NEW CHARACTERISTICS FOR EPIC CHARACTERS

Epic Advancement for Dark Sun Character Classes

All normal classes (those that may be found in the Player's and Psionics Handbook) advance in epic levels as desribed in the Epic Level Handbook, except the Bard. Also, the Templar advances in epic levels just like a cleric (that is, same progression and same bonus feat list).

 

What follows next is my take on the bard’s and gladiator’s epic progression:

Bard Epic Progression

21	Smuggler +11, Chance 3/day
22
23	Smuggler +12
24	Trade Secret
25	Smuggler +13, Bonus feat
26
27	Smuggler +14
28	Trade Secret, Chance 4/day
29	Smuggler +15
30	Bonus Feat

Bonus feat list: as standard bard 

Gladiator Epic Progression

21	Exotic weapon
22	Arena Guile +11
23
24	Arena Guile +12, Bonus feat
25	Exotic Weapon, Armor Optimization
26	Arena Guile +13
27
28	Arena Guile +14, Bonus feat
29	Exotic Weapon
30	Arena Guile +15, Armor Optimization

 

Bonus feat list: Armor Skin, Blinding Speed, Damage Reduction, Devastating Critical, Dire Charge, Epic Prowess, Epic Speed, Epic Toughness, Epic Weapon Focus, Exceptional Deflection, Fast Healing, Improved Combat Reflexes, Infinite Deflection, Keen Strike, Legendary Wrestler, Overwhelming Critical, Penetrate Damage Reduction, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighter, Reflect Arrows, Superior Initiative, Two-Weapon Rend

NEW FEATS

All-Around Vision [special]

The druid is able to see in all directions at once when inside his domain.

Prerequisite: Incorporeal form or Elemental Manifestation, WIS 20

Benefits: Since the character is becoming one with the land, it sees from all directions at once, thus gaining a +4 racial bonus on Search and Spot checks, and cannot be flanked. However, this ability only works while the character is in incorporeal form or elemental manifestation.  

 

Animal Kinship [SPECIAL]

The link the Dragon has with its animal totem increases.

Prerequisite: Animal Totem, Epic Defiling

Benefits: The Dragon may take another special attack or special quality of the totem, or take one of its feats. Additionally, because the changes are more pronounced, the Dragon gains a +4 bonus to his Intimidate rolls and a +2 to his Leadership score (since he’s now seen as a godlike creature, something that looks more powerful than a normal Dragon).

Special: The Dragon appearance changes drastically, taking several features from the totem’s appearance, as happened to Hamanu, who now has a leonine muzzle and legs, as well as a long tail ending in a huge tuft. The DM and the player must agree on the exact hybrid appearance the Dragon will take (this appearance may be hidden by the use of polymorphing powers, but then the +4 bonus to Intimidate rolls will not be awarded until the Dragon resumes his “hybrid” form).

Animal Totem [SPECIAL]

The Dragon draws inspiration from a creature, becoming more like it.

Prerequisite: Epic Defiling

Benefits: The Dragon may pick any one of the creature’s special attacks or special qualities. However, the creature chosen must have an Intelligence score of no more thyan 6, and no more than 10 HD.

Special: The Dragon appearance changes a little. A lion’s mane may sprout from the Dragon’s head and shoulders (like Hamanu), or the Dragon may not present a wyvern’s forked tongue (like Abalach-Re) or a beak from a roc may form and the ears recede (like Tectuktitlay). However, no new members (like wings and tails) will be available.

 

AURA OF INVULNERABILITY [SPECIAL]

The Greater Aura of an Avangion is even more powerfull.

Prerequisite: Greater Avangion Aura, WIS 25

Benefits: Each time this feat is taken, another spell level is added to the protection conferred by an Avangion’s aura against spells. For example, if an Avangion takes this feat 2 times, he becomes immune to spells of 6th level and below.

Note: The maximum protection an Aura may afford is against 9th level spells.

 

Close Domain [Special]

A druid may create an impenetrable barrier, effectively closing his guarded lands to travel.

Prerequisite: Guard the Land

Benefits: The druid creates an impenetrable barrier around the edges of his domain in the shape of a dome that rises 1,000 feet higher than the highest point on the land. The nature of the barrier is set by the imagination of the druid – an array of spinning blades, a field of pure force, or even a curtain of flame and magma. Whatever the form, the barrier can only be crossed by creatures with more Hit Dice or levels than the druid, or by creatures designated by the druid. The barrier works in both directions; no entrance, and no exit.

 

Dragon Wings [Special]

Wings sprout from the dragon’s back, enabling him to fly naturally.

Prerequisite: Dragon Metamorphosis V

Benefits: The Dragon may fly at a speed of 200 ft (clumsy).  

 

EPIC DEFILING [METAMAGIC]

This feat enables a Dragon to use energy of living creatures to power his Psionic Enchantments.

Prerequisite: Psionic Enchantment feat, Dragon advanced being

Benefits: When casting his Psionic Enchantments, a Dragon defiles an area of 50 ft radius around him, causing 1d6 of damage for every Dragon level he has, in every living being within this area. This gives the Dragon a +1 bonus to his Spellcraft roll for every 30 hp drained from living beings.

Special: the Dragon must have an obsidian orb to use as a focus for this ability. This orb may be used in a scepter, a crown or even swallowed by a huge of larger Dragon.

Extra Psionic Energy Discharge [SPECIAL]

The Archon may use this psionic energy discharge attack more often.

Prerequisite: Psionic Energy Discharge

Benefits: The character may use Psionic Energy Discharge attack one more time per day.

Special: An Archon may not double his alotted times for using psionic energy discharge using this feat. That is, if normally he may use it 2/day, he may get this feat only one time. However, if he could use it 4/day, he could get this feat 3 times. 

 

GREATER ARMOR OPTIMIZATION [SPECIAL]

The gladiator is a truly magnificent when using his chosen set of armor.

Prerequisites: Improved Armor Optimization

Benefits: When this feat is taken, the gladiator must choose one type of armor, which gets the effect of the Medium Fortification armor property.

Special: This feat may be taken several times. Each time it is taken, it applies to a different armor type.

 

GREATER AVANGION AURA [SPECIAL]

An Avangion’s aura of protection is more effective against evil creatures.

Prerequisite: Improved Avangion Aura, WIS 23

Benefits: the Avangion’s aura protects him as a permanent globe of invulnerability.

 

GREATER ELEMENTAL ARMY [SPECIAL]

The Cleric Elemental is able to summon a large troop of elementals.

Prerequisite: Lesser Elemental Army,

Benefits: As Lesser Elemental Army. However, the original quantity of elementals summoned is now tripled (as is the duration of the summoning), and double this quantity is summoned from elementals of a lesser nature. This may be used only once per day.

Special: This feature may be acquired several times. Each time it is acquired, increases the by one number of times it may be used per day, and the number of elementals summoned of each type.

 

GREATER PSIONIC SHIELD [SPECIAL]

The psionic shield of an Archon is able to deflect some damage from elemental attacks.

Prerequisite: Improved psionic shield

Benefits: This feat enabled the Archon to ignore some damage from elemental sources (fire, acid, electricity, etc.). The amount ignored is equalto three times the power point total the Archon is impervious to.

Note: The elemental damage is not absorbed as power points. It is only ignored.

Guard Against Defilement [special]

A druid may absorb defiler damage on his guarded lands.

Prerequisites: All-Around Vision, Close Domain, Incorporeal Form (All day), CON 25

Benefits: Whenever the druid is on his lands, defiler magic cannot destroy the life giving properties of the land around the caster; the ground is not turned to ash. Instead, the energy is tapped directly from the druid, no matter where he is. Every 10 spell levels of defiler magic cast on guarded lands drains 1 hp from the druid, when protecting the land. However, defiler magic will not kill him – it cannot take his last hit point. When the druid is that wounded, defiler magic takes its normal toll on the guarded lands.

Special: Whenever defiler magic is cast on his lands, the druid receives a mental image of exactly where the spell is being cast. When he is not on his lands, a druid still receives a general impression that defiler magic is being cast, but no indication of the location.

Guard the Land [special]

A druid can hide his guarded lands, hiding it from intruders.

Prerequisites: Elemental Manifestation 2/day

Benefits: Provided the druid is on his guarded lands, he can cast an illusion that only he and those he designates can ignore. Creatures who have more Hit Dice or levels than the caster may roll a Will save (DC 10+ ½ HD + Wis modifier) to disbelieve. Otherwise, travelers on guarded lands are convinced they are lost, and that these subtle illusions are in fact miles from the lands they seek. A druid can create any physical illusion he cares to, from lush jungles to sterile wastes. He can cast this illusion at any time, but he must concentrate to maintain it for more than one round.

Improved Armor Optimization [SPECIAL]

A gladiator is more effective when using his armor.

Prerequisites: Armor optimization class feature, base attack bonus +21

Benefits: Gladiators with this feat gain +1 to maximum dexterity bonus and his armor check penalty is decreased by 1. Both this values are cumulative with those from regular armor optimization. Besides, whenever using this armor, the gladiator gets the effects of Light Fortification

Special: This feat may be taken several times. Each time it is taken, it applies to a different armor type.

 

Improved Avangion Aura [special]

An Avangion’s aura of protection is more effective against evil creatures.

Prerequisite: Avangion Aura, WIS 21

Benefits: the Avangion’s aura continually acts as a ray of enfeeblement on all evil creatures within it.

 

IMPROVED CLEANSE [SPECIAL]

The Elemental Paladin is more dedicated to separate the elements that compose a para-element.

Prerequisites: Cleanse ability, Knowledge (religion) +24

Benefit: The Elemental Paladin may cleanse twice the amount of magma, silt, sun or rain indicated by the cleanse ability, and once cleansed the constituent elements willremain protected from fusion for 1d3 years. Also, if used against a para-elemental, it must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or die instantly. Even if it succeeds, it will take 1d6 of holy damage per each Elemental Paladin class level.

 

IMPROVED PARA-ELEMENTAL BANE [SPECIAL]

An Elemental Paladin attack is even more effective against para-elemental creatures

Prerequisites: Para-elemental bane, Knowledge (religion) +24

Benefit: The holy damage of an Elemental Paladin’s para-elemental bane attack increases to +4d6.

 

IMPROVED PSIONIC SHIELD [SPECIAL]

An Archon’s psionic shield is more effective against powers from a foe.

Prerequisite: psionic shield ability

Benefits: each time a character gets this feat, he adds 1 to the power point total he’s immune to. For instance, an Archon with 3 feats like this is immune to powers powered by equal to or less than 8 power points, and these points are then absorbed.  

 

LESSER ELEMENTAL ARMY [SPECIAL]

The Cleric Elemental is able to summon more elementals than usual.

Prerequisite: Elemental Form V

Benefits: the quantity of elementals summoned by the Cleric Elemental is doubled, and the same quantity of elementals of a lesser nature also comes with them (e.g., if 2 elder elementals were to be initially summoned, 4 of them would answer, along with 4 greater elementals). Also, the duration of the summoning is doubled. The Cleric elemental may use this power only once per day.

Special: This feature may be acquired several times. Each time it is acquired, increases the by one number of times it may be used per day, and the number of elementals summoned of each type.

 

NATURE AFFINITY [SPECIAL]

By the act of preserving the land, the Avangion becomes more attuned to one of its aspects.

Prerequisite: Avangion Metamorphosis II

Benefits: because of his increasing kinship with life and nature, the Avangion takes some aspects of it into himself. He must choose one from the following list:  

Aspect	Appearance Changes	Special
Plants	the Avangion takes on a greenish tint	On green areas, he may become invisible at will. He may also choose to lose 1 hit point for every level of defiling spell cast within the range of his Avangion aura.
Rocks	The Avangion’s skin looks like marble, and his eyes shine with emerald green light.	Gains +5 DR (stacks with any DR already possessed) and acid resistance 10. He may also meld into stone.
Sand	The Avangion’s skin and eyes become pearly white	The Avangion may travel freely within sand and silt, suffering no ill effects. He also gains +3 circumstance bonus when in contact with sand or silt.
Sun	The Avangion’s body looks covered in flames.	Gains fire resistance 10. As long as he’s bathed by sunlight, he gains +2 on all his attack and damage rolls, skill checks and saving throws.
Water	the Avangion takes on a blue shade	Gains lightning and cold resistance 10. He may move freely in water, never drowning.

Psionic Body [SPECIAL]

The Archon’s body is now composed more of psionic energy than living matter.

Prerequisite: Psionic Energy Discharge 2/day

Benefits: The Archon doesn't have hit points anymore. Instead, he has a total of power points equal to the sum of his old total and his old hit points. He now uses this total both as power points and hit points (loosing points both when he manifests his powers and when he suffers damage). However, he's unable to be healed by healing spells, altough he recovers all his power points after resting, as usual.

Special: When an Archon enters an area where psionics are inhibited, the Archon will suffer an amount of damage every round equal to his character level. Also, weapons that steal or “destroy” power points inflict double damage on him.

PSIONIC ENCHANTMENT [METAMAGIC]

This feat allows the character to use special mitigators for his epic spells.

Prerequisites: Epic Spellcasting, and the character must be an Advanced Being with spellcasting ability.

Benefits: An Advanced Being with this feat may use his power points (with a maximum equal to the sum of his psionic and spellcasting classes) as a mitigating factor when developing his epic spells, each power point reducing the spell DC by 1, and these points must be spent when casting the spell. Spells like these are known as Psionic Enchantments. Besides these power points, a psionic enchanter (or enchantress) may use other special factors, known as cosmic mitigators:

[TABLE TO BE INSERTED SOON]

Psionic Storm [speCIAL]

An Archon may use psionic energy to cause powerfull storms.

Prerequisite: Archon Body IV, Greater Psionic Shield, Psionic Body

Benefits: As a full round action, an Archon may burn his power points to burn and confuse everyone within range. For each manifester level, two 20-ft cubes of space are set afire by burning ectoplasm, dealing a damage of 1d8 fire for every 10 power points spent. Additionally, for each 20 power points spent, all psionic powers in the area receive a –1 penalty to all their rolls. Those who make the saving throw (DC 10+Archon’s manifester level+Int modifier) take only half damage. The archon may maintain this storm while he remains concentrated and is able to burn the power points.  

SACRIFICE [SPECIAL]

The cleric sacrifices his own life energy to protect the environment from defiling.

Prerequisite: Elemental Form V

Benefits: Whenever a defiler casts spells, and the cleric elemental is within at a distance of 2 times the defiling radius or less, he may choose to sacrifice hit points to avoid damage to the land, at the ratio of 1 hit point for every level of the defiler’s spell.

Special: Since the elemental lords are opposed to defiling, they’ll truly appreciate when the cleric takes this course, giving him a +2 bonus to all his attack and damage rolls, skill checks, saving throws and spell DC when he confronts the defiler who tried to damage the land.

NEW SKILLS

NEW SPELLS

NEW PRESTIGE CLASSES

Epic Advancement for Dark Sun Prestige Classes.

 

Advanced Beings [READ THIS!]

Archon - mysterious transformation by a powerful psion

Avangion - great protectors of life

Cleric Elemental - ultimate expression of the faith for an element

Dragon - ruthless defilers who are nearly godlike

Druidic Spirit of the Land - the ultimate protector of the land

NEW TEMPLATES

Champion of Rajaat - a human who was chosen by Rajaat to rid Athas of humanoid races

Chosen of Rajaat - the one whose destiny was to slay the Champions after they concluded their purging.