before bards dealing contained rule

College of Dance

Classes Player’s Handbook

Move in Harmony with the Cosmos Bards of the College of Dance know that the Words of Creation can’t be contained within speech or song; the words are uttered by the movements of celestial

bodies and flow through the motions of the smallest creatures. These Bards practice a way of being in harmony with the whirling cosmos that emphasizes agility, speed, and grace.

Baba Lysaga's Creeping Hut

Monsters Curse of Strahd

contained in a cavity in the stump, beneath the rotted floorboards of the hut. The floorboards can be ripped up with a successful DC 14 Strength check or smashed by dealing 10 damage to them. Once the

Fractine

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures

of itself behind. The destruction of a fractine is accompanied by a loud sound reminiscent of shattering glass. A fractine attacks by falling on its targets, dealing damage as it passes through them

. A fractine can also imprison a creature inside a demiplane contained within its two-dimensional form, the prisoner’s distorted reflection visible in the fractine’s glassy surface

Gnome Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

gave Burgell room to pack in all his gnome-sized gear. The front room was his workshop, and it contained a bewildering miscellany of tools: hammers, chisels, saws, lockpicks, tinted lenses, jeweler&rsquo

over time. Gnome names are typically variants on the names of ancestors or distant relatives, though some are purely new inventions. When dealing with humans and others who are “stuffy” about

Forlarren

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

peppered with a parental attitude toward strangers. Another is a mirthful sybarite with an unfettered love of food, drink, and romance. When dealing with the forlarren, the only constant is the malleable

, set itself up as a petty lord, and rule over all those who fall into its grasp. A Sinister Cycle. A forlarren in its fey aspect demonstrates self-destructive urges that reflect the inherent tension in

Deck of Many Things Legacy

Magic Items Basic Rules (2014)

. Turning Immunity. The avatar is immune to features that turn undead. Actions Reaping Scythe. The avatar sweeps its spectral scythe through a creature within 5 feet of it, dealing 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing

apply it. The Void. This black card spells disaster. Your soul is drawn from your body and contained in an object in a place of the GM's choice. One or more powerful beings guard the place. While your

Faction Agent

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

knowledge, rather than brute force. Harper agents are often proficient in Investigation, enabling them to be adept at snooping and spying. They often seek aid from other Harpers, sympathetic bards and

dealing with people in the outside world. d6 Ideal 1 Tradition. The ancient traditions of worship and sacrifice must be preserved and upheld. (Lawful) 2 Charity. I always

Amble

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Locathah Rising

, Amble can also act as a backup healer for the party. Note that dealing damage to Gar does not break Amble’s rule, as the tortle believes that Gar is some kind of aberrant being. Because of this, Amble will not intercede when the characters attack Gar.

The Role of Rules

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

running. There are times, though, when the design intent of a rule isn’t clear or when one rule seems to contradict another. Dealing with those situations is where Sage Advice comes in. This column

perspectives. RAW. “Rules as written”—that’s what RAW stands for. When I dwell on the RAW interpretation of a rule, I’m studying what the text says in context, without regard to the designers’ intent. The

Shadow Marches

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

hundred years ago, when a House Sivis expedition made two discoveries: the region contained valuable dragonshards, and a number of clans had manifested the Dragonmark of Finding. This led to the

clans and tribes, and most of the tribes have no interest in dealing with outsiders. House Tharashk is the largest faction in the region, and their city of Zarash’ak is the center for commerce. House

Lords' Alliance

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

agents include sophisticated bards, zealous paladins, talented mages, and grizzled warriors. They are chosen primarily for their loyalty and are experts in observation, stealth, innuendo, and combat

the glory and security of their people, and for the lords who rule over them. However, Alliance operatives are often glory hounds, looking to gain a leg up on their counterparts from other Alliance

The Role of Rules

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata

, though, when the design intent of a rule isn’t clear or when one rule seems to contradict another. Dealing with those situations is where Sage Advice comes in. It doesn’t replace a DM’s adjudication

. RAW “Rules as written”—that’s what RAW stands for. When we dwell on the RAW interpretation of a rule, we’re studying what the text says in context, without regard to the designers’ intent. The text is

The Shadow Marches

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

a House Sivis expedition made two discoveries: the region contained valuable dragonshards, and a number of clans had manifested the Dragonmark of Finding. This led to the foundation of House Tharashk

most of the tribes have no interest in dealing with outsiders. House Tharashk is the largest faction in the region, and their city of Zarash’ak is the center for commerce. House Tharashk is the main

Crew Members

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

leadership. A typical crew member uses the commoner stat block in the Monster Manual. Optional Rule: Loyalty and Quality When dealing with an individual member of the crew, you might find it useful to use

the optional loyalty rule from chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. To convert a quality score into an individual’s loyalty score, add 10 to the crew’s quality score. Mutiny A poorly led or

Bard Subclasses

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook

Harmony with the Cosmos Bards of the College of Dance know that the Words of Creation can’t be contained within speech or song; the words are uttered by the movements of celestial bodies and flow

Bard Subclasses A Bard subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bard levels, as specified in the subclass. Bards form loose associations, which they call colleges, to preserve

Bard

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

spell learned through your Magical Secrets feature counts as a bard spell for you, so it can be replaced upon gaining a bard level later. But it must be replaced by a bard spell, according to the rule

in the Spellcasting feature. Which spell scrolls can bards understand—spells from the bard list only, or spells from the bard list plus spells from Magical Secrets? A bard can use any spell scroll

Xanathar

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

realizes what has happened. Luckily for them, the beholder can’t tell one fish from another. Xanathar is extremely fond of gold. A few years ago, its spies stole the Stone of Golorr, which contained

enemies everywhere, and lashes out at anyone it suspects of being a Zhentarim spy or assassin. Adventurers who attract its attention by dealing with known or suspected Black Network operatives are

Guilds and Groups

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

circle. Bards are expected to set aside personal rivalries while in a circle outpost, and any kind of combat or violence is prohibited. Violating this rule results in immediate expulsion from the

city of Sharn, which is both the cultural heart of Breland and a nexus for intrigue and diplomacy. Bards have much to gain from the company of other bards, as they exchange news, stories, and songs

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the blood, as it once did. Because their population is so small, the yuan-ti are aware they are vulnerable in open warfare. Instead, their current plans assume they will never rule outwardly in

get into places their normal forms couldn’t enter. Their immunity to poison gives all yuan-ti a tactical advantage in dealing with other creatures. A pureblood serving as a food taster for a

Kartakass

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

a way of life in this forested domain, with everyone from the bards of Skald to the actors of Emherst pursuing dazzling dreams. Here, the people live by a simple rule: never let an audience grow bored

Mortuary Encounters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary

to expel a dybbuk† from a corpse. The exorcist asks the characters to help in dispatch the Fiend. 9 Two bards† in the Heralds of Dust approach the characters and sing a ballad honoring the dead. If the

characters interrupt or otherwise ruin the tune, 1d4 irascible specters emerge from the walls and attack, causing the bards to flee. 10 Three skeleton farmers quietly tend to corpse-white grave

Wizard

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

to cast a ritual spell contained in their spellbook, do they need to read from the book or use it as part of the ritual? No. As written, the rule doesn’t require you to read from the book. The

Monsters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

attack to make, either an attack in its stat block or a generic attack, like an unarmed strike. Multiattack doesn’t qualify, not only because it’s more than one attack, but also because the rule on

magical energy that is contained in a magic item or channeled to create a spell or other focused magical effect In D&D, the first type of magic is part of nature. It is no more dispellable than the wind

Basilisk

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

Mystic’s 4th rule of Dungeon Survival Adaptable Predators. Basilisks thrive in arid, temperate, or tropical climates. They lair in caves or other sheltered sites. Most often, basilisks are encountered

organic form in the basilisk’s gullet. Some alchemists are said to know how to process the basilisk’s gullet and the fluids contained within. Properly handled, the gullet produces an oil that can

Roleplaying Devils

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

Roleplaying Devils As the DM, you can play devils as humorous, aloof, bombastic, conniving, or scatterbrained, but a general rule to follow is this: devils have no desire to do good. When dealing

Vlaakith's Dilemma

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

fight constantly for survival, and in that respect the lives of all githyanki became easier. The mission laid out by Vlaakith in her grand proclamation remains of utmost importance. Her rule remains

raids, she risks her best warriors and marauders becoming experienced and powerful enough to challenge her rule. Also, if she sends out too many raiding parties at one time, the security of Tu’narath

Combat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

sides. What happens with surprise when a third group of combatants sneaks up, hidden from the melee, and ambushes? The surprise rule is relevant only when a combat is starting. Any ambushes during the

. Can you move through the space of a prone enemy? The prone condition doesn’t override the rule that prevents you from moving through an enemy’s space, unless that enemy is at least two sizes larger or

Inspiration

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

spice that you can use to enhance your campaign. Some DMs forgo using inspiration, while others embrace it as a key part of the game. If you take away anything from this section, remember this golden rule

: inspiration should make the game more enjoyable for everyone. Award inspiration when players take actions that make the game more exciting, amusing, or memorable. As a rule of thumb, aim to award

The Moonshaes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

lifetime, the isle of Gwynneth has become ever more fey and mysterious, home to the elven realm of Sarifal, under the rule of High Lady Ordalf. Sarifal shares the island with the reclusive mountain

Northlander culture. There’s no safe harbor for outsiders; you just have no idea what you are dealing with. For other Northlanders, the settlement of Westhaven on Pandira serves as a neutral ground where

Citadel Adbar

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

, died. His unprepared twin sons shared the rule until the elder, Bromm, was himself killed by a dragon, leaving young King Harnoth with the rule of the ancient citadel. What followed was a great bleeding

known written copies have ever been reported. Only a privileged few non-dwarves have ever heard the Dirge in its entirety, and dwarf bards who want to perform this epic must demonstrate great skill in

Fractine

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monstrous Compendium Volume One: Spelljammer Creatures

self-destructs, leaving no trace of itself behind. The destruction of a fractine is accompanied by a loud sound reminiscent of shattering glass. A fractine attacks by falling on its targets, dealing

damage as it passes through them. A fractine can also imprison a creature inside a demiplane contained within its two-dimensional form, the prisoner’s distorted reflection visible in the fractine’s

U3. Baba Lysaga's Hut

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

floorboards can be ripped up or smashed with a successful DC 14 Strength check. Characters can also break through the floor by dealing 10 damage to it. The hut doesn’t give up the gemstone easily

Intelligence (Investigation) check to find. The glyph deals 5d8 thunder damage when triggered. Opening the lid releases four crawling claws that fight until destroyed. Also contained in the chest are various

Dragon Factions

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

to the highest standards of behavior, and wields cold magic. The Brass Order could be a loose affiliation of good-hearted scoundrels, including rogues and bards, who favor fire magic and trickery. An

to the point of joining a war against a different overlord. Or they could remain independent, traveling from one dragon’s domain to another and dealing with the complex and sometimes violent political

48. Shagambi's Tomb

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

with the weapon (+4 to hit), dealing 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage on a hit. If a critical hit is scored against a terracotta warrior, it shatters and is destroyed. The terracotta warriors remain

heaped around Shagambi’s bones: 200 gp, five moonstones (50 gp each), the fine music box activated by the trap (250 gp), and an instrument of the bards (Canaith mandolin). The instrument turns to dust and

Leonin of Oreskos

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

champions of the gods. Many leonin suffered under the rule of the archons and at the whim of fickle gods, a grim history that taught them well-remembered lessons about trusting strangers or relying on

Swiftclaws, and many bards and wizards come from these prides as well. Speaker Brimaz looks beyond Oreskos and wonders if there is a future for his people in the outside world (PETER MOHRBACHER)

D&D Beyond

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