Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition merit
Languages
Languages is a merit in Vampire V5: fluency in extra languages beyond your native tongue.
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Overview
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 and playstyle
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.