Epic Destiny

Epic Destinies were a game mechanic introduced into the fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, replacing the concept of Epic-Level Prestige classes used in the previous edition. Whereas PrCs were optional sub-classes that you could take to make your character more powerful, Epic Destinies are effectively mandatory. You take a Paragon path at level 21, and it bolsters you from there to level 30 -- the next step along the line from the Paragon Path.

Epic Destinies follow pretty standard motifs; they generally give you new class features at levels 21, 24 and 30, and a Daily Utility Power at level 26. Some alter this model, however. Many Epic Destinies allow you to cheat death, gaining a special restorative power as their level 24 power. All epic destinies come with a flavorful "immortality" feature, describing one probable fate for you after you hit level 31 and are retired from play. Although some Epic Destinies are tied into specific classes, many instead are more generalistic in tone.

Really, it's a pretty awesome concept. Want to become a fledgling god? A good-aligned lich? Somebody who travels the multiverse at will? A dragon? An immortal bastion against the forces of pure evil or the Far Realm? The genesis of an entire new planet/plane of existence/multiverse? Master of time itself? All of these and more are possible with Epic Destinies.

Generalist Epic Destinies

As their name suggests, these Epic Destinies are extremely open in origin. Many require at most belonging to a power source, but others have at most vague requirements (a feat, sufficient ability score, etc) or simply nothing more beyond being 21st level.

• Bahamut’s Vessel (must worship Bahamut)
• Ceaseless Guardian (any defender class)
• Darklord [Dr372:38]
• Deadly trickster (Dexterity 21 or Charisma 21; training in Acrobatics, Bluff, Stealth, or Thievery) [PH:174]
• Demigod [PH:174]
• Emergent Primordial (elemental origin, Born of the Elements feat, or any elemental power)
• Eternal seeker [PH:175]
• Exemplar of Evil (evil alignment)
• Guardian of the Void
• Harbinger of Doom [PH2:172]
• Hordemaster [DSCS:100]
• Indomitable champion [HotFL:245]
• Keeper of the Everflow
• Keybearer [Dr372:39]
• Lord of Chaos
• Lorekeeper (21st level, Intelligence 21 or Wisdom 21, training in two knowledge skills) [PH2:173]
• Marshal of Letherna
• Planeshaper [Dr372:40]
• Prince of Hell [Dr372:40]
• Prison of the Winds [Dr371:30]
• Punisher of the Gods [Dr372:42]
• Radiant One
• Raven Knight (must worship the Raven Queen)
• Sage of the Swan Tower (must worship Ioun) [Dr397]
• Shiradi Champion (any nonevil alignment)
• Storm Sovereign[Dr372:43]
• Thief of Legend (trained in Stealth, Thievery)
• Twilight Tribune
• Unyielding Sentinel (any defender class)
• Wild Hunter
• Winter Sovereign (fey origin)[Dr372:44]

Emergent Primordial

Introduced in Heroes of the Elemental Chaos, the Emergent Primordial is a character who has become spiritually meshed with a Primordial, imbuing them with the power to tap into its elemental might. Their ultimate destiny is to either merge with it, or destroy it.

Qualifying for this ED requires that the character have either the Elemental Origin, the Born of the Elements feat, or any Elemental power.

At 21st level, you gain the Primordial Rebirth feature: +2 to one ability score of your choice, Origin changes to Elemental, and you gain both Resistance 15 and +3 to damage rolls with your choice of either Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning or Thunder.

At 24th level, you gain the Primordial Rebirth feature... again. This is your "once per day, when you die" feature; regain HP equal to your Bloodied value, and all allies within 5 squares can spend a healing surge. Additionally, all allies within 10 squares with this Epic Destiny gain +20 temporary hit points and can shift 1 square as a free action.

At 26th level, you gain the Primordial Form feature, your daily utility power. As a minor action, you can assume the form of a Huge Elemental, in which form you gain +2 Reach, Resist 5 to all damage, and a +4 damage rolls with melee attacks and attacks that have the Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning or Thunder keywords.

Finally, at level 30, you gain the Primordial Ascendance feature; when you score a critical hit or reduce a non-minion enemy to 0 hitpoints, each ally within 5 squares gains +10 temporary hit points and a +2 power bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn.

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Campaign-Specific Epic Destinies

These Epic Destinies were tied into the three campaign settings that D&D 4e pursued; Forgotten Realms, Eberron, and Dark Sun. Obviously, they're best suited to those campaigns, and so may pose issues trying to reuse in other settings.

Forgotten Realms

• Chosen
• Harper of Legend (good or lawful good alignment; training in any two of Diplomacy, Insight, Nature, or Stealth; membership in the harpers)
• Mythic Sovereign (fighter, paladin, ranger, or warlord; essentially identical to Legendary Sovereign)

Eberron

• Champion of Prophecy
• Dispossessed Champion
• Heir of Siberys
• Mourning Savior
• Reborn Champion[Dr365:70] (possibly Eberron campaign specific)

Dark Sun

• Avangion (any arcane class)
• Dragon King (any arcane class)
• Hordemaster
• Mind Lord of the Order (any psionic class that uses power points)
• Pyreen (any primal class or primal theme)

Racial Epic Destinies

These Epic Destinies, like their equivalent Paragon Paths, are only open to members of a specific race.

• Avatar of Io (dragonborn)
• Disincarnate (deva, memory of a thousand lifetimes power)
• Free Soul (revenant)
• Heir of the Empire (tiefling)
• Raven Consort (shadar-kai, must worship the Raven Queen)
• Redeemed Drow (drow)
• Soul of the World (deva)

Power Source Epic Destinies

A large number of Epic Destinies are limited to one of the six available Power Sources in 4e: Martial, Arcane, Divine, Primal, Psionic and Shadow. Some of them are available to all classes within this particular power source, while some are open to only one or two classes.

Arcane Epic Destinies

Membership in these Epic Destinies is only open to those who follow the paths of Arcane Magic; Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Swordmage, Warlock or Wizard.

• Arcane Sword (swordmage) [AP: 142]
• Archlich (any arcane class) [AP: 143]
• Archmage (wizard)[PH:173]
• Archspell (any arcane class)[AP: 144]
• Avangion (any arcane class)[DSCS:98]
• Draconic Incarnation (any arcane class)
• Dragon King (arcane defiling power)[DSCS:99]
• Elf High Mage (wizard; eladrin or elf)
• Fatesinger (bard)[PH2:170]
• Feyliege (any arcane class; must have the fey origin, be a half-elf, or be a warlock with the fey pact) [AP: 145]
• Immanence (any arcane class) [AP: 146]
• Lord of Fate (any arcane class, unaligned alignment) [AP: 147]
• Magister (any arcane class)[AP: 148]
• Parable (wizard) [AP: 149]
• Sage of Ages (any arcane class) [AP: 150]
• Witch Queen (wizard)

Divine Epic Destinies

Membership in these Epic Destinies is only open to those who follow the paths of Divine Magic; Avenger, Cleric, Invoker, Paladin, or Runepriest.

• Avatar of Death (Death Knell feat)[DP:145]
• Avatar of Freedom (Path of Freedom feat)[DP:146]
• Avatar of Hope (Hope Remains feat)[DP:147]
• Avatar of Justice (Immediate Justice feat)[DP:148]
• Avatar of Life (Pulse of Life feat)[DP:149]
• Avatar of Storm (Storm Sacrifice feat)[DP:150]
• Avatar of War (Path of War feat)[DP:151]
• Chosen (any divine class)[DP:152]
• Dead God Avatar (any divine class, must worship a dead deity)[Dr390:44]
• Exalted Angel (any divine class)[DP:154]
• Revered One (any divine class)[PH2:175]
• Rune Maker (runepriest)[PH3:160]
• Saint (any divine class)[DP:155]
• Sublime Flame (any divine class, must worship the Silver Flame)

Martial Epic Destinies

Membership in these Epic Destinies is only open to those who follow the paths of Martial Might; Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, or Warlord.

• Adamantine soldier (fighter or warlord)[MP:150]
• Beastlord (ranger, Beast Mastery class feature)[MP:151]
• Dark wanderer (ranger or rogue)[MP:152]
• Dragonheart (martial class)[MP2:156]
• Eternal defender [MP:153]
• Godhunter (ranger or rogue)[MP:154]
• Invincible vanguard (martial class)[MP2:157]
• Legendary general (warlord)[MP:155]
• Legendary sovereign (fighter, paladin, ranger, or warlord)[MP2:158]
• Martial archetype (any martial class, paragon multiclassing in a martial class)[MP:156]
• Perfect assassin (rogue)[MP:156]
• Star-favored champion (martial class)[MP2:159]
• Undying warrior (fighter)[MP:157]
• Warmaster (warlord)[MP:158]

Primal Epic Destinies

Membership in these Epic Destinies is only open to those who follow the paths of Primal Magic; Druid, Seeker, Shaman, or Warden.

• Fang of the World Serpent (any primal class)
• Fury of the Wild (any primal class)
• Glorious Spirit (any primal class)[PH2:171]
• Honored Ancestor (any primal class)
• Master Hierophant (druid)
• Master of the Eternal Hunt (seeker)[PH3:159]
• Mythic Spirit (any primal class)
• Perfect Guardian (warden)
• Primal Avatar (any primal class)[PH2:174]
• Pyreen (any primal class or primal theme)[DSCS:102]
• Reincarnate Champion (any primal class)
• Sovereign Beast (druid, wild shape power)
• World Tree Guardian (any primal class)[PrP:156]

Psionic Epic Destinies

Membership in these Epic Destinies is only open to those who follow the paths of Psionic Magic; Ardent, Battlemind, Monk, or Psion.

• Cosmic Soul (any psionic class)
• Demiurge (any psionic class)
• Diamond Soul (monk)[PH3:156]
• Eight Seal (any psionic class)
• Godmind (any psionic class)[PH3:157]
• Grandmaster of Flowers (monk)
• Invincible Mind (battlemind)[PH3:158]
• Master of Moments (any psionic class)
• Mind Lord of the Order (any psionic class that uses power points)[DSCS:101]
• Topaz Crusader (any psionic class, Psionic Augmentation class feature)
• War Master (ardent)[PH3:161]

Shadow Epic Destinies

These Epic Destinies revolve around tapping into and mastering shadow magic. As this power source, alas, was utterly ruined by the shift from 4e to Essentials, there's no real class dedicated to this power source beyond the Assassin.

• Guardian of the Void
• Perfect Slayer (assassin)