D&D 5E (2024) Who has sign language?

[Misanthrope Prime]

In a world with abundant telepathy I legitimately don't know if sign language would develop like we have on Earth. Likewise, so many peoples have alternate forms of sensing that I wonder if we would see braille developed on the average D&D world or if people are going to start writing with like thermal ink or something.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

Yeah, this feels pretty ableist of the 3.5 designers to me*. In a multiverse full of activist gods, the gods of magic collectively ganging up on deaf people seems unlikely.

* Saying it applies to only those who have suddenly become deaf, via a spell effect or something similar, is probably the intended effect and makes more sense to me -- these casters don't know how to cast magic without hearing themselves do it, much like beginning typists need to be able to see their fingers -- but I don't think it holds up if we extrapolate it out to all casters.

In a world of activist gods, isn't it cruel that they let people remain deaf? Imagine a world in which the gods intervene but only enough to make life livable for the disabled even though they have the power to... make them no longer disabled.

 

[DarkCrisis]

In a world of activist gods, isn't it cruel that they let people remain deaf? Imagine a world in which the gods intervene but only enough to make life livable for the disabled even though they have the power to... make them no longer disabled.

Thats why in my games Clerics, REAL Clerics are rare. Priests run churches and temples and there may be a level 1-3 Cleric there leading the church depending on the size of the town. Because any good aligned church with all these divine casters that can easily heal numerous wounds and diseases etc per day and DON'T is some BS.

Heck in a major city where you might have a 5th level or higher cleric, the King or whatever should never die (murder, disease, etc) thanks to Raise Dead and so forth.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In a world with abundant telepathy I legitimately don't know if sign language would develop like we have on Earth. Likewise, so many peoples have alternate forms of sensing that I wonder if we would see braille developed on the average D&D world or if people are going to start writing with like thermal ink or something.

There are definitely fantasy worlds where telepathy is "abundant," but I can't imagine the average peasant in most D&D worlds has it. If the Common tongue has a use, so would sign language.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

In a world of activist gods, isn't it cruel that they let people remain deaf? Imagine a world in which the gods intervene but only enough to make life livable for the disabled even though they have the power to... make them no longer disabled.

You're making too much sense David Hume.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In a world of activist gods, isn't it cruel that they let people remain deaf? Imagine a world in which the gods intervene but only enough to make life livable for the disabled even though they have the power to... make them no longer disabled.

This is why D&D gives the gods hit points.

 

[haakon1]

In campaigns I DM, the vast majority of the population are not adventurers. They are mostly 1st level Commoners, Experts, or Warriors, with no magical or psionic powers. (3x rules - in AD&D that was called 0 level.)

For that reason, the world has many of the same problems as the real world. No Continual Light street lamps (unless it’s a special place emphasizing its high magic), and disease, disability, famine, and poverty do exist.

D&D campaigns obviously vary widely in how they present the world.

 

[Horwath]

Yeah, this feels pretty ableist of the 3.5 designers to me*. In a multiverse full of activist gods, the gods of magic collectively ganging up on deaf people seems unlikely.

* Saying it applies to only those who have suddenly become deaf, via a spell effect or something similar, is probably the intended effect and makes more sense to me -- these casters don't know how to cast magic without hearing themselves do it, much like beginning typists need to be able to see their fingers -- but I don't think it holds up if we extrapolate it out to all casters.

this I agree,
only a sudden deaf person will be unable to control their voice good enough for spell casting.
and if extra training is required for deaf person to cast magic, this might be represented with a feat choice.
Silent spell from 3.5e and improved silent spell(to reduce spell level increase by 1) would be good description for that training.

in 5E it might be:

silent spellcasting:
+1 ASI
you ignore Verbal components of spell you cast.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

You're making too much sense David Hume.

I have been known to outconsume GWF Hegel.