Just a few words.

[Aussiehams]

G'day all.

How unbalanced would it be to let a PC learn a few words in languages they don't speak? I am mainly considering it in regards to the Command spell or similar.
I'm not multilingual, but I know several key words in several languages. It seems like it should be able to be done, but it makes the spell potentially more powerful.
Maybe it could be based of your Int mod?

Just a thought and was looking for some opinions. Thanks.

[JoeJ]

G'day all.

How unbalanced would it be to let a PC learn a few words in languages they don't speak? I am mainly considering it in regards to the Command spell or similar.
I'm not multilingual, but I know several key words in several languages. It seems like it should be able to be done, but it makes the spell potentially more powerful.
Maybe it could be based of your Int mod?

Just a thought and was looking for some opinions. Thanks.

How often do they encounter NPCs who only speak the languages you're thinking about?

[OracularPoet]

Depends on the obscurity of the language. I might make them learn/find it in game, like loot. For example, engage with that tiefling in the pub, get ‘em to teach you a few specific words of infernal. Possibly a low DC to use it to start (if I wanted to have chance for hilarious failure) eventually going to no roll needed if use it enough.

[Rukelnikov]

No biggie, weave into the RP though

[Ventruenox]

Sounds like an excellent role-playing opportunity to me. Bonus points if you use Klingon, Pig Latin, or a funny accent.

[Zhorn]

If you use backgrounds from Tomb of Annihilation, the Anthropologist has the feature of learning a handful of important words, expressions and gestures after spending 1 day with any humanoid. Given that, I don't think it would be unfair to have players of other backgrounds know a handful having been learnt over an extended period of time, cultural osmosis and all that.

"The party is ambushed by a group of giants. Fortunately, the dwarf often drinks with a goliath when in town, and has picked up enough oaths and idioms in the giant tongue to challenge the attacking giants to a drinking competition to make their ancestors proud. Not the clearest of peaceful negotiations, but they work with what they have"

I think that would be the restriction I'd place on a player, they can only use common idioms or metaphors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XJKUITfiv4

[Lombra]

Anybody can learn any simple phrase in any language, you only need a reliable source for it.

[MaxWilson]

G'day all.

How unbalanced would it be to let a PC learn a few words in languages they don't speak? I am mainly considering it in regards to the Command spell or similar.
I'm not multilingual, but I know several key words in several languages. It seems like it should be able to be done, but it makes the spell potentially more powerful.
Maybe it could be based of your Int mod?

Just a thought and was looking for some opinions. Thanks.

Sure, why not?

For example, if a goblin yells "Bree yark!" before fleeing through another door, don't worry, that just means "We surrender!" He's panicking and will probably give you lots of treasure if you catch him.

[DeTess]

G'day all.

How unbalanced would it be to let a PC learn a few words in languages they don't speak? I am mainly considering it in regards to the Command spell or similar.
I'm not multilingual, but I know several key words in several languages. It seems like it should be able to be done, but it makes the spell potentially more powerful.
Maybe it could be based of your Int mod?

Just a thought and was looking for some opinions. Thanks.

As others have said, as long as they spend some time in-game tracking down a believable source and learning it shouldn't be that hard. This is especially true for a spell like Command, where it's a couple of really specific words they need, rather than some basic sentences or whatever.

[Chronos]

For comparison, a lot of magical items are activated with a command word. Those command words are sometimes something that means something in Draconic (or maybe Elvish or some other language), but even people who can't speak Draconic can learn how to use those items.

[Vogie]

Sounds like a downtime activity, picking up a word or two each long rest.

That'd also be useful for party dynamics - the one party member who knows Elvish (or Draconic, or Giant, whatever) teaches the rest of party the word for things like "Run!" or "Cover Me" that they can bust out in other situations to communicate in a way their captors can't understand.

I vaguely remember an IRL hostage situation that was resolved in a similar way - the police screaming things like "get down" and "hit the floor" in Hebrew or Greek or something, leaving only the hostage-takers standing, looking confused.

[FrancisBean]

Anybody can learn any simple phrase in any language, you only need a reliable source for it.

...with the exception of specialized edge cases such as Qualith or languages which require anatomical adjustments (consider the squid and color-based language), of course. I like it and would certainly use it in my games!

[PhoenixPhyre]

As a note, look at the Human language trait in the PHB. It says that they often include words and phrases from other languages--Orcish curse words, dwarven military phrases, etc. So this must be pretty darn Common (pun fully intended).

[BreaktheStatue]

I've spent most of my adult life as an expat in a few different countries, and it has been my experience (based on observations of the English-speaking expat community) that even really, really dull individuals can pick-up and use enough words to see to very basic needs ("One <drink of choice>, please") within a few hours or days.

And while yes, we're living in a foreign country and it's somewhat to be expected, a lot of these people - even those who have lived here for decades - will never learn anything beyond that. But a few words? That's within anyone's grasp.

[Aussiehams]

Thanks all. It seemed reasonable to me, I was just concerned that it might change the power balance of some spells. Given that most humanoids know common anyway it's probably not a big deal though.

[Rusvul]

You're not gonna mess with balance by allowing it. Language is very much a ribbon--it's in the rules, sure, but it doesn't really have any impact on balance.