D20 Mechanic: Languages

Here, we're going to discuss how languages work in Trinity in the d20 System. Heavy borrowing is being performed from here.

Basics

Table L-1: Language DCs
	Normal	Trade	Common	Basic
Simple Concepts	11	12	14	15
Involved Concepts	15	16	19	20
Intricate Concepts	20	21	25	26

In essence, the Speak Language skill is ridiculously easy to abuse, allowing a character to gain rapid proficiency with a huge number of languages for no good reason. Also, because language is supposed to be something of a barrier in Trinity (hence the existence of Trade and Common - and eventually Basic - languages), we need more intricate rules to handle the situation.

Table L-1: Language DCs indicates the common DCs for language-related tasks, based upon the "class" of language involved (Normal, Trade, Common, and Basic).

Language Task Difficulties

What follows is a list of skills and situations and an indication of how difficult they are, linguistically.

• Bluff (Speak)
  • If the target gets a -5 or +0 modifier, this requires simple understanding of the language.
  • If the target gets a +5 or higher modifier, this requires an involved understanding of the language.
• Diplomacy (Speak)
  • Diplomacy requires simple understanding of the language.
• Forgery (Read/Write)
  • Forgery requires simple understanding of the language. If you lack this, you suffer a -4 penalty to the Forgery check.
• Knowledge (Speak)
  • If the Knowledge DC was 10 to 15, imparting this information to another creature requires them to have simple understanding of your language.
  • If the DC was 16 to 24, imparting this information requires an involved understanding.
  • If the DC was 25 or more, imparting this information requires an intricate understanding.
• Sense Motive (Read/Write/Speak)
  • This requires simple understanding of the language.

Game Modifications

When you create a character, for each language you would normally gain, you instead gain 8 skill points, which you may divide amongst any number of Read/Write Language and Speak Language skills as you like. For purposes of this rules modification, Read/Write Language and Speak Language are considered class skills.

If you take your first character level as barbarian, you instead gain 4 skill points, and are prohibited from putting these skill points into Read/Write Language.

New Skills

Huzzah for new skills!

Read/Write Language (Int/Edu)

When you take this skill, choose a single language. You can read and write in that language.

Check: You can try to read or write a single language. Like Craft, this is a meta-skill, representing several skills that all behave in a similar fashion. Each language is its own skill (Read Language (Quenya) and Read Language (Druidic) are two different skills).

Simple concepts may be conveyed (or understood) with a DC 10 check. Moderately complex ideas require a DC 15 check, while more complex ideas may require DC 20 or higher checks. Generally, most people will be able to Take 10 for their normal uses of language (normal conversation needs only DC 10, while those who regularly have to make DC 20 checks will be intelligent, literate, and/or trained in a number of related languages).

Take 10: Yes, always.

Retry: Yes, always.

Synergy

• If you have 5 or more ranks in Read/Write Language for a language, you get a +2 bonus on checks involving documents being written in that language (mostly Forgery and Profession (scribe)).
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Read/Write Language for a language, you get a +2 bonus to Speak Language checks involving this language, and a +2 bonus to all Read Language involving languages of the same family.

Speak Language (Int/Edu)

When you take this skill, choose a single language. You can speak that language.

Check: You can try to speak or understand a single language. Like Craft, this is a meta-skill, representing several skills that all behave in a similar fashion. Each language is its own skill (Speak Language (Quenya) and Speak Language (Druidic) are two different skills).

Simple concepts may be conveyed (or understood) with a DC 10 check. Moderately complex ideas require a DC 15 check, while more complex ideas may require DC 20 or higher checks. Generally, most people will be able to Take 10 for their normal uses of language (normal conversation needs only DC 10, while those who regularly have to make DC 20 checks will be intelligent, literate, and/or trained in a number of related languages).

Take 10: Yes, always.

Retry: Yes, always.

Synergy

• If you have 5 or more ranks in Speak Language for a language, you get a +2 bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks made when using the language.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Speak Language, you get a +2 bonus to Read/Write Language checks made for that language, and a +2 bonus to all Speak Language checks with languages of the same family.