before battle diffusing castle race

Saint Markovia's Thighbone

Magic Items Curse of Strahd

one. Suffused with confidence born of righteous victory, Markovia advanced on Castle Ravenloft. A great battle raged from the catacombs to the parapets. In the end, Markovia never returned to Barovia

Saint Markovia’s thighbone has the properties of a mace of disruption. If it scores one or more hits against a vampire or a vampire spawn in the course of a single battle, the thighbone

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

":"Dart","rollDamageType":"piercing"} piercing damage.After her husband died in battle, Duchess Dorfniya Dilisnya set her sights on becoming Count Strahd von Zarovich's bride, but she failed to win his

love. Her visits to the castle were nonetheless frequent, and she never traveled without her fool, the delightful Pidlwick. The little man was like a ray of sunshine in Castle Ravenloft, and though he

Sahuagin Priestess Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

the sahuagin hunting horn — a call to raid and battle. Coastal settlers refer to sahuagin as “sea devils,” for sahuagin have no compassion in them, slaughtering the crews of ships and decimating coastal

villages. Devils of the Deep. Sahuagin are a predatory, piscine race that ventures from the ocean's black depths to hunt the creatures of the shallows and shore. Though they dwell in the deepest

Sahuagin Baron Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

it. This is the sound of the sahuagin hunting horn — a call to raid and battle. Coastal settlers refer to sahuagin as “sea devils,” for sahuagin have no compassion in them

, slaughtering the crews of ships and decimating coastal villages. Devils of the Deep. Sahuagin are a predatory, piscine race that ventures from the ocean’s black depths to hunt the creatures of the

Armanite

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

", "rollAction":"Lightning Lance", "rollDamageType":"lightning"} lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.Great herds of armanites race across the blasted fields of

the Abyss, bent on slaughter and death, driven by unrestrained bloodlust. Whether they’re controlled by more powerful demons or charging into battle for the sake of it, armanites use their

Strahd's Animated Armor

Monsters Curse of Strahd

or value to anyone. The armor that Strahd wore into battle when he was alive lives on today as a headless, animated suit of plate armor. The armor is painted burgundy and adorned with golden angelic

number of permanent spell effects on it to make the armor a better castle defender. The armor understands Common but obeys only the commands of its master. Lightning, PoisonCold, Fire

Giant Foundling

Backgrounds Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

. 4 Your farm was crushed and your family killed in a battle between warring groups of giants. Racked with guilt over the destruction, a sympathetic giant soldier promised to care for you

, you stumbled into the castle of a cloud giant, who immediately adopted you. Feature: Strike of the Giants You gain the Strike of the Giants feat.

Lord Soth

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

but then rose from the ashes as an Undead horror. In his cursed castle, Dargaard Keep, Soth long ignored the ruined world, but the Dragon Queen’s summons has called his evil forth once more

. In battle, Soth is a terror, wielding the last remnant of the Cataclysm’s fires to devastating effect. He usually uses his spellcasting ability only as part of his legendary actions.Necrotic, Poison

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. Shiftless, Savage Layabouts When they’re not in battle, bugbears spend much of their time resting or dozing. They don’t engage in crafting or agriculture to any great extent, or

. 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

Minotaur

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

carve their horns to sharpen their edges, etch symbols of power into them, or sheathe them in bronze to prevent them from shattering during battle. Thick hair extends down minotaurs’ necks and

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 Increases

Hobgoblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; entire society forever stands prepared for war. Brutal Civility Hobgoblins hold themselves to high standards of military honor. The race has a long history of shared traditions, recorded and retold

gods unique to their race, the only survivors of a pantheon that was decimated by Maglubiyet so long ago that hobgoblins don’t remember the names of the fallen. Nomog-Geaya is the greater of the

Dwarf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

industrious labor, skill in battle, and devotion to the forge. Individual dwarves are determined and loyal, true to their word and decisive in action, sometimes to the point of stubbornness. Many dwarves

field of battle centuries ago. SLOW TO TRUST Dwarves get along passably well with most other races. “The difference between an acquaintance and a friend is about a hundred years,” is

Deck of Many Things Legacy

Magic Items Basic Rules (2014)

30 feet of you. The fighter is of the same race as you and serves you loyally until death, believing the fates have drawn him or her to you. You control this character. Moon. You are granted the

you, warning all others that you must win the battle alone. The avatar fights until you die or it drops to 0 hit points, whereupon it disappears. If anyone tries to help you, the helper summons its

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the plane of Acheron. It is there in the afterlife where the chosen ones will join Gruumsh and his armies in their endless extraplanar battle for supremacy. Gods of the Orcs Orcs believe their gods

gather and celebrate, dwell the followers of Yurtrus, the god of disease and death, and Shargaas, the god of darkness and the unknown. Orcs too weak for battle (because of bodily weakness, malformation

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

appreciation for the finer things! — Volo Goblins occupy an uneasy place in a dangerous world, and they react by lashing out at any creatures they believe they can bully. Cunning in battle and

. 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

Chapter 10 Summary

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

demonic forces of Kas, who is attempting to free Miska the Wolf-Spider from his prison in the nearby Ruinous Citadel, and the demon-god Lolth, who is allied with Vecna. The characters can manipulate the battle, or they can race straight to Kas, who eventually reveals the location of Vecna’s ritual.

Chapter 10 Summary In chapter 10, the characters follow Kas through Pandemonium toward the Ruinous Sea, an ocean of swirling, impassable, chaotic magic. On the coast, a battle rages between the

Saint Markovia's Thighbone

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

her abbey. They confronted Markovia and were destroyed to a one. Suffused with confidence born of righteous victory, Markovia advanced on Castle Ravenloft. A great battle raged from the catacombs to

vampire spawn in the course of a single battle, the thighbone crumbles into dust once the battle concludes. As a youth, Markovia followed her heart and became a priest of the Morninglord soon after her

Approaching the Caer

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

. Warding the castle entrance are thick, battle-hardened wooden doors. Four cylindrical guard towers have wind-worn flags bearing the town’s heraldry fluttering above their tiled, conical roofs. These

Approaching the Caer When the characters first approach the castle, read: A sturdy, stone castle devoid of warmth and ostentation squats atop the cliffs overlooking the town and the frozen harbor

Gith

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

single race enslaved by the mind flayers. Although they attempted to overthrow their masters many times, their rebellions were repeatedly crushed until a great leader named Gith arose. After much

bloodshed, Gith and her followers threw off the yoke of their illithid masters, but another leader named Zerthimon emerged in the aftermath of battle. Zerthimon challenged Gith’s motives, claiming that her

Retreat!

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

Retreat! If the adventurers retreat from the sounds of battle, they barely escape from a partial collapse of their local section of Araumycos’s cavern complex. They race ahead of a small horde of

Squaring Off Against the Cult of the Dragon

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

chapter. Rezmir and Azbara Jos do almost anything to avoid a battle with interfering adventurers. They have bigger concerns than the safety of Castle Naerytar and its occupants. If a battle develops

Squaring Off Against the Cult of the Dragon Characters have several options at Castle Naerytar, and events there can go in many directions. Here are the key points to keep in mind when running this

Factional Assets

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

moment or prevent a crucial order from reaching its destination. Harper Agents. Intercepting intelligence during battle is a Harper specialty, and Harper agents can provide key information about cult

plans and deployments. As well, Harper archers, infantry, and spellcasters can have an enormous impact on the battle. Metallic Dragons. The metallic dragons will be outnumbered by their chromatic

Squaring Off Against the Cult of the Dragon

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

chapter. Rezmir and Azbara Jos do almost anything to avoid a battle with interfering adventurers. They have bigger concerns than the safety of Castle Naerytar and its occupants. If a battle develops

Squaring Off Against the Cult of the Dragon Characters have several options at Castle Naerytar, and events there can go in many directions. Here are the key points to keep in mind when running this

Dragonspear Castle

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

Dragonspear Castle Though the structure is crumbled and perpetually shrouded in mist, more than one of the caravans I’ve guided through these lands have seen Dragonspear Castle from afar and

anything like sanctuary from Dragonspear. Built by an adventurer named Daeros after he found a wealth of gems in a sunken dwarven settlement, Dragonspear Castle was erected above the very caverns where

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

gnomes and other humanoids, the kobolds instinctively attack the gnomes. Kobolds in battle with gnomes are much less likely to run away because their hatred overrules their sense of self-preservation

Denizens

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

Denizens Despite its grandeur and immense proportions, the castle is fairly self-contained, and loud sounds in one area can easily be heard in other locations. Any adult giant who yells really loud

can be heard throughout the castle. The Lyn Armaal Roster table summarizes the locations of the inhabitants when the characters approach and indicates how those creatures react when intruders are

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

Magical Physiologies Exam: Slaadi

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

as studying how best to either avoid a fight with such creatures or battle them and emerge triumphant. The class’s professor is Verelda Lang (chaotic neutral dryad professor from Witherbloom College

events of the “A Great Frog Race” section and sees students tested on their knowledge of the creatures known as slaadi. The rules for Exams can be found earlier in this chapter.

Skyreach Castle

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

Skyreach Castle Eons ago, cloud giants built this flying fortress to take their ancient battle against dragonkind into the skies. The spirit of a giant enables it to fly — this ancient bond dates

castle’s propulsion and buoyancy. The cult cannot afford to alienate Blagothkus, because the castle’s spirit will not obey them. Skyreach Castle is carved from ice so thick as to be opaque. The ice is as

Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

, Iggwilv’s ambitions proved excessive, and a climactic battle with Graz’zt broke her power. The Witch Queen then vanished. As her evil influence waned, Iggwilv’s realm was sundered, and her lair, the

surfaced over the last few decades, and three nations that border the mountains where it hides now race to claim Iggwilv’s hoard—or, if they can’t claim it, at least ensure that their rivals don’t either

Skyreach Castle

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

Skyreach Castle Eons ago, cloud giants built this flying fortress to take their ancient battle against dragonkind into the skies. The spirit of a giant enables it to fly—this ancient bond dates back

propulsion and buoyancy. The cult cannot afford to alienate Blagothkus, because the castle’s spirit will not obey them. Skyreach Castle is carved from ice so thick as to be opaque. The ice is as

Birthplace

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

81–82 Brothel, tavern, or inn 83–84 Castle, keep, tower, or palace 85 Sewer or rubbish heap 86–88 Among people of a different race 89–91 On board a boat or a ship 92–93 In a prison or in the

Gothic Horror Adventure Sites

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

mansion’s forbidden east wing, where terrible noises sound from every night 2 A castle where all visitors are transformed into rats, bats, spiders, and other beasts 3 A science lab where

preserved body parts carry the consciousnesses of their former owners 4 A hidden fighting arena where rivals and lovers battle to prove the strength of their emotions 5 A beautiful garden where

Factions

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

of the bullywugs, overrun the castle, and are poised to kill Borngray and Pharblex in battle—Pharblex judges that the ideal time to forsake old allies and court new ones has arrived. He offers just

Factions Three power groups operate around Castle Naerytar: the Cult of the Dragon, a band of bullywugs, and a lizardfolk tribe. The black dragon Voaraghamanthar, along with its kobold and lizardfolk

Assigning Assets

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

Well of Dragons, and their voices carry tremendous weight. As such, make sure the players know they have a key role to play in planning the battle. The simplest approach is a one-to-one matchup, with

beneath the caldera. Certain matchups are obvious. The metallic dragons are instinctive foes of the chromatic dragons, and those two forces can be expected to keep each other occupied during the battle

D&D Beyond

Search Results