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Returning 35 results for 'been before decide combat reasons'.
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Spells
Player’s Handbook
the steed’s creature type—Celestial, Fey, or Fiend—which determines certain traits in the stat block.
Combat. The steed is an ally to you and your allies. In combat, it shares your
Initiative count, and it functions as a controlled mount while you ride it (as defined in the rules on mounted combat). If you have the Incapacitated condition, the steed takes its turn immediately
Monsters
Spelljammer: Adventures in Space
important individuals and locations is entrusted to astral elf honor guards, highly trained warriors who are more than capable of holding their own in combat.
Astral Elves
Long ago, some elves ventured
citadels.
Although the Silver Void is their home, astral elves often venture into Wildspace systems and place their ships and citadels in orbit around stars. Astral elves do this for several reasons
Half-Orc
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Basic Rules (2014)
-orcs hear the whispers of Gruumsh in their dreams, calling them to unleash the rage that simmers within them. Others feel Gruumsh’s exultation when they join in melee combat — and either
name for a human name. Some half-orcs with human names decide to adopt a guttural orc name because they think it makes them more intimidating.
Male Orc Names: Dench, Feng, Gell, Henk, Holg, Imsh, Keth
Initiative
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Rules
Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. When combat starts, every participant rolls Initiative; they make a Dexterity check that determines their place in the Initiative order. The DM
rolls for monsters.Surprise. If a combatant is surprised by combat starting, that combatant has Disadvantage on their Initiative roll. For example, if an ambusher starts combat while hidden from a
Rogue
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
variety of skills as they do to perfecting their combat abilities, giving them a broad expertise that few other characters can match. Many rogues focus on stealth and deception, while others refine the
skills that help them in a dungeon environment, such as climbing, finding and disarming traps, and opening locks. When it comes to combat, rogues prioritize cunning over brute strength. A rogue
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
journals or hidden away in someone’s mind. Even you might not be aware of all the reasons behind the missions you carry out. Sometimes a mission’s sole purpose is to conceal the
people’s nightmares.
6
Combat is meant to be quick, clean, and one-sided.
7
I like to stick to the shadows.
8
I never show my anger. I just plot my revenge.
Ideals
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
coins
Feature: Undercity Paths
You know hidden, underground pathways that you can use to bypass crowds, obstacles, and observation as you move through the city. When you aren’t in combat, you
of my parents is an elite assassin, a member of the Ochran.
2
I learned combat from a kraul.
3
I know a medusa who is stationed in the guildhall.
4
I had a torrid romance with a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild
Muralist Mutiny As written, the sculptors in the Tomb of Horrors are eager to escape but the muralists are loyal to Moghadam. However, you might decide that the muralists have their own reasons to
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
others can be exploited through bribes, favors, or threats.
As creatures devoid of emotion, yuan-ti exhibit behavior and use tactics that exemplify that outlook (or lack of one). Whether in combat
the gods or as food.
Depend on Deceit
Yuan-ti have no sense of honorable combat. They are naturally stealthy, and if they can sneak up on enemies, either in an ambush or to murder them in their sleep
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
Adjusting Difficulty Many of the same techniques that help keep combat moving can also be useful in situations where a combat encounter is either harder or easier than you anticipated and you want to
defeat its kin (for noble or selfish reasons). A change of terrain can provide characters a chance to escape or give overmatched monsters an edge.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Combat Encounters The following features can make a combat encounter more interesting or challenging: Changes in Elevation. Terrain features that provide a change of elevation (such as stacks of
classes and origins. A diverse force is more powerful. Reasons to Move. Use features that encourage characters and their enemies to move around, such as chandeliers, kegs of gunpowder or oil, and rolling stone traps.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
of infernal flame, and a devil erupts from the ashes. You can also alter a monster’s stat block in subtle ways in the middle of combat; for example, you might decide that a monster flies into a frenzy
Keeping Combat Moving Sometimes even the best-planned combat encounter can turn into a slog, where no one’s moving and neither side is hitting or dealing much damage to the other. When that happens
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Initiative Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. When combat starts, every participant makes a Dexterity check to determine their place in the initiative order. The DM makes one
among tied DM-controlled creatures, and the players decide the order among their tied characters. The DM can decide the order if the tie is between a monster and a player character. Optionally, the DM
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
Attack Rolls In combat, an attack roll is used to determine whether an attack hits. You can also use attack rolls to resolve noncombat activities that are similar to attacks in combat, such as an
archery contest or a game of darts. Assign an Armor Class to the target, decide whether the character is proficient with the weapon used, then have the player make an attack roll. (See also “Degrees of Success” in this chapter.)
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
Initiative Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. When combat starts, every participant makes a Dexterity check to determine their place in the initiative order. The DM makes one
among tied DM-controlled creatures, and the players decide the order among their tied characters. The DM can decide the order if the tie is between a monster and a player character. Optionally, the DM
Paladin
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
skills of combat, mastering a variety of weapons and armor. Even so, their martial skills are secondary to the magical power they wield: power to heal the sick and injured, to smite the wicked and the
while you were at prayer? Did another paladin sense the potential within you and decide to train you as a squire? Or did some terrible event—the destruction of your home, perhaps—drive you to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Noncombat Challenges You decide whether to award experience to characters for overcoming challenges outside combat. If the adventurers complete a tense negotiation with a baron, forge a trade
agreement with a clan of surly dwarves, or successfully navigate the Chasm of Doom, you might decide that they deserve an XP reward.
As a starting point, use the rules for building combat encounters in
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Old Flame I have a lover in Ten-Towns whom I haven’t seen in years. At any time outside of combat, I can decide who the lover is by choosing an NPC in Ten-Towns that I can see. Once I make this
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh
to decide on a course of action for when the drowned ones breach the defenses. The survivors do not participate in combat against the drowned ones. Even if they aid in the defensive preparations, come nightfall they retreat to area 25.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
lap if the characters decide to visit the Caer. Here are a couple reasons why the characters might go there: Looking for a good night’s rest in Caer-Dineval, the characters are directed to the castle
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
The Order of Combat A typical combat encounter is a clash between two sides: a flurry of weapon swings, feints, parries, footwork, and spellcasting. The game organizes combat into a cycle of rounds
and turns. A round represents about 6 seconds in the game world. During a round, each participant in a battle takes a turn. The order of turns is determined at the beginning of combat when everyone
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
The Order of Combat A typical combat encounter is a clash between two sides: a flurry of weapon swings, feints, parries, footwork, and spellcasting. The game organizes combat into a cycle of rounds
and turns. A round represents about 6 seconds in the game world. During a round, each participant in a battle takes a turn. The order of turns is determined at the beginning of combat when everyone
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
Rolling Initiative Combat starts when—and only when—you say it does. Some characters have abilities that trigger on an Initiative roll; you, not the players, decide if and when Initiative is rolled
anticipate the spell. Using Initiative Scores You can get to the action of combat more quickly by using Initiative scores instead of rolling. You might decide to use Initiative scores just for
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
NPCs made the challenge easier. (See also “Nonplayer Characters” in chapter 3.) Noncombat Challenges You decide whether to award XP to characters for overcoming challenges outside combat. If the
adventurers complete a tense negotiation with a baron, forge a trade agreement with a guild of surly smiths, or safely navigate the Chasm of Doom, you might decide the characters deserve XP. As a starting
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
ensuring your characters develop strong personal reasons to continue to adventure, even if they begin their adventuring careers in the pursuit of wealth. Perhaps they want revenge on a despicable
Characters who come into a lot of wealth might try to buy magic items that make them more powerful. Remember, you decide what magic items, if any, can be bought and sold in a settlement. You don’t have
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
accomplished veteran of the craft. That instructor was, or perhaps still is, well versed in a certain aspect of combat that relates to the student’s background. If you decide that your character had an
Instructor Some fighters are natural-born combatants who have a talent for surviving in battle. Others learned the basics of their combat prowess in their formative years from spending time in a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
know each character’s AC, you don’t need to ask whether a monster’s attack hits. Help Players Keep Up. If a player isn’t sure what to do on their turn in combat, help the player decide by offering a
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
characters don’t need to take turns, but you need to give each player a chance to tell you what their character is doing so you can decide how to resolve everyone’s actions. In combat, everyone takes
and places and for characters to make choices. Encounters can involve exploration (interacting with the environment, including puzzles), social interaction with creatures, or combat. The Player’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
bookshelf. Outside combat, the characters don’t need to take turns, but you need to give each player a chance to tell you what their character is doing so you can decide how to resolve everyone’s
and places and for characters to make choices. Encounters can involve exploration (interacting with the environment, including puzzles), social interaction with creatures, or combat. The following
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
road, or a situation the characters are asked to resolve. You decide the scope of the decision the characters must make. You can ask them to make a simple choice (“Do you want to take the path along
small dungeon or an encounter (which might involve multiple ability checks or even combat). Let the character of the player who flipped the card be the focus of the day’s events and make any required
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath
A Decision At some point, the characters must decide which vessel and captain they prefer. The town covers the cost of passage there and back for the characters, and both captains ask the same fare
replace fire with cold in attacks and resistances) can summon a pair of air elementals that serve him on behalf of Talos, which appear at the end of the first round of combat.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata
commitment. By taking the Ready action, you’re giving your character access to a tailor-made Reaction to use in a given circumstance. However, you’re not bound to take that readied Reaction. As combat
continues, you can decide to take this readied Reaction—or, if plans change, you can take any other Reaction you might have access to, such as an Opportunity Attack. But remember that you have only one
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Netheril’s Fall: Tales of Terror, Treasure, and Time Travel
prizes to those whose ideas net the most spectators. Reasons to Visit. Adventurers might visit the Coliseum of Karsus for one of the following reasons: Combat and Spectacle. Adventurers might come to
foremost of all. In the center of the acropolis stands Karsus’s Sanctum, a pillared pavilion that looks out over the city. Reasons to Visit. Adventurers might visit the acropolis for one of the following
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
Monster Behavior The attitudes, motivations, and behavior of the monsters in an encounter help determine how a social interaction plays out (and whether it might erupt into combat) and influence the
course of combat. Brian Valeza Kobolds build a barricade to keep adventurers at bay Initial Attitudes A published adventure typically notes or implies whether a creature’s initial attitude toward the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
in-game explanation. Monsters don’t attack the character, who returns the favor. On returning, the player resumes playing as if the absence never happened. Narrative Contrivance. Decide the character
is elsewhere while the rest of the party continues the adventure. Come up with in-game reasons for the character to temporarily leave the party and rejoin later, such as following up on a rumor or






