Languages (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)
Merits
Definition
Languages (often called Linguistics) lets you speak, read, and write additional languages fluently. Kindred society is old and international, and an elder's Latin correspondence, a Banu Haqim's Arabic, or the Spanish of a new herd all become open to you. Every vampire speaks their native language for free. This merit covers everything beyond that.
How it works
**Effect**: Each dot grants fluency in one additional language, spoken and written. No roll is needed to communicate in a language you have taken. **Cost**: One dot per language; buy extra languages after creation at the new dot times 3 XP rate. **Synergies**: Academics and Politics rolls involving foreign texts or Kindred, and Contacts or Allies drawn from immigrant communities.
Tips
**Character concepts**: Diplomat, translator, immigrant neonate, scholar of ancient texts, international courier. **When to take**: Take it if your chronicle involves elders who correspond in dead languages or a city with a large foreign-born population your coterie needs to work with.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take dead languages like Latin or Sumerian?
Yes. Dead languages are especially useful for reading elder correspondence and occult texts, and the Storyteller may reward that with extra information.
Can I understand a language I have not bought at a lower level?
The Storyteller may allow an Intelligence + Academics roll for gist, but real fluency requires the dot.