| Jelatinator |
I've seen some old posts on this subject but I couldn't find any FAQ or any dev's weighing in on this topic. There seems to be arguments from two sides and I could see the reasoning for both. I've also included some CRB snippets that add to the confusion. I know there are some situations in Pathfinder where similar things happen, but lets try to keep the discussion to only Starfinder.
1. Increased INT is retroactive and gives you additional languages known.
2. Increased INT is not retroactive and the only way past first level to gain new languages is through putting ranks into the culture skill.
CRB 21:
The number of bonus languages your character knows at the ***start*** of the game. Even if this modifier is a penalty, your character can still use her starting languages unless her Intelligence score is lower than 3. See page 40 for more about languages.
CRB 26:
If an ability score increase results in a change to an ability modifier, don’t forget to adjust any statistics that rely on that modifier, such as attack bonuses, saving throws, total skill bonuses, Resolve Points, Stamina Points, and the DCs of class features and spells. Note that ability score increases are effective ***retroactively;*** when your character’s ability score increases, it increases his total number of ability-based statistics—things like Resolve Points, Stamina Points, or skill ranks—as if he had the higher value at previous levels as well.
CRB 40:
A character ***begins*** play speaking and reading Common, her racial tongue if any), and the language of her home planet (if any). She can also choose a number of bonus languages equal to her Intelligence bonus from the lists below.