Languages for LG-characters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Languages for LG-characters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ulrikbb
04-28-07, 06:29 AM I am developing a tool for levelling Dungeons & Dragons-characters, classic ones as well as Living Greyhawk ones. However, I have now found myself with a part of the Living Greyhawk rules that I am very unsure of how to interpret: The languages. What languages are allowed, and how do the characters qualify for them all?

This is what the LG Sourcebook says about languages in the character creation part:

"3. Languages
In addition to languages normally allowed for your race, the following dialects are Open for all PCs: Amedi, Baklunish, Cold Tongue, Flan, Keoish, Lendorian, Nyrondese, Old Oeridian, Olman, Ordai, Rasol, Suloise, Touv, Ulagha, and Velondi. Rhopan is Open for Rhennee. The most prevalent of these languages are the human racial languages: Baklunish, Flan, Old Oeridian and Suloise."

Okay, so these languages may be chosen by all players, both as bonus languages when creating a character, and also using the Speak Language skill. But...

1: What is meant by "languages normally allowed for your race?". Does this only include the languages listed as "Bonus languages" in the Player's Handbook? A human has "Any" listed as bonus languages! Any of which languages? The languages listed on the Language list on page 82 of the Player's Handbook (under Speak Language)?

2: What about the bonus languages a character can gain access to when choosing class? Clerics can according the the Player's Handbook learn Abyssal, Celestial and Infernal, and Druids have access to Sylvan. Can Clerics and Druids choose them when their characters are created regardless of whether their races qualify for them?

3: This is the list of Player's Handbook languages (page 82, under Speak Language): Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Druidic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Gnoll, Halfling, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon. Are any of them not allowed or not possible to learn for a Living Greyhawk character? What about the more obscure languages like Githyanki, Githzerai, Grimlock, Slaad etc., that we find in the Monster Manual and other sourcebooks? Are they an extended part of the Speak Language list not included due to their limited use?

4: Finally, do the Languages part of the LG Sourcebook character creation rules only apply to the character creation process (i.e. the first level)? What about the Speak Language skill? Can any language be learned unless it is Closed or strictly limited like Druidic and Rhopan when using the Speak Language skill?

I've considered this for almost an entire day, and am just as befuddled. I need help! :) Anyone?

Oh, and I might as well add a fifth relevant question that I've wondered about previously as well.

5: How many skill points does it take to learn a language using Speak Language? The Bard is the only class that actually has the Speak Language skill as a class skill. Seeing that the Player' Handbook mentions only that Speak Language is advanced the same way as all other skills, it would make sense to assume that each language requires 1 rank. This would make each language cost 1 skill point for Bards, and two for all other classes having Speak Language as a cross-class skill. Am I right?
redgamer
04-29-07, 08:49 PM 5: How many skill points does it take to learn a language using Speak Language? The Bard is the only class that actually has the Speak Language skill as a class skill. Seeing that the Player' Handbook mentions only that Speak Language is advanced the same way as all other skills, it would make sense to assume that each language requires 1 rank. This would make each language cost 1 skill point for Bards, and two for all other classes having Speak Language as a cross-class skill. Am I right?

Yes

"In addition to languages normally allowed for your race" this means elfs get elf dwarves get dwarven plus these are the greyhawk languages.

You can pick languages given you as options based on class such as draconic (wizards). Only druids may pick druidic without explicite access most likely on the form of an AR (an most likely something that will never be given)

Monster languages not listed in the PHB also require acess.

The listed languages in the LGCS are the entire list of open languages(this includes all languages open to characters at creation from the PHB). Other may be open from campaign documentation.
King Kashue
04-30-07, 03:10 PM 3: This is the list of Player's Handbook languages (page 82, under Speak Language): Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Druidic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Gnoll, Halfling, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon. Are any of them not allowed or not possible to learn for a Living Greyhawk character?

All are listed in the LGCS as open languages (Except for Druidic)

What about the more obscure languages like Githyanki, Githzerai, Grimlock, Slaad etc., that we find in the Monster Manual and other sourcebooks? Are they an extended part of the Speak Language list not included due to their limited use?

They are not open and require specific campaign documentation to learn (for instance, access to Kuo-Toa was given in a year 3 (maybe year 4) module).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ulrikbb 04-28-07, 06:29 AM	I am developing a tool for levelling Dungeons & Dragons-characters, classic ones as well as Living Greyhawk ones. However, I have now found myself with a part of the Living Greyhawk rules that I am very unsure of how to interpret: The languages. What languages are allowed, and how do the characters qualify for them all? This is what the LG Sourcebook says about languages in the character creation part: "3. Languages In addition to languages normally allowed for your race, the following dialects are Open for all PCs: Amedi, Baklunish, Cold Tongue, Flan, Keoish, Lendorian, Nyrondese, Old Oeridian, Olman, Ordai, Rasol, Suloise, Touv, Ulagha, and Velondi. Rhopan is Open for Rhennee. The most prevalent of these languages are the human racial languages: Baklunish, Flan, Old Oeridian and Suloise." Okay, so these languages may be chosen by all players, both as bonus languages when creating a character, and also using the Speak Language skill. But... 1: What is meant by "languages normally allowed for your race?". Does this only include the languages listed as "Bonus languages" in the Player's Handbook? A human has "Any" listed as bonus languages! Any of which languages? The languages listed on the Language list on page 82 of the Player's Handbook (under Speak Language)? 2: What about the bonus languages a character can gain access to when choosing class? Clerics can according the the Player's Handbook learn Abyssal, Celestial and Infernal, and Druids have access to Sylvan. Can Clerics and Druids choose them when their characters are created regardless of whether their races qualify for them? 3: This is the list of Player's Handbook languages (page 82, under Speak Language): Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Druidic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Gnoll, Halfling, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon. Are any of them not allowed or not possible to learn for a Living Greyhawk character? What about the more obscure languages like Githyanki, Githzerai, Grimlock, Slaad etc., that we find in the Monster Manual and other sourcebooks? Are they an extended part of the Speak Language list not included due to their limited use? 4: Finally, do the Languages part of the LG Sourcebook character creation rules only apply to the character creation process (i.e. the first level)? What about the Speak Language skill? Can any language be learned unless it is Closed or strictly limited like Druidic and Rhopan when using the Speak Language skill? I've considered this for almost an entire day, and am just as befuddled. I need help! :) Anyone? Oh, and I might as well add a fifth relevant question that I've wondered about previously as well. 5: How many skill points does it take to learn a language using Speak Language? The Bard is the only class that actually has the Speak Language skill as a class skill. Seeing that the Player' Handbook mentions only that Speak Language is advanced the same way as all other skills, it would make sense to assume that each language requires 1 rank. This would make each language cost 1 skill point for Bards, and two for all other classes having Speak Language as a cross-class skill. Am I right?
redgamer 04-29-07, 08:49 PM	5: How many skill points does it take to learn a language using Speak Language? The Bard is the only class that actually has the Speak Language skill as a class skill. Seeing that the Player' Handbook mentions only that Speak Language is advanced the same way as all other skills, it would make sense to assume that each language requires 1 rank. This would make each language cost 1 skill point for Bards, and two for all other classes having Speak Language as a cross-class skill. Am I right? Yes "In addition to languages normally allowed for your race" this means elfs get elf dwarves get dwarven plus these are the greyhawk languages. You can pick languages given you as options based on class such as draconic (wizards). Only druids may pick druidic without explicite access most likely on the form of an AR (an most likely something that will never be given) Monster languages not listed in the PHB also require acess. The listed languages in the LGCS are the entire list of open languages(this includes all languages open to characters at creation from the PHB). Other may be open from campaign documentation.
King Kashue 04-30-07, 03:10 PM	3: This is the list of Player's Handbook languages (page 82, under Speak Language): Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Druidic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Gnoll, Halfling, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon. Are any of them not allowed or not possible to learn for a Living Greyhawk character? All are listed in the LGCS as open languages (Except for Druidic) What about the more obscure languages like Githyanki, Githzerai, Grimlock, Slaad etc., that we find in the Monster Manual and other sourcebooks? Are they an extended part of the Speak Language list not included due to their limited use? They are not open and require specific campaign documentation to learn (for instance, access to Kuo-Toa was given in a year 3 (maybe year 4) module).