Favorite/most useful languages

[Skevvix]

Picking the languages for my characters is always one of the things I have the most trouble deciding on.  I generally only play classes that don't really rely to heavily on Int, so I only have to choose one or two at most.  But for my future reference...

So far the ones I always take are Draconic, terran and undercommon.

What are some of your favorite, or most useful, laguages you take?

[SneeR]

Abyssal and Infernal are fun ones just because of flavor. Sylvan, too.

[veekie]

For usefulness, the elemental tongues let you give detailed commands to summoned elementals, as does Sylvan for fey, while Celestial, Abyssal and Infernal see less use because most speakers of the three can speak any damned tongue they please anyway.

Other than that, Draconic, Elven and Dwarven show up disproportionately much in modules, so they're handy to know. The Order/Chaos languages are rare enough that you could use them as a secret party language, but other than that I've never seen them put to use.

[Prime32]

The Order/Chaos languages are rare enough that you could use them as a secret party language, but other than that I've never seen them put to use.

Better yet is finding a Monster Manual entry that says "[they] speak their own language". Then there's Drow Sign Language...

[FlaminCows]

The Book of Vile Darkness says that some evil outsiders can speak Dark Speech without having taken the feat. Dark Speech has a number of useful effects which are certainly quite powerful for a language. 

In contrast, the Book of Exalted Deeds counterpart (Words of Creation) explicitly says that even celestials cannot speak the language properly. Speaking the language of Evil is just plain easier than speaking the language of Good.

[veekie]

The Book of Vile Darkness says that some evil outsiders can speak Dark Speech without having taken the feat. Dark Speech has a number of useful effects which are certainly quite powerful for a language. 

In contrast, the Book of Exalted Deeds counterpart (Words of Creation) explicitly says that even celestials cannot speak the language properly. Speaking the language of Evil is just plain easier than speaking the language of Good.

Secretly, it's just adding swears everywhere.

[Demelain]

The Book of Vile Darkness says that some evil outsiders can speak Dark Speech without having taken the feat. Dark Speech has a number of useful effects which are certainly quite powerful for a language. 

In contrast, the Book of Exalted Deeds counterpart (Words of Creation) explicitly says that even celestials cannot speak the language properly. Speaking the language of Evil is just plain easier than speaking the language of Good.

Secretly, it's just adding swears everywhere.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Profession (Sailor), you gain Dark Speech as a bonus language...

[zook1shoe]

Druids can speak beaver

[awaken_D_M_golem]

If you have 5 or more ranks in Profession (Sailor), you gain Dark Speech as a bonus language...

First I laughed, then ... hey wait, is that actual rules?

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Languages are a bit of a contrivance or annoyance
... especially considering the various feats and spells.
But I guess it does (or "should") fit around the skills and
trapfinding minigame, that happens the first few levels.

The Book of Vile Darkness says that some evil outsiders can speak Dark Speech without having taken the feat.

_{shh ...  ... the pazuzu cultists will hear you.}

[Lycanshee]

I'm a pretty big fan of anything the enemies don't speak, but the entire party does.

[CaptRory]

"The entire party is proficient with tongue clicks and weird sneezes?"   

[Gazzien]

"The entire party is proficient with tongue clicks and weird sneezes?"   

"Everyone been together for one encounter? Good. Let's retrain that rank into Speak Language [Drow Sign Language]"

[marcielle]

Be a wizard, learn Draconic, use Silent Spell and shout out the spell name in Draconic instead. You are now Dovahkinn.

[ketaro]

If you could manage to learn how to understand and speak Howler.....Well the MM's entry even says it can't be deciphered by magic so it's a perfect secret language except that everyone within miles of you will hear you and think there are Howler's lurking about.

[phaedrusxy]

If you could manage to learn how to understand and speak Howler.....Well the MM's entry even says it can't be deciphered by magic so it's a perfect secret language except that everyone within miles of you will hear you and think there are Howler's lurking about.

Wow... that sounds awesome! I am totally going to use that at some point!

[SolEiji]

Our group usually called Draconic "Dracommon" because it's so often picked.  All dem ancient magical stuff and dragons and whatnot.

Beyond that, elemental languages if you're a summoner, spiritual languages if you're level 10 or above or expecting to get there, and gnoll if you want a secret language.  Nobody ever speaks gnoll.