Can you use Spellcraft to identify a spell that has its verbal and somatic components performed in an unfamiliar language?
Spells don't rely upon language. If they did then you could use tongues or the linguistic skill to decipher scrolls and spellbooks. Basically each caster has his own way to write his spells down, and you have to figure that out. Spellcraft, and "read magic" are what is used to figure out magical writing.
Magic has its own special language. Presumably based on Draconic, as wizards get a class feature that allows them to take Draconic as a bonus feat.
And somatic components are just movements, so no language is involved with them anyway.
If magic all uses the same language, than how is it that monsters with spellcasting class levels and without hands can substitute different gestures for somatic components and barks, growls, and other noises for verbal components?
If magic all uses the same language, than how is it that monsters with spellcasting class levels and without hands can substitute different gestures for somatic components and barks, growls, and other noises for verbal components?
It's magic. :-P
If magic all uses the same language, than how is it that monsters with spellcasting class levels and without hands can substitute different gestures for somatic components and barks, growls, and other noises for verbal components?
The gestures are approximations of the same thing, in the same manner that no two wizards spell books are the same, but they have the same DC for the purpose of deciphering them. If they were truely "different" the DC's would vary as some wizards(just an example) would be able to make their writings harder to decipher. I am also saying that the magical writing is not language dependent. It is not written in elven or celestial.
As an example
I can write "Xsquared + Ysquared=Zsquared" in many different ways, but at the end of the day, it is what it is.
Also feel free to refer to my last post, and explain why tongues and similar abilities won't work if it is just a code written in a common language instead of the magic actually being magical. I will also add that it should be harder to spellcraft a spell as it was being cast if it was language dependent. I mean how can I decipher a spell spoken in elven as easily as I can one spoken in goblin, if I don't know goblin?
It's a magical conversion that makes the verbal components translated into the language of "magic". I always imagine that creatures don't even use their own voice when they're casting. For this reason, it should be pretty obvious when people are casting spells even if it takes a spellcraft to recognize the spell. It also helps to explain all the rules that revolve around reading / speaking magic.
It's a magical conversion that makes the verbal components translated into the language of "magic". I always imagine that creatures don't even use their own voice when they're casting. For this reason, it should be pretty obvious when people are casting spells even if it takes a spellcraft to recognize the spell. It also helps to explain all the rules that revolve around reading / speaking magic.
I disagree. If you don't have ranks in Spellcraft, than the words and gestures that old man is making are simply obscenities in a different language for all you know.
I think it depends on how common magic is in your world. You may or may not know if he is casting or speaking gibberish.
That's a fair point, Wraithstrike. What do you think is the default stance for Golarion?
I also found this:
The writer uses the same system no matter what her native language or culture. However, each character uses the system in his own way.
While it is in the arcane section all scrolls are deciphered in the same manner by the rules. You must d
Golarion question
I think it would depend on the city or village. In that city with the wizard academy, whose name I can't remember, I would assume spellcasting is fairly common. In some backwater village people would probably look at you funny unless they have a local caster around.
edit:done
Can you use Spellcraft to identify a spell that has its verbal and somatic components performed in an unfamiliar language?
Since you asked in Rules Questions, my answer is yeah, 'cause it doesn't say you can't. Unless it's "language-dependent", of course. Then (for example) you might know that command was cast, but not what the command was.
In that city with the wizard academy, whose name I can't remember, I would assume spellcasting is fairly common.
You mean Korvosa with its Acadamae (and yes it's really spelled like that)?
The one in Korvosa was the one I was thinking of Fredrik. I had forgotten the name of it though.
Nice place to visit, wouldn't want to live there. And they have a quaint Breaching Festival, where people who are willing to gamble with their lives try to get into the abjurers' Hall of Wards! Placing bets on how the next one will die is fun for the whole family (except for children shorter than a dwarf). :D
(Note: My sources don't actually say that the wards are lethal. But they don't say that they aren't, either, and that's more interesting.)
Oddly enough, I have several 'magical' languages active in my game. Draconic is the most common, by far, and the effective 'Common' for casting. All the other languages are sub-optimal and have flawed mechanics. Elven is rarely used outside ritual casting done in Elven communities because anyone that speaks Elven can easily Spellcraft the spell. It also takes a long time to cast. Its really more of a flavor thing.
A few of the 'effects' I employ include DC penalties for trying to Spellcraft odd languages, better DCs with a few spells in a certain tongue and the above mentioned Elven style.