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Returning 35 results for 'before barriers diffusing combat rivals'.
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
Doppelganger
Legacy
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Monsters
Basic Rules (2014)
.
Surprise Attack. If the doppelganger surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 10 (3d6);{"diceNotation":"3d6","rollType":"roll
magically reads the surface thoughts of one creature within 60 feet of it. The effect can penetrate barriers, but 3 feet of wood or dirt, 2 feet of stone, 2 inches of metal, or a thin sheet of lead
Monsters
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
Cunning Action. On each of her turns in combat, Rilsa can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Focus. If Rilsa damages a creature with a weapon attack, she gains advantage
headquarters. In addition to hosting regular public forums in her shop, Rael tacitly oversees the Garden of Whispers, a maze of wood-and-paper screens where people from across the city can buy and sell secrets with Guild agents and each other, speaking through the barriers so as to maintain anonymity.
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
Monsters
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
of their psionic abilities, goblin psi commanders wield blades of pure psychic energy. They can throw barriers of mental force while toppling foes with a single, mind-splitting burst.
Psionic
goblins often struggle to handle the turbulent psychic energy within their minds and bodies. Those psionic goblins who learn how to safely tap into this psychic power are formidable forces in combat
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
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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
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
Barbarian
Legacy
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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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild
. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Ambusher. In the first round of a combat, the doppelganger has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it surprised.
Surprise Attack. If the
doppelganger surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 10 (3d6) damage from the attack.
Actions
Multiattack. The doppelganger makes two
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
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver
creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 10 (3d6) damage from the attack.
Actions
Multiattack. The doppelganger makes two melee attacks
of it. The effect can penetrate barriers, but 3 feet of wood or dirt, 2 feet of stone, 2 inches of metal, or a thin sheet of lead blocks it. While the target is within range, the doppelganger can
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon. Gold Dragon Personality Traits d8 Trait
1 I prefer to parley before combat. If villains can be reformed without violence, all the better
the motivation to overcome my barriers, then their matter is unworthy of my attention.
8 On a long enough timescale, all actions are meaningless. So why should I deny myself anything?
Gold
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
reverts to its true form if it dies.
Ambusher. In the first round of a combat, the doppelganger has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it surprised.
Surprise Attack. If the
doppelganger surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 10 (3d6) damage from the attack.
Actions
Multiattack. The doppelganger makes two melee
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
present in the franchise or not. When it comes down to it, having friends is an equally valuable asset in adventuring and business, and being able to turn enemies, rivals, and angry mobs into friends
holdings to the ground. Illusion Success in business, as in combat, can often hinge on split-second decisions. As an illusionist, you have mastered the art of confounding the senses, leaving enemies
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
versatility of a wizard. Especially in a franchise without a dedicated combat spellcaster, your elemental affinity comes in handy. Way of the Kensei Monks following the Way of the Kensei often appear to
weapons makes you an asset in combat, and your practical knowledge makes trading in arms a natural sideline. For you, battle is business and business is always booming. Way of the Open Hand It’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
ongoing operations. You also have a knack for finding weaknesses in enemies — not only in combat, but in a rival’s business plans as well. Mastermind Planning, tactics, misdirection, intrigue, sneak
ability to read your foes and rivals clearly makes you the best choice for franchise leader. Unfortunately, your equally practiced ability to read your allies means you’ll know which of them see
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
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
the ongoing feud after helping one side. Royal Rivals. The sudden death of a sovereign plunges a kingdom into chaos when the rightful heir is challenged and threatened by rivals. Scheming Adviser
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
missions across Khorvaire to provide you with combat experience as well as to further Redcloak goals. Alternatively, your DM might decide to start the campaign with your characters at a higher level and
run both ways. Among the Redcloaks, tensions still run hot regarding their former rivals, particularly those from the following nations: Darguun. The hobgoblins of Darguun fought alongside Brelish
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monsters of the Multiverse
drow favored consort can hold their own in both conversation and combat. Combining the roles of advisor, protector, and beloved, some favored consorts are content with a supporting role, while more
priestess and are relied on to provide useful advice. No position of consort is assured for long, though; Lolth’s priestesses are notoriously fickle, and a consort must often contend with rivals. Some
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monsters of the Multiverse
Frost Giant Everlasting One To hold its place or rise within the ordning, a frost giant must routinely face mighty foes in single combat. Some seek out magic that will aid them, but enchanted objects
title of jarl and easily fend off rivals for decades. However, if the frost giant doesn’t give enough honor to Vaprak or fails to heed Vaprak’s visions, injuries the frost giant sustains heal wrong
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
. The fog swirls through this cavern, agitated by the dancing of eleven chanting minotaurs.
Offal Pile. Low stone barriers constrain a massive pile of rotting, dismembered body parts.
Altar. Behind
clutches a brass horn (see “Treasure” below). The minotaur shaman treats all intruders as enemies to be carved up and added to his pile of dismembered bodies. His first action in combat is to blow his
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
relics of the ancient giants weren’t meant for the eyes of prying adventurers. No one knows better than the scholars of Morgrave University how to circumvent those barriers and plunder the continent’s
completing this stage of the journey might involve combat, careful negotiation, or both. The third and longest stage might involve encounters with unexpected monsters—from a Giant Crab to a Kraken —living
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
overlords. Under the teachings of Zerthimon, who called on his people to abandon the warlike ambitions of Gith, the githzerai focused their mental energy on creating physical and psychic barriers to
those githzerai who are the wisest teachers and the most skilled at physical and mental combat become leaders. The githzerai revere great heroes and teachers of the past, emulating those figures
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons
encounter is the classic scene where the villain explains herself if the players are willing to pause. In combat, Talis the White (see appendix D for statistics) stands behind her bodyguards and uses a wand
Talis Wants. Talis wants to move up in the ranks by causing her rivals to fail spectacularly. What Talis Offers. She urges the characters to thwart the transport of a large treasure hoard. Cultists
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
confidence games. Patriars might even hire Guild members to gain (or plant) information about their rivals, involving the Guild in Upper City politics. Only the most talented criminals dare to burgle
, thieves’ cant
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Cunning Action. On each of her turns in combat, Nine-Fingers can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Dagger Thrower. Nine-Fingers adds
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
. Nevertheless, business has been booming as drow celebrate the deaths of rivals. If you want a random encounter to occur as the characters make their way through the Duthcloim district, roll a d20 and
patrol confronts the party and starts asking questions. If any of the answers arouse suspicion or come across as insolent, the drow attack. If combat erupts, reinforcements arrive every 1d4 rounds
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder
nonlethal combat. Without a unifying leader, a Reghed tribe is more fractured and vulnerable to its enemies. Thus, chieftains are motivated to name one among them who rules above all. A chieftain who
avoiding the traps set for them by their rivals. Tribe of the Bear One of the Bear tribe’s two remaining chieftains, Wolvig Barrundson, recently fell under the sway of evil and formed an alliance with a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
. The most accomplished Battle Masters are well-rounded figures who combine their carefully honed combat skills with academic study in the fields of history, theory, and the arts. Level 3: Combat
finish a Long Rest. You can also restore a use of the feature by expending one Superiority Die (no action required). Level 10: Improved Combat Superiority Your Superiority Die becomes a d10. Level 15
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
part of the flavor of pulp adventure is to have recurring villains who are closely matched with the heroes — rivals who advance in power as you do. One way to create a compelling villain is for the DM
spread to his clothes.
Combat can feel very mechanical. I move 10 feet. I make an attack roll. I use a reaction. One way for the DM to encourage more cinematic action is to present a list of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
marching against a rival lord. Demon lords only rarely elevate demons to the highest ranks, fearful of inadvertently creating rivals to their own power. Abyssal Invasions. Wherever they wander across the
energy of the most potent spells. When a lucky hero manages to drop a demon in combat, the fiend dissolves into foul ichor. It then instantly reforms in the Abyss, its mind and essence intact even as
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
stone rivals that of the greatest dwarf artisans, yet their structures retain a decidedly elven aesthetic. Though appearing delicate, drow settlements are structurally sound and remarkably resilient
forward to the interrogation and torture that follows combat. Drow Magic. Just as the drow have adapted to underground life, so too has their magic. In addition to using that magic to carve their cities