Telepathy Question

[Knight Otu]

The couatl entry specifically mentions answering back because it allows critters to "speak" even if they don't normally have language (shared or otherwise). That's worth a special mention.

Except that it doesn't say so, IMHO. It only talks about "no common laguage," not "no language at all." The "Speak with" spells make it clear that the subject can answer the same way, but Telepathy does not

Your reading is that any creature addressed by telepathy can respond. The couatl entry says that the addressed creature can respond, even if it shares no language with the couatl. I do not think it would be worth a special mention if the default assumption would be that any creature addressed by telepathy would be able to respond.

Plus, you don't hide clarifications on a general power in the description of one particular critter.

Normally, I'd agree. But nothing in the telepathy text makes me think it should be two-way. You can communicate with someone without using the same means of communication.

Going by the intent doesn't help here - the pseudodragon should have a detect thoughts ability to work as the flavor text implies - even the ability to respond does not help.

It seems this comes down to how you read the text, though.

 

[woodelf]

Going by the intent doesn't help here - the pseudodragon should have a detect thoughts ability to work as the flavor text implies - even the ability to respond does not help.

And, according to the flavor text, barbarians should be allowed to be lawful. IME, WotC flavor text often doesn't match the rules--that's just the first example that lept to mind, and which i could verify. Frankly, i suspect they just aren't terribly concerned if their flavor text matches or not.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Translation artefact?

Checking the 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual, I find that the description of the pseudodragon describes it as having a telepathy power that allows it to read minds. I suspect that the flavour text in the 3rd ed. was confused with the 2nd ed. mix of flavour text and mechanics when the creature was being converted.

In any case, the description of the Telepathy ability in the Monster Manual can be interpreted, at best, to allow for two-way communication. But the psudodragon is supposed to be able to read minds, and so Telepathy alone just doesn't cut it.

I suggest you give the pseudodragon the Detect Thoughts ability 3/day or at will so that it matches its flavour text.