literacy and you average adventurer

[alsih2o]

am i the only one who finds it odd that everyone but barbarians are automatically literate?

how do you balance reality in the dark ages vs. playability?

 

[333 Dave]

I agree, it doesn't make sense that Barbarians are automaticly illiterate. I changed it so their literate in their native tounge (if their native languages has one, that is), but must spend skill points to learn literacy in everything else...

 

[Crothian]

Everyone except Wizards are automatically illertate in my game. However, it isn't hard to create a background that allows for literacy. It costs the same to learn a language that it does to learn an alphebet (2 skill points, 1 for the Bard).

 

[bloodymage]

I'm with Crothian on this. IMC, just wizards are literate in any language they start with. Gaining literacy in a subsequent language costs 1 skill point. All other classes can become literate in a given language with 1 SP except barbarians for which it costs 2.

 

[Tsyr]

IMC, it's as much dependent on race as class.

For example, the average elf IS literate... with that much time on their hands, why not?

The average dwarf, on the other hand, is not, or at least not very... no need to be in their life.

With humans, it depends on the size of city they come from, their station in life, etc.

 

[Crothian]

IMC, it's as much dependent on race as class.

For example, the average elf IS literate... with that much time on their hands, why not?

The average dwarf, on the other hand, is not, or at least not very... no need to be in their life.

With humans, it depends on the size of city they come from, their station in life, etc.

That is a very good point. I'll have to through the races and get a feel for which would be literate and in what.

 

[Tonguez]

IMC, it's as much dependent on race as class.

For example, the average elf IS literate... with that much time on their hands, why not?

The average dwarf, on the other hand, is not, or at least not very... no need to be in their life.

With humans, it depends on the size of city they come from, their station in life, etc.

But surely Dwarfs should be literate - what with all the runes and the need for a system of mathematical symbols related to their engineering (so a very specific number-intensive literacy but literate none the less)

Elves on the other hand would be more into an oral culture of reciting long ballards and painting beautiful pictures than one of writing things down. (of course their pictures may develop into Pictographs such as the Aztecs(Mayans?) used

 

[Hammerhead]

am i the only one who finds it odd that everyone but barbarians are automatically literate?

how do you balance reality in the dark ages vs. playability?

When was DnD dark ages again? I don't see a completely separate world with very different "rules" from our own as having the exact same historical situations.

 

[Vaxalon]

I make them all literate so that I can use things like signs that say "Go back, keep out" and suchlike, so that they can read notes and books...

It just makes for a more interesting game.

 

[el-remmen]

I am of the exxact OPPOSITE belief, Vax - Illiterate characters make for a MUCH more interesting game.

According to the rules I use ALL character are illiterate.

Characters can spend points on literacy to the following effects:

One Rank - The ability to read basic signs and very simple words and sentences.

Two Ranks - This is basic literacy. This is the ability to read letters, common books and a general understanding of basic writings.

Three Ranks - This allows a deeper understanding of literature, poetry and contracts in the language.

Four Ranks - At this rank or higher, the character can hope to understand the most convoluted of written works, treatises and geneologies—including the ability to interpret meanings from the most obtuse of tomes.


If a character comes across some writing that I consider above their ability to easily read I require a skill check against a DC I figure is hard enough (it uses INT as its base stat).

The literacy skill is a class skill for bards, rogues, priests, and wizards (and aristocrats).