|
Post by kaltorac on Oct 13, 2011 22:12:40 GMT -5
Is there an impact on a PCs vocal abilities when they assume an alternate form whether it is via shifting or a polymorph spell/effect? What folk do IG seems to be evenly split so far. IE, some talk normally no matter what shape they assume, while just as many will resort to grunts, snorts, gestures and various emotes instead. So is their a source ruling on this one way or the other?
|
|
|
Post by Booze Hound on Oct 13, 2011 22:21:27 GMT -5
you know...I don't know if there is an actual RULE. I woll do some digging around.
I tend to try and emulate whatever shape I am in.
Elementals make various hissing or rumbling noises based on their shapes.
Animals, well make animal noises.
Humanoids tend to get an appropriate accent. Hissing from lizardmen, etc.
But as far as I know, it's kind of up to the person shifted.
|
|
|
Post by Munroe on Oct 14, 2011 2:17:06 GMT -5
Here's some information concerning speaking while in other forms: From the druid's Wild Shape description (Player's Handbook 3.5e, page 37): A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.) |
From the description of Alter Self (Player's Handbook 3.5e, page 197): If the new form is capable of speech, you can communicate normally. You retain any spellcasting ability you had in your original form, but the new form must be able to speak intelligibly (that is, speak a language) to use verbal components and must have limbs capable of fine manipulation to use somatic or material components. |
From the description of Polymorph (Player's Handbook 3.5e, page 263): This spell functions like alter self, except... |
Polymorph makes no express mention of differing from alter self concerning speech. From the description of Shapechange (Player's Handbook 3.5e, beginning page 277): This spell functions like polymorph, except... |
Shapechange makes no express mention of differing from polymorph concerning speech, and polymorph defaults to the alter self behavior. According to the Elemental entry in the Monster Manual 3.5e, beginning on page 95, elementals are capable of speech. Elementals normally speak the language associated with their elemental type, either Aquan (Water), Auran (Air), Ignan (Fire), or Terran (Earth), though each entry notes that elementals rarely choose to speak. (I personally believe elmentals rarely speak because elementals have low INT scores and speaking rarely gets them anywhere.) Nothing in the description of WildShape indicates that druids gain the ability to speak the elemental languages while in the form of elementals. Elementals can speak though.
|
|
|
Post by urghargh on Oct 14, 2011 6:49:41 GMT -5
Fynn's lizardman has a lisp, so does her kobold. Her werewolf growls and has a far deeper voice than she does - I try to emote all of this. Shifters retain their ability to speak(and the languages the shifter knows) unless the creature itself doesn't(like animals). My thought is, if your body and mouth changes then your vocal ability should change too, you should at least roleplay it and hey, different voices are fun
|
|
|
Post by Booze Hound on Oct 14, 2011 10:30:17 GMT -5
Again, we don't have a rule per say, however, if you are shifted into an animal, the rule is, ya can't talk.
Other shapes that have forms of speech available to the shape can talk. Whether or not you emote any change to your speech is up to the player. It's roleplay and this being a roleplay server, it is expected, but we can't really make a rule on HOW you roleplay I don't think.
But it is encouraged to make the effort to alter your speech when shifted/polymorphed/shapechanged.
Now that I know elementals have the ability to speak, I will likely have my guy get better at making understandable words with an elemental accent! heh.
|
|