Author Topic: Truespeaking, Mk. N+! (Read 4370 times)

Garryl · « **on:** December 31, 2015, 07:10:18 PM »

Reserved for intro and index.

The general idea is that I got thinking about truenaming a while back when a bunch of people were making some attempts at fixing it. I remember Kellus made a fairly interesting attempt at it. I made some notes about it way back when, and I recently stumbled back upon them. So, here we are, with my own ideas.

The general idea is that truenaming gets you functionally-at-will abilities. They're balanced around being effectively at-will and working essentially 100% of the time. None of this fumbling about with scaling Truespeak DCs, or worse, with unreasonably high ones that force you to optimize to an absolutely absurd level just to use your abilities even once. This version of the system does use a skill check, but the numbers are essentially fixed and are designed to be hit on a 5 or so if you've been sticking max ranks into the skill and are a member a truespeaking class, or on a 1 if you actually put more than a 10 into Int or take Skill Focus or something (the exact numbers still need adjustment, but they're about right at present). Actually having a risk of failure is reserved for top-level utterances doing things like targeting foes on another plane or using metautterance feats (which'll still be fine for your lower-level utterances).

Truespeak is actually a skill now, by which I mean a skill that does something in and of itself, not just get used to not fail with your class features. You can use it to research truenames and then to speak them. Speaking a truename actually does something in an of itself. I've got it as effectively letting you spy on someone (although they also get to see you, too). The nature of what happens when you speak a truename might change (maybe you spying on them is broken, I dunno), but I definitely intend to keep the part where speaking it is a big enough thing that they will know that you spoke it and what you did with it.

The Orator is the new base class, in place of the Truenamer as the basic truespeaking class. It's shtick is truenaming, duh.

Utterances aren't divided into those three lexicon thingies. Like spells or maneuvers, they're available to whichever classes they state. Most have multiple variations to produce different effects based on if you're targeting/influencing a creature, location/area, or object. Most also have unique effects for if you weave a truename into them. For example, Seek the Sky gives okay flight to a creature, or much better flight if you speak that creature's truename. Vengeful Dreams works like a souped up Sleep spell without a truename, but with a truename it's a Nightmare-like day-long sleep disruptor no matter where in the multiverse your enemy is.

Also, to cut off any confusion, the rules in Tome of Magic are gone. No increasing DC with subsequent use, not limit on how many times you can have the same utterance up at once, etc.

Garryl · « **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2015, 07:10:26 PM »

Truespeak skill

The following classes treat Truespeak as a class skill:

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Truespeak (Int; Trained Only)

Utterances	Truespeak DC
Speak an utterance	10 + 5 per utterance level
Utterance Special Options	Truespeak DC Modifier
Speak utterance as a supernatural ability	+10
Dead magic zone or an anti-magic field	+20
Utterance Targeting	Truespeak DC Modifier
No line of sight	+2
No line of effect	+5
Target on another plane	+10
All utterance targeting modifiers stack.

Task	Truespeak DC
Speak a creature's truename	10 + creature's CR + creature's Charisma modifier
Speak an object's truename	10 + object's CL (if magical) + object's Charisma modifier (if intelligent), or owner's DC (use highest)
Speak a location's truename	10¹, or owner's DC (use highest)
Repeat an unknown truename	Truename's speak DC + 5 + 1 per minute
Obfuscate a truename	Truename's speak DC
Mark a truename	Truename's speak DC + 10
Unmark a truename	Marker's Truespeak check result
Research a creature's truename	25 + creature's CR + creature's Charisma modifier
Research an object's truename	25 + object's CL (if magical) + object's Charisma modifier (if intelligent), or owner's DC (use highest)
Research a location's truename	25¹, or owner's DC (use highest)
Learn a truename from another	Truename's research DC - 5
Obscure a truename	Truename's research DC
Identify an utterance being spoken	15 + utterance level
Identify an utterance targeted on you	25 + utterance level
Counterspeak an utterance	Speaker's Truespeak check result
1. Varies based on both size and security of location, see below.

Location Security	Truespeak DC Modifier
Public (mundane wilderness, outdoor public spaces)	+0
Semi-private (an abandoned dungeon, a business's public front, a warehouse, rope trick)	+5
Private (an animal's den, a private residence, an occupied fortress, mage's private sanctum)	+10
Secured (a vault, an inner sanctum, mage's magnificent mansion, an area protected by guards and wards)	+20
Use only the highest location security modifier.
Location Size	Truespeak DC Modifier
Small (100 square feet or less)	+0
Medium (up to 500 square feet)	+5
Large (up to 2500 square feet)	+10
Huge (a city block, a small lake, a small castle)	+15
Gargantuan (a city district, a small forest, a small town)	+20
Colossal (a whole city, a small island)	+30
Enormous (an entire country)	+40
Use only the highest location size modifier.

Check
The DC of the check depends on what you are trying to do.

Speak an Utterance
You can speak any utterance you know at will. Utterances are spell-like abilities. All utterances have verbal components, like most spells, so anything that prevents you from speaking or gives your verbal activities a chance to fail also applies to speaking utterances. Some utterances also have other components, most commonly experience components. The save DC of an utterance is 10 + the utterance's level + your Charisma modifier.

When you attempt to speak an utterance, you must make a Truespeak check to speak it properly. If you fail, nothing happens; the utterance does not take effect, you do not lose experience points (if it has an experience component), and so forth. If you are speaking an utterance from a source that only allows you to do so a limited number of times, a failed attempt to speak it does not count against that limit.

You can attempt to speak an utterance in a special way so as to divorce it from the normal limits of magic.

By increasing the Truespeak DC by 10, you can speak an utterance as a supernatural ability instead of a spell-like ability (does not provoke an attack of opportunity, cannot be dispelled, ignores spell resistance). It still has its component.
By increasing the Truespeak DC by 20, you speak the utterance and enable it to function even in areas where magic does not function, such as a dead magic zone or an anti-magic field.

For those utterances that can target without line of sight, without line of effect, or across planar boundaries, the DC to speak them is higher. Generally, this is only the case for utterances with unlimited range. Utterances otherwise follow the normal rules for targeting spell-like abilities.

Speak a Truename
As a standard action, you can attempt to speak a truename you know. When you speak a creature or object's truename, you immediately become aware of its location, and it of yours. This transcends distance, solid obstructions, and even planar boundaries. Each of you also becomes aware of the others' actions for 1 round. When you speak a location's truename, you become aware of its location, and how many creatures are within the area. Creatures and objects within the area become aware of your location and actions as if you'd spoken their truenames.

Some utterances require you to speak a truename as part of the action of speaking them. If you fail the check to speak the truename correctly, the utterance fails as if you failed its Truespeak check.

You can attempt to speak a truename that you do not know but have recently heard spoken by a truespeak who knows it. This works exactly as speaking a truename that you know, except that the DC is 5 higher, plus 1 for every minute since you heard the truename spoken by someone who knows it. A truespeaker who does not know a truename cannot pass it on to others.

Obfuscate a Truename
You can attempt to obfuscate a truename you know, making it harder for others to speak it. For the next 1 day, the truename's speak DC becomes the higher of its normal speak DC and your check result. This applies to everything that uses the truename's speak DC as well, such as marking it. For every -2 penalty you take on your check, you can increase the duration of the obfuscation by 1 day. Obfuscating a truename takes 1 hour.

Mark a Truename
You can attempt to mark a truename you know, linking it to you and making you aware whenever it is spoken. For the next 1 day, whenever a truespeaker speaks the marked truename, you become aware of the speaker's location and actions as though he had spoken your truename. For every -2 penalty you take on your check, you can increase the duration of the mark by 1 day. Marking a truename takes 1 hour.

Unmark a Truename
You can attempt to unmark a truename you know, removing any marks on it. Any marks made with a check result equal to or lower than your Truespeak check result are immediately ended. Unmarking a truename takes 10 minutes.

Research a Truename
With access to appropriate research materials, you can attempt to research, learn, or derive a truename you do not already know. Researching a truename takes 1 day.

Learn a Truename From Another
You can attempt to learn a truename you do not already know from someone who does. The DC to learn a truename from another is 5 lower than the DC to research it yourself, although your teacher must also succeed on a Truespeak check to speak the name in order to successfully teach you. Learning a truename takes 10 minutes.

Obscure a Truename
With access to appropriate research materials, you can attempt to obscure a truename you know, making it harder for others to research it. For the next 1 week, the truename's research DC becomes the higher of its normal research DC and your check result. This applies to everything that uses the truename's research DC as well, such as learning it. For every -2 penalty you take on your check, you can increase the duration of the obscurement by 1 week. Obscuring a truename takes 1 day.

Identify an Utterance
If you see or hear an utterance being spoken, or if the utterance involves speaking your truename or a truename you have marked, you can use Truespeak to attempt to identify the utterance. No action is required, but no retry is possible.

Additionally, if you are subjected to an utterance targeting you, you can also attempt to identify it. If you also saw or heard it being spoken, this allows you a second chance to identify it, albeit at a higher DC. No action is required, but no retry is possible.

Counterspeak an Utterance
You can ready an action to counterspeak an utterance. You must be able to see or hear the utterance being spoken to counterspeak it. Alternatively, if the utterance is spoken with a truename, you can counterspeak it if you know that truename and succeed on the Truespeak check to speak it, even if you cannot see or hear the utterance being spoken (you must still somehow be aware that the utterance is being spoken). If your Truespeak check equals or exceeds the speaker's Truespeak check to speak the utterance, the utterance fails as if the speaker had failed her Truespeak check.

Action
Varies.

Try Again
Yes.

Synergy

If you have 5 or more ranks in Truespeak, you gain a +2 bonus on Use Magic Device checks made to activate command word items.
If you have at least 5 ranks in a Craft skill, you gain a +2 bonus on Truespeak checks made to research the truename of an object that the skill can create.
If you have at least 5 ranks in a Knowledge skill, you gain a +2 bonus on Truespeak checks made to research the truename of a creature that the skill can identify.
If you have at least 5 ranks in Knowledge (architecture and engineering), you gain a +2 bonus on Truespeak checks made to research the truename of a building.
If you have at least 5 ranks in Knowledge (dungeoneering), you gain a +2 bonus on Truespeak checks made to research the truename of a underground complex.
If you have at least 5 ranks in Knowledge (geography), you gain a +2 bonus on Truespeak checks made to research the truename of a natural environment.
If you have at least 5 ranks in Knowledge (local), you gain a +2 bonus on Truespeak checks made to research the truename of an urban district.
If you know at least 5 languages you gain a +2 bonus on Truespeak checks made to identify utterances.

Change Log

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Garryl · « **Reply #2 on:** December 31, 2015, 07:12:24 PM »

Orator base class (WIP)
A replacement for the Truenamer in a replacement for Truespeaking.

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Utterance Bonus
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Bonus Language, Truename Research, Utterances (0th, 1st)	+6
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Bonus Language, Personal Truename	+7
3	+1	+1	+1	+3	Utterances (2nd)	+8
4	+2	+1	+1	+4	Bonus Language	+9
5	+2	+1	+1	+4	Utterances (3rd)	+10
6	+3	+2	+2	+5	Bonus Language	+11
7	+3	+2	+2	+5	Utterances (4th)	+12
8	+4	+2	+2	+6	Bonus Language	+13
9	+4	+3	+3	+6	Utterances (5th)	+14
10	+5	+3	+3	+7	Bonus Language, Confident Speech	+15
11	+5	+3	+3	+7	Utterances (6th)	+16
12	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Secret Language	+17
13	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Utterances (7th)	+18
14	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Secret Language	+19
15	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Utterances (8th)	+20
16	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Secret Language	+21
17	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Utterances (9th)	+22
18	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Secret Language	+23
19	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	--	+24
20	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Say My Name and I Am There, Secret Language	+25

Class skills (6 + Int modifier per level): Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Listen, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Truespeak, and Use Magic Device.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: As an Orator, you are proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor.

Bonus Language: At 1st level, and again at every even-numbered level thereafter, you learn a new non-secret language of your choice. Beginning at 12th level, you can also learn secret languages this way.

Truename Research: You gain Truename Research as a bonus feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. This allows you to research and learn truenames more easily.

Utterance Bonus (Ex): You gain a competence bonus on Truespeak checks made to speak an utterance or to counterspeak one equal to your class level plus 5.

Utterances: As an Orator, you learn to use truespeech, the very language of the universe, to alter your environment and enact your will. You begin play with knowledge of all 0th-level and 1st-level utterances available to Orators. At 3rd level, and again every 2 levels thereafter up to 17th level, your research into truespeech gives you access to the next level of utterances and knowledge of all Orator utterances of that level.

Personal Truename (Ex): At 2nd level, you learn your personal truename. Thereafter, you need not make a Truespeak check to speak your own truename and you automatically know if someone marks, obfuscates, or obscures your truename. You gain a +4 bonus on all Truspeak checks relating to your own truename.

Confident Speech (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, you can take 10 on Truespeak checks, even when threatened or distracted.

Say My Name and I Am There (Su): Beginning at 20th level, whenever anyone speaks your truename, you become aware of the local environmental conditions around the speaker. As an immediate action, you can transport yourself to the speaker's location, as per the transport travelers option the wish spell.

- Respeak: If you fail to speak an utterance, try again with a -5 penalty on your Truespeak check as a move action.
- Bonus feats: Why not?
- Truenickname: You can create a truenickname for yourself. Your truenickname functions exactly like your truename. Anyone you teach it to directly can speak it without needing to make a Truespeak check (and no Truespeak check needed to teach it, either; can be learned and spoken untrained). You can retire your truenickname and/or create a new one in its place. You can only have one truenickname at once.
- Speak Unto the Masses: Chain Spell for utterances. Maybe this should be a feat?

Considering Truespeak DCs for utterances vs. expected Truespeak modifier, assuming I bump the class bonus to level+5 and speaker has no other modifiers (Int, Skill Focus, items, etc.) and change the DC to a more intuitive 10 + 5x level.
Level   Max DC   TS (+5)   Speak%   Speak%-1   Respk-5
1   15   10   80%   100%      (91%)
3   20   14   75%   100%      (87.5%)
5   25   18   70%   95%      (83.5%)
7   30   22   65%   90%      79%
9   35   26   60%   85%      74%
11   40   30   55%   80%      68.5%
13   45   34   50%   75%      62.5%
15   50   38   45%   70%      56%
17   55   42   40%   65%      49%
20   55   48   70%   95%      83.5%

Speak%: Chance to speak the highest level utterance
Speak%-1: Chance to speak the second-highest level utterance
Respk-5: Chance to speak the highest level utterance with a retry at -5 on the check

Change Log

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Garryl · « **Reply #3 on:** December 31, 2015, 07:12:41 PM »

Utterances
This section the rules for and descriptions of utterances, the spell-equivalents of this subsystem.

- Utterances are SLAs. Usable at will, but requires a Truespeak check to speak. Always has a verbal component.
   - Truespeak check should be easily made, assuming class features and max skill ranks but no Int bonus or Skill Focus or stuff.
   - Considering changing the DCs to 10 + 5x utterance level instead of the current not-quite-quadratic curve.
- Save DC is 10 + utterance level + Cha mod.
- Initial concept of utterance access (first draft, subject to change)...
   - Orators get access to all Orator utterances.
   - General utterances are available to pretty much all truespeakers and are available through feats.
   - Esoteric utterances are only learned through research (and require a feat to research them).
   - Metautterance feats make an utterance count as a higher level for speaking them (increased Truespeak DC).
- I'm almost certainly going to be changing that. Unlimited options plus unlimited uses is a bad mix when non-exclusive buffing is involved.
   - Utterances must be readied before use.
   - 1 hour of rest/study/practice/meditation/whatever lets you change out your readied utterances. You can only ready an utterance you know.
   - Orators can ready 3 0th-level utterances and 1 1st-level utterance at level 1. Each level thereafter gives another readied utterance of the highest available level (ending at 3x0th, 2x1st-8th, and 4x9th at level 20).
   - Orators also get to spontaneously ready an extra utterance or two of less than maximum level.
   - Metautterance feats make an utterance count as a higher level for speaking them (increased Truespeak DC) and readying them (higher level readied utterance slot).

Notes on the power of utterances...
- Without a truename, about as strong as a spell 1 or 2 levels lower.
- Blasty utterances could be as strong as a spell of the same level, since we all know blasting spells are suboptimal.
- With a truename, is at least as strong as an equal level spell.
- Long-duration effects (1 hour or longer) are usually limited to requiring a truename. Don't want you buffing every NPC you come across to the gills just because you can, only your own party.

Echoes of the Past
- Creature: Repeat the last damage taken or healing received within last round (max 5/level).
- ...

See The Named
- Creature: Give a creature True Seeing
- Scry on a truenamed creature/object/location

Speak The Truth
- Creature: Subject cannot lie (or maybe just significant penalties to Bluff checks).
- Object: Reveals intentional falsehoods in recoded information. Reveals the presence of hidden curses.
- ...

Universal Aptitude (0th)
- Creature: Guidance-esque. Maybe +2 on a skill check instead of +1 on anything?
- Object: Functions as a tool for any skill
- Object (truename): Functions as a masterwork tool for any skill

Word of Purification (0th)
- Creature: Cures some nonlethal damage or deals 1d6 damage to undead.
- Object: Purify Food and Drink

Word of Lightning (0th)
- Creature: 1d6 electricity damage
- Location: ...
- Object: Metal object becomes slightly magnetized, although not strongly enough to meaningfully affect combat. Or maybe not? As cute as this sounds, making it do anything would be complicated.

Defensive Edge (1st)
- Creature: Shield of Faith (+2-5 deflection to AC)
- Location: Creatures in area cannot be flanked.
- Object (truename): +2-5 to object's hardness and saving throws.

True Command (1st)
- Creature (truename): As Command.
- ...

Knight's Puissance (1st)
- Creature: Subject is flanked.
- Creature (truename): Divine Favor (+1-3 luck to attack and weapon damage)
- Object: Armor or shield gives DR as if adamantine.

Word of Nurturing (1st)
- Creature: Heals some damage. Healing cannot bring creature above 1/2 max hp, although it still removes nonlethal damage.
- Creature (truename): Removes dazzled, fatigued, and sickened. Or something like that. Remind me to check the big conditions list (and the smaller conditions potency list I wrote somewhere I can't remember).
- Object: Mending

Hidden Truth (2nd)
- Creature: ...
- Location: Reveals invisible things in the area as Faerie Fire.
- Location (truename): Makes you aware of all disguised, hidden, and invisible creatures, objects, and traps in your sight within the location.
- Object: Identify

Silent Caster (2nd)
- Creature (truename): Discharge to cast a spell or speak an utterance without verbal components (as with Silent Spell).
- Location: Area Silence-ish.
- Object: Attacking with weapon makes no noise. No Listen check to hear the attack, no penalty on Move Silently for attacking with it.

Word of Cleansing (3rd)
- 3rd-level utterance in the Word of [Healing] line.

Word of Restoration (5th)
- 5th-level utterance in the Word of [Healing] line.
- Creature: Give temp hp and remove conditions.
- Creature (truename): Revivify
- Location (truename): Plant Growth n' stuff.

Magic Contraction (6th)
- Creature, Object: Targeted dispel magic.
- Creature (truename): Immune to one spell or utterance per 4 levels of 6th level or lower. Mutually exclusive with Spell Immunity and Greater Spell Immunity.
- Location: Area greater dispel magic.

Immovable Object (7th)
- ...

Unstoppable Force (7th)
- Creature: Fus-roh-dah! Knockback and more! I dunno, look at some of the Bigby's Hand spells?
- Location (truename): Wall of Force covers the edges of the location.

Word of Vitality (7th)
- Creature: Heal
- Creature (truename): Resurrection
- Location: AoE healing

Unnaming (8th)
- Removes a creature, location, or object's truename. It can get a new truename with Edit Reality/Rewrite Reality or similar.
- Speaking time: 1 hour. XP cost: ???.
- If it has a truenickname, that must be removed separately.
- Obviously, a creature without a truename cannot have its truename spoken (since it doesn't have one).
- A creature without a truename cannot naturally heal. Fast healing and regeneration apply per hour instead of per round. Magical healing is at 1/2 effectiveness. Negative levels remain indefinitely, never disappearing or causing permanent level loss. Diseases require an additional 2 consecutive saves to cure naturally. Anyone who meets the nameless creature and does not already know him/her has an attitude no better than indifferent. A nameless creature cannot gain levels or grow in HD.
- Objects and locations are similarly barred from growth and recovery.
- Objects cannot be maintained and slowly break or fall into ruin.
- Locations slowly fall into ruin or become barren. People stop trying to live there (for a building, people move out and don't move back in; for a kingdom, immigration dries up and emigration becomes common).

Word of Life (9th)
- Creature: Greater Restoration
- Creature (truename): True Resurrection
- Location: AoE healing

Reference:
- Lexicon of the Evolving Mind: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060303a&page=9
- In the Beginning Was the Word, and the Word Was Suck: A Guide to Truenamers: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?214115-In-the-Beginning-Was-the-Word-and-the-Word-Was-Suck-A-Guide-to-Truenamers

Esoteric Utterances

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Orator Utterances

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Utterance Descriptions

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Change Log

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Garryl · « **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2015, 07:13:00 PM »

Reserved for feats and whatnot, once I get around to them.

- Truename Research: Improve your ability to research truenames. +5 on research checks, takes 1/4 the time.
- Esoteric Research: Can research esoteric utterances to learn them. Must receive instruction or find a text describing the utterance. No check required. Takes 1 hour. Typical cost for instruction is 100 gp/utterance level (level 0 = 1/2), or twice that for a text. Can learn any esoteric utterance up to the highest level utterance you already know.
- Truespeech Initiate: Learn the basics of truespeech. Learn 2 general 0th-level utterances of your choice. Can prepare/ready 1 of them. Can research general utterances to learn them. Must receive instruction or find a text describing the utterance. No check required. Takes 1 hour. Typical cost for instruction is 100 gp/utterance level (level 0 = 1/2), or twice that for a text. Can learn any general utterance up to the highest level utterance you already know.
- Truespeech Apprentice: Learn 2 general 1st-level utterances. Can prepare/ready 1 of them.
- Truespeech Novitiate: Learn 2 general 2nd-level utterances. Can prepare/ready 1 of them.

Metautterance feats: Like metamagic for utterances. Increases effective level for speak DC. Cannot increase effective level beyond the highest level utterance you know and can speak normally.
- Quicken does not exist. There's no resource management with at-will utterances, so there is no downside or tradeoff at all for quickening an utterance every round. It would just be a way of doubling your utterances for a feat.
- Speak Unto the Masses: As Chain Spell, but for Utterances. Also, speak multiple truenames of the same sort (creature, location, object) at once using the highest DC + 2 per truename beyond the first.

Epic Truespeak skill:
- Whisper Truename (DC +50): Speak a truename, but subject isn't made aware of you.
- Location Security - Impenetrable (DC +30): Private dimension-locked demiplanes, deities' outer sanctums, etc.
- Location Security - Inaccessible (DC +50): Deities' inner sanctums, the void where vestiges reside, etc.
- Location Size - Planar Layer (DC +60): An entire planar layer.
- Location Size - Planar Entirety (DC +100): All layers of an entire plane.

Garryl · « **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2015, 07:13:59 PM »

Items and Equipment

Table: Adventuring Gear

Adventuring Gear

Cost

Weight

Adventuring Gear Descriptions

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Table: Alchemical Items

Alchemical Item

Cost

Weight

Craft DC

Alchemical Item Descriptions

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Table: Poisons

Poison

Type

Save DC

Initial Damage

Secondary Damage

Cost

Craft DC

Poison Descriptions

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Table: Tools and Kits

Tool

Cost

Weight

Tool Descriptions

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Table: Services

Service	Cost
Obfuscate a truename	50 gp plus 1 gp x new speak DC x obfuscation duration in days
Obscure a truename	250 gp plus 5 gp x new research DC x obscurement duration in weeks
Research a truename	1000 gp plus 10 gp x research DC
Teach a truename	100 gp plus 5 gp x research DC
Unmark a truename	50 gp plus 2.5 gp x Truespeak check result

Service Descriptions

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Change Log

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Garryl · « **Reply #6 on:** January 08, 2016, 10:37:01 PM »

I'm setting this aside for now. My initial burst of inspiration is spent. Right now I'm slogging through ideas for utterances and their effects (10 levels x 5 utterances/level x 2-4 variations/utterance = about 150 different things to make), which, as my wording implies, is a bit of a slog. I'm also not 100% sure about how the basis of utterance access should work, and that itself has gone through several iterations of ideas.

bhu · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2016, 01:15:56 AM »

Need any help?

Garryl · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2016, 02:55:11 AM »

The three biggest things I'm stalled on are...
- Utterances and their effects. I want ~150 effects over ~50 utterances, as mentioned above. If it helps, I've also been trying to look at the original utterances in ToM for inspiration.
- Utterance access mechanics. It's not as much to write, but more important to finalize the actual mechanics.
- Orator class features. I have a few in there already, but it needs some more to flesh the levels out. Lots of extra languages doesn't count, and I'd rather do more than just dump a bunch of bonus feats in there.

Aside from that, there are several smaller or less important things I'd like to deal with eventually.
- Feats. Gotta have feats for your subsystem.
- More base classes.
- Prestige classes.
- Writing up some of the less important aspects of the system that are there but are kind of implied, such as what the definition of a "location" is.
- Truenames for organizations/groups? I don't have any actual plans for it, it's just something that came to mind.

If you've got any ideas for the above (or anything else, really), I'd love to hear them. Every bit helps.

bhu · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2016, 04:06:45 AM »

so each utterance has up to 3 effects? Perhaps an easy way to do this would be to have each utterance have one effect, and you could add feats that allow new options with similar groups of utterances.

Garryl · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2016, 12:19:58 PM »

Quote from: bhu on January 10, 2016, 04:06:45 AM

so each utterance has up to 3 effects? Perhaps an easy way to do this would be to have each utterance have one effect, and you could add feats that allow new options with similar groups of utterances.

Could be more than 3, actually, although most are from 2-4. The general idea is that you have one sort of effect if you're speaking on a creature, a different effect on an object, and a third on a location or area, each of which could have a more powerful effect if you include the target's truename (although it doesn't necessarily have to have a non-truename variation if it has a truename version).

For example, Defensive Edge creates an area of unflankability (location), or gives a deflection bonus to AC to one creature (truenamed creature), or boost's an object's saving throws (truenamed object). I have several utterances written out (they're in the spoiler at the bottom of the utterances post), and notes on a lot more.

bhu · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2016, 12:04:55 AM »

It's different from what i was thinking of this afternoon, but your idea is prolly a lot easier to do!

Nanshork · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2016, 03:07:31 PM »

As with all of your projects, when you've got stuff fleshed out I'm willing to comb through it and give an analysis if you'd like.

Garryl · « **Reply #13 on:** January 11, 2016, 06:01:32 PM »

Thanks, I appreciate it.

I just noticed something fun about the numbers I'm currently planning. With full class levels, Skill Focus (Truespeak), and an Int mod equal to the level of your highest-level utterance, you always have a 100% chance to successfully speak a top-level utterance.

bhu · « **Reply #14 on:** January 12, 2016, 11:45:57 PM »

Howzis:

Location: Any one building or area of contiguous terrain no bigger than x square feet per level

Garryl · « **Reply #15 on:** January 13, 2016, 12:42:39 AM »

Non-truenamed locations are your standard spell areas (x-foot radius burst/spread/emanation, etc.).

Truenamed locations are sorta implied but not fully described in the Truespeak skill section (if this were a finished product, they'd be fully fleshed out in a more general "mechanics of truespeaking" section along with everything else about truenames). It should be from the smallest things that you can conceive of as a distinct place (a small room, or perhaps just a corner of a large room) up to countries and continents (or entire planes in epic rules). Larger and/or more private/secure locations have higher Truespeak DCs.

Note that you can only speak a truename into an utterance's variation designed for a truename. No turning the utterance equivalent of Fireball into a Locate City bomb.

Object Weight	Maximum Distance
0-5 pounds	40 ft.
6-10 pounds	30 ft.
11-20 pounds	20 ft.
21-30 pounds	10 ft
31-50 pounds	5 ft.

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