I have read through every page of the EotE book and never have I seen anything regarding "learning" other Languages. Am I to assume that all races can understand all Alien Dialect?

I have read each Races Language section and I understand how each attempts/prefers to communicate.

The basic rule is that the members of the PC group can all understand each other, even if a Human can't speak Shriywook and the astromech droid communicates only in beeps and whistles. Just like Han understood Chewie and through his responses to Chewie, the audience understood what Chewie meant, same with R2 and Luke/3PO.

Basically, unless it matters to the plot (i.e. Ewok language or finding a tablet written in Old Sith) or personal character preference ("my human character is a noble from Coruscant and would have no way to ever pick up Rodian"), the cinematic nature of the game encourages ignoring the practical differences in language to keep the story moving.

The point is, language barriers should not be an impediment to the story unless that impediment is, itself, part of the story.

Yeah, it's pretty much assumed that in most cases that everyone can converse with each other, just like we see in the movies for the most part. The only exception is when the heroes encounter Ewoks in RotJ, but throughout the rest of the films, there's really not much of a language barrier. Or at the very least, folks are able to get at least the gist of what Chewbacca or Artoo-Detoo are saying, with Han or Threepio (respectively) to translate the finer points.

IMO, there's a reason why 3PO units exist. Most PCs can speak Basic, so they should be able to talk to each other just fine. Gands don't have the mouth parts to speak it directly, but they can understand it, and I think they automatically come with a translator device.

But Wookiees don't come with an automatic translator device, even though they do understand Basic. You typically get one PC in the group that is designated as your friend who can translate for you, but everyone else is going to have to learn to understand Shyriiwook. Hand signals and screams will only get you so far.

In my case, my Wookiee is in the process of tracking down a Tranlang III device, so that he doesn't have to worry about having someone else translate for him. They're described in one of the additional sourcebooks, but I don't remember which one.

Thanx for all the info. Since our GM has required us all the be Human, I will suggest we go with our first thought and that we understand all the EotE races and not the more exotic ones or the story will go nowhere.

But I am surprised there is not a Language tie-in in one of the Knowledge skills.

Unlike games like D&D with their extreme crunch, imagine just how bad off characters in Star Wars would be if they knew just 5 languages. Given that there are THOUSANDS of species, and within those species there would be dozens, if not hundreds of dialects, to understand. Communication would be impossible. Plus, most people don't realize just how flexible the brain is for picking up languages when you're young. So, in a galaxy where everyone has contact with lots of other species, kids would grow up around a lot of languages all at once.

But I am surprised there is not a Language tie-in in one of the Knowledge skills.

If you encounter something weird (or not understood because Plot) I'd say a straight Int or Knowledge: Xenology or Knowledge: Education (hey, you hear things in school!) check might be applicable.

Largely GM's choice. If the plot requires one or more of the PCs to understand Rodian, they do. If it requries that the alien be unintelligible, they are.

Backgrounds, Careers and Specialisations may help you decide who can speak what. Does the PCs career take them to lots of different worlds (smuggler, trader)? Does their job require them to mix with affluent species who need egos flattering (politico)? Do they get into a lot of bar fights with gammoreans (marauder)?

If you'd feel more comfortable with mechanics, dust off your Knowledge skills. Education or Core Worlds for "civilised" species, Xenology or Outer Rim for rougher types. Underworld for Huttese or their attendant "thug" species.

For what it's worth, the rules for languages (such as they are) are included in a sidebar in the Species section of Character Creation.

IMO, there's a reason why 3PO units exist. Most PCs can speak Basic, so they should be able to talk to each other just fine. Gands don't have the mouth parts to speak it directly, but they can understand it, and I think they automatically come with a translator device.

To get a bit technical (because Gands are awesome) some Gands are capable of speaking basic. Zuckuss is one example.

There are a few different variants of Gand; some lungless subspecies have a gas bladder that they can use to vibrate their exoskeleton in an approximation of speech. A lunged subspecies may reasonablly be able to do the same. Some will elect to use a voxbox, but a PC has options.

If you're looking for guidelines as far as implementing this into gameplay, I usually tell my players that they can know a number of languages up to their Intellect for free, with their species language being the first and Basic being the second. They don't have to pick them all at creation, but their Intellect is the cap on "freebies", and anything else has to be learned or known through in-game study or Knowledge rolls.

I've found this works pretty well, as most PCs will end up with Basic, a species-specific language, and probably a trade language like Huttese.

For what it's worth, the rules for languages (such as they are) are included in a sidebar in the Species section of Character Creation.

Oh, well reading just might be helpful LOL. TY kind sir.

Here is how I handle languages in my game.

It is assumed that everyone can speak (or at least understand) Basic, as well as their own racial language and the languages of their fellow party members. Should they encounter an alien that refuses or is incapable of speaking Basic, I have my players make a Knowledge: Xenology check. If the language is more obscure, I increase the difficulty. I tell my players if they speak that language, depending on whether or not they make the check. After that, either they know it or not. If they make the check, they know it, and I urge them to note that language on their character sheet. The rest of that session or story, depending on timeline, if they failed the check, they still don't know it. If they encounter that language down the road and make the Xenology check, then they picked up the language somewhere since the last time, even if it may be bits and pieces.

It seems that most individuals who you encounter will be able to speak, or at least understand, basic.

And anyone who is a serious spacer will know at least a few of the more common languages he might encounter.

Durese, Huttese, and Bocce are reasonably common languages that nearly everyone probably knows unless they keep to a very local area. Shriywook is probably less common but still widely known.

And heck, a basic Protocol Droid is probably not too hard for anyone with at least some cash to acqure.

Basically, language should only matter when the plot demands it. Maybe make it tied to Xenology? A player can say he knows X language based on how his his Xenology skill it, with GM approval of course.

And heck, if it comes down to it, spend a Destiny point for a universal translater unit

FYI, the page 44 has the language rules.

yeah, basically it's something that the gm works out with the players to see if they want to do any language barriers. otherwise, everyone picked up Shyriiwook at the technical college they attended a few years back...

i've worked it out with the one wookiee in my party to have him only be able to speak his actions at the table while we slowly learn the intricacies of how to communicate with a wookiee. we wanted to emulate luke not knowing how to communicate with chewie in A New Hope, but being fluent by the later movies. i figure a few sessions will get him speaking more and more over the course of them. it should be fun to role-play we feel.