Comprehend Languages
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 1st-level divination
- Casting Time
- Action or Ritual
- Range
- Self
- Components
- V, S, M (a pinch of soot and salt)
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Classes
- Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
For the duration, you understand the literal meaning of any language that you hear or see signed. 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 symbols or secret messages.
2014 Rules
- Level & School
- 1st-level divination
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- Self
- Components
- V, S, M (a pinch of soot and salt)
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Classes
- Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
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.
Comprehend Languages 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Comprehend Languages popularity
How popular is Comprehend Languages? It is one of the most popular spells in the game, but is chosen less than other options when available. This spell may not be the most inspiring but may still be useful.
- Top 10% of all 5e spells
- Top 50% of all level 1 spells
- Top 50% picked level 1 Wizard spell
- Bottom 50% picked level 1 Sorcerer spell
- Bottom 50% picked level 1 Warlock spell
- Bottom 50% picked level 1 Bard spell
Spells similar to Comprehend Languages
Identify 1st-level divination
A first‑level divination ritual that provides knowledge about objects and magical secrets, matching the same investigative, noncombat utility niche.
Players prefer Identify over Comprehend Languages
Detect Magic 1st-level divination
Another first‑level divination available as a ritual that reveals hidden information to the caster, serving a similar out‑of‑combat information role.
Players prefer Detect Magic over Comprehend Languages
Augury 2nd-level divination
A ritual divination that gives the caster specific useful information about events, sharing the same utility focus on insight rather than combat effects.
Players prefer Augury over Comprehend Languages
Speak with Animals 1st-level divination
A first‑level ritual that grants the ability to understand and converse with a class of creatures, paralleling the language‑interpretation aspect of the target spell.
Players prefer Speak with Animals over Comprehend Languages
Tongues 3rd-level divination
It also handles understanding and communication across languages for an hour and is the closest higher-level analogue to this spell.
Players prefer Tongues over Comprehend Languages