bad build diffusing calling rivals

Aruk Thundercaller Thuunlakalaga

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Mountain Born. Aruk is acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 20,000 feet. Powerful Build. Aruk counts as one size larger when determining his carrying capacity and the weight he can

, ice troll;ice trolls, young white dragon;young white dragons, the treacherous mountain terrain, and the cruel indifference of nature. Bitter Rivals. Skytower Shelter and Wyrmdoom Crag are two

Goliath Warrior

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Mountain Born. The goliath is acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 20,000 feet. Powerful Build. The goliath counts as one size larger when determining its carrying capacity and

giant;frost giants, remorhaz;remorhazes, ice troll;ice trolls, young white dragon;young white dragons, the treacherous mountain terrain, and the cruel indifference of nature. Bitter Rivals. Skytower

Dunbarrow Witch

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

or otters scurrying through the undergrowth, to deliver messages to allies or rivals across the marsh. Some witches animate bundles of sticks and roots to do their errands about the marsh for them

, while others animate furniture, weapons, or other objects. Feel free to build encounters with witches that include additional creatures such as animated armor, a flying sword, a rug of smothering, or a Tiny Beast acting as a spy.

Sailor Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

relations with (perhaps one captained by a former crewmate). Because you’re calling in a favor, you can’t be certain of a schedule or route that will meet your every need. Your Dungeon

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

Fog Giant

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

down the gate of a backwater duke’s castle, slaying a dozen or more guards, then calling for parley is a typical fog giant strategy—followed by an offer to leave the duke alive in return

roof of a merchant’s home, seizing what they seek, and stalking away before the town watch can rally. Intricate Networks. Clever, ambitious, and greedy, many fog giants build up whole networks of

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

return the courtesy, the duchess commissioned the legendary toymaker Fritz von Weerg to build a clockwork effigy of Pidlwick as a gift for Strahd's family. Although the duchess's heart was in the right

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

Cleric Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

his axe in wide swaths to cut through the ranks of orcs arrayed against him, shouting praise to the gods with every foe’s fall. Calling down a curse upon the forces of undeath, a human lifts

to those chosen to fulfill a high calling. Harnessing divine magic doesn’t rely on study or training. A cleric might learn formulaic prayers and ancient rites, but the ability to cast cleric

Changeling Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Long ago there was a woman named Jes, and she had one hundred children. Her rivals conspired against her and swore to kill her children. Jes begged the Sovereigns for help, but their only answer

specific purpose and then might never be used again. However, many changelings develop identities that have more depth. They build an identity over time, crafting a persona with a history and beliefs. This

Barbarian Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

the latest challenger to her authority over their tribe, ready to break his neck with her bare hands as she did to the last six rivals. Frothing at the mouth, a dwarf slams his helmet into the face

violated, or a coup that removed you from a position of authority. QUICK BUILD You can make a barbarian quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength

Sailor - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

you served on, or another ship you have good relations with (perhaps one captained by a former crewmate). Because you’re calling in a favor, you can’t be certain of a schedule or route

. 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

Ranger Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

whistles to the hawk that circles high above him, calling the bird back to his side. Whispering instructions in Elvish, he points to the owlbear he’s been tracking and sends the hawk to distract

ranger’s true calling is to defend the outskirts of civilization from the ravages of monsters that press in from the wild. In some places, rangers gather in secretive orders or join forces with

Dragonmarked Characters

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

Dragonmarked Characters Here are examples of characters with the Mark of Warding. Artificer House Agent. Some people want to build a better mousetrap. Better isn’t enough for you — you want to build

. Criminal Rogue. It’s not that you’re a bad person. You’ve just never met a lock you didn’t want to open. It’s like they speak to you, whispering “Free me! Free me!” You’re not even in it for the gold

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

. Whether calling on the elemental forces of nature or emulating the creatures of the animal world, druids are an embodiment of nature’s resilience, cunning, and fury. They claim no mastery over

becoming a druid was part of your character’s destiny. Have you always been an adventurer as part of your druidic calling, or did you first spend time as a caretaker of a sacred grove or spring

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

of the world, but even fewer people can claim the true calling of a paladin. When they do receive the call, these warriors turn from their former occupations and take up arms to fight evil. Sometimes

earliest memories that the paladin’s life was your calling, almost as if you had been sent into the world with that purpose stamped on your soul. As guardians against the forces of wickedness

Bard Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

beyond the horizon—makes an adventuring career a natural calling. Every adventure is an opportunity to learn, practice a variety of skills, enter long-forgotten tombs, discover lost works of magic

, making a bargain for a musical gift in addition to your life and freedom, but at what cost? QUICK BUILD You can make a bard quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your

Rival Explorers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

Rival Explorers Morgrave University teems with unscrupulous adventurers and researchers driven by avarice. Additionally, the university itself has academic rivals—the University of Wynarn in Aundair

characters in different ways. If the characters are altruistic researchers seeking to expand the frontiers of knowledge, their rivals should be greedy, selfish, and ruthless—the worst representatives of

Downtime Activities

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

Downtime Activities Saltmarsh provides a haven for adventurers between expeditions, and the characters can spend that time engaged in various tasks around town. The following options build on the

the ones presented in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. If you have that supplement, consider using the guidelines for rivals and the complications attached to some of the activities given in that book. You can also offer other activities as you see fit. The ones detailed below are specific to Saltmarsh.

Roleplaying Lorinda

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

Roleplaying Lorinda Lorinda loves the trappings of motherhood and is off-puttingly maternal toward all those she encounters. She’s quick to dote on others, calling them unsettling pet names like

to prevent the villagers from learning her true nature. Personality Trait. “I’m the greatest parent in the world. I just need children worthy of my love.” Ideal. “Good children get rewards. Bad

Harkon Lukas's Torment

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

, styling, or inspiration to finally cement him in the hearts of Kartakass’s people—and from there, take control of the nation. Although Harkon is unable to build his own fame, he has a peerless eye for

talent. His protégés swiftly attain stardom, and with it, Harkon’s resentment. Harkon’s frustration eventually gives way to indulgences of his lycanthropic hungers. Bloody slaughters of his students and rivals often precede him moving on to another town.

Complications and Rivals

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

Complications and Rivals The franchise and downtime activities introduced in this section all incorporate the idea that such activities can introduce ongoing complications to the campaign, and that

anything a franchise’s characters or employees do might bring the franchise into conflict with rivals. If you use Xanathar’s Guide to Everything in your games, you’re probably already familiar with

Adventure Background

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

rivals made a good pair. Vidorant was skilled with picking locks and deftly getting into tough places, and Goldenbeard used his connections and quick thinking to research targets and talk the pair’s way

—until thirty guards suddenly surrounded the pair of thieves. Vidorant nimbly escaped via the roof with the diadem in hand, but Goldenbeard was caught. He avoided imprisonment by calling in favors

Testing Phase

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

fireballs and magical flames at its foes. Death slaadi are rumored to have a stench so bad it can be deadly. In reality, they can cast the cloudkill spell. Inexperienced scholars and adventurers

sometimes assume that “slaad” is a misspelling or mispronunciation. Calling these creatures “salads” is frowned upon. Frogs are common on campus and are often kept as pets

Story Overview

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

, Castle Laventz, as his own. Months later, the relentless knight Mara Silvra received word of her father’s defeat. Calling in debts and intimidating mercenaries, Mara forged a small army during her grueling

march home. Upon arriving, she expected to find her homeland’s nobility ready to rise to her cause, but they’d been cowed and terrified by reports of Dranzorg entombing captives and rivals in his

Chapter 1: Fool

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

has only good cards (or bad ones!) in it. You can do all this without losing the wonder of the deck: its unique nature as a physical object that players—not just their characters—can hold in their

book, which are grouped by theme: DM options, character creation options, astrology-themed options, adventure locations, and finally adversaries and rivals.

Tyrant's Escape

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

described in area 5a. If the party doesn’t release him, he breaks free himself after an hour. Dranzorg torments the party and rampages through the house, calling for Mara to face him. Once freed, he

can help them defeat Dranzorg. Eternal Rivals. Dranzorg focuses his attacks on the character wearing Mara’s armor. If a character wearing Mara’s armor is reduced to fewer than half their hit points

The Guild

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer

, calling them in when it suits them — often with interest. Rivalries exist between kingpins, and their territorial borders shift constantly. As long as these internal feuds don’t disrupt Guild

business or draw the attention of the authorities, no one interferes. Recent rumors claim that an Outer City kingpin known as Straightstick is calling in all his favors to make a move on a Lower City turf

The Guild

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

, calling them in when it suits them — often with interest. Rivalries exist between kingpins, and their territorial borders shift constantly. As long as these internal feuds don’t disrupt Guild

business or draw the attention of the authorities, no one interferes. Recent rumors claim that an Outer City kingpin known as Straightstick is calling in all his favors to make a move on a Lower City turf

Thundering Observatory Adventures

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

their favor, and they hire adventurers to secure it. Final Key A storm giant offers the characters a stunning reward if the characters can use the Star Forge (in this chapter) to build him a machine

the observatory’s Death Ray to destroy her rivals in Hiatea’s Hearth (in this chapter). The current ruler of Hiatea’s Hearth has learned of the giant’s plan and implores the characters to thwart it

Horror in Your Game

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

how to bring it to life through your adventures. Creating Atmosphere. Threatening traps and monsters alone don’t create exciting D&D adventures. This book provides techniques to help you build

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

Creating a Rival

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

Creating a Rival In essence, a rival is a somewhat specialized NPC. You can use chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to build a new NPC for this purpose, or pick one from your current cast of

supporting characters and embellish that NPC as described below. It’s possible for the characters to have two or three rivals at a time, each with a separate agenda. At least one should be a villain, but

Morgrave University

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

founding: Lord Morgrave himself is said to have made his fortune selling Dhakaani artifacts on the black market, and some have claimed that the true purpose of the university was to help him build his

rivals. Despite the friendly ties among academic institutions, Morgrave occupies the low end of the prestige scale among academic bodies, so its faculty tends to look for opportunities to steal glory

Matriculating from the Schools of Magic

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

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

present in the franchise or not. When it comes down to it, having friends is an equally valuable asset in adventuring and business, and being able to turn enemies, rivals, and angry mobs into friends

Ephara's Influence

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

build a city. Ephara and Nylea are almost polar opposites, and there is no shortage of bad blood between the god of the cities and the god of the hunt. Nylea resents the construction of every

those who build new cities and those who free others from tyranny. Ephara knows that not all threats to a city come from outside it, and she encourages her followers to watch out for tyranny and

Creating a Druid

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

an adventurer as part of your druidic calling, or did you first spend time as a caretaker of a sacred grove or spring? Perhaps your homeland was befouled by evil, and you took up an adventuring life in

hopes of finding a new home or purpose. Quick Build You can make a druid quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second

Story Overview

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

, a rival goblin gang that often deals in illicit arms. Rumors swirled that Krenko killed Dargig, the youngest of the three brothers, after a weapons drop went bad. The remaining two brothers, Rikkig

Krenko’s freedom, and are desperate to make him pay. GUILDLESS VILLAINS Not every villain in a Ravnica campaign is a member of a guild, and not every scheme originates in the guildhalls. As you build

D&D Beyond

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