Dread Speaker [3.5, PEACH]

[Eleven]

Alright, here's the deal. I've got a nice concept for a class, and I've got it laid out nicely, but I am absolutely horrendous at balancing things and, frankly, haven't got a vast amount of homebrew experience. So I'd like some help here. This is for a character in my personal campaign. Also, I'd like to note that this uses Kellus's redesigned system of Truenaming (found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90961)), because its beautiful and works well.

DREAD SPEAKER

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cd_gallery/81410.jpg

"The horror, the horror!" Kurtz, dying words

Little is known of the Far Realms. We can be sure that they are as antithetical to the multiverse as possible. Where the planes offer possibility and existence, the Far Realms are a place of the impossible and the nonexistent. It is a place where logic and reason annihilate themselves. Needless to say, a being from Reality who traversed the Far Realms would have their sanity, if not their whole being, torn to shreds. There are some though, who make the journey, and converse with the impossible. The Dread Speaker has faced the madness, and their words pierce the soul.

BECOMING A DREAD SPEAKER
The Dread Speaker is what remains after a Truenamer walks unbound within the Far Realms and speaks the twisted tongue of those lands. Their sanity is barely intact, and their tracks are haunted by the ghosts of the void.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Truenaming: Able to cast 4th level Utterances.
Will Save: +6
Special: Must have travelled to the Far Realms and attempted communication with one of the natives.
Feats: Words of Creation (from BoED)
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (The Planes) 8 ranks

Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Perform (oratory) (Cha), Speak Language (n/a), and Truespeak (Int).
Skills Points at Each Level: 2 + Int Modifier
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 1 + Cha modifier.

Hit Dice: d4

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Truenaming

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Uncarnate Communication, Lost Names|
+1 level of existing class

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Words of Unmaking (1d3), Sacrifice (Shredded Soul)|
+1 level of existing class

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Dreaded Name|
+1 level of existing class

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Sacrifice (Soundless Night)|
+1 level of existing class

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Words of Unmaking (1d4)|
+1 level of existing class

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Sacrifice (Empty Heart)|
+1 level of existing class

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Black Tongue|
+1 level of existing class

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|Sacrifice (Broken Mind)|
+1 level of existing class

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Words of Unmaking (1d6)|
+1 level of existing class

10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Whisper|
+1 level of existing class[/table]

All of the following are class features of the Dread Speaker.

Weapon Proficiencies: A Dread Speaker gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Uncarnate Communication (Ex): The Dread Speaker has the ability to communicate with Abberations and other beings of the Far Realms, including Aboleths, Mind Flayers, Elder Evils and Lovecraftian entities. This communication is in their natural language, and anyone within 30 ft without the ability to speak this language is Sickened (Fort save 10+Dread Speaker’s level+ Cha modifier).

Lost Names (Ex): The Dread Speaker does not treat any creature targeted by Uncarnate Communication as Nameless and can research their Truenames.

Words of Unmaking (Sp): A being’s Truename is inexplicably tied to their being and when the Dread Speaker targets their Truename, it is like matter meeting antimatter, and they are broken on the inside. Whenever the Dread Speaker uses an utterance against a being with a Truename, they are dealt damage to their total hit point total according to Table 1.1. This is untyped damage and does not heal naturally, although high level magic (Wish, Limited Wish, Restoration, Heal and Miracle) will heal it.

Sacrifice (Ex): As the influx of impossibility into the mind and words of the Dread Speaker becomes unbearable, they make personal sacrifices, gaining power as they do.


Shredded Soul: The Dread Speaker is infused with the energy of the Far Realms. They lose a facet of their alignment (i.e. a Chaotic Good character would be listed as Chaotic or Good), as a being unconnected with reality. Alignment checks simply do not function. Furthermore, the natural world abhors the Dread Speaker, and no animal will willingly come within 30 ft of the Speaker.

Soundless Night: The Dread Speaker, to avoid the torment of the twisted words they hear, must remove their ears. They are treated as deaf and fail Listen checks automatically. They are immune to effects based on sound and sonic effects. They can still be vocalised against. The Speaker has such a profoundly disturbing affect on those nearby that they may turn Animals or Humanoids as a Cleric of their Dread Speaker level 3/day.

Empty Heart: The Dread Speaker is further infused with the energy of the Far Realms. They lose the second facet of their alignment (i.e. a Chaotic character would be listed as Unaligned), as a being unconnected with reality. Alignment checks simply do not function. Furthermore, the Dread Speaker's eyes echo the madness they've witnessed. Anyone who meets their gaze must make a Will save (10+Dread Speaker’s level+ Cha modifier) or lose their action for the round.

Broken Mind: The Dread Speaker is totally insane, losing x points of Wisdom, and gaining x/2 to the absolute limit of their truenaming. Furthermore, the Speaker has such alien physiology that normal combat effects do not often harm them. This mimics 75% Fortification Armour.


Dreaded Name (Su): The Dread Speaker’s own name is sufficiently ravaged by the dread language they speak, that few can say it without suffering its madness. Truespeaker’s who successfully vocalize against a Dread Speaker using an utterance suffer 1d4 wisdom damage. Other Dread Speaker's are immune to this effect.

Gibber(Sp): The Dread Speaker has a strange effect on the casters around them. Anyone casting a spell with a verbal component (or Truespeaking) within 80 ft must make a Will Save (DC is 10 + 1/2 Dread Speaker's Class Level + Cha Modifier) or act as if they are in a Wild Magic zone (DMG 149). This does not apply to Dread Speakers themselves, and is suppressible at will as a free action.

Whisper (Su): In a single, twisted word, the Dread Speaker can unleash all the strange madness of the shadowy depths of the Far Realms. This can manifest several effects.

This can fill the target's mind with so much impossibility that they can not process thought. Three times a day they can use this power, acting as a Power Word Stun as an SLA (with caster level equal to their Truenaming level).
This can permanently crush the mind of a foe. Once a day they can use Syllable of Death with automatic success.
Finally, once a day, the Dread Speaker can speak the name of anyone around and warp their form with the energy of the Far Realms. The victim must make a Fort save (DC 10+1/2 Dread Speaker's Class Level+Cha Modifier) or take the Pseudonatural Template (Manual of the Planes version)

[JoshuaZ]

Uncarnate Communication (Ex): The Dread Speaker has the ability to communicate with Abberations and other beings of the Far Realms, including Aboleths, Mind Flayers, Elder Evils and Lovecraftian entities. This communication is in their natural language, and anyone within 30 ft without the ability to speak this language is Sickened (Fort save 10+Dread Speaker’s level+ Cha modifier).

I'd remove the sickening here. If the speech doesn't normally make people sickened it shouldn't here.



Lost Names (Ex): The Dread Speaker does not treat any creature targeted by Uncarnate Communication as Nameless and can research their Truenames.

Interesting.



Words of Unmaking (Sp): A being’s Truename is inexplicably tied to their being and when the Dread Speaker targets their Truename, it is like matter meeting antimatter, and they are broken on the inside. Whenever the Dread Speaker uses an utterance against a being with a Truename, they are dealt damage to their total hit point total according to Table 1.1. This is untyped damage and does not heal naturally, although a wish will heal it.

Do you mean won't heal except by magic or does it take a wish only?





Soundless Night: The Dread Speaker, to avoid the torment of the twisted words they hear, must remove their ears. They are immune to effects based on sound and sonic effects. They can still be vocalised against. The Speaker has such a profoundly disturbing affect on those nearby that they may turn Animals or Humanoids as a Cleric of their Dread Speaker level 3/day.

Um, are they treated as deaf? Do they fail listen checks automatically? Can they hear in general?




Dreaded Name (Su): The Dread Speaker’s own name is sufficiently ravaged by the dread language they speak, that few can say it without suffering its madness. Truespeaker’s who vocalise against a Dread Speaker using an utterance suffer 1d4 wisdom damage.

Interesting. Does this work only when they succeed on the truespeak check or all the time? I think it would be interesting to make it only effect when they actually say it correctly. Should also specify that it doesn't apply to your own Truespeach about yourself. (Or maybe not between Dread Speakers at all).



Gibber(Sp): The Dread Speaker has a strange effect on the casters around them. Anyone casting a spell with a verbal component (or Truespeaking) within 80 ft must make a Will Save (DC is 10 + 1/2 Dread Speaker's Class Level + Cha Modifier) or act as if they are in a Wild Magic zone (DMG 149).

I'd make this ability suppressable by the Dread Speaker at will. Otherwise it is just too inconvenient for spellcasters. Also make it not apply to the Dread Speaker if the Speaker has spellcasting ability.



Whisper (Su): In a single, twisted word, the Dread Speaker can unleash all the strange madness of the shadowy depths of the Far Realms. This instantly crushes the mind of a foe, either permanently or temporarily. Three times a day they can use Power Word Stun as an SLA (with caster level equal to their Truenaming level) and once a day they can use Syllable of Death without having to roll.

Hmm, without having to roll means what? Treated as a natural 20 on the check? Need specifying.

In general, I'm worried that this class has too many negatives and not enough goodies. The three sacrifices are all very flavorful but they hurt a lot.

[Scorpions__]

Shredded Soul seems sort of vague. What part of your alignment do you loseÉ (Stupid school computers, I can`t make question marks.), how is that determined thoughÉ And you should specify what can make an animal approach you.

Also, turning humanoids is quite powerful, as many NPCs are likely to be humanoid. As well as many PCs, just saying, for something to consider. Does the times per day of that ability scaleÉ A feat that will make it go upÉ





DM(F)R

[Eleven]

Thanks a lot for the quick and helpful critique. Let's go through this.


I'd remove the sickening here. If the speech doesn't normally make people sickened it shouldn't here.
Not sure about whether I agree with this. In my opinion, the natural language of the far realms would be sickening to hear and regularly, aberrations speak in a tongue tempered by reality. I'll put some thought into this.


Interesting.
Thanks.


Do you mean won't heal except by magic or does it take a wish only?
Intended it to be only healable by high level magic: Heal, Wish, Limited Wish, Restoration, Miracle and the like. I've been thinking of changing this to Wisdom damage, do you think this would strengthen the class?


Um, are they treated as deaf? Do they fail listen checks automatically? Can they hear in general?
Yes, Yes, and No. Edited accordingly.


Interesting. Does this work only when they succeed on the truespeak check or all the time? I think it would be interesting to make it only effect when they actually say it correctly. Should also specify that it doesn't apply to your own Truespeach about yourself. (Or maybe not between Dread Speakers at all).
I like the way you think. I've edited it according to your suggestion.


I'd make this ability suppressable by the Dread Speaker at will. Otherwise it is just too inconvenient for spellcasters. Also make it not apply to the Dread Speaker if the Speaker has spellcasting ability.
Yup.


Hmm, without having to roll means what? Treated as a natural 20 on the check? Need specifying.
I meant automatic success, but now I'm wondering if being able to automatically break one enemies brain a day might be a bit... anti-climatic.


In general, I'm worried that this class has too many negatives and not enough goodies. The three sacrifices are all very flavorful but they hurt a lot.
Frankly, I was worried about the direct opposite. So I guess that's a good thing. The sacrifices are flavorful enough that I'd like to keep them. Can you think of possible ways to strengthen the class? [note that I've added a new aspect to the capstone and rearranged the class a bit.]


Shredded Soul seems sort of vague. What part of your alignment do you loseÉ (Stupid school computers, I can`t make question marks.), how is that determined thoughÉ
Your choice. I've changed it so that you eventually lose both, so the choice is somewhat irrelevant.


Also, turning humanoids is quite powerful, as many NPCs are likely to be humanoid. As well as many PCs, just saying, for something to consider. Does the times per day of that ability scaleÉ A feat that will make it go upÉ
I was worried about the power of the ability, which is why I made it a static number. A feat increasing it might be a good idea, or making it Cha dependent would probably also work. Keep in mind, in terms of power, that it is based on Dread Speaker level only, not combined level. It would be very hard to get into the prestige class until about level ten, so a twentieth level character is turning as a tenth level cleric: not all that effective on most CR appropriate PCs or NPCs.

Many thanks to both of you.