becoming better diffusing consume resolve

Quandrix Professor of Theory

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

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

interacts with the world can change the world. They impress upon their students to use magic as a tool to shape the overall experience of reality, and in turn make the world a better place. Quandrix

Haunted One

Backgrounds Curse of Strahd: Character Options

, common;set of common clothes, and 1 sp. Harrowing Event Prior to becoming an adventurer, your path in life was defined by one dark moment, one fateful decision, or one tragedy. Now you feel a darkness

threatening to consume you, and you fear there may be no hope of escape. Choose a harrowing event that haunts you, or roll one on the Harrowing Events table. Harrowing Event d10 Event

Iggwilv the Witch Queen

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

damage and be frightened of Iggwilv for 1 minute. A target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success and thereby becoming immune to Iggwilv’s Dark

path to greatness began when she was adopted by the mother of all witches, Baba Yaga, who named her Natasha. On the worlds of the Material Plane, she was better known as Tasha, the inventor of Tasha's

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

cannibalizing their victims, and then performed a sorcerous ritual while writhing in pools filled with living snakes that enabled them to mix their flesh with that of serpents, becoming like the gods in

odds aren’t in their favor. A short retreat might be just the thing to reach a better tactical position, find allies, or to allow the yuan-ti the opportunity to study their opponents and

Falthrax's Resolve

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

focusing on the positive aspects of his life and his service to knowledge. Though his struggles aren’t over, a new inner resolve promises to leave him in a better position to face those struggles.

Falthrax’s Resolve With the curse lifted, Falthrax Loderr is ready to return to Candlekeep. The experience of having sought and then rejected a magical return to youth has taught him much about

Shadow

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

, becoming a new undead shadow hungry for more life to consume. If a creature from which a shadow has been created somehow returns to life, its undead shadow senses the return. The shadow might seek

Shadow Shadows are undead that resemble dark exaggerations of humanoid shadows. Dark Disposition. From the darkness, the shadow reaches out to feed on living creatures’ vitality. They can consume any

The Horror of Defeat

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

. The Red Wizards who freed her are devoured or driven away, hunted by the forces of Szass Tam. The cultists who orchestrated Tiamat’s return fare little better, with the Dragon Queen not caring which

mortals her draconic subjects hunt, consume, and enslave. The glorious reign of dragons that Severin hoped to usher in and rule becomes a brutal world where evil dragons dominate all. This need not mean

The Horror of Defeat

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

. The Red Wizards who freed her are devoured or driven away, hunted by the forces of Szass Tam. The cultists who orchestrated Tiamat’s return fare little better, with the Dragon Queen not caring which

mortals her draconic subjects hunt, consume, and enslave. The glorious reign of dragons that Severin hoped to usher in and rule becomes a brutal world where evil dragons dominate all. This need not mean

Why Are You Here?

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

who thinks you’re better than everyone else? As an urchin, did you somehow earn a scholarship, or are you literally sneaking into your classes? As a criminal, you could be the daughter of a Boromar

an entertainer you might be a prodigy whose talent is only just emerging. A Morgrave story is about coming of age and unlocking your potential. So think about your background as a way to set up the person you’re becoming, as opposed to representing adventures that you’ve already had.

Tiers of Play

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

hopes of striking a useful alliance. The tiers of play represent the ideal milestones for introducing new world-shaking events to the campaign. As the characters resolve one event, a new danger arises

about the details of the next tier as the characters approach it. Even better, as the campaign takes unexpected turns in response to the players’ choices, you don’t have to worry about redoing much work.

Frequency of Bastion Turns

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

in your Bastions. Go ahead and resolve six Bastion turns.” The characters return to their Bastions in the midst of an adventure. You might say, “You have just enough time to take a Bastion turn

take one now.” You can slow the frequency of Bastion turns to better serve the needs of your players and your campaign. For example, if the characters have months between adventures, you can call for

Harrowing Event

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

Harrowing Event Prior to becoming an adventurer, your path in life was defined by one dark moment, one fateful decision, or one tragedy. Now you feel a darkness threatening to consume you, and you

Harrowing Event

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Harrowing Event Prior to becoming an adventurer, your path in life was defined by one dark moment, one fateful decision, or one tragedy. Now you feel a darkness threatening to consume you, and you

Moral Quandaries

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

Moral Quandaries If you want to give the characters a crisis that no amount of spellcasting or swordplay can resolve, add a moral quandary to the adventure. A moral quandary is a problem of

Respect quandary Ally Quandary. The adventurers have a better chance of achieving their goal with the help of two individuals whose expertise is all but essential. However, these two NPCs hate each

2. Unhappy Cultists

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath

Stormlord to be forced into playing the part of glorified longshoremen. The cultists here (spies) number two per character, including sidekicks. A Better Offer? The party could avoid a fight here

if they understand the frustration of the cultists and go in immediately with a better offer. To get the dialogue started on a good note, one of the characters must approach the group and talk to them

Undying Court

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

may earn your place among the Deathless. Destroy those foul creatures that channel the power of Mabar, for they consume the essence of our world. The elves of Aerenal refuse to let their greatest souls

be lost to the oblivion that is Dolurrh. The wisest and most accomplished elves are preserved after death, becoming members of the Undying Court. The devotion of the living elves sustains the Undying

Conflict without End

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

activity or to recover stolen treasures if they can do so without attracting too much attention. This eternal enmity between duergar and dwarves doesn’t consume either side; both have other concerns

and needs that take much of their time and attention, At the same time, the never-ending state of war is never out of mind — every dwarf knows that a chance encounter with a duergar could be fatal, and every duergar would like nothing better than to have such an opportunity.

Moonstone Dragon Treasures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

with unique, whimsical, or absurd designs. The more fanciful an item’s form is, the better. Moonstone Dragon Art Objects d8 Object 1 A statue of a beautiful Fey who appears to be laughing

“noxious metal” 7 A collection of gem-encrusted pitchers, decanters, and goblets; the dragon will not consume faerie nectar unless it is served in one of these items 8 A vast bookshelf full of

Preludes

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

Silence” heralds the gods’ return and provides participating characters with a better understanding of their relationship to the gods. “Eye in the Sky” sets participating characters on the path to

becoming members of the Mages of High Sorcery (see chapter 1). “Scales of War” reveals the mysterious draconians. Before starting the adventure in chapter 3, review the encounters here and choose one or

Large Groups

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

Large Groups The biggest considerations with large groups are maintaining order at the table and keeping combat from becoming too slow. Structured Turns If you find yourself in a situation where

Information. If you tell the players what the Armor Class of their opponents is, you reduce the steps of interaction needed to resolve an attack. Instead of telling you a number and asking if it hits

Nupperibo

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

nupperibo is slain, or some other morsel crosses the fiend’s path and distracts it. Slavish Obedience. With no interest of its own beyond the need to consume, a nupperibo obeys unthinkingly any command it

damage. A lemure emerges from the Styx wiped of memory, yet the patterns of evil it performed in life remain indelibly inscribed upon its soul. Those who lacked ambition cannot climb the hierarchical ladder of the Hells. They instead step down, becoming nupperibos.

Breaking the Archetypes

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

clear why you make a great addition to any franchise. Cavalier An Acquisitions Incorporated franchise is a heady mix of adventuring and business, and both those pursuits require travel. Who better to

, 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.

Carceri

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

passions and poisons, and of realm-shattering betrayals. Hatreds run like a deep, slow-moving river, and there’s no telling what the flood of treachery will consume next. It is said that prisoners can

escape Carceri only by becoming stronger than whatever force imprisoned them there, but that’s a difficult task on a plane whose very nature breeds despair and betrayal. The same tendency toward

Re-created by the Doctor

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Re-created by the Doctor If the characters oppose Dr. Mordenheim, they face droves of her bizarre creations. They also risk becoming her newest experimental subjects. Dr. Mordenheim’s experiments

such possibilities. It’s better to tip your hand about the plot than to lose a player’s investment in the game. When delivering characters into the Darklord’s clutches, employ scenarios where the

Immersive Storytelling

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

Immersive Storytelling Waterdeep is threatened by political turmoil. The adventurers must convince the Masked Lords, the city’s secret rulers, to resolve their differences, but can do so only after

against the player’s better judgment, because “that’s what the character would do.” Since combat isn’t the focus, game rules take a back seat to character development. Ability check modifiers and skill

Roleplaying a Yuan-ti

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

1 Greed. I display my wealth as a sign of my power and prosperity. (Evil) 2 Aspiration. I strive to follow the path toward becoming an anathema. (Evil) 3 Unity. No leader shall put personal goals

I frequently overindulge in food and wine, and I am impaired and lethargic for days afterward. 4 I worship a forbidden god. 5 I secretly believe things would be better if I was in charge. 6 If I could get away with it, I would gladly kill and eat a superior yuan-ti.

Paths of Escape

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

fly across the Tartyx without Erebos’s permission find themselves attacked by flocks of vicious monsters. The demons of the Underworld make this flight with better success than most, though. By

. Escaping Characters. To attempt this means of escape, a party must bargain with a demon or acquire another means of flight in the Underworld. Then they’d better be ready for the fight of their lives

7. Traders' Grotto

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

gelatinous cubes seep through a collapsed tunnel between the Traders’ Grotto and area 24 of the Goldwhisker Warrens. Both cubes advance, attempting to engulf and consume any other creatures in their

, svirfneblin inform the characters that incursions by oozes are becoming more frequent. In every case, it seems as though the oozes are trying to make their way toward the abandoned northwest section of the

Life in the Styes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Life in the Styes In better days, the fact that the Styes was sheltered from offshore winds was one of its more desirable qualities. Now, the Alchemists’ Quarter spews a permanent miasma of acrid

common. The best taverns in the Styes would be considered dives in most cities — and its inns are no better. Visitors are advised to bring their own bedding to avoid bugs, and to move the bed in front

Winter Eladrin

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

Winter Eladrin When sorrow distresses eladrin, they enter the winter season, becoming figures of melancholy and bitterness. Frozen tears drop from their cheeks, and their palpable sadness emanates

the eladrin can see within 60 feet of it, the eladrin can force that creature to succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) cold damage. To be not just ruled by emotions, but physically changed by them? Better to have no emotions at all.

Cultural Specifics

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

relocate, nor can they imagine living anywhere else. Life is as it’s always been and could never be better, but it’s constantly threatened with becoming worse.

Hill Giant

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

thongs. Bigger Means Better. In a hill giant’s world, humanoids and animals are easy prey that can be hunted with impunity. Creatures such as dragons and other giants are tough adversaries. Hill giants

are decaying plants and even mud. Farmers fear and loathe hill giants. Where a predator such as an ankheg might burrow through fields and consume a cow or two before being driven off, a hill giant

Decisionist

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

franchise party. Noteworthy Decisionists: Donaar Blit’zen (“C” Team), Kelshi Annab Essential Functions: Receive one extra vote on franchise matters; resolve interparty conflicts Position Proficiencies: In

in this capacity for years. When she leverages her coin of decisionry, glinting with its final, unswerving resolve, it is because she has heard all. The Decisonist Franchise Rank Features

Neo-Noir Intrigue

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

. There are ways to resolve these problems, but the answers aren’t always simple or obvious. There can certainly be times when decisions are straightforward. If the Emerald Claw is about to detonate a

better off under their rule. There are ancient and primordial forces at work in Eberron. But there are also misguided patriots, religious extremists, and dragonmarked houses looking to wring a few more

Modifying a Class

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

modify existing classes to better serve your game’s needs. Changing Proficiencies Changing a class’s proficiencies is a safe and simple way to modify a class to better reflect your world. Swapping

different races or cultures. The bardic colleges might be closed to everyone except elves, dragonborn might be the only creatures capable of becoming sorcerers, and all warlocks in your world might be human

D&D Beyond

Search Results