before beast down culture real

Ancient Spirit Dragon

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

(Beast or Humanoid form only, no Temporary Hit Points gained from the spell, and no Concentration or Temporary Hit Points required to maintain the spell), Thunderwave (level 2 version) 1/Day Each

action again until the start of its next turn.Ancient spirit dragons have outgrown the petty concerns of the current age. After centuries of studying the culture and beliefs of an ancient empire, a

Adult Spirit Dragon

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

dragon casts one of the following spells, requiring no spell components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 18): At Will: Detect Magic, Shapechange (Beast or Humanoid form

appreciation for the culture and art of humanoid societies. Spirit dragons find even the most commonplace melodies moving. A song written in the time and region from which a spirit dragon hails can

Mist Hulk

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

hint of their ancestors’ physical form, and even less of the giants’ culture. A mist hulk resembles a bipedal figure made of dark rain clouds. Parts of its body seem more solid than others

at any time. When it is slain, its misty form condenses into a torrent of water. A mist hulk’s mood is always gloomy, and when threatened, it often howls in infectious misery. All who hear this wail are magically reminded of past regrets, real or imagined.PoisonThunder

Portentia Dran

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Shortsword","rollDamageType":"slashing"} slashing damage. Change Shape. Portentia magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating equal to or less

-profit-and-power biz — Portentia Dran is more than she appears to be. Quite literally. The person known as Portentia is actually a changeling, who took the place of the real Portentia before her fifth

Simulacrum Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

You shape an illusory duplicate of one beast or humanoid that is within range for the entire casting time of the spell. The duplicate is a creature, partially real and formed from ice or snow, and it

Gruul Anarch

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

Equipment: A Gruul insignia, a hunting trap, an herbalism kit, the skull of a boar, a beast-hide cloak, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp (Azorius 1-zino coins

Spell Level Spells Cantrip fire bolt, produce flame 1st compelled duel, speak with animals, thunderwave 2nd beast sense, shatter 3rd conjure animals

Ancient Brass Dragon Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

damage or someone uses an action to wake it. Change Shape. The dragon magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than its own, or back into its true form. It

. Images of Large or smaller monsters haunt the desert sands within 1 mile of the dragon’s lair. These illusions move and appear real, although they can do no harm. A creature that examines an

Ancient Copper Dragon Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with a successful save. Change Shape. The dragon magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than

seekers and distract them from where the real treasure is hidden. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects

Verdan

Species Acquisitions Incorporated

, the verdan found that they were often mistaken for smaller, green-skinned half-elves. Attracting curiosity but no real questions, they have thus been able to make their way reasonably freely in the

steeped in a culture, the verdan remain on the lookout for oppression and curtailment of freedoms. They understand the need for laws that protect, but they rail against laws that restrict and oppress

Draw In the Players

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

the following: Avoiding Stereotypes. Show how multiple people from the same culture are different. Don't use a real-world accent in a disparaging way. Beautiful Diversity. Feature members of

thieves to guard their loot. Relatability. Treat NPCs as real people with real motivations. Put yourself in their shoes. What would you do?

Appendix A: Animals

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual

Appendix A: Animals This appendix provides stat blocks for animals of the Beast type—along with many of their gigantic or mythologized kin—in alphabetical order. Most represent versions of animals

that exist (or existed) in the real world. You can find descriptions of these creatures in dictionaries or other educational sources, or you might create new roles for them in your D&D worlds. Use these

Appendix B: Character Names

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

character race in the Player’s Handbook or a real-world ethnic or language group, with a focus on groups from antiquity and the Middle Ages. You can select from the possibilities here, or use dice to

have a dwarven name. Or, as DM, you might decide that dragonborn in your campaign have a culture reminiscent of ancient Rome and therefore use Roman names, rather than the dragonborn names suggested here.

What Is Acquisitions Incorporated?

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

five. Think about Conan barbarously assailing his way up the corporate ladder. Or perhaps King Arthur insisting that Excalibur’s real magic lie in brand awareness, or Robin Hood pivoting the Merry

own personalized base of operations, and a way to introduce Acquisitions Incorporated’s specific sense of farcical corporate culture, questionable morality, and unfolding narrative to your own game

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

goblin tribe has to nobility is the caste of lashers — families of goblins trained in the ways of battle, and also possessed of key skills such as strategy, trap-building, beast taming, mining

Age

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

800 years Ancient Behaviors d8 Behavior 1 The giant addresses Humanoids as citizens of a fallen realm (equivalent to calling people in the real world “Babylonians”). 2 The giant burdens

conversation with irrelevant historical context. 3 The giant is curious about minute details of fashion, slang, and popular culture among Humanoids. 4 The giant is a hopeless procrastinator, always convinced

Introduction

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

rooted in real-world mythology and fantasy literature. Other creatures are D&D originals. The monsters in this book have been culled from all previous editions of the game. Herein you’ll discover classic

critters such as the beholder and the displacer beast next to more recent creations such as the chuul and the twig blight. Common beasts mingle with the weird, the terrifying, and the ridiculous. In

Keranos as Campaign Villain

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

over their lack of vision, or by a consuming need to trigger unrestrained creative impulses that have far-reaching effects, by anger at a real or perceived slight. His will might be expressed through

the pantheon, preferring to brood and dispense epiphanies in solitude. He is, however, easily roused to anger and goes to extremes to satisfy real or perceived slights. The Keranos’s Divine Schemes

Simulacrum

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

shape an illusory duplicate of one beast or humanoid that is within range for the entire casting time of the spell. The duplicate is a creature, partially real and formed from ice or snow, and it can

Scouting the Lake

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

(commoners) and a captain (scout) aboard. They don’t believe the lake monster is real and try to badger the characters into fishing elsewhere. They use trawling nets to fish in the vicinity for the

fish and can use its reaction to make an opportunity attack against it or try to grapple the fish as it dives back into the water. 16–20 The awakened plesiosaurus makes its presence known. Run the “Clever Beast” encounter. Adventurers encounter the monster of Maer Dualdon

The Vanthampur Family

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

The Vanthampur Family Thalamra Vanthampur is a cunning, devil-worshiping beast of a woman in her late sixties who can stare down a hell hound without flinching. She is barrel-bodied, with strong

. Thurstwell’s real problem is that his mother doesn’t see him as her successor, and is grooming Amrik to fill that role. Despite his jealousy, Thurstwell would never visit harm upon Amrik for fear of incurring

Simulacrum

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

shape an illusory duplicate of one beast or humanoid that is within range for the entire casting time of the spell. The duplicate is a creature, partially real and formed from ice or snow, and it can

Talenta Halflings

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

around you. Dinosaurs play an important role in Talentan culture. How does this affect you? Do you have a clawfoot companion? As a druid you can assume dinosaur forms; as a monk you could use

fighting styles based on different dinosaurs. Likewise, in playing a Beast Totem barbarian or Circle of the Shepherd druid, consider replacing the traditional totems with the following. Bear: Hammertail

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

Sovereign Balinor, a fierce beast is brought to the city and released into an isolated section of the Depths. Anyone can participate in the Hunt by making a donation of 5 gp; the hunter (or hunting

Feygrove

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

(alternatively, you can use yeth hounds from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse). The hags use the Feygrove as their base while pursuing bloodthirsty schemes against enemies both real and

grass and barely discernible. Recently, a young displacer beast (or displacer beast kitten from The Wild Beyond the Witchlight) exploring the bell accidentally tipped it over and got caught inside

The Lantern Ghost Murders

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

The Lantern Ghost Murders To feed the growing kraken’s ravenous hunger, Sgothgah has coerced its cultist allies into supplying the beast with beggars, drunks, urchins, and other sweepings from the

, but hasn’t connected the vague horrors of his sleep with the very real horror occurring in the shadowy, mist-drenched alleys of his home. Seven days ago, Jarme was captured by a nighttime patrol

Portentia Dran

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

than she appears to be. Quite literally. The person known as Portentia is actually a changeling, who took the place of the real Portentia before her fifth year. The changeling Portentia can affect a

three melee attacks. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage. Change Shape. Portentia magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast

Vistani

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

single domain, the Mists, or any terror. Vistani Culture Unlike the denizens of individual domains, Vistani are inhabitants of the Land of the Mist as a whole. Although they trace their origins to the

now are full-fledged members of Vistani culture (see the “Vistani Characters” sidebar for details). As they travel, members of a Vistani band walk, ride on horseback, and drive ledge wagons, stopping

Mist Hulk

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

the barest hint of their ancestors’ physical form, and even less of the giants’ culture. A mist hulk resembles a bipedal figure made of dark rain clouds. Parts of its body seem more solid than others

magically reminded of past regrets, real or imagined. Mist Hulk Large Elemental, Typically Chaotic Neutral Armor Class 15 Hit Points 94 (9d10 + 45) Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover) STR 18 (+4

Wuxia

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

of a wuxia campaign. The Wuxia Weapon Names table lists alternative names for common weapons from the Player’s Handbook and identifies their real-world cultural origins. An alternative name changes

none of the weapon’s properties as they are described in the Player’s Handbook. Wuxia Weapon Names Weapon Other Names (Culture) Battleaxe fu (China); masakari (Japan) Club bian (China); tonfa (Japan

Underwater Adventures

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

first dolphin. 2 Recover the treasure of a hero long ago devoured by a sea beast. 3 Carry a coastal city’s gifts and diplomatic messages to an underwater community. 4 Calm a kraken

juvenile sea monster caught in a fisher’s net to its home. 12 Protect a priest of Thassa intent on journeying to the bottom of the sea. As the people of Olantin discovered, ages of prosperity and culture mean nothing in the face of a wrathful sea (SLAWOMIR MANIAK)

Horror Gameplay

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

characters in fiction or film. Treat characters as real people with real motivations. Put yourself in their shoes. What would you do? Show how multiple people from the same culture are different. Feature

real-world history, and character creation rules presuppose no standard bar for heroics. Encourage Space A typical D&D session is longer than a typical horror movie, and it can be hard to sustain the

Little Oak

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

you?” as it fights to the death. The oni has a pet displacer beast kitten (see the accompanying stat block) named Star, which it abandons if its curse is ended. Characters who aided Dirlagraun in the

of the Feywild reluctantly agrees to return Star to his parent, but only if the characters help him free the remaining children that are trapped in Loomlurch. Displacer Beast Kitten Small Monstrosity

Holidays

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

tell stories or sing traditional songs, ensuring that their culture isn’t forgotten. Other survivors still seethe with anger at the enemies who brought Cyre down, and thus far the holiday has been marked

Landing. The Race of Eight Winds (23 Lharvion) This event is an aerial race that takes place around Dura Quarter. The Hunt (4 Barrakas) In honor of the Sovereign Balinor, a fierce beast is brought to the

Shape-Shifting

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

extremely misguided. Looking glasses have not helped. -Fizban Most metallic and gem dragons can change shape to take on a Humanoid or Beast form by the time they reach adulthood or ancient age. A

questions about Humanoid art, culture, history, and politics. Of course, years of careful scheming can be quickly unraveled if a shape-shifted dragon’s true nature is discovered. As a result, such

Tree Cottage of the Three Mothers

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

crowns also intensify the hags’ illusion of themselves as dryads and Olitor as a satyr, make the unicorn Banrion appear to be a fiendish, haggard beast, and make the fey in the unicorn’s care appear as

revealed. However, a character wearing the crown has such a strong sense that the illusion is real that they might not know which of their senses to believe. If a crown is closely examined by a character

D&D Beyond

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