D&D (2024) Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth? - Languages in 2024

[Minigiant]

Dungeon Delver and Martial Adept are also gone, not just Linguist.

Archaeologist
Ability: Dexterity Intelligence Charisma
Skill Proficiencies: History, Survival
Tool Proficiency: Cartographer's tool
Feat-Dungeon Delver

???
Ability:???
Skill Proficiencies: ????
Tool Proficiencies: ???
Feat- Linguist

Gladiator
Ability: Strength Constitution Charisma the
Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Performance
Tool Proficiency: Disguise kit
Feat- Martial Adept

 

[Minigiant]

Part of the problem for me is the disconnect between the standard and rare languages and the PC options in the game. The standard languages are great if your game deals primarily with just the species of the material plane, but the 24 PHB gives us two species with planar origins, plus a bunch of planar related classes, subclasses, and even feats and no way to access the languages associated with them. There is no way by RAW for a tiefling fiend pact warlock to learn Infernal and that just doesn't make sense.

And as the game expands PC options, that disconnect is going to get weirder. At some point, they are going to print (or reprint) aquatic species that can't speak with other aquatic races (Primordial) or fey species who don't know the language of the feywild.

They should only be six common languages max.

Those other common languages should be the rare ones

And the rear languages are the exotic ones.

 

[Epic Meepo]

But the only reason Legolas swapped to Elvish was to keep the many ignorant humans from knowing what he and Aragorn were saying. It added drama for a movie, but at no point in the movie do people face a sincere language barrier that -requires- external translation.

At tables I've played, changing languages so NPCs don't know what you're saying is 99% of the reason PCs learn niche languages. Overcoming language barriers is usually a non-issue, given the existence of Comprehend Languages.

 

[GarrettKP]

Archaeologist
Ability: Dexterity Intelligence Charisma
Skill Proficiencies: History, Survival
Tool Proficiency: Cartographer's tool
Feat-Dungeon Delver

???
Ability:???
Skill Proficiencies: ????
Tool Proficiencies: ???
Feat- Linguist

Gladiator
Ability: Strength Constitution Charisma the
Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Performance
Tool Proficiency: Disguise kit
Feat- Martial Adept

Anthropologist
Ability Scores: Intellegence, Wisdom, Charisma
Feat: Linguist
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Religion
Tool Proficiency: Calligrapher's Supplies
Equipment: Choose A or B: (A) Book, Calligrapher's Supplies, Ink, Ink Pen, Parchment (12 Sheets), Traveler's Clothes, 2 GP; or (B) 50gp.

Archaeologist
Ability Scores: Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom
Feat: Dungeon Delver
Skill Proficiencies: History and Survival
Tool Proficiency: Cartographer’s Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B: (A) Bullseye Lantern, Cartographer's Tools, Map, Map Case, Shovel, Traveler's Clothes, War Pick, 14 GP; or (B) 50gp.

This is how I’d do it. As for Martial Adept, idk if that’s coming back as an origin feat. I think it’ll be lumped in with other “Multiclass Lite” feats like Eldritch Adept and Meta Magic Adept when they get updated. Probably as General feats.

 

[Steampunkette]

At tables I've played, changing languages so NPCs don't know what you're saying is 99% of the reason PCs learn niche languages. Overcoming language barriers is usually a non-issue, given the existence of Comprehend Languages.

That is, in fact, the point of my rant, yes.

The game is designed for language to be utterly irrelevant except for keeping secrets. You can pick however many languages you have available, but everyone will speak Common at all times unless it's to plot an assassination or make a snide aside.

 

[WanderingMystic]

Anthropologist
Ability Scores: Intellegence, Wisdom, Charisma
Feat: Linguist
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Religion
Tool Proficiency: Calligrapher's Supplies
Equipment: Choose A or B: (A) Book, Calligrapher's Supplies, Ink, Ink Pen, Parchment (12 Sheets), Traveler's Clothes, 2 GP; or (B) 50gp.

Archaeologist
Ability Scores: Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom
Feat: Dungeon Delver
Skill Proficiencies: History and Survival
Tool Proficiency: Cartographer’s Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B: (A) Bullseye Lantern, Cartographer's Tools, Map, Map Case, Shovel, Traveler's Clothes, War Pick, 14 GP; or (B) 50gp.

This is how I’d do it. As for Martial Adept, idk if that’s coming back as an origin feat. I think it’ll be lumped in with other “Multiclass Lite” feats like Eldritch Adept and Meta Magic Adept when they get updated. Probably as General feats.

First of, I love these backgrounds. Second I was quite disappointed to not see Martial adept or the similar fighting style in the core book. We have background feats that dip you into wizard, cleric, or druid but the martial one is Savage attacker and I just think something more interesting would be great for a lot of background builds.

 

[Yaarel]

Nonhuman languages:

I view Primordial as a kind of telepathic language that requires attuning to an Element.

Celestial as the angelic language can be telepathy as well.

Possibly these are Ethereal and Astral languages, respectively.

 

[DarkCrisis]

While the current Ed handles languages in a fantastic way, that makes it easier to talk with all the amazing beasts and persons you meet in your whimsical and easy-going adventures, but I must confess I like it when there are fewer languages that the PCs know (like in B/X) so they have to try other ways of communication or rely on magic to talk to the Kobold or Orc. It adds a whole level of interesting flavor to the experience that 5E (and 5.5) handle in a different and thankfully stress-free way.

 

[Lanefan]

And everyone, regardless of where you are in the world or the planes, speaks the Common tongue,

This is a prime candidate for that "Rules That Annoy You" thread. Think I might chuck it in there...

 

[Minigiant]

At tables I've played, changing languages so NPCs don't know what you're saying is 99% of the reason PCs learn niche languages. Overcoming language barriers is usually a non-issue, given the existence of Comprehend Languages.

To me that's only one of the reasons

If languages are supposed to matter then the main gamist purposes of languages are

1. To switch who is the "face"
2. To hide info from NPCS
3. To pick up hidden info from NPCs
4. To find secret hints and shortcuts

Basically to reward the choice.

But like I said D&D has too many languages treated the same.

The #1 problem with D&D language is what I keep saying. D&D only has 1 lingua franca: Common. 2 if you count Undercommon.

This is because Gygax and many early designers played humanocentric games and put little game design in languages.

There should be more bridge languages. Creatures and monsters should speak bridge languages more.

Creature would only speak racial languages to newcomers to the area, when conversing about complex topics they might not be able to translate out of their native language, when trying to hide info or when alone with the species. Like real people.

The issue become which 5-7 languages do you choose to be the bridges?

For general D&D is choose

1. Common
2. Draconic
3. Dwarven
4. Elven
5. Giant
6. Infernal
7. Undercommon

But I'd prefer actual new bridge languages

1. Common (Humans, Halflings)
2. Black Tongue (Goblins, Orcs, Fiends, Undead)
3. Draconic (Dragons, Dragonborn, Kobolds, Lizardfolk)
4. Elven (Elves, Fey)
5. Northern/Runic (All the Norsey types Dwarves, Gnomes, Giants, Goliaths)
6. Southern/Primordialsl (Primordials, Elementals, Genies)
7. Undercommon (Underdark creatures)