Which spell lets you speak with Beasts and Magical Beasts?

[Tom Cashel]

Tongues lets you understand languages only, and you can't communicate with things that don't speak. Speak with Animals doesn't work on beasts or magical beasts. How does one speak with, say, a griffon? Something that isn't very intelligent, doesn't really have a "language," and is a beast?

 

[Crothian]

Limited wish? Miracle? There really isn't a spell for it.

 

[Tom Cashel]

All I've been able to think of is some kind of mind-reading power. ESP?

Does the squawking of a griffon meet the requirement of tongues as "speaking"? Is it a language?

 

[Ferret]

Speak with Anything. Allows conversation with any
creature or object. 8th level druid spell.

 

[Lucius Foxhound]

What book is Speak with Anything located?

Personally, I think Tongues would work. You're able to speak with animals (Druid 2), the dead (Cleric 3), Plants (Druid 3), and hell, even with Stones (Druid 6)... and you're telling me there's no spell in the PHB that would allow you to communicate with a monster? That's weird.

Tongues lets you speak with any "intelligent creature" ... I guess it's the DM's call as to what that means.

 

[kreynolds]

What book is Speak with Anything located?

MotW.

 

[Tom Cashel]

Tongues lets you speak with any "intelligent creature" ... I guess it's the DM's call as to what that means.

Tongues

Divination
Level: Brd 2, Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell grants the creature touched the ability to speak and understand the language of any intelligent creature, whether it is a racial tongue or a regional dialect. Naturally, the subject can speak only one language at a time, although she may be able to understand several languages. Tongues does not enable the subject to speak with creatures who don’t speak. The subject can make herself understood as far as her voice carries. This spell does not predispose any creature addressed toward the subject in any way.

Do griffons have a language? Not that I know of.

 

[Lucius Foxhound]

You're right Tom ... Tongues shouldn't work.

I think you've identified a hole in 3E. As I recall, Tongues let you talk to anyone in 2E. It seems odd that an 8th level MotW spell is the only thing to fill this hole.

I can't believe that a druid can talk to a turtle or a rock, but there's no method to let anyone talk to a Griffon.

 

[Tom Cashel]

They try to be so specific in 3E (Eris forbid anyone should have to interpret anything...), they've created more holes than they've fixed.

3E is dumbed down AND broken. Time for house rule. Maybe we'll use the 2E version.