Variant Skill: Use Language
Following is a skill I created as an alternate to the existing Speak Language, which I have never found to be very satisfactory, in that it simply give blanket fluency to any language a character who happens to know. Frequently, however, I meet people who are not fluent in the only language they know, and as someone who has lived in foreign countries and knows a smattering of French and German I know there is a lot in between not knowing any of a language, being conversant in it, and being able to read complex texts written in it.
Use Language (Int; Trained Only)
A character can use this skill to speak, understand, write, or read a language in which he
is proficient. This skill is intended to replace the existing Speak Language skill.
A character starts off at 1st level knowing one or two languages (based on his race), plus an additional number of languages equal to his starting Intelligence bonus. He is considered fluent in these languages, automatically receives 10 ranks in them, and can always Take 10 on appropriate skill checks. If desired, a character can add further ranks to such languages, which are always treated as class skills for these purposes. Unless he is a Barbarian, a character can also read and write these languages.
A character can choose to learn a new language by putting skill ranks into it.
Once he has devoted at least one rank to a language, he is considered proficient and can attempt to speak, understand, write, or read it. He cannot Take 10 on skill checks associated with this language, however, if distracted or endangered.
Common languages and the alphabets used to write them appear on the table below. Note that ability to recognize an alphabet because it is associated with a language of proficiency does not confer ability to read or write it in another language.
Common Languages and Their Alphabets
Language -- Typical Speakers -- Alphabet
Abyssal -- Demons, chaotic evil outsiders -- Infernal
Aquan -- Water-based creatures -- Elven
Auran -- Air-based creatures -- Draconic
Celestial -- Good outsiders -- Celestial
Common -- Humans, Halflings, Half-Elves, Half-Orcs -- Common
Draconic -- Kobolds, Troglodytes, Lizardfolk, Dragons -- Draconic
Druidic -- Druids (only) -- Druidic
Dwarven -- Dwarves -- Dwarven
Elven -- Elves -- Elven
Giant -- Ogres, Giants -- Dwarven
Gnome -- Gnomes -- Dwarven
Goblin -- Goblins, Hobgoblins, Bugbears -- Dwarven
Gnoll -- Gnolls -- Common
Halfling -- Halflings -- Common
Ignan -- Fire-based creatures -- Draconic
Infernal -- Devils, lawful evil outsiders -- Infernal
Orc -- Orcs -- Dwarven
Sylvan -- Dryads, Brownies, Leprechauns -- Elven
Terran -- Xorns and other earth-based creatures -- Dwarven
Urban -- City dwellers, Mulenyahns, Orves -- Common
Undercommon -- Drow -- Elven
Check: Make a skill check that reflects the difficulty of the information to be conveyed or understood. This is generally DC 10 for conveying or understanding simple information (e.g., purchasing equipment, reading a sign), DC 15 for more complex ideas (e.g., directions to another part of town, public notices), DC 20 for moderately complicated ideas (e.g., instructions for retrieving a hidden treasure), DC 25 for intricate, complex, or technical concepts (e.g., double meanings of key words in a riddle, alchemical processes). If a subject to whom a character is speaking is actively trying to understand or make itself understood, then the character receives a +2 bonus on Use Language skill checks made with that creature.
If the skill check succeeds, the character understands the equivalent of about a single page of text or a minute of speech in the language in question. If the check fails, the GM makes a DC 5 Wisdom check for the character and, if it fails, the character gleans incorrect information, rather than simply failing to understand it.
The Game Master secretly makes both the Use Language check and, if necessary, the subsequent Wisdom check, so that the player cannot tell if his character has been successful or not.
Note that it is possible for sufficiently complex or technical texts to be incomprehensible even to someone who is fluent in the language in which they are written.
Action: Varies. Deciphering the equivalent of a single page of text generally takes 1 minute (10 consecutive full-round actions).
Try Again: No, in general, for attempting to understand or read a language (although the character might simply glean incorrect information and not even realize he failed his skill check). Yes, under proper circumstances, to speak a language (assuming the character realizes he failed his skill check).
Synergy: Characters with various areas Knowledge can use them to help succeed at Speak Language skill checks. A character with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) receives a +2 bonus on Draconic skill checks. A character with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (Local) receives a +2 bonus on skill checks for the primary language spoken in the area of familiarity. A character with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (Nature) receives a +2 bonus on Druidic (Druids only), Giant, and Sylvan skill checks. A character with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (The Planes) receives a +2 bonus on Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Ignan, Infernal, and Terran skill checks.
A character receives a +2 bonus on skill checks to read or write in a particular language of proficiency if it uses the same alphabet as another language in which he is proficient.
A character with 5 or more ranks in Decipher Script receives a +2 bonus on attempts to read languages of proficiency. Note that such a character is, essentially, also able to make untrained attempts to read languages of non-proficiency (“Decipher Script,” Player’s Handbook).
