
Prometheus Harpe |
Hey all!
Instance in a recent game where a rogue tried to use diplomacy on a derro to de-escalate a situation. They did not speak a shared language, so it didn't work, but that lead to discussion on can a diplomacy check be made if you don't speak the same language.
For instance, if you're trying to de-escalate a situation, showing your hands don't hold any weapons, using a soothing/non-confrontational tone of voice, body language, etc - can you still "Make an Impression" if you don't have a shared language?
My instinct is yes, though at a higher difficulty, but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to? There's a feat for Intimidation that lets you use it non-verbally (Intimidating Glare) - but I don't see a similar one for Diplomacy.
There's a lot of instances in various media where characters don't necessarily speak a shared language, but they still manage to convey general meaning of a "we come in peace" type of way.
Definitely praying to the gaming gods that a Paizo staffer weighs in :)

Errenor |
Definitely praying to the gaming gods that a Paizo staffer weighs in :)
Those are mostly silent. Both of them.
__Yes, it's perfectly ok for a GM to allow that, very likely with a penalty from -5 to -10.
It's not ok to demand it of them. They can just say 'no, this doesn't work without actual words'.
Interestingly, Demoralize doesn't have Linguistic and avoids this problem (still demanding -4 penalty without language understanding).

Castilliano |

Yes, a check can be made. No, there aren't rules regarding this (and I don't know of a skill feat that overcomes the language gap).
While a penalty seems right on the success end, it feels off that body language would also make the PC more likely to offend their interlocutor. (Of course body language could, but it seems no more likely than botched phrasing.) In the case of the Derro I think Society (Trained only) or an appropriate Lore would would suit the obstacle of "crossing the language barrier" after which one might attempt Diplomacy. But even so, one might do something basic like give food, gold, or the head of a Derro enemy. And one might say Diplomacy (as broad as PF2 skills are) would naturally entail adopting appropriate body language and facial cues that suit one's interlocutor. It's not a purely linguistic act, even if reliant on linguistics. Hmm.
Ultimately I'd defer to the narrative intent of the GM, and the agency of the players to shape that path. Is this a fruitful path to unlock unexpected story paths and relationships, or is it a speed bump between murder-hoboing?

SuperBidi |

Lots of situations are not covered by the game rules. The actions like Make an Impression are codified so you know you have access to them, always, and know how they work. But uncodified actions are used all the time. They are obviously up to the GM and even if the GM decides to take inspiration from Make an Impression it'll be ultimately a unique action with its own DC and constraints.