(3.P) Wildshape speech in multiple languages

[WarKitty]

I have a druid who is planning on taking the Elemental Reserve Feat. I have already spent the skill points on the elemental languages. I do not want to spend the gold (24,000 by RAW) for an item of continuous-use tongues, especially with the skill points already spent. Retraining is not an option.

I need a way to make use of all my known languages while in animal form, that is active all the time. Ideas, playground?

[jiriku]

Be a whisper gnome?

Realized this is an existing character. You're hosed. C'est la vie. Is there a cleric or wizard in your party who'd be willing to cast brain spider or telepathic bond?

[WarKitty]

Be a whisper gnome?

On a current character?

[Coidzor]

Sadly all I can think of is Master of Many Forms 1.

[The Shadowmind]

Pearl of Speech in MiC can be interrupted to let you speak one language, despite not having the physical ability to do so,

[WarKitty]

Pearl of Speech in MiC can be interrupted to let you speak one language, despite not having the physical ability to do so,

That's why I specified I need all known languages. I have Pearl of Speech (common) currently so I can communicate with my party. Doesn't solve the elemental problem, since that's 4 additional languages.

[The Shadowmind]

That's why I specified I need all known languages. I have Pearl of Speech (common) currently so I can communicate with my party. Doesn't solve the elemental problem, since that's 4 additional languages.

Either crystal mask of languages can do 5 languages, but takes the same spaces as the pearl, or maybe the pearl plus the tongues spell.

[Grynning]

The solution will likely need to be homebrewed/houseruled. Just ask your DM to either let you spend a feat slot on being able to speak in animal form, or to make a custom item that has the same effect.

If it was me, I'd probably set it at about 2,000 GP for the item.

[Coidzor]

Why do you need to communicate with the elementals while wildshaped anyway? They come knowing who your opponents are by the text of the spell they're based upon and you can't have them leave the range at which you can summon them anyway...

[WarKitty]

Why do you need to communicate with the elementals while wildshaped anyway? They come knowing who your opponents are by the text of the spell they're based upon and you can't have them leave the range at which you can summon them anyway...

We're talking about the Elemental Reserve Feat, not SNA elementals (although those are a nice bonus). I'm looking to keep the critters around for scouting/digging/other fun stuff, rather than primarily for combat.

[Coidzor]

We're talking about the Elemental Reserve Feat, not SNA elementals (although those are a nice bonus). I'm looking to keep the critters around for scouting/digging/other fun stuff, rather than primarily for combat.

Text of the feat says they act as summon monster summons, hence the knowing who your enemies are and attacking them without prompting thing.

What kind of wildshape form are you staying in so often that this is really such an issue anyway? 30 feet ahead of you is pretty bad for scouting. and if it's checking squares for traps it just takes slightly longer in game, though no more time at the actual table to simply summon an earth elemental in each square.

[WarKitty]

Text of the feat says they act as summon monster summons, hence the knowing who your enemies are and attacking them without prompting thing.

What kind of wildshape form are you staying in so often that this is really such an issue anyway? 30 feet ahead of you is pretty bad for scouting. and if it's checking squares for traps it just takes slightly longer in game, though no more time at the actual table to simply summon an earth elemental in each square.

I use eagle wild shape primarily. This is a 3.5/PF game, so you just get a small stat bonus. But I took anthro bat as a base race and need the speed for running away a lot. Plus we get a lot of encounters per day so I can't afford to shift back and forth.

[bokodasu]

How often do you have to talk to them? A 50-use item is 1/2 price. And if it's really for background/offscreen stuff (so someone else can use it for you), a wand is half that price. Even at four uses per session, that's 12.5 sessions you're covered for, and at that point you can see if it's worth getting something more permanent.

You can also beg someone in your party to become a crafter (which is how I got my Amulet of Talk To Everything).

It does seem odd to me, because I've been trying to figure out a way around this for a few weeks now - there are magic items to do EVERYTHING. Adding FLAMES to your bite is practically free. It's just a wee little feat to be able to cast spells while in bear form. But being a bear and *talking*? No, sorry, that's going to cost you more than freakin' ARMOR that will CHANGE SHAPE with you and hide under your bear skin while still giving you all its bonuses but none of its drawbacks.

(Perhaps you have a kind DM who will appreciate this argument. Mine is flexible in the "if you can create it by RAW you can have it" way but not at all in the "this is a ridiculous pricing structure" way.)

[WarKitty]

How often do you have to talk to them? A 50-use item is 1/2 price. And if it's really for background/offscreen stuff (so someone else can use it for you), a wand is half that price. Even at four uses per session, that's 12.5 sessions you're covered for, and at that point you can see if it's worth getting something more permanent.

You can also beg someone in your party to become a crafter (which is how I got my Amulet of Talk To Everything).

It does seem odd to me, because I've been trying to figure out a way around this for a few weeks now - there are magic items to do EVERYTHING. Adding FLAMES to your bite is practically free. It's just a wee little feat to be able to cast spells while in bear form. But being a bear and *talking*? No, sorry, that's going to cost you more than freakin' ARMOR that will CHANGE SHAPE with you and hide under your bear skin while still giving you all its bonuses but none of its drawbacks.

(Perhaps you have a kind DM who will appreciate this argument. Mine is flexible in the "if you can create it by RAW you can have it" way but not at all in the "this is a ridiculous pricing structure" way.)

I'll talk to him about allowing it to be based off of "speak with animals" as the base spell. That would be a reasonable price I think - by RAW that's a 4000gp item, much more affordable.

[Diarmuid]

I'm going to second the Master of Many Forms 1.

[WarKitty]

I'm going to second the Master of Many Forms 1.

That requires two useless feats and a lost caster level on a primary caster though.

And I want to talk to them in part because they're cute and fun. I just don't want to spend a large portion of my gold on "cute and fun" at the expense of more useful stuff.

[Coidzor]

What'chu talking 'bout Warkitty? Cutementals?

[WarKitty]

What'chu talking 'bout Warkitty? Cutementals?

Yeah don't you just love how those little fire elementals flicker and how happy they look when they have something to burn? And those air elementals, flying around and turning into mini whirlwinds, aren't they just the sweetest things?

Ok I'm weird. But I still think they're cute.

[Coidzor]

Eh, well, at least they're not glowing, neon, technicolor cockroaches the size of your head.

[Diarmuid]

That requires two useless feats and a lost caster level on a primary caster though.

And I want to talk to them in part because they're cute and fun. I just don't want to spend a large portion of my gold on "cute and fun" at the expense of more useful stuff.

Based on your OP requirements "I need a way to make use of all my known languages while in animal form, that is active all the time. Ideas, playground?", it's a very strong answer. If you want to change your requirements to include "that requires almost no investment of any resources" you're going to find that there really isnt going to be anything to help you on a continuous basis that includes any languages you know.

[bokodasu]

Another thought - in (I think) Savage Species there are gloves that give you human hands while you're wildshaped. If I remember correctly, it's pretty cheap and maybe your DM will let you have something similar that gives you human vocal cords.

(And heck, if you're a *bird* you should be able to learn to talk. Yes, it's against RAW, but I think if you're spending most of your time in a particular wild shape you should at least get a little used to it, and talking eagles is totally a major plot point in the main inspiration for D&D. It's practically canon!)

I'm with you on the cute and fun thing, and I'm in a campaign where if I don't spend my money on silly stuff, I will be a SLAYING MACHINE. Also, we have two fighters and a monk. I'm spending copious amounts of xp on Awakening bears, too, to keep from outleveling everyone. (But that's mostly because I show up to more games. Still, there will be an entire society of Awakened bears when I'm done.)

[WarKitty]

Based on your OP requirements "I need a way to make use of all my known languages while in animal form, that is active all the time. Ideas, playground?", it's a very strong answer. If you want to change your requirements to include "that requires almost no investment of any resources" you're going to find that there really isnt going to be anything to help you on a continuous basis that includes any languages you know.

That's what I was afraid of. I wasn't sure if I was missing a spell or an item or something. The crystal face mask would actually work for what I wanted, since PF helpfully lets you retain the use of continuously-functioning magic items in wildshape. Plus I could make a good argument from it that I ought to be able to price the item I want for something similar.

I'm not asking for something that doesn't require resource investment, but I am looking for something that is within reason for me to have obtained by level 7 (when I'll be taking the feat).

Another thought - in (I think) Savage Species there are gloves that give you human hands while you're wildshaped. If I remember correctly, it's pretty cheap and maybe your DM will let you have something similar that gives you human vocal cords.

(And heck, if you're a *bird* you should be able to learn to talk. Yes, it's against RAW, but I think if you're spending most of your time in a particular wild shape you should at least get a little used to it, and talking eagles is totally a major plot point in the main inspiration for D&D. It's practically canon!)

I'm with you on the cute and fun thing, and I'm in a campaign where if I don't spend my money on silly stuff, I will be a SLAYING MACHINE. Also, we have two fighters and a monk. I'm spending copious amounts of xp on Awakening bears, too, to keep from outleveling everyone. (But that's mostly because I show up to more games. Still, there will be an entire society of Awakened bears when I'm done.)

They're not that cheap for a level 7. Actually my party's been pushing me to maybe invest in some metamagic rods or somesuch. I'm running a debuffer in a melee-focused party, so it works out well.

[Marnath]

I was under the impression you directed the elementals telepathically. O.o

[Diarmuid]

Elementals summoned via the Summon Elemental reserve feat act as if summoned via the Summon Monster line of spells. These creatures intrisicly know who your enemies are and attack them to the best of their ability. If you want to have your summoned buddy do stuff like trigger traps for you, scout, be able to report back it's findings you would need some way to communicate with them.

[Marnath]

I have a solution! Medallion of Thought Projection. It's technically cursed, but for you it's exactly what the doctor ordered.