Reading, Writing, and Speaking

This section clarifies the differences and similarities between the multiple ways in which a bard can attempt to read, write, and speak languages. In particular the following will be examined: the thief ability read languages; the proficiencies of reading/writing, ancient languages, and modern languages; the spell read magic; and the 10th-level bard ability to use any written magical item. Each has its own specific functions, but the various uses overlap.

The thief ability to read languages enables any rogue, including the bard subclass, to attempt to read any material (other languages, maps, ideograms, etc.) that the character isn't proficient in reading. This skill does not enable a thief to read writings that others can read only by using a read magic spell (i.e., magical writings cannot be read with the read languages ability). The thief's ability to read languages does not impart the ability to write or speak a language.

All three of the language-oriented proficiencies require the player to record a specific language when the proficiency is first learned. Additional proficiency slots can be spent to gain additional languages, which must also be specified and recorded. Characters automatically succeed when using these three proficiencies (i.e., no proficiency check is rolled) under most circumstances. Only when the proficiency is used in extreme cases, such as reading a very old document or speaking odd dialects, is a proficiency check rolled.

The proficiency reading/writing enables a character to both read and write a specific language-no proficiency check is rolled and there is no need to roll against read languages. Only a "modern" language can be selected as the topic of this proficiency, and only if the character already knows how to speak the language. (A modern language is any language that is currently being used in the character's known campaign world. If a language is not modern, it is always "ancient.")

The modern languages proficiency enables a character to speak a specific language, but not read or write it.

Ancient languages is a unique proficiency that combines the functions of the above two proficiencies with respect to ancient languages. When an ancient language is specified for this proficiency, the player must decide whether the character is fluent in the language (knows how to speak it) or if the character is literate in the language (can read and write it)--both are not immediately gained. If both skills are desired, an additional proficiency slot must be spent on the same language.

The spell read magic enables a caster to read, but not write or speak, any writing that is magical. It doesn't matter what language it is written in or who wrote it, only that it is magical. Once read, the caster can read it at any later time without the use of the spell. If the writing isn't magical, this spell has absolutely no effect.

The bard's 10th-level ability to use any written magical item (with a 15% chance of using it incorrectly) is a very special case. By the 10th level, bards have finally learned enough magical symbols and signs that they are able to puzzle through them without the use of read magic, read languages, or any other aid. However, a bard does not exactly understand the effects of an item until he first uses it. Up until that time, he has only a vague idea as to the item's general use (e.g., the bard might know that a flame strike scroll contains an offensive fire spell). He must read the scroll and activate its magic to learn the exact nature of the scroll.

Note that at 10th level the bard can ignore class restrictions for all magical items of a written nature.

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