[4e]Truenamer, PEACH

[Ceaon]

As the title says, this is an attempt to build a 4th edition version of the truenamer class. In 3.x, it was a broken class (as in, it did not function properly), so I tried hard to balance this.


TRUENAMER

“Failure and success don't really matter when you can just change the rules themselves.”

http://fc09.deviantart.com/fs37/f/2008/282/e/8/Chaos_Mage_by_Sergon.jpg

Class Traits

Role: Controller. You revise the world around you, adding, changing or removing things as you want them. The most natural way to use your talent is to hamper your enemies. However, your secondary role is leader, as you can also use your powers to improve the fate of your allies.
Power Source: Elemental. You control the pure fabric of space and time, everything that was there before anything else.
Key Abilities: Intelligence, Strength, Charisma

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, simple ranged
Bonus to Defense: +2 Will

Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: 4
Healing Surges per Day: 6 + Constitution modifier
Trained Skills: Truespeak (Int, see sidebar). From the class skills list below, choose three more trained skills at 1st level.
Class Skills: Arcane (Int), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Religion (Int), Streetwise (Cha), Truespeak (Int)
Class Features: Extensive Study, Mnemonic Device

SIDEBAR: TRUESPEAK
Truespeak is a new skill, available only to members of the truenamer class. It increases the effects of your encounter powers, and your daily powers are entirely reliant of the use of this skill.
Truespeak (Intelligence)
You have studied the true name of the world and everything in it. This knowledge extends to all fields of existence and can provide the speaker with a certain amount control over the subject of which he knows the true name. You can use this power to aid another in any other skill.

Truespeak Aid: part of the aid another action.
You can use this skill instead of another skill to perform the aid another action, even if it normally would not make sense (aiding another to move silently, for instance). The DC is 10 + half the level of the creature you are trying to aid.


TRUENAMER CLASS FEATURES
Truenamers have the following class features.

Extensive Study
You gain the Skill Focus (Truespeak) feat.

Mnemonic Device
Your early steps into the world of truespeaking were hard, and to continue studying the true names of the world around you, you had to find special ways to remember all those words. Choose one of the two following benefits. This choice you make also provides you with bonuses to certain truenamer powers, as detailed in those powers.

Acronymic Device Determination
Once per round, when you succeed on a Truespeak check, all allies within 5 squares of you gain temporary hit points equal to your strength modifier. Increase the temporary hit points to 2 + strength modifier at 11th level and 4 + strength modifier at 21st level.

Sublime Rhyme
Once per round, when you succeed on a Truespeak check as part of an attack, you may slide one of the attack's targets a number of squares equal to your charisma modifier. Increase the slide to 2 + charisma modifier at 11th level and 4 + charisma modifier at 21st level.

[Ceaon]

TRUENAMER POWERS
Your truenamer powers are called utterances. You utter a few words, trying to describe the target and the effect as accurately as possible. If you succeed in your effort, your utterance will be far more devastating than if your utterance remains vague and unpersonal.

Level 1 At-Will Utterances
Hampering Word Truenamer Attack 1
You use truespeak to create a worst-case scenario for your target.
At-Will ✦ Elemental
Standard Action Ranged 5
Attack[B]Intelligence +2 vs AC.
[B]Target: One enemy.
Hit: The target takes a penalty equal to your charisma modifier to a single d20 roll of its own choice during its next turn. If the target does not apply the penalty to a roll, it becomes stunned (save ends) at the start of your next turn.

Name Your Ally Truenamer Attack 1
You speak the truename of one of your allies, hoping this will empower his or her next action.
At-Will ✦ Elemental
Standard Action Personal
Effect: Once before the start of your next turn, you may use an immediate interrupt when an ally misses with an attack to let the ally reroll the attack roll. The ally gains a bonus to the attack roll equal to your strength modifier.

New Void Truenamer Attack 1
For a few moments, your words make a small part of reality stop existing.
At-Will ✦ Elemental
Standard Action Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Intelligence +2 vs. Will
Hit: 1d8 + intelligence modifier damage, and the target is slowed until the end of its next turn.
11th level: Increase attack to Intelligence +4 vs. Will.
21st level: Increase attack to Intelligence +6 vs Will and damage to 2d8 + intelligence modifier.

True Weapon Truenamer Attack 1
You change your weapon so that it possesses powers that it does not actually have.
At-Will ✦ Elemental, Varies, Weapon
Standard Action Melee Weapon
[B]Attack[B]Intelligence vs AC.
Target: One enemy.
Hit: 1|W| damage. Choose one of the following effects: the attack deals extra cold, fire or lightning damage equal to your intelligence modifier and gains the corresponding keyword, or the target is slowed until the end of your next turn, or one ally gains combat advantage against the target until one of his or her attacks hits it.


Level 1 Encounter Utterances
Inertia Truenamer Attack 1
You influence your enemy's ability to move.
Encounter ✦ Elemental
Standard Action Ranged 5
Special As part of this attack, you can make a Truespeak check. The DC is equal to 20 + one-half the target's level.
Attack: Intelligence +2 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d8 + intelligence modifier damage and the target is immobilized until the end of your next turn. If your Truespeak check succeeded, the target is restrained instead.

Level 1 Daily Utterances
Temporal Twist Truenamer Attack 1
You influence the flow of time itself.
Daily✦ Elemental
Standard Action Close burst 5
Target: You and each creature in burst
Effect: As part of this attack, you can make a Truespeak check against each target. The DC is equal to 20 + one-half the target's level. If the check succeeds, the target loses its next move action or can use another minor action during its next turn (your choice).

[Ceaon]

Class Feats

Student of the True Word [Multiclass Truenamer]
Tier: Heroic
Prerequisite: Int 13
Benefit: You gain training in the Truespeak skill. Choose one of the Mnemonic Device abilities. You can use that ability once per encounter.

Edit: I will also put a list here of things to reconsider/fix when I update and add to this class.

What to change
- Hampering Word is not hampering at all if used for a stealth check or so and also quite complicated.
- True Weapon at-will: too much pay off for too much risk?
- Add an at-will with more of a controller
- Temporal Twist is underpowered compared to other controller dailies
- Acronym benefit is too powerful.

[Sipex]

I like a lot of the stuff here but True Weapon seems a bit iffy. Unsure if it's overpowered.

On one hand, it's extremely versatile, do whatever you want from the following choices, provided you make an attack roll and hit.

On the other hand, it requires you to enter melee range.

Hm.

edit: Also, am I reading this right? A truenamer starts with training in Truenaming and Skill Focus as well?

[Excession]

Overall I like the flavour, but it seems a little too much leader and a bit short on controller. Also, most classes let you choose your secondary role based on the build; maybe have a sub-striker or defender option?

I think starting with Skill Focus: Truespeak is a good idea, as it avoids the feat tax that it would otherwise be.

Acronymic Device Determination seems overpowered if it can trigger off Truespeak Aid. An at-will, even if it is a standard action, to grant temp hp to all your allies would beat out most leaders in healing potential. If it only triggers off checks made as part of an attack it might be ok, but I'm not sure even then.

Hampering Word seems overly complicated for an at-will, and a smart DM will just burn the penalty on a pointless perception or stealth check anyway. Perhaps just have it do some damage and apply a penalty to attacks?

I would prefer to see an area or close at-will option for controllers.

Temporal Twist seems severely underpowered. Compare it to Sleep or Flaming Sphere and it just doesn't add up.