evaluate (and suggest balancing factors for) this effect

[sreservoir]

Redefine Being

Level: 4
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

Normal: The target can choose to spend its skill points differently (picking new skills and abandoning old ones if it chooses), to choose different feats from the ones it selected, to forget utterances it knows and replace them with new ones, or undo other decisions of these sorts.

The subject must abide by the standard rules for selecting skills, feats, and utterances; it cannot take feats or utterances it would not have qualified for when first taken.

The target gains one negative level for each previous level into which the revision reaches after the first. The target gains at least one negative level unless no changes are made, even if the revision reaches into only one level. These negative levels never convert to real level loss, but do not fade naturally unless the target makes the appropriate saving throws.

Reversed: The target gains one negative level. This negative level never converts to real level loss, but does not fade naturally unless the target makes the appropriate saving throw.

--

Keeping in mind that this is written as an utterance (and thus, doesn't have a casting time entry which can be increased, and there's no precedent for utterances with xp costs), are the negative levels a sufficient balancing factors to prevent using this from being used at every obstacle that isn't action-economy-sensitive? (Is that even a problem?)

[Grod_The_Giant]

Can the negative levels be cured by a Restoration Spell? But on the whole, Truenames as written are so weak, I wouldn't worry too much. The bestowing-negative-levels makes it an effective debuff, so it's worth taking for more than just the rebuilding effect.

I might go ahead and add a casting time on the normal effect, though. There's not precedent, but there are also so few utterances...

[Pyromancer999]

Wow. This utterance is like an insta-retraining(PHB2) effect, minus class level re-choosing. And can bestow negative levels without a save. This is, without a doubt, way overpowered.

[NeoSeraphi]

Wow. This utterance is like an insta-retraining(PHB2) effect, minus class level re-choosing. And can bestow negative levels without a save. This is, without a doubt, way overpowered.

There's a precedent for the instant retraining, called psychic reformation (Expanded Psionics Handbook). It has an XP cost of 50.

As for bestowing negative levels with no save...er...negative levels never offer a save (except to save against real level loss). Enervation, energy drain, the energy drain touch of a vampire, the energy drain ability of the succubus, the enervating breath spell...no saves. Period.

Edit: To the OP, this looks interesting. I don't know much about utterances, but it provides both support and debuffing if you get creative. Good job on creating something pretty unique for a class that desperately needs it.

[sreservoir]

Can the negative levels be cured by a Restoration Spell? But on the whole, Truenames as written are so weak, I wouldn't worry too much. The bestowing-negative-levels makes it an effective debuff, so it's worth taking for more than just the rebuilding effect.

I might go ahead and add a casting time on the normal effect, though. There's not precedent, but there are also so few utterances...

probably, why not? restoration has a material component anyway.

yeah, adding a reasonably-long casting time -- how does 10 minutes sound? -- is probably needed.

Wow. This utterance is like an insta-retraining(PHB2) effect, minus class level re-choosing. And can bestow negative levels without a save. This is, without a doubt, way overpowered.

it's psyref sans xp cost, but with an actual drawback. (xp costs that small are basically negligible; and with the small increments, can be used to abuse the "experience is a river" phenomenon.) and negative levels? enervation give negative levels with no save. essence of lifespark gives a negative level with no save. also, keep in mind the truenamer's casting mechanism requires a skill check. it does nothing existing effects don't. it's the drawbacks I'm asking about; the effect is known to be fine.

[Grod_The_Giant]

yeah, adding a reasonably-long casting time -- how does 10 minutes sound? -- is probably needed.

Good for the normal form, but the reversed should still be a standard action to cast, otherwise it's worthless.

Also, you should probably clarify whether or not you can trade away this utterance when you rebuild.

[Pyromancer999]

it's psyref sans xp cost, but with an actual drawback. (xp costs that small are basically negligible; and with the small increments, can be used to abuse the "experience is a river" phenomenon.) and negative levels? enervation give negative levels with no save. essence of lifespark gives a negative level with no save. also, keep in mind the truenamer's casting mechanism requires a skill check. it does nothing existing effects don't. it's the drawbacks I'm asking about; the effect is known to be fine.

Ah, missed the negative level part. Do as you wish, then.