before basics defenses come race

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

Wizard Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

the fey) that are steeped in magic. The Lure of Knowledge Wizards’ lives are seldom mundane. The closest a wizard is likely to come to an ordinary life is working as a sage or lecturer in a

. Creating a Wizard Creating a wizard character demands a backstory dominated by at least one extraordinary event. How did your character first come into contact with magic? How did you discover you had

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

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

Specialists Fighters learn the basics of all combat styles. Every fighter can swing an axe, fence with a rapier, wield a longsword or a greatsword, use a bow, and even trap foes in a net with some degree of

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

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

Chapter 4: Personality and Background

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

that class and race define. This section expounds on the details that distinguish characters from one another, including the basics of name and physical description, the rules of backgrounds and languages, and the finer points of personality and alignment.

Chapter 4: Personality and Background Characters are defined by much more than their race and class. They’re individuals with their own stories, interests, connections, and capabilities beyond those

Chapter 4: Personality and Background

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

that class and race define. This chapter expounds on the details that distinguish characters from one another, including the basics of name and physical description, the rules of backgrounds and languages, and the finer points of personality and alignment.

Chapter 4: Personality and Background Characters are defined by much more than their race and class. They’re individuals with their own stories, interests, connections, and capabilities beyond those

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

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

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

Creating a Wizard

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

Creating a Wizard Creating a wizard character demands a backstory dominated by at least one extraordinary event. How did your character first come into contact with magic? How did you discover you

had an aptitude for it? Do you have a natural talent, or did you simply study hard and practice incessantly? Did you encounter a magical creature or an ancient tome that taught you the basics of magic

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.

Creating a Campaign

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

a daunting task, but you don’t have to plot out every detail right from the start. You can start with the basics, running a few adventures, and think about larger plotlines you want to explore as the

that adventure awaits, and grab their attention right away. Give the players enough information to make them want to come back week after week to see how the story plays out.

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

Using This Book

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

2 and 3. If you come across a game concept in part 1 that you don’t understand, consult the book’s index. Part 2 (chapters 7–9) details the rules of how to play the game, beyond the basics described

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

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.

Scrivening and Symbology Exam: Glyph of Warding

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

hall in the Biblioplex (one of the areas marked B7 on map 3.1 in chapter 3). The course covers the basics of recognizing, deciphering, and understanding the magic behind arcane scripts and symbols. Over

the course of the term, students learn how to tell scribbles and doodles from magically imbued symbols, and they study popular accounts of adventurers who’ve come across magic-based writing in their

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

very different. 7 I borrowed a lot of money from an Orzhov syndic to help finance my research. 8 A Rakdos ringmaster has taken an interest in my research which, come to think of it, might

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

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.

Chapter 2: Character Races

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

Chapter 2: Character Races Heroes come in many shapes and sizes. This chapter presents character races that are some of the more distinctive race options in the D&D multiverse. They supplement the

consider the implications for their world before adding a new race. Your DM may say yes or no to you using a race or may modifiy it in some way. The following races are detailed in this chapter: Aasimar

Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble

sidebar boxes like the one below with helpful information and tips on adventure presentation and rules. The Basics Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a collaborative storytelling and roleplaying game. Each

adventures. The rules also help the players tell a fun, exciting, and memorable story. The rules are explained as they come up in the text in the right column of this adventure. The Tools. To play this

Chapter 3: Sunblight

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

Chapter 3: Sunblight Adventurers race against time to stop Xardorok Sunblight from unleashing terror upon Ten-Towns. Sequestered among the crags of the Spine of the World is a grim fortress hewn out

is Deep Duerra (the duergar god of conquest). Unknown to Xardorok, his warlock powers come from Asmodeus, the Lord of the Nine Hells, who enjoys impersonating other gods. It is Asmodeus, not Deep

Dark Elves (Drow)

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

Sildëyuir near the Feywild. A conflict with the nilshai, a race of wormlike sorcerers from the Ethereal Plane, forced some star elves to leave their home and come to Faerûn. Wild Elves. These

of these few heroic drow have tempered some people’s opinions toward the race, although the appearance of a dark elf on the surface remains a rare event and a cause for alarm. Many drow in Faerûn hail

Berserker

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

Berserker Unpredictable berserkers come together in war parties and seek conflict wherever they can find it. Berserker Medium humanoid (any race), any chaotic alignment Armor Class 13 (hide armor

Celebrate

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

, this day is especially important for Cyran survivors. It is a time when Cyrans come together to remember their lost kingdom. Some tell stories or sing traditional songs, ensuring their culture isn’t

martyred while exposing hidden lycanthropes in Sharn. It is a time when followers of the Flame come together, but often causes tensions with the shifter community. The Hunt (4 Barrakas). In honor of the

Kalashtar

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

come to me in dreams, and at times her voice whispers in the silence of my mind. As long as at least one of my sisters is alive, Kashtai will survive—and as long as she lives, she will fight il

-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. Kalashtar are often

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

Extras

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

no importance becomes a central figure in an improvised roleplaying scene. Whenever extras are present, be prepared to come up with names and mannerisms on the fly. In a pinch, you can plunder the race-specific character names found in chapter 2 of the Player’s Handbook.

D&D Beyond

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