The Connection That Allows One to Communicate with Animals

[Ogre Time Yay]

I'm actually curious about this, my character Hydaro has 1 level of Ranger for the sake of two things, one RP reason (Hydaro knows how to communicate with animals) and one fun reason (Bonus damage against Ogres!!!), one of which is not needed. From what I understand, there is a connection that one obtains that allows them to speak to animals of different sorts, not just the simple knowledge of knowing what they're saying. Thing is, there's very little about Hydaro that is Ranger like, and when he turns into an animal he's usually more lazy than he is useful.

Is a level of Ranger or Druid truly required for this connection to speak with animals, or is there another way Hydaro can go about obtaining this ability. I'm not asking this to start a flame war or some topic steering toward me me me meself and me trying to make an OP character in some way... I'm honestly just curious. Part of the story I have going recently has Hydaro straying from that connection a little to pursue his original path reintroduced to him through his Talisman of Justice. So either way there is a story behind Hydaro losing the ranger level, I just want to know more about this animal communication business.

[Not Batman]

I do not know what house ruling the admins have for this, but I know that in standard D&D Rangers do not have the ability to outright converse with animals. While they have Wild Empathy, this is merely influencing the animal (Kind of how you would calm a wild dog with open arms and body language). Rangers CAN communicate with animals via a spell (Detailed here: www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Speak_with_Animals). The thing to keep in mind about communicating with animals, is that it's very different than how one would speak with anything else. Ninty-nine percent of animals have a three intelligence or lower, that is hardly qualifies them for low-level sentience, let along conversation.

Now, to your other query, I would say that if one RPs having this connection and works towards it and has a well backed justification, it is certainly possible for one to be able to "communicate" with animals without these class levels. It, of course, would need to be reflected in your statistics, at minimum an above average wisdom and charisma. Sense Motive would also be a good way to express this.

Edit: Merely having Sylvan is not adequate for the request. Sylvan probably being the most misunderstood language in DnD.

[Darvins]

Animal tongue is a hard one, oocly in tabletop the ability does not exactly exist through the spell to do it does, and I think the widget is just an easier way of doing it than casting a spell to get a widget that lets you do it.

Admins would have to say but *shruggies* I wouldn't be upset if he spent the two skill points like any other language I think, to represent him spending time learning the mannerisms of animals and what the various snarls and the like mean.

[Ogre Time Yay]

Thanks Korlash, thanks Darvins,
I'm leaning more and more toward having Hydaro allow the connection to fade away, but I'll have to brainstorm on it a little more. Hydaro isn't a very Rangery like character anymore.

[Not Batman]

Well, it doesn't have to fade. If he's using non-magical means of communication with these creatures (Like anim by having a vast amount of knowledge about them, that knowledge just doesn't go away. Due to game constraints, if you remove your ranger level, you will lose wild empathy, obviously, but the ranks you've placed into knowledge nature and the like will still count towards something.

[The Red Mage]

Just please don't have long conversations or commands for animals. Really, really basic stuff like you would use with the thieves cant.