before behind desire continue rarely

Book of Exalted Deeds

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

’s authors filled the pages with their own visions of true virtue, providing guidance for defeating evil. The Book of Exalted Deeds rarely lingers in one place. As soon as the book is read, it

this damage disappears in a flash and is destroyed, leaving its possessions behind. The book then vanishes, and the creature’s Attunement to it ends. Benefits granted by the Book of Exalted Deeds

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

megalomaniacal. Sammaster’s travels brought him into contact with people who revered dragons as icons of primeval might. Masquerading his desire to dominate dragonkind as devotion, Sammaster

circle of the Cult of the Dragon, from whom he commands obedience. Sammaster rarely remains in one place for long, as he thinks no one can oversee the Cult of the Dragon activities across the Realms as

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. Sammaster’s travels brought him into contact with people who revered dragons as icons of primeval might. Masquerading his desire to dominate dragonkind as devotion, Sammaster established himself

the Dragon, from whom he commands obedience. Sammaster rarely remains in one place for long, as he thinks no one can oversee the Cult of the Dragon activities across the Realms as efficiently as he

Nupperibo

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

when a greater fiendish power commands it. Individually, nupperibos are weak, but they’re rarely alone and can be dangerous when gathered into packs. Clouds of stinging insects, stirge;stirges

(see the Monster Manual), and other vermin surround them in a terrifying, reeking sheath that torments any non-devil that draws near. A nupperibo knows nothing but the desire to destroy non-Fiends

Gray Scavver

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

-like scavengers that fly through space, feeding on whatever they can fit in their mouths. Scavvers are not always aggressive; often they trail behind larger creatures as well as ships and asteroids

—brown and gray—rarely rise above the level of nuisances. The larger varieties are more formidable, in part because they often don’t wait for their meals to come to them. A scavver

Harpy Matriarch

Monsters Ghosts of Saltmarsh

. The matriarch must take a bonus action on its subsequent turns to continue singing. It can stop singing at any time. The song ends if the matriarch is incapacitated. While charmed by the matriarch, a

that successfully saves is immune to this matriarch's song for the next 24 hours. Visage of Desire (1/Day). The matriarch projects a vision into the minds of creatures within 30 feet of it that aren't

Frostmourn

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

manner—perhaps poisoned, stabbed in the back, or killed while sleeping—the slain giant can rise as a frostmourn. Driven by its desire for vengeance, the frostmourn can turn the living into

wound that seeps frosty vapor or vibrant, purple veins showing the ravages of poison. It can momentarily dissolve its body into a swirling blizzard to avoid harm, reforming at a distance to continue its assault.Cold, PoisonFire

Harengon Sniper

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

harengon can use the Hide action.Harengon snipers provide artillery support to gangs of harengon brigand;harengon brigands. They hide atop bluffs, in the high branches of trees, and behind shelter

Material Plane. They love to travel on foot and rarely stay in one place for long. Not all harengons are mean-spirited bullies like the ones presented here. Every harengon follows their own path through

Aerisi Kalinoth

Monsters Princes of the Apocalypse

whirlwind that disperses quickly and harmlessly. Anything she is wearing or carrying is left behind. Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Aerisi fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead

, without using components or a spell slot. She can’t cast the same spell two rounds in a row, although she can continue to concentrate on a spell she previously cast using a lair action. Aerisi can

Madcap

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

been. A redcap’s desire to slay is rooted in its will to survive. VARIANT: MADCAPS A madcap is a redcap that soaks its hat in demon ichor instead of blood. Contact with demon ichor makes the

, the word “cool,” or the color blue. When a madcap drops to 0 hit points, its hateful existence comes to an end in spectacular fashion as it bursts into flames, reducing itself, its ichor-soaked hat, and its pants to ashes instantly while leaving behind its weapon and smoldering iron boots.

Abhorrent Overlord

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

continue to flock around the demon, offering fealty and squabbling for scraps. Some foul souls can't let go of the miserable lives they had. Having been despicable in life, these spirits fester in death

in Theros—the Underworld's a big place with room for all the incarnate wickedness you desire. PoisonCold, Necrotic

Night Scavver

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

space, feeding on whatever they can fit in their mouths. Scavvers are not always aggressive; often they trail behind larger creatures as well as ships and asteroids, living off droppings and discarded

;rarely rise above the level of nuisances. The larger varieties are more formidable, in part because they often don’t wait for their meals to come to them. A scavver has a single large eye in the

Vargouille

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

or a dretch, fears vargouilles only if they appear in great numbers. In the Lower Planes, vargouilles rarely get the chance to eat live prey other than vermin. More often, they lap up the ichor left

behind when one Fiend kills another. Because of their hunger for living prey, vargouilles are eager to escape the Lower Planes. On rare occasions, summoning a demon to another plane can bring a

Vanifer

Monsters Princes of the Apocalypse

Funeral Pyre. When Vanifer drops to 0 hit points, her body is consumed in a flash of fire and smoke. Anything she was wearing or carrying is left behind among ashes. Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If

action to cast one of her spells, up to 3rd level, without using components or a spell slot. She can’t cast the same spell two rounds in a row, although she can continue to concentrate on a

Brown Scavver

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

always aggressive; often they trail behind larger creatures as well as ships and asteroids, living off droppings and discarded refuse. They can enter the air envelopes of these bodies, so that as

their “host” moves (often at high speed), the scavvers keep pace. The lesser varieties—brown and gray—rarely rise above the level of nuisances. The larger varieties are more

Young Kruthik

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

hatch from eggs laid by female adults. Each egg is about the size of an adult human’s head and hatches within a month. Tiny kruthik hatchlings are harmless and rarely stray far from the nest. They

. As they burrow through the earth, they leave behind tunnels—evidence that is often the first clue to the nearby presence of a kruthik hive. Kruthiks also make use of preexisting underground

Orcsplitter

Magic Items Princes of the Apocalypse

drop to 0 hit points. You can’t be surprised by orcs while you’re not incapacitated. You are also aware when orcs are within 120 feet of you and aren’t behind total cover, although

knows little more than the desire to face orcs in battle and serve a courageous, just wielder. It disdains cowards and any form of duplicity, deception, or disloyalty. The weapon’s purpose is to

Banderhobb

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

brief existence, a banderhobb attempts to carry out its creator’s bidding. It accomplishes its mission with no concern for the harm it suffers or causes. Its only desire is to serve and succeed. A

, it leaves behind only tarry goo and wisps of shadow. Legends tell of an ominous tower in the Shadowfell where the shadows sometimes reform and banderhobbs roam.Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the banderhobb takes the Hide action.

Book of Exalted Deeds Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

book’s various authors filled the pages with their own vision of true virtue, providing guidance for defeating evil. The Book of Exalted Deeds rarely lingers in one place. As soon as the book

in a blinding flash and is destroyed, leaving its possessions behind. Benefits granted by the Book of Exalted Deeds last only as long as you strive to do good. If you fail to perform at least one act

Phoenix

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

in the area that aren’t being worn or carried. The explosion destroys the phoenix’s body and leaves behind an egg-shaped cinder, which weighs 5 pounds. The cinder deals 21 (6d6

the sky. An enormous fiery bird forms in the center of the flames and smoke—an elder Elemental possessed by a need to burn everything to ash. The phoenix rarely stays in one place for long as

Void Scavver

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

in their mouths. Scavvers are not always aggressive; often they trail behind larger creatures as well as ships and asteroids, living off droppings and discarded refuse. They can enter the air envelopes

of these bodies, so that as their “host” moves (often at high speed), the scavvers keep pace. The lesser varieties—brown and gray—rarely rise above the level of nuisances. The

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

tabaxi rarely stay in one place for long. Their innate nature pushes them to leave no secrets uncovered, no treasures or legends lost. Wandering Outcasts Most tabaxi remain in their distant

mull over the stories and rumors they collected like a miser counting coins. Although material wealth holds little attraction for the tabaxi, they have an insatiable desire to find and inspect ancient

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

Regis the halfling, the only one of his kind for hundreds of miles in any direction, locked his fingers behind his head and leaned back against the mossy blanket of the tree trunk. Regis was short

communities are threatened. Pastoral Pleasantries Most halflings live in small, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much

Hexblood

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Where wishing fails, ancient magic can offer a heart’s desire—at least, for a time. Hexbloods are individuals infused with eldritch magic, fey energy, or mysterious witchcraft. Some who

unusual crown, often called an eldercross or a witch’s turn. This living, garland-like part of a hexblood’s body extends from their temples and wraps behind the head, serving as a visible

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

friends and loved ones age while time barely touches them. Others live with the elves, growing restless as they reach adulthood in the timeless elven realms, while their peers continue to live as

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in

Obzedat Ghost

Monsters Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

let go of the fortunes they amassed in life. Addicted to power and prestige, these patriarchs continue to dominate the guild and accumulate even larger fortunes. Mostly Unanimous. The ghosts of the

Obzedat function as a unit, driven by their shared desire to accumulate ever more wealth for the guild. In times of disagreement, the eldest of the council exerts his seniority to bend the council to

Claugiyliamatar (possessed)

Monsters Divine Contention

the crest that begins near its eyes and continues down its spine, reaching full height just behind the skull. A small wooded region near Westbridge hides many old dwarven ruins and the extensive

earned her nickname from her habit of gnawing on old kills, and is often seen with a mangled corpse hanging from her mouth. Other dragons rarely remain in Kryptgarden Forest for long, because

Red Abishai

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

abishais when it comes to leadership ability and raw power. Red abishais lead other devils into battle or take charge of troublesome cults to ensure that they continue to carry out Tiamat’s commands

to Tiamat (and Asmodeus, when he chooses to use them). Other archdevils can command abishais to work for them, but most archdevils do so rarely, since it is never clear whether an abishai follows

Demilich (Variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

exist. If the demilich drops to 0 hit points, it is destroyed and turns to powder, leaving behind its gems. Crushing a gem releases any soul trapped within, at which point the target’s body re

souls of the insolent intruders to his tomb, magically transferring them to his phylactery. Liches who follow Acererak’s path believe that by becoming free of their bodies, they can continue

Wand of Orcus Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

The ghastly Wand of Orcus rarely leaves Orcus’s side. The device, as evil as its creator, shares the demon lord’s aims to snuff out the lives of all living things and bind the Material

’s desire to slay everything in the multiverse. The wand is cold, cruel, nihilistic, and bereft of humor. In order to further its master’s goals, the wand feigns devotion to its current

Isolde

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Isolde place her devotion to the carnival above her desire to leave it. When Isolde’s fey carnival crossed paths with another carnival from the Shadowfell, the eladrin found the escape she

sent malevolent fey creatures to hound Isolde and her Shadowfell carnival. Isolde doesn’t know who is behind this petty torment, nor does she care. Her hunt for the Caller and her thirst for

Marine

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

of an enemy ship, surviving on brackish water and foolhardy rats. At the right moment, you crept up to the deck and took over the ship on your own. 6 Leave None Behind. You carried an

who rarely lose composure on the battlefield. Marines who leave the service tend to work as mercenaries, but their combat experience also makes them excellent adventurers. Though they are self-reliant

Adult Amethyst Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

an ancient dragon resemble glowing white or pale lavender orbs. Crystalline horns reminiscent of amethyst chunks hover behind their heads, held there by telekinetic force and shifting with their moods

and rarely cultivating connections with other creatures. When they do connect with others, it is most often for intellectual and philosophical pursuits or to fulfill some arcane purpose involving the

Vegepygmy

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

from the remains left behind when a Humanoid or a Giant is killed by russet mold (see “Russet Mold” below). One or more vegepygmies emerge from the corpse a day later. Vegepygmies

, vegepygmies can absorb nutrients from soil and many sorts of organic matter, so they rarely go hungry. A vegepygmy can hiss and make other noises by forcing air through its mouth, but it can’t

Factol Skall

Monsters Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary

, rasping to himself. Skall appears as little more than a floating, disembodied head and two hands, his tattered cloak fluttering behind them. Notorious among the factols of Sigil but rarely seen in the

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