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Returning 35 results for 'been before decisions causing rules'.
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Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
he's tight with Levistus. He rules the roost by sheer force of personality, though it chafes him that Hethyl Arkorran has more respect and influence within the cult. Kadroth doesn't involve Avarice
to do so.
For all his political machinations, Kadroth is a visionary who has so far made the cult stronger through his actions and decisions. He spends hours behind his desk, staring into the burning
Calm Emotions
Legacy
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Spells
Basic Rules (2014)
choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. If a creature fails its saving throw, choose one of the following two effects.
You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened
is hostile toward. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
Teleport.
Assault (Costs 2 Actions). Titivilus makes one Silver Sword attack, or he uses Frightful Word.Dispater, the gloomy Lord of Dis, rules from his iron palace, seeming to hide behind its
plots are being hatched against him and that Asmodeus himself seeks to remove Dispater from power. In response, Dispater has withdrawn to his palace and left day-to-day decisions to Titivilus, even
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
results of the adventurers’ decisions. Adjudicate the Rules. You oversee how the group uses the game’s rules, making sure the rules serve the group’s fun. You’ll want to read the rest of this chapter to understand those rules, and you’ll find the rules glossary essential.
the adventurers face. The players decide what their characters do as they navigate hazards and choose what to explore. Then you use a combination of imagination and the game’s rules to determine the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
explore. Then you use a combination of imagination and the game’s rules to determine the results of the adventurers’ decisions. Adjudicate the Rules. You oversee how the group uses the game’s rules
, making sure the rules serve the group’s fun. You’ll want to read the rest of this chapter to understand those rules, and you’ll find the Rules Glossary essential.
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
help by paying for improved roofs and lamps in your neighborhood, causing the entire community to celebrate your deed.
4
Fueled by alcohol, you faced down a carrion crawler that slunk out of the
1
The tyrant who rules my land will stop at nothing to see me killed.
2
I’m convinced of the significance of my destiny, and blind to my shortcomings and the risk of failure.
3
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
Ideas, Not Rules Even though these pages are full of tables and die rolls, they don’t make up a rules system — in fact, the opposite is true. You can use as much or as little of this material as you
desire, and you can make decisions in any order you want. For instance, you might not want these tables to help you decide who your parents and siblings are, because that’s among the information
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes of the Borderlands
explore. Then you use a combination of imagination and the game’s rules to determine the results of the adventurers’ decisions. Adjudicate the Rules. You oversee how the group uses the game’s rules
, making sure the rules serve the group’s fun. Tutorials in each adventure teach you some of those rules, but you’ll want to reference the D&D Beyond Basic Rules to better understand them. Keep It Secret
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
your decisions. While such players can be helpful when you’re stuck or make a rules mistake that’s easily corrected, players who argue the rules too often can disrupt the flow of the game. If a player
(with their input), arbitrate the rules, and settle arguments. And when you’re narrating the action of the game, the players should be paying attention. Player Die Rolling Players should roll their dice
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
gloss over a rules issue in play, make a note of it and return to the issue later. Some players like to use the rules to argue against your decisions. While such players can be helpful when you’re stuck
(with their input), arbitrate the rules, and settle arguments. And when you’re narrating the action of the game, the players should be paying attention. Player Die Rolling Players should roll their dice
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata
typical D&D session, a DM makes numerous rules decisions—some barely noticeable and others quite obvious. Players also interpret the rules, and the whole group keeps the game running. There are times
The Role of Rules Why even have Sage Advice when a DM can just make a ruling? Rules are a big part of what makes D&D a game, rather than simply improvised storytelling. The game’s rules are meant to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium
things they don’t. In a typical D&D session, a DM makes numerous rules decisions—some barely noticeable and others quite obvious. Players also interpret the rules, and the whole group keeps the game
The Role of Rules Why even have a column like Sage Advice when a DM can just make a ruling? Rules are a big part of what makes D&D a game, rather than simply improvised storytelling. The game’s rules
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
the DM change the pitch or tempo of narration in different situations? Player Participation. Did the players participate in the world-building or make decisions that seemed to send the adventure in an
unexpected direction? How did the DM handle it? Rules Adjudication. To what extent did the DM lean on the rules to adjudicate outcomes? Did the DM adjudicate situations wisely or in ways that made the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
the DM change the pitch or tempo of narration in different situations? Player Participation. Did the players participate in the world-building or make decisions that seemed to send the adventure in an
unexpected direction? How did the DM handle it? Rules Adjudication. To what extent did the DM lean on the rules to adjudicate outcomes? Did the DM adjudicate situations wisely or in ways that made the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
supporting characters, breathing life into them. And as a referee, the DM interprets the rules and decides when to abide by them and when to change them. Inventing, writing, storytelling, improvising, acting
on the aspects you enjoy and downplay the rest. For example, if you don’t like creating your own adventures, you can use published ones. You can also lean on the other players to help you with rules
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh
assault worsened the Emperor’s condition, opening up a few leaks that are now causing the hold to flood. Believing that if it waits long enough, the wreck will eventually sink beneath the surface, the
anything they can wrap around. From that point on, don’t give the players the luxury of pondering their characters’ next moves. Push them to make fast decisions and do everything you can to reinforce the idea that they’re caught in a panicked flight from a sinking ship.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
rules help you do this, but when you need to act as referee, try to make decisions that ensure everyone is having fun. Communicate with Your Players. Open communication is essential to a successful D&D
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
Adventure Structure Much of the adventure’s action is driven by the clash between the adventurers’ decisions and Strahd’s goals, and the adventurers and the vampire are all caught in strands of fate
appendix B. Chapter 2, “The Lands of Barovia,” provides an overview of the realm and includes special rules for it and its people, including the mysterious Vistani. Chapters 3–15 detail areas that
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Overview A D&D adventure is a collection of locations, quests, and challenges that inspire you to tell a story. The outcome of that story is determined by the actions and decisions of the adventurers
site, Dragon’s Rest, serves as the characters’ home base during the adventure, where they can rest and get supplies between their visits to the other sites. Magic Items and Monsters. Two appendixes describe rules for magic items and monsters that characters might find in the course of the adventure.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
rules help you do this, but when you need to act as referee, try to make decisions that ensure everyone is having fun. Communicate with Your Players. Open communication is essential to a successful D&D
game and keep track of your campaign. These sheets are also available for download in appendix C.
Encounter-Building Assistance. The rules for estimating the difficulty of combat encounters have
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
trip back to Dougan’s Hole can be uneventful, or you can roll for a random encounter using the Wilderness Encounters rules (see "Wilderness Encounters"). If the winter wolves are still alive, they
attack the party as soon as the random encounter ends, before the characters have a chance to rest. Killing one wolf triggers the self-preservation instinct in its brother, causing it to flee.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Optional Rules Each of the Outer Planes has peculiar characteristics that make traveling through it a unique experience. A plane’s influence can affect visitors in various ways, such as causing them
one or more optional rules that you can use to help make the adventurers’ experiences on that plane memorable. Optional Rule: Psychic Dissonance Each of the Outer Planes emanates a psychic dissonance
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
opportunity to converse with the adventurers before making their decisions as to whether they will support Bruenor’s plans. To play out these meetings, use the social interaction rules provided in
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
a bond of loyalty, gratitude, or love. You can delegate decisions about an NPC’s actions to one of the players, especially in combat, but you can override the player’s decisions to reflect the NPC’s
, but they can’t be relied on to make wise decisions or hold up their end in battle. Wallflower Warrior. A wallflower warrior NPC is good at fading into the background, doesn’t usually chat or engage
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
make interesting obstacles. Incorporate natural features into even a constructed dungeon. An underground stream might run through the middle of a dwarven stronghold, causing variation in the shapes
and sizes of rooms and necessitating features such as bridges and drains. Add multiple entrances and exits. Nothing gives the players a stronger sense of making real decisions than having multiple ways
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
saving throw, choose one of the following two effects. You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. When this spell ends, any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its
harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
than 20 pounds of weight are placed on it, activating the pressure plate underneath and causing jets of poisonous gas to spout from the cracks between the tiles. Any creature above the trapped floor
disable a trap with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. If a character fails to disable the trap, the tile’s trap can no longer be disabled. Characters can attempt to jump over trapped tiles, using the jump rules in the Player’s Handbook.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
saving throw, choose one of the following two effects. You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. When this spell ends, any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its
harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Rules of Engagement Ideally, when the characters learn the truth about the lizardfolk and the sahuagin, they have done so before causing irreparable harm to the occupants of the lair and the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
decisions “for the good of all.” People causing trouble in Red Larch were driven out of business, intimidated, or even murdered. Several months ago, agents of the Cult of the Black Earth stumbled across
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
is one of Halaster’s gates (see “Gates”). Its frame is composed of an assemblage of hundreds of tiny, interlocking stone gears. This gate’s rules are as follows: Any creature that inspects the frame
and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check sees that one of the gears has popped out slightly. If it is pressed, the gear locks in place, causing all the gears to turn and the gate to open for
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
what catches your interest. Once you have a character in mind, follow these steps in order, making decisions that reflect the character you want. Your conception of your character might evolve with
your character, whether it’s a formal character sheet (like the one at the end of these rules), some form of digital record, or a piece of notebook paper. An official D&D character sheet is a fine
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
families. Local Leaders 1d12 Leader 1 Respected, fair, and just leader or council 2 Feared tyrant 3 Coward manipulated by others 4 Illegitimate leader causing civil unrest 5 Powerful monster 6
Mysterious, anonymous conspirators 7 Contested leadership (with open fighting) 8 Acrimonious council unable to make decisions 9 Doltish lout 10 Dying leader (with disputed succession) 11 Iron-willed and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
and phase spiders in the keep, using the rules for encounter building in the Dungeon Master’s Guide to create an appropriate challenge. Weaker Construct. The stone golem in area 4 can be replaced with
know his plan and inform the characters of it. If the characters can’t free the spirits in 3 hours, the new ritual fails disastrously, causing the entire castle to collapse. More Behirs. The behir has
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
Narration in Combat Although it’s important that the players understand what’s going on in terms of the rules, the game can get dull if everyone uses only “gamespeak”: “That’s an 18 to hit,” “You hit
; now roll damage,” “11 points,” and “OK, now we’re to Initiative count 13.” Instead, use the rules and your knowledge of the scene to help your narration. If 18 is barely a hit, but the 11 points of






