based bad defining clever rules

Triton Shorestalker

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

even realize they've been attacked by shorestalkers, chalking disappearances and deaths up to the innumerable dangers of the sea. Clever, far-ranging people of the sea, tritons live rich lives unknown

skilled at sabotaging ocean-going vessels, employing water-based magic, and otherwise whipping up the fury of the sea. Few dare insult tritons in their home environment, but those who do and survive often learn that the tritons' wrath doesn't end at the shore.Cold

Deathless Rider

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

Queen, who rules from a castle called Dynnistan. It isn’t known whether these legends are based on any true experience or are simply the result of imagination trying to account for a terrifying and

Gray Dwarf (Duergar) Legacy

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

with your Dungeon Master to see if you can play a gray dwarf character. Duergar see themselves as the true manifestation of dwarven ideals, clever enough not to be taken in by the treacherous deceptions

obliterated by Moradin’s betrayal. The duergar lead bleak, grim lives devoid of happiness or satisfaction, but they see that as their defining strength — the root of duergar pride, as it were — rather than a drawback to be corrected.

Folk Hero Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

) Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools (one of your choice), a shovel, an iron pot, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp Defining Event You previously pursued a simple

randomly determine a defining event that marked you as a hero of the people. d10 Defining Event 1 I stood up to a tyrant’s agents. 2 I saved people during a natural

Triton Master of Waves

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

offerings to Thassa might defuse the tritons’ ire—that is, if they survive the deadly winds and waves that typically herald these sea guardians’ appearance. Clever, far-ranging people

into conflict. In such cases, tritons prove skilled at sabotaging ocean-going vessels, employing water-based magic, and otherwise whipping up the fury of the sea. Few dare insult tritons in their home

Wereraven

Monsters Curse of Strahd

, modestly give money to charity. They take steps to keep magic items out of evil hands by stashing them in secret hiding places. Characters as Wereravens. The Monster Manual has rules for characters

already higher. Attack and damage rolls for the wereraven’s bite are based on whichever is higher of the character’s Strength and Dexterity. The bite of a wereraven in raven form deals 1

Shapechange Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change shape or size to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground

rules for the original form, with one exception: if your new form has more hit points than your current one, your hit points remain at their current value.

Avarice

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

challenge, even when the odds are clearly stacked against her. Seeing other wizards as a threat, paranoia rules her life. Avarice has been a member of the Arcane Brotherhood for almost two years. She

around their necks. These self-styled Knights of the Black Sword offered her sanctuary in the keep of Caer-Dineval, where they are based. Although she doesn’t trust the cultists, they treat her

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

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

than most people to the world of murder, theft, and violence that pervades the underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society

. 4 I have a “tell” that reveals when I’m lying. 5 I turn tail and run when things look bad. 6 An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I’m okay with that.

Urchin - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

their torch-based code. From the lighting, placement, and type of torch arranged on or near a structure, you can gather a great deal of information about those who live or do business there, particularly

a pig and have bad manners. 6 I think anyone who’s nice to me is hiding evil intent. 7 I don’t like to bathe. 8 I bluntly say what other people are hinting at or hiding

Game Customization

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

” section in the introduction of the Dungeon Master’s Guide provides some guidance for doing so, based on known player archetypes. To help identify what types of players are in the group, you can ask each

Rules House rules include optional rules, such as those presented in chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and rules you create. If you plan to use any house rules, session zero is a good time to

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

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society. Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth Tool Proficiencies: One

tail and run when things look bad. 6 An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I’m okay with that.

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

. These tenets vary from tribe to tribe, and are often based in events that the tribe has experienced. Here are a few examples: If a dwarf or a human invokes its god upon dying, you must carry the

The Middle Path

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

between relying on their bonuses and abilities and paying attention to the game and immersing themselves in its world. Remember that dice don’t run your game — you do. Dice are like rules. They’re

bad die roll foiling the character’s plans. By the same token, a bad plan or unfortunate circumstances can transform the easiest task into an impossibility, or at least impose disadvantage.

Using This Book

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook

. Chapter 3 offers twelve classes to choose from, along with forty-eight subclasses. Chapter 4: Character Origins. Background and species are key elements in defining a character’s origin, which further

game information for creatures that certain characters can befriend or transform into. Appendix C: Rules Glossary. The game’s main rules terminology is summarized in this appendix, making it an invaluable reference during play.

Table Rules

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

Table Rules Ideally, players come to the gaming table with the same goal: to have a fun time together. This section gives recommendations for table rules you can establish to help meet that goal

. Here are some fundamentals: Foster respect. Don’t bring personal conflicts to the table or let disagreements escalate into bad feelings. Don’t touch others’ dice if they’re sensitive about it. Avoid

Relationships

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

benefits—or drawbacks!—based on their social endeavors, infusing their interactions with other students with rules weight, and making this integral part of student life a more significant part of the

adventures. Although these pursuits could be played out entirely with roleplaying, you can use the following Relationship rules to reinforce this aspect of the adventures. These rules provide characters with

Part 2: Master of Adventures

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

some free time to exercise your creativity as you invent compelling plots, create new NPCs, craft encounters, and think of clever ways to foreshadow story events yet to come. Part 2 of these rules is

Introducing the Game

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble

Introducing the Game Once the players have familiarized themselves with their characters, you’re ready to introduce the game. Now that you’re familiar with your characters and the basics of the rules

, we’re going to play a short adventure to introduce you to Dungeons & Dragons. As the Dungeon Master, I tell you what’s going on in the world around you, and I use the rules and dice rolls to

Rules of Conduct

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

Rules of Conduct Although Zybilna is indisposed, three of the rules she put into place when she created her Feywild domain continue to hold weight: the rule of hospitality, the rule of ownership, and

the rule of reciprocity. These three rules are common knowledge in Prismeer, and both natives and visitors would do well to abide by them: Rule of Hospitality. When a friend, an enemy, or a stranger

Plan of Attack

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

based around any obvious features of the encounter area. Standard escape paths such as back doors and known sewer entrances will be watched, and tactics the characters have used before will be known

. Only a special escape route—a secret passage known only to a palace’s most trusted servants, for example—should come as a surprise to the cultists and Red Wizards. Frontal Assault Because clever ruses

Narrative Combat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Divine Contention

Victory”). If your players use clever tactics during the battle, grant them one or more of the following benefits, as appropriate: Their enemies are frightened for one or more rounds. The players

still triumph. It’s possible that your players will veer off from the events on the flowchart. In this case, you’ll need to improvise encounters based on the enemies’ plan of attack (see “Order of

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

Infernal War Machine Combat

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

(Athletics) check, setting the jump’s DC based on the distance between the two vehicles (as well as other factors, as appropriate). Keep it fun and fast-paced, and push the rules aside when they get in the way.

patrols. The rules for infernal war machines in appendix B are meant to help you adjudicate situations that arise during encounters, but combat involving infernal war machines works best with “theater

Plan of Attack

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

you, but should be based around any obvious features of the encounter area. Standard escape paths such as back doors and known sewer entrances will be watched, and tactics the characters have used

Assault Because clever ruses and ambush have failed in previous attacks, the cult’s third assault opts for overwhelming force. The dragons attack the characters from the air, attempting to draw them outside

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

the Cerulean Hall The Cerulean Hall is home to games of strategy and intellect, such as dragonchess and three-dragon ante. The room is divided into three sections based on skill: an amateur players

Chapter 2: Growing Your Franchise

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

upgrades for a franchise headquarters, and more. This chapter also introduces company positions — a new set of rules for franchise characters granting access to unique, tier-based abilities that can help a

the Acquisitions Incorporated franchise and the rules for running it. Franchise benefits are organized by level tier, and include an ever-expanding business territory, wide ranges of options and

Folk Hero

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

artisan’s tools (one of your choice), a shovel, an iron pot, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp Defining Event You previously pursued a simple profession among the peasantry, perhaps

as a farmer, miner, servant, shepherd, woodcutter, or gravedigger. But something happened that set you on a different path and marked you for greater things. Choose or randomly determine a defining

Monsters with Classes

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

Monsters with Classes You can use the rules in chapter 3 of the Player’s Handbook to give class levels to a monster. For example, you can turn an ordinary werewolf into a werewolf with four levels of

, with the following exceptions: The monster doesn’t gain the starting equipment of the added class. For each class level you add, the monster gains one Hit Die of its normal type (based on its size

Folk Hero

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

artisan’s tools (one of your choice), a shovel, an iron pot, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp Defining Event You previously pursued a simple profession among the peasantry, perhaps

as a farmer, miner, servant, shepherd, woodcutter, or gravedigger. But something happened that set you on a different path and marked you for greater things. Choose or randomly determine a defining

Speed

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

Speed A creature’s speed tells you how far it can move on its turn. For more information on speed, see the Basic Rules. All creatures have a walking speed; creatures that have no form of ground-based

The Rank and File

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

all. Rules for Everything Devils are evil schemers by nature, but they must operate within the bounds of the Nine Hells’ intricate legal code. A devil’s attitude toward the law is in part driven by its

and specific circumstances. A clever upstart that wants to annihilate its superior could manipulate events to bring about one such circumstance, then look on as the commander succumbs while it cites the

General Features

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

“Cover” in the Basic Rules). DISGUISED CHARACTERS Rather than storm Cragmaw Castle with weapons in hand, clever characters might try to talk their way inside. For example, they might don the scarlet

cloaks of the Redbrands and claim to be emissaries sent by Iarno “Glasstaff” Albrek, the Redbrand leader, to meet with King Grol. A good DM rewards this kind of clever thinking by giving the

D&D Beyond

Search Results