[RPG] repeatedly Awaken something in order to give it a variety of languages

dnd-5espellsstacking

So, the Awaken spell must be cast on a beast or plant with int of 3 or less. For beasts, it has the following permanent effect: "The target gains an Intelligence of 10. The target also gains the ability to speak one language you know." It has a casting time of 8 hours.

The Feeblemind spell will, among other things, reduce the target's int to 1 for a duration measured in months. The 4d6 psychic damage is nontrivial, but still manageable. Feeblemind does not appear to do anything to known languages, and can be cured with Greater Restoration, Heal, or Wish.

Would it be possible, then, to repeatedly Feeblemind and Awaken something so as to give it an arbitrary number of spoken languages? (Assuming you could get the assistance of reasonably high-level druids who knew the various languages in question.)

Best Answer

Frame Challenge: There's a much cheaper way for your bear to learn languages

(I'm using bear for continuity with MivaScott's answer and because I find it funny, but it should work with any awakened beast. Replace words here as necessary.)

Even ignoring whether it works, there's a much easier, cheaper, and less tormenting way to teach an awakened bear languages. And it's to have them taught.

The Downtime activity directions in both the PHB (p. 187) or XGtE (p. 134) puts the cost of learning a language at 250 gp, a quarter the cost of each awaken. They differ in time – PHB says 250 days and XGtE 10 workweeks – but if you can increase the bear's intelligence (eg. with a headband of intellect) you can even decrease the XGtE time (and cost). It also requires a tutor, which with a permissive DM could be you, or one of the mentioned druids. Handing the teaching off to a friendly druid (or a junior member of their circle) frees you off to do your normal adventurer things.

You are relying on the bear appreciating you paying for their education for it to continue its education past the 30 days of awaken charm, but I'd suspect that's an easier conversation to have than to talk it through repeated feeblemind (and possibly to talk your DM through).


†: Of course with a sufficiently permissive DM/play world there may even exist an academy or similar institution for the education of bears and other awakened beasts and I'd expect their tuition be lower than the 1000 gp per language of your proposed solution. If such an establishment does not exist, it is now your duty to found Sir Bearington's Academy for Gifted Wildlife.