Supernatural Languages (3.5e Variant Rule)
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This variant is useful for campaigns in which language barriers are intended to be a more serious hurdle. This variant should not be used without special consideration by both the DM and the players, since it creates a hurdle players will have to more seriously consider when crafting their characters, choosing spells, etc.
Types of Languages[edit]
Languages are divided into two types: natural languages (in standard D&D rules, all languages would be common languages) and supernatural languages.
Natural Languages[edit]
Natural languages are all non-supernatural languages. Any natural language may be taken as a bonus language during character creation, and the "Linguist" feat grants three natural languages only.
Supernatural Languages[edit]
Supernatural languages are languages which are radically different from normally spoken languages. They include the combination of body language and sounds used by animals to communicate, the magical languages of dragons and titans, and the songs of angels and noises of demons. Supernatural languages are not learned in the normal way, and they do not develop dialects or change over time. Supernatural languages have no written equivalent. They can only be used by mortals by means of spells or by taking the relevant feats. Which languages are considered supernatural are at the discretion of the DM, but by default they include all languages granted by the feats listed in the New Feats section below.
New Natural Languages and Scripts[edit]
Since supernatural languages have no written equivalent, there is no Supernal script, and Draconic, Primordial, and Abyssal have no written script.
Serpentine: Serpentine is a new, natural language which replaces Draconic for the purpose of all races and creatures other than dragons who normally speak Draconic, such as kobolds. It still uses the Iokharic script.
Guttural: Guttural is a new, natural language which replaces Abyssal for the purposes of all races and creatures other than Demons who speak Abyssal. It still uses the Barazhad script.
Comprehend Supernatural Language[edit]
The ritual Comprehend Language does not work on supernatural languages. To comprehend and speak a supernatural language requires the ritual Comprehend Supernatural Language.
Prerequisites[edit]
At the DM's discretion, any prestige class, feat, or anything else which has proficiency in a particular language, now a supernatural language, may either have that prerequisite ignored, substituted with a non-supernatural language, or may have the relevant supernatural language feat as a prerequisite. If the last option is used, some adjustment in the benefits of the prestige class, feat, or whatever, may be in order to make it worth the extra work.
New Feats[edit]
Supernatural Linguist: This feat grants the ability to speak one new natural language and grants access to all Supernatural Language feats.
Draconic: This feat bestows the ability to understand and communicate with dragons.
Primordial: This feat bestows the ability to understand and communicate with efreets, archons, and elementals.
Abyssal: This feat bestows the ability to understand and communicate with demons.
Supernal: This feat bestows the ability to understand and communicate with devils and angels.
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