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Returning 35 results for 'bad being dread could rules'.
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Sailor
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
You spent your youth under the sway of a dread pirate, a ruthless cutthroat who taught you how to survive in a world of sharks and savages. You’ve indulged in larceny on the high seas and sent
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
Pirate
Legacy
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Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
under the sway of a dread pirate, a ruthless cutthroat who taught you how to survive in a world of sharks and lawlessness. You’ve indulged in larceny on the high seas and sent more than one
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
Species
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
changed you and forced you from your home.
6
A slighted druid transformed you and bound you to live only so long as a sacred tree bears fruit.
Hexbloods in the Domains of Dread
When
creating a hexblood, consult with your DM to see if it’s appropriate to tie your origins to one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in chapter 3):
Hazlan. The bizarre magic of this crumbling
Species
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
Shadar-kai are the elves of the Shadowfell, originally drawn to that dread realm by the Raven Queen. Over the centuries, some of them have continued to serve her, while others have ventured into the
race, follow these additional rules during character creation.
Ability Score Increases
When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score
Criminal / Spy
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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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.
Orcus
Legacy
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Monsters
Out of the Abyss
, emulating their dread master.
Orcus is a bestial creature of corruption with a diseased, decaying look. He has the lower torso of a goat, and a humanoid upper body with a corpulent belly swollen with rot
chapter 7, "Treasure” of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair
Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
the dead, emulating their dread master.
Orcus is a bestial creature of corruption with a diseased, decaying look. He has the lower body of a goat and a humanlike upper body with a belly swollen with
Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair
Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules. Surrounded by a moat fed by the
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
dread pirate, a ruthless cutthroat who taught you how to survive in a world of sharks and savages. You’ve indulged in larceny on the high seas and sent 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 Reputation
If your character has a sailor
Monk
Legacy
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to
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->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
rules every time something frightening occurs, but your group might use them as a way to highlight individual fears and build an adventure’s overarching sense of dread. FROM THE MISTS OR BEYOND
atmosphere of the adventure. Don’t consider fear a tactical disadvantage or something to be avoided. As part of playing a frightening game, you’re a participant in building and reinforcing a sense of dread
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
adventures benefit from an atmosphere of dread, conceived through a combination of terrifying narratives, dramatic presentation, and game elements encouraging fear. Drawing out the anxiety and anticipation
toolbox of horror-focused rules also provides options for what sort of grim adventures you might create. At the end of this chapter, a horror adventure puts these methods to use and leads characters on
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->Candlekeep Mysteries
Domains of Dread, where creatures born in darkness dwell. This “gift” was thrust upon them by mysterious entities called the Dark Powers, as a boon for their kindness toward strangers. The Vistani
believe that ravens carry lost souls within them. Hence, killing a raven is considered bad luck in Vistani culture.
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->Player's Handbook (2014)
some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to accomplish outside the monastery? Are you eager to return to your home? As a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
, a pale and regal elf who exploded into an untold number of ravens, a shambling tangle of slick roots and sticks that overwhelmed them with dread, or an unknown presence that pulled them screaming
into the gloom. Despite all attempts to demystify her, the Raven Queen has remained enigmatic and aloof. She rules from her Raven Throne within the Fortress of Memories, a mazelike castle deep within
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
full of creatures that perfectly suit a storyline of supernatural horror. The most important element of such a campaign, though, isn’t covered by the rules. A dark-fantasy setting requires an
atmosphere of building dread, created through careful pacing and evocative description. Your players contribute too; they have to be willing to embrace the mood you’re trying to evoke. Whether you want to run
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
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->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
the voices of otherworldly ancients? Do the effects of drinking a potion of healing feel like grubs weaving wounds shut from within? Magic looks menacing in the Domains of Dread, but descriptive
embellishments shouldn’t change the actual effects of spells or magic items. Prison of Souls Everyone among the Domains of Dread is a prisoner. The Darklords number among the most prominent captives, but
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Using This Book This book explores the Domains of Dread, the mysterious expanses of the Shadowfell that serve as backdrops for excitement and terror. It guides players and Dungeon Masters through the
on the characters and adventures found in these haunted lands. Chapter 4 offers tools for Dungeon Masters running frightening adventures, from rules for creating curses and running out-of-body
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
Chapter 8: Adventuring Delving into the ancient Tomb of Horrors, slipping through the back alleys of Waterdeep, hacking a fresh trail through the thick jungles on the Isle of Dread—these are the
complexities of social interaction. The rules for resting are also in this chapter, along with a discussion of the activities your character might pursue between adventures. Whether adventurers are
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Chapter 8: Adventuring Delving into the ancient Tomb of Horrors, slipping through the back alleys of Waterdeep, hacking a fresh trail through the thick jungles on the Isle of Dread—these are the
complexities of social interaction. The rules for resting are also in this section, along with a discussion of the activities your character might pursue between adventures. Whether adventurers are
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Fear and Horror The rules for fear and horror can help you sustain an atmosphere of dread in a dark fantasy campaign. Fear When adventurers confront threats they have no hope of overcoming, you can
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
. We’ve visited Waterdeep before, but not like this. Clever heroes will respect the city’s rules. Those who get on the city’s bad side are in for a rough time, as the City of Splendors is home to some of
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->Dragon of Icespire Peak
, full of dust and bad memories. It’s quiet most of the time, except when the sorrowful wails of the banshee fill the place. The following features are common throughout.
Arrow Slits. When using an arrow
slit for protection, a creature gains three-quarters cover (see the Basic Rules) against outside threats. A Medium character can’t squeeze through an arrow slit, but a Small character can with a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
initially correct. The characters must reduce Kas to 50 hit points or fewer before they can banish him to Tovag, his Domain of Dread. If the characters banish Kas back to Tovag, a fissure opens in the air
Vecna’s location in an attempt to save his life. It’s up to the characters what happens to Kas next. Learning Vecna’s location counts as a secret for the purposes of the Power of Secrets rules, and it allows the characters to move on to the next chapter of the adventure.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
dread, or an unknown presence that pulled them screaming blindly into the gloom. Despite all attempts to demystify her, the Raven Queen has remained enigmatic and aloof, immersed in a sea of
questions. She rules from her Raven Throne within the Fortress of Memories, a mazelike castle deep within the bleakness of the Shadowfell. From there she sends out her ravens to find interesting souls she can
compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
George, Amanda Hamon, Cassandra Khaw, Renee Knipe, Kira Magrann, Molly Ostertag, Ben Petrisor, Jessica Price, Taymoor Rehman, Jessica Ross, John Stavropoulos, Jabari Weathers, James Wyatt
Rules
Manager: Greg Tito
Community Manager: Brandy Camel
The following D&D books provided material and inspiration:
Connors, William W. and Steve Miller. Domains of Dread. 1997.
Golden, Christie. Vampire
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
rules from chapter 6 of the Player’s Handbook, your Dungeon Master might allow you to take a feat as a variant supernatural gift. You gain one feat of your choice. This list suggests twelve feats from
language and trace the patterns of Nyx in the written word. (Linguist)
The gods smile on me, but I dread the day when they withdraw their favor and my luck runs out. (Lucky)
As a child, I used to run
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
. Alustriel correctly supposes that Kas plans to find Vecna and co-opt the lich-god’s ritual to become the most powerful being in existence. This outcome is as bad as Vecna ruling the multiverse, as far as
, Alustriel suggests the characters use the Chime of Exile to return Kas to Tovag, his Domain of Dread. Alustriel notes that the characters need to significantly weaken Kas before the magic item will work on
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
) and a humanoid (usually a human). Cambions inherit aspects of both parents, but their horns, leathery wings, and sinewy tails are hallmarks of their otherworldly parentage. Born to Be Bad. Cambions
dread, but also with the expectation that it will one day rise to a place of prominence. Cambions raised in the Nine Hells serve as soldiers, envoys, and personal attendants to greater devils. In the






