If a monster doesn't have any languages listed In it's entry, and it doesn't have linguistics as a skill, what languages does it speak? One per int bonus? Any? None? I ask because some creatures should be able to speak but don't seem to be able to.
By RAW, if it has no languages listed, then it neither speaks nor understands any languages. Which creatures did you have in mind?
By RAW, if it has no languages listed, then it neither speaks nor understands any languages. Which creatures did you have in mind?
it's about communicating with my summons, if they can't speak, how can I have them do anything?
Handle Animal
Creative Director
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Monsters should always have at least one language listed if they have an Intelligence of 3 or higher; the number of base languages a monster knows, though, is relatively arbitrary.
Monsters with an Intelligence of 2 or 1 or those without intelligence at all NEVER know languages. This includes all vermin and animals. Communicating with them requires magic (like speak with animals) or other things like the aforementioned Handle Animal skill or wild empathy.
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In the case of a celestial/fiendish creature, you must speak Celestial or Abyssal/Infernal.
In case of creatures of the Animal subtype, you should cast speak with animals before summoning them.
In case of elementals, the appropriate elemental language.
And so on. :-)
Using Handle Animals to have your summon do what you want can be hard, especially at the first levels, since the DC to "push" an animal is 25...
Summons are built in to attack your opponents automatically though, so you would only have to be concerned about using Handle Animal to get them to stop attacking, or to direct them to attack a specific target, or do a specific action other than attacking (bite a rope, etc).
It would be nice to know if these summoned animals know any "tricks". Do they know the Attack trick at least? Because then it's not a "push", but rather a normal check to direct them.
If they don't know the Down trick, stopping them from attacking could be harder as a "push".
So, because in Pathfinder the fiendish and celestial templates no longer bump intel to 3 for animals and vermin, that means your average summoner (including the class) is rather up a creek when it comes to directing his summons?
Definitely puts more reliance on summoning actual outsiders, which of course could lead to ethical situations too.
I'm not sure if I like this change. Granted, its still an opportunity cost to get "extra" use from the summon spell, it just seems the cost is now higher. Before, you needed a language, celestial/infernal/abyssal. Now, you need a spell, Speak with Animals, or the Handle Animal skill. Only two classes have that spell, and both of them have Handle Animal. Clerics, Sorcerors, and Wizards now seem rather short-sheeted.
I guess it just means a bit more careful consideration when placing the summon, so it will hopefully go after enemies in an efficient order.
Still, I find it odd that while you can't tell your fiendish dire wolf to stop attacking the dropped opponent, or to attack the creature that walked up and hit it, the wolf somehow instinctually knows that your party members, your Aunt Susie, and all the wide-eyed townsfolk, including the ones holding pitchforks, are all not to be harmed.
Well.. maybe that information is being magically conveyed during that full 6 seconds of casting time.
Or, it's simply something that was never fully considered when they made the spell, as these rules have played out as "good enough" for the majority.
It does lend to DM and player abuse, though.
Is it too late to suggest something for the Advanced Player's Guide? More detailed summoning spell rules?