Speak Language?

[Rossebay]

I thought I knew how the skill worked, but now I realize that I do not.
How many skill points does each language cost?
Is each language a different skill, or is it all just one skill?
Example: (Assuming each language costs 2 skill points) Do I invest 2 skill points into each language (say, Dwarven, Orcish, Undercommon, and Drow Sign)(8 skill points spent across 4 skills), or, to get that many, would I have to invest all 8 skill points into Speak Language, meaning I'd have to be at least level 5 to know that many extra languages?
Finally, is it limited to maximum skill points?

[Drachasor]

Technically, each language is its own skill, like each type of Knowledge. You are limited to one rank. If Speak Language is a class skill for you, it costs 1 skill point per language. If not, it costs 2. There is no limit to the number of languages you can learn, save the number of skill points you have to invest.

[Rossebay]

Ahhh, alright.

Haha. Of the 5 different DM's I've played under, Speak Language has always been one skill limited by max ranks, with each language costing a total of 4 skill points. The idea seems completely foreign now.

[Drachasor]

Well, if you merged it with Forgery, I guess that would make some sense. Or if one allowed rolls to understand (to a degree) a language you didn't explicitly know. Otherwise that seems a bit silly.

In my experience languages are like a number knowledge skills. Most of the time it is just a fun bit of flavor and rarely comes up. When it does come up, you usually have other options to handle any problems if no one knows the language.

[Rossebay]

Yeah, I think Bluff can be used to attempt to get messages across language barriers?

[kestrel404]

Four skill points per language? Ouch. Speaking any language in D&D has always been pretty darn cheap (comprehend languages is a 1st level spell, and tongues is a 2nd level spell for bards). Spending permanent resources like skill points on new languages is harsh enough when it's 2 skill points per language. At 4 per language I can't see it ever being worth actually learning a new language that way.

[Drachasor]

Four skill points per language? Ouch. Speaking any language in D&D has always been pretty darn cheap (comprehend languages is a 1st level spell, and tongues is a 2nd level spell for bards). Spending permanent resources like skill points on new languages is harsh enough when it's 2 skill points per language. At 4 per language I can't see it ever being worth actually learning a new language that way.

Like a number of skills, it's a flavor trap. One reason I like to play int-based characters is I like a bit of flavor like that.

[Fitz10019]

It is better to get Pearls of Speech (MICp118), if you can.

[BiblioRook]

Probably just me as the groups I tend to have to play in are rather lazy RP wise, but I always felt that languages were underutilized. If it wasn't for the fact that no one would bother if it was this case, the 4 points per language actually kinda makes sense to me (not as a player but from a world-building prospective). 2 points (cross-class) for the oral component and the other 2 points for written. But that just goes into yet another obsolete mechanic, even Barbarians are hardly ever illiterate these days. Don't get me started on the auto-fluency bit, bah.


It's just a pity, cross cultural language barriers should like a fun thing to have to RP out.

[noparlpf]

If it's a class skill, any language costs one skill point, no limit. I'm pretty sure they're not "ranks", so I don't think there's a limit. I think for cross-class it takes two skill points.

A little while ago I was compiling a list of all languages in 3.5 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208167), with a few additions for specific settings that other people sent in because I only have the general books and a couple of Eberron or Faerun books. I really should finish that up at some point, but while I was in the middle of it my summer turned crazy, and now I'm back at school.