Spellcasting Pseudodragons - Your Ruling?

[Lord Slaw]

OK, first, a little background.

Pseudodragons (SRD Stats) are affable little buggers, that's for sure, and are often sought after as familiars. But, a level adjustment IS included in the entry, thus implying that they are a playable race. Previous questions to the folks at WotC have confirmed this, and, as such, Pseudodragon PCs are seen from time to time. Being Tiny, they don't make dynamite martial characters, but a smaller size can be a boon to Rogues and spellcasters. Now, mechanically, Rogue comes out fine without any kinks, but there is one major concern when it comes to spellcasting - Pseudodragons cannot actually verbalize a language. They can communicate telepathically with any creature knowing Common or Sylvan (and, presumably, can learn additional languages) and can vocalize animal noises, but are unable to speak, at least in the traditional sense of the word. So, RAW, it would seem that Pseudodragon spellcasters suffer a huge stigma, in that they cannot normally cast spells with a Verbal component.

Now, the question...

As a DM (or a player), what would you rule on this?

I've already formed an opinion (which, for the sake of a fair and balanced poll, I will not mention), I'm just curious to see what others think. As usual, play nice.

 

[dfarnsworth]

Verbage

The spell descriptions rarely specify what the verbal component is and there are instances in books and my own campaign that have people casting the same spell but in different languages and ways. I would say that if a verbal component is needed only a certain sound is required.

 

[Lord Slaw]

Oh, for the record, I'll be staying out of this (eventual) debate, at least for the most part. This really is just my curiosity peeking its little Pseudodragon-y head out.

 

[Nifft]

Yes, but mainly because they're dragons. Other smart critters of other types with vocal restrictions would probably not get a pass.

I'd be more inclined to allow Sorcerer casting than Cleric, too.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Jack Simth]

If you're soaking the level adjustment, and the racial hit dice (+2 LA, 2 racial hit dice = you're 4 levels behind on your casting... two, eventually, with LA buyoff, but still...), and playing a caster, it should be okay. You learned different ways of casting the spell. You're pretty clearly not powergaming that one.

 

[Arkhandus]

Per the rules, no, they cannot cast spells with verbal components (they could if they used Silent Spell metamagic on such spells, however). Druids clearly cannot cast spells while in animal forms, for example, so animal noises apparently cannot suffice for forming the verbal components of spells.

Outside the RAW, I'd just allow them to cast spells anyway, cuz they're dragons and they can telepathically broadcast spell incantations as far as I'm concerned. I'd still say they need Silent Spell in use if they wanted to avoid telepathically broadcasting the incantation to everyone nearby, though.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Interestingly, somatic components get a pass, while verbal components don't:

Spells: Sometimes a creature can cast arcane or divine spells just as a member of a spellcasting class can (and can activate magic items accordingly). Such creatures are subject to the same spellcasting rules that characters are, except as follows.

A spellcasting creature that lacks hands or arms can provide any somatic component a spell might require by moving its body. Such a creature also does need material components for its spells. The creature can cast the spell by either touching the required component (but not if the component is in another creature’s possession) or having the required component on its person. Sometimes spellcasting creatures utilize the Eschew Materials feat to avoid fussing with noncostly components.

Though amusingly, while a naga, say, can cast spells by moving its body, if you turn into a naga using Alternate Form or Change Shape, you can't; both abilities carry this note:
The creature retains any spellcasting ability it had in its original form, although it must be able to speak intelligibly to cast spells with verbal components and it must have humanlike hands to cast spells with somatic components.

-Hyp.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Why not? Let fly, it's a trifling matter.

 

[Alzrius]

I'd allow it. It seems a trifle unfair to penalize them over such a minor issue, especially when playing a pseudodragon PC is already quite a challenge.

 

[Thurbane]

Enemies and Allies included a Pseudodragon Sorcerer named Wallach...