Communication for a Skeleton

[VonKaiserstein]

So I'm really, really enthusiastic about playing a skeleton Berserker, to circumvent the exhaustion penalty of rage. However, they can't speak. That's no issue in any long discussion, puzzle rooms- because it'll only have 6 intelligence, it's not going to have insightful solutions, but I can write out anytime I have the time to discuss a complex thought.

But for basic combat commands, statements, the sort of stuff the party may need to hear during combat, I'm planning to color code my finger bones. That way, I can quickly send one of 10 messages.

Obviously, Run, and Attack, ought to be the middle fingers. Run, probably yellow, Red for attack.

What other 8 messages do you think are most important for me to be able to give me party?

Thanks!

[thereaper]

Help?

The thing that concerns me, though, is the question of how something with 6 intelligence would come up with this system in the first place.

[Ganymede]

People play D&D for some weird reasons.

[VonKaiserstein]

That is a very fair question. It's for a one shot at level 20, so I'm operating under the assumption that the party taught it this, over it's long career. I wouldn't start out with something this complicated, it's far too clever to come from it.

At level 1, I'd just keep trying to talk until someone told me they can't hear me. Several times.

[Ventruenox]

If only there were some silent combat based communication means... (https://spotterup.com/basic-tactics-hand-and-arm-signals-2/)

This could be an excellent roleplay opportunity, rather than having all the other party members carry a cheat sheet of your ten color codes. There is also the tried and true method of drawing in the dust.

[PhantomSoul]

My player's necromancer is getting Skelepathy (so she can communicate with some undead)... but it sounds like someone "helping you" come up with the finger version is more fitting.

Do you want hand to matter? (Inferring yes since it adds options, but increases confusion potential.) Could be fun if the party sees you in the mirror and misinterprets... Colours remove that option thought I suppose. Being smart's a pity sometimes.

To what extent do you want the fingers to be "meaningful" combined with gestures, and to what extent do you think you can mitigate risks of misinterpretation from general context. E.g. pointing at a creature with the ATTACK finger is effectively "attack that target", but do you want the other hand to indicate yourself vs. others or leave that unclear? Open hand could be used for "subjects".

Thumb for yes (up/down gets yes/no if you're adding in more detail).
Join/peace with the ring finger. Depending on the humour style of group, I could see the other colour being capture/bind/restrain.

[Demonslayer666]

Just make sure your middle finger is color-coded to mean thanks.

[Sigreid]

If you have a wizard in the party, Telepathic bond is a ritual that allows the group to communicate with each other at unlimited range for up to an hour at a shot.

[RogueJK]

Make him a skeleton of a Ghostwise Halfling.

They can communicate telepathically.

[Man_Over_Game]

Or just grab the Magic Initiate feat into Wizard/Sorcerer. Grab yourself Message as a cantrip.

--------------------

Rather than each finger being a word, have each one be an emotion.

Happiness, fear, sadness, rage, ambivalence/cluelessness.

Or:

Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, White.

Then use the other hand to represent severity on a scale of 1-5.

Rage-5 is pretty explicit. So is Fear-5. Fear-1 is just you expressing caution, and Happiness-2 is a gesture of gratitude.

[PhoenixPhyre]

Unless you're doing something weird, none of these work.



They can't read, speak, emote, or communicate in any way except to nod, shake their heads, or point.


If you're already home-brewing things, then why not just let them speak? Anything less would annoy the crap out of me if it were at my table.

[Vogie]

The thing that concerns me, though, is the question of how something with 6 intelligence would come up with this system in the first place.

It was likely taught to them, and likely just slightly more complicated than the variant of sign language that we teach to pre-verbal babies & toddlers IRL.

[Particle_Man]

Interesting that they have darkvision and can understand speech, but can't read. I wonder why that is. Could they be taught to read?

Mind you, if one is playing a skeleton berserker, that could be a shout-out to 3rd edition when single-classed barbarians couldn't read either (unless they spent the skill points). :smallbiggrin:

But if you can nod, shake your head, and point (in various directions, and presumably with either hand) I think you could work out a code from those gestures alone.

Skelly: <Nod-point upwards with left hand-nod-shake head>

Party Member #2: "Ok, folks, Skelly just 'said' that he thinks there is a trap ahead!"

[Imbalance]

From what race are your bones? Do you have a tail?

[Sigreid]

Interesting that they have darkvision and can understand speech, but can't read. I wonder why that is. Could they be taught to read?

Mind you, if one is playing a skeleton berserker, that could be a shout-out to 3rd edition when single-classed barbarians couldn't read either (unless they spent the skill points). :smallbiggrin:

But if you can nod, shake your head, and point (in various directions, and presumably with either hand) I think you could work out a code from those gestures alone.

Skelly: <Nod-point upwards with left hand-nod-shake head>

Party Member #2: "Ok, folks, Skelly just 'said' that he thinks there is a trap ahead!"

I like to think that they don't see in the same sense as living creatures, not having eyes and all and it's more a vague sense of what eyes would see.

[Rukelnikov]

If you weren't starting at 20 I'd say to take a level of GOOLock, it could also be worked into explaining your condition.

As it is now, get a helm of telepathy. Message doesn't even work if you can't speak at all, and even if it did, you will be raging in combat.

[Dalebert]

A berzerker immune to exhaustion makes me wonder about the viability of a moon druid berzerker. You could turn into an elemental and then go into a berzerk rage for free. Of course it takes a long time to come online--10 levels of druid and at least 3 levels of barbarian, but it's not a like a str8 moon druid is anything to sneeze at.

Sorry for the slight side topic.