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Lock Legacy

Equipment

A key is provided with the lock. Without the key, a creature proficient with thieves' tools can pick this lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. Your DM may decide that better locks are available for higher prices.

Quandrix Professor of Theory

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

probability to impede attacks and strike at the minds of their foes with lancing equations that disrupt the opponent’s resolve. Professors of theory hold that altering the way a person

interacts with the world can change the world. They impress upon their students to use magic as a tool to shape the overall experience of reality, and in turn make the world a better place. Quandrix

Alustriel Silverhand

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

the cosmos is quiet yet steady. History Like other Chosen of Mystra, Alustriel is concerned with preserving the Weave, the primary incarnation of magic that permeates Toril. She believes that the

Alustriel and her deeds better known than in the Silver Marches and its capital, Silverymoon. Alustriel ruled Silverymoon for centuries, once disguised as a wizard named Elué Dualen and then later

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

’ presence is marked by an absence of animals and a strange quiet, as if the forest wishes to avoid attracting attention to itself. The faster travelers decide to move on, the better. If these

Inheritor

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

your adventuring career, you can decide whether to tell your companions about your inheritance right away. Rather than attracting attention to yourself, you might want to keep your inheritance a secret

city, especially hard drink. 5 Secretly, I believe that things would be better if I were a tyrant lording over the land. 6 I have trouble trusting in my allies.

Falthrax's Resolve

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

focusing on the positive aspects of his life and his service to knowledge. Though his struggles aren’t over, a new inner resolve promises to leave him in a better position to face those struggles.

Falthrax’s Resolve With the curse lifted, Falthrax Loderr is ready to return to Candlekeep. The experience of having sought and then rejected a magical return to youth has taught him much about

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

odds aren’t in their favor. A short retreat might be just the thing to reach a better tactical position, find allies, or to allow the yuan-ti the opportunity to study their opponents and

implement better tactics. Any enemy who chases a group of fleeing yuan-ti might be on the victorious side of a rout or could be heading into a trap; if the enemy has been encountered before, it is likely

Attack Rolls

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

Attack Rolls In combat, an attack roll is used to determine whether an attack hits. You can also use attack rolls to resolve noncombat activities that are similar to attacks in combat, such as an

archery contest or a game of darts. Assign an Armor Class to the target, decide whether the character is proficient with the weapon used, then have the player make an attack roll. (See also “Degrees of Success” in this chapter.)

Rakdos Cultist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

law-abiding citizens of Ravnica. Personality Traits d8 Personality Trait 1 I revel in mayhem, the more destructive the better. 2 When violence breaks out, I lose myself in

black at the spot), and I cherish it. 5 I want to be better at my chosen form of performance than any other member of my troupe. 6 I am devoted to Rakdos and live to impress him

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

bother to couch my opinions in flattering words. 5 I can’t help but pocket any trinket or coin I come across, no matter how worthless. 6 I’m convinced that I’m better and

. 4 Roll an additional Golgari contact; you can decide if the contact is an ally or a rival. 5 I joined the Gruul in a battle against the Boros once, and the chief of that small clan thanks

Interacting with Objects

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

Interacting with Objects A character's interaction with objects in an environment is often simple to resolve in the game. The player tells the DM that his or her character is doing something, such as

moving a lever, and the DM describes what, if anything, happens. For example, a character might decide to pull a lever, which might, in turn, raise a portcullis, cause a room to flood with water, or

Interacting with Objects

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

Interacting with Objects A character's interaction with objects in an environment is often simple to resolve in the game. The player tells the DM that his or her character is doing something, such as

moving a lever, and the DM describes what, if anything, happens. For example, a character might decide to pull a lever, which might, in turn, raise a portcullis, cause a room to flood with water, or

Top Card: The Challenge

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

road, or a situation the characters are asked to resolve. You decide the scope of the decision the characters must make. You can ask them to make a simple choice (“Do you want to take the path along

ability checks (though another character can help, at your discretion). Whatever choice or challenge you decide the top card represents, the characters’ success or failure while dealing with that situation determines how you read the bottom card.

Decisionist

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

to Head Office. Decisionists are also concerned with franchise morale and teamwork, helping all members of the franchise work together effectively. All decisionists vary in their approach to the task

franchise party. Noteworthy Decisionists: Donaar Blit’zen (“C” Team), Kelshi Annab Essential Functions: Receive one extra vote on franchise matters; resolve interparty conflicts Position Proficiencies: In

Encounters

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

characters don’t need to take turns, but you need to give each player a chance to tell you what their character is doing so you can decide how to resolve everyone’s actions. In combat, everyone takes

the DM, you decide how much to tell the players and when. All the information the players need to make choices comes from you. Within the rules of the game and the limits of the characters’ knowledge

Encounters

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

bookshelf. Outside combat, the characters don’t need to take turns, but you need to give each player a chance to tell you what their character is doing so you can decide how to resolve everyone’s

sections offer more detailed information on how an encounter typically unfolds, in three steps. Step 1: Describe the Situation As the DM, you decide how much to tell the players and when. All the

Tiers of Play

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

hopes of striking a useful alliance. The tiers of play represent the ideal milestones for introducing new world-shaking events to the campaign. As the characters resolve one event, a new danger arises

about the details of the next tier as the characters approach it. Even better, as the campaign takes unexpected turns in response to the players’ choices, you don’t have to worry about redoing much work.

Fiery Fangs

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

Fiery Fangs The fire cult is less concerned with maintaining appearances than the other elemental cults. When Vanifer or her lieutenants receive word that a band of adventurers is trying to ferret

pack breaks through windows and terrifies the staff. (It’s all the better if the characters are eating a meal there themselves). The monsters single-mindedly pursue the characters and fight until one is

Duergar Despot

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

Duergar Despot The Reghed nomads who stalk the tundra and the Ten-Towners who keep civilization alive are so concerned with day-to-day survival that they typically pay little heed to the evil forces

gathering on the fringes of Icewind Dale. Adventurers are much better equipped to deal with such threats, particularly in the dead of winter. One recent arrival in the area is Xardorok Sunblight, a

Frequency of Bastion Turns

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

in your Bastions. Go ahead and resolve six Bastion turns.” The characters return to their Bastions in the midst of an adventure. You might say, “You have just enough time to take a Bastion turn

take one now.” You can slow the frequency of Bastion turns to better serve the needs of your players and your campaign. For example, if the characters have months between adventures, you can call for

Fighter

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

the heart of every fighter’s motivation lies the same basic truth: it is better to wound than to be wounded. Although some adventuring fighters risk their lives fighting for glory or treasure, others

are primarily concerned with the welfare of others. They put more value on the well-being of the society, the village, or the group than on their own safety. Even if there’s gold in the offing, the

Azorius Functionary

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

best at everything in my legal training, and now I work with the person who was always just a little bit better. 6 A good friend was promoted into work they can’t tell me about. 7 I

complimented me on my work. Non-Azorius Contacts d10 Contact 1 Roll an additional Azorius contact; you can decide if the contact is an ally or a rival. 2 The person who

Factions in Athas

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

important common values and work toward the same end: the destruction of slavery. They fulfill something like the role of the Order of the Gauntlet in Athas. The Free are not directly concerned with

to all who employ defiling magic. No great druid organizations span the entire Tyr Region, but a number of smaller, localized druid circles are concerned with the disturbances and disasters triggered

Simic Scientist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

against the schemes and ambitions of the other guilds, so much the better. Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Medicine Languages: Two of your choice Equipment: A Simic insignia, a set of

make a nice sideshow act. 9 I left the Selesnya — and a lover — behind when I joined the Simic. 10 Roll an additional Simic contact; you can decide if the contact is an ally or a rival.

Moral Quandaries

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

Moral Quandaries If you want to give the characters a crisis that no amount of spellcasting or swordplay can resolve, add a moral quandary to the adventure. A moral quandary is a problem of

Respect quandary Ally Quandary. The adventurers have a better chance of achieving their goal with the help of two individuals whose expertise is all but essential. However, these two NPCs hate each

2. Unhappy Cultists

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath

Stormlord to be forced into playing the part of glorified longshoremen. The cultists here (spies) number two per character, including sidekicks. A Better Offer? The party could avoid a fight here

if they understand the frustration of the cultists and go in immediately with a better offer. To get the dialogue started on a good note, one of the characters must approach the group and talk to them

Actions in Exploration

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

in action.) In such situations, have the characters take turns, though it’s usually not necessary to roll Initiative as you would in a combat encounter. Resolve one character’s actions before moving

something during exploration, you decide whether that action requires an ability check to determine success (as described in the earlier “Resolving Outcomes” section). Certain situations might call

Assigning Assets

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

Assigning Assets When you’ve noted which assets are fighting against the cult, it’s time to decide how those forces of good attack. The characters are key figures in the allied force marching on the

decide that assassins provided by the Zhentarim should counter the sacrificial prisoners by infiltrating the cult complex and escorting those prisoners to freedom. In that case, you might remind the

Breaking the Archetypes

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

clear why you make a great addition to any franchise. Cavalier An Acquisitions Incorporated franchise is a heady mix of adventuring and business, and both those pursuits require travel. Who better to

, providing a boon to your franchise’s standing in the community. Any franchise could do worse than having you as its public face — especially when your sense of quiet resolve is needed to quietly resolve some unexpected business disaster.

Choose Your Villain

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

’ ultimate goal is to keep the treasure out of their clutches. You can swap out one villain for another at any time. For example, if you decide halfway through the adventure that because of how the

story has progressed Jarlaxle Baenre would make a better antagonist than Xanathar, you can make that change on the fly and run subsequent encounters accordingly. Each villain is fully described in appendix B and summarized below.

Being the Dungeon Master

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes of the Borderlands

of the action during play, describing locations and creatures that the adventurers face with read-aloud text. The players decide what their characters do as they navigate hazards and choose what to

, making sure the rules serve the group’s fun. Tutorials in each adventure teach you some of those rules, but you’ll want to reference the D&D Beyond Basic Rules to better understand them. Keep It Secret

Approaching Castle Naerytar

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

are great warriors come to destroy the Cult of the Dragon, and that now is the time to make their move against the bullywugs. You can either decide for yourself how the guards react to that, or make

won’t interfere with the characters, either. If the result is 5 or lower, these guards decide Snapjaw’s talk of an uprising is dangerously rash, and they attack him. If the characters have done nothing

Approaching Castle Naerytar

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

are great warriors come to destroy the Cult of the Dragon, and that now is the time to make their move against the bullywugs. You can either decide for yourself how the guards react to that, or make

won’t interfere with the characters, either. If the result is 5 or lower, these guards decide Snapjaw’s talk of an uprising is dangerously rash, and they attack him. If the characters have done nothing

The Lords' Alliance

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

larger powers, has kept the ambitions of Luskan in check, and has taught the rulers of many cities that it is better to cooperate, even for a time, then to merely shut one’s doors and allow the storms

. Better instead to look to the future, repair the walls, and wait for word from the watching sentries. — Andwe Cururen, agent of the Lords’ Alliance The Lords’ Alliance isn’t a nation unto itself, but

Waking Nightmares

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

, Professor DeSantos is concerned by the sudden influx of patients but can’t find anything wrong with them. She insists they rest in the sickroom until they feel better. Ten minutes later, these six

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