Languages

Ideas and suggestions for game mechanics and rules.
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NickD
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Post by NickD »

White Warlock wrote:That changed sometime ago, yes. It doesn't apply to the amount of languages you know, and you no longer automatically receive a number of bonus languages equal to your intelligence modifier.
Sometime ago as in when? Because I checked my pdf of the 3rd Edition Player's Handbook and the d20srd before I wrote that message, and they both said what I said...
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Mayhem
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Post by Mayhem »

NickD wrote:
White Warlock wrote:That changed sometime ago, yes. It doesn't apply to the amount of languages you know, and you no longer automatically receive a number of bonus languages equal to your intelligence modifier.
Sometime ago as in when? Because I checked my pdf of the 3rd Edition Player's Handbook and the d20srd before I wrote that message, and they both said what I said...
Yes indeed. I have 3.5 right here, and it says, under "Your Int mod applies to:"

The number of languages your character knows at the start of the game.

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Unless the FRCS specifically has different rules?
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dergon darkhelm
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Post by dergon darkhelm »

[aquan] I wish Cynon would stfu :)



As for D&D rules (from the 3.5 SRD):
INTELLIGENCE (INT)
Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons. This ability is important for wizards because it affects how many spells they can cast, how hard their spells are to resist, and how powerful their spells can be. It’s also important for any character who wants to have a wide assortment of skills.
You apply your character’s Intelligence modifier to:
• The number of languages your character knows at the start of the game.• The number of skill points gained each level.
• Appraise, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Forgery, Knowledge, Search, and Spellcraft checks.

SPEAK LANGUAGE (NONE; TRAINED ONLY)
Action: Not applicable.
Try Again: Not applicable. There are no Speak Language checks to fail.
The Speak Language skill doesn’t work like other skills. Languages work as follows.
• You start at 1st level knowing one or two languages (based on your race), plus an additional number of languages equal to your starting Intelligence bonus.• You can purchase Speak Language just like any other skill, but instead of buying a rank in it, you choose a new language that you can speak.
• You don’t make Speak Language checks. You either know a language or you don’t.
• A literate character (anyone but a barbarian who has not spent skill points to become literate) can read and write any language she speaks. Each language has an alphabet, though sometimes several spoken languages share a single alphabet.
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed

NWN2: ??

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PensivesWetness
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Post by PensivesWetness »

Mayhem wrote:Hell yeah.. play a human that secretly speaks elven and you can learn all kinds of interesting stuff ;)
Not a lot of people intially knew Millia knew Elvish (or Orc or Gnome) intially and even as i played along (though if you looked at her Journal/Spell book, and you reconised it, everything in the book was written in elvish)

in fact, smart people always asked her (read: Told her!) to speak in Elvish they wanted anything in clear words... :lol:

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White Warlock
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Post by White Warlock »

Bah! I'm wrong. This sucks. :evil:
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psycho_leo
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Post by psycho_leo »

White Warlock wrote:Bah! I'm wrong. This sucks. :evil:
Pwnd.
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ballonger
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Post by ballonger »

I had a human PC who could speak Gnoll. Then again he was a Thayvian wizard.
On the other hand you have different fingers.
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Fionn
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Post by Fionn »

Pu'Q had a permanant Comp Lang, but I only barely started to abuse that ;)
PC: Bot (WD)

Code: Select all

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    /     \        /     \        /     \        /     \
   /  RIP  \      /  RIP  \      /  RIP  \      /  RIP  \      /
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  *| *  *  |*    *| *  *  |*    *| *  *  |*    *| *  *  |*    *|
_)/\\_//(/|_)(__)/\\_//(/|_)(__)/\\_//(/|_)(__)/\\_//(/|_)(__)/\\_(
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Nyarlathotep
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Post by Nyarlathotep »

My current PC speaks goblin...which mostly means he can understand their pleas for mercy as they are cut down by raiding adventurers.

So tragic, perhaps one day Caleb shall pen an epic revealing the suffering and oppression experienced by the green skinned races. :D
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ballonger
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Post by ballonger »

Nyarlathotep wrote:So tragic, perhaps one day Caleb shall pen an epic revealing the suffering and oppression experienced by the green skinned races. :D
Er.. that's yellow, brown or grey. :wink:
On the other hand you have different fingers.
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Mulu
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Post by Mulu »

Vala could speak goblin too.

As I said, it works both ways. It's definitely more immersive to not know what others are saying, and people rarely use foreign languages in crowded bars to convey sensitive information. When a DM possessed NPC runs up to you babbling in hin and no one in the party can understand a word he says, it's very different from when you can read it and just rp you don't know what he's saying versus when it really is just gibberish.

The other meta issue that players tend to fail at is knowing what language is being spoken. I frequently spoke in demonic using the language system, and others who didn't know the language didn't even know *what* language I was speaking in; had they known it may have been problematic. In ALFA, everyone automatically knows what language others are speaking in, and they rp that knowledge, which is more than a bit meta. Your PC may become familiar with the sounds of one or two commonly spoken languages, but in general they should have no idea which foreign language is being spoken, though they might assume a racial language.

Finally, the language system I used before included Theives Cant, which was wonderful. You would type "/dm guard approaching" and get *scratches chin* which was fantastic.
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ballonger
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Post by ballonger »

Mulu wrote:The other meta issue that players tend to fail at is knowing what language is being spoken. I frequently spoke in demonic using the language system, and others who didn't know the language didn't even know *what* language I was speaking in; had they known it may have been problematic. In ALFA, everyone automatically knows what language others are speaking in, and they rp that knowledge, which is more than a bit meta. Your PC may become familiar with the sounds of one or two commonly spoken languages, but in general they should have no idea which foreign language is being spoken, though they might assume a racial language.
I haven't had that problem, but I guess you have and that means it's there. It's easily solved however. People just need to remember that as hard as it is (or can be) for a westerner to hear the differences between asian languages, as hard is it for say a Human to hear the difference between Sylvan and Elven for example. Though we should also keep in mind that the person you RPd with quite possibly did recognize the language being spoken and thus acted ICly.
Mulu also wrote:Finally, the language system I used before included Theives Cant, which was wonderful. You would type "/dm guard approaching" and get *scratches chin* which was fantastic.
That's very cool indeed. Again can be quite easily solved by writing a tell to the person with whatever information is being conveyed, and just type in *taps nose* in the chat box as normal, since Innuendo isn't a defined language. Like for example if you hear me say "Wow. This chocolate ice cream is really good." you'd think I meant that, but if you saw me exageratedly rolling my eyes at the same time, you'd probably think I didn't like chocolate ice cream at all, or at least not this particular kind.
On the other hand you have different fingers.
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Amar
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Post by Amar »

If languages are implemented and used in a mechanics way, then make sure to include ALL options for players.

For example: Tiamat Worshippers have access to the Draconic language despite class & race.

All Clerics can learn Celestial/Infernal/Demonic?

EDIT: Also leave it open to other circumstances. Like PCs who learn a special language under strict tutelage from a mentor.
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ballonger
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Post by ballonger »

AmarSldstill wrote:Demonic?
Abyssal. :wink:
On the other hand you have different fingers.
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