before based during case race

Deathless Rider

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

Queen, who rules from a castle called Dynnistan. It isn’t known whether these legends are based on any true experience or are simply the result of imagination trying to account for a terrifying and

unexplained phenomenon. In either case, deathless riders are undeniably real. They are undead knights, once human, who ride undead steeds through the remotest parts of the wilds. They are sometimes

Kobold Dragonshield

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Dragon’s Resistance. The kobold has resistance to a type of damage based on the color of dragon that invested it with power (choose or roll a d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollType":"roll

eggs, but once every few years a kobold hatches with an innate version of the dragonshield’s abilities. In either case, a dragonshield is skilled at hand-to-hand combat and bears a shield made

Oread

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

volcanoes, where they caper among the forces of dissolution and rebirth. During avalanches and volcanic eruptions, groups of oreads might race ahead of the destruction, dancing, singing, and doing what

the magic of Nyx. Some are benevolent and aid those who live off the land, while others embody violent aspects of nature. In either case, nymphs generally avoid other sapient creatures, preferring to

Shapechange Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious. You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them, provided that your new form is physically capable of doing

of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change shape or size to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground

Living Loot Satchel

Magic Items Acquisitions Incorporated

. Class-Based Living Loot Satchel Class Satchel Barbarian Broad belt with a dozen hanging pockets Bard Lute case Cleric Hollowed-out holy tome Druid Made from natural

, organic, locally sourced woven fibers Fighter A thick, battle-scarred iron lockbox Paladin A metal case with fine engraving and scrollwork Ranger A fur-lined bindle Rogue A

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

coloration and features lie somewhere between their human and elf parents, and thus show a variety even more pronounced than that found among either race. They tend to have the eyes of their elven

. EXCELLENT AMBASSADORS Many half-elves learn at an early age to get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

with that of snakes, producing a caste-based society of hybrids in which the most snakelike are the leaders and the most humanlike are spies and agents in foreign lands. Humans Transformed The

body, thought, and emotion. Freed from the limitations of their human bodies, the yuan-ti used their new abilities to conquer new lands and expand their borders. One Race, Many Forms The bodies of all

Verdan

Species Acquisitions Incorporated

, particularly those based on physical characteristics such as gender, race, or appearance. Wide-Eyed and Curious Verdan are hungry to undertake new challenges and absorb new experiences. When they meet

then passing through the shadow of That-Which-Endures changed them forever. Now the newest race to call Faerûn home, the verdan do their best to find their way in an unfamiliar world

Chapter 1: Fantastical Races

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monsters of the Multiverse

of these races are based on creatures that appear in the Monster Manual or the bestiary of this book. Consult with your DM to see whether an option here is appropriate for your campaign. If you do use a race in this chapter, first read the “Creating Your Character” section below.

Chapter 1: Fantastical Races Gathering together fantastical races from throughout the D&D multiverse, this chapter offers the following races for player characters, supplementing the race options in

Archaeologist

Backgrounds Tomb of Annihilation

: A wooden case containing a map to a ruin or dungeon, a bullseye lantern, a miner’s pick, a set of traveler’s clothes, a shovel, a two-person tent, a trinket recovered from a dig site

original purpose and determine its builders, whether those were dwarves, elves, humans, yuan-ti, or some other known race. In addition, you can determine the monetary value of art objects more than a

Dinosaur Racing

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

enough to erase an unpaid gambling loss. Racing Player characters might get involved in a dinosaur race, either through their own interest or because they’re approached by a racing team. In this case

harbor and the city’s four hills. Spectators are seldom injured, but it’s a dangerous sport for the dinosaurs and their riders. A typical race day has three races: one for four-legged beasts, one for

Creating a Race or Subrace

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

signature traits? In the case of a new subrace, what sets it apart from the other subraces of the parent race? Compare the race you have in mind with the other race options available to players, to

Creating a Race or Subrace This section teaches you how to modify existing races, as well as create new ones. The most important step in customizing or designing races for your campaign is to start

Hungry Ogres

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath

of Phandalin. If that is the case, then they have their own stories and their own relationships with the people of Phandalin. The town and the NPCs, as they are presented here, should be seen as just

the beginning. You should change the attitudes of the NPCs, or the actual NPCs themselves, based on what has come to pass in your campaign. If the characters have not been to Phandalin, you can

Alabaster Racetrack

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

Alabaster Racetrack Sleek white pillars surround what looks like a racetrack. The stands bustle with patrons, all eager to bet on the impending race. This arena hosts nightmare racing. Audience

members can place bets, earning a payout depending on which steeds place in the top two of a given race. Up to six nightmares race at any given time; those who bet on the first-place steed receive triple

Random Encounters in Sorcere

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

chance that these mages have been forewarned of the party’s arrival, either by Vizeran DeVir or by Matron Mother Quenthel Baenre, in which case they let the characters pass. Otherwise, the drow mages

alert if it isn’t already. Giant Spider This giant spider crawls along the walls or ceiling. It ignores the characters unless they take hostile action against it, in which case it attacks. Invisible

Cultural Chameleons

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

speak out against cultural restraints on individuals, particularly those based on physical characteristics such as gender, race, or appearance.

Narrative Combat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Divine Contention

still triumph. It’s possible that your players will veer off from the events on the flowchart. In this case, you’ll need to improvise encounters based on the enemies’ plan of attack (see “Order of

The Plan

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

The Plan The council reasons that the smugglers on the vessel are, as yet, unaware of the capture or death of their land-based colleagues, and a return visit by them might well be expected. Since the

members of the town guard to patrol the potential rendezvous points each night for the next two weeks in case the smugglers return earlier than expected. If the ship is sighted, the council is unwilling

Attitude and Race

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

Attitude and Race Each ship’s crew and passengers have an attitude that guides how they interact with the characters. Friendly ships seek to trade or share news, neutral ones attack if they feel

table to determine the nature of the crew. The race chosen or rolled need not be the only one found on the ship, and you might use a table multiple times to make a ship’s crew and passengers more

Thassa's Champions

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

, or lands affected by (or starved of) water. She makes a fantastic patron for sea-based campaigns, but also land-based journeys where the characters might spread Thassa’s desire for change and

will abandon them. In such a case, she might become a villain, trying to thwart the characters unless they can appease her or gain the protection of a new patron.

Ignoring the Dice

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

DM decides whether an action or a plan succeeds or fails based on how well the players make their case, how thorough or creative they are, or other factors. For example, the players might describe how

Finding Icespire Hold

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak

experiencing a vision at the Shrine of Savras, or they might search for it on their own. In the latter case, let the players use the poster map of the Sword Coast to plot a search. Icespire Hold is

the way to the dragon’s lair, having come from there. Dobin’s steed is a retired, well-behaved race horse named Four-Leaf Clover.

Examining the Owlbear

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

trunk during orientation, seen belched out by the frogs before the Firejolt Café race, or spotted on the cauldrons in Bow’s End Tavern. If she hasn’t already entered the scene, Professor Totsky arrives

surge of wild magic is an equally likely explanation in her mind. In any case, this corruption must have caused objects treated with the eldritch balm and creatures that came into contact with it to take

Shifter Traits

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monsters of the Multiverse

shift a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Whenever you shift, you gain an additional benefit based on one of the following

options (choose when you select this race): Beasthide. You gain 1d6 additional temporary hit points. While shifted, you have a +1 bonus to your Armor Class. Longtooth. When you shift and as a bonus

Derro

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

result of cruel experiments on dwarves by mind flayers. Like duergar, the derro were a slave race to the mind flayers, but eventually freed themselves. Born to Madness. The process of their creation

years old, but they mature and breed quickly. When their elders deem that their numbers are becoming unmanageable, the derro declare war on some other race and surge forth in a reckless horde, fighting

Banrion's Lair

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild

manipulate the fallen clock tower back to its standing position. This seals off her plateau defensively, denying it to the hags in case she falls. (If she survives, the unicorn remains able to teleport

territories in Greyhawk’s world of Oerth. Opposing him was his former general, Leuk-O, who discovered a second artifact—a “relic of a visiting race of space travelers.” This magic suit of powered armor

Tracking Time

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

bandit ambush interrupts their journey. The exploration rules in the Player’s Handbook give guidelines for determining travel time based on the characters’ pace. In most cases, it’s fine to estimate

principles to track the passage of hours, such as when characters disguise themselves with a Seeming spell for 8 hours to infiltrate a stronghold. In this case, it takes a lot of small tasks—or something like a Short Rest—to occupy a full hour.

Duergar Spy

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

Duergar Spy Combining the natural abilities of the duergar race with the specialized training of a spy, the duergar named Ghared is a force to be reckoned with inside Khundrukar (The Forge of Fury

enlarged, the spy is Large, doubles her damage dice on Strength-based weapon attacks (included in the attacks), and makes Strength checks and Strength saving throws with advantage. If the spy lacks the

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. Beast Masters and Slave Drivers Goblins know they are a weak, unsophisticated race that can be easily dominated by bigger, smarter, more organized, more ferocious, or more magical creatures. Their god

-tiered caste system made up of lashers, hunters, gatherers, and pariahs. The status of every family in the tribe is based on its importance to the tribe’s survival. Families that belong to the

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

populated areas, practice cannibalism, believing it is foolish to waste good meat. In any case, kobolds that eat humanoids don’t simply start consuming corpses or prisoners right after a battle

at the actions or deeds of other races. They aren’t forgiving of other races, and they enjoy nursing their hatred until they get a chance to wreak revenge on a creature or a race that has wronged

Adventure Types

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

Adventure Types An adventure can be location-based or event-based, as discussed in the sections that follow. Location-Based Adventures Adventures set in crumbling dungeons and remote wilderness

locations are the cornerstone of countless campaigns. Many of the greatest D&D adventures of all time are location-based. Creating a location-based adventure can be broken down into a number of steps

Humans Transformed

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

, becoming like the gods in body, thought, and emotion. Freed from the limitations of their human bodies, the yuan-ti used their new abilities to conquer new lands and expand their borders. One Race

quickly coalesced into a caste system based on how complete a person’s transformation was. The vast majority of yuan-ti fall into three categories — abominations, malisons, and purebloods — while the

The Dual Role of Abbathor

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

dwarven pantheon. Abbathor is an advocate of change, not stability — an attitude normally regarded with suspicion by dwarves. But in this case, the god delivers his message inside the embrace of avarice

experience — for all their long-winded rambling about lineage and tradition — dwarves are greedy and devious folk. I write this not to insult them in any way. I have found greed to be a useful motivator both for myself and my underlings, and I prize the trickery that some members of that race demonstrate.

Communication and Disposition

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

the characters, keep in mind that Common is not a native language for the race, and their but their mindset results in a speech pattern distinct from that of other Common-speaking humanoids

gesture of submission. In that case, the characters are bound and taken as prisoners, to await an audience with the queen.

Other Groups

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

the Shadowlands (detailed in “Other Domains of Dread”) in search of evil to vanquish. Bold and proud, many members of the Circle inadvertently race toward dramatic tragedies. The more successful

monastic caretakers hunts down and puts an end to dangerous supernatural objects, cursed items, and stranger anomalies. In the case of dangers they can’t destroy, the Guardians hope to prevent

D&D Beyond

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