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Ember

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 2: Dragonlance Creatures

. Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If Ember fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Special Equipment. In battle, Ember dons magical plate armor custom-forged for his use. While wearing the armor

who serves the Dragon Queen Takhisis. In his service to the Dragon Queen, Ember has taken on many roles at her behest—including that of a black-robed human member of the Mages of High Sorcery

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

children. Many half-elves, unable to fit into either society, choose lives of solitary wandering or join with other misfits and outcasts in the adventuring life. Of Two Worlds To humans, half-elves look

contrast, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their charisma and social skills to great use in diplomatic roles or as swindlers. Half-Elf Names Half-elves use either human or elven

Minotaur Legacy

Species Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

, are much better known and respected. Boros minotaurs choose the precision of the legion over the fury of the pack. Minotaurs tend to vent their outrage through violence, but they aren’t

minotaur heroes are full of other names as well: those of the retainers, allies, lovers, servants, enemies, and others who played roles, however small, in the lives of the heroes. Almost every minotaur

Bard Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

experience earns renown among other bards. Indeed, after telling so many stories about heroes accomplishing mighty deeds, many bards take these themes to heart and assume heroic roles themselves

highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the entertainer background. Third, choose the dancing lights and vicious mockery cantrips, along with the following 1st-level spells: charm

What Does a DM Do?

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

What Does a DM Do? The DM gets to play many fun roles: Actor. The DM plays the monsters, choosing their actions and rolling dice for their attacks. The DM also plays all the people the characters

session and for creating situations that facilitate fun. Improviser. A big part of being the DM is deciding how to apply the rules as you go and imagining the consequences of the characters’ actions in a

What Does a DM Do?

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules

What Does a DM Do? The DM gets to play many fun roles: Actor. The DM plays the monsters, choosing their actions and rolling dice for their attacks. The DM also plays all the people the characters

session and for creating situations that facilitate fun. Improviser. A big part of being the DM is deciding how to apply the rules as you go and imagining the consequences of the characters’ actions in a

Mages

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

choose a result from the Mage Roles table to inspire different sorts of mages. Mage Roles 1d10 The Mage Is... 1 An astronomer who draws magic from stars. 2 An author who writes about the occult. 3

Preparing for the Play

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

role before suggesting another role for the other character (choose a table entry that hasn’t already been assigned). Allow characters to invent new roles for themselves if they don’t like the ones

Preparing for the Play Characters who choose to perform a play are met by Motherhorn’s master of ceremonies, Stagefright, who is a goblin boss (chaotic neutral). Describe this meeting as follows: A

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

roles that protect and sustain the tribe. The strongest kobolds are trained to be hunters and warriors, the most clever are crafters and strategists, the toughest are miners and beast-wranglers, and so

waking time is spent working, adversarial kobolds rarely have opportunities to exchange insults, let alone come to blows over their differences. Kobolds choose mates primarily for convenience. Their

Arcane Focuses

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

Arcane Focuses Go to the Bazaar in Sharn or any enclave of House Cannith and you’ll find a wide selection of arcane focuses to choose from. For a wandslinger, the choice of an arcane focus carries

the same weight as a duelist deciding between a rapier or a maul. Do you use a wand of Fernian ash to focus your fire bolt, or do you harness defensive energies with a Risian orb? An arcane focus is a

Warriors

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

. Roll on or choose a result from the Warrior Roles table to inspire the creation of different sorts of warriors. Warrior Roles 1d10 The Warrior Is... 1 A bodyguard who protects a noble. 2 A

Maintaining Order

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

within their own ranks, members of any faction might bristle at having to work alongside (much less take orders from) members of other factions. Chain of Command In addition to deciding how the

take on the roles of their faction allies as well as their regular characters. This can range from letting each player control the overall actions of the NPCs in a single faction, to creating multiple

Bardic Inspiration

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

Bardic Inspiration You can inspire others through stirring words or music. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear

it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic

Priests

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

ideologies. Roll on or choose a result from the Priest Roles table to inspire different sorts of priests. Priest Roles 1d10 The Priest Is... 1 An ascetic who keeps wicked spirits at bay. 2 An

Running for One Player

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

Running for One Player If you’re running this adventure for a single player, you can give that player a sidekick as a secondary character. Let the player choose one of the pregenerated sidekicks from

or no longer needed, the character can return to Phandalin and acquire a new one. Using Sidekicks Make sure the player understands the roles and limitations of sidekicks in this adventure: Sidekicks

Bardic Inspiration

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

Bardic Inspiration You can inspire others through stirring words or music. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear

it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic

Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn

recently tumbled into the D&D multiverse. Each player can choose one of these characters or provide a character of their own. About the Animated Series Based on the tabletop roleplaying game, Dungeons

guidance of the Dungeon Master, who gave each hero a powerful magic item. Key characters in this adventure—Uni the unicorn, Kelek the spellcaster, and Venger—all played major roles in the animated series.

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

relieved of their other roles and taken to the lair’s whelping pens, where they are tended to by Luthic’s followers. Orcs don’t take mates, and no pair-bonding occurs in a tribe

everywhere in the world around them, and the priests of a tribe are entrusted with the responsibility of identifying these signs and omens — both good and bad — and deciding how the tribe should

Let This Be Their Battlefield

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

Let This Be Their Battlefield The players can choose where their characters confront the demon lords by deciding where to set the dark heart talisman. Vizeran’s preference is anywhere in

characters might choose to stay with Vizeran during the nine-hour performance of the ritual, whether to guard against treachery or to reclaim Gromph’s grimoire once the ritual is done. If this is the case

Stone Golem

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

. Roll on or choose a result from the Stone Golem Orders table to inspire the commands a stone golem follows. Stone Golem Orders 1d6 The Stone Golem Follows Orders To... 1 Allow only those

battle with the type of monster that slew the hero it resembles. Exercise discernment when deciding the golem’s appearance, as your creation is likely to long outlive its model. —Manual of

Clerics

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

belong to an established religious hierarchy, but many do not. The gods choose whomever they will, and sometimes a devoted worshiper is blessed with all the abilities of a cleric, despite not being a

path of the cleric. They serve their faiths in other roles, such as priests, scholars, or artisans, while some go on to vocations that have nothing to do with religion. A few souls who are denied the

Lucky

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

extra d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw; and then choose which d20 to use. This is true no matter how many d20s are in the mix. For example, if you have advantage or disadvantage

, and we know that a specific rule trumps a general rule if they conflict with each other. If a DM wants advantage and disadvantage to play their normal roles even when the Lucky feat is used, here’s

Scout

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

wilderness and among barbarians and rangers, and many Scouts serve as the eyes and ears of war bands. Ambusher, spy, bounty hunter — these are just a few of the roles that Scouts assume as they range

down during a fight. You can move up to half your speed as a reaction when an enemy ends its turn within 5 feet of you. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. Survivalist When you choose this

Sentient Magic Item Traits

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules

, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Choose the item’s abilities, or determine them randomly as follows: roll 4d6 for each one, dropping the lowest roll and totaling the rest. Alignment. A sentient magic

sharing its emotions, broadcasting its thoughts telepathically, or speaking aloud. You can choose how it communicates or roll on the Sentient Item’s Communication table. Senses. A sentient item can

Champions and Heroes

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

or forge a path that throws off the bonds of destiny. Regardless of the course they choose, the deeds of champions influence belief in the gods, but even more so, they fill the hearts of Theros’s

greatness typically begin by deciding what heroic archetype they most closely align with and letting that ideal influence their fate. The heroes illustrated throughout this introduction are examples of

Detailed NPCs

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

Detailed NPCs Flesh out NPCs who play prominent roles in your adventures. You can use the accompanying NPC Tracker to record information as you determine these six elements of your NPC: Name You’ll

you like, you can roll 1d6 to determine which table to choose a name from, then roll 1d12 to get a name. You can also alter or combine names, pull from a book of names, or use a name inspired by a movie

Initiative Variants

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

tie is broken. When it’s a side’s turn, the members of that side can act in any order they choose. Once everyone on the side has taken a turn, the other side goes. A round ends when both sides have

monster must choose an action. Initiative Modifiers. Modifiers might apply to a creature’s initiative depending on its size and the action it takes. For example, a creature that fights with a light

People of Setessa

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

fluidly between roles, and a few choose a special role that Setessans view as standing outside the dichotomy of gender, living in Ophis Tower. The warriors of Ophis Tower are martially trained as women are

is no marriage, and ancestry is traced matrilineally. Despite the very different roles played by men and women, Setessans are flexible when it comes to any individual’s place in that structure. Some

Running the Adventure

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

captives; those who survive might play roles later in the adventure. Start It is assumed that the party has either followed the map obtained at the steading or used the magical chain found there to arrive

below—a distance of some 50 to 150 feet depending on position. Every hour the party moves along the icy terrain, randomly choose one character to make a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the check

Flesh Golem

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

, including their creators. Flesh golems appear in varied forms. Roll on or choose a result from the Flesh Golem Characteristics table to inspire a flesh golem’s features. The barrier between the mortal

exposed insides. 4 Parts serving unintended roles, like a body composed of dozens of hands. 5 Perfect features accented by beautiful stitching. 6 Visible mechanisms, bellows, and

Creating Sentient Magic Items

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

sentient magic item has Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You can choose the item's abilities or determine them randomly. To determine them randomly, roll 4d6 for each one, dropping the lowest

roll and totaling the rest. Communication A sentient item has some ability to communicate, either by sharing its emotions, broadcasting its thoughts telepathically, or speaking aloud. You can choose

City of Guilds

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

they have vied for control of the world. Their roles were established thousands of years ago in a magical treaty called the Guildpact, which not only assigned each guild a function, but also enforced

an uneasy peace among them. RANDOM GUILDS Sometimes you might want to choose a guild at random. Here’s a table you can use in those situations. d10 Guild 1 Azorius Senate 2 Boros

Plot Points

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

can spend a plot point to become the DM. That player’s character becomes an NPC, and play continues. It’s probably not a good idea to swap roles in the middle of combat, but it can happen if your group

table with a bit of material prepared or specific encounters in mind. A player who isn’t prepared or who doesn’t feel like DMing can choose to not spend a plot point that session. For this approach to

Inquisitive Agencies of Sharn

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

directly by House Medani. Guild Affiliation Whether or not any of the characters possess dragonmarks, their agency can choose to affiliate with either House Tharashk’s Finders Guild or House

flesh out more details about their agency, including allies, enemies, contacts, roles for each character in the agency, type of work, a signature case, and clientele.

Aristocrat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

of influence. When you are carrying out your orders, you have a great deal of leeway in how you choose to go about that, and the law isn’t an obstacle. Committing serious crimes—especially if they are

family leaders. Regardless of your skills or social standing, aristocratic patrons with enough foresight and imagination find a use for agents from any background. The Aristocrat Retainer Roles table

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