SRD:Speak Language Skill

This material is published under the OGL

Speak Language (None; Trained Only)

Common Languages and Their Alphabets

Language	Typical Speakers	Alphabet
Abyssal	Demons, chaotic evil outsiders	Infernal
Aquan	Water-based creatures	Elven
Auran	Air-based creatures	Draconic
Celestial	Good outsiders	Celestial
Common	Humans, halflings, half-elves, half-orcs	Common
Draconic	Kobolds, troglodytes, lizardfolk, dragons	Draconic
Druidic	Druids (only)	Druidic
Dwarven	Dwarves	Dwarven
Elven	Elves	Elven
Giant	Ogres, giants	Dwarven
Gnome	Gnomes	Dwarven
Goblin	Goblins, hobgoblins, bugbears	Dwarven
Gnoll	Gnolls	Common
Halfling	Halflings	Common
Ignan	Fire-based creatures	Draconic
Infernal	Devils, lawful evil outsiders	Infernal
Orc	Orcs	Dwarven
Sylvan	Dryads, brownies, leprechauns	Elven
Terran	Xorns and other earth-based creatures	Dwarven
Undercommon	Drow	Elven

Action

Not applicable.

Try Again

Not applicable. There are no Speak Language checks to fail.

The Speak Language skill doesn’t work like other skills. Languages work as follows.

• You start at 1st level knowing one or two languages (based on your race), plus an additional number of languages equal to your starting Intelligence bonus.

• You can purchase Speak Language just like any other skill, but instead of buying a rank in it, you choose a new language that you can speak.

• You don’t make Speak Language checks. You either know a language or you don’t.

• A literate character (anyone but a barbarian who has not spent skill points to become literate) can read and write any language she speaks. Each language has an alphabet, though sometimes several spoken languages share a single alphabet.

---

Back to Main Page → System Reference Document → Skills