PDA

View Full Version : Not Truenaming, I Swear!!! A Familiar Idea Gets a Revamp.



wayfare
2011-09-05, 02:42 AM
Hey all.

I love Ursula K. LeGuin and her Earthsea books. I was pretty jazzed when I heard about the Truenamer class -- I thought I might finally be able to create a character similar to the wizards of Earthsea.

Then I actually READ the Tome of Magic.

There went THAT idea.


So, here I am, trying out a revamp to the idea of Truenaming.

Design Notes
The system is designed to be less complex, but also places a hard cap on the number of magical effects you can do in the game. Additionally, any class that relied exclusively on this system would be very, very MAD. This is my intention -- I'm trying to go for a form of magic that's less powerful than Vancian Casting, but still very useful. Ultimately, I want to use this idea to replace Vancian casters in my games. If I were to aim for a tier, I would say that I want this system to create classes that fall into the tier 3-4 range.

Goals
The goal here is to make a simple version of Truenaming that can eventually be worked into a base class. Additionally, I want to create a Bard option that replaces spellcasting with this new form of Truenaming. As of yet, I am just working on the magic system and am leaving the class untouched.

Basic Concepts

Words of Power

Words of Power are mystic utterances that derive their power from the very first Word spoken -- the resounding declaration that crafted the cosmos from nothingness. These words are fragments, or perhaps syllables of that first word...but even broken into pieces, this magic still has incredible power.


To cast a word of power, the speaker must make a caster level check, adding the relevant Attribute modifier. There

To use a Word of Power upon a target, the DC is (15 + CR or Level). Higher level creatures are harder to alter, their power "rooting" the subject in creation. The same is rue of the speaker himself -- as his own power increases, it becomes more difficult to apply Words of Power upon himself.

-A natural 1 on the roll results in a Cacophony, a discordant perversion of the magic you wished to work. When a Cacophony is rolled, the player must roll on the Wild Magic Table to determine the effects of the cacophony.

-A natural 20 on the roll results in a Profound, a perfected execution of the effect you wished to create. When a Profound is rolled, the character chooses an effect from the Profound Magic Table and adds it to his casting.

Words of Power are fueled by a characters life-force. Each time the character successfully uses a word of power, he takes a point of Strain. When a characters total points of Strain equal his Constitution score, he can no longer use Words of Power. An 8 hour rest eliminates all strain.

If a creature should somehow gains strain exceeding his Constitution score, he is fatigued until the excess strain is removed (at a rate of 1 point per hour).

Types of Words

Words of Seeming: Words of Seeming create images and figments, illusions that befuddle your foes and confound the unwary.

Words of Command: These words allow the speaker to force his will upon his targets in gross and subtle ways, ranging from total control of the victims body to covert manipulation of emotions.

--Words of Seeming and Command draw upon the speakers force of personality to function. Save DCs are determined by Charisma.

Words of Benediction: These words imbue the caster and his allies with incredible power or turn aside baleful effects.

Words of Imprecation: These hateful words weaken and blight enemies.

--Benedictions and Imprecations require an iron will and great insight to control. Save DCs are determined by Wisdom.

Words of Destruction: These words summon forth powerful mystic energies to blast your enemies.

Words of Transformation: These perilous words shape the speaker or alter the world around him.

--Words of Destruction and Transformation are complex and require intense focus to use correctly. Save DCs are determined by Intelligence.

wayfare
2011-09-05, 02:43 AM
Sample Words

Words of Seeming

Word of Concealing
With a whisper, you wrap shadow-stuff about you, blurring your form.
Target: Self
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 minute
Effect: You gain 20% concealment.

Level 3: You gain 20% concealment. As long as you stand still, you are invisible.

Level 6: You gain 50% concealment. As long as you stand still, you are invisible.

Level 9: You are invisible. If you make an attack, your invisibility ends for the round, but you gain 50% concealment.
Special: If you end your invisibility by moving or attacking, it is canceled for the round. It is restored at the beginning of your next turn.

----

Cloak of Faces
A soft chant blurs your features, masking your true form. As you skill progresses, you can deceive others with apotent glamer.
Target: Self
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 minute/level
Effect: Your features are blurred, making it impossible to discern your true identity.

Level 3: You gain a +5 bonus to disguise attempts, but can only attempt to emulate creatures of your size.

Level 5: You gain a +5 bonus to disguise attempts, but can only emulate creatures within 1 size category of you.

Level 7: You gain a +10 bonus to disguise attempts, but can only emulate creatures within 1 size category of you.

Level 9:You gain a +10 bonus to disguise attempts, but can only emulate creatures within 2 size categories of you.

----

Visions of Splendor
With a word, you confound your enemy with images that inspire true bliss. While these figment persist, your opponent is distracted and powerless to act against you.
Target: Single
Range: Short
Save: Will Negates
Duration: 1 round/level
Effect: Your opponent is Fascinated.

Level 4: Your opponent is Dazed for 1 round, then Fascinated for the listed duration.

Level 8: This effect can target up to (Charisma Modifier) creatures.

Level 12: A creature experiencing Vision of Splendor takes a -2 penalty to Reflex and Will saves while the effect persists.

Special: This is a mind-effecting spell

----

Harrowing Phantasm
You conjure a specter from your opponents darkest fantasies, a menacing figure that hounds and tears at your foe. This figment is so terrifying that the sight of it actually harms your opponent, creating a deadly psychic turmoil.
Target: Single
Range: Short
Save: Will Negates
Duration: 1 round/level
Effect: Your opponent suffers a -2 penalty to d20 rolls and takes 1d4 non lethal damage each round this effect persists. Your opponent is entitled to a new save each round to end the effects of this spell.

Level 4: Your opponent takes 1d6 non-lethal damage each round.

Level 8: The penalty increases to -3 as long as Harrowing Phantasm remains in effect

Level 12: This spell can inflict lethal damage. You must declare this condition when the spell is cast.

Level 16: If your opponent dies or is rendered unconscious by a a Harrowing Phantasm before its duration expires, you may choose 1 target within range. That target must make a saving throw or suffer the effects of Harrowing Phantasm until the initial duration expires.

Special: Creatures immune to fear are immune to this spell.

----

Evoke Figment
Your words conjure a creature from dust and light, a phantasm that serves as well as a thinking creature.
Target: Single
Range: 100 feet
Save: Special
Duration: 1 minute/level
Effect: You create an image of any creature or object up to Large size. This figment appears exactly as you imagine it, but only deceives the sense of sight. Contact with the figment reveals it as an illusion (though the spell persists until the duration ends or countermagic is brought to bear.

The figment you conjure is invested with a small portion of your own sentience – you can alter it or direct it to act as a swift action (objects that act in unusual ways allow any viewers a Will save to determine that the object is an illusion).

If you should use a figment to “attack” a foe, the attack is made at your highest attack bonus, adding your Charisma modifier to the roll.

Level 5: Your figment deceives all senses save for touch.

Level 10: Your figments are semi-solid. The first time a creature interacts with a figment, he perceives it as solid unless he makes a Will save. Solid figments always inflict 1d6 + Charisma damage with a successful attack.

Level 15: You can conjure a figment up to Huge size.

wayfare
2011-09-05, 02:44 AM
Reserved for More Words

wayfare
2011-09-05, 02:45 AM
Reserved for Profound and Wild Magic Tables

Feel free to PEACH after this!