Arcane Tradition
At 2nd level, a wizard gains the Arcane Tradition feature. Here is another option for that feature: the tradition of Onomancy.
Onomancy
Although every wizard knows that holding an immortal's true name can allow you to summon it, some few have learned that demons and devils are not the only creatures whose names can be used against them. Wizards who practice the tradition of Onomancy use their magic to manipulate the words that encompass existence. Onomancers expand their study into language itself, searching for threads of magical significance that weave through the origins of a name. Something that is named stands out in the multiverse, distinct from the tapestry of creation all around it.
That distinction creates power that onomancers seek to tap. By speaking a target's true name, the wizard's spells slip between the cracks of the target's defenses, conforming to its essential nature through the power of its name. To protect themselves, creatures who learn of this tradition often hide their true names, typically by adopting monikers and pseudonyms.
Autonymic Dominion
2nd-level Onomancy feature
You know your own true name, and can take steps to conceal it or to use it in conjunction with your own magic. Whenever you are required to make a saving throw against a magical spell or effect, you can use your reaction to gain advantage against the triggering effect. Whenever you cause another creature to make a saving throw against one of your spells, you can use your reaction to cause the creature to make the saving throw at disadvantage. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest.
Bonus Proficiencies
2nd-level Onomancy feature
You learn one language of your choice, and gain proficiency with calligrapher's tools.
Component Naming
2nd-level Onomancy feature
When you cast a spell with a Verbal component which affects a creature whose true name you know, you can cast the spell without its verbal component.
True Names
For most self-aware creatures, a true name is the name by which the creature identifies itself. This name might be the name a person was given at birth, or one a person chose or earned later in life. Whatever the name's origin, the simplest way for you to know your true name is to think truthfully about yourself, and then think, "My name is..." Your true name is how you finish that sentence.
You can try to hide your true name by using a pseudonym, but you must be wary not to inhabit that false name too deeply. If a false name comes to be the best expression of who you are, it becomes your true name. Changing one's true name is never a quick choice; it's something that happens over time as a name becomes the creature's truth.
As a quick guide, a creature has a true name if it understands at least one language or it has an alignment.
Extract Name
6th-level Onomancy feature
You can divine the true name of creatures through your interaction with them. As a bonus action, you target one creature you can see within 10 feet of you. The target must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a successful save, you discern that this magic failed, and you can't use this feature on the target again for 24 hours. On a failed save, you mentally learn the target's name or the fact that the target lacks a name. After 24 hours, you forget a name learned in this manner.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Learning a Creature's True Name
Onomancers are not the only ones who are able to discover a creature's true name, although they do have the most blunt and direct means of doing so. In addition to using Extract Name, a character can learn another creature's true name by numerous other methods. True Names cannot be learned in simple conversation, but any number of enchantments or divinations can be used to learn a creature's true name, whether by compelling the creature to tell you, reading its name from the depths of its mind, or seeking their name through a divination to a higher power. Additionally, in the case of devils, demons, angels, celestials, intelligent Fey, and other such powerful, planar-aligned entities, their true name might be written down in a library, waiting to be researched. For these entities, changing their true name is nearly impossible, and a canny caster might seek them through research.
Resonant Utterance
6th-level Onomancy feature
You learn words of power called Resonants, which allow you to tailor your spells through the use of a target's true name.
Resonants Known. When you gain this feature, you learn two Resonants of your choice, which are detailed in the "Resonant Options" section. Each time you gain a level in this class, you can replace one resonant you know with a different one.
Using a Resonant. You can use one resonant when you cast a wizard spell with a spell slot and speak the true name of one creature targeted by the spell. Speaking the name is part of casting the spell.
You can use Resonants a number of times equal to half your wizard level (round down), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Resonant Options. Here are your options when choosing a Resonant:
- Absorption. When you cast a spell that deals damage to the named target, you gain 3d6 temporary hit points. The number of temporary hit points you gain increases by 1d6 when you reach 10th level (4d6) and 14th level (5d6) in this class.
- Devastation. If the spell requires the named creature to make a saving throw, that creature has disadvantage on the first save it makes against the spell.
- Dissolution. The first time the named creature takes damage from the spell, that creature takes an extra 2d8 force damage. The extra force damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 10th level (3d8) and 14th level (4d8) in this class.
- Nullification. If the named target is affected by any other spells, you know what those spells are, and you can attempt to end one of your choice by succeeding on an Intelligence check with a DC equal to 10 + the level of the chosen spell.
- Puppetry. The first time the named creature takes damage from the spell, you can knock the creature prone or move it up to 10 feet, either directly toward you or away from you.
- Sympathy. If the named creature is within range of the spell, you can target the creature with the spell even if you can't see the creature or it has total cover against the spell.
Inexorable Pronouncement
10th-level Onomancy feature
You learn two new Resonants of your choice from your Resonant Utterance feature.
Distorted Naming
14th-level Onomancy feature
You have learned how to twist a creature's true name to alter its fundamental being. As an action, you can choose one creature that can hear you. That creature must make a Charisma saving throw against your wizard spell save DC. If it succeeds, you cannot use this ability on the creature again. If it fails, the creature loses one immunity or resistance of your choice for 1 minute. Once you have successfully used this feature, you cannot use it again until you have completed a long rest.
Variants
On some worlds, True Names hold far more worth than just what an Onomancer is capable of. A true name might give one the power to compel a creature without resistance, or alter reality to suit. Those systems are beyond the designs of this document; however, in such a world, an Onomancer's ability to simply extract someone's true name can become problematic. The following variant is designed to bridge the gap, allowing players to enjoy the playstyle of Onomancy without gaining unintended power.
Variant: Extract Letter
6th-level Onomancy feature (alters Extract Name)
Rather than learning the True Name of a creature when you use your Extract Name feature, you instead extract a single letter of their true name. Every feature that requires you to know a creature's true name instead requires you to know a letter of their name. Knowing their full name may give additional benefits, at your DM's discretion.
Why fix an abandoned concept?
On May 12th, 2020, Wizards of the Coast officially announced that they were abandoning the Onomancy tradition that they had released in the 2019 Cleric, Druid, and Wizard Unearthed Arcana article. While many reviewers were displeased with the class, especially those who felt it was stepping too heavily into sorcerer's niche, I, for one, was quite disappointed. Onomancy was one of the first non-PHB wizards I had seen that truly seemed to capture the spirit of a good wizard subclass. There were certainly several inherent problems in the class which needed addressing, but I felt abandoning it entirely was irresponsible. Suitably, I have taken it upon myself to rewrite the class how I think it should have been done.
To be fair to the detractors, the original release of the Onomancy tradition was fraught with problems at almost every level, starting with the very first. A wizard's concentration is one of the most valuable resources in the game, and here is a class whose very first important feature forced the wizard to either not use it, or to spend his concentration on a minor buff to the party. While certainly bless is an incredibly valuable spell, a tradition should never force the wizard to choose between using it and using something else. The features granted by the tradition should allow the wizard to augment his magic in a way that encourages their core concept.
Another problem with the original Onomancy tradition is that it has nothing which ties it to wizardry in general. As /u/cheshiremadness said in his opinion Piece on wizard traditions, wizard traditions should focus on encouraging specialization with the schools of magic. Onomancy is no different: its concept lends itself well to Conjuration, Divination, and Enchantment, especially.
There are many problems which exist within the original Onomancy which I hope have addressed in my rewrite. However, this is an ongoing process, and I will never say that a homebrew is done. If you have a suggestion for an improvement, please feel free to drop me a note.
Credits
- Original Onomancy tradition by Wizards of the Coast.
- Onomancy tradition by /u/damnedmage.
- With inspiration from the Society of Silliness.
Design Goals
- The onomancy tradition should follow the standards for wizard traditions as laid out in the Player's Handbook.
- This tradition should be of a similar power scale to other published wizard traditions.
- Introducing onomancy to the table should not be an undue burden on the Dungeon Master.
- The onomancy tradition should focus on one or two schools of magic.
- The tradition should not severely detract from what makes other classes special.
- The tradition should augment and support the playstyle of the wizard, not hinder it.
Design Notes
Version 0.2.0 (20th May 2020)
With this rewrite, I've moved the idea of extracting a creature's name to 6th level, to try and pay homage to the idea that names are powerful. Second level is far too early to gain that level of knowledge for such a cheap price. Additionally, even using such a cheap magic is not nearly as effective as learning the name through more difficult but legitimate means. Extract name is merely a short-term shortcut to power, rather than a true means of gaining domination of your target. To replace the early levels, I have instead added in some nods towards the Truenamer using their own name to benefit and protect themself from harm, as well as a niche ability which will grow in power as the user gains levels, similar to the savant abilities of other Wizards. I'm still eyeing Resonants uncertainly; truenaming and words of power do seem related, yet nothing else in the class is related to words of power, so resonants feel slightly out of place. We shall see whether they survive the next pass.
Changelog
- 0.2.0 (2020-05-19) Added variant "Extract Letter". Replaced "Nominal Dominion" with "Autonymic Dominion". Added "Component Naming". Moved "Extract Name" to 6th. Added a limit to Extract Name.
- 0.1.0 (2020-05-19) Replaced Relentless Naming with Distorted Naming, replaced Fateful Naming with Nominal Dominion, expanded on Extract Name.
Removed Features
The following features were previously a part of this homebrew, but have since been removed. They are recorded here for historical record.
Fateful Naming
2nd-level Onomancy Feature (original feature)
You can bend magic to assist or hinder creatures through the power of their true names, and even use those names as an anchor to affect others around them. The bane and bless spells are wizard spells for you, and you add them to your spellbook. You always have them prepared, yet they don't count against the number of spells you can prepare.
You can cast either spell without expending a spell slot if you speak the true name of one target of the spell as part of casting it. You can cast the spells in this way a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Nominal Dominion
2nd-level Onomancy feature (version 0.1.0)
When you cast a spell that requires a saving throw, you can speak the true name of one creature targeted by the spell. That creature subtracts 1d6 from the first saving throw it makes against this spell. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, and you regain all uses when you complete a long rest.
Relentless Naming
14th-level Onomancy feature (original feature)
You have learned how to bypass a named creature's defenses against certain types of damage. When you cast a spell that deals damage to a creature whose true name you speak as part of casting the spell, you can cause the spell to deal force or psychic damage to the creature, instead of the spell's normal damage type.