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The help files state the following:

Speaking with animals is an extraordinary ability possessed by both Rangers and Druids. Through extensive study of the behaviors of animals, they are capable of both understanding and, to some extent, communicating with animals.

Currently, Gnomes start the game off with GM in animal language (if memory serves) while Druids ( and Rangers too? ) only get the option to learn the language by eating up a language slot.


Both Druids and Rangers, upon becoming a Druid or Ranger, should get the Animal tongue at GM, and gnomes should get it at a reduced rate out of the box if we are following our own help files.

Well, I respectfully disagree on this one. If I started as a gnome, I'm a gnome right off. But, at least in this setting, I have to start off as a warrior or priest and learn to become a druid or ranger. It seems reasonable to me that I would have to learn things like animal communication as well.

The help files state the following:

Speaking with animals is an extraordinary ability possessed by both Rangers and Druids. Through extensive study of the behaviors of animals, they are capable of both understanding and, to some extent, communicating with animals.

In my opinion, I still believe that the druid/ranger would have to take the time to find a trainer and learn the language. As said in the help file that was quoted, 'Through extensive study.' To me, this means that they would indeed have to use one of their language slots. Though a ranger went through the process of the quest to become a ranger or a priest completed the faith quest for a nature deity to become a druid, doesn't really make sense for them to automatically gain a new language without the specific study. I am very much for having both classes looked more into, but this just doesn't seem like the right thing to change.

The helpfile for Languages states -

Languages
=========
On creation your character may know one or two languages to the
grandmaster level. What they know depends on their race and their hometown.
It is assumed that your character knows the language of its race as well as
the native language of their hometown.

And in that regard, I do believe we are following our own helpfiles.

I think the main point Zorinar makes is that training animal as a Ranger/Druid counts against your "maximum languages known".

How about that when you get guilded as a Druid/Ranger, you learn animal up to a specific point (say amateur/novice/apprentice) without counting against the amount of languages you know?

For example, warriors get armor prof 2 and can spend a feat to get armor prof 3. However, if they guild fighters, the get armor prof 3 without spending a feat point.

Gnomes recieve animal as a racial language, as a representation of their innate empathy with animals, which manifests in childhood. And, like druids and rangers, it takes a language slot.

Athon has understood my point exactly.

However, giving Druids and Rangers Animal tongue also allows us to mirror the 3.5 canon spell (without having to add the spell) that all druids and rangers get a level 1, called speak with animals. Which gives them full communication abilities with animals.

I am assuming that animal tongue ability was added in place of the spell at some point in history in FK, since speaking animal is not part of the core class abilities in D&D, but is part of their level 1 spell list.

Since, through this spell, all Druids and all Rangers can communicate with animals in some regard, it does make sense to add that into their roleplay. They are supposed to be able to do this in some way.

I am merely suggesting this for more of a RP reasons than anything else.
We all know that Druids and Rangers are Nature folk with mystical abilities regarding nature. My druid already burned up a slot for it, so I am speaking for future generations.

My name is Selveem and I approve of Zorinar's suggestion.

Oops, I misunderstood, and recant. I'm in favor of this - I may have learned all my languages before I ever became a druid or ranger! I don't think I should have to invest points in Intelligence to get the ability to learn to communicate with my furry brethren at that point. I think it should be available to me the way all my other skills are (that is, through months of blindly stumbling through dangerous areas looking for trainers).
I think the same rule should apply to thieves cant, if such a language exists.