D&D (2024) Rare Languages

pukunui

Legend
Hi all,

The 2024 PHB divides languages into standard and rare categories. By default, every PC knows Common plus two other standard languages. None of the 2024 backgrounds or species grant bonus languages, which is fine, but as far as I can tell, there's no way for a PC to learn a rare language. The book says that "some features let a character learn a rare language", but I'm not seeing any. Am I missing something?

Note: When using the 2024 rules in D&D Beyond, the system won't let you choose any of the rare languages at character creation. You have to add them manually from the character sheet.

EDIT: So far we have the following ways in which to learn a rare language using only the options in the 2024 PHB:
  • Take 1 level of druid to get Druidic.
  • Take 1 level of rogue to get Thieves' Cant and any other language of your choice.
  • Take 2 levels of ranger to get any two languages of your choice via Deft Explorer.
Anything else?
 
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cbwjm

Seb-wejem
I'm definitely not too fond of that change, easy to ignore in pen and paper, bit more annoying if using dndbeyond.

I'm assuming that some subclasses will let you learn rare languages and thrre must be afeat that allows it already, surely.
 



Xeviat

Dungeon Mistress, she/her
Druids get Druidic.

I'm only gonna use the common/rare language differentiation as a tag to suggest how many people are going to actually know it and be able to speak with you. But next indepth simulationist game I'm gonna do, I'm going to do the following:

1) put some human nation languages in
2) disadvantage on charisma checks when you're conversing in Common (it's everyone's second language, and it's a pidgin trade language)
3) advantage on Influence checks when speaking in a rare language with an outsider that natively speaks it (even though your accent is terrible, the fiend appreciates that you took the time to learn infernal)
 

lall

Explorer
You can take 5.0 Linguist. I was going to do that, but hate burning a feat to get a language my fairy has spoken his entire life and then lost when he contracted “I’m an adventurer and thus a moron disease.” Can’t cure diseases either in 5.5. You’d have to burn another feat to take Aberrant Dragonmsrk to hope to get Boon of Perfect Health. Rather than burn two feats, I’m just going to make two Wishes, one for Sylvan and the other for disease immunity. Musician will lower the probability of losing Wish from 33% to 11%.
 

Charlaquin

Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
Probably some warlock subclasses and invocations that give you rare languages.
Not in the 2024 PHB. Maybe in the next “everything” book. Until then, Deft Explorer and Thieves’ Cant appear to be the only ways to learn rare languages in 2024. Everyone else has to rely on the comprehend languages spell.
 

pukunui

Legend
Thanks all! I have updated my OP with a list.

It just feels a bit odd that aasimar don't get Celestial for free, nor tieflings Abyssal or Infernal. Also, there doesn't seem to be any way for a drow to learn Undercommon without taking a level in rogue or two levels in ranger.

and thrre must be afeat that allows it already, surely.
Nope!

Can’t cure diseases either in 5.5.
It's looking like they've removed diseases from the game. We'll know for sure when the DMG is released.
 
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AK_Ambrian

Explorer
The Diviner Wizard subclass gets something called "Greater Comprehension: You can read any language" at Level 10. It lasts until you start a short or long rest.
 

Xeviat

Dungeon Mistress, she/her
Thanks all! I have updated my OP with a list.

It just feels a bit odd that aasimar don't get Celestial for free, nor tieflings Abyssal or Infernal. Also, there doesn't seem to be any way for a drow to learn Undercommon without taking a level in rogue or two levels in ranger.
Pretty sure they removed things that felt cultural from the species stats. Though I'd be perfectly fine with Aasimar knowing celestial and Tieflings knowing Abyssal or Infernal; the idea of the outsider kid speaking in tongues is real cool.
 

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