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<blockquote data-quote="Owldragon" data-source="post: 5886880" data-attributes="member: 11733"><p>Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed (and the revision, Arcana Evolved) includes truenames. There's an old post describing it <a href="http://www.montecook.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?mc_diary13" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p></p><p>In that set of rules, knowing your truename can give a spellcaster an advantage over you. In general, knowing a target's truename imposes a -1 penalty to the target's saving throws. Knowing the target's truename can also have additional effects for certain spells, however, and there are even certain spells that only function if you know the target's truename. The catch in this system is that the spells that require the target's truename include <em><strong>raise the dead</strong></em> and similar spells. So it's a balance between making sure your allies can raise you and making yourself vulnerable to enemies. </p><p></p><p>Of course, if you're adding truenames to an existing game, or want there to be an option to ignore them, then requiring someone's truename for <em>raise dead</em> is probably not a good idea. You can still have certain spells with that require the subjects truename, though. Maybe only very obscure spells need a truename, but those spells are <strong>really</strong> nasty. Another idea I thought was interesting in that system is the Learn Secret spells, which apply the theory of truenames to objects, giving a bonus to attempts to use or affect an object (swing a weapon, pick a lock, etc.).</p><p></p><p>On the other hand, as people have been discussing, perhaps knowing someone's truename simply makes them vulnerable to your spells. The target takes a penalty on saves, or the caster can bypass spell resistance. An interesting possibility might be if knowing a spellcaster's truename mean that you automatically succeed on any attempt to counter or dispel their spells.</p><p></p><p>I do think the tricky part is how powerful you make truenames. You want them to be powerful enough to be important, but don't want truenames circumventing planned adventures. If knowing your enemy's truename means an automatic win against them, then finding that truename is going to be the real adventure.</p><p></p><p>...and I evidently have more thoughts on this subject than I realized. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Owldragon, post: 5886880, member: 11733"] Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed (and the revision, Arcana Evolved) includes truenames. There's an old post describing it [URL="http://www.montecook.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?mc_diary13"]here[/URL]. In that set of rules, knowing your truename can give a spellcaster an advantage over you. In general, knowing a target's truename imposes a -1 penalty to the target's saving throws. Knowing the target's truename can also have additional effects for certain spells, however, and there are even certain spells that only function if you know the target's truename. The catch in this system is that the spells that require the target's truename include [I][B]raise the dead[/B][/I] and similar spells. So it's a balance between making sure your allies can raise you and making yourself vulnerable to enemies. Of course, if you're adding truenames to an existing game, or want there to be an option to ignore them, then requiring someone's truename for [I]raise dead[/I] is probably not a good idea. You can still have certain spells with that require the subjects truename, though. Maybe only very obscure spells need a truename, but those spells are [B]really[/B] nasty. Another idea I thought was interesting in that system is the Learn Secret spells, which apply the theory of truenames to objects, giving a bonus to attempts to use or affect an object (swing a weapon, pick a lock, etc.). On the other hand, as people have been discussing, perhaps knowing someone's truename simply makes them vulnerable to your spells. The target takes a penalty on saves, or the caster can bypass spell resistance. An interesting possibility might be if knowing a spellcaster's truename mean that you automatically succeed on any attempt to counter or dispel their spells. I do think the tricky part is how powerful you make truenames. You want them to be powerful enough to be important, but don't want truenames circumventing planned adventures. If knowing your enemy's truename means an automatic win against them, then finding that truename is going to be the real adventure. ...and I evidently have more thoughts on this subject than I realized. :) [/QUOTE]
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