Language Families and Classifications

Languages are classified as familiar, standard, or unfamiliar based on a character’s existing language proficiencies and the setting. Familiar languages are closely related to one a character knows, while unfamiliar languages have very little in common with any languages a character knows. Any language that does not meet either of these qualifications is considered standard. A language’s classification influences how difficult it is to learn, and a single language can be classified differently for different characters at the same time.

The Narrator decides which languages have which classification, but the following table of relationships is appropriate for many settings and may either be used wholesale or as a starting point for a setting-specific language tree.

Only the entries listed in the Languages sidebar of Chapter 2: Origins in Adventurer’s Guide have been included in this table. Other languages in Level Up you may wish to incorporate into your system include Boggard, Druidic, Giant Eagle, Giant Elk, Giant Owl, Jabber, Minotaur, Mycelial, Shahuagin, Scorpionfolk, Troglodyte, Winter Wolf, Worg, and Yeti. While some of these languages may be closely related to each other, without an appropriate feature or background, it is likely that they are unfamiliar to most adventurers. There is also the Khalkos language, but as it is scent-based, it is considered unfamiliar to all non-Khalkoi and is nearly impossible to learn without intensive study with a fluent speaker.

Table: Language Relationships

Reclassifying Languages

When a character reaches the fluent rank in a language, that language and any other languages it is related to are reclassified as familiar. When this happens, a character retains their language rank in any related languages, but their language bonuses and points for those languages are adjusted to match their current rank in the familiar classification according to the Levels of Language Proficiency Table.

Learning Languages

During character creation, choose any number (but at least one) of the languages from your culture for your character to be fluent in. In the case of each you do not choose to be fluent in and each time a feature grants a language proficiency, you may instead receive either 10 or 4d4 language points and invest them into as many languages as desired. If a feature names a specific language, like Celestial from the aasimar Planetouched gift, you should first consult your Narrator before exchanging it for language points.

The number of language points you invest in a given language determines both your language rank and your language bonus (see Language Checks below). Points invested in a language in excess of what is required for a given rank have no effect until you can invest enough additional points to reach the next rank. Note that all characters are at least beginners in any familiar languages, as the rank has a 0 point requirement.

Note: While this article mostly references “speaking” in terms of communication, learning a language is assumed to allow a creature to also read, write, and sign at the same level of proficiency. Those wishing for a more technical approach should consult Further Granularity under Additional Options below.

Training

You can also gain language points by training during downtime. To gain 1 language point, you must study for a number of days equal to 25 – twice your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). Doing so means paying 2 gold and 5 silver per day of study for a tutor. The Narrator may also rule that an ally fluent in the language is able teach you for a negotiated (or perhaps no) fee. The Narrator can also give out language points as adventuring rewards to characters who extensively practice their skills in an appropriate region.

Table: Levels of Language Proficiency