College of Onomancy

Practitioners of magic well know the power of names, but Bards who follow the College 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 names. 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 Bard’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, Bards who follow this tradition often hide their true names, typically by adopting monikers and pseudonyms.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose the College of Onomancy at 3rd level, you learn one language of your choice and gain proficiency with calligrapher's supplies.

Extract Name

Also at 3rd Level, You can magically compel a creature to divulge its true name. As a bonus action, you expend one use of your Bardin Inspiration and target one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom 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. On a failed save, the target is charmed by you until the end of your next turn, and you mentally learn the charmed target’s name or the fact that the target lacks a name.

Fateful Naming

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. At 3rd level, you learn the Bane and Bless spells, they count as Bard spells for you, and they don't count against your spells known.

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 this way a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Resonant Utterance

At 6th level, 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 three 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 Bard 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 of your Bard 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:

Resonant Utterance - 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.

Resonant Utterance - 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.

Resonant Utterance - 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.

Resonant Utterance - 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 a Charisma check with a DC equal to 10 + the level of the chosen spell.

Resonant Utterance - 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.

Resonant Utterance - 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.

Relentless Naming

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.

Image Credit: Yoji Shinkawa