Should undead be allowed to speak?

[Sejs]

Hell, even unintelligent undead can speak, as far as I'm concerned. They just don't have anything to say aside from incomprehensible moaning and such.


I mean what's the point of a zombie that doesn't moan and groan like a zombie?

 

[cmanos]

Karrnathi zombies and Skeletons from the Eberron Campaign setting have an intelligence score and can speak. Granted ther eis noting stating how these undead are created.

Awakening. I don't know exactly what this does. Where is this found?

EDIT: Ah OK so an awakened undead has an intelligence of 7-10. Definitely a sufficient intelligence to speak. Does the spell say anything about speaking, or if they gain skill points? If so, I would throw one point into Speak Language and say, yes, the undead can speak. It may not be all that intelligible, but look at some of the people who speak today and you can't understand a word they are saying, even though they are speaking your language.

 

[Patlin]

A lich or a deathknight can certainly speak, and they have skeletal apearances. An awakened skeleton ought to be able to speak, too. After all, they are held together entirely by the magic that animates them, why shouldn't it extend to speech?

 

[glass]

Of course, how else would zombies say 'bra-a-a-a-ains'.



Actually, I voted maybe as it would vary by type. I do think awakened undead should be able to speak, though.



glass.

 

[Nail]

Answer to OP question: Of course (intelligent) Undead can speak! Your DM is being a duffus.

 

[Artoomis]

The lack of organs does not matter. Other undead that are not mindless can speak, so this one should too.

Personally, I think it's "icky" for a PC to have undead companions, but that's a whole other discussion revolving around evils PCs and the approriateness of that in general. Definately NOT a rules discussion and I will not comment on it again here.

 

[Nail]

....just in case yer DM needs a rules quote: :\

Abilities:...
Intelligence: A creature can speak all the languages mentioned in its description, plus one additional language per point of Intelligence bonus. Any creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher understands at least one language (Common, unless noted otherwise).

 

[Mistwell]

....just in case yer DM needs a rules quote: :\

Well, that rule says that they speak no languages then. Undead have no languages in their description, and the Awaken spell doesn't get their intelligence up to 12, hence no bonus. They can understand languages however, according to that rule.

Personally, I think it should be treated just like awaken for plants and animals. Awakened Unded get to speak at least one language (likely common).

 

[Nail]

Random examples:

Mummies can speak Common, but seldom bother to do so.

Wights speak Common.

Wraiths speak Common and Infernal.

 

[Nail]

...Undead have no languages in their description...

Actually....

Still, you got me on the Awaken Undead angle. For some reason I thought they had the same range as the normal Awaken spell.