bards battle down change rather

Alter Self

Spells Player’s Handbook

. Aquatic Adaptation. You sprout gills and grow webs between your fingers. You can breathe underwater and gain a Swim Speed equal to your Speed. Change Appearance. You alter your appearance. You decide

another species, though none of your statistics change. You can’t appear as a creature of a different size, and your basic shape stays the same; if you’re bipedal, you can’t use this

Biha Babir

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

a cunning mind. Biha Babir is politically savvy and prefers to outsmart her opponents rather than battle them, though she doesn’t shy from combat if necessary. Biha Babir covets opulence, but

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

rule Faerûn. His Cult of the Dragon devotes itself to helping evil dragons become dracoliches to bring this evil new age to fruition. Sammaster was killed in battle, but had prepared contingencies

efficiently as he can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. His Cult of the Dragon devotes itself to helping evil dragons become dracoliches to bring this evil new age to fruition. Sammaster was killed in battle, but had prepared contingencies for his demise

can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps a magical soul

College of Spirits

Classes Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Bards of the College of Spirits seek tales with inherent power—be they legends, histories, or fictions— and bring their subjects to life. Using occult trappings, these bards conjure

spiritual embodiments of powerful forces to change the world once more. Such spirits are capricious, though, and what a bard summons isn’t always entirely under their control.

Swarmkeeper

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

force in battle, as well as helpful company for the ranger. Some Swarmkeepers are outcasts or hermits, keeping to themselves and their attendant swarms rather than dealing with the discomfort of others

into the swarm, instead of a cloud of mist, or the arcane eye spell could create an extension of your swarm that spies for you. Such descriptions don’t change the effects of spells, but they are

Female Steeder

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

domesticate steeders, particularly duergar. Typically the females serve as steeds in battle, while the males are used as draft animals. Steeders attempt to tear apart perceived threats—and consider

begins shortly after the steeder hatches. As it grows, its rider works with it to direct its predatory instincts. Rather than spinning webs, steeders excrete a viscous substance from their legs. This goo allows them to creep along walls and ceilings and to grapple prey.

Viari

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

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

Winter Eladrin

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, provided they aren’t incapacitated. When the eladrin makes this change, they use the stat block of the new season rather than their old stat block. Any damage the eladrin sustained in their

to their emotional state by transforming them into different seasonal aspects, with behaviors and abilities that change with their forms. Some eladrin might remain in a particular aspect for years

College of Spirits (VRGtR)

Classes Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Bards of the College of Spirits seek tales with inherent power—be they legends, histories, or fictions— and bring their subjects to life. Using occult trappings, these bards conjure

spiritual embodiments of powerful forces to change the world once more. Such spirits are capricious, though, and what a bard summons isn’t always entirely under their control.

College of Lore Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

Bards of the College of Lore know something about most things, collecting bits of knowledge from sources as diverse as scholarly tomes and peasant tales. Whether singing folk ballads in taverns or

elaborate compositions in royal courts, these bards use their gifts to hold audiences spellbound. When the applause dies down, the audience members might find themselves questioning everything they held

Male Steeder

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

domesticate steeders, particularly duergar. Typically the females serve as steeds in battle, while the males are used as draft animals. Steeders attempt to tear apart perceived threats—and consider even

begins shortly after the steeder hatches. As it grows, its rider works with it to direct its predatory instincts. Rather than spinning webs, steeders excrete a viscous substance from their legs. This goo allows them to creep along walls and ceilings and to grapple prey.

Swarmkeeper (TCoE)

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

force in battle, as well as helpful company for the ranger. Some Swarmkeepers are outcasts or hermits, keeping to themselves and their attendant swarms rather than dealing with the discomfort of others

into the swarm, instead of a cloud of mist, or the arcane eye spell could create an extension of your swarm that spies for you. Such descriptions don’t change the effects of spells, but they are

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

seek out a larger, more powerful wyrm to battle. Few goliath adventurers reach old age, as most die attempting to surpass their past accomplishments. Fair Play For goliaths, competition exists only

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

Spring Eladrin

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

they aren’t incapacitated. When the eladrin makes this change, they use the stat block of the new season rather than their old stat block. Any damage the eladrin sustained in their previous form

their emotional state by transforming them into different seasonal aspects, with behaviors and abilities that change with their forms. Some eladrin might remain in a particular aspect for years, while

Summer Eladrin

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

associate themself with a different season, provided they aren’t incapacitated. When the eladrin makes this change, they use the stat block of the new season rather than their old stat block. Any

. The magic flowing through eladrin responds to their emotional state by transforming them into different seasonal aspects, with behaviors and abilities that change with their forms. Some eladrin

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

witnessing Strahd himself slay Vladimir's beloved, his fellow knight Sir Godfrey Gwilym. With the battle won, Strahd surrounded Argynvostholt. Rather than cower in his lair, Argynvost emerged and

Barovia would fade, allowing the spirits of Vladimir and his knights to enter the afterlife. Nevertheless, Vladimir would rather savor Strahd's torment than bring peace to his fallen order or peace

Bard Legacy

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

Autumn Eladrin

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

eladrin makes this change, they use the stat block of the new season rather than their old stat block. Any damage the eladrin sustained in their previous form applies to the new form, as do any conditions

different seasonal aspects, with behaviors and abilities that change with their forms. Some eladrin might remain in a particular aspect for years, while others run through the emotional spectrum each

Vampiric Mist

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

without squeezing. Each foot of movement in water costs it 2 extra feet, rather than 1 extra foot. The mist can’t manipulate objects in any way that requires fingers or manual dexterity. Sunlight

. In battle, a mist focuses its attacks on injured targets, since open wounds are a more ready source of blood.PoisonAcid, Cold, Lightning, Necrotic, Thunder; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

natural state. Thanks to Grankhul, they can use their size and strength to work as stealthy assassins rather than blundering around like ogres. Bullying, murder, and engaging in battle are all holy

. Shiftless, Savage Layabouts When they’re not in battle, bugbears spend much of their time resting or dozing. They don’t engage in crafting or agriculture to any great extent, or

City Watch / Investigator

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

easily pick out the dens of criminal activity in a community, although you’re more likely to be welcome in the former locations rather than the latter. Variant: Investigator Rarer

Investigation rather than Athletics. Suggested Characteristics Use the tables for the soldier background below as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to

Quandrix Professor of Theory

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

minds, probability, and the fabric of magic itself. Their equations shift perceptions in profound ways, alter probability, and interfere with the formation of other magic. In battle, the professors tweak

interacts with the world can change the world. They impress upon their students to use magic as a tool to shape the overall experience of reality, and in turn make the world a better place. Quandrix

Draegloth

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

to strike at its rivals when the draegloth is fully grown. These plans use the draegloth in a significant role, because its abilities can turn the tide in a battle against a house that doesn’t

training, they typically take out their frustration on their creator’s enemies, rather than on their creator. A draegloth that can’t suppress its ambitions might abandon its creator and

Kelubar Demodand

Monsters Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse

;shators. They are squat, and their skin drips with a foul-smelling, acidic slime. Kelubars revel in the subservience of others, and they prefer to do battle with words—or at least to send in their

farastu minions—rather than fight directly. Demodands Demodands, also called gehreleths, are Fiends from the Tarterian Depths of Carceri. Cast into the prison plane long ago for forgotten

Soldier Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

mistake in battle that cost many lives—and I would do anything to keep that mistake secret. 4 My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. 5 I obey the law, even if the law causes misery. 6 I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.

. d6 Flaw 1 The monstrous enemy we faced in battle still leaves me quivering with fear. 2 I have little respect for anyone who is not a proven warrior. 3 I made a terrible

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

behind the life of a soldier for hire, but your skills are undeniably suited for battle, so now you fight on in a different way. MERCENARIES OF THE NORTH Countless mercenary companies

-states in the North are willing to field an army alongside the Chill, but several are happy to quietly pay the Chill to battle the Uthgardt, orcs, trolls of the Evermoors, and other threats to

Master of Souls

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Grave Magic. When the master of souls cast a spell that deals damage, it can change the spell's damage type to necrotic. Spellcasting. The master of souls is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting

Myrkul;Necromites are initiates who have not yet mastered arcane magic and rely on their flails in battle. Skull Lasher of Myrkul;Skull lashers are spellcasters who use magic to augment their combat

War Magic

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

A variety of arcane colleges specialize in training wizards for war. The tradition of War Magic blends principles of evocation and abjuration, rather than specializing in either of those schools. It

magic as both a weapon and armor, a resource superior to any piece of steel. War mages act fast in battle, using their spells to seize tactical control of a situation. Their spells strike hard, while

Urchin Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

. (Lawful) 3 Change. The low are lifted up, and the high and mighty are brought down. Change is the nature of things. (Chaotic) 4 Retribution. The rich need to be shown what life and death

;d rather kill someone in their sleep than fight fair. 5 It’s not stealing if I need it more than someone else. 6 People who can’t take care of themselves get what they deserve.

War Magic (XGtE)

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

A variety of arcane colleges specialize in training wizards for war. The tradition of War Magic blends principles of evocation and abjuration, rather than specializing in either of those schools. It

magic as both a weapon and armor, a resource superior to any piece of steel. War mages act fast in battle, using their spells to seize tactical control of a situation. Their spells strike hard, while

Isolde

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

archfey named Zybilna, who had forged secret pacts with some of the fiends Isolde and her companions had slain. Rather than be angry at Isolde, Zybilna was impressed by her. She enlisted a powerful fiend

. Eladrin crave change, yet Isolde felt like she was frozen in time. She wished to leave the fey carnival and pursue other dreams, but Zybilna wouldn’t hear of it and secretly used wish spells to make

Faction Agent

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

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

try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good) 3 Change. We must help bring about the changes the gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic) 4 Power. I hope

Dwarf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

mountains they love, weathering the passage of centuries with stoic endurance and little change. They respect the traditions of their clans, tracing their ancestry back to the founding of their most

industrious labor, skill in battle, and devotion to the forge. Individual dwarves are determined and loyal, true to their word and decisive in action, sometimes to the point of stubbornness. Many dwarves

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. 5 Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for. 6 I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. d6 Flaw 1 The monstrous enemy we faced in battle still

leaves me quivering with fear. 2 I have little respect for anyone who is not a proven warrior. 3 I made a terrible mistake in battle that cost many lives—and I would do anything to

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