battle before deeds cautious return

War Domain

Classes Player’s Handbook

excellence and courage. Clerics who tap into the magic of the War Domain excel in battle, inspiring others to fight the good fight or offering acts of violence as prayers. Gods of the War Domain watch over

warriors and reward them for their great deeds. They include champions of honor and chivalry as well as gods of destruction and pillage. Other war gods take a more neutral stance, promoting war in all its manifestations and supporting warriors in any circumstance.

Vampire Infernalist

Monsters Astarion's Book of Hungers

, the vampire uses Shape-Shift to become mist (no action required). If it can’t use Shape-Shift, it is destroyed. While it has 0 Hit Points in mist form, it can’t return to its vampire form

emerging at night to commit unsavory deeds. What?! A vampire who’s sold their soul to Mephistopheles for even more power? Wound not my unbeating heart. Tell me it’s not true! Oh, wait. Of

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

Cadaver Collector

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

wander the Material Plane for centuries, collecting corpses while searching for a way to return home. 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. 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

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

Fensir Skirmisher

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Ysgard: creatures slain on that plane return to life the next dawn. Thus, the giants’ incursion became a part of the eternal battle that rages across the plane. The trolls, whose fundamental

skirmishers boast great skill in battle, honed over centuries of endless conflict on the battlefields of Ysgard. They also wield elemental magic of earth and stone. True to their giant heritage, they

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

on the same plane of existence and regains all its hit points. While the soul is bodiless, a wish spell can be used to force the soul to go to the afterlife and not return. Special Equipment

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

Fensir Devourer

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Ysgard: creatures slain on that plane return to life the next dawn. Thus, the giants’ incursion became a part of the eternal battle that rages across the plane. The trolls, whose fundamental

use in the eternal battle. The transformation that created fensirs left them with an odd quirk to their regenerative powers: their regeneration doesn’t function in sunlight, and in fact, sunlight can turn these creatures to stone.

Asteria

Monsters The Book of Many Things

everyone deserves a chance to write their own story on their own terms, and her deeds have inspired countless heroic tales. Even after so many years, Asteria maintains a joyous wanderlust and passion for

discovery. She’s as likely to be found climbing trees or poring over arcane texts as she is brandishing her sword in battle. Anyone who engages Asteria in conversation about her interests finds

Blindheim

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

travelers. They typically make a cautious approach to stronger creatures, speaking in halting, croaking Undercommon to offer their services in return for fresh food, metal weapons, and trinkets from

Arkhan the Cruel

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

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

, Arkhan uses branding smite to channel the radiant power of Tiamat into his weapon attacks. If a fight turns against him, he uses the teleport power of the Hand of Vecna to return to his tower with as

Purple Dragon Knight (SCAG)

Classes Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

committing brave deeds in battle. The mere presence of a knight in a hamlet is enough to cause some orcs and bandits to seek easier prey. A lone knight is a skilled warrior, but a knight leading a

band of allies can transform even the most poorly equipped militia into a ferocious war band. A knight prefers to lead through deeds, not words. As a knight spearheads an attack, the knight’s actions can awaken reserves of courage and conviction in allies that they never suspected they had.

Purple Dragon Knight

Classes Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

committing brave deeds in battle. The mere presence of a knight in a hamlet is enough to cause some orcs and bandits to seek easier prey. A lone knight is a skilled warrior, but a knight leading a

band of allies can transform even the most poorly equipped militia into a ferocious war band. A knight prefers to lead through deeds, not words. As a knight spearheads an attack, the knight’s actions can awaken reserves of courage and conviction in allies that they never suspected they had.

Minotaur Legacy

Species Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

The minotaurs of Ravnica are strong in body, dedication, and courage. They are at home on the battlefield, willing to fight for their various causes. They combine a burning fury in battle with keen

tail in the way. Strength and Zeal Minotaurs are zealous and love battle. They are found among the Gruul Clans, but the minotaurs of the Ordruun family line, long associated with the Boros Legion

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep score, counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to compare to others. Goliaths love to win, but they see defeat as a prod to improve their

seek out a larger, more powerful wyrm to battle. Few goliath adventurers reach old age, as most die attempting to surpass their past accomplishments. Fair Play For goliaths, competition exists only

Half-Orc Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

their mighty deeds. Scarred and Strong Half-orcs exhibit a blend of orcish and human characteristics, and their appearance varies widely. Grayish skin tones and prominent teeth are the most common

shared elements among these folk. Orcs regard battle scars as tokens of pride and ornamental scars as things of beauty. Other scars, though, mark an orc or half-orc as a former prisoner or a disgraced

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

Vampiric Mist

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

undetected to bleed their victims dry. Vampiric mists, sometimes called crimson mists, are all that remain of vampires who couldn’t return to their burial places after being defeated or suffering

. 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

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

regular shift patrolling either the Lower City or the Outer City. In return, you have access to the Flaming Fist’s fortresses and a direct line of communication with Flaming Fist officers and

regular patrol in the Upper City or take a regular shift at its gates, and must report for training in the Watch Citadel once every ten days. In return, you have access to the Citadel and a direct line of

War Domain Legacy

Classes Player’s Handbook (2014)

, the gods of war watch over warriors and reward them for their great deeds. The clerics of such gods excel in battle, inspiring others to fight the good fight or offering acts of violence as prayers

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

destroyed, might not have a choice in the matter. Most adventuring firbolgs fall into this latter category. Outcast firbolgs can never return home. They committed some unforgivable deed, usually

complete their quests and return home as quickly as possible. The Firbolg Adventurers table can serve as inspiration for determining why a firbolg character leaves home. Firbolg Adventurers d8

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

tribe to the death. 2 Every serious choice I make must be decided by signs or omens from the gods. 3 I carry the teeth of a great warrior. They inspire me to commit great deeds in battle

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

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

creatures trapped there. Demodands that manage to leave Carceri know they’re doomed to return; a demodand that dies outside Carceri re-forms there in a torturous process that takes 2d20

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

provoke retaliatory attacks from the creatures they steal from. It’s better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat. In a couple of situations, kobolds might

populated areas, practice cannibalism, believing it is foolish to waste good meat. In any case, kobolds that eat humanoids don’t simply start consuming corpses or prisoners right after a battle

Monk Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

, knocking their blows aside and sending them reeling, until at last she stands alone. Taking a deep breath, a human covered in tattoos settles into a battle stance. As the first charging orcs reach him, he

training. Many entered the monastery as children, sent to live there when their parents died, when food couldn’t be found to support them, or in return for some kindness that the monks had performed

Yeenoghu Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

5 or more, the target falls prone. Savage (Costs 2 Actions). Yeenoghu makes a bite attack against each creature within 10 feet of him.The Beast of Butchery appears as a great battle-scarred gnoll

atrocities in his name. Yeenoghu takes pleasure in causing fear before death, and he sows sorrow and despair through destroying beloved things. He doesn’t parlay; to meet him is to do battle with him

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

":"Dart","rollDamageType":"piercing"} piercing damage.After her husband died in battle, Duchess Dorfniya Dilisnya set her sights on becoming Count Strahd von Zarovich's bride, but she failed to win his

return the courtesy, the duchess commissioned the legendary toymaker Fritz von Weerg to build a clockwork effigy of Pidlwick as a gift for Strahd's family. Although the duchess's heart was in the right

Archon of Falling Stars

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

makes a radiant spear attack, and then its mount can use its reaction to make a melee weapon attack. Return to Nyx (Costs 3 Actions). The archon causes a corpse it can see within 30 feet of it to burst

recounts the battle between a group of the gods’ champions and a mighty archon, which took place at the mysterious eastern edge of the world. Defeated, the falling archon is said to have met the

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

notable deeds or actions. For example, Garurt translates as “axe,” a name given to a lizardfolk warrior who defeated an orc and claimed his foe’s weapon. A lizardfolk who likes to

Rak Tulkhesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

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

cities, the hatred against warforged and Cyran refugees, the calls for a return to war — all these things bear the mark of Rak Tulkhesh's malign influence. Minions of Rak Tulkhesh. Any organization that

Crook of Rao

Magic Items Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

wizard Tasha). Although she was defeated, Iggwilv managed to damage the crook during the battle, infecting it with an insidious curse—and the potential for future victory. In the aftermath, the

within 1 mile of you. Any fiend with a challenge rating of 19 or higher is unaffected. Each banished fiend is sent back to its home plane and can’t return to the plane the Crook of Rao banished it

Redcloak Battalion

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

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

the support of the crown, the King’s Citadel, and the larger Brelish army, largely summarized as the following parties: King Boranel. The king of Breland is a cautious advocate of the Redcloaks. He

Quest: Official Errands

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes of the Borderlands

adviser and scribe, who might have other tasks for them to complete. Heroes’ Return Katerina Ladon Castellan Winvarle and the citizens of the keep celebrate the characters’ heroic deeds If the

the castellan and citizens of the keep. Cautious. When presented with a choice, Elandra typically prefers the option with the least amount of risk. Complainer. Nothing is ever good enough for

Fill's Reward

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves

admonishes the dragon on her return, but their reunion is joyous nevertheless. Fill rewards the characters with a box of warm pastries and 100 GP in a pouch. If informed about Edith’s unsavory deeds, Fill

Hubbleton, but Briochebane insists on staying to make amends. The characters forfeit their reward; the same is true if the characters return to Fill empty-handed.

Mythic Monsters

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

Mythic Monsters This section describes three of Theros’s most infamous terrors, beings whose might and dreadful deeds set them apart as menaces of legendary proportions. While many of Theros’s

monsters. If you so choose, you may simply ignore a monster’s mythic trait and mythic actions. If you wish to increase a battle’s stakes, though, using a monster’s mythic trait results in some mid-battle

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