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Returning 35 results for 'because books down called rules'.
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Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
Queen, who rules from a castle called Dynnistan. It isn’t known whether these legends are based on any true experience or are simply the result of imagination trying to account for a terrifying and
called lich-knights or fell horsemen.
In stark contrast to the knights of Eldraine, the deathless riders are without virtue of any kind. They are few in number—unless many more lurk in the dark
Monsters
Candlekeep Mysteries
the books and scrolls kept in her subterranean domain. The Sentinel Wyrm can be summoned by the Keeper of Tomes and called upon to defend Candlekeep from invaders who would plunder or destroy it. In her
see.Well over 1,500 years ago, the silver dragon Miirym broke into Candlekeep, intent on adding its riches to her hoard. She devoured scholars and destroyed a score of irreplaceable books before she was
Monsters
Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
’s Guide for rules on extreme cold). If the climate in the area already features extreme cold, the cold is numbing—creatures in the area without immunity or resistance to cold damage 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
Baphomet
Legacy
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Monsters
Out of the Abyss
, the Horned King and the Prince of Beasts. He rules over minotaur;minotaurs and others with savage hearts. He is worshiped by those who want to break the confines of civility and unleash their bestial
. Although filled with bestial bloodlust, there lies within a cruel and cunning intellect devoted to subverting all of civilization.
Baphomet wields a great glaive called Heartcleaver. He sometimes
Monsters
Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
envelops the land within 6 miles of the scion (see the Dungeon Master’s Guide for rules on extreme cold). If the climate in the area already features extreme cold, the cold is numbing—creatures
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
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
martyrs’ remains until the martyrs are called back to life to oppose a world-changing foe.
2
Gather the lost shards of a dead god’s petrified body, and reunite them on the altar in the
filling books, scrolls, tablets, or stranger archives—such as magical crystals that hold captured memories or the voices of those long dead. You can use this lair and the lair actions described for
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
race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation.
Ability Score Increases
When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium
) Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014) (abbreviated DMG) The free Basic Rules (2014) contains portions of those three books.
Rules References The fifth edition of D&D has three official rulebooks, each of which was first published in 2014: Player’s Handbook (2014) (abbreviated PHB) Monster Manual (2014) (abbreviated MM
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Unearthed Arcana
Forgotten Realms Subclasses January 28, 2025
In this new Unearthed Arcana document, we explore material designed for upcoming books, using rules from the 2024 Player’s Handbook. This playtest
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves
share this role.) Rules Consultant. One player references rules in the Player’s Handbook or other books as needed.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
Orders of Accordance All who enter Candlekeep must agree to the Orders of Accordance, rules set forth by the senior staff to prevent misconduct. Violating one or more of these orders results in
banishment from Candlekeep, and the banished are seldom allowed to return. The rules are simple: No fighting. All arguments must follow the rules of cordial debate and discussion. Violent altercations are
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
collection of essays called Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions was brought to Candlekeep only a few days ago. It was donated by Yalerion Highscroll, a scholar from Waterdeep who purchased the journal in
the markets of Baldur’s Gate. Unbeknownst to the characters, the book is a monster in disguise and attacks them as they try to read it. Afterward, the characters discover that other books in Candlekeep have behaved similarly, suggesting there might be something more malevolent going on.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase
about their fate in hopes of receiving an answer from the sages. Unknown to outsiders, the sages’ talents come from their best-guarded secret: a series of ancient, magical tomes called the Books of
Prophecy. The books chronicle events that have happened and those yet to pass; each cryptic page might detail a fate days, months, or years in the future. Shalfey, Elder Sage of the Tower of the Heavens
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
encourage you to choose the ones that fit best with your campaign’s story and with your group’s style of play. Whatever options you choose to use, this book relies on the rules in the Player’s
Handbook, Monster Manual, and Dungeon Master’s Guide, and it can be paired with the options in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything and other D&D books. UNEARTHED ARCANA
Much of the material in this book
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver
Glossary The adventure uses terms that might be unfamiliar to you. A few of these terms are described here. For descriptions of rules-specific terms, see the Basic Rules. Characters. This term refers
to the adventurers run by the players. They are the protagonists in any D&D adventure. A group of characters or adventurers is called a party. Nonplayer Characters (NPCs). This term refers to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak
Reading Ahead As the players familiarize themselves with the character options and adventuring gear described in the Basic Rules, take advantage of the opportunity to read ahead. “The Adventure
described here. For descriptions of rules-specific terms, see the Basic Rules.
Characters. This term refers to the adventurers run by the players. They are the protagonists in any D&D adventure. A group of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
staff, as well as several homemade constructs called skitterwidgets (described at the end of the adventure). As soon as he learned about the theft of Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion, Stonky test-fired the
deactivate the countdown timer or disable the rocket before it blasts off and launches Stonky’s cult (and its modest collection of books) into space.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
run a special session—colloquially called session zero—to establish expectations, outline the terms of a social contract, and share house rules. Making and sticking to these rules can help ensure
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons
and a fire elemental Xonthal called forth to guard his workshops. In the absence of new orders, the elementals eternally follow Xonthal’s last command to slay intruders. When any character enters the
from a distance. A large, round table with four chairs sits in one corner of the room, with shelves and workbenches arranged along the walls. Books and papers are scattered on the table, along with a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
Difficulty Class (DC). The target number for an attack roll is called an Armor Class (AC), which appears on a character sheet or in a stat block (see the rules glossary). JOHN GRELLO A D20 Test can result in a dramatic success, a simple accomplishment, or a catastrophe
D20 Tests When the outcome of an action is uncertain, the game uses a d20 roll to determine success or failure. These rolls are called D20 Tests, and they come in three kinds: ability checks, saving
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Difficulty Class (DC). The target number for an attack roll is called an Armor Class (AC), which appears on a character sheet or in a stat block (see the Rules Glossary).
D20 Tests When the outcome of an action is uncertain, the game uses a d20 roll to determine success or failure. These rolls are called D20 Tests, and they come in three kinds: ability checks, saving
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
campaign inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft or Clark Ashton Smith? Or do you envision a world of muscled barbarians and nimble thieves, along the lines of the classic sword-and-sorcery books by
Robert E. Howard and Fritz Leiber? Your choice can have a impact on the flavor of your campaign.
Heroic Fantasy Heroic fantasy is the baseline assumed by the D&D rules. The Player’s Handbook describes
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
involved, at least one NPC sings while the others beatbox, hum harmonies, drum on tables, clap books together, tumble or dance, or perform other accompaniment. The audience is wowed at their smack
sense in the context of the sing-off. A character might bench press a huge stack of books to the song’s beat while lying on a table, making a Strength (Athletics) check. Or a character might leap
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
rights among the student body. For more about this event, see the “Battle of Strixhaven” section. Mage Tower’s Rules Here are the rules of Mage Tower: Each of the two teams has an equal number of
, mascot, or spectator or that would damage the field of play in any way is prohibited. Breaking this rule results in expulsion from the game. Questionable use of magic can be called as a foul by the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
some D&D games and for some players. DM Screen A DM screen shields your books, notes, and die rolls from your players. (See the “Ensuring Fun for All” section later in this chapter for more about when
and why you might want to hide die rolls.) Most DM screens have art on the outward-facing panels and handy rules information on the inside-facing panels. Others might be made of fancy wood or sculpted
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. A Heavily Obscured area—such as an area with Darkness, heavy fog, or dense foliage—is opaque. You have the Blinded condition (see the rules glossary) when
. Even gloomy days provide Bright Light, as do torches, lanterns, fires, and other sources of illumination within a specific radius. Dim Light. Dim Light, also called shadows, creates a Lightly Obscured
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
the shadow of a high-walled citadel called Exaltation. EXTRADIMENSIONAL SPACES
Candlekeep has invisible doorways to dozens of permanent extradimensional spaces, some as small as a room at an inn and
doorways lurk in the library, their locations or access requirements lost. Valuable books, scrolls, and other items might be trapped inside these extradimensional spaces.
When an extradimensional space
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
actions in the game don’t change the nuts and bolts of the rules, but they make all the difference in the feel of a campaign. Similarly, a class doesn’t need new rules to reflect a cultural influence; a
new name can do the trick. A traditional Chinese wuxia hero might be a paladin who has a sword called the Oath of Vengeance, while a Japanese samurai might be a paladin with a particular Oath of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
. Backgrounds and Species from Older Books
Backgrounds in older D&D books don’t include ability score adjustments. If you’re using a background from an older book, adjust your ability scores by
increasing one score by 2 and a different one by 1, or increase three scores by 1. None of these increases can raise a score above 20.
Similarly, species in older books include ability score increases
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
reputations, and professional behavior. This code, called Tempus’s Honor, has the purpose of making conflicts brief, decisive, and as safe as possible for those not directly involved. The rules in the
envision him. Tempus’s favor might be randomly distributed, but over the centuries his priests have made an effort to spread and enforce a common code of warfare — to make war a thing of rules, respect for
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
to journey here. Orcus rules Thanatos from a vast palace known as Everlost, crafted of obsidian and bone. Set within a howling wasteland called Oblivion’s End, the palace is surrounded by tombs and
covered in dense jungle, surrounded by a seemingly endless expanse of ocean and brine flats. The Prince of Demons rules his layer from two serpentine towers, which emerge from a turbid sea. Each tower
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak
Role of the Dungeon Master The Dungeon Master (also called “the DM”) has a special role in the D&D game. The DM is a referee. When it’s not clear what ought to happen next, the DM decides how to
apply the rules and keep the story going. The DM is a storyteller. The DM sets the pace of the story and presents the various challenges and encounters that the players must overcome. The DM is the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
marble throne surrounded by stacks of aged books. Carved into the wall behind the throne is Halaster’s personal rune, and beneath the rune is a locked iron chest. (Halaster sits in the throne and is
the statue in area 22 or the statue in area 28 (no action required). Treasure Hidden behind the stacks of books are any magic items the characters sacrificed to reach this level (see area 35 on level 22
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
hangs open on one hinge. Strahd’s soldiers forced open the iron door that once sealed Argynvost’s vault (area Q41). They also took every book in this study but one. (Many of the books taken from here can
was slashed by a sword. Leafing through the crumbling book reveals that it is a devotional text for knights from a place called the Holy Empire of Valentia. Most of the knights who joined Argynvost
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Noteworthy Features Those familiar with Hazlan know the following facts: The wizard Hazlik rules Hazlan. His apprentices have free rein to exploit the land and its people to further their magical
experiments. Inhabitants claim the eyelike design called the Eye of Hazlik bears Hazlik’s blessing and wards off dangerous magic. Magic is unreliable in Hazlan, resulting in dangerous side effects. The