DM changes linguistics again, imagine that! (hopefully this'll be the last time)
You do not learn a new language every time you put a rank into the Linguistics skill (if only learning foreign languages were that easy...). Instead, you gain a number of language points equal to 1 + Intelligence modifier + per 5 ranks in Linguistics. Your first language always count as 1 point, afterward you may master a language in the same family as another you already know for 1 point, or a language in a new language family for 2 points. You may attempt to speak a language you have not mastered by making a Linguistics check (DC variable based on what you're trying to say). This linquistics check becomes easier if you know a language of the same family, or if you've attempted to understand/speak it many times in the past.
Note: Any feat or class ability that grants X languages now grants X language points.
See language family table on the custom skills... I mostly followed the SRD language family table, except with a few changes (figured Celestial and Common are both similar to Latin, and Druidic should really be similar to Sylvan)
Yes I enjoy making language learning a pain, as I've suffered through hell to master English myself. Just be glad I decided not to introduce the MSRD system of taking Reading( select language ) and Writing( select language) as separate skills (that's a lot of different skills).
Also: added Mercurian to the language list as a Chromian language (it's like a combination between mostly French and a bit of Spanish, so it's Romanian language).
EDIT: Just to note, most of your implant/PDA programming will include an auto-translation software for all the known languages so one could at least understand foreign languages, but it's slower, more awkward, and simply not the same (obviously), and the Comprehend Languages spell works much better (not surprisingly). Imperial holovision stations broadcast their transmissions in every language using a magitech filtering device that involves Comprehend Languages & Tongues spell.Statistics: Posted by Zanaikin — Wed Mar 11, 2009 1:47 pm
]]>