Epic Destinies

Epic Levels and Epic Destinies
As of Menace of the Underdark, the game is separated into "Heroic" levels (up to level 20) and Epic levels (21-25), where players mainly run epic content to earn XP to spend on special enhancements.

Epic Destines are a major part of an advancement system that players can use for their level 20+ characters. They are unlocked at level 20, but unlike regular "Heroic" advancement, you can progress your Epic Destinies indefinitely - even after you hit the new level cap of 25.

Notes:
 * Epic Destinies are included with the expansion, and will later be available for separate purchase in the DDO Store in Update 15 (planned for August 2012) for 995 Turbine Points.
 * Advancement on Epic Destinies will not begin until you gain access to the system and pick a destiny, but your character can still advance into epic levels up to the level cap of 25 and gain the benefits (such as feats).
 * See also Epic levels for their details.

Epic Destinies
Epic Destinies are independent of the character level and aren't like single classes; they're more like powerful extra roles. For example, a character with 20 Druid Heroic levels can in fact pick the "Grandmaster of Flowers" to get a set of Monk-like abilities.

List of Epic Destinies
Ten Epic Destinies are currently available, but more will be added over time.

Destiny Spheres and initial choice of Epic Destiny
At level 20 you pick an Epic Destiny on the map UI. Destinies are organized in 4 different spheres here. You can start in any Destiny in a sphere where you have a matching heroic class with at least 6 levels (if you are multiclassed). This choice happens only once for a character. To change destiny afterward, you'll need to unlock other destinies

The map UI shows how each Epic Destiny connects, and each Destiny also has five levels and its own tree. The four spheres are as follows;
 * Arcane (Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard) [on the bottom of the image]
 * Divine (Cleric, Favored Soul, Paladin) [on the left]
 * Martial (Fighter, Monk, Rogue) [on the top]
 * Primal (Barbarian, Druid, Ranger) [on the right]

Leveling and unlocking Epic Destinies
Characters gain experience in their currently activated Epic Destiny and their character level at the same time. Epic Destinies have their own experience bar and level up independently from your actual Epic levels. The two bars will advance independently of each other. Epic Destinies are supposed to be faster to level up than epic level.

Epic Destiny levels are divided into 5 ranks, for each rank you also gain one Epic Destiny Point(EDP) for that specific tree. After spending enough points you unlock the second tier abilities, then eventually the third. This progression continues until you hit Epic Destiny level 5 (24 EDP) and max it out.

Characters can gain access to multiple Epic Destinies. When you reach level 3 in an Epic Destiny, adjacent Destinies within the same sphere become available to the character. When you reach level 4 in certain "bridge" Epic Destinies, adjacent Destinies in other spheres become available.

ED abilities and Tier tree


Choosing abilities within any given Epic Destiny tree is a big part of the player's decision making process. For example, reach "Magister" level 5 and you'll have 24 points to spend in every tier of the tree, however, those points won't get you all "Magister" abilities–-you'll have to pick and choose.

Each tree contains abilities costing from 1 or 2 AP. Just like heroic enhancements, some abilities have only 1 rank ; some up to 5 ranks. Abilities inside the tree are divided in Tiers, each Tier requires a total amount of EDP spent into the tree, by increments of 4: Tier 1 requires 0 EDP spent, Tier 2 - 4 EDP, Tier 3 - 8 EDP... up until Tier 6 that require 20 EDP.

Additionally each tree has "Innate abilities" that are auto-granted for free when the corresponding level has been unlocked inside the tree; a new level is gained by acquiring enough XP to gain 4 EDP and then filling up one more "rank" to actually unlock the next level, much like how Heroic levels are gained. Autogrant unlocking matches the prerequisites of the tiers: each time you gain a new level in the current Destiny's tree, you gain a new autogrant (the last one, the capstone, is unlocked when reach Level 5). Additionally you gain a first autogrant as soon as you select the destiny: the first one unlocks with 0 points spent in the tree.

Epic Moments
Each Epic Destiny has its own set of abilities and one big Epic Moment. Epic Moments only activate by clicking a button. Players have to "build up" to Epic Moments because they're extremely powerful.

The Epic Moment itself is an ability chosen from the Epic Destiny tree. Players must reach the tree's top tier before they pick up an Epic Moment.

Swapping Epic Destinies
Players are allowed to swap and level Epic Destinies independently of one another. Changing destinies requires you to unlock new destinies or buy the Key of Destiny from the DDO Store for 995 Turbine Points. The key allows you to unlock an adjacent destiny to one you currently have unlocked. Destinies all have a place on the destiny map. Each destiny has at least one adjacent destiny from the same sphere. Some destinies are also adjacent to a destiny in another sphere.

Players can change an Epic Destiny by locating a Fatespinner in public areas. Doing so will suppress their currently active Destiny and switch to another that they have access to. Any advancement in their old Destiny is NOT lost, but they gain no benefits from their old Epic Destiny.

Epic Destiny Points are permanently associated with the Epic Destiny used when earning them. So if you switch to another Epic Destiny, the game automatically shelves points and abilities earned for whatever other Epic Destiny you've chosen, but you can always switch back and retain all progress, across all Epic Destinies.

Twists of Fate
The above basic rule regarding Epic Destiny abilities can be bent a little with Twists of Fate. Twists of Fate allow you to use an ability from a non-active tree. For example if you are an Exalted Angel, you could equip an ability from Fatesinger (or any other unlocked Destiny) in the Twist of Fate slots.

To unlock a Twist of Fate slot you must acquire Fate points. A Fate Point is rewarded for every 3 Epic Destiny levels achieved. You get your first point at level 3 of your first Epic Destiny and your second at level 1 of your second Destiny (if you complete all 5 levels of your first Destiny - 5 levels of first Destiny + 1 level of second Destiny = 6 levels). Maximum Fate Point available at this point is 16. This can be increased by DDO store-only item Tome of Fate, up to 18. Some players criticize this as a "pay to win" mechanic, and indeed it is - the tome doesn't drop anywhere in-game currently.

Each character can have up to 3 Twist of Fate slots. Characters start with zero slot. You'll have to spend your first-ever Fate point on unlocking a Twist of Fate, however, after earning two or three Fate points players get to choose between upgrading this Twist of Fate so you can use higher tier Epic Destiny abilities, or unlocking additional Twists of Fate. E.G. Each Twist of Fate slot also have a "level". This level indicates the maximum Tier of destiny ability that can be placed in it. At slot level 1, you can only put tier 1 abilities into the slot.

When a Twist of Fate slot is first unlocked, it cannot accommodate higher-tier abilities from an available Epic Destiny tree. Once a slot has been upgraded, however, it can hold abilities of a higher tier. Currently three Twists of Fate slots are planned to be available.

Twists of Fate can also be "reset".

True Reincarnation and Epic Destinies
If a character undergoes a True Reincarnation and his Heroic level drops below 20, Epic advancement and all benefits related to it are suppressed. They also have to level from 20-25 again but save existing Epic Destiny progress. Also, some abilities will have level pre-reqs (meaning some abilities may not be usable until you hit level 21, 22, 23 etc).

You'll keep all you have acquired from Destinies when you TR: destiny level, unlocked Destinies, Twist of Fates. For example if you are currently a FvS 25 with 5 levels of Exalted Angel, and you TR into a Fighter, you'll still be a level 5 Exalted Angel. However you'll be locked out from using ED abilities until you level back to 20. This also means if you TR and want to use a destiny that match your new class, you'll need to unlock this new Destiny by moving through Spheres.

Players can still TR at level 20.