this post was submitted on 21 May 2025
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Do rogues start with 5 languages now? (feddit.it)
submitted 4 days ago by 20nat@feddit.it to c/dnd@lemmy.world
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In dnd 2024 every character knows common and 2 standard languages.

A rogue ability grants to the rogue the knowledge of the "thieves' cant" and allows to select a language from the rare languages table.

I don't understand if these 2 new rare language add to the first 3, making every rogue start with at least 5 languages, or if you just replace the two standard languages with "thieves' cant" and another rare language.

Any suggestion on the proper rule interpretation? Also I have similar questions for druid and ranger abilities that grant new languages.

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[–] makeshiftreaper@lemmy.world 15 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I would interpret them as additional languages. First and foremost, thieves' cant isn't a language per se. It's more of a series of code words and phrases to access shady parts of society. There may be local flavors, but it's all generally similar regardless of the language you speak. Gaining one additional rare language is barely even a boon. Comprehend Languages is a 1st level spell. Unless language barriers are a significant part of your campaign, everyone is just going to be speaking common and frankly most players forget that they have other languages on their sheet anyway

[–] 20nat@feddit.it 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Now I'm convinced that this is the proper interpretation, I think I will stick to the rule in my games but it still feels wrong for two main reasons:

  • I've never considered rogue or ranger a language heavy class, for me a wizard that knows 5 languages makes much more sense.
  • Apperently, according to the rules, there are 0 persons on the entire planet that know only 2 languages, even the stupidest barbarian out there has to know perfectly at least 3 languages.

What do you think?

[–] makeshiftreaper@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

I think it depends on your interpretation of "language" in 5E. I could see someone interpreting common and under-common being as similar as English and British English

Rangers and Rogues are two classes that are generally interpreted as being better traveled which I would say is the argument for having that many languages. PCs are also very different from NPCs, any character that you play is already exceptional, so having more money, more skills, more languages is to be expected. Also, it's not entirely unrealistic, there's tons of bilingual/trilingual people in the real world, I bet you know words and phrases in multiple languages. I know you're already fluent in English

Although, I don't know if this is RAW or commonly accepted home brew but generally anything under 3 INT isn't considered capable of understanding language and if you roll a character that dumb I'd argue they shouldn't be capable of speech

[–] Jeeve65@ttrpg.network 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Phb page 37, on selecting languages, says:

Your character knows at least three languages: Common plus two languages you roll or choose from the Standard Languages table. Knowledge of a language means your character can communicate in it, read it, and write it. Your class and other features might also give you languages.

So your character gets at least three languages and also—so, additionally—what you get from other features like class or background.

[–] edgemaster72@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

In addition to what makeshiftreaper said, DND Beyond character builder treats them as additional languages, not replacements to what you normally have, so yes 5 appears to be correct.

[–] 20nat@feddit.it 2 points 3 days ago

Thank you, I think this ends the discussion!

[–] Mothra@mander.xyz 5 points 4 days ago

Thanks for posting this, I thought I went crazy with all the languages my rogue knows.