs being Astral Projection, Imprisonment, Discern Location, Maze, maybe others).

Falcon777
2013-08-22, 07:29 PM
Meh. I'd rather see that class be able to reach the apex of a particular sphere. The portal sphere seems right up its alley, but it's your homebrew.

sirpercival
2013-08-22, 07:49 PM
Meh. I'd rather see that class be able to reach the apex of a particular sphere. The portal sphere seems right up its alley, but it's your homebrew.

Well, I totally get that... to do it, I'd need to replace Transcendent Rift in the Creation Sphere... I could maybe add Astral Projection+Etherealness, and Reality Maelstrom... but I'm not sure what the Apex would do. Let me think on it.

sirpercival
2013-08-23, 09:39 AM
So, thinking about it, I could replace transcendent rift in the creation sphere with a spell based on greater fantastic machine, and move it to portal. So the portal sphere is tentatively go.

Falcon777
2013-08-23, 12:32 PM
Cool stuff. I'll keep watching to see what you come up with.

Here's a couple of spell title ideas: Teleportation field [epic], Rapture [epic, apex].

Edit1: Of course you don't have to use these. I merely hope that they may spark a bit of inspiration.