battle bards diffusing contrast reality

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

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

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

hold and controls their actions. In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk doesn’t think, “I’m scared.&rdquo

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

Deck of Many Things Legacy

Magic Items Basic Rules (2014)

property vanishes. Businesses, buildings, and land you own are lost in a way that alters reality the least. Any documentation that proves you should own something lost to this card also disappears

you, warning all others that you must win the battle alone. The avatar fights until you die or it drops to 0 hit points, whereupon it disappears. If anyone tries to help you, the helper summons its

Knight of the Order

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

important than the gear and fighting style of its members, and so most of these orders aren’t limited to fighting types, but are open to all sorts of folk who are willing to battle and die for the

. The reality of the dangers they faced eventually sank in, as did Lurue’s tenets. Over time the small group grew and spread, gaining a following in places as far as Cormyr. The Knights of the

Bards

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

Bards Bards hold a special place of responsibility and respect in the Forgotten Realms. They are bearers of news, gossip, and messages in their travels from place to place, in addition to being

living storehouses of history and folklore. Bards know a great deal, and they tend to be willing to share what they know, or at least barter for it. The arrival of a renowned bard is a special occasion

Deck of Several Things

Magic Items Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

adventure. The Fates. Reality’s fabric unravels and spins anew, allowing you to avoid or erase one event as if it never happened. You can use the card’s magic as soon as you draw the card

tattered black robe. It appears in a space of the DM’s choice within 10 feet of you and attacks you, warning all others that you must win the battle alone. The avatar fights until you die or it

Preparing for Battle

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Preparing for Battle When the characters and people of Vogler arrive at High Hill, read the following description: Passing through woods and fields, Vogler’s parade of militia members and reenactment

spectators finally reaches High Hill. The grassy slope is spotted with trees and crumbled stone fencing. Near the base, several dozen soldiers in matching armor stand in even formation. The contrast

The Heirs of Dhakaan

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

commanders, typically having the skills of fighters, bards, or rangers. Bugbears cultivate a focused battle rage and are typically barbarians. Goblins are largely artisans and laborers, but

, or druids. Their focus is on martial excellence, and their spiritual leaders are bards, who tell tales of past glory. Among the Dhakaan, goblinoids work together. Hobgoblins are the strategists and

Personal Goal

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

sworn to do, or die trying. 4 Leadership. You will win a great battle that bards will sing about, and in so doing, you will become an example to inspire others. 5 Faith. You know your path is righteous

Bard Subclasses

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

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

cold and rain, waiting for battle while hunger gnaws at their bellies? Many wish to reap the rewards of a good harvest, but few care to remove the stones and till the fields for planting. “The Lords

Redcloak Battalion

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

Battalion. This elite unit fought at the forefront of the Last War, and Brelish bards still sing of the exploits of Khandan the Hammer and Meira the Huntress. At the end of the war, the battalion was split

snarling displacer beast surrounded by the words, “First in battle, last to fall”—the Redcloak insignia and motto—on the right. Allies. As part of Breland’s military forces, the Redcloaks can count on

Genies

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

their thralls, but never to the extent that they can no longer work. In contrast to their love of servants, most genies loathe being bound to service themselves. A genie obeys the will of another only

objects of their desire. This constant indulgence has made them decadent, while their supreme power over reality makes them haughty and arrogant. Their vast palaces overflow with wonders and sensory

A Bard's Muse

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

A Bard’s Muse Naturally, every bard has a repertoire of songs and stories. Some bards are generalists who can draw from a wide range of topics for each performance, and who take pride in their

versatility. Others adopt a more personal approach to their art, driven by their attachment to a muse — a particular concept that inspires much of what those bards do in front of an audience. A bard who

Para-elemental Planes

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

Ice, home to yetis, remorhazes, white dragons, and other creatures of cold. The inhabitants of the plane engage in a never-ending battle to prove their strength and ensure their survival. The

fundamentally similar to places found on the Material Plane—the place where all four elements mingle freely. At a symbolic level, the Para-elemental Planes represent the interaction and sometimes the contrast

Playing During the Last War

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

political intrigue, tenuous alliances, and brutal conflicts. Consider these ways to make the Last War a present reality in your campaign: The players create new characters who live during a specific phase of

in a memorable battle? Do they take actions they’ll later regret? Do they make a bitter enemy who comes back to haunt them years later, when the campaign continues in the present day? A magical

Gods of Theros

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

as she watched their battle unfold. —Jenna Helland, Godsend Responding to a single sailor’s slight, vengeful Keranos, god of storms, sends lightning to strike a Meletian galley on the Siren Sea

higher reality, perhaps Nyx itself. And other people, particularly leonin, believe that the gods are undeserving of mortal reverence.

Multiclassing

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

concentration. Can a barbarian/fighter (Battle Master) use maneuvers while raging? Nothing in the barbarian’s Rage feature precludes the use of maneuvers. Can a rogue/monk use Sneak Attack with unarmed

strikes? The Sneak Attack feature works with a weapon that has the finesse or ranged property. An unarmed strike isn’t a weapon, so it doesn’t qualify. In contrast, a rogue/ monk can use Sneak Attack with a

Dragon Factions

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

for organizing Humanoid forces to battle their chromatic kin. These factions are devoted to common goals—constraining the rampages of the chromatic dragons and limiting Tiamat’s influence in the world

to the highest standards of behavior, and wields cold magic. The Brass Order could be a loose affiliation of good-hearted scoundrels, including rogues and bards, who favor fire magic and trickery. An

Studies and Philosophy

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

of chaos, by contrast, emphasizes individual actions, personal bonds of families and friends, and the disruptive force of lone, passionate people in history. Scholars of chaos gravitate toward

conflict a scholar more likely aligns with. Lorehold Scholars d10 Scholar Principle 1 Archaeoscribe, chronicling historical truths for posterity Order 2 Battle medium, strengthening summoned spirits

Classes

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

pragmatic terms of strategy and maneuvering, and see herself as just a pawn in a much larger game. A cleric, by contrast, might see himself as a willing servant in a god’s unfolding plan or a conflict

. Classes Summary Class Description Hit Die Primary Ability Saving Throw Proficiencies Armor and Weapon Proficiencies Barbarian A fierce warrior who can enter a battle rage

Classes Summary

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

who can enter a battle rage d12 Strength Strength & Constitution Light and medium armor, shields, simple and martial weapons Bard An inspiring magician whose power echoes the music of

derived from a bargain with an extraplanar entity d8 Charisma Wisdom & Charisma Light armor, simple weapons Wizard A scholarly magic-user capable of manipulating the structures of reality d6 Intelligence Intelligence & Wisdom Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows

Keranos's Champions

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

Find a long-lost artifact that bestows oracular visions upon the user. 5 Defeat the champion of another god in a battle of wits (perhaps Phenax, Mogis, or Klothys). 6 Find and restore a

prophecies, potentially drawing in secrets of the other gods or of reality itself. It is relatively easy for a mortal to lose Keranos’s favor because the god is quick to anger and doesn’t suffer failure

15. The Great Hall

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a3

15. The Great Hall This hallway is twenty feet wide and has piles of rubble and debris scattered along its length. The walls are covered with frescoes. The south wall displays scenes of a battle

. The hallway extends only 5 feet beyond the arch. The western wall is a cleverly painted mural designed to give the illusion of depth and reality, and the obscuring effect of the poison gas contributes

Keeping Combat Moving

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

. See “Fight or Flight” later in this chapter for more suggestions. Add a Combatant To add excitement to a battle, consider adding a combatant. Maybe a monstrous predator wanders onto the scene where the

characters are locked in battle with another foe. Or maybe the noise of the ongoing combat attracts the attention of nearby dungeon denizens. The new combatant might attack both the characters and

Princes and Scorpions

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

battle, both princes thank the characters for their assistance. Kirina, Prince of Niba As the eldest son of the king of Niba, Kirina (chaotic evil, human veteran) was raised knowing he might be named

empire, it would be a point of pride for the whole land—so Simbon feels obligated to act as though he wants to be Empress Inaya’s heir. In reality, Simbon believes his poor tactical mind and hedonistic

Boros Angels

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

evil and oppression. They are commanders, advisors, strategists, and soldiers. Their presence in battle inspires the mortal soldiers of the legion with righteous zeal. Most Boros soldiers assume that

angels are paragons of goodness, wisdom, and mercy. The reality is that angels aren’t immune to the temptations of corruption, and the necessities of political machination can compromise the best of them

Giants and Other Ancients

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

decide to create a campaign where the conflicts among the ancients, like the Thousand-Year War between giants and dragons in the Forgotten Realms, are not a matter of ancient history but a present reality

between the warring parties are isolated events along the lines of the world-shaking events described in “Campaign Events.” You might begin the campaign with one such battle, have the adventurers

Purphoros's Influence

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

in a particularly destructive battle with Heliod. The forge god spent years addled and incomplete. He has since recovered his faculties, but he mourns the things he might have made during that lost

Purphoros, deeply involved in the project of civilization. Purphoros’s desire to overturn the established order with violence stands in stark contrast to their measured ways. As a result, Purphoros stands aloof from them.

Setessa's Surroundings

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

Setessa’s Surroundings Beyond the city’s encircling trees, the territory of Setessa extends to cover about a third of the Nessian Wood and a wide swath of the open chaparral. In contrast to Meletis

lions to get them ready to accompany Setessans in battle. Here men live and work alongside women, collectively training and caring for the animals that live here. Nessian Wood The vast wilderness of the

Goblinoids

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

fighters, bards, or rangers. Bugbears cultivate a focused battle rage and are typically barbarians, serving as shock troops. Goblins are largely artisans and laborers, but exceptional goblins join the

Dhakaani. The Heirs of Dhakaan are an agnostic society and don’t have clerics, paladins, or druids. Their focus is on martial excellence, and their spiritual leaders are bards, who inspire their warriors

City of Skophos

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

Skophos that can coexist in some measure of peace with the wider world. Mogis’s Chalice Many grand temples to Mogis stand in Skophos, presenting a stark contrast to the crude shrines that usually serve as

enemy in the main room of the Temple to Mogis, they will be blessed by the god of wrath. Even the minotaurs of Skophos will not interfere with such a battle, and the victor is always allowed to depart without further bloodshed.

Birth of a Beholder

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

images of itself or of other beholders (which might or might not actually exist). On extremely rare occasions when a beholder dreams of another beholder, the act creates a warp in reality — from which

. Death Tyrants As a beholder ages, it spends more and more time worrying about its mortality. The dreams of such a death-fearing beholder might reach into strange corners of reality and imagine

Stage 2: Little Inn of Horrors

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

Stage 2: Little Inn of Horrors The Test Market warps reality the moment any character opens a door within the Dran & Courtier. The first time this happens, all the characters find themselves back in

fight is done, the characters hear noise from the kitchen. As the battle ends, you hear a muffled thumping sound, as if something is striking wood. The sound comes from the kitchen. The characters

D&D Beyond

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