been before drawn concept rather

Water Weird Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

those its summoner declares as off limits. When slain, a water weird becomes an inanimate pool of water. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil

interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might turn against its summoner. A water weird loses its evil alignment if its waters are cleansed

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

rather than perform the work or confront the foe. Even when subsumed into a goblinoid host and drawn into war, bugbears must often be roused from naps and bribed to get them to do their duties. This

natural state. Thanks to Grankhul, they can use their size and strength to work as stealthy assassins rather than blundering around like ogres. Bullying, murder, and engaging in battle are all holy

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the group’s needs, but the effect each action will have on the forest and the rest of the natural world. Firbolg tribes would rather go hungry than strain the land during a famine. Hidden

Shepherds As caretakers of the land, firbolgs prefer to remain out of sight and out of mind. They don’t try to dominate nature, but rather seek to ensure that it prospers and survives according to its

Mighty Servant of Leuk-o

Magic Items Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

soul of the mighty warlord Leuk-o was drawn into the artifact and has become its animating force. The servant has been known to attack or move of its own accord, particularly if doing so will cause

instantly and leave behind no remains. This does not destroy the servant permanently. Rather, 2d6 days later, its parts—left arm, left leg, right arm, right leg, lower torso, and upper torso&mdash

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

Character Names

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

names, that’s fine. If the group would rather take the characters and their names a little more seriously, urge Bob’s player to come up with a more appropriate name. Player character names should match

each other in flavor or concept, and they should also match the flavor of your campaign world — so should the nonplayer characters’ names and place names you create. Travok and Kairon don’t want to undertake a quest for Lord Cupcake, visit Gumdrop Island, or take down a crazy wizard named Ray.

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many druids pursue a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature

water—must remain in equilibrium. If one element were to gain power over the others, the world could be destroyed, drawn into one of the elemental planes and broken apart into its component

Survival of the Fittest

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

pity for adults who can’t take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result of the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to

themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folk

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

kenku, constant attempts to mimic noises can come across as confusing or irritating rather than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be clear

might sound like fun, but it can prove distracting and could slow down the game. Kenku Names Given that kenku can duplicate any sound, their names are drawn from a staggering variety of

Using This Book

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

a new class, the artificer, that reflect the flavor of the world. It also presents group patrons, a new concept that adds a shared purpose to your party of adventurers. You can use this material in

includes magic items and other treasures for an Eberron campaign. It also explores the vital role of dragonshards. Chapter 6 presents new monsters and NPCs drawn from the world of Eberron. From mighty

Origin of the Ordning

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

the ordning in some mythic future. Giants on some worlds (including Eberron) have no concept of the ordning at all. Such giants might think of themselves as a single species, with the differences

among giant kinds reflecting a cultural or geographical distinction rather than an inherent one. They might live in bands composed of multiple giant kinds or family groups of a single kind. Or giants of

Character Advancement

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

taking part in a play session. A character reaches 1 checkpoint for each hour an adventure is designed to last. Note that the award is based on the adventure’s projected playing time, rather than the

designed to take 2 hours, the character reaches 3 checkpoints. Playing time might seem like an odd way to measure experience awards, but the concept is in keeping with how a shared campaign is meant to

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

other useful items, but if they are at risk of discovery, they run away rather than attack anyone in the house. By fleeing before they can be seen or identified, they avoid getting into a situation

divination (to find raw materials and foresee threats to the tribe). The main reason why kobolds depend on arcane magic rather than divine is Kurtulmak’s imprisonment, which makes it difficult for

Secret

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

holy symbol that represents that divinity. Some clerics, especially in a world like Eberron, serve a whole pantheon, rather than a single deity. In certain campaigns, a cleric might instead serve a

cosmic force, such as life or death, or a philosophy or concept, such as love, peace, or one of the nine alignments. Chapter 1 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide explores options like these, in the section

Gods and Religion

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

don’t typically exalt themselves and demand worship from lesser beings. Rather, they are often drawn to follow gods—and sometimes other powerful beings—who help them live out their part in that epic

Water Weird

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

. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil. However, a water weird bound to a sacred or befouled source of water begins to take on the nature of that site

, becoming neutral good or neutral evil. A neutral good water weird tries to frighten away interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might

Darklords

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

adventures rather than saving them for distant climactic plots. Darklords Don’t Realize They’re Darklords. With a few exceptions, Darklords don’t realize they occupy a special place in the world. Their

concept of how long they’ve lived, how many times they’ve died, or why they returned to life. Should a Darklord fall, the temporary defeat lasts until they’re restored by the Dark Powers. In their

Yuan-ti Cities

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

yuan-ti content themselves with maintaining these ancient places rather than building new ones for their needs. Although these sites are hundreds or even thousands of years old, they don’t look or feel

reflects human ideas about art and beauty. Over time this perspective was skewed toward the concept that the snake is the perfect form, so serpents are a common theme in their aesthetic. The major

Modifying a Class

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

, paladins might not swear their oaths to ideals, but instead swear fealty to powerful sorcerers. To capture this story concept, you could build a new paladin spell list with spells meant to protect

their masters, drawn from the sorcerer or wizard lists. Suddenly, the paladin feels like a different class. Be cautious when changing the warlock spell list. Since warlocks regain their spell slots

Chapter 2: The Sword Coast and the North

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

Chapter 2: The Sword Coast and the North This chapter details many of the locales of the Sword Coast and the North, as seen through the eyes and recollections of a person living in Faerûn. Rather

than being exhaustive descriptions, what follows are snippets of information drawn from the experience of five individuals who have traversed, lived in, and explored these areas. Like any other narrators

Shadow of Soth

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

continues. “We just saw something come over the cliffs—a gods-cursed dragon skeleton! We’re retreating, and the Dragon Armies are following. We’ll keep them drawn out as long as we can. See if you can

get at whoever’s in charge in there!” Rookledust encourages the characters to find the Dragon Army’s leaders within the city rather than pursing Soth. The gnome is confident that Kalaman’s forces

Bluetspur

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

Bluetspur, and none who witness them remember. This alien domain etches itself not upon the waking mind, but rather upon the body as inexplicable scars and on the psyche through nightmares. Not all the

Domains of Dread are drawn from worlds hospitable to life. Bluetspur’s scale and impossible geometry induce instinctual anxiety. Gaseous tempests whirl upon the hooked peaks of gravity-defying mountains

Introduction

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

you receive a cancer diagnosis or a similar health news, you probably appreciate that concept a little more than other people. Watching someone you love waste away is a terrible thing. You want a

magic button to bring things back to the way they should be, this person you love so much restored to who they really are rather than what cancer is grinding them down into. It’s easy to give in to

Life in the Sensa Empire

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

. Historically, rather than a single imperial line controlling the throne, each empress or emperor selects an heir from among the eldest children of each city-state’s monarch. While no law prevents rulers

sometimes diplomacy is all that prevents raids from neighboring territories. Names Sensan names are typically drawn from significant locations connected to the parents’ relationship, the pregnancy, or

Womford Rats

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

cult symbol. Roleplaying Shoalar Shoalar appears jovial, but he has a biting sense of humor and tends to laugh at people rather than with them. If questioned, he denies any knowledge of books or

), each worth 30 gp. A large chart on a table in the deckhouse marks the location of Rivergard Keep with a hand-drawn water cult symbol.

Keeper Societies

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

don’t reveal themselves to those not of their kind. Rather, they infiltrate Keeper societies as reclusive members, traveling experts, or foreign scholars. Some Keepers also tell of sightings or

emblem worn as a pin or amulet. Drawn from esoteric writings, this mark is a recreation of the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, a storied religious artifact from Barovia. Though these reproductions carry no

Appendix A: Shared Campaigns

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

hard to keep a campaign going. Enter the concept of the shared campaign. In a shared campaign, more than one member of the group can take on the role of DM. A shared campaign is episodic rather than

The Attack

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

recover and regroup. Encourage tactical thinking. If one of the sides of the battle consists of savage monsters or mindless undead, give clues that they attack the nearest enemy rather than thinking

. Three-sided battles can sometimes take longer because of the number of combatants participating. Use your discretion as the DM to have the excitement of the battle build up rather than fizzle out

Unwelcome Party

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

family or attracting other fiends, but does so as a last resort. Members of the Hunt family reduced to 0 hit points by the devils are knocked unconscious rather than killed, as the devils are hoping to

silvered. Harkina can relay the following information regarding the current situation in the city: Many of Elturel’s citizens died when the city was drawn to this terrible place. Still more have died in the

Outer Planes

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

concept on the Outer Planes. A perceptible region of a plane might seem quite small on one visit, and on another trip it can stretch on to what seems like infinity. Adventurers could take a guided tour

might feel strange urges to perform deeds of kindness or compassion, while visitors to the Lower Planes might find themselves drawn to acts of cruelty or betrayal. Those who spend time on Mechanus and

Heart of the Matter

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

with every passing second, and my king is part of it. Or rather, his stolen heart is. “Ghalasine is slowly being reduced to ash, and its people are dying and can’t escape. King Jhaeros would do

most of her time in the mage tower (area S14). Consuming Void. A spherical void has formed high above the castle. The souls of the dead and the ashes of the city are being drawn into it. Most people in

Story Overview

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

Story Overview The characters are drawn into the story by Syndra Silvane, a retired adventurer and merchant who, years ago, was raised from the dead. Now, she’s withering away. When she consulted

protector of the city of Mezro. He betrayed his oaths and was banished. Rather than redeem himself, he raised an undead army to conquer Mezro. The would-be tyrant was defeated and banished once more. Mezro

Gathered Whispers

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

Spirits 1 A council of my dead ancestors watches over me. 2 Fiendish presences vie for my soul. 3 Unquiet souls are drawn to me and beg for peace. 4 The spirits of those I

know it, and require no components to cast it. When you cast the spell, the messages are delivered by one of your whispering spirits rather than you or the target’s voice. Your spellcasting ability for

Life in San Citlán

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

—believed to be death herself—is the patron spirit of the city. She is a capricious figure who wishes to be celebrated rather than feared. While numerous festivals are held throughout the year, the most

more than fifty years, was the congregation’s founder and is credited with San Citlán’s economic rise. However, her focus on progress and city aesthetics has drawn heavy criticism, as the majority of

Baphomet

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

consider other people little more than animals. Baphomet’s teachings reinforce these beliefs, appealing to the ego and justifying narcissism. Bigots are also drawn to Baphomet’s doctrine of individual

of Spiders and her brood rarely take part directly in the Blood War; rather, her agents in the Abyss contrive to lure her enemies into throwing themselves into the struggle. Her servitors spy on both

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