A Book of Words: An Expanded Truenamer Fix [PEACH]

[Yue Ryong]

Apart from the requirement to keep chanting? Nothing. So, basically, might as well just make that the duration. *Feels stupid for not thinking of this.* >_<

It takes my plot of 'learn city's truename, bring eternal night' off the table, but the balancing act between basic functionality for out-of-combat durations & healing stability takes precedence.

[Red_Death01]

I have recently taken an interest in this homebrew and my DM seems to like it as well. My one question though is- since utterances have the option of using a personal truename or not. Do you take a negative if you choose to use an utterance on a person that you dont know their truename (even if you dont want to use the truename effect) or is it the standard given DC for it? That and can I choose to use the truename effect with the penalties if I dont know their truename?

[Kyeudo]

Do you take a negative if you choose to use an utterance on a person that you dont know their truename (even if you dont want to use the truename effect) or is it the standard given DC for it?

The rules are written with the assumption that you do not know the personal truename of most targets which you want to affect. You use the standard DCs in those cases.

That and can I choose to use the truename effect with the penalties if I dont know their truename?

Not without the Perfect Description class feature.

Knowing someone's personal truename gives you a lot of power over them, especially if you want to pull Scry and Die tactics on them.

[Red_Death01]

Additional Questions:

Echo Utterances- When using this do you effectively need to increase the DC by 11 for get the echo? or am I reading this a bit weird [to be honest this feat is awesome just a little confusing].(6 with the standard dc increase and you need the check to be at a -5 to actually echo). Also- Does the echo'd utterance count as the truenamer's utterance in regards to the Law of Sequence?- I know that it doesn't count against the Law of Resistance.

That and when an utterance is echo'd take for example a reversed Vision Sharpened on someone they are invisible... does the echo apply soon enough so that the subject doesn't seem to "blink" in and out of sight?

Thanks for the answers :D!

[Kyeudo]

Echo Utterances- When using this do you effectively need to increase the DC by 11 for get the echo? or am I reading this a bit weird [to be honest this feat is awesome just a little confusing].(6 with the standard dc increase and you need the check to be at a -5 to actually echo).

Not quite. You only increase the DC by 6 to get the first instance to affect the target. You would need to beat the base DC by 11 to get an Echo, though.

Also- Does the echo'd utterance count as the truenamer's utterance in regards to the Law of Sequence?

Yes.

That and when an utterance is echo'd take for example a reversed Vision Sharpened on someone they are invisible... does the echo apply soon enough so that the subject doesn't seem to "blink" in and out of sight?

I'd rule that it applies immediately, but if your DM wants to do things differently, that would be fine as well. Just make sure you are both on the same page.

[Kyeudo]

So, for those who may still be following this project, I've recently gotten a bit more active in D&D, so I've had a few ideas about this fix. Before I go and do a lot of work on stuff, though, I figure I'd post some ideas and see what people thought.

First, I'm planning to update a few Utterances durations to Concentration or Concentration + Rounds. I already plan to update Wind Carried Words and Skyward Eye, but is there anything else that really should have a longer duration?

Second, I'm considering some Tome of Battle tie-ins, such as an Utterance for recovering an expended manuver or for removing a target's stance. Truenamers already play well with spell casters, so would anyone like to see some love for the ToB?

Third, I'm likewise considering a few utterances for Magic of Incarnum, such as messing with Chakra binds or Essentia pools temporarily. Anyone wanting something like this?

Fourth, I'm ruminating about maybe adding some more prestige classes, mostly of the "hybrid of two base classes" variety, such as a bard/truenamer prestige class. Anyone have suggestions for something that is currently missing?

Finally, I'm probably going to take a second look at the Truename monsters and see if they still have (or ever had) appropriate CRs. Would anyone be interested in participating in a pure combat playtest of the various monsters?

Last question: Is there a system that needs a better interface with Truenaming that I should do some work on? Psionics maybe?

[Yue Ryong]

1) Yay! I'd recommend... Anchor of Reality, Seek the Sky (Probably Greater only)... maybe Singular Mind (powerful, but extremely key to certain stories)... Create Object, Thwart the Traveller, Deny Passage... maybe Fog from the Void. And the ones you said, of course.

2) You've pre-empted me. I was planning on working on something similar (from the other direction) in the form of a Discipline that has Truespeech as it's key skill.

3) I... would like Incarnum to be worth the effort. But I don't really think it is. That said, it might be relatively easy to do, so maybe.

4) I... would love something that plays with the various 'power words' mechanics that existed before (the Words of Creation & Dark Speech feats in particular) and made them blend really effectively. Bard/Truespeaker is an area with a lot of interesting crossover concepts. I'd also be rather keen to see a Warlock/Truespeaker combo.

5) Sign me up.

6) I'd say Psionics is not an amazing fit for Truespeech to work with, due to how self-contained it is as a power source (also, Magic-Psionics transparency makes it pretty vulnerable already). That said, I'm all for doing more integration into other systems. You can have my prototype d20 modern advanced class, if you think it would work.

[Kyeudo]

2) You've pre-empted me. I was planning on working on something similar (from the other direction) in the form of a Discipline that has Truespeech as it's key skill.

Good luck with that project. I'm not going to try something that ambitious.

3) I... would like Incarnum to be worth the effort. But I don't really think it is. That said, it might be relatively easy to do, so maybe.

Incarnum is always worth the effort. It's such a flexible system, it just is so different from the other systems of magic that it's hard to figure out what to do with it.

I'll always remember my Arena Totemist who blasted through his opponents by adapting to their particular build and countering it.

4) I... would love something that plays with the various 'power words' mechanics that existed before (the Words of Creation & Dark Speech feats in particular) and made them blend really effectively. Bard/Truespeaker is an area with a lot of interesting crossover concepts. I'd also be rather keen to see a Warlock/Truespeaker combo.

What exactly would the fluff on a Warlock/Truespeaker combo be? Using Truespeak to manipulate the wording on the contract for your soul?

Dark Speech was from Book of Vile Darkness, right? That's one I don't have. Where was Words of Creation from?

6) I'd say Psionics is not an amazing fit for Truespeech to work with, due to how self-contained it is as a power source (also, Magic-Psionics transparency makes it pretty vulnerable already). That said, I'm all for doing more integration into other systems. You can have my prototype d20 modern advanced class, if you think it would work.

When I said other systems, I meant other subsystems in D&D. Like, do we need support for something in Forgotten Realms or for Ninjas or some such.

[Yue Ryong]

Good luck with that project. I'm not going to try something that ambitious.

It's been sitting on my hard drive half-finished since 4e dropped. >_>

Incarnum is always worth the effort. It's such a flexible system, it just is so different from the other systems of magic that it's hard to figure out what to do with it.

I'll always remember my Arena Totemist who blasted through his opponents by adapting to their particular build and countering it.

You've had more success than me, then. I found the lack of teeth simply too extreme to make really playable for any sort of feasible character, cool as I find the fluff.

What exactly would the fluff on a Warlock/Truespeaker combo be? Using Truespeak to manipulate the wording on the contract for your soul?

That works one way. Another way is to use the contract on your soul as a bargaining chip for the secret facets of the True Tongue known only to those beings who pre-date the world itself and heard it being woven into place.
Or, for an extra touch of finesse, use Truenaming as a kind of Metamagic for their Invocations. Hybrid power sources are always fun.

Dark Speech was from Book of Vile Darkness, right? That's one I don't have. Where was Words of Creation from?

Book of Exalted Deeds (and there is an extremely brief name-check of Dark Speech in one of the Warlock's Invocations). I like my language magic, so this is a recurring thing I keep going back to.

Dark Speech basically functioned by taking ability damage to empower & bond together evil characters, drive away good & break down objects. Words of Creation basically function by taking nonlethal damage to boost Bardic Music, doubling the duration on Conjuration (Creation) spells (that's costless), boosting the caster level of good spells/items & learning Personal True Names. All great fun.

When I said other systems, I meant other subsystems in D&D. Like, do we need support for something in Forgotten Realms or for Ninjas or some such.

Well, fluff-wise, the official book & FR section of the WotC website has some decent stuff on where truenamers fit into the setting (not knowing Eberron, I don't know how well-covered it is there). I do think that Truenaming could have a place in d20 Modern, though. It's a better match for the power scale than Vancian casting, anyhow.

[Kyeudo]

Here's a ToB tie-in utterance I came up with:

Spoiler

Show

Warrior's Hesitation
Level: 4
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

Normal: Upon speaking this utterance, the target finds himself making a crucial mistake with his fighting form, ruining his attempts to execute an advanced combat technique. If the speaker readies an action, he can speak this utterance in response to someone initiating a maneuver (see Tome of Battle pg. 38). If he does so, the maneuver fails to function. The maneuver is still expended (and can be recovered as normal), but it has no effect.
This utterance can also be spoken without need to ready an action. When spoken in this manner, any martial stance the target may be using immediately ends. The target may resume his stance as normal.
Personal Truename: If a personal truename is used to speak this utterance, the wasted maneuver or broken stance can not be used again for one minute, even if the target recovers the maneuver.

Reverse: Upon speaking this utterance, the target finds himself in a sublime state of mind, his every action flowing in perfect harmony with his fighting style. The target of this utterance can immediately recover and ready a single expended martial maneuver (see Tome of Battle pg. 38-39).
Personal Truename: If a personal truename is used to speak this utterance, the target can recover and ready a second expended martial maneuver.

maybe Singular Mind (powerful, but extremely key to certain stories)...

Which side were you thinking of? Normal or reversed?

EDIT: Looking over the utterances, I'm trying to think if the "5 rounds" duration on most of them is really justified. Wouldn't "1 minute" be simpler for most combats?

[Yue Ryong]

Here's a ToB tie-in utterance I came up with:

Spoiler

Show

Warrior's Hesitation
Level: 4
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

Normal: Upon speaking this utterance, the target finds himself making a crucial mistake with his fighting form, ruining his attempts to execute an advanced combat technique. If the speaker readies an action, he can speak this utterance in response to someone initiating a maneuver (see Tome of Battle pg. 38). If he does so, the maneuver fails to function. The maneuver is still expended (and can be recovered as normal), but it has no effect.
This utterance can also be spoken without need to ready an action. When spoken in this manner, any martial stance the target may be using immediately ends. The target may resume his stance as normal.
Personal Truename: If a personal truename is used to speak this utterance, the wasted maneuver or broken stance can not be used again for one minute, even if the target recovers the maneuver.

Reverse: Upon speaking this utterance, the target finds himself in a sublime state of mind, his every action flowing in perfect harmony with his fighting style. The target of this utterance can immediately recover and ready a single expended martial maneuver (see Tome of Battle pg. 38-39).
Personal Truename: If a personal truename is used to speak this utterance, the target can recover and ready a second expended martial maneuver.

Looks pretty good - although I might be inclined to pop a save on the Normal effect.

Which side were you thinking of? Normal or reversed?

Reversed. Mind control being a big magic trope, and all.

EDIT: Looking over the utterances, I'm trying to think if the "5 rounds" duration on most of them is really justified. Wouldn't "1 minute" be simpler for most combats?

I'd not object. It's still short enough to create a distinct feeling about the nature of the magic, but without quite the risk that a fairly standard fight will last long enough to end the effect and get you crushed.

[Kyeudo]

Looks pretty good - although I might be inclined to pop a save on the Normal effect.

If I were to put a save on the utterance, I'd want to make it a Reflex save. I'd also want to drop it an utterance level, so it would be available 4 levels sooner.

Reversed. Mind control being a big magic trope, and all.

I'll have to think about it.

[Kyeudo]

Went and set up that monster playtest. If anyone is interested, here it be.

[chaos_redefined]

Here's a ToB tie-in utterance I came up with:

Spoiler

Show

Warrior's Hesitation
Level: 4
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

Normal: Upon speaking this utterance, the target finds himself making a crucial mistake with his fighting form, ruining his attempts to execute an advanced combat technique. If the speaker readies an action, he can speak this utterance in response to someone initiating a maneuver (see Tome of Battle pg. 38). If he does so, the maneuver fails to function. The maneuver is still expended (and can be recovered as normal), but it has no effect.
This utterance can also be spoken without need to ready an action. When spoken in this manner, any martial stance the target may be using immediately ends. The target may resume his stance as normal.
Personal Truename: If a personal truename is used to speak this utterance, the wasted maneuver or broken stance can not be used again for one minute, even if the target recovers the maneuver.

Reverse: Upon speaking this utterance, the target finds himself in a sublime state of mind, his every action flowing in perfect harmony with his fighting style. The target of this utterance can immediately recover and ready a single expended martial maneuver (see Tome of Battle pg. 38-39).
Personal Truename: If a personal truename is used to speak this utterance, the target can recover and ready a second expended martial maneuver.

To be honest, I'm wondering how often I would use this. The normal version requires a very specific kind of enemy, one that I don't typically see that often (although one of my DMs did use them as an enemy recently, and has now found he loves swordsages). The reverse version is better, but am I willing to spend a daily resource and my standard action to get someone else an encounter ability back? I will admit that quicken and echo make it a lot better, and obviously knowing their truename doubles the effect, but there are two situations available:
1 - There are multiple opponents, and I can give allies bonuses to attack/damage, haste, flight, etc...
2 - There is only one enemy, and I can spam save-or-suck effects at him (dazing him for 2 rounds minimum, thanks to extend).

The easiest way to fix this would be:
Normal version - As is, and the target receives a small penalty to attack for a short period of time.
Reverse version - As is, and the target receives a small bonus to attack the next time he uses that maneuver (within some period of time).

A roll twice, take the worst/best for 1 round would also work.

[Kyeudo]

So, I've been looking to put up a new version. I'm currently looking back over the utterances and classes with the help of Zaq's Truenamer Guide and I'm contemplating a list of changes:

• Moving Speak Unto The Masses down to 11th level for Truenamers and 12th (character) level for Wordspeakers.
• Removing the Truespeak rank requirements from the Enlarge Utterance, Heighten Utterance, and Inaudible Utterance feats.
• The afforementioned duration changes to various utterances.
• Defensive Edge providing a +2 insight bonus to AC instead of a +1 untyped bonus. (reversed utterance unaffected)
• Adding a Greater Defensive Edge, which provides a +5 insight bonus to AC. Having trouble with the reverse, since it shares a level with Mystic Rampart and Mystic Rampart already does a -5 penalty to AC.
• Greater Knight's Pussiance goes up to a 5th level Utterance. It's the equivalent of a maxed-out Greater Magic Weapon, something that only tops out at 20th level.
• Increasing the power of Silent Caster. The duration of the normal utterance now allows for a little more room between speaking the utterance and the Silent spell and the reverse's personal truename effect now increases the duration of the silence effect by a lot.
• Clarifying Archer's Eye to have a lesser effect on total concealment.
• I'm considering increasing the fast healing granted by Potent Word of Nurturing, Critical Word of Nurturing, and Greater Word of Nurturing. At the levels they come into play, they are competing with Heal and 75 hit points doesn't stack up against 110 very well.
• Incarnation of Angels is down to a second level utterance and I'm adding a clarification that it does not add the Extraplanar subtype (no dismissal tricks).
• I'm considering bumping the damage reduction granted by Mystic Rampart up to 10/- instead of only 5/-.
• Should Breath of Recovery go down another level? I hear that Pancea is only a 4th level spell and does much the same thing.
• I'm thinking of doubling the damage on Energy Vortex. Apparently I forgot that you are level 12 when you get it. Dealing 2d6 per round is pathetic at level 12, even for a Commoner.
• I'm thinking of adding an utterance to give or take away a target's psionic focus. Low level, probably 2 or 3.
• Tatoos of Sure Defense move from an untyped bonus to an insight bonus to correspond to the changes in Defensive Edge.

To be honest, I'm wondering how often I would use this. The normal version requires a very specific kind of enemy, one that I don't typically see that often (although one of my DMs did use them as an enemy recently, and has now found he loves swordsages). The reverse version is better, but am I willing to spend a daily resource and my standard action to get someone else an encounter ability back? I will admit that quicken and echo make it a lot better, and obviously knowing their truename doubles the effect, but there are two situations available:
1 - There are multiple opponents, and I can give allies bonuses to attack/damage, haste, flight, etc...
2 - There is only one enemy, and I can spam save-or-suck effects at him (dazing him for 2 rounds minimum, thanks to extend).

This is a variation on some of the Truenamer's "cheerleading" utterances. They already have several that let them spend their actions letting a teammate do something better - Reversed Magic Contraction is probably something a Warmage or Uttercold Assault Necromancer would love to have on demand. You could be right, but I'm going to argue for this version:

One of the big limits on martial adepts is that they can't reuse the manuevers they just used. Usually, they'll have one or two manuevers that are especially appropriate, then some that aren't as helpful (but still awesome - it's hard for a martial adept to be useless). With a Truenamer backing them up, they can unload their most appropriate stuff over and over again.

Yes, the normal version is situational. However, it's a no-save-just-suck for martial adepts. You burn your action, he can't use his major class abilities. Zero sum game for you, but net win for the party, especially in a boss encounter.

[Yue Ryong]

So, I've been looking to put up a new version. I'm currently looking back over the utterances and classes with the help of Zaq's Truenamer Guide and I'm contemplating a list of changes:

• Moving Speak Unto The Masses down to 11th level for Truenamers and 12th (character) level for Wordspeakers.
• Removing the Truespeak rank requirements from the Enlarge Utterance, Heighten Utterance, and Inaudible Utterance feats.
• The afforementioned duration changes to various utterances.

• All reasonable.

• Defensive Edge providing a +2 insight bonus to AC instead of a +1 untyped bonus. (reversed utterance unaffected)

[Kyeudo]

Hm... up the damage taken?

Could work. With or without the AC penalty?

Well... mostly. It doesn't last even remotely as long, and it doesn't bypass DR/Magic.

DR/magic is a joke at the levels we're talking about.

Feasible.But by that point, Extend & Echoing utterance can be considered fairly reliable drops. 100-200hp is VERY competitive, and there is no direct metamagic equivalent for Heal.

Very true, and there's probably Speak Unto The Masses in the mix too.

Mm... could be. DR10 is about reasonable, I'm just not sure DR10/- is. Adamantine, perhaps?

How often will a PC's opponents be bringing adamantine to a fight?

I mostly think of it as an interlock trick. It's something you layer on four or five times over with quicken over several rounds. It's not great like that, but it's not terrible. Although I'd still be on Transposition of Location.

Can't. Law of Sequence won't let you hit the same target twice.

[Yue Ryong]

Could work. With or without the AC penalty?

I'd go with, but I am aware that leaves a certain amount of distinctiveness behind.

DR/magic is a joke at the levels we're talking about.

But the duration isn't. In fact, I'd say if it weren't for the duration, I'd not even consider it.

Very true, and there's probably Speak Unto The Masses in the mix too.

Yeah. As has been demonstrated before, total healing isn't something that Truenamers are short on. That said, there could be a case for increasing the Fast Healing vs shortening the duration. Same total, bit heavier short-term capacity.

How often will a PC's opponents be bringing adamantine to a fight?

Well, I tend to use recurring villains a certain amount, so that may skew my figures. That said, DR10 is a fairly large amount to have as non-negotiable blockade. Magic, as you say, is a joke, but there's not much alignment-netural that's an upgrade. Adamantine was the first to spring to mind.

Can't. Law of Sequence won't let you hit the same target twice.

*Smacks self.* Well, I'm an idiot. Thanks for reminding me. Yeah, OK. Needs a buff, then.

[Kyeudo]

But the duration isn't. In fact, I'd say if it weren't for the duration, I'd not even consider it.

We're comparing a 3rd level spell and a 5th level Utterance. I wouldn't be considering the utterance if it wasn't for the lack of free scaling for most Utterances.

Yeah. As has been demonstrated before, total healing isn't something that Truenamers are short on. That said, there could be a case for increasing the Fast Healing vs shortening the duration. Same total, bit heavier short-term capacity.

Some sort of burst healing would be useful, something to keep the BDF alive until the fight is over. However, I'd like it to not be a cheap knock off of heal.

Well, I tend to use recurring villains a certain amount, so that may skew my figures. That said, DR10 is a fairly large amount to have as non-negotiable blockade. Magic, as you say, is a joke, but there's not much alignment-netural that's an upgrade. Adamantine was the first to spring to mind.

It's just that Stoneskin's been floating around since level 7, which is DR 10/adamantine. We're dealing with 5th level utterances, so level 14 at the earliest.

*Smacks self.* Well, I'm an idiot. Thanks for reminding me. Yeah, OK. Needs a buff, then.

It's an often overlooked implication of the Law of Sequence. I almost missed it myself.

[Yue Ryong]

We're comparing a 3rd level spell and a 5th level Utterance. I wouldn't be considering the utterance if it wasn't for the lack of free scaling for most Utterances.

*Shrugs.* I'd say a big part of the value of GMW is that you use it once and that's all you need for the day. Utterance durations just don't make the actual number comparisons that tempting. You're burning a lot of actions to make this doable.

Some sort of burst healing would be useful, something to keep the BDF alive until the fight is over. However, I'd like it to not be a cheap knock off of heal.

Well, the way I'd peg it is to do stuff over 2-3 rounds (probably two, to maintain symmetry with the reverse) and adjust the Fast healing accordingly. That's fairly distinct as a method, and still fairly flavourful. Also, doesn't do the entire laundry list of status effects that Heal does.

It's just that Stoneskin's been floating around since level 7, which is DR 10/adamantine. We're dealing with 5th level utterances, so level 14 at the earliest.

Stoneskin is... kind of DR10/Admantine. I prefer to think of it as 150hp that you can only use in 10 point bursts. Not that utterance-scale durations make that a big difference in functional prevention, admittedly. Well... It's hardly a big quibble. 10/- is hardly game-shattering, just something I felt was a little over the line.

[Kyeudo]

Alright, just uploaded the new version. It has all the new changes except for that Bard/Truenamer class I proposed. That one, I'm finding it hard to come up with a good capstone.

Currently, I've some good ideas for the middle levels:

• Spend a use of Bardic Music to add Charisma bonus to an Utterance's saving throw
• Extend the duration of an Utterance by up to your effective Bard level by spending a Bardic Music use and concentrating on the effect (Chant Utterance returns!)
• Spend Bardic Music uses to do a Speak Unto The Masses effect without needing targets to share creature type or alignment
• Affect a target with a Bardic Music effect by using their personal truename, regardless of distance or line of effect.
• Use Utterances without disrupting a Bardic Music effect.
• Generate a Bardic Music effect that grants a circumstance bonus to Truespeak checks for others.
• Skill switching - Use Truespeak instead of Perform, Perform instead of Truespeak.

Obviously, not all of these will probably make it onto the class, but none of them seem to have enough oomph to be a good reason to put as a 10th level ability. Maybe combine two into the same class feature?

[Kyeudo]

Hey, look! A zombie!

I finally got the bard/truenamer class written - barring char-op tricks, it's either a Bard 9 entry or a Bard 3/Truenamer 3 - and I've reorganized the layout of the Prestige Class chapter. Here's a link to the latest version.

[Draz74]

Hey, look! A zombie!

I finally got the bard/truenamer class written - barring char-op tricks, it's either a Bard 9 entry or a Bard 3/Truenamer 3 - and I've reorganized the layout of the Prestige Class chapter. Here's a link to the latest version.

I totally missed the updates in December. Giving Bards truenaming flavor is something I've been in favor of for a long time, so I'll definitely be checking out this latest update ...

[Zandorgard]

Hello!

Just wanted to thank you for the awesome job you did!

I have been using this Book of Words on Campaign for about 2 years. Granted i use on one of my plot NPCs, but everyone seems to like it a lot.

That´s all, thank you a lot! Keep up the good work! =D

[artimus261]

WOW just... WOW.... I just posted a fix of myself that was much more simple minded, trying to put band-aid over a freaking sword wound. This is simply exquisite. I will be using this from now on for the truenamer! You've done the world a great service <3 <3 <3