before best driven continued refer

Glaive

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

blighted region. Among the blades, Glaive is best known for her talent at self-modification. “Glaive” is etched onto the back of her neck-plate. It is the only name Glaive has ever known

, and fellow blades don’t dare call her anything else. Mournland adventurers, however, refer to the terrifying commander by another name: Kill Switch.PoisonOverdrive (Recharges after Finishing a

Sahuagin Priestess Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

the sahuagin hunting horn — a call to raid and battle. Coastal settlers refer to sahuagin as “sea devils,” for sahuagin have no compassion in them, slaughtering the crews of ships and decimating coastal

female sahuagin are deemed worthy of channeling the god's power, and priestesses hold tremendous sway in sahuagin communities. Sahuagin are driven into a frenzy by the smell of fresh blood. As

Sahuagin Baron Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

it. This is the sound of the sahuagin hunting horn — a call to raid and battle. Coastal settlers refer to sahuagin as “sea devils,” for sahuagin have no compassion in them

driven into a frenzy by the smell of fresh blood. As worshipers of Sekolah, they also have a special kinship with sharks, which they train as attack animals. Even untrained sharks recognize sahuagin

Eater of Hope

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

’ greed to turn them against one another and their own best interests. Some foul souls can’t let go of the miserable lives they had. Having been despicable in life, these spirits fester in

. A demon of Theros doesn’t require food, drink, or sleep. FIENDS OF THEROS On Theros, the term “demon” encompasses all fiends. The people of Theros might refer to “demons

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

work with ambitious humans, renegade elves, and greedy dwarves—all folk they see as properly civilized. They treat orcs, goblinoids, and other “barbarian” types as pesky vermin, best

Investigator

Backgrounds Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

the mysteries you’re embroiled in are local crimes or realm-spanning conspiracies, you’re driven by a personal need to hunt down even the most elusive clues and reveal what others would

escaped, but you’ve continued to uncover magical hoaxes. 5 You were wrongfully accused and convicted of a crime. You managed to escape and seek to help others avoid the experience you

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the responsibility to earn a place in the tribe or die trying. Driven Competitors Every day brings a new challenge to a goliath. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the uppermost mountain reaches. A

skills. This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays a dragon, he or she might

Demogorgon

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

by a skull-shaped minaret. There, Demogorgon’s heads contemplate the mysteries of the arcane while arguing about how best to obliterate their rivals. The bulk of this palace extends deep

Demogorgon’s followers are typically lone killers driven by the whispering voice of their master. His most blessed followers gain the Two Minds of Chaos trait. Two Minds of Chaos. This creature

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

Shadar-kai

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Shadar-kai are the elves of the Shadowfell, originally drawn to that dread realm by the Raven Queen. Over the centuries, some of them have continued to serve her, while others have ventured into the

weight that humans have in our world. If you’d like to determine your character’s height or weight randomly, consult the Random Height and Weight table in the Player’s Handbook, and choose the row in the table that best represents the build you imagine for your character.

Satyr Legacy

Species Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Satyrs have a well-earned reputation for their good spirits, gregarious personalities, and love of revels. Most satyrs are driven by simple desires, to see the world and to sample its every pleasure

importantly—it feels really good. Driven by instinct and intuition, most satyrs prove unpredictable, following their sense of wonder wherever it leads. Very Odd Indeed Satyrs are known for their

Orzhov Representative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

concentrates the spoils at the top of the hierarchy. As a functionary in that system, your best hope is to claim as much as possible of the money that passes through your hands on its way up, so that

and wealth. (Evil) 5 Stability. The economy functions best when chaos is kept under control and everyone knows their place. (Lawful) 6 Eternity. I want to live forever — in

Hobgoblin

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Hobgoblins trace their origins to the ancient courts of the Feywild, where they first appeared with their goblin and bugbear kin. Many of them were driven from the Feywild by the conquering god

the Player’s Handbook, and choose the row in the table that best represents the build you imagine for your character.

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, Dragons of Autumn Twilight Walking in two worlds but truly belonging to neither, half-elves combine what some say are the best qualities of their elf and human parents: human curiosity

, 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

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Guild took over your family business, ran it into the ground, and burned the building for insurance money. You were driven into crime yourself, but you’ll never work for the Guild. You take

; but what you learn you pass on to the Guild. 4 The inequality of Baldur’s Gate has driven you to take matters into your own hands. You steal from patriars and rich Lower City residents

Fisher

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

’s discretion, a number of those listeners become friendly toward you; this is not a magical effect, and continued amicability on their part depends on your actions. You can roll on the following

table to help determine the theme of your tale or choose one that best fits your character. Alternatively, work with your DM to create your own fishing tale. d8 Tale 1 Lobster

Fey

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Morte’s Planar Parade

from the town’s associated Outer Plane. Outlands Fey d4 Encounter 1 Revelers joined a group of satyrs in their festivities. As the satyrs’ celebration has continued for over a year, the revelers

makes some of the best cookies in the Outlands. 3 A pack of blink dogs tracks a band of maelephants (presented later in this book) to prevent them from spoiling lands influenced by the Upper Planes. 4 A

Monsters

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

Monsters Ghosts, mind flayers, werewolves—every monster is a story. Consider which monsters complement or contrast a Darklord’s story. In a few sentences, describe which monsters best represent the

ghosts who suffer from the Darklord’s experiments. For inspiration, refer to the “Darklord’s Shadows” section and your answers to the questions there, as well as the Monsters tables in the “Genres of Horror” section later in this chapter.

The Draconic Prophecy

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

: “The gorgon’s breath.” These words could refer to a literal gorgon, perhaps one magically altered or infused with radiant energy so its breath restores health, brings the dead back to life, or animates

objects. Or they could refer to House Cannith, whose symbol is a gorgon. (Members of the Chamber, in particular, believe that mortals’ dragonmarks appeared on flesh in order to involve these people in

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

to the folk of the Sword Coast. If you come from Kara-Tur, the people of Faerûn likely refer to you as Shou, even if that isn’t your true ethnicity, because that’s the blanket term

be deluded innocents at best, or ignorant fools at worst. 6 I have a weakness for the exotic beauty of the people of these lands.

Easthaven

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

since, as other towns have settled into a predictable pattern of existence, Easthaven has continued to grow and reinvent itself. After the Eastway was paved, Easthaven evolved into a frontier traders

and were driven out. To this day, Easthaven honors its shady founders by declaring pickpocketing legal within the town limits—which explains the “Watch thy pouch!” signs posted in various local

How It Started

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

grew, so too did its demand for willing and able-bodied adventurers. However, a limited payroll meant having to settle for one or the other. After coming to the conclusion that a mission statement best

recover the soul of said intern. (Clearly, none of those hells paid for him either.) The rogue Viari is one of Acquisitions Incorporated’s best internship success stories. In fact, he was so

Goliath Names

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

roles divided by gender to be puzzling or worthy of mockery. To a goliath, the person who is best at a job should be the one tasked with doing it. A goliath’s nickname is a description that can change

change them to refer to an individual’s notable deeds. Goliaths present all three names when identifying themselves, in the order of birth name, nickname, and clan name. In casual conversation, they

Running Preludes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

, each character should participate in a prelude encounter. After you’ve determined which preludes to run, choose which characters will participate in which. Then consider how to best run each prelude

the encounter together. The “Scales of War” prelude lends itself to this. Throughout these preludes, mentions of “characters” refer to those characters who are the focus of the prelude. Characters can

The Hunters' Role

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

The Hunters’ Role Once you know the form of Pharaoh Ankhtepot’s ka, determine how the characters become involved with the hunt for it. Events might make finding the soul to be in the characters’ best

characters die, Pharaoh Ankhtepot resurrects them (perhaps as reborn; see chapter 1). Their continued existence is contingent on searching for and finding his ka.

Darklord's Shadows

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

committed. Consider selecting those that best complement the players’ characters and that don’t conflict with any boundaries discussed in your group’s session zero (see “Preparing for Horror” in chapter 4

? Once you’ve considered these questions, write down your answers and review them. Mark or highlight the words that resonate or feel creepily evocative. As you proceed through domain creation, refer back to these details for inspiration.

Cosmic Horror

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

emerges through imagination and the indescribable, not details. At its best, cosmic horror makes characters feel gradually unmoored from their familiar reality. Cosmic horror is about ineffable forces

driven by motivations humans can’t understand. Cults, forbidden books, and strange symbols form the cornerstones of cosmic horror. The genre has a history of framing marginalized demographics as monstrous and stigmatizing mental illness. Be aware and avoid those tropes.

Statistics

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer

expertise of their caregiver, a companion’s proficiency bonus is equal to their caregiver’s proficiency bonus. Additionally, some of a companion’s statistics refer to their proficiency bonus, abbreviated as

, PBd6 means 2d6. Signature Attack Each companion has an action designated as their signature attack. A signature attack is always a melee attack, and it’s typically the creature’s best natural attack. A

Epic Fantasy

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

and evil as a prominent element of the game, with the adventurers more or less squarely on the side of good. These characters are heroes in the best sense, driven by a higher purpose than selfish

Nymmurh

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

potential of humanoids is partly driven by his affection for and protection of the noble Silmerhelve human family in Waterdeep (including Dala Silmerhelve; see “Chapter 9: Council of Waterdeep

”). Desire. Nymmurh would like to help the factions, looking to the Harpers and the Order of the Gauntlet as epitomizing the best traits of humanoid aspiration. Attitude. Unless the party has engaged in

Kas the Betrayer

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

made for him (the Sword of Kas, described in chapter 7) by his liege. But the evil sword convinced Kas to betray Vecna, and now Kas is driven primarily by his hatred for his former lord. Keraptis

figure best known as the Worm That Walks. Kyuss manifests on the Material Plane as a colossal mass of maggots and worms animated by a single evil will. HELGE C. BALZER Kyuss

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

, 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

time. People there tend to be less accepting of differences. Sometimes a cold shoulder and a suspicious glare are the best genasi can hope for; in more backward places, they face ostracism and even

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

portable! 2 You sleep best while mostly submerged in water. 3 Money is meaningless to you. 4 You think there are only two species of humanoid: lizardfolk and meat. 5 You have

Session Zero

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

any additions to you, privately or in the moment, so you can add them to the list. When this happens, don’t refer to past survey data, defend past choices, or ask players to explain their boundaries

. Trust that players know their needs best, and update the game accordingly. Let players know that this list of boundaries will be accessible during every session and that by playing, they agree to

Treasure

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

Treasure Just as they must ensure sufficient supplies for all the NPCs, the characters need to think about how best to share the spoils of encounters and adventures with their followers. Although the

, whether NPCs stealing from spoils not yet divided, stealing from the adventurers, or stealing from each other. Such theft might be driven by sheer greed, or it could be a manifestation of madness. A

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