Summon Monster Ruling

[ExMachina]

My reading is that they should speak Abyssal, Celestial, or Infernal, by alignment. Under "Skills: Speak Languages" it notes typical speakers:

Abyssal: Chaotic evil outsiders
Celestial: Good outsiders
Infernal: Lawful evil outsiders

The issue is this, do the summoned animal creatures (which almost uniformly have an Int 3, understand ANY language)? Is the INT3 'natural' to it on its plane and therefore it has a 'language' or is it only granted in a template as the spell is cast? And is there any official ruling on this that can be pointed to?

 

[Infiniti2000]

The issue is this, do the summoned animal creatures (which almost uniformly have an Int 3, understand ANY language)? Is the INT3 'natural' to it on its plane and therefore it has a 'language' or is it only granted in a template as the spell is cast? And is there any official ruling on this that can be pointed to?

Huh? I'm not sure the quote I posted in the first response can be any clearer. Moreover, you need to stop equating "animal" and "int 3", they are mutually exclusive. Any of these fiendish/celestial creatures are no longer animals.

 

[Infiniti2000]

My reading is that they should speak Abyssal, Celestial, or Infernal, by alignment. Under "Skills: Speak Languages" it notes typical speakers: ...

But, they clearly do not speak any language from the other quote. They only understand a language. Thus, you do not even go to the Speak Language skill. Not only that, that leaves neutral evil and neutral (LN/CN/TN) out the in cold with no language at all.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Abyssal: Chaotic evil outsiders
Celestial: Good outsiders
Infernal: Lawful evil outsiders

None of which have anything to do with Celestial or Infernal Xs (where X is normally an animal).

Celestial / Infernal Xs are Magical Beasts, not Outsiders.

 

[ExMachina]

Huh? I'm not sure the quote I posted in the first response can be any clearer. Moreover, you need to stop equating "animal" and "int 3", they are mutually exclusive. Any of these fiendish/celestial creatures are no longer animals.

Sigh...its not that it is unclear, but the GM's ruling is that since I can find no spe-cif-ic reference to it in the SRD, they do NOT understand any language, despite the template or 3 int. I am trying to establish a concrete form of proof.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I am trying to establish a concrete form of proof.

Then read my very first response. It's laid out as a proof.

 

[ExMachina]

Then read my very first response. It's laid out as a proof.

I did, however, the GM's take is that the creature only gains the Int3 by virtue of the fiendish/celestial template. And since the template does not STATE that a language is gained at that point, the creature is unable to understand commands, and is just a dumb animal. Speak with animals would work. But being a wizard, this is not a class spell, and it is self only, so it can't be cast on me. And even if it could I can't permanency it since it is not in the list of allowable permanency spells. Thus my hope for some obscure WoTC approved source stating that a mage can learn Celestial, Infernal, etc. And by that means communicate.

 

[IanB]

Not true.

It means that every summond Celestial X and every summoned Fiendish Y will understand commands given in Common.

Lemures - Summon Monster 2 - are completely unintelligent, and therefore cannot be commanded in Common (or any other language, for that matter).

Elementals - Summon Monster 3 and above - do not speak or understand Common; they all speak their elemental language.

Hellhounds - Summon Monster 3 - speak Infernal.

Not to mention summon nature's ally!

 

[Joshua Randall]

Thus my hope for some obscure WoTC approved source stating that a mage can learn Celestial, Infernal, etc. And by that means communicate.

Uh, the Speak Language skill doesn't work for you?

Most mid-level mages are drowning in skill points anyway, so spending a whopping 2 of them to learn another language is both easy and worthwhile.

 

[ExMachina]

Uh, the Speak Language skill doesn't work for you?

Most mid-level mages are drowning in skill points anyway, so spending a whopping 2 of them to learn another language is both easy and worthwhile.

Uh yeah...I can learn the languages, that is not the problem... the GM is ruling that there is nothing that says fiendish/celestial animals understand ANY language. YES, I am drowning in skill points, and have bought the aforementioned languages. What I am trying to obtain is any place I can point to that say Celestial/Fiendish summoned animals understand some sort of language by virtue of the 3 Int.

</emote> Bangs his head on the keyboard