Epic Level Handbook

TABLE 3–9: EPIC EXPERIENCE POINT AWARDS (SINGLE MONSTER)

Party –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Challenge Rating ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Level CR 14 CR 15 CR 16 CR 17 CR 18 CR 19 CR 20 CR 21 CR 22 CR 23 CR 24 CR 25 CR 26 CR 27

21st 525 788 1,050 1,575 2,100 3,150 4,200 6,300 8,400 12,600 16,800 25,200 33,600 50,400

22nd * 550 825 1,100 1,650 2,200 3,300 4,400 6,600 8,800 13,200 17,600 26,400 35,200

23rd * * 575 863 1,150 1,725 2,300 3,450 4,600 6,900 9,200 13,800 18,400 27,600

24th * * * 600 900 1,200 1,800 2,400 3,600 4,800 7,200 9,600 14,400 19,200

25th * * * * 625 938 1,250 1,875 2,500 3,750 5,000 7,500 10,000 15,000

26th * * * * * 650 975 1,300 1,950 2,600 3,900 5,200 7,800 10,400

27th * * * * * * 675 1,013 1,350 2,025 2,700 4,050 5,400 8,100

28th * * * * * * * 700 1,050 1,400 2,100 2,800 4,200 5,600

29th * * * * * * * * 725 1,088 1,450 2,175 2,900 4,350 CHAPTER 3:

30th * * * * * * * * * 750 1,125 1,500 2,250 3,000 RUNNING AN
EPIC GAME
31st * * * * * * * * * * 775 1,163 1,550 2,325

32nd * * * * * * * * * * * 800 1,200 1,600

33rd * * * * * * * * * * * * 825 1,238

34th * * * * * * * * * * * * * 850

35th * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

36th * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

37th * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

38th * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

39th * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

40th * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Party –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Challenge Rating ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Level
21st CR 28 CR 29 CR 30 CR 31 CR 32 CR 33 CR 34 CR 35 CR 36 CR 37 CR 38 CR 39 CR 40
22nd
23rd 67,200 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
24th
25th 52,800 70,400 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
26th
27th 36,800 55,200 73,600 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
28th
29th 28,800 38,400 57,600 76,800 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
30th
31st 20,000 30,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
32nd
33rd 15,600 20,800 31,200 41,600 62,400 83,200 ** ** ** ** ** ** **
34th
35th 10,800 16,200 21,600 32,400 43,200 64,800 86,400 ** ** ** ** ** **
36th
37th 8,400 11,200 16,800 22,400 33,600 44,800 67,200 89,600 ** ** ** ** **
38th
39th 5,800 8,700 11,600 17,400 23,200 34,800 46,400 69,600 92,800 ** ** ** **
40th
4,500 6,000 9,000 12,000 18,000 24,000 36,000 48,000 72,000 96,000 ** ** **

3,100 4,650 6,200 9,300 12,400 18,600 24,800 37,200 49,600 74,400 99,200 ** **

2,400 3,200 4,800 6,400 9,600 12,800 19,200 25,600 38,400 51,200 76,800 102,400 **

1,650 2,475 3,300 4,950 6,600 9,900 13,200 19,800 26,400 39,600 52,800 79,200 105,600

1,275 1,700 2,550 3,400 5,100 6,800 10,200 13,600 20,400 27,200 40,800 54,400 81,600

875 1,313 1,750 2,625 3,500 5,250 7,000 10,500 14,000 21,000 28,000 42,000 56,000

* 900 1,350 1,800 2,700 3,600 5,400 7,200 10,800 14,400 21,600 28,800 43,200

* * 925 1,388 1,850 2,775 3,700 5,500 7,400 11,100 14,800 22,200 29,600

* * * 950 1,425 1,900 2,850 3,800 5,700 7,600 11,400 15,200 22,800

* * * * 975 1,463 1,950 2,925 3,900 5,850 7,800 11,700 15,600

* * * * * 1,000 1,500 2,000 3,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 12,000

*The table doesn’t support XP for monsters that individually are eight Challenge Ratings lower than the party level, since an encounter
with multiple weak creatures is hard to measure. See Assigning Ad Hoc XP Awards in Chapter 7 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide.
**The table doesn’t support awards for encounters eight or more Challenge Ratings above the party’s level. If the party is taking on
challenges that far above their level, something strange is going on, and the DM needs to think carefully about the awards rather
than just taking them off a table. See Assigning Ad Hoc XP Awards in Chapter 7 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide.

use the following formulas to determine the appropriate For example, a CR 42 monster is worth 12,600 XP (42 ×

experience point award. 300) to a group of 42nd-level characters. The same monster

• If the Challenge Rating is equal to the patty level, the would be worth 16,400 XP (41 × 400) to a group of 41st-

experience point award is 300 × the party level. If level characters, but only 8,600 XP (43 × 200) to a group of

the Challenge Rating is equal to the party level + 1, the 43rd-level characters. It would be worth 24,000 XP (40 ×

experience point award is 400 × the party level. If 300 × 2) to a group of 40th-level characters, but only 6,600

the Challenge Rating is equal to the party level –1, the XP (44 × 300 × 1/2) to a group of 44th-level characters.

experience point award is 200 × the party level.

• For every 2 points the Challenge Rating increases TREASURE

(such as from CR 42 to CR 44), multiply the experience At higher levels, coins and goods make up less of an aver-

point award by 2. Likewise, for every 2 points the age treasure hoard’s value, while the relative value of the

Challenge Rating decreases (such as from CR 44 to CR magic items in a treasure hoard increases dramatically.

42), multiply the experience point award by 1/2. The DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide provides a guide for adding

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magic items to the EL 20 treasure hoard to determine TABLE 3–10: EPIC TREASURE VALUES PER ENCOUNTER

treasures above 20th level, but this doesn’t take epic EL Average Treasure Value EL Average Treasure Value

magic items into account. Because the wide range of epic 21 87,000 gp 31 227,000 gp

magic item values can swing the value of a treasure hoard 22 96,000 gp 32 249,000 gp
by hundreds of thousands of gold pieces (or more), rely- 23 106,000 gp 33 274,000 gp
ing on random generation is troublesome. A single 24 116,000 gp 34 302,000 gp
unusual result can affect campaign balance. 25 128,000 gp 35 332,000 gp
26 141,000 gp 36 365,000 gp
For this reason, you will probably want to determine 27 155,000 gp 37 401,000 gp

epic treasures using at least some nonrandom factors. 28 170,000 gp 38 442,000 gp

CHAPTER 3: Table 3–10: Epic Treasure Values per Encounter indicates 29 187,000 gp 39 486,000 gp
the average value of a treasure based on the Encounter 30 206,000 gp 40 534,000 gp
RUNNING AN
EPIC GAME Level. You can either choose specific portions of this trea- assignment to a post in a deity’s power structure, a demi-

sure yourself, or you can use the 20th-level treasure list- plane or plane of one’s own, or even divine ascension

ing in the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide and supplement it itself. And of course, the ultimate sign that one’s charac-

with major and/or epic magic items to bring the overall ter has truly become epic is to hear stories—epics in the

value up to the average value given on Table 3–10. literal sense—told about your exploits.

For example, if you need to generate an EL 25 treasure Beware Artifacts: While an artifact can make a fine

(average value 128,000 gp), you could assign set amounts goal for an adventure or even a reward for a job well done,

of various coins and goods and add a few magic items to you probably shouldn’t use artifacts (either minor or

round it out. Alternatively, you could generate treasure major) as random elements of a treasure hoard. Artifacts

according to the 20th-level line on Table 7–2 in the DUN- are special cre-

GEON MASTER’s Guide (which would yield approximately ations that

80,000 gp) and add about 48,000 gp of epic treasure. shouldn’t

If you want to control the gain of wealth in your cam- be left lying

paign, keep the average treasure value over the long run around.

of encounters at or near the numbers on Table 3–10. If

you provide significantly more or less treasure per

encounter, be prepared to adjust your cam-

paign for adventurers who have much more

(or much less) gear.

Alternative Treasures
In addition to the coins, gems, art,
mundane gear, and magic items
that make up most treasure
hoards, there are many other
“treasures” that epic characters
can gain. Land, strongholds,
titles of nobility, and reputation
are all good rewards for epic
and nonepic characters alike.
But epic characters are likely to have even
greater desires. Appropriate options might
include artifacts, divine favors, newly granted powers,

BEHIND THE CURTAIN: EPIC TREASURE VALUES Above 20th level, treasure accumulates at a slower rate.
While treasures throughout most of the characters’ careers
The supplementary magic items suggested by the DUNGEON have increased by about 30% per Encounter Level, that rate
MASTER’s Guide don’t match the treasure values given here. For can’t be sustained indefinitely. If the 30% rate continues, char-
example, the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide suggests that a 21st- acters would quickly gain so much wealth that the economies
level treasure should be just like a 20th-level treasure (average of entire worlds wouldn’t be enough to supply them. Instead,
value 80,000 gp) plus one major magic item (average value at epic levels treasure values increase by approximately 10%
40,000 gp). This would suggest that the average 21st-level trea- per Encounter Level. This allows characters to gain significant
sure should be worth 120,000 gp, yet Table 3–10 shows it to be amounts of wealth each level while preventing each character
only 87,000 gp. from having his own moon-sized chunk of platinum.

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The DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide establishes three • Mimics a spell of an effective level higher than EPIC MAGIC ITEMS CHAPTER FOUR
basic categories of magic items, based on their 9th.
power (and market price): minor magic items,
medium magic items, and major magic items. To • Has a caster level above 20th.
that list this book adds a fourth category: the epic • Has a market price above 200,000 gp, not includ-
magic item. While not truly an artifact, the epic magic
item is a creation of such power that it surpasses the ing material costs for armor or Weapons, mate-
other items described in Chapter 8 of the DUNGEON rial component- or experience point-based costs,
MASTER’s Guide. or additional value for intelligent items.

Epic magic items are objects of great power and value. An epic magic item that grants a bonus beyond
The following are typical characteristics of an epic those allowed in the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide has
magic item. In general, an item, with even one of these a higher market price than indicated by the for-
characteristics is an epic magic item. mulas in the core rulebooks. See Creating Epic
Magic Items, below, for more information.
• Grants a bonus on attacks or damage greater than +5.
• Grants an enhancement bonus to armor higher Epic magic items are not artifacts. They are
not unique, though they are certainly very
than +5. rare, and anyone with the proper item creation
• Has a special ability with a market price modifier feats can build them (see Chapter 1: Charac-
ters, Skills, and Feats).
greater than +5.
• Grants an armor bonus of greater than +10 (not includ- Even an epic magic item can never grant a
dodge bonus, and remember that the maxi-
ing magic armor’s enhancement bonus). mum inherent bonus you can apply to an
• Grants a natural armor, deflection, or resistance bonus ability score is +5. You can’t create an epic
magic item that uses or mimics an epic spell
greater than +5. (see Chapter 2: Epic Spells), because these
• Grants an enhancement bonus to an ability score spells are simply too powerful to hold within a
mortal-created item. A major artifact might
greater than +6. be able to mimic such a spell, however.
• Grants an enhancement bonus on a skill check

greater than +30.

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strength (+6) costs 1,000 × (6 × 6), or 36,000 gp. How-

CREATING EPIC ever, a similar epic belt that granted a +8 enhancement
MAGIC ITEMS bonus to Strength would cost 1,000 × (8 × 8) × 10, or
The process of creating an epic magic item is very similar 640,000 gp.

to creating a nonepic magic item. However, certain A belt that granted a +8 enhancement bonus to

important differences exist, as detailed in this section. Strength and a +6 enhancement bonus to Constitution,

would cost 640,000 gp for the Strength enhancement

CASTER LEVEL (as calculated above), plus 72,000 gp for the Constitu-

Thanks to metamagic feats and the Improved Spell tion enhancement (doubled from 36,000 gp because it’s

Capacity feat, spells with an effective level of 10th or a second, dissimilar power), for a total of 712,000 gp,

CHAPTER 4: higher are possible in epic games. Because these spell Only multiply the epic quality of the item by 10; the

EPIC MAGIC slots aren’t automatically gained at a particular level nonepic quality (the Constitution enhancement)
ITEMS
like 0- to 9th-level spells are, they don’t have a mini- remains the same.

mum caster level. For this reason, the minimum caster Of course, if you determine the market price for a

level for any spell of 10th level or higher is set at 11 + new epic magic item by comparing it to other epic

spell level. magic items in this book, you don’t need to multiply

For example, a magic item that casts a 10th-level spell the new cost by 10. It’s already been done for the exist-

must have a caster level of at least 21st, while a 17th-level ing epic magic items.

spell would have a minimum caster level of 28th.

PREREQUISITES EXPERIENCE POINT COST

The experience point cost to create an epic magic item

In addition to the materials and tools noted in Chapter 8: is determined differently than for a normal magic item.

Magic Items in the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide, any epic For all epic magic items other than scrolls, divide the

magic item requires at least two item creation feats: the market price by 100, then add 10,000 XP to the result.

epic and nonepic version. For instance, an epic staff The final number is the experience point cost to create

requires the creator to have both Craft Staff and Craft the item.

Epic Staff. For epic scrolls, divide the market price by 25 (as

normal for creating a nonepic scroll), then add 1,000 XP

MARKET PRICE to the result. The final number is the experience point

Use the guidelines in the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide to cost to create the epic scroll.

determine the market price of an epic magic item, with Example: A ring of epic protection +10 has a market price

one addition: If your item gives a bonus beyond the of 2,000,000 gp. The experience point cost to create this

limit allowed in the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide, multiply item would be 2,000,000 ÷ 100 (which is 20,000 XP) +

the portion of the market price derived from that charac- 10,000 XP, for a total of 30,000 XP.

teristic by 10. Some epic characteristics, such as caster Example: An epic scroll with a 10th-level spell on it,

level, don’t trigger this multiplier. such as a quickened antimagic field, has a market price of

For example, an ability-boosting item (such as a belt of 5,250 gp. The experience point cost to create this scroll

giant strength) normally costs a number of gold pieces would be 5,250 ÷ 25 (which is 210 XP) + 1,000 XP, for a

equal to the bonus squared × 1,000. Thus, a belt of giant total of 1,210 XP.

PSIONIC ITEMS value (and thus the gold piece cost to create the item) places
epic magic items above the reach of most (if not all) nonepic
Keep in mind that many of the items presented in this chapter characters. If a belt of epic strength that granted a +8 enhance-
may potentially be reworked as psionic items. For instance, the ment bonus cost only 64,000 gp, then it would be a common
bonuses conferred by weapons and armor, the resistances of possession of most high-level fighters. Because D&D adven-
rings, and the ability boosts of various items can just as easily tures weren’t designed for magic items more powerful than
be conferred by psionic items as magic items, with a market those in the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide, these items must be
value equal to the magical equivalent. priced beyond the easy reach of nonepic characters.

Magic items that grant extra spells are trickier to rework; for Conversely, the experience point cost to create an epic
that reason, the ring of epic psionics has its own description in magic item would rapidly outstrip the ability of any character
this chapter. Use that item as a guideline for building your own to create it if epic items used the same system of experience
items that grant extra powers. point costs. The revised system sets even the most basic
epic item as significantly more costly than any nonepic item,
BEHIND THE CURTAIN: EPIC MAGIC ITEM COSTS but the costs increase at a slower rate than for nonepic
items. This allows characters to strive to create more power-
The gold piece cost to create an epic magic item doesn’t ful items.
follow the normal rules for creating magic items as given in
the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide. The multiplier on the market

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