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Returning 35 results for 'bad bards diffusing craft reason'.
Classes
Xanathar's Guide to Everything
against others through extortion and threats.
Many other bards hate the College of Whispers, viewing it as a parasite that uses a bard’s reputation to acquire wealth and power. For this reason
Most folk are happy to welcome a bard into their midst. Bards of the College of Whispers use this to their advantage. They appear to be like other bards, sharing news, singing songs, and telling
College of Glamour
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Classes
Xanathar's Guide to Everything
The College of Glamour is the home of bards who mastered their craft in the vibrant realm of the Feywild or under the tutelage of someone who dwelled there. Tutored by satyrs, eladrin, and other fey
, these bards learn to use their magic to delight and captivate others.
The bards of this college are regarded with a mixture of awe and fear. Their performances are the stuff of legend. These bards
Classes
Xanathar's Guide to Everything
against others through extortion and threats.
Many other bards hate the College of Whispers, viewing it as a parasite that uses a bard’s reputation to acquire wealth and power. For this reason
Most folk are happy to welcome a bard into their midst. Bards of the College of Whispers use this to their advantage. They appear to be like other bards, sharing news, singing songs, and telling
Pirate
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
You sailed on a seagoing vessel for years. In that time, you faced down mighty storms, monsters of the deep, and those who wanted to sink your craft to the bottomless depths. Your first love is the
you may roll for a random trinket on the Trinkets table in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook), a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
Feature: Bad Reputation
No matter where
Sailor
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
You sailed on a seagoing vessel for years. In that time, you faced down mighty storms, monsters of the deep, and those who wanted to sink your craft to the bottomless depths. Your first love is the
more than one deserving soul to a briny grave. Fear and bloodshed are no strangers to you, and you’ve garnered a somewhat unsavory reputation in many a port town.
Variant Feature: Bad
Tortle
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
The Tortle Package
watch a frog croaking on a lily pad, or to stand in a crowded human marketplace.
Tortles like to learn new skills. They craft their own tools and weapons, and they are good at building structures and
prefer simple, non-gender-specific names that are usually no more than two syllables. If a tortle doesn’t like its name for whatever reason, it can change it. A tortle might change its name a dozen
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
, characters with this background are common.
You sailed on a seagoing vessel for years. In that time, you faced down mighty storms, monsters of the deep, and those who wanted to sink your craft to
. Fear and bloodshed are no strangers to you, and you’ve garnered a somewhat unsavory reputation in many a port town.
Variant Feature: Bad Reputation
If your character has a sailor
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
Brass Dragons Bards sometimes seek out brass dragon lairs in hopes that the dragons’ whimsy will enhance their creativity, like a muse. The more experienced bards know not to overstay their welcome
, lest they awaken cradling a skunk cabbage.
-Fizban
Use the tables, map, and other information in this section to craft unique encounters with brass dragons.
Backgrounds
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
;t a native, your reason for leaving “home” probably has something to do with getting away from a bad situation.
Feature: All Eyes on You
Your accent, mannerisms, figures of
provided. The following section, discussing possible homelands, includes some suggested reasons that are appropriate for each location.
d6
Reason
d6
Reason
1
Emissary
4
Pilgrim
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
a frivolous lark. You’ve maintained a solitary vigil outside the cavern entrance ever since.
2
You crossed the Guild in a bad way. Fortunately, its members think you’re dead. Less
past that could rewrite history. It might be information that would be damaging to the people who consigned you to exile, and hence the reason for your return to society.
Work with your DM to
Aarakocra
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Elemental Evil Player's Companion
changes in the prevailing winds that they regarded as a bad omen.
Unlike the aarakocra of other worlds on the Material Plane, the aarakocra of the Realms rarely travel to the Elemental Plane of Air
.
Great Purpose
Aarakocra enjoy peace and solitude. Most of them have little interest in dealing with other peoples and less interest in spending time on the ground. For this reason, it takes an
Kenku
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
. 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
legitimate trades. These kenku adopt noises made as part of their craft. A sailor duplicates the sound of a fluttering sail, while a smith mimics the clanging of a hammer on metal. Non-kenku describe these folk by their trade sounds, such as Sail Snap, Hammerer, and Cutter.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
agents include sophisticated bards, zealous paladins, talented mages, and grizzled warriors. They are chosen primarily for their loyalty and are experts in observation, stealth, innuendo, and combat
’ Alliance fights the things that the shopkeeper in his bed has never even heard of. We remove threats before the town mayor even knows about it. We make bad things go away. That’s what we’re good at.”
Rameel Jos
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
College of Glamour The College of Glamour is the home of bards who mastered their craft in the vibrant realm of the Feywild or under the tutelage of someone who dwelled there. Tutored by satyrs
, eladrin, and other fey, these bards learn to use their magic to delight and captivate others. The bards of this college are regarded with a mixture of awe and fear. Their performances are the stuff of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
. Some merchants have termed Waterdeep “the best supply center in the world,” with the largest collection of superb craft workers, experts, useful contacts, and potential hirelings to be found anywhere
chaos is “business as usual” for most city residents. Reason to Visit. Characters who need rare items, sage advice, or other services found only in large cities might say “we’re going to Waterdeep.”
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
College of Whispers Most folk are happy to welcome a bard into their midst. Bards of the College of Whispers use this to their advantage. They appear to be like other bards, sharing news, singing
songs, and telling tales to the audiences they gather. In truth, the College of Whispers teaches its students that they are wolves among sheep. These bards use their knowledge and magic to uncover
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
deal with than the average member of the city watch. If your character’s backstory doesn’t already include a personage of this sort, you could work with your DM to come up with a reason why an
1 The pirate captain on whose ship you once served; what you call moving on, the captain calls mutiny 2 A master spy to whom you unwittingly fed bad information, which led to the assassination of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Build Your Group Naturally, a large portion of the Boromar Clan’s members come from a criminal background. There’s no reason characters with other backgrounds can’t be part of the syndicate, though
give them a broad range of knowledge to support their schemes. Bards, rogues, and wizards are often drawn to this role. Safecracker. The “breaking” part of “breaking and entering” is the Safecracker’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
Intelligence Intelligence measures mental acuity, accuracy of recall, and the ability to reason. Intelligence Checks An Intelligence check comes into play when you need to draw on logic, education
city guard Forge a document Recall lore about a craft or trade Win a game of skill Spellcasting Ability Wizards use Intelligence as their spellcasting ability, which helps determine the saving throw DCs of spells they cast.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Intelligence Intelligence measures mental acuity, accuracy of recall, and the ability to reason. Intelligence Checks An Intelligence check comes into play when you need to draw on logic, education
guard Forge a document Recall lore about a craft or trade Win a game of skill Spellcasting Ability Wizards use Intelligence as their spellcasting ability, which helps determine the saving throw DCs of spells they cast.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica
, a rival goblin gang that often deals in illicit arms. Rumors swirled that Krenko killed Dargig, the youngest of the three brothers, after a weapons drop went bad. The remaining two brothers, Rikkig
your own adventures in Ravnica, you can use the suggestions in the Dungeon Master’s Guide for creating villains to craft a guildless villain, one who prefers the independence of operating outside the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
some respects this area has never truly deserved its bad reputation. Yes, aside from the Field Ward, this is the area where most of Waterdeep’s poor reside. Yes, it is home to some of the least
often have no sign at all. You either know where you are going and have reason to be there — or you are lost, and a likely mark for pickpockets or worse. Streetlamps don’t fare well in the Dock Ward
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
itself to give its fellows time to collapse a nearby tunnel and prevent invaders from getting to the rest of the tribe. All kobolds know that fleeing from danger, especially against bad odds, is the smart
sacrifice when it presents itself. This practice contributes to the reason why most common folk (and adventurers) think kobolds are stupid as well as weak; they’ve seen or heard of a lone kobold trying to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
. “Not a bad place to die,” the mage says with mild amusement. The doppelganger posing as Gargosh doesn’t take part in the fight, remaining on the fringes of the battle and rooting for the characters to
to make haste and catch up with him!”
Characters who have reason to suspect Gargosh might be lying or holding back information can make a DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check. A character who succeeds on
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
fight in the war, how and why did they remain on the sidelines? Did they oppose the war? Did they do something to avoid conscription, or was there a reason they were considered unsuitable for service
of Cyre, or do they have other ideas for the nation’s future? For example, when an Aundairan player character meets a group of Eldeen druids, it’s an opportunity to exploit the bad blood between
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
Gambler All you need to make a lot of gold is a little gold. Except at those times when all you need to have no gold at all is a little gold. Whether you’re a good gambler or a bad one rarely matters
be repaid.
2 I’m loyal to the friend or family member who taught me how to gamble.
3 The person who saved me from my gambling addiction is the only reason I’m alive today.
4 A patron
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
cloak or disguise one’s appearance), and proficiency with skills such as Deception, Performance, and Sleight of Hand all greatly benefit the Chameleon. Bards and rogues, as well as characters with
can be a crucial skill, which many characters in this role combine with magical means of scrying to learn about their enemies and objectives. Bards and wizards make natural Investigators, especially
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Laboratory of Kwalish
Rumors and Legends Countless legends have arisen regarding the mysterious Barrier Peaks, and those tales circulate constantly among adventurers, explorers, and bards. Rumors specific to Kwalish and
Rumors d100 Rumor 1–15 The Barrier Peaks have long been damned, ever since a craft of some kind crashed there ages ago. A ship that could navigate the very planes, it was. Things that should not
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
, the god of the sea, because Ephara recognizes the necessity of water for a thriving polis. She also admires Purphoros’s craft, realizing the essential role of the forge and other forms of industry to
build a city. Ephara and Nylea are almost polar opposites, and there is no shortage of bad blood between the god of the cities and the god of the hunt. Nylea resents the construction of every
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
creatures for scouting or guard duty, or using dimension door to slip away from a deal gone bad. The hard part of that last one is always figuring out which of your franchise mates you’ll bring with you
franchise sees the lighter side of your magical craft. Clearly, the labor-to-paid-benefits ratio of undead interns can’t be beat, but you need to be cognizant of the potential public-relations
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
Sailor You sailed on a seagoing vessel for years. In that time, you faced down mighty storms, monsters of the deep, and those who wanted to sink your craft to the bottomless depths. Your first love
the Bad Reputation feature (see sidebar) instead of the Ship’s Passage feature. Variant Feature: Bad Reputation
If your character has a sailor background, you may select this background feature
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Constitution Stamina and health Endure a marathon, grasp hot metal without flinching, win a drinking contest Intelligence Memory and reason Recall a bit of lore, recognize a clue’s significance
something, think of it in terms of what a very high or low score in those two abilities might mean.
A character with a high Wisdom but low Intelligence is aware of the surroundings but is bad at
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
goal is to prevent the gold from falling into the hands of the bad guys. If all goes well, some of the gold will find its way into the characters’ pockets. Characters will have a hard time claiming it
all for themselves, however. Chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8 describe the lairs of the story’s villains and can be used at any time, in any order, or not at all. The characters might have reason to visit one
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
Scholars, wizards, druids, and bards of other races have different ideas about how halflings escape peril, suggesting that by virtue of something in their nature, they occupy a special place in the
off bad luck or to bring good fortune. Villages or even families might have superstitions observed by no one else, such as the following:
For a safe journey through a forest, leave a few seeds or a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
a native, your reason for leaving “home” probably has something to do with getting away from a bad situation.
reason. You must fear something truly terrible or seek something incredibly important. Zakhara. As the saying goes among those in Faerûn who know of the place, “To get to Zakhara, go south. Then go