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Gnoll Witherling

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

against each other, perhaps to determine who rules a war band or because of extreme starvation. Even under ordinary circumstances, gnolls that are deprived of victims for too long struggle to control

the remains back to a semblance of life in the form of a gnoll witherling. Witherlings travel with their comrades and try to kill anything in their path. They don’t eat and aren’t motivated

Cultist (Knights of the Black Sword)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Levistus, the archdevil who rules Stygia, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, from the confines of an ice prison from which he cannot escape. Most of the cultists are Icewind Dale natives who would

-shaped amulet of chardalyn. Each of these amulets has an inner radiance that provides warmth and aid, protecting its wearer against the cold while guiding them safely back to civilization. Once its

Cult Fanatic (Knights of the Black Sword)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

","rollDamageType":"piercing"} piercing damage.The Knights of the Black Sword are a secret society of cultists devoted to Levistus, the archdevil who rules Stygia, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, from the

warmth and aid, protecting its wearer against the cold while guiding them safely back to civilization. Once its wearer reaches Ten-Towns, the talisman loses its inner radiance, yet the cultists keep their

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

You are an experienced criminal with a history of breaking the law. You have spent a lot of time among other criminals and still have contacts within the criminal underworld. You’re far closer

than most people to the world of murder, theft, and violence that pervades the underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society

Agony the Ghost

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

object. Crew of the Last Breath. The following rules apply to Agony the ghost: As long as the Last Breath has at least 1 hit point, the ghost can’t be permanently slain. If the ghost is reduced

, the ghost disappears and instantly reappears in the ship’s cargo hold. While away from the Last Breath, the ghost can use a bonus action to magically teleport back to the ship, either to the

Wereraven

Monsters Curse of Strahd

wereraven polymorphs into a raven–humanoid hybrid or into a raven, or back into its humanoid form. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing

, modestly give money to charity. They take steps to keep magic items out of evil hands by stashing them in secret hiding places. Characters as Wereravens. The Monster Manual has rules for characters

Owlin

Species Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

that extend from their back and shoulders. Like owls, owlin are graced with feathers that make no sound when they move or fly, making it easy for them to sneak up on you in the library. Your owlin

additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one of those scores by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or

Yuan-ti Malison (Type 3) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

Shapechanger. The yuan-ti can use its action to polymorph into a Medium snake, or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn&rsquo

, humanoid cultures make the fatal mistake of trusting the yuan-ti. They forget that a yuan-ti that acts honorably or lends aid in a time of trouble does so only as part of a grander design. Yuan-ti leaders

Ancient Dragon Turtle

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon. (Though the Monster Manual doesn’t explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply

those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"} Trait 1 I speak slowly and deliberately

Young Dragon Turtle

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8

stuck beneath a bridge on a major trade road, terrifying travelers. 3 After an unwise attack from a whaling ship, a dragon turtle pursued the ship back to harbor and now attacks any ship that tries

Devastation Orb

Magic Items Princes of the Apocalypse

batter it. The wind is strong enough to uproot weak trees and destroy light structures after at least 10 minutes of exposure. Otherwise, the rules for strong wind apply, as detailed in chapter 5 of the

effects, the spell is cast on the turn that the orb explodes. Fire Orb. When this orb detonates, it creates a dry heat wave that lasts for 24 hours. Within the area of effect, the rules for extreme heat

Selesnya Initiate

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

. Contacts The Selesnya Conclave is all about connections, so its members cultivate contacts throughout the guild. The guild also engages in energetic recruitment to draw converts from other

guilds, and often these new guild members maintain friendships with former guild mates. Roll twice on the Selesnya Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Selesnya Contacts table

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

spent a lot of time among other criminals and still have contacts within the criminal underworld. You’re far closer than most people to the world of murder, theft, and violence that pervades the

underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society. Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth Tool Proficiencies: One

Dragon Turtle Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

characters, and use the Dragon Turtle Spellcasting table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon. (Though the Monster Manual doesn’t explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for

making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"} Trait

Gruul Anarch

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

Personality Trait 1 Unlike people, the beasts of the wild are friends who won’t stab me in the back. 2 Go ahead and insult me — I dare you. 3 I scorn those who can

siblings or ancestors.] Flaws d6 Flaw 1 If you question my courage, I will never back down. 2 HrrrGGGAAAARRuuuh! [My anger in battle led to the death of a loved one

Changeling

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

physician. Personas can even be passed down through a family, allowing a younger changeling to take advantage of contacts established by the persona’s previous users. Creating Your Character At 1st

level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability

Book of Vile Darkness Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

the Book. The Book of Vile Darkness allows pages to be torn from it, but any evil lore contained on those pages finds its way back into the book eventually, usually when a new author adds pages to the

the book. Dark Magic. Several spells of horrific evil of the DM’s design and choosing could be in the book. Spells could impose dreadful curses, disfigure others, require human sacrifice, afflict creatures with crippling pain, spread vile plagues, and so on.

Urban Bounty Hunter

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

. What’s more, you aren’t alone, as a bounty hunter in the wild would be: you routinely interact with both the criminal subculture and other bounty hunters, maintaining contacts in both

to a generous benefactor. 2 My ill-gotten gains go to support my family. 3 Something important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back. 4 I will become the greatest thief that

Folk Hero - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

dozen adopted grandparents inviting you in for a meal. 3 Seeing a lost patriar after dark in the Outer City, you guided the wayward noble through back streets to safety. The patriar repaid your

for one last chance to win back the goodwill you’ve drunk away. 5 You once defeated a raging bugbear with a hand mirror, a mounted deer’s head, and two kicks to the groin. Later, you

Crystal Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

their bodies and the spines and horns that hover close to their heads and backs. These horns shift with the dragon’s mood: bristling with anger, lying back with fear or suspicion, and rippling

) 6 Control. Everyone is welcome, as long as they follow my rules. (Lawful) Crystal Dragon Adventures The Crystal Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers suggestions for stories and adventures

Young Crystal Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

starlight between their bodies and the spines and horns that hover close to their heads and backs. These horns shift with the dragon’s mood: bristling with anger, lying back with fear or

. (Chaotic) 6 Control. Everyone is welcome, as long as they follow my rules. (Lawful) Crystal Dragon Adventures The Crystal Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers suggestions for stories

Apocalyptic Subclasses August 21, 2025

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Unearthed Arcana

Apocalyptic Subclasses August 21, 2025 Get ready for the end of a world with the latest innovations from the D&D Game Design Team! This document presents four new subclasses for the Druid (Circle

of Preservation), Fighter (Gladiator), Sorcerer (Defiled Sorcery), and Warlock (Sorcerer-King Patron). The material uses the rules in the Player's Handbook. Learn more about this playtest directly from the designers in this article!

The Role of Rules

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

The Role of Rules Why even have a column like Sage Advice when a DM can just make a ruling? Rules are a big part of what makes D&D a game, rather than simply improvised storytelling. The game’s rules

are meant to help organize, and even inspire, the action of a D&D campaign. The rules are a tool, and we want our tools to be as effective as possible. No matter how good those tools might be, they

The Role of Rules

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata

The Role of Rules Why even have Sage Advice when a DM can just make a ruling? Rules are a big part of what makes D&D a game, rather than simply improvised storytelling. The game’s rules are meant to

help organize, and even inspire, the action of a D&D campaign. The rules are a tool, and we want our tools to be as effective as possible. No matter how good those tools might be, they need a group of

Inside the House

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

Inside the House House Dimir has a clandestine aspect hidden from all but its most important members. The guildmaster, Lazav, and his direct contacts guide and manipulate the covert operations of the

“Spell: Encode Thoughts” later in this section) and telepathic couriers. By design, you don’t have much interaction with other members of your guild. You might never meet your primary guild contact face

Credits

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Descent into the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth

Credits Lead Designer: Justice Ramin Arman Designer: Dan Dillon Rules Developer: Ron Lundeen Art Director: Fury Galluzzi Lead Editor: Judy Bauer Editor: Hannah Rose Graphic Designer

: Bill Benham, Siera Bruggeman, Robert Hawkey Product Manager: Natalie Egan D&D Beyond Product Manager: Jeff Turriff Digital Design Team: Jay Jani, Sean Stoves, Adam Walton

Commerce

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

merchant has far-reaching contacts across the region. Traveling merchants pass on gossip and adventure hooks to the characters as they conduct their business. Since merchants make their living

the griffon eggs they’ve found, or an architect to design their castle, they’re better off going to a large city than looking in a village.

Carousing

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

upper class, but other characters can do so only if you judge that the character has made sufficient contacts. Alternatively, a character might use a disguise kit and the Deception skill to pass as a

noble visiting from a distant city. Resolution. After a workweek of carousing, a character stands to make contacts within the selected social class. The character makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check

Morgrave Chartacters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

, and they gain other benefits from having a group patron. (If you use the group patron rules in Eberron: Rising from the Last War or Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, you can use the benefits listed

here instead of the ones in those books; you can use the information on the University and Academy patrons to flesh out the characters’ contacts, fields of study, and so on.) The Archaeologist background

Credits

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Boo’s Astral Menagerie

Credits Project Lead & Writer: Christopher Perkins Art Director: Kate Irwin Rules Developer: Jeremy Crawford Editors: Judy Bauer, Kim Mohan Senior Graphic Designer: Trish Yochum

Irwin, Bob Jordan, Emi Tanji, Trish Yochum Design Manager: Steve Scott Design Department: Sydney Adams, Judy Bauer, Makenzie De Armas, Dan Dillon, Amanda Hamon, Ben Petrisor, Taymoor Rehman, F

Improvised Weapons

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook

if it’s wielded in a way contrary to its design; if you use a Ranged weapon to make a melee attack or throw a Melee weapon that lacks the Thrown property, the weapon counts as an improvised weapon. An

improvised weapon follows the rules below. Proficiency. Don’t add your Proficiency Bonus to attack rolls with an improvised weapon. Damage. On a hit, the weapon deals 1d4 damage of a type the DM

Improvised Weapons

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules

if it’s wielded in a way contrary to its design; if you use a Ranged weapon to make a melee attack or throw a Melee weapon that lacks the Thrown property, the weapon counts as an improvised weapon. An

improvised weapon follows the rules below. Proficiency. Don’t add your Proficiency Bonus to attack rolls with an improvised weapon. Damage. On a hit, the weapon deals 1d4 damage of a type the DM

Book of Vile Darkness (Variant)

Magic Items Keys from the Golden Vault

Vile Darkness allows pages to be torn from it, but any evil lore contained on those pages finds its way back into the book eventually, usually when a new author adds pages to the tome. If a solar tears

. Several spells of horrific evil of the DM’s design and choosing could be in the book. Spells could impose dreadful curses, disfigure others, require human sacrifice, afflict creatures with crippling pain, spread vile plagues, and so on.

Stage 3

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

not without its own internal strife, as the adventurers discover when a cultist contacts them with the offer to turn over one of the dragon masks essential to Severin’s plans. The characters must

infiltrate a cult stronghold and claim the mask, then save a nearby village from the blue dragon that means to take the relic back. Mission to Thay The ritual that will bring Tiamat to Faerûn is too complex

The Boromar Clan

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

associate of the clan, you’ll be expected to respect the hierarchy and follow the rules, and you might be targeted by Daask just as if you were a Boromar yourself. If you have a contact in the Boromar Clan

, you might know someone on the Boromar Contacts table. Boromar Contacts d6 Contact 1 Sundry (gnome) is a fence who runs a pawn shop in the Bazaar of Dura and has ties to many smugglers, sailors

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