Name Mage (3.5e Prestige Class)

Name Mage
"There's no use resisting. I know your True Name, and unless you want it being passed around like a trading card, you'll do this for me. Who knows, if you do it well, I might even change it for you."

Names are important. They represent a strength of identity, and a strange constant in the lives of most things. To a name mage, his Name and sense of identity are so strong that he can alter his own perceptions of the world and expand these alterations outward, causing true changes in the world. Of course, with great Name comes great responsibility...usually.

While name magi usually use their magic to predict the future, protect their civilization, and combat threats with their awesome magic, power will always corrupt. Some name magi fall into traps of self-deception or have a Name filled with a lust for power, and they twist their magic to evil purposes (particularly the summoning and controlling of powerful outsiders). It then falls on the other name magi to return their lost brother to the light or, failing that, destroy him and erase the stain of his Name forever.

Only the name mage can pierce the veils of the world of dreams without losing himself to sleep. There, the mage can commune with the Transcedent, powerful spirits composed of pure Name. If the name mage can truly master his magic, and survives long enough, he can even become one.

Becoming a Name Mage
Most name magi begin as sorcerers, though several start out their careers as summoners instead. All are drawn by a sense of purpose instilled into them in a dream, where they are visited by a Transcendent. Those who receive this calling can become powerful protectors and summoners, using their target's True Name to his disadvantage.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the name mage.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Name magi gain no additional proficiencies with weapons or armor.

You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spontaneous arcane spellcasting class before becoming a name mage, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

 (Su): At 1st level, the mage is no longer a mere sorcerer; he has gained the rank of Nameseeker. Once per day per name mage level, he may look into the spirit world and learn the True Name of any target he can see. The target must make a Will save (DC 10 + the mage's Charisma modifier + the mage's class level) to resist the effect. A name mage can always recognize another name mage by making a Knowledge (Arcana) check (DC 10 + the other mage's class level).



If he has a sharp instrument in hand, the mage may inflict one point of damage on himself per level of the spell he is casting to increase his effective caster level by 1 and have the spell changed as if he knew a metamagic feat. The mage does not need to make a Concentration check to avoid disrupting his own spell due to this damage. While the name magi make frequent use of this ability, it disturbs the sensibility of other spellcasters. This ability may be used only once per spell cast.


 * ''Example: Akira Yasuki, a sorcerer 3/name mage 2, uses his bleeding ability to increase the power of a spell he is casting. He takes 2 points of damage, and the spell acts as if his caster level was 1 higher than it actually is, and functions as if he had the Empower Spell metamagic ability.

He may add one hour to the casting time of any spell to enchance that spell with the dance. The results of the spell are as if the mage's caster level was increased by his Charisma modifier. This can be used in conjunction with Bleeding.

This effect lasts for up to one day per name mage level. Creatures and Objects with a False Name whose True Name would normally be revealed by the use of a spell or supernatural ability (such as Nameseeker) discern the False Name instead. This foils any attempts another name mage may use on the object or creature that requires the usage of its True Name (so it cannot be summoned by the Summon Name ability, nor can it gain the benefit of the Shared Name ability of the other name mage). Noticing that an object or creature has a False Name requires a Knowledge (Arcana) check (DC 10 + the other mage's class level + the other mage's Charisma modifier)

This ability is used primarily to deter and annoying younger, less experienced name magi. Typically, the older name mage will lay a False Name on a creature; when the younger mage learns its true name and attempts to summon it later, it fails. This is often used as a test; those name magi who can discover the False Name or do not give up hope when the object or creature does not appear are worthy. The others...not so much.

He may learn and cast spells of the cleric Knowledge Domain as sorcerer spells of the equivalent level.

He may learn and cast one cure spell from the cleric spell list as if it were a sorcerer spell of equal level. This counts against the mage's normal limit to Spells Known. This ability may be chosen multiple times; each time the name mage gains a new spell.

This weapon gains an enhancement bonus equal to one-half the mage's name mage level, but only when used by the name mage. If the weapon is destroyed, the name mage loses 200 XP. The name mage may only have one Named Weapon at a time. The name mage always knows his weapon's True Name.

Such spells immediately fade if the target creature moves for than 10 feet away from the mage.

The name mage sees their true form, superimposed over their current form.

This functions like the feat Broker of the Infernal, except that it can be used any creature or object. Objects function as monsters of a CR equal to their enhancement bonus for the purposes of summoning them.

 (Su): At 3rd level, the name mage gains the rank of Namefinder. Once per hour, the name mage may attempt to locate any one object or creature whose True Name he knows. This is effectively a locate object (for objects) or a locate creature (for creatures) spell with unlimited range, cast at the mage's caster level. Because it relies on Name, however, it cannot be blocked or fooled by any means.

 (Su): At 6th level, the name mage gains the rank of Namebinder. Oncer per day, he may attempt to possess any creature whose True Name he knows. This effect is identical to a magic jar spell cast at the mage's caster level, except the name mage needs no receptacle and the host's sould is suppressed while the mage controls its body. The shaman may also change the True Name of any willing creature or unattended object with a touch, thus protecting the creature or object from hostile Name Magic. Unlike False Name, this change is permanent.

 (Su): At 9th level, the name mage gains the rank of Nametaker. Once every 6 months he may take the name of any target whose True Name he knows. The target still exists, but no one remembers him except the caster. His family is now someone else's family. The stuff he did are remembered as if someone else had doen them. Those who were particularly close to the traget will notice discrepancies ("You say you saved my life at the Battle of the Gate? No, you must be mistaken, Dustin Chronicles did... Wait a minute, I didn't meet Dustin till three months after that battle. What's going on?")

This magic may not be undone except by a wish or ''miracle. Use of this ability costs the name mage one experience level; this can be from this prestige class or from any other class the name mage has. The process of using this ability takes 24 hours. A Will save (DC 10 + the mage's Charisma Modifier + the mage's level) resists the effect, but the effect bypasses spell resistance.

His type changes to outsider with the native subtype, and he is no longer affected by spells which specifically target humanoids. As he is still a native creature, he may not be dismissed, but he may still be banished (banished name magi always go to Limbo). When the name mage dies, he will become one of the immortal Transcendents, the guardians of Name Magic.

A Note on True Names
A target's "True Name" is its most defining name. Aliases and assumed names do not count — only how the target views himself and how others who know him view him will suffice. Inanimate objects must be reffered to by their truest name in the name mage's base language. For the purposes of Name magic, a mere name is not enough. To find something's True Name the mage must fully experience it. For living creatures (whose Names tend to fluctuate), the caster must spend at least one week observing them and make a Knowledge (Arcana) check (DC 15). For inanimate objects, the caster must touch the obect physically or make a Knowledge (Arcana) check (DC 15) while studying the object for one minute.

Additionally, each unique being (i.e. one that has class levels) has a different True Name then the name of their race. Barry the Balor, a True Fiend 15/Fiendish Brute 5 certainly has a different True Name then the other, generic Balor. While knowing a creature's True Name allows the name mage to summon a generic creature who has that name (i.e. a Balor straight out of the Monster Manual), knowing Barry the Balor's True Name allows the name mage to summon Barry instead of a generic, normal balor.

Unlike determining a generic creature's True Name as detailed above, learning a unique creature's True Name either requires a use of the Nameseeker ability, or to have been told the specific creature's True Name by someone else who knows. This is what makes name magi such potent demon summoners, since no demon wants his true name getting passed around like a cheap hooker. If a name mage discovers Barry the balor's True Name, Barry will usually do tasks for free, out of fear that the name mage will tell others his True Name.

Playing a Name Mage
Combat: The name mage fills the role of the usual sorcerer during combat, but he can augument his spellcasting with several of his name abilities. He gains a widened spell base through several of his Name Abilities, and can even summon creatures whose True Names he knows. At later levels, he can locate them and take control of their bodies, which gives them entirely new combat options (a name mage could, for instance, summon a pit fiend whose True Name it knows and then attempt to possess it). At later levels, they can be great helpers to assassins with their Nametaker ability, or inflict it as the ultimate punishment on an egotistical ruler.

Advancement: Many name magi take a level or two of summoner, and several expand their summoning expertise by taking a prestige class that focuses on calling and summoning fiends.

Resources: Name magi are often left to their own devices. As long as he uses his powers for good most of the time, the name mage will have no problem. The only time several name magi have teamed up in the past is when they have had to destroy one of their own.

Name Magi in the World
"And for your crimes against humanity, against nature itself, I inflict upon you the ultimate punishment. You shall be forgotten, your deeds attributed to someone else, your family becoming someone else's family, your lover becoming someone else's lover. For all intensive purposes, you shall not exist. Perhaps you can use this oppurtunity to atone for your sins."

Name magi are normal spontaneous spellcasters who answer a calling. All begin wanting to use their power for good; even the evil name magi think that their foul acts are serving the world in some way. They act as silent judges and juries of the world; when someone grossly perverts the natural order or is an egotistical tyrant, they will often intervene and use their awesome powers to erase the person's identity, leaving them alone to contemplate their fate and start fresh.

NPC Reactions: Name magi often appear to be normal sorcerers, until they perform any of their Name abilities. Outsiders fear and hate the name mage, as a wily mage could easily force a fiend into service using his True Name as a bargaining chip. If the name mage uses the Bleeding ability, they are often looked on with disgust, almost as if they are unclean in some way.

Name Mage Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can research name magi to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Name Magi in the Game
Name magi can easily help out the PCs in some quest against an evil name mage. Evil name mages are particularly skilled demon summoners, masters of haggling with the demon for services, using their True Name or the ability to change their True Name as the ultimate bargaining chip.

Adaptation: Name magi can fit in pretty much anywhere where there is some sort of spontaneous arcane spellcasting class.

Sample Encounter: I haven't made one yet.

EL --: Not finished or done, and probably will never be.