before back defusing counting retreat

Merregon

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

backbone of many devils’ protective retinues. They shrink from no task, no matter how dangerous. Unless ordered to fall back, they never retreat from a fight.Fire, PoisonCold; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Silvered

Ras Nsi

Monsters Tomb of Annihilation

can use his action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into his yuan-ti form. His statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment he is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. He doesn't change

level (4 slots): expeditious retreat, false life, magic missile, shield 2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, hold person, misty step 3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, fireball 4th

Yuan-ti Mind Whisperer Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

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't

, crown of madness, detect thoughts, expeditious retreat, fly, hypnotic pattern, illusory script Sseth's Blessing. When the yuan-ti reduces an enemy to 0 hit points, the yuan-ti gains 9 temporary hit

Fathomer

Monsters Princes of the Apocalypse

Shapechanger (2/Day). The fathomer can use its action to polymorph into a Medium serpent composed of water, or back into its true form. Anything the fathomer is wearing or carrying is subsumed into

regains after finishing a short or long rest, and knows the following warlock spells: Cantrips (at will): chill touch, eldritch blast, mage hand 1st level: armor of Agathys, expeditious retreat, hex 2nd

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

Flint squinted into the setting sun. He thought he saw the figure of a man striding up the path. Standing, Flint drew back into the shadow of a tall pine to see better. The man’s walk was

. EXCELLENT AMBASSADORS Many half-elves learn at an early age to get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and

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

it to retreat into its ancient tomb and forget to feed on souls. The spells it once knew fade from its mind, and it no longer channels the arcane energy it wielded as a lich. However, even as a mere

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

sneak out of the closet in the middle of the night, smother the guest with a pillow, and then retreat back to the closet. The castle staff never considered that the effigy might be responsible

The Archmages' Desperation

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

archmages Mordenkainen and a version of Tasha from Oerth, though Alustriel and Tasha don’t yet know that Mordenkainen is Kas the Destroyer in disguise. These Wizards Three retreat to a sanctum Alustriel

keeps in Sigil. Using their combined magic, the archmages weave a Wish spell in hopes of sabotaging Vecna’s accumulated power and defusing his ritual. Instead of any expected effect, the Wish spell shunts

Lhammaruntosz

Monsters Sleeping Dragon’s Wake

, mending 1st level (4 slots): charm person, detect magic, expeditious retreat, sleep 2nd level (3 slots): darkness, invisibility,suggestion 3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, protection from energy

rating no higher than her own, or back into her true form. She reverts to her true form if she dies. Any equipment she is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (Lhammaruntosz's choice

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

’ serpent gods into their religions. These victories sent a constant influx of food, ore, and slaves back to the home cities. The wealth of the empire allowed the ruling elite plenty of time to

of purebloods and slaves are thrown at opposing forces in the hope of allowing the malisons and abominations time to escape. Survival First Yuan-ti are likely to retreat or flee from conflict if

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

We had a tabaxi come through once, a few winters back. She kept the taproom packed each night with her stories and spent most days napping in a chair in front of the fireplace. We thought she was

mull over the stories and rumors they collected like a miser counting coins. Although material wealth holds little attraction for the tabaxi, they have an insatiable desire to find and inspect ancient

Battle for Blingdenstone

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

Battle for Blingdenstone Once the characters see how overwhelming the opposition is inside the Pudding Court, they have little choice but to retreat and report their findings to the Diggermattocks

defeat this threat if the settlement stands divided. That means counting the Goldwhisker wererats as allies and recognizing their right to rejoin the community. Give the characters a chance to ask

About the Conservatory

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

About the Conservatory “The conservatory has four floors, counting the roof. The outer doors—that’s a double door in front and a back door leading to the kitchen—they’re good, sturdy oak and barred

Troll Pursuit

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

Troll Pursuit If the party is forced to retreat from the lodge, the four-armed troll Trepsin (see area 2 and the “Four-Armed Troll” sidebar) pursues them and tries to bring at least one of them back to the lodge for questioning.

Swift Retreat

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

Swift Retreat When the characters reunite with Kalaman’s soldiers, Darrett welcomes them back, but he keeps the conversation short. The Dragon Army is mustering and soon will strike at Kalaman’s

Troll Pursuit

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Troll Pursuit If the party is forced to retreat from the lodge, the four-armed troll Trepsin (see area 2 and the "Four-Armed Troll" Sidebar) pursues them and tries to bring at least one of them back to the lodge for questioning.

Strahd von Zarovich

Monsters Curse of Strahd

Shapechanger. If Strahd isn’t in running water or sunlight, he can use his action to polymorph into a Tiny bat, a Medium wolf, or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into his true form. While in

the reach of melee combatants and spellcasters, or he flies away (using summoned wolf;wolves or swarm of bats;swarms of bats or swarm of rats;rats to guard his retreat). Strahd observes the characters

Plan of Attack

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

Plan of Attack Dragon Cultist This encounter should challenge the adventurers in every way. The characters should be no easy match for the attacking force, such that retreat and escape might be

their best option if they hope to survive. However, if the characters haven’t made escape plans ahead of time, the attackers will have taken steps to make retreat impossible. The specifics are up to

Dealing with the Soldiers

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

Dealing with the Soldiers If the characters confront the Dragon Army soldiers on the cliffs, the messenger attempts to retreat to the Dragon Army camp on her warhorse rather than aiding her allies

. With the Dragon Army soldiers gone, Cudgel is eager to ride out to meet her mercenaries. She plans to bring them back to a defensible position just north of the village. If the characters don’t attack the Dragon Army soldiers on the cliffs, skip to the “Preparing for the Worst” section.

Plan of Attack

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

Plan of Attack This encounter should challenge the adventurers in every way. The characters should be no easy match for the attacking force, such that retreat and escape might be their best option if

they hope to survive. However, if the characters haven’t made escape plans ahead of time, the attackers will have taken steps to make retreat impossible. The specifics are up to you, but should be

Street Chase: Winter

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

Stone? If she is caught, Vevette surrenders. She’s counting on the law to protect her from serious harm, and she knows she has done nothing to warrant arrest. Vevette no longer has the Stone of Golorr

, after parting with it back in the theater. She doesn’t willingly divulge who has the stone, though the characters can pry the information from her using a charm person spell or similar magic. If the

Order of Events

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Divine Contention

back to its hiding place in the mere. Ularan Mortus withdraws in victory to his headquarters. Stormsworn’s troops intercept his entourage outside town, but her reduced forces are beaten back. The remaining members of both sides retreat to their respective headquarters.

forced to fall back and regroup. As Ularan Mortus’s army forces its way into Leilon, Ebondeath reaches the House of Thalivar and searches for the ruinstone. Unless stopped, it claims the stone and flies

Adventure Background

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

destroy evil in the multiverse, rather than stand back and watch demons and devils annihilate one another, destroying vast swaths of the multiverse in the process. In defiance of her superiors, Zariel

to the archdevil Bel and his infernal legions. Many of Zariel’s warriors fought bravely, but for others, the horrors of the Nine Hells proved too great. They fled back through the portal, sealing it

24. Collapsed Areas

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

sixteen troglodytes in varying stages of decay. Feasting on the remains are seven drow ghouls that were created by Vlonwelv to devour the dead. The ghouls retreat into the back tunnels when one or more drow enter the room. If a drow is not among those who enter, the ghouls attack.

throughout is silty and wet. 24c. Morgue A foul stench wafts through the double door, which stands ajar. Piled near the tunnels at the back of the room are the stripped corpses of eight drow and

Gold Dragon Treasures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

hidden. Gold Dragon Art Objects d10 Object 1 A fine tapestry depicting the intermingled family trees of several royal bloodlines going back multiple generations—and containing surprising

face burned and cracked and two others that are counting down to unspecified future events, including one less than a month away

Bandit Attack

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

one wagon. The wagon starts to burn, and the attackers flee back toward their camp. Anyone pursuing them is led up over a ridge, straight into an ambush of the massed bandits waiting below the crest

. They use the light of the burning wagon to target individuals. The bandits prefer to harry the caravan from cover and mount an attack once the defenders are weakened. None of the bandits is willing to die. They retreat so they can attack the caravan again later.

5. Trolling the Troglodytes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

door, and retreat to area 7a, leaving the characters to deal with the troll on their own. The mutated troll has an extra pair of arms sprouting from its chest and a fifth arm growing out of its back. The

Jander Sunstar

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

soul by swearing to hunt down his own kind. Later, he volunteered to join Zariel on her crusade into the Nine Hells. Stirges now swarm back and forth from Jander’s body, preserving his existence by

: Jander and Haruman were both part of a host of warriors who joined the angel Zariel in her assault on the Nine Hells. After charging through the portal into Avernus, Jander panicked and fled back to

Neverlight Grove

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

quaggoth spore servants, and four awakened zurkhwoods (see appendix C) loyal to Sovereign Phylo cut off their retreat. They surround the characters and their followers, offering to escort them to Phylo

afflicted by Zuggtmoy’s spores, as described in chapter 5. If the characters take Basidia’s advice and turn back, the myconid sovereign promises to contact them again when “the time is right to oppose Zuggtmoy” (as described in chapter 16, “The Fetid Wedding”).

Skyriders

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

, winged shapes gliding toward you — giant vultures! Each bird carries on its back a warrior in dull blue armor with a dirty white cloak. The attackers include one Feathergale knight and two Howling

reduced to half its hit points or less, its rider disengages and retreats. If any two riders are killed or retreat, the third flees. Treasure None of the riders carry treasure, but one of them has a

Scouting

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

first and can choose whether to avoid or deal with the encounter. If characters in the scouting party notice the encounter without being seen themselves, they can retreat back to the main force to

Temple of Black Earth

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

stopped in their tracks by the daunting defenses of the gate quarter. More than one reckless attack by orcs, trolls, or giants was driven back from the gate. In time, those savage foes found other ways

underneath the Sacred Stone Monastery, linked by the Ancient Stair. Earth cult raiders can strike at the surrounding settlements and retreat to the safety of the Black Earth temple with ease. Marlos

Merregon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monsters of the Multiverse

their unshakable loyalty, merregons form the backbone of many devils’ protective retinues. They shrink from no task, no matter how dangerous. Unless ordered to fall back, they never retreat from a fight

Final Confrontations

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

berserker, they make a fighting retreat through the pastures to steal sheep and ponies. Nettlebees in Hiding. Once the barbarians make it to the ranch, Javor bursts into the house’s cellar. The Nettlebees

halfling pluck and dark devotion make the wicked Nettlebees unlikely to back down easily. In fact, Wiggan tries to bribe the characters into defending Bertram and him “against these savages.” He also uses

Shadow of Soth

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

. It pauses before the figure, who climbs onto the undead terror’s back. Together, they rise into the air and circle the city before flying south and out of sight. The character with the highest

can retreat safely, telling the characters she has a few tricks in store for their pursuers. Make it clear the characters don’t need to rush their exploration of the city to return to their allies.

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