speak with animals and lycanthropes

[lytokk]

double checking something here. A lycanthrope cannot speak when in animal form. Druid level 1 spell, speak with animals allows the caster to communicate with animals. It seems like it shoudl allow the animal lycan and the caster to talk as normal, correct?

its likely to start coming up in the game I'm running and I want to be sure there's not some ruling out there against it.

[Lord Vukodlak]

double checking something here. A lycanthrope cannot speak when in animal form. Druid level 1 spell, speak with animals allows the caster to communicate with animals. It seems like it shoudl allow the animal lycan and the caster to talk as normal, correct?

its likely to start coming up in the game I'm running and I want to be sure there's not some ruling out there against it.

By RAW? no because the lycanthrope isn't actually an animal, beyond that a lycanthrope is capable of communicating with animals related to its form. So it is reasonable for speak with animals to allow you to communicate with a lycanthrope in animal form.

[Bronk]

No, the spell only allows you to speak with animals, and lycanthropes are humanoids or giants who take on animal form. The magical curse of lycanthropy allows them to speak with animals of their kind, but since they aren't really animals... However, not being able to understand an animal would let the druid know that something was up with a situation that seemed to be normal otherwise.

[Thurbane]

If lycanthropes can speak with animals of their kind, you could use Speak With Animals on a normal wolf, and ask him to relay and translate to the werewolf. :smalltongue:

[lytokk]

does a wizards familiar count? Were falcon and a hawk familiar

[Phelix-Mu]

Only if the familiar has acquired the "speak with others of its kind" ability. Stupidly, that ability seems to imply that a familiar can't communicate with other animals normally. So that falcon familiar can't speak with other falcons until its master reaches the level indicated in the table in the PHB.

But I guess that does make sense, as RAW animals can't "communicate" or "speak" in the RAW sense of the word. Humourously, this means that animals don't speak unless spoken to by someone with an ability that lets them speak with animals.

[Erik Vale]

If you can't find another way to speak, I suggest you invest in a pearl of speech. Let's you understand and speak 1 language for 600gp regardless of form. Doesn't take a item slot, melts into your tongue. Fro the MIC.

[Thurbane]

If you can't find another way to speak, I suggest you invest in a pearl of speech. Let's you understand and speak 1 language for 600gp regardless of form. Doesn't take a item slot, melts into your tongue. Fro the MIC.
Well, actually it takes the face slot, normally used for goggles and such.

[Dr. Cliché]

If lycanthropes can speak with animals of their kind, you could use Speak With Animals on a normal wolf, and ask him to relay and translate to the werewolf. :smalltongue:

If nothing else, that would be a hilarious sight. :smallbiggrin:

[lytokk]

Well, thanks for the advice. I'm about 0 for 3 when it comes to rules interpretations at this point. Situation is, in the game this Saturday, someones about to find out they're a werefalcon, since 21 days have passed since the bite, and those last 4 days should pass before the end of the session. I wanted to make sure they spell couldn't be used for the lycan to scout a keep and relay all the information to the party. At least just yet.