| 2 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
With Deafness being one of the possible Oracle curses available, this brings up the question of being able to communicate with the party and the rest of the world in general. Alas, there seems to be precious little RAW currently to facilitate anything more than written notes.
* Can the deaf character still speak intelligably? I know they would have functioning vocal chords, but is it assumed that they have had the specialized speech training required to speak when they can't hear themselves form the words?
* Can the deaf character read lips? If so, what skill is used and what is the DC? The description of the Zone of Silence drops a hint that a DC20 Linguistics check can be made to read lips, but that use of the skill is not noted in the skill itself. Nor is Linguistics ever allowed as an Oracle class skill, which makes it a crapshoot until 6th-7th level at best.
* Is there one or more sign languages that can be learned and/or taught to other party members? Would this require them to take it as a bonus language or learn with a rank in Linguistics?
* For either of the first two options above, are these skills automatic with each language known, or would they require additional training in those languages, i.e. a Linguistics skill rank?
Also note that the Deafened condition states that "characters who remain deafened for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them." Is this simulated by the Oracle being allowed to reduce their deafness penalties as they increase in level, or are these divine benefits on top of what anyone with deafness could potentially achieve?
Thoughts, opinions, rules? Anyone?
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It's not an issue for my character as he has immunity to magical and natural deafness via his one level of storm druid.
* Can the deaf character still speak intelligably? I know they would have functioning vocal chords, but is it assumed that they have had the specialized speech training required to speak when they can't hear themselves form the words?
Most people speak without listening. Again, not an issue for my character as he has telepathy.
* Can the deaf character read lips? If so, what skill is used and what is the DC?
In 3.5 anyone can read lips with a Spot check. Perception doesn't mention it, but via backwards compatibility with 3.5, we use Perception for it in our game. It's a DC 15 if still or moving up to half your speed, or a DC 35 if moving at full speed, taking a full minute to do, with retries allowed once per minute.
* Is there one or more sign languages that can be learned and/or taught to other party members? Would this require them to take it as a bonus language or learn with a rank in Linguistics?
Take drow sign as a bonus language or spend a rank in linguistics to get it.
Also note that the Deafened condition states that "characters who remain deafened for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them." Is this simulated by the Oracle being allowed to reduce their deafness penalties as they increase in level, or are these divine benefits on top of what anyone with deafness could potentially achieve?
Overcoming some of them doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the Oracle or anything divine. It's just something deaf people do.
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With Deafness being one of the possible Oracle curses available, this brings up the question of being able to communicate with the party and the rest of the world in general. Alas, there seems to be precious little RAW currently to facilitate anything more than written notes.
* Can the deaf character still speak intelligibly? I know they would have functioning vocal chords, but is it assumed that they have had the specialized speech training required to speak when they can't hear themselves form the words?
This one should probably go to your dm and would depend on a few thing. was the oracle born with the curse or was she able to hear and speak normally before the curse. People who have been deafened do to an accident, usually have little trouble speaking. It is only those who were born deaf have to be trained how to form words.
* Can the deaf character read lips? If so, what skill is used and what is the DC? The description of the Zone of Silence drops a hint that a DC20 Linguistics check can be made to read lips, but that use of the skill is not noted in the skill itself. Nor is Linguistics ever allowed as an Oracle class skill, which makes it a crapshoot until 6th-7th level at best.
Linguistics should be perfect for this, and maybe a bonus after doing it so long. If perception was still broken up, you could just say the point for listen went to linguistics instead, but that is one downside of combining. I don't think read lips should be treated as a seperate language (one rank to learn) only because it represent the skill of reading lips of people speaking different languages as well.
* Is there one or more sign languages that can be learned and/or taught to other party members? Would this require them to take it as a bonus language or learn with a rank in Linguistics?
* For either of the first two options above, are these skills automatic with each language known, or would they require additional training in those languages, i.e. a Linguistics skill rank?
Others would def need to learn it, but the oracle should probably get it as a bonus lang. It should follow the rules as other languages. One rank mean fluent in that language
Also note that the Deafened condition states that "characters who remain deafened for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them." Is this simulated by the Oracle being allowed to reduce their deafness penalties as they increase in level, or are these divine benefits on top of what anyone with deafness could potentially achieve?
Thoughts, opinions, rules? Anyone?
Don't know on the last one. Most likely the oracle reduction in penalties, IS the oracle getting accustomed to the curse.