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Returning 35 results for 'bards back down career rites'.
Classes
Player’s Handbook
Plumb the Depths of Magical Knowledge
Bards of the College of Lore collect spells and secrets from diverse sources, such as scholarly tomes, mystical rites, and peasant tales. The college’s
Magic Items
Dungeon Master’s Guide
, foul rites that allow one to transform into a death knight or lich, or long-lost spells crafted by beings so evil their names ought never to be spoken aloud.
Vile Speech. While the book is on your
damage unless the creature is a Fiend or an Undead.
Destroying the Book. The Book of Vile Darkness allows pages to be torn from it, but any evil lore contained on those pages finds its way back into the
Monsters
Acquisitions Incorporated
and earnest debate, he demonstrates an equal flair for planning and forethought, mad combat moves (involving leaping off high places whenever possible), and dark vengeance.
Viari's career as an
adventurer was nearly cut short during a battle of which the bards still sing. Unleashing a devastating attack with the aptly named Apocalypse Dagger, the rogue destroyed a giant single-handedly — and lost
Monsters
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
who died a century ago, after a long and nefarious career. Esvele Rosznar, a brash young noble, has recently adopted the Black Viper's persona to lead a secret life of crime. Like many other nobles
. When she throws back her cloak to reveal the costume she has put together, most folk toss their purses and flee. If that doesn't work, she usually needs only to draw her dagger. Of course, some of the
Monsters
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
that is Medium or Small or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the
their descendants and the communities they knew in life, sowing terror and taking retribution for the slights or neglected burial rites that led to their cursed resurrections. Rigor mortis notoriously
Bard
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
of song, speech, and the magic they contain. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation
still resound throughout the cosmos. The music of bards is an attempt to snatch and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their spells and powers. The greatest strength of bards is their sheer
Halfling
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Basic Rules (2014)
Regis the halfling, the only one of his kind for hundreds of miles in any direction, locked his fingers behind his head and leaned back against the mossy blanket of the tree trunk. Regis was short
wide and wonder-filled world. For them, adventuring is less a career than an opportunity or sometimes a necessity.
Halfling Names
A halfling has a given name, a family name, and possibly a nickname
Species
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
sensations or visions of the past to come rushing back.
Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark
of Dread (detailed in chapter 3):
Har’Akir. You died and endured the burial rites of this desert realm, yet somehow a soul—yours or another’s—has taken refuge in your
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
their bodies and the spines and horns that hover close to their heads and backs. These horns shift with the dragon’s mood: bristling with anger, lying back with fear or suspicion, and rippling
rain from the sky in a beautiful but dangerous display. Rumors quickly spread that a crystal dragon is responsible.
3
A crystal dragon invites the greatest bards and philosophers to partake in
Urchin
Legacy
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Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
recuperate. You’ve survived despite all odds, and did so through cunning, strength, speed, or some combination of each.
You begin your adventuring career with enough money to live modestly but
of questions.
3
I like to squeeze into small places where no one else can get to me.
4
I sleep with my back to a wall or tree, with everything I own wrapped in a bundle in my arms.
5
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Learning from Experience True bards are not common in the world. Not every minstrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal court is a bard. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires
hard study and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. It can be hard to spot the difference between these performers and true bards, though. A bard’s life is spent
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
Learning from Experience True bards are not common in the world. Not every minstrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal court is a bard. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires
hard study and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. It can be hard to spot the difference between these performers and true bards, though. A bard’s life is spent
Cleric
Legacy
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
her holy symbol as light pours from it to drive back the zombies crowding in on her companions.
Clerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and the distant planes of the gods. As varied as the
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
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
starlight between their bodies and the spines and horns that hover close to their heads and backs. These horns shift with the dragon’s mood: bristling with anger, lying back with fear or
Prismatic shards rain from the sky in a beautiful but dangerous display. Rumors quickly spread that a crystal dragon is responsible.
3
A crystal dragon invites the greatest bards and philosophers
Ranger
Legacy
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
of steel, cutting down one enemy after another. After tumbling away from a cone of freezing air, an elf finds her feet and draws back her bow to loose an arrow at the white dragon. Shrugging off the
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
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
No career criminal in Baldur’s Gate operates without being aware of the Guild. Some studiously keep a low profile, carrying just the occasional smuggled load in with legitimate merchandise, or
realizing the connection. You got the Guild to back off demands for your death by offering to make amends by working for the criminals, but even so the kingpin still plots a personal revenge.
2
The
Backgrounds
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
organization, but who serve as its hands, head, and heart.
As a prelude to your adventuring career (and in preparation for it), you served as an agent of a particular faction in Faerûn. You might have
knowledge, rather than brute force. Harper agents are often proficient in Investigation, enabling them to be adept at snooping and spying. They often seek aid from other Harpers, sympathetic bards and
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
.
You begin your adventuring career with enough money to live modestly but securely for at least ten days. How did you come by that money? What allowed you to break free of your desperate
.
3
I like to squeeze into small places where no one else can get to me.
4
I sleep with my back to a wall or tree, with everything I own wrapped in a bundle in my arms.
5
I eat like
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Bard Subclass A Bard subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bard levels, as specified in the subclass. Bards form loose associations, which they call colleges, to preserve
their traditions. This section presents the College of Lore subclass. College of Lore Plumb the Depths of Magical Knowledge Bards of the College of Lore collect spells and secrets from diverse sources
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
; scales. It glows like starlight between their bodies and the spines and horns that hover close to their heads and backs. These horns shift with the dragon’s mood: bristling with anger, lying back
bards and philosophers to partake in “the Great Dialogue” in the dragon’s mountaintop lair. But only the dragon knows that the Great Dialogue has no end, and no one can leave the lair
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
anger, lying back with fear or suspicion, and rippling in side-to-side waves with amusement or joy.
Visions in Starlight
Many crystal dragons study the stars, recording their observations of the night
the greatest bards and philosophers to partake in “the Great Dialogue” in the dragon’s mountaintop lair. But only the dragon knows that the Great Dialogue has no end, and no one can
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
Changing Gods If events in your character’s adventuring career warrant doing so, you can abandon the service of one god and turn to a different one. Once you abandon a god’s service, you can rarely
go back without performing some act of contrition. Your DM decides whether your new god will accept you as a champion and what you might have to do to prove your commitment. When you change gods, you
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel
, wheeling corpses to embalming chambers or to the crematorium. The Heralds of Dust treat the dead with reverence and dignity, granting them last rites in accordance with the beliefs of the deceased
book’s introduction. If all the characters die at once, they reappear back in the morgue. Morte heckles them on their return.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
Bardic Colleges In addition to the tradition of apprenticing with a master bard, the Sword Coast has some bardic colleges where masters teach students the bardic arts. They hark back to the great
the bards, each of which is named after one of the colleges. See chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for the game statistics of these magic instruments. Long ago, bards who sought the rank of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
few small difficulties early in your career, or maybe it took you a while to restore your reputation after one agonizing night when the fates conspired to bring about your theatrical ruin. The ways
on with the show (if possible) or promising to come back tomorrow with a new performance that’s guaranteed to please. Embarrassments d6 Embarrassment 1 The time when your comedic song, “Big Tom’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
what to make of you but gives you work to keep you busy 2 A career bureaucrat who insists you file paperwork in multiple offices in order to get anything done 3 A junior professor who might be more
7 A tired senior professor whose only joy in academia is seeing what you bring back from your adventures 8 An eager researcher who wants to come with you on every adventure because second-hand reports are always incomplete and unsatisfying
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
academic knowledge exceeds that of many colleagues, and students call him an excellent lecturer. But his lack of significant field experience has held him back. Word is circulating that he plans a truly
ambitious expedition to the far south of Xen’drik, which almost certainly will either make or break his career. He might hire the characters or their rivals to accompany him on this expedition. Cullen Cole
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
Bard Subclasses A Bard subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bard levels, as specified in the subclass. Bards form loose associations, which they call colleges, to preserve
Harmony with the Cosmos Bards of the College of Dance know that the Words of Creation can’t be contained within speech or song; the words are uttered by the movements of celestial bodies and flow
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
disaster. In truth, generations of hapless humans raised their city, realizing too late that they’d done so upon the back of a titanic kraken. When the kraken Arixmethes awakened, its throes devastated the
city upon its back and wiped out the residents. Since returning to its slumber, Arixmethes drifts where it will, still bearing the ruins of a legendary city upon its back. Cronemouth Cove This tiny
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
Why Are You Here? As a resident of Clifftop, you’ve got a reputation. What is it, and how did you earn it? Are you a new prodigy, or an old retired hero who’s just getting back into the game? As
always, consider your background. If you’re a soldier, you might have had a celebrated career. As an entertainer, you might perform at one of the theaters of Upper Menthis between adventures. If you’re a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
Tall Tales Some folks are content to merely listen to stories of giants and other enormous peoples and creatures. For others, these tall tales become the basis of their entire adventuring career
says giants and other enormous creatures are stories for children. You hope to slay such a creature and bring back proof of their existence out of spite.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
townsfolk. Chaotic neutral (CN) creatures follow their whims, holding their personal freedom above all else. Many rogues and bards are chaotic neutral. Lawful evil (LE) creatures methodically take what
, Artemis is not an ideal adventurer. He began his career as a villain, and only cooperates with heroes when he must — and when it’s in his own best interests. In most games, evil adventurers cause
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves
an eye patch. It clutches a whip in one bony hand.
Along the east wall are three rusty gates with mold-covered cells beyond them.
Cultists used to perform ghastly rites here. Human prisoners were
confined to the cells (see below) until they were sacrificed. After death, they would be brought back to this room, where the high priest would animate them as zombies. Cells. All three cell doors
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
vengeance. Viari’s career as an adventurer was nearly cut short during a battle of which the bards still sing. Unleashing a devastating attack with the aptly named Apocalypse Dagger, the rogue destroyed a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
Mogis and regularly hold bloody rites in his honor. Warchanters, the minotaur clergy of Mogis, whip their marauders into a near-mindless frenzy before battle; the ensuing slaughter gives glory to
such, whispers among the servants of other gods claim that there might be a way to piece the fractured god back together. Doing so would require an incredible feat, though, likely involving the