bards before deities complex rule

Planar Ally Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

service in exchange for payment, but it isn't obliged to do so. The requested task could range from simple (fly us across the chasm, or help us fight a battle) to complex (spy on our enemies, or

rule of thumb, a task that can be measured in minutes requires a payment worth 100 gp per minute. A task measured in hours requires 1,000 gp per hour. And a task measured in days (up to 10 days) requires

The Genie

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

You have made a pact with one of the rarest kinds of genie, a noble genie. Such entities rule vast fiefs on the Elemental Planes and have great influence over lesser genies and elemental creatures

. Noble genies are varied in their motivations, but most are arrogant and wield power that rivals that of lesser deities. They delight in turning the table on mortals, who often bind genies into servitude, and readily enter into pacts that expand their reach.

The Genie (TCoE)

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

You have made a pact with one of the rarest kinds of genie, a noble genie. Such entities rule vast fiefs on the Elemental Planes and have great influence over lesser genies and elemental creatures

. Noble genies are varied in their motivations, but most are arrogant and wield power that rivals that of lesser deities. They delight in turning the table on mortals, who often bind genies into servitude, and readily enter into pacts that expand their reach.

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

hatred of the civilized races of the world and their need to satisfy the demands of their deities, the orcs know that if they fight well and bring glory to their tribe, Gruumsh will call them home to

to be invincible. They see the principles that define them and their deities at work every day in the world around them — nature rewards the strong and mercilessly eliminates the weak and the

Gods and Other Powers

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

Gods and Other Powers Different deities rule the various aspects of the cosmos and mortal life, sometimes cooperating with each other, sometimes competing. People gather in public shrines to worship gods of life and wisdom or meet in hidden places to venerate gods of deception or destruction.

Mielikki

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

relationships with other deities of the natural world are more complex. Silvanus is sometimes thought of as her father and Eldath is considered her sister, but Mielikki walks her own path through the

attract. She is the patron of rangers in the same way that Milil is the patron of bards, but even rangers rarely pray to her directly. They instead pray to Gwaeron Windstrom, who they believe will

Chapter 2: Creating an Archfey

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Domains of Delight: A Feywild Accessory

complex personalities. Powerful archfey such as the Summer Queen and the Queen of Air and Darkness rule vast domains, and their influence is so great that their courts stretch beyond the borders of their

Domains of Delight to the far ends of the Feywild. Other, lesser known archfey rule domains that are minuscule by comparison, but no less wondrous. A unicorn and its rider defend an archfey’s palace

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

here as part of some such delegation, then decided to stay when the mission was over. Mulhorand. From the terrain to the architecture to the god-kings who rule over these lands, nearly everything

pilgrimage to understand the gods that others worship, so that you might better appreciate your own deities. The Underdark. Though your home is physically closer to the Sword Coast than the other

Artificer Legacy

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Masters of invention, artificers use ingenuity and magic to unlock extraordinary capabilities in objects. They see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and then harnessed in their spells

If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player’s Handbook, here’s what you need to know if you choose artificer as one of your classes. Ability Score Minimum. As a

Gods of Har'Akir

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

Gods of Har’Akir Har’Akir’s people once worshiped the deities of the Egyptian pantheon—the same deities Ankhtepot once served. But the spiteful Darklord scoured the old religions from his domain

, replacing them with parodies that make him and his followers central to the land’s faith. Over generations, these deities have become the gods of Har’Akir: Anu, who judges the fate of the dead Ese, who

The Great Wheel

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

deities and Fiends reside Planes arranged in a complex system of orbits, with planes exerting greater influence on the Material Plane the closer they draw to it

Plane; the Transitive Planes; a single undifferentiated Elemental Plane, where all four elements churn in chaos; an Overheaven, where good deities and Celestials dwell; and an Underworld, where evil

The Gods of Two Peoples

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

The Gods of Two Peoples There are no half-elven gods, so half-elves follow elven or human deities of their choosing — although just as many religious half-elves believe that their gods choose them

for rangers, Milil or Corellon for poets and bards, and so forth. Many half-elves worship Sune or Hanali Celanil in appreciation for the love their parents felt for one another, and the two goddesses

Complex Traps

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

on the danger it poses. Judging whether a party has overcome a trap requires some amount of adjudication. As a rule of thumb, if the characters disable a complex trap or are exposed to its effects and

Complex Traps A complex trap poses multiple dangers to adventurers. After a complex trap activates, it remains dangerous round after round until the characters avoid it or disable it. Some complex

Bardic Colleges

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

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

tradition fell when the colleges went into decline, but some bards dream of restoring it. College of Fochlucan The original College of Fochlucan once stood on the northeastern edge of Silverymoon. Many years

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

deities who are brothers, Hruggek and Grankhul. Hruggek is the fearsome elder sibling, possessed of legendary might and prowess in battle. Bugbears believe their strength and bravery come from him

bugbears recognize two other gods, both of which they disdain and fear: Maglubiyet and Skiggaret. Maglubiyet, the leader of the goblinoid pantheon, forced both brothers to submit to his rule, but

Loose Pantheons

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

Loose Pantheons Most D&D worlds have a loose pantheon of gods. A multitude of deities rule the various aspects of existence, variously cooperating with and competing against one another to administer

nobly and in the cause of justice. People in most D&D worlds are polytheistic, honoring deities of their own and acknowledging pantheons of other cultures. Individuals pay homage to various gods

Magic in the Sphere

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

to this rule is magic that allows transit to the Border Ethereal, such as the Etherealness spell. A creature that enters the Border Ethereal from the Donjon Sphere is returned to the sphere upon

an extradimensional space. Any spells cast within such an extradimensional space are subject to the same restrictions as magic cast in the Donjon Sphere. While characters are in the sphere, those who receive spells from deities or otherworldly patrons continue to do so.

Ankhtepot

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

place, one with knowledge of rule and the deities’ blessing. On the day of the ritual that would consecrate the pharaoh’s connection with the gods, Ankhtepot rallied his loyal priests and murdered their

last memory of Ankhtepot’s name faded from his homeland, a voice intruded on the priest’s prison, asking if he still felt he was worthy to rule. Through the ages, Ankhtepot’s arrogance hadn’t waned

Other Religious Systems

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

on two opposing deities or forces), mystery cults (involving personal devotion to a single deity, usually as part of a pantheon system), animistic religions (revering the spirits inherent in nature

), or even forces and philosophies that don’t center on deities. Tight Pantheons In contrast to a loose pantheon, a tight pantheon focuses on a single religion whose teachings and edicts embrace a small

Sun Elves

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

with other art forms, which produces the complex dance of the bladesingers as well as the enchanting music of their bards and the meticulous craftwork of their artisans. Sun elf adventurers often bring

Lords' Alliance

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

agents include sophisticated bards, zealous paladins, talented mages, and grizzled warriors. They are chosen primarily for their loyalty and are experts in observation, stealth, innuendo, and combat

the glory and security of their people, and for the lords who rule over them. However, Alliance operatives are often glory hounds, looking to gain a leg up on their counterparts from other Alliance

Arborea

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

extravagantly massive and beautiful, and every glade and stream is inhabited by nature spirits that brook no infringement. Travelers must tread lightly. Arborea is home to many elves and elven deities

. Elves born on this plane have the celestial type and are wild at heart, ready to battle evil in a heartbeat. Otherwise, they look and behave like normal elves. Optional Rule: Intense Yearning Keep track

Temple of Eternal Flame

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

, the forges grew quiet, the foundries cooled, and the dwarven masters left their workbenches to darkness and departed to other realms. When Vanifer was first drawn to the complex, she instructed her

believes that she can use this power to bring the other elemental temples to heel, allowing her to rule over all.

Alterations to Magic

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

Etherealness feature of incorporeal undead, is the exception to this rule. A creature that enters the Border Ethereal from Strahd’s domain is pulled back into Barovia upon leaving that plane. For the

mansion) are subject to the same restrictions as magic cast in Barovia. While in Barovia, characters who receive spells from deities or otherworldly patrons continue to do so. In addition, spells that allow

Legends of Akharin Sangar

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

lost. After smiting Zolmate Shab’s fiendish army with righteous fury, Atash elected to stay, believing his mission incomplete. In the early years of his rule, Atash walked among the common folk

distraught populace. Atash possesses an ageless and inflexible perspective. Everlasting and seemingly emotionless, the angel answers complex problems with direct solutions. He believes that only by

Bard

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

spell learned through your Magical Secrets feature counts as a bard spell for you, so it can be replaced upon gaining a bard level later. But it must be replaced by a bard spell, according to the rule

in the Spellcasting feature. Which spell scrolls can bards understand—spells from the bard list only, or spells from the bard list plus spells from Magical Secrets? A bard can use any spell scroll

The Code Legal

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

The Code Legal Waterdeep is no village led by hidebound hierarchs or petty fiefdom ruled by the whim of a warlord. It is a city of laws molded by Tyr’s spirit of justice. As a rule, you can trust

other citizens. Those bystanders generally return the favor by giving altercations between criminals and the Watch a wide berth. Waterdeep has a complex library of law and custom set by precedent, the

Pyramid Temple

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

Pyramid Temple In a typical yuan-ti city, one of the busiest and most prominent buildings is the temple complex that houses yuan-ti and their followers while it provides facilities for worship

assemble. Malison Level Of all yuan-ti, the malisons have the strongest proclivity for worship of their deities. As such, they occupy the uppermost residential level in the pyramid, one step below the

Dracolich

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

, driven to rule over all. A dracolich is a fiendishly intelligent tyrant that crafts complex webs of foul schemes, attracting servants motivated by greed and a lust for power. Acting from the shadows

Guilds and Groups

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

circle. Bards are expected to set aside personal rivalries while in a circle outpost, and any kind of combat or violence is prohibited. Violating this rule results in immediate expulsion from the

city of Sharn, which is both the cultural heart of Breland and a nexus for intrigue and diplomacy. Bards have much to gain from the company of other bards, as they exchange news, stories, and songs

Religious Institutions

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

both. Temples and Shrines The core religious institutions of Faerûn are temples and shrines. Whether a small, out-of-the-way building, or a complex made up of multiple structures and tracts of land

more subtle — and thus more open to interpretation — than others. The most common kind of communion that worshipers and priests find with their deities is in prayer, song, or meditation. Such

Kartakass

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

a way of life in this forested domain, with everyone from the bards of Skald to the actors of Emherst pursuing dazzling dreams. Here, the people live by a simple rule: never let an audience grow bored

Empyrean

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual

, royalty and their servants, inventors and their creations, or other bonds. Empyreans’ existences are fundamentally influenced by their patrons and their connection to the heavenly deities of the

Upper Planes or the fiendish deities of the Lower Planes. Nevertheless, empyreans have free will. Celestial empyreans are typically noble beings who quest to prove themselves worthy of their divine

Leonin of Oreskos

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

champions of the gods. Many leonin suffered under the rule of the archons and at the whim of fickle gods, a grim history that taught them well-remembered lessons about trusting strangers or relying on

deities. Most leonin understand that people aren’t their culture, though, and individuals who prove themselves trustworthy might find gradual acceptance among the prides. Even so, leonin prides accept

Initiative Variants

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

example, a fighter wants to turn a winch to raise a portcullis. This is a complex, difficult action. You could rule that it incurs a -5 initiative penalty. Rolling Initiative. After deciding on an action

Initiative Variants This section offers different ways to handle initiative. Initiative Score With this optional rule, creature don’t roll initiative at the start of combat. Instead, each creature

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