battle back diffusing cautious reason

Planar Ally

Spells Player’s Handbook

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 protect us during

task, or when the agreed-upon duration of service expires, the creature returns to its home plane after reporting back to you if possible. If you are unable to agree on a price for the creature’s service, the creature immediately returns to its home plane.

Jarund Elkhardt

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

his life, and age has made him cautious. He has seen other kings and queens rise and fall, has made war with friends and peace with his enemies, and has led warriors he knew as babes to their deaths

in battle. The strain of his long years of rule is etched on his weather-worn face. Jarund's late son, Jarund Twice-Born, was killed almost a decade ago while trying to bring down a cave bear, leaving

Ogre Howdah

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Howdah. The ogre carries a compact fort on its back. Up to four Small creatures can ride in the fort without squeezing. To make a melee attack against a target within 5 feet of the ogre, they must

","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Fist","rollDamageType":"bludgeoning"} bludgeoning damage.The most unusual of the specialized ogres, the howdah carries a palisaded wooden fort on its back. The fort serves

Quasit (familiar variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

Shapechanger. The quasit can use its action to polymorph into a beast form that resembles a bat (speed 10 ft. fly 40 ft.), a centipede (40 ft., climb 40 ft.), or a toad (40 ft., swim 40 ft.), or back

shares the quasit’s Magic Resistance trait. At any time and for any reason, the quasit can end its service as a familiar, ending the telepathic bond.Claws (Bite in Beast Form). Melee Weapon Attack

Howler

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

around the battlefield in a search for safety. Fiends especially prize howlers for this reason, because for a few crucial moments in a battle, their howls can neutralize an enemy.Cold, Fire, Lightning; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

Yuan-ti Pit Master

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

and argue for a slow, cautious approach in all matters.PoisonChange Shape. The yuan-ti transforms into a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. If it dies, it stays in its current form.

Velomachus Lorehold

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

"} slashing damage. If the target is a Huge or smaller creature, it is knocked prone. Battle Tide Breath (Recharge 5–6);{"diceNotation":"1d6","rollType":"recharge","rollAction":"Battle Tide Breath

":"damage","rollAction":"Battle Tide Breath","rollDamageType":"force"} force damage and 45 (7d12);{"diceNotation":"7d12","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Battle Tide Breath","rollDamageType":"thunder

Cadaver Collector Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

back to Acheron, but if a summoner comes to a bad end, a cadaver collector might wander the Material Plane for centuries, collecting corpses while searching for a way to return home. Sweeping the Dead

. Cadaver collectors respond to a summons from a mortal only when they are called to the scene of a great battle — either where one is in progress, where one is imminent, or where one once took place

Cadaver Collector

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

of a conquering army on the Material Plane. These fearsome Constructs obey their summoners until they are dismissed back to Acheron, but if a summoner comes to a bad end, a cadaver collector might

great battle—either where one is in progress, where one is imminent, or where one once took place. They encase themselves in the armor and weapons of fallen warriors and impale the corpses of those

Battle Smith Legacy

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Armies require protection, and someone has to put things back together if defenses fail. A combination of protector and medic, a Battle Smith is an expert at defending others and repairing both

material and personnel. To aid in their work, Battle Smiths are usually accompanied by a steel defender, a protective companion of their own creation. Many soldiers tell stories of nearly dying

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. A kobold’s cautious nature doesn’t mean it can’t get angry. The blood of dragons flows in its veins, and like a raging drake, a kobold that is pushed too far or has its back

undetected and don’t give their targets reason to harm them. For example, a group of city kobolds might sneak into a cobbler’s house at night to loot it of knives, leather bits, nails, and

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

creature completes the task, or when the agreed-upon duration of service expires, the creature returns to its home plane after reporting back to you, if appropriate to the task and if possible. If you

Satyr Thornbearer

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

, these satyr skirmishers cooperate in loose teams, using guerrilla tactics to harass foes then melt back into the forest. The blessings of Nylea aid the satyrs in protecting their home, and a single arrow

tactics and methods of ending conflicts as swiftly as possible. This often means turning the same skills that make them famed celebrants toward battle, be it captivating performances or the aim developed

Wereraven

Monsters Curse of Strahd

wereraven polymorphs into a raven–humanoid hybrid or into a raven, or back into its humanoid form. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing

or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its humanoid form if it dies.Wereravens are secretive and extraordinarily cautious lycanthropes that trust one another but are wary of just about

Gurt's Greataxe

Magic Items Storm King's Thunder

In the Year of the Icy Axe (123 DR), the frost giant lord Gurt fell to Uthgar Gardolfsson—leader of the folk who would become the Uthgardt—in a battle that marked the ascendance of

humankind over the giants in the Dessarin Valley. Gurt’s greataxe was buried in Morgur’s Mound until it was unearthed and brought back to Waterdeep. After laying in the city’s vaults for

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

Arkhan the Cruel

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

many allies as possible. Should one or more of his comrades fall in battle, Arkhan uses revivify and raise dead spells to bring them back to life as soon as possible. If Arkhan finds himself overwhelmed

means of freeing Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells, but only if the hand doesn't kill him first. The hand is slowly corrupting Arkhan's flesh and decomposing his body on one side. In battle

Ulder Ravengard

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. Following the deaths of two council members amid a cloud of corruption and scandal, he persuaded the Parliament of Peers to back his election to grand duke. Upon ascending to the highest position in the

struggled in performing his duties, finding his hands tied at every turn by both overt and invisible bureaucracy. Despite this, he's been a voice of reason and common sense on the Council of Four — if

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

possibilities.) Now you’re looking for something else, perhaps greater reward for the risks you take, or the freedom to choose your own activities. For whatever reason, you’re leaving

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

Dwarf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

“Yer late, elf!” came the rough edge of a familiar voice. Bruenor Battlehammer walked up the back of his dead foe, disregarding the fact that the heavy monster lay on top of his elven

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

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to disturb her self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off Icewind Dale

time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is incapable of showing mercy or compassion. Play her as a supremely cold and

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the plane of Acheron. It is there in the afterlife where the chosen ones will join Gruumsh and his armies in their endless extraplanar battle for supremacy. Gods of the Orcs Orcs believe their gods

gather and celebrate, dwell the followers of Yurtrus, the god of disease and death, and Shargaas, the god of darkness and the unknown. Orcs too weak for battle (because of bodily weakness, malformation

Whelm Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

attack using it, the target takes an extra 1d8 bludgeoning damage, or an extra 2d8 bludgeoning damage if the target is a giant. Each time you throw the weapon, it flies back to your hand after the

. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Dwarvish, Giant, and Goblin. It shouts battle

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. 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

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

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

in the other humanoids and makes them less helpful in battle. Utility and Survival The lizardfolk mindset might seem unnecessarily cruel, but it helps them survive in a hostile environment. The

quirk for a lizardfolk character or to inspire a unique mannerism. Lizardfolk Quirks d8 Quirk 1 You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to

can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

letting the thermals hold them aloft. In battle, they prove dynamic and acrobatic fliers, moving with remarkable speed and grace, diving to lash opponents with weapons or talons before turning and flying

back into the air. Those that make it to a world in the Material Plane find it a strange place. They sometimes forget or ignore vertical distances, and they have nothing but pity for those earthbound

Returned Sentry

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

work well together, sharing the unified goals of overcoming their foes and getting back to the task at hand. Returned have escaped the Underworld and dwell among the living once more, but their

. Returned Masks. Adventurers who defeat Returned foes might marvel at their fortune in claiming such rich spoils after a battle. The mask of a Returned is worth approximately 100 gp, based on its

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

;{"diceNotation":"2d20", "rollType":"roll", "rollAction":"Days"} days. Even those who survive on other planes find themselves eventually dragged back, pulled by some planar tether.Acid, PoisonCold

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

provided. The following section, discussing possible homelands, includes some suggested reasons that are appropriate for each location. d6 Reason d6 Reason 1 Emissary 4 Pilgrim

hundreds of miles of the Great Glacier and the Great Ice Sea. No one from your nation makes the effort to cross such colossal barriers without a convincing reason. You must fear something truly

Giff Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

refuse to fight other giff, and will never agree to a contract unless it stipulates that they can sit out a battle rather than wage war against their kin. A giff prizes the reputation of its unit above its

brighter the flash, and the thicker the smoke it produces, the more giff love a weapon. Their skill with gunpowder is another reason for their popularity as mercenaries. Giff revel in the challenge of

Way of the Ascendant Dragon

Classes Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

who follow this tradition augment their prowess in battle, bolster their allies, and can even soar through the air on draconic wings. But all this power is in service of a greater goal: achieving a

dragon personally took an active role in shaping your inner energy. 3 You studied at a monastery that traces its teachings back centuries or more to a single dragon’s instruction, or one

Way of the Ascendant Dragon (FToD)

Classes Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

who follow this tradition augment their prowess in battle, bolster their allies, and can even soar through the air on draconic wings. But all this power is in service of a greater goal: achieving a

dragon personally took an active role in shaping your inner energy. 3 You studied at a monastery that traces its teachings back centuries or more to a single dragon’s instruction, or one

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

tracked them to their sanctuary and overwhelmed them with a vast force. Vladimir, whom Argynvost had made a field commander, couldn't hold back the evil tide and was killed, only after the heartbreak of

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

Kasimir Velikov

Monsters Curse of Strahd

led her down a path of evil and deceit. For that reason, Kasimir wants to see the vampire destroyed so that his sister can be rescued from her eternal damnation. Secrets of the Amber Temple. Patrina

more important, he believes that the Amber Temple holds the secret to bringing the ancient dead back to life. With the characters' help, Kasimir thinks he might be able to find out how to restore

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