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Comprehend Languages

Divination
Level: 1st-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Duration: 1 hour
Components: V, S, M
Materials: A pinch of soot and salt.

For the duration, you understand the literal meaning of any spoken language that you hear. You also understand any written language that you see, but you must be touching the surface on which the words are written. It takes about 1 minute to read one page of text. This spell doesn't decode secret messages in a text or a glyph, such as an arcane sigil, that isn't part of a written language.

Ritual

Spell Details

School: Divination
Level: 1
Ritual: Yes
Concentration: No
Classes: Bard, Ritual Caster, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
B-Tier Excellent utility outside combat with niche but powerful in-combat applications for information gathering and deception detection.

Player Guide

Cast this before diplomatic encounters, interrogations, or when infiltrating foreign settlements to understand overheard conversations and written orders. In combat, position yourself to eavesdrop on enemy communications or read hastily written tactical notes. The spell's true value emerges when combined with social encounters—use it to detect lies, understand coded messages, and gain intelligence on enemy plans without revealing your knowledge.

DM Tips

Consider whether creatures use coded language, dialects, or magical speech that might resist this spell's literal translation. Use Comprehend Languages as a narrative tool to reveal hidden plot details, but remember it only conveys literal meaning—idioms, sarcasm, and subtext still require interpretation.