bad brings diffusing clever realizes

Catoblepas

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

disease and decay brings out similar characteristics in the creature’s swampy habitat. Such a wetland becomes gloomy, tangled, and more fetid than it was before. Beneficial qualities of the

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

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

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

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

Harpy Attack

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

Harpy Attack Regardless of what brings the characters to the area, the adventure begins with a chance encounter as they travel along the coast near the village of Uskarn. The road is little more than

character who makes a successful DC 17 Wisdom (Insight) check sees through her ruse and realizes she is not human. If the characters approach to assist the woman or attack the harpies, they witness the harpy

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

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

roles that protect and sustain the tribe. The strongest kobolds are trained to be hunters and warriors, the most clever are crafters and strategists, the toughest are miners and beast-wranglers, and so

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

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

Accusations of Artifice

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fated Flight of the Recluse

how to resume control of the Recluse. Kreffik is clever and understands that ethics and principles serve only as obstacles to academic pursuits. He has few reservations about lying when it comes to

has been in the business of tracking such things for many years. While Kreffik resists the characters’ attempts to disrupt the shipment, he realizes that stopping the characters from disrupting his

Around the Market

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

them as a vapid tradition created to provide cheap thrills. Kasem encourages the characters to enjoy their evening, avoid the Market Games, and stay away from vendors who give the market a bad name. Any

character who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check realizes Kasem is trying to keep them from getting involved in market politics. If confronted about this, Kasem insists he just wants them to have a delightful time at the market and departs soon after.

The Stone Bridge

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

the check realizes that Gargosh’s amazement seems a little rehearsed, suggesting that Gargosh knew Drannin was involved all along. If one or more characters accuse Gargosh of withholding information

Orog

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

of food often brings them to the surface to hunt. Orcs respect an orog’s strength and cunning, and a lone orog might command an orc war band. Stronger and Smarter. An orog uses its strength to bully

other orcs and its intelligence to surprise enemies on the battlefield. Many an overconfident elf, human, or dwarf commander has watched a “simple” orc warlord execute a clever maneuver to outflank and

Meeting the Captains

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath

the method of conveyance. The Interview Valdi Estapaar brings the tabaxi Stands in Tar and the dragonborn Kristoffen before the characters to allow them to ask questions of the two captains. They each

that the dragonborn is nervous and hiding something. If confronted, he says that he just has a bad feeling about traveling to the Thunder Cliffs, but he is willing to do so for the payment and the

Purphoros's Influence

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

forms of creation. Keranos also inspires new ideas, but it is Purphoros who oversees the advancement of the craft that brings these ideas to life in the world. Purphoros is always ready to obliterate what

weapons of the gods, asking nothing in return. But his infrequent though memorable bouts of destructive fury have earned him more ill will in the pantheon than he realizes. Heliod despises Purphoros’s

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

Bad Data

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel

Bad Data The modron leader X01 isn’t just damaged—its mind has been overwhelmed. This is a result of flawed orders X01 received when it left Mechanus during the last Great Modron March, but more so

congeals into a nightmarish depiction of the Spire and the surrounding Outlands. The character with the highest Intelligence who witnesses this realizes the congealing vapor is X01’s interpretation of

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

Lady of Masks

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

attack her castle without provocation or are caught trying to sneak into her home, Sansuri brings her castle’s defenses to bear and tries to crush them, capturing those who surrender. If the characters

update her maps of the lands below. If the characters ask about the dragon, Sansuri replies coldly, “It’s not your concern.” Clever characters might claim to possess knowledge useful to Sansuri, such as

Thieves in the Wind

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

for the curses it brings. According to Elva, trickster spirits have been opening her windows, sending horrible chills through her home, and knocking over her cups and plates. Some of her cutlery has

feel threatened by the humanoids in their presence. Clever players might devise creative ways to lure the chwingas out of hiding, perhaps by doing something odd to gain their attention (such as engaging in a snowball fight or dancing in the snow). As the DM, you determine the success of such efforts.

Episode 6: Showdown with the Six

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

, the characters discover the members of the “C” Team fallen in combat and must fight the horrid Far Realm creature that slew them. Doing so brings those NPC heroes back to life. Once the Keymaster has

members. Oh, and there’s a thing where the ritual keeps resurrecting Splugoth every time the characters kill him. In the end, clever thinking and a measure of luck might allow the heroes to keep

Attending the Gala

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

fidgeting with her clutch all night. Has she gotten some sort of bad news? Maybe she’s about to fire someone! 2 Sometimes the museum keeps displays hidden in the basement at night. The curator must think

occult theory is missing. Gemstone Wing Security Measures. A character who spends at least 1 minute studying the pedestal during the gala realizes it has an elaborate defense mechanism (see area V13).

Research

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

character astray, especially if the object of the research is known to the rival. The rival might plant false information, bribe sages to give bad advice, or steal key tomes needed to find the truth. In

addition, a character might run into other complications during research. Every workweek spent in research brings a 10 percent chance of a complication, examples of which are on the Research

Chapter 12: The Wizard of Wines

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

current patriarch, Davian Martikov, is a wereraven, as are his children and grandchildren. The wereravens provide the wine to Barovian taverns for free, knowing the good it brings to the Barovian

against the winery, antagonizing the wereravens like a bad neighbor. Five days ago, evil druids stole the third and final gem and bore it to Yester Hill (chapter 14). The wereravens launched a

Catoblepas

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monsters of the Multiverse

a victim unable to act while the catoblepas feasts on its body. Blighted Territory A catoblepas’s nature as a creature of disease and decay brings out similar characteristics in the creature’s swampy

. Any rumor of a catoblepas taking up residence nearby is taken to be a bad omen, even if the rumor is proven false. In some lands, the silhouette of a catoblepas, with its tail extended over its body

Acquisition as a Holy Chore

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

campaign, but a few select gods, goddesses, and otherworldly powers might play a larger role. Abbathor This dwarven deity of greed gets a bad rap. Because seriously, greed is just another form of the

there are only two sure things in this world: death, and getting paid to do something with the body. Lliira The Lady of Joy brings merriment, happiness, and fun to the world. And there’s nothing

Matriculating from the Schools of Magic

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

Matriculating from the Schools of Magic With so many schools of magic available to wizards, each type of specialization brings a different set of skills and strengths to a franchise. Your chosen

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

Life on the Road

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

part of the journey is near the beginning. A few days’ travel north of Baldur’s Gate brings the caravan into a countryside known as the Fields of the Dead. The road twists and wanders through hills

dotted with ancient battlefields, dolmens, and barrow mounds. Common wisdom holds that it’s a very bad idea to light a fire on a hilltop at night in the Fields of the Dead, because the light attracts

Life on the Road

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

part of the journey is near the beginning. A few days’ travel north of Baldur’s Gate brings the caravan into a countryside known as the Fields of the Dead. The road twists and wanders through hills

dotted with ancient battlefields, dolmens, and barrow mounds. Common wisdom holds that it’s a very bad idea to light a fire on a hilltop at night in the Fields of the Dead, because the light attracts

Detention Bog Locations

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Dealing with the Crate. A character who realizes the crate’s orange glow is a bad sign can gently shake the crate to rearrange

ascertain that the orange glow around the crate is a bad sign, for it suggests the crate’s contents might have been damaged in a dangerous way. The crate explodes if it is moved or jostled. If the

Last Stop

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

the road. A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check realizes two groups are moving through the fields, one in pursuit of the other, though the dense crops block their view

. “I’m all about helping the community, as long as I get the credit.” Life in the Rattle Following the battle, Uncle Polder thanks the characters and asks what brings them out this way. He invites them

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

Reality Dawns

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 and Tasha are concerned, since Kas is just as evil as Vecna. Because Kas took such pains to manipulate the characters into finding the Rod of Seven Parts, Alustriel realizes the awful truth and

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

Barthen's Well

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

realizes that while most of the mechanism could be reassembled from the remaining pieces, the winch’s drum is missing. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher also hear a

he’s drawn water from the well, he’s also had vivid nightmares. Ander believes the well is cursed with bad luck and is happy it’s out of service. Unbeknownst to Ander, the water’s ill effects were

D&D Beyond

Search Results