Starting Languages

[Epic Meepo]

Characters should be allowed to choose any bonus languages for having high Intelligence scores, not just racially determined ones.

Restricting bonus languages to a racially determined list just doesn't make any sense. Not matter what your culture, your own traditions can't control who moves in just over yonder hill. And presumably, smart individuals are going to want to understand their neighbors.

For example: dwarven culture has nothing to do with demons. But if those drow next door have been assailing your dwarven fortress with summoned demons for centuries, I'm better a few of your scholars are going to learn Abyssal, no matter how "un-dwarven" a language it is. And a similar argument can be made for virtually any language.

Accordingly, I don't see any strong argument for restricting one's languages based on one's race. In a fantasy setting, it's too easy to justify any two random races coming into contact for that.

[Hugo Solis]

Agree.

Anyway, no game-intereference would come if a a halfling fighter as Abyssal in the languages. To the contrary, I think it can bring a lot into the character's background. I allow any of my players to choose the languages they wants just as long as they can come with a convincing background for it.

[Gamer Girrl]

Query on this for Humans. Common (Taldane) is a given, but should the various human types in Golarian be assumed to receive their cultural language as well for free? Shoanti, Ulfen, Varisian, etc? :)

[Epic Meepo]

Gamer Girrl wrote:

Query on this for Humans. Common (Taldane) is a given, but should the various human types in Golarian be assumed to receive their cultural language as well for free? Shoanti, Ulfen, Varisian, etc? :)

You know what's funny? In the original white box for D&D, the rules stated that all characters speak the common language of their region. The "common language" people were getting wasn't a specific language called Common that everyone in the world spoke. (To answer your question, I don't see why humans shouldn't get a cultural language.)

[Kyrinn S. Eis]

Epic Meepo wrote:

Gamer Girrl wrote:

Query on this for Humans. Common (Taldane) is a given, but should the various human types in Golarian be assumed to receive their cultural language as well for free? Shoanti, Ulfen, Varisian, etc? :)

You know what's funny? In the original white box for D&D, the rules stated that all characters speak the common language of their region. The "common language" people were getting wasn't a specific language called Common that everyone in the world spoke. (To answer your question, I don't see why humans shouldn't get a cultural language.)

Excellent point about what constitutes 'Common', EM. Also in agreement that *other* regional languages ought to be available, regardless.