battle beings down called rites

Book of Vile Darkness

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

, foul rites that allow one to transform into a death knight or lich, or long-lost spells crafted by beings so evil their names ought never to be spoken aloud. Vile Speech. While the book is on your

Cleric

Classes Player’s Handbook

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

, 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

Kraul Death Priest

Monsters Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

linger at the margins of the undercity but now increasingly making their buzzing voices heard in the subterranean Golgari guildhall. These six-legged, insectile beings are hard-headed and literal-minded

, with little grasp of metaphor or nuance. The death priests occupy the highest roles in kraul society. They lead the buzzing chants of the kraul rites. Their inscrutable clicks and buzzing can summon

Cadaver Collector

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

the effect on itself with a success.The ancient war machines known as collectors lumber aimlessly across the blasted plains of Acheron until they are called upon by a necromancer to bolster the ranks

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

Cadaver Collector Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

. 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

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

Living Blade of Disaster

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

by powerful eldritch forces can give rise to spell effects that become living beings. These so-called living spells haunt the places where they were created, subsisting on ambient magical energy.Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

The Great Old One Legacy

Classes Player’s Handbook (2014)

might be unaware of your existence or entirely indifferent to you, but the secrets you have learned allow you to draw your magic from it. Entities of this type include Ghaunadar, called That Which

Lurks; Tharizdun, the Chained God; Dendar, the Night Serpent; Zargon, the Returner; Great Cthulhu; and other unfathomable beings.

Living Bigby's Hand

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

effects that become living beings. These so-called living spells haunt the places where they were created, subsisting on ambient magical energy.Poison

Returned Kakomantis

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Returned, called kakomanteis, use their magical prowess to control the energy that suffuses the Underworld. Returned have escaped the Underworld and dwell among the living once more, but their second

, which manifest as separate beings known as eidolons. The experience of escaping the Underworld also causes them to lose their faces, which become expressionless surfaces with empty eye sockets and gaping

Duke Zalto

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

ancient enemies: dragons. Duke Zalto has set his minions to the task of finding and unearthing fragments of a dragon-slaying colossus called the Vonindod (“titan of death”). Pieces of it were lost in

battle, while the rest was dismantled at the end of the ancient war between giants and dragonkind. Once all the pieces are found, Zalto plans to reforge the Vonindod and unleash it on the world

Cradle of the Fire Scion

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

lava. As the scion dreams of battle—perhaps a battle to rouse Annam from seclusion by uniting the giants or a war to conquer all in Surtur’s name—the volcano rumbles and spews molten

giants’ gods are enormously powerful beings who infuse the world around them with primeval magic. In many worlds, they slumber and have become part of the landscape. In this case, each scion is

Skeletal Knight

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

damage.Skeletal knights are powerful Undead that arise to serve even more wicked beings—often death knight;death knights. Those who become skeletal knights were typically virtuous in life but betrayed

free to pursue its own ends. Skeletal knights are relentless in battle and difficult to destroy. They cling to the sins that curse them, and they fight until their skulls are reduced to shards. Their

Scion of Surtur

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

plume of smoke to rise, sometimes lit from below by fiery bursts of lava. As the scion dreams of battle—perhaps a battle to rouse Annam from seclusion by uniting the giants or a war to conquer

“Giants of Myth” in chapter 3 for additional inspiration.) Scions of giants’ gods are enormously powerful beings who infuse the world around them with primeval magic. In many worlds

Rod of Seven Parts

Magic Items Vecna: Eve of Ruin

annihilation. Desperate to save themselves and their allies, powerful elemental beings called the Wind Dukes of Aaqa rose against Miska. Committed to the concept of law, the Wind Dukes descended from a

people called the vaati, who once ruled many worlds. Seven Wind Dukes wove their power into an artifact called the Rod of Law. The dukes used the rod to imprison Miska on the plane of Pandemonium. As a

Cradle of the Frost Scion

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

its cradle is functionally identical to a glacier or iceberg, nestled in an alpine valley or drifting in a polar sea. In its wintry seclusion, the scion dreams of battle and glory. If it is disturbed

the substance of the world together. (See “Giants of Myth” in chapter 3 for additional inspiration.) Scions of giants’ gods are enormously powerful beings who infuse the world around

Scion of Thrym

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

or drifting in a polar sea. In its wintry seclusion, the scion dreams of battle and glory. If it is disturbed, the scion’s cradle of the frost scion;cradle animates as a bipedal figure formed of

” in chapter 3 for additional inspiration.) Scions of giants’ gods are enormously powerful beings who infuse the world around them with primeval magic. In many worlds, they slumber and have

Living Demiplane

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

that become living beings. These so-called living spells haunt the places where they were created, subsisting on ambient magical energy.Poison

Kelubar Demodand

Monsters Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse

the kelubar dismisses it as an action.Kelubars, sometimes called slimy demodands, are the bureaucrats of Carceri, existing as intermediaries between farastu demodand;farastus and shator demodand

;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

Returned Palamnite

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

expected—not that they remember what it was they expected. As a result of having followed the Path of Phenax (see chapter 4), the Returned lose their identities, which manifest as separate beings

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 composition and craftsmanship

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; Instead, aggressive, stronger creatures register to the lizardfolk as fearsome beings to be avoided if possible. If such creatures attack, lizardfolk flee, fighting only if cornered. Lizardfolk aren

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

Githyanki

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

psionic powers and built a great city called Tu’narath. They have since spread throughout the multiverse, starting in outposts outside the Astral Plane, called creches, where time passes and their

cultivated over eons in the Astral Plane. Now all githyanki can use their psychic bond with that plane to access splinters of knowledge left behind by beings who travel, live, and die among the silver

Returned Drifter

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

), the Returned lose their identities, which manifest as separate beings known as eidolons. The experience of escaping the Underworld also causes them to lose their faces, which become expressionless

shadow plays without weight or substance. 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

Returned Sentry

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

, which manifest as separate beings known as eidolons. The experience of escaping the Underworld also causes them to lose their faces, which become expressionless surfaces with empty eye sockets and gaping

. 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

Whelm Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

. 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

to destroy goblins and giants or to protect dwarves. Whelm has ties to the dwarf clan that created it, variously called the Dankil or the Mightyhammer clan. It longs to be returned to that clan. It

Reborn

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

veins making it clear that they’ve been touched by death. Other reborn are marvels of magic or science, being stitched together from disparate beings or bearing mysterious minds in manufactured

of Dread (detailed in chapter 3): Har’Akir. You died and endured the burial rites of this desert realm, yet somehow a soul—yours or another’s—has taken refuge in your

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

Tomb Tapper

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

free to catch the weapon.The Netherese arcanists who created these creatures called them “thaluud,” which means “faceless.” Wrought from the fusion of magic and elemental earth, each of these sexless

tombs, temples, and caves in search of magic items, which they bear off. They usually try to seize magic from beings that they encounter. Magic is sacred to tomb tappers. They don't use any magic items

Deadbark Dryad

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

great evil and is unable to forgive itself, the dryad might transform into a wicked Fey monster called a deadbark dryad. Such dryads relinquish any compassion they once felt for living beings and

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

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

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

called the Chill. Unlike most of their kind, the Chill refrains from raiding the people of the North and maintains relatively good relations so that they can hire themselves out as warriors. Few city

Oath of Conquest

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

The Oath of Conquest calls to paladins who seek glory in battle and the subjugation of their enemies. It isn’t enough for these paladins to establish order. They must crush the forces of chaos

. Sometimes called knight tyrants or iron mongers, those who swear this oath gather into grim orders that serve gods or philosophies of war and well-ordered might. Some of these paladins go so far as

Oath of Conquest (XGtE)

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

The Oath of Conquest calls to paladins who seek glory in battle and the subjugation of their enemies. It isn’t enough for these paladins to establish order. They must crush the forces of chaos

. Sometimes called knight tyrants or iron mongers, those who swear this oath gather into grim orders that serve gods or philosophies of war and well-ordered might. Some of these paladins go so far as

Hobgoblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

to them, are as follows: 1st rank: Warlord 2nd rank: General 3rd rank: Captain 4th rank: Fatal Axe 5th rank: Spear 6th rank: Fist 7th rank: Soldier A legion is organized into units called

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

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

Scion of Skoraeus

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

.) Scions of giants’ gods are enormously powerful beings who infuse the world around them with primeval magic. In many worlds, they slumber and have become part of the landscape. In this case

, each scion is enclosed in stasis inside a powerful Elemental called a cradle. The cradle protects the slumbering scion and follows its subconscious wishes, including driving off intruders. But if the

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