Fixing the Truenamer

[atemu1234]

I propose a fix for the dreaded truenamer class. If the checks were, say 10+ the creature's CR for nonepic encounters and 20 + the creature's CR for epic encounters, would that fix the problems?

[NoACWarrior]

Not really - it would just make their abilities spammable.

The problem with truenamers, which has been said many times over, is that unoptimized you can't really do a whole lot, optimized you can spam abilities.
The fixes I found do sometimes adjust the truename checks, but simply adjusting them as the only fix wouldn't be truely fixing alot of the broken mechanics.

[mabriss lethe]

While it would require a total overhaul, I once contemplated a fix that relied on a mechanic for Utterances lifted from the Force rules in Saga Edition and rules for recitations similar to ToB stances. I never got very far with it, as I've had far to little free time of late. I still think it would be a pretty slick fix that stays close to the fluff of the truenamer.

[Bloodgruve]

The 15+(2x CR) is pretty steep. CR10 would be DC35, at 10th level without crazy optimization you have a +17 modifier which is going to give you a successful cast 15% of the time. This is pretty terrible. Add Item Familiar and a magic item and you have +37 at 10th level. Problem is that you can boost skills so high that a Truespeak check can become trivial and potentially broken by the right optimization. This also means that you have to burn resources just to make the class work.

I've thought about this and came up with a couple potential fixes.

1. Remove Truespeak as a skill and make it a caster level check or some check that you can't boost. Drop the DC's for Utterances accordingly. Maybe Truespeak DC 10+CR vs. d20+Truenamer Level. This would give you a 50% chance going up against an even level challenge.

2. Come up with a 'failed Truespeak' effect for each Utterance where the player still gets an effect but not at full power. This way the player isn't wasting an action by failing a check. Nothing worse then getting to your turn and failing before you get to do anything.

3. Drop Truespeak DC to 5+(2x CR), Allow Law of Resistance to reset after so many rounds or minutes or combat but increase the penalty to -5 each iteration.

You either fail Truespeak a lot or you can speak Utterances all day long. The mechanic should be changed to allow for easy access to the Utterance the first few times per day/minute/encounter you try then becoming increasingly harder on iterative uses. I firmly believe that you shouldn't have to fight yourself to use your kool abilities.

A simple drop of 15 to 10 will just make it easier for an optimized Truespeak to be broken.

Just a few thoughts. There's other fixes out there too. Option 2 is my favorite but it would take a lot of rework for each Utterance.

Blood~

[Inevitability]

How about increasing the DC with each utterance you use, and having it reset after a few minutes of rest?

[Psyren]

It's been fixed. *points to extended sig*

Remember too that making the DCs easier is only part of the problem - in many ways, the smallest part.4 Even if they reliably hit their DCs they'll still be underwhelming; yet counterintuitively they end up unbalanced in certain very specific situations. (e.g. functionally unlimited healing, unlimited spell tiles, and unimpeachable dispels.)

[Bonzai]

The DC's are one issue. The second biggest one was only being able to target one thing at a time. They really need be able to target the entire party with a buff some times. My solution was a feat that allowed me to research a True Nick name for the party, that functioned like speak to the masses.

Fix those two things, and truenamer a become .... Ok.

Oh, upping the duration and allowing them to dismiss them would help some too.