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BlackDragonKarameikos
Learned Scribe
USA
106 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 01:04:54
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I have a queestion concerning the tounges spell.
It says it will allow you to understand and speak the language of any intelligent creature. Wether it is a racial or regional tongue.
My question is this: will it allow someone to speak or understand a language like Druidic, or would it be blocked from doing so as Druidic is a Class based language useable only by druids.
Any input would be appreciated.
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wintermute27
Learned Scribe
USA
179 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 04:40:10
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In my games I like to have the Tongues and Comprehend Languages spells work on a word by word basis so that while it allows you to understand and speak any language, your grammar and comprehension skills are limited. Think Yoda's ability to speak Galactic Basic.
Here is a bit about the Druidic language from The Complete Druid's Handbook:
quote:
The secret language has a specialized and detailed vocabulary limited to dealing with Nature and natural events; beyond this sphere, it is very basic. A druid could use the secret language to talk about the health of a person, animal, or plant; discuss the weather; or give detailed directions through the wilderness. The language also can describe druidic spells, ceremonies, powers, and any natural and supernatural creatures known to the druids. However, it contains no words for sophisticated human emotions, for most tools or artifacts (beyond those used for hunting, farming, or fishing), or for weapons and armor (other than items druids use). The language also contains few words that refer to concepts peculiar to sentient beings, like property, justice, theft, or war. Tense distinctions blur in this secret tongue; usually the concepts druids express bear a certain immediacy or timelessness.
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My Current Campaign: The Adventures of the Stonelanders |
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Artemel
Learned Scribe
USA
110 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 11:47:31
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| Technically, you can understand Druidic with a Tongues spell. In fact, you can even understand the secret language used between Mage and familiar, which is unique to each bond! (It mentions in 3.5 PHB that the familiar can be understood by it's master and by others using magical means.) |
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woodwwad
Learned Scribe
USA
267 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 16:20:00
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You can understand Druidic with it. Tongues is a great spell, I think it should be at least 4th level though, as it gives the 5th level mage a reason for not needing to buy languages anymore. I really like pcs having a lot of languages in my game, so I try to be careful about handing out tongues. It changes a lot of the tone of your game.
On a side note, once you have a mage tongues, make sure you understand that you'll have to create at least some presonality for each monster smart enough to talk. They'll be casting that spell and talking with everyone, to me this can be much more interesting than fighting anyway, watching your pcs talking their way out of fighting the Ogres with small bribes. |
Check out my reviews on youtube of Forgotten Realms and other rpg products. http://www.youtube.com/user/woodwwad?feature=mhum |
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BlackDragonKarameikos
Learned Scribe
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 18:35:28
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Ok, another question concerning the tongues spell.
Would its use to understand Druidic cause a Druid to lose any of her spells or abilities? Although the druid is not teaching the language to the person per se, they are able to understand it, even though it is through the use of a spell. |
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Artemel
Learned Scribe
USA
110 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 18:58:20
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| Since they are forbidden to teach Druidic to non-druids, but tongues doesn't help you learn new languages, they should be fine. After all, the tongues spell is sort of an auto-translater, it isn't like you'd be able to hear both languages at once. Plus, in most games I have been in, tongues translates it idiomatically into the casters native tongue. Without some knowledge of the original languages sentence structure, reverse engineering becomes problematical, to say the least. |
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BlackDragonKarameikos
Learned Scribe
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 19:42:17
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Ok, I was wondering if it might cause a druid to lose some or all of their abilities. Although gods are extremely intelligent and wise, they sometimes don't make distinctions between teaching the language and it being learned by a spell, even if it is just for a short time.
I would think if they don't, then they would probably impose a minor loss to the druids abilities, such as a 24 hour loss of the use of the druids abilities. And if they do then it would be nothing lost. |
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Sian
Senior Scribe
Denmark
596 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jan 2010 : 06:28:36
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why should the Druid be punished for something they didn't do?
its the Mage which learned babelfishing by himself ... not the druid learning him it |
what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month |
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Tyranthraxus
Senior Scribe
Netherlands
423 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jan 2010 : 16:03:36
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| Although a druid might be upset with someone who cast the tongues spell to understand druidic, it's a secret language after all and only meant to be used among druids. |
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BlackDragonKarameikos
Learned Scribe
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jan 2010 : 19:54:29
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Ok, I was just wondering if something like that would be a possiblility or not. But I understand what you are saying about why would the Druid be punished for something they didn't do.
But as Tyranthraxus said, it is a secret language and meant only to be used among druids, which is why I was wondering if something like that would happen.
And yes Tyr, this druid would be VERY pissed (she is a weretiger after all) with anyone using a spell like comprehend languages or tongues to listen in on her conversation with her fellow druid (there are actually 2 in the group, the weretiger and 1 other) |
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Question cnocerning the Tounges spell
