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Returning 35 results for 'bad before dead content rules'.
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Classes
Player’s Handbook
forces of annihilation and corruption. Whether sworn before a god’s altar, in a sacred glade before nature spirits, or in a moment of desperation and grief with the dead as the only witnesses, a
level 1 features, which are listed in the Paladin Features table. See the multiclassing rules to determine your available spell slots.
Paladin Features
—Spell Slots per
Cadaver Collector
Legacy
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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
Monsters
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
: animate dead, blight, vampiric touch
Pack Tactics. The kraul has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the kraul's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally
","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Quarterstaff","rollDamageType":"bludgeoning"} bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.The kraul are an ascendant power group within the Golgari Swarm, long content to
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
Queen, who rules from a castle called Dynnistan. It isn’t known whether these legends are based on any true experience or are simply the result of imagination trying to account for a terrifying and
the wilds? Beware the dead riders who serve the Shadow Queen.”
—Scalan, Edgewall innkeeper
PoisonNecrotic
Orcus
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Monsters
Out of the Abyss
Wand of Orcus. The wand has 7 charges, and any of its properties that require a saving throw have a save DC of 18. While holding it, Orcus can use an action to cast animate dead, blight, or speak
with dead. Alternatively, he can expend 1 or more of the wand’s charges to cast one of the following spells from it: circle of death (1 charge), finger of death (1 charge), or power word kill (2
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
.
Master of Undeath. Orcus can cast animate dead (at will) and create undead (3/day). He chooses the level at which the spells are cast, and the creatures created by them remain under his control
will: animate dead (as an action), blight, speak with dead
1 charge each: circle of death, finger of death
2 charges: power word killOrcus can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
Monsters
Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1
are content to lead peaceful lives as hunters and gatherers, the magic that created the crab folk sometimes compels them to lash out in fearsome raids when the conditions are right.
Aquatic Vassals
bad luck a gull might happen to land near a crab folk lair and utter the right combination of cries to summon up this ancient compulsion. Driven to action, the crab folk rampage along the coast
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
":"Acid Spray","rollDamageType":"acid"} acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.A hive lord rules each kruthik hive. When the hive lord dies, the surviving members of the
floor with their sharp legs.
In addition to having an acute sense of smell, kruthiks can see in the dark and can detect vibrations in the earth around them. They take the scent of their own dead as a
Monsters
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
key between her hunched shoulders that rotates quickly when she’s in a good mood and slows down as her mood sours. When she is furious, the key comes to a dead stop.
Alignment. Neutral evil
.
Personality Trait. “When dealing with outsiders, I present myself as a kindly old grandmother.”
Ideal. “Children are better off working for me than picking up lots of bad habits
Criminal / Spy
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Backgrounds
Basic Rules (2014)
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
.
4
I have a “tell” that reveals when I’m lying.
5
I turn tail and run when things look bad.
6
An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I’m okay with that.
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16):
At will: arcane eye, mage armor, minor illusion, prestidigitation, speak with dead
1/day each: arcane gate, bane
casts a spell.Although they’re formidable warriors, gloom weavers are often content to hide in the shadows, watching as their very presence affects their victims. Their bleak energy weighs down
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Icy Doom. When Avarice dies, her corpse freezes for 9 days, during which time it can’t be thawed, harmed by fire, animated, or raised from the dead.
Special Equipment. Avarice wields a staff
challenge, even when the odds are clearly stacked against her. Seeing other wizards as a threat, paranoia rules her life.
Avarice has been a member of the Arcane Brotherhood for almost two years. She
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
contradictions, fills your hours.
4
You tend to some part of the city’s forgotten history: the unmarked graves in Cliffside Cemetery, the crumbling remains of dead patriar families’ manors, or
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
zero.” Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything outlines how to run session zero discussions, but in general, use this session to discuss the game’s content, social contract, and house rules, and to create
characters. Reinforce Expectations Make it clear that D&D is a group storytelling game. As the DM, you have a role in crafting adventures and arbitrating rules, but you aren’t solely responsible for how
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
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
tail and run when things look bad.
6
An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I’m okay with that.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Invidia Darklord: Gabrielle Aderre Hallmarks: Bad parents, possessed children Gabrielle Aderre is convinced that her son, Malocchio, is destined for greatness. From her estate outside the village of
expectations or the deadly tricks and accidents that frequently occur around the child. Gabrielle isn’t content to leave her son’s grand destiny to chance, though. Using her precious bone spirit
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver
Introduction This content is written for the Dungeon Master. It contains a complete Dungeons & Dragons adventure, as well as descriptions for every creature and magic item that appears in the
adventure. It also introduces the world of the Forgotten Realms, one of the game’s most enduring settings, and it teaches you how to run a D&D game. The Basic Rules contain the rules you need to adjudicate situations that arise during the adventure.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Unearthed Arcana
Arcane Subclasses June 26, 2025
Get ready to be enchanted by the latest Unearthed Arcana content! This document presents nine subclasses: revised subclasses for the Cleric (Arcana Domain), Fighter
(Arcane Archer), Warlock (Hexblade Patron), and Wizard (Conjurer, Enchanter, Necromancer, and Transmuter) and new subclasses for the Monk (Tattooed Warrior) and Sorcerer (Ancestral Sorcery). The material uses the rules in the Player's Handbook.
Orc
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
everywhere in the world 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
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
notorious monster is all the scarier when it emerges and rips apart something the characters assumed was their true antagonist. Have foes play dead, only to “return to life” after characters think things are
real-world history, and character creation rules presuppose no standard bar for heroics. Encourage Space A typical D&D session is longer than a typical horror movie, and it can be hard to sustain the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
between relying on their bonuses and abilities and paying attention to the game and immersing themselves in its world. Remember that dice don’t run your game — you do. Dice are like rules. They’re
bad die roll foiling the character’s plans. By the same token, a bad plan or unfortunate circumstances can transform the easiest task into an impossibility, or at least impose disadvantage.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
threat. Use this book to help you and your players communicate about a game’s rules, plots, and other content, assuring it includes only the elements you all enjoy. Focus on Fun. Suspenseful stories don’t
attention for both of us. We’ve found no trace of Vhorishkova since arriving, but I feel her watching. It’s like she’s everywhere.
It’s bad here, Uncle. Not snake-headed hogs bad. Like, full Delmunster
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Table Rules Ideally, players come to the gaming table with the same goal: to have a fun time together. This section gives recommendations for table rules you can establish to help meet that goal
. Here are some fundamentals: Foster respect. Don’t bring personal conflicts to the table or let disagreements escalate into bad feelings. Don’t touch others’ dice if they’re sensitive about it. Avoid
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
Rules House rules include optional rules, such as those presented in chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and rules you create. If you plan to use any house rules, session zero is a good time to
discuss those rules with the players and solicit their input. House rules are best presented as experiments, and time will tell if they’re good for your game. If you introduce a house rule in session
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons
Stranded This is an ideal event for the Fields of the Dead region, if one occurs there, but it can be used anywhere. The caravan sees a fight happening ahead. A freight wagon is stranded on the road
, its draft animals dead. A merchant (noble) and three guards are sheltered under the wagon, with crates dragged between the wheels for cover. They are plentifully supplied with crossbows and bolts
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen
Stranded This is an ideal event for the Fields of the Dead region, if one occurs there, but it can be used anywhere. The caravan sees a fight happening ahead. A freight wagon is stranded on the road
, its draft animals dead. A merchant (noble) and three guards are sheltered under the wagon, with crates dragged between the wheels for cover. They are plentifully supplied with crossbows and bolts
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Horror Content Survey Take advantage of the time before your first game session to learn about your players’ thoughts related to horror adventures. To do this, create a brief list of questions
use them to guide what sort of adventures you’ll create. Content and Themes Questions Start your survey by listing common story and horror elements to determine your players’ comfort with them. The
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
distinctive amethyst dragon characters.
Amethyst Dragon Personality Traits
d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"}
Trait
1
I am never so content as when
, preferring caverns with at least one entrance submerged underwater. They prize locations with a combination of open space, connecting tunnels, and dead ends to make the most of their natural and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh
d20 Result 1–6 Poor Catch. The townsfolk are frustrated and prone to bickering; everyone is in a bad mood. 7–12 Bountiful Catch. Music and merriment echo through town as everyone celebrates. 13–20
Typical Catch. Overall, the fishers are content with their recent results. Here and there, crews boast of good pickings or bemoan their poor haul.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble
Introducing the Game Once the players have familiarized themselves with their characters, you’re ready to introduce the game. Now that you’re familiar with your characters and the basics of the rules
, we’re going to play a short adventure to introduce you to Dungeons & Dragons. As the Dungeon Master, I tell you what’s going on in the world around you, and I use the rules and dice rolls to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
Rules of Conduct Although Zybilna is indisposed, three of the rules she put into place when she created her Feywild domain continue to hold weight: the rule of hospitality, the rule of ownership, and
the rule of reciprocity. These three rules are common knowledge in Prismeer, and both natives and visitors would do well to abide by them: Rule of Hospitality. When a friend, an enemy, or a stranger
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
I am never so content as when contemplating the beauty and wonders of the multiverse.
2
I am a sworn protector against the depredations of the Far Realm, and I will root out its corruption
. They prize locations with a combination of open space, connecting tunnels, and dead ends to make the most of their natural and magical mobility, using flight and teleportation to navigate obstacles in
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
contrast to the usual duergar focus on utility. The duergar she leads are content to follow her for the sake of what their raids will earn them, and they care nothing for the historical value of the relics
stole from Azrok, the hobgoblin warlord who rules Stromkuhldur on level 3 of Undermountain (see “Legion of Azrok”). Returning this dagger to Azrok completes a side quest.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
Watch by a group of corrupt officers. You still have friends among the guards, but there’s a lot of bad apples in the barrel. Do you want to clean up the Watch, or are you content to enforce justice on your own?