My take on skill-based magic - Truespeech

[WhatGravitas]

I've read alot about the Truenamer from ToM (I don't own it right know), and many seem to be... a bit disappointed, especially with the mechanic. I've taken the flavour and mechanic as an inspiration (as well as many other fantasy literature), and decided to build a kind of "fixed" truenamer, at least, I've done a first draft.

Now, I'd like to hear some criticism concerning the general concept (and I'd appreciate suggestions, help, ideas even more)

Note: Cross-posted this on the WotC boards.

[sblock=Basic Mechanic]
New Skill
Truespeech
Intelligence, Trained Only
The character can speak utterances in the true language, affecting the universe itself. The skill determines the character’s proficiency (and hence mastery) of the true language.
Speaking an Utterance: Whenever the character wants to use an utterance, he must make a Skill check (DC 13 + 2x Utterance Level + Target’s HD + 1/Utterance used today). An utterance is a Standard action. All utterances have a Close range (25 feet + 5 feet/2 Truespeech ranks). Objects are considered to have a virtual HD depending on their size: Small or smaller: 1 HD, Medium 2 HD, Large 4 HD, Huge 8 HD, Gargantuan 16 HD, Colossal 32 HD.
Countering an Utterance: The character tries to speak an exact reversal of an Utterance spoken within 50 feet. The character must be able to hear the utterance. He makes a Truespeech check against the speaker’s Truespeech check. If he is successful, the Utterance is countered. Countering an Utterance is an Immediate action, that can be used once per turn.
Emulating a language: Since the true language is the universal language, the character can use it to converse with any intelligent creature. Doing so requires a Skill check (DC 10 + Number of words spoken).
Maximal Utterance Level known: The maximum level of an Utterance depends on the Truespeech skill and is equal to 1/3 of the Truespeech ranks.

New Feat
Discern Truename [Truespeech]
You can discern a person’s truename through an intuitive sense of reality.
Prerequisite: 4 ranks in Truespeech, Wisdom 13+
Benefit: Once per day, you can make a Truespeech check (DC 20 + Target’s HD) against a target within 10 feet. If the check is successful, you learn the target’s true name. If the target is unwilling to discern his or her truename, you must also make a Truespeech check against the target's Will save.

Learn Utterance [Truespeech]
You have mastered an Utterance of the true language.
Prerequisites: 2 ranks in Truespeech, Intelligence 11+
Benefit: You learn an Utterance of a level equal to 1/3 of your Truespeech ranks or less.
Special: You can take this feat any number of time. Whenever you take it, select a new Utterance you learn.
[/sblock]

[sblock=The Schools of Magic and the Utterances (incomplete)]
There are eight schools of Utterances, based upon the eight universal words (and the reversion):
The School of Abjuration: Abjure/Empower
The School of Change: Change/Stabilize
The School of Creation: Make/Unmake
The School of Divining: Perceive/Ignore
The School of Healing: Life/Death
The School of Illusion: Believe/Disbelief
The School of Movement: Move/Stop
The School of Summoning: Call/Forbid

Name
School
Level:
Saving Throw:
Duration:
Target:

Reversed:

Level 0 Utterances

Field of Unraveling
Abjuration
Level: 0
Saving Throw: None
Duration: 5 rounds
Area: 10 feet radius (2 HD)
All Truespeech checks within the Field of Unraveling get a -1 enhancement penalty.
Reversed: All Truespeech checks within the Field get a +1 enhancement bonus.

Words of Mending
Change
Level: 0
Saving Throw: None
Duration: 5 minutes
Target: One damaged object
The affected object gain 5 temporary hit points, they cannot exceed the maximum hit points of the object.
Reversed: Targeted object takes on its natural shape, breaking all magical effects, that affect its shape.

Incarnate Words
Creation
Level: 0
Saving Throw: None
Duration: 5 minutes
Effect: One object
You create one pound of stone, wood, or leather. It can be as intricate as you want, but must not be worth more than 5 gp.
Reversed: You deal 1d4 damage to targeted unattended object.
[/sblock]

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Very interesting...

I have a HRd language system for Eberron that cascades down to an 'Arcane Tongue'.. something I had yet to figure the crunch for. This stuff looks like a step in the right direction for me.

Here are my thoughts, but first a couple points about the campaign I would use this in. As Eberron, the highest level character is 14th, which limits the power of this ability. Also, I use the Element of Magic {EoM} point based system.

In my language system, you either have to learn one of the descendant languages very well in order to have access to the arcane tongue. Directly learning the skill is virtually impossible unless you convince one of the dragons to teach you...which is still up there on the verge of virtual impossiblity. 'Arcane Tongue' is always a cross-class skill, altho if the descendant language may make learning it a bit faster {Draconic is a Related language, granting virtual skill ranks at a -4, so a 6th level Draconic speaker could have 5 virtual ranks in Arcane *}

Utterances should be powerful, more so if you have to burn a feat in order to learn one. Using EoM, I would make Utterances a signature spell with an MP cost of twice the ranks of the 'Arcane Tongue'. {this makes for spells of a level about equal to the ranks in the skill}
Rather than having a limit to the number of spells, failure to form the words right would mentally fatigue you **, meaning you have a very limited number of failures possible in the day. I would have a failed check still cast the spell, just to be more cinematic about it

The casting check should not include the HD of the target. Instead have a DC of 15 + MP of the Utterance. The target would get a save vc DC 15 + MP of the Utterance + CHR Mod of the speaker.

Since this version uses 'normal' spellcasting as the base, there is no need for conflict resolution for how an Utterance is affected by the vairous counter-magic mechanics. There is also no need to figure out a list of Utterances and the caster/DM can design whatever they want from the EoM Rules.

Speaking of designing, a PC would have to have the proper spell lists in order to design an Utterance. They do not need to have the spell lists in order to learn one.

So, putting this into practice.
A 6th level Winter Mage who {somehow} acquired the training in Arcane Tongue has max ranks {6+3/2 = 4} and takes the 'Learn Utterance' feat. That makes for an 8 MP Utterance.
He decided to create a relatively spell that makes combating many creatures much easier.
A Cone of 30' cost 3 MP, leaving 5 left for damage/special effects.
Wanting more of a show stopper than pure damage dealer, he chooses to put the remaining points into the Major side effect for Evoke: Ice
The end result is an Utterance that allows a Reflex save to negate, freezes objects of Huge size or less {reducing hardenss by 10 points for the duration} and ices over creatures of Medium size or less {Held, full round action to break free with a STR check DC 20, creature may suffocate}

This is slightly more powerful than a spell he could do on his own {normal casting limits to caster level, so 6 MP in this case} and potentially more resuable.
He would have to pass a DC 23 skill check to 'cast' the Utterance, with an INT of 18 that would mean a roll of 15 or better. Failure would fatigue him. A second failure would exhaust him. A third failure would knock him out.. and with the penalties to the check, that third failure would be guarenteed since he would need a roll of 21 on the dice! {hey, thats what action points are for, right?}

Of course, learning an Utterance that is 'weaker' could be more powerful in the long run. If he instead chose to learn Force Bolt to deal 1d6 damage to a single target within 30' {affects etheral targets as well} he could cast many more of them {MP cost is only 1, meaning a skill DC of 16.. failing only a dice roll of 8 or less.}


* Having related languages do this does amp up the abilities of the older races. Dragons, Xendrik Giants, Delkyr, and Coatl all would have fairly ready access to Utterances, even if they are not spell casters. IMHO this just enhances the magic-steeped mythos of Eberron... besides, all the above are more plot devices than encounter material in a world of PC levels <= 14.
** mental Fatigue/Exhaustion are the same as normal except affect INT and CHR instead of STR and Dex. The step following mental Exhaustion is Unconsiousness.



Anyway, long post that is only tangently useful to you, unless you plan on using EoM yourself