before barely dealing contrast reason

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

construction is the reason it’s not often a weapon seen on land, though when used by a skilled fighter, it most certainly can be a formidable tool. When you successfully hit a creature with a

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

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

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

Reason for Adventuring 1 Outcast for murder 2 Outcast for severely damaging home territory 3 Clan slain by invading humanoids 4 Clan slain by a dragon or demon 5

forest’s children by their deeds, habits, and other actions. By the same token, their tribe names merely refer to their homes. When dealing with other races, firbolgs refer to their lands by

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

. Great Purpose Aarakocra enjoy peace and solitude. Most of them have little interest in dealing with other peoples and less interest in spending time on the ground. For this reason, it takes an

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

, if for no other reason than to honor Ispin Greenshield’s last wishes. If a character refuses, Mayor Raven offers to pay them 5 gp to be a judge during the battle, making sure no one uses real weapons

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

Strong Room Burglary

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

Strong Room Burglary While everyone is dealing with Kendrin, Inglor takes the opportunity to find out what’s hidden in Nalaskur’s strong room. To discredit Chalaska, for allowing the burglary, and

usually act in a suspicious way. He’s a handyman, and he has a reason to be just about anywhere in the inn.

Secret Doors

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

spotting those clues in the first place. See “Perception” in chapter 2 for more advice. Secret Doors Secret Door DC to Detect Barely hidden secret door 10 Standard secret door 15 Well-hidden secret

door 20 Secret Door Etiquette Adventurers often fail to locate secret doors. For this reason, don’t hide important treasures or locations behind secret doors unless you’re comfortable with the

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

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

Gracklstugh

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

forge, to pump bellows, heft ingots, and carry barrels of quenching oil. The place is called the City of Blades, for good reason: the fine steel of the duergar is impressive, considering the quality of

places it is barely ten feet above the water’s surface. The whole of the great cavern glows, and the continuous flow of hot iron through the city gives the illumination a yellow cast at all times. It

Overkill Attacks

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

creatures succeeding on their saving throw. By contrast, under this book’s minion rules, spellcasters still have a good reason to use high-level spells against minions.

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

The Lords of Dust

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

to conquer the world already. The reason is that they have no interest in ruling this world; they want to return it to the state of unnatural glory that existed before. Their only interest in humanoids

races is in directing them and their affairs down the paths necessary to release their overlords; aside from that, dealing with mortals is a tedious chore.

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

Moving Around Other Creatures

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

Moving Around Other Creatures You can move through a nonhostile creature’s space. In contrast, you can move through a hostile creature’s space only if the creature is at least two sizes larger or

space also reflects the area it needs to fight effectively. For that reason, there’s a limit to the number of creatures that can surround another creature in combat. Assuming Medium combatants, eight

Creature Size

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

that reason, there's a limit to the number of creatures that can surround another creature in combat. Assuming Medium combatants, eight creatures can fit in a 5-foot radius around another one

. Because larger creatures take up more space, fewer of them can surround a creature. If four Large creatures crowd around a Medium or smaller one, there's little room for anyone else. In contrast, as many as

Setessa's Surroundings

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

Setessa’s Surroundings Beyond the city’s encircling trees, the territory of Setessa extends to cover about a third of the Nessian Wood and a wide swath of the open chaparral. In contrast to Meletis

the fortress when there is reason to suspect danger from the east. More than once, though, patrols have reached the fort only to find something else has taken up residence, whether it be rowdy satyrs

Ability Checks

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

Constitution Stamina and health Endure a marathon, grasp hot metal without flinching, win a drinking contest Intelligence Memory and reason Recall a bit of lore, recognize a clue’s significance

. In contrast, a character with high Intelligence and low Wisdom is probably oblivious but clever. The character might not spot the clean section of wall but, if asked about it, could immediately

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.

Heliod's Influence

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

, who both have a degree of the arrogance he demonstrates. Thassa and Nylea, by contrast, aren’t bothered by his efforts because they see themselves as being safely outside his reach. He could declare

himself the ruler of the pantheon, they reason, but his dictates can’t alter the rhythms of the sea and the cycles of nature. Thassa and Nylea will continue as they are, as they always have been

Chapter 2: Raiders' Camp

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

midst of all this tragedy, there’s no reason you would have heard about the fate of my master, Leosin Erlanthar, but it’s important you know. He is a monk from Berdusk. He disappeared last night

, after we fought a particularly savage battle against raiders. A few others and I fought our way to the keep, barely. Leosin didn’t make it at all. We went back this morning to look for him, but all we

Vaeve's Offer

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

the battlefield for some reason. Vaeve asks the characters to escort Naxa from the citadel back to Carapace Ridge. There’s significant treasure in the citadel, Vaeve says, and Vaeve would be grateful

Camlash’s forces, and the lower entrance is guarded by spyder-fiends. Vaeve points out both entrances to the cliffside redoubt, two miles distant and barely visible through the blowing fog. If the

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

Heroes of Destiny

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

choose the entries that speak to you or randomly pull cards from The Deck of Many Things card set. One of the most important steps of a warrior’s journey is discovering the reason why you fight. Glory

path of the warrior. Fates A fortune teller foresaw that you would find your calling in a life of battle. Flames When the heat of battle takes over, you barely recognize yourself. This scares you. Fool

Chapter 2: Raiders' Camp

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

midst of all this tragedy, there’s no reason you would have heard about the fate of my master, Leosin Erlanthar, but it’s important you know. He is a monk from Berdusk. He disappeared last night, after

we fought a particularly savage battle against raiders. A few others and I fought our way to the keep, barely. Leosin didn’t make it at all. We went back this morning to look for him, but all we

13. Giants' Living Quarters

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

from the piles around the room, instructs Obsidia and Rhodos (see area 13a) to do the same, and sets out to destroy the invaders. Attempting to reason with Speleosa while she’s hurling rocks is no

simple matter, and she isn’t receptive to bribes. If one or more of her children are imperiled, Speleosa becomes calm and begins negotiating for their safe release. While the characters are dealing with

Nobility

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

charitable actions such as burial of the unknown dead. Their motives are manifold, but their actions — no matter the reason — earn them loyalty and high regard from those who benefit from their largesse

guarantee of ultimate success; much time and coin can be wasted trying to curry favor with an acquaintance of a noble who turns out to be unscrupulous or of little help for some other reason. My advice

Hvalspyd

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

dealing with frost giants. The giants’ next step will be to push farther south. At some point (determined by you), they’ll return to the Hvalspyd, sail south to Refuge Bay, and start the search afresh from

there. Obviously, this is a very inefficient way to search an area as large and as dense as Chult, but Drufi has no better idea. Drufi has no reason to attack or kill the characters, should they meet

Giants and Other Ancients

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

thousand years for good reason: neither giants nor dragons were ever particularly numerous, and actual skirmishes between giants and dragons were rare. For this reason, you could run a campaign where battles

spend months or even years dealing with the aftereffects of the cataclysmic battle, then send your campaign in a new direction with a second battle. Maybe a third, truly cataclysmic battle—in which 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

D&D Beyond

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