Languages at first level [Archive] - Wizards Community

Languages at first level [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Arvagor
08-13-07, 01:22 PM If a PC has a high enough Int bonus at 1st level, such that he has used all the available "slots" for his automatic languages and racial bonus languages, and still has Int bonus remaining for 1 or 2 more, what choices does he have? Can he move on and select other Open languages, or are those initial language slots wasted?

For example, say a kobold starts with Int 16 -- this gives him potentially three bonus languages starting out. He automatically gets Draconic, and we'll say he spends two of those language slots on Common and Undercommon (the only other languages listed for kobolds). He still has another language slot left -- could he pick Ancient Sueloise? Celestial? Etc.?
Britt
08-13-07, 01:45 PM Yes, the Open languages in the LGCS are available for bonus languages.
Arvagor
08-13-07, 02:05 PM What about languages such as those listed under the Speak Language skill (e.g., Auran, Celestial, Infernal, etc.)? Can those be "bought" with those extra slots, or would a PC in the situation I described above have to actually put points into Speak Languages?
Britt
08-13-07, 02:11 PM Those have to be bought with Speak Language if they are not allowed by your race as Bonus Languages.
myshkingfh
08-13-07, 02:49 PM Those have to be bought with Speak Language if they are not allowed by your race as Bonus Languages.

But those can only be bought if you have campaign documentation, yes?
Britt
08-13-07, 04:40 PM But those can only be bought if you have campaign documentation, yes?
The PH is campaign documentation for the languages listed in the PH. You only need other campaign documentation for languages listed neither in the PH or LGCS.
clannagh
08-13-07, 07:08 PM The PH is campaign documentation for the languages listed in the PH. You only need other campaign documentation for languages listed neither in the PH or LGCS.

We have always played that the only languages you can buy with speak language are those which are PH bonus for your character or are an open LG languages. In other words if your character doesnt have "infernal" as a bonus language you cannot take it with "speak language".

Is that incorrect ?
Arvagor
08-13-07, 07:47 PM We have always played that the only languages you can buy with speak language are those which are PH bonus for your character or are an open LG languages. In other words if your character doesnt have "infernal" as a bonus language you cannot take it with "speak language".

Is that incorrect ?I would presume so, because otherwise, a PC couldn't qualify for certain prestige classes that have language requirements.

For example, within the core rules, Dragon Disciple requires you to be able to speak Draconic -- only elves, gnomes, and half-orcs, and/or PCs with at least one level of wizard (despite DD being for spontaneous casters) would be able to take the class.

Or let's go outside the core classes -- Stoneblessed has a language requirement of 'Terran', which only dwarves have as a bonus language. So only dwarves can be Stoneblessed? That doesn't make sense...

So I think it's quite clear that you can buy any language with skill points in Speak Languages...
ShinAkuma2
08-14-07, 12:35 AM Just like anyone can learn History, Alchemy, or how to Tumble, anyone can learn any language, so long as you have a source (which the LGCS and the PHB provide for you as a start). You just need to spend the points in it.
Britt
08-14-07, 10:13 AM The Bonus Languages entry only matters, AFAIK, for bonus languages from an INT bonus at character creation.
retro
08-14-07, 08:49 PM So I think it's quite clear that you can buy any language with skill points in Speak Languages... Not quite- all languages from the PHB (racial languages, planar languages such as Infernal, Terran, Auran, etc) and Open access languages from the LGCS (Flan, Oeridian, Suel, Ancient Baklunish, whatever) can be bought using Speak Language. There are still a few languages that require documentation, of which the most well-known is Ur-Flan. Druidic, of course, can only be learned by druids.
Arvagor
08-14-07, 09:25 PM :doh: Mea culpa -- I meant any Open language for your PC...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Arvagor 08-13-07, 01:22 PM	If a PC has a high enough Int bonus at 1st level, such that he has used all the available "slots" for his automatic languages and racial bonus languages, and still has Int bonus remaining for 1 or 2 more, what choices does he have? Can he move on and select other Open languages, or are those initial language slots wasted? For example, say a kobold starts with Int 16 -- this gives him potentially three bonus languages starting out. He automatically gets Draconic, and we'll say he spends two of those language slots on Common and Undercommon (the only other languages listed for kobolds). He still has another language slot left -- could he pick Ancient Sueloise? Celestial? Etc.?
Britt 08-13-07, 01:45 PM	Yes, the Open languages in the LGCS are available for bonus languages.
Arvagor 08-13-07, 02:05 PM	What about languages such as those listed under the Speak Language skill (e.g., Auran, Celestial, Infernal, etc.)? Can those be "bought" with those extra slots, or would a PC in the situation I described above have to actually put points into Speak Languages?
Britt 08-13-07, 02:11 PM	Those have to be bought with Speak Language if they are not allowed by your race as Bonus Languages.
myshkingfh 08-13-07, 02:49 PM	Those have to be bought with Speak Language if they are not allowed by your race as Bonus Languages. But those can only be bought if you have campaign documentation, yes?
Britt 08-13-07, 04:40 PM	But those can only be bought if you have campaign documentation, yes? The PH is campaign documentation for the languages listed in the PH. You only need other campaign documentation for languages listed neither in the PH or LGCS.
clannagh 08-13-07, 07:08 PM	The PH is campaign documentation for the languages listed in the PH. You only need other campaign documentation for languages listed neither in the PH or LGCS. We have always played that the only languages you can buy with speak language are those which are PH bonus for your character or are an open LG languages. In other words if your character doesnt have "infernal" as a bonus language you cannot take it with "speak language". Is that incorrect ?
Arvagor 08-13-07, 07:47 PM	We have always played that the only languages you can buy with speak language are those which are PH bonus for your character or are an open LG languages. In other words if your character doesnt have "infernal" as a bonus language you cannot take it with "speak language". Is that incorrect ?I would presume so, because otherwise, a PC couldn't qualify for certain prestige classes that have language requirements. For example, within the core rules, Dragon Disciple requires you to be able to speak Draconic -- only elves, gnomes, and half-orcs, and/or PCs with at least one level of wizard (despite DD being for spontaneous casters) would be able to take the class. Or let's go outside the core classes -- Stoneblessed has a language requirement of 'Terran', which only dwarves have as a bonus language. So only dwarves can be Stoneblessed? That doesn't make sense... So I think it's quite clear that you can buy any language with skill points in Speak Languages...
ShinAkuma2 08-14-07, 12:35 AM	Just like anyone can learn History, Alchemy, or how to Tumble, anyone can learn any language, so long as you have a source (which the LGCS and the PHB provide for you as a start). You just need to spend the points in it.
Britt 08-14-07, 10:13 AM	The Bonus Languages entry only matters, AFAIK, for bonus languages from an INT bonus at character creation.
retro 08-14-07, 08:49 PM	So I think it's quite clear that you can buy any language with skill points in Speak Languages... Not quite- all languages from the PHB (racial languages, planar languages such as Infernal, Terran, Auran, etc) and Open access languages from the LGCS (Flan, Oeridian, Suel, Ancient Baklunish, whatever) can be bought using Speak Language. There are still a few languages that require documentation, of which the most well-known is Ur-Flan. Druidic, of course, can only be learned by druids.
Arvagor 08-14-07, 09:25 PM	:doh: Mea culpa -- I meant any Open language for your PC...