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Hi everyone!

I was wondering if the Speak Language talent can be used to understand and converse quick sentences in a language that is not known by the character without having the actually learn the language?

Let's say my character have speak language at rank 2 and already knows Throalic and Sperethiel, he wouldn't be able to learn another language, but can the talent be used if someone speaks to him in Orzeth in order to just understand this sentence and adding strain each time a roll is necessary?

Many thanks!

By the rules, that isn't possible, but if you want to house-rule it to work that way, I don't think it would be a problem (I think the strain cost for this use is a good idea).

Yeah the rules say it isn't possible. Generally my Players always use the +1 Rank rule. Which is always have a free rank in such talents. If the need arises to learn to speak or r/w a new language quickly, the free rank is immediately available for use.

Talent knack?

That's certainly another way to approach it. Knacks are generally intended for things that are useful, but not strictly covered under the rules for the talent. If developing this as a knack, I wouldn't put it that high... maybe requiring a rank 3 or 5 in the base talent?

I would say to put it lower (at 3) only for the more socially oriented Disciplines, such as the Troubadour, who need to be able to converse with people to use their Talents. For the others, it might be handy, but not a focus of the Discipline, and thus not as essential.

I would set it at something like 2 strain (at least) to be able to match someone's language for a number of minutes equal to your Speak Languages rank. It should be useful, but not so much so that it negates actually learning the language with the Talent as usual.

In a related study, the word, "Huh?" seems near universal...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/0 ... 43054.html

Isn't there Multi-language or so talent that allows it?

EDIT** I found Multi-Tongue talent and it does pretty much what you want.

Earlier I used rule from Panda's blog, but after discovery of this talent I stopped because of rule that no talent knack, talent etc. should not copy other abilities.