Are high level truenamers viable?

[Graf]

The idea for the class is awsome, to have that idea executed by implementing a skill based system is not.

There are skill based systems that would work fine (see: artificer).
The emplementation -is- extremely poor for truenamer. But its not like making it a level check would suddenly be brilliant.

The powers, and their reversals, aren't flavorful or particularly useful, too few in number and don't give (most people including me) any sort of interesting story vibe.

Having said that the designers posted her when ToM came out that you were supposed to get a +skills truenaming item from your character level per gold the same way a 20th level fighter is going to have a magic sword.
Which makes perfect sense but doesn't fix the larger problems with the class.

 

[BryonD]

The truenamer is fine. It presumes you will use the items in the DMG and the Tome of Magic, and that you will pursue a high Truespeak check as a priority.

To me the problem here is not so much that is demands max/mining (though that is still a problem)

The problem is that it demands all truenamers do the same expected course of max/mining.

 

[victorysaber]

What's the highest possible modifer at 20th level for Truespeak?

 

[Kurotowa]

What's the highest possible modifer at 20th level for Truespeak?

It depends on how hard you try. Start with Int 21 and a Headband of Int +6 and 23 skill ranks and Skill Focus and an Amulet of Truespeak +10. Let's say that's a good baseline, for the obvious stuff that every Truenamer should have. That's 5+3+23+3+10 = +44.

If you can score a Tome of Clear Thought, that's +1 to +3. If you're in a high attribute game or play a race with an Int bonus, add another +1. Then we start scounging for the less common bonus types. As suggested, a Stone of Good Luck will get you a +1 Luck bonus. To get a competence bonus you can try to talk your DM into an Int version of a Circlet of Persuasion, or take one level of the Exemplar PrC (+4 competence bonus and Skill Mastery in Truespeak might be worth the level dip). Beyond that I can't think of much. So most likely it'll be between +45 to +50, if you devote every resource to it.

 

[Cadfan]

To me the problem here is not so much that is demands max/mining (though that is still a problem)

The problem is that it demands all truenamers do the same expected course of max/mining.

I don't really consider it min maxing. Like I said, in order to succeed on a spell with a saving throw, a wizard or other spellcaster actually requires all the same equipment, except no amulet. The addition of one amulet doesn't, at least to me, change things into min maxing.

As for whether everyone has to optimize in the same way... well, yes, they do. And technically, a wizard could dodge that. For example, a wizard who only focuses on summoning spells and rays could get away with a low intelligence because saving throws wouldn't be important for him. A truenamer doesn't have this option. But, the fact that there aren't quite as many paths to take with a Truenamer as with a Wizard doesn't bother me much because wizards, as core classes supported in every supplement out there, ought to be expected to be more diverse.

As for whether the abilities are flavorful or interesting enough... that's a pretty personal call. I found some of them really fun. I particularly like the Inertia Surge utterance, because its so simple and fun to use. I did think that some of the buffing utterances should be improved though.

The reason is, a spell that attacks and has a saving throw has a failure chance if the target makes its save. An attack utterance usually has no saving throw, but it has a failure chance if you fail the Truespeak check. That about evens out, so the power level of an attack utterance should be basically the same as for a spell, adjusted down slightly to account for the many, many uses you can get per day. In contrast, buffing spells have no failure rate. They always work. But buffing utterances sometimes fail. It seemed to me that these utterances should be stronger to accomodate that. And as for the in combat ones, the many uses per day really doesn't matter much, because the durations are so low you'll be reusing just to keep up with spell durations.

Of course, the truenamer does get a few impressive advantages. Think about how much hp they can heal in a day with Extend Utterance and a few healing utterances. They can afford to retry over and over if they're out of combat...