Epic Level Handbook

Remove all ads!

Well the Epic Level Handbook is only a few months away. There is a FAQ about it over at the WotC website http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/er/er20020210a , but the question is what would you like to see in this release? Level 20 has been for cap for PCs for quite sometime - true some rules have come out from time to time on 20+ PCs but not in - 3rd Edition. Do you think the 20+ levels should continue to give feats and skills as before? Should we simple offer more powerful 'epic' feats and Prestige Classes or should 20+ PCs gain major new powers in their 'normal' class progression? What is your take on 10th level spells? What other concerns do you have on the new release?

[This message has been edited by Voltric (edited April 05, 2002).]

 

I just hope it will be somewhat sane. Swimming up a waterfall isn't exactly what I see as sane, not even with a dc of 60 or 80. I also hope there's a lot of high level challenges included, so you wouldn't need to give every single enemy 10+ levels of some class.

 

Volar, I wouldn't worry about insane actions that's more the realm of the DM than any handbook. BTW I don't think a dc of 80 can even be reached. Say you're 40 level (max ranks 43) with a 20 in the controlling stat (+5) and a magic item that grants a +10 and you roll a 20 on the skill check you can only get a 78.

On your other issue what do you mean exactly? New challanges, like new monsters? I would have no problem finding challanges for epic level characters since the Dieties and Demigods book will be out by then. You can throw other ELC at them, things from the Manual of the Planes, or stuff out of the Diety book. In addition Monster Manual II will be out in Sept. with tons more high challange rating creatures for use in your campaign. Lots of things to keep a creative DM stocked with enemies.

[This message has been edited by Voltric (edited April 05, 2002).]

 

Doing something with a DC of 80 is possible in some areas. For example, strength, dexterity, and constitution checks can be improved through spells. Other spells give better checks to some skills. And of course, a few favorable conditions can improve the check or lower the DC by a few points.

But that's just for extraordinarily lucky uber-heroes.

 

I just hope that it keeps the game interesting for DMs and players alike by maintaining the balance. At the very least there should be high-level feats for characters. And I'd like to see players continue to advance in the same way with skills and feats. One thing I really like about the 3rd edtion rules is that advancement is linear, unlike the 2nd and 1st edition rules in which things seemed to get really 'waky' with high levels

Not entirely sure how I feel about 10th level spells though...hmmm....jury is still out

New prestige classes for high-level characters would be a perfect fit - and really give players a goal for their characters, and something new to achieve for them. Maybe instead of 10th level spells, prestige classes could offer spell-casters something else instead? Maybe opening up a new 'school' of spells based on prestige-class? There's lots of possibilities....but I think the most important thing will be to keep everyone interested in 'going further'.

 

The dc 80 waterfall thing wasn't actually my idea, it was a rumour from a Dragon magazine.

And with challenges, I meant that a high level party should do something greater than your average dungeon trek.

You're wrong about Monster Manual 2, though. On WotC's website (no rumour, it's in the product library section) it says:
This supplement to the D&D game provides descriptions for a vast array of new creatures, with an emphasis on higher-level creatures (Challenge Ratings 10 - 20) to provide experienced gamers with tougher foes to overcome. This book also updates many popular monsters from the previous editions of the D&D game and provides information on creatures from the new D&D Chainmail miniatures game.

So no high level monsters, I'm afraid

 

As long as it has most of the stuff detailed in the FAQ, I'll be pretty happy...