back being decide core reason

Incarnation of Transience

Monsters Lorwyn: First Light

spectral existence in material reality. Each incarnation resembles a saurian behemoth with an axolotl face, a many-frilled tail, and a hulking back covered in bright-orange pustules. In Lorwyn

retains its core identity but might transform physically. An incarnation of hope in Lorwyn, for example, might resemble a giant dove with a lizard’s tail and leonine legs; in Shadowmoor, this same

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

at his core, the seneschal didn’t return as a skeletal knight but rather as an intangible spirit. Caradoc’s Undead form suits him well, allowing him to possess the living and use unwilling

Quasit (familiar variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

Shapechanger. The quasit can use its action to polymorph into a beast form that resembles a bat (speed 10 ft. fly 40 ft.), a centipede (40 ft., climb 40 ft.), or a toad (40 ft., swim 40 ft.), or back

shares the quasit’s Magic Resistance trait. At any time and for any reason, the quasit can end its service as a familiar, ending the telepathic bond.Claws (Bite in Beast Form). Melee Weapon Attack

Ulder Ravengard

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. Following the deaths of two council members amid a cloud of corruption and scandal, he persuaded the Parliament of Peers to back his election to grand duke. Upon ascending to the highest position in the

struggled in performing his duties, finding his hands tied at every turn by both overt and invisible bureaucracy. Despite this, he's been a voice of reason and common sense on the Council of Four — if

Way of the Ascendant Dragon (FToD)

Classes Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

spiritual unity with the essence of the Material Plane. As a follower of the Way of the Ascendant Dragon, you decide how you unlocked the power of dragons within yourself. The Ascendant Dragon Origin

dragon personally took an active role in shaping your inner energy. 3 You studied at a monastery that traces its teachings back centuries or more to a single dragon’s instruction, or one

Sorcerer Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

Golden eyes flashing, a human stretches out her hand and unleashes the dragonfire that burns in her veins. As an inferno rages around her foes, leathery wings spread from her back and she takes to

the air. Long hair whipped by a conjured wind, a half-elf spreads his arms wide and throws his head back. Lifting him momentarily off the ground, a wave of magic surges up in him, through him, and out

Way of the Ascendant Dragon

Classes Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

spiritual unity with the essence of the Material Plane. As a follower of the Way of the Ascendant Dragon, you decide how you unlocked the power of dragons within yourself. The Ascendant Dragon Origin

dragon personally took an active role in shaping your inner energy. 3 You studied at a monastery that traces its teachings back centuries or more to a single dragon’s instruction, or one

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

character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You’re free to follow those suggestions or to ignore them. Whichever scores you decide to increase, none of the scores can be

Mark of Healing Halfling

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

cure. When equipped with dragonshard focus items, the mark can even draw the dead back from the depths of Dolurrh. House Jorasco Leader: Ulara d’Jorasco Headquarters: Vedkyar Enclave (Vedykar

during the Last War, working with House Vadalis to develop biological weapons and new creatures. A Jorasco heir has to decide if they want to investigate these rumors.

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

sold the secrets you uncovered to the highest bidder. Suggested Characteristics Criminals might seem like villains on the surface, and many of them are villainous to the core. But some have an

important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back. 4 I will become the greatest thief that ever lived. 5 I’m guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem myself for it. 6

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

plans, or cultivating other methods to progress beyond their simple existence as hunters and gatherers. Hapless Soft Ones At their core, lizardfolk view other humanoids with an indifference verging on

quirk for a lizardfolk character or to inspire a unique mannerism. Lizardfolk Quirks d8 Quirk 1 You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and

Kasimir Velikov

Monsters Curse of Strahd

led her down a path of evil and deceit. For that reason, Kasimir wants to see the vampire destroyed so that his sister can be rescued from her eternal damnation. Secrets of the Amber Temple. Patrina

more important, he believes that the Amber Temple holds the secret to bringing the ancient dead back to life. With the characters' help, Kasimir thinks he might be able to find out how to restore

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

’ presence is marked by an absence of animals and a strange quiet, as if the forest wishes to avoid attracting attention to itself. The faster travelers decide to move on, the better. If these

Reason for Adventuring 1 Outcast for murder 2 Outcast for severely damaging home territory 3 Clan slain by invading humanoids 4 Clan slain by a dragon or demon 5

Demilich (Variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

assume a wraithlike form. The skull then emits a terrifying howl that can slay the weak-hearted and leave others trembling with fear. Left alone, it sinks back down and returns to the empty peace of

its existence. Few liches seek to become demiliches, for it means an end to the existence they hoped to preserve by becoming undead. However, time can erode the lich’s reason and memory, causing

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

at the burned-out building, a sudden cacophony erupted around us. Birds squawked, cats hissed, and dogs growled. Lidda hustled us back to the city’s safer avenues. Only when we were back within

. The kenku lack the talent to improvise or alter a plan, but a wise Master sets multiple plans in motion at once, confident that underlings can follow orders to the letter. For this reason, many

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

realizing the connection. You got the Guild to back off demands for your death by offering to make amends by working for the criminals, but even so the kingpin still plots a personal revenge. 2 The

work, do what needs to be done, and get paid. Anyone who pursues crime for thrill-seeking, to strike back at unjust authorities, or anything else are amateurs, and they’re liable to get you

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

back into the air. Those that make it to a world in the Material Plane find it a strange place. They sometimes forget or ignore vertical distances, and they have nothing but pity for those earthbound

it hard not to pluck the treasure and bring it back to their settlement to beautify it. An aarakocra who spends years among other races can learn to inhibit these impulses. Confinement terrifies the

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

indolence offers no clue to how vicious the creatures are. Bugbears are capable of bouts of incredible ferocity, using their muscular bodies to exact swift and ruthless violence. At their core

in the presence of Skiggaret. Talking about such acts might call him back. Blessings of the Bugbear Gods Bugbears have no use for priests or shamans. No one needs to tell them what their gods want

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

Selesnya Initiate

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

Dimir agent. 4 I know a disgruntled Golgari assassin who is ripe for recruitment. 5 I’m friendly with a Gruul centaur who almost joined us a few years back. 6 I once had a heated

public argument with an Izzet chemister, and neither of us is allowed back into that restaurant. 7 I paid off my debt to the Orzhov Syndicate, but my good friend was not so lucky and remains

Morkoth

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

;s petrified flesh came back to life as morkoths: tentacled monstrosities brimming with malice and greed. Morkoths are driven by greed and selfishness mixed with a yearning for conflict. They hoard

fragments that make up the island’s core are also located. Sections of the lair and its center might be kept dry to better protect and preserve collected objects and creatures, but most of the lair

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

undetected and don’t give their targets reason to harm them. For example, a group of city kobolds might sneak into a cobbler’s house at night to loot it of knives, leather bits, nails, and

, giving each individual and every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect. The kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to live off the scraps of others, and they are often dominated by larger

Unspeakable Horror (Malleable Mass)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

vaporous visions amid the fog, mysterious eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable

can’t persist for long outside the Mists: after 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into

Unspeakable Horror

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink

","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Body

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

raid just as another group returns, laden with severed heads, sacks of loot, and armfuls of food. Warriors also serve as scouts, bringing back detailed reports about the surrounding area so that the

haul as much food and booty as possible back to the tribe’s den, every tribe has a sturdy war wagon. Since orcs are poor crafters, most of their wagons are stolen from human or dwarven

Unspeakable Horror (Loathsome Limbs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty

Mists: after 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4

Unspeakable Horror (Oozing Organs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they

":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction

A Decision

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath

A Decision At some point, the characters must decide which vessel and captain they prefer. The town covers the cost of passage there and back for the characters, and both captains ask the same fare

are. If for any reason the characters attack Kristoffen because they learn of his affiliation with the Cult of Talos, he defends himself. Kristoffen (use half-red dragon veteran statistics but

Unspeakable Horror (Aberrant Armor)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink forth into

":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Body Composition

Powered Armor

Magic Items Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

metal bosses adorn the armor in seemingly random fashion. On the back of the armor’s left gauntlet is a rectangular metal box, from which projects a short rod tipped with a cone-shaped red

Power. Powered armor originally required energy cells to fuel it, but was adapted by Kwalish to be fueled by the life energy of the creature wearing it. You might decide that the armor can also draw

Elemental Engines

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

the airship’s pilot, the elemental core can be suppressed, causing the elemental energy to disappear and flow back into the Khyber dragonshard core. An airship’s elemental core and connecting arcane

Elemental Engines Airships are powered by an elemental spirit bound to a core carved from a Khyber dragonshard. This core is placed into a heavily fortified containment chamber connected to an arcane

Wei's Betrayal

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

, she witnesses the discovery of the potions of longevity, the lack of Dragon’s Blessing, and any slips Zhong Yin makes when talking about the reason for the investigation. After this, whenever the

characters decide to head for area Y1 to leave the ruins, read the following: Rumbling fills the tunnels, and a tremor disturbs the nearby rubble. All goes quiet again, but now a haze of dust hangs in

Improvising Ability Checks

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

things that the adventure can’t possibly anticipate. It’s up to you to decide whether their attempts are successful. If it seems like anyone should have an easy time doing it, don’t ask for an ability

ability check? How hard is it? What’s the result? Use the descriptions of the ability scores and their associated skills in the Basic Rules to help you decide what kind of ability check to use. Then

Using Enclaves

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Using Enclaves Each of the locations in this chapter is a blank slate; you can decide who lives there, what they want, and how they interact with visitors. Each location includes a selection of

adventure hooks that might attract characters to the enclave or give them a reason to draw on its magic. The adventure hooks also suggest specific creatures or encounter tables appearing in the “Encounters

Dealing with Death

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

Dealing with Death When a character dies, consult with the players to decide what happens next. Some players are perfectly happy to make new characters, especially when they’re eager to try out new

options. A new party member should start at the same level as the other characters in the party and have gear of similar value. It’s also possible for dead characters to be brought back to life. The

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