Linguistics

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Epic Path \ Skills Linguistics\


  • Ability Score Used: Intelligence
  • Usable Untrained? No
  • Armor Check Penalty Applies? No

You are skilled at working with language, in both its spoken and written forms. You can speak multiple languages, and can decipher nearly any tongue given enough time. Your skill in writing allows you to detect forgeries as well.


Check

You can decipher writing in an unfamiliar language or a message written in an incomplete or archaic form. The base DC is 20 for the simplest messages, 25 for standard texts, and 30 or higher for intricate, exotic, or very old writing. If the check succeeds, you understand the general content of a piece of writing about one page long (or the equivalent). If the check fails, make a DC 5 Wisdom check to see if you avoid drawing a false conclusion about the text. (Success means that you do not draw a false conclusion; failure means that you do.)

You may also attempt to comprehend spoken languages in tongues you do not know. The base DC is 20 for short statements with context or speech where the speaker is deliberately speaking slowly. The DC is 25 for normal conversations with context, but with no attempt at helping the listener understand. The DC is 30 if the language is at all difficult to hear (such as heard through a door, or when the speaker is also chewing food). If the check fails, make a DC 5 Wisdom check to see if you avoid drawing a false conclusion about the text. (Success means that you do not draw a false conclusion; failure means that you do.)

Both the Linguistics check and (if necessary) the Wisdom check are made secretly by the GM, so that you can't tell whether the conclusion you draw is true or false.

Successful checks can be used as the starting point for learning the unknown language, if GM's wish to use the optional 'learning a new language' rules below.


Uses

See below.


Action

Varies. Deciphering a page of ordinary text in an unknown language takes 5 minutes (50 consecutive rounds). This only provides a cursory understanding of the page's information, and is not a comprehensive translation.

Detecting a forgery using Linguistics takes 1 round of examination per page.


Try Again

Yes.


Special

You must be trained to use this skill, but you can always attempt to read archaic and strange forms of your own racial bonus languages. In addition, you can also always attempt to detect a forgery.


Detect Forgeries

Condition Linguistics Check Modifier
Type of document unknown to reader -2
Type of document somewhat known to reader +0
Type of document well known to reader +2
Handwriting not known to reader -2
Handwriting somewhat known to reader +0
Handwriting intimately known to reader +2
Reader only casually reviews the document -2
Document contradicts orders or knowledge +2


Learn a New Language

Whenever you put a rank into this skill, you learn to speak and read a new language. Note that this is per rank put into Linguistics, not your total skill bonus.

  • For a listing of available languages, see the languages section of this page.


Learning A New Language (Optional Rule)

The Linguistics skill allows characters to learn a new language for each rank they place in the skill. Some GM's may want to keep this simple and assume the character has acquired some means of studying the new language and is doing that in their spare time. Other GM's may wish to add a little more realism into the learning process. After all, while you may have a rank in a skill granting you the mental space to learn a new language, you may not have had enough exposure to pick up that language without some effort first.

It's up to the GM whether characters can just learn one or more of the encountered languages when they level up. Perhaps there is a great library where tomes containing lexicons of bizarre and diverse tongues can be perused and studied. Maybe a college teaches classes on how to speak High Draconic. Or maybe the players just need to run into these things and piece it together from scraps of conversation they overhear through closed doors.


Making A Check To Learn A New Language

GM's should allow a linguistics check for each significant exposure to a new language, even if the character rolling the check doesn't have any available language "slots" at the time. The DC for this check is as follows:


Degree of exposure to new language Linguistics Check DC
Character is in an immersive environment 151
The language being studied is commonly spoken but is not the only language being spoken 20
The language being studied is only observed from a single source (one conversation, one letter, one book, etc.) 25
The language being studied is observed from a source which is, itself, not fluent in the language 30
1 - An immersive environment is one in which the language in question is the only one spoken by the locals, and basic interactions can only be performed in that language. For each full day of exposure to a language an immersive environment, the DC of the check decreases by 2 until the check is made, at which point it resets to 15. In this way, even characters without ranks in Linguistics can eventually pick up a language in a place they are forced to use it to interact.


Situational penalties and bonuses can also apply to this check, such as the speaker deliberately trying to teach the character the language (generally a +2 to +10 bonus, depending on how skilled the teacher is at teaching), or the speaker deliberately trying to be obscure or hide their meaning (e.g. "do you have the package?") which can impose anything from a -2 to a -10 penalty. A completely nonsense source of the language (such as a code) may not even allow a check at all.

Pidgin
After two successful rolls (and usually a minimum of two days of study), the character can speak the language at the Pidgin level, meaning they communicate at approximately the same degree a toddler communicates -- no full sentences, no conjugation or subject/verb agreement, frequent mispronunciations or incorrect word usage, etc. Only basic ideas can be conveyed, and technical conversations or topics requiring skill or training are impossible. Even regular conversations are painful affairs to observe, with each sentence taking around a minute to successfully convey. At the pidgin level, bluff, diplomacy and sense motive checks are made at -10 penalties when attempted in the new language.
Novice
After a 5 successful rolls, the character can speak the language at a novice level. This includes a vocabulary of around 1000 words, and the ability to address more advanced topics, albeit with frequent mistakes (using the wrong word, etc.). Understanding comes easier than expression at this level. This is a fully functional degree of familiarity, though it is obvious to everyone that the character is not a native speaker. Technical topics are still very difficult affairs, and take much longer to discuss with a novice speaker as synonyms are sought and gestures replace jargon. At the novice level, bluff, diplomacy and sense motive checks are made at a -4 penalty when attempted in the new language. This is the highest degree of familiarity with a language that someone without the Linguistics skill can achieve.
Fluent
After 10 successful rolls, the character is considered fluent in the language. This includes a vocabulary of around 2000 words, as well as knowledge of technical words related to skills the character has training in. Characters may also know some technical jargon from areas they aren't trained in, if they specifically study that area, though unless they also spend skill ranks on the topic being studied, experts of that topic will likely identify them as imposters or wannabes. Fluent speakers suffer no penalties on bluff, diplomacy and sense motive checks with other speakers of the language, though native speakers will be able to tell that fluent speakers are not native, due to accents and other minutia being slightly off. You must have at least 1 rank in linguistics for each language you wish to learn at the 'fluent' level.
Native
A minimum of 10 ranks in the Linguistics skill is required before a character can speak a language other than their native tongue at a 'native' fluency. For every 2 ranks beyond 10, one additional language can be so mastered, assuming the character also has exposure and time to study each new language. Considerable time and study is required to achieve proper mimicry of local dialects, learn the many euphemisms and achieve believable nuance with the language. GM's are encouraged to make this process reasonably achievable, since the PC's are heroes and therefore achieve great things much easier than normal folks. A general guideline is 2 weeks of further study after the fluent level is achieved before the language can be spoken at the 'native' level. Linguists with more than one 'native' language gain a +4 bonus to sense motive checks when interacting with someone in that language, because the linguist has spent so much time studying nuance.
  • For a listing of available languages, see the Languages page.


Epic Skill Uses

Note: All uses below require a minimum of 21 Ranks in the skill to use.


Detect Forgery Without Comparative Basis (References)

(DC of forgery +50)

Speak a language you don't even know

(DC 100)