An alternative language system

An optional rule that promotes Interaction

Intelligence is of little value for classes unable to cast arcane spells. The traditional language system ask you to have an exhaustive list of languages during your first session. I definitely don’t want to give this list to my player. It spoils the excitement of discovering languages during play. Rolling on the languages table might help. But adding additional languages during your campaign will rob your player the opportunity to know those language.

I present you a simple random system based on intelligence.

Each time you encounter an unknown language, each player with an intelligence score above 9 may roll a d6 and consult the table below. If they succeed they understand this particular speaker or text. This doesn’t mean they will understand every other occurrence of this language. They just know enough words to interact in this particular context.

Properly learning language may still hold value. Hiring a sage might still be necessary to understand the proper meaning of some metaphor or historical reference.

Remember that during an encounter only someone who understand the opposing party may roll for reaction using their charisma modifier. It isn’t necessary the best of the group.

Those values are mostly geared toward standard humanoid encounter. I use the following modifiers for more esoteric texts :

This 2 tables system is simple enough to fit in most home rule document. It gives your player more opportunity to interact with exotic species or culture. It does so without adding anything to their character sheet.

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Cordialement,
Minodrec