The Way Words Work (or, Truenaming that doesn't make me cry myself to sleep at night)

[Kellus]

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Truenaming

General Nonsense

Spoiler

So here’s the scoop: truenaming sucks. It’s got great flavour, and it’s a fantastic idea in fantasy, but Tome of Magic did a terrible job of translating it to 3.5. Not only was it practically unusable, but there was nothing special about it. There was nothing a truenamer could do that any other spellcaster couldn’t do better and earlier.

So here’s my take on it. I’ve rebuilt the system from the ground up, incorporating some mechanical ideas from psionics and warlocks to provide you with a new take on truespeech. Please, tell me what you think!

How it Works

Spoiler

Utterances, Incantations, and Recitations

A truenamer has a whole bunch of weapons in his arsenal. Uses of truenaming fall into three general categories: utterances, incantations, and recitations. All three share the same basic qualities:

• Activated as a move action.
• Activation does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
• Not subject to spell resistance or spell immunity.
• Does not allow saving throws.
• Subject to namelessness and name resistance.
• Extraordinary ability (Ex).
• Reversible (a thematically opposite effect) (utterances and incantations only).
• Come in 6 levels.
• Require a Truespeak check to use.
• Augmentable by voluntarily increasing the Truespeak DC.
• Require you to speak.
• Never require material components or XP.
• Target a creature within line of sight to you, regardless of distance.
•*Cannot be targetted through a magical connection without line of sight (ie. scrying)
• Effective spell level of 1/2 the truenamer’s vocalizer level
• Do not stack with themselves.

Utterances

Utterances are the most powerful abilities a truenamer will gain. These are words and phrases of truespeech that cause some kind of hindering or harmful effect to his foes, or a helpful effect to his allies. Now, a truenamer can’t just go around using whatever utterances he wants, whenever he wants. To start with, all utterances are subject to the truenamer’s absolute limit.

An utterance by a truenamer can only affect a target whose current hp is equal to or below his absolute limit.

Your absolute limit is added to every time you gain a level in a truenaming class or prestige class. For example, as a truenamer you add a value to it every level equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. Your absolute limit does not change retroactively with ability increases. Temporary bonuses to an ability score do not change the increase of your absolute limit. Permanent increases, including inherent bonuses, do apply.

• For example, Torgoth the Mighty has a Cha of 17, or +3. He gains three levels of truenamer, making his absolute limit 12. Then he gains a fourth level, and adds +1 to his Charisma score, making it an 18, or a +4 modifier. He adds 5 to his absolute limit at this level, but does not change the additions from previous levels.

An utterance can be used on a willing target even if their hp is above the truenamer's absolute limit.

Utterances require a name for the target to be used. You may use a true name, a given name, or a nickname for this requirement. These are described in detail below (see ‘Discovering Truenames’), but the bottom line is that the more accurate name you use, the easier it is to use your utterance against them. The modifier applied to your Truespeak check to deliver an utterance is summarized below:

Table 1.1: Name Modifiers to Truespeak Checks

Name	Modifier
Nickname	-2
Given name	+0
Truename	+4

Incantations

So you’re probably thinking, “Kellus, you handsome devil! Utterances have an hp limit on what they can effect! Doesn’t this mean that I, a full caster, am useless against enemies with oodles of health?!”

The answer is no. Utterances are the most powerful weapons in your arsenal, but they’re not the only thing you got going for you. When an enemy is too strong (at the moment) to target with an utterance, you can use incantations to target him indirectly. This can include launching projectiles at him, altering the terrain to your advantage, or other such effects that don’t target your enemy directly.

Now of course you’re thinking, “what about that stupid law of resistance from the Tome of Magic? Remember, the arbitrary mechanic where words get harder to say as you say them more often? What about that?”

The happy news is that the Law of Resistance (and the Law of Sequence, for that matter) is gone. Yes, this means at-will abilities, if you can make the skill checks.

Recitations

Recitations are sort of similar to stances from the Tome of Battle, except different. The idea behind a recitation is that you’re repeating your own truename with a different cadence, altering yourself. Like all truename effects, a recitation can be activated with a move action, and typically provides a defensive or otherwise helpful effect so long as you maintain it. Now here’s the catch: you can maintain a recitation as only a swift action every round, but while you’ve got a recitation going you can’t use truenaming! Yes, that means you give up your most powerful class feature for the duration of the effect.

You don’t need to take an action to end a recitation, it ends naturally if you don’t take a swift action to maintain it. Recitations are exceedingly helpful for truenamers that enter melee, multiclass truenamers, or for truenamers that need to focus on defence or escape. While you maintain a recitation, you don’t need to make additional Truespeak checks to gain the benefit.

Augmenting Vocalizations

Spoiler

Every truespeak effect has a Truespeak DC to use properly. Failure on this check means that the effect simply fails to happen. However, if you’re feeling brave, lucky, or just plain stupid, you can voluntarily increase the DC of the check in order to gain a better effect. This is sort of like psionic augmentation. The key thing here is that when augmenting a truespeak effect, you can only increase the Truespeak DC by an amount equal to your truenamer level. Everybody get that?

You can only increase the Truespeak DC to use a truespeak effect by an amount equal to or less than your truenamer level.

You decide if you want to augment an effect before you use it. Thus, you set the DC before you make the check, increasing its power to a risk level that you feel comfortable with.

Every truespeak effect has a specific way to augment it, but all utterances share one common augment:

• For every +1 modifier applied to the DC in this way, the absolute limit for this one utterance is increased by 1.

A vocalization may have multiple means of augmenting it. You can mix-and-match whatever you want, so long as the total modifier to the Truespeak DC doesn't go over your truenamer level.

Discovering Truenames

Spoiler

As a truenamer, you know your own truename. Lucky you. Unfortunately, your utterances are most likely to succeed when you also know your enemy’s truenames. Learning a truename requires research. You can, however, get by with only knowing the given name of a creature, or (gods forbid) a nickname.

• A nickname, when it comes to truenaming, is a vague description of a creature. Odds are you’re not going to know the name of a dire bunny that attacks you in the woods, so you can specify this thing by saying the equivalent of ‘that furry thing with the fangs’, except in truespeech. This is cumbersome and ineffective to use with your utterances, so your Truespeak check to use the utterance takes a penalty of -2.

• A given name is just what it sounds like: a creature’s birth name. They generally know this themselves, as opposed to their truename, which is Mysterious And Hidden™. Using a given name is reasonably effective with utterances, and as such you take no penalty on your Truespeak check. In a game, discovering birth names can be a fun sidequest or hidden agenda for a truenamer, especially for a target that’s taken pains to cover it up or who goes by an alias. There are no mechanics to discover a given name, as this should be handled by the DM in the game.

• A truename is the name the universe knows someone by. Everything, and I mean everything has a truename. Even if it’s, you know, inanimate. Doesn’t matter. Unforunately, most truenames, spelled out phonetically, look like you went to sleep on a keyboard for a few minutes, with a whole bunch of apostrophes thrown in for good measure. You can research truenames, in any kind of library or a hall of records or lore. Now, truenames can be tough to find, and generally the more famous or renowned (or old) someone is, the easier it’ll be to find their truename. Finding a truename requires a Knowledge check appropriate to the target’s creature type (see the Knowledge skill in the Player’s Handbook for more information on creature types and the Knowledge skill), a Truespeak check, and about an hour of solid research. You also need the given name (see above) of a creature before you can find its truename. The base DC of both checks required to uncover a truename is 25, but this can be adjusted based the notoriety and the age of the target. This modifier should be determined by the DM based on the specific circumstances, and shouldn’t be any higher than +10 or any lower than -10.

Truespeak (Int; Trained-Only)

Spoiler

Truespeak is an Intelligence-based skill primarily used in conjunction with truespeak effects (utterances, incantations, and recitations). However, it follows several special rules.

• A natural 20 on a Truespeak check is always a success (except for opposed Truespeak checks).
• A natural 1 on a Truespeak check is always a failure (except for opposed Truespeak checks).
• Truespeak cannot be improved with magic items, spells, item familiars, or masterwork tools.
• You can never take 10 or 20 on a Truespeak check.

Now here’s the dirty little secret. Nobody actually speaks truespeech. It’s impossible. Instead, people try to replicate the lost language with existing languages. When someone has ranks in Truespeak, it means they’ve practiced dissecting other languages and studying linguistic roots to break apart other tongues in search of some parts of the original language.

The only synergy bonus gained for Truespeak is a +1 synergy bonus for every two additional languages beyond their racial languages that someone knows (as in, actually knows knows, not by dint of magic. No, not even with permanency. The insight comes from the study, not the simple knowledge of how to speak it). The maximum bonus you can get in this way is +5, or 10 additional languages that you’ve learned by purchasing them with skill ranks (see the Speak Language skill in the Player’s Hanbook for more information on learning languages).

Defending Against Truespeak

Spoiler

Like anything, truespeak can be defended against. It’s extraordinary in nature, and not vulnerable to spell resistance, so conventional magical defences aren’t exceedingly helpful. However, there are methods that can be used to protect yourself.

• Detecting Truespeak: When a truespeak effect is used within line of sight of someone, they can make a Knowledge (arcana) check against a DC of 10 + the speaker’s truenamer level to detect it as a truespeak effect.

• Counterspeaking: A truenamer (or anyone with ranks in Truespeak) can attempt to counter a truespeak effect as an immediate action. This can only be attempted when they are affected by a truespeak effect, and detect it for what it is (see above). The counterspeaker must make a Truespeak check against the check made to activate the truespeak effect. Whoever loses the opposed check is dazed for one round. If the truenamer loses, the truespeak effect fails to occur, exactly as if he had failed the Truespeak check to deliver it.

• Name Resistance (Ex): If a creature has name resistance, its name is exceptionally difficult to speak in the language of Truespeech. The DC to target such a creature with a truespeak effect increases by the amount specified in its name resistance ability entry.

• Namelessness (Ex): If a creature has namelessness, it is completely immune to utterances.

[Kellus]

The Truenamer

Spoiler

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 2 + Cha modifier.

Class Skills: The truenamer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Perform (oratory) (Cha), Speak Language (n/a), and Truespeak (Int).

Table 1.2: The Truenamer

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Utterances	Incantations	Recitations
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Known personal truename, truenaming	2	2	0
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Recitation of the Unclouded Eye	3	2	0
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	–	4	3	1
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	2nd level truenaming	5	3	1
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Bonus feat	6	4	1
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	–	7	4	2
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	3rd level truenaming	8	5	2
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	–	9	5	2
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	–	10	6	3
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Bonus feat, 4th level truenaming	11	6	3
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	–	12	7	3
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	–	13	7	4
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	5th level truenaming	14	8	4
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	–	15	8	4
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Bonus feat	16	9	5
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	6th level truenaming	17	9	5
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	–	18	10	5
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	–	19	10	6
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	–	20	11	6
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Bonus feat, perfect dialect	21	11	6

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the truenamer class

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A truenamer is proficient with all simple weapons, light armour, and medium armour. A truenamer is not proficient with any kind of shield.

Known Personal Truename (Ex): You know your truename. As such, you have a +4 bonus on Truespeak checks made to use truename effects on yourself, as shown in Table 1.1: Name Modifiers to Truespeak DCs.

Truenaming: You can use truenaming. At every class level, you learn additional truename effects, as shown on Table 1.2: The Truenamer. Your truenamer level for your truename effects is equal to your class level.

To begin with, you may only select 1st level truename effects. At your 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, and 16th class levels, you may begin to select from the next level of truename effects.

Once you learn a truename effect, you know it. You cannot unlearn it or replace it at any time.

Recitation of the Unclouded Eye: At 2nd level, you learn the Recitation of the Unclouded Eye as a bonus recitation.

Bonus Feats: At 5th level, and again at 10th, 15th, and 20th level, you may select a bonus truespeak feat you meet the requirements for.

Perfect Dialect (Ex): At 20th level, you may take 10 on Truespeak checks. This is an exception to the rule that you can never take 10 on Truespeak checks, and does not mean that other classes can learn to take 10 on Truespeak checks through other class features such as Skill Mastery.

The Lexeme

Spoiler

The lexeme takes a different approach to truenaming than a conventional truenamer. Instead of even trying to grasp the subtleties and underpinnings of the true language, she is only interested in what words she needs to say to make something happen. A lexeme develops a near-photographic mind as she commits enormous passages of truespeak, along with other trivia, facts, and figures to memory. As such, while a lexeme’s vocabulary is much more focused than a truenamer’s, it’s also more variable and potent.

Lexemes record vocalizations in a glossary, a book they carry around that they must study before being able to recite passages of truespeech. In many ways, lexemes and truenamers are as wizards and sorcerers. They both tap into the same source of power, but do so in an entirely different way.

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d4.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Skills: The lexeme's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Forgery (Int), Knowledge (all) (Int), Perform (oratory) (Cha), Speak Language (n/a), and Truespeak (Int).

Table 1.3 : The Lexeme

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Unique Utterances<br />per Day	Unique Incantations<br />per Day
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Glossary, truenaming	2	2
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Confident speaker	2	2
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Encyclopedic knowledge	3	2
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	2nd level truenaming	3	3
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Facts and figures	4	3
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	+1 truenamer level	4	3
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	3rd level truenaming	5	4
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Fast research	5	4
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Intrinsic almanac	6	4
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	4th level truenaming	6	5
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	–	7	5
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	+1 truenamer level	7	5
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	5th level truenaming	8	6
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Self-sufficient study	8	6
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Immediate insight	9	6
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	6th level truenaming	9	7
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	–	10	7
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	+1 truenamer level	10	7
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	–	11	8
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	The library that lives	11	8

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the lexeme.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A lexeme is proficient with all simple weapons and light armour. A lexeme is not proficient with any kind of shield.

Glossary: Unlike a traditional truenamer, a lexeme keeps a special kind of journal, called a glossary. Her glossary contains all of the truespeak research she has undertaken.

A lexeme does not automatically learn new vocalizations every time she levels up. Instead, she must find a library, hall of records, or other similar location where she can research truespeech. After a full day of studying in such a location, she may add a vocalization she is qualified for to her glossary. There is no limit to the number of vocalizations a lexeme may have in her glossary at any one time. A 1st level lexeme begins play with three 1st level utterances and three 1st level incantations in her glossary.

Every day, a lexeme must select a number of vocalizations to familiarize herself with for that day. This requires a full hour of reading her glossary. She must get a full rest (usually eight hours) before she may study her glossary. Once she has studied it, she may select a number of unique utterances and vocalizations for the day as shown on Table 1.3: The Lexeme.

A lexeme must select at least one utterance and one incantation from each vocalization level available to her. If she does not have any vocalizations of a particular level recorded in her glossary, the number of unique vocalizations of that type (utterances or incantations) that the lexeme may study for that day is reduced by 1. For example, if a 10th level lexeme does not have any 3rd level utterances recorded in her glossary, she can only study 5 utterances for the day instead of the usual 6. Likewise, if a 20th level lexeme only has 6th level incantations recorded in her glossary, and none from 1st to 5th level, she may only study 3 incantations for the day instead of the usual 8 (she loses 1 for each level she has no incantations recorded from)

To use a vocalization, the lexeme must succeed on a Truespeak check to speak it correctly, just like a truenamer. Until she studies her glossary again after a full rest, she has access to the vocalizations selected, and may use them as much or as little as she likes.

If a lexeme ever loses her glossary, she may not change the vocalizations she currently has studied, but neither does she lose access to them. She may rewrite her entire glossary with a full week’s work and a library, hall of records, or other similar location. This produces a glossary which contains every vocalization that was in her glossary when it was lost or stolen.

A lexeme can copy a vocalization from another lexeme’s glossary. This requires only an hour of work, and a Decipher Script check equal to 15 + twice the vocalization level.

Truenaming: A lexeme can use truenaming. At most class levels, she gains additional unique vocalizations per day, as shown on Table 1.3: The Lexeme. A lexeme’s truenamer level for the purposes of her vocalizations is for all intents and purposes her lexeme level. However, she may take longer to speak a memorized phrase with more confidence.

If a lexeme takes a standard action (instead of a move actions) to speak a vocalization, she gains a +1 bonus to her effective truenamer level for this one vocalization.

If a lexeme instead takes a full-round action to speak a vocalization, she gains a +2 bonus to her effective truenamer level for this one vocalization.

To begin with, a lexeme may only learn 1st level truename effects. At her 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, and 16th class levels, she may begin to select from the next level of truename effects.

A lexeme only ever learns utterances and incantations. Although she is masterful at reciting memorized passages of truespeak, using a recitation requires modulations and inflections of the voice that can only be grasped through the extensive study of the truenamer.

Confident Speaker (Ex): Because a lexeme learns vocalizations through rote memorization instead of studying the roots of the language itself, her vocalizations are much more reliable than a truenamer’s when she takes the time to say them properly.

Beginning at 2nd level, whenever a lexeme uses a standard or full-round action to speak a vocalization, she gains a competence bonus on her Truespeak checks equal to 1/2 her class level. This bonus applies only to vocalizations learned through this class. She adds this same bonus to her absolute limit.

Encyclopedic Knowledge (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, a lexeme may make any kind of Knowledge check, even if she has 0 ranks in the skill.

Facts and Figures (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, a lexeme may make a special facts and figures knowledge check with a bonus equal to her lexeme level + her Intelligence modifier to see whether she knows some relevant information about statistics, birth names, dates, or places. This check follows all the same rules and Difficulty Classes as a regular Knowledge skill check, and all of the lexeme’s class features which improve Knowledge skills also apply to this ability. Facts and Figures may be used in place of bardic knowledge, lore, or a similar ability to qualify for a prestige class, feat, or other relevant venue.

Truenamer Level Bonus: At 6th, 12th, and 18th levels, a lexeme gains a +1 bonus to her effective truenamer level all the time.

Fast Research (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a lexeme begins to house a vast repository of facts, names, dates, and places in her head. She may make a truename research check in half the normal time (30 minutes).

Intrinsic Almanac (Ex): Beginning at 9th level, a lexeme gains a competence bonus on all her Knowledge checks equal to 1/2 her class level. In addition, she doubles all synergy bonuses granted by having ranks in Knowledge skills.

Self-Sufficient Study (Ex): At 14th level, the lexeme no longer requires a library, hall of records, or similar location to research truenames.

Immediate Insight (Ex): Beginning at 15th level, a lexeme reduces the time neccessary to make any kind of Knowledge check by half. This includes her truename research checks, and stacks with her Fast Research class feature, meaning that such checks now take one quarter their original time (15 minutes).

The Library That Lives (Ex): At 20th level, a lexeme has an incredible store of knowledge in her mind. She may always choose to take 20 on any kind of Knowledge check without increasing the time required for the skill check.

The Necronomist

Spoiler

Necronomists collect the names of the dead in order to raise their shades. Many are generals that lead armies of dead soldiers against their enemies. These twisted truenamers delve into the world beyond to steal back some small fragment of power.

Alignment: Any. While necronomists consort with the dead, most of them believe that the dead are not inherently evil, simply misplaced. There are certainly many terrible necronomists, but there are also some who call up the shades of mighty heroes to fight evil.
Hit Die: d8.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Additional Level: 2 + Cha modifier.

Class Skills: The necronomist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local, history, nature, religion, the Planes) (Int), Perform (oratory) (Cha), Speak Language (n/a), and Truespeak (Int).

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Recitations	Anima
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Known personal truename, necronomy, truenaming	1	3
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Memento mori, warnaming (the dead)	2	4
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Necronomy (ghouls)	2	6
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	2nd level truenaming, deathly boon	3	7
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Necronomy (shadows)	4	9
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Warnaming (the living)	4	10
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	3rd level truenaming, necronomy (wights)	5	12
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Deathly boon	6	13
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Necronomy (mummies)	6	15
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	4th level truenaming, warnaming (double)	7	16
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Necronomy (mohrgs)	8	18
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Deathly boon	8	19
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	5th level truenaming, necronomy (dread wraiths)	9	21
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Warnaming (sightless)	10	22
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Necronomy (nightwings)	10	24
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	6th level truenaming, deathly boon	11	25
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Necronomy (nightwalkers)	12	27
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Warnaming (rote)	12	28
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Necronomy (nightcrawlers)	13	30
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	Deathly boon, necrodeinomy	14	40

All of the following are class features of the necronomist.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The necronomist is proficient with all simple weapons, light armour and medium armour. In addition, a necronomist may select any one martial or exotic weapon to be proficient with, as well as the scythe. A necronomist is proficient with all shields except for tower shields.

Known Personal Truename (Ex): As a necronomist, you are privy to certain secrets not meant for mortals. As such, you are granted knowledge of your own truename, which gives you a +4 bonus on Truespeak checks against yourself, such as with recitations. In addition, a necronomist can always use Knowledge (religion) to research a dead creature's truename, although if it is not the appropriate type of creature she takes a -5 penalty on the research check.

Necronomy (Su): By speaking the names of the dead, a necronomist can cause them to rise from the earth and do her bidding. At 1st level, the necronomist gains the ability to keep a special book, known as a necronomicon. In this book, she can record the truenames of dead. In order to record this name she first needs to research it or discover it exactly like a truename of a living being. There are, however, certain limits on this. She cannot record a being's truename in her necronomicon if they had more than twice the HD at the time of their death than the necronomist has class levels. When a necronomist first records the truename, she must decide what form of undead the name will command. A necronomist begins play with up to four names in her necronomicon. Her necronomicon can hold up to 5 names per class level, and scribing a new name or destroying an old name requires an hour of work.

A necronomist doesn't need to record a humanoid name or even an intelligent being's truename to make an undead. If she can research the truename of any dead creature she can coerce it into an undead form she knows.

Speaking a name out of the necronomicon is a move action like any other vocalization. It requires a Truespeak check against a DC of 15 + the difficulty modifier of the undead form. If successful, the creature becomes manifest at any point inside of 30 feet/class level, within line of sight of the necronomist. After having named one or more dead creatures, the necronomist must spend a swift action every round to maintain the chant. This chant keeps all of her currently named creatures animated. If she lapses in the chant, the creatures are destroyed. This chant does not interfere with recitations or with naming additional creatures. If a necronomist has a recitation active, she can maintain both the recitation and this chant with the same swift action. This chant allows her to direct the undead pretty much perfectly for the round.

Every named soul requires anima to be invested in it. The necronomist begins with 3 points of anima, and gains additional anima every time she levels up. Skeletons and zombies both only require 1 point of anima.

Named souls become manifest at full hit points, no matter their condition the last time they were destroyed. If a named soul is destroyed while animated (including simply by lapsing the chant), the necronomist must make a Concentration check against the same DC as her original Truespeak check for the soul or lose focus on her chant on all her named souls currently animated (potentially destroying all active undead).

In addition, whether she makes the Concentration check or not, she temporarily loses the anima that was invested in the destroyed soul for 1 hour as it finds its way through the labyrinth of the underworld back to her book. For this hour, she cannot use that particular name, nor can she use the anima that was invested in it. Anima does not return unless the creature it is invested in is destroyed.

When a name is recorded into the necronomicon, the creature's soul is intrinsically tied to the book. It cannot be brought back to life unless the book is burnt and the ashes are doused with holy water or mixed with salt. Even a wish spell or similar effect cannot break this bond.

If a necronomist gains levels in a prestige class that advances truenaming at a given level, it also advances her rate of anima advancement, the HD limit on her necronomicon, and the name limit in the book. It does not grant her additional undead forms.

At 1st level, the necronomist only has access to skeletons and zombies. However, at 3rd level, 5th level, and every 2nd level thereafter, she gains an extra form of undead as described in the list below. More powerful forms of undead require more anima to maintain, and are harder to name. When she records their truename, the target keeps their HD and ability score if the undead is a template, but lose class features and racial traits as they are transformed into undead. If the undead form is not a template, they instead keep only their HD. If they have more HD than the monster entry listed, it is advanced to their level when they are summoned. Named undead cannot create spawn.

For example, if a necronomist of 4th level records the truename of a 7 HD creature, she could choose to turn it into a ghoul. She then needs to write down the statistics of a ghoul and advance it to 7 HD for use. If the player of a necronomist does not have the statistics of one of her undead immediately ready for play when she wants to name them, she cannot use it.

Undead Form	Class Level	Anima Investiture	Truespeak DC Adjustment
Skeleton	1	1	+0
Zombie	1	1	+0
Ghoul	3	3	+4
Shadow	5	5	+8
Wight	7	7	+11
Mummy	9	7	+11
Mohrg	11	8	+12
Dread Wraith	13	11	+16
Nightwing	15	15	+22
Nightwalker	17	18	+27
Nightcrawler	19	22	+33

Truenaming: A necronomist can use truenaming. As she levels up she learns additional recitations, although she never learns utterances or incantations. At 1st level she can only learn 1st level recitations, although at levels 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16 she gains access to additional levels of recitations.

Once a necronomist learns a recitation, she knows it. She cannot unlearn it or replace it at any time.

Memento Mori (Su): A necronomist is unusually close to the curtain between the living and dead. Sometimes this line blurs entirely. Beginning at 2nd level, she can choose to be treated as either living or undead depending on whatever is most beneficial to her at the time.

Warnaming (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a necronomist can choose to have her recitations effect all of her named souls as well as herself.

At 6th level, this ability improves. She can now choose to have any number of living allies within line of sight benefit from her recitations as long as she knows their truenames.

At 10th level, this ability improves again. She can have two recitations active at a time, and maintain both (as well as her chant of names) with the same swift action.

At 14th level, this ability improves again. She does not need to maintain line of sight to her allies to grant them the benefit of her recitations, although they must be within 30 feet/class level if she cannot see them.

At 18th level, this ability improves again. She has become so good at this that she doesn't even need to think about it anymore. She gains a second swift action every turn which can only be used for recitations and necronomy.

Deathly Boon (Su): At 4th level, 8th level, and every four levels thereafter, the necronomist gains special gifts from beyond the pale. She gains a special ability from the following list. All deathly boons require a Truespeak check to activate and last for five minutes. The DC is equal to 30, although she gains a +4 bonus on the Truespeak check since it is to speak her own name. Each boon can only be successfully activated once per day.

Bloodless Body: The necronomist's heart stops beating as she takes on many characteristics of the undead. She gain immunity to death effects, poisons and diseases. All bleeding damage stops.

Forbidden Feast: As she chants the name of a ghoul, the necronomist is possessed by the insatiable hunger all ghouls know. If she eats a dead creature's flesh while under the effects of this boon, she can immediately make a Knowledge check to learn its truename as if she were researching it with a library. In addition, if the dead creature knew recitations she can switch one of her known recitations with one that the creature knew of equal level. Finally, she regains hp equal to the creature's HD at the time of death. She can only partake of a creature's flesh once with this effect.

Mummy's Touch: By chanting the name of an ancient tomb guardian, the necronomist can lay its curse upon her enemies. Her touch attacks now carries mummy rot, and her targets must make Fortitude saves against a DC of 10 + 1/2 her class level + her Charisma modifier or contract it.

New Orders: The necronomist knows secret arts to overrule the commands placed on the dead. While under this effect she can 'reprogram' controlled undead with a successful touch attack. The being commanding the undead must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 her class level + her Charisma modifier) in order to rebuff this ability. If the save fails, the necronomist can give new orders to the undead which it must follow until this effect ends.

Restless Bones: As she chants the names of the dead, the necronomist's bones harden as she becomes something like the skeletons she summons. She gains damage reduction x/bludgeoning equal to her class level.

Whispers Beyond Death: The necronomist can murmur her name into a receptacle of Diminutive size or larger, which then echoes with the name for the duration of the effect (Listen DC 15 to identify). If she dies while the effect lasts, her mind is transferred into the receptacle as if by the magic jar spell, and her body begins to regrow like that of a lich. It takes seven days to completely regrow her body. A necronomist must be at least 16th level to select this ability.

Shadow Walk: As the necronomist delves deeper into the dead, she learns how to remove herself from the prying eyes of others. As a move action while this effect is active, she can turn invisible as if by the invisibility spell.

Shapeshifter's Lament: The necronomist learns to see beyond the corporeal into the world beyond. She can see things as if under the benefits of true seeing, and with a successful touch attack she can force a shapeshifter to make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 her class level + her Charisma modifier) or return to their natural shape. A necronomist must be at least 8th level to select this ability.

Wraithstep: The necronomist becomes incorporeal, losing her Strength score entirely for the duration of the effect. She gains the incorporeal subtype. A necronomist must be at least 12th level to select this ability.

Necrodeinomy (Su): At 20th level the necronomist reaches the pinnacle of her deathnaming prowess. She can now speak the names of dead gods. Discovering the truename of a dead god is beyond the scope of this class feature, but it does grant her the ability to speak it and make manifest the god once more. The DC to speak the name of a dead god is equal to 60 + 10 times the divine rank of the god. Bringing a god back into existence requires an investment of 40 anima while it walks the earth once more. The god only gains power while the necronomist maintains the chant of its name which in this case requires a full-round action each round. Although the god has all of its powers and divine abilities, it is bound under certain conditions. It cannot harm the necronomist, and it must follow the necronomist's direct orders.

Necronomists and Advancement: The study of dead names is insidious in nature, and takes hold of the unwary. By forfeiting advancement in arcane spellcasting, divine spellcasting, invocations, or truenaming in a prestige class the necronomist pursues, they can instead advance their dark study. They advance their truenaming abilities, their necronomy class feature, and their anima progression at any level they would instead advance the sacrificed feature. This does not give them any special ability to qualify for prestige classes, feats, or other such venues which require spellcasting of any kind. They must make this choice when entering into a prestige class, and cannot change the progression later on. They can only make this sacrifice once for any given prestige class (for example, a mystic theurge cannot double down on necronomy by sacrificing all spellcasting).

[Kellus]

Utterances

Spoiler

Utterance Augmentation: I said it before, but just in case you’re skimming or something, here it is again. All utterances have their own special augment, but all utterances can use the following augment:

• For every +1 modifier applied to the DC in this way, the absolute limit for this one utterance is increased by 1.

And verily, it bears mentioning again that even if you use an utterance’s special augment and this universal augment together, you cannot increase the DC by more than your truenamer level.

Now, on to the utterances!

Level 1

• Phrase of Speed
• Phrase of Vigor
• Syllable of Entropy
• Syllable of Pain
• Word of Battle
• Word of Defence

Level 2

• Phrase of Balance
• Phrase of Fear
• Syllable of Affliction
• Syllable of Lightning
• Word of Combustion
• Word of Drowning

Level 3

• Phrase of Perfection
• Phrase of Wrestling
• Syllable of Confusion
• Syllable of Swiftness
• Word of Dragons
• Word of Stone

Level 4

• Phrase of Flight
• Phrase of Teleportation
• Syllable of Cleansing
• Syllable of the Minotaur
• Word of Precision
• Word of Temporal Acuity

Level 5

• Phrase of Bombardment
• Phrase of Spirits
• Syllable of Temporal Displacement
• Syllable of Tesseract
• Word of Mental Fatigue
• Word of Wizardly Woe

Level 6

• Phrase of Domination
• Phrase of Temporal Acceleration
• Syllable of Death
• Syllable of Soul Entrapment
• Word of Conjunctive Action
• Word of the Two Fates

The Utterances

Spoiler

Phrase of Balance
Utterance 2
Base DC: 18
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The target receives a +4 truespeak bonus to avoid being bull rushed or tripped whle standing on the ground.
Reverse: The target takes a -4 truespeak penalty to avoid being bull rushed or tripped while standing on the ground.
Augmentation (normal): By increasing the DC by 10, the target can immediately stand up from a prone position without using an action. The target still receives the normal bonus from this utterance.
Augmentation (reverse): By increasing the DC by 10, the target falls prone. The target still receives the normal penalty from this utterance.

Phrase of Bombardment
Utterance 5
Base DC: 34
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The target takes 10 damage each round of a random energy type, as shown on the following chart (rolled randomly each round):

d6 Roll	Energy Type
1	Fire
2	Cold
3	Acid
4	Electricity
5	Sonic
6	Target takes 1.5x as much damage from the attack this round; roll again to determine energy type, ignoring further 6s.

Reverse: The target gains resistance 5 against one of the following energy types: fire, cold, acid, electricity, or sonic.
Augmentation (normal): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, the damage each round increases by 5.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the energy resistance granted increases by 5. Alternatively, by increasing the DC by 20, the target gains immunity to the specified energy types.

Phrase of Domination
Utterance 6
Base DC: 42
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The target must succeed on an opposed Will save against you each round. If you succeed, you may choose the target’s actions for that round.
Reverse: The target is freed from any kind of mental domination or influence for the duration of this effect.
Augmentation (normal): For every +5 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect is increased by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +5 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect is increased by 1 round.
Special: You may only have one target at a time under the influence of the normal version of this utterance.

Phrase of Fear
Utterance 2
Base DC: 22
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The fear of the target improves by one step (normal to shaken, shaken to frightened, frightened to panicked).
Reverse: The fear of the target is reduced by one steap (panicked to frightened, frightened to shaken, shaken to normal).
Augmentation (normal): By increasing the DC by 13, you may increase the fear of the target by 2 steps.
Augmentation (reverse): By increasing the DC by 13, you may decrease the fear of the target by 2 steps.
Note: A creature cannot be under the influence of this utterance multiple times at once. Any new use of the utterance replaces the effects of the previous vocalization.

Phrase of Flight
Utterance 4
Base DC: 31
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The target gains a fly speed equal to their land speed (average).
Reverse: The target loses any method of flight, whatever the source. The effect is not dispelled or removed, merely suppressed for the duration of the utterance. The target immediately begins to fall if in the air.
Augmentation (normal): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this utterance improves by 1 round. Alternatively, for every +5 modifier to the DC, you can increase the fly speed granted by 1/2 the target's base land speed (rounded down to the nearest 5ft. increment). Finally, for every +2 modifier applied to the DC, you can alternatively choose to increase the maneuverability granted by 1 stage up to a maximum of perfect.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this utterance improves by 1 round. Alternatively, by increasing the DC by 10, you can negate any effects which would slow the creature while falling such as the slow fall class feature or the feather fall spell.

Phrase of Perfection
Utterance 3
Base DC: 24
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The target gains a +2 truespeak bonus to one ability score of your choice.
Reverse: The takes a -2 truespeak penalty to one ability score your choice.
Augmentation (normal): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, you may increase the bonus granted by this effect by +1.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, you may increase the penalty applied by this effect by -1.
Special: A target may only benefit from one use of this utterance at a time, even if you target a different ability score.

Phrase of Speed
Utterance 1
Base DC: 14
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The target receives a +10ft. truespeak bonus to all forms of movement.
Reverse: The target takes a -10ft. truespeak penalty to all forms of movement, to a minimum of 5ft.
Augmentation (normal): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the speed increase granted by this utterance improves by 5ft.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the speed penalty applied by this utterance improves by 5ft.

Phrase of Spirits
Utterance 5
Base DC: 40
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The becomes incorporeal and gains a fly speed equal to half their land speed (perfect maneuverability) (minimum 5ft.).
Reverse: The target loses incorporeality and any supernatural fly speed derived from said incorporeality.
Augmentation (normal): For every +5 modifier applied to the DC, the fly speed granted by this utterance improves by 5ft.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +8 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this utterance improves by 1 round.

Phrase of Teleportation
Utterance 4
Base DC: 32
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The target may use a swift action for each round of the duration to teleport up to 15ft (as the dimension door spell).
Reverse: The target cannot use conventional teleportation of any kind.
Augmentation (normal): For every +5 modifier applied to the DC, the distance the target can teleport each round increases by 5ft.
Augmentation (reverse): By increasing the DC by 15, the target cannot use planar travel, either.

Phrase of Temporal Acceleration
Utterance 6
Base DC: 48
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The target gains 1 extra standard action to use in each round of the duration of this effect.
Reverse: The target loses its standard action in each round of the duration of this effect.
Augmentation (normal): By increasing the DC by 20, the target instead gets two full complements of actions (ie. an additional swift, move, and standard action) each round of the duration of this effect.
Augmentation (reverse): By increasing the DC by 20, the target cannot make use of any time-based effect for the duration of the effect, including (but not limited to) precognition, time stop, time hop, or similar effects based on the DM’s judgement.
Special: A specific target can only be affected by this utterance once a day.

Phrase of Vigor
Utterance 1
Base DC: 12
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The target automatically succeeds on stabilization checks, and doesn’t take damage from bleeding wounds.
Reverse: All wounds dealt to the target before the duration expires deal 1 additional damage for the duration of the utterance as the wound bleeds. Multiple wounds stack for this effect, up to a maximum of 5 bleeding wounds.
Augmentation (normal): By increasing the DC by 5, the target also receives the benefit of a Heal check (result equal to your Truespeak check to use this utterance).
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the maximum number of bleeding wounds improves by 1, and the duration improves by 1 round.

Phrase of Wrestling
Utterance 3
Base DC: 26
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The target gains a +2 truespeak bonus to grapple checks, and gains the improved grab ability.
Reverse: The target takes a -2 truespeak penalty to grapple checks, and cannot initiate grapples for the duration of this utterance.
Augmentation (normal): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus granted by this utterance improves by +1.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the penalty applied by this utterance improves by -1.

Syllable of Affliction
Utterance 2
Base DC: 20
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: The target is either dazzled or fatigued for 1 minute or until the condition is removed by other means. Multiple uses of this utterance don’t stack on the same creature, even if they apply a different condition.
Reverse: The target is healed of a dazzled or fatigued condition.
Augmentation (normal): By increasing the DC of this utterance, you can apply more powerful conditions, as shown on the following chart.

DC increase	Condition
+2	Entangled
+6	Sickened
+10	Exhausted
+12	Nauseated
+14	Deafened
+16	Blinded
+20	Paralyzed

Augmentation (reverse): By increasing the DC of this utterance, you can remove more powerful conditions, as shown on the above chart.

Syllable of Cleansing
Utterance 4
Base DC: 30
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: The target may immediately make a saving throw against a poison or disease in their body, as if enough time had elapsed to allow them to make a new save against it. If they succeed, the poison or disease (generally) ends, as normal for the poison or disease.
Reverse: The target takes a -10 truespeak penalty on their next saving throw against poison or disease.
Augmentation (normal): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the saving throw the character makes gains a cumulative +1 truespeak bonus.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the save penalty applied by this utterance improves by -1.

Syllable of Confusion
Utterance 3
Base DC: 28
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: The target becomes confused until it acts normally (rolling 11-20 to determine its actions).
Reverse: The target becomes clear-headed, ending rage, frenzy, or confusion.
Augmentation (normal): If you increase the DC by 15, the target must roll twice each round while confused, and you may select which roll applies.
Augmentation (reverse): If you increase the DC by 9, all morale bonuses and penalties currently affecting the target are removed. If the morale effect comes froma continual source, the bonus or penalty is merely suppressed on the target for 1 minute. This does not stop the target from providing a morale bonus or penalty to someone else.

Syllable of Death
Utterance 6
Base DC: 65
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: The target dies. If you fail the Truespeak check to deliver this utterance, you die.
Reverse: The target is restored to life at full hp, with no adverse effects. This version of the effect requires a body to target. If you fail the Truespeak check to deliver this utterance, you die.
Augmentation (normal): This utterance cannot be augmented in any way.
Augmentation (reverse): This utterance cannot be augmented in any way.

Syllable of Entropy
Utterance 1
Base DC: 15
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: The target takes 1d4 negative energy damage. If undead, they instead gain 1d4 temporary hit point.
Reverse: The target gains 1d4 temporary hit points. If undead, they instead take 1d4 positive energy damage.
Augmentation (normal): For every +1 modifier applied to the DC, effect grants 1 additional temporary hit point to an undead. For every +2 modifier applied to the DC in this way, the target takes 1d4 additional negative energy damage.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +1 modifier applied to the DC, effect grants 1 additional temporary hit point to a living being. For every +2 modifier applied to the DC in this way, an undead takes 1d4 additional positive energy damage.
Special: Temporary hit points granted by this utterance last for up to 1 hour or until lost. They do not stack with temporary hit points from any other source.

Syllable of Lightning
Utterance 2
Base DC: 19
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: The target takes 1d4 electricity damage. In addition, the target takes a penalty against the next electricity effect, if any, that targets it within 1 minute: it loses electricity immunity against this effect, and its electricity resistance is reduced by 5 for the purposes of this one effect.
Reverse: The target gains electricity resistance 5 against the next electricity effect to target it within 1 minute.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the electricity damage dealt by this effect improves by 1d4. Alternatively, for every +4 modifier applied to the DC, you may improve the vulnerability effect duration by 1 minute. It still only applies against one effect within the duration (the first one to damage the target).
Augmentation (reverse): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the electricity resistance provided by this utterance improves by 5. Alternatively, for every +4 modifier applied to the DC, you may improve the resistance effect duration by 1 minute. It still only applies against one effect within the duration (the first one to damage the target).

Syllable of the Minotaur
Utterance 4
Base DC: 31
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: The target is trapped in a mental maze. Each round, they must attempt a Survival check as a move action against a DC of 15 (the DC to avoid getting lost in the wilderness). Success indicated that they can otherwise act normally that turn. Failure indicates they cannot take any other actions that turn. A target must succeed on their Survival check three times before this effect ends. This is a maze-based effect, and minotaurs and the like are immune to it.
Reverse: The target gains the Natural Cunning ability; they become immune to maze spells (as well as the offensive application of this utterance), prevents them from becoming lost, allows them to follow tracks, and prevents them from being caught flat-footed. To maintain this effect, the target must succeed on a Survival check every round as a free action. The DC for this effect begins at 15, and increases by +2 every time they succeed on the check.
Augmentation (normal): For every +10 modifier applied to the DC, the target must succeed on one additional Survival check before the effect ends.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the target receives a +2 bonus on the Survival check made to maintain this effect.

Syllable of Pain
Utterance 1
Base DC: 13
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: The target takes 1d6 nonlethal damage.
Reverse: The target heals 1d6 nonlethal damage.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the nonlethal damage dealt by this utterance improves by 1d6.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the nonlethal damage healed by this utterance improves by 1d6.

Syllable of Shouting
Utterance 2
Base DC: 18
Duration: Instantaneous; see text
Normal: The target is struck with loud, painful vibrations as you scream at the top of your lungs. They take 1d6 sonic damage, and are deafened for 1 round.
Reverse: The reverse of this utterance internalizes the vibrations created in your target rather than striking them from without. The target becomes exceptionally sensitive to sounds and vibrations. They gain a +2 truespeak bonus on Listen checks, and their blindsense or blindsight, if any, increases by 5ft. However, they also take half again as much damage from the next sonic effect that hits them, which then ends this effect. Left to its own devices, the bonus lasts for 1 round/vocalizer level.
Augmentation (normal): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the sonic damage increases by 1d6, and they are deafened for 1 additional round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the Listen bonus increases by +1, and the blindsight/blindsense extension improves by 5ft.

Syllable of Soul Entrapment
Utterance 6
Base DC: 45
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: This utterance must be used in the round following the target’s death. The target’s soul is imprisoned in some object on your person. This prevents any kind of attempt to restore it to life, unless the caster posesses the object specified by you.
Reverse: This utterance summons the soul of the target to be restored to life, even if it is trapped by the normal version of this utterance or a similar effect or has been destroyed completely. This does not actually restore life to someone, but it provides the soul so that such an attempt can take place without resorting to wish, miracle, reality revision, or similar.
Augmentation (normal): For every +5 modifier applied to the DC, you can use this utterance 1 additional round after the death of the target.
Augmentation (reverse): If you increase the DC of the utterance by 16, neither the target nor the caster of the resurrection effect aided by this utterance lose any XP in the use of the resurrection magic, even if the spell, power, or similar effect would normally consume XP.

Syllable of Swiftness
Utterance 3
Base DC: 24
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: The target may immediately make a single melee attack. To benefit from this, the target must have at least one attack of opportunity remaining this round (this consumes its attack of opportunity).
Reverse: The target cannot make an attack of opportunity against the next opportunity presented to it, if any, within the next minute.
Augmentation (normal): For every +8 modifier applied to the DC, the target may immediately take one additional attack if it has enough attacks of opportunity remaining this round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +8 modifier applied to the DC, the target cannot make one additional attack of opportunity within the next minute.

Syllable of Temporal Displacement
Utterance 5
Base DC: 34
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: The target creature is shunted forward through time, as if by the time hop psionic power, for 1d6 rounds.
Reverse: The target creature is replaced by an earlier version of itself. The duration of any timed effects currently affecting it are increased by 1d6 rounds, to a maximum length of their original duration.
Augmentation (normal): For every +10 modifier applied to the DC, the time-shunting effect extends an additional 1d6 rounds.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +10 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of effects currently affecting the target improve by an additional 1d6 rounds, to a maximum length of their original duration.
Special: A target creature can only be affected by the reversed effect of this power once every hour.

Syllable of Tesseract
Utterance 5
Base DC: 40
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: You teleport to an unoccupied square you can see.
Reverse: You can teleport part of the target to another unoccupied square within 60ft. of it. The target’s current hp is halved, and it appears randomly in one of the two squares (roll a d2). The target may make a Reflex save against a DC of 20 to choose which square to appear in.
Augmentation (normal): If you increase the DC by 18, you can attempt to teleport to a square you can’t see. You can describe its location in whatever terms you like, but you may not speak generally about it (ie. you could say “the square 20ft. in front of me”, but not “the closest unoccupied square on the other side of this door”). If the square is occupied by a living creature, you are considered grappled by it. If the square is occupied by an inanimate object, you are shunted to the closest space, and take 10d6 damage. If the square is fully occupied by something akin to a wall or other obstacle larger than you, you instead are embedded in it and take whatever effect is appropriate for the substance (ie. for a stone wall you would start to suffocate, for a gelatinous cube you would be engulfed, etc.). The penalty for a bad teleport in this scenario requires a fair bit of DM adjudication to determine the consequences.
Augmentation (reverse): If you increase the DC by 18, this effect instead teleport parts of the target into two additional unoccupied squares, each of which is within 60ft. of the target. The target’s hp is instead reduced to one third of its current value, and the target randomly appears in one of the three squares. The target may make a DC 25 Reflex save to choose which square to appear in.

Word of Battle
Utterance 1
Base DC: 13
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target gains a +1 truespeak bonus on attack and damage rolls with melee weapons.
Reverse: The target takes a -1 truespeak penalty on attack and damage rolls with melee weapons.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, you may extend the effect by 1 round, or improve the bonus granted by this utterance by +1.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, you may extend the effect by 1 round, or improve the penalty applied by this utterance by -1.

Word of Causticity
Utterance 2
Base DC: 19
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target is splattered with hideous painful and extraordinarily pungent acid. They take 1d4 acid damage, and their armor bonus to AC, if any, is reduced by up to 2 against the next attack made against them within the following round. If no attack is made against them, this effect is lost.
Reverse: The target’s body becomes exceptionally stiff and unyielding. They gain acid resistance 5, as well as damage reduction 1/–. This stacks with other, similar damage reduction.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the damage increases by 1d4; also, the armor penalty against the next attack improves by 1. Alternatively, for every +6 modifier applied to the DC, the armor penalty applies against one additional attack made within the following round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the acid resistance increases by 5, and the damage reduction improves by 1/–.

Word of Combustion
Utterance 2
Base DC: 21
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target takes 1d6 fire damage, and immediately catches on fire for 1 round. Unlike conventional fires, no Reflex saving throws are provided against this effect, but the flames extinguish themselves after the duration.
Reverse: If the target is on fire, the flames immediately extinguish. In addition, the target gains fire resistance 5.
Augmentation (normal): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the fire damage dealt by this utterance improves by 1d6, and the duration increases by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the fire resistance granted by this utterance improves by 5, and the duration increases by 1 round.

Word of Conjunctive Action
Utterance 6
Base DC: 52
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target may attempt two different courses of action during the following round. After he has seen how each course of action would go, he may select whichever he prefers to have actually occured.
Reverse: The target cannot take any actions during the duration of this effect.
Augmentation (normal): For every +10 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect is increased by 1. The target must treat each round individually, however; he may not reverse multiple rounds’ worth of actions at once.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +10 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect increases by 1.
Special: A target can only be affected by this utterance once per day.

Word of Defence
Utterance 1
Base DC: 12
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target receives a +1 truespeak bonus to AC.
Reverse: The target takes a -1 truespeak penalty to AC.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, you may extend the effect by 1 round, or improve the bonus granted by this utterance by +1.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, you may extend the effect by 1 round, or improve the penalty applied by this utterance by -1.

Word of Dragons
Utterance 3
Base DC: 26
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target gains a fly speed equal to twice its land speed (clumsy). In addition, it gains a breath weapon that can be used once in the duration of the effect as a standard action. This breath weapon is a 30ft. cone or 60ft. line, at the target’s discretion, and deals 3d6 fire damage. Targets of this breath weapon may attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 breather’s HD + breather’s Con modifier) for half damage.
Reverse: The target loses the extraordinary ability to fly, and begins to fall. In addition, if it posesses a breath weapon, it cannot use it for the duration of the effect.
Augmentation (normal): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration increases by 1 round, and the damage dealt by the breath weapon increases by 1d6.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration increases by 1 round.

Word of Drowning
Utterance 2
Base DC: 18
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target loses the extraordinary ability to breathe water, any racial swim speed, any racial Swim bonus, and the ability to take 10 on Swim checks.
Reverse: The target gains a swim speed equal to its land speed, a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks, and the ability to take 10 on Swim checks to avoid some special hazard, even if stress or distraction would normally prevent him from doing so. In addition, he gains the ability to breathe water as well as air for the duration of the effect.
Augmentation (normal): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of the utterance improves by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of the utterance improves by 1 round.

Word of Hoarfrost
Utterance 1
Base DC: 15
Duration: 1 round; see text
Normal: The target is coated in a freezing layer of rime icing. They take 1d4 cold damage, and take the same amount of damage at the beginning of your next turn. In addition, all of the movement speeds are halved until they take the second damage.
Reverse: The target gains cold resistance 5 and seems to pulse with an inner fire. They become feverish and energized, granting them a +5ft. truespeak bonus to all of their movement speeds.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the initial and secondary damage increases by 1d4. Alternatively, for every +7 modifier applied to the DC, the effect lasts one additional round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the cold resistance increases by 5, and the bonus to speed increases by 5ft.

Word of Mental Fatigue
Utterance 5
Base DC: 35
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target’s manifester level takes a -2 truespeak penalty, and it loses 5 of its power points for the day. After the effect ends, its manifester level is restored to normal, but it does not regain the power points.
Reverse: The target gains a temporary +2 truespeak bonus to its manifester level, and gains 5 temporary power points to use during the duration of the effect.
Augmentation (normal): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, the target loses 5 additional power points.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, the target receives 5 additional temporary power points to use during the duration of the effect.

Word of Precision
Utterance 4
Base DC: 30
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target becomes vulnerable to precision-based damage and critical hits.
Reverse: The target loses the ability to deal precision damage or strike critical hits.
Augmentation (normal): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, you may extend the effect by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, you may extend the effect by 1 round.

Word of Stone
Utterance 3
Base DC: 25
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target is petrified.
Reverse: If the target is petrified, the effect is suppressed.
Augmentation (normal): If you increase the DC by 12, the effect is permanent.
Augmentation (reverse): If you increase the DC by 8, the petrification effect is permanently removed.

Word of Temporal Acuity
Utterance 4
Base DC: 30
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target gains a +15 truespeak bonus to initiative for the duration of this effect (their initiative drops down to its original value afterwards).
Reverse: The target takes a -15 truespeak penalty to initiative for the duration this effect (their initiative rises to its original value afterwards).
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the initiative bonus granted increases by +1. Alternatively, for every +10 modifier applied the the DC, the duration of this effect increases by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the initiative penalty applied improves by -1. Alternatively, for every +10 modifier applied the the DC, the duration of this effect increases by 1 round.

Word of the Two Fates
Utterance 6
Base DC: 46
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target may roll two dice for every die they would normally roll during the duration of this effect, and select whichever result they prefer.
Reverse: The target must roll two dice for every die they would normally roll during the duration of this effect, and you may select whichever result you prefer.
Augmentation (normal): For every +10 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect improves by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +10 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect improves by 1 round.

Word of Wizardly Woe
Utterance 5
Base DC: 35
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The target’s caster level takes a -2 truespeak penalty, and it must make a Concentration check against the result of your Truespeak check used to activate this utterance in order to cast a spell while this effect persists.
Reverse: The target gains a temporary +2 truespeak bonus to its caster level, and doesn’t need to make a Concentration check to cast spells while this effect persists.
Augmentation (normal): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect improves by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect improves by 1 round.

[Kellus]

Incantations

Spoiler

Incantions act very much like utterances, but don’t target creatures. Instead they target items, the environment, or otherwise indirectly affect combat.

It’s also worth noting here again that you can’t increase the DC of any truespeak effect by more than your truenamer level.

Level 1

• Harden the Metal
• Move the Arrow
• Purify the Food
• Slick the Surface

Level 2

• Heat the Metal
• Sharpen the Blade
• Sully the Unseen
• Swallow the Light

Level 3

• Break the Sword
• Open the Way
• Shroud the Earth
• View the Secret

Level 4

• Dissolve the Bonds
• Move the Token
• Seize the Item
• Transmute the Iron

Level 5

• Empower the Potion
• Flip the Ground
• Foil the Senses
• Stiffen the Air

Level 6

• Call the Wind
• Rebuild the Dweomer
• Rewrite the World
• Unhinge the Earth

The Incantations

Spoiler

Break the Sword
Incantation 3
Base DC: 22
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: This incantation breaks a nonmagical weapon of a hardness of 10 or less as if it had been sundered.
Reverse: This incantation repairs a weapon of a hardness of 10 or less that has been sundered. All of the pieces must be present to remake the weapon. This ability works on magical weapons as well, but does not replenish any used magical abilities the weapon may possess.
Augmentation (normal): For every +1 modifier applied to the DC, the maximum hardness of a weapon targetted by this effect improves by 1. Alternatively, if you increase the DC by 10, you may attempt to sunder a magical weapon by succeeding on a truenamer level check against its caster level.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +1 modifier applied to the DC, the maximum hardness of a weapon targetted by this effect improves by 1.

Call the Wind
Incantation 6
Base DC: 40
Duration: 1 round
Normal: This incantation causes an enormous blast of wind to strike in an area 100ft. in radius centered around you. You may choose the direction the wind comes from. The wind is travelling at 50 mph and thus is classed as severe. If there is existing wind, it combines additively with your windstorm’s speed as long as you use the same direction. Otherwise, its speed is subtracted from the speed of your wind. You are immune to the effects of your own wind.
Reverse: When reversed, this incantation slows all wind in an area 100ft. in radius centered around you by 10 mph.
Augmentation (normal): For every +1 modifier applied to the DC, the speed of your wind increases by 10 mph.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +1 modifier applied to the DC, the speed of the wind in the area decreases by an additional 10 mph.

Dissolve the Bonds
Incantation 4
Base DC: 26
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: This incantation removes bonds, whether natural or magical in nature. If physical, they simply slide off the target, while they simply dissolve if they are magical. Any restraining effect subject to freedom of movement is applicable to this incantation. While this removes the bonds on the target, it does not remove the spell itself. For example, it removes the restrictions of an entangle spell on the target, but it does not end the spell or prevent the target from being caught by the vines again.
Reverse: This incantation conjures conventional ropes which are used to bind the target. You may substitute your Truespeak check made to use this incantation as the Use Rope check made to tie the knots. If the bonds are removed, the ropes vanish. This is a finnicky application of the utterance, and the target cannot be moving for it to work. Thus, it is useless against most targets in combat, although is still effective against a pinned creature.
Augmentation (normal): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, this effect can target 1 additional being.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, you gain a +1 competence bonus on the equivalent Use Rope check made to tie the ropes.

Empower the Potion
Incantation 5
Base DC: 30
Duration: 1 round
Normal: The name of this incantation is misleading; it can target any magical item with a spell stored in it, including potions, wands, scrolls, and similar items. You may apply any metamagic effect with a +1 spell adjustment level to the spell stored within it. If the item is used during the duration of this effect, the spell is modified by your metamagic effect.
Reverse: This incantation depletes the power of a magic item. It targets a charged item such as a wand or staff, and destroys 1d6 charges stored in it.
Augmentation (normal): For every +7 modifier applied to the DC, this level of spell adjustment you can apply with metamagic increases by 1. You can apply multiple metamagic effects, so long as the combined spell level adjustment does not exceed the total provided by this effect.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +5 modifier applied to the DC, you destroy an additional 1d6 charges.

Flip the Ground
Incantation 5
Base DC: 32
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: This incantation causes gravity to reverse in a cylinder 5ft. in radius and 20ft. in height centered around a point of your choice. Everything in the area is affected as if by reverse gravity.
Reverse: When reversed, this incantation doubles the weight of all items and beings in a cylinder 10ft. in radius and 10ft. in height centered around a point of your choice. They return to their normal weight if they leave the area before the duration ends.
Augmentation (normal): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, you can increase the radius of the cylinder by 5ft. Alternatively, for every +3 modifier applied to the DC, you can increase the height of the cylinder by 5ft. Finally, for every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of the effect increases by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +5 modifier applied to the DC, you can increase the radius of the cylinder by 5ft. Alternatively, for every +2 modifier applied to the DC, you can increase the height of the cylinder by 5ft. Finally, for every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of the effect increases by 1 round.

Foil the Senses
Incantation 5
Base DC: 28
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: The environment becomes blurry and hard to focus on. Anybody within 50ft. of you gains a +5 truespeak bonus to Hide and Move Silently skill checks as the environment becomes easier to sneak around in. This is a very subtle change, and requires a Spot check against your Truespeak check to notice the difference in the environment.
Reverse: The environment stands out in sharp relief to anyone trying to hide. Anybody within 50ft. of you takes a -5 truespeak penalty to Hide and Move Silently skill checks. In addition, nobody in this area can gain concealment from a terrain feature so long as this effect persists. This is a very subtle change, and requires a Spot check against your Truespeak check to notice the difference in the environment.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus granted by this effect improves by +1.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the penalty applied by this effect improves by +1.

Harden the Metal
Incantation 1
Base DC: 14
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: This incantation improves the hardness of one piece of equipment by 5.
Reverse: This incantation reduces the hardness of one piece of equipment by 5.
Augmentation (normal): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, the increase in hardness improves by 5.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, the reduction in hardness improves by 5.

Heat the Metal
Incantation 2
Base DC: 19
Duration: 7 rounds
Normal: This incantation acts as the heat metal spell, albeit with truespeak characteristics (ie. no range restriction, no saving throw, etc.)
Reverse: This incantation acts as the chill metal spell, albeit with truespeak characteristics (ie. no range restriction, no saving throw, etc.)
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the fire damage inflicted by the effect improves by 1d4.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the cold damage inflicted by the effect improves by 1d4.

Move the Arrow
Incantation 1
Base DC: 13
Duration: 1 round
Normal: While this effect lasts, you may use an immediate action to add a +2 competence bonus to a ranged weapon attack roll.
Reverse: You gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC against ranged weapons.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the competence bonus granted by this effect improves by +1. Alternatively, for every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of the effect improves by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus to AC granted by this effect improves by +1. Alternatively, for every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of the effect improves by 1 round.

Move the Token
Incantation 4
Base DC: 27
Duration: Instantaneous or 5 rounds (reverse)
Normal: This incantation teleports an unattended nonmagical object weighing up to 10 lb up to 10ft. in a direction of your choice. You may not imbed the object in living matter, although if you choose to place it in a solid object, it is shunted to the nearest available space and takes 1d6 points of damage (penetrating hardness) per 5ft. shunted.
Reverse: When reversed, this incantation stops teleportation effects in an area around you with a radius of 10ft. Anybody attempting a teleportation effect from within that area must make a caster level check against a DC of 10 + your truenamer level or the effect fails.
Augmentation (normal): For every +1 modifier applied to the DC, the maximum weight of the object increases by 5 lb. Alternatively, for every +1 modifier applied to the DC, the maximum distance you can teleport it increases by 10ft.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, you can increase the radius of the effect by 5ft. Alternatively, for every +1 modifier applied to the DC, the DC to resist the effect increases by 1.

Open the Way
Incantation 3
Base DC: 23
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: This incantation creates a passageway through a solid object that is no more than 5ft. thick. The passageway is large enough for a single Medium-sized person at a time to move through it.
Reverse: This incantation removes a single passageway by filling it in with material similar to the area around it. For example, if it is a doorway through a stone wall, the doorway is filled with stone of the same thickness as the wall around it.
Augmentation (normal): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, this effect can target an object 5ft. thicker than normal.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect improves by 1 round.

Purify the Food
Incantation 1
Base DC: 11
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: This incantation removes poison from a specified food. It can target one normal portion sufficient for a single person with each use. It can only remove the poison if the Fortitude save DC of the poison is less than the Truespeak check made to speak this incantation. This incantation cannot remove magical poisons. It also renders the food almost entirely flavourless.
Reverse: When reversed, this incantation makes a portion of food taste delicious, enhancing its normal flavour. This also helps mask any poison that might be in it, and forces anybody eating it to take a -2 circumstance penalty to any Fortitude save made against poison in the food.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, one additional portion of food can be targetted.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, one additional portion of food can be targetted.

Rebuild the Dweomer
Incantation 6
Base DC: 33
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: This incantation restores a magic item to the same state it was in in the previous round. For example, a wand targetted by this effect would regain a charge, while a scroll targetted would regain the spell stored in it. This incantation will work on any item short of an artifact, although a single magic item can only be affected once in any given 24-hour period.
Reverse: This incantation targets a magic item with a spell stored in it, such as a potion, wand or scroll. Staffs are not valid targets, as they don't actually store a spell in them. The item is subsumed as if the spell stored in it had been cast. If it has charges, it loses 1d10 charges. This incantation will work on any item short of an artifact, although a single magic item can only be affected once in any given 24-hour period.
Augmentation (normal): This incantation cannot be augmented.
Augmentation (reverse): This incantation cannot be augmented.

Rewrite the World
Incantation 6
Base DC: 60
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: One of the most powerful truname effects, this incantation rewrites the world to include a revision introduced by you. You can change virtually anything you can imagine, but the world will always take the simplest method possible to introduce your change. The actual mechanics of this effect are left up to the DM to adjudicate, but this effect can provide any benefit a wish spell or similar effect can manage. The truenamer using this incantation takes a -5 penalty to Truespeak checks for 24 hours after using this incantation. This penalty stacks with itself.
Reverse: This potent version of the incantation can reverse a wish, miracle, reality revision, rewrite the world, or similar effect which occured within the previous round. All consequences caused by this effect are removed or otherwise undone. The truenamer using this incantation takes a -5 penalty to Truespeak checks for 24 hours after using this incantation. This penalty stacks with itself.
Augmentation (normal): This incantation cannot be augmented.
Augmentation (reverse): This incantation cannot be augmented.

Seize the Item
Incantation 4
Base DC: 26
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: This incantation causes a single unattended object weighing no more than 5 lb to fly into your hand. The item can be no more than 30ft. away.
Reverse: This incantation is a disarm attempt against the target. You may substitute a truenamer level check as your disarm check. The target cannot attempt to disarm you if the attempt fails. This is still a disarm check, and you can thus benefit from bonuses such as the Improved Disarm feat.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the maximum weight of the object increases by 5 lb. Alternatively, for every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the maximum range of this incantation increases by 10ft.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, you gain a +1 bonus on the disarm check.

Sharpen the Blade
Incantation 2
Base DC: 21
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: This incantation targets a weapon that deals slashing damage. Its critical threat range is improved by 1. This effect stacks with effects such as keen weapon.
Reverse: This incantation targets a weapon that deals slashing damage. Its critical threat range is modified to 20/x2.
Augmentation (normal): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect improves by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect improves by 1 round.

Shroud the Earth
Incantation 3
Base DC: 23
Duration: 10 rounds
Normal: This incantation causes light snow to fall in a 10ft. radius circle centered around a point of your choice. It takes 1 round for effects of the snow to take effect as it starts to pile up. After the duration has expired, the snow stops falling and the snow either melts or remains as determined by the environment.
Reverse: When reversed, this incantation causes all snow in a 10ft. radius circle centered around a point of your choice to instantly sublimate, leaving barren ground beneath.
Augmentation (normal): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the radius of the circle increases by 5ft. Alternatively, by increasing the DC by 15, you can cause heavy snow to fall instead. It is treated as light snow the first round, and heavy snow for the remaining duration.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the radius of the circle increases by 5ft.

Slick the Surface
Incantation 1
Base DC: 15
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: A 10ft. by 10ft. space becomes covered with a slippery substance. Anybody who moves through the square must make a DC 10 Balance check or fall prone. Standing up requires another Balance check against the same DC.
Reverse: A 10ft. by 10ft. space becomes exceptionally sticky. Moving through this space consumes 10ft. of a creature’s speed for every 5ft. traversed. In addition, if a creature ends their turn on the surface, they must make a DC 10 Strength check or be unable to move off the space for 1 turn.
Augmentation (normal): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, another 5ft. by 5ft. square adjacent to the original area is affected. Alternatively, for every +5 modifier applied to the DC, the duration improves by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, another 5ft. by 5ft. square adjacent to the original area is affected. Alternatively, for every +5 modifier applied to the DC, the duration improves by 1 round.

Stiffen the Air
Incantation 5
Base DC: 28
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: This incantation hardens air into a rigid material. It allows you to create four seperate 5ft. by 5ft. square platforms out of air. These can be at any elevation you like, but they cannot move after you have used the incantation.
Reverse: This incantation quells any air effects in the area. It targets a wind wall, gust of wind, or similar effect, and suppresses the effect for the duration of the incantation.
Augmentation (normal): For every +6 modifier applied to the DC, you can create one additional platform.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect increases by 1 round.

Sully the Unseen
Incantation 2
Base DC: 20
Duration: 1 round
Normal: While this effect lasts, invisibility is impossible in a 50ft. burst around you as dirt and other particulate attaches itself to every being in the area.
Reverse: This incantation targets one person. All dirt and other substances fly off the target, leaving them exceptionally clean, as if they had just taken a bath.
Augmentation (normal): For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the range of the burst increases by 10ft.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +1 modifier applied to the DC, this effect targets 1 additional being.

Swallow the Light
Incantation 2
Base DC: 17
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: This incantation causes magical darkness to permeate an area 10ft. in radius, centered around a point of your choice.
Reverse: When reversed, this incantation dispels any magical darkness in an area 10ft. in radius, centered around a point of your choice. You must make a truenamer level check against a DC of 10 + the caster level of the effect to dispel the darkness.
Augmentation (normal): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the radius of the area effected increases by 5ft. Alternatively, by increasing the DC by 10, you can make the darkness so deep that darkvision cannot penetrate it. At this point, only devils and others with the See in Darkness ability can see through it.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the radius of the area effected increases by 5ft. Alternatively, for every +1 modifier applied to the DC, you gain a +1 bonus on the opposed level check.

Transmute the Iron
Incantation 4
Base DC: 25
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: This incantation alters the composition of one iron weapon so that it is made of a different metal, such as cold iron, silver, or adamantine. Although this is chiefly for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction, the weapon still gains any other properties associated with the material, such as the -1 penalty to damage rolls for being made of silver.
Reverse: This incantation alters the composition of one weapon so that it is made of conventional iron.
Augmentation (normal): For every +5 modifier applied to the DC, you can target an additional weapon. You do not need to make all the targets into the same kind of metal.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +5 modifier applied to the DC, you can target an additional weapon.

Unhinge the Earth
Incantation 6
Base DC: 31
Duration: Instantaneous
Normal: This incantation transforms the area in 100ft. around you into difficult terrain (see the Player’s Handbook, page 148). In addition, all beings standing on the ground in the area aside from you are blown away. They are knocked 1d4 x 10ft. away from you, and fall prone. Only targets of your size or smaller are affected by this.
Reverse: This incantation removes all terrain features that provide cover in an area of 100ft. around you as the earth swallows any aberrational feature to smooth out at your command. If in an urban setting, buildings are not affected by this. Rubble, trees, bushes, and the like are removed from the area.
Augmentation (normal): For every +5 modifier applied to the DC, beings in the area are knocked an additional 1d4 x 10ft. away from you.
Augmentation (reverse): This incantation cannot be augmented.

View the Secret
Incantation 3
Base DC: 23
Duration: 5 rounds
Normal: This incantation allows you to view a location you have previously visited. For the duration of the effect, you can see and hear the location as if you were actually there. Your body is treated as helpless for the duration of the effect.
Reverse: This incantation prevents you from being scryed or otherwise viewed remotely. If an area is being viewed, you simply fail to appear in it. If you personally are being viewed, the effect fails.
Augmentation (normal): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect improves by 1 round.
Augmentation (reverse): For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the duration of this effect improves by 1 round.

[Kellus]

Recitations

Spoiler

Just to recap, here are the properties of recitations:

• Move action to activate (just like all truename effects)
• Swift action each round to sustain the effect
• Cannot use other truename effects while active
• Not reversible (no opposed effect)
• Not subject to your absolute limit
• No set duration
• Only targets you

And just to be clear, you cannot increase the DC of a truename effect by more than your truenamer level.


Level 1

• Recitation of the Cunning Step
• Recitation of the Harried Step
• Recitation of the Unclouded Eye
• Recitation of the Wise Man

Level 2

• Recitation of the Ardent Arcanist
• Recitation of the Sanguine State
• Recitation of the Puma's Grace
• Recitation of the Unheard Voice
• Recitation of the Unimpeachable Soul

Level 3

• Recitation of the Barricaded Mind
• Recitation of the Eclipsed Sun
• Recitation of the Heart's Cage
• Recitation of the Fortified Body
• Recitation of the Imposed Pull
• Recitation of the Vital Heart

Level 4

• Recitation of the Shooting Star
• Recitation of the Untouched Snow
• Recitation of the Warrior’s Arm

Level 5

• Recitation of the Broken Spell
• Recitation of the Hydra's Bane
• Recitation of the Shattered Mind
• Recitation of the Unscribed Name

Level 6

• Recitation of the Ethical Bent
• Recitation of the Reaper’s Foil
• Recitation of the Rejuvenated Self

The Recitations

Spoiler

Recitation of the Ardent Arcanist
Recitation 2
Base DC: 19
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain a +2 truespeak bonus to your arcane caster level. In addition, if you can use invocations you can use an invocation with a casting time of 1 standard action as a move action if you succeed on a Truespeak check when you use it (DC 15 + 2x the effective spell level of the invocation). Finally, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity for casting arcane spells or using spell-like abilities.
Augmentation: For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus to your caster level increases by +1.

Recitation of the Barricaded Mind
Recitation 3
Base DC: 23
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain a +2 truespeak bonus to Will saving throws.
Augmentation: For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus to your Will saving throws increases by +1. Alternatively, if you increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 14, you gain the mettle of mind ability. Whenever you succeed on the saving throw against an effect that offers a Will save for half damage or partial effect, you instead take no damage or are otherwise unaffected.

Recitation of the Broken Spell
Recitation 5
Base DC: 28
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain spell resistance 10.
Augmentation: For every +1 modifier applied to the DC, your spell resistance increases by 1.

Recitation of the Careful Drop
Recitation 1
Base DC: 12
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You are treated as if under the effects of a feather fall ability. In addition, you gain a +2 truespeak bonus on Balance checks.
Augmentation: For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus to your Balance checks improves by +1.

Recitation of the Cunning Step
Recitation 1
Base DC: 14
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain an uncanny ability to watch out for danger. You gain the trapfinding ability, which means you can use the Search skill to locate traps with a DC over 20. See the rogue class feature of the same name. In addition, you gain trap sense +1. You apply this bonus to your saving throws against traps.
Augmentation: For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, your trap sense increases by +1.

Recitation of the Eclipsed Sun
Recitation 3
Base DC: 21
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain a +2 truespeak bonus to your caster level for mysteries. In addition, you may use all of your mysteries as if they were one grade easier to cast (arcane spell mysteries become spell-like mysteries, spell-like mysteries become supernatural mysteries).
Augmentation: For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus to your caster level improves by +1.

Recitation of the Ethical Bent
Recitation 6
Base DC: 34
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain an alignment subtype. You must have the alignment aspect desired in your alignment. Your attacks automatically overcome damage reduction as if they were aligned to the alignment you choose. In addition, you gain damage reduction 5, penetrated only by the opposed alignment to the alignment you choose.
Augmentation: For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the damage reduction provided improves by 1.

Recitation of the Fortified Body
Recitation 3
Base DC: 22
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain a +4 truespeak bonus to AC and damage reduction 2/–.
Augmentation: For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus to your AC increases by +1 and your damage reduction improves by 1/–.

Recitation of the Harried Step
Recitation 1
Base DC: 16
Duration: Recitation
Effect: Your land speed increases by 10ft. and you gain a +1 deflection bonus to AC.
Augmentation: For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, your land speed increases by an additional 10ft., and you gain an additional +1 deflection bonus to AC.

Recitation of the Heart’s Cage
Recitation 3
Base DC: 32
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain a +4 truespeak bonus on binding checks. In addition, you only need to wait 4 turns to use any vestige’s ability which requires you to normally wait 5 turns before it can be used again.
Augmentation: For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus to your binding checks improves by +1.

Recitation of the Hydra’s Bane
Recitation 5
Base DC: 29
Duration: Recitation
Effect: Your melee attacks deal either entirely fire or entirely acid damage, at your choice. This includes extra damage from critical hits and abilities such as sneak attack. Weapon special enhancements, such as a frost enhancement, are not altered. You must decide to use either fire or acid damage when you first activate this recitation. In addition, you gain a +2 bonus on sunder checks and sunder damage rolls.
Augmentation: For every +2 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus to your sunder checks and sunder damage improves by +1.

Recitation of the Imposed Pull
Recitation 3
Base DC: 24
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain the ability to treat the world as if it had subjective gravity. You gain the benefit of a spider climb effect.
Augmentation: If you increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 9, you gain a fly speed equal to your land speed with good maneuverability.

Recitation of the Puma’s Grace
Recitation 2
Base DC: 17
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain a +2 truespeak bonus to Reflex saving throws.
Augmentation: For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus to your Reflex saving throws increases by +1. Alternatively, if you increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 10, you gain the evasion ability. Whenever you succeed on the saving throw against an effect that offers a Reflex save for half damage, you instead take no damage or are otherwise unaffected.

Recitation of the Reaper’s Foil
Recitation 6
Base DC: 31
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You become immune to critical hits and precision-based damage, as well as death from massive damage. If you fall below -10 hp, you automatically heal half your normal hp and this recitation ends. Once it has ended in this way, you cannot reenter this recitation for 1 minute.
Augmentation: If you increase the DC of this recitation by 15, you are healed fully when your hp drops below 0, and you also become immune for the duration of the recitation to any death effect.

Recitation of the Rejuvenated Self
Recitation 6
Base DC: 31
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain fast healing 5.
Augmentation: For every +4 modifier applied to the DC, your fast healing increases by 1.

Recitation of the Sanguine State
Recitation 2
Base DC: 19
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain immunity to poison. If you are currently poisoned, the poison is purged from you. If undead, you gain immunity to ravages (see the Book of Exalted Deeds for more information on ravages).
Augmentation: This recitation cannot be augmented.

Recitation of the Shattered Mind
Recitation 5
Base DC: 28
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain power resistance 10.
Augmentation: For every +1 modifier applied to the DC, your power resistance improves by 1.

Recitation of the Shooting Star
Recitation 4
Base DC: 25
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain a truespeak bonus equal to your Intelligence modifier on ranged attack rolls and damage rolls. In addition, you don’t provoke attacks of opportunity for using a ranged weapon.
Augmentation: For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus on attack and damage rolls increases by +1.

Recitation of the Unclouded Eye
Recitation 1
Base DC: 10
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You can see whether any being can be affected by an utterance or not (ie. whether their current hp is at or below your absolute limit). Targets that can currently be affected by an utterance are cast in a blue light, while targets whose hp is currently too high are shown as normal.
Augmentation: If you increase the DC of this recitation by 1, you can use other vocalizations while in this state, although you cannot activate a second recitation without first lapsing this one. Alternatively, if you increase the DC of this recitation by 10, you automatically learn the current hp of any enemy you can see.

Recitation of the Unheard Voice
Recitation 2
Base DC: 21
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You create an area of silence. This area has no significant radius, and applies only to the square you are in. You may continue this recitation despite the silenced area. This is an exception to the rule that you cannot Truespeak in an area of silence.
Augmentation: For every +8 modifier applied to the DC, you may increase the radius of the effect by 5 ft.

Recitation of the Unscribed Name
Recitation 5
Base DC: 28
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain name resistance 5.
Augmentation: For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, your name resistance improves by 1.

Recitation of the Unimpeachable Soul
Recitation 2
Base DC: 19
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain a +2 truespeak bonus to Fortitude saving throws.
Augmentation: For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus to your Fortitude saving throws increases by +1. Alternatively, if you increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 12, you gain the mettle of body ability. Whenever you succeed on the saving throw against an effect that offers a Fortitude save for half damage or partial effect, you instead take no damage or are otherwise unaffected.

Recitation of the Untouched Snow
Recitation 4
Base DC: 25
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You become invisible. This effect ends if you attack anyone or otherwise take a hostile action.
Augmentation: If you increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 16, your invisibility does not end because of attacking or otherwise taking a hostile action.

Recitation of the Vital Heart
Recitation 3
Base DC: 22
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain immunity to nonmagical diseases. If you are currently infected with a disease, it is purged from you.
Augmentation: If you increase the DC of this recitation by 10, you become immune to magical diseases as well, such as mummy rot or lycanthropy.

Recitation of the Warrior’s Arm
Recitation 4
Base DC: 25
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain a truespeak bonus equal to your Intelligence modifier on melee attack rolls and damage rolls. In addition, you can make one additional attack in a full attack pattern at your highest base attack bonus, but all the attacks made in that pattern take a -2 penalty.
Augmentation: For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus on attack and damage rolls increases by +1.

Recitation of the Wise Man
Recitation 1
Base DC: 16
Duration: Recitation
Effect: You gain a truespeak bonus on unarmed attack rolls equal to your Intelligence modifier. In addition, you gain a +4 truespeak bonus to your Wisdom score. Finally, you unarmed damage increases to equal the unarmed damage of a monk of your character level.
Augmentation: For every +3 modifier applied to the DC, the bonus on attack and damage rolls increases by +1. Alternatively, for every +5 bonus applied, the bonus to your Wisdom score improves by +1.

[Kellus]

Feats

Spoiler

Ardent Truenamer [Truename]
Even while you pursue other interests, you continue to practice your truenaming.
Requirements: Truespeak 4 ranks, ability to speak utterances
Benefit: You add a value to your absolute limit equal to the number of class levels you have which do not normally contribute to it. If in the future you gain a level in a class which does not add to your absolute limit, you still add 1 to it.

Devoted Truenamer [Truename]
You have spent long hours studying the roots of the true language, and the results are starting to show as you surpass your peers.
Requirements: Truespeak 4 ranks
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to Truespeak checks.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.

Empower Utterance [Truename]
Your utterances have a bit more punch to them.
Requirements: Truespeak 9 ranks, 1 previous truename feat
Benefit: You can apply a special augment to any utterance. By increasing the DC to speak the utterance by 5, all variable, numeric effects are increased by 50%.

Extend Truespeech [Truename]
Your truespeak effects linger long after your words have faded.
Requirements: Truespeak 6 ranks, 1 previous truename feat
Benefit: You can apply a special augment to any utterance or incantation with a duration of 5 rounds. By increasing the DC to speak the utterance by 5, the original duration of the effect is doubled.

Extra Utterance [Truename]
You managed to squeeze one more lesson into your schedule.
Requirements: Truespeak 8 ranks, ability to speak utterances
Benefit: If you learn vocalizations like a truenamer, you learn one utterance of a level you can already speak. If you memorize vocalizations like a lexeme, you instead can memorize one additional utterance each day, but not of the highest level you can choose from. If you have levels in classes that allow you to prepare utterances in both ways, you have clearly made some very bad decisions multiclassing, but nonetheless gain both benefits of this feat.

Eye of Ethics [Truename]
Many truths open themselves before your unclouded eyes.
Requirements: Ability to speak recitations, must be able to speak the recitation of the unclouded eye, Truespeak 8 ranks
Benefit: While you are in the recitation of the unclouded eye, you can see the alignment of all beings you lay eyes on. This does not penetrate effects such as undetectable alignment.

Eye of Nomenclature [Truename]
Many truths open themselves before your unclouded eyes.
Requirements: Ability to speak recitations, must be able to speak the recitation of the unclouded eye, Truespeak 15 ranks
Benefit: While you are in the recitation of the unclouded eye, you perceive the given name of all beings you lay eyes on. This ability does not work if the being has name resistance or the namelessness special quality.

Eye of Vitality [Truename]
Many truths open themselves before your unclouded eyes.
Requirements: Ability to speak recitations, must be able to speak the recitation of the unclouded eye, Truespeak 5 ranks
Benefit: While you are in the recitation of the unclouded eye, you can glean the exact hp value of all beings you lay eyes on. This ability does not work if the being has name resistance or the namelessness special quality.

Maximize Utterance [Truename]
Your utterances are irresistable.
Requirements: Truespeak 13 ranks, 2 previous truename feats
Benefit: You can apply a special augment to any utterance. By increasing the DC to speak the utterance by 10, all variable, numeric effects are maximized, as if they had rolled for their maximum potential result.

Mental Lexicon [Truename]
With a memory like yours, who needs books?
Requirements: Int 19, Glossary class feature
Benefit: You have comitted vast tracts of your glossary to memory. If lost, stolen, or destroyed, you can rewrite your glossary with a single day’s work and do not need access to any external resources.
Normal: Normally if you lose your glossary, it takes a week’s time to rewrite it with reference to a library, hall of records, or similar institute.

Obscure Truename [Truename]
You have gone to great pains to obscure your name in the universe.
Requirements: –
Benefit: You gain name resistance 2. This stacks with name resistance you get from any other source.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.

Penetrating Truespeech [Truename]
Your truespeak effects penetrate through your foe’s attempts to obscure their name.
Requirements: Truespeak 12 ranks
Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus on Truespeak checks made to use a truespeak effect against a target with name resistance.

Practiced Truenamer [Truename]
Although you’ve broadened your studies, you’ve kept up on your truename training.
Requirements: Truespeak 5 ranks
Benefit: Your truenamer level increases by 4. Your truenamer level cannot exceed your character level.

Scourged Name [Truename]
You have hunted down and destroyed all the references to your truename that you can find.
Requirements: Obscure Truename
Benefit: The DC for any Knowledge check made to uncover your truename increases by 5.

Too Many Eyes [Truename]
You’ve got enough eyes to sink a fleet.
Requirements: Ability to speak recitations, Eye of Ethics, Eye of Nomenclature, Eye of Vitality, must be able to speak the recitation of the unclouded eye,
Benefit: While you are in the recitation of the unclouded eye, you cannot be flanked.

Truename Rebuttal [Truename]
You’re accomplished at foiling enemy truenamers.
Requirements: Truespeak 7 ranks
Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus on Truespeak checks made to counterspeak against another truenamer.

Truename Research [Truename]
You’re a true sleuth when it comes to discovering truenames.
Requirements: Int 17, Truespeak 10 ranks
Benefit: You can make any kind of Knowledge check to uncover a personal truename, even if you have no skill ranks in the neccessary Knowledge skill. In addition, you gain a +4 bonus on Knowledge checks to uncover personal truenames.

Truename Training [Truename]
You’ve expanded your studies to include languages and ancient words.
Requirements: Int 15
Benefit: Truespeak and Speak Language are always class skills for you.

[Kellus]

The Word Warrior

Spoiler

Word warriors blend truenaming and martial lore into one deadly fighting style.

Requirements: To become a word warrior, you must fulfill all of the following requirements.
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Skills: Truespeak 8 ranks
Truenaming: Able to speak 2nd level truename effects
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: Proficiency with all martial weapons

Hit Die: d8.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 3 + Str modifier.

Class Skills: The word warrior’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Ride (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Swim (Str), and Truespeak (Int).

Table: The Word Warrior

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Truenaming
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Verbose strike	–
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	–	+1 level of existing truenaming class
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Bonus feat	+1 level of existing truenaming class
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Battle cadence	+1 level of existing truenaming class
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	–	+1 level of existing truenaming class
6th	+6	+5	+2	+5	Bonus feat	+1 level of existing truenaming class
7th	+7	+5	+2	+5	Personal truename +2	+1 level of existing truenaming class
8th	+8	+6	+2	+6	–	+1 level of existing truenaming class
9th	+9	+6	+3	+6	Bonus feat	+1 level of existing truenaming class
10th	+10	+7	+3	+7	Martial truenamer	–

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the word warrior prestige class.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A word warrior does not gain any additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Verbose Strike (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, whenever you make a full attack you may use a swift action (instead of a move action) to use an utterance that targets an enemy you strike with one of the attacks in your full attack pattern.

Truenaming: At every level except 1st and 10th, you learn additional vocalizations as if you had gained a level in any one truenaming class you have previously gained levels in. These levels stack with your previous levels to determine your truenamer level.

Bonus Feats: At 3rd level, and again at 6th and 9th level, you gain a bonus fighter feat or truespeak feat you meet the requirements for.

Battle Cadence (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, you may begin or change a recitation as a swift action by increasing the DC to speak it by 2.

Personal Truename Bonus (Ex): A word warrior specializes in placing beneficial truespeak effects on himself to help in battle. At 7th level, you gain a +2 bonus on Truespeak checks to target yourself with a truespeak effect.

Martial Truenamer (Ex): At 10th level you can make a single strike as a standard action. If this strike succeeds, you may immediately use an utterance you know, with a +10 bonus on the Truespeak check involved to speak it.

The True Scribe

Spoiler

Some truenamers spend some time studying magical lore to uncover a way to scribe utterances and incantations onto scrolls.

Requirements: To become a true scribe, you must fulfill all of the following requirements.
Feats: Scribe Scroll
Skills: Spellcraft 4 ranks, Truespeak 6 ranks
Truenaming: Able to speak 2nd level vocalizations

Hit Die: d4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 2 + Cha modifier.

Class Skills: The true scribe’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Perform (oratory) (Cha), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), and Truespeak (Int).

Table: The True Scribe

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Truenaming
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Scribe truescroll (1st)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Scribe truescroll (2nd)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Scribe truescroll (3rd)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Scribe truescroll (4th)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Scribe truescroll (5th)	+1 level of existing truenaming class

All of the following are class features of the true scribe.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A true scribe gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Scribe Truescroll (Ex): A true scribe learns how to create powerful scrolls written in the true language. Scribing a truescroll requires certain conditions:

• You must know the utterance or incantation you wish to scribe (recitations cannot be scribed, as they must be continually repeated to maintain their effect).
• You must posess specially prepared inks worth at least 25 gp per vocalization level.
• You must posess a normal sheet of paper.

By spending 10 minutes per vocalization level and by using the prepared inks, you can attempt to create the truescroll. This requires a Spellcraft check of 20 + twice the vocalization level.

When scribing a truescroll, you decide all augmentations on the vocalization as if you were speaking it yourself. After succeeding on the Spellcraft check to scribe the scroll, you must utter the vocalization, imbuing the scroll with the vocalization. You make a Truespeak check as normal, but with no name modifier to your check. You gain a competence bonus on this check equal to your class level, since you can take additional time to make sure the words are formed correctly.

Once you have made your Truespeak check, the scroll is ready to be used. It can be used as a standard action by anybody with at least enough ranks in Truespeak as the vocalization level of the effect stored within. Otherwise, using a truescroll follows all the same rules as reading a normal scroll.

After a truescroll has been used, the vocalization takes effect. The Truespeak check made to use the utterance or incantation is the Truespeak check you used to create the truescroll. Otherwise, the person reading the truescroll makes all pertinent decisions, such as the target of the utterance or incantation.

Once a truescroll has been read, the ink fades off of it, leaving a normal sheet of paper once more.

At 1st level, you can only scribe 1st level vocalizations onto a truescroll. At each class level, you gain the ability to scribe an additional level of vocalizations, even if you don’t yet know any vocalizations of that level.

Truenaming: At every level you learn additional vocalizations as if you had gained a level in any one truenaming class you have previously gained levels in. These levels stack with your previous levels to determine your truenamer level.

The Sinspeaker

Spoiler

Sinspeakers combine the wretched words of the Dark Speech with the perfect lexicon of Truespeech to achieve dread power over the physical manifestation of language.

Requirements: To become a sinspeaker, you must fulfill all of the following requirements.
Alignment: Any evil
Feats: Dark Speech (BoVD 48)
Languages: Must speak Abyssal or Infernal
Skills: Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks, Perform (oratory) 4 ranks
Truenaming: Able to speak 3rd level utterances

Hit Die: d6.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 2 + Cha modifier.

Class Skills: The sinspeaker’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Perform (oratory) (Cha), Speak Language (n/a), and Truespeak (Int).

Table: The Sinspeaker

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Truenaming
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Deadly tongue, empowered speech	–
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Profane speech +1	+1 level of existing truenaming class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Lure of evil	+1 level of existing truenaming class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Profane speech +2	+1 level of existing truenaming class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Deep corruption	+1 level of existing truenaming class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Profane speech +3	+1 level of existing truenaming class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Irresistable dread	+1 level of existing truenaming class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Profane speech +4	+1 level of existing truenaming class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Insidious power	+1 level of existing truenaming class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Master of the darkness, profane speech +5	+1 level of existing truenaming class

All of the following are class features of the sinspeaker.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A sinspeaker gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Deadly Tongue (Ex): After long practice, ruinous words come easily to your tongue. You may activate any of your Dark Speech effects as a move action instead of a standard action.

Empowered Speech (Ex): Whenever you use a facet of the Dark Speech that would deal you Charisma or Constitution damage, you may attempt a Truespeak check to avoid the damage. The DC of the check is equal to 20 + twice the amount of ability damage that would normally be dealt to you by using the Dark Speech.

Profane Speech (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, the intricacies of the Dark Language strengthen the words of power of the true language. Whenever you speak a vocalization in the same round that you use a facet of the Dark Speech, you gain a +1 profane bonus on your Truespeak check made to use the vocalization. This bonus increases by +1 every two levels after 2nd.

Truenaming: At every level except 1st, you learn additional vocalizations as if you had gained a level in any one truenaming class you have previously gained levels in. These levels stack with your previous levels to determine your truenamer level.

Lure of Evil (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, your dark power infects your honest truenaming. Whenever you use an utterance against a good-aligned being, you add your class level to your absolute limit.

Deep Corruption (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, whenever you use the corruption facet of your Dark Speech, you can combine it with the reversed version of the harden the metal incantation. You must know the harden the metal incantation to use this ability. By combining the two into a single vocalization, you reduce the hardness of the object chosen by 3/4. To gain this benefit you must augment the DC of harden the metal as much as you can, although you do not gain the normal benefit of it. You must succeed on the Truespeak check to use harden the metal for this ability to work. Otherwise, this ability works exactly like the corruption facet of your Dark Speech, except for the increased reduction in hardness.

Irresistable Dread (Ex): Beginning at 7th level, you can speak words of darkness that worm their way into the most resistant of hearts. You add your Profane Speech bonus as a profane bonus to the DC to resist the dread facet of your Dark Speech. The DC of the Truespeak check made to use your Empowered Speech class feature for this use of your Dark Speech is increased by twice the bonus you apply to this ability.

Insidious Power (Ex): Beginning at 9th level, you may use the power facet of your Dark Speech as a move action immediately before you use a vocalization to gain an additional effect. You apply the caster level bonus as a +2 bonus to your truenamer level instead. The main benefit of this is that it allows you to augment the DC of the vocalization by 2 additional points than you would normally be able to augment it by. This is a unique ability, and does not confer the ability to increase the DC of your vocalizations beyond the normal limit at ANY other time. If you use this ability, you do not gain any benefit from the use of the power facet of your Dark Speech made in the first move action.

Master of the Darkness (Ex): At 10th level, your irresistable words command the loyalty of the minions of evil. Whenever you use the dark unity facet of your Dark Speech, you treat the Hivemind created as if it were dominated by you instead of under the effect of a suggestion. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to a Truespeak check made by you, at which point the Hivemind disbands. You may only have one Hivemind dominated in this fashion at a time.

The Hidden Word

Spoiler

Hidden words specialize in staying unnoticed while using thier vocalizations and combining some vocalizations for effective attacks. They utilize truenaming to enhance their natural stealth and guile. Hidden words are commonly found as well-learned assassins.

Requirements: To become a hidden word, you must fulfill all of the following requirements.
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Skills: Truespeak 8 ranks, Hide 4 ranks, Move Silently 4 ranks
Truenaming: Must be able to speak 2nd level vocalizations
Special: Sneak attack +2d6 or skirmish +1d6/+1 AC

Hit Die: d6.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 3 + Dex modifier.

Class Skills: The hidden word’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (all) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), Truespeak (Int), and Tumble (Dex).

Table: The Hidden Word

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Truenaming
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Subvocalization	–
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	–	+1 level of existing truenaming class
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Sneak attack +1d6	+1 level of existing truenaming class
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Irresistible strike +2	+1 level of existing truenaming class
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Recitation of silence	+1 level of existing truenaming class
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Sneak attack +2d6	+1 level of existing truenaming class
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Fade into silence	+1 level of existing truenaming class
8th	+6	+2	+6	+6	Irresistible strike +4	+1 level of existing truenaming class
9th	+6	+3	+6	+6	Sneak attack +3d6	+1 level of existing truenaming class
10th	+7	+3	+7	+7	Subvocalization (complete)	–

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the hidden word prestige class.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The hidden word gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Subvocalization: When using truespeech, you have learned how subvocalize the words. While your mouth can be seen moving, anyone more than 10ft. away from you must succeed on a DC 20 Listen check to hear you.

Beginning at level 10, you no longer make any noise at all when truespeaking, and can thus speak even in an area of silence.

Truenaming: At every level except 1st and 10th, you learn additional vocalizations as if you had gained a level in any one truenaming class you have previously gained levels in. These levels stack with your previous levels to determine your truenamer level.

Sneak Attack: At 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels, your sneak attack damage increases by 1d6.

Alternatively, if you used skirmish to qualify for this prestige class, you instead enhance that ability instad of sneak attack. If taking this option, your skirmish continues to improve. At levels 3, 6, and 9, you gain an additional boost to your skirmish, alternating between +1d6 to damage and +1 to AC.

Irresistible Strike (Ex): Beginning at level 4, whenever you do precision damage to an enemy, you also tear a small hole in their True Form, rendering them more easily affected by Truespeech. You gain a +2 bonus to Truespeak checks to target that foe with a vocalization. The bonus to Truespeak checks increases to +4 at level 8. You may not gain this bonus against the same foe more than once. This bonus lasts for 1 hour, or until the damage you dealt is healed, whichever comes first.

Recitation of Silence: At 5th level, you learn The Recitation of Silence as a bonus recitation. If you already know this recitation, you may select another one of an appropriate level for you.

If you cannot use recitations, you gain no benefit from this ability.

Fade into Silence (Ex): At 7th level, you may make a Hide check in any silence effect, even while observed.

The Truesinger

Spoiler

Many an adventurer has claimed to be a master of music, but few of these so-called “bards” realize what it is that they manipulate when they play their magical songs. In reality, these performers tap unknowingly into the most ancient and powerful source of power in the cosmos: the original language, the language of truespeach. By channeling a fraction of the power of truespeach into their music, bards achieve powerful results. Some, however, master the art of music and also delve into the secrets of truenaming. These self-styled truesingers combine the lyrical medium of music with the words of power and syllables of devastation that make up the one true language.

Requirements
Utterances: Able to speak 2nd level vocalizations
Special: Bardic music class feature
Skills: Truespeak 6 ranks, Perform (sing) 5 ranks

Hit Die: d6.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 2 + Cha modifier

Class Skills: The truesinger’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken indivually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Truespeak (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Table 1.7: The Truesinger

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Truenaming
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Bardic music, fluid tongue	+1 level of existing truenaming class
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Irresistable incantation +1	+1 level of existing truenaming class
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Truesing 2/day	+1 level of existing truenaming class
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Bonus recitation feat	+1 level of existing truenaming class
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Lingering lyrics	–
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Irresistable incantation +2	+1 level of existing truenaming class
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	–	+1 level of existing truenaming class
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Shared recitation	+1 level of existing truenaming class
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Truesing 4/day	+1 level of existing truenaming class
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Irresistable incantation +3	+1 level of existing truenaming class
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Garbling melody	+1 level of existing truenaming class
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Bonus recitation feat	+1 level of existing truenaming class
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Deafening speech	+1 level of existing truenaming class
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Irresistable incantation +4	+1 level of existing truenaming class
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Truesing 6/day, voice of the world	–

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the truesinger.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The truesinger does not gain any additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Truenaming: At every level except 5th and 15th, you learn additional vocalizations as if you had gained a level in any one truenaming class you have previously gained levels in. These levels stack with your previous levels to determine your truenamer level.

Bardic Music: A truesinger continues to practice his magical melodies. His truesinger levels stack with his bard levels to determine how many times per day he may use his bardic music abilities. These levels also stack to determine save DCs of his bardic music where applicable. He does not gain new bardic music abilities that he would gain from the bard base class.

Fluid Tongue (Su): Truesingers combine the fluidity of music with the powerful language of truespeak. While using his bardic music, a truesinger may still use vocalizations as normal, even if it normally requires concentration. This does not allow him to maintain concentration on more than one effect at the same time unless he already possesses such ability, but it does allow him to use vocalizations that do not require concentration while concentrating on a bardin music effect.

Irresistable Incantation (Su): By combining melody with language, the truesinger can create an irresistable incantation that draws in even the most stalwart foes. This bardic music ability makes his truenaming easier.

By expending a use of bardic music as a move action, the truesinger may create an ongoing effect that he must maintain with concentration. While under this effect, his absolute limit increases by 2, and the Truespeak DC to use all of his vocalizations is reduced by 1. Otherwise, this ability follows all the normal rules for bardic music. This does not allow him to augment a vocalization beyond what it could normally be augmented to.

As the truesinger advances, this ability improves. Every 4 levels after 2nd, his absolute limit increases by an additional 2 points and his Truespeak DCs are reduced by 1 again.

Truesing (Su): At 3rd level, the truesinger learns the bread and butter of his trade, combining music and melody with his implacable lexicon. Twice per day, he may apply his Charisma modifier to a Truespeak check. Alternatively, he may make a Perform (sing) check in place of a Truespeak check, and add his Intelligence modifier to the roll. He may use this ability 4 times per day at 9th level, and 6 times per day at 15th level.

This does indeed mean that he can use a regular skill (Perform) to cause the same effects that a Truespeak check would normally have. This also means that the Perform check can be augmented in many ways that a Truespeak check cannot be, as described at the beginning of this document.

Bonus Feat: At 4th level, and again at 12th level, the truesinger may select any Truename feat for which he qualifies.

Lingering Lyrics (Su): At 5th level, the truesinger can leave his magical lyrics enduring in the air. This bardic music ability lengthens his utterances.

To use this ability, the truesinger must expend as use of bardic music as part of speaking an utterance with an original duration of 5 rounds. The duration of the utterance changes to a duration of concentration. So long as the truesinger maintains concentration, his syllables of power endure as well. To use this ability, the truesinger must have as least 13 ranks in Perform (sing). Otherwise, this ability follows all of the rules that a normal bardic music ability does.

Shared Recitation (Su): At 8th level, the truesinger can use his musical prowess to share his personal recitations with his allies. By expending a use of bardic music as a move action, he may grant all willing allies within 60 feet who can hear him the benefit of a recitation that he uses in the same round. This shared recitation lasts for up to 1 round/truenamer level, but requires concentration to maintain in addition to maintaining the recitation for himself.

Garbling Melody (Su): At 11th level, the truesinger can leave his foes in utter confusion as they try to use language against him. While maintaining any bardic music effect, he may use an immediate action and a use of bardic music to cause an utterance or incantation used within 60 feet of him to be reversed, if applicable, without changing the target.

The DC of this utterance or incantation remains augmented to the same level that was originally augmented to. The truesinger may decide how to divvy up the augmentation to the utterance or incantation if there are multiple augmentation options.

Deafening Speech (Su): At 13th level, the truesinger can combine his utterances with devastating sonic power. By expending a use of bardic music as a swift action as he delivers an utterance, the truesinger may deal 10d6 sonic damage to the target. The target receives no save to avoid the damage, but the Truespeak DC to deliver the utterance is augmented by 2. This counts against the augmentations the truesinger can apply to the utterance.

Voice of the World (Ex): At 15th level, the truesinger has finally broken away from the arcana associated with his universal music. His bardic music becomes extraordinary in nature as it taps into the fundamental language of truespeech.

The Gospelblade

Spoiler

The forces of utmost good in the cosmos will always have a need for champions to fight back the hordes of darkness. Where truenaming is concerned, this is no different. Gospelblades are an elite force of paladins charged with protecting the knowledge of the true language from falling into evil hands.

Requirements: To become a gospelblade, you must fulfill all of the following requirements.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks, Truespeak 4 ranks
Special: Smite Evil 2/day and Turn Undead class features

Hit Die: d10.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 1 + Wis + Cha modifier.

Class Skills: The gospelblade’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (religion), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), and Truespeak (Int).

Table: The Gospelblade

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Utterances	Incantations	Recitations
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Righteous speaker, truenaming	1	1	1
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Profane research, smite evil +1/day	2	1	1
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Known personal truename	3	2	1
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	2nd level truenaming	4	2	2
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Verbose smite	5	3	2
6th	+6	+5	+2	+5	Smite evil +2/day	6	3	2
7th	+7	+5	+2	+5	3rd level truenaming	7	4	3
8th	+8	+6	+2	+6	Divine cadence	8	4	3
9th	+9	+6	+3	+6	Battle cadence	9	5	3
10th	+10	+7	+3	+7	4th level truenaming, smite evil +3/day	10	5	4

All of the following are class features of the gospelblade prestige class.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The gospelblade gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Righteous Speaker: You add your gospelblade and paladin levels to determine your effective truenamer level for the vocalizations gained through this class, as well as the damage your Smite Evil attacks deal. A paladin may multiclass freely between his base class and this prestige class, although he may be subject to XP penalties, as normal.

Truenaming: You can use truenaming. At every class level, you learn additional truename effects, as shown on Table: The Gospelblade. Your truenamer level for your truename effects is equal to your class level.

To begin with, you may only select 1st level truename effects. At your 4th, 7th, and 10th class levels, you may begin to select from the next level of truename effects.

Profane Research (Su): Your truename efforts are aided by the Lawful Good Powers That Be. Beginning at 2nd level, you may use Knowledge (religion) to research the truename of any evil being, instead of using the appropriate Knowledge skill for their creature type. In addition, you gain a divine bonus on these research checks equal to 1/2 your class level.

Smite Evil: At 2nd level, you gain an additional daily use of your Smite Evil attack. You gain another daily use at your 6th and 10th class levels.

Known Personal Truename (Ex): At 3rd level, you learn your truename through divine insight. As such, you have a +4 bonus on Truespeak checks made to use truename effects on yourself, as shown in Table 1.1: Name Modifiers to Truespeak DCs.

Verbose Smite (Su): Beginning at 5th level, whenever you succeed on a Smite Evil attack against an evil creature, you may use one utterance as a swift action against the same target. You gain a Truespeak bonus on the Truespeak check required to use this utterance equal to 1/2 your class level, and your absolute limit for this one utterance is increased by an amount equal to your class level.

Divine Cadence (Su): Beginning at 8th level, you can expend a use of your Turn Undead ability as a free action to grant yourself a divine bonus to a single Truespeak check equal to your class level.

Battle Cadence (Ex): Beginning at 9th level, you may begin or change a recitation as a swift action by increasing the DC to speak it by 2.

Ex-Gospelblades: A gospelblade follows the same code of conduct as a paladin. If he performs any action that would cause a paladin to lose their supernatural abilities, he loses access to his supernatural and truenaming class features as well. He may atone for this in the same manner as he would to regain his paladin abilities.

Illumian Truenamer

Spoiler

As a physical embodiment of language, illumians who turn to the original language of Truespeak become its greatest champions.

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements: To take an illumian truenamer substitution level, a character must be an illumian about to take her 5th, 10th, or 15th level of truenamer.

Hit Die: d6.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 2 + Cha modifier.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Skills: Illumian Truenamer substitution levels have the class skills of the standard truenamer class.

Table: The Illumian Truenamer

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Utterances	Incantations	Recitations
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	True sigils	6	4	1
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Natural linguist, 4th level truenaming	11	6	3
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	The last word	16	9	5

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the illumian truenamer’s racial substitution levels.

True Sigils (Ex): An illumian truenamer of 5th level can transform the sigils that surround her into Truespeak. Once per day per sigil, she may speak aloud the name of the sigil in Truespeak as a move action and cause a special effect based on the sigil. The DC to speak a sigil is equal to 10 + the illumian truenamer’s character level. If the Truespeak check fails, the use for the day is not expended, but the illumian truenamer loses the move action she used to activate it. She may attempt the vocalization again as another move action. The benefit of the sigils are as follows:

Aesh: Any ally who can hear the illumian truenamer gains a +2 racial bonus to Strength for 5 rounds.
Hoon: Any ally who can hear the illumian truenamer gains regeneration 1 for 5 rounds. No type of damage deals lethal damage to a being under this effect. An ally who holds a severed body part to the stump during this entire period has it reattach at the end of the effect.
Krau: The illumian may apply any metamagic effect with a +2 or lower spell adjustment level to any one spell cast by a being she can see within the next 5 rounds as an immediate action. This does not increase the actual spell level.
Naen: All allies who can hear the illumian truenamer can make use of each others’ skill ranks in any skill that has Intelligence as the key ability for 5 rounds as if they had invested those ranks themselves. That is, each ally is treated as having as many ranks in any Intelligence-based skill as the ally that has the most. This effect does not allow the allies to qualify for any kind of feat, prestige class, or similar objective.
Uur: Any ally who can hear the illumian truenamer is treated as if they were under a freedom of movement effect for 5 rounds.
Vaul: All morale bonuses affecting allies that can hear the illumian truenamer are increased by +1 for 5 rounds.

This ability replaces the standard feat gained at 5th level.

Natural Linguist (Ex): At 10th level, an illumian truenamer has become a manifestation of the language of Truespeak. She gains a +2 racial bonus to Truespeak checks.

This ability replaces the standard feat gained at 10th level.

The Last Word (Ex): At 15th level, an illumian truenamer lives on in her Final Utterance racial ability. So long as she is not in a silence effect, an illumian truenamer may speak a single vocalization every round after she dies for 1 round per Hit Die. She may not target herself with any vocalization, nor can her voice move from where she died. For this purpose, she is treated as having the same senses (for line of sight) in death that she had in life. After this effect ends, the illumian truenamer truly dies. Because the ultimate price has already been paid, an illumian truenamer may not make use of the Syllable of Death utterance while in this state.

This ability replaces the standard feat gained at 15th level.

[Kellus]

The Astral Namemaker

Spoiler

Any psionic shaper can throw ectoplasm together to make a construct. But only the most skilled in truespeech learn how to create a new truename out of nothing. Astral namemakers create truenames for their astral constructs as they make them, giving them an identity and infusing them with the power of truespeech. Named constructs are often much more “real” than normal astral constructs in the way they act and behave, due to their inclusion within the language of the universe.

Requirements: To become an astral namemaker, a character must fulfill all of the following requirements.
Feat: Boost Constuct
Manifesting: Must be able to manifest the astral construct power.
Skills: Truespeak 8 ranks, Knowledge (psionics) 6 ranks
Truenaming: Must be able to speak 1st level recitations.

Hit Die: d4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Skills: The astral namemaker’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Speak Language (n/a), Truespeak (Int), and Use Psionic Device (Cha).

Table 1.11: The Astral Namemaker

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Truenaming
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Font of power, name construct (self-sustaining)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Name construct (durable)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	–	+1 level of existing truenaming class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Name construct (boost)	–
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Name construct (recitation)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	–	+1 level of existing truenaming class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Name construct (extended)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Name construct (improved boost)	–
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	–	+1 level of existing truenaming class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Name construct (legion)	+1 level of existing truenaming class

All of the following are class features of the astral namemaker prestige class.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: An astral namemaker gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Font of Power: Astral namemaker levels stack with any one psionic class the character has levels in to determine the number of power points per day they receive. In addition, the character may use her character level as her effective manifester level when determining how many power points she may spend to augment the astral construct power.

Name Construct (Ex): At 1st level, the astral namemaker learns how to use Truespeak to create an entirely new being. Whenever she manifests the astral construct power, the astral namemaker may make a Truespeak check in order to give a truename to the construct created. An astral namemaker gains a +6 modifier on any Truespeak checks to target an astral construct she has named with a vocalization. This bonus replaces the normal bonus for knowing a creature’s truename, as described on Table 1.1: Name Modifiers to Truespeak Checks.

The DC for the Truespeak check required to use this ability is equal to 15 + the level of the astral construct. In addition, she may choose to add additional benefits to it by increasing the DC of the check. The astral namemaker adds no name modifier to this check, since her targets do not yet have names. As the astral namemaker advances, she gains additional options to augment her constructs when giving them a name, as described here. There is no limit on the DC the astral namemaker can use for this ability, meaning she can add as many of these benefits as she likes so long as she can make the skill check.

If the astral namemaker fails the Truespeak check when manifesting the power, the entire power fails and the power points are wasted.

Self-Sustaining: Beginning at 1st level, by increasing the Truespeak DC by 2, the astral construct does not count against the astral namemaker’s limit of one astral construct in creation at any one time (as described in Complete Psionic).

Durable: Beginning at 2nd level, by increasing the Truespeak DC by 4, the astral construct becomes more durable. They receive a +3 truespeak bonus on any manifester level checks made to protect them against dispel psionics or a similar effect, and a +3 truespeak bonus on saving throws to resist dismiss ectoplasm. These bonuses stack with those of the ecto protection power (see Expanded Psionics Handbook, page 97).

Boost: Beginning at 4th level, by increasing the Truespeak DC by 6, the astral construct gains one additional special ability from Menu A or Menua B (Expanded Psionics Handbook page 186). This benefit stacks with the Boost Construct feat.

Recitation: Beginning at 5th level, by increasing the Truespeak DC by 7, the astral construct may enter play under the benefit of one recitation you know. You must spend a swift action every round to maintain a construct’s recitation, just like if it were your own. If you have multiple constructs in play at once, you can maintain all of their recitations with a single swift action every round. If you manifest more than one astral construct with the same Truespeak check, you may select a different recitation for each of them if you so desire.

Extended: Beginning at 7th level, by increasing the Truespeak DC by 9, the astral construct’s duration becomes 1 minute/level instead of 1 round/level.

Improved Boost: Beginning at 8th level, by increasing the Truespeak DC by 10, the astral construct gains one additional special ability from Menu C (Expanded Psionics Handbook page 186). This benefit stacks with the Boost Construct feat as well as with the earlier Boost benefit of Name Construct.

Legion: Beginning at 10th level, by increasing the Truespeak DC by 15, whenever the astral namemaker manifests the astral construct power, she may create two identical constructs instead of one. The constructs created may have the same menu abilities or different ones, at her option. However, since the same Truespeak check is used to create both of them, if she wants to use any other Name Construct benefits, she applies the same benefit to each of them.

Truenaming: At every level except 4th and 8th, you learn additional vocalizations as if you had gained a level in any one truenaming class you have previously gained levels in that can use recitations. These levels stack with your previous levels to determine your truenamer level.

The Fiendbinder

Spoiler

Fiendbinders use truenames to enslave outsiders and elementals, binding them to their will to create intelligent servants. Although their techniques seem arcane at first glance, they rely on the true language to create wardings and esoteric effects that can impose many different restrictions on their victims.

Requirements: To become a fiendbinder, you must fulfill all of the following requirements.
Alignment: Any nonchaotic
Skills: Knowledge (nature) 4 ranks, Knowledge (the Planes) 8 ranks, Speak Language (any three of: Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Ignan, Infernal, Terran)
Truenaming: Able to speak 2nd level vocalizations

Hit Die: d4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Skills: The fiendbinder’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Speak Language (n/a), and Truespeak (Int).

Table 1.12: The Fiendbinder

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Truenaming
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Truebinding (least), word wardings	–
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Dimensional brackets	+1 level of existing truenaming class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Unorthodox bindings	+1 level of existing truenaming class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Truebinding (lesser)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Overly ambitous techniques (+1)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Imposing visage	–
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Truebinding (standard)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Enhanced pentacle	+1 level of existing truenaming class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Overly ambitous techniques (+2)	+1 level of existing truenaming class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Truebinding (greater)	+1 level of existing truenaming class

All of the following are class features of the fiendbinder.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The fiendbinder gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Truebinding (Ex): This ability works like the planar binding spell, except as noted here. In order to use the ability, you must know the truename of the being you wish to summon. The DC for the saving throw against this effect is equal to 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Charisma modifier. Your caster level for this effect is equal to your effective truenamer level. You may use this ability as much as you want, but you can only ever have a number of HD of creatures bound to you through it equal to twice your effective truenamer level.

At 1st level, you may summon outsiders or elementals of up to 3 HD.

At 4th level, you may summon outsiders or elementals of up to 6 HD.

At 7th level, you may summon outsiders or elementals of up to 12 HD.

At 10th level, you may summon outsiders or elementals of up to 18 HD.

A bound creature may use any of the normal techniques to escape, but they also have another avenue available to them. If a bound creature manages to discover your truename, they are no longer bound by the strictures of the summoning. They may depart (with their payment) or stick around to cause mayhem as they see fit.

Word Wardings (Ex): You may cause an effect similar to a magic circle spell at will, but only focused inward and in conjunction with your truebinding class feature.

By succeeding on a DC 20 Truespeak check, you may also choose to add a calling diagram, as described in the magic circle against evil spell. Your word warding is equally effective against creatures of any alignment. Your caster level for this effect is equal to your effective truenamer level. If you fail on the Truespeak check to create the calling diagram, the entire truebinding fails, and you may not attempt to perform another truebinding for 10 minutes per HD of the creature you attempted to conjure.

Dimensional Brackets (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, your calling diagram also guards against dimensional travel as if a dimensional anchor spell had been incorporated into the creation. In order to activate this effect, you must create a calling diagram with your word warding class feature, and increase the DC of the Truespeak check to create it by 2.

Truenaming: At every level except 1st and 6th, you learn additional vocalizations as if you had gained a level in any one truenaming class you have previously gained levels in. These levels stack with your previous levels to determine your truenamer level.

Unorthodox Bindings (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, your calling diagrams become less traditional in structure as you learn to construct them through truespeach rather than arcane power. As such, you gain a +5 truespeak bonus on your “caster level” check against a being attempting to escape a truebinding through spell resistance. In order to activate this effect, you must create a calling diagram with your word warding class feature, and increase the DC of the Truespeak check to create it by 3.

Overly Ambitous Techniques (Ex): At 5th level, you gain the ability to attempt to summon a being with 1 HD more than your normal maximum with your truebinding class feature. If you choose to do this, however, you must add 4 to the DC of the Truespeak check to create a calling diagram, if indeed you attempt to create one.

At 9th level, you may instead summon a being with 2 HD more than your normal maximum, but you instead must add 10 to the DC of the Truespeak check.

Imposing Visage (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, your calling diagram allows you to appear much more intimidating and threatening to a creature conjured with your truebinding ability. You gain a +5 truespeak bonus on the opposed Charisma check inherent in the binding. In order to activate this effect, you must create a calling diagram with your word warding class feature, and increase the DC of the Truespeak check to create it by 6.

Enhanced Pentacle (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, you may create a calling diagram that allows you to impose two tasks on a conjured creature. Whatever your first offer is, if it is accepted by the creature you may immediately impose a second task of equal difficulty on it. The two tasks cannot contradict each other, but the creature must complete both of them before it is released from your service. In order to activate this effect, you must create a calling diagram with your word warding class feature, and increase the DC of the Truespeak check to create it by 8.

The Rhyme Witch

Spoiler

Rhyme witches interlace arcane words of power with truenaming to create deadly verses of arcane might.

Requirements: To become a rhyme witch, you must fulfill all of the following requirements.

Skills: Knowedge (arcana) 13 ranks, Perform (oratory) 8 ranks, Truespeak 8 ranks
Feats: Improved Counterspelling
Spellcasting: Able to prepare and cast at least one power word spell
Special: Confident Speaker class feature

Hit Die: d4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 3 + Int modifier.

Class Skills: The rhyme witch's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Perform (oratory), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), and Truespeak (Int).

Table 1.14: The Rhyme Witch

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Truenaming	Spellcasting
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Arcane verse	+1 level of existing truenaming class	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Counter rhyming	–	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Honeyed words 2/day	+1 level of existing truenaming class	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Couplet	–	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Eldritch voice	+1 level of existing truenaming class	–
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Honeyed words 4/day	–	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Rhymes of power	+1 level of existing truenaming class	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Triplet	–	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Honeyed words 6/day	+1 level of existing truenaming class	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Absolute power	–	–

All of the following are class features of the rhyme witch.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The rhyme witch gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Arcane Verse (Ex): A rhyme witch blends arcane words of power with truenaming to unlock the power contained in rhymes. She adds her truenamer level to her caster level for any one arcane spellcasting class, and conversely her highest arcane caster level to her truenamer level. Her effective truenamer level can never exceed her character level in this way.

Furthermore, the rhyme witch may combine her glossary and spell book. If this combined book is ever lost or stolen, the rhyme witch may reproduce it exactly as a lexeme reproduces her glossary.

Spellcasting: At every new rhyme witch level except 5th and 10th, you gain new spells per day as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class you belonged to before adding the prestige class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. If you had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a rhyme witch, you must decide to which class you add the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.

Truenaming: At 1st level and every two levels thereafter, you learn additional vocalizations as if you had gained a level in any one truenaming class you have previously gained levels in. These levels stack with your previous levels to determine your truenamer level.

Counter Rhyme (Ex): At 2nd level, the rhyme witch masters the disruptive power of arcane rhymes. When she readies an action to counter another caster's spell, she may substitute a Truespeak check for the Spellcraft check she would normally make. Unlike counterspelling, speaking a counter rhyme does not require casting a spell, only making a successful truespeak check. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to her Intelligence modifier.

Honeyed Words (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, the rhyme witch unlocks a further understanding of how the sounds of words affect others. Twice per day she may make a Truespeak check in place of a Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate skill check. She may use this ability four times per day at 6th level and six times per day at 9th level.

Couplet (Ex): As she grows in power, the rhyme witch learns how to couple words of power together with truespeach to weave poems of death. Beginning at 4th level, when she uses her confident speaker ability and spends a full round action to speak a vocalization, she may simultaneously cast any power word spell she has prepared as a swift action (as if it had been modified by the Quicken Spell metamagic feat, but without an increase in the spell level).

Eldritch Voice (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, whenever a rhyme witch casts a power word spell she has prepared, the range of it is doubled as if by the Enlarge Spell metamagic feat, but without an increase in the spell level.

Rhymes of Power (Ex): At 7th level, the rhyme witch learns a new way to amplify her truespeach through arcane rhyming. A number of times per day equal to her Intelligence modifier, she may sacrifice a memorized arcane spell as a swift action to give herself a bonus on a single Truespeak check equal to the sacrificed spell's spell level.

Triplet (Ex): At 8th level, the blending of arcane power and truespeach becomes even stronger. When the rhyme witch uses her confident speaker ability and spends a standard action on a truespeak attempt, she may simultaneously cast any power word spell she has prepared as a swift action (as if it had been modified by the Quicken Spell metamagic feat, but without an increase in the spell level).

Absolute Power (Ex): At 10th level, the rhyme witch unlocks the ultimate connection between truespeak and words of power. She may add her absolute limit to the hp limit of all of her power word spells, increasing all hp thresholds accordingly.

The Cosmos Translator

Spoiler

Vestiges go by many names and titles. Their true names, however, are the most complex of any short of the names of the gods themselves. These names describe vestiges for exactly what they are. Since they are unfathomable mysteries, these names are understandably hard to comprehend. Any binder that can learn these names, however, can harness them to create a variety of powerful truenaming and binding effects never seen before in the cosmos. A cosmos translator studies vestiges and translates their strange and fearsome names into the true language.

Requirements: To becomes a cosmos translator, you must fulfill all of the following requirements.
Skills: Knowledge (the Planes) 8 ranks, Truespeak 8 ranks
Special: Ability to bind a 2nd-level vestige
Vocalizations: Able to speak 1st level vocalizations

Hit Die: d6.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Additional Level: 3 + Int modifier.

Class Skills: The cosmos translator’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Profession (Wis, Speak Language (n/a), and Truespeak (Int).

Table: The Cosmos Translator

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Truenaming
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Cosmos pact, soul binding +1, translate vestige	–
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Soul binding +2, vestige familiarity	+1 level of existing truenaming level
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Bonus feat, soul binding +3	+1 level of existing truenaming level
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Soul binding +4, vestigial shuffle	+1 level of existing truenaming level
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Soul binding +5	+1 level of existing truenaming level
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Harness vestige, soul binding +6	+1 level of existing truenaming level
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Bonus feat, soul binding +7	+1 level of existing truenaming level
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Soul binding +8, soul speaker	+1 level of existing truenaming level
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Soul binding +9	+1 level of existing truenaming level
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Cosmos utterance, soul binding +10	+1 level of existing truenaming level

All of the following are class features of the cosmos translator prestige class.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The cosmos translator gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Cosmos Pact (Ex): As a cosmos translator, you may bind any vestige you have translated (see below) with a move action by successfully speaking its truename. Otherwise, this follows all the normal rules for a vocalization. Normally, binding a vestige requires a minute of effort. You must still fulfill any special requirements and make the binding check as normal. If you fail the Truespeak check to speak the vestige’s truename, you take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage per effective binder level as cosmological feedback, and the binding fails.

Soul Binding Bonus: At each cosmos translator level, your soul binding ability improves as if you had also gained a level in the binder class. Your cosmos translator levels and binder levels stack for determining your bonus on binding checks, the effectiveness of your vestige-granted abilities, your ability to bind higher-level vestiges, and the number of vestiges you can bind. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a binder would have gained.

Translate Vestige (Ex): A cosmos translator has the talent to uncover the true name of vestiges themselves, translating them from supernatural enigmas into the realm of the natural world. Upon entering this prestige class, you must select one vestige you may currently bind. You automatically learn the truename of that vestige. From now on, whenever you gain skill points at a new character level (not including this first class level), you may choose to spend 2 skill points to learn a new vestige’s truename. In order to learn a vestige’s truename, you must have bound that vestige in the past before gaining your new character level. If you gain less than 2 skill points at any given level, you cannot learn a new vestige’s truename at that level. Even if you miss a level, you can never learn more than one vestige’s truename at any given new level.

Once you have learned a vestige’s truename, that vestige is considered translated for the purposes of your other class features.

Speaking a vestige’s truename requires a Truspeak check against the vestige’s binding DC.

Truenaming: At every level except 1st, you learn additional vocalizations as if you had gained a level in any one truenaming class you have previously gained levels in. These levels stack with your previous levels to determine your truenamer level.

Vestige Familiarity (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, you begin to develop an intimate understanding of the vestige truenames you have uncovered. Whenever you successfully use your cosmos pact class feature, you gain a +1 insight bonus per class level on the binding check. The Truespeak DC to bind the vestige increases by 4.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd level and again at 7th level, you gain a bonus feat which either has the Truename descriptor or is drawn from the feats described on pages 72-75 of the Tome of Magic.

Vestigial Shuffle (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, you may use your cosmos pact class feature to replace a vestige you currently have bound with a vestige you have translated but do not have bound. The Truespeak DC to bind the new vestige increases by 6. You may use this ability to bind each of your translated vestiges once per day. Any ongoing effects based off of the vestige that is leaving end as if their duration had expired. If the Truespeak check fails, the old vestige is not expelled, but you may not attempt to shuffle in the same vestige for the next 5 rounds. However, in such an event, the use of this ability for the day with that vestige is not wasted.

Harness Vestige (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, you can harness the power of a vestige’s truename to augment your truenaming. Whenever you use your cosmos pact class feature, you may choose to forgo one granted ability of the translated vestige and instead increase your absolute limit while the vestige is bound to you by the vestige’s level. Choosing to use this ability increases the Truespeak DC of the check by 7. You may use this ability with multiple bound vestiges simultaneously; its effects stack.

Soul Speaker (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, the vestiges you bind guard their time with you jealously. As a move action, you may relinquish any ongoing recitation to a translated vestige you have bound. The vestige maintains the recitation until you choose to have it stop as a free action. While it maintains the effect, however, you lose access to all of its granted abilities with a recharge time of 5 rounds, but this frees you to speak other vocalizations. You may only have one vestige maintain a recitation at a time. Only certain translated vestiges can maintain recitations. If you want a vestige to be able to maintain recitations for you, you must bind it with the cosmos pact class feature, and increase the Truespeak DC by 8.

Cosmos Utterance (Su): At 10th level, once per day, you may recite the entire truename of any translated vestige as a full-round action. This utterance reveals truths about the universe that were never meant to be uncovered, and summons a fraction of the vestige’s being into existence in the minds of those around you. All beings within 1 mile per effective binder level of you with current hp below your absolute limit gain the invoked vestige’s sign and influence for 24 hours. In addition, any binding check made in this area (which does not move with you afterwards) in the next 24 hours that does not relate to the summoned vestige takes a -10 circumstance penalty. Finally, anybody that can actually hear you speak (except you yourself) must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your effective binder level + your Cha modifier) or become permanently confused. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Upon using this ability, you lose all of your bound vestiges except the one you invoked with this ability (if it was previously bound to you). You must be able to speak and must not be in a silence effect for this ability to work. Using this ability requires a Truespeak check against a DC of 25 + the vestige’s binding DC. If the check fails, you take 1d10 points of nonlethal damage per effective binder level as cosmological feedback, but may try again later that day.

The Alias

Spoiler

An alias knows and cares about only one truename: his own. By delving into the subtleties and nuances of what a truename actually is, an alias learns how to warp and shift his ownasnd can invent new truenames for himself. They are the ultimate spies, changing not just their faces and mannerisms but their entire identity. An alias operating under a cover identity could be anyone, anywhere. Although they don’t learn traditional truenaming, aliases are masters of a hundred skills, and learn how to speak recitations by varying the cadence of their own truename.

Requirements: To become an alias, a character must fulfill all of the following requirements.
Feat: Deceitful or Skill Focus (Bluff or Disguise)
Skills: Bluff 8 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Disguise 8 ranks, Forgery 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks, Truespeak 8 ranks
Special: Inspiration class feature, must know your own personal truename

Hit Die: d6
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier
Absolute Limit Increase at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier. Although an alias doesn’t progress normal truenaming, they still study the topic closely.

Class Skills: All. Like a factotum, an alias continues to study an enormous breadth of topics.

Table: The Alias

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Recitations Known
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Cunning tongue, jack of all trades, truenaming	1
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Cunning disguise	2
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Cunning disguise (quick change)	2
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	2nd level truenaming	3
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Cunning disguise (illusory form)	4
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	Cunning disguise (surefire disguise)	4
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	3rd level truenaming	5
8th	+6	+2	+2	+6	Cunning disguise (deep cover)	6
9th	+6	+3	+3	+6	Cunning disguise (double talk)	6
10th	+7	+3	+3	+7	Cunning disguise (true disguise), 4th level truenaming	7

All of the following are class features of the alias.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: You gain no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

Cunning Tongue (Ex): You have studied quite a bit of truenaming. You can spend a single point of inspiration to gain a bonus equal to your class level on a single Truespeak check. You can spend a number of inspiration points on a single Truespeak check equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Jack of All Trades (Ex): Alias levels stack with factotum levels to determine your inspiration points per day, and for your effective factotum level when using class features such as Opportunistic Piety and Cunning Knowledge. These levels also stack to determine the number of spells you may prepare with your Arcane Dilettante class feature, and the highest level of spell you can access.

Truenaming: You can use truenaming. At every level indicated on Table: The Alias, you learn a new recitation. Because of your specializaed focus, you never learn other types of vocalizations. Your vocalizer level for recitations gained from this class is equal to the sum of your factotum and alias class levels. If you have vocalizations from another class, you may add your alias class levels to your vocalizer level for other vocalizations, but not your factotum level.

Cunning Disguise (Ex): Whenever you adopt a disguise with the Disguise skill, you can create a truename for the guise, making your deception run much more deeply than the surface. You may expend 1 point of inspiration and make a Truespeak check against a DC of 15 in order to gain special benefits of this disguise. If you fail at the Truespeak check, the inspiration point is still wasted.

The basic benefit of a cunning disguise is to interact with your recitations. Whenever you are operating in a cunning disguise, you gain a +6 modifier on Truespeak checks made to use recitations, because this is a name you created as opposed to one you simply know. This bonus replaces the normal name modifier to Truespeak checks. In addition, while in a cunning disguise, you gain immunity to any attempt to detect your alignment. You are treated as if you are under the effects of an undetectable alignment spell, except it is always active while in disguise.

In addition, as you advance in this class, you gain additional ways to benefit from the disguise.

Quick Change: Beginning at 3rd level, you can increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 4 and spend one additional point of inspiration in order to adopt the disguise in one-tenth of the normal time (1d3 minutes).

Illusory Form: Beginning at 5th level, you can increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 6 in order to gain the benefit of an alter self effect when adopting the disguise of a being of your creature type. This does confer the bonus to Disguise checks, but does not reduce the time required to create the disguise.

Surefire Disguise: Beginning at 6th level, you can increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 8 and spend one additional point of inspiration in order to see the result of your Disguise check. If you wish, afterwards you may alter this check to a 10, as if you had simply taken 10 on the check. You can use this ability even if stress or distraction would normally preclude taking 10 on the Disguise check.

Deep Cover: Beginning at 8th level, you can increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 13 in order to operate under a very deep cover. Your form so closely resembles that of your persona that divination spells detect only information to your cover identity; they reveal nothing relating to your alias persona.

Double Talk: Beginning at 9th level, you can increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 14 in order to create a name that can be said in two different ways at the same time. You can maintain two recitations at once while in your cunning disguise.

True Disguise: Beginning at 10th level, you can increase the DC of the Truespeak check by 15 in order to gain the benefit of a polymorph effect when adopting the disguise of a being of your creature type. This does not reduce the time required to create the disguise.

The Name Given

Spoiler

If you like playing with bloodlines, I have good news for you! Welknair has made an excellent bloodline for this material which can be found here!

[Kellus]

Echo Wing

Spoiler

“Kind words can be short & easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
-Mother Theresa

Echo Wing

An Echo Wing in flight, displaying a threatening pose just prior to an attack.

Tiny Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 2d10+4 (15HP)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 10’ (2 squares), Fly 60’ (12 squares, average maneuverability)
Armor Class: 18 (+2 size, +6 Dex); touch 18; flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-9
Attack: Talon +1 melee (1d3-3)
Full Attack: 2 Talons +1 melee (1d3-3)
Space/Reach: 2½’/0’
Special Attacks: Screech of Silence
Special Qualities: Echo, Magical Beast traits, Skills
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +1
Abilities: Str 4 (-3), Dex 22 (+6), Con 15 (+2), Int 4 (-3), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 7 (-2)
Skills: Hide +9, Listen +6, Truespeak +4
Feats: Alertness
Environment: warm forests
Organization: solitary, pair, or flock (3-12)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: N/A
Alignment: always Neutral
Advancement: 3HD (Tiny), 4-5HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: N/A

Seemingly from out of nowhere, a majestic bird appears, spreading its wings wide, as if in warding. Its plumage is an electric blue, with thick tail & a tall feathered crest. The avian creature takes a deep breath, as if to speak.

Dwelling deep in the wild jungles of the world, there is an avian creature that hunts with magical power. Waiting patiently for its prey, it perches silently. When its quarry is finally spotted (or more likely, heard), the bird lets out a piercing screech. The victim is deafened by the scream, & so it cannot hear the rush of wings closing in…

The bird in question is known as an Echo Wing, & it is said to possess some interesting properties. Stories tell of its ability to repeat vocalizations of Truespeech, reflecting their effects back at the speaker. No one knows for sure where such a bird came from or how it got its peculiar abilities, but scholars & researchers the world over are willing to pay dearly for a live specimen for their research into the nature & properties of Truespeech.

Echo Wings are usually about 1½’ long, with a wingspan of approximately 5’, & weigh around 4-7 pounds. They understand some Common, but they cannot speak a word unless trained to do so. They cannot understand Truespeech, despite their ability to repeat it.

Combat
Echo Wings are very territorial, & will defend its domain quite fiercely. While it will not often fight to the death (except to protect its young), Echo Wings are not shy of combat. They will often begin a battle by employing its Screech of Silence to deafen its foes, & then use its Initiative advantage to either attack with its talons or flee. They will also echo any Truespeech that it hears back at the speaker.

Screech of Silence (Su): Once per hour, an Echo Wing can emit an ear-splitting shriek; all creatures within 30’ must make a successful Fortitude save (DC13) or be deafened & rendered mute for 1 hour; the save DC is Constitution-based; creatures that are rendered mute are unable to speak; an Echo Wing is immune to Screech of Silence, whether from itself or other Echo Wings

Echo (Su): An Echo Wing can repeat any Truespeech uttered nearby, turning it back on the speaker; anytime an Echo Wing makes a successful Listen check to hear a vocalization of Truespeech, it can repeat the vocalization, targeting the original speaker; since an Echo Wing does not usually know the original speaker’s Truename or Given Name, it will use a Nickname instead, & thus any Truespeak check for an echoed utterance takes a -2 penalty; an Echo Wing will not echo any Truespeech from another Echo Wing.

Skills: An Echo Wing has a +4 racial bonus on Listen checks & Truespeak checks.

Monster Lore
Characters that have ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can learn more about Echo Wings. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DC’s.

• DC11: “There exists a rare bird that can stun its prey with a deafening scream.” A character making this check recalls all Magical Beast traits.
• DC16: “This bird is called an Echo Wing, & it is so named because of its ability to repeat back anything that is spoken near it.” A character making this check knows the workings of the Screech of Silence ability.
• DC21: “It’s echoing talents are especially troublesome to those who use Truespeech, as the bird can echo vocalizations, turning them back on the speaker.” A character making this check remembers the mechanics of the Echo ability.
• DC26: “They often hunt by hiding in wait for victims, then ambushing them with its shriek, but they can be goaded into coming out into the open if its territory is invaded.”A character making this check is familiar with where to find living specimens in the wild.

Word Archon

Spoiler

Word Archon
Medium Outsider (Archon, Extraplanar, Lawful, Good)
Hit Dice: 10d8+60 (110)
Speed: 60ft. (6 squares) (+30ft. truespeak), fly 80ft. (good)
Initiative: +1
Armor Class: 24; touch 14; flat-footed 26
(+1 Dex, +6 natural, +7 +2 breastplate, +3 deflection)
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+16
Attack: +1 holy warhammer +17 melee (1d8+10/x3 plus 2d6 holy)
Full-Attack: +1 holy warhammer +17/+12 melee (1d8+10/x3 plus 2d6 holy)
Space: 5ft.; Reach: 5ft.
Special Attacks: Teleport, truenaming, word purge, verbose strike
Special Qualities: Aura of menace, damage reduction 10/evil, darkvision 60ft., immunity to electricity and petrification, magic circle against evil, spell resistance 18, name resistance 5, tongues
Saves: Fort +13 (+17 against poison) Ref +8 Will +10
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 13, Con 23, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 17
Skills: Concentration +19, Diplomacy +18, Gather Information +5, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Knowledge (geography) +19, Knowledge (local) +19, Knowledge (nature) +19, Knowledge (the Planes) +19, Listen +16, Search +19, Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +21, Spot +16, Survival +3, Truespeak +25
Feats: Devoted Truenamer (x2), Empower Utterance, Extend Utterance
Absolute Limit: 50
Environment: Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia
Organization: Solitary or patrol group (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful good
Advancement: by class; Favored Class: Truenamer
Level Adjustment: +8

Guardians of the sanctity of language, word archons hunt down those who try to twist and pervert the true language.

Combat

Word archons always enter combat with their recitation of the harried step active, having taken the precaution of always maintaining it fully augmented. With this active, she is a bit more aggressive than normal, trusting to her augmented speed and AC to protect her. If she finds herself in trouble, a word archon will use one of her utterances in conjunction with her verbose strike ability, ending her recitation in order to do so. She’ll then retreat temporarily until she has one of her recitations active again before wading back into combat.

Morale

Word archons love to fight, as they are convinced they are purging the world of evil. They are particularly eager to fight evil truenamers, as they wish to “purify” the true language. They are not, however, suicidal and will retreat to fight another day if they might die.

Aura of Menace: Will DC 20 negates.

Truenaming: A word archon can use vocalizations as an 8th level truenamer. If a word archon takes levels in the truenamer class, she adds to her innate truenaming ability instead of the normal progression of truenaming.

Incantations Known – break the sword, harden the metal, move the arrow, slick the surface, sharpen the blade

Recitations Known – recitation of the harried step (active), recitation of the puma’s grace

Utterances Known – phrase of speed, phrase of vigor, syllable of affliction, syllable of lightning, word of battle, word of combustion, word of defence

Word Purge (Ex): If any evil being attempts to use a vocalization within the area of a word archon’s aura of menace (20ft.), they must immediately make a Will save against a DC of 18. If they fail, the vocalization has no effect, and furthermore the word archon may instantly teleport to their side as if by the dimension door spell and make an attack of oppurtunity against them (if they have one remaining).

Verbose Strike (Ex): Whenever a word archon makes a full attack she may use a swift action (instead of a move action) to use an utterance that targets an enemy she strikes with one of the attacks in her full attack pattern.

Word archons have a +4 racial bonus to Truespeak checks.

Ink Golem

Spoiler

Ink Golem
Small Construct
Hit Dice: 8d10+10 (49 hp)
Speed: 40ft., swim 80ft. (dilution)
Initiative: +5
Armor Class: 16; touch 16 flat-footed 11 (+5 Dex, +1 size)
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+17
Attack: Tendril +10 melee (1d6+3)
Full-Attack: Two tendrils +10 melee (1d6+3)
Space: 5ft.; Reach: 5ft.
Special Attacks: Absorb knowledge, constrict 2d6 plus absorb knowledge, dilution, great grappler
Special Qualities: Body of knowledge, construct traits, immunity to truenaming
Saves: Fort +2 Ref +7 Will +2
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 20, Con –, Int –, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: –
Feats: –
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or shelf (5-8)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9-10 HD (Small), 11-15 HD (Medium)

This golem is assembled from the ink of a multitude of books. Its creation destroys the tomes, leaving them empty, while the accumulated knowledge of them is contained in the golem. It is a moving repository of knowledge, and while it is not incredibly dangerous it is a valuable tool for anyone that values scholarly pursuits.

Combat

Ink golems aren't much for fighting, being more of a knowledge assistant than a true combattant, but they can defend themselves. They usually begin by insinuating themselves around weak opponents and draining their thoughts, using their fast movement to avoid attack. They often try to escape when defeat seems inevitable, and can use their dilution ability to disappear into a body of water. Although not sentient they act in clever ways, probably as a result of the knowledge stored in them.

Absorb Knowledge (Su): Ink golems possess the supernatural power to draw knowledge out of living creatures. Whenever it is deals constrict damage, the target takes 1 point of Int damage, and the ink golem restores 5 hit points. In addition, the creature becomes known to the golem, giving it intimate information about the subject.

Body of Knowledge (Ex): An ink golem is composed of a mass of writings, usually on virtually any subject. It contains within it by default 1 rank in every Knowledge skill. Since it is not sentient, it cannot actually make Knowledge checks, but anyone who commands the golem can make use of these knowledge ranks, either to make skill checks or to use the golem to assist them in making their own. Anyone using the golem like this doesn't need access to a library to make Knowledge checks. For every Hit Die of advancement, the ink golem gains a rank in a single random Knowledge skill. The master of an ink golem can commune with the creation as a ten-minute ritual, which allows it to make use of the Knowledge ranks as well as learn about any subjects the ink golem has absorbed knowledge from since they last communed. The master can similarly transfer knowledge into the ink golem so that it can later be retrieved or alter information currently contained in the golem. In this way an ink golem can also be used as a spellbook, glossary, or any similar spell preparation tool.

If so desired, the creator of an ink golem can choose to create a command word that will allow anyone, not just the master of the golem, to commune with it and use these abilities. This is typically the closest thing an ink golem has to a truename, and requires a DC 20 Truespeak check to say properly. It can be researched in the same way as a normal truename, and has the added benefit of pacifying a hostile ink golem.

Dilution (Ex): As an accumulated mass of liquid, an ink golem is capable of dissolving itself in water. Whenever it comes in contact with a body of water of Colossal size or larger, it is able to merge its form with the liquid. While diluted, it can move its attention 80ft. per round, and has a limited sense of what is occuring in the body of water within 80ft. of its center of attention. It can automatically locate and pinpoint anything touching the water within this radius. While diluted the ink golem can take no actions other than to move its center of attention throughout the body of water or to exit it. However, it cannot be harmed in any way unless the body of water itself is affected by a phase change. Evaporating the water automatically reassembles the golem, while freezing the water traps it in the ice unable to move its attention and also removing its sensory abilities. Joining with a body of water or reassembling itself is a free action, although it cannot be performed in the middle of a move action (for example, if an ink golem moves twenty feet to enter a lake and dilutes, that ends its current move action).

Immunity to Truenaming (Ex): An ink golem is immune to all utterances. It does not have a truename in the traditional sense, as it is composed of a multitude of other words and names.

Great Grappler (Ex): Ink golems have a malleable shape and can easily ensnare even larger opponents. They ignore all size modifiers in a grapple, and have a +8 racial bonus on grapple checks.

Construction

Ink golems must be assembled from at least 400 lb of books, usually covering a wide variety of subjects. More than one library has simply been converted into an ink golem for transport, especially since they can be deconstructed by the original creator as a four day process involving the original books. Creating an ink golem removes all the ink from the books, leaving them completely blank although word-based magical traps such as explosive runes or a sepia snake sigil remain untriggered in the books.

Assembling the body requires a DC 20 Truespeak check.

Craft Construct, truenaming class feature, limited wish, caster must have at least 11 ranks in Truespeak; Price 80,000 gp; Cost 40,000 gp + 3,200 XP

Absolute Limit for Racial Hit Dice

Spoiler

Monsters that use truenaming have an absolute limit for their vocalizations based on their hit dice and type. At every racial hit die, such monsters gain a bonus to their absolute limit as shown on the following chart (minimum +1).

Table: Absolute Limit and RHD

Type	Absolute Limit
Aberration	2 + Cha modifier
Animal	Wis modifier
Animal (dinosaur)	3 + Wis modifier
Constuct	1 + Str modifier
Dragon	2 + Con modifier
Elemental	2 + Cha modifier
Fey	2 + Cha modifier
Giant	1 + Wis modifier
Humanoid	2 + Cha modifier
Magical Beast	2 + Wis modifier
Monsterous Humanoid	2 + Cha modifier
Ooze	1 + Cha modifier
Outsider	2 + Cha modifier
Plant	2 + Wis modifier
Undead	2 + Cha modifier
Vermin	1 + Wis modifier

[Kellus]

Activating Truespeak Items

Magic items which interact with truenaming usually require their own truename to be spoken to activate. The DC for such a check is given in the item description, and is usually equal to 15 + the caster level of the item.

Wondrous Items

Spoiler

Parchment That Remembers

Price: 12,000 gp
Body Slot: – (held)
Caster Level: 7th
Aura: Moderate divination
Activation: Move (Truespeak DC 22)
Weight: –

This sheet of parchment is incredibly dry, and seems to leech moisture out of anything that touches it– water, skin, even blood...

Parchment that remembers is a valuable aid for a truenamer hoping to gain control over someone. Although it seems like a simple blank sheet, speaking the parchments truename causes the parchment to absorb any writing on it, emptying the page again. Stored writing can be recalled with a similar naming, and up to ten different sets of contents can be stored at once.

The true value, however, lies in its ability to discover truenames. By speaking the parchment's truename while someone has written their signature on the sheet, the parchment instead permanently uses up one of its interior sheets to translate the name into its truename which replaces it on the page.

Finally, if anyone should spill blood on the parchment, it quickly drinks the moisture up, and fills one of its interior sheets with the liquid, which can be released at a later time just like writing. Although this can be used merely as proof of a blood pact, it is also valuable for a truenamer who wants a bit more power. The parchment can then be used as a focus for utterances on the target, lowering their absolute limit by 5. The truenamer must be holding the parchment when vocalizing the utterance in order to gain this benefit.

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, locate creature, tongues.
Cost to Create: 6,000 gp, 480 XP, 12 days

To-Do List

Base Class

• Truename necromancer base class. It'll be sweet.

Prestige Classes

• Elemental Advocate [Truenamer that learns the true names of the four elements and argues them into doing his bidding]
• Midnight Namer [Shadowcaster/truenamer that discovers the shadow of the true language]
• Truepath [Psionic truenamer that merely thinks truenames]
•*Scrying + truenaming?

Monsters

• Logokron Devil
• Garbler
• Truename Inevitable

Racial Substitution Levels

• Spellscale
• Aasimar
• Tiefling

Feats

Rework them to be in general nicer and more appealing. Condense them some.

Miscellaneous

• Weapon special qualities
• Armour special qualities
• Magic items
• More utterances

Current Priority: Monsters and magic items, and chiselling away at a new base class.

[Zeta Kai]

This is crazy. Amazingly crazy. I am continually impressed by the sheer depth you go to in your homebrews.

Great job!
No sarcasm, I swear. I know that just copied/pasted what you said in my thread, but I mean every word of it.

[MisterSaturnine]

This is fantastic. I can't wait for the rest. And more PrC's, if you've got the inclination.

[Kellus]

Originally Posted by Zeta Kai

This is crazy. Amazingly crazy. I am continually impressed by the sheer depth you go to in your homebrews.

Great job!
No sarcasm, I swear. I know that just copied/pasted what you said in my thread, but I mean every word of it.

You're funny.

As for the Prestige Classes, absolutely. The next on the slate is the Rhyme Witch, who rhymes Power Word arcane spells with truespeech. I've got a few planned, which should be interesting. Also of course some monsters, including updates of most of the stuff in the Tome of Magic for this system.

[Icewalker]

Ok, I skipped the lists of utterances/incantations/recitations, as well as the PrC, so I just read the mechanics, base class, and feats. I'll read the rest tomorrow.

This is amazing work. I really need to go back to reading big projects in the homebrew section more often. I loved the truename idea, but the class wasn't really usable. I haven't gone through the actual truename...you need a word for utterances/incantations/recitations. The equivalent of 'Spells' or 'Maneuvers'.

Back on topic. I haven't gone through them yet, but the idea is fantastic, and looks really well laid out. I really like the split up of the...those. Target specific, self aura-esque, and influence stuff. Good separation.

A few comments:
If they are all activated as a move action, does that mean you can do two per round?

The feat Penetrating Truespeech should be modified slightly. Instead of giving a +3 against targets with name resistance, it should effectively reduce the target's name resistance against your truespeech abilities by 3, so that you don't get additional bonuses against people with only 1 or 2 resistance. Just a phrasing matter, really, although a slightly but distinctly exploitable one.



Also: this definitely needs some balance pbp tests, because I want to use it and something this big needs extensive balance testing. I would offer to make a dungeon that exemplifies the use of the classes, abilities, and monsters once you have them, except I'm REALLY busy right now. So, I'd love to play as one to help test, although I don't have the time to set up testing.

[Kellus]

Originally Posted by Icewalker

Ok, I skipped the lists of utterances/incantations/recitations, as well as the PrC, so I just read the mechanics, base class, and feats. I'll read the rest tomorrow.

This is amazing work. I really need to go back to reading big projects in the homebrew section more often. I loved the truename idea, but the class wasn't really usable. I haven't gone through the actual truename...you need a word for utterances/incantations/recitations. The equivalent of 'Spells' or 'Maneuvers'.

Back on topic. I haven't gone through them yet, but the idea is fantastic, and looks really well laid out. I really like the split up of the...those. Target specific, self aura-esque, and influence stuff. Good separation.

A few comments:
If they are all activated as a move action, does that mean you can do two per round?

The feat Penetrating Truespeech should be modified slightly. Instead of giving a +3 against targets with name resistance, it should effectively reduce the target's name resistance against your truespeech abilities by 3, so that you don't get additional bonuses against people with only 1 or 2 resistance. Just a phrasing matter, really, although a slightly but distinctly exploitable one.



Also: this definitely needs some balance pbp tests, because I want to use it and something this big needs extensive balance testing. I would offer to make a dungeon that exemplifies the use of the classes, abilities, and monsters once you have them, except I'm REALLY busy right now. So, I'd love to play as one to help test, although I don't have the time to set up testing.

Thanks for the feedback. I agree that it needs testing, and in fact I'm going to be setting up a series of encounters on the PbP forum to try in out in conjunction with a conventional group of adventurers.

As for the rest of your advice:

• There is a name for them as whole; I've been using alternately 'truename effects' and 'truespeak effects'. I kind of ran out of choices, since I used up 'utterances', 'incantations', 'recitations', and as subsets of utterances, 'phrases', 'syllables', and 'words'. I'm happy enough with the wording for now.

• Yes, one of the nice things about truenaming is that you can attempt two truespeak effects per round. This is partly to compensate for the much greater failure chance than spells, and party to emphasize that it's different. It's not making fancy hand gestures or subsuming material components. It's just talking in a different language, so I think it's appropriate that it takes less time.

• Penetrating Truespeech was done like that on purpose. It's a bit of an added incentive to take it, as a bit of a kick in the pants to people that have taken the Obscure Truename feat. I figured, if they're up against someone with name resistance 2, let's give them a bit of an advantage for having taken the feat. It's actually based on a feat I quite like from (I think) the Player's Hanbook II, called Water Splitting Stone.

Thanks for the comments!

[Lady Tialait]

This get my Druidic Seal of Approval! I'm subscribing...so keep up the good work i'll be watching from the 'little fuzzy thing with big teeth over there'....

[Kellus]

Oo! A druidic seal of approval™! Now it's official!

The PbP test recruitment is here. Anybody interested in helping me playtest it would be appreciated.

[Adumbration]

I don't really understand the absolute limit. Is it the hit dice plus charisma mod + con mod?

In any case, I feel that this may be a nerf of a kind that drops the Truenamer straight back to the level before you started modifying. There are just so many cr-equivalent creatures out there with too many hitpoints to be affected by Truespeak. Vermin, animals and undead, to mention a few. It is also what it says it is, an absolute limit. There are these creatures that I can affect, and these that I under any circumstances can't. Heck, even a wizard can resort to Magic Missile if something has too high an AC or too good saves.

And the Truenamer still weeps at night.

[Owrtho]

Originally Posted by Kellus

So you’re probably thinking, “Kellus, you handsome devil! Utterances have an hp limit on what they can effect! Doesn’t this mean that I, a full caster, am useless against enemies with oodles of health?!”

The answer is no. Utterances are the most powerful weapons in your arsenal, but they’re not the only thing you got going for you. When an enemy is too strong (at the moment) to target with an utterance, you can use incantations to target him indirectly. This can include launching projectiles at him, altering the terrain to your advantage, or other such effects that don’t target your enemy directly.

As stated in first post only utterances are under the effect of the absolute limit. All other abilities still work.

Owrtho

[Icewalker]

Absolute limit starts at (1+cha bonus) and every time you raise a level it goes up by (1+cha bonus). It doesn't change retroactively, con is not involved.

The limitation on absolute limit is supposed to be balanced out by recitations and incantations, because it only applies to utterances as Owrtho said, which are the only 'I do (blank) to you' type spells, as opposed to shifting oneself or the environment.


By the way, I forgot to mention: your layout and coloring was REALLY great, it actually made it a lot easier to understand. Very well organized, was a big help.

[Zeta Kai]

Originally Posted by Kellus

There is a name for them as whole; I've been using alternately 'truename effects' and 'truespeak effects'. I kind of ran out of choices, since I used up 'utterances', 'incantations', 'recitations', and as subsets of utterances, 'phrases', 'syllables', and 'words'.

I propose that truename/truespeak effects be referred to by the term vocalizations. Its unique, technical, & relatively short. Just a thought.

This is a fabulous class fix, much better than the average fighter/monk/samurai fixes that grace this sub-forum. I nominate this for Class Fix of the Year™.

Question: I see an entry for monsters; are you going to create truespeech-based creatures? 'Cause that'd be wicked cool.

[Guyr Adamantine]

I only read the basic rules before posting, so actual criticism is for latter.

This is great! I look forward to new PrCs, and I might (If you don't object) put a revised Bereft here.

Also: Namelessness just don't cut it. Why no call it Unnamable?

[appending_doom]

I think this is a very interesting reworking, but I have to agree regarding concerns about the Absolute Limit.

I admit, the no-save, no-spell resistance requires a significant balancing effect. But an hp-based limit is significantly limiting, as hp scales much faster than CR. Let's take the stone golem, with a CR of 11 and 107 hp.

Assuming you started with 18 Charisma, you have an Absolute Limit of 59, meaning you can only bring out your big guns when the golem has hit 59 hit points, about two-thirds its hp.

The greater stone golem, however, at CR 16, has 271 hit points, when you have an Absolute Limit of 90, 1/3 the golem's hit points.

The major concern is that at these levels, warrior types may or may not be capable of dishing out that sort of damage in a single turn, meaning that when the truenamer pulls out his big guns, he's superfluous.

There are, of course, different interpretations. I'm not the best at evaluating relative class strength. I recognize that the truenamer does bring things to the table; it's possible that the truenamer meshes well with a party, as his semi-arcane might kicks in when the spellcaster starts losing steam, especially against high-resistance opponents.

Another major concern is of course how the Absolute Limit interacts with buffs the truenamer has available. In the same way that people complained about how difficult it was for the ToM truenamer to help his allies, this creates perverse incentives to keep hp low.

EDIT: One possible fix might have to do with truenames, if you're wedded to the absolute limit idea. If you know a target's truename, you might have a higher Absolute Limit, or disregard it entirely. (This has not been thought through thoroughly, as it is an offhand suggestion)

[Kellus]

Thanks for the comments!

The design view I started out from is that people will be able to find a way to abuse the skill system. If you're going to make a skill-based casting system, there's just too much material already out there dealing with skills to even get a hope of balance. It's just too much material to try and take into account. The original truenamer unfortunately overreacted to this, and made the DCs practically unreachable unless you min/maxed the **** out of it.

This class' absolute limt (and vocalizations in general) is based off of power word spells, which all have an hp limit. I liked the idea, but decided that the limit should evolve with you.

But the system assumes that your utterances will be able to win the fight. They're your big guns. That's why I wasn't afraid to put powerful and cool effects as utterances, because the assumption going into it was that by the time an enemy has been worn down to your absolute limit, the rest of the party has had a chance to do their bit and it's okay for you to pull out the magical big guns to finish the job off.

Luckily, you also have incantations available that you'll generally be able to use as much as you want. The idea between these vs utterances was similar to the design of invocations vs arcane spells. Incantations you can use whenever you want, and they always give you something to do in the middle of battle. But you still have really powerful stuff kept in reserve for after the battle's gone on for a while.

This also puts a value on hp. Spellcasters and other creatures with low Hit Dice will be vulnerable to utterances much sooner than barbarians, undead, and other creatures with lots of hp. In this sense, the truenamer can pick off low hp targets with his powerful utterances while the rest of the party does their bit.

Finally, recitations help in a variety of circumstances. They're always available as well, and let the truenamer trade his vocalization versatility for a decent buff on himself. This is especially useful for multiclass truenamers, since many of the recitations mesh well with existing classes.

The one class feature I'm wavering on is the ability to let the truenamer know when creatures can be affected by his utterances. It seems like a good idea, but it also sort of seems like legalized metagaming, knowing when a creature is below x hp. Suggestions?

(In case you can't tell, I definitely like the name 'vocalization'. I'll track down alll the places I used 'truename effect' and 'truespeak effect' pretty soon and switch them out!)

[MythMage]

This pretty cool, and definitely looks like an improvement from Tome of Magic.

My concern with the Absolute Limit is this: it varies too widely. Hit point scaling can get away (usually) with applying Con multiple times because you've got so much of a base to work off of in the form of those big Hit Dice. However, you're using a base of 1 to add to. In order to keep things within a sane and more predictable range, an ability score really only be invoked once in a class ability's formula. In this case, I suggest you replace the wildly variable scaling rate with something more akin to the values for say incantations or utterances (except higher, of course).

Say, perhaps (just throwing numbers out there),

1st 1
2nd 5
3rd 9
4th 13
5th 18
6th 23
7th 29
8th 35
9th ...

and add the Charisma bonus (which should then be allowed to be inflated by any means, since it's only being applied once) to the static level-based value.

[Kellus]

I suppose it's something to think about. I personally like the way it is right now for the following reasons:

• It's much more unique and natural. That is, most characters that enter the class, depending when and where they multiclass or increase their ability scores, will have different absolute limits. I don't like classes where everybody that enters it is essentially a cookie cutter mold of every other character of that class.

• It's got a mechanic already built into it to allow for future projects. That is, by tying the absolute limit to a class-specific feature akin to Hit Die or skill points per level, it's very easy to make exceptions for future classes or prestige classes. For example, the word warrior prestige class already presented is a martial truenamer, and since mental stats aren't as important to him, he gets to start adding his Strength bonus to his limit instead of his Charisma score. I can also adjust for forced multiclassing; the word warrior is forced to multiclass into some other base class for entry requirements, so I can add 2 + ability score to his limit every level instead of the truenamer's 1 + ability score without worrying about unbalancing the status quo. It's just much more flexible when it's built on a case-by-case basis.

• Finally, if it's a static score akin to hp, you're suggesting, I'm making it too easy to cheat. There are a plethora of ways to improve ability scores at higher levels. If the changes are all retroactive (that is, an ability score increase at 20th level changes the previous absolute limit adjustments, somewhat like hp is now), it would open up many more avenues for people to get around the system at higher levels and abuse it.

That's just my take on it, anyway. Thanks for the comment!

[Icewalker]

Further, a nice advantage could be a PrC Prereq requiring a specific absolute limit.

[Baron Corm]

It's unbalancing to give a death-causing utterance. Those words should be reserved for the gods. An (Ex) ability causing death with no save should not be in a player's hands. An optimized Truenamer WILL be able to make that DC, and any truenamer that couldn't wouldn't attempt it, so there would be no point in having it. Maybe I missed something in the text which balances it.

Also, I think they should be (Su). Could you please explain how they are (Ex) a bit more?

Mmm 1 more thing: I think a change in Charisma should retroactively affect your Truespeak DC. "I'm really weak in power right now, but I was powerful when I "leveled up", as they say, so I am actually still in full force!"

[Kellus]

Originally Posted by flyingpoo22

It's unbalancing to give a death-causing utterance. Those words should be reserved for the gods. An (Ex) ability causing death with no save should not be in a player's hands. An optimized Truenamer WILL be able to make that DC, and any truenamer that couldn't wouldn't attempt it, so there would be no point in having it. Maybe I missed something in the text which balances it.

This is something I wavered back and forth on, and I'm still not sure about. On the one hand, I can't seriously find a way to get a +55 modifier to the Truespeak skill with the limitations I've imposed on it by level 20. On the other, it would indeed be potentially overpowering. I'll probably end up toning it down.

Also, I think they should be (Su). Could you please explain how they are (Ex) a bit more?

They're not a magical or pseudo-magical ability; vocalizations rewrite the universe as if it had always been that way. You'll find very little fluff in this document, mostly because there's tons of it in the Tome of Magic. I'm basically stealing their fluff, but completely changing the mechanics. I feel that truenaming is more of an extraordinary ability than overtly mystical in nature. For example, I don't see why truenaming wouldn't work in an anti-magic field. It wouldn't work in a silenced area, but anti-magic is fine. As long as the universe can hear you speak, you're set.

Mmm 1 more thing: I think a change in Charisma should retroactively affect your Truespeak DC. "I'm really weak in power right now, but I was powerful when I "leveled up", as they say, so I am actually still in full force!"

I don't quite understood your reasoning or your suggestion here. Your Charisma score never affects a Truespeak DC; the skill is Intelligence-based. Could you elaborate?

Thanks for the comments!

...and back to the prestige class.

[Khorebh]

I absolutely adore this- and will be hijacking for one of my games, to see how it plays, pending your permission, but might I put forth an equivalent for "Spells" or "Maneuvers" for this class? (I don't know if someone's beaten me to it)

How about 'lexeme' or 'lemma'?

They're both words for the most basic of linguistic concepts, and I thought it fit...