Truenamer Class

[weaseldust]

Truenaming checks are there, but they’re more like spell attack rolls, and there are resources to worry about. The resources are very similar to the Warlock’s, with Lesser Words of Power being equivalent to spells up to 5th level and Greater Words of Power being analogous to Mystic Arcana (except the 18th-level archetype features add more to better resemble full casters).

It’s intended to be less damage-oriented than the Warlock, though it can still get reliable but unexceptional damage through its Asides, which are the equivalent of cantrips. Its low level abilities scale, but it does get distinct bumps at odd levels like other spellcasters, so I left most of those free from other class features.

Obviously, a great deal rides on the specifics of the Asides and Words of Power, which are in their own sections.
A Truenamer produces magical effects by making utterances, strings of words of intrinsic power, which are drawn from the True Speech that is the natural organising language of the universe. In True Speech there are words for concepts, commands, and even expletives, but most importantly there are Names. Every creature has one, though the Name of an individual will be fiendishly complicated since it has to completely capture the true nature of the creature it names.

Even very powerful Truenamers will know the Names of only a few individual creatures, but they will know somewhat more words for types or groups of creature, or of other kinds of thing, and a similar number of Words of Power, which are the basic commands in True Speech that allow the Truenamer to impose their will on the world.

Truenamers must engage in intense study to master the grammar and phonology of True Speech. They must also seek to experience the world in all its variety, since the complexities of True Speech mirror and must be understood through the complexities of the world it describes. A Truenamer needs a keen wit, broad general knowledge, an exceptional memory, a powerful analytic intellect, a supple larynx, and a playful imagination. They are likely to provide an adventuring party, not only with their magic, but also with a healthy supply of anecdotes and corny puns.

Hit Dice: d8
Saves: Intelligence and Wisdom
Proficiencies: Simple weapons, light armour, medium armour
Skills: 2 from Arcana, Deception, History, Investigation, Nature, Persuasion, Religion
Languages: Any two
Starting equipment: Quarterstaff, dagger, leather armour or scale mail, scholar’s or explorer’s pack

The medium armour is there because they don’t get many other defences and their abilities have quite short ranges.



Level
Features
Asides Known
Lesser Words Known
Greater Words Known
Genus Names Known
Personal Names Knowable
Euphony
Enunciation Limit


1
Truenaming; Specialism
3
2
-
3
-
20
-


2
Enunciation; Monikers; Swift Aside
3
2
-
3
-
20
1


3
-
3
3
-
3
-
30
1


4
ASI
3
3
-
3
-
30
1


5
Avocation Feature
4
4
-
4
-
50
1


6
Specialism Feature
4
4
-
4
-
50
1


7
-
4
5
-
4
-
60
1


8
ASI
4
5
-
4
-
60
1


9
-
4
6
-
5
-
80
1


10
Negation
4
6
-
5
-
80
1


11
Personal Names
5
7
1
6
1
90
2


12
ASI
5
7
1
6
1
90
2


13
-
5
8
2
7
2
110
2


14
Specialism Feature
5
8
2
7
2
110
2


15
Avocation Feature
5
9
3
8
3
120
2


16
ASI
5
9
3
8
3
120
2


17
-
5
10
4
9
4
140
3


18
Specialism Feature
5
10
4
9
4
140
3


19
ASI
5
10
4
10
5
150
3


20
Speak Truth
5
10
4
10
5
150
3



Truenaming (Level 1)
You can make magical utterances in True Speech. Your utterances include Namings, Asides, and Words of Power, all of which require an action to make.

Some utterances require a Truenaming check, which is an intelligence check to which you may add your proficiency bonus. Any saves against the effects of your utterances have a DC of 8 plus your proficiency bonus plus your intelligence modifier.
The range of your utterances is 60 feet unless otherwise stated. You cannot make utterances if you cannot speak audibly.

Naming:

When Naming at 1st level, you can either state a genus name you know, which names every creature or natural object in that genus within 60ft, or attempt a Truenaming check to name a single creature or natural object. Genus names are discussed in their own section below. The DCs for naming checks are as follows:


To name a creature requires meeting a DC of 10 plus half its CR or level, rounding down.
To name a natural object requires meeting a DC of 10 plus the object’s greatest dimension measured in yards, rounding down. For instance, if a tree measures 15 feet tall and 21 feet, or 7 yards, across, the DC to name it will be 10 + 7 or 17.

The benefits of having a creature or object named are as follows:


When you use a Word of Power, you may exclude the creatures you have named from its effects, or choose that it affect only them. In the latter case, they need only have less HP than the total affected to be valid targets.
After dice are rolled to resolve one event in which a named target acts or is acted upon, you can use your reaction to add your intelligence bonus to the result of the roll or to take it away from the result of the roll.

As soon as you fall unconscious or attempt another Naming, any targets currently named immediately cease to be named. Otherwise, named targets remain named indefinitely.

Asides:

The Asides you can choose from and their effects are detailed in their own section below. An Aside typically requires a Truenaming check to use.

Words of Power, Euphony, and Cacophony:

The Words you can choose from and their effects are detailed in their own section below. Using a Word of Power consumes your action but requires no Truenaming check unless otherwise specified. The effects of a Word are determined by your Euphony, which is a measure of your experience and talent, in a way detailed in the description of each particular word. At level 1, you have a Euphony of 20, which increases later as shown in the table.

Whenever a Word is spoken, faint echoes called Cacophony adhere to you until you take a sufficiently long rest to damp them down. Using a Word adds 1 point of Cacophony, and at level 1 you cannot use another Word so long as you have any Cacophony on you, but you can remove all of it at the end of a long or short rest.

The on-going effects of any Word of Power on a target end when they are the target of another Word uttered by the same Truenamer, unless otherwise stated.

Specialism (Level 1, and again at Levels 6, 14, and 18)
At first level you gain one of the Truenamer specialisms: Geographer, Antiquarian, or Occultist. You gain expertise in two skills, extra Words, and the ability to Name, and know genus names for, a distinct kind of target. You gain new abilities from your archetype at levels 6, 14, and 18.

Enunciation (Level 2)
Your improved uttering ability allows you to speak a Word of Power when you have 1 point of Cacophony on you, but no more. The amount of Cacophony you can speak over increases to 2 at level 11 and to 3 at level 17.

Monikers (Level 2)
In a ritual lasting 1 hour, you can grant nicknames to yourself and a group of up to 7 allies who are present for the duration. Afterwards, you gain a genus name for the group which does not count against your total. You can add creatures, but not beyond 7 total, by repeating the ritual.

Swift Aside (Level 2)
You can toss off a simple Aside while engaged in other matters. On any turn in which you do not use your action to utter or to cast a spell, you can expend your bonus action to use an Aside in a way that does not deal damage.

Avocation Features (Level 5, and again at Level 15)
These are covered below in the section on Asides.

Negation (Level 10)
You learn to negate your Words of Power to reverse their effects. When you know a Word that can directly and explicitly inflict a certain condition on creatures and any number of creatures you have named are temporarily suffering from that condition, you can utter that Word as an action to immediately end that condition on them (and have no other effect). E.g. the Word of Power “Sleep” can wake creatures up and the Word of Power “Bleed” can be used to end bleeding (but not heal the injuries causing it). Using this ability increases and is restricted by the Cacophony on you in the normal way.

Personal Names (Level 11)
Personal names are used just like genus names, except that they name only a single individual.

You automatically know your own personal Name, though you will have to relearn it if you are ever reincarnated. You do not learn others automatically, but can only learn one over a series of occasions on which you gain significant new knowledge about the creature whose Name you are trying to learn (for instance, finding their family genealogy or casting the spell Legend Lore). Each potential source of information should be able to produce significant new knowledge only once (so casting legend Lore again and again will not suffice). On each occasion you may make one Truenaming check against the creature. If you fail three times before you succeed three times, the Name is too difficult to learn and you cannot try again. Otherwise, the third time you succeed, you learn the Name. When you learn a new personal Name, you can choose not to try to recall one you previously knew, but the total number you can recall (not counting your own) cannot be higher than shown in the table.

The benefits of having a creature named under its personal Name are the same as for a genus name, plus the following:


When you specify the creature as the target of a Word of Power, it is a valid target as long as its HP is less than your Euphony, no matter the usual HP limit on the Word.
You can use your bonus action each turn to inflict the effects of one of the Words Shun, Brand, or Charm without uttering it (i.e. without adding to your Cacophony or ending the effects of other Words).
You can cast the spell Geas on the target in a ritual lasting 1 minute, and you receive a mental notification whenever such a geas is broken as long as you are on the same plane when it happens.

Speak Truth (Level 20)
You can perform Namings with such precision that they truly capture their targets' natures, and thereby grant you exceptional control over them. As an action, you can inflict the effects of any of the Words Shun, Brand, and Charm without uttering it (i.e. without adding to your Cacophony or ending the effects of other Words) on any named creature.

The Truenaming DCs for creatures go from about 11 to 20 as you level up, with 25 for the Tarrasque. That’s about the same as AC, except that AC varies a lot more at all levels. On average, Truenaming checks will be a bit easier than attack rolls, but they’re harder to get advantage on and the Asides mostly aren’t that dangerous.

Swift Aside is to capture the feel of tossing off phrases that do a little bit of good without it requiring your whole action because, hey, all you’re doing is talking. Also, the class’s at will abilities are more important to it than for full casters from this point onwards (just as for the Warlock), and this keeps the non-damaging ones worthwhile even in combat.

The Monikers feature just helps you avoid sending your friends to sleep rather than the goblins.

The Avocations are almost like a second archetype. It ended up being difficult to fit any effect on the Asides into the actual archetypes (Specialisms), because the Asides are too varied and the archetypes are already doing a lot of work, so I made these instead.

Negation provides only a little bit of extra versatility. It’s already reflected in the Words gained from the Specialisms, which come in contrary pairs.

I hope the way I’ve done personal Names makes the research somewhat taxing, but fun and worthwhile.

Finally, capstones are nigh impossible to balance, but I don’t think Speak Truth breaks anything, and it should feel like a genuine culmination of your abilities.

[weaseldust]

Specialisms

Truenamers tend to be scholarly types, each with their own specialty. Specialising in a subject matter allows them to research more obscure and difficult kinds of Name, but in the course of their research they also tend to pick up some more practical skills.

Geographer

It is understandable for mortals to be excessively concerned with goings on at their own scale, but the hills and valleys they live among have their own histories, personalities, and names. Some Truenamers specialise in naming parts of the land they walk. A geographer might be found spending a week listening to the difference in pitch between the babbling of a burn on a north-facing slope and one on the south, the better to be able to name them.

Expertise (Level 1)
You can add twice your proficiency bonus to Nature and History checks. You may make a Nature or History check instead of a Truenaming check when attempting to Name beasts, plants, and natural objects.

Geographical Utterances (Level 1)
In addition to creatures and natural objects, you can attempt to Name natural or non-magically constructed geographical features (such as fords or bridges). A feature is in range if any part of it is. Once a feature is named, you can direct your Words to avoid it or affect it only, and you can use your reaction to alter rolls pertaining to it, as you already can for creatures and objects.

The DC for the check is equal to 10 plus the greatest dimension of the feature in intervals of 5 yards, rounding down. The DC increases by 4 if there are structures built on the feature (such as houses) or if it is on a plane you are not native to. You can use the skills Nature and History for the Naming check if your DM finds it appropriate. You can also know genus names for such features (like the True Speech words for ‘ford’ and ‘bridge’).

You learn Lesser Words of Power from the Geographer list at the levels indicated, and they do not count against the number of Words you can know. You can also learn Greater Words from the list at higher levels, but they do count against the number you can know.

Field Experience (Level 6)
Your time trekking and surveying has left its mark. You can cast the spells Speak with Animals and Speak with Plants as rituals taking 1 minute. You have advantage on Survival checks in terrain you have named. You have proficiency with cartographer’s tools, navigator’s tools, and one kind of vehicle.

Home Turf (Level 14)
When you or a creature you are assisting with the Help action deals damage with a melee attack in a terrain feature you have named, you can use your reaction to cause the terrain to rise up around the target and participate in the attack. It deals an equal amount of magical bludgeoning damage to that of the attack (though your DM may choose a different damage type if the terrain suggests it) and the target must pass a dexterity save against your Truenaming DC or be restrained until the end of its next turn. Once you have used this ability, neither the terrain feature you currently have named nor any overlapping with it can contribute in this way again until at least 1 minute has passed.

The land speaks back (Level 18)
Maintaining a close association with the land allows you to rely on its assistance; it may volunteer information and sometimes bow to your wishes without requiring a command. Once per long rest, you can cast the spell Commune with Nature as a ritual lasting 10 minutes. Further, when you cast Commune with Nature using this feature you gain the ability to use the Greater Words Cleanse and Meld once each even if you have already used them since your last long rest.


Antiquarian
Though True Speech is the language of the original creation of the world, it can admit new terms when new inventions arise to be named by them. Some Truenamers are particularly interested in the ability of intelligent creatures to create things not conceived by nature and delight in digging back to the moment of invention of a thing to discover what name it must be dubbed in True Speech. An antiquarian might be found learning to name three kinds of stringed instruments by examining the papers, workshops and graves, not only of the people who invented them, but also of the luthiers who taught them as apprentices, and those who taught them in turn.

Expertise (Level 1)
You can add twice your proficiency bonus to History and Arcana checks. You may make a History check instead of a Truenaming check when attempting to Name humanoids.

Antiquarian Utterance (Level 1)
In addition to creatures and natural objects, you can attempt to Name artificial objects (such as longswords or rowboats). The DC for the check and the benefits are as for a natural object. However, the DC increases by 4 if the object is magical, and by 4 again for every degree of rarity above Common. You can use the skills History and Arcana for the Naming check if your DM finds it appropriate. You can also know genus names for such objects (like the True Speech words for ‘longsword’ and ‘rowboat’).
You learn Lesser Words of Power from the Antiquarian list at the levels indicated, and they do not count against the number of Words you can know. You can also learn Greater Words from the list at higher levels, but they do count against the number you can know.

Field Experience (Level 6)
Your time in libraries and cemeteries has left its mark. You can cast the spells Comprehend Languages and Speak with Dead as rituals taking 1 minute. You have advantage on Investigation checks to find information in written records or to identify forgeries.

Reconstruction (Level 6)
You have proficiency with two kinds of craftsman’s tools and when you use them on an artificial object you have named you can recreate the effects of the cantrip Mending.

Heat of the Forge (Level 14)
Whenever you see an artificial weapon with metal parts being unsheathed within 60 feet, you can remind it of the techniques used to make it and cause it to glow hot with the memory. You expend your reaction and make a Truenaming check against the weapon. If you succeed, it deals four of its weapon dice to its wielder in fire damage and they must succeed on a constitution save or drop the weapon and be unable to touch it again until the end of their next turn.

The Past Speaks Back (Level 18)
Some of the long dead masters whose techniques and inventions you study will repay your attention with tutelage and with influence over their material legacy. Once per long rest, you can cast the spell Legend Lore as a ritual lasting 10 minutes, with no material cost. Further, when you cast Legend Lore using this feature you gain the ability to use the Greater Words Rust and Lock once each even if you have already used them since your last long rest.


Occultist

It is not just the material world that True Speech can capture the essence of, but also the creatures from other planes, and various manifestations of magic. Some Truenamers specialise in naming the unnatural and uncanny. An occultist might be found consulting a powerful fey creature on the nature of Faerie Fire, but not before having duly researched its name from ancient texts for use in case of attack.

Expertise (Level 1)
You can add twice your proficiency bonus to Religion and Arcana checks. You may make a Religion or Arcana check instead of a Truenaming check when attempting to Name undead or outsiders (celestials, fiends, fey and elementals).

Occult Utterances (Level 1)
In addition to creatures and natural objects, you can attempt to Name persistent magical phenomena or effects (such as the fog created by the spell Fog Cloud, or the fear caused by a dragon’s Frightful Presence). An effect is in range if it affects any creature, object, or space in range. Once an effect is named, you can direct your Words to avoid it or affect it only, and you can use your reaction to alter rolls pertaining to it, as you already can for creatures and objects.

The DC for the check is equal to 10 plus twice the spell level in the case of spells, or 10 plus half the DC of the creature that caused the effect in other cases. You can use the skills Religion and Arcana for the Naming check if your DM finds it appropriate. You can also know genus names for such effects (like the True Speech words for ‘Fog Cloud’ and ‘Frightful Presence’).
You learn Lesser Words of Power from the Occultist list at the levels indicated, and they do not count against the number of Words you can know. You can also learn Greater Words from the list at higher levels, but they do count against the number you can know.

Field Experience (Level 6)
Your time trafficking with powers better left alone has left its mark. You can cast the spells Detect Evil and Good and Magic Circle as rituals taking 1 minute. You have advantage on saves against being charmed or frightened by undead or outsiders and you learn two exotic languages spoken by outsiders.

Chariots of Fire (Level 14)
When a creature dies within 60 feet of you, you can attempt to draw spirits from the crack between worlds opened by the escape of its soul or life force, briefly delaying its departure. Expend your reaction and make a Truenaming check as if naming the creature that died. If you succeed, you may replicate the effects of the spell Spirit Guardians cast from a level 3 slot, centred on the body, with the type of spirit determined by the moral character of the creature that died. The effect persists for a number of rounds equal to your intelligence bonus. As long as it persists, the body cannot be used to create undead and can be stabilised as if it were still making death saves. You may use this feature without repercussions at most once per day for each type of spirit (celestial, fey, or fiend). Each additional time you use it, you take 6d6 radiant or necrotic damage (as appropriate) and you may attract the attentions of powerful outsiders.

The Spirits Speak Back (Level 18)
You have contacts across the planes and will frequently be able to call in a debt or a favour. Once per long rest, you can cast the spell Contact Other Plane in a ritual lasting 10 minutes, without risk of insanity. Further, when you cast Contact Other Plane using this feature you gain the ability to use the Greater Words Scribe and Bait once each even if you have already used them since your last long rest.

These archetypes give you about half of your Words known, and some useful diversification in how they work, as revealed in the section on Words below. They also give you expertise in some of the less useful skills. It’s worth noting that the expertise can be used for naming, but not uttering Asides.

There is some interplay with the Avocations, since many of those give a damage boost at level 5 and a utility feature at level 15, whereas these archetypes give utility features at level 6 and damage boosts at level 14. Finally, the level 18 features are almost class features in disguise. They give the equivalent of extra level 6 and 7 slots slightly before full casters get them, but they can only be used for specific Words, none of which is exactly Forcecage.



Asides

An Aside is a devastatingly clever pun, simile, or kenning that allows the Truenamer to inflict some minor effect on a target. In spite of the skill required to make them, asides are to some extent admissions on the part of the Truenamer that they do not enough words for the target to cause a more significant effect, and indeed they feature only one or two words of True Speech, just enough to give them the barest magical potency.
Asides have a range of 60 feet and require a Truenaming check against the target unless otherwise stated.

Expose Flaw
You target one creature who can hear you. If your check succeeds, deal d4 psychic damage to it and choose one attribute; if the target fails on the next save or check it makes with that attribute before the end of your next turn it is dealt another d4 psychic damage and has disadvantage on saves and checks made with that attribute for one minute or until they next pass one. The damage dealt by the aside and when the target fails a check or save both increase by d4 at levels 5, 11 and 17.

Narrate Blow
You target one creature more than 5 feet away who can hear you. If your check succeeds, deal damage equal to one damage die of a weapon you can see and are proficient with to the target. The damage is of the type dealt by the weapon. It increases to two weapon dice at level 5, three at level 11, and four at level 17.

Boast
You target yourself and no check is required. For one minute, or until the next round in which you do not make a melee weapon attack, you may use your intelligence modifier for attack and damage rolls with melee weapons.

Edify
You target one creature who can hear you and no check is required. You use the Help action on them, even if they are not adjacent to you.

Command Elements
You target a quantity of fire, water, air or earth fitting in 5ft cube, making a Truenaming check as if against an object. If your check succeeds, you can cause a harmless, instantaneous sound like rumble, crackle or whistle, or a harmless change in temperature, colour, texture, or scent. You can instead make it resistant to one kind of change (e.g. a fire being extinguished or earth being dug up), in which case anyone attempting to enact that change for the next minute must first succeed on an intelligence save against your Truenaming DC or else fail in their attempts.

Command Object
You target a natural object. If your check succeeds, you can impose one of the following effects:


You cause it to slowly and harmlessly roll or twist, without changing size or shape. No part moves more than 5ft, or into or out of an occupied space. After choosing this option, if you use this Aside to order it to continue the motion in your next turn you do not need to make a Truenaming check against it.
You make the object resistant to non-magical piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage for one minute
You make it resist being pushed, dragged, and picked up. Creatures attempting it must first pass an intelligence save against your Truenaming DC or else fail.

Vivid Imagery
You attempt to create an illusion of a creature or object; your Truenaming check is as against that creature or object (or as it would be if it existed). If your check succeeds, those within 60 feet who can hear you see or hear one effect of Minor Illusion that you describe. The effect can be located anywhere within 30 feet of you. It can last for up to a minute, or until you dismiss it as an action or use this Aside again, but investigation can reveal it as an illusion as normal.


Avocations

Truenamers tend to be natural dabblers, since maintaining a variety of interests helps them to build their vocabularies and thereby improve their Truenaming. At level 5, you may choose to have one of your minor interests start to shine through a little more, and at level 15 you may continue your progress with that same interest.

Amateur Duellist (requires choosing Boast or Narrate Blow at level 1)
You live a life of danger, and it is natural that to become curious about less subtle weapons than True Speech. That said, after some study, you might be prepared to admit that swordplay can have a kind of poetry of its own.

At level 5, you gain proficiency with martial melee weapons, and if you use your action to make a single attack you may increase the number of damage dice by one (as if using Narrate Blow), and by two at level 11 and three at level 17. You may also add to the damage from Narrate Blow the appropriate ability modifier for the weapon used.

At level 15, on a turn in which you use your action to utter you may use your bonus action to make a weapon attack.

Amateur Schemer (requires choosing Expose Flaw at level 1)
You recognise and savour the dangerous fact that truth and lie alike can do great harm when spoken at the right time. With practice, you can have anyone believe anything, from truths they would never otherwise admit to lies they would never otherwise swallow.

At level 5, you may use Expose Flaw to recreate the effects of the cantrip Vicious Mockery instead of its usual function. The target does not get a wisdom save. You may add your intelligence modifier in psychic damage to the target of Expose Flaw when your Truenaming check succeeds and again the first time the target fails a save, check, or attack roll affected by the aside.

You are also proficient in charisma checks made to convince others of your friendship or loyalty, and if you are present when a creature who sincerely trusts you realises you have betrayed them you may use your reaction to deal them psychic damage equal to your Truenamer level.

At level 15, you gain proficiency in Insight, Persuasion or Deception. You can use your bonus action each turn to attempt a check with one of these skills to judge or change the attitudes or beliefs of one creature who can hear you. You may attempt to learn their opinion on or convince them of a single short statement, and you suffer no penalties for the target being hostile to you.

Amateur Orator (requires choosing Edify at level 1)
Adventurers hardly have a reputation for being nurturing, but the lifestyle does at least encourage an interest in teamwork and camaraderie. Your way with words makes you a powerful speaker, and even if it springs from necessity you can learn to enjoy enthusing and encouraging others.

At level 5, you may grant temporary HP equal to your Truenamer level to the target of Edify when you use it as an action. The HP lasts for one minute. Once a creature has received temporary HP this way, it cannot do so again until it has completed a long or a short rest.

Additionally, you are proficient in charisma checks made to encourage large groups (more than half a dozen creatures).

At level 15, when you use Edify as an action, instead of granting temporary HP you may allow the target to add your intelligence modifier to the result of the check it affects. This bonus does not stack with the same bonus you can grant from having named it or something it interacts with.

Amateur Trailblazer (requires choosing Command Elements or Command Object at level 1)
You enjoy trekking, exploring, and uncovering things no-one had before seen nor named. Though no stranger to exercise, you appreciate the way your sharp tongue serves to replace a knife or machete.

At level 5, when you use Command Elements or Command Object on a target that fits into a 5ft cube, you can command your target to tear itself apart. An object takes magical slashing damage equal to your Truenamer level, a fire extinguishes itself, water harmlessly but instantly evaporates away, earth excavates itself to an unoccupied space within 5 feet, and any kind of fog or cloud in the air is dissipated. If a creature is occupying the same space as the target, it must succeed on a dexterity save or take magical slashing damage equal to your Truenamer level.

Additionally, you are proficient in strength and dexterity checks to move through, on, or in natural terrain.

At level 15, on a turn in which you do not move and you are at least lightly obscured on one side behind natural terrain, you may use your bonus action to gain half cover on sides on which you are obscured, which lasts until you next move.

Amateur Magician (requires choosing Vivid Imagery at level 1)
You are fascinated by the ways your words can mislead and distract. Perhaps it amuses you that, if you lost your magical abilities overnight, through simple trickery you could still convince nine people in ten that you possessed abilities you never had.

At level 5, you can use Vivid Imagery to form an image that can move, or to pretend to manipulate one you already formed and command it to react as if it were real. You become proficient with performance and sleight of hand checks made to perform non-magical conjuring tricks or to pretend to interact with your illusions.

At level 15, you can use Vivid Imagery to create an illusory companion in the shape of any creature of CR at most 1. It disappears if it is ever more than 60 feet from you. You can also use the aside to dismiss it, or command it to move or to appear to take an action other than attacking or casting a spell; it has and can use the same actions and movement as the creature it mimics. With your action, you can order the companion to appear to attack. Attacks are resolved as if made by the creature it mimics, and any target of an attack or other action from the illusion is only affected if it does not yet disbelieve the illusion. The illusion has no other features of the creature it mimics.

The Asides are meant to be almost as important as Eldritch Blast is to the Warlock without doing as much damage, hence the ability to impose extra effects. (They don’t have to be quite as important because there is also a minor benefit just from Naming things.)


Names

Truenamers can name creatures and also naturally occurring objects, like inanimate plants, and small environmental features like rock pools or termite mounds, though only creatures have personal Names. A Name in True Speech is an exceedingly complex thing and it requires near constant mental exercise to be able to remember even one. A Truenamer learns a new genus name of their choice at each level where the number they can remember increases. They can also learn a new genus name by studying with another Truenamer, or poring over a scroll or tome written by a Truenamer, for one hour, but they must lose the ability to recall one previously known name when they do so and they cannot learn a name simply by hearing it spoken.

Genus names are words for races, animal kinds, materials, types of object, and the like. For instance, the words in True Speech for Human, Elf, Pixie, Red Dragon, Horse, Giant Constrictor Snake, Oak Tree, Granite, Ice, Geyser, and Hedgerow are genus names. The Truenamer may pick names for any type of creature or object they like, but they must not be significantly more general than these examples (so creature types like ‘humanoid’ are not permitted).

Each living creature also has a personal Name in True Speech unique to itself. It can only change this Name through very extreme, permanent alterations like becoming a lich or being reincarnated, and it can never be without a Name altogether.

On occasion, two Truenamers may contest control over each other or a third party. If either can produce a more specific name in True Speech than the other then they win (personal Names beating genus names, more specific genus names beating less specific ones, and any name winning if the other cannot produce one at all). Otherwise, they make opposed Truenaming checks and the better result wins.

I left it pretty open as to what names can be known to encourage creativity and responsiveness to the campaign.

[weaseldust]

Words of Power (and Euphony and Cacophony)

A Word of Power is a magical command in True Speech. It can be pronounced without any context, in which case it will have significant but indiscriminate effects, but if the Truenamer has already named a target they can use their Words of Power on them much more precisely.

Euphony is a measure of the potency a Truenamer can impart to their Words as a result of their pronunciation, expressiveness, and the faint echoes of all the words of True Speech they have previously spoken interfering constructively with each new utterance.

Cacophony is a name for the short term destructive interference between the echoes of Words a Truenamer has recently used and any attempt to use another. Every time they use a Word of Power, the Cacophony on them increments by 1. This Cacophony is in their Truenaming voice, which is a mystical feature of their own Truenaming ability unique to them and cannot be voluntarily changed, so it does not interfere with the utterances of other Truenamers.

A Truenamer can use a period of rest and stillness to damp the Cacophony on their own person to levels that do not interfere with their utterances. After a short rest, the Cacophony on a Truenamer falls back to 0, though the faint whispers remain and the DCs for hearing and interpreting them (discussed below) do not change.

The persistent but non-permanent effects of one of your Words on a creature end when it is the target of another Word you utter.

Lesser Words of Power

All Truenamers have access to these words. Unless otherwise stated, each affects a total amount of HP equal to your Euphony, to a maximum of 80. Creatures must be within 60ft and have less HP remaining than half the total affected to be valid targets. You are not affected yourself. The first valid target affected is the one with the lowest remaining HP. Its HP is then subtracted from the total and the creature with the next lowest HP is affected, and so on until the creature with the next lowest HP has more than the total remaining.

You or another creature may choose to be a valid target for a Word even if your HP is too high, in which case the Word treats you as if you had the most HP you could have and be a valid target.

Yes, these mostly work like the spell Sleep. I thought the mechanic worked well to capture a feeling of not having bothered to aim. There’s an extra restriction on what targets can be affected to prevent you from targeting single, powerful creatures without naming them first. I think these scale a bit better than Sleep, though. Note that none require concentration, although they can’t be stacked.

Blind
This Word inflicts blindness on affected creatures for 1 minute. They may make a constitution save at the start of each turn to end the effect early.

Burn
This Word inflicts a magical fever on affected creatures for 1 minute. They sweat profusely and emit a dim glow within 10 feet. They and creatures that start their turn within 10 feet take fire damage equal to your Truenamer level (to a maximum of 10) at the start of each turn. Each turn, before taking damage, the target can make a constitution save to end the effect early.

Flinch
This Word affects a total HP equal to twice your Euphony, to a maximum of 160, and any creature can be affected if its current HP is at most 160. It inflicts a nervous twitch on affected creatures that prevents them from taking any kind of action (such as an opportunity attack) until the start of their next full turn.

Rouse
Affected creatures gain temporary HP equal to half their current HP. Any remaining temporary HP drops off after 1 minute. For as long as they have the temporary HP, they have advantage on saves against being charmed.

Shun
Affected creatures cannot voluntarily move closer to you for the next minute. They make a wisdom save at the end of every turn to end the effect early.

Sleep
This Word inflicts sleep on affected creatures; they immediately fall asleep for 1 minute or until they take damage or a creature takes an action to shake them awake.

Blindness is a level 2 spell, but this version is harder to aim and has an HP cap, so I put it at level 1. Note that Sleep and Blind explicitly use the word “inflict” to show that they work with the level 10 feature Negation. Flinch is to help your allies escape danger, though I worded it so that at high levels it can block legendary actions too. It affects more HP because the effect is small and when you want to use it you might not have done as much damage as you hoped.


Brand
For one day, affected creatures emit a dim glow within 20ft that is visible only to you. For as long as it lasts, you always know which direction an affected creature is in and whether it is within 10ft, 100ft, 1000ft, 1 mile, 10 miles, etc.

Charm
Affected creatures are charmed by you for 1 minute. They make a wisdom save to end the effect early any time they take damage.

Cure
Affected creatures regain an amount of HP equal to half their current HP. When they do so, any disease they are suffering from permanently ends.

Hurl
Affected creatures are thrown directly away from you. The total distance each is thrown in feet is equal to your Euphony, to a maximum of 80ft. The distance is divided randomly between vertical and horizontal components for each creature.

Seize
The movement of affected creatures is reduced to 0 for 1 minute. If they are flying, they slowly float to the ground as if affected by Feather Fall. They make a strength save at the start of each turn to end the effect early.

Charm has a shorter duration than Charm Person, but it can affect multiple (weak) creatures, so I bumped it a level.

Bleed
This Word inflicts bleeding on affected creatures for one minute. They gain one degree of exhaustion for as long as they are affected. Now and at the start of each turn they must succeed on a constitution save or take necrotic damage equal to your Truenamer level (to a maximum of 10). Their clothes, objects they touch, and surfaces they walk on are heavily stained with blood.

Gag
For one minute, this Word inflicts muteness on affected creatures and also silences all their movements. They cannot speak and all creatures are deaf with respect to them. At the start of each turn, they may choose to make a wisdom save to end the effect early.

Quell
Affected creatures permanently end the effects on them of one spell of their choice, so long as the amount of HP the Word can still affect is more than 15 times the spell’s level. When you calculate whether more creatures can be affected by the Word, if the creature’s HP is less than 15 times the spell level, take the latter away from the amount of HP the Word can still affect instead.

Shield
For one minute, affected creatures are warped in shielding magic. They are resistant to all damage except psychic damage, and any time they deal damage with an attack, spell, or other ability, it deals half the usual amount of damage.

Stare
For one minute, affected creatures are blind and deaf (in all senses similar to sight or hearing) except to events directly between them and you and must expend 2 feet of movement for every 1 foot they move away from you. They make a wisdom save at the start of each turn to ignore the effects for that turn, succeeding automatically if they cannot see you.

Note that Bleed does no more damage than the 1st-level Burn, but passing a save only ends it for that turn, not permanently. These Words tend not to do damage only, because it would be wasted on the weakened enemies they are most likely to affect.

Chain
For 1 minute, affected creatures move and suffer as one. They can’t voluntarily increase their distance from other affected creatures, and when any affected creature takes damage every other affected creature takes the same damage. At the start of each turn, they make a charisma save to end the effect on them, after which they do not count as one of the affected creatures.

Change
Affected creatures all gain the shape of one beast of CR 1 or below as per the spell Polymorph. If you know a genus name for a kind of beast, you can specify they take that shape; otherwise, the DM chooses or determines it randomly. They also gain temporary HP equal to half their current HP, which drops off after one hour. They change back to their original form when the temporary HP runs out.

Choke
This Word inflicts choking on affected creatures. They gain one point of exhaustion when you utter the Word. At the start of every subsequent turn they make a constitution save. If they fail, they gain another point of exhaustion. If they succeed, the effect ends. Whenever the effect ends, they lose all points of exhaustion gained as a result of the Word at a rate of one per turn, starting the next round.

Drain
Affected creatures lose half of their current HP, rounding down. You gain a pool of HP equal to the total lost by affected creatures, which, for 1 minute, you can grant to yourself and willing creatures as temporary HP by using a bonus action to touch them. You may grant any amount of temporary HP up to half of your original pool each time, and it drops off after 1 hour. HP not granted after 1 minute is lost.

Fade
Affected creatures are shifted to the Ethereal Plane, as described in the spell Blink, for 1 minute. At the start of each turn, they may choose to make a charisma save to become corporeal again in the nearest unoccupied space.

Fade and Change can be used either on enemies or allies (or especially yourself, once you know your own Name at level 11). A few of the Words are potentially versatile like this.

Break
This Word inflicts broken bones and torn ligaments on affected creatures. Their strength and dexterity scores are reduced to 2, their movement speed is halved, and they are knocked prone. At the start of each of their next 3 turns they make a constitution save to end the effect early. If they fail all 3, the effects are semi-permanent: they persist even if the creature is targeted by another Word, but its ability scores recover by 2 and its movement speed recovers by 5ft for each week of bed rest it takes.

Float
Affected creatures begin to rise upwards at a rate of 20ft at the start of each of their turns for 1 minute, as long as they are unattached to any surface. If they start their round beside an object, willing creature, or surface they may hold it to prevent rising that round; if they pass an object, willing creature, or surface as they rise they may make a dexterity save to grab it.

Squash
This Word inflicts a magical reduction in size on affected creatures. They take 6d6 magical bludgeoning damage and are permanently affected as if by the ‘Reduce’ part of the spell Enlarge/Reduce.

Stand
Affected creatures are immune to being frightened or knocked prone for one minute. The next time they would be incapacitated, including by being reduced to 0 HP, they are instead reduce to 1 HP and gain 6d6 temporary HP.

Taint
Affected creatures are given a mystical, uncanny aura detectable to natural creatures for the next hour. Any beasts or humanoids within 30 feet perceive them to be hostile, causing them to prepare to fight or flee depending on their strength and circumstances, and the affected creatures make charisma checks against them at disadvantage. If you know a genus name for a particular kind of creature, you may cause that group to find the affected creatures tainted instead of beasts and humanoids.

Greater Words of Power

A Greater Word is so powerful that it alters your Truenaming voice when you utter it, so it does not add to your Cacophony or interfere with your ability to speak Lesser Words. However, it produces destructive vibrations of its own that prevent you from uttering the same word again until after you have completed a long rest.

It should be clear how these correspond to Mystic Arcana. They don’t scale because they are equivalent to spells of specific levels. The higher-level ones line up roughly with the Power Word X spells. They are more versatile, but less useful against powerful targets until you take a separate action to Name them.

Bind (available from level 11)
This Word affects a total of 90 HP, and any outsider (celestial, elemental, fey or fiend) with at most 45 HP is a valid target. Affected creatures are charmed by you for 1 hour. At the start of each of their next 3 turns, they make a charisma save. If they succeed on any save, the effect ends. If they fail on all 3, they must serve you as described in the spell Planar Binding for 1 hour.

Shift (available from level 13)
This Word affects a total of 110 HP, and any creature with at most 55 HP is a valid target. Affected creatures are sent to an unoccupied space on plane you name or describe when you utter the Word. At the start of each turn in the next minute they may choose to make a charisma save to return to the unoccupied space closest to where they were when you uttered the Word. The save is made at disadvantage if the creature is native to the plane you shifted them to. If they fail three saves, they lose the opportunity to make them and are trapped on the other plane.

Stun (available from level 15)
This Word affects a total of 120 HP and any creature with no more than 60 HP is a valid target. Affected creatures are stunned for 1 minute. They make a constitution save at the end of each turn to end the effect early.

Heal (available at level 17)
This Word affects a total of 600 HP, and any creature is a valid target. Affected creatures are restored to their HP maximum and stand up if they were prone. When calculating how much HP the Word can still affect, subtract the amount of HP the creature gained instead of subtracting the HP they started with. Affected creatures can choose to cease to be charmed, frightened, paralyzed or stunned, but you must subtract another 50HP from the total for each condition ended.

Kill (available at level 17)
This Word affects a total of 100 HP and any creature with at most 50 HP is a valid target. Affected targets die instantly.

Geographer List

Lesser Words of Power

These words affect a square region of land originating from you and with sides of a length in feet equal to your Euphony, to a maximum of 80. At each level, you learn both the Words listed.

These will be more reliable than the shared Words above because they affect an area you choose, but they tend to be useful only in specific situations. I tried to keep the Words from each level roughly equal in the severity of their effects, but I thought it OK if one will likely be used more often than the other.

Shake (Level 1)
For one minute, the ground and pools of water less than 4ft deep in the region become difficult terrain. All checks to climb, jump, or swim in the area are made at disadvantage.

Still (Level 1)
For one minute, earth tremors in the affected area lessen, and the flow of water and air slows. All creatures in the region have advantage on checks or saves to resist wind, flowing water, or earth tremors.

Cool (Level 3)
For 10 minutes, still water in the affected region freezes at 2 inches of thickness per minute, where each inch of thickness can support 20 pounds of weight. The ranges of abilities that deal fire damage and the widths or diameters of areas affected by events that deal fire damage are both halved for the duration.

Warm (Level 3)
For 10 minutes, ice in the affected region melts at 1ft per minute and water evaporates at the same rate. The ranges of abilities that deal cold damage and the widths or diameters of areas affected by events that deal cold damage are both halved for the duration.

Rot (Level 5)
For 10 minutes, plants within the affected area take necrotic damage equal to your Truenamer level (to a maximum of 10) at the start of each turn, and creatures starting their turn within 10 feet of affected or dead plants must succeed on a constitution save or be poisoned for one round.

Sprout (Level 5)
For 10 minutes, the area within 10 feet of any living plant in the affected region becomes difficult terrain and creatures there are restrained. They make a strength save at the start of each turn to end the effect.

Calm (Level 7)
For 10 minutes, beasts and plants of CR less than half your Truenamer level (to a maximum of 5) in the affected area are not hostile to, nor afraid of, any creature until attacked or otherwise harmed.

Vex (Level 7)
For 10 minutes, beasts and plants of CR at least ¼ but less than half your Truenamer level (to a maximum of 5) in the affected area attack creatures not native to the area on sight.

Rise (Level 9)
For one minute, buried or sunken objects and creatures rise to the surface. At the start of each round, objects and creatures directly beneath the affected area rise through soil and rock, or liquids like water and lava, by 20ft, or come to rest on the surface if within 20ft of it. Creatures with a burrow speed may make an Athletics check against your Truenaming DC to resist the effect each round.

Sink (Level 9)
For 1 minute, solid land behaves as water, or water behaves as thin air. On land, objects denser than water and all creatures that are on the surface of or directly under the affected region sink by 10ft at the start of each round. Creatures may make an Athletics check against your Truenaming DC to attempt to stay afloat, or to move upwards by 10ft if below the surface. Creatures below the surface cannot breathe. On water, objects and creatures that cannot fly or float in air sink as if falling through the air under the effects of Feather Fall.

Greater Words of Power
You do not learn these automatically, but you may choose one in place of a Greater Word from the shared list above.

Cleanse (from level 11)
This Word affects a square region with sides 90ft long for 1 hour. Creatures within the region that are charmed, frightened, or possessed by outsiders or undead cease to be so. Whenever they start their turn in the affected area, outsiders and undead must succeed on a charisma save or spend all their movement and their action attempting to leave in the quickest non-suicidal way available. Outsiders and undead cannot voluntarily enter the region, nor can they charm, frighten, or possess creatures within it.

Meld (from level 13)
This Word affects a square region with sides 110ft long for 1 hour. The affected region overlaps metaphysically with another region of equal size, even one on a different plane, which you name or describe when you utter the Word. Creatures besides you that are in the area when the effect begins or ends, or who attempt to enter or leave it in between, must succeed on a DC20 wisdom check or have their location randomised between the two locations. Otherwise, they may choose which to be in. If they would end up inside a solid object, they take 6d6 force damage and are moved to the nearest unoccupied space. The border between inside and outside of the affected 100ft square is similarly muddled, yielding disadvantage on perception checks that require looking or listening through it.

Rest (from level 15)
This Word affects a square region with sides 120ft long for 1 day. The affected region is preserved motionless and changeless, and hidden from divination, as if by the spell Sequester. Creatures starting their turn there who wish to act must succeed on a charisma save or be affected as if by the spell Slow until their next turn.

Burst (at level 17)
This Word affects a square region with sides 140ft long. For one minute, the ground in the affected region splits as elemental energies burst out. For the duration, the space within 20 feet of the surface is heavily obscured, all fogs and clouds there are dispersed, and ranged weapon attacks fail if the attacker or target is within 20 feet of the surface. Creatures starting their turn in the region must succeed on a dexterity save or be thrown 20 feet into the air and 20 feet in a random horizontal direction. All objects and creatures in the region at the start of each round take damage equal to your Truenamer level in an elemental type appropriate to the terrain or, if the choice is not obvious, of your choosing. Structures take 3 times this damage.


Antiquarian List

Lesser Words

These can affect artificial objects within 60 feet that are at least 2 inches in their largest dimension, so long as they are not part of or contained in larger objects or being worn. Large heaps or collections may be treated as single objects when convenient. Each Word affects every object within 60 feet of you that is at most one tenth of your Euphony in feet in its largest dimension, to a maximum of 8 feet.

At each level, you learn both the Words listed.

Note that these do affect held objects, not least to make them useful in affecting weapons.

Dull (Level 1)
For one minute, affected objects find their sharp edges dulled. Anyone hit by an attack with an affected weapon (or piece of ammunition) that deals slashing or piercing damage can choose for one damage die per attack to be re-rolled. All checks made with affected tools that require sharp edges are made with disadvantage.

Hone (Level 1)
For one minute, affected objects are dangerously sharp. Anyone making an attack with an affected weapon (or ammunition) that deals slashing or piercing damage can choose to re-roll one damage die per attack. Anyone attempting to draw, grasp or pick up an affected hard object (e.g. one made of metal, stone, wood or glass, but not cloth) must succeed on a dexterity save or take magical slashing damage equal to your Truenamer level (to a maximum of 10) and drop it.

Hush (Level 3)
For one minute, collisions between affected objects and other things, attacks with affected weapons, and the operation of affected objects with moving parts are all silent and do not reveal the location of the user/attacker. Affected objects are immune to thunder damage for the duration.

Ring (Level 3)
For one minute, any moving parts in affected objects or collisions between them and other objects causes painful vibrations. Whenever an affected object is dropped, thrown or struck against a surface, object or creature, including when it is used in an attack that hits, or when its internal parts move against each other, all creatures and objects within 5ft take d6 thunder damage and the sound can be heard clearly within 300 feet.

Speak (Level 5)
For 10 minutes, you may interact with affected objects just as Speak with Plants allows you to interact with plants.

Sulk (Level 5)
For 10 minutes, nothing can be learned about affected objects through magic, and anyone attempting to demonstrate any of their magical or mechanical properties must first succeed on an intelligence save or the attempt fails.

Mould (Level 7)
For 1 minute, affected objects can be moulded (by your hands only) like clay. Afterwards, they set hard permanently in their new shape. So long as they remain in one piece, they will magically continue their operation even if their new shape makes it implausible, unless you choose otherwise.

Set (Level 7)
For one minute, affected objects are immune to piercing, slashing and bludgeoning damage and cannot be bent, flexed, or moulded.

Cease (Level 9)
For 1 minute, objects with moving parts cease to function and constructs are incapacitated, though they may make a constitution save at the start of each turn to end the effect.

Spring (Level 9)
At least some affected objects are animated under your control for 1 minute as if by Animate Objects. The smallest affected object is animated first, and then the second smallest, and so on, until animating the next would leave you with more animated objects of larger sizes than permitted by Animate Objects cast at its lowest level.

Greater Words

You do not learn these automatically, but you may choose one in place of a Greater Word from the shared list above.

Rust (level 11)
This Word affects objects up to 9ft in their greatest dimension. For 1 minute, affected metal objects and constructs are vulnerable to acid damage and take damage equal to your Truenamer level (or, effectively, twice that) every time they are touched by water, by a water-based liquid (e.g. milk), or by a living creature. Destroyed objects crumble away to nothing.

Lock (level 13)
This Word affects objects up to 11ft in their greatest dimension. For one hour, affected objects are unusably rigid. They are treated as a lump of base matter of equal weight in all respects, including magical or non-magical assessment (like Identify or an attempt to appraise their value). They are immune to all damage except force damage, have HP equal to your HP max, and cannot be physically altered. You receive a mental alert whenever anyone tries to use, damage, or alter the objects, as long as you are on the same plane. You may make an object usable again with a touch or reinstate the condition in the same way.

Mend (level 15)
This Word affects objects up to 12ft in their greatest dimension. If any affected object has been in any way damaged, it is instantly repaired. Lost parts may spring back into existence, so long as at least half the original object remains for them to attach to. Magical enhancements can be partly restored: the object counts as magical again if it lost that property, and it can regain any effect that can be reproduced by a spell of 5th level or lower.

Dance (level 17)
This Word affects objects up to 14ft in their greatest dimension. For one minute, affected objects dance out of their owners’ reach and across the floor. All checks made to use affected objects and all attack rolls made with them are made at disadvantage, and failing the check or attack roll results in dropping the object. Every loose object moves 20ft in a random direction at the start of each round, and creatures other than you whose space they move through must make a dexterity save; they take magical bludgeoning or slashing damage (DM’s choice) equal to your Truenamer level on a success, and on a failure are knocked prone and take twice the damage.


Occultist List

Lesser Words

These Words affect the persistent magical effects of spells, or of the supernatural abilities of creatures, within 60 feet. The effect of a spell is affected if your Euphony (to a maximum of 80) is greater than 15 times the spell level. An effect caused by a creature is affected if your Truenamer level is no less than the CR of the creature.

At each level, you learn both the Words listed.

Note: I’ve often written ‘spell’ and ‘ability’ in the descriptions below, but I hope it’s clear that it always means the persistent effects of those things. It just gets too wordy having to spell it out every time.

The level 1 Words are potentially quite powerful, but it will take a bit of work to be in a position to use them effectively, and this archetype needs a bit of help to be relevant at very low levels anyway.

Boost (level 1)
The remaining duration of every affected effect is doubled.

Sap (level 1)
The remaining duration of every affected effect is halved, to a minimum duration of one round.

Share (level 3)
For one minute, when you and at least one other creature make an ability save or check as a result of an affected spell or ability, you may choose to gain the benefits of any one proficiency, resistance, bonus, or similar ability possessed by at least one other affected creature for the purposes of the roll.

Spare (level 3)
For one minute, whenever a creature makes a save or check as a result of an affected spell or ability, it may choose to benefit from any one proficiency, resistance, bonus, or similar ability you possess.

Bleach (level 5)
For one hour, affected effects are hidden from all means of magical detection and identification (like Detect Magic or Identify).

Stain (level 5)
For one hour, every creature that cast an affected spell or used an affected ability is stained with a coloured aura, with a unique colour for each creature. The aura is visible only to yourself, creatures that can see magical auras (e.g. using Detect Magic), and creatures with Truesight. Affected effects are stained the same colour as the creatures that created them, as are any other effects of spells or supernatural abilities used by stained creatures within the next hour. All the auras disappear at the end of the hour.

Shrink (level 7)
For the next minute, any affected persistent spell or ability that has a radius of effect has it decreased by 5ft at the start of every round, to a minimum of 5ft.

Spread (level 7)
For the next minute, any affected persistent spell or ability that has a radius of effect increases that radius of effect by 10 feet at the start of every round until it ends.

Soothe (level 9)
For the next minute, all magical energies re-energise those subject to them. A creature under the effects of an affected spell or ability has advantage on all saves they are proficient in and regains HP equal to half your Truenamer level (to a maximum of 5) at the start of each turn. The soothing sensation ends as soon as the effects of the spell or ability do.

Sting (level 9)
For the next minute, all magical energies physically irritate those subject to them. A creature under the effects of an affected spell or ability has disadvantage on concentration checks and must succeed on a constitution save at the start of each turn or take damage equal to your Truenamer level (to a maximum of 10). The stinging sensation ends as soon as the effects of the spell or ability do.


Greater Words

You do not learn these automatically, but you may choose one in place of a Greater Word from the shared list above.

Scribe (level 11)
This Word affects spells up to level 6 and creatures up to CR 11. When you utter this word, mystical symbols naming a spell or creature form on a suitable object that you hold or carry. The subject is chosen at random from among the spells affected by this Word and the creatures that used abilities affected by it. A Truenamer may use the symbol for a spell to cast it as if from a scroll and may use the symbol for a creature to immediately (a) summon it to your location, (b) free it from the control of any spell or Truenamer, and (c) Name it as if by its personal Name for 1 hour. You do not learn a creature’s personal Name by using the symbol for it. Using a symbol permanently destroys it.

Bait (level 13)
This Word affects spells up to level 7 and the abilities of creatures of CR up to 13. For one hour, any creature that was affected by a spell or ability affected by this Word when you uttered it gains a scent or song which is pleasurable to outsiders of a kind you can name or describe. Outsiders of that kind within 100 miles that do not have pressing business elsewhere are drawn to investigate, and outsiders with pressing business must succeed on a wisdom save when they first come within 100 miles or be drawn in regardless. This Word has no effect on creatures native to the plane on which it is uttered.

Ward (level 15)
This Word affects spells up to level 8 and the abilities of creatures of CR up to 15. All creatures not currently under the effects of affected spells and abilities are immune to them for the next minute.

Wipe (level 17)
This Word affects all spells, and affects creature abilities if their CR is at most 20. Affected effects end immediately, and any creature that cast an affected spell or used an affected ability must succeed on a wisdom save or be unable to cast the spell or use the ability until after a long rest.



Miscellany

Knowledge about Truenaming

Truenaming is an arcane discipline, and recalling knowledge about it falls under the use of the skill Arcana. The specific DC for any check will depend on how prevalent Truenaming is compared to other disciplines in that DM’s world.

While a creature is carrying Cacophony, anyone inspecting it up close can make a Perception check against a DC of 15 to hear a faint whispering. If they have heard the Truenamer who spoke the word utter before, they recognise their voice. An Arcana check against a DC of 25 will reveal to someone who hears the whispering what Word was spoken to cause the cacophony.

No mortal creature can speak True Speech as a language like Common or Elvish, since the power gained from being able to do so would be enough to transcend mortality. Deities or similarly powerful beings may converse in True Speech or attempt to humour a Truenamer by addressing them in the language. To understand requires a Truenaming check against a DC chosen by the DM to represent the level of complexity of the subject matter.

Utterances vs Spells

Utterances are not spells, but they do count as magical effects. For abilities like spell resistance, Asides can be treated as cantrips. Words of Power can be treated as spells of a certain level cast from slots of a certain level. If a Word can first be learned at character level L, the equivalent spell level is that which can first be cast at character level L (e.g. level 3 spells at character level 5). The equivalent slot level for an utterance of a Lesser Word is the slot level a Warlock of the same character level would cast from. For a Greater Word, it is the same as the equivalent spell level.

[ImSAMazing]

So, so,so, soooo much letters. You have putted so much work in it, that I don't have the time to review it in detail upcoming weak xD. However, the base class looks great, and I would be proud of myself if I made this class.

[noob]

What I dislike in this class is the whole "does not works on creature having more than a quarter of tenth of hp" and the absence of scaling in many abilities.
Who in the universe have less dv than a pc and have less than your euphony in HP.
Nobody!
Also the total number of options is inferior to spellcasting in fact you can not do a lot of things but in addition you through "I will limit intensely the truenamer in words per day and also make words who does not works and make a number of words inferior to the number of spells"
But all of this happily is easily fixed and I like the concept of this class.
You did a good work.

[Princess]

This introduces a ton of material all at once so it'll take a while for me to get a sense of how balanced the Truenaming mechanic itself is, but one think that stuck out about this is the skills part.

Does the double proficiency bonus in two skills for each archetype also give proficiency? If so, that's similar to the knowledge Cleric ability, and they only get two base class skills. As it stands, that would mean they start with 3 + 2, which is more than even rogues get, and that seems inappropriate to me. The bonus languages make sense, for sure, and I think it would make more sense to either only give two base skills, or make the double proficiency bonus an "if you have the skill trained" thing, since all of those are on the class list already.

[weaseldust]

Sorry to all who commented, I shouldn't have left this alone so long after posting.



So, so,so, soooo much letters...

Thanks for the appreciation. It ended up a lot longer than I expected because I was essentially reinventing magic and felt the need to explain myself every step along the way.



Who in the universe have less dv than a pc and have less than your euphony in HP.

Bear in mind that, just like Sleep, the Words affect you depending on your current HP, not your cap. I tried to balance it so that creatures become valid targets for Words before they have so little HP that you'd be better off just attacking them, even if you don't have them named.


Also the total number of options is inferior to spellcasting in fact you can not do a lot of things but in addition you through "I will limit intensely the truenamer in words per day and also make words who does not works and make a number of words inferior to the number of spells"

The number of options doesn't match, say, a Wizard's, but I was aiming more to match a Warlock. I'm mulling over a couple more Asides and Words that would help with divination, scouting, and survival, though. The number of Words known is roughly comparable to a Bard's spells known - you have to remember to count the Words learned through the archetype.



Does the double proficiency bonus in two skills for each archetype also give proficiency?

Yes. It's not conditional on having proficiency already.


I think it would make more sense to either only give two base skills...

I think I'll do this. I was playing it safe with three because the intelligence-based skills typically aren't all that useful, but the class isn't particularly skill-centred so it's not right that it get too many.