Epic Spells

DEVELOPING EPIC SPELLS

The final Spellcraft DC is the most significant gauge of the epic spell’s power. A spellcaster attempts to cast an epic spell by making a Spellcraft check against the epic spell’s Spellcraft DC. Thus, a spellcaster knows immediately, based on his or her own Spellcraft bonus, what epic spells are within his or her capability to cast, which are risky, and which are beyond him or her. Epic casters don’t commit time and money to develop epic spells until they are powerful enough to cast them.

An epic spell developed by an arcane spellcaster is arcane, and an epic spell developed by a divine spellcaster is divine. A character who can cast both divine and arcane epic spells chooses whether a particular spell he or she develops will be arcane or divine. If that same caster uses the heal or life seed in an epic spell, that spell is always considered divine. All the epic spells described here can be developed independently by a character who spends the necessary time, money, and experience points. Alternatively, a character can use those spells as a starting point when creating customized versions of the spells.

Resource Cost: The development of an epic spell uses up raw materials costing a number of gold pieces equal to 9,000 xthe final Spellcraft DC of the epic spell being developed.

Development Time: Developing an epic spell takes one day for each 50,000 gp in resources required to develop the spell, rounded up to whole days.

XP Cost: To develop an epic spell, a character must spend 1/25 of its resource price in experience points.

Adding Seed DCs: When two or more epic seeds are combined in an epic spell, their base Spellcraft DCs are added together. Both contribute toward the spell’s final Spellcraft DC.

Determining School: When combining two or more seeds to develop an epic spell, the school of the finished spell is decided by the caster from among the seeds that make up the epic spell.

Combining Descriptors: When two or more epic seeds are combined in an epic spell, all the descriptors from each seed apply to the finished spell.

Combining Components and Casting Times: Almost every epic spell has verbal and somatic components and a 1-minute casting time, regardless of the number of epic seeds combined. The only exceptions are epic spells with the heal and life seeds, which have divine focus components.

Combining Range, Targets, Area, and Effect: One seed might have a range of 12,000 feet, another seed might have a range of 400 feet, and a third seed might not have a range at all. Likewise, some seeds have targets, while others have an effect or an area. To determine which seed takes precedence in the finished epic spell, the character must decide which seed is the base seed. The seed most important to the spell’s overall purpose is the base seed, and it determines the casting time, range, target, and so on. The other seeds apply only their specific effects to the finished spell. It is occasionally difficult to determine a base seed by examining the spell’s effects. If no one seed is most important, simply pick one seed for the purposes of making this determination.

Combining Durations: When combining two or more seeds to develop an epic spell, the seed with the shortest duration determines the duration of the finished epic spell. If any seed of an epic spell is dismissible by the caster, the epic spell is dismissible.

Saving Throws: Even if more than one seed has an associated saving throw, the final spell will have only a single saving throw. If two or more seeds have the same kind of saving throw (Fortitude, Reflex, or Will), then obviously that will be used for the spell’s saving throw. If the seeds have different kinds of saving throws, simply choose the saving throw that seems most appropriate for the final spell.

Spell Resistance: When combining two or more seeds to develop an epic spell, if even one seed is subject to spell resistance, the finished epic spell is subject to it as well.

Factors: Factors are not part of epic seeds, but they are the tools used to modify specific parameters of any given seed. Applying factors to the seeds of an epic spell can increase or decrease the final Spellcraft DC, increase the duration, change the area of a spell, and affect many other aspects of the spell.

There are three kinds of factors:

1. Those that can affect a number of seeds.
2. Those that can only be used with specific seeds.
3. Those that reduce the Spellcraft DC rather than increasing it. These are referred to as mitigating factors. To calculate the final Spellcraft DC of an epic spell correctly, it’s important to determine the mitigating factors last, after all the factors that increase the DC have been accounted for.

Development Is an Art: Many times developing a completely new epic spell requires some guesswork and rule stretching. As with making and pricing magic items, a sort of balancing act is required. Often the description of a seed will need to be stretched for a particular spell. If necessary, assess an “ad hoc” Spellcraft DC adjustment for any effect that cannot be extrapolated from the seeds and factors presented here-the example spells use ad hoc factors frequently. In all cases, the GM determines the actual Spellcraft DC of the new spell

Approval: This is the final step, and it’s critically important. The epic spell development work and reasoning must be shown to the GM and receive his or her approval. If the GM doesn’t approve, then the epic spell cannot be developed. However, the GM should explain why the epic spell wasn’t approved and possibly offer suggestions on how to create an epic spell that will be acceptable.

Epic Psionic Seeds

Psionic characters take the Epic Manifestation feat, which works just like the Epic Spellcasting feat. The prerequisites for this feat are 24 ranks of Psicraft, 24 ranks of Knowledge (psionics), and the ability to manifest 9th-level psionic powers.

Just as spellcasters use no spell slots to cast epic spells, psionic characters use no power points to manifest epic powers. Instead, they freely manifest their known epic powers a number of times per day equal to their Knowledge (psionics) skill divided by 10 (round down).

Additional Participants: Epic spells can be developed that specifically require additional participants. These spells are called rituals. An epic spell developed as a ritual requires a specific number of additional participants, who each must use up one spell slot of a specified level for the day. During an epic spell’s development, the spell’s creator determines the number of additional participants and the level of the spell slots to be contributed. If the exact number of spellcasters does not partake in the casting, or if the casters do not each contribute the proper spell slot, the epic spell automatically fails. To participate, each participant readies an action to contribute his or her raw spell energy when the primary caster begins the epic spell. Additional participants in a ritual spell reduce the Spellcraft DC, as shown on Table: Additional Participants in Rituals. Each additional participant may only contribute one spell slot. It doesn’t matter whether the additional participants are arcane or divine spellcasters; only the level of the spell slot contributed matters. A contributed spell slot is treated as if normally cast. A wizard may contribute either a prepared, uncast spell slot, or an open, unprepared slot. The Spellcraft DC adjustments for each additional participant stack.

Special: A ritual epic spell that takes longer than 1 standard action to cast requires all extra participants to stand as if casting for the same amount of time. If an extra participant is attacked while contributing a spell slot, the participant must make a Concentration check as if casting a spell of the same level as the slot contributed. If the attack disrupts the participant in the ritual, the epic spell is not necessarily ruined. However, the Spellcraft DC reduction that would have been provided by that additional participant cannot be applied to the final Spellcraft DC of the epic spell. Thus the ritual epic spell will be harder for the primary spellcaster to cast.

Table: Additional Participants in Rituals

SEED DESCRIPTIONS

SEED:AFFLICT

Afflicts the target with a -2 morale penalty on attack rolls, checks, and saving throws. For each additional -1 penalty assessed on either the target’s attack rolls, checks, or saving throws, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. A character may also develop a spell with this seed that afflicts the target with a -1 penalty on caster level checks, a -1 penalty to an ability score, a -1 penalty to spell resistance, or a -1 penalty to some other aspect of the target. For each additional -1 penalty assessed in one of the above categories, increase the Spell-craft DC by +4. This seed can afflict a character’s ability scores to the point where they reach 0, except for Constitution where 1 is the minimum. If a factor is applied to increase the duration of this seed, ability score penalties instead become temporary ability damage. If a factor is applied to make the duration permanent, any ability score penalties become permanent ability drain. Finally, by increasing the Spellcraft DC by +2, one of the target’s senses can be afflicted: sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch, or a special sense the target possesses. If the target fails its saving throw, the sense selected doesn’t function for the spell’s duration, with all attendant penalties that apply for losing the specified sense.

SEED:ANIMATE

This seed can imbue inanimate objects with mobility and a semblance of life (not actual life). The animated object attacks whomever or whatever the caster initially designates. The animated object can be of any nonmagical material. The caster can also animate part of a larger mass of raw matter, such as a volume of water in the ocean, part of a stony wall, or the earth itself, as long as the volume of material does not exceed 20 cubic feet. For each additional 10 cubic feet of matter animated, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1, up to 1,000 cubic feet. For each additional 100 cubic feet of matter animated after the first 1,000 cubic feet, increase the spellcraft DC by +1. For each additional Hit Die granted to an animated object of a given size, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. To animate attended objects (objects carried or worn by another creature), increase the Spellcraft DC by +10.

SEED:ANIMATE DEAD

The caster can turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead that follow his or her spoken commands. The undead can follow the caster, or they can remain in an Area and attack any creature (or a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed undead can’t be animated again.) Intelligent undead can follow more sophisticated commands. The animate dead seed allows a character to create 20 HD of undead. For each additional 1 HD of undead created, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1. The undead created remain under the caster’s control indefinitely. A caster can naturally control 1 HD per caster level of undead creatures he or she has personally created, regardless of the method used. If the caster exceeds this number, newly created creatures fall under his or her control, and excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (the caster chooses which creatures are released). If the caster is a cleric, any undead he or she commands through his or her ability to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit. For each additional 2 HD of undead to be controlled, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1. Only undead in excess of 20 HD created with this seed can be controlled using this DC adjustment. To both create and control more than 20 HD of undead, increase the Spellcraft DC by +3 per additional 2 HD of undead.

Type of Undead: All types of undead can be created with the animate dead seed, although creating more powerful undead increases the Spellcraft DC of the epic spell, according to the table below. The GM must set the Spellcraft DC for undead not included on the table, using similar undead as a basis for comparison.

SEED: ARMOR

This seed grants a creature additional armor, providing a +4 bonus to Armor Class. The bonus is either an armor bonus or a natural armor bonus, whichever the caster selects. Unlike mundane armor, the armor seed provides an intangible protection that entails no armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, or speed reduction. Incorporeal creatures can’t bypass the armor seed the way they can ignore normal armor. For each additional point of Armor Class bonus, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. The caster can also grant a creature a +1 bonus to Armor Class using a different bonus type, such as deflection, divine, or insight. For each additional point of bonus to Armor Class of one of these types, increase the Spellcraft DC by +10.

SEED: BANISH

This seed forces extraplanar creatures out of the caster’s home plane. The caster can banish up to 14 HD of extraplanar creatures. For each additional 2 HD of extraplanar creatures banished, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1. To specify a type or sub-type of creature other than outsider to be banished, increase the Spellcraft DC by +20.

SEED: COMPEL

This seed compels a target to follow a course of activity. At the basic level of effect, a spell using the compel seed must be worded in such a manner as to make the activity sound reasonable. Asking the creature to do an obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect (unless the Spellcraft DC has been increased to avoid this limitation; see below). To compel a creature to follow an outright unreasonable course of action, increase the Spellcraft DC by +10. The compelled course of activity can continue for the entire duration. If the compelled activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what he or she was asked to do. The caster can instead specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. If the condition is not met before the spell using this seed expires, the activity is not performed.

SEED: CONCEAL

This seed can conceal a creature or object touched from sight, even from darkvision. If the subject is a creature carrying gear, the gear vanishes too, rendering the creature invisible. A spell using the conceal seed ends if the subject attacks any creature. Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell, and causing harm indirectly is not an attack. To create invisibility that lasts regardless of the actions of the subject, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4. Alternatively, this seed can conceal the exact location of the subject so that it appears to be about 2 feet away from its true location; this increases the Spellcraft DC by +2. The subject benefits from a 50% miss chance as if it had total concealment. However, unlike actual total concealment, this displacement effect does not prevent enemies from targeting him or her normally. The conceal seed can also be used to block divination spells, spell-like effects, and epic spells developed using the reveal seed; this increases the Spellcraft DC by +6. In all cases where divination magic of any level, including epic level, is employed against the subject of a spell using the conceal seed for this purpose, an opposed caster level check determines which spell works.

SEED: CONJURE

This seed creates a nonmagical, unattended object of nonliving matter of up to 20 cubic feet in volume. The caster must succeed at an appropriate skill check to make a complex item. The seed can create matter ranging in hardness and rarity from vegetable matter all the way up to mithral and even adamantine. Simple objects have a natural duration of 24 hours. For each additional cubic foot of matter created, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. Attempting to use any created object as a material component or a resource during epic spell development causes the spell to fail and the object to disappear.

The conjure seed can be used in conjunction with the life and fortify seeds for an epic spell that creates an entirely new creature, if made permanent. To give a creature spell-like abilities, apply other epic seeds to the epic spell that replicate the desired ability. To give the creature a supernatural or extraordinary ability rather than a spell-like ability, double the cost of the relevant seed. Remember that two doublings equals a tripling, and so forth. To give a creature Hit Dice, use the fortify seed. Each 5 hit points granted to the creature gives it an additional 1 HD. Once successfully created, the new creature will breed true.

SEED: CONTACT

This seed forges a telepathic bond with a particular creature with which the caster is familiar (or one that the caster can currently see directly or through magical means) and can converse back and forth. The subject recognizes the caster if it knows him or her. It can answer in like manner immediately, though it does not have to. The caster can forge a communal bond among more than two creatures. For each additional creature contacted, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1. The bond can be established only among willing subjects, which therefore receive no saving throw or spell resistance. For telepathic communication through the bond regardless of language, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4. No special influence is established as a result of the bond, only the power to communicate at a distance.

At the base Spellcraft DC of 20, a caster can also use the contact seed to imbue an object (or creature) with a message he or she prepares that appears as written text for the spell’s duration or is spoken aloud in a language the caster knows. The spoken message can be of any length, but the length of written text is limited to what can be contained (as text of a readable size) on the surface of the target. The message is delivered when specific conditions are fulfilled according to the caster’s desire when the spell is cast.

SEED: DELUDE

A spell developed with the delude seed creates the visual illusion of an object, creature, or force, as visualized by the caster. The caster can move the image within the limits of the size of the effect by concentrating (the image is otherwise stationary). The image disappears when struck by an opponent unless the caster causes the illusion to react appropriately. For an illusion that includes audible, olfactory, tactile, taste, and thermal aspects, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2 per extra aspect. Even realistic tactile and thermal illusions can’t deal damage, however. For each additional image to be created, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1. For an illusion that follows a script determined by the caster, increase the Spellcraft DC by +9. The figment follows the script without the caster having to concentrate on it. The illusion can include intelligible speech if desired. For an illusion that makes any Area appear to be something other than it is, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4. Additional components, such as sounds, can be added as noted above. Concealing creatures requires additional spell development using this or other seeds.

SEED: DESTROY

This seed deals 20d6 points of damage to the target. The damage is of no particular type or energy. For each additional 1d6 points of damage dealt, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. If the target is reduced to -10 hit points or less (or a construct, object, or undead is reduced to 0 hit points), it is utterly destroyed as if disintegrated, leaving behind only a trace of fine dust. Up to a 10-foot cube of nonliving matter is affected, so a spell using the destroy seed destroys only part of any very large object or structure targeted. The destroy seed affects even magical matter, energy fields, and force effects that are normally only affected by the disintegrate spell. Such effects are automatically destroyed. Epic spells using the ward seed may also be destroyed, though the caster must succeed at an opposed caster level check against the other spellcaster to bring down a ward spell.

SEED: DISPEL

This seed can end ongoing spells that have been cast on a creature or object, temporarily suppress the magical abilities of a magic item, or end ongoing spells (or at least their effects) within an Area. A dispelled spell ends as if its duration had expired. The dispel seed can defeat all spells, even those not normally subject to dispel magic. The dispel seed can dispel (but not counter) the ongoing effects of supernatural abilities as well as spells, and it affects spell-like effects just as it affects spells. One creature, object, or spell is the target of the dispel seed. The caster makes a dispel check against the spell or against each ongoing spell currently in effect on the object or creature. A dispel check is 1d20 + 10 against a DC of 11 + the target spell’s caster level. For each additional +1 on the dispel check, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1. If targeting an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing spell, make a dispel check to end the spell that affects the object or creature. If the object targeted is a magic item, make a dispel check against the item’s caster level. If succeessful, all the item’s magical properties are suppressed for 1d4 rounds, after which the item recovers on its own. A suppressed item becomes nonmagical for the duration of the effect. An interdimensional interface is temporarily closed. A magic item’s physical properties are unchanged. Any creature, object, or spell is potentially subject to the dispel seed, even the spells of gods and the abilities of artifacts. A character automatically succeeds on the dispel check against any spell that he or she cast him or her self.

SEED: ENERGY

This seed uses whichever one of five energy types the caster chooses: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. The caster can cast the energy forth as a bolt, imbue an object with the energy, or create a freestanding manifestation of the energy. If the spell developed using the energy seed releases a bolt, that bolt instantaneously deals 10d6 points of damage of the appropriate energy type, and all in the bolt’s area must make a Reflex save for half damage. For each additional 1d6 points of damage dealt, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. The bolt begins at the caster’s fingertips. To imbue another creature with the ability to use an energy bolt as a spell-like ability at its option or when a particular condition is met, increase the Spellcraft DC by +25. The caster can also cause a creature or object to emanate the specific energy type out to a radius of 10 feet for 20 hours. The emanated energy deals 2d6 points of energy damage per round against unprotected creatures (the target creature is susceptible if not separately warded or otherwise resistant to the energy). For each additional 1d6 points of damage emanated, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. The caster may also create a wall, half-circle, circle, dome, or sphere of the desired energy that emanates the energy for up to 20 hours. One side of the wall, selected by the caster, sends forth waves of energy, dealing 2d4 points of energy damage to creatures within 10 feet and 1d4 points of energy damage to those past 10 feet but within 20 feet. The wall deals this damage when it appears and in each round that a creature enters or remains in the area. In addition, the wall deals 2d6+20 points of energy damage to any creature passing through it. The wall deals double damage to undead creatures. For each additional 1d4 points of damage, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2.

The caster can also use the energy seed to create a spell that carefully releases and balances the emanation of cold, electricity, and fire, creating specific weather effects for a period of 20 hours. Using the energy seed this way has a base Spellcraft DC of 25. The area extends to a two-mile-radius centered on the caster. Once the spell is cast, the weather takes 10 minutes to manifest. Ordinarily, a caster can’t directly target a creature or object, though indirect effects are possible. This seed can create cold snaps, heat waves, thunderstorms, fogs, blizzards-even a tornado that moves randomly in the affected area. Creating targeted damaging effects requires an additional use of the energy seed. 

SEED: FORESEE

The caster can foretell the immediate future, or gain information about specific questions. He or she is 90% likely to receive a meaningful reading of the future of the next 30 minutes. If successful, the caster knows if a particular action will bring good results, bad results, or no result. For each additional 30 minutes into the future, multiply the Spellcraft DC by x2. For better results, the caster can pose up to ten specific questions (one per round while he or she concentrates) to unknown powers of other planes, but the base Spellcraft DC for such an attempt is 23.  The answers return in a language the caster understands, but use only one-word replies: “yes,” “no,” “maybe,” “never,” “irrelevant,” or some other one-word answer. Unlike 0- to 9th-level spells of similar type, all questions answered are 90% likely to be answered truthfully. However, a specific spell using the foresee seed can only be cast once every five weeks. The foresee seed is also useful for epic spells requiring specific information before functioning, such as spells using the reveal and transport seeds. The foresee seed can also be used to gain one basic piece of information about a living target: level, class, alignment, or some special ability (or one of an object’s magical abilities, if any). For each additional piece of information revealed, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2.

SEED: FORTIFY

Spells using the fortify seed grant a +1 enhancement bonus to whichever one of the following the caster chooses:

-Any one ability score.

-Any one kind of saving throw.

-Spell resistance.

-Natural armor.

The fortify seed can also grant energy resistance 1 for one energy type or 1 temporary hit point. For each additional +1 bonus, point of energy resistance, or hit point, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2.

The fortify seed has a base Spellcraft DC of 23 if it grants a +1 bonus of a type other than enhancement. For each additional +1 bonus of a type other than enhancement, increase the Spellcraft DC by +6. If the caster applies a factor to make the duration permanent, the bonus must be an inherent bonus, and the maximum inherent bonus allowed is +5.

The fortify seed has a base Spellcraft DC of 27 if it grants a creature a +1 bonus to an ability score or other statistic it does not possess. For each additional +1 bonus, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4. If a spell with the fortify seed grants an inanimate object an ability score it would not normally possess (such as Intelligence), the spell must also incorporate the life seed.

Granting spell resistance to a creature that doesn’t already have it is a special case; the base Spellcraft DC of 27 grants spell resistance 25, and each additional point of spell resistance increases the Spellcraft DC by +4 (each -1 to spell resistance reduces the Spellcraft DC by -2).

The fortify seed can also grant damage reduction 1/magic. For each additional point of damage reduction, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. To increase the damage reduction value to epic, increase the Spellcraft DC by +15.

A special use of the fortify seed grants the target a permanent +1 year to its current age category. For each additional +1 year added to the creature’s current age category, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. Incremental adjustments to a creature’s maximum age do not stack; they overlap. When a spell increases a creature’s current age category, all higher age categories are also adjusted accordingly.

SEED: HEAL

Spells developed with the heal seed channel positive energy into a creature to wipe away disease and injury. Such a spell completely cures all diseases, blindness, deafness, hit point damage, and temporary ability damage. To restore permanently drained ability score points, increase the Spellcraft DC by +6. The heal seed neutralizes poisons in the subject’s system so that no additional damage or effects are suffered. It offsets feeblemindedness and cures mental disorders caused by spells or injury to the brain. It dispels all magical effects penalizing the character’s abilities, including effects caused by spells, even epic spells developed with the afflict seed. Only a single application of the spell is needed to simultaneously achieve all these effects. This seed does not restore levels or Constitution points lost due to death. To dispel all negative levels afflicting the target, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. This reverses level drains by a force or creature. The drained levels are restored only if the creature lost the levels within the last 20 weeks. For each additional week since the levels were drained, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2.

Against undead, the influx of positive energy causes the loss of all but 1d4 hit points if the undead fails a Fortitude saving throw.

An epic caster with 24 ranks in Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nature), or Knowledge (religion) can cast a spell developed with a special version of the heal seed that flushes negative energy into the subject, healing undead completely but causing the loss of all but 1d4 hit points in living creatures if they fail a Fortitude saving throw. Alternatively, a living target that fails its Fortitude saving throw could gain four negative levels for the next 8 hours. For each additional negative level bestowed, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4, and for each extra hour the negative levels persist, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. If the subject has at least as many negative levels as Hit Dice, it dies. If the subject survives and the negative levels persist for 24 hours or longer, the subject must make another Fortitude saving throw, or the negative levels are converted to actual level loss.

SEED: LIFE

A spell developed with the life seed will restore life and complete vigor to any deceased creature. The condition of the remains is not a factor. So long as some small portion of the creature’s body still exists, it can be returned to life, but the portion receiving the spell must have been part of the creature’s body at the time of death. (The remains of a creature hit by a disintegrate spell count as a small portion of its body.) The creature can have been dead for no longer than two hundred years. For each additional ten years, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1. The creature is immediately restored to full hit points, vigor, and health, with no loss of prepared spells. However, the subject loses one level (or 1 point of Constitution if the subject was 1st level). The life seed cannot revive someone who has died of old age.

An epic caster with 24 ranks in Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nature), or Knowledge (religion) can cast a spell developed with a special version of the life seed that gives actual life to normally inanimate objects. You can give inanimate plants and animals a soul, personality, and humanlike sentience. To succeed, you must make a Will save (DC 10 + the target's Hit Dice, or the Hit Dice a plant will have once it comes to life).

The newly living object, intelligent animal, or sentient plant is friendly toward the caster. An object or plant has characteristics as if it were an animated object, except that its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores are all 3d6. Animated objects and plants gain the ability to move their limbs, projections, roots, carved legs and arms, or other appendages, and have senses similar to a human’s. A newly intelligent animal gets 3d6 Intelligence, +1d3 Charisma, and +2 HD. Objects, animals, and plants speak one language that the caster knows, plus one additional language that he or she knows per point of Intelligence bonus (if any).

SEED: REFLECT

Attacks targeted against the caster rebound on the original attacker. Each use of the reflect seed in an epic spell is effective against one type of attack only: spells (and spell-like effects), ranged attacks, or melee attacks. To reflect an area spell, where the caster is not the target but are caught in the vicinity, increase the Spellcraft DC by +20. A single successful use of reflect expends its protection. Spells developed with the reflect seed against spells and spell-like effects return all spell effects of up to 1st level. For each additional level of spells to be reflected, increase the Spellcraft DC by +20. Epic spells are treated as 10th-level spells for this purpose.

The desired effect is automatically reflected if the spell in question is 9th level or lower. An opposed caster level check is required when the reflect seed is used against another epic spell. If the enemy spellcaster gets his spell through by winning the caster level check, the epic spell using the reflect seed is not expended, just momentarily suppressed.

If the reflect seed is used against a melee attack or ranged attack, five such attacks are automatically reflected back on the original attacker. For each additional attack reflected, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4. The reflected attack rebounds on the attacker using the same attack roll. Once the allotted attacks are reflected, the spell using the reflect seed is expended.

SEED: REVEAL

The caster of this seed can see some distant location or hear the sounds at some distant location almost as if he or she was there. To both hear and see, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. Distance is not a factor, but the locale must be known-a place familiar to the caster or an obvious one. The spell creates an invisible sensor that can be dispelled. Lead sheeting or magical protection blocks the spell, and the caster senses that the spell is so blocked. If the caster prefers to create a mobile sensor (speed 30 feet) that he or she controls, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. To use the reveal seed to reach one specific different plane of existence, increase the Spellcraft DC by +8. To allow magically enhanced senses to work through a spell built with the reveal seed, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4. To cast any spell from the sensor whose range is touch or greater, increase the Spellcraft DC by +6; however, the caster must maintain line of effect to the sensor at all times. If the line of effect is obstructed, the spell ends. To free the caster of the line of effect restriction for casting spells through the sensor, multiply the Spellcraft DC by x10.

The reveal seed has a base Spellcraft DC of 25 if used to pierce illusions and see things as they really are. The caster can see through normal and magical darkness, notice secret doors hidden by magic, see the exact locations of creatures or objects under blur or displacement effects, see invisible creatures or objects normally, see through illusions, see onto the Ethereal Plane (but not into extradimensional spaces), and see the true form of polymorphed, changed, or transmuted things. The range of such sight is 120 feet.

The reveal seed can also be used to develop spells that will do any one of the following: duplicate the read magic spell, comprehend the written and verbal language of another, or speak in the written or verbal language of another. To both comprehend and speak a language, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4.

SEED: SLAY

A spell developed using the slay seed snuffs out the life force of a living creature, killing it instantly. The slay seed kills a creature of up to 80 HD. The subject is entitled to a Fortitude saving throw to survive the attack. If the save is successful, it instead takes 3d6+20 points of damage. For each additional 80 HD affected (or each additional creature affected), increase the Spellcraft DC by +8. Alternatively, a caster can use the slay seed in an epic spell to suppress the life force of the target by bestowing 2d4 negative levels on the target (or half as many negative levels on a successful Fortitude save). For each additional 1d4 negative levels bestowed, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4. If the subject has at least as many negative levels as Hit Dice, it dies. If the subject survives and the negative levels persist for 24 hours or longer, the subject must make another Fortitude saving throw, or the negative levels are converted to actual level loss.

SEED: SUMMON

This seed can summon an outsider. It appears where the caster designates and acts immediately, on his or her turn, if its spell resistance is overcome and it fails a Will saving throw. It attacks the caster’s opponents to the best of its ability. If the caster can communicate with the outsider, he or she can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions. The spell conjures an outsider the caster selects of CR 2 or less. For each +1 CR of the summoned outsider, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. For each additional outsider of the same Challenge Rating summoned, multiply the Spellcraft DC by x2. When a caster develops a spell with the summon seed that summons an air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, or water creature, the completed spell is also of that type.

If the caster increases the Spellcraft DC by +10, he or she can summon a creature of CR 2 or less from another monster type or subtype. The summoned creature is assumed to have been plucked from some other plane (or somewhere on the same plane). The summoned creature attacks the caster’s opponents to the best of its ability; or, if the caster can communicate with it, it will perform other actions. However, the summoning ends if the creature is asked to perform a task inimical to its nature. For each +1 CR of the summoned creature, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2.

Finally, by increasing the Spellcraft DC by +60, the caster can summon a unique individual he or she specifies from anywhere in the multiverse. The caster must know the target’s name and some facts about its life, defeat any magical protection against discovery or other protection possessed by the target, and overcome the target’s spell resistance, and it must fail a Will saving throw. The target is under no special compulsion to serve the caster.

SEED: TRANSFORM

Spells using the transform seed change the subject into another form of creature or object. The new form can range in size from Diminutive to one size larger than the subject’s normal form. For each additional increment of size change, increase the Spellcraft DC by +6. If the caster wants to transform a nonmagical, inanimate object into a creature of his or her type or transform a creature into a nonmagical, inanimate object, increase the Spellcraft DC by +10. To change a creature of one type into another type increase the Spellcraft DC by +5.

Transformations involving nonmagical, inanimate substances with hardness are more difficult; for each 2 points of hardness, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1.

To transform a creature into an incorporeal or gaseous form, increase the Spellcraft DC by +10. Conversely, to overcome the natural immunity of a gaseous or incorporeal creature to transformation, increase the Spellcraft DC by +10.

The transform seed can also change its target into someone specific. To transform an object or creature into the specific likeness of another individual (including memories and mental abilities), increase the Spellcraft DC by +25. If the transformed creature doesn’t have the level or Hit Dice of its new likeness, it can only use the abilities of the creature at its own level or Hit Dice. If slain or destroyed, the transformed creature or object reverts to its original form. The subject’s equipment, if any, remains untransformed or melds into the new form’s body, at the caster’s option. The transformed creature or object acquires the physical and natural abilities of the creature or object it has been changed into while retaining its own memories and mental ability scores. Mental abilities include personality, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, level and class, hit points (despite any change in its Constitution score), alignment, base attack bonus, base saves, extraordinary abilities, spells, and spell-like abilities, but not its supernatural abilities. Physical abilities include natural size and Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores. Natural abilities include armor, natural weapons, and similar gross physical qualities (presence or absence of wings, number of extremities, and so forth), and possibly hardness. Creatures transformed into inanimate objects do not gain the benefit of their untransformed physical abilities, and may well be blind, deaf, dumb, and unfeeling. Objects transformed into creatures gain that creature’s average physical ability scores, but are considered to have mental ability scores of 0 (the fortify seed can add points to each mental ability, if desired). For each normal extraordinary ability or supernatural ability granted to the transformed creature, increase the Spellcraft DC by +10. The transformed subject can have no more Hit Dice than the caster has or than the subject has (whichever is greater). In any case, for each Hit Die the assumed form has above 15, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2.

SEED: TRANSPORT

Spells using the transport seed instantly take the caster to a designated destination, regardless of distance. For interplanar travel, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4. For each additional 50 pounds in objects and willing creatures beyond the base 1,000 pounds, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. The base use of the transport seed provides instantaneous travel through the Astral Plane. To shift the transportation medium to another medium increase the Spellcraft DC by +2. The caster does not need to make a saving throw, nor is spell resistance applicable to him or her. Only objects worn or carried (attended) by another person receive saving throws and spell resistance. For a spell intended to transport unwilling creatures, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4. The caster must have at least a reliable description of the place to which he or she is transporting. If the caster attempts to use the transport seed with insufficient or misleading information, the character disappears and simply reappear in his or her original location.

As a special use of the transport seed, a caster can develop a spell that temporarily transports him or her into a different time stream (leaving the caster in the same physical location); this increases the Spellcraft DC by +8. If the caster moves him or herself, or the subject, into a slower time stream for 5 rounds, time ceases to flow for the subject, and its condition becomes fixed-no force or effect can harm it until the duration expires. If the caster moves him or her self into a faster time stream, the caster speeds up so greatly that all other creatures seem frozen, though they are actually still moving at their normal speeds. The caster is free to act for 5 rounds of apparent time. Fire, cold, poison gas, and similar effects can still harm the caster. While the caster is in the fast time stream, other creatures are invulnerable to his or her attacks and spells; however, the caster can create spell effects and leave them to take effect when he or she reenters normal time. Because of the branching nature of time, epic spells used to transport a subject into a faster time stream cannot be made permanent, nor can the duration of 5 rounds be extended. More simply, the seed can haste or slow a subject for 20 rounds by transporting it to the appropriate time stream. This decreases the Spellcraft DC by -4.

SEED: WARD

This seed can grant a creature protection from damage of a specified type. The caster can protect a creature from standard damage or from energy damage. The caster can protect a creature or area from magic. Alternatively, he or she can hedge out a type of creature from a specified area. A ward against standard damage protects a creature from whichever two the caster selects of the three damage types: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing. For a ward against all three types, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4. Each round, the spell created with the ward seed absorbs the first 5 points of damage the creature would otherwise take, regardless of whether the source of the damage is natural or magical. For each additional point of protection, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2.

A ward against energy grants a creature protection from whichever one the caster selects of the five energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. Each round, the spell absorbs the first 5 points of damage the creature would otherwise take from the specified energy type, regardless of whether the source of damage is natural or magical. The spell protects the recipient’s equipment as well. For each additional point of protection, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1.

A ward against a specific type of creature prevents bodily contact from whichever one of several monster types the caster selects. This causes the natural weapon attacks of such creatures to fail and the creatures to recoil if such attacks require touching the warded creature. The protection ends if the warded creature makes an attack against or intentionally moves within 5 feet of the blocked creature. Spell resistance can allow a creature to overcome this protection and touch the warded creature.

A ward against magic creates an immobile, faintly shimmering magical sphere (with radius 10 feet) that surrounds the caster and excludes all spell effects of up to 1st level. Alternatively, the caster can ward just the target and not create the radius effect. For each additional level of spells to be excluded, increase the Spellcraft DC by +20 (but see below). The area or effect of any such spells does not include the area of the ward, and such spells fail to affect any target within the ward. This includes spell-like abilities and spells or spell-like effects from magic items. However, any type of spell can be cast through or out of the ward. The caster can leave and return to the protected area without penalty (unless the spell specifically targets a creature and does not provide a radius effect). The ward could be brought down by a targeted dispel magic spell. Epic spells using the dispel seed may bring down a ward if the enemy spellcaster succeeds at a caster level check. The ward may also be brought down with a targeted epic spell using the destroy seed if the enemy spellcaster succeeds at a caster level check.

Instead of creating an epic spell that uses the ward seed to nullify all spells of a given level and lower, the caster can create a ward that nullifies a specific spell (or specific set of spells). For each specific spell so nullified, increase the Spellcraft DC by +2 per spell level above 1st.