Wildshaped Elementals Speaking Different Languages

[WookieWarlord]

Indeed. But if both sides cannot provide definitive lore, wouldn't it be better to side with the most artistic idea?

No, I think the 'most artistic idea' is subjective, and I think it's better to not impose a ruling which restricts anyone in this instance.

[Maximvs]

Indeed. But if both sides cannot provide definitive lore, wouldn't it be better to side with the most artistic idea?

No, I think the 'most artistic idea' is subjective, and I think it's better to not impose a ruling which restricts anyone in this instance.

It is subjective, but god is your answer politically correct. Let me define the difference.

One theory has Bob sparking flames on his body at different intervals and intensity, and a lesser dialect of humans imitating sounds of flame to make it work. The other theory has Bob talking English from a "magical" apparatus not apparent on most Dnd pictures. Which is more fun?

[Flasmix]

Having every single elemental talk only their elemental tongue of imitation of crashing waves and burning fire and such for hundreds of thousands of years is to me a very strong indication that they can't really talk any other language properly.

Burning Fire? Ignan says it's "Ignan was a language full of sharp clicks and hisses." http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Ignan

It doesn't say that it's a language entirely compromised of sharp clicks and hisses. They are merely saying that the dialect of the language is full of 'fire like sounds'.

[Maximvs]

I've already conceded that no side has definite lore to back them up.

[Boddynock]

We already are reviewing the ruling, as Echo has stated.

That is good enough for me, as that was all I really wanted. Thanks for taking this seriously.

[Maximvs]

D&D 5E simplified it even more and added a language known as 'Primordial'

I'm tempted to give this some weight, but it wasn't created during the fifth edition, but the fourth... and we all know the fourth edition is the worse dumbed down crap of them all.

[Boddynock]

...we all know the fourth edition is the worse dumbed down crap of them all.

Despite your views on anything else D&D, I think EVERYONE agrees on this... (and if you don't , you are just incorrect...)

[Flasmix]

Just to break away from the other conversation, I think 3.5 did a good job of dumbing things down. AD&D 2nd Edition had so much fantastic lore involved with it and so many awesome settings, it's just sad seeing how much they left out of 3.5.

[Maximvs]

Second edition was a mess. Interesting stuff yes, but also a strange mess full of strange rules... like, only humans could be paladins and stuff ( don't quote me on that, it's far in my memory ), or that needlessly complicated for nothing THAcO thing. Oh my god.

Removing the spell jammers just made the game more medieval. Elves and orcs being "spirits" that cannot be resurrected was strange. Third edition removed stuff that didn't make sense and interesting stuff both, and added good stuff as well. More than it took away anyways. They evened certain strange things out just enough.

[Catam]

Even though I voted for only one language, I thought this part of the PHB was relevant to the topic for obvious reasons:

At 16th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a Small, Medium, or Large elemental (air, earth, fire, or water) once per day. These elemental forms are in addition to her normal wild shape usage. In addition to the normal effects of wild shape, the druid gains all the elemental’s extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities. She also gains the elemental’s feats for as long as she maintains the wild shape, but she retains her own creature type (humanoid, in most cases).

The reason I highlighted the part about feats is because a feat can represent training or an inherent skill.

If the druid shapes as an elemental AND has Natural spell, I don't see why RPing any language spoken would be an issue. But without the feat representing training, the part about the squawking of a parrot might be the most relative definition. As the squawk is the parrot's natural sound, so are the hiss of air, the grinding of stone, the snap and whoosh of flame and the gurgle and splash of water to the relative elementals.