Epic Level Handbook

CHAPTER 2:

EPIC SPELLS

A hellball is a massive blast of energy that detonates with a to reaching the 150-point limit, the spell automatically

thundering roar. It deals 10d6 points of acid damage, discharges, dealing the 150 points of damage to you.

10d6 points of fire damage, 10d6 points of electricity You keep track of the number of points of damage

damage, and 10d6 points of sonic damage to all creatures you’ve absorbed (you don’t have to keep track of the type

within the area. Unattended objects also take this of damage). At any time during the spell’s duration, you

damage. The spell is barely controlled, and you take 10d6 can make a touch attack against another creature or

points of damage as you release it (in addition to burning object. If successful, you deal the target some or all (your

400 XP). choice) of the points of damage you’ve stored. The

You point your finger and determine the range (dis- damage delivered is considered bludgeoning damage.

tance and height) at which the hellball is to detonate. A You can absorb and discharge damage any number of

sun-bright, fist-sized globe of strobing energy streaks times during the spell’s duration, so long as you don’t

forth and, unless it impacts a material body or solid bar- absorb more than 150 points at a time. When the spell

rier prior to attaining the indicated range, blossoms into expires, any stored damage you have not redirected is dis-

an effect described by the rare survivor as “hell on earth.” charged into you.

XP Cost: 400 XP.

Let Go of Me

Kinetic Control Transmutation

Abjuration Spellcraft DC: 43

Spellcraft DC: 103 Components: None

Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 free action

Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Touch (see text)

Range: Personal; touch Target: One creature or force grappling you

Target: You; creature or object touched Duration: Instantaneous

Duration: 12 hours or until discharged Saving Throw: Fortitude half

To Develop: 927,000 gp; 19 days; 37,080 XP. Seeds: ward Spell Resistance: Yes

(5 points against bludgeoning and piercing) (DC 14), To Develop: 387,000 gp; 8 days; 15,480 XP. Seed: destroy (DC

reflect (DC 27). Factors: also against slashing (+4 DC), 29). Factors: quickened (+28 DC), no verbal or somatic

additional 15 points of protection (+30 DC), contingent components (+4 DC). Mitigating factors: limited cir-

reflection of damage on creature touched (+28 DC). cumstance (ad hoc –8 DC), 10d6 backlash (–10 DC).

Once you’ve cast this spell, you can absorb, store, and You radiate destruction, dealing 20d6 points of damage to
redirect the energy contained in the swing of a club, the any creature grappling you. The damage dealt is of no par-
slash of a sword, or the piercing flight of an arrow. You ticular type or energy—it is a purely destructive impulse,
absorb 20 points of each separate slashing, bludgeoning, if grappled by a magical force, such as Bigby’s grasping hand
and piercing attack made against you, saving it for later. or Bigby’s crushing hand, the force is automatically destroyed.
You can absorb up to 150 points of damage in this fash- Being grappled is dangerous for most spellcasters, so few
ion; however, if the stored damage is not discharged prior mind taking 10d6 points of backlash damage.

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Living Lightning To Develop: 450,000 gp; 9 days; 18,000 XP. Seed: summon

Evocation [Electricity] (DC 14). Factors: summon CR 31 creature (+58 DC),

Spellcraft DC: 140 allow creature to possess body and act at its own discre-

Components: None tion (ad hoc –20 DC), 1-action casting time (+20 DC).

Casting Time: 1 action Mitigating factors: 12d6 backlash (–12 DC), burn 1,000

Range: 300 ft. or 150 ft. XP (–10 DC).

Area: A bolt 5 ft. wide by 300 ft. long, or 10 ft. wide by

150 ft. long You are possessed by a creature of nightmare—a dream

Duration: Instantaneous larva (see Chapter 5: Monsters). For 20 rounds, the dream

Saving Throw: Reflex half larva’s body physically replaces yours, though the dream

CHAPTER 2: Spell Resistance: Yes larva has your equipment. The dream larva is free to call

EPIC SPELLS To Develop: 1,260,000 gp; 26 days; 50,400 XP. Seeds: life on all its own powers and abilities, or use your equip-

(DC 27), energy (DC 19). Factors: 1-action casting time ment. Your consciousness and physical form are sup-

(+20 DC), no verbal or somatic components (+4 DC), pressed for the duration of the possession. You have no

giving life to a spell (ad hoc ×2 DC). way to dismiss the spell, communicate, or otherwise

maintain awareness once possession has commenced.

You develop a spell that you can cast; thereafter, the spell The dream larva, temporarily freed from its imprison-

can effectively “cast itself.” When you cast the spell, a ment in some distant nightmare, will attempt to slay and

stroke of energy deals 10d6 points of electricity damage incapacitate any creature it can see or find, whether it is a

to each creature within the spell’s area. Living lightning fol- friend or foe of the caster. Casting lord of nightmares entails

lows all the standard rules for epic spell casting when you some risk for the caster, since it’s unknown what terrible

cast it. mischief a dream larva might get up to over the course of

Living lightning is sentient and generally friendly 20 rounds. The larva will dispatch all enemies it can find

toward you. It has your mental ability scores, but it has no before turning to its own concerns.

physical ability scores. It senses the world through your Sometimes a dream larva will attempt to place itself in

senses and communicates with you by thought. As a self- a dangerous or precarious situation prior to the end of the

triggering spell, it isn’t truly alive but is a fragment of spell, leaving the caster to extricate himself.

your personality. It cares little for the world around it, but If the dream larva is slain during the duration of the

at your urging (and sometimes at its own discretion) it spell, your consciousness is instantly restored to aware

casts itself at your foes. Casters who prepare spells before ness within your own body. Your condition remains what

casting must prepare living lightning normally in order for it was when you completed casting lord of nightmare,

it to cast itself. regardless of what damage the dream larva received.

When the spell casts itself, it acts on your initiative but However, magic item charges used, potions consumed,

does not count against your own actions in the round. and other physical resources used up by the dream larva

Assuming you had enough epic spell slots for the day, are permanent.

you could be simultaneously taking another action, XP Cost: 1,000 XP.

including casting another epic spell or nonepic spell.

You cannot simultaneously cast living lightning while it is Mass Frog

casting its own effect, even if it has been prepared more Transmutation

than once. Spellcraft DC: 55

Living lightning uses up one of your epic spell slots for Components: V, S

the day whenever it casts itself. When you’ve used up all Casting Time: 1 action

your epic spell slots for the day (or you’ve cast all your Range: 300 ft.

prepared living lightning spells, if you are a caster who Area: 40-ft.-radius hemisphere

must prepare spells), living lightning becomes quiescent. It Duration: Permanent

remains so until you’ve rested to regain your epic spell Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

slots for the next day. Spell Resistance: Yes

To Develop: 495,000 gp; 10 days; 19,800 XP. Seed: trans-

Lord of Nightmares form (DC 21). Factors: change target to area of 20-ft.

Conjuration (Summoning) hemisphere (+10 DC), increase area by 100% (+4 DC), 1-

Spellcraft DC: 50 action casting time (+20 DC).

Components: V, S, XP

Casting Time: 1 action Culled from the repertoire of the legendary wizard Miko,

Range: 75 ft. this epic spell turns all Medium-size or smaller creatures

Effect: One summoned creature in the area into frogs. The transformed creatures retain

Duration: 20 rounds their mental faculties, including personality, Intelligence,

Saving Throw: None Wisdom, and Charisma scores, level and class, hit points

Spell Resistance: No (despite any change in Constitution score), alignment,

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base attack bonus, base save bonuses, extraordinary abili- Mummy, Advanced: CR 6; Large undead; HD 18d12+3; hp

ties, spells, and spell-like abilities, but not supernatural 120; Init –2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 7, flat-footed 17; Atk

abilities. They assume the physical characteristics of +17 melee (1d8+8, slam); Face/Reach 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.; SA

frogs, including natural size and Strength, Dexterity, and Despair, mummy rot; SQ Undead traits, resistant to blows,

Constitution scores. (Use the statistics for the toad as DR 5/+1, fire vulnerability; AL LE; SV Fort +8, Ref +4, Will

given in the Monster Manual.) All the creatures’ equip- +13; Str 25, Dex 6, Con —, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 15.

ment drops to the ground upon transformation. Skills and Feats: Hide +9, Listen +15, Move Silently +13,

Spot +15; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Power

Momento Mori Attack, Weapon Focus (slam).

Necromancy [Death] Despair (Su): At the sight of a mummy, the viewer must

Spellcraft DC: 86 succeed at a Will save (DC 21), or be paralyzed with fear for CHAPTER 2:

Components: None 1d4 rounds. Whether or not the save is successful, that crea- EPIC SPELLS

Casting Time: 1 quickened action ture cannot be affected again by that mummy’s despair abil-

Range: 300 ft. ity for one day.

Target: One living creature Mummy Rot (Su): Supernatural disease—slam, For-

Duration: Instantaneous titude save (DC 20), incubation period 1 day; damage

Saving Throw: Fortitude partial (see text) 1d6 temporary Constitution. Unlike normal diseases,

Spell Resistance: Yes mummy rot continues until the victim reaches Consti-

To Develop: 774,000 gp; 16 days; 30,960 XP. Seed: slay tution 0 (and dies) or receives a remove disease spell or

(DC 25). Factor: increase to 160 HD (+8 DC), quick- similar magic (see Disease in Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON

ened (+28 DC), no verbal or somatic components (+4 MASTER’s Guide).

DC), +10 to DC of subject’s save (+20 DC). An afflicted creature that dies shrivels away into sand

and dust that blow away into nothing at the first wind

Your passing thought connotes death for the target. As a unless both remove disease and raise dead are cast on the

free action that counts as a quickened spell, you will the remains within 6 rounds.

target dead without a word or gesture. Your bloodthirsty Undead Traits: Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis,

wish snuffs out the life force of a living creature of 160 or stunning, disease, death, effects, necromantic effects,

fewer HD, killing it instantly. The subject is entitled to a mind-affecting effects, and any effect requiring a Forti-

Fortitude saving throw (DC 30 + relevant ability modifier) tude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject to

to have a chance of surviving the attack. If the save is suc- critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability

cessful, the target instead takes 3d6+20 points of damage. drain, or energy drain. Negative energy heals. Not at risk

of death from massive damage, but destroyed at 0 hit

Mummy Dust points or less. Darkvision 60 ft. Cannot be raised; resur-

Necromancy [Evil] rection works only if creature is willing.

Spellcraft DC: 35 Resistant to Blows (Ex): Physical attacks deal only

Components: V, S, M, XP half damage to mummies. Apply this effect before

Casting Time: 1 action damage reduction.

Range: Touch Fire Vulnerability (Ex): A mummy takes double

Effect: Two 18-HD mummies damage from fire attacks unless a save is allowed for half

Duration: Instantaneous damage. A successful save halves the damage and a failure

Saving Throw: None doubles it.

Spell Resistance: No

To Develop: 315,000 gp; 7 days; 12,600 XP. Seed: animate Nailed to the Sky

(DC 23). Factors: 16-HD undead (+16 DC), 1-action Transmutation [Teleportation]

casting time (+20 DC). Mitigating factors: burn 2,000 Spellcraft DC: 62

XP (–20 DC), expensive material component (ad hoc Components: V, S, XP

–4 DC). Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 300 ft.

When you sprinkle the dust of ground mummies in con- Target: Creature or object weighing up to 1,000 lb.

junction with casting mummy dust, two Large 18-HD Duration: Instantaneous

mummies (see below) spring up from the dust in an area Saving Throw: Will negates

adjacent to you. The mummies follow your every com- Spell Resistance: Yes

mand according to their abilities, until they are destroyed To Develop: 558,000 gp; 12 days; 22,320 XP. Seeds: foresee

or you lose control of them by attempting to control (to preview endpoint of teleportation) (DC 17), trans-

more Hit Dice of undead than you have caster levels. port (DC 27). Factors: unwilling target (+4 DC), increase

Material Component: Specially prepared mummy dust range from touch (+4 DC), 1-action casting time (+20

(10,000 gp). DC). Mitigating factor: burn 1,000 XP (–10 DC).

XP Cost: 2,000 XP.

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Your spell fixes the target to the heavens. Nailed to the sky actually To Develop: 243,000 gp; 5 days; 9,720 XP. Seed: reflect

places the target so far from the surface of the world and at such (DC 27).

a speed that it keeps missing the surface as it falls back, so it

enters an eternal orbit. Unless the target can magically fly or Ranged attacks targeted against you rebound on the

has some other form of non-physical propulsion available, the original attacker. Any time during the duration, five

target is stuck until someone else rescues it. Even if the target can attacks are automatically reflected back on the original

fly, the surface is 2 to 4 hours away, assuming a fly spell, which attacker; you decide which attacks before damage is

allows a maximum speed of 720 feet per round while descending. rolled. The reflected attack rebounds on the attacker

The target may not survive that long. using the same attack roll. Once five attacks are so

Depending on the world where nailed to the sky is cast, reflected, the spell ends.

CHAPTER 2: conditions so far from its surface may be deadly. Deleterious

EPIC SPELLS effects include scorching heat, cold, and vacuum. Targets sub- Pestilence (Ritual)

ject to these conditions take 2d6 points of damage each from heat Conjuration, Necromancy

or cold and 1d4 points of damage from the vacuum each round. Spellcraft DC: 104

The target immediately begins to suffocate (see the Suffocation Components: V, S, Ritual, XP

sidebar in Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide). Casting Time: 10 minutes

XP Cost: 1,000 XP. Range: 0 ft.

Area: 1,000-ft.-radius hemisphere

Origin of Species: Achaierai (Ritual) Duration: Instantaneous

Conjuration (Creation, Healing) Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spellcraft DC: 38 Spell Resistance: Yes

Components: V, S, DF, Ritual, XP To Develop: 936,000 gp; 19 days; 37,440 XP. Seed: afflict

Casting Time: 100 days, 11 minutes (DC 19). Factors: change target to area (+10 DC),

Range: 0 ft. change 20-ft. radius to 1,000-ft. radius (+200 DC), dis-

Effect: One constructed creature up to Medium-size (20 ease effects (as per contagion spell) (ad hoc +21 DC),

cu. ft.) additional target type (plants) (+10 DC). Mitigating fac-

Duration: Permanent tors: casting time increased by 9 minutes (–18 DC), two

Saving Throw: None additional casters contributing epic spell slots (–38

Spell Resistance: No DC), burn 10,000 XP (–100 DC).

To Develop: 360,000 gp; 8 days; 14,400 XP. Seeds: conjure (DC

21), life (DC 27), fortify (DC 17). Factors: +4 HD (5 hp per HD) When pestilence is successfully cast, a wave of illness radi-

(+20 DC), +6 to natural AC (+12 DC), add three more natural ates outward from the site of the ritual, instantly infect-

attacks (ad hoc +6 DC), add black cloud spell-like ability ing every living thing in the area with the debilitating

(+33 DC), add SR 19 (+15 DC), permanent (×5 DC). Mitigating disease known as slimy doom. Within 24 hours, every-

factors: 50d6 backlash (–50 DC), increase casting time by 10 thing in the area begins to show signs of rot and decay,

minutes (–20 DC), increase casting time by 100 days (–200 plants liquefy and yellow, drooping to the ground as they

DC), burn 10,000 XP (–105 DC), eleven additional casters begin to dissolve. Animals and people are consumed

contributing 9th-level spell slots (–187 DC), ten additional from within by the disease, initially bleeding from the

casters contributing 8th-level spell slots (–150 DC), ten gums, eyes, nose, and other soft tissue, and eventually

additional casters contributing 1st-level spell slots (–10 DC). exhibiting ghastly, purple blotches. The disease culmi-

nates in open, scabrous wounds over the entirety of the

Copied from the repertoire of a fiendish epic caster from victims’ bodies. The entire region afflicted by this

Acheron, this spell literally creates a new creature: an achaierai, horrid disease is quickly engulfed in fetid stenches and

as it appears in the Monster Manual. When first created, the overrun by flies and maggots, adding further discomfort

achaierai is Medium-size, but it grows to Large size in 1d4 days. to the victims.

A created achaierai does not possess the treasure, culture, or Each day that a victim fails a Fortitude save, it takes

specific knowledge of a normal achaierai. If released to be among 1d4 points of temporary Constitution damage. If the

its own kind, it quickly picks up achaierai traits and alignment. victim then fails a second save, 1 point of that damage is

XP Cost: 10,000 XP. permanent drain. If the victim succeeds at the first

saving throw of the day on consecutive days, he has

Peripety recovered from the disease. This magical form of the dis-

Abjuration ease is not contagious and will not spread beyond those

Spellcraft DC: 27 initially infected.

Components: V, S This potent and terrible ritual might be perpetrated upon a

Casting Time: 1 minute small rural farming community, spreading in every direction

Range: Personal and afflicting crops, orchards, farm animals and residents alike in

Target: You devastating fashion. Or it could be cast in the middle of a bustling

Duration: 12 hours metropolis, infecting commoners and nobility alike. Fruits and

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