before barely dealing contrast readily

Vertebrae Sword

Equipment

The jagged vertebrae sword of a fishfolk warrior can barely be called a sword. Locals would say it’s better described as a makeshift weapon crafted from a fish skeleton and sea trash. Its poor

vertebrae sword, you can use a bonus action to rake and twist the weapon, breaking off some of the sword’s boney barbs and dealing an extra 1d8 piercing damage. The vertebrae sword can only be used in this way 5 times before it becomes unusable as a weapon.

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, even by the standards of his diminutive race, with the fluff of his curly brown locks barely cresting the three-foot mark, but his belly was amply thickened by his love of a good meal, or several, as

avoid unwanted attention. Halflings work readily with others, and they are loyal to their friends, whether halfling or otherwise. They can display remarkable ferocity when their friends, families, or

Gnome Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

his or her appearance. A male gnome’s beard, in contrast to his wild hair, is kept carefully trimmed but often styled into curious forks or neat points. A gnome’s clothing, though usually

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

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

friends and loved ones age while time barely touches them. Others live with the elves, growing restless as they reach adulthood in the timeless elven realms, while their peers continue to live as

contrast, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their charisma and social skills to great use in diplomatic roles or as swindlers. Half-Elf Names Half-elves use either human or elven

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

hold and controls their actions. In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk doesn’t think, “I’m scared.&rdquo

pity. Born into the world lacking stout scales and sharp teeth, it’s a wonder they have managed to survive for so long. The typical human would barely make it through a day in the swamps. Still

Mount Celestia

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

Mount Celestia The single sacred mountain of Mount Celestia rises from a shining Silver Sea to heights barely visible and utterly incomprehensible, with seven plateaus marking its seven heavenly

the purest souls can. Gazing toward that peak fills even the most jaded of travelers with awe. Optional Rule: Blessed Beneficence In contrast to the dissonance experienced by evil creatures here, good

1. Village of Parnast

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

(see chapter 7). The village has a few dozen houses and a small square, with buildings that include a tavern, a stable, and a shrine. In contrast to this rustic burg stands a mighty ice castle half

has no time or patience for dealing with outlaws. THE HELPFUL WHEELWRIGHT While the village is full of cultists and those who cooperate with them, not everyone is willing to tolerate the cult’s

Preparing for Battle

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

spectators finally reaches High Hill. The grassy slope is spotted with trees and crumbled stone fencing. Near the base, several dozen soldiers in matching armor stand in even formation. The contrast

are given wooden spears with padded tips to prevent them from dealing damage. The mayor reminds everyone not to use real weapons during the reenactment so nobody gets hurt. Mercenaries of the Ironclad

Psychological Horror

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

between what characters think and how they behave. When creating adventures rooted in psychological horror, consider common fears and anxieties. These readily become metaphors for villains and monsters

perceptions and how characters might overcome them. The “Fear and Stress” section of chapter 4 provides options for dealing with the stress of adventuring. If some force is actively trying to cause stress for

Dealing with Uldrak

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

Dealing with Uldrak Uldrak is a bitter creature who barely remembers his past. Long ago, he learned how to remove his curse, but the solution was so beyond him that he consigned himself to failure

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

interest of maintaining the strength of their personal bloodline. The yuan-ti have abandoned their humanity and consider non-serpentine humanoids to be lesser creatures, barely more civilized than

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

1. Village of Parnast

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

(see chapter 7). The village has a few dozen houses and a small square, with buildings that include a tavern, a stable, and a shrine. In contrast to this rustic burg stands a mighty ice castle half

warned that he has no time or patience for dealing with outlaws. Captain Othelstan Rumors and Information Laborers, porters, craftsfolk, and cultists live and work in the village, and although they

City Watch

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

Castle Ward; in contrast, squads of eight walk the Dock Ward, increasing to as many as a dozen at night. If Watch members spot trouble they can’t handle, they blow shrill tin whistles to summon more

Elturgard. As long as you don’t engage in unlawful behavior, you can expect to be left untroubled by the Watch. WATCH TALK Members of the City Watch employ a sort of slang in dealing with the public

Getting the Quest

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

Getting the Quest The town sits quietly at the foot of Kelvin’s Cairn. A few bundled-up people shuffle between snow-battered houses, keeping their heads down, barely bothering to give you a look as

the characters inquire about a reward for dealing with the thieves, Trovus explains that the town doesn’t have the coin to pay someone to investigate the matter. Most of the valuables in the village have disappeared already, so there’s little left to use as compensation.

Overkill Attacks

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer

of goblin minions (each with 6 hit points). She hits a goblin minion with her longsword and uses Divine Smite, dealing 8 slashing damage and 11 radiant damage to the target for a total of 19 damage

rogue is hidden and takes aim at a group of zombie minions (each with 6 hit points) with his light crossbow (which has a short range of 80 feet). He hits a zombie minion with his crossbow, dealing

The Role of Rules

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

things they don’t. In a typical D&D session, a DM makes numerous rules decisions—some barely noticeable and others quite obvious. Players also interpret the rules, and the whole group keeps the game

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

The Role of Rules

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

typical D&D session, a DM makes numerous rules decisions—some barely noticeable and others quite obvious. Players also interpret the rules, and the whole group keeps the game 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. It doesn’t replace a DM’s adjudication

Nettlebee Ranch

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

take to the adventurers a little too readily for Jayne’s liking. Bertram’s and Jayne’s only daughter, Elisa (a commoner), is nineteen. She’s like her mother and very open about disliking her “old goat

terrors. Interviewing the Nettlebees Bertram and Wiggan avoid the characters. Wiggan plays the role of a cantankerous old halfling, locked in his study dealing with matters of trade. If the

Detention Bog Locations

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

magic here D3. Lonely Crate At the far end of a broken bridge is a mound of earth barely large enough for one person to stand on. A dented metal crate is partially embedded in the mound. One of the

) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Dealing with the Crate. A character who realizes the crate’s orange glow is a bad sign can gently shake the crate to rearrange

Dragon Factions

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

to amass as much wealth and power as possible. The Gem Circle, by contrast, might be dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, while the Metallic Circle is more altruistic, working to further the

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

The Monastery

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

the control room of area M8). They readily direct characters toward the Grand Master in the central abbey (area M3). If the monks are harassed, or if the characters spend too much time exploring on

. Prisoners of the Monastery Some thirty humanoid prisoners (commoners) are held in the monastery. All have had their faces flayed to make them barely distinguishable from the monks. Most work in the

Harbor Ward

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

veteran), a hulking man whose face is almost hidden by a heavy beard streaked with gray. Other than shouting orders at the crew and conversing in low tones with Captain Ortimay, Ruddell barely speaks

guides (see “Finding a Guide”). The harbormaster is a half-gold dragon named Zindar (see appendix D). He’s seldom in this sturdy, airy building, however; most of his time is spent dealing with the

Demons

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

Demons Spawned in the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, demons are the embodiment of chaos and evil — engines of destruction barely contained in monstrous form. Possessing no compassion, empathy, or

and a day. Demonic Cults. Despite the dark risks involved in dealing with fiends, the mortal realm is filled with creatures that covet demonic power. Demon lords manipulate these mortal servants into

Other Nonplayer Characters

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

. She readily admits that she is traveling to Waterdeep in search of a remedy for her condition. The coloration doesn’t seem to bother her, but she becomes flustered if anyone asks how she came to be

as the grave, staring sullenly at the road ahead, barely moving on the seat of his wagon, seeming hardly to breathe. No one knows what he transports in his wagon, but it is guarded by a brooding

Warehouse Environs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

pack and squints at its barely legible writing. “So which one of you is Ozgood the Ugly? I need you to sign before you go in. Nothing but paperwork and signatures since the newest Masked Lords got

, strapping female human who has seen her share of scuffles and doesn’t back down from a fight. If something took her out, it must be powerful. By contrast, Constable Boot is a runty male human, and

Other Nonplayer Characters

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

green. She readily admits that she is traveling to Waterdeep in search of a remedy for her condition. The coloration doesn’t seem to bother her, but she becomes flustered if anyone asks how she came to

silent as the grave, staring sullenly at the road ahead, barely moving on the seat of his wagon, seeming hardly to breathe. No one knows what he transports in his wagon, but it is guarded by a brooding

N9. Vistani Camp

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

howls of a young man. Three sputtering campfires fill the tent with smoke, and through the haze you see six Vistani passed out in various places on the dead grass. A barely conscious and shirtless

remaining afterward. Dealing with Luvash. Luvash is unhappy because his seven-year-old daughter, Arabelle, has vanished. She’s been gone for a little more than a day. Because everyone in the camp was drunk

Path Locations

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

flooded, with the remains of tables, chairs, and a bar barely protruding above the water’s surface. Murky water fills this room to a height of 3 feet, making the flooded area difficult terrain for

an oil slick. Characters with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 18 or higher notice the oil slick if they can see the water. If flames touch the water, the entire flooded area ignites, dealing

Temple Locations T10-T18

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

here with a well-worn broom. The cursed dragonborn, Gorba Daardenrian (see “Coven Victims” earlier in the adventure), is so weak that she can barely hold her broom. When she sees the characters

Piles of straw and moth-eaten blankets have been set up in this area as rough beds, and broken furniture and garbage is scattered around. In contrast to the squalor, four fine paintings hang along the

Combat

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

action to deal damage to someone who’s moving, do I deny the target the rest of its movement? Dealing damage to a moving target doesn’t halt its movement, unless the damage is accompanied by an ability

modifier to the attack and damage rolls of the attack. In contrast, if you make the spell attack of the fire bolt cantrip, you add your spellcasting ability modifier to the attack roll. If you’re a

Climbing Kelvin's Cairn

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

reach a steep, snow-covered incline dotted with jagged rocks. Lying facedown in the snow, barely conscious, is a humanoid in bloodstained cold weather clothing. The figure in the snow is Garret Velryn

part of the chasm. Characters can walk across this ice to avoid area F2 and go directly to area F3. A character can also try to collapse the ice sheet by dealing damage to it. The ice sheet has AC 13

The Foundry

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a2

fell. Unlike the Mountain Door or the Glitterhame, which offer exits to the surface world, the Foundry isn’t readily accessible. The area isn’t abandoned, though. Undead horrors wait in its darkest

deep below is barely audible over the roar of the waterfall. To the north of the chasm, a small ledge is partially hidden by a spur of rock. The chasm is 120 feet deep. Anyone who falls in takes

Black Earth Cultists

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

Rod. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. The stonemelder can also expend a spell slot to deal extra damage, dealing 2d8 bludgeoning damage for a

weakness in any form. Therefore, she hates just about everybody, and barely tolerates the other Black Earth cultists. Hellenrae Medium humanoid (human), lawful evil Armor Class 16 Hit Points 78

Red Larch Locations

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

-dealing sort who knows almost nothing of the current mood and troubles in Red Larch, since he’s so rarely away from his forge. His wife Laefra, who orders metals via the merchants she deals with, hears

chapter 6). 13. Ironhead Arms Three years ago, an old sellsword and caravan guard by the name of Feng Ironhead decided to settle in Red Larch and open a shop dealing in arms and armor, both new and

Locations on the Second Level

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a6

friend the torturer has a greatsword nearby. If the torturer is engaged in melee, he grapples his opponent and attempts to carry or throw the character into the iron maiden and slam it shut, dealing 55

is cleared of opponents. The headsman, by contrast, uses his axe after tossing one victim down the well. Treasure. The stakes of the game include six pieces of jewelry (worth 250 gp each) and ten

D&D Beyond

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