Why does Caleb know Celestial and Sylvan? And why does Beau know Halfling? Are there backstories for these languages or does D&D just allow players to pick any language they desire based on some ability score? All other languages make sense based on background (even Nott's knowledge of Halfling). Thanks.
Posted May 24, 2018, 8:01 PM UTC
Beau has stated she knew Halfling because Halflings were pretty common in Kamordah and she had to know it because of her past in the wine business (you know, her dad being a big shot wine seller or something). So I suspect she has a backstory for her language.
And yes, as long as you have the background or race choice that allows for additional languages, you can learn any language you want. The CR cast are fond of making a backstory for why they know certain languages (Percy knowing Celestial because he was a nerd who read a lot).
So it's not much of a stretch to assume that Caleb, who's a super bookish dude that went to a very well renowned educational institute, would know languages like Celestial and Sylvan. Considering his knowledge of the Faewild and general religious stuff (he does really well on Religion checks, I suspect he's proficient in it), I'm not overly surprised he knows those two languages.
But if you're wondering how he knows those languages mechanically, then it's because Caleb is a human (gets to know Common and one other language, probably Zemnian for him), and because he chose a background that most likely gives him additional languages (like the Sage background). And Beau is a Human with the Prodigy Feat, which means she already knows 3 languages in the beginning (Common, Halfling, and one other), and being of the Cobalt Soul means she knows 1 more language.
It would be really interesting if Beau knows Celestial from her background and could understand Caleb and Yasha's conversation, but decided to remain quiet about her ability in case in comes in handy.
I think she know draconic she was really interested in the book they found out and never made mention of not being able to read it
I think she specifically said she wanted to read it a little before they gave to the Gentleman.
Yeah thats why I think she can read draconic
Thanks for the detailed reply. I must have missed Beau's backstory about Halflings being common in Kamordah. That makes sense as to why she knows the language.
Mechanically, I can see why Caleb has more language "slots" than others. He's super smart and has speed reading/photographic memory feats. But given his horrendous background, I'm just surprised he had the opportunity to learn Celestial and Sylvan. It makes more sense if he knows Goblin due to hanging out with Nott for a few months.
Although he has been through terrible things he was still studying at a very prestigious magical school, there's no doubt they would have services to teach students especially magical languages like Draconic, Celestial, Sylvan, etc.
Most of the time it is up to the player to choose how they learned these languages, but if you were just playing for the first time with a bunch of friends it isn't the weirdest thing in the world for characters to just have certain languages. If the party found some ancient texts written in a strange language and one player is able to tell everyone that they were actually looking at Draconic runes, you could then come up on the spot how your character learnt the language.
I'm guessing, from Caleb's time as a student and his general bookishness, that his background from the Player's Handbook is "Sage". That would give him two extra languages of his choice, in addition to common and one other from being human.
Zemnian is just an excuse for his German accent, I'm sure it's rolled into Common for him and he used his free language on one of the exotic languages.
Zemnian is a full language that comprises one of the large parts of the Empire. Not everybody knows it. It's like Marquesian, which Scanlan had to learn from scratch in order to understand. It's not something you just know and gets rolled into common. It's also pretty much confirmed on Talks Machina the german accent wasn't integral to the character and was probably added later on once Matt explained to him what the Zemnian language was and he chose his place of origin.
No, Matt added languages for certain locales in his world. They're not just using the PHB languages.
Its a fun aspect of the world. Some GMs just hand wave languages and assume everyone speak common. Some GMs use fantasy languages as metaphors for real languages like having German be dwarfish instead of Zemnian and Irish for Sylvan. Matt likes to use his own language as he feels its adds to the world and makes the world feel bigger and that is awesome.
Pretty much every class and can pick atleast one additional language, since the cast is such great role players I'm sure there's a backstory reason, but no they don't need them they could just pick the languages and be like I speak these without giving a reason
My guesses are Caleb is a genius so he learns languages for fun and Beau either learned halfling at the Cobalt reserve or somehow related to her street knowledge
Class? You pick languages based on your race. And no, your languages are automatically determined depending on your race (sometimes you get to choose one additional language of your choice, such as if you chose to be a human).
The only way for you to get additional languages past the ones determined by your race is by choosing a background that gives you additional languages (the Sage background for example), or by choosing a feat that gives you additional languages (the prodigy or Linguist feats).
There are other ways too, like being a Ranger or a Cobalt Soul monk, or spending a month learning a language during downtime. But those are outliers. The only way for you to start with a language is from the above.
There are rule in the dmg to learn language
It's the same as learning a new tool profidency
It take time no feat or class required, some feat and class will allow it but it is not necessary
Yes, I know that. However, We're talking about the stuff they know AT THIS point. They need downtime to learn languages, and we're talking about the languages you can know from your background. They can't decide to learn all the languages from the beginning.
I would assume the cast has come up with some reasoning behind their picked languages, just because they put so much effort into these characters and their backstories.
The reasoning could be literally anything. For Caleb it could even just be that he flipped through a book that taught celestial and learnt it.
Race and background give you your basic language you start with
Some class will add some
Some feat will add some
Learning a new language is like a tool profidency, there are rule in the dmg to learn them during downtime in exchange for time and money to a tutor
So I would let my players learn any obscure languages as long as they provide enough backstory. In the case of scholarly types (e.g. wizards like Caleb) I'd say any language could be a candidate for elective classes in school. Except maybe infernal/abyssal due to taboos. Thoughts?
Nothing "needs" a back story according to Rules As Written (RAW). You can literally auto-generate a canned blurb about your past and it's effects on your character with a single click on D&D Beyond, and then you and your play group can never mention it again.
The only real effect that backstory has according to RAW is detailed here. It's basically proficiency in two skills and proficiency with two tools or languages. Actually, it seems to me as if this article has been edited since I last read it a few months ago. I feel it used to specify two skills, two tools/languages. Right now I'm reading it and it seems to be pretty vague, and doesn't specify any numbers at all. So as many or as few as you and your DM agree on, I suppose.
The premade backgrounds give a strong hint as to how you can pick skills and languages that make sense for your background, but there's no actual requirement to do so.
You just pick them based on the rules allowing you languages, but there is generally supposed to be meaning and reason to your languages.
They don't need to be too in-depth as DnD like most fantasy/sci-fi is a polyglot type world, almost everyone knows two or three, but there should be a decent narrative reason.
Why do I know German? Because there were three languages I could take in high school to fulfill the language requirement most colleges suggest. I just happened to take German.
In my opinion, yes. As written, it doesn't seem to be so. But then I have strong opinions about languages and their use in fantasy worldbuilding.
Well I mean, they do seem to have reasons thus far. Jester and Molly know Infernal because it's a tiefling thing, Yasha knows Celestial because it's an aasimar thing. But Beau knows Halfling because she grew up in an area with lots of Halflings where her family traded with them,and Caleb had a thorough education and is a nerd which is why he knows Celestial.
There are no rules which state you have to have a reason for knowing a language. That's just one of the things you should, as a good player, take care of in your background or work out with the DM if they aren't a specific language given from something, and not just know Infernal in a land with no demonic presence and no personal involvement with devils.
As this is CR, there's probably a reason. Although it could be as simple as something Caleb has learned as he has chased knowledge.
Not really, but nice to have a story to explain it. My Bloodhunter knows Common, Elven, Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal. Why? What cool languages would you learn as a nobles son? Doubt he will ever get to use them outside Common and Elven, but they are still there. Besides I thought they would be cool languages for a bloodhunter to know. Especially one that follows a death god.
If I never use them and no one asks then no one will ever know. It is still good to have a reason even if not needed.
First a character knows certain languages based on their race (Tieflings know Common and Infernal) and then the different backgrounds they choose can come with different languages (For example, Acolyte comes with any 2 extra languages, while a sailor comes with no extra). After that are a few feats that provide more, such as the Linguist feat (+3 languages) or the Prodigy Feat from Xanathar (+1 language)
EDIT: Grammar
Some class options also let you learn languages. For example Beau's monk sub class, the cobalt soul. Or the knowledge domain cleric from the PHB, and a few others.
Storm sorcerer let's you learn primordial
Thanks. Watching Critical Role is an interesting way to learn about D&D. I think you mentioned four terms in your reply that I now have to Google. How on earth did people learn to play this game prior to CR? :)
We owned the Player's Handbooks, Dungeon Master Guide's, etc prior to the show...nothing really teaches you the game better than the source of the rules, and playing it yourself.
We read the rules
To be honest I learned the basics from cr. Then I went and looked at the player's handbook, and some helpful how to videos on YouTube.
Beau plays a monk and at third level decided to take the subclass the cobalt soul. This gives her a bonus language when she first joined the class and an additional language when she reaches 6th level 11th level and 17th level.
A knowledge cleric is a cleric whom at first level decided they want to worship a god of knowledge so took the knowledge domain similiar to how jester wished to be a more chaotic cleric so became a trickery cleric for added chaos. The Knowledge cleric at first level gets an additional two languages.
PHB is short for Players Hand Book which is the main book for d and d that contains all the basic rules for players. Some other shorthand are MM which is Monster Manual DMG which is Dungeon Masters Guild and VGTM which is volos guild to monsters. If someone abbreviates in this subreddit it is likely shorthand for a d and d book. Hope I was helpful.