Epic Bard - Truespeaker

Bards have proven without a doubt that words have an inherent magical power to them. Those who ponder the nature of this arrangement have concluded that not only can the spoken word influence magic, but there is a language of primordial and fundamental origin that is potent beyond imagining. This language permits the oration of truenames, which confers absolutely mastery over that which is named. It is the truespeaker, greatest among the bards, that can speak truenames and so master the universe itself.

PREREQUISITES

Truespeakers can change the very fabric of reality with a spoken word. To advance as a truespeaker, a bard requires exceptional amounts of practice and experience in speaking magical tongues and words to even begin to understand the complexities of the mysterious language known as truespeech. Becoming a truespeaker means learning to speak to the universe in its own tongue and command it as one would a subordinate.

To advance as a truespeaker, you must meet the following prerequisites (in addition to the multiclassing requirements for your existing class):

  • Bard Level 20 – Bards of great magic and skill have the necessary ability to become truespeakers. Anything less is inadequate.
  • Slay an Epic Foe – At the DM’s discretion, you may be required to defeat a mighty opponent of tremendous power. This enemy must be the greatest threat you have ever faced and represent a tremendous achievement in your adventuring career. DMs are encouraged to make this foe a creature of great power that pushes your character to its limits. The creature need not be defeated single-handedly but should always be of considerable challenge.
  • Epic Trial: Grand Recitation – Before you can command reality itself with truespeech, you must first discover your own truename. A truename is a vast cosmological puzzle that is extraordinarily difficult to solve for one who is not a master of truespeech. Finding your truename is unearthing the fundamental truth about yourself, the nature of your existence, and your role in the universe. To accomplish this task, you must journey across the multiverse, combing through forgotten libraries, unearthing hidden knowledge, and experiencing all life has to offer. As you learn more about truespeech and yourself, the syllables of your truename become evident to you. After a year and a day of tireless research you are able to flawlessly pronounce your truename and are recognized as a worthy wielder of this primordial language.

CLASS FEATURES


Level Prestige Class Features Proficiency Bonus Masterpieces Known
21st Ability Score Improvement, Epic Feat, Truespeaking, Truespell Recitation +6 0
22nd Truesong Lexicon +6 2
23rd Ability Score Improvement +7 2
24th Inspired Truespeech +7 3
25th Ability Score Improvement, Epic Feat +7 3
26th Epic Bard College +7 4
27th Ability Score Improvement +8 4
28th Truespeech Maestro +8 5
29th Ability Score Improvement, Epic Feat +8 5
30th Eloquent Truespeaker +8 6



As a truespeaker, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per truespeaker level
Hit Points per Level: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per truespeaker level

Proficiencies

Saving Throws: You gain proficiency in a single saving throw of your choice.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 21st level, and again at 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. You can’t increase an ability score above 30 using this feature.

Epic Feat

When you reach 21st level, and again at 25th and 29th level, you may select one Epic feat from the Epic feat list detailed in chapter 3. You may forgo taking an Epic feat to instead increase an ability score of your choice by 4, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 2. You cannot increase an ability score above 30 using this feature.


Truespeaking

At 21st level, you begin your advanced studies of truespeech, allowing you to augment a variety of abilities with its power. You are proficient in a unique Charisma-based ability called Truespeech.

Many of your bard and truespeaker class features will allow you to make Charisma (Truespeech) ability checks as a part of using those features. While truespeech is extraordinarily powerful, it cannot be used without consequence. Using truespeech conflicts with the natural order of the multiverse, which continually attempts to reassert itself. This manifests as a negative force that builds inside you called “entropy.” Your pool of entropy starts at 0 and resets each time you finish a long rest. Unless otherwise stated, each time you use a feature that requires truespeech you must attempt a Charisma (Truespeech) ability check and generate entropy, which you add to your entropy pool. The DC of your Charisma (Truespeech) ability checks is calculated as follows.

  • Truespeech ability check DC = 10 + your entropy pool count
  • Truespeech ability check = 1d20 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

The specific effects of a successful or failed Charisma (Truespeech) ability check are detailed in each feature’s description.
Effects produced by truespeech are dictations about the nature of the universe and have the following properties in addition to their listed properties.

  • Spells and magical effects augmented or produced by truespeech are considered Epic magic for the purposes of countering or dispelling their effects.
  • Attempts to magically prevent truespeech from being spoken automatically fail (such as from a silence spell).


Truespell Recitation

Beginning at 21st level, when you cast a spell of 8th level or lower with a verbal component, you can attempt a Charisma (Truespeech) ability check as a part of speaking that spell’s verbal component. On a success, you do not expend a spell slot to cast that spell but increase your entropy pool by half the spell’s level, rounded down (minimum of 1).


Truesong Lexicon

At 22nd level, your mastery over truespeech has progressed to the point that you can sing the words of power. The harmonies, melodies, and themes of these “masterpieces” unleash incredible magic through truespeech. You may select two masterpieces from the Truespeech Masterpieces list to have memorized, and you learn additional masterpieces as you advance as a truespeaker according to the class progression table.

Performing a masterpiece is similar to casting a spell. Each has a casting time, range, duration, and listed effects detailed in its description. Each masterpiece generates an amount of entropy when performed, also detailed in its description. This amount is immediately added to your entropy pool if the performance of the masterpiece is successful. You must be physically able to attempt a Charisma (Truespeech) ability check as a part of performing a masterpiece, or the effect fails.

When performing a masterpiece, you must attempt a Charisma (Truespeech) ability check. Normally, a masterpiece increases your entropy after it is performed. However, when performing a masterpiece you may choose to flourish it (as detailed in its description) for an improved effect on that masterpiece. Doing so increases your entropy and your ability check DC by the amount detailed on the masterpiece before you make the Charisma (Truespeech) ability check to cast it, rather than after.

If you fail your Charisma (Truespeech) ability check when attempting to perform a masterpiece, the partial effect occurs as you fumble the intricate melodies and forms. This failed performance alters the effects of the masterpiece and reduces its power for the duration. A masterpiece that is only partially performed in this manner does not increase your entropy.

Performed masterpieces have the following properties in addition to those detailed in their descriptions.

  • Masterpiece save DCs use your spell save DC when applicable.
  • You cannot flourish a masterpiece more than once per performance.
  • Masterpieces are Epic magical effects.
  • If a masterpiece has a duration longer than instantaneous, you must be able to vocalize for the entire duration to maintain its effects. If you become physically unable to speak over the duration of the masterpiece, the effect ends immediately. You can choose to end a masterpiece early by ending your vocalization at no action cost. You cannot perform another masterpiece or cast spells that require a verbal component while vocalizing on a masterpiece.


Inspired Truespeech

At 24th level, your words of inspiration become augmented with truespeech to influence your allies and foil your enemies. When one of your Bardic Inspiration dice is rolled, it may instead be rolled twice and you choose which result to use.


Epic Bard College

At 26th level, you distinguish yourself as a champion of everything your bard college stands for. The pinnacle of your achievement is the composition of a masterpiece that only truespeakers from that organization can perform, as well as powerful new techniques of truespeech to augment your abilities. You gain the following features according to the bard college you selected when you were advancing as a bard.


College of Cuisine1

You have mastered the art of fine dining, seamlessly weaving magic into the food you prepare. When you create a morsel of food using your Magical Meals feature, you can grant the food two different benefits from the Magical Meals table to take effect when the food is consumed.

Additionally, you learn the masterpiece ballad of baroque banquets, which does not count against the number of masterpieces you can have memorized.


College of Entropy2

Your dirge of entropy can be woven into your masterpieces and spells so that you may better bring the world to ruin. While you are concentrating on your Dirge of Entropy subclass feature, you are no longer prevented from communicating verbally or producing effects with verbal components.

Additionally, you learn the masterpiece grand finale, which does not count against the number of masterpieces you can have memorized.


College of Glamour3

having learned the truename of beauty. When a creature that can see you starts its turn and you are not incapacitated, that creature has Epic disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against you.

Unless surprised, a hostile creature can avert its eyes to avoid this effect until the start of its next turn. If the creature does so, it is considered blinded against you. If the creature looks at you in the meantime, it immediately suffers the effect.

Additionally, you learn the masterpiece sonnet of riotous illumination which does not count against the number of masterpieces you can have memorized.


College of Lore

You are beyond proficient at a variety of skills, able to dictate results through the power of truespeech. When you attempt an ability check in which you are proficient, you may instead attempt a Charisma (Truespeech) ability check. Regardless of the outcome of the ability check, your entropy pool increases by 1.

Additionally, you learn the masterpiece aria of arcane power, which does not count against the number of masterpieces you can have memorized.


College of Swords4

In the hands of simpler beings, a blade is merely an instrument of death. Having learned the truename for blade, you can deliver death as you dance about the battlefield. When you make a successful weapon attack against an enemy creature and exceed the target’s AC by 5 or more, you immediately gain a Bardic Inspiration die, up to your maximum.

Additionally, you learn the masterpiece Iamir’s waltz of one thousand cuts, which does not count against the number of masterpieces you can have memorized.


College of Valor

You are a legendary herald of battle. Having learned the truename of valor, your soul-stirring roars of victory can turn the tide of any conflict. When a creature who has one of your unexpended Bardic Inspiration dice takes the Attack action, it may make an additional attack as a part of that action.

Additionally, you learn the masterpiece cry of war unending, which does not count against the number of masterpieces you can have memorized.


College of Whispers5

You are an unparalleled expert in subterfuge and intrigue. Having learned the truename for secrets, you gain the ability to obscure your spellcasting through clever deception. When you cast a spell, you may attempt a Charisma (Deception) ability check as a part of casting that spell. Creatures observing you can attempt a Wisdom (Perception) ability check as a reaction to see through your deception with a DC equal to the result of your Charisma (Deception) check. To creatures that do not see through your deception, you make it appear as though you are taking a different action than casting a spell, or acting in a manner that arouses suspicion. Creatures witnessing the spell’s effect are unable to determine the source of the magic, potentially preventing them from becoming hostile in response to being affected by the spell.

Additionally, you learn the masterpiece whispers of oblivion, which does not count against the number of masterpieces you can have memorized.


Truespeech Maestro

At 28th level, your ability to use truespeech becomes almost effortless. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any Charisma (Truespeech) ability check you make.

Additionally, you are able to vocalize up to two masterpieces at the same time and may cast spells with verbal components while vocalizing a single masterpiece.


Eloquent Truespeaker

At 30th level, you are extraordinarily fluent in the language of truespeech, allowing you to command the universe itself with the spoken word. When you fail a Charisma (Truespeech) ability check when performing a masterpiece and get the partial effect, you instead get its normal effect.


TRUESPEECH MASTERPIECES

Masterpieces are the perfect synergy of magic and music. Their sounds are relentlessly artistic, resonating with beauty and power.



Ref: ELCR p20-26, ELCC p145 and p179

Footnotes