I think a big letdown as a shapeshifter is not being able to speak to companions. It's true you can roleplay with emotions etc. But it is highly limiting. It's probably been discussed before, but I think letting shapeshifters speak in a complete or limited fashion would be a positive for the game in general.

If not completely, why not give shapeshifters a 'animal speech' skill. This would jarble their speech somewhat like a minotaur until perfected at which point they could be completely, or mostly understandable. A more ambitious idea with this would be to have each animal type (reptile, arachnid etc) have speech issues that are different for each one.

I don't think this is a HUGE problem, but i think it'd be cool to see talking animals and open up RP / communication more.

nt

Just throwing this out there:

Could allow them to speak but attach a cost to it. Small amount of lag and/or a small mana expenditure.

All kinspeak edges rolled into natural races, like all felar can understand feline kinspeak, all rangers and druids can fully understand all animals, all arials can understand all flying forms, minotaurs can understand bovine, etc. I do agree with you that I think this would open up some opportunity for RP but also keep things more grounded in game. Also, as it is, very few people are likely to take the understand <whatever> edges if I were to guess.

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Getting communication means when in form would obviously be OP. Not to mention that there are certain ways to communicate with a shifter through avian/feline language.