Various Monsters

Clay Colossus

Revising Epic Feats

Weapons (Final Fantasy)

New Feats (and Spell System)

Crown Naga

Revising Salient Divine Abilities

Talos

Epic Tarrasque

King Ghidorah

Godzilla

Conversion Table 2: Divine Rank by HD/Levels

Conversion Table 1: Divine Rank by Comparisons

Revising Epic Feats (from the Epic Level Handbook)

UPDATE (September 17th 2005): Changed some of the revisions based on feedback, as well as to take into account the new idea that epic feats which only improve static abilities (those that do not ascend automatically with level), should only be as powerful as their non-epic counterparts. Epic feats that increase fluid abilities should be approximately double the power of non-epic feats.

The reason that fluid abilities require more of a boost at epic levels is because with far more modifiers in play, those abilities require a greater boost to have the same impact at epic levels.

eg. Saving Throws are fluid abilities. Therefore any epic feat that increases saving throws should be approximately double the power of any non-epic feat which improves saving throws. So Epic Fortitude (+4 Fortitude save bonus) should be (and is) double the power of Great Fortitude (+2 Fortitude save bonus).

eg. Initiative is a static ability. Therefore epic feats that increase Initiative should do so by the same amount as their non-epic counterparts. So Superior Initiative (+4 Initiative bonus) should be (and is) the same as the non-epic feat Improved Initiative.

If you can think of any other fluid or static modifiers let me know and I will add them to this list.

1. Armor Skin

Verdict: Overpowered.

Reason: The ability to increase armour class should be equal to the ability to increase attack bonus (in this case Epic Prowess).

Suggestion: Should bestow a +1 Natural Armour bonus.

2. Automatic Quicken Spell

Verdict: Unnecessary

Reason: See the New Feats (and Spell System).

Suggestion: Remove

3. Automatic Silent Spell

Verdict: Unnecessary

Reason: See the New Feats (and Spell System).

Suggestion: Remove

4. Automatic Still Spell

Verdict: Unnecessary

Reason: See the New Feats (and Spell System).

Suggestion: Remove

5. Bane of Enemies

Verdict: Minor Change.

Reason: Theres no joy in taking what could be a redundant feat (if for instance the character has a weapon with a similar property).

Suggestion: Make this +1d12 damage to the appropriate enemy, and let it stack with a Bane weapon or similar effects.

6. Chaotic Rage

Verdict: Minor change.

Reason: Theres no joy in taking what could be a redundant feat (if for instance the character has a weapon with a similar property).

Suggestion: Make this +1d8 damage to lawful opponents, and let it stack with an Anarchic weapon or similar effects.

7. Damage Reduction

Verdict: Minor change, slightly overpowered.

Reason: The ability to reduce damage should be equal to the ability to induce damage (in this case Epic Potency).

Suggestion: Damage Reduction 2/- (but stacks with other damage reduction)

8. Death of Enemies

Verdict: Be careful.

Reason: Something about this ability says to me its overpowered, but I can't put my finger on it, I'll do some more research on the matter. In many ways this could be a problem with saving throws in general at epic level, but this ability allows you to easily dismiss foes up to your level so its one that almost certainly needs some attention.

Suggestion: ?

9. Devastating Critical

Verdict: Be careful.

Reason: See Death of Enemies.

Suggestion: ?

10. Epic Dodge

Verdict: Absolute.

Reason: Infinite abilities are (for all intents and purposes) unbalanced, and lead to a 'one-upmanship' that is detrimental to the game.

Suggestion: Should grant a +4 Dodge bonus versus one opponent. This should overlap, not stack with, the Dodge bonus (which itself should be +2)

13. Epic Toughness

Verdict: Underpowered.

Reason: Becomes more and more unbalanced (and feeble) the higher in level you ascend.

Suggestion: Use the Improved Toughness feat (+1 hp/Hit Dice or Level) and allow it to stack.

15. Great Smiting

Verdict: Overpowered.

Reason: This feat can fast become overpowered if allowed to stack indefinately.

Suggestion: This can be taken once as an Epic Feat, once as a Divine Ability, once as a Cosmic Ability etc.

16. Holy Strike

Verdict: Minor Change

Reason: Theres no joy in taking what could be a redundant feat (if for instance the character has a weapon with a similar property).

Suggestion: Make this +1d8 damage to evil opponents, and let it stack with a Holy weapon or similar effects.

17. Improved Combat Reflexes

Verdict: Absolute.

Reason: Infinite abilities are (for all intents and purposes) unbalanced, and lead to a 'one-upmanship' that is detrimental to the game.

Suggestion: Technically this won't become a problem unless you are incorporating the (supernatural) ability to melee attack at distance.

18. Improved Heighten Spell

Verdict: Unnecessary

Reason: Other metamagic is allowed to increase a spell beyond 9th-level, so why not Heighten Spell.

Suggestion: Delete.

19. Improved Metamagic

Verdict: Unbalanced.

Reason: See the New Feats (and Spell System).

Suggestion: Delete.

20. Improved Spell Capacity

Verdict: Terrible.

Reason: See the New Feats (and Spell System).

Suggestion: Substitute with Automatic Metamagic Capacity.

21. Infinite Deflection

Verdict: Absolute (more a problem with deflection itself rather than infinite deflection).

Reason: Infinite abilities are (for all intents and purposes) unbalanced, and lead to a 'one-upmanship' that is detrimental to the game. This ability seems to make an opponent invincible against ranged attacks, regardless of the skill of the attacker.

Suggestion: Deflection should require some sort of roll, theres always the chance the defender might make a mistake. I'll have to do some more research on the matter.

22. Intensify Spell

Verdict: Unnecessary

Reason: See the New Feats (and Spell System).

Suggestion: Remove

23. Multispell

Verdict: Unnecessary.

Reason: See the New Feats (and Spell System).

Suggestion: Remove

24. Music of the Gods

Verdict: Absolute (however, technically it is the immunity to mind-affecting effects for certain creatures which is broken, not this feat).

Reason: Infinite abilities are (for all intents and purposes) unbalanced, and lead to a 'one-upmanship 'that is detrimental to the game.

Suggestion: Unnecessary if you remove the absolute of immunity to mind-affecting effects (something that should probably be a bonus rather than an immunity).

25. Overwhelming Critical

Verdict: Minor Change.

Reason: This seems a much cleaner mechanic to me, and given that the extra damage from Overwhelming Critical is meant to increase based on the weapons critical multiplier theres really no reason not to just increase the critical multiplier in the first place.

Suggestion: See the discussion of critical hits here.

26. Perfect Health

Verdict: Minor Change.

Reason: Should probably offer a flat Fortitude save against Disease and Poison.

Suggestion: This feat bestows a +10 save versus all Diseases and Poisons.

27. Perfect Multi-weapon Fighting

Verdict: Broken.

Reason: Does not treat multiple limbs as it does two limbs. Benefits multi-limbed beings far too much.

Suggestion: Every additional arm/limb should require one feat for every additional iterative attack.

eg. For a Marilith (six arms) to gain four attacks with each arm would require 15 feats (improved multi-weapon fighting, superior multi-weapon fighting and perfect multi-weapon fighting for each of its 5 additional arms).

29. Righteous Strike

Verdict: Minor Change.

Reason: Theres no joy in taking what could be a redundant feat (if for instance the character has a weapon with a similar property).

Suggestion: Make this +1d8 damage to chaotic aligned opponents, and let it stack with an Axiomatic weapon or similar effect.

31. Thundering Rage

Verdict: Minor Change.

Reason: Theres no joy in taking what could be a redundant feat (if for instance the character has a weapon with a similar property).

Suggestion: Make this +1d6 electrical damage, and let it stack with a Thundering weapon or similar effect.

33. Unholy Strike

Verdict: Minor Change.

Reason: Theres no joy in taking what could be a redundant feat (if for instance the character has a weapon with a similar property).

Suggestion: Make this +1d8 damage to good aligned opponents, and let it stack with an Unholy weapon or similar effect.

34. Vorpal Strike

Verdict: Absolute.

Reason: Even with the high prerequisites, you cannot justify this amount of power from a single feat, even an epic one.

Suggestion: See the revised Vorpal effect here.