been born decide concept reason

The Fathomless

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

learn about terrestrial realms, or does it want you to open cosmic floodgates and drown the world? Perhaps you were born into a generational cult that venerates the Fathomless and its spawn. Or you

might have been shipwrecked and on the brink of drowning when your patron’s grasp offered you a chance at life. Whatever the reason for your pact, the sea and its unknown depths call to you

The Fathomless (TCoE)

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

learn about terrestrial realms, or does it want you to open cosmic floodgates and drown the world? Perhaps you were born into a generational cult that venerates the Fathomless and its spawn. Or you

might have been shipwrecked and on the brink of drowning when your patron’s grasp offered you a chance at life. Whatever the reason for your pact, the sea and its unknown depths call to you

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

’ presence is marked by an absence of animals and a strange quiet, as if the forest wishes to avoid attracting attention to itself. The faster travelers decide to move on, the better. If these

Reason for Adventuring 1 Outcast for murder 2 Outcast for severely damaging home territory 3 Clan slain by invading humanoids 4 Clan slain by a dragon or demon 5

Aberrant Mind Legacy

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

manifestations of your might? As an Aberrant Mind sorcerer, you decide how you acquired your powers. Were you born with them? Or did an event later in life leave you shining with psionic awareness? Consult the

Tiefling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language, passed down through generations, that

reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and then try to embody that concept. For some

Half-Orc Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

marriages, half-orcs are born. Some half-orcs rise to become proud leaders of orc communities. Some venture into the world to prove their worth. Many of these become adventurers, achieving greatness for

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

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

born near sandy coastlines, but as soon as they’re able to walk on two legs, they become nomad survivalists eager to explore the wilderness, experience its many wonders, put their skills to the

prefer simple, non-gender-specific names that are usually no more than two syllables. If a tortle doesn’t like its name for whatever reason, it can change it. A tortle might change its name a dozen

Waterdhavian Noble

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

Faerûn for being eccentric, spoiled, venal, and, above all else, rich. Whether you are a shining example of the reason for this reputation or one who proves the rule by being an exception, people

background below as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to suit your identity as a member of a Waterdhavian family. Like other nobles, you were born

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

few miles from where they were born. You aren’t one of those folk. You are from a distant place, one so remote that few of the common folk in the North realize that it exists, and chances are

provided. The following section, discussing possible homelands, includes some suggested reasons that are appropriate for each location. d6 Reason d6 Reason 1 Emissary 4 Pilgrim

Charlatan Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. 5 I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to. 6 Sarcasm and insults are my

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

pity. Born into the world lacking stout scales and sharp teeth, it’s a wonder they have managed to survive for so long. The typical human would barely make it through a day in the swamps. Still

quirk for a lizardfolk character or to inspire a unique mannerism. Lizardfolk Quirks d8 Quirk 1 You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and

Charlatan - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

want. 4 I’m a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. 5 I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to. 6 Sarcasm and

Gruul Anarch

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

;We weren’t born tame or domesticated, so we shouldn’t have to live that way. (Neutral) 4 Might. The strongest are meant to dominate the weak. (Evil) 5 Rage.

spiritual guidance at times. 5 Roll an additional Gruul contact; you can decide if the contact is an ally or a rival. 6 An Izzet scientist blames the Gruul for the destruction of his life’s

Feral Tiefling

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language, passed down through generations, that

reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and then try to embody that concept. For some

Tiefling Names

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

Tiefling Names Tiefling names fall into three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language

, passed down through generations, that reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

undetected and don’t give their targets reason to harm them. For example, a group of city kobolds might sneak into a cobbler’s house at night to loot it of knives, leather bits, nails, and

, giving each individual and every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect. The kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to live off the scraps of others, and they are often dominated by larger

Tiefling Names

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

Tiefling Names Tiefling names fall into three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal

concept and then try to embody that concept. For some, the chosen name is a noble quest. For others, it’s a grim destiny. Male Infernal Names: Akmenos, Amnon, Barakas, Damakos, Ekemon, Iados, Kairon

Creating a Monster

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

new monsters and customizing existing ones, if for no other reason than to surprise and delight your players with something they’ve never faced before. The first step in the process is coming up with

the concept for your monster. What makes it unique? Where does it live? What role do you want it to serve in your adventure, your campaign, or your world? What does it look like? Does it have any

Treasured Item

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

connects the druid’s mind and heart to a profound concept or spiritual outlook. When you decide what your character’s treasured item is, think about giving it an origin story: how did you come by the item

Citizenry

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer

welcoming — city. Many of the patriar families of Baldur’s Gate can trace their lineage back for generations, but a significant portion of Baldurians were not born in the city. Most citizens began their

lives in Tethyr, the North, the Western Heartlands, or other communities along the Sword Coast. Baldurians born in Amn, the High Forest, and nations bordering the Inner Sea are less common, but still

Citizenry

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

welcoming — city. Many of the patriar families of Baldur’s Gate can trace their lineage back for generations, but a significant portion of Baldurians were not born in the city. Most citizens began their

lives in Tethyr, the North, the Western Heartlands, or other communities along the Sword Coast. Baldurians born in Amn, the High Forest, and nations bordering the Inner Sea are less common, but still

Lizardfolk Personality

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

waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and portable! 2 You sleep best while mostly submerged in water. 3 Money is meaningless to you. 4 You think there are only two

metaphors work. That doesn’t stop you from using them at every opportunity. 7 You appreciate the soft humanoids who realize they need chain mail and swords to match the gifts you were born with. 8 You enjoy eating your food while it’s still wriggling.

Homeland

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

backstory and decide what terrain feels most like home, whether or not you were born there. What does that terrain say about your personality? Does it influence which spells you choose to learn? Have

grew up, either as a result of being born there or moving there at a young age. For other rangers, civilization was originally home, but the wilderness became a second homeland. Think of your character’s

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. Every kenku is born with a desire to take to the air, and those who learn spellcasting do so in hope of mastering spells that will allow them to fly. Rumors of magic items such as flying carpets, brooms

. The kenku lack the talent to improvise or alter a plan, but a wise Master sets multiple plans in motion at once, confident that underlings can follow orders to the letter. For this reason, many

Wei's Betrayal

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

, she witnesses the discovery of the potions of longevity, the lack of Dragon’s Blessing, and any slips Zhong Yin makes when talking about the reason for the investigation. After this, whenever the

characters decide to head for area Y1 to leave the ruins, read the following: Rumbling fills the tunnels, and a tremor disturbs the nearby rubble. All goes quiet again, but now a haze of dust hangs in

Improvising Ability Checks

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

things that the adventure can’t possibly anticipate. It’s up to you to decide whether their attempts are successful. If it seems like anyone should have an easy time doing it, don’t ask for an ability

ability check? How hard is it? What’s the result? Use the descriptions of the ability scores and their associated skills in the Basic Rules to help you decide what kind of ability check to use. Then

A Decision

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

are. If for any reason the characters attack Kristoffen because they learn of his affiliation with the Cult of Talos, he defends himself. Kristoffen (use half-red dragon veteran statistics but

Using Enclaves

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

Using Enclaves Each of the locations in this chapter is a blank slate; you can decide who lives there, what they want, and how they interact with visitors. Each location includes a selection of

adventure hooks that might attract characters to the enclave or give them a reason to draw on its magic. The adventure hooks also suggest specific creatures or encounter tables appearing in the “Encounters

Evil Inchoate

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

absolute evil, demons have no concept of empathy. Each demon believes that only its needs and desires matter. This self-centeredness applies even with regard to other demons. These fiends have no

particular affinity for their own kind, which is the biggest reason why they seldom cooperate with one another unless they are forced to submit to a demon lord or other leader. Going even farther, every

Personalities

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

unique mannerism. Lizardfolk Quirks d8 Quirk 1 You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and portable! 2 You sleep best while mostly submerged in water

the soft humanoids who realize they need chain mail and swords to match the gifts you were born with. 8 You enjoy eating your food while it’s still raw and wriggling.

Instructor

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

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

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

The Returned

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

. There’s no rhyme or reason to what the Gray Merchants seek, and the merchants themselves never speak. They conduct business through gestures, making their unusual trades and plodding off into the shadows

, pseudammas turn tragedy into horror by snatching mortal children and attempting to raise them. However, the Returned have forgotten the needs of the living and they have no concept of how to care for a child.

Resolving Outcomes

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

Resolving Outcomes You decide when a player makes a D20 Test based on what the character is trying to do. Players shouldn’t just roll ability checks without context; they should tell you what their

you decide: Is a D20 Test Warranted? If the task is trivial or impossible, don’t bother with a D20 Test. A character can move across an empty room or drink from a flask without making a Dexterity check

Siblings

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

you have. If you are a dwarf or an elf, subtract 2 from your roll. Then, roll on the Birth Order table for each sibling to determine that person’s age relative to yours (older, younger, or born at the

how the others do. Other Details. You can decide any other details you like about each sibling, including gender, personality, and place in the world. Number of Siblings d10 Siblings 2 or lower

Supernatural Gifts

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

beings, such as the sphinx Medomai, an oracle like Atris or Kydele, or a repository of mystical knowledge. Some heroes are born with supernatural power or born as a result of supernatural events. A

character in Theros begins with one supernatural gift chosen from those in this section. Work with the DM to decide where your character’s gift came from. Is it tied to the god you serve? Was it the

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