This is my idea for epic level rules after hearing some of the complaints.
The big problem i've heard about epic is the system starts to fall apart i think the problem is when characters start getting +20 to rolls the d20 roll itself matters less.
so my idea is at mythic level (21-30) instead of a d20 you start using a d30
mythic monsters would use d30's as would mythic characters they would threaten crit on 30 instead of 20 19-20 would become 29-30 etc. now generally the downside here would be criting far less and failing far less (the failing far less often is a good thing for mythic) however with feats like improved crit and maybe a mythic improved crit they would still work them self back out say a bow would be 30 then impr 29-30 them mythic 27-30.
skill check would remain the same difficulty and higher ones could be imagined.
it may not be necesary but certain saves ac etc could have the fomula bumped up from 10 to 15
and for level above 30 so 31+ you would use a d40 and bump up the numbers agian.
to deal with spell casters one idea ive posted before was having every 2 caster levels increase the save for their spells by 1 i wouldn't make higher spell slots past 10 i would just allow meta-magiced up spell slots.
The advantage would be that now mythic characters chances of failing on menial tasks has gone down. there is now a greater variance on rolls so you can still keep that sweet spot feeling of hitting missing on the middle.
I would like feed back on this idea so please post away ill post some more ideas how to round out this method later
mythic template
preq: unsure as of yet something in nature of bab +21 spellcaster lvl 21+ or skill rank + 21
You are not considered mythic you now use the d30 rules
i don't think i need fluff yet but it could be something like as you become mythic your fate (luck w/e) broadens.
i haven't decided if its necesary to improve the base ac modifiers yet from 10+ everything to 15+ everything as bonuses should naturally increase without that help and it would end up setting it back instead.
i still worry about the whole saving throw bab thing one of the ideas i liked was the bab starts to improve the secondary attacks instead of the main one. my thought was maybe the whole +1 every 2 for everyone and then full bab classes would also increase their secondary attacks more until they caught up to their main and mid bab would have a slower version and ofcourse low bab would not.
If you don't increase the target numbers from those presented in the d20 epic rules set (AC, saves, etc.) then increasing the die type only makes standard success more likely while decreasing critical hits, as the same roll will be needed for success (say a 16 on the die) but one will have a better chance of meeting/exceeding that roll (25% chance on a d20 vs. a 50% chance on a d30). However, if the target numbers merely increase to achieve the same success/failure ratio, then there's really no point to the change.
While I think part of the fun of epic play is being epically good at something, i.e. you can reliably succeed against even ridiculous tasks, I do agree that the marginalization of the actual die roll is a big issue. However, I don't think you'd want to skew the rules so much that all of a sudden being epic seems to mean that you're worse off than you were at 19th level (how I felt about the whole concept of Union, the basic philosophy of which seemed to be to make epic mundane).
Your idea as a whole is intriguing to me - I look forward to reading what you come up with.
i think your right leave the target numbers the same
as far as making you worse i think it might work if you still consider the rolls the same against non mythic creatures so a 25 on a d20 would not be a crit to a mythic creaute but would to a non (kind of in respect to the old epic rule of auto killing weak minions.)
star metal (to be renamed)
this remarkably tough and remarkably light armor is exceedingly rare and hard to forge.
(functions as if it was as light as mythril and as hard as adamantine.)
high cost +10 to dc to forge it
dark matter (think adamantine x5) but exceedingly heavy so only very strong characters could use and maybe a feat. (dense heavy armor prof)
i wouldn't mind other input and edits from others about if they think the D30 idea would work
frankly i still don't see what people mean by the game breaks down at higher levels. i've ran two campaigns in 3.5 that ran into epic and still managed to keep them working and we all had a good time. (ran up to 30th)
Hmm and would we feel its apropriate for non casters to start doing the impossible at epic levels (something akin to the juggernaught in epic) unstoppable (can even knock down walls of force) and immovable even a teleport won't make him budge.
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I never noticed the system break either, and our first 3.0 campaign ran through a 3.5 conversion and up to around 60th-75th level, which I DM'd.
The big issue is at high levels, most enemies have to be heavily customized for the party, and a lot of GM's get upset when they spend 14 hours creating a CR 60-something enemy, only to have the PC's one-round it. Or worse yet, win initiative, and take it down with a save-or-die effect before it gets to act.
Any encounter need lots of mooks and gimicks to present a lasting challenge.
The preparation time is what caused me to end that game. I literally didn't have enough time between sessions to prepare everthing to my satisfaction.
To run epic-level creatures with supergenius intellects effectively, you have to know them front to back, which can be hard if you just created them yesterday.
As always, this is The Truth according to me, which probably varies from The Truth told by you, or anyone else. So recognize.