battle before deadly constructs resolve

Silverquill Professor of Shadow

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

wit and debilitating inky shadow. Whether weaving their magic through spoken incantations and scathing insults or through shadows, these teachers break down the resolve of their foes. The professors

strive to carry themselves as immaculately as possible, seeking to overawe and wrong-foot anyone who would stand against them in debate or in battle. In teaching their students, professors of shadow

Dhergoloth

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, dhergoloths rush into battle like whirlwinds of destruction, lashing out with the five sets of claws that extend from their squat, barrel-shaped bodies. They take contracts to put down uprisings, clear out

brutes, employers must use caution when instructing them. They can handle simple orders that don’t take a lot of time to resolve. When given anything complex to do, however, they either forget what

Ogre Bolt Launcher

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

—a weapon so large it’s essentially an ogre-held ballista. An ogre bolt launcher can load this immense weapon and loose its deadly missile as quickly as a dwarf handles a crossbow. The

runs low. Ogres of War Ogres love to rush headlong into battle, but with enough time and patience, some of them learn to carry out specialized missions. The names they are given—the ogre

Orcsplitter

Magic Items Princes of the Apocalypse

defend dwarves and to serve as a symbol of dwarven resolve. It hates the traditional foes of dwarves — giants, goblins, and, most of all, orcs — and silently urges its possessor to meet such creatures in battle.

knows little more than the desire to face orcs in battle and serve a courageous, just wielder. It disdains cowards and any form of duplicity, deception, or disloyalty. The weapon’s purpose is to

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

Cadaver Collector Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

until they are called upon by a necromancer, hobgoblin general, or other evil warlord to bolster the ranks of a conquering army. These fearsome constructs obey their summoners until being dismissed

. 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

Battle Smith Legacy

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

before being saved by a Battle Smith and a steel defender. In the world of Eberron, Battle Smiths played a key role in House Cannith’s work on battle constructs and the original warforged, and after

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

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

probability to impede attacks and strike at the minds of their foes with lancing equations that disrupt the opponent’s resolve. Professors of theory hold that altering the way a person

Shield of the Uven Rune

Magic Items Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

cold damage. Deadly Rebuke. Immediately after a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to deal 3d6 necrotic damage to that creature. Bane. You can cast the bane spell from

has the properties of a +1 weapon. The bonus increases to +3 when the weapon is used against one of the following creature types, chosen by you at the time of the magic weapon’s creation: aberrations, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, or undead.

Vampiric Mist

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

doesn’t require air or sleep.Life Drain. The mist touches one creature in its space. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw (Undead and Constructs automatically succeed

. 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

Maschin-i-Bozorg

Monsters Quests from the Infinite Staircase

damage on a successful one.The kagu-svirfneblin’s most prized invention is the maschin-i-bozorg: a dome-shaped, steam-powered battle construct propelled by a multitude of wheels along its flat

can roll over its enemies to crush them with its immense weight. It can also fire poison darts with deadly precision, jab creatures with similar darts attached to extendable arms that retract inside

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

battled Strahd's armies to the bitter end. Deadly Vengeance. Unwilling to accept his failure, Vladimir returned as a revenant. So great was his hatred of Strahd and his thirst for vengeance that those

Greater Death Dragon

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

life. In battle, they are deadly foes, channeling the Cataclysmic fire that limns their bones and fuels their breath. They take cruel delight in snatching foes in their jaws, rushing into the air, then

Rak Tulkhesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Deadly Critical. Rak Tulkhesh scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 and rolls the damage dice three times, instead of twice. Innate Spellcasting. Rak Tulkhesh's spellcasting ability is Charisma

impulses that drives many mortals to battle. Fear, greed, hatred — these are seeds that the Rage of War sows in the hopes of producing a bloody harvest. Rak Tulkhesh typically takes the form of a vaguely

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

appreciation for the finer things! — Volo Goblins occupy an uneasy place in a dangerous world, and they react by lashing out at any creatures they believe they can bully. Cunning in battle and

goblin tribe has to nobility is the caste of lashers — families of goblins trained in the ways of battle, and also possessed of key skills such as strategy, trap-building, beast taming, mining

Uthgardt Tribe Member

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

constructs of civilization. (Neutral) 6 Glory. I must earn glory in battle, for myself and my clan. (Any) d6 Bond 1 My family, clan, or tribe is the most important thing

Running the Battle

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

Running the Battle This quest is an epic battle involving hundreds of rival combatants. Use the following rules to resolve the conflict.

Barbarian Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

fierce animal spirits. Others draw from a roiling reservoir of anger at a world full of pain. For every barbarian, rage is a power that fuels not just a battle frenzy but also uncanny reflexes

fraught with peril: rival tribes, deadly weather, and terrifying monsters. Barbarians charge headlong into that danger so that their people don’t have to. Their courage in the face of danger makes

Use of Magic

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

Use of Magic Magic plays a powerful role on a fantasy battlefield. A wizard armed with fireball or lightning bolt serves as a deadly artillery unit, while clerics can roam the battlefield, using cure

wounds to heal the injured. In the chaos of battle, spells such as message, sending, or thaumaturgy can make the difference between triumph and disaster. In a narrative battle, the simplest way to

Running Wilderness Encounters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

encountered in a blizzard, whereas perytons almost never are. Some the random encounters are designed to test the characters in battle, while others encourage roleplaying. All of them paint a picture of

Icewind Dale as a harsh realm full of a wide variety of creatures struggling to survive. An encounter’s difficulty—noted as Easy, Medium, Hard, or Deadly in the Difficulty column of the Random Wilderness

Chapter 9: Combat

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

wizard’s spell. The sharp tang of blood in the air, cutting through the stench of vile monsters. Roars of fury, shouts of triumph, cries of pain. Combat in D&D can be chaotic, deadly, and thrilling

. This section provides the rules you need for your characters and monsters to engage in combat, whether it is a brief skirmish or an extended conflict in a dungeon or on a field of battle. Throughout this

Chapter 9: Combat

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

wizard’s spell. The sharp tang of blood in the air, cutting through the stench of vile monsters. Roars of fury, shouts of triumph, cries of pain. Combat in D&D can be chaotic, deadly, and thrilling. This

chapter provides the rules you need for your characters and monsters to engage in combat, whether it is a brief skirmish or an extended conflict in a dungeon or on a field of battle. Throughout this

Whirlwyrm Attack

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel

in the water. These are deadly giant eels known as whirlwyrms (use the giant crocodile stat block). If no character notices the whirlwyrms, the characters and all the sailors on the Courier are

the whirlpool using the Courier, the whirlwyrms still attack, rising 10 feet out of the water to snap at the characters. Battle on the Courier Map 9.1 depicts the Courier. The bird-boat has the

Wildspace Battle

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer Academy

Wildspace Battle As your ship steers clear of the asteroids, another ship appears. Its sleek frame is painted in a wild shade of pink and is designed to resemble an immense squid. Starlight reflects

battle. Hammerhead Ship The following statistics are for the characters’ training ship and appear in handout 1. The ship is equipped with one ballista and two mangonels, each on a rotating mount. The

Battle of Kalaman

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

Battle of Kalaman After a brief lull in the initial attacks on Kalaman, the Red Dragon Army unleashes its wrath on the city. If the characters rested after the events of the previous section, their

rapid percussion, their deadly bolts barely keeping the dragonnels wheeling overhead at bay. Beyond the dragonnel riders, the flying citadel looms like a thunderhead, drifting slowly but relentlessly closer. At this point, there has been no word from Clystran or the dragonnels he went to track down.

Running This Chapter

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

on the Isle of Serpents on Oerth, a world known for its legendary dungeons and magical treasures. The characters arrive on the island in time to witness a battle between a kraken and a crew of

in the complex the archaeologists were exploring: the Tomb of Wayward Souls. The archaeologists haven’t explored far into the deadly complex, so the characters must face its challenges without much

Confronting Galin

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

Confronting Galin If confronted with evidence against him, Galin accuses the adventurers (publicly if necessary) of being in league with the cult and attempting to break the resolve of Altand’s

found himself face to face with Neronvain in the thick of battle and begged for his life, offering anything in return. Neronvain took the warden up on his offer, agreeing to spare Galin and leave

Confronting Galin

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

Confronting Galin If confronted with evidence against him, Galin accuses the adventurers (publicly if necessary) of being in league with the cult and attempting to break the resolve of Altand’s

, he found himself face to face with Neronvain in the thick of battle and begged for his life, offering anything in return. Neronvain took the warden up on his offer, agreeing to spare Galin and leave

Breaking the Archetypes

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

, arrows appear out of nowhere to stick out of the ground between the feet of the people they’re talking to. Roll that next check to negotiate with advantage! Battle Master As a battle master involved

, providing a boon to your franchise’s standing in the community. Any franchise could do worse than having you as its public face — especially when your sense of quiet resolve is needed to quietly resolve some unexpected business disaster.

Iroas's Influence

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

determination in less deadly pursuits, as well. He believes sports are a fine proxy for war, as just as in a battle, superior skill and strength lead to a victory. What Iroas truly loves is a winner. Lastly

Iroas’s Influence Iroas personifies the glory of victory, honorable combat, and physical competition. He is the unspoken bond between soldiers on the eve of battle, the courage of the standard

Battle Smith

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

being saved by a Battle Smith and a steel defender. In the world of Eberron, Battle Smiths played a key role in House Cannith’s work on battle constructs and the original warforged, and after the Last

Battle Smith Commanding nothing less than the power to create life, many battle smiths turn their genius toward forging technologically remarkable puppies and kitties. Maybe I’ve underestimated

2. Vast Cavern

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

from the constructs’ tail stingers. Arbalests. A dozen arbalests (use quadrone statistics) flit around the arch. Each arbalest resembles an oversized repeating crossbow with mechanical wings and

, and immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t made of adamantine. Destroying the arch all but dooms the project, since Zox lacks the resolve to start

Handling Mobs

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

Handling Mobs Keeping combat moving along at a brisk pace can be difficult when there are dozens of monsters involved in a battle. When handling a crowded battlefield, you can speed up play by

needs in order to hit a target by subtracting its attack bonus from the target’s AC. You’ll need to refer to the result throughout the battle, so it’s best to write it down. Look up the minimum d20 roll

How to Play

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

while a second examines an esoteric symbol engraved on a wall and a third keeps watch for monsters. The players don’t need to take turns, but the DM listens to every player and decides how to resolve

might be locked, the floor might hide a deadly trap, or some other circumstance might make it challenging for an adventurer to complete a task. In those cases, the DM decides what happens, often

Cadaver Collector

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

a conquering army on the Material Plane. These fearsome Constructs obey their summoners until they are dismissed 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. A cadaver collector responds to a summons from a mortal only if it is called to the scene of a great battle

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