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Crow
2010-01-14, 03:15 AM
A wizard can speak with his familiar once he reaches 5th level, unless he has a raven, which automatically speaks one language.

But before 5th level, can he cast comprehend languages in order to speak with his familiar? Could he use this spell to speak with regular animals?

Also, would an intelligence of 6 be enough to aid the wizard in making a crude diagram of something a familiar saw (like the general layout of a small fort seen from above)?

IonDragon
2010-01-14, 04:39 AM
No, there is another spell which does this: Speak with animals.

The prime difference being animals do not speak any language.

Autopsibiofeeder
2010-01-14, 05:49 AM
Actually, a familiar is a magical beast, so Speak With Animals won't work.

I guess you either have to be satisfied with the empathic link up to lvl 5, take a raven, or ask the DM if you are allowed to research a spell 'Speak with familiar' (maybe that already exists, I don't know of any). I don't think a lot of DM's would mind such a spell.

Edit: assuming some form of communication is at some point present, the familiar could aid the wizard with the crude drawing. However, his clues would be from a tiny animal's point of view and experience, which may be not as straightforward at all times. That would be my call as DM.

BobVosh
2010-01-14, 05:53 AM
Int 3 is enough to speak common. Obviously it can write (if capable of holding a pen) or otherwise communicate nonverbally.

I don't know any spell that allows it, but I can see an argument with comprehend languages (he already understands you)

Crow
2010-01-14, 01:48 PM
I can understand it not working with regular animals, but it seems like it should work for your familiar. Especially as they are quite a bit more intelligent than regular animals.

The spell says it allows you to understand languages, but not speak them, which would make it different from Speak with Animals. This would make it hard to do much with your familiar, but makes me wonder, how do wizards before 5th level direct their familiars to begin with (for delivering touch spells and such)?

Darrin
2010-01-14, 05:32 PM
Pearl of Speech. 600 GP, MIC p. 118.

Dimers
2010-01-14, 09:07 PM
Casting comprehend languages on yourself and using the familiar's "share spell" ability allows somewhat clearer communication than the simple empathic link does. The familiar can understand your words perfectly. Tongues, either shared or simply cast on the familiar, appears to give it the ability to speak: "... grants the creature touched the ability to speak and understand the language of any intelligent creature ..."

taltamir
2010-01-14, 09:30 PM
int =! IQ/10

An int 3 creature is stupid, but is still sentient, and can speak (or understand), read, and write in common (unless their class is barbarian).

Your familiar has enough int at level 1 to speak, read, and write common, it simply lacks the vocal chords to make human words. This is why a raven can speak earlier (certain birds, like parrots, are capable of human speech)...
it should have no problem drawing a diagram or even writing stuff to you on a piece of paper.

Foryn Gilnith
2010-01-14, 09:56 PM
IQ is not based on Int*10. It is not based entirely on Int. Wis factors into it to, as do nebulous personality traits.
Such as being an animal.

taltamir
2010-01-14, 10:00 PM
IQ is not based on Int*10. It is not based entirely on Int. Wis factors into it to, as do nebulous personality traits.
Such as being an animal.

1. =! means "not equal". now you know.
2. My main point was that IQ is not a linear scale. the difference in intelligence between an Int 3 and an int 10 person is significantly less than the different in intelligence between an int 10 and an int 17 person. Don't ask me why, this is just how WOTC did it.

Foryn Gilnith
2010-01-14, 10:12 PM
1) Yes, INT =! IQ/10. That's exactly what the first sentence of my post said.
2) Yes, the difference between INT 10 and 11 is smaller than the difference between INT 3 and 4, which is smaller than the difference between INT 22 and 23, which is smaller than the difference between INT 2 and 3. However, this is questionably relevant, as INT is not the sole determinant of IQ.

taltamir
2010-01-14, 10:35 PM
1) Yes, INT =! IQ/10. That's exactly what the first sentence of my post said.
2) Yes, the difference between INT 10 and 11 is smaller than the difference between INT 3 and 4, which is smaller than the difference between INT 22 and 23, which is smaller than the difference between INT 2 and 3. However, this is questionably relevant, as INT is not the sole determinant of IQ.

1) I thought you were correcting me due to the exact phrasing you used and the fact it came immediately after my post.

2) my point was that the difference between 10 and 11 is smaller than the difference between 9 and 10. Because going down from 10 has less of an effect then going up from 10. Furthermore going down from 10 has diminishing penalties until it suddenly has a HUGE jump in intelligence between 2 and 3.