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Returning 35 results for 'back being defense court rites'.
Magic Items
Dungeon Master’s Guide
, foul rites that allow one to transform into a death knight or lich, or long-lost spells crafted by beings so evil their names ought never to be spoken aloud.
Vile Speech. While the book is on your
damage unless the creature is a Fiend or an Undead.
Destroying 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
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
spellcasters who call down fireballs and other destructive magic in the defense of the court they serve, whether that court is in the Feywild or the Material Plane. A hobgoblin devastator on the
Monsters
Storm King's Thunder
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Change Shape. Iymrith magically polymorphs into a female storm giant or back into her true form
. In this guise, she has infiltrated Hekaton’s court. While concealing her true nature and agenda from the giants, Iymrith offers counsel to Princess Serissa and at the same time secretly feeds
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
Knightly Virtue. The knight has one of the following traits, depending on the court it serves:
Courage (Embereth). The knight has advantage on Wisdom checks and Wisdom saving throws.
Knowledge
its former glory, or seeking to help travelers and remote communities beset by troubles.
Achieving knighthood in one of the courts requires a quest that proves one’s excellence in that court
Monsters
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
court of vampires and ghosts in her palace of ice. Other tales claim that when anyone dies in Lhazaar, Illmarrow chooses whether to take their soul before it passes on to the Keeper and Dolurrh.
But
island domain.
Long ago, it was revealed that the elven line of Vol — a house that practiced the art of necromancy and bore the Dragonmark of Death — was engaged in secret blood rites
Monsters
Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
Physical Restraint. The dabus doesn’t make melee attacks or opportunity attack;opportunity attacks, even in self-defense.
Symbol Speech. A dabus communicates by creating illusory symbols and
. Where they travel, cracks in the mortar seal shut, stray bricks float back into place, and ruined city blocks are restored. These are dabus, the silent caretakers of Sigil and loyal servants of the
Magic Items
Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
Defense. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to become insubstantial for a moment, halving the damage you take. Then the reaction can’t be used again until the next sunset.
Magic Tattoo
Coverage
Tattoo Rarity
Area Covered
Common
One hand or foot or a quarter of a limb
Uncommon
Half a limb or the scalp
Rare
One limb
Very Rare
Two limbs or the chest or upper back
Legendary
Two limbs and the torso
Monsters
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
that is Medium or Small or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the
their descendants and the communities they knew in life, sowing terror and taking retribution for the slights or neglected burial rites that led to their cursed resurrections. Rigor mortis notoriously
Monsters
Tomb of Annihilation
Special Equipment. Ras Nsi wears bracers of defense, wields a flame tongue longsword, and carries a sending stone matched to one carried by the guide Salida (see chapter 1).
Shapechanger. Ras Nsi
can use his action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into his yuan-ti form. His statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment he is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. He doesn't change
Monsters
Candlekeep Mysteries
Unarmored Defense. While Jade Tigress is wearing no armor and wielding no shield, her AC includes her Wisdom modifier.Multiattack. Jade Tigress makes three attacks.
Force Strike. Melee Weapon Attack
for dead.”
Flaw. “My pride won’t let me back down from a challenge or forgive any insult.”PoisonNimble Escape. Jade Tigress takes the Disengage or Hide action.
Species
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
sensations or visions of the past to come rushing back.
Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark
of Dread (detailed in chapter 3):
Har’Akir. You died and endured the burial rites of this desert realm, yet somehow a soul—yours or another’s—has taken refuge in your
Flail Snail
Legacy
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Monsters
Volo's Guide to Monsters
–2. If the spell affects an area or has multiple targets, it fails and has no effect. If the spell targets only the snail, it has no effect on the snail and is reflected back at the caster, using the
when this power is activated must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the light ends.
Shell Defense. The flail snail withdraws into its shell, gaining a +4 bonus to AC until it emerges. It can emerge from its shell as a bonus action on its turn.Fire, Poison
Magic Items
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
defense against the axe, which passes through that spell’s barrier of magical force.
When you hit a fiend or an undead with the axe, cold blue flames erupt from its blade and deal an extra 2d6
feet and a long range of 180 feet. Whether it hits or misses, the axe flies back to you at the end of the current turn, landing in your open hand or at your feet in your space (as you choose). The axe
Monsters
Curse of Strahd
through her veins.
Mother Night. Over four hundred years ago, Katarina came to Barovia and insinuated herself into Strahd’s court, working as a maid in Castle Ravenloft. She came to know the
castle like the back of her hand, and she was present for the wedding of Sergei and Tatyana. After Strahd went mad and murdered his brother, she fled the castle and took refuge with the Vistani. Later
Monsters
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
eyelashes. Underneath her makeup, her flesh is textured like rotten bark and infested with wood lice and fungus. The windup key sticking out of her back is a part of her body and no easier to remove than one
returned, the hags used this power to trap Iggwilv and her court in temporal stasis. The hags then carved up Iggwilv’s domain, splitting it between them. The sisters couldn’t agree on which
Entertainer
Legacy
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Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
but possibly with a circus, at a theater, or even in a noble’s court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the
)
d6
Bond
1
My instrument is my most treasured possession, and it reminds me of someone I love.
2
Someone stole my precious instrument, and someday I’ll get it back
Kenku
Legacy
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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 area patrolled by the guard did she explain that the noises indicated that the wingless folk had claimed that area, and that to trespass would be to court death.
— Gimble, Notes from a
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
finally know peace. (Any)
Bonds
d6
Bond
1
I would give my life in the defense of the small enclave where I first encountered Mat’Selesnya.
2
I love beasts and
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
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Special Equipment. Vellynne wears bracers of defense and carries a wand of magic missiles (see “Actions” below).
Spellcasting. Vellynne is an 8th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting
Reghed Glacier. The orb was recently stolen by Nass Lantomir, one of Vellynne’s rivals in the Arcane Brotherhood. Vellynne intends to get it back before resuming her quest to find Ythryn
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Rites The most sacred rite of the Undying Court is trance communion. While in trance, an Aereni elf engages in meditation that connects them to the gestalt consciousness of the Court. This experience
congregation. A masked priest serves as the face of the Court, and any elf can approach them seeking an ease to their burdens.
Cleric
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
her holy symbol as light pours from it to drive back the zombies crowding in on her companions.
Clerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and the distant planes of the gods. As varied as the
to those chosen to fulfill a high calling.
Harnessing divine magic doesn’t rely on study or training. A cleric might learn formulaic prayers and ancient rites, but the ability to cast cleric
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform each night. In addition, your
me of someone I love.
2
Someone stole my precious instrument, and someday I’ll get it back.
3
I want to be famous, whatever it takes.
4
I idolize a hero of the old tales and
Ranger
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
of steel, cutting down one enemy after another. After tumbling away from a cone of freezing air, an elf finds her feet and draws back her bow to loose an arrow at the white dragon. Shrugging off the
whistles to the hawk that circles high above him, calling the bird back to his side. Whispering instructions in Elvish, he points to the owlbear he’s been tracking and sends the hawk to distract
Aarakocra
Legacy
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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
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
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 to leave
in a game of dragonchess that has been going on for centuries.
2
An ancient dragon turtle serves as counsel to an empyrean court, tempering the Celestials’ passions with the dragon turtle
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
Citadel Defenses The Radiant Citadel’s location within the Deep Ethereal makes it difficult to assault. It keeps no standing army, but its council for defense has contingency plans it frequently
refines based on intelligence from the Court of Whispers. The city’s primary protection is a powerful ward that can be activated by the Speakers for the Ancestors. When all fifteen are assembled in the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Radiant Citadel
Citadel Defenses The Radiant Citadel’s location within the Deep Ethereal makes it difficult to assault. It keeps no standing army, but its council for defense has contingency plans it frequently
refines based on intelligence from the Court of Whispers. The city’s primary protection is a powerful ward that can be activated by the Speakers for the Ancestors. When all fifteen are assembled in the
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
their lairs fiercely, ambushing intruders and plotting assaults against their rivals. The sonic pulse of their breath weapon sows weakness, leaving the victims unable to fight back.
Luminous Blue
defense—until someone bests the dragon’s security measures.
3
A sapphire dragon seeks adventurers to lead into battle against the mind flayer;mind flayers that usurped the dragon
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
their rivals. The sonic pulse of their breath weapon sows weakness, leaving the victims unable to fight back.
Luminous Blue
Sapphire dragons’ scales and wing membranes show varied shades of
claims the spoils of the cult’s victories.
2
A sapphire dragon is bound by an ancient pact to advise a monarchy on matters of defense—until someone bests the dragon’s security
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel
, wheeling corpses to embalming chambers or to the crematorium. The Heralds of Dust treat the dead with reverence and dignity, granting them last rites in accordance with the beliefs of the deceased
book’s introduction. If all the characters die at once, they reappear back in the morgue. Morte heckles them on their return.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
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 area
patrolled by the guard did she explain that the noises indicated that the wingless folk had claimed that area, and that to trespass would be to court death.
— Gimble, Notes from a Treasure Hunter
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
K2. Center Court Gate Two gates, one north of the keep and one to the south, prevent easy access to what lies beyond them. A massive wall juts out to connect the outer walls of the castle with the
DC 15 Strength check. It can also be opened with a command word that only Strahd and Cyrus Belview (area K62) know. Unless the portcullis is wedged or propped open, it falls back into place once it is let go.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Domains of Delight: A Feywild Accessory
have nothing akin to a mutual defense pact, and the very thought of one is greeted by jeers on both sides. If a rising army of fomorians or some other threat endangers one court, it’s widely understood
conformity. The two groups are not opposites morally or ethically; good and evil Fey can be found in both. Seelie and Unseelie Fey gather in courts. The Seelie court is called the Summer Court, and the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
ball, the spy in the royal court makes contact with his employer. Political intrigue, espionage, sabotage, and similar cloak-and-dagger activities can provide the basis for an exciting D&D campaign. In
create a defense-focused dwarf paladin, only to find he is out of place among elf diplomats and tiefling spies. The Brimstone Angels novels by Erin M. Evans focus on intrigue in the Forgotten Realms
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
records rooms (area H2) at all hours. Behind a desk sits a court clerk (commoner). Uncomfortable wood benches line the walls. A copper plaque mounted above each bench says, in Common, “Please have a
space hold boxes of papers dated by month and year. These papers are records of court proceedings and depositions. H3. Clerks’ Office Two desks pushed together in the middle of the room hold quills






