before basic defenses come race

Alter Self Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

voice, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your statistics change. You also can't appear as a

creature of a different size than you, and your basic shape stays the same; if you're bipedal, you can't use this spell to become quadrupedal, for instance. At any time for the duration of the spell

Froghemoth

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

it in to be devoured while holding the rest at bay. If bullywug;bullywugs (see the Monster Manual) come across a froghemoth, the bullywugs may treat the froghemoth as a god and do all they can to coax

the monster into their den. A froghemoth can be tamed (after a fashion) by offering it food, and bullywugs can communicate with it on a basic level, so the creature might eat only a few bullywugs

Fighter Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

and his companion, knocking the deadly blow aside. His companion, a half-elf in scale armor, swings two scimitars in a blinding whirl as she circles the ogre, looking for a blind spot in its defenses

skill. Likewise, a fighter is adept with shields and every form of armor. Beyond that basic degree of familiarity, each fighter specializes in a certain style of combat. Some concentrate on archery

Ancient Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. 3 I secretly look forward to adventurers trying to infiltrate my lair. How else could I try out new defenses? 4 Give me a storied helmet or scimitar over a pile of gold any day. 5 No

creature can outsmart my defenses—if they do, they obviously cheated. 6 Any creature that can hold their own against me must teach me how—whether they want to or not. 7 I

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

basic principles than those of warm-blooded creatures. Their dismal swamp homes might lie hundreds of miles from the nearest human settlement, but the gap between their way of thinking and that of the

. For example, humans confronted by an angry troll experience fear on a basic level. Their limbs shake, their thinking becomes panicked and jumbled, and they react by instinct. The emotion of fear takes

Lizardfolk

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

have lived on the worlds of the Material Plane since the worlds’ creation. Gifted by the gods with remarkable physical defenses and a mystical connection to the natural world, lizardfolk can

level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score

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

colors. Halfling practicality extends beyond their clothing. They’re concerned with basic needs and simple pleasures and have little use for ostentation. Even the wealthiest of halflings keep their

Adult Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

adventurers trying to infiltrate my lair. How else could I try out new defenses? 4 Give me a storied helmet or scimitar over a pile of gold any day. 5 No creature can outsmart my defenses—if

who will undoubtedly terrorize the area if they win. 8 A sapphire dragon’s lair is so well protected that its inner defenses have never been tested. The dragon spreads rumors of the

Simic Scientist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

advancing civilization, nature needs some help from biomancers and terraformers. If, along the way, you happen to create super-soldiers and mutant monsters that can bolster the combine’s defenses

. 3 I’m eager to explain every detail of my most intricate experiments and theories to anyone who shows the least bit of interest. 4 I assume that everyone needs even the most basic

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. Gang Mentality Since bugbears aren’t a particularly fecund race, their overall population is small and spread over a wide area. Bugbears live in family groups that operate much like gangs. The

remove opposition or exile weaker or unpopular members to keep the rest of the gang strong. Fortunately for the race as a whole, even young and elderly bugbears have the ability to survive alone in the

Fairy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

a special physical characteristic that sets the fairy apart. For your fairy, roll on the Fey Characteristics table or choose an option from it. You’re also free to come up with your own

member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race such as the fairy or the harengon in this section, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

good that even if some people you meet have heard of your homeland, they know merely the name and perhaps a few outrageous stories. You have come to this part of Faerûn for your own reasons, which

of those who emigrate from Evermeet are either exiles, forced out for committing some infraction of elven law, or emissaries who come to Faerûn for a purpose that benefits elven culture or

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

weretouched, as many believe they are the descendants of humans and lycanthropes. Whatever their origins, shifters have evolved into a unique race. They are humanoids with a bestial aspect; while they

. The Journey Yet to Come Shifters have a strong presence in the Eldeen Reaches but can be found in rural areas across Khorvaire, where they often live among humans. While they form powerful bonds

Running the Adventure

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

treasures as you see fit, with an eye towards your home campaign and your particular players. If time permits, the giants organize traps, ambushes, and last-ditch defenses against continuing forays into

their stronghold. Adventure Start It is assumed that the party has safely arrived at a spot near the giants’ stronghold—a small cave, well hidden, where they can hide mounts and equipment. They come to

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

, the kobolds are usually put to work enlarging their masters’ living area and protecting vital areas of the lair with traps and other defenses. Some human communities hire kobolds to dig their

magical power than a potion, but they all believe that the tribal sorcerer can figure out how to use any such item they come across. When kobolds sense an opportunity to separate a magic item from its

Creating a Race or Subrace

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

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

with the story behind the race or subrace you wish to create. Having a firm idea of a race’s story in your campaign will help you make decisions during the creation process. Ask yourself several

Dwarf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

a dwarf saying that might be hyperbole, but certainly points to how difficult it can be for a member of a short-lived race like humans to earn a dwarf’s trust. Elves. “It’s not wise

frivolous. Two things to be said for them, though: They don’t have many smiths, but the ones they have do very fine work. And when orcs or goblins come streaming down out of the mountains, an elf

Preparing for the Drowned Ones

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

to decide on a course of action for when the drowned ones breach the defenses. The survivors do not participate in combat against the drowned ones. Even if they aid in the defensive preparations, come nightfall they retreat to area 25.

7. Troglodyte Outpost

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

always on alert. One of them carries a horn that it sounds in the event of an attack. If the horn is blown, eight of the troglodytes in area 2 come through area 5 and into this cave to investigate and shore up the defenses.

Changeling Traits

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

Changeling Traits As a changeling, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Fey. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your

adjust your height and weight and can change your size between Medium and Small. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your game statistics change. You can’t

Kalashtar Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

I am kalashtar, born of two worlds. Over a thousand years ago, my ancestor bound her bloodline to the spirit Kashtai, and I am a child of that union. Kashtai moves within me. Her memories come to

-Lashtavar. —Lakashtai, servant of the light The kalashtar are a compound race created from the union of humanity and renegade spirits from the plane of dreams — spirits called quori

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

area is at risk. If orcs come upon a target that is too large to assault directly, they will lurk along supply routes, taking out their frustration on caravans and travelers. Left unchecked, a tribe can

; their loyalty by turning them into slaves. If a tribe is defeated and driven from its lair, the survivors might come under the sway of a strong but dimwitted creature, such as a hill giant or an ogre

Izzet Engineer

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

basic knowledge of the structure of buildings, including the stuff behind the walls. You can also find blueprints of a specific building in order to learn the details of its construction. Such

Ideal 1 Guild. My guild is all that really matters. (Any) 2 Creativity. Half the world’s troubles come from stodgy thinking, stuck in the past. We need innovative

Githzerai Traits

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

this race). None of these spells require spell components when you cast them with this trait. Mental Discipline. Your innate psychic defenses grant you advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or

Gathering Intelligence

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

gnome), a cheerful woman who fidgets constantly To convince a former guard to share information about the vault and its defenses, a character can make a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check or another

the basic layout of the vault’s first floor, as shown on map 8.1. The guard also answers simple questions about Vidorant and her physical appearance, the guard uniforms, and other information every

Hadozee Traits

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Astral Adventurer’s Guide

Hadozee Traits As a hadozee player character, you have the following traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed

to your walking speed, and you take 0 damage from the fall. You determine the direction of the glide. Hadozee Dodge. The magic that runs in your veins heightens your natural defenses. When you take

Githzerai Zerths

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

githyanki and githzerai who seek to reunify the gith races. By helping the githyanki defeat a common foe, Yrlakka hopes to demonstrate the merits of a single unified gith race — not only to the evil

githyanki, but also to the younger githzerai zerths who follow him. Yrlakka is concerned because his most headstrong pupil, a githzerai named Ezria, has disappeared. He fears (correctly) that Ezria was captured by the githyanki on level 16 while trying to find weak spots in their defenses.

Gaining a Bastion

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

Gaining a Bastion If you allow Bastions in your campaign, characters acquire their Bastions when they reach level 5. You and the players can decide together how these Bastions come into being. A

fortified as a Fighter’s stronghold. And multiple characters can combine their Bastions to form a single large structure (see “Bastion Map”). Every Bastion has facilities that serve basic needs as well as

Fortress Cities

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

largest concentration of githzerai. It serves as both the capital of the civilization and the headquarters of the githzerai military forces. The greatest generals, spellcasters, and zerths of the race

city or its inhabitants. Teleportation circles are barred except on the fringes of the place, at always-guarded locations beyond the city’s outermost defenses. Those who use plane-shifting magic to

Your Character's Abilities

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

with a low Charisma might come across as abrasive, inarticulate, or timid. BUILDING BRUENOR, STEP 4 Bob fills in some of Bruenor’s basic details: his name, his sex (male), his height and weight

Your Character’s Abilities Take your character’s ability scores and race into account as you flesh out his or her appearance and personality. A very strong character with low Intelligence might think

Franchise Downtime

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

development. A few possible downtime activities are suggested below, but the party’s downtime escapades can include anything that you and the players come up with. The Orrery Learning more about the

mysterious orrery could be undertaken as basic research, which might lead later to a more thorough investigation with the scrutineering activity (see “Franchise Tasks and Downtime” in chapter 2). Whatever

Gauntlgrym

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

the city’s defenses, and to remain vigilant for new threats gathering in the dark depths of the world. King Bruenor might offer the triumphant heroes noble titles and positions of power in his kingdom

in the hope of enlisting their aid against the troubles to come. The adventurers might get the opportunity to earn those titles all over again when an Underdark army marches on the dwarf kingdom, determined to claim Gauntlgrym and the power of the primordial bound within its Great Forge.

Character Options

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

Character Options Each player has options when it comes to choosing a character race, class, and background. These options are summarized in the Character Options table. If there are multiple players

— Wizard Soldier While your players follow the steps of character creation as outlined in the Basic Rules, pay attention to the choices they make. The backgrounds they choose define who their

Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer Academy

Background As basic training at Spelljammer Academy comes to its conclusion, the characters are required to complete their first mission aboard a spelljamming ship. As luck would have it, orders have

come down for them to embark on a retrieval mission. While confidence in the cadets’ abilities is high, the recent discovery of a spy in their midst has the academy’s faculty on high alert. For this

Treasure

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

town’s gold and gems and other durable goods battered and gnawed, but still intact, though they invariably ruin delicate or flammable objects in their fits of destruction. Gnolls do possess a basic

understanding of the value of weapons and armor, so one might decide to hold onto an object seen as useful. In this way, a gnoll might come to possess a magic item, though it might not know exactly how to

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