Similarly to how melees do more damage to enemies if they use a weapon, they don't know, casters do more damage from spells and have an increased chance of them landing if they cast them in a language their enemy does not speak, and a small bonus any time its the language your enemy isn't currently speaking. This introduces an advantage to people who learn multiple languages. They can switch them based on enemy the same way a melee changes their weapon. Comprehend languages should give basic defense but not as much as actually learning the language.
Language Impacts Spell Defense/Offense
That's actually a pretty neat idea, conceptually speaking.
I like this idea as well, though there would have to be balancing factors. For instance, there are some languages in the game that can't be learned easily. Demonic? Druidic? If demons then got a further buff, then it might have to be balanced out by reducing their archdemon helm or something like that.
You guys know that magic had it's own language long before the language system was introduced, right? You're already speaking a different language when you cast.
EnemyCaster mutters the word noscelari (or w/e blindness is)
You are blinded!
6 minutes ago, Lloth said:
You guys know that magic had it's own language long before the language system was introduced, right? You're already speaking a different language when you cast.
EnemyCaster mutters the word noscelari (or w/e blindness is)
You are blinded!
Indeed, and the fact that comprehend languages translates those into spell names suggests that magic is just knowing these other words and saying them. Like hypothetically if I knew the words in this ancient tongue for "unlimited gold" it might actually do that...because speaking the word "blindess" seemed to blind, and the word "plague" seemed to plague, in this ancient tongue. It makes me wonder why I don't speak "uncurable plague" instead of plague!
However, it is interesting to think instead of a drow sorceror incanting in dwoemer, using the words of his ancient tongue to channel the energy. Maybe we give the "magic language" a name and have it to be the default, but a drow culd also incant in dwoemer, which would give him an advantage against most non-drows vs using the "magic language", but a disadvantage against other drow and people who have learned dwoemer.
If we really wanted to extend the idea, you could give casters the ability to choose like 3 "Incantation Lore" languages they can train up to 110% and thus get advantages in those languages.
The only problem I see about this specifically is how many is tied into it. It isn't just speaking the words but the words are somatic components in the spellcraft. A warrior saying 'blind' is not the same as a necromancer. Otherwise, there would be far too many problems with just talking with someone (Shadowrun anyone?). There is also the issue of the different kinds of spells like protective and curative. Will an elf who uses 'cure light' in elven heal another elf better? Will they heal themselves better? Will it heal a storm giant worse because they do not know the language?
I don't know coding well enough to say how hard all those different variables would be to code, but it sounds like quite a task. Would it be easier just to give a baseline bonus to the caster and make it selectable?
A drow selects dwoemer as their casting language and therefore gains an inherent advantage and disadvantage.
- +2 to duration on all protective spells
- -2 to duration is the spells are cast on the surface
- +1 spellvl vs any surface race (duergar, illithid and other drow get -1 spelllvl instead)
42 minutes ago, Archbishop Monk said:
The only problem I see about this specifically is how many is tied into it. It isn't just speaking the words but the words are somatic components in the spellcraft. A warrior saying 'blind' is not the same as a necromancer. Otherwise, there would be far too many problems with just talking with someone (Shadowrun anyone?). There is also the issue of the different kinds of spells like protective and curative. Will an elf who uses 'cure light' in elven heal another elf better? Will they heal themselves better? Will it heal a storm giant worse because they do not know the language?
I don't know coding well enough to say how hard all those different variables would be to code, but it sounds like quite a task. Would it be easier just to give a baseline bonus to the caster and make it selectable?
A drow selects dwoemer as their casting language and therefore gains an inherent advantage and disadvantage.
- +2 to duration on all protective spells
- -2 to duration is the spells are cast on the surface
- +1 spellvl vs any surface race (duergar, illithid and other drow get -1 spelllvl instead)
My thought was just to use + / - spell level based on character and victim language comparison. So if a drow casts in dwoemer and the enemy doesn't know it, +1 spell level. If they do, -1 spell level. Spell duraton and other such things are ultimately driven by spell level.
Edited
1 hour ago, Aidon said:
My thought was just to use + / - spell level based on character and victim language comparison. So if a drow casts in dwoemer and the enemy doesn't know it, +1 spell level. If they do, -1 spell level. Spell duraton and other such things are ultimately driven by spell level.
I can understand that as well. But, if that applies to all spells, that is a serious boost to certain races/classes. For instance, a drow cleric benefits, but a demon cleric gets a serious boost. Combine that with other demon perks and the helm and it's rather nasty.
It is also easier to learn some languages than it is others. For instance, can someone pick the troll language to speak in for casting? That is why I was thinking of giving benefits and detriments, because spelllvl is a rather serious boost in some spells.