Linguistics (Int; trained only)

     You are skilled at working with language, in both its spoken and written forms.  You can speak multiple languages, and can decipher nearly any tongue given enough time.  Your skill in writing allows you to create and detect forgeries as well.

Check: You can decipher writing in an unfamiliar language or a message written in an incomplete or archaic form.  The base DC is 20 for the simplest messages, 25 for standard texts, and 30 or higher for intricate, exotic, or very old writing.  If the check succeeds, you understand the general content of a piece of writing about one page long (or the equivalent).  If the check fails, make a DC 5 Wisdom check to see if you avoid drawing a false conclusion about the text.  Success means that you do not draw a false conclusion; failure means that you do.)

     Both the Linguistics check and (if necessary) the Wisdom check are made secretly by the GM, so that you can’t tell whether the conclusion you draw is true or false.

LEARN A LANGUAGE

     Whenever you put a rank into this skill, you learn to speak and read a new language.  Common languages (and their typical speakers) are listed below.  Note that this is by no means a comprehensive list, and there are many languages the DM may deem that you can't learn at low levels (such as necril).

• Aboleth: aboleth and other deep see (aquatic) aberrations
• Abyssal: demons and other chaotic evil outsiders
• Aklo: derro, inhuman or otherwordly monsters, evil fey; this ancient tongue is spoken by strange eldritch entities, and certain ancient beings
• Aquan: aquatic and water-based creatures; the so-called "tongue of the sea" is spoken primarily in the sunken nation of locathahs -- those who traded frequently with the ocean empires often speak this tongue as well
• Auran: flying creatures, air-based creatures; a soft-spoken, breathy language, also know as the "tongue of the heavens"
• Boggard: boggards
• Celestial: angels and other good outsiders
• Common: humans, hobbits, and the other core races
• Cyclops: cyclops and their kin
• Dark Folk: dark creepers, dark slayers, and dark stalkers
• Draconic: dragons, reptilian humanoids
• Dwaric: dwarves and warforged
• Elvenese: elves, half-elves, spirit folk; elvenese is also the "common" language of the eastern races
• Giant: cyclops, ettins, giants, trolls; this brutish tongue and its numerous minor variants are spoken in any region where the wrath of giants is known
• Gnoll: gnolls, flinds, jackleweres
• Goblin: bugbears, goblins, hobgoblins
• Ignan: fire-based creatures; also called the "tongue of fire"
• Infernal: devils and other lawful evil outsiders; the language of devils is often spoken by evil spirits
• Kreen: thri-kreen, tohr-kreen
• Minoan: minotaurs
• Necril: ancient sentient undead; an ancient language of the dead, this whispering tongue is shared among undead and is often associated with necromancy
• Orc: orc, half-orc, ogrillon, orog
• Sphinx: sphinx
• Sylvan: gnomes, centaurs, fey creatures, plant creatures, unicorns
• Tengu: tengu
• Terran: earth-based creatures; also called the "tongue of the earth"
• Treant: treants

Retry: Not immediately.  If you fail at deciphering a text you cannot attempt to decipher it again until you put new ranks into the Linguistics skill.

Special: You can take a 10 and a 20 on Linguistics checks.

• Racial and Bonus Languages: Your racial and bonus languages do not count as ranks towards Linguistics.
  
• Trained: You must be trained to use this skill, but you can always attempt to read archaic and strange forms of your own racial and bonus languages.
• Secret Languages: The secret languages of the Known World, such as the druicic language and thieves cant, cannot be learned using Linguistics, unless trained specifically by a member of the organization in question.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Linguistics, you gain a +2 synergy bonus to Use Magic Device checks related to scrolls.

Time: Deciphering a page of ordinary text takes 1 minute (10 consecutive rounds).

READ LIPS

     You may learn to read lips by spending a rank to do so instead of learning a new language.  When reading the lips of speaking creature within 10 feet in normal lighting conditions, the reader need not make any skill checks.  In situations of dim lighting, extreme distances, or to read the lips of someone trying to hide their words from the reader, the reader must make a Perception check (DC determined by the DM based on the situation).  A lip reader may only understand spoken words in a language it knows.

SILENT LANGUAGE

     You may learn to use a silent language by spending a rank to do so.  This silent language is a way to communicate with hand gestures and facial expressions.  As with any language, the one you are communicating with must know this language as well.  This language is the similar to, if not the same as, the silent language learned by the users of the Signaling skill, and the two may communicate with each other without penalty.

CREATE OR DETECT FORGERIES

     Creating a forgery can take anywhere from 1 minute to 1d4 minutes per page.  Detecting a forgery using linguistics takes 1 round of examination per page.

     Forgery requires writing materials appropriate to the document being forged.  To forge a document on which the handwriting is not specific to a person, you need only to have seen a similar document before, and you gain a +8 bonus on your check.  To forge a signature, you need an autograph of that person to copy, and you gain a +4 bonus on the check.  To forge a longer document written in the hand of some particular person, a large sample of that person’s handwriting is needed.

     The Linguistics check is made secretly, so that you’re not sure how good your forgery is.  As with Disguise, you don’t make a check until someone examines the work. Your Linguistics check is opposed by the Linguistics check of the person who examines the document to verify its authenticity. The examiner gains modifiers if any of the conditions are listed on the table above.

Retry: Yes.  You may try to redo a failed forgery, but once others know that a forgery was attempted, they’ll be more suspicious.

Special: You may take a 10 and 20 on a Linguistics check to create a forgery.

• Even when not trained in this skill, you may make flat Intelligence checks (with the modifiers above) to detect a forgery.

Time: Varies.  Creating a forgery can take anywhere from 1 minute to 1d4 minutes per page. Detecting a forgery using Linguistics takes 1 round of examination per page.

LINGUISTICS UNCHAINED

     By taking the Signature Skill feat, you can unchain the following special bonuses:

• 5 Ranks: You can use Linguistics instead of Sense Motive to intercept and interpret secret messages (as the Bluff skill).  You gain a +1 insight bonus on Perception and Disable Device checks to detect or disarm written magical traps.  This bonus increases by 1 for every 5 ranks beyond 5 you possess in Linguistics.
  
• 10 Ranks: If you succeed at a Linguistics check by at least 10 when examining writing, you can learn the precise meaning rather than general content, and you never draw false conclusions on a failed check.  A successful DC 30 Linguistics check reveals the general meaning of speech, a successful DC 35 check reveals 1d4 pieces of specific information, and a successful DC 40 check reveals exact meaning.
• 15 Ranks: You can decipher magical writings (as read magic) by succeeding at a Linguistics check (DC = 25 + caster level).  If you identify a written magical trap in this way, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Disable Device checks to disarm it.
  
• 20 Ranks: You can attempt to decipher magical or non-magical text at a rate of one page per round. If you instead spend 1 minute per page, roll twice and take the better result.