Languages variant

[Heretic Apostate]

I recently (finally!) received GURPS 4E. In reading it, the speak/read languages thing are no long skills (i.e., open-ended), but are rather advantages (i.e., you can buy up to a certain level). Two character points gets you "broken," four character points gets you "accented," and six character points gets you "native." (That's one point for speaking and one for reading/writing.)

So what's the point? What's the difference? Well, at "broken" level, you get a penalty to social skills that depend on speaking and/or reading/writing. Want to bluff your way past that elven guard? Hope you have decent levels of Elvish, otherwise you're going to take a -3 penalty on your roll. (Sorry, don't know all the skills that were listed in the book...)

Still, that's a way to make languages more important, right? I'd consider combining this with the rules from the Kalamar player's guide.

Okay, just spouting stuff off the top of my head.

 

[robberbaron]

A bit like the way I do it in my campaign, though I have 2 + 1 levels and each costs 1 skill point for both speak and read/write.
There are lots of crossovers between languages, with level 2 knowledge of a language gives level 0 "understanding" of all similar ones.

I don't use a "Common" tongue and, as my world is a very far future Earth, the language "tree" is loosely based on the situation today.

It's a bit complicated but I always found the rulebook system overly simplistic.

 

[Thanee]

Similar to how HERO and Midgard handle languages, with dependancies between similar languages. A lot more complex than what D&D does, and certainly a lot more realistic, too.

In our Stargate d20 campaign, we use language levels (kinda like every language is its own skill, but levels only range from +0 to +4).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Afrodyte]

I've been looking for something like this. The next time I run a D20 game, I'm yoinking it. Thanks.

 

[Gez]

This is definitely the kind of thread where I should be pimping my language house-rules. Critically acclaimed!

 

[ydirbut]

I recently (finally!) received GURPS 4E. In reading it, the speak/read languages thing are no long skills (i.e., open-ended), but are rather advantages (i.e., you can buy up to a certain level). Two character points gets you "broken," four character points gets you "accented," and six character points gets you "native." (That's one point for speaking and one for reading/writing.)

So what's the point? What's the difference? Well, at "broken" level, you get a penalty to social skills that depend on speaking and/or reading/writing. Want to bluff your way past that elven guard? Hope you have decent levels of Elvish, otherwise you're going to take a -3 penalty on your roll. (Sorry, don't know all the skills that were listed in the book...)

Still, that's a way to make languages more important, right? I'd consider combining this with the rules from the Kalamar player's guide.

Okay, just spouting stuff off the top of my head.

The problem with that system is that it downgrades Speak Language from Useful in certain circumstances to totally useless. I mean, think about it. How many characters have taken Speak Language. Now imagine how many would take it if you divided it's usefullness by 4. Especially considering how easy it is to replicate with magic.

One variant you could use would be to do it like a rangers favored enemy. That is, 4 ranks of skill with a language skill. Every time you gain a rank in Speak Language, you choose a new language to gain level 1 in, one ot upgrade from 1 to 2, one from 2 to 3, and one to go from 3 to 4.

 

[Nifft]

My old house rules (untested):

a) Speak Language (each language taken individually) is a skill with 6 ranks. 4 is "like a native", 5 is "fluent", and 6 is "like frikkin' Shakespeare".

b) Everyone starts out with 4 ranks in their native language.

c) Your pre-Epic social skill bonuses are limited by (4 * Language). In other words, if you have 2 ranks in a language, your Diplomacy bonus is capped at +8. This makes language useful. Note that ability bonus applies even if you are allowed no other bonus.

d) Add a Feat (or Talent, if you're doing AU):

Natural Linguist
Benefit: After spending some time with folks who aren't hostile, you can act like you have 1 rank in their language. Exact time depends on your campaign. Typically a few hours to a few days.
Normal: You're severely limited if you don't speak the language.

e) Limit the number of languages to like 5 human tongues, 5 non-human tongues, and the usual bouquet of extra-planar patois.

-- N