Standard epic
rods are described below.
Besiegement: This
rod functions as a +
3 light mace. In addition, it is useful for besieging fortifications. Whenever the wielder makes a
charge attack, the
rod improves to a +6
weapon. Twice per day, the
rod can create a battering ram that lasts for 24 rounds. This ram can strike once per round, dealing 20 points of
damage with each hit. It cannot be used to target individuals, only fortifications. It can be damaged by normal means (65 hp, AC 22), and
disintegrate or
dispel magic destroys it. The
rod also has the following powers:
Siege Engine: One heavy catapult, two
light catapults, or three siege towers may be generated with each use of this power. Each
weapon created lasts for 12 hours. The power can be used three times per day. Ammunition for 20 shots is included with each
weapon created.
Epic Absorption: Like a
rod of absorption, this
rod draws single-target or
ray spells and spell-like abilities into itself, nullifying the effect and storing the potential
spell levels until the wielder releases the energy in the form of spells of his or her own. Spells of any level (including those boosted beyond 9th level by metamagic) can be absorbed, although epic spells cannot. The
rod absorbs a maximum of 150
spell levels and can thereafter only discharge any remaining potential it might have. The
rod cannot be recharged.
Epic Cancellation: This
rod's touch drains an item of all magical properties, including the magical energy in epic magic items (but not most
artifacts). The item touched gets a Will
saving throw (DC 26). If a creature is holding the magic item at the time, then the item can use the holder's Will save bonus in place of its own. In such cases, contact is established by making a melee touch
attack roll. Upon draining three items, the
rod becomes brittle and useless. Drained items can only be restored by
wish, miracle, or epic spells specifically designed to restore lost power. A
rod of epic cancellation can neutralize a normal
sphere of annihilation without itself being cancelled.
Epic Might: This
rod is similar to a
rod of lordly might, although it is far more powerful. It is larger than its normal counterpart, and it is constructed of adamantine rather than normal metal. It has six buttons, several spell-like functions, and several mundane uses, and it can also be used as a
magic weapon of various sorts.
The following spell-like functions of the
rod can each be used once per day.
•
Dominate Person: Touched foe is recipient of a
dominate person spell, if the wielder so commands (Will save DC 24). The wielder must choose to use this power and then succeed with a melee touch attack to activate the power. If the attack fails, the effect is lost.
•
Stun: Upon
command, all enemies viewing the
rod are stunned, as per the
power word, stun spell (10-foot maximum range, Will save DC 24). Invoking this power is a
standard action.
•
Damage: Upon
command, the
rod deals 10d8 points of
damage to an opponent on a successful touch attack and cures the wielder of a like amount of
damage (Will save DC 26). The wielder must choose to use this power before attacking, as with
dominate person.The following
weapon uses of the
rod have no limits on their use.
• In its normal form, the
rod can be used as a
+
6 heavy mace.
• When button 1 is pushed, the
rod becomes a +
3 longsword of fiery blasting.• When button 2 is pushed, the
rod becomes a +
8 battleaxe.• When button 3 is pushed, the
rod becomes a +
10 shortspear or +
10 longspear.The following mundane uses of the
rod also have no limits on their use.
• Climbing pole/ladder: When button 4 is pushed, a spike that can anchor in granite is extruded from the ball, while the other end sprouts three sharp hooks. The
rod lengthens to anywhere between 5 and 150 feet in a single round, stopping when button 4 is pushed again. Horizontal bars 3 inches long fold out from the sides, 1 foot apart, in staggered progression. The
rod is firmly held by the spike and hooks and can bear up to 10,000 pounds. The wielder can retract the pole by pushing button 5.
• The ladder function can be used to force open
doors. The wielder plants the
rod's base 30 feet or less from the portal to be forced and in line with it, then pushes button 4. The force exerted has a Strength bonus of
+24.
• When button 6 is pushed, the
rod indicates magnetic north and gives the wielder a
knowledge of his or her approximate depth beneath the surface or height above it.
Caster Level: 30th;
Prerequisites: Craft Rod,
Craft Epic Rod,
Craft Magic Arms and Armor,
Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor,
cure critical wounds, inflict critical wounds, bull's strength, fireball, dominate person, power word stun; Market Price: 4,293,432 gp;
Cost to Create: 2,151,372 gp + 52,841 XP.
Epic Negation: This
rod negates the spell or spell-like function or functions of magic items, including epic magic items (but not
artifacts). The wielder points the
rod at the magic item, and a beam shoots forth to touch the target device, attacking as a
ray (a ranged touch attack). The
ray negates any currently active item function and has a 75% chance to negate any other spell or spell-like functions of that device, regardless of the level or power of the functions, for 2d4 rounds. To negate instantaneous effects, the
rod wielder needs to have readied an action. The target item gets no
saving throw or means to resist this effect. The
rod can function three times per day.
Epic Rulership: This
rod appears to be a royal scepter worth at least 25,000 gp in materials and work-manship alone. The wielder can
command the obedience and fealty of creatures within 360 feet when he or she activates the device (a
standard action). Creatures totaling 900 Hit
Dice can be ruled, but creatures with Intelligence scores of 17 or higher are entitled to a Will
saving throw (DC 29) to negate the effect. Ruled creatures obey the wielder as if he or she were their absolute sovereign. Still, if the wielder gives a
command that is contrary to the nature of the creatures commanded, the magic is broken. The
rod can be used for 1,500 total minutes before crumbling to dust. This duration need not be continuous.
Epic Spellcaster: This magnificent adamantine
rod grants its wielder a +10 insight bonus on
Spellcraft checks made to cast epic spells for as long as he or she holds or carries the
rod.
Epic Splendor: This
rod grants its wielder a +8 enhancement bonus to Charisma for as long as he or she holds or carries the item. Three times per day, the
rod creates and garbs him or her in
clothing of the finest fabrics, plus adornments of fur and jewels. Apparel created by the
rod can remain in existence up to 24 hours. The value of the garb ranges from 70,000 to 100,000 gp (1d4+6 x10,000 gp)-10,000 gp for the fabric, 50,000 gp for the furs, and the rest for jewel trim (maximum of 40 gems, maximum value 1,000 gp each). In addition, the
rod can, once per week, create a palatial mansion in any
floor plan the user desires. The mansion is palatial, able to accommodate up to 250 people, housing them in private chambers and serving them fine banquets. The mansion lasts for three days, after which time it, and everything originally in it (including items removed from the mansion), disappear.
Excellent Magic: Once per day when casting a nonepic or epic spell that has an experience point component, the
rod supplies up to 2,000 XP, not the caster. If more experience points are required to cast the spell, the caster provides them. As a special use of the
rod, the caster can substitute the power inherent in the
rod for the experience point development cost of an epic spell. Doing so drains all the power from the
rod, rendering it useless.
Fortification: This
rod functions as a +
3 light mace. In addition, it is useful for the construction and defense of fortifications. Whenever the wielder is benefiting from
cover, the
rod improves that to nine-tenths
cover (+10
cover AC bonus and +4
cover Reflex save bonus; failure on the save results in half
damage and success results in no
damage). Three times per day, the
rod can
create food and water, as per the
cleric spell, for twenty-four people. The
rod also has the following powers:
Fortify: Four times per day, a stone wall can be created that is 12 inches thick, 10 feet high, and 30 feet long. This wall has a parapet and battlements across the top. (Alternatively, the power can be used to mend a broken existing wall. The gap to be filled can be no more than 300 square feet in area.) In addition, once per day, a great
door of iron can be created that is set into one of the newly created
walls. This
door, 4 inches thick, may be a double
door, a drawbridge, or a portcullis, as chosen by the wielder.
Siege Engine: One heavy catapult, two
light catapults, or three ballistae may be generated with each use of this power. The power can be used four times per day. Ammunition for 20 shots is included with each
weapon created.
Caster Level: 24th;
Prerequisites: Craft Rod,
Craft Epic Rod,
Craft Magic Arms and Armor,
inter-posing hand, create food and water, major creation, wall of iron, wall of stone; Market Price: 465,665 gp;
Cost to Create: 231,985 gp + 14,634 XP.
Invulnerability: When held, this
rod grants its wielder the following powers.
• +5 enhancement bonus to natural
armor.
• Immunity to critical hits.
Nightmares: Anyone who comes within 20 feet of the wielder of this
rod feels a grave sense of unease. Each person so affected must make a Will save (DC 17) or suffer the effects of a
nightmare spell the next time he or she falls asleep. The wielder is immune to this effect. Three times per day, the wielder can utter a
command word that causes the
rod to emit a horrid, inhuman scream. Up to twenty of the closest creatures within a 30-foot radius who hear this terrible wail believe that their worst
nightmares have become reality and suffer the effects of a
wail of the banshee spell (DC 23).
Paradise: This item creates a nondimensional space, similar in effect to a
rod of security. However, the
rod's possessor and up to 999 other creatures can stay in complete safety for up to 1,000 days divided by the number of creatures affected. Natural
healing takes place at five times the normal pace. The
rod functions like its nonepic counterpart in all other ways.
The Path: This
rod serves as an
aid to trailblazing and travel. It grants the wielder a +30 enhancement bonus on Wilderness Lore checks for tracking and Intuit Direction checks. The handle of the
rod is hollow, functioning like a telescope. When the wielder peers through it, the limits of
vision are three times normal (and spotting distances for encounters are tripled). In addition, the telescoping handle enables the wielder to view things as though affected by a
true seeing spell. The
rod also has the following powers.
Map: Three times per day a section of the
rod unrolls like a
scroll from a tube, revealing a map of the surrounding area, centered on the location of the
rod. The area shown on the map covers an area as small as 50 feet in radius to as large as 24 miles in radius, zooming in or out with a set of
command words. The map reveals natural topography and all types of structures (even hidden ones), but it will not show the location of creatures.
Passage: Three times per day, this power allows the wielder and up to five others in a 20-foot radius to move unhindered through natural
plant growth or bodies of water (as per the
freedom of movement spell).
Bridge: Once per day, this power allows the user to create a 5-foot-wide, 40-foot-long stone cause-way across chasms and canyons. The bridge created lasts for 1 hour.
Pass without Trace: Once per day, this power can be used on the wielder and twenty others, for 21 minutes. It is otherwise as the spell of the same name (
caster level 24th).
Restless Death: The holder of this
rod can rebuke or
control undead as if he or she were four levels higher. (The
rod doesn't grant
the ability to rebuke or
control undead if the holder doesn't already have it.) In addition, the wielder may speak a
command word to cast
animate dead. Any skeletons or zombies animated by the
rod's power are automatically controlled by the
rod, up to the
rod's maximum limit of 42 HD, and they follow the orders of the
rod's wielder. These undead don't count toward the wielder's limit of controlled undead. Finally, the wielder can speak a second
command word to cast
slay living (heightened to 10th level; DC 25).
Wyrm: Any of the various
rods in this series functions as a +
5 quarterstaff. Upon casting the
rod to the ground (a
standard action) and uttering a
command word, the
rod grows into a specific type of dragon (depending on the specific type of
rod) by the end of the round. The dragon created is a
wyrm and obeys the commands of the owner. The dragon returns to
rod form (a
full-round action) whenever the wielder desires, or whenever it moves farther than 500 feet from the owner. If the dragon form is slain, it returns to
rod form and cannot be activated again for three days. A
wyrm rod only functions if the possessor is of the same
alignment as the dragon type.
Caster Level: 34th (white or brass), 35th (black or copper), 36th (green or bronze), 37th (blue or silver), 38th (red or gold);
Prerequisites: Craft Rod,
Craft Epic Rod,
Craft Magic Arms and Armor,
Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor,
Improved Heighten Spell, improved heightened
polymorph, creator must be same
alignment as dragon type;
Market Price: 1,458,200 gp (brass or white), 1,562,600 gp (black or copper), 1,670,600 gp (bronze or green), 1,782,200 gp (blue or silver), 1,897,400 gp (gold or red);
Cost to Create: 729,400 gp + 24,576 XP (brass or white), 781,600 gp + 25,620 XP (black or copper), 835,600 gp + 26,700 XP (bronze or green), 891,400 gp + 27,816 XP (blue or silver), 949,000 gp + 28,968 XP (gold or red).