Epic Level Handbook

EPIC LEVEL HANDBOOK

ANDY COLLINS AND BRUCE R. CORDELL

ADDITIONAL DESIGN ART DIRECTOR
JOHN D. RATELIFF, THOMAS REID,
DAWN MURIN
JAMES WYATT
COVER ART
EDITORS
GWENDOLYN F. M. KESTREL, DAVID NOONAN ARNIE SWEKEL

MANAGING EDITOR INTERIOR ARTISTS
KIM MOHAN DAREN BADER,, BROM, DAVID DAY, BRIAN

CREATIVE DIRECTOR DESPAIN, LARRY DIXON, MICHAEL, DUTTON,
ED STARK JEFF EASLEY, LARS GRANT-WEST, REBECCA
QUAY, JEREMY JARVI’S ALTON LAWSON,
BUSINESS MANAGER TODD LOCKWOOD, DAVID MARTIN, RAVEN
ANTHONY VALTERRA MIMURA, MATTHEW MITCHELL, VINOD
RAMS, WAYNE REYNOLDS, DARRELL RICHE,
VICE PRESIDENT OF RPG R&D
BILL SLAVICSEK RICHARD SARDINHA, MARC SASSO, MARK SMYLIE, ARNIE
SWEKEL, ANTHONY WATERS
VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLISHING
MARY KIRCHOFF GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
ROBERT CAMPBELL, CYNTHIA FLIEGE,
PROJECT MANAGER SHERRY FLOYD, SEAN GLENN
MARTIN DURHAM
CARTOGRAPHER
PRODUCTION MANAGER
CHAS DELONG TODD GAMBLE

TYPOGRAPHER

ERIN DORRIES

Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and
Peter Adkison.

This WIZARDS OF THE COAST® game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may
be reproduced in any form without written permission. To learn more about the Open Gaming License and
the d20 System® License, please visit www.wizards.com/d20.

Sources include Defender of the Faith, Monsters of Faerûn, Sword and Fist, Tome and Blood, High Level
Handbook, Will and the Way, Masters of the Wild, The Psionic Handbook, Lord of the Iron Fortress and
The Living Greyhawk Journal.

Valuable advice provided by Mike Selinker, Ed Stark, Owen K.S. Stephens, and Michael S. Webster. Azu
D’morr’s epic sentiments provided by Stephen Radney-MacFarland.

620-88169-001-EN

FIRST PRINTING: JULY 2002

Contents Narrowing Challenge Ratings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Hagunemnon (Protean) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 TABLE OF
Intelligent Adversaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Hoary Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Sudden Jeopardy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Variant Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Hoary Steed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 3
What Is an Epic Character? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 The Epic Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Hunefer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
The Epic Level Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Designing Site-Based Adventures . . . . . . . . . . 112 Lavawight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Designing Event-Based Adventures . . . . . . . . 112 Legendary Animal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Chapter 1: Characters, Skills, Character Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 LeShay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
and Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Living Vault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Managing Wealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Mercane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
On Beyond 20th! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 More Use from Old Magic Items . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Mu Spore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Class and Level Bonuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Reutilizing Important NPCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Neh-Thalggu (Brain Collector) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Class Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Running a Mixed-Levels Campaign . . . . . . . . 115 Paragon Mind Flayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Epic Barbarian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Divinations and Keeping Secrets . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Epic Bard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Handling Wish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Creating a Paragon Creature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Epic Cleric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Celebrity Breeds Opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Prismasaurus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Epic Druid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Lords of Their Personal Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Pseudonatural Troll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Epic Fighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Divine Ascension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Epic Monk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 100 Epic Adventure ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Creating a Pseudonatural Creature . . . . . . . . . 212
Epic Paladin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Epic Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Ruin Swarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Epic Ranger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Rewards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Shadow of the Void . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Epic Rogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Experience Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Shape of Eire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Epic Sorcerer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Treasure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Sirrush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Epic Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Slaad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Epic Arcane Archer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Chapter 4: Epic Magic Items . . . . . . .123
Epic Assassin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 White Slaad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Epic Blackguard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Creating Epic Magic Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 24 Black Slaad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Epic Dwarven Defender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Caster Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Tayellah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Epic Lore-master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Thorciasid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Epic Shadowdancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Marker Price . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Titan, Elder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Epic Psion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Experience Point Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Treant, Elder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Epic Psychic Warrior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Umbral Blot (Blackball) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Magic Item Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Uvuudaum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
New Epic Prestige Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Random Epic Magic Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Vermiurge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Agent Retriever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Winterwight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Cosmic Descryer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Worm that Walks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Divine Emissary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Creating a Worm that Walks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Epic Infiltrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Rods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Guardian Paramount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Scrolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Chapter 6: An Epic Setting . . . . . . . . .231
High Proselytizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Staffs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Legendary Dreadnought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Wondrous Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Epic Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Perfect Wight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The Garrote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Union Sentinel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Intelligent Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 The Gleaners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 The Godkissed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Epic Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 The Order of the Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Epic Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Minor Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 The Order of the Shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Major Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Planar Cartographic Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Combining Skill Attempts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 The Regulators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Skill Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Chapter 5: Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155 The Union Sentinels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Psionic Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 City of Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Epic Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Level Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 The Islands of Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Acquiring Epic Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Monsters by Challenge Rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Enemies and Allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Epic Feat Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Monsters by Type (and Subtype) . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Epic Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Nonepic Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Abomination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Kerleth’s Tower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Chapter 2: Epic Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 BUILDING ABOMINATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Adventure Concentrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Anaxim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Beyond 9th-Level Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Atropal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Appendix I: Epic NPCs of Faerûn . .291
What Are Epic Spells? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Chichimec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Acquiring Epic Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Dream Larva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Elminster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Epic Spell Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Hecatoncheircs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Storm Silverhand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Epic Spellcasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Infernal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Gerti Orelsdottr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Phaethon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Halaster Blackcloak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Epic Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Phane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 The Simbul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Epic Spells by Spellcraft DC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Xixecal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Szass Tarn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Epic Red Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Developing Your Own Epic Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Behemoth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Khelben “Blackstaff” Arunsun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Example of Development and Casting . . . . . . . 90 Brachyurus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Alustriel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Colossus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Manshoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Seed Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Demilich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Iyraclea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Shuruppak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Chapter 3: Running an Epic Game .103 Creating a Demilich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Devastation Vermin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Appendix II: Epic NPCs
Epic Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Dragon, Advanced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 of Greyhawk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Advancing to 21st Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Dragon, Epic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Cat Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Retool Behind the Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Force Dragon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Eclavdra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
The First Epic Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Prismatic Dragon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Lord Robilar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Leave the Old World Behind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Elemental, Primal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Mordenkainen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
The Epic Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Genius Loci . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
The Epic Dungeon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Gibbering Orb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Appendix III: Epic NPCs . . . . . . . . . . .310
The Epic Wilderness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Gloom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Planar Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Golem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .318
Average Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Ha-Naga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Dealing with Time Stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108











































































Disguise Handle Animal

You can change your apparent height and weight much You can handle creatures other than animals, and can

more than normal. teach or train in much less time than normally required.

Disguise Modifier Task Time DC

Change height and/or weight 11% to 25% –25* Rear magical beast 1 year 30 + HD of magical beast

Change height and/or weight 26% to 50% –50* Train magical beast 2 months 40 + HD of magical beast

*Can be negated by any effect that can duplicate a height Rear vermin 6 months 35 + HD of vermin

and/or weight change of this degree. For instance, alter self Train vermin 2 months 50 + HD of vermin

specifically allows a weight change of up to half your original Rear other creature* Varies 40 + HD of creature

weight. Train other creature* 2 months 60 + HD of creature

Escape Artist *At the DM's discretion, other creatures that don't fall into CHAPTER 1:
You can pass through spaces smaller than your head, or
even through a wall of force. these categories may be trainable. CHARACTERS,
SKILLS & FEATS
DC Task Reduce Teaching/Training to ... DC Modifier
80 Extremely tight space 1 month +25
120 Pass through wall of force 1 day +50
1 hour +75
1 minute +100

Extremely Tight Space: This is the DC for getting Reduce Teaching/Training: Normally, teaching or train-

through a space when one's head shouldn't even be able ing a creature requires two months of time. You can

to fit; this can be as small as 2 inches square for accelerate the process of teaching or training a creature,

Medium-size creatures. Halve this limit for each size reducing the time required to the listed time, by adding

category less than Medium-size; double it for each size the DC modifier to the base DC for teaching or training

category greater than Medium-size. (For instance, a the creature. You can't reduce the required time to less

Huge creature could pass through an 8-inch-by-8-inch than 1 minute.

space.) If the space is long, such as in a chimney, the DM

may call for multiple checks. Heal

Pass through Wall of Force: This allows you to find a gap of You can greatly speed a patient's recovery of hit points.

weakness in a wall of force (or similar force effect) and

squeeze through it. Task DC

Quicken recovery 50

Forgery Perfect recovery 100

You can forge handwriting that you haven't even seen. Quicken Recovery: You can allow a character to regain hit

points in a single hour as if you had provided long-term

Condition Reader's Check Modifier care for a full day (2 or 3 hit points per level, based on

Forge document without sample +50 activity). You can quicken the recovery of up to six

Forge Document without Sample: You can forge a document patients at a time. No character's recovery can be quick-

without having seen a similar document or having a ened more than once per day (even by different healers).

sample of the handwriting to be copied. Perfect Recovery: You can allow a character to regain hit

points in a single hour as if you had provided long-term

Gather Information care for a full week (2 or 3 hit points per level per day,

You can gather information without eliciting suspicion. based on activity). You can use perfect recovery on up to

six patients at a time. No character's recovery can be per-

Task Check Modifier fected more than once per day, nor can perfect recovery

Avoid suspicion –20 and quicken recovery both be used on the same patient in

Avoid Suspicion: By accepting a –20 penalty on your the same day (even by different healers).

Gather Information check, you can avoid any suspicions

that might otherwise be aroused by someone pursuing Hide

sensitive information. You can hide others as well as hiding yourself.

Task Check Modifier
Hide another –30

Hide Another: By accepting a –30 penalty on your Hide

check, you can hide another adjacent creature whose size
is no more than one category larger than your own. Mod-

ifiers to the check for the size of the creature still apply, as
do all other penalties, including those for moving faster

than half speed. Likewise, you can only hide another

41

creature when it is not under direct observation by a Special: You can use Listen to notice the presence of the
third party. The creature you hide remains hidden until it invisible creature, as discussed in the DUNGEON
is spotted or it takes some other action that breaks its con- MASTER's Guide (generally opposed by a Move Silently check). If you
cealment, as normal. beat the DC by 20 or more, you can pinpoint the location
of the invisible creature, though it still maintains total con-
Intimidate cealment from you (50% miss chance).
Intimidate does not possess an epic usage.
Special: The DC to intimidate any creature whose atti- Move Silently
tude is fanatic (see the Diplomacy skill description, Move Silently does not possess an epic usage.
above) is increased by +20.
CHAPTER 1: Open Lock
Intuit Direction You can open locks more quickly than normal.
CHARACTERS, Wherever you are, you can determine the direction to a
SKILLS & FEATS location on the same plane. Open lock as ... DC Modifier
Move-equivalent action +20
DC Familiarity with Location Free action +50
40 Very familiar
60 Studied carefully Perform
80 Seen casually You can sway an audience's attitude with your performance.
100 Viewed once
120 Description only Initial –––––––––––––––––––New Attitude –––––––––––––––––––

With a successful check, you know the direction to the Attitude Hos Unf Indif Friend Help Fanatic
desired location. This merely points you in the direction
of the location; it doesn't provide you with information Hostile Less than 40 40 45 55 70 170
on how to get there, nor does it take into account any
obstacles to your path. Unfriendly Less than 25 25 35 45 60 140

“Very familiar” represents a place where you have been Indifferent — Less than 21 21 35 50 110
very often and where you feel at home. “Studied care-
fully” represents a place you know well, either because Friendly — — Less than 21 21 40 80
you've been there often or you have used other means
(such as scrying) to study the place. “Seen casually” is a Helpful — — — Less than 21 21 70
place that you have viewed more than once, but which
you have not studied. “Viewed once” is a place that you Hos: hostile. Unf: unfriendly. Indif: indifferent. Friend: friendly.
have seen once, possibly using magic. “Description only”
is a place whose location and appearance you know Help: helpful.
through someone else's description.
Fanatic: In addition to the attitudes listed in the DUNGEON
Jump MASTER's Guide, the attitude of fanatic is added here. In
Jump does not possess an epic usage. addition to the obvious effects, any NPC whose attitude
Special: If you have the Legendary Leaper feat (or if is fanatic gains a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Con-
you're a monk), the distance of your jumps is not stitution scores, a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, and a –1
restricted by your height. penalty to AC whenever fighting for you or your cause.
This attitude will remain for one day plus one day per
Knowledge point of your Charisma bonus, at which point the NPC's
Knowledge does not possess an epic usage. attitude will revert to its original attitude (or indifferent,
if no attitude is specified).
Listen
You can pinpoint the location of an invisible creature, or Treat the fanatic attitude as a mind-affecting enchant-
detect an illusion with an auditory component. ment effect for purposes of immunity, save bonuses, or
being detected by the Sense Motive skill. Because it is
DC Task nonmagical, it can't be dispelled; however, any effect that
80 Defeat illusion with auditory component suppresses or counters mind-affecting effects (such as
calm emotions) will affect it normally. A fanatic's attitude
can't be further adjusted by the use of skills (that is, you
can't use Diplomacy to change a person's attitude from
fanatic to something else).

Attitude Means Possible Actions
Fanatic Will give life Fight to the death against
to serve you overwhelming odds, throw self
in front of onrushing dragon

Defeat Illusion: You can automatically detect any illu- Pick Pocket
sion with an auditory component for what it truly is. You can lift another's weapon and perform major feats
No Will save is required, and you don't have to interact of legerdemain.
with the illusion (but you must be able to hear its audi-
tory component).

42

DC Task Task DC
50 Lift a sheathed weapon from another creature and Learn scryer 50
Return scrying 70
hide it on your person, if the weapon is no more than Break scrying Opposed Scry check
one size category larger than your own size.
80 Make an adjacent, willing creature or object of your Learn Scryer: If you determine that you're being CHAPTER 1:
size or smaller "disappear" while in scried upon, you can attempt to learn the identity
plain view. In fact, the willing crea- of the being scrying upon you. If successful, you CHARACTERS,
ture or object is displaced SKILLS & FEATS
up to 10 feet away — make learn the name, race, and location of the scryer.
a separate Hide check to Return Scrying: If you determine that you're
determine how well the
"disappeared" creature being scried upon, you can attempt to look back
or object is hidden through the sensor at the scryer. This allows
you to spy on the scrying being as if you had
Profession cast a scrying spell upon that person. This
Profession does not pos- return scrying can be detected by your target
sess an epic usage. as normal.
Break Scrying: If you determine that
Read Lips DC Modifier you're being scried, you can make an
+20 opposed Scry check with the scryer. If you
Task are successful, the scrying ends,
Read lips while +20 and the scryer may not scry you
moving at up to again for a number of hours equal
full speed to your Intelligence modifier.
Pronounce
unfamiliar language

Pronounce Unfamiliar Search

language: This use of the You can sense the presence of

skill allows you to magic in an area.

“parrot” the speech of an Task DC
observed creature, potentially Sense magic 60
allowing a comrade to translate

the speech. It doesn't grant you Sense Magic: You sense the pres-

any ability to understand the lan- ence of any active magical effects in

guage spoken. the area being searched. This

might include an active spell, a

Ride magic trap, or even just a

You can stand upon your mount in magic item lying amid a pile

combat. of mundane items. You can't

DC Task determine the number,
40 Stand on mount strength, or type of the
50 Unconscious control effects.
60 Attack from cover

Sense Motive

Stand on Mount: This allows you to stand on your You can discern a target's alignment and even detect sur-

mount's back even during movement or combat. You take face thoughts.

no penalties to actions while doing so.

Unconscious Control: As a free action, you can attempt Task DC
to control a light horse, pony, or heavy horse while in Discern partial alignment 60
combat. If you fail, you control the mount as a move- Discern full alignment 80
equivalent action. You do not need to roll for warhorses Detect surface thoughts 100

or warponies.

Attack from Cover: You can react instantly to drop down

and hang alongside your mount, using it as one-half

cover. You can attack and cast spells while using your OPTIONAL RULE: OPPOSED SCRYING

mount as cover without penalty. If you fail, you don't get Rather than using the DCs presented here for learn scryer and

the cover benefit. return scrying, you can make all the tasks opposed Scry checks,

with a bonus applying to the check of the scrying character (+30

Scry to learn scryer, or +50 for return scrying). This makes success

You can tell who is scrying on you, prevent scrying, and extremely difficult, particularly against highly skilled scryers.

even scry back through the sensor created by the scryer.

43

Discern Partial Alignment: This use of the skill lets you The relevant DCs are reprinted here. If you beat the DC

discern one component of a target's alignment. When by 20 or more, you can pinpoint the location of the invis-

making the check, you state whether you are trying to ible creature, though it still maintains total concealment

discern the law-chaos or good-evil component. You can't from you (50% miss chance).

retry the check, and you can't use this to discern more Defeat Illusion: You can automatically detect any illusion

than one component of the alignment (but see below). with a visual component for what it truly is. No Will save

The target must be visible and within 30 feet of you. is required, and you don't have to interact with the illu-

Discern Full Alignment: This use of the skill lets you sion (but you must be able to see it).

determine both components of a target's alignment.

You can't retry the check. The target must be visible and Swim

CHAPTER 1: within 30 feet of you. You can swim up vertical surfaces, or swim much faster

CHARACTERS, Detect Surface Thoughts: This lets you read the surface than normal.
SKILLS & FEATS
thoughts of a single target (as the 3rd-round effect of the

detect thoughts spell). There is no saving throw to resist this DC Task
effect, though the target can use Bluff to disguise his sur- 80 Swim up waterfall

face thoughts (see the Bluff skill description), in which Swim up Waterfall: This use of the skill allows you to

case this becomes an opposed check (any result lower swim an angled or vertical surface, as long as you

than 100 automatically fails). The target must be visible remain completely or mostly immersed in water. Other

and within 30 feet of you. examples might include swimming up a whirlpool or

an incredibly large wave.

Spellcraft

You can identify properties of a magic item. Circumstance DC Modifier
Speed swimming –20

DC Task Speed Swimming: By taking a –20
50 + caster level Identify basic property of magic item penalty on the check, you can swim
70 + caster level Identify all properties of magic item your speed as a move-equivalent

Identify Basic Property of Magic item: This use of the skill action, or double your speed as a full-

requires one round of inspection, and functions round action.

exactly as if you had cast an identify spell on the

item. You can't attempt this on the same item Tumble

more than once. You can fall from great heights without

Identify All Properties of Magic Item: This taking damage, move greater distances

requires one minute of inspection, and with an adjustment, or “climb” vertical

reveals all properties of a single magic surfaces with a series of bounces.

item (including command words

and charges remaining). You can't DC Task
attempt this on the same item 30 Treat a fall as if it were 20 feet
more than once. If an item has dif-
ferent caster levels for different prop- shorter when determining damage
erties, use the highest caster level. 35 Free stand.
45 Treat a fall as if it were 30 feet
Spot
You can pinpoint the location of an invisible shorter when determining damage
creature, or detect an illusion with a 50 Climb vertical surface.
60 Treat a fall as if it were 40 feet

shorter when determining damage.
100 Ignore falling damage.

visual component. Free Stand: You can stand up from

prone as a free action (instead of as a

DC Task move-equivalent action).
20 Notice presence of active invisible Climb Vertical Surface: You can climb

creature up to 20 feet (as part of normal move-
30 Notice presence of unmoving, living ment) by jumping and bouncing oft
walls, trees, or similar vertical sur-
invisible creature faces. You must have at least two verti-
40 Notice presence of inanimate cal surfaces to bounce off, and the two
must be within 10 feet of each other.
invisible object
40 Notice presence of unmoving, Ignore Falling Damage: You can fall

unliving invisible creature
80 Defeat illusion

You can use Spot to notice the pres from any height and take no damage.

ence of an invisible creature, as dis- Special: A character with 25 or

cussed in the DUNGEON MASTER's Guide. more ranks in Tumble gains a +5

44

dodge bonus when executing the fight defensively stan- PSIONIC SKILLS
dard or full-round action, instead of a +2 bonus (or the
+3 bonus from having 5 or more ranks). Increase this If you have the Psionics Handbook, you also have access to
dodge bonus by +1 for every 10 additional ranks above the following skills. Refer to the skills discussion above
25 the character has (+6 at 35 ranks, +7 at 45 ranks, and for information on Concentration, Knowledge, Psicraft
so forth). (Spellcraft), Remote View (Scry), and Use Psionic Device
(Use Magic Device).
A character with 25 or more ranks in Tumble gains a
+10 dodge bonus to AC when executing the total Autohypnosis CHAPTER 1:
defense standard action, instead of a +4 bonus (or the You have trained your mind to ignore poison, resist
+6 bonus from having 5 or more ranks). Increase this mental influence, and convince your body that you are CHARACTERS,
dodge bonus by +2 for every 10 additional ranks above tougher than normal. SKILLS & FEATS
25 the character has (+12 at 35 ranks, +14 at 45 ranks,
and so forth). DC Task
Poison's When poisoned, you can make an Autohypnosis
Use Magic Device DC + 5 check on your next action. A successful check
Use Magic Device does not possess an epic usage. 50 indicates you do not have to make a saving
throw against the poison's secondary damage,
Use Rope 60 which you instead automatically ignore.
You can splice ropes together quickly, tie unique knots, If a failed saving throw indicates you are affected
and even animate a rope you hold. by any mind-affecting powers, spells, or spell-like
effects, a successful Autohypnosis check allows
Task DC an immediate second saving throw to resist the
Quick splicing 50 effect. If the mind-affecting effect normally does
Tie unique knot 60 not allow a saving throw (such as a power or
Animate held rope 80 spell delivered via a touch attack), a successful
Autohypnosis check allows a saving throw.
Quick Splicing: You can splice two ropes together as a With a successful Autohypnosis check, you
move-equivalent action. gain temporary hit points equal to 10 + your
Wisdom modifier. The temporary hit points
Tie Unique Knot: You can tie a knot that only you know persist until lost. You cannot check for temporary
how to untie. This doesn't affect any Escape Artist checks hit points more than once per day. Temporary
made to escape your bindings (since knots aren't the only hit points gained through Autohypnosis do not
part of bindings). stack with temporary hit points gained through
any other source
Animate Held Rope: You can command any rope you hold
as if it had the animate rope spell cast upon it (except that Stabilize Self
using the skill in this way doesn't grant any bonus on Use Mortal wounds are less lethal for you.
Rope checks made with the animated rope). Each com-
mand requires a separate Use Rope check. Because the DC Task
effect isn't magical, it can't be dispelled. 30 If reduced to negative hit points but not dead, make

Wilderness Lore a Stabilize Self check. If successful, you do not go
You can ignore the effects of terrain on movement and unconscious and can continue taking actions until
withstand even the harshest weather. If you are capable you bleed to death or stabilize (you can also
of tracking, you can identify the races of creatures continue making stabilization checks). If healed or
being tracked. stabilized, you continue to take actions normally.
60 On a successful Stabilize Self check, you gain
DC Task damage reduction 2/–. The damage reduction
40 Get along in the wild while moving at full speed. lasts for 12 hours. You cannot check for damage
reduction more than once per day. Damage reduction
You can provide food and water for one other gained through Stabilize Self does not stack with
person for every 2 points by which your check result damage reduction gained through any other source.
exceeds 40.
60 Automatically succeed on all Fortitude saves EPIC FEATS
against severe weather. You can extend this benefit
to one other character for every 2 points by which Casting spells with a glance. Firing arrows at opponents
your check result exceeds 60. standing at the horizon. Beheading opponents with your
60 Ignore overland movement penalties of terrain. You bare hands. Crafting mighty magic items of unsurpassed
and your mount can move at full overland speed power. Charming liches with the power of song.
regardless of terrain. You can extend this benefit to
one other character for every 5 points by which your This is the stuff of the epic feat.
check result exceeds 60. The epic character is largely defined by his selection of
60 Identify race/kind of creature(s) by tracks.* epic feats. Like the feat, the epic feat is a special feature
*Requires the Track feat. that either gives your character a new capability or
improves one he or she already has. However, the epic

45