before band defusing combat rivals

Manshoon

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

, Wall of Force 1/Day Each: Befuddlement, Clone, Finger of Death, Mind Blank (cast before combat), SimulacrumProtective Magic. Manshoon casts Counterspell or Shield in response to the spell’s

duplicate himself, his allies, and even his rivals. Manshoon knows that keeping people guessing about hidden identities makes them easier to manipulate. Manshoon usually wears a mask and concealing

Drow Favored Consort

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, including the powerful drow matron mother, takes an attractive drow as consort. Chosen as much for beauty as for magical might, a drow favored consort can hold their own in both conversation and combat

consort is assured for long, though; Lolth’s priestesses are notoriously fickle, and a consort must often contend with rivals. Some favored consorts work behind the scenes to undermine the evils

Frost Giant Everlasting One

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

":"damage","rollAction":"Rock","rollDamageType":"bludgeoning"} bludgeoning damage.To hold its place or rise within the ordning, a frost giant must routinely face mighty foes in single combat. Some seek

regenerative ability. With these gifts, the frost giant can swiftly claim the title of jarl and easily fend off rivals for decades. However, if the frost giant doesn’t give enough honor to Vaprak or

Changeling Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Long ago there was a woman named Jes, and she had one hundred children. Her rivals conspired against her and swore to kill her children. Jes begged the Sovereigns for help, but their only answer

focused identity helps a changeling pinpoint a particular skill or emotion. A changeling adventurer might have personas for many situations, including negotiation, investigation, and combat. Personas

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

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

Cloud Giant Destiny Gambler

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

trickery. Years of successful wagers make destiny gamblers so confident in their ability to win any challenge that they invite potential rivals to name the terms of a wager. Those who are foolish enough to

issue a combat challenge quickly find these giants’ magical prowess is nearly unmatched. Destiny Gambler Spell Winnings Destiny gamblers aren’t content with winning mere treasures

Sapphire Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

their lairs fiercely, ambushing intruders and plotting assaults against their rivals. The sonic pulse of their breath weapon sows weakness, leaving the victims unable to fight back. Luminous Blue

;gelatinous cubes and ochre jelly;ochre jellies. 2 A band of minotaur;minotaurs in service to Baphomet has captured a sapphire dragon wyrmling to learn from the wyrmling’s strategies

Barbarian Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

the latest challenger to her authority over their tribe, ready to break his neck with her bare hands as she did to the last six rivals. Frothing at the mouth, a dwarf slams his helmet into the face

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

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

Bremen in a Nutshell

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

represents treasure found in the wake of local floods, the blue band is the Shaengarne River, the blue triangle is Maer Dualdon, and the white field represents snow. Sacrifice to Auril. Warmth (see "Sacrifices to Auril"). Rivals. Lonelywood, Targos, Termalaine.

. Heraldry. A gold circle on a white field, with a horizontal blue band extending to the left under the circle, and a flaring blue triangle opening away from the circle on the right. The gold circle

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

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

Anatomy of a War Band

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

the pack after putting down its rivals; more often, the band fragments and the survivors go their separate ways. Cultists Rarely, a war band includes orcs, humans, or other humanoids that have sworn

Anatomy of a War Band A gnoll war band is likely to contain a variety of gnolls and other creatures, and no two of these groups have the same composition. The gnolls that make up the rank and file

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.

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?

Despotic Perspective

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

beholder’s true rivals are other beholders, for only another beholder has the intellect, power, and magic to threaten another of its kind. Most of a beholder’s mental activity is devoted to unearthing plots

against itself (real or imaginary), planning attacks against known rivals, and preparing its defenses against all possible threats. It considers itself the center of the world, in a narcissistic way

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.

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.

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

Infernal War Machine Combat

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

Infernal War Machine Combat All the warlords described in this adventure use infernal war machines to strike fear into their rivals, fend off demons and other threats, and flee from Zariel’s devil

patrols. The rules for infernal war machines in appendix B are meant to help you adjudicate situations that arise during encounters, but combat involving infernal war machines works best with “theater

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.

Random Encounters

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

war band* — 2 2d6 jackalweres 3 3 1d3 manticores 4 4 1d3 + 1 trolls 5 5 Elk tribe hunters* — 6 1d8 will-o’-wisps 6 — Knights of Samular* 7 — Homestead* — 7 1d2 ghasts and 1d4 + 2 ghouls 8 8 1d4 + 1

gargoyles 9 9 Air cult skyriders* 10 10 Water cult raiders* 11 11 1d6 + 2 bugbears 12 12 Fire cult war band* 13 13 Earth cult marauders* 14 14 2d4 ogres 15 — Caravan* — 15 1d4 + 1 wights 16 16 2d4

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

races have little good to say about kobolds, but they do admit that the little reptilians do respectable tunnel work using simple tools. If a band of kobolds is enslaved by more powerful creatures

unnoticed by their larger rivals. If it’s lucky, a tribe of kobolds that is discovered by a group of larger humanoids might form a mutually beneficial arrangement, relying on the humanoids for

Orog

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

of food often brings them to the surface to hunt. Orcs respect an orog’s strength and cunning, and a lone orog might command an orc war band. Stronger and Smarter. An orog uses its strength to bully

makes them ideal leaders, and thus deadly rivals to orc war chiefs, who must be wary of orog treachery. Detached Killers. Wanting nothing more than to hack their enemies to pieces, orogs are a

By Land

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

close to the temporary lair of a band of bullywugs. Bullywug scouts patrol the area and, unless spotted, return to the larger group after identifying the adventurers to organize an ambush. Bullywug

Transients. The bullywugs are a roving band but they have set up a defensive camp here because they have happened upon a considerable treasure. Rather than risk traveling through the swamp with their

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

Creating a Ranger

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->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

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

Black Dragon Adventures

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

black dragon recently took control of a band of pirates and their backwater hideout. Emboldened, the pirates have started raiding nearby shipping lanes. 2 A conflict-averse black dragon is secretly

. 2 A band of troglodytes is cowed into serving a black dragon wyrmling as bodyguards. 3 The recent appearance of a black dragon wyrmling has altered the local ecosystem, allowing various

Quill's Party

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

middle of the room, surrounded by a crowd of thirty villagers dressed in fine attire, all having a good time. Five villagers have gathered on the stage to perform instrumental music. This band includes a

engage in battle and flee if combat erupts. Renekor can tell the real Quill from the fake one. When it notices the characters and the real Quill, the beholder attacks, hovering just out of reach of melee

Tyrant's Escape

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

in destroying Dranzorg. If they do, she’ll let them leave the house. Mara demands the characters retrieve her armor from the tower chamber (area 26). If they use it in combat as described below, she

can help them defeat Dranzorg. Eternal Rivals. Dranzorg focuses his attacks on the character wearing Mara’s armor. If a character wearing Mara’s armor is reduced to fewer than half their hit points

Flavors of Fantasy

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

campaign: Evil Adventurers. An evil band of experienced adventurers wields power and influence to oppress hapless folk. Evil Weapon. A knight under the influence of a sentient, evil weapon terrorizes a

greater importance than combat. Make sure your players know ahead of time that you want to run this kind of campaign. Otherwise, a player might create a combat-focused character, only to feel out of place

D&D Beyond

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