Most Important Languages to Know?

[Yakmala]

Obviously, some of this is campaign dependent, but overall, beyond Common, what do you think the most important/additional languages are to know?

When I'm not picking solely based on character background, I usually go with two criteria.

1: How likely is it that I'll encounter someone speaking the language?

2: How likely is it that speakers of the language don't know Common?

Based on this, I tend to pick up things like Primordial and Giant. Draconic, Infernal, Abyssal and Celestial are nice, but you can usually count on creatures that speak those languages understanding Common. If the campaign is going to be spending a good deal of time in the Underdark, then Undercommon moves to the top of the list.

[J-H]

Yes, it's DM dependent. Draconic is often the tongue of magic, and Primordial nets you four (Aquan, Auran, Terran, and whatever the Fire language is).

[Thunderous Mojo]

Elvish and Dwarvish are useful. Many languages use Elven or Dwarven script and Drow and Duergar both speak it.

Giant is a very strong choice for a character that wants to use language dependent spells. Charming a Troll or Hill Giant makes the choice worth it.

Abyssal and Infernal are probably must haves for a Fiend Binder.

It seems like everyone needs to be a parsletongue now and know some Python coding.🃏

[Kane0]

My go-tos are usually draconic and abyssal/infernal with goblin, celestial and primordial also strong contenders primarily because of writing you often come across. If you need a shared language to land a spell then orc, giant and undercommon also become much more important.

[elyktsorb]

definitely halfling

[PhoenixPhyre]

the language of love

Seriously, this is super campaign dependant. And setting. Some DMs don't even bother with languages; others use custom ones. And some campaigns may never see a dragon; others may never see an elf. Like a ranger's favored enemy, ask the DM at session zero.

[Amnestic]

While getting exotic languages is good, it's helpful to not totally discount the more common ones too.

For the """friendly""" races like elves/dwarves, if you're doing social stuff you may a) get a better result if you show you're familiar with their tongue and b) be able to eavesdrop if they're talking in their racial language instead of common, without having to blow a 3rd level spell slot and spell known/prepared.

For """unfriendly""" races like goblin/giants, it'll help for spying, reading their documents and infiltration. Tongues can make them understand you, but it's weird if the Alter Self'd party member who looks like a goblin exclusively speaks in Common.

[TigerT20]

I feel learning Hook Horror, Vegypygmy or Giant Elk is the type of choice you make as a joke at character creation but then ends up becoming super useful, to your DM's increasing frustration amazement.

But objectively, Elvish, Dwarvish, Goblin, and Orcish for lower levels and Draconic, Giant, and Primordial as you get higher.

[Asmotherion]

My default is Dragonic, Primordial and Elven. Giant is a close 4th, and Dwarvish 5th.

So far I've always more or less understood NPCs just fine.

[Ralanr]

I generally grab dwarvish because most DM's I've run say it's a trade language (so is Common). Elvish afterwards. Then I go for the freaky deeky.

Granted, language has never come up in a campaign for me.

[ChaosStar]

The languages I primarily go for are Draconic, Giant, Sylvan, Celestial, and Infernal. Every character I make in 3.5 usually knows at least 2 of them, and in 5e most characters know at least one. Stupid changes to how you get languages. Much preferred 3.5's way of doing it.

[Chronos]

Also don't forget about reading. The author of that scroll, or ancient text, or warning sign probably did know Common... but is that what they chose to write it in?

If you can coordinate with your party members, it's also useful for everyone in the party to know the same obscure language, so you can talk strategy right in front of your enemies without giving anything away.

It also depends on how your DM interprets some languages using the script of another. An adventure module I just ran, for instance, had some writings in Giant, and said that anyone who knows Dwarvish would be able to read them, because Giant uses the Dwarvish script... but that same argument would mean that anyone who knows Latin could read German, because German uses the Latin script. Then again, that same module also had an NPC who spent two language slots on Primordial and Aquan, so I think it's probably just that the authors didn't know what they were doing.

Of course, it can depend on your character. My first Fifth Edition character, for instance, was much more interested in reading ancient secrets than in talking to living people.

[Corpus]

I have done this in the past and it can be both extremely entertaining and horribly frustrating, take the Language of one of your party members (Elven, Dwarven, Halfling) and don't take Common.

Now if an NPC or other party members can't speak your languages, your designated party member has to translate everything to you and from you, barring gestures and visible emotions.

[SLOTHRPG95]

I always try to plan with fellow players to all take DSL (Drow Sign Language) so that we'll have a shared method of non-verbal communication. Other than that, favorite picks include the standard Abyssal/Infernal/Celestial/Primordial dialects for summoners, and one of Giant or Goblin or Orcish for most others.

[Ogre Mage]

In general knowing Dwarvish and Elvish is more important than Gnomish and Halfling. That might sound racist but in typical D&D dwarven and elven culture and society are more important.

An arcane caster would be wise to learn Draconic as magic is often written in that language.

Rangers and druids should learn Sylvan.

Summoners could benefit from Primordial, Abyssal, Celestial and Infernal.

At Tier 1 play, Goblin and Orc may be useful. In Tier 2 and higher, Giant is more likely to come into play. In general I have found Giant is more likely to be in writing. Giants are less likely to be evil than goblins and orcs and might be better to negotiate with. They are also more powerful so knowing their language would be wise.

[PhoenixPhyre]

In general I have found Giant is more likely to be in writing. Giants are less likely to be evil than goblins and orcs and might be better to negotiate with. They are also more powerful so knowing their language would be wise.

Of course someone named "Ogre Mage" would talk up Giant as a language of power and importance...:smallbiggrin:

[sambojin]

I tend to druid, so it's Common, Sylvan and Primordial for me (and some kind of beast speech, even if it's provided by a spell). If I can, telepathy, but that's just a massive side bonus. Anything else tend to be Tasha'd up or learnt or DM'd/campaigned in.

I actually like covering that whole side of things, and others can specify planes or races as they wish so they can stand out in their niche. I just do animal/ elemental/ fey/ common. Which is honestly a fair bit.

Never felt like there wasn't communication options available, but that's druids for you...

[Ogre Mage]

Of course someone named "Ogre Mage" would talk up Giant as a language of power and importance...:smallbiggrin:

Nonsense. You can tell by looking at me that I am an ordinary human.

*Frantically tries to hide oversized cooking cauldron*

[kingcheesepants]

Telepathy is obviously the best language. It allows you to speak to anyone that has any language. Similarly any class features like the Monk's Tongue of the Sun and Moon or the Eloquence Bard's Universal Speech (they can understand you but you can't understand them unfortunately) or being a mark of scribing gnome and casting comprehend languages for free. Secret languages like thieves cant or druidic can be really beneficial to know as well. And having the whole party share a really uncommon language like modron or sphinx can be lots of fun.

Generally speaking though I agree with your criteria of how often am I going to encounter someone that speaks this language and doesn't speak common. To that end it is (campaign dependent obviously but for the most part) just as you said primordial, giant, undercommon. After that I'd go with languages that have their own script because those languages are generally more influential and being able to sound out the words is better than nothing.

[Chronos]

Aside: I recently had my party find a note written in Infernal, but using Draconic script (it was written by a dragonborn cultist who wasn't diligent enough to learn how to write in Infernal). No single party member could read it, but the dragonborn and the wizard were able to sound it out, so the cleric could tell what they were saying.

[Kurt Kurageous]

Yes, it's DM dependent. Draconic is often the tongue of magic, and Primordial nets you four (Aquan, Auran, Terran, and whatever the Fire language is).

In my world reckoning, Infernal is like latin, the language of the law, contracts, etc...

In my Irish game, I limit the known languages to common, fey/elvish, and goblinoid. I use language levels to reward builds that get multiple languages. You get one level per language you would otherwise know IAW PHB etc.

Level 1 speak, not write
Level 2 read/write as a 8th grader
Level 3 read/write at a "some college" level
Level 4 read/write at college graduate level
Level 5 read/write at doctoral level.

With two languages (expected minimum), you could speak common and goblin, but not write in either, or be able to read and write in common.

I expect my bards and druids in this setting to be level 3 or 4 in common, as they are or soon will be college graduates.

[nickl_2000]

A language all the other PCs in your group speak. Seriously, it is great to have all the PCs be able to have a discussion without NPCs around them understanding what you are saying.

[Petelo4f]

I will say, of the fiendish languages, I far more often see Abyssal than Infernal (Unless you're doing Descent into Avernus....for obvious reasons)

[Ralanr]

Aside: I recently had my party find a note written in Infernal, but using Draconic script (it was written by a dragonborn cultist who wasn't diligent enough to learn how to write in Infernal). No single party member could read it, but the dragonborn and the wizard were able to sound it out, so the cleric could tell what they were saying.

This is ingenious and I love it.