Prolific forestation (the epic spell) is mentioned in Legends of Athas but not detailed. Did it ever get written up?
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Given that reference is in the Skull of Dorag Thel writeup and dates from 2nd Ed, I always figured it escaped the editor’s gaze and substituted Verdigris or Verdigris Tsunami from the Epic Level Handbook instead of PF.
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It’s in Dragon Kings, 10th level wizard spell in 2e rules. More trees per level above 21st, the book only going up to 36,000 at 30th and an area about 1,000 yards across. That’s a huge area, like a giant convention center and all the parking. Serious business. I’ve only ever played 2e and am not sure how that translates to later editions.
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I think I’ll have to produce my own version. I looked at verdigris tsunami and worked out some ways to drop the damage but then I realized that if I am going to do extensive work on it I might as well come up with something from whole cloth.
Speaking of epic spells/powers, I have worked out a solution that absolutely fixes the brokenness of the Legends of Athas metamorphosis seed.
Where is “Legends of Athas” available?
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Here are some of the changes that I made to the metamophosis seed. This is a solid fix for this seed, and makes it clear why the SKs just don’t go nuts with this seed. Have a look and give feedback. I also included a sample epic spell following these rules.
Seed: Metamorphosis
Transmutation/Metacreativity
Spellcraft DC: 28
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Special: requires expenditure of epic psionic power slot in addition to the epic spell slot
Metamorphosis Seed
Spells using the metamorphosis seed mutate a creature on a natural level. The normal use of this seed is to change physically between different subtypes of the same creature type. This also allows for cosmetic changes like the addition/reduction of fur/scales/feathers, or changing height or weight within the same size category. More drastic changes increases the base DC, which varies by the type of change involved, as shown on the table below.
Additional Participants in a Ritual
With the rules as they are written in ELH, adding participants to the ritual component of epic casting or manifesting could result in massive (and overpowered) mitigating factor reductions to epic spells and powers. With the availability of followers that they can force to participate in these rituals, sorcerer-kings could potentially have no practical limit to the way they could abuse this. Therefore, additional participants in a ritual can only mitigate the DC of the epic spell or power a maximum of twice the caster’s ranks in the Spellcraft skill. This represents the fact that this extra energy is difficult to control and only so much can be beneficially used by the epic caster or manifester. Any additional participant in an epic ritual using the metamorphosis seed must contribute both an epic spell slot and an epic power slot, which provides -38 DC per participant providing both epic spell and power slots. Non-epic spell or power slots cannot be used as mitigating factors.
Special: This seed can only be used on a single character or creature a maximum of 11 times total as there is only a certain amount of strain of metamorphosis that the body can tolerate (and it is also the reason why Kalak and Abalach-Re seek shortcuts in the metamorphosis – it is beneficial to get the most out of each metamorphosis since each individual creature can only be affected by metamorphosis 11 times total). In addition, when this seed is combined with any other spell seed the spell’s duration remains instantaneous and the cost of all other modifiers and factors generated by the other seed(s), prior to mitigating factors, are multiplied by 2.5. For example, if a spell with the metamorphosis seed included the ability to gain SR25, then the total spell DC before mitigating factors would be increased by 67.5 (fortify seed to add SR25 is 27, multiplied by 2.5)
Special II: An epic spell based on the metamorphosis seed is lost when cast. Unlike other epic spells which remain in memory to be cast at a future date, metamorphosis spells must be redeveloped each time. This expense is the reason why Sorcerer Kings do not simply metamorphose all their servants. Development costs for metamorphosis are set at a minimum 28 DC and cannot be mitigated below that number.
Dregoth’s Gift of Eternal Life
Transmutation/Metacreativity
Spellcraft DC: 28
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
To develop: 252,200 Cp, 6 days, 10,080 XP. Seed: metamorphosis (DC 28). Factors: ageless (+10 DC), 1-action casting time (+20). Mitigating factor: 30d6 backlash damage (-30 DC).
The creature subject to this spell becomes ageless. The creature no longer takes penalties to ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that have been already taken, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the creature no longer dies of old age. Dregoth cast this spell on Mon Adderath, giving him eternal life.
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OK. Here is prolific vegetation and prolific forestation. Its very close to the originals. The factors are legitimate - spell factors have precedent in the pestilence epic spell, and horrendous dessication is the precedent for the range per caster level. Epic spells are an art more than anything.
Prolific Vegetation
Conjuration/Metacreativity
Spellcraft DC: 64
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Target: One-half mile radius +300 feet per caster level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: N/A
To develop: 576,000 Cp, 12 days, 23,040 XP. Seed: conjure (DC 21). Factors: enrichment effects, duration and area as per plant growth spell (ad hoc +16 DC), Rejuvenate effects as per rejuvenation spell (+21 DC), area level dependent adding 300 feet radius per caster level (+25). Mitigating factor: psionic enchantment via expenditure of epic power slot (-19 DC).
This spell causes scrubs and grasses to grow over an area that previously had no growth, per the rejuvenate spell (Dark Sun Core Rules 3.5 page 164). In an area where there is vegetation, such vegetation is enriched per the plant growth spell, and the newly created vegetation created by the rejuvenation effect is also subject to the plant growth effect.
Prolific Forestation
Conjuration/Metacreativity
Spellcraft DC: 64
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 6 minutes
Target: One-half mile radius +300 feet per caster level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: N/A
To develop: 576,000 Cp, 12 days, 23,040 XP. Seed: conjure (DC 21). Factors: enrichment effects, duration and area as per plant growth spell (ad hoc +16 DC), Rejuvenate effects as per rejuvenation spell (+21 DC), change to trees (ad hoc +10 DC), area level dependent adding 300 feet radius per caster level (+25). Mitigating factors: psionic enchantment via expenditure of epic power slot (-19 DC), increase casting time by 5 minutes (-10 DC).
This spell causes trees to grow over an area that previously had no growth, per the rejuvenate spell (Dark Sun Core Rules 3.5 page 164), except the growth is trees. In an area where there already trees, those trees are enriched per the plant growth spell, and the newly created trees created by the rejuvenation effect is also subject to the plant growth effect. If there is existing vegetation, the vegetation is subject to the enrichment effects and are not replaced by trees.
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I always like your epic spell writeups Red, mostly because I just get confused trying to do my own.
Isn’t the conjure seed a limited duration one? When I’ve tried homebrewing the prolific plant spells I always get hung up on the x5 DC modifier to change the duration to permanent.
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The conjure seed is limited duration, but I am using a carrier spell (plant growth) for the area, duration, and enrichment effects.
This is valid because otherwise your epic spell would be less effective than a 3rd level spell. The duration is instantaneous. If you have an existing spell of spell levels 1 - 9 that does what you want, but you can’t do it for some reason in the epic system, simply make that spell a carrier spell and assign an ad hoc Spellcraft DC to it as a factor. The epic spell pestilence does this. See the factors in the spell for a description of what is happening.
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Here is another type of factor I developed.
Aggravating factor: experience point substitution.
Where an epic spell, such as those used by the shadow seed, require an expenditure of XP because the original spell has an XP expenditure, experience points can be substituted by adding +1 DC per 25 XP to be substituted to the final Spellcraft DC to cast the spell. The aggravating factor is added at the very last step, after any other factors such as permanency and being the last factor may not be mitigated away in any manner. In addition, a spell such as wish has a secondary XP cost beyond the base cost for casting such as in the event of creating magical items via wish, these secondary XP expenditures cannot be substituted by an aggravating factor. For example, the base 5000 XP of the wish spell can be substituted by adding +200 DC to the final Spellcraft DC, but no other XP expenditures may be substituted. To calculate the DC simply divide the XP to be substituted by 25.
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Shadow Wish
Illusion (shadow)
Spellcraft DC: 223
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 11 minutes
Target, effect or area: As wish spell
Duration: As wish spell
Saving Throw: As wish spell
Spell Resistance: Yes
To develop: 2,007,000 Cp, 41 days, 80,280 XP. Seed: shadow (DC 23). Factors: duplicate wish 9th level arcane spell (+40 DC). Mitigating factors: increase casting time by 10 minutes (-20 DC), Burn 100 XP (-1 DC), psionic enchantment via expenditure of epic power slot (-19 DC). Aggravating factor: substitution of 5000 XP expenditure for difficulty of casting (+200 DC).
This spell is identical to the wish spell, except it requires burning only 100 XP (the 5000 XP cost already being paid by the increased difficulty of casting). If this spell creates or improves a magic item, you must pay twice the normal XP cost for crafting or improving the item, plus an additional 5,000 XP.
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I have to admit, I like your version of Prolific Forestation better than mine. Stealing it
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