[3.5] Epic Fixing

[zarakstan]

As is apparent to anyone even scanning the ELH their system is utterly abhorrent! I intend to fix the system while keeping things like Epic Spellcasting, most of the the Epic Feats, and the Epic Monsters. I hope with this fix epic level play will become more enticing and single class characters become more powerful! So I'll start by fixing classes and major problems with the system:


Epic Levels:

Epic Rules

• Epic Saves: Saving Throws continue to increase until they reach a cap of +17 for good saves and +10 for poor saves, after that saves increase by +1 every 2 levels (this will hopefully fix balance issues with using 15th level spell slots and heighten spell to beat anyone's saves)
• Epic Base Attack Bonus: Base Attack Bonus continues to increase until it reaches a maximum of +30 for those with 1:1 BAB +22 for those with 3:4 and +15 for those with 1:2 (this will give full melee beasts an edge to hit casters with epic buff cast on them) NOTE The Epic BAB will not grant you additional attacks!
• More Coming Later

Epic Classes:

All the epic classes will have a full new tier of abilities that they get instead of just increasing old abilities

Barbarian:

Spoiler

Show

Hit Die: d12

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus*|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

21st|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+0

|Epic Rage 1/day, Awesome Blow

22nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+ 0

|Trap Sense +5

23rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+1

|Damage reduction 5/-, Resilient Rage

24th|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Dazing Blow

25th|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Trap Sense +6, Epic Rage 2/day

26th|

+6

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|Damage Reduction 6/-, Stunning Blow

27th|

+7

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|Destructive Rage

28th|

+8

|

+6

|

+2

|

+2

|Trap Sense +7, Crippling Blow

29th|

+9

|

+6

|

+3

|

+3

|Damage Reduction 7/-

30th|

+10

|

+7

|

+3

|

+3

|Epic Rage 3/day, Unstoppable Rage[/table]
Skill Points: 4 + Int per additional level

Epic Rage (Ex): At 21st level an epic barbarian gains the ability to enter an epic rage 1/day. This number increases by 1 every 5 levels. While in an epic rage a barbarian gains a +10 bonus to Str and Con, but he also takes a -4 penalty to AC. While an epic barbarian is in an epic rage he may choose to shrug off the affects of spells or spell-like abilities that allow a save. In doing so the barbarian must make a fortitude save with a DC equal to the spell's DC (or what the DC would be if it allowed) if successful the barbarian ignores the affects of the spell, upon failure he takes the full affects of the spell. When the epic rage ends the barbarian takes the affects of the spells he chose to shrug off as if he had failed the save. Epic Rages last for a number of rounds equal to (7 + the barbarian's modified Con modifier).

Awesome Bow: A 21st level barbarian gains the awesome blow feat even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites.

Resilient Rage (Ex): Starting at 23rd level a barbarian may ignore mere physical damage while in an epic rage. This ability functions like a barbarian's ability to shrug off spell affects. He may make a fortitude save DC equal to (10 + damage dealt) if successful he ignores the attack, if failed he takes full damage (damage reduction does apply). At the end of barbarian's epic rage he takes damage from all the attacks he ignored during the rage (again damage reduction applies).

Dazing Blow (Ex): Starting at 24th level an epic barbarian gains the ability to daze foes with his attacks. To use this ability a barbarian must power attack 4, if he hits the creature he attacked must make a DC (10 + 1/2 the barbarian's class level + the barbarian's Str modifier) Fortitude save. If the person fails he is dazed for one round; otherwise he is unaffected.

Stunning Blow (Ex): Starting at 26th level an epic barbarian gains the ability to stun foes with his attacks. To use this ability a barbarian must power attack 7, if he hits the creature he attacked must make a DC (10 + 1/2 the barbarian's class level + the barbarian's Str modifier) Fortitude save. If the person fails he is stunned for one round; otherwise he is unaffected.

Destructive Rage (Ex): Starting at 27th, while in an epic rage, each round a barbarian may take a free action to make one attack against all creatures and objects within his reach.

Crippling Blow (Ex): Starting at 28th level an epic barbarian gains the ability to cripple foes with his attacks. To use this ability a barbarian must power attack 10, if he hits the creature he attacked must make a DC (10 + 1/2 the barbarian's class level + the barbarian's Str modifier) Fortitude save. If the person fails he takes 2 points of dexterity damage and is stunned for one round; otherwise he is unaffected.

Unstoppable Rage (Ex): Starting at 30th level an epic barbarian's rage becomes more powerful. He now gains a +12 bonus on Str and Con.

I will continue to add more updates soon! Please post feedback

[Mongoose87]

I came up with this idea earlier today, and I donate it to your cause. It brings the awesome of ToB to Epic Levels.

Epic Maneuvers [Epic]
Prerequisite

Martial Lore, 24 ranks, ability to use at least one 9th level Maneuver

Benefit

You may develop and use epic manuevers. You may use a number of epic spells per day equal to your ranks in Martial Lore divided by 10.

[AstralFire]

That's... that's exactly like doing an epic addon for Tome of Battle, only not at all, in every way possible.

A lot like the rest of the Epic Level Handbook, to be fair.

[Mongoose87]

That's... that's exactly like doing an epic addon for Tome of Battle, only not at all, in every way possible.

A lot like the rest of the Epic Level Handbook, to be fair.

Well, y'know, if you want to compete with Epic Spellcasting, you've got to bring something on the level of Epic Spellcasting.

[zarakstan]

I don't think I want to go down the road of epic maneuvers . . .

[kamikasei]

Well, y'know, if you want to compete with Epic Spellcasting, you've got to bring something on the level of Epic Spellcasting.

I think it's more that you can't get very far with an "Epic Maneuvers" feat unless you also describe an Epic Maneuvers system.