before beings driven cunning respected

Warlock

Classes Player’s Handbook

multiverse. They often begin their search for magical power by delving into tomes of forbidden lore, dabbling in invocations meant to attract the power of extraplanar beings, or seeking places of power where

the influence of these beings can be felt. In no time, each Warlock is drawn into a binding pact with a powerful patron. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as angels, archfey, demons

Nine-Fingers Keene

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Cunning Action. On each of her turns in combat, Nine-Fingers can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Dagger Thrower. Nine-Fingers adds double her proficiency bonus to the

is as feared as she is respected. Keene has become increasingly intolerant of the populous tide turning against her organization. While the occasional rabble-rouser has always impeded criminal

Fog Giant

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

cloud giants in the ordning—the set of values and expectations that determines their rank in giant society—is driven by wealth. Those cloud giants foolish or unlucky enough to have their

reward once they return to their proper station, a fog giant lures desperate criminals, cunning bandits, and other raiders into their service in the dismal wilds they inhabit. These giants prefer to

Urchin Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

recuperate. You’ve survived despite all odds, and did so through cunning, strength, speed, or some combination of each. You begin your adventuring career with enough money to live modestly but

shaped by lives of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better

Crab Folk

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

, their lack of cunning foiled her plans. Many tumbled into the sea and drowned, too simpleminded and impatient to learn how to swim. Others smashed caravans and crushed their defenders most effectively

bad luck a gull might happen to land near a crab folk lair and utter the right combination of cries to summon up this ancient compulsion. Driven to action, the crab folk rampage along the coast

Forlarren

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

demands of the Nine Hells and the impulsive hedonism of the Feywild. Driven by dramatic and unpredictable emotions, these feral creatures wreak havoc wherever they go. Corrupted Essence. The devils

, chaotic, and temperamental nature they all share. When its diabolical aspect shines through, a forlarren is a cunning, calculating, and brutal enemy. It might use its natural charm to worm its way

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as fey nobles, demons, devils

relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not gods. A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to a demon

Urchin - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

elements, and endured sickness without the advantage of medicine or a place to recuperate. You’ve survived despite all odds, and did so through cunning, strength, speed, or some combination of each

of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better life &mdash

Star Spawn Hulk

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

seer nearby. A hulk appears to have little will of its own and is driven to protect its master. Star Spawn The Material Plane represents only one small part of the multiverse. Beyond the best

-known planes of existence lie realms alien to mortal life. Some are so hostile that even a moment’s contact is enough to break a mortal’s mind. Yet beings do exist that are native to these

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

personality: a feline shifter may be cool and distant, driven by predatory instincts, while a shifter with a lupine spirit might be drawn to find and protect a pack. When a shifter fully embraces this beast

also be a cunning rat who darts through the shadows. Wildhunt shifters are born from any creature that tracks its prey. While the beast within certainly has a physical impact on a shifter, it has a

Orzhov Representative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

become as rich as the oligarchs. (Evil) 3 Power. One day, I will be the one giving orders. (Evil) 4 Prestige. I want to be admired, respected, feared, or even hated for my position

the flesh as long as possible, and as a spirit afterward. (Any) Bonds d6 Bond 1 The unbearable weight of my debt has driven me to desperation. 2 I’m duty-bound

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

Those who think of other planes at all consider them remote, distant realms, but planar influence can be felt throughout the world. It sometimes manifests in beings who, through an accident of birth

, seeing them as accidents. Many feel nothing for their genasi children at all. Some genasi live as outcasts, driven into exile for their unsettling appearance and strange magic, or assuming leadership

Strahd, Master of Death House

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Strahd regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn. Cunning Escape. Strahd moves up to

. Little happens there without the Darklord’s knowledge, although Strahd rarely pays attention to what he considers the uninteresting dealings of lesser beings. History In life, Strahd von

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

sacred glade before nature spirits and fey beings, or in a moment of desperation and grief with the dead as the only witness, a paladin’s oath is a powerful bond. It is a source of power that

paladins take their work seriously. A delve into an ancient ruin or dusty crypt can be a quest driven by a higher purpose than the acquisition of treasure. Evil lurks in dungeons and primeval forests

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

have more in common with iguanas or dragons than they do with humans, dwarves, or elves. Lizardfolk possess an alien and inscrutable mindset, their desires and thoughts driven by a different set of

; Instead, aggressive, stronger creatures register to the lizardfolk as fearsome beings to be avoided if possible. If such creatures attack, lizardfolk flee, fighting only if cornered. Lizardfolk aren

Triton Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the depths revealed that krakens, sahuagin, and far worse foes had fled the Plane of Water for the Material Plane. The tritons, driven by a sense of duty and responsibility, would not allow their foes

them. Tritons also have a tendency to emerge from their isolation under the assumption that other folk will welcome them as respected allies and mentors. Again, distance drives much of this attitude

Mad Maggie

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

crucible of the Avernian wastelands, Mad Maggie has risen to become a respected warlord. Mad Maggie and Mickey Maggie’s Goals Driven by her lust for misery and her delight in the corruption of the

combat, carving out vicious fiefdoms for themselves. Mad Maggie is one such warlord. Mad Maggie is a night hag with the demeanor of a kindly grandmother, but her warm smile masks a cruel cunning. In

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; animosity, gnomes tend to avoid or abandon settlements that have a severe infestation of kobolds, and conversely kobolds are usually driven out of communities that have a large gnome population

they were demigods — mighty beings of divine descent. This isn’t a casual sort of worship or lip service; kobolds are awed in the presence of a dragon, as if an actual avatar of a deity

Dark Sun

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

planes — and they lost. The gods were slain or driven into exile, leaving Athas under the dominion of elemental beings who took little interest in the affairs of mortals. In the grim age that

Cults of the Dragon Below NPCs

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

cultists are aware of the true nature of the beings they serve, but many are delusional; cultists might perceive their mind flayer master as a wise and gentle priest. Cult NPCs d8 NPC 1 A monstrous

organized crime activities to bizarre murders and acts of chaos. 8 A respected noble behaves more erratically as time goes on, treating their servants and family with random and escalating cruelty.

Dragons

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

Dragons True dragons are winged reptiles of ancient lineage and fearsome power. They are known and feared for their predatory cunning and greed, with the oldest dragons accounted as some of the most

by all. The brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver dragons are noble, good, and highly respected by the wise. Though their goals and ideals vary tremendously, all true dragons covet wealth, hoarding

Strahd von Zarovich

Monsters Curse of Strahd

. Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into his heart while he is incapacitated in his coffin, he is paralyzed until the stake is removed. Sunlight Hypersensitivity. While

intelligently and do everything you can to make him a terrifying and cunning adversary for the player characters. When you run an encounter with Strahd, keep the following facts in mind: Strahd

The Ghaal'dar

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

Lhesh Haruuc remains as the ruler of Darguun, and many fear that his death could throw the region into chaos. As a Ghaal’dar goblinoid, you hold your place through cunning and strength. You may have

been a former mercenary now seeking adventure. You could be working as an emissary for one of the Ghaal’dar tribes or even Lhesh Haruuc himself. Or you could have been driven from your tribe by the actions of a rival; perhaps you’re seeking allies to reclaim your birthright.

Heirs to Elemental Power

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

their mortal offspring, seeing them as accidents. Many feel nothing for their genasi children at all. Some genasi live as outcasts, driven into exile for their unsettling appearance and strange magic

, or assuming leadership of savage humanoids and weird cults in untamed lands. Others gain positions of great influence, especially where elemental beings are revered. A few genasi leave the Material Plane to find refuge in the households of their genie parents.

Delvers into Secrets

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

Delvers into Secrets Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and

student’s mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void. Once a pact is made, a warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with

Sora Kell, the Queen of the Night

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

knowledge by force and cunning. A mighty wizard with magic worthy of epic tales, she is a monster whose adamantine claws can flense whole armies before any soldier can land a blow on her plated hide

have allies, except for a handful of other legends like the following groups: Daughters of Sora Kell. Sora Kell’s three daughters—the gifted oracle Sora Teraza, the cunning trickster Sora Katra, and the

Delvers into Secrets

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

Delvers into Secrets Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and

is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void. Once a pact is made, a warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with mere study

The Beast Within

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

takes shape. The beast within is a pool of powerful instincts, and its influence is revealed by a shifter’s personality: a feline shifter may be cool and distant, driven by predatory instincts, while

with a pack. Swiftstride are often predatory and feline, but a swiftstride could also be a cunning rat who darts through the shadows. Wildhunt shifters are born from any creature that tracks its prey

Eldritch Master

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

Boon option produces a special creature or an object that reflects your patron’s nature. Pact of the Chain. Your familiar is more cunning than a typical familiar. Its default form can be a

iron, holding spells of conjuration and a wealth of forbidden lore about the sinister regions of the cosmos, a gift of the Fiend. Or it could be the tattered diary of a lunatic driven mad by contact

Creating a Black Dragon

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

works of lesser beings crumble and fall into ruin fills me with joy. 3 I never confront a threat directly when deceit and skulduggery are available options. 4 Subjugating others is

always be torn down. (Evil) 2 Acquisitiveness. Possessing what others covet is immensely satisfying. (Any) 3 Cunning. Destroying your foes without exposing yourself to danger is an art

The Beast Within

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

personality takes shape. The beast within is a pool of powerful instincts, and its influence is revealed by a shifter’s personality: a feline shifter may be cool and distant, driven by predatory instincts

traits and prefer to run with a pack. Swiftstride are often predatory and feline, but a swiftstride could also be a cunning rat who darts through the shadows. Wildhunt shifters are born from any creature

Dracolich

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

, driven to rule over all. A dracolich is a fiendishly intelligent tyrant that crafts complex webs of foul schemes, attracting servants motivated by greed and a lust for power. Acting from the shadows

and actively plotting to keep its existence a secret, a dracolich is a cunning and challenging foe. Dracolich Phylacteries. Creating a dracolich requires the cooperation of the dragon and a group of

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

traps, snares, and nets to catch the unwary, and when their hunting patrols encounter other beings, they always look for ways to capture their foes instead of killing them. Goblins that run up against

Dragons

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

Chamber. A dragon in Khorvaire that isn’t part of the Chamber could be an exile driven from Argonnessen for some crime or a scholar pursuing independent research. Some orphaned dragons grow up in

don’t consider the impact of their actions on lesser beings; if a Chamber dragon must destroy a human village to foil the plans of a demon, it will do so without hesitation.

Slaadi

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

of Limbo Unpredictable slaadi devour and multiply across the Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo. These toad-like, extraplanar beings embody the endless potentiality of their home plane of existence

. While slaadi aren’t inherently evil, their impulses are wild and often destructive. Many are driven to propagate through supernatural processes. Unfortunately, these processes typically are fatal for

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