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Considering that a cannon-ball has more force...I'm fairly certain we can wreck a ship, or at least cripple it, pretty damned easy. Over and over again, too.
It can, but it wouldn't be efficient. Especially since the rods are kinda stationary.
Although I'd like to see you try to take on Kre!aqil in an underwater fight. Ten gold says he can hold his breath longer than you.
Reusable, over and over again. I can just dive in real quick ahead of the ship, set them, let them wreck it(good luck turning fast enough) then get them again once we've looted the bastards(in the name of Bahamut, of course, or whatever this setting's version of him is). If we're lucky, the immovable rods will even keep it from sinking long enough for us to grab all the gold. Or, you know, we can dive down ourselves what with magic and all to get it.
It's also what makes Warlocks more broken at level 12 than Wizards are at level 20. UMD check to pretend to have the spells to craft anything(DC 15+spell for arcane, 25+spell level dor divine). They can take ten. Oh, yeah, and UMD boosting magic items. So, yeah. +15 from skill ranks alone means you can get epic level arcane spells from the get-go on scrolls. Another +4 or +5 easily from Charisma, maybe a few more minor bonuses from Skill Focus (Use Magic Device) or synergy, etc., and most divine spells are easy. Now you have the Chalice of Aura Impersonation, which gives a +10 to UMD checks. And is completely made up, but nonetheless. So now you get to cast 20th+ level arcane spells and 15th+ divine spells, from scrolls. Or hell, sell 'em. Huge profit in making god-level power fit on a tiny parchment.
You can't just make up magic items. And I'm 90% certain that UMD clearly states magic items don't help.
Anyways...epic scrolls? That's an awfully high XP-cost-per-encounter. Anyone spending that much might as well be allowed to, he's going to be dropping into the negative levels if he keeps that up.
You certainly can. Whole section in the DMG for it. It'd cost 10,000 gold pieces for a +10 to UMD checks. He can make it, if nothing else.
And UMD states nowhere that magic items can't give you a bonus to it.
And yes, there's going to be a decently high EXP cost, but nothing like what you seem to think. Luckily for Warlocks everywhere, minimum caster level for epic spells is merely 21, and spell level is only ever considered 10th. So all you need as a warlock is +15 to UMD and you can get Epic spells, since none of them are specifically divine. +24 and you can get any and all divine spells to boot. To cost it might be a different matter, since it has a 41 DC for scrolls to cast epic spells(or possibly 32, if you go with the idea that the warlock is only caster level 12). But, that's fixed easily enough.
Also, the price of a single epic scroll to make is a measly 2575 gold pieces, and 206 experience points. 21x10x25=5150. 5150/2=2575. 5150/25=206 experience points. And you need but one scroll to finish an encounter, in most cases. At level 12, that's a minor price to pay.
Plus, hire a bunch of commoners, give them half decent weapons, give them a potion and tell them it will make them super-strong and skilled and they can keep a quarter of the dragon's treasure for themselves. Tell them to drink it only once you've left(bullshit a reason; you'll beat their sense motive check easy). It turns out to be a potion of Lord of Nightmares. Best part is, they'll probably even survive, if the dragon doesn't. And the dream larva doesn't suspend himself over lava or something.
Edit: I'd like to see Kre!aqil take me on in an aerial fight. 10 gold pieces says I can fly faster than you.