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View Full Version : Variant Utterance Truespeak Checks (PEACH)



Khantalas
2006-11-20, 04:53 PM
We probably all agree (of course, when I say we, I mean "me and others who have ToM) that a Truenamer's Truespeak modifier increases too slowly for the DC of his utterances. I, loving the flavor but annoyed by this unjustice, tried to come up with a variant system for determining Truespeak DCs.

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Truespeak DC for an utterance that affects a creature: 10 + Utterance Level + Target CR + Target's Charisma Modifier.

Basically, it takes into account how powerful a creature is, how likely the universe is to protect his state (Charisma bonus) and how much the utterance modifies the base truename (Utterance Level).

Whenever a creature will benefit from an utterance (DM's discretion), it may attempt a DC 20 Charisma Check as a free action to reduce his charisma modifier from the DC (effectively giving him a charisma modifier of 0 for that utterance's DC).

An utterance on a PC would use the CR of a creature with the same traits (race, class levels, templates, etc.), possibly CR + 1 if the DM decides that the PC is too powerful (his unmodified modifier total is higher than +7 and his lowest unmodified stat is higher than 8 is a nice guideline, although this is subject to abuse).

Truespeak DC for an utterance that affects an object: 12 + Utterance Level + Caster Level of the Object + Spellcasting Ability Modifier of the creator (usually the minimum modifier required to meet all of the prerequisites of the item, Charisma modifier if the creator has no spellcasting ability, e.g Warlock).

Basically, it takes into account how powerful the object and its creator is, and how much the utterance modifies the base truename.

Artifacts, being extraordinarily powerful objects, do not follow these guidelines. The DC of an utterance that affects an artifact relies purely on DM's discretion.

Since there were no DC rules for affecting other things (such as terrain), I had little to work on to set DC rules for the Lexicon of the Perfected Map.

Personal Truespeak checks add +2 to Truename DC, as normal.

The DCs of other effects based on Truenames remain unchanged, except for those that are based on Personal Truenames (e.g. Morphic Cadences, Bind Fiend DCs), which use the above formula.

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This may be a little broken, of course, but I did my best. If you have anything to say, please feel free.

Uh... nothing? Not even a view?

I_Got_This_Name
2006-11-20, 08:58 PM
I disagree about using Charisma here. Charisma is how you influence people and things, and apply force to magic through sheer force of will. I don't think it should make you harder to identify to the universe, or harder to direct the universe against (unless it also applies to weilding the primal forces, which it doesn't; intelligence modifies Truespeak, IIRC).

Also, it's perfectly feasible to get a skill to rise with twice your level, it just takes significant investment. Given that your life is riding on this skill, it gets significant investment. You get the Truespeak Amulet (whatever its called) when you need it, and keep pumping INT, and you'll be fine.

Fizban
2006-11-27, 07:35 PM
It can be assumed that your force of will would kick in against someone else's force of will to alter you. Besides, what other ability makes sense? The universe doesn't care about str con or dex, knowing what's coming won't stop it, and seeing what's coming won't stop it. Willing the universe to keep you in one piece, on the same axis you're targeted upon, will help.