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Returning 35 results for 'battle before deeds comes rites'.
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.
Classes
Player’s Handbook
, a Cleric can reach out to the divine magic of the Outer Planes—where gods dwell—and channel it to bolster people and battle foes.
Because their power is a divine gift, Clerics typically
prayers and rites that help them draw on power from the Outer Planes.
Not every member of a temple or shrine is a Cleric. Some priests are called to a simple life of temple service, carrying out their
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
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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
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
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
Orcus who plundered corpses from necropolises to create the first spawn of Kyuss. Even centuries after Kyuss’s death, his malign disciples continue performing the horrific rites he perfected
.
From a distance or in poor light, a spawn of Kyuss looks like an ordinary zombie. As it comes into clearer view, however, the scores of little green worms crawling in and out of it become visible. These
Monsters
Infernal Machine Rebuild
living, commanding individuals to perform evil deeds of the undead's choosing or be destroyed. If its commands are not obeyed, an eye of fear and flame throws back its hood to reveal its skull—set
flame than the instigation of the evil act—and the general spread of chaos and misery that comes with it.
Mystic Gemstones. An eye of fear and flame casts its magic powers through its gemstone eyes. In
Acolyte
Legacy
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Backgrounds
Basic Rules (2014)
You have spent your life in the service of a temple to a specific god or pantheon of gods. You act as an intermediary between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and
offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a cleric—performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power
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.
Monsters
Storm King's Thunder
talking. When he does speak outside of combat, he comes across as surprisingly calm and soft-spoken. While swinging his axe in battle, however, he bellows and laughs like a berserker.
Harshnag knows the
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
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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
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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
Monsters
Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1
overwhelming waves. In the heat of battle, individual jermlaine gladly throw themselves on their enemies' weapons to clear the way for their allies' attacks.
Hidden Threat. The jermlaine's skin is rough
, leathery, and textured like stone. Whether by the design of some sympathetic god or through sheer luck, their hide makes them appear invisible to darkvision. Part of the jermlaine's anger comes from
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
Amphibious. The grung can breathe air and water.
Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with the grung’s skin must succeed on a DC 12
warrior typically leads a group of grung and other warriors into battle and is often accompanied by a grung wildling.
Grungs
Grungs are frog-like folk found in rain forests and tropical jungles
Half-Orc
Legacy
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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
War Domain
Legacy
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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
Lizardfolk
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
skilled allies.
Alien Minds
The lizardfolk’s reptilian nature comes through not only in their appearance, but also in how they think and act. Lizardfolk experience a more limited emotional life than
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
Sage
Legacy
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Backgrounds
Basic Rules (2014)
can obtain it. Usually, this information comes from a library, scriptorium, university, or a sage or other learned person or creature. Your DM might rule that the knowledge you seek is secreted away in
life for the answer to a certain question.
6
I sold my soul for knowledge. I hope to do great deeds and win it back.
d6
Flaw
1
I am easily distracted by the promise of
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
.
When Strahd became a vampire, Vladimir and his revenants should have gone to their eternal rest. But Strahd's deeds were so heinous that Barovia and the knight's spirits became trapped behind
Bugbear
Legacy
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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
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a cleric&mdash
;performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power.
Choose a god, a pantheon of gods, or some other quasi-divine being, and work with your DM to detail the nature of your
Orc
Legacy
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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
Magic Items
Lost Laboratory of Kwalish
Kwalish’s lab in Daoine Gloine (area O7), whichever comes later in the adventure.
Skull. You summon an avatar of death — a mechanical skeleton (use bone naga statistics) clad in a
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
Hobgoblin
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
’t serve a purpose in the legion, the warlord eliminates it from the hierarchy to maximize efficiency.
Honor Bound, By Glory Crowned
Advancement in rank comes as a result of attaining glory, but
greatest respect is reserved for those who earn their glory in battle. In theory, the fortunes of war can elevate the lowest-ranking banner in a legion to the highest status. In practice, warlords are
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
abishais when it comes to leadership ability and raw power. Red abishais lead other devils into battle or take charge of troublesome cults to ensure that they continue to carry out Tiamat’s commands
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
found me floating facedown in the sewer, moments from death.
Flaws
d6
Flaw
1
Death comes for us all, so you can’t expect me to take care of someone who can’t
joined the Gruul in a battle against the Boros once, and the sergeant of that Boros squad would love to prove that it was me.
3
I had a romance with a Dimir agent whom I still feed secrets to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Rites Services revolve around the stories of the ancestors, commemorating their glorious deeds, as well as ritual exercises and trance meditation. While resting, an elf spends four hours in trance
. The faithful spend this time in communion with their ancestor, experiencing their memories and contemplating their deeds.
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
Infamy. My name will be a malediction, a curse that fulfills my will. (Evil)
5
Incorruptibility. Be a symbol, and leave your flawed being behind. (Any)
6
Anonymity. It’s my deeds that
comes to us all eventually.
2
I never make eye contact or hold it unflinchingly.
3
I have no sense of humor. Laughing is uncomfortable and embarrassing.
4
I overexert myself
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
: RESEARCHER
When you attempt to learn or recall a piece of lore, if you do not know that information, you often know where and from whom you can obtain it. Usually, this information comes from a
tomes related to a specific field of lore.
5
I’ve been searching my whole life for the answer to a certain question.
6
I sold my soul for knowledge. I hope to do great deeds and win it
Deck of Many Things
Legacy
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Magic Items
Basic Rules (2014)
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
mentally receive a truthful answer to that question. Besides information, the answer helps you solve a puzzling problem or other dilemma. In other words, the knowledge comes with wisdom on how to
Goblin
Legacy
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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
Cleric
Legacy
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
Arms and eyes upraised toward the sun and a prayer on his lips, an elf begins to glow with an inner light that spills out to heal his battle-worn companions.
Chanting a song of glory, a dwarf swings
to those chosen to fulfill a high calling.
Harnessing divine magic doesn’t rely on study or training. A cleric might learn formulaic prayers and ancient rites, but the ability to cast cleric
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
believe he lost hope in his descendants when their ancient empires fell into ruin. Some claim he was weakened after a long battle against his brother, Memnor (who is more commonly described as one of
and Rites. Thanks to his prolonged absence from mortal giants’ affairs, Annam has few priests. On some worlds, he has no priests and his name is all but forgotten. On other worlds, a priest of Annam
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
Mogis and regularly hold bloody rites in his honor. Warchanters, the minotaur clergy of Mogis, whip their marauders into a near-mindless frenzy before battle; the ensuing slaughter gives glory to
) MYTHS OF MOGIS
The tales of Mogis’s deeds exemplify his need to unmake, his brutality, and his desire to destroy his hated brother.
The Endless Feud. One legend claims that Mogis and Iroas were once






