Introduction

This document lists the complete homebrew epic spell list I use for the campaigns I run in Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. I originally created this document in Word, for the benefit of me as the DM and my players. However, I see no reason not to make this freely available for others, provided of course that all sources are cited and credited, and that I seek no financial reimbursement. This applies to the spells of my own creation, which I am happy to share for free.

Some entries were loosely inspired by spells from older editions of Dungeons & Dragons that I missed too much to leave out. Others are spells that exist in two CRPGs that I enjoyed and wished to see represented in the campaigns I run. Finally, some are creations of my own mind.

In all instances, I have, where necessary, made (minor) amends to certain mechanics so as to ensure consistency in 5th edition. As those whose sources both happen to be Dungeons & Dragons CRPGs, this wasn't an overly onerous task, at least in terms of mechanics. The trickier part comes trying to balance spells whose power exceeds 9th-level spells whilst respecting 5th edition's undeniably less dangerous, more player character-tilted challenge curve. All the same, I have endeavoured to accredit the original.

In any event, it is my hope that this collection of spells piques your interests, takes your fancy and ends up in your wizard's spellbook, cleric's mind...or, as the DM, your villainous NPC's spell list, to catch your players unawares!

A Note on Epic Tier Play

Officially, character progression ends at 20th level. That's perfectly fine. After all, only four percent of campaigns registered on D&DBeyond progress to 14th level or higher.

However, there are some stories that take longer to tell and some players that want to take their heroic character further. To do this, my group makes use of Quill and Cauldron's excellent Epic Characters product, available online at DMs Guild. This is unofficial content, not that you'd know it. I happily vouch for its balance, its flavour and its accessibility. Why not go ahead and take a look?

One word of warning, if I may. Spells of this power are quite rightly formidable, to the point of being overwhelming. They aren't to be used lightly. In the aforementioned game system I use to manage epic tier play, characters reaching 21st, 25th and 29th level gain the Ability Score Improvement feature. What I've done is give full-spellcasters the option to take one epic spell slot at one of those levels of their choosing.

Four epic spells refer to the homebrew Unconquerable trait that a handful of my nastier baddies have. See the memo at the top of the next page for more details.

How do Epic Spells Work?

Rules for epic spells and epic spellcasting are detailed on page 8. These are my creation and are woven into a product I've purchased that supports this tier of play.

Epic Spells for Epic Characters

Epic spells are deigned to exceed the power of 9th-level spells. Technically beyond the reach of mortals, only the mightiest of adventurers get their hands on them. But are they really the mightiest spells? The truth is out there...

Epic Spells

Epic Gate

Epic conjuration (cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, wizard)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

You open a portal to the Lower Planes and calls forth a balor to assail your foes for the duration. If it is slain, a second one is immediately summoned in its place. The strength of this conjuration is such that the demons are bound to your will, and you need not have cast any spell or maintain concentration to prevent them from attacking you. The balor always attacks whichever of your enemies is closest.

A summoned balor disappears back through a portal 1 minute after you cast this spell.

Exercitum Ex Mortis

Epic necromancy (cleric, sorcerer, warlock, wizard)

• Casting Time: 1 minute
• Range: 120 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

You flood corpses with negative and transmutational energy and raise an army of the dead for you to command. This spell can't create undead from nothing --- there must be at least 10 corpses within range, and enough room for the army to rise.

You determine the nature of each undead, although a creature’s Challenge Rating can't exceed 3, and the undead must be corporeal. Your command of the undead is absolute and as a bonus action, you telepathically give instructions to them as a whole. You must be on the same plane of existence as the undead created to do this.

In the absence of instruction, the undead behave according to type but will not harm anyone you forbid them to. The undead remain until slain, you or they travel to a different plane of existence, or you die, at which point they turn to dust.

If you cast this spell again whilst any undead you created remain, those remaining turn to dust once you create one or more new undead from the new casting.

This spell can raise a maximum Challenge Rating of undead equal to five times your level.

Hellball

Epic evocation (sorcerer, warlock, wizard)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 150 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

You unleash a powerful blast of energy that detonates at a point you can see within range. Each creature within a 20’ radius of the blast point must succeed at a Dexterity save, or take 12d6 acid, 12d6 fire, 12d6 lightning and 12d6 thunder damage. On success, creatures take half damage. Hellball ignores evasion.

Improved Alacrity

Epic transmutation (sorcerer, wizard)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Up to 1 minute

You briefly gain a mastery over the Weave beyond mortal capacity. Motes of the arcane gather about you and bend to your will, negating the usual casting times and pauses necessary between casting different spells.

For the duration, on each of your turns, you can cast up to two spells that have a casting time of 1 action or 1 bonus action, provided the total spell slots don’t exceed 14 and you have the spell slots remaining. Starting from the second time you choose to cast two spells on your turn, and each time thereafter, roll a d6. On a 1, you either again one level of exhaustion, or this spell ends early (your choice).

Finally, for the duration of the spell, you can concentrate on up to two spells at once. If you lose concentration, you lose concentration on all spells you are concentrating on, and you automatically lose concentration when improved alacrity ends. When the spell ends, a wave of lethargy sweeps over you, and either you take 10d6 force damage, which can't be resisted or avoided in any way, or you are stunned until the end of your next turn (your choice). If you take the force damage, your hit point maximum is also reduced by the same amount. These hit points can only be recovered by finishing a long rest.

Mass Drown

Epic transmutation (druid)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 20 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

You create water in the lungs of any creatures of your choice that you can see within range, causing them to begin drowning. A creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or gain four levels of exhaustion.

Creatures that do not require the use of lungs, such as undead or constructs are unaffected by this spell.

Mass Fowl

Epic transmutation (druid)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

You transform any creatures of your choice that you can see within range that are size Large or smaller, into chickens. Each creature you choose must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or undergo the transformation. The transformation is permanent and all non-legendary items carried by affected targets are instantly destroyed upon transformation.

Creatures with the Unconquerable trait are unaffected by this spell but must still succeed on the save or be stunned until the start of your next turn.

Mystra’s Overchannel

Epic evocation (sorcerer, wizard)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Up to 1 minute

You call on the Weave to flood you with a portion of Mystra’s own power, infusing your damaging spells with unearthly potency. For the next minute, for each evocation spell of 1st to 8th level you cast at its default level that involves rolling damage dice, you roll double the usual number of damage dice, and each such spell attracts the epic spell modifier to your spell save DC (i.e. +1).

Starting from the second time you choose to invoke this ability and each time thereafter, roll a d6. On a 1, either you again one level of exhaustion, or this spell ends early (your choice).

You can use a higher level spell slot to cast evocation spells whilst under the effect of this spell, but they are treated as still being cast at their default level. When the spell ends, you experience burn out from the Weave, and either take 10d6 force damage, which can't be resisted or avoided in any way, or you can't cast spells for the next hour, (your choice). If you take the force damage, your hit point maximum is also reduced by the same amount. These hit points can only be recovered by finishing a long rest.

Premonition

Epic divination (cleric, druid, wizard)

• Casting Time: 1 minute
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 1 hour

This epic spell bestows a partial ability to see into the immediate future. For the duration, you can't

• Be surprised
• Roll less than 10 on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.

This insight into the future also gives you Resistance (10) to all damage for the duration. Additionally, other creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against you and cannot score a critical hit on you for the duration.

Shades of Terror

Epic illusion (sorcerer, wizard)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 120 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Up to 1 minute

You draw on the deepest fears of a group of creatures, allowing you to create illusory creatures in their minds, visible only to them.

Each creature of your choice in a 30-foot-cube centred on a point you choose within range must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 10d10 psychic damage and becomes frightened for the duration. While frightened by this spell, the creature’s speed becomes 0 and it can't cast spells.

For each creature affected, the illusion manifests as its worst nightmare, posing as an implacable threat.

At the end of each of the frightened creature’s turns,

it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 5d10 psychic damage.

On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature. If something causes the frightened creature to move out of the spell’s range, the spell ends for the creature.

Spell Trap

Epic abjuration (sorcerer, wizard)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V
• Duration: Up to 1 minute

You create a shimmering, purplish barrier around yourself. For the duration, spell trap absorbs any spell of 1st to 9th level, that directly targets only you. Each time this happens, you regain an expended spell slot, the level of which equals that of the absorbed spell. If this isn't possible, you regain an expended slot of the next highest level, instead.

The incoming spell has no other effect on you.

The total spell levels spell trap absorbs is equal to your caster level. If you are targeted by a spell whose level exceeds the remaining spell levels of protection provided by spell trap, the spell targeting you is still absorbed, but you don't regain an expended spell slot, and spell trap ends early.

You can dismiss spell trap as a bonus action.

Vampiric Feast

Epic necromancy (druid, sorcerer, warlock, wizard)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

You forcibly extract life force from up to 3 creatures within range, which you then consume. Each creature of your choice must succeed at two Constitution saving throws or lose all remaining hit points and begin dying.

A creature that succeeds on only one save loses half of its current hit points. A creature that succeeds on both saving throws loses 0 hit points. The total amount of necrotic damage inflicted by this spell is then added to your current total.

You are only able to absorb enough hit points to restore you to full health; remaining points dissipate into the fabric of the Weave.

Creatures with the Unconquerable trait can only fail one of the two saves. Constructs are unaffected.

Vorpal Strike

Epic necromancy (sorcerer, wizard)

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S, M (a weapon you are holding)
• Duration: Up to 1 minute

You imbue your weapon with the power of death. For the duration, when you deal damage to a creature with a weapon attack using this weapon, you may chose to force that creature to succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or die. The spell ends early if a creature fails this save, or you use this effect three times.