bad borders diffusing clever race

Leonin

Species Mythic Odysseys of Theros

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

Gray Dwarf (Duergar) Legacy

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

artistic value. Few duergar become adventurers, fewer still on the surface world, because they are a hidebound and suspicious race. Those who leave their subterranean cities are usually exiles. Check

with your Dungeon Master to see if you can play a gray dwarf character. Duergar see themselves as the true manifestation of dwarven ideals, clever enough not to be taken in by the treacherous deceptions

Vladeska's Powers and Dominion

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

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

about to kill everyone. This sets the stage for countless bad decisions, from leaders making terrible sacrifices or permitting amoral acts to individuals making fatalistic choices. Everyone in Falkovnia

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

strong social structure that stresses devotion to the tribe, are clever with their hands, and viciously work together in order to overcome their physical limitations. In the kobolds’ version of

, designed to collapse under the weight of any creature heavier than a kobold. On occasion, the route through a kobold lair runs along a ledge that borders a cavern or a crevasse, and the kobolds might

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

subterranean cities or settlements, you are probably a member of the race that occupies the place—but you might also have grown up there after being captured and brought below when you were a child

;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

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

body, thought, and emotion. Freed from the limitations of their human bodies, the yuan-ti used their new abilities to conquer new lands and expand their borders. One Race, Many Forms The bodies of all

that the yuan-ti have prepared a special ambush at the end of the pursuit. Capture, Not Kill The objective of the yuan-ti as a race is to conquer and enslave others; they don’t espouse the sort

Foreword

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

Orc Legacy

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

react to them. As a race, orcs have no noteworthy universal social traits, but some commonality does exist in the crude written communication that all orcs employ and in the way that they use

Crew

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

of a ship’s crew, the following table makes it easy to produce a two-part name that could apply to any member of a crew, regardless of gender or race. Crew Member Name d20 First Half Second Half 1

Salty Beard 2 Ol’ Eye 3 Silver Copper 4 Golden Fish 5 Black Whale 6 Blue Dog 7 Silky Cur 8 Heartless Fingers 9 Drizzly Patches 10 Thirsty Hook 11 Rum Salt 12 Gloomy Rat 13 Handsome Charm 14 Wee Beast 15 Clever Devil 16 Ugly Liar 17 Pretty Angel 18 Lost Blood 19 Mad Maps 20 Poor Mast

Proposal

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

determine the outcome. A Charisma check can’t deceive or persuade most devils into a bad deal because the fiends are too clever and experienced in deal-making to be fooled. If devils do get involved in a

Pirate Bosun

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

tough opponents. Foul Frithoff in The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is the bosun who protects the cargo aboard the smugglers’ ship. Ever since a bad accident, he has worn a hook at the end of one arm in

place of a hand. Pirate Bosun Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 12 (studded leather) Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5) Speed 30 ft. STR 16 (+3) DEX 11 (+0) CON

Orc Culture and Beliefs

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

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

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

Aarakocra

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

birdlike humanoids guard the windy borders of their home against invaders from the Elemental Plane of Earth, such as gargoyles, their sworn enemies. Enemies of Elemental Evil. In service to the Wind

it takes to guard against the incursions of Elemental Evil. Aarakocra have no concept of political borders or property ownership, and the value of gems, gold, and other precious materials means

Sports and Games

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

race is fair. The beasts of Middle Dura are versatile. The Eagle represents Broken Arch and Stormhold in Middle Dura, and its supporters wear brown and gold. The clever Owl flies for Rattlestone and

Sports and Games The Sharn Inquisitive The Race of Eight Winds Begins! Banners are flying across Dura today, and the streets are full of color. Walk through Oldkeep wearing brown and red, and

Elves

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

relationships with people other than your kin. Qualinesti High Elves In Qualinesti, a scout warns of threats encroaching on the elven city’s borders Long ago, a group of high elves left Silvanesti, desiring

, Qualinesti elves even enjoyed good relations with the dwarves of Thorbardin. Since the Cataclysm, however, they’ve withdrawn from the world, and few outsiders dare approach their well-guarded borders. As

Chapter 3: Races of Eberron

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

are clever shapeshifters that can disguise themselves as members of other races. Exceptional spies and rogues, they live in the shadows of humanity. Kalashtar are humans bound to spirits from the

plane of dreams, imbued with wisdom and telepathic talent. Shifters draw on their distant lycanthropic heritage to manifest bestial traits for short periods of time. A diverse race shaped by the beasts

The Mourning

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

mists was horrifically transformed. Over a million Cyrans were killed on the day of Mourning. Those who survived were soldiers fighting in enemy territory, those living on the borders who were able to

state of shock. Who could unleash such power? Was this a weapon, and if so, when would those responsible issues their demands? Were the borders of the lingering walls of mist stable, or could they

Halflings

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

this tome, the elves set down thoughts regarding the power of innocence. They recounted how they had long observed the halfling race, watching as the chaos of the world swept around them and left

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

The Darkening

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Locathah Rising

see the “darkening” up ahead. It’s difficult to see anything clearly within its borders, though you can vaguely make out the outline of a mountain of sunken ships resting on the sea floor, grown over

he opened (Umberlee’s Maw) have created an area in the ocean that acts like a beacon for strong, irregular currents and bad weather. Underwater, the effect manifests as a general darkness in an oddly

Cerulean Hall

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

paraphrase the following: “Not bad. You are clever—I acknowledge that much. But I wonder how you would fare against the master of this chamber. I hereby challenge you to a dragonchess match: winner takes

Ability Checks

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

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

. In contrast, a character with high Intelligence and low Wisdom is probably oblivious but clever. The character might not spot the clean section of wall but, if asked about it, could immediately

District Garrison

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

realize what the party is up to, they immediately suspect the characters are out to make them look bad. In that case, they become surly and tight-lipped. All the militia guards have been assured by

superiors and fellow guards, and she doesn’t need any more trouble in that area. If she’s reassured that the characters aren’t trying to make the militia look bad, Jute gives a frank account of her

Humans Transformed

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

, becoming like the gods in body, thought, and emotion. Freed from the limitations of their human bodies, the yuan-ti used their new abilities to conquer new lands and expand their borders. One Race

Seek the Keep

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

race across the street into more shadows, and a woman carrying a round shield and a broken spear turns and faces back in the direction from which they came. Seven kobolds stream out of the alley on the

. If the group contains six kobolds, one is a winged kobold (urd). Characters can fight these enemies, sneak past them, retreat to avoid them entirely, or try something clever such as bluffing. If they

Seek the Keep

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

race across the street into more shadows, and a woman carrying a round shield and a broken spear turns and faces back in the direction from which they came. Seven kobolds stream out of the alley on the

cultists. If the group contains six kobolds, one is a winged kobold (urd). Characters can fight these enemies, sneak past them, retreat to avoid them entirely, or try something clever such as bluffing. If

Adventure Structure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

with some secondary villains, culminating in a bloody confrontation at a noble estate. In chapter 4, the characters race to find the gold. The encounters in this chapter and the order in which they

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

Plane of Air

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

and the encroachment of the Elemental Chaos. They are served by aarakocra and a little-known race called the vaati. The region of the Plane of Air nearest the Great Conflagration is called the Sirocco

make travel difficult. Here and there, ash clusters into floating realms where outlaws and fugitives take shelter. At the other end of the plane, near the Frostfell (the plane of ice that borders the

Daughters of Sora Kell

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

. Charismatic and clever, she is an accomplished illusionist and shapeshifter who rarely wears the same face twice. Stories say that she weaves curses on her loom, and that she loves to match wits with heroes

the whole thing and still be hungry. She binds the souls of her victims to their skulls, which she keeps in her lair. Though many stories depict her as merely a brute, she is a clever strategist and

Leonin

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

The meddling of the gods in mortal affairs makes me angry and bitter. I wish they would just leave us all alone! 3 I view the gods as worthy 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 gods, but I roll my eyes at each new twist of fate and try to

Elements of a Great Adventure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

with Clever Twists It might seem stereotypical to build an adventure around dragons, orcs, and wizards in towers, but these are staples of fantasy storytelling. It might also seem trite to begin an

describing the present situation, what the bad guys are up to, and how the adventurers become involved in the story. Heroes Who Matter An adventure should allow the adventurers’ actions and decisions to

Sanctuary

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

citizens of Greenest slip out the back and race for the keep or for the old tunnel—if characters have opened it already. That’s only one possibility; clever players can come up with different solutions

Sanctuary

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

citizens of Greenest slip out the back and race for the keep or for the old tunnel — if characters have opened it already. That’s only one possibility; clever players can come up with different solutions

Where Are You From?

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

great subterranean cities or settlements, you are probably a member of the race that occupies the place—but you might also have grown up there after being captured and brought below when you were a child

a native, your reason for leaving “home” probably has something to do with getting away from a bad situation.

Oracular Conflux

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

in such a place. Oracular Conflux Adventures d12 Adventure Goal 1 Race an air elemental to an oracular conflux in order to receive a prediction of the future before the elemental’s

Collect the materials necessary to create a revolutionary oracular device. 12 Protect an oracle who must deliver bad news to a worshiper who is both influential and unpredictable. Oracular

Personal Characteristics

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

to your class, your background, your race, or some other aspect of your character’s history or personality. You might also gain new bonds over the course of your adventures. Flaws Finally, choose a

bad fall during her career as a thief. Artemis Entreri is always prepared for the worst and moves with a quick, precise confidence. Consider their ideals. Tika Waylan is innocent, almost childlike

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