bad battle diffusing continues retain

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

rule Faerûn. His Cult of the Dragon devotes itself to helping evil dragons become dracoliches to bring this evil new age to fruition. Sammaster was killed in battle, but had prepared contingencies

for his demise. He drew on the warped resurrection of dracoliches to become a lich himself. He continues to lead the Cult of the Dragon from the shadows, developing new ways to control and corrupt

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. His Cult of the Dragon devotes itself to helping evil dragons become dracoliches to bring this evil new age to fruition. Sammaster was killed in battle, but had prepared contingencies for his demise

. He drew on the warped resurrection of dracoliches to become a lich himself. He continues to lead the Cult of the Dragon from the shadows, developing new ways to control and corrupt dragonkind

Cadaver Collector

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

of a conquering army on the Material Plane. These fearsome Constructs obey their summoners until they are dismissed back to Acheron, but if a summoner comes to a bad end, a cadaver collector might

great battle—either where one is in progress, where one is imminent, or where one once took place. They encase themselves in the armor and weapons of fallen warriors and impale the corpses of those

Cadaver Collector Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

back to Acheron, but if a summoner comes to a bad end, a cadaver collector might wander the Material Plane for centuries, collecting corpses while searching for a way to return home. Sweeping the Dead

. Cadaver collectors respond to a summons from a mortal only when they are called to the scene of a great battle — either where one is in progress, where one is imminent, or where one once took place

Fensir Skirmisher

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

skirmishers boast great skill in battle, honed over centuries of endless conflict on the battlefields of Ysgard. They also wield elemental magic of earth and stone. True to their giant heritage, they

Ysgard: creatures slain on that plane return to life the next dawn. Thus, the giants’ incursion became a part of the eternal battle that rages across the plane. The trolls, whose fundamental

Fensir Devourer

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Ysgard: creatures slain on that plane return to life the next dawn. Thus, the giants’ incursion became a part of the eternal battle that rages across the plane. The trolls, whose fundamental

appearance. They retain prominent noses and a hint of green in their skin but otherwise resemble relatively small frost or stone giants. They use armor and weapons similar to what other combatants on Ysgard

Catoblepas

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

the creature has such a feared reputation that stories about it are ingrained in the popular culture. Any rumor of a catoblepas taking up residence nearby is taken to be a bad omen, even if the rumor is

, drinking the monsters’ milk and using them as guardians or pets. Other legends say that those of impure heart can tame a catoblepas and whisper of malevolent warlocks and wicked knights who ride them into battle.

Failed Merchant

Backgrounds Acquisitions Incorporated

Maybe you come from a long line of merchants. Perhaps you were an entrepreneur. Regardless, your ventures ended poorly. Whether it was because of outside influences, bad luck, or simply because your

clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp Feature: Supply Chain From your time as a merchant, you retain connections with wholesalers, suppliers, and other merchants and entrepreneurs. You can call upon these connections when looking for items or information.

Asteria

Monsters The Book of Many Things

discovery. She’s as likely to be found climbing trees or poring over arcane texts as she is brandishing her sword in battle. Anyone who engages Asteria in conversation about her interests finds

the first Deck of Many Things. She doesn’t know why this is but surmises her life is tied to that deck; so long as it continues to exist, so will she. She has no way to prove this hypothesis

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

ward off diseases if they are worn. Don’t stand inside a ring of stones, mushrooms, or any other kind of circle. Seeing a shooting star before a battle is bad luck. To ward it off, you must

the plane of Acheron. It is there in the afterlife where the chosen ones will join Gruumsh and his armies in their endless extraplanar battle for supremacy. Gods of the Orcs Orcs believe their gods

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

":"Dart","rollDamageType":"piercing"} piercing damage.After her husband died in battle, Duchess Dorfniya Dilisnya set her sights on becoming Count Strahd von Zarovich's bride, but she failed to win his

Ideal. “I wish I could make people happy.” Bond. “I would like to find someone—anyone—who isn't afraid of me and who enjoys my company.” Flaw. “When I'm upset, I do bad things.”Poison

Greater Death Dragon

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Cataclysmic Rush", "rollDamageType":"necrotic"} necrotic damage. A creature can take this damage only once per turn.Some death dragons manage to retain almost all

life. In battle, they are deadly foes, channeling the Cataclysmic fire that limns their bones and fuels their breath. They take cruel delight in snatching foes in their jaws, rushing into the air, then

Leonin

Species Mythic Odysseys of Theros

, or belligerent. The truth is that many leonin simply enjoy fighting, whether verbal or physical. They take pleasure in argument, wrestling, sparring, and even battle, enjoying the opportunity to

adversaries—incredibly clever and well-prepared to play a long game but ultimately doomed to lose their games. 4 I’m certain every bad thing that happens can ultimately be blamed on the

Hobgoblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

Maglubiyet, the greater god allows them to retain a measure of their influence over the hobgoblins because their philosophies are in line with his own. Hobgoblins don’t build temples to their gods, lest

greatest respect is reserved for those who earn their glory in battle. In theory, the fortunes of war can elevate the lowest-ranking banner in a legion to the highest status. In practice, warlords are

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

crawl to make progress. In places where a tunnel opens into a chasm and continues on the other side, the kobolds might connect the two passages with a rope bridge or some other rickety structure

populated areas, practice cannibalism, believing it is foolish to waste good meat. In any case, kobolds that eat humanoids don’t simply start consuming corpses or prisoners right after a battle

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

letting the thermals hold them aloft. In battle, they prove dynamic and acrobatic fliers, moving with remarkable speed and grace, diving to lash opponents with weapons or talons before turning and flying

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

Let Them Speak Now …

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

into the Abyss. Characters reduced to 0 hit points in the battle on the Astral Plane are catapulted back to their bodies on the Material Plane. Their rapport with Araumycos is broken, and they are

adventurers entered into rapport with Araumycos, so that characters shunted out of that rapport can defend their compatriots’ helpless bodies while the fight continues. If all the characters are defeated on

The Order of Combat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

cycle of rounds and turns. A round represents about 6 seconds in the game world. During a round, each participant in a battle takes a turn. The order of turns is determined at the beginning of a combat

encounter, when everyone rolls initiative. Once everyone has taken a turn, the fight continues to the next round if neither side has defeated the other. COMBAT STEP-BY-STEP Determine surprise. The

Fensirs

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

, the giants’ incursion became a part of the eternal battle that rages across the plane. The trolls, whose fundamental nature was altered by constant regeneration and rebirth amid the energy of Ysgard

, slowly changed into entirely new creatures: fensirs. Fensirs’ troll ancestry is hardly apparent in their appearance. They retain prominent noses and a hint of green in their skin but otherwise

Aundair

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

Aundair is a small nation, its arcane superiority allowed it retain its dominion during the Last War. The people of Aundair know that knowledge is power, and they take pride in their nation’s magical

advancements. To ensure her nation’s prosperity and dominance, Queen Aurala ir’Wynarn instituted the Arcane Initiative, an aggressive series of programs intended to forward the development of mystical infrastructure and battle magic.

The Order of Combat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

cycle of rounds and turns. A round represents about 6 seconds in the game world. During a round, each participant in a battle takes a turn. The order of turns is determined at the beginning of a combat

encounter, when everyone rolls initiative. Once everyone has taken a turn, the fight continues to the next round if neither side has defeated the other. COMBAT STEP-BY-STEP 1. Determine surprise. The

Vladeska's Powers and Dominion

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

, though, they’re fighting a losing battle against foes whose numbers only grow. And every time a Talon falls, Lekar’s final defeat grows closer. Talon soldiers use the guard stat block, while commanders

executions serve the greater good and impose necessary order, but make it clear that zombies aren’t the realm’s only monsters. Only Bad Decisions. There is one simple truth in Falkovnia: the dead are

Ileuthra

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

knowledge, but the dragon is cagey on that point. Seeing good and bad in equal measure among the lesser races, Ileuthra recognizes that helping the humanoids is less a case of deciding whether they are worthy

to remain in the world if the humanoid races are aware of where they are. If the characters agree that all dragon masks will be handed over to the metallic dragons as soon as they are found—including any masks captured after the final battle—his attitude can be improved.

Chapter 4: Adventures in Sharn

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

makes good people bad and bad people worse. In its mean streets, gritty detectives contend with corrupt law officers while trying to foil the efforts of merciless gangs and monstrous thugs. In the highest

, and monstrous mercenaries do battle with heroes from all walks of life, while unscrupulous collectors and smugglers carry on a brisk trade in artifacts brought back from the cyclopean ruins of

Ileuthra

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

knowledge, but the dragon is cagey on that point. Seeing good and bad in equal measure among the lesser races, Ileuthra recognizes that helping the humanoids is less a case of deciding whether they are worthy

to remain in the worldin the world if the humanoid races are aware of where they are. If the characters agree that all dragon masks will be handed over to the metallic dragons as soon as they are found — including any masks captured after the final battle — his attitude can be improved.

The Grand Master

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

Grand Master’s cloak fly apart into its various faces during battle, attacking as a swarm of bats. Throne Gate. The Grand Master might have long ago figured out how to activate this gate. If things go

bad for it in combat, it might choose to do so in order to escape (if you wish to preserve the Grand Master as a future villain), or to summon an ally (if the fight against it proves too easy).

Wight

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual

them beyond death. Unlike mere zombies, they retain the memories and evil agendas they harbored in life. After dying and returning from the grave, a wight continues its villainous ways, but it is now

Knight

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

demolished by stone giants. Lady Hawkwinter asks the characters to take the orphans to the nearest settlement while she continues to follow the giants’ path and search for other survivors. Sir

battle against two frost giants. Jordeth managed to kill one giant, but the other got away. He wants justice and asks the characters to join him on his quest to slay the wounded giant.

Wandering Monsters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

Wandering Monsters Halaster continues to use the Terminus Level as a dumping ground for stray monsters. Duergar also patrol the mines. Beholder Zombies Four beholder zombies, set loose by Halaster

battle goes poorly for them, the duergar turn invisible, retreat, and report to Valtagar in area 15. Remorhaz Released here by Halaster, this remorhaz creeps up on the characters and attacks. There is a

Orc Culture and Beliefs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

stones, mushrooms, or any other kind of circle. Seeing a shooting star before a battle is bad luck. To ward it off, you must swallow a stone. A tribute of elf ears brings favor from Gruumsh. If you bury

around them, and the priests of a tribe are entrusted with the responsibility of identifying these signs and omens — both good and bad — and deciding how the tribe should react to them. As a race, orcs

Cadaver Collector

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

a conquering army on the Material Plane. These fearsome Constructs obey their summoners until they are dismissed to Acheron, but if a summoner comes to a bad end, a cadaver collector might wander the

Material Plane for centuries, collecting corpses while searching for a way to return home. A cadaver collector responds to a summons from a mortal only if it is called to the scene of a great battle

Battle Balloon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

franchises. The versatility of an airship allows for the rapid shipping of goods, mercenaries, and loot. Such a vessel also allows a quick escape from sticky developments and deals gone bad. Battle

Battle Balloon Through the winter clouds that surround the castle on this desolate hill, you see a shape emerge. Something so gigantic, you can’t believe it can actually fly. Airships are relatively

Lords' Alliance

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

cold and rain, waiting for battle while hunger gnaws at their bellies? Many wish to reap the rewards of a good harvest, but few care to remove the stones and till the fields for planting. “The Lords

’ 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

What You Need

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

useful: DM Screen. Many DMs like to use a screen to shield their notes and dice rolls from players. It’s bad manners to peek over the screen! Miniatures and Battle Grid. Some DMs use a battle grid and

adventurers also solve puzzles, talk with other characters, battle fantastic monsters, and discover magic items and other treasure—all while supporting each other’s fun. Learn by Watching A great

Chapter 2: Elturel Has Fallen

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

River Styx, to be met by the ordered forces of Avernus attempting to drive them back. This battle continues for the entirety of the characters’ stay in Elturel.

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