Epic Level Handbook

Pseudonatural Carrion Crawler: CR 20; Largeoutsider; HD 3d8+21; hp 45; Init +7; Spd 60 ft., climb30 ft.; AC 51, touch 16, flat-footed 44; Atk +31 melee(1d8+14, 8 tentacles), +26 melee (1d4+7, bite); or +31melee (2d8+14, 10 tentacle rakes); Face/Reach 5 ft. by10 ft./5 ft.; SA Constant insight, improved grab, paralysis,rotting constriction, spell-like abilities; SQ Acidand electricity resistance 15, alternate form, DR 20/+5,darkvision 60 ft., scent, SR 15; AL N; SV Fort +10, Ref+10, Will +10; Str 38, Dex 25, Con 24, Int 3, Wis 25,Cha 6.Skills and Feats: Climb +28, Hide +3, Listen +10, Spot+10; Alertness.Spell-Like Abilities: At will—blur, dimension door,shield, unhallow. Caster level 20th; save DC 8 + spell level.Even powerful monsters only oppose the charactersfor a short time, namely a few rounds in asingle battle. Throwing more monsters atthem may make the combat last longer,but doesn’t always make it more challenging.But that’s the idea: Set thingsup so that the characters have to takecare of many pseudonatural crawlerclusters at once, possibly acrosslengthy distances from one another,up give Masum time to grow hisplans to full fruition. Overwhelmthe PCs with tough choices (suchas the sequence in which to deal withthings) rather than trying to overhelmthem with more critters in asingle encounter.Points to Consider: At epic levels,the gods themselves may enter playmore frequently. This doesn’t meanthat the characters are interactingwith the deities like customers ina bakery, but a god’s hand maymeddle in the affairs affectingthe PCs more and more often.An examination of the levels ofpower in any sort of pyramidstructuredorganization (such asMasum’s cult) reveals that the morepotent the individuals, theless active in the events of thestory they become. In other words, you need acult leader who has attained a really high level inorder to cast epic spells, but because the cult leader isspending his time doing these very important things, heisn’t really available to participate in opposing the charactersdirectly. The characters should always first do battlewith the flunkies who are just a step below the best thatany given layer (of the onion) has to offer. If you go theroute of building a large cult, keep this idea in mind asyou plan out the power levels of the different layers.Appendix 1: EpicNPCs of FaerûnELMINSTERMale Human (Chosen of Mystra) Fighter 1/Rogue2/Cleric 3/Wizard 24/Archmage 5: CR 39; Mediumsizehumanoid; HD 1d10+7 plus 2d6+14 plus 3d8+21plus 24d4+168 plus 5d4+35; hp 369; Init +10; Spd 30 ft.;AC 31, touch 19, flat-footed 27; Atk +25/+20/+15 melee(1d8+6/19–20, +5 thundering longsword) or +23/+18/+13ranged touch (by spell); SA Sneak attack +1d6, turnundead 6/day; SQ Arcane fire, arcane reach, mastery ofcounterspelling, mastery of elements, spell power +4,Chosen immunities, Chosen spell-like abilities, detectmagic, enhanced Constitution, enhanced Intelligence,evasion, silver fire, SR 21; AL CG; SV Fort +29, Ref +25,Will +29; Str 13, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 27, Wis 18, Cha17. Height 6 ft. 2 in.Skills and Feats: Alchemy +28, Balance +6,Climb +5, Concentration +34, Decipher Script+ 10, Diplomacy +6, Handle Animal +4, Heal+8, Hide +7, Intimidate +9, Intuit Direction+6, Jump +5, Knowledge (arcana) +38, Knowledge(geography) +20, Knowledge (history)+15, Knowledge (local) +15, Knowledge(nature) +15, Knowledge (nobility) +15,Knowledge (the planes) +20, Knowledgereligion) +13, Listen +12, Move Silently+7, Open Lock +6, Perform (dance) +6,Ride +8, Scry +28, Search +10, SenseMotive +9, Spellcraft +40, Spot +10,Swim +5, Tumble +5; Blooded, CraftEpic Wondrous Item, Craft Staff,Craft Wondrous Item, Delay Spell,Enhance Spell, Expertise, ForgeRing, Heighten Spell, ImprovedInitiative, Improved Metamagic,Improved Spell Capacity (10th),Luck of Heroes, Maximize Spell,Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Spellcraft),Spell Focus (Enchantment),Spell Focus (Evocation), SpellPenetration, Twin Spell.Arcane Fire (Su): Elminstermay cast any spell as an energybolt (range 600 ft., damage 5d6 + 1d6points per spell level).Arcane Reach: Elminster’s touch spellshave a 30-foot range.Mastery of Counterspelling: When Elminster successfullycounterspells any spell subject to spell turning,he reflects it fully back on the original caster. A spell notsubject to spell turning is merely counterspelled.Mastery of Elements: Elminster can prepare anyarcane spell he knows with the acid, cold, fire, electricity,APPENDIX 1:EPIC NPCSOF FAERÛN291