There are four language categories (Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare):

• Common (Table I) 

• Uncommon (Table II)
• Rare (Table III)
• Very Rare (Table IV)

Notes

• Characters get racial languages listed in the First Edition AD&D Players Handbook at  no cost. (No proficiency slots need be spent.)

• Languages not listed here cannot normally be learned, either because of the rarity or the nature of the tongue.

• Characters may choose languages from the tables, or they may roll percentage dice to randomly determine which language is known.

• Language knowledge implies familiarity with all forms of communication of that tongue.  For information on language fluency and BPs, refer to the languages description on the Non-Weapon Proficiencies page.

• Listings with continents in parentheses after them indicate that the race is normally only encountered in that land.

• A person speaking one dialect of a language (except Human) has a 25% chance to communicate on a rudimentary level with speakers of a similar dialect of the same language. (For instance, someone who knows Fog Giant might be able to speak in simple terms with hill giants.)

• Languages having similar dialects are listed with the dialect name in brackets after the entry.

• Common, Uncommon, and Rare languages cost one proficiency slot each and Very Rare languages cost two slots each, except for Bards, Clerics, and Magic Users. See Non-Weapon Proficiencies Page for more information.

TABLE I (Common) 

TABLE II (Uncommon) 

TABLE III (Rare) 

9-10

TABLE IV (Very Rare) 

1-2

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