Any way to learn a language other than Linguistics and a high Int?


Rules Questions


Can you pay gold to learn a language? I want my character to, without magical means, to be able to learn all the languages.


Cosmopolitan feat scores you 2 languages and 2 Int/Wis/Wis based skills as class skills for you.

Also check out the Ultimate Campaign retraining rules

Ultimate Campaign PRD wrote:

New Language

You can spend time to learn an additional language. It takes 20 days of training to gain a bonus language, and these days need not be consecutive. Each language requires a trainer who shares a language with you and knows the language you want to learn, or a book written in a language you know that explains the basics of the language you want to learn.

The new language does not count toward your maximum number of languages (racial languages + bonus languages from Intelligence + Linguistics ranks). You can train this way only a number of times equal to 1 + your Intelligence bonus.


I wasn't aware of that Ultimate Campaign option, but even if your GM allows it, you can see that it has its limitations. Linguistics and a high Intelligence is still your best option. Well, that and play a Tengu.


Taking the truespeaker variant of aasimar allows you to learn 2 languages per rank in linguistics.


There's an alternate racial trait for it for Gnomes too, called Gift of Tongues (replaces Defensive Training and Hatred).


I think the actual answer to "I want to spend money to know every language" is an item with constant-effect tongues.


Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

Eastern Star Ioun Stone's user understands spoken and written languages as if under the effects of comprehend languages.

Gold Nodule Ioun Stone grants you the ability to comprehend, speak, read, and write a single language (chosen by the ioun stone's creator).


Orfamay Quest wrote:
I think the actual answer to "I want to spend money to know every language" is an item with constant-effect tongues.

I'd rather know all the languages without magical means.


Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

The Evangelist, the Loremaster, and perhaps a couple of other prestige classes also give you extra languages.

Also, Occulr Adventures has a feat called "Xenoglossy" that enables you to communicate in a language you don't know. That feat requires a bunch of ranks in Linguistics, but it definitely fits as a non-magical way to eventually be able to talk with anybody.


Do you want to read and write them or just speak them?
If that latter, play an Unchained Monk. At 13th level, you get Tongue of the Sun and Moon. You can now understand and speak with all living creatures.


ngc7293 wrote:

Do you want to read and write them or just speak them?

If that latter, play an Unchained Monk. At 13th level, you get Tongue of the Sun and Moon. You can now understand and speak with all living creatures.

Read, write, speak, although Xenoglossy looks good too.

My DM did allow me a 3.5 feat that grants an extra language every level (it's from eberron).


Ciaran Barnes wrote:
I wasn't aware of that Ultimate Campaign option, but even if your GM allows it, you can see that it has its limitations. Linguistics and a high Intelligence is still your best option. Well, that and play a Tengu.

The UC option does not count towards the normal limit - they are in addition to the normal limit of known languages. Which is why each language takes 3 weeks to learn and costs (level x210) gp.

To the OP: If you're willing to sink two traits into it, take Chosen Child (regional trait) and Rich Parents (basic social trait) to start with 1,800 gp.

Edited

Since aasimar can't begin play with higher than an 18 INT (no racial bonus), I suggest Druid 1st, Cosmopolitan 1st level feat, and the alternate racial trait mentioned above to snag another 2 languages from your 1 rank of Linguistics. With a 14 INT and using retraining rules from UC (before play with GM permission), you only need either of the two starting money traits to pay the 630 gp to train 3 additional known languages for a total of 2 native languages, Druidic, 5 of the 6 aasimar racial bonus languages known from INT+training and 4 languages of choice, 1 of which covers the sixth aasimar bonus racial language, leaving you with 3 languages of choice plus Celestial, Common, Draconic, Druidic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling and Sylvan at 1st level. A 16 INT and 740 gp gives you the above languages known plus 5 languages of your choice (Druidic +3 INT +4 training +2 native +2 linguistics +2 cosmopolitan for a total of 14 languages known at 1st level, of which class + aasimar take 9).

Edit the 2nd: If you go with Chosen Child, to maximize languages take Child of Two Peoples and the scion of humanity alternate racial trait to accompany your truespeaker alternate racial trait. On Golarion this translates into your native Common including both Taldane and Tien as well as the native human language dialects (should be two), netting you a total of 1 more starting known language. Note that in doing so you will "burn" one of the 3 or 5 languages of choice in "reacquiring" Celestial, so this option depends entirely upon how much you want those human language dialects.

Edit the 3rd: Level advancement and inherent bonuses to INT will slowly increase your additional known languages, obviously, in addition to level advancement investments of ranks of Linguistics. Consider starting your INT at 15 or 17 with the plan to multiclass or enter the Loremaster PrC for even more known languages mayhem. Undertake retraining rules with each advancement of INT to an even number makes it cheaper over time if you start with an odd-numbered INT score.


Turin the Mad wrote:
Ciaran Barnes wrote:
I wasn't aware of that Ultimate Campaign option, but even if your GM allows it, you can see that it has its limitations. Linguistics and a high Intelligence is still your best option. Well, that and play a Tengu.
The UC option does not count towards the normal limit - they are in addition to the normal limit of known languages. Which is why each language takes 3 weeks to learn and costs (level x210) gp.

True, but it is still limited by your intelligence modifier +1. So a higher INT is still key to learning many languages.


Godferret wrote:
Turin the Mad wrote:
Ciaran Barnes wrote:
I wasn't aware of that Ultimate Campaign option, but even if your GM allows it, you can see that it has its limitations. Linguistics and a high Intelligence is still your best option. Well, that and play a Tengu.
The UC option does not count towards the normal limit - they are in addition to the normal limit of known languages. Which is why each language takes 3 weeks to learn and costs (level x210) gp.
True, but it is still limited by your intelligence modifier +1. So a higher INT is still key to learning many languages.

Absolutely. It is entertaining to have a list of languages known longer than the total # of skills in the game. ^_______^

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