Epic Destinies

Epic Levels & Epic Destinies
As of the release of the Menace of the Underdark expansion pack, DDO is split into two sections:
 * Heroic levels (1-20)
 * Epic levels (21-30)

During Epic levelling, the XP that characters gain is used for 3 purposes: Earned XP is replicated in each place that uses it NOT divided between them
 * To level up characters to level 30
 * To fill up Epic Destinies (each Destiny is capped at 1,980,000 XP)
 * To fill up Epic Destiny Spheres (each sphere is capped at 6,000,000 XP)

Gaining access to Epic Destinies:

 * Epic Destinies are included with the expansion Menace of the Underdark
 * Players who don't want to purchase the expansion can buy Epic Destinies separately in the DDO Store for 995 DDO Points
 * VIP status does not grant Epic Destinies
 * Players with VIP status have to buy access either via the expansion pack or from the DDO Store

Using Epic Destinies:

 * While a character can run quests and progress in experience after level 20 without them, a lot of the power needed to play effectively in quests at this level comes from the Epic Destiny being used
 * Advancement on Epic Destinies will not begin until a character:
 * Has access to Epic Destiny system
 * Has selected an Epic Destiny to advance in
 * Epic experience earned prior to selecting an Epic Destiny does not count toward levels in an Epic Destiny once chosen
 * A character can select and change their Destiny at any point after reaching level 20 by visiting the Fatespinner
 * VIPs can change their Destiny in any Public Area without needing to speak to the Fatespinner
 * Unlike the regular levelling process, you can continue to gain XP in Epic Destinies after you reach level 30, until all Destinies an Destiny spheres are full

Without Epic Destinies:

 * Character can still advance into epic levels up to the level cap of 30 and gain the standard benefits (feats, BAB increases, HP increases etc.)

Epic Destinies
Epic Destinies are unlockable from level 20 onwards Once chosen, Epic Destinies are independent of the character level:
 * Characters must have 6 or more Heroic levels in a primary or secondary heroic class to unlock their first Destiny
 * Epic Destinies aren't like single classes - They function as powerful extra roles, e.g. a character with 20 Druid Heroic levels could eventually pick the Grandmaster of Flowers Destiny to get a set of Monk-like abilities.

List of Epic Destinies
There are currently twelve Epic Destinies, although more may be added over time.
 * Each Destiny has 6 levels (0 - 5, independent of Class/Epic level) and its own Enhancement tree

Destiny Spheres and initial choice of Epic Destiny
At level 20 a character can pick an Epic Destiny on the map UI:
 * Destinies are organised in 4 different spheres
 * Arcane (Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) [at the bottom of the UI]
 * Divine (Cleric, Favored Soul, Paladin) [on the left of the UI]
 * Martial (Fighter, Monk, Rogue) [at the top of the UI]
 * Primal (Barbarian, Druid, Ranger) [on the right of the UI]
 * Any Destiny Sphere can be selected as long as the character has at least 6 levels in a matching heroic class
 * Any Destiny within the chosen Sphere can be selected
 * This choice happens only once for a character. After this, the character needs to unlock the other destinies (explained below)

Levelling and unlocking Epic Destinies
Characters gain experience in their currently activated Epic Destiny and their character's epic level at the same time Each Epic Destiny level is divided into 5 ranks: A character earns their 24th EDP before capping the Epic Destiny - there is one more Rank to be earned after the last point is granted Characters can gain access to multiple Epic Destinies:
 * Progress in Epic Destinies and Epic Levels is tracked on separate XP bars - clicking the XP Bar Toggle on the character sheet can switch between the two
 * The XP requirement for advancing an Epic Destiny is less than needed to advance epic levels
 * XP toward Epic Destinies is maintained through all forms of Reincarnation, but XP toward epic levels is not (except in the case of Lesser Reincarnation)
 * For each rank except the last you gain one Epic Destiny Point (EDP) to spend in that specific tree
 * A maximum of 24 points can be earned per Epic Destiny - This is not enough to purchase every ability in the Destiny so you must choose a subset from those available
 * Spending points in the tree unlocks higher tiers:
 * 4 points must be spent in Tier 1 to unlock Tier 2
 * A further 4 points (total 8) must be spent in Tiers 1 & 2 to unlock Tier 3
 * A further 4 points (total 12) must be spent in Tiers 1, 2 & 3 to unlock Tier 4
 * A further 4 points (total 16) must be spent in Tiers 1, 2, 3 & 4 to unlock Tier 5
 * A further 4 points (total 20) must be spent in Tiers 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 to unlock Tier 6
 * Only 4 points can be spent in Tier 6
 * If the last rank is not earned, the Destiny is not capped and does not count as complete for the purposes of Epic Destiny feat prerequisites
 * It is generally advisable to completely cap a Destiny (1,980,000 XP) before moving on to the next Epic Destiny
 * This also helps fill the Karma for the Destiny Sphere - a full Sphere is a prerequisite for Epic Reincarnation in that sphere
 * When level 3 in an Epic Destiny is reached, the adjacent Destinies within the same sphere become available
 * The character can change Destiny at this point, even if the current Destiny is not complete
 * Certain Destinies act as bridges to other Destiny Spheres - When level 4 is reached in a bridge Destiny, the adjacent Destiny in the adjacent Sphere become available

ED abilities and Tier tree
Each Epic Destiny Tree has 6 Innate abilities, which are free (unlike Enhancement Tree cores) In addition to the Innate Abilities, further abilities can be gained by spending EDP in the 6 tiers within the Destiny:
 * The first Innate Ability is auto-granted at ED level 0 when you activate that tree
 * The remaining 5 are auto-granted when the corresponding level (1-5) is unlocked within the tree
 * A new level is gained by acquiring enough XP to gain 4 EDP and then filling up one more rank to unlock the next level (much like how Heroic levels are gained)
 * Each tree contains abilities costing 1 or 2 EDP
 * As with heroic Enhancement Trees, some abilities have only 1 rank; some have multiple ranks (up to 5 ranks)
 * Selecting abilities within a given Epic Destiny tree is a big part of the player's decision making process
 * e.g. filling "Magister" level 5 will grant 24 EDP to spend across every tier of the tree, but those points are not enough to buy all "Magister" abilities – the player must decide which abilities are of most use to the character

Epic Moments
Each Epic Destiny has its own set of abilities and one big Epic Moment The Epic Moment itself is an ability chosen from the Epic Destiny tree:
 * Epic Moments only activate by clicking a button
 * Characters have to build up to Epic Moments because they're often powerful
 * Characters must reach the tree's top tier before they pick up an Epic Moment
 * Characters do not need to select the Epic Moment as one of their choices

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 DDO 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.

True Reincarnation and Epic Destinies
When character undergoes a True Reincarnation (HR, RR or IR) and their Heroic level drops below 20, Epic advancement and all benefits related to it are suppressed, although existing Epic Destiny progress is saved.

All abilities acquired from Destinies are retained when you HR, RR or IR, but are only active at Epic Levels. These include: e.g. If a character is a level 20 FvS with 5 levels of Exalted Angel, and reincarnates into a Fighter, they will still be a level 5 Exalted Angel. They will, however, be locked out from using Epic Destiny abilities until they level back up to 20.
 * Destiny Level
 * Abilities bought with EDP
 * Unlocked Destinies
 * Twists of Fate

After Reincarnation, a character's Destiny Progression continues exactly where it was left in the previous life. Some ED abilities have Character Level prerequisites, meaning they may not be usable until the character reaches level 21, 22, 23 etc., even though they have access to all other earned/selected abilities in the Destiny.

Maintaining your advancement in Epic Destinies is generally a good thing, however it comes with an important caveat - the character may not have access to an appropriate Destiny when they reach level 20 in their next life:
 * If a character reincarnates into a new class and wants to use a destiny that matches this class, this Destiny must be unlocked by moving through Spheres
 * Unlocking with 6 Character Levels in a relevant class is only an option the first time the character accesses Epic Destinies (this option is NOT available on subsequent lives)
 * The Destiny can be unlocked prior to Reincarnation or the character can work through the destinies/spheres once they get to level 20, until they reach the Destiny they want

e.g. A character is a Cleric in their first life and chooses to unlock Exalted Angel, and then reincarnates into a Sorcerer and wants to use Draconic Incarnation in Epic levels (as it is aimed mainly towards Sorcerers). When they hit level 20 for the second time, they will still be in the Exalted Angel Epic Destiny, deep in the Divine sphere. They will have to unlock several destinies in order to unlock reach Draconic Incarnation, in the Arcane sphere, the shortest path being:
 * Unyielding Sentinel (4 levels needed to unlock Bridge)
 * Grandmaster of Flowers (3 levels needed to unlock adjacent Destinies)
 * Shadowdancer (4 levels needed to unlock Bridge)
 * Fatesinger) (3 levels needed to unlock adjacent Destinies)
 * Draconic Incarnation

It is often a good idea to unlock a Destiny needed for the next life prior to Reincarnation, especially if the new class is in a different Sphere. Alternatively, class choice on Reincarnation can be based on the classes for which a relevant Destinies have already been unlocked. Destinies can also be unlocked through purchases in the DDO Store.