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RaggedAngel
2015-02-04, 02:19 AM
Long ago it was said, "In the Beginning Was the Word, and the Word Was Suck (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?214115-In-the-Beginning-Was-the-Word-and-the-Word-Was-Suck-A-Guide-to-Truenamers)." In general, Zaq is right. From the lowliest tavern-born dungeon crawls to climactic fights with gods, the average Truenamer will feel weak, inefficient, and could be replaced by a pile of wands or some hirelings.

You are not an average Truenamer.

You spent years of your life struggling to survive combat, scrambling to scrap together enough money for an Amulet of the Silver Tongue, and eternally paying dues to the Paragnostic Assembly. You found some moments of respite along the way, beautiful gems that kept you sane; keeping your whole party healed out of combat, flying through your words alone, easily countering the spells of a much-stronger caster. As you neared the pinnacle of mortal power you began to see hints of something greater; targeting multiple creatures, access to free and easy Gates, and unlimited teleportation. By and far, however, your life was far harder than it should have been. You've always been one step behind your companions, always fighting to earn your cut and their respect.

Your time is now. Your power, you have discovered, was so inefficient and clunky throughout your career for a reason. Truenaming was never meant for mortal lips, never meant to be a source of mortal power. Truenaming is not spellcasting; it is direct access to the source code of reality. Truenaming is pure.

Truenaming is Epic.

http://i.imgur.com/F26K3cs.png



Epic Utterances


"The secret to my power? That's simple. Knowledge. The more you have, the more you can get; a feedback loop that begins with the first word you speak aloud, then your first sentence, your first book, on and on until you have consumed libraries and consulted with gods. It's ironic, really, where it all leads; but I'd rather not elaborate. I'm sure you understand why."
-Ariallia Silvertongue, Last Seed of the Driftcloud Cabal, Exalted Philosopher of Paragnostic Truths.


The Truenamer's power rapidly develops in the upper levels of the class; it was clearly meant for greater, more Epic adventures. An Epic Truenamer learns one Epic utterance when they take the Epic Truenaming Feat and every level thereafter. Epic utterances do not have a Lexicon, though they are most similar to the Lexicon of the Evolving Mind. The DC to speak an Epic utterance is 25+(CR*2), and all the standard rules for utterances apply to them.

True Word of Life
Duration: 5 rounds (normal) or instantaneous and concentration, up to 2 rounds (reverse)
Saving Throw: None (normal) or Fortitude partial (reverse)
Normal: You speak the primal Truename of Life itself, and weave the Name of your ally into it. As the words pass your lips her injuries vanish; not as if they have healed, but as if they never existed at all.

You grant a creature Fast Healing equal to twice your ranks in Truespeak. In addition, this utterance removes any condition that would be removed by a Heal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/heal.htm) spell at the beginning of each round of its duration.

Reversed: You twist Life into Death, and you stitch the vicious sound to your foe's Name. There is a single moment of pause, and then his body is obliterated by the fabric of reality itself.

This utterance instantly slays the subject and consumes its remains (but not its equipment and possessions). The only way to restore life to the target is to use True Resurrection, a carefully worded Wish spell followed by Resurrection, or Miracle. On a successful save the target takes 1d6 points of typeless damage per rank in Truespeak you have; if this damage would slay the target its body is reduced to ash.

If the target succeeds on its first Fortitude save you may spend a standard action the next round to concentrate on the utterance; if you do it takes 1d6 typeless damage per rank in Truespeak you have; if this damage would slay the target its body is reduced to ash.

You may see this and think, "Golly gee willikers, RaggedAngel, that's a lot of healing and/or damage." But let's talk to my BFF, mathematics. The healing side of this utterance is pretty strong, but it isn't anywhere near crazy if you look at the numbers. Around level 25 this will heal a little over 50 hitpoints each round; a level appropriate enemy will being doing loads more damage. Removing conditions is fantastic, but again, spells have been doing that since level 7. It may need a buff, if anything.

As for the damage, it's in line with any number of arcane spells. Again, at level 25 your foes get a Fort save to ignore the Save or Die effect, and then they take around 75 damage two rounds in a row. Quite reasonable, in my (biased) eyes.

True Word of Time
Duration: 2+ rounds (normal) or 5 rounds (reversed)
Saving Throw: None
Normal: You speak the Truename of Time, and all of reality grinds to a half. For a few moments you are entirely uncontested before time renews its flow.

You force the entire universe to grind to a halt. You are free to act for 2 rounds. You can speak utterances, move, or perform other types of actions, subject to the restrictions outlined below.

While True Word of Time is in effect, other creatures are immune to anything you do to them. This means you cannot target a creature with any attack or utterance, though you can affect yourself with utterances or spells. Additionally, you can create ongoing effects that do not target a creature, like a Gate to another plane. You could not use that same Gate to summon a Balor, however, as that Balor is currently frozen in time.

You can affect an unattended object but not an object held, carried, or worn by another creature. You cannot fall or be harmed by environmental effects while the utterance is in effect.

For every -10 penalty you take on your Truespeak check your True Word of Time lasts 1 round longer. You are unable to use your True Word of Time for a number of rounds equal to its duration after its effects end.

Reversed: You turn Time inside out, and entirely remove a creature from its all-pervasive flow.

For the creature, time ceases to flow and its condition becomes fixed. It is completely immutable and immobile; no force or effect can harm it, move it, or prematurely end this utterance.

Time Stop is such an awesome spell, and buffing is such an important part of a Truenamer's battle strategy. The goal here is to make a Time Stop that gets more powerful the better you are at Truespeak. Unlike the spell it can fail, however, which means that it's otherwise-spammable nature can be held in check. This utterance also has a cool down, again to avoid spamming.

The reverse will likely not see much use, but I thought it offers an interesting way to remove someone from a fight or protect someone for a few rounds.

True Word of Freedom
Duration: 1 minute (normal) or instantaneous and 5 rounds (reversed)
Saving Throw: None (normal) or Fortitude partial (reverse)
Normal: After endless trial and error, you have finally discovered the Truename necessary to unmake any physical bond: the Name for the very concept of freedom. You speak the words, and your entire body is filled with lightness and grace. You leap into the air and vanish, leaving the Material Plane behind.

The target can fly as the Fly (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fly.htm) spell except she gains a speed of 300 feet with a maneuverability of perfect. In addition, the target of this utterance is considered ethereal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#etherealness) and incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) when those conditions would be beneficial, and she does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even against other ethereal or incorporeal creatures. The target is also under the equivalent of a Freedom (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/freedom.htm) spell for the duration of the utterance.

Reversed:You revoke all rights to freedom, tearing away the power of any but the most basic movement from the target.

You render a creature utterly unable to fly, burrow, swim, or climb. If flying or climbing the target of this utterance immediately falls to the ground, taking 1d6 of damage for every 10 feet it fell; this damage is not capped at 20d6 like normal falling damage. If the target fails its save it can never use a special movement mode again unless under the effect of a spell with a caster level greater than your effective caster level.

In addition, the target is stunned (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#stunned) for 1 round as the power of the utterance tears through its body, permanently grounding it.

Truenaming does things that other forms of magic can't; I wanted to extend that to a debuff that permanently removes something integral from a creature. The reversed form isn't beyond the power of a 9th level spell, but it should really throw a wrench in the works for some kinds of enemy that rely on mobility, like dragons.

The regular form is just a cool way to get places quickly; it's more teleportation than flight, but fluff is important.

True Word of Negation
Duration: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: None
Normal: You understand the true nature of energy; all energy is of the same type, simply expressed in different ways. With this knowledge and a word you perfectly shield your ally from all forms of non-physical harm.

Your target gains immunity to Fire, Cold, Acid, Electricity, and Sonic damage. He also gains resistance 30 to Force damage, purely magical damage, and divine damage, such as a Warlock's blast or half of the Flame Strike (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/flameStrike.htm) spell. He does not gain resistance against the untyped damage caused by utterances, or other more obscure types of damage.

Reversed: With that same mastery of energy you completely consume a foe in a maelstrom of power and wrath, tearing into them with the primal forces at your command.

The target takes 20 points each of Fire, Cold, Acid, Electricity, and Sonic damage every turn during the duration of this utterance. This is considered ongoing damage, as with the Acid Arrow (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/acidArrow.htm) spell. Additionally, the target loses all resistance to energy while this utterance is in effect, though immunity remains.

This is just a simple continuation of a series of lower-level utterances, again with the idea of 'Truenaming breaking the rules'. Not much can ignore Resistance, but it makes sense that Truespeech could.

The damage is pretty tame for Epic levels, and the resistance is easy to come by. This may need a buff. Perhaps I should let it prevent the almighty City typed damage from Races of Destiny. :smallwink:

True Word of Perception
Duration: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: None
Normal: You open your mind to the truth of reality, finally unhindered by your limited and dull sensory organs.

The target of this utterance gains the Blindsight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#blindsightAndBlindsense) and Scent (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#scent) special abilities, and the equivalent of the True Seeing (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/trueSeeing.htm) and Greater Arcane Sight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/arcaneSightGreater.htm) spells, except that the range of the target's senses cover her entire line of sight. The target need not make Spot checks to pinpoint anything in her line of sight.

Reversed: You tear away the senses of your foe, rendering them completely disconnected from the outside world.

The target of this utterance loses all of its senses; even creatures with many additional senses such as Ethergaunts are affected. The target is considered Blinded (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#deafened), and Deafened (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#blinded), and loses all sensory abilities such as Blindsight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#blindsightAndBlindsense), Blindsense (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#blindsightAndBlindsense), or Scent (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#scent).

This feels like the natural conclusion of the "gain a sense or take it away" kind of utterances. The reversed form is pretty powerful, but if it allowed a save I think it may be too weak for an Epic effect. Thoughts would be appreciated.

True Word of Puissance
Duration: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: None
Normal: You grant your ally complete mastery of battle, his blade suddenly faster than the eye can follow and his blows mightier than a god's.

The target gains a bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls equal to the number of ranks you have in Truespeak.

Reversed: You shatter the martial power of your foe with your utterance, and they become as clumsy and ineffective as an apprentice mage.

The target takes a penalty on attack rolls and damage rolls equal to the number of ranks you have in Truespeak.

A straightforward continuation of the rather lame Puissance utterances. Hopefully this one has enough of a kick to really help out your Epic Warblade party member, or give the Big Bad Monster a healthy debuff.

The First Word
Prerequisites: Truespeak 53 ranks, Int 50
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Hell no.
Special: The Truespeak DC for this utterance is 1000.
Normal: You are a god, or as powerful as one. You have surpassed reality, and your mind encompasses worlds. You once scoured every tome, text, and libram in existance for the one true Word, the Word that began it all. You could never find it. Every scrap of knowledge in existence was not to find the answer. There was no god or sage in the entire universe that knew the Word. It was a question without an answer.

So you derived the Last Answer for yourself; the First Word.

Reality is erased. You may create a new one.

It turns out that The One Above All is a single-classed Truenamer.

Seriously, though, this is just flavor; but it's really cool flavor.



The Epic Truenamer
In light of the fact that the Wizards of the Coast never bothered to give an Epic progression for their most beloved and well-edited creation, I took the liberty of making a progression all my own, below. The Truenamer's class features don't follow any set patterns (surprise surprise), so I had to use my best judgement.

Hit Die: d6

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.



Truenamer Level
Special


21st
-


22nd
Knowledge Focus


23rd
Bonus Feat


24th
-


25th
Bonus Recitation Feat


26th
Bonus Feat


27th
Knowledge Focus


28th
See the Named 2/day


29th
Bonus Feat


30th
Knowledge Focus




Truespeak: A Truenamer's effective caster level is equal to his or her class level. A Truenamer does not learn utterances after 20th level unless he or she selects the Epic Truenaming feat.

Knowledge Focus (ex): As the Truenamer class feature.

See the Named (su): A 28th level Truenamer can use their See the Named class feature twice a day.

Bonus Recitation Feat: A 25th level Truenamer may select an additional Recitation feat; it may be from the Epic Recitation feat list.

Bonus Feat: The Epic Truenamer can select a bonus feat (selected from the list of Epic Truenamer bonus feats) every three levels after 20th.

Epic Truenamer Bonus Feat List: Broken Sequence, Energy Resistance, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Skill Focus, Epic Truenaming, Extended Lifespan, Fast Healing, Great Intelligence, Great Charisma, Intensify Utterance, Persistent Utterance, Polyglot, Shattered Resistance, Utterance Knowledge

This is fairly textbook. The only think I could see squabbling over are the feat list and the number of times the class grants Knowledge Focus. At this level a +3 to knowledge doesn't mean much; I'd let them have it.



Epic Truenaming Feats

Epic Truenaming [Epic]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 24 ranks, at least one 4th level utterance from the Lexicon of the Perfected Map known
Benefit: You learn one Epic utterance. Every time you gain a level that would advance your Truenaming past 20th level you may learn another Epic utterance.
The DC to speak an Epic Utterance is 25+2*CR, where 'CR' is the Challenge Rating of the target. The other rules of Truespeak apply to Epic Utterances normally.

Utterance Knowledge [Epic]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 24 ranks, at least one 4th level utterance from the Lexicon of the Perfected Map known
Benefit: You learn two new non-Epic utterances of any level from any lexicon.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time, you learn two new utterances.

Broken Sequence [Epic]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 24 ranks
Benefit: You have learned how to partially ignore the restrictions of reality. You may have two copies of an utterance active at any one time, though they cannot both affect the same creature. This does not apply to Epic utterances.
Normal: You may only have one copy of an utterance active at one time.

Shattered Resistance [Epic]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 24 ranks
Benefit: You have learned how to partially push past the resistance the builds up when using your utterances. The Truespeak DC to use an utterance only increase by 1 with each successive use. This does not apply to Epic utterances.
Normal: The DC to use an utterance increases by 2 with each successive use.

Intensify Utterance [Epic]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 24 ranks, ability to speak utterances.
Benefit: If the utterance is successful, all the variable, numeric effects of the utterance are maximized, then doubled. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spell without random variables. An intensified utterance has a Truespeak DC 35 higher than normal.

Persistent Utterance [Epic]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 24 ranks, Extend utterance, ability to speak utterances.
Benefit: A Persistent utterance lasts 5 minutes. An utterance with a duration of instantaneous or concentration is not affected by this feat. An utterance cannot be Extended and Persisted. A Persistent utterance has a Truespeak DC 30 higher than normal.

I tried to fix a lot of shortcomings with this short list. Two feats to make the restricting Laws a little less terrible without removing them entirely. A feat to grant access to some cool utterances that may have been pushed to the wayside for more powerful choices. Two feats to give more metamagic options. And finally Epic Truenaming, the feat that makes this all work.



Epic Recitation Feats

All Recitation feats take a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity to perform. The Truespeak DC for an Epic Recitation Feat is 15+(2*your HD)+2, and you gain a +4 bonus on this check due your skill at speaking your own personal truename.

Recitation of the Indomitable State [Epic, Recitation]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 24 ranks, ability to speak utterances, must know your own personal truename.
Benefit: While you speak your Recitation of the Indomitable state you tie the truename of defense into your own personal truename, making yourself untouchable. All melee and ranged attacks have a 100% miss chance against you, and all of your saving throws are treated as if you rolled a natural 20.

Recitation of the Inert State [Epic, Recitation]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 24 ranks, ability to speak utterances, must know your own personal truename.
Benefit: The Recitation of the Inert State is a last resort, a final and perfect defense against anything and everything the universe has to offer, but at a steep cost. While you are speaking the Recitation of the Inert State you cannot take any other action, including Swift or Immediate actions. As long as you continue to speak the Recitation of the Inert State your body and mind become completely unchangeable; though your lips continue to move and speak you are frozen in time. You can observe the world around you, but you can take no actions to change it unless you cease speaking the Recitation. You do not age, nor do you need to eat, sleep, or breath. You cannot be affected or moved in any way; teleportation spells instantly fail, and even removing the earth from beneath your feet would not make you fall.

Recitation of the Watchful State [Epic, Recitation]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 24 ranks, ability to speak utterances, must know your own personal truename.
Benefit: You tell the universe that you can see the world around you with such force and power that nothing remains hidden to your eyes. While you are speaking this utterance no creature within your line of sight is considered hidden or concealed from you, and you are aware of creatures that have total cover from you, though you cannot actually perceive them. No form of magical or nonmagical invisibility or illusion can deceive you. Additionally you can see the true form of any creature under the effects of an Alter Self, Polymorph, Shapechange, or similar spell or ability in addition to its current form.

Recitation of the Omniscient State [Epic, Recitation]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 27 ranks, ability to speak utterances, must know your own personal truename.
Benefit: You intricately wrap words of knowledge and understanding into your personal truename, and your mind expands to fill a void you never knew was present. While speaking this Recitation you gain a +10 perfection bonus on Knowledge checks and any Lore or Bardic Knowledge class feature you may possess.

Recitation of the Divine State [Epic, Recitation]
Prerequisites: Truespeak 30 ranks, ability to speak utterances, must know your own personal truename.
Benefit: You speak your own personal truename with such perfection and precision that reality itself bends its knee. While speaking this Recitation you are treated as a Rank 0 deity. These benefits include a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Charisma bonus, immunity to polymorphing, transmutation, petrification, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting effects, DR 10/Epic, fire resistance 5, and SR 32. Additionally, any creature, friend or foe, that can perceive you must make a Will Save (DC=10+1/2HD+Cha) or be dazed as long as you continue to speak.

It is really, really difficult to make a decent Recitation feat. These are pretty cool-sounding, though they work better as parts of the plot rather than parts of the action.


I would love to hear any suggestions, comments, questions, or concerns about this homebrew or the Truenamer class in general; I've got as much experience playing one as anyone on the Playground. Perhaps not something I should admit out loud, but true all the same. It's a really cool class, if you ignore the mechanics, and I think it really does have the potential to be pretty Epic.

The Mentalist
2015-02-05, 11:32 PM
I haven't done any balance checking on this but at first blush it seems most interesting. Will try and remember to come back with real feedback.

DiavoloRosa
2021-06-17, 05:29 AM
Whoa! Those seem really cool! As a girl that is starting to play a Truenamer from Lv1 to Epic Levels (the campaign is based around the fact that we were previously Epic, but we are now Lv1s and we have to get to Epics again), I will definitely ask my DM if I can put this in... in 20 levels, that is!

I will definitely try to reach that DC1000 Utterance, even just for practice... This seems pretty well designed from my little knowledge! Should you add that Utterances now bypass DR/Epic? Is that a thing, or do they not care in the slightest by nature?

I can totally see my beloved Monika and her girlfriend (when Monika regains her memory and they reunite >.>) using the Recitation of the Inert State together, for a couple of thousand years, to see the future together!

If you're still on this and see this message after 6 years (yes, yes I am backtracking all the advice on truenamers ever), we can talk a little about truenamer lore and stuff! It'll be fun!