before band defeat combat reflections

Zarak

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

agree to kill something, I pursue my quarry until the job is done.” Flaw. “A friend is just an enemy I haven’t made yet.” Combat Notes When faced with multiple foes, Zarak

of his hapless prey. If defeat seems likely, he quaffs his potion of invisibility and flees. League of Malevolence The League of Malevolence is an odious assemblage of villains united in one purpose

Eye of Fear and Flame

Monsters Infernal Machine Rebuild

remains unknown. Cruel Puppet Masters. An eye of fear and flame often chooses to appear during times of uncertainty, such as after a group's devastating defeat or when an individual contemplates some

combat, it targets not only its opponents but also innocent bystanders, seeking to cause the greatest amount of confusion and destruction. If the creature is destroyed, these gems can be recovered

Zargash

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

accordingly.” Combat Notes War is Zargash’s domain. He wears a rusty chain shirt under his robe and likes to thwart enemy spellcasters by enveloping them in the area of a silence spell. If

defeat seems inevitable, he casts gaseous form on himself and flees, leaving his allies to fend for themselves. League of Malevolence The League of Malevolence is an odious assemblage of villains

Knight of the Order

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

their completion, and everyone should be praised for their strengths and comforted in their weaknesses. Knights of Myth Drannor. Long ago, the Knights of Myth Drannor were a famous adventuring band

, and Dove Falconhand, one of the famous Seven Sisters, was one of them. The band took its name to honor the great but fallen city, just as the new Knights of Myth Drannor do today. With the city once

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

a large outfit such as the Zhentarim or the soldiers of Mintarn, or a smaller band of sell-swords, maybe even more than one. (See the “Mercenaries of the North” sidebar for a collection of

tales from my military experience relevant to almost every combat situation. 5 I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. 6 I enjoy being strong and like breaking things. 7 I have

Ranger Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

skills as part of a band of rangers affiliated with a druidic circle, trained in mystic paths as well as wilderness lore. You might be self-taught, a recluse who learned combat skills, tracking, and even

hiding themselves in brush and rubble. Rangers focus their combat training on techniques that are particularly useful against their specific favored foes. Thanks to their familiarity with the wilds

Soldier Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

’ve lost too many friends, and I’m slow to make new ones. 4 I’m full of inspiring and cautionary tales from my military experience relevant to almost every combat situation. 5

forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it. 5 Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for. 6 I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves

City Watch / Investigator

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

friends, and I’m slow to make new ones. 4 I’m full of inspiring and cautionary tales from my military experience relevant to almost every combat situation. 5 I can stare down a

defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it. 5 Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for. 6 I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. d6 Flaw

Barbarian Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

by walls and crowds. They thrive in the wilds of their homelands: the tundra, jungle, or grasslands where their tribes live and hunt. Barbarians come alive in the chaos of combat. They can enter a

sufficient to defeat whatever threats arise. A Life of Danger A barbarian plays an important role as a protector of their people and a leader in times of war. Life in the wild places of the world is

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

I’m full of inspiring and cautionary tales from my military experience relevant to almost every combat situation. 5 I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. 6 I enjoy being

life on the battlefield. To this day, I will never leave a friend behind. 3 My honor is my life. 4 I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it

Urchin - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Bands of orphans and runaways band together in the Outer City, running after passersby in ragged throngs to plead for scraps. In the Lower City, urchins are often recruited into the lowest echelons

can find passages through the urban sprawl that others would miss. When you are not in combat, you (and companions you lead) can travel between any two locations in the city twice as fast as your

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

scythe. Only a skilled and determined hero can hope to survive single combat with an orc. Savage and fearless, orc tribes are ever in search of elves, dwarves, and humans to destroy. Motivated by their

while learning to fight, to survive in the wild, and to fear the gods. The children that can’t endure the rigors of a life of combat are culled from the main body of the tribe, taken into the

Returning War Band

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

) check. Awarding Experience Points Divide 500 XP equally among the characters if they defeat the hobgoblin war band or come to terms with Targor.

Returning War Band You can add a complication in the form of a hobgoblin war band returning home, just as the characters are preparing to leave. This war band consists of three hobgoblins led by

Fellow Travelers

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

the other and assume they neutralize each other — for example, a band of shield dwarves fighting for the adventurers against a band of orcs. During such combat, the force on the losing side is wiped

(see chapter 8). This changes some of the conditions described in “Underdark Travel” in chapter 2. ATTACKING IN FORCE When dealing with combat between large groups of creatures — either the

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

an orc war band celebrating its recent victory. Silently, he stalks into their midst and whispers an oath, and two orcs are dead before they even realize he is there. Silver hair shining in a shaft

skills of combat, mastering a variety of weapons and armor. Even so, their martial skills are secondary to the magical power they wield: power to heal the sick and injured, to smite the wicked and the

Dwarves and Dragonmarks

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

vendetta with a personal rival. Are you seeking to defeat them in battle or in business? 5 You’re searching for a legendary dwarven artifact, removed from the Mror Holds centuries ago by a

Karrnathi noble. 6 You want to assemble a band of champions who can help you explore the ancient ruins beneath your ancestral home.

Adjusting Difficulty

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

Adjusting Difficulty Many of the same techniques that help keep combat moving can also be useful in situations where a combat encounter is either harder or easier than you anticipated and you want to

defeat its kin (for noble or selfish reasons). A change of terrain can provide characters a chance to escape or give overmatched monsters an edge.

Experience Points

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

Experience Points Experience points (XP) fuel level advancement for player characters and are most often the reward for completing combat encounters. Each monster has an XP value based on its

challenge rating. When adventurers defeat one or more monsters — typically by killing, routing, or capturing them — they divide the total XP value of the monsters evenly among themselves. If the party

Idyllglen History

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

. As the gnolls raided the town, Solndor Brightstar, a cleric of Lathander, led the people in prayer to his god for aid. Lathander was moved by the people’s bravery and sent the angel Zariel to defeat

himself leading the war band. Zariel and the Hellriders came to the Idyllglen’s aid, but not before the town was mostly destroyed.

Creating a Ranger

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

skills as part of a band of rangers affiliated with a druidic circle, trained in mystic paths as well as wilderness lore. You might be self-taught, a recluse who learned combat skills, tracking, and even

protecting the borderlands, or a significant change? What made you join up with a band of adventurers? Do you find it challenging to teach new allies the ways of the wild, or do you welcome the relief from solitude that they offer?

Wilderness Encounters

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

Wilderness Encounters table to determine what the party meets. When an encounter occurs, the adventurers gain XP if they defeat the monsters. Each creature’s stat block has the XP value for one

flee once combat is joined. Goblins. The goblins know the location of Cragmaw Castle and can provide directions if they are captured and threatened. Each one carries a pouch containing 1d10 cp

The Winged God

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

The Winged God Adventure for Level 3 Characters Situation. A few weeks ago, a Red Dragon Wyrmling drove a band of kobolds out of their warren to claim the place as its lair. Now some of the kobolds

Warriors (Neutral) who demand that the merchant surrender his goods. In combat, the kobolds shout things like “For the Winged God!” and “Fight to reclaim our home!” If four of them fall in battle, the

Surprise

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

Surprise A band of adventurers sneaks up on a bandit camp, springing from the trees to attack them. A gelatinous cube glides down a dungeon passage, unnoticed by the adventurers until the cube

doesn't notice a threat is surprised at the start of the encounter. If you're surprised, you can't move or take an action on your first turn of the combat, and you can't take a reaction until that turn ends. A member of a group can be surprised even if the other members aren't.

Surprise

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

Surprise A band of adventurers sneaks up on a bandit camp, springing from the trees to attack them. A gelatinous cube glides down a dungeon passage, unnoticed by the adventurers until the cube

doesn’t notice a threat is surprised at the start of the encounter. If you’re surprised, you can’t move or take an action on your first turn of the combat, and you can’t take a reaction until that turn ends. A member of a group can be surprised even if the other members aren’t.

Running the Siege

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

Running the Siege You have a few options on how to run the battle. Consider the following: You can treat each defender and orc as an individual, and run the combat as a long, complex encounter. If

easily defeat twice their number of commoners, but with the defenses available to the ranchers, the odds improve considerably. The ranchers don’t have to defeat the orcs outright. They just have to

Yargath's Patrol

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

Yargath’s Patrol As they move through the forest, the characters are beset by Yargath, an anchorite of Talos, and a band of orcs — two orcs per character in the party, including sidekicks. Set the

. The orcs unleash terrible battle cries as they are joined by a humanoid with elongated claws. On the first round of combat, Yargath casts bless on up to three orcs. Meanwhile, the orcs charge across the ravine and close to melee range. Treasure. Yargath carries a potion of greater healing.

Trepsin the Troll

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

delightful terror of his more intelligent victims. Trepsin cares mostly about combat and mayhem, but he has found that serving the cult makes combat and mayhem more likely. He’s very devoted to Talis, and he

call the “Tiamat salute.” In addition, the phrases “All hail Tiamat!” and “They shall rise!” are frequently used pass phrases. In addition to their signals, cultists often wear a five-colored band or

Signature Style

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

Signature Style Many fighters distinguish themselves from their peers by adopting and perfecting a particular style or method of waging combat. Although this style might be a natural outgrowth of a

fighter’s personality, that’s not always the case — someone’s approach to the world in general does not necessarily dictate how that person operates when lives are on the line. Do you have a combat

Centaur

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

both hunting and combat. Often a band is led by the strongest and most dominant warrior, called the charger. However, some bands elevate a tactician or strategist to this venerated position. The

the far-traveling Lagonna band and the proud raiders of the Pheres band. These bands occupy territories situated between the three major human poleis, making them common sights to those who travel human

Trepsin the Troll

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

delightful terror of his more intelligent victims. Trepsin cares mostly about combat and mayhem, but he has found that serving the cult makes combat and mayhem more likely. He’s very devoted to Talis, and he

call the “Tiamat salute.” In addition, the phrases “All hail Tiamat!” and “They shall rise!” are frequently used pass phrases. In addition to their signals, cultists often wear a five-colored band or

13. Vestibule

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

has betrayed his kin by choosing to serve Xarann A’Daragon, a House Freth spy who has infiltrated Muiral’s Gauntlet. When combat erupts, Sornnozz switches sides and helps the characters kill the

phase spiders and the other guards. He then offers to lead the characters to Xarann in area 17d. If pressed for details, Sornnozz claims that Xarann is looking for ways to weaken House Auvryndar’s hold over Muiral’s Gauntlet, and he thinks a band of adventurers might be the answer to Xarann’s prayers.

Githzerai Zerths

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

see the outcome of the Seadeeps conflict but stand ready to assist should the githyanki need help. The leader of this githzerai band, Yrlakka, is a member of the Sha’sal Khou, a faction of renegade

githyanki and githzerai who seek to reunify the gith races. By helping the githyanki defeat a common foe, Yrlakka hopes to demonstrate the merits of a single unified gith race — not only to the evil

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

cruel in victory, goblins are fawning and servile in defeat, just as in their own society lower castes must scrape before those of greater status and as goblin tribes bow before other goblinoids

and know the most about the territory farthest from the tribe’s lair. These individuals hunt game in peaceful times, and in combat they serve as scouts, foot soldiers, and cavalry. Gatherers

Folk Horror Plots

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

horseback is imprisoned and sentenced to death. 4 Help a cult summon a fiend to combat an impending greater evil. 5 Defeat a violent hag who’s protected by everyone in town and called

Minotaurs of Phoberos

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

Ashlands. The Theriad recounts the brute’s defeat and the loss of his great axe, Goremaster. Viewing Thyrogog’s defeat as a divine sign, the warlord’s descendants retreated into the Ashlands. Burial

rest of the band can eat the dead minotaur’s remains, the minotaurs mobilize to track down as much of their dead comrade’s body as possible. Ragegore Minotaurs Ragegore minotaurs are the most

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