Editing Wordmaster (3.5e Class)

{{author
|author_name=Foxwarrior
|date_created=2008-09-29
|adopter=
|date_adopted= 
|status=Playable
|editing=If it makes it better (closer to Rogue balance point)
|balance=Rogue
|favor=2
|raters=TK-Squared
}}
<div class="blank">
{{#set:Summary=This caster strings words together to create strange spells.
|Length=20
|Minimum Level=1
|Base Attack Bonus Progression=Poor
|Fortitude Save Progression=Poor
|Reflex Save Progression=Poor
|Will Save Progression=Good
|Class Ability=Spontaneous Spellcasting
|Class Ability=Alternate Magic
|Class Ability Progression=Full
}}
{{#set:Allowed Alignments=Lawful Good}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Lawful Neutral}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Lawful Evil}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Neutral Good}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Neutral}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Neutral Evil}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Chaotic Good}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Chaotic Neutral}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Chaotic Evil}}
</div>

==Wordmaster==

{{quote|Gilt Charg Wyd Bang Deth Deth Deth Deth Deth Deth Deth Deth! All shall fear my wrath when the world is controlled by my skeletal army! Muahahahahaha! |orig=Seliuh Monkoth, Half-Elf Wordmaster}}

{{quote|Heh. Only an idiot would combine Charg with Bang. |orig=Drozus Vlap, Halfling Fighter}}

The Wordmaster is a dangerous foe, striking fear into the hearts of many and confusing all who oppose them. The Wordmaster is the spontaneous casting equivalent of the [[Word_Wizard_(3.5e_Class)|Word Wizard]].

===Making a Wordmaster===

The Wordmaster benefits from their unusual ability to create new spells on the fly. However, the rules for how their spells are created is fairly restrictive, meaning that there are many strange things that Wizards and Clerics can do that Wordmasters cannot.

'''Abilities:''' Wordmasters use Charisma to boost the power of their spells and Intelligence to learn more words.

'''Races:''' Any mentally focused race is sure to have members that would enjoy being Wordmasters, especially those that enjoy linguistics.

'''Alignment:''' Any.

'''Starting Gold:''' 6d8.

'''[[SRD:Race Descriptions#Starting Age|Starting Age]]:''' Complex.

{| class="zebra d20"
|+
<div>{{Anchor|Table: The Wordmaster}}</div>
Hit Die: d4
|-
! rowspan="2" | Level
! rowspan="2" | [[BAB|Base<br/>Attack Bonus]]
! colspan="3" | [[SRD:Saving Throw|Saving Throw]]s
! rowspan="2" | Special
! rowspan="2" | [[#Words|Words per Day]]
|-
! [[SRD:Saving Throw#Fortitude|Fort]] || [[SRD:Saving Throw#Reflex|Ref]] || [[SRD:Saving Throw#Will|Will]]
|- 
|1st|| class="left" | +0 || +0 || +0 || +2
| class="left" | || 5 words
|- 
|2nd|| class="left" | +1 || +0 || +0 || +3
| class="left" | [[#Countering Words|Countering Words]] || 11 words
|- 
|3rd|| class="left" | +1 || +1 || +1 || +3
| class="left" | || 18 words
|- 
|4th||class="left" | +2 || +1 || +1 || +4
| class="left" | || 26 words
|- 
|5th||class="left" | +2 || +1 || +1 || +4
| class="left" | || 35 words
|- 
|6th||class="left" | +3 || +2 || +2 || +5
| class="left" | [[#Nonrepetitive Prefixes|Nonrepetitive Prefixes]]|| 45 words
|- 
|7th||class="left" | +3 || +2 || +2 || +5
| class="left" | || 56 words
|- 
|8th||class="left" | +4 || +2 || +2 || +6
| class="left" | || 68 words
|- 
|9th||class="left" | +4 || +3 || +3 || +6
| class="left" |  || 81 words
|- 
|10th||class="left" | +5 || +3 || +3 || +7
| class="left" | [[#Enhancing Adjectives|Enhancing Adjectives]] || 95 words
|- 
|11th||class="left" | +5 || +3 || +3 || +7
| class="left" | || 110 words
|- 
|12th||class="left" | +6/+1 || +4 || +4 || +8
| class="left" |  || 126 words
|- 
|13th||class="left" | +6/+1 || +4 || +4 || +8
| class="left" | || 143 words
|- 
|14th||class="left" | +7/+2 || +4 || +4 || +9
| class="left" | [[#Accelerating Pronouns|Accelerating Pronouns]] || 161 words
|- 
|15th||class="left" | +7/+2 || +5 || +5 || +9
| class="left" |  || 180 words
|- 
|16th||class="left" | +8/+3 || +5 || +5 || +10
| class="left" |  || 200 words
|- 
|17th||class="left" | +8/+3 || +5 || +5 || +10
| class="left" | || 221 words
|- 
|18th||class="left" | +9/+4 || +6 || +6 || +11
| class="left" | [[#Hastening Acronyms|Hastening Acronyms]] || 243 words
|- 
|19th||class="left" | +9/+4 || +6 || +6 || +11
| class="left" | || 266 words
|- 
|20th||class="left" | +10/+5 || +6 || +6 || +12
| class="left" | || 290 words
|-
| colspan="42" class="skill" |
'''Class Skills (4 + [[SRD:Intelligence|Int]] modifier per level, &times;4 at 1st level)'''<br/>
Concentration (Con), Craft (Any word-related) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Int), Listen (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int).
|}
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Concentration Skill|Concentration}} ([[SRD:Constitution|Con]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Craft Skill|Craft (Any word-related}} ([[SRD:Intelligence|Int]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Decipher Script Skill|Decipher Script}} ([[SRD:Intelligence|Int]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Diplomacy Skill|Diplomacy}} ([[SRD:Charisma|Cha]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Forgery Skill|Forgery}} ([[SRD:Intelligence|Int]]), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Listen Skill|Listen}} ([[SRD:Wisdom|Wis]])
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Speak Language Skill|Speak Language}} (None), 
{{Property Link|Skill|SRD:Spellcraft Skill|Spellcraft}} ([[SRD:Intelligence|Int]]), 
|}

====Class Features====

All of the following are class features of the Wordmaster.

'''Weapon and Armor Proficiency:''' Wordmasters are not proficient with any weapons. They are also not proficient with any armor and suffer from arcane spell failure penalties while wearing it.

'''{{Anchor|Spells}}:''' The Wordmaster uses [[Wordcasting (3.5e Variant Rule)|wordcasting]] to cast spells.

When the Wordmaster levels up, they learn one new word at random. If their intelligence is at least 11, they roll for two random words and pick one. If it is at least 15, they can choose whether the word will be a Modifier Word, a Spell Shape Word, or an Effect Word. If it is at least 19, they can choose the word.

A first-level Wordmaster knows one Modifier Word of their choice, one Spell Shape Word of their choice, and two Effect words of their choice, plus a number of bonus Effect words equal to their Intelligence modifier. These bonus words are randomized as though they had acquired them on a level up.

All words the Wordmaster knows are drawn from the [[Wordcasting (3.5e Variant Rule)#Wordcasting_Lists|wordcasting page]], and cannot be words that are specifically restricted to other classes.

The save DC of a Wordmaster spell is equal to 10 + one third the spell's word count + the Wordmaster's Charisma modifier.

'''{{Anchor|Countering Words}}:''' Whenever a Wordmaster correctly identifies a spell with a verbal component, they may expend any number of words greater than four. The character casting the spell must then pass a Concentration check with a DC equal to half the number of words expended plus the Wordmaster's Intelligence modifier or the spell is countered.

'''{{Anchor|Nonrepetitive Prefixes}}:''' The Wordmaster may reduce the casting time of his spells by condensing long chains of the same spell word into a prefix and a spell word. The time it takes to cast the spell is reduced by one fewer than the number of words removed in this way, but all other attributes of the spell are left unchanged. ''For example, without using Nonrepetitive Prefixes, the spell "Bang Pyr Pyr Pyr Pyr Pyr" would normally take a standard action to cast. With Nonrepetitive Prefixes, it could be spoken as "Bang Pentapyr", meaning it would take a swift action to cast.''

'''{{Anchor|Enhancing Adjectives}}:''' The Wordmaster may Craft Wondrous Items, Forge Rings, Brew Potions, and Craft Magic Arms and Armor as though they knew all the necessary spells. However, they must pay 1/15th of the item's cost in XP instead of 1/25th. They must still possess the prerequisite feats.

'''{{Anchor|Accelerating Pronouns}}:''' The Wordmaster's spells are cast twice as quickly. As such, they take twice as many words to cross each time interval threshold.

'''{{Anchor|Hastening Acronyms}}:''' The Wordmaster chooses one spell (combination of spell words) to make into an acronym. They may cast that spell as an Immediate Action if it is fewer than ten words long, a Swift Action if it is fewer than fifteen words long, or a Standard Action otherwise.

====Epic Wordmaster====

{| class="zebra d20"
|+ class="epic" |
<div>{{Anchor|Table: The Epic Wordmaster}}</div>
Hit Die: d4
|-
! Level !! Special
|- 
| 21st || class="left" | 
|- 
| 22nd || class="left" | [[#Hastening Acronyms|Hastening Acronyms]]
|- 
| 23rd || class="left" | 
|- 
| 24th || class="left" | [[#Hastening Acronyms|Hastening Acronyms]]
|- 
| 25th || class="left" | 
|- 
| 26th || class="left" | [[#Hastening Acronyms|Hastening Acronyms]]
|- 
| 27th || class="left" | 
|- 
| 28th || class="left" | [[#Hastening Acronyms|Hastening Acronyms]]
|- 
| 29th || class="left" | 
|- 
| 30th || class="left" | [[#Hastening Acronyms|Hastening Acronyms]]
|-
| colspan="42" class="skill" |
4 + [[SRD:Intelligence|Int]] modifier skill points per level.
|}

'''Spellcasting:''' The Wordmaster continues learning words as normal (If there are any left)

===Campaign Information===

====Playing a Wordmaster====

'''Combat:''' Wordmasters generally fill the same roles as Sorcerers or Clerics, although they do it less reliably and in a more adaptable fashion.

'''Advancement:''' Wordmasters would do well to consider gaining levels in [[Inanomancer_(3.5e_Prestige_Class)|Inanomancer]], [[Scriptwriter_(3.5e_Prestige_Class)|Scriptwriter]], [[Literate_Mage_(3.5e_Prestige_Class)|Literate Mage]], [[Word_of_Life_(3.5e_Prestige_Class)|Word of Life]], [[Word_of_Undeath_(3.5e_Prestige_Class)|Word of Undeath]], [[Word of Lies (3.5e Prestige Class)|Word of Lies]], or [[Wordsman_(3.5e_Prestige_Class)|Wordsman]], since all of these are prestige classes designed for Wordmasters.

====Wordmasters in the World====

{{quote|Ahh, words. Such power they have, yet so overlooked. |orig=Seliuh Monkoth, Half-Elf Wordmaster}}

'''Daily Life:''' Seliuh Monkoth, on a good day, wakes up, goes to the library and reads a large book, and then wanders over to some helpless bastion of good and slaughters all living beings within it in a blast of incredible death.

'''Notables:''' Seliuh Monkoth is the most notable Wordmaster, but Rejebus Vaweeler, renowned historian, scholar, and slayer of small armies is another one.

'''Organizations:''' Bookish Wordmasters often run into each other in libraries and bookstores. The more violent kind, however, is generally more likely to be found wandering between public speeches.

'''NPC Reactions:''' NPCs tend not to approve of Wordmasters. Sure, they are mere students of grammar and proper sentence structure. On the other hand, they have a tendency to annihilate small cities.

====Wordmaster Lore====

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

{| class="zebra d20"
|+ Knowledge(Local)
! DC || class="left" | Result
|- 
| 5 || class="left" | Wordmasters can create their own blend of magic. You can expect them to cast a slightly different spell every time.
|- 
| 10 || class="left" | Wordmasters are limited to a certain number of words per day before they must rest.
|- 
| 15 || class="left" | Wordmasters are skilled at countering spells, and may later become adept at crafting magic items.
|- 
| 20 || class="left" | Incredibly powerful Wordmasters can make acronyms of their spells in order to cast them far more efficiently, but they cannot change the spell if it is an acronym.
|}


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{{3.5e Base Classes Breadcrumb}}
[[Category:3.5e]]
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[[Category:Base Class]]
[[Category:Wordcasting]]