Comprehend Langauges

[Fenris]

I have an ancient langauge IMC, one that pre-dates magic even. So, I was considering having any magical attempts to translate it fail. How justified would this be (knowing I can do anything as DM), would it seem reasonable? I have actually created many words for this language so the players (as the characters) will eventually be able to reason out translations. I have hidden many campaign clues in the langauge and in place names and I don't want them discovered too easily or early.
Thanks for any feedback.

 

[DreamChaser]

I'd say that Comprehend Languages is a spell that is most in need of Rule 0ing. It makes any sort of puzzel like this useless.

Based on your premise, I think that it would be fine to have CL not work.

DC

 

[Crothian]

I agree. Comprehend languages and Tongues does make it to easy to get around language problems. Go right ahead and have this ancient language not apply to comprhend languages. It will add to the mystic of the ancient language.

 

[Saeviomagy]

No, it'll seriously annoy your players, who will ask you WHY it doesn't work. If it really crimps your problems, then are you going for simple little letter or word substitutions?

Note that the spell specifically states that it only gives the literal meaning of the text, not any nuances or hidden meanings which it may have. You can probably point this fact out to the players via some expert on the language, and they should be more willing to look closely at how things go.

 

[Crothian]

No, it'll seriously annoy your players, who will ask you WHY it doesn't work.

And there you have mystery and character interest. This would be the exception, if it happens to often it gets old and boring.

 

[LostSoul]

Anybody remember the Star Trek (next generation) episode... Darmok, I think it was called?

Picard & clones meet a bunch of aliens who speak english (thanks to the translators that can't translate klingon half the time but can translate a strobing light... I'll stop venting about Star Trek now ) but entirely in metaphor. They would say something like "Juliet on the balcony" if they wanted to say somebody was being courted (or a romantic scene, or whatever). It was one of the neatest things they did.

Anyways, you could do something like that. Without knowing what the proper names mean, the words will be meaningless.

 

[DreamChaser]

Alt Comprehend Languages

Comprehend Languages

Divination
Level: Brd 1, Clr1, Sor/Wiz 1 (I don't know why it wasn't a bard spell to begin with)
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 minute (I think it should take longer...its a pretty significant effect--but I could be overruled)
Range: You
Target: Personal
Duration: 10 minutes/level

You can understand the spoken language of one creature or the meaning of a single text (book, scroll, wall, plaque, etc). In either case, you can only understand a currently living language (i.e. currently learned as a first language by children) as the spell draws on the understanding of the language found in the collective knowledge of the language's users. You can only understand one language at a time but that language can be changed every round simply by touching the creature or text to be understood.

[second paragraph is the same]
[same arcane materials]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you think. It solves the ancient language problem and places this spell back firmly in the rank of low level spells.

-DC

 

[Fenris]

Thank you all for your comments.
DreamChaser, I like your spell but there are other "dead" languages that I would not mind (and indeed they need to) be able to understand/translate.
For the language in question I have a vocabulary of over one thousand words. I am giving the meanings of some words or roots right off the bat. Since it is a relatively simple syllabary langauge the Players should be able to piece togther the meanings of further words by knowing the roots. I want to try and create an on going puzzle, where the more they find out the more questions it opens up about the past and gives them ideas for adventures. I just didn't want to "seriously annoy my players". Thank you all aain for youir input.

 

[Jerrid Al-Kundo]

Consider also the spells that give a bonus to Skill checks; This spell is effectively an automatic success on Decipher Script. Rather potent in comparison.

Perhaps it can be changed to just give an insight bonus to Decipher Script.

In my own campaign, Arcane Magic isn't written in a single language as it is in the Default Setting, which really made this spell more problematic (magic is intended to be difficult to learn, requiring a strong mastery of multiple languages to study and learn effectively). We just upped it to 3rd Level, since the in-game effect is more powerful than numerical calculations indicate.