How has no one noticed this yet? [Kobolds]

[Inevitability]

Automatic Languages: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common, Undercommon.

I can't believe that with how popular kobolds are as a race, I've never seen anyone mention that they don't speak common without a high enough intelligence score or skill point investment. Is this something that is being ignored? Am I mistaken and is it common knowledge? Or do we love our little murderlizards so much we all overlook this?

[Hiro Quester]

Forest Gnome has this too.


Automatic Languages: Gnome, Elven, Sylvan, and a simple language that enables them to communicate on a very basic level with forest animals (this replaces the rock gnome’s speak with animals ability).
Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Goblin, Orc.

The speak with forest animals ability is worth having to invest an extra language in common. Especially for a forest gnome Druid (which I am currently playing).

[DarkSoul]

I don't think it really matters, to be honest. Quite frankly, I think them knowing common would bother me more; they have no reason to speak it.

[Draconium]

I don't know about you guys, but I've never had the bonus language list enforced as a hard rule as a player, nor do I ever bother with it as a DM. There can always be a story for why your character knows languages that normally aren't common to your race, and they don't even need to be that out there (just say your mentor knew it and taught it to you, for instance).

[Getsugaru]

They really don't have a reason to know it natively. That, and most people who play Kobolds (Ancient Dragonwrought or otherwise) seem to invest some ranks in INT, so it seems a moot point in the long run (that and Draconic is common among casters).

[Milo v3]

I personally prefer it. I don't see the point of having a language mechanic, and then making it pointless because every creature in the universe has common.

[Aethir]

Well, I imagine some of us just follow the RC a bit on this matter, where on page 78 it states all characters can speak Common (So free language).

[Âmesang]

I had this come up whilst making a hordling generation page since their default 8 Intelligence only gives them Abyssal, but their Intelligence can be increased by the "elite hordling" ability.

I went as far as a 52 Intelligence or so for the purpose of pre-determined skills and languages, having them gradually learn every unique monster language in the Monster Manual with Common and Undercommon dead last; they'll learn to speak Blink Dog before they speak Common. :smalltongue:

Though the odds that a hordling will receive anything close to a 52 Intelligence or higher due to random generation is pretty danged slim; think I had to generate stats for a CR 300 hordling just to try it out (aside from purposely fudging the code). Just figured I'd hedge my bets.

[Graypairofsocks]

I had this come up whilst making a hordling generation page since their default 8 Intelligence only gives them Abyssal, but their Intelligence can be increased by the "elite hordling" ability.

I went as far as a 52 Intelligence or so for the purpose of pre-determined skills and languages, having them gradually learn every unique monster language in the Monster Manual with Common and Undercommon dead last; they'll learn to speak Blink Dog before they speak Common. :smalltongue:

Though the odds that a hordling will receive anything close to a 52 Intelligence or higher due to random generation is pretty danged slim; think I had to generate stats for a CR 300 hordling just to try it out (aside from purposely fudging the code). Just figured I'd hedge my bets.

Are you using the Hordlings from Dungeon Magazine 124?

[Scorponok]

Interesting observation. Almost every campaign I've been a part of has had some involvement with Kobalds. It seems PCs just automatically assume they only speak Draconic, and when the party ends up capturing the leader, (usually the shaman or other such spellcaster) they always ask the table "Ok, who speaks Draconic?" Little did they know the Kobald understood Common! :o

[Milo v3]

Interesting observation. Almost every campaign I've been a part of has had some involvement with Kobalds. It seems PCs just automatically assume they only speak Draconic, and when the party ends up capturing the leader, (usually the shaman or other such spellcaster) they always ask the table "Ok, who speaks Draconic?" Little did they know the Kobald understood Common! :o

Even if he does speak common, it's probably going to put you on better footing speaking their native language.

[Eisfalken]

Exactly who said that nobody here recognizes they can only natively speak Draconic? On what information are you basing this anecdote?

Oh, and unless your kobold just dumped Int to 11 or less (which I have never even heard of anyone doing), then yes, they will probably also have Common from Int bonus. Int is necessary to being an arcane spellcaster, even if you are a sorcerer (it's just secondary then). Even dragonfire adpets need it if they ever want to identify magic stuff with their invocations.

So yeah. Not sure where you get this "e'rybody is forgetting this rule" thing. It's a non-issue unless you play an actual stupid kobold fighter, where they might not have extra languages and need them.

[Feint's End]

Exactly who said that nobody here recognizes they can only natively speak Draconic? On what information are you basing this anecdote?

Oh, and unless your kobold just dumped Int to 11 or less (which I have never even heard of anyone doing), then yes, they will probably also have Common from Int bonus. Int is necessary to being an arcane spellcaster, even if you are a sorcerer (it's just secondary then). Even dragonfire adpets need it if they ever want to identify magic stuff with their invocations.

So yeah. Not sure where you get this "e'rybody is forgetting this rule" thing. It's a non-issue unless you play an actual stupid kobold fighter, where they might not have extra languages and need them.

Harsh words and highly subjective. I disagree that it's uncommon to have int below 12 depending on your point buy and character concept.

Int is right above strength in terms of priority tbh ... maybe on par with wisdom. Constitution and dexterity are both more important to a well build sorcerer since you can compensate for everything intelligence related quite easily with items and spells.

OP even specifically asked for the reason why people don't talk about this (likely because it's not really relevant).

[Âmesang]

Are you using the Hordlings from Dungeon Magazine 124?
Those are the ones; until I found out about the update I had plans of trying to convert 'em over from the PLANESCAPE™ Monstrous Compendium Appendix. :smalleek:

Though the image I used on the page was from the 1st Edition Monster Manual II.

[Coidzor]

I can't believe that with how popular kobolds are as a race, I've never seen anyone mention that they don't speak common without a high enough intelligence score or skill point investment. Is this something that is being ignored? Am I mistaken and is it common knowledge? Or do we love our little murderlizards so much we all overlook this?

Partially overlooked, partially a belief that PCs automatically get common from elsewhere in the rules so that only actually matters for npcs, partially most kobolds worth playing will have good mental stats.

Partially because conversations about kobolds largely center around traps, intrakobold culture, economic domination of a world's mining, whether they're dragony enough, and Pun-Pun and Nup-Nup.

[Venger]

I can't believe that with how popular kobolds are as a race, I've never seen anyone mention that they don't speak common without a high enough intelligence score or skill point investment. Is this something that is being ignored? Am I mistaken and is it common knowledge? Or do we love our little murderlizards so much we all overlook this?

This rule isn't so much forgotten or missed as it is willfully ignored, like encumbrance, forced march calculations, or flight maneuverability rules. they don't make the game more fun and just serve as busy work.

your characters need to be able to talk to each other (and the important figures in the story) to move forward. erecting random barriers to that isn't conducive to a fun experience, so a lot of people elect not to do it.

[Edgar Snow]

I'm currently in a game of all Kobolds and this was one of the first things that came up. Of five people, three bad it as a bonus due to Intelligence, one spent skills, and another only can speak Draconic.

For us, its great. Few creatures can speak it, so we have a secret language. When in doubt, use Undercommon.