Which Epic Boons are the best?

[Hobbo Jim]

I'm looking through the Boons, and their strengths seem to be pretty drastically different. Obviously none of them would be bad to have, but if you got to pick one what would you go with? Immortality is often times a good roleplay option, but mechanically not great.

All of the immunity buffs are good, but pretty situational.

I think the big ones that stick out to me are:
Boon of High Magic, if you're a caster. 9th level spells are OP.
Boon of Irresistable Offence: Don't worry about what kind of damage you deal could be nice.
Boon of Skill Proficiency, depending on your party comp and if you have a skill monkey


Thoughts?

[J-H]

Those are among the best. Undetectability, True Sight, Perfect Health, and Spell Recall are all very good. Spell Recall is almost as good as High Magic.

[MarkVIIIMarc]

Quick casting...hmmm....wonder what fun I could have being able to cast level 3 spells as a Bonus Action....what could I do with my Action though to make it worse than an extra 9th level spell.

[J-H]

Quick Casting is probably better for partial casters, who don't have 9th level spells to start with. Full attack + quickened 3rd level spell.

[Hobbo Jim]

Those are among the best. Undetectability, True Sight, Perfect Health, and Spell Recall are all very good. Spell Recall is almost as good as High Magic.

Is there any scenario where Spell Recall is better if you have 9th level spells available?

[NNescio]

Is there any scenario where Spell Recall is better if you have 9th level spells available?

It works for Sims.

[J-H]

Is there any scenario where Spell Recall is better if you have 9th level spells available?

If you're getting two boons, then Spell Recall gives you a 3rd 9th level casting per day.

[Lord Vukodlak]

Is there any scenario where Spell Recall is better if you have 9th level spells available?

Plenty. Spell Recall works in any spell you know or have prepared. It can be used to cast a spell you don’t have prepared.
The only advantage the two 9th level slots have is upcasting a lower level spell.

[Hobbo Jim]

Plenty. Spell Recall works in any spell you know or have prepared. It can be used to cast a spell you don’t have prepared.
The only advantage the two 9th level slots have is upcasting a lower level spell.

Oh, it looks like I misread it.Yeah being able to use spells that you know but don't have prepared is pretty strong if you've got a large spell list. RIP Sorcerers.

Overall it just seems like getting extra 9th level spells is too strong for the other boons to have a real fighting chance, with the exception of permanent true seeing. Because permanent.

[NNescio]

Plenty. Spell Recall works in any spell you know or have prepared. It can be used to cast a spell you don’t have prepared.
The only advantage the two 9th level slots have is upcasting a lower level spell.


Oh, it looks like I misread it.Yeah being able to use spells that you know but don't have prepared is pretty strong if you've got a large spell list. RIP Sorcerers.

Technically 5e Clerics and other "fixed-list casters" don' "know" their spells. They "prepare" them. RAI too, likely, because that's why they specified "know or have prepared" (otherwise there's no need to say "have prepared").

(It was debatable in 3.5e with conflicting RAW, but most character build guides assumed "yes". 5e, on the other hand, doesn't have any verbiage implying or stating that Clerics and similar casters that draw from a fixed list know their spells.)



Overall it just seems like getting extra 9th level spells is too strong for the other boons to have a real fighting chance, with the exception of permanent true seeing. Because permanent.

You can sort of simulate this by getting a True Polymorph'd minion (Planar Bound if necessary) with Truesight. It's not quite the same (you still can't "see" for LoS purposes, for one), but it's okay-ish if you have Telepathic Bond up.

Edit: Fixed misattribution of quote.

[Hobbo Jim]

Technically 5e Clerics and other "fixed-list casters" don' "know" their spells. They "prepare" them. RAI too, likely, because that's why they specified "know or have prepared" (otherwise there's no need to say "have prepared").

(It was debatable in 3.5e with conflicting RAW, but most character build guides assumed "yes". 5e, on the other hand, doesn't have any verbiage implying or stating that Clerics and similar casters that draw from a fixed list know their spells.)

That... Makes a lot of sense actually. I have always been confused why they differentiated. To that end it seems like it only bumps wizards to be more powerful, though, and I don't think I'm inclined to say they needed it. Definitely worth keeping in mind, though!


You can sort of simulate this by getting a True Polymorph'd minion (Planar Bound if necessary) with Truesight. It's not quite the same (you still can't "see" for LoS purposes, for one), but it's okay-ish if you have Telepathic Bond up.

At first I was wondering how you might go about doing this, but I guess permanently polymorphing a Simulacrum could accomplish it, since they are technically the same level as you are - they just can't regenerate class stuff. True polymorph would be a pretty good way of getting around that. TBH I'm surprised I haven't seen more stuff around permanently polymorphing a Simulacrum.

As a side note, would Simulacrums also get Boons?

[NNescio]

At first I was wondering how you might go about doing this, but I guess permanently polymorphing a Simulacrum could accomplish it, since they are technically the same level as you are - they just can't regenerate class stuff. True polymorph would be a pretty good way of getting around that. TBH I'm surprised I haven't seen more stuff around permanently polymorphing a Simulacrum.

You can do that, but Couatls are CR4 (so obtainable via True Polymorph'd object or Wish-Conjure Celestial) and get Truesight 120 ft AND built-in Telepathy (also 120 ft). They also make for decent pet (lower-case) clerics, despite only being CR4 (TP Object into Creature goes up to CR9, but Couatls are still nice despite being less than half the limit).

(TP a Sim into an CR = Level monster is still a nice trick, regardless. [Some kind of dragon is usually a safe option]. Especially if the Sim is almost out of spells. Just be aware that you no longer get any legendary/lair actions and regional effects after the MM errata.)



As a side note, would Simulacrums also get Boons?

It uses "all the statistics of the creature it duplicates. (other than having only "half the creature's hit point maximum" and "is formed without any equipment", and "is a construct"). So yes, provided the duplicated creature has any.

And yes, it would be nice with Spell Recall.

[Lord Vukodlak]

You can sort of simulate this by getting a True Polymorph'd minion (Planar Bound if necessary) with Truesight. It's not quite the same (you still can't "see" for LoS purposes, for one), but it's okay-ish if you have Telepathic Bond up.

Mind fixing the quote tags so its attributed


Overall it just seems like getting extra 9th level spells is too strong for the other boons to have a real fighting chance, with the exception of permanent true seeing. Because permanent.

And not to me.

[Blood of Gaea]

In general High Magic(or Spell Recall) and Magic Resistance would show the most benefit.

But boons like Spell Master (for a Divine Soul or Celestial), Resilience, Fortitude, Undetectability, Quick Casting can be great depending on your PC.

Then the others can be good depending on your campaign, like Truesight or Planar Travel.

[NNescio]

Mind fixing the quote tags so its attributed


And not to me.

Oops. I'm really sorry. Must have slipped up when copy-pastaing.

[Wizard_Lizard]

virtual immortality is what most of my pcs strive for...

[Meichrob7]

Spell mastery seems underrated. If you can cast shield at will then you effectively have a permanent +5 AC.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

Spell mastery seems underrated. If you can cast shield at will then you effectively have a permanent +5 AC.

And no reaction.

I am joking, it is great.

[Blood of Gaea]

Spell mastery seems underrated. If you can cast shield at will then you effectively have a permanent +5 AC.
Absolutely, but you could already be a Wizard, or maybe you used your extra 9th level slot to cast Foresight.