For the stats of Homunculus Servant, it doesn't mention anything about having Telepathic Bond. In which the Homunculus in MM does have Telepathic Bond. Should the Homunculus Servant have a form of a telepathic bond? It feels like a relatively weak familiar type of infusion for relaying recon or spy type of uses. Even the wording under 'Languages' is different between the two Homunculus. They both say, "Understands the languages of its creator." But, the Homunculus in the MM states, "but can't speak." While the Homunculus Servant doesn't have that clause, so does that mean the servant can speak? I generally interpret "Understands the languages of its creator" as the creature that can't speak but only understands. Because of the differences, it has me questioning. I feel that the Homunculus Servant should at least be of Familiar distance of telepathic communication.
In the game I'm playing, we're giving the Homunculus Servant telepathic communication the same as the Find Familiar spell. I'm wondering what others would rule.
As a DM, I would rule that the Homunculus Servant can talk or have a telepathic bond similar to Find Familiar.
RAW they are different creatures, created in different ways and behave differently so them lacking a telepathic bond is almost certainly intentional.
Personally, I'd rule that the Homunculus Servant doesn't have telepathic bond seeing as it has commoner level intelligence and understands the languages the artificer speaks. It likely can read and (given the right appendages) write or at least learn to do so. So it shouldn't have any trouble communicating what it sees and hears through words or pictures. It doesn't need a telepathic bond.
As DM you absolutely can rule that they have a telepathic bond regardless.
I would rule that not being able to speak a language means not being able to "speak" with non-verbal language either. So no writing, sign-language, or other complex communications.
Languages Understands the languages of its creator but can't speak
Homunculus Servant:
Languages understands the languages you speak
With "you" being the Homunculus Servant's creator.
So while the Homunculus explicitly cannot speak but gets the feature Telepathic Bond, the Homunculus Servant is not explicitly stated as unable to speak and doesn't get any telepathic features.
So it's ability to communicate or lack thereof is very much open to DM interpretation.
For the stats of Homunculus Servant, it doesn't mention anything about having Telepathic Bond. In which the Homunculus in MM does have Telepathic Bond. Should the Homunculus Servant have a form of a telepathic bond? It feels like a relatively weak familiar type of infusion for relaying recon or spy type of uses. Even the wording under 'Languages' is different between the two Homunculus. They both say, "Understands the languages of its creator." But, the Homunculus in the MM states, "but can't speak." While the Homunculus Servant doesn't have that clause, so does that mean the servant can speak? I generally interpret "Understands the languages of its creator" as the creature that can't speak but only understands. Because of the differences, it has me questioning. I feel that the Homunculus Servant should at least be of Familiar distance of telepathic communication.
In the game I'm playing, we're giving the Homunculus Servant telepathic communication the same as the Find Familiar spell. I'm wondering what others would rule.
As a DM, I would rule that the Homunculus Servant can talk or have a telepathic bond similar to Find Familiar.
The Homunculus Servant created by the Homunculus Servant infusion found in both Tasha's Cauldron of Everything and Eberron: Rising From the Last War is a different creature than the Homunculus. printed in the Monster Manual which is created by the 6th level spell Create Homunculus.
RAW they are different creatures, created in different ways and behave differently so them lacking a telepathic bond is almost certainly intentional.
Personally, I'd rule that the Homunculus Servant doesn't have telepathic bond seeing as it has commoner level intelligence and understands the languages the artificer speaks. It likely can read and (given the right appendages) write or at least learn to do so. So it shouldn't have any trouble communicating what it sees and hears through words or pictures. It doesn't need a telepathic bond.
As DM you absolutely can rule that they have a telepathic bond regardless.
I would rule that not being able to speak a language means not being able to "speak" with non-verbal language either. So no writing, sign-language, or other complex communications.
Of note, this is another point on which the two stat blocks differ:
Homunculus:
Homunculus Servant:
With "you" being the Homunculus Servant's creator.
the Homunculus Servant is not explicitly stated as unable to speak and doesn't get any telepathic features.
So it's ability to communicate or lack thereof is very much open to DM interpretation.