Optional rule: Language Ranks
Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2020 9:18 am
This optional rule was created for Ravenloft and other campaigns in which there is no Common language. With it, a language has 4 possible ranks, ranging from 0 (the default) to 3.
Benefits
The benefits of each one are listed below, and each rank includes the benefits of the previous ones unless otherwise specified:
• Rank 0 (unknown): It represents a language which the character doesn’t know. The character can’t communicate in this language at all.
Automatic Success: Use or recognize individual words they have learnt previously in game. For example, he can ask what the word for “water” is in a language and then use it or identify it when encountered alone.
Possible with a roll: When listening to someone speaking in this language, identifying these words among the rest of the speech takes a Wisdom roll. The same could be applied to a cursory look at a text.
Impossible: Any kind of spoken or written communication with this language
• Rank 1 (familiar): It represents a language whose rudiments the character has learnt without having studied it in deep. The character can communicate with it, but rolls without proficiency when doing so.
Automatic Success: Recognize the language when encountered, either spoken or written. Convey or understand simple messages (at the DM’s discretion) when both parties try to understand each other.
Possible with a roll: Convey or understand a bit more complex messages with an Intelligence roll. This roll has disadvantage when overhearing a conversation or otherwise not addressed directly, or when the speaker has an unfamiliar accent or uses a local variation of the language (the rank applies as long as it still can be considered the same language).
Impossible: Convey or understand especially complex messages, with subtle variants in the meaning of the words or translations of obscure turns of phrase.
• Rank 2 (proficient): It represents a language the character has learnt, while still not to the level of a native speaker. The speaker can communicate with it with proficiency, but can’t pass as a native speaker.
Automatic Success: Convey or understand simple messages that would have required a roll with rank 1. Communicate when both parties actively try to understand each other.
Possible with a roll: Convey or understand any message, no matter how complex. An Intelligence roll can be required, and the proficiency bonus applies. This roll has disadvantage when the speaker has a strong, unfamiliar accent or uses a local variation of the language (the rank applies as long as it still can be considered the same language).
Impossible: Pass as a native speaker.
• Rank 3 (fluent/native): It represents a language the character dominates completely. The character can:
Automatic Success: Convey or understand any message.
Possible with a roll: If it is not the character’s mother language, the character can make a Charisma roll to pass as a native. If it is the character’s mother language, this roll can be used to pass as someone from a different region or cultural background.
Obtaining Ranks
There are several ways in which a character can learn languages with this variant
• During character creation, the racial language (or one of them, if there are more than one) is the character’s mother tongue, with a rank of 3.
• Specific languages granted by a class feature start with rank 3.
• Other specific racial languages and specific languages obtained from the Background have a rank of 2.
• When a feature grants “any language”, it instead grants 2 ranks worth of languages. These can be used on their own or to increase other language to the third rank.
• At character creation, a number of additional language ranks are received. This number is equal to the number of additional languages granted at level 2 (including instances of “any language” converted into ranks) plus the Intelligence modifier (min. 1)
• Whenever characters receive an ability increase or feat through leveling, they receive an additional number of Ranks equal to their Intelligence Modifier (min. 1)
Any thoughts/comments about this rule?
Benefits
The benefits of each one are listed below, and each rank includes the benefits of the previous ones unless otherwise specified:
• Rank 0 (unknown): It represents a language which the character doesn’t know. The character can’t communicate in this language at all.
Automatic Success: Use or recognize individual words they have learnt previously in game. For example, he can ask what the word for “water” is in a language and then use it or identify it when encountered alone.
Possible with a roll: When listening to someone speaking in this language, identifying these words among the rest of the speech takes a Wisdom roll. The same could be applied to a cursory look at a text.
Impossible: Any kind of spoken or written communication with this language
• Rank 1 (familiar): It represents a language whose rudiments the character has learnt without having studied it in deep. The character can communicate with it, but rolls without proficiency when doing so.
Automatic Success: Recognize the language when encountered, either spoken or written. Convey or understand simple messages (at the DM’s discretion) when both parties try to understand each other.
Possible with a roll: Convey or understand a bit more complex messages with an Intelligence roll. This roll has disadvantage when overhearing a conversation or otherwise not addressed directly, or when the speaker has an unfamiliar accent or uses a local variation of the language (the rank applies as long as it still can be considered the same language).
Impossible: Convey or understand especially complex messages, with subtle variants in the meaning of the words or translations of obscure turns of phrase.
• Rank 2 (proficient): It represents a language the character has learnt, while still not to the level of a native speaker. The speaker can communicate with it with proficiency, but can’t pass as a native speaker.
Automatic Success: Convey or understand simple messages that would have required a roll with rank 1. Communicate when both parties actively try to understand each other.
Possible with a roll: Convey or understand any message, no matter how complex. An Intelligence roll can be required, and the proficiency bonus applies. This roll has disadvantage when the speaker has a strong, unfamiliar accent or uses a local variation of the language (the rank applies as long as it still can be considered the same language).
Impossible: Pass as a native speaker.
• Rank 3 (fluent/native): It represents a language the character dominates completely. The character can:
Automatic Success: Convey or understand any message.
Possible with a roll: If it is not the character’s mother language, the character can make a Charisma roll to pass as a native. If it is the character’s mother language, this roll can be used to pass as someone from a different region or cultural background.
Obtaining Ranks
There are several ways in which a character can learn languages with this variant
• During character creation, the racial language (or one of them, if there are more than one) is the character’s mother tongue, with a rank of 3.
• Specific languages granted by a class feature start with rank 3.
• Other specific racial languages and specific languages obtained from the Background have a rank of 2.
• When a feature grants “any language”, it instead grants 2 ranks worth of languages. These can be used on their own or to increase other language to the third rank.
• At character creation, a number of additional language ranks are received. This number is equal to the number of additional languages granted at level 2 (including instances of “any language” converted into ranks) plus the Intelligence modifier (min. 1)
• Whenever characters receive an ability increase or feat through leveling, they receive an additional number of Ranks equal to their Intelligence Modifier (min. 1)
Any thoughts/comments about this rule?