before back defeated cautious reason

Snow Sphinx

monsters

whips around a feline face, revealing piercing blue eyes that can freeze foes with a single glance. Compared to its desert-dwelling cousins, this sphinx is far less likely to be defeated with reason or

Quasit (familiar variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

Shapechanger. The quasit can use its action to polymorph into a beast form that resembles a bat (speed 10 ft. fly 40 ft.), a centipede (40 ft., climb 40 ft.), or a toad (40 ft., swim 40 ft.), or back

shares the quasit’s Magic Resistance trait. At any time and for any reason, the quasit can end its service as a familiar, ending the telepathic bond.Claws (Bite in Beast Form). Melee Weapon Attack

Yuan-ti Pit Master

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

and argue for a slow, cautious approach in all matters.PoisonChange Shape. The yuan-ti transforms into a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. If it dies, it stays in its current form.

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to disturb her self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off Icewind Dale

time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is incapable of showing mercy or compassion. Play her as a supremely cold and

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to

can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is

Wereraven

Monsters Curse of Strahd

wereraven polymorphs into a raven–humanoid hybrid or into a raven, or back into its humanoid form. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing

or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its humanoid form if it dies.Wereravens are secretive and extraordinarily cautious lycanthropes that trust one another but are wary of just about

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

Ulder Ravengard

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. Following the deaths of two council members amid a cloud of corruption and scandal, he persuaded the Parliament of Peers to back his election to grand duke. Upon ascending to the highest position in the

struggled in performing his duties, finding his hands tied at every turn by both overt and invisible bureaucracy. Despite this, he's been a voice of reason and common sense on the Council of Four — if

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures

might prove helpful: So long as she has mortal worshipers, Auril can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals

Yuan-ti Malison (Type 3) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

Shapechanger. The yuan-ti can use its action to polymorph into a Medium snake, or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn&rsquo

or were defeated by those who fought against their cannibalism and slavery, and the serpent folk were left in the ruins of their great capitals, far removed from other races. Cold of Heart. Humanoid

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

tracked them to their sanctuary and overwhelmed them with a vast force. Vladimir, whom Argynvost had made a field commander, couldn't hold back the evil tide and was killed, only after the heartbreak of

feelings fueled the spirits of many of his fellow knights—including Godfrey—to come back as revenants as well. Vladimir continued to wage the hopeless war, even as Strahd tightened his grip on the valley

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. A kobold’s cautious nature doesn’t mean it can’t get angry. The blood of dragons flows in its veins, and like a raging drake, a kobold that is pushed too far or has its back

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

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

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

hundreds of miles of the Great Glacier and the Great Ice Sea. No one from your nation makes the effort to cross such colossal barriers without a convincing reason. You must fear something truly

Lesser Star Spawn Emissary

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

damage. Change Shape. The emissary polymorphs into a Small or Medium creature of its choice or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is

slurry. It then instantly returns in its greater form. Only if the emissary is defeated in its greater form does the star spawn die. After finishing a long rest, a greater star spawn emissary regains

Archon of Falling Stars

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

mount, the mount is reduced to 0 hit points as well. Radiant Rebirth (Recharges after a Long Rest). If the archon is reduced to 0 hit points, it regains 30 hit points and springs back to its feet

recounts the battle between a group of the gods’ champions and a mighty archon, which took place at the mysterious eastern edge of the world. Defeated, the falling archon is said to have met the

Folk Hero - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

for one last chance to win back the goodwill you’ve drunk away. 5 You once defeated a raging bugbear with a hand mirror, a mounted deer’s head, and two kicks to the groin. Later, you

dozen adopted grandparents inviting you in for a meal. 3 Seeing a lost patriar after dark in the Outer City, you guided the wayward noble through back streets to safety. The patriar repaid your

Kasimir Velikov

Monsters Curse of Strahd

led her down a path of evil and deceit. For that reason, Kasimir wants to see the vampire destroyed so that his sister can be rescued from her eternal damnation. Secrets of the Amber Temple. Patrina

more important, he believes that the Amber Temple holds the secret to bringing the ancient dead back to life. With the characters' help, Kasimir thinks he might be able to find out how to restore

Demilich (Variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

assume a wraithlike form. The skull then emits a terrifying howl that can slay the weak-hearted and leave others trembling with fear. Left alone, it sinks back down and returns to the empty peace of

its existence. Few liches seek to become demiliches, for it means an end to the existence they hoped to preserve by becoming undead. However, time can erode the lich’s reason and memory, causing

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

notable deeds or actions. For example, Garurt translates as “axe,” a name given to a lizardfolk warrior who defeated an orc and claimed his foe’s weapon. A lizardfolk who likes to

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

at the burned-out building, a sudden cacophony erupted around us. Birds squawked, cats hissed, and dogs growled. Lidda hustled us back to the city’s safer avenues. Only when we were back within

. 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

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

back into the air. Those that make it to a world in the Material Plane find it a strange place. They sometimes forget or ignore vertical distances, and they have nothing but pity for those earthbound

it hard not to pluck the treasure and bring it back to their settlement to beautify it. An aarakocra who spends years among other races can learn to inhibit these impulses. Confinement terrifies the

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

in the presence of Skiggaret. Talking about such acts might call him back. Blessings of the Bugbear Gods Bugbears have no use for priests or shamans. No one needs to tell them what their gods want

heads of defeated foes, cut away or stitch open the eyelids, and leave the mouths hanging open. The heads are then placed on spikes or hung from cords around a bugbear den. The heads themselves are

Uthgardt Tribe Member

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

among the people as living embodiments of his power. Perhaps they needed a reminder of who they were and from whence they came. The Chosen of Uthgar led bands back to the old ways, and most of your people

totem spirits were defeated by Uthgar and where the heroes of the tribes are interred—are sacred to you. Your bond is undoubtedly associated with your tribe or some aspect of Uthgardt philosophy or

Icespire Hold

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak

Icespire Hold Icespire Hold is where adventurers can expect to find Cryovain if they haven’t defeated the young white dragon elsewhere. This location is designed for characters of 6th level, though lower-level characters can defeat the dragon if they’re cunning and cautious.

Unspeakable Horror (Malleable Mass)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

vaporous visions amid the fog, mysterious eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable

can’t persist for long outside the Mists: after 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into

Unspeakable Horror

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink

","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Body

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

raid just as another group returns, laden with severed heads, sacks of loot, and armfuls of food. Warriors also serve as scouts, bringing back detailed reports about the surrounding area so that the

haul as much food and booty as possible back to the tribe’s den, every tribe has a sturdy war wagon. Since orcs are poor crafters, most of their wagons are stolen from human or dwarven

Unspeakable Horror (Loathsome Limbs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty

Mists: after 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4

Unspeakable Horror (Oozing Organs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they

":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction

Unspeakable Horror (Aberrant Armor)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink forth into

":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Body Composition

Crook of Rao

Magic Items Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

wizard Tasha). Although she was defeated, Iggwilv managed to damage the crook during the battle, infecting it with an insidious curse—and the potential for future victory. In the aftermath, the

within 1 mile of you. Any fiend with a challenge rating of 19 or higher is unaffected. Each banished fiend is sent back to its home plane and can’t return to the plane the Crook of Rao banished it

Circle of Thunder

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak

Circle of Thunder “Circle of Thunder” is balanced for characters of 6th level, though characters of 4th or 5th level can weather its challenges if they are cautious. No quest leads the party to this

counterattack on Falcon’s Hunting Lodge (see “Counterattack!”), characters can follow Gorthok’s trail back to the Circle of Thunder, where that creature was summoned.

Auril's Everlasting Rime

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

nightly quest to hold the sun at bay stems from a need to preserve the beauty of things by freezing them. There is no way to reason with a being so bereft of compassion as Auril, but in her weakened

state, she can be defeated or forced to reckon with her cruel indifference toward life. Anyone who hopes to reach the Netherese city buried in the ice must first visit Auril’s island and obtain The

Halfling Tables

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

extremely cautious, always on the lookout for monsters and other dangers. 5 You always see the bright side of a situation. 6 You like to collect mementos of your travels. Halfling Ideals d6 Ideal 1

how small you may be, you won’t back down from a bully. Halfling Flaws d6 Flaw 1 You can’t resist poking your nose where it doesn’t belong. 2 You are very fidgety. Sitting still is a major challenge

New Characters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

, the characters need a reason for Lord Neverember to request their help in chapter 1, even if it’s simply because their heroics are widely known. Regardless, 10th-level characters have already had long

character fought the cultists and defeated the cult’s archmage leader. 2 As a bodyguard for a high-ranking political or business figure, the character has staved off attacks from assassins and demons. 3

D&D Beyond

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