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Returning 35 results for 'before being defenses checking read'.
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Monsters
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
equipment he is wearing or carrying isn't transformed.
Psychic Defenses. Unless Lazav is incapacitated, he is immune to magic that allows other creatures to read his thoughts, determine whether he is
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
can’t be targeted by divination magic or features that would read its mind or determine its creature type.Multiattack. The infiltrator makes two Poison Blade attacks and can use Beguiling
’s a hidden thieves’ guildhall or a lavish manse. The lair is filled with clever defenses to disorient, weaken, and kill intruders.
The villain’s challenge rating increases while the
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
Alien Mind. Magic and other features can’t determine the corrupter’s creature type. If a creature tries to read the corrupter’s thoughts, that creature must succeed on a DC 20
Lair
This villain resides in a place of power and safety, whether that’s a hidden thieves’ guildhall or a lavish manse. The lair is filled with clever defenses to disorient, weaken, and
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
Inviolate Presence. The veiled presence can’t be targeted by divination magic or by features that would read its mind or determine its creature type.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the
filled with clever defenses to disorient, weaken, and kill intruders.
The villain’s challenge rating increases while the villain is in this lair:
Veiled Presence. Challenge 22 (41,000 XP
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
follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20.
Languages
Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
D4. Dormitory The passage west from the courtyard becomes a long hallway with a series of stone doors on either side. Read the following aloud the first time a character enters one of the rooms: A
successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Southwest Room. The renegade dwarves dumped the bodies of everyone they slew in the southwestern cell. Even before the door is open, read the
Goblin
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
the fringes of a society first test its defenses by stealing objects, and if these crimes go unpunished, they begin stealing people.
Enslaved creatures receive the worst treatment the goblins can dish
of farming of which goblins are capable and are charged with checking traps for captured people or beasts. Gatherers aren’t usually armed with weapons more deadly than a sling or a knife, but
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
, various townsfolk can point in the direction the verbeeg went after stealing the casks. As the characters make their way to the edge of the forest, read: A figure in cold weather clothing lurches out of
(chaotic good human scout), a trapper. He was out in the woods checking his traps when he came upon a grisly scene: five members of Good Mead’s militia, their skulls and chests stove in. He came
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes of the Borderlands
Quest: Wake-up Call After making introductions, Haldryck tells the characters they look light on their feet and in possession of good manners. He could use their help. Read the following boxed text
sleeper in the process, rousing them from their slumber. The characters must make this check three times, one for each early riser. Checking In with Haldryck For waking the early risers, Haldryck rewards
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
Entering Candlekeep Although some visitors travel to Candlekeep by air, most arrive on foot or on horseback. When the characters arrive at the gatehouse, read the following boxed text to the players
or scroll, you decide whether the monks accept it as a gift. If the characters try to sneak or force their way into Candlekeep, the fortress’s defenses are brought to bear as described in the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sleeping Dragon’s Wake
Arrival As the characters approach the ruins of Iniarv’s Tower, read the following boxed text aloud: Atop an escarpment on the eastern side of the High Road stands a crumbling keep with thirty-foot
-high walls supported by a gatehouse, two short towers, and one tall tower more than twice as tall as the keep’s walls. There is a large opening in the north wall where the defenses crumbled long ago
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
, gemstones, and rare minerals
Organizations: The Miners’ Guild, the Stoneheart Enclave
The defenses in Outer Blingdenstone paint a picture of a paranoid people under siege, but once past the final gates
, the true character of the settlement is revealed. Warm, cozy, and welcoming, Blingdenstone is a rarity in the Underdark. Read the following boxed text when the characters first arrive in Inner
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
Entrance to Kalaman The trek from the villagers’ landing spot to Kalaman spans two miles. As the characters and Darrett approach the city, read the following: Statues of titanic soldiers line
Kalaman’s mighty walls. These ancient stone knights stare into the distance, daring invaders to dash themselves against defenses that withstood even the Cataclysm. A disorganized neighborhood of tents and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a3
40. Dragon Breath When the party reaches the bottom of the stairs, read: A staircase leads upward into the gloom. It seems as though you have found the entrance to another layer within the complex
head of the steps. The statue has the statistics, defenses, and traits of a stone golem, but it has no action options. As soon as it stops after emerging, it opens its mouth and breathes a gust of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
. Unfortunately, they have no means of assuring the slumbering fungal entity of their intentions, and the growing threat posed by Zuggtmoy and the demon lords has roused Araumycos’s defenses. The pastel
, whereupon each bursts into a cloud of sweet-smelling spores as its body dissolves back into the larger mass of fungi filling the cavern. Read the following to the players when the final creature is
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Divine Contention
can mop up any crew left alive on deck (see “Dreadnaught Locations” for information on both these defenses). Characters whose ship was destroyed earlier are instead “rescued” by the galleon. When the
characters sight the vessel, read the following boxed text aloud: An armored dreadnaught made from metal and bones ploughs through the fog, driven by banks of bonelike oars. Flames leap from a brazier
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
interrupt her if news comes from Darrett’s forces. When her aide leads the characters into the castle’s council chamber, read the following: This familiar conference hall and its large round table
? How can it be destroyed? How can Kalaman stand against a fortress that soars over the city’s defenses? The characters are unlikely to have answers to all these questions, and Marshal Vendri doesn’t
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
in a secret vault. As a security precaution, he arranged for all knowledge of the vault’s location and defenses to be magically erased from his mind and the minds of his subordinates. The wizard who
clutches of Xanathar. The Stone of Golorr is actually an aboleth transformed by magic. In this inanimate state, the aboleth can read the mind of any creature that attunes to the stone, as well as
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
Shape Theft. 3 Testing the Defenses (see below) 4 Highmaster’s Message (see below) A sivak draconian swoops down to attack Testing the Defenses A warning horn sounds from a group of soldiers crewing
outside, possibly on Kalaman’s walls or the city streets. The character with the highest passive Wisdom (Perception) score sees a strange violet light in the sky. After they react, read the following
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath
of Leilon were content to leave his tower and the monsters within alone. The Spellplague, a divine phenomenon that twisted Faerûn’s magic, corrupted the tower’s defenses. The creatures sealed within
quest “A Normal Day in Leilon”), show the Leilon map to the players and use the following read-aloud text: Leilon is a ruined town encircled by an earthen rampart. To the southwest, new settlers
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel
minutes to find Major Kalar’s white tent amid the bustle of officers and messengers. When the characters enter the tent, read the following: A stony-faced hobgoblin woman in a sharp-looking uniform
them to seek out how the forces through the gate are getting intel on Rigus’s defenses. If the characters agree to help end the threat, the major promises them access to the gate to Acheron, 1,000 gp
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel
Acheron Incursion Reaching the gate to Acheron involves following a long tunnel to a massive mechanical lift. So long as the characters are with Major Kalar, the town guards don’t impede them. Read
following section) that wears a ring of mind shielding. The slaad has blended in with Rigus’s forces and learned much about the gate-town’s defenses. Kalar introduces the characters to both sergeants. While
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
this crime scene, read the following: The taproom of the Sleeping Giant is quiet, save for the occasional thunk of tankard against table. The bar itself is in shambles, the wooden stiles smashed to
the counter. The Clue. The legible parts of the graffiti read, “Zorz ws here.” This is intended to say, “Zorzula was here,” and the goblins left the graffiti in reference to Zorzula’s Rest. The graffiti
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a2
The Stone Tooth When the characters set forth on their journey, read: As you travel north from the mining town of Blasingdell, you pass through brooding pine forests and deep vales. From where you
Mountain Door, the orc army burrowed into the hillside to circumvent the dwarven defenses. The tunnel is still passable, but its entrance is choked with brush and debris. If the characters enter this area
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sleeping Dragon’s Wake
disappeared, the people of Leilon were content to leave his tower and the monsters within alone. The Spellplague, a divine phenomenon that twisted Faerûn’s magic, corrupted the tower’s defenses. The
and read the following boxed text aloud: The half-finished palisade of Leilon will soon make a complete semicircle on the northeast side of the town, defended by an earthen rampart. To the southwest
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Divine Contention
disappeared, the people of Leilon were content to leave his tower and the monsters within alone. The Spellplague, a divine phenomenon that twisted Faerûn’s magic, corrupted the tower’s defenses. The
get underway, show the Leilon map to the players and read the following boxed text aloud: The palisade of Leilon forms a semicircle on the northeastern side of the town, defended by an earthen rampart
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
require combating a rival organization’s disinformation attempts one day, then besting a castle’s defenses the next. The day after that, some poor sap named Bob might need to be disposed of. And no matter
an enemy’s tactics, discern a hidden threat, or intimidate a foe whose weaknesses you have previously assessed (see “Read the Opposition” below). The Obviator Franchise Rank Features
1
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
Menzoberranzan, and he takes an interest in the adventurers — particularly if they travel with Grin Ousstyl. If the characters agree to meet with Jarlaxle in House Do’Urden, read the following when they first
member — and also gives the characters a password that temporarily bypasses the tower’s defenses. Characters who speak the password while inside the tower won’t have to deal with the tower’s guards
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
local defenses. Mayor Raven asks for the characters’ and Darrett’s help organizing the evacuation, tasking them with the following: Help her inform the villagers of the situation by collecting everyone
going door to door or by ringing the village circle’s bell. When the villagers have gathered, Mayor Raven addresses the crowd. Read the following text: Colorful Kingfisher Festival decorations still cover
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Meeting the Inhabitants Read this text when the characters first climb the path to Dragon’s Rest: Your arrival quickly draws the attention of the entire population of the place—which consists mostly
the players start showing signs of exasperation), the leader of the cloister approaches to welcome the characters. Read the following text: The chattering kobolds fall silent as a new figure comes
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary
Heralds of Dust oppose the party’s interference. The factorylike assembly spans multiple floors; map 1.1 depicts a portion of it. When the characters arrive, read or paraphrase the following text
incorporeal Undead that periodically escape from below. Map 1.2 depicts the Spirit Sump. When the characters arrive, read or paraphrase the following text: Metal catwalks spiderweb above this vast
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
characters arrive there, read the following: The walls of this circular tower chamber are punctuated by arched windows that are currently shuttered. Bookcases filled with eldritch volumes stand
touching it. CANDLEKEEP DEFENSES
Attacking Candlekeep would be foolhardy. Although most of the monks are simple scholars, a few are powerful spellcasters. If any trouble occurs, an archmage and 1d4
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase
rubble, read or paraphrase the following: The air in these ruins is thick with the smell of death. Shattered furniture, rubble, and the corpses of derro and hunters litter the floor. A pair of stylish
This area is blocked off by loose rubble (see the “Derro Lair Features” section). If the characters clear the rubble, read or paraphrase the following: The walls of this room are painted pale green
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
the ordeal. Dream 1: Rainbow Angels Read the following boxed text when the characters first enter Lulu’s dreamscape: As the rich, radiant light of a hundred dancing rainbows slowly dissolves, warm
next dream. Dream 4: Desolation When the fourth dream begins, read: You wander a vast, barren landscape of utter devastation. Black sludge rises rapidly out of the ground, enveloping your feet and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
Arkhan’s Tower He wears the hand of evil, yet his goal remains just beyond his fingertips. — The Cartographer When the characters arrive at this location, read or paraphrase the following boxed text
reactions, and the only action he can take is to emerge from his shell.
In addition to its undead defenses, the tower has four smaller dragons living inside it: a young black dragon named Slarkas






