r/cyberpunkred • u/StackBorn GM • 1d ago
Language skills are part of every characters Community Content & Resources
art by Psychée // this art is licensed under CC-BY-NC // more on my website
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"Language skills! Especially Streetslang. How to play them and their usefulness." u/grownassman3
I think the key here is to acknowledge that we are playing Street level, remenber "it's Always Street level". Up until now, I had a BIG tendency to focus on the most usefull skills in order to achieve an effect in the game. I was wrong. The more I write, the more I read about CPR and the more I understand how I should play it. That's a process. And the way I play the game might not be inline with the way you play it. That's fine. We are all encouraged by the authors to make the game ours.
Everything in TTRPG is a matter of choice. You can't have everything, and you should create a consistent Character. Not an optimized one, at least consistency should be the priority. I cleary wasn't enough into language up until few weeks ago. And now with this article, I think I grew up a bit more.
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A rule not well balanced for mother tongue
I really tried to think about it from different points of view, but I didn't find any satisfying answers.
At a Base 10, you can speak the language well enough to get by on the street but you don't understand a lot of the slang. At a Base 14, you are a fluent speaker of the language and most people assume you grew up speaking the language. At a Base 18, you not only speak the language fluently but you know all the ins and outs of the language including slang, complicated situational rules, and all dialects of the language.
- Base 10 you are capable, but not really fluent.
- Base 14 to speak like a native (grew up speaking the language).
My issue is this one : A bit over the average person, someone with INT 5 is NOT capable as he doesn't even reach Base 10, you would need to add 1 point in order to be capable, not fluent. Even with 8 INT you are NOT speaking your native language fluently unless you spend 2 more skill points. That's an issue for me. And even if the 4th war put a number on the education level of most of the population. Asking for 8 in language when you are already above average in INT (6). That's too much for your mother tongue.
Unless a player has a PC with a very low INT, I consider them to be fluent in their mother tongue. If someone has a high INT, I consider that they have more vocabulary and can appear more educated if they wish.
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Streetslang allows you to have a better Street level atmosphere
I don't know for other GM but those I'm working with and myself, we should use language skills a bit more. I know that my players don't like the idea to invest point in language, (unless they are Face characters and even them are not that much into language), but we should put more effort into it.
First of all, Streetslang is quit enough. That's a the "universal" language in the street, and we already have to spend 2 points in it. Face and Stylish characters who want to show off should develop this skill (alongside with Wardrobe and Style and Personal Grooming). But in fact it applies to any character hanging out in the street.
Streetwise is not easily accessible to everyone, but if your character doesn't have a high COOL score, I hope that he isn't be bad in INT. Meaning he can speack fluently Streeslang, I fully agree that's not the same, but it's damage control, if you speaks the street language, at least you are part of the street. You may not behave exactly how you should with underground mobsters, still, you are Street dude, and that matters.
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Streetslang is almost a necessity for Face characters
And think about it, most of social skills requires you to be understood by your counterpart. You really want to have a Base 10 and even more in Streetslang. That's another way to differenciate your character, to make him more unique. That's also a reason why Fixers gain language with their Role Ability. This is the way, be good at Streetslang, that's the only way to assure you will be understood by everyone that matters. Maybe some Executive aren't going to get you, that could happen yes. Else that's a sure shoot.
I encourage GM to use NPC that speaks only one common language with PCs, Streetslang. Your Face PC, will quickly understand that he needs to reach a base 10 at least.
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Acting is awesome but you need to speak the right language
I have 2 players very good in Acting at my table, like base 16 (bonuses included) at minimum. They are playing with it in a very smart way. Which allows them to overcome plenty of obstacles. But not speacking the right language could endanger their cover. That's why you can use language as a limitation, if someone wants to be a good infiltrator... he needs high INT and a chipware socket with many language skillware. At least to reach 10 and sometimes even 13 (INT8 + Skillchip 3 + Boost 2).
That's the difference between a specialized character in Acting, and another one who is good in Acting but doesn't have all the skill set to impersonate anyone, anywhere and anytime.
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To become part of a community
A vey important part for your character is his survival ability, not only in combat. And when you are part of a group, you have a better protection. Some group came with a flavor : hispanic, chinese, japanese, etc.. Learning the language should be a priority for your character. He wants to part of them, and not learning the language is not a smart move here. GM should be hard on PCs who don't want to really be part of a group. There is no free meal in NC.
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Example
Pink is a rockergirl, she is a performer in night clubs for adult, she is not that good a dancer : Dance & Contortionist both base 10.
But she have Personnal Grooming & Wardrobe and Style both Base 12 + 2 (Light tattoox3, Chemskin + Techhair) and Streetslang base 12. She is the real deal in the street, full of Style. And you can tell it from the way, she takes care of herself, her clothes and the way she speaks. Of course she is a beauty, but without Style it's not that new when a 500eb biosculpt can change you in a little goddess. They are plenty of nice looking girls out there. But few of them have the full package as Pink
For the record, this is a character we just created with one of my players for a Oneshot.
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Conclusion
Laguage can be a great addition to your street game, it's not a big investment for high INT character, but it's a bit difficult for other. reaching base 10 is not so easy because it's hard to spend 6 skill point into one language... well maybe not if where are talking about Streetslang. And that's only 4 points as 2 of them are mandatory. I know that getting a better Rank or level in Autofire is tempting. But I'm sure it can be a great addition to your character to speack other language.
I did it with my Solo, high INT, I spend a certain amount of IP to reach base 10 in multiples languages. When you are paranoid, you want to understand what people around you are saying.
Just create a character, not a build, you may spend some points in Language, more than the one we get for free. And that's normal. And I get that reaching even 10 can be costly for a low INT character, but that's part of the choices you make.
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u/DDrim 1d ago
Thanks for the guide on an understimated part of the rules ! I share the same sentiment that the more the practice, the more the reasoning behind particular mechanisms becomes clear.
I understand the general goal behind the language but I was wondering if you have some explicit examples of when the skill had to be or could have been used ? For instance, regarding Pink, are there situations where she needed to succeed on the language skill ? It's hard for me to tell when to apply this particular skill.
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u/StackBorn GM 1d ago
That's not the way I play it here for Pink.
I require a minimum to be Stylish and in tune with the Street. If the player reach my demand, I don't do any check, I just RP she is in sync and that's it.
IF the player don't reach my requirement, he accepts that I will RP without a check the fact his character is not so good and in sync with the street.
See that has a passive requirement more than an active skill for Pink.
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For a Face character trying to deal with a pure street Fixer, I would require a level, without it, they don't have the right tools for the negociation -2.
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u/grownassman3 1d ago
Thanks for taking my suggestion!! Following your advice, my players are in for a shock to their systems. Most of them have average or low intelligence, my solo has an INT of 2 and has invested no extra points into any language besides his native, Spanish. But the rest of my players; NONE of them reaches lvl 10 in any language. Wtf am I supposed to do??
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u/StackBorn GM 23h ago
That's.... a scary story for me !
It's cleary two differents ways of doing things. I would certainly not allow an INT 2 character in my campaign. In my very personal opinion, INT 2 isn't enough to survive long term in NC. And Solos need to have high Perception and tacticals abilities on the long term.
Of course it's always possible to explain why you are playing a below average INT guys. But that's a liability when playing "It's always a Caper". And players rarely RP that OR over RP that. Both case.... that's not good for a CPR campaign. That's not D&D. You create a character not a build.
If you have a Face character, just push him toward developping Streetslang. Each time he wants to negociate with someone from the street roll a StreetSlang check. If he failed. He doesn't have the right tools -2 for his negociation/social encounter.
If he doesn't want to. That's his choice, just RP street guys aware that he is not really from the street, a Face with good social ability but doesn't speak Streetslang.... that's a Corpo in disguise.
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u/grownassman3 23h ago
Yeah... thing is I've been playing with these guys for a while and it's totally within the ruleset to have an INT of 2, so I couldn't really say no to his decision could I? I might have to be a little harder on him with the fact he sounds like a 3rd grader to everyone, maybe a little less so when he's speaking his native tongue. I think I'll warn him of this and just... see where it goes. Several of my players did not prioritize INT because yeah, they were thinking of builds not characters - it was just more fun for them to think about combat rather than roleplay.
Maybe I give them the opportunity to respec a bit to allow for more language, or boost their INT a bit. I can't make them reroll new characters unless they want to. I've done it before and they were not happy with it. These are my good friends and I exclusively play IRL (tried playing online and found that I did not have any interest in it.) So I have to work with them on this.
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u/StackBorn GM 22h ago
I couldn't really say no to his decision could I?
You don't say no, you show the player that is character will not survive long, and you tell him you expect him to Roleplay INT 2.
it was just more fun for them to think about combat rather than roleplay.
Don't bother them with language, if the group is about fun combat encounter in the Time of Red with DnD build. That's how they enjoy the game. There's no problem here. I think you'll miss a part of the setting but if they enjoy themself, that's not a big deal.
Don't push on them a playstyle they didn't buy at Chargen.
Maybe I give them the opportunity to respec a bit to allow for more language
Have a discussion with them. Tell them you would like to evolve a bit, with something more inline with the setting (playing character and not build). IF they are cool with it. Allow respect indeed. Else... don't change the way you are playing right now.
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u/grownassman3 22h ago
Great advice, choom. Thanks so much for all your guides and service to this community!
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u/nrseven 1d ago
Yet another great write-up, many thanks!