before better diffusing compare rarely

Grim Champion of Pestilence

Monsters The Book of Many Things

Undead in the Grim Harrow, considering himself better than all of them and unjustly condemned to the Gardens of Decay for an act of altruism. Though the weakest of the Harrow’s three leaders

;rival Jyn for power and together can oppose her. The fact that the three champions rarely agree on anything is a major check on the group’s power. Instead of the Grim Harrow acting as a unified

Quavilithku Spyder-Fiend

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

art objects—the more beautiful, the better. The arms hanging below their wolf heads are physically frail but useful for employing tools of destruction or sabotage. Spyder-Fiends Demonic

position. Spyder-fiends loyally serve their general, Miska the Wolf-Spider. While they were rarely seen during Miska’s imprisonment in Pandemonium, they have become increasingly active as Miska

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep score, counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to compare to others. Goliaths love to win, but they see defeat as a prod to improve their

goliaths. If a king lacks the intelligence or leadership to lead, then clearly the most talented person in the kingdom should take his place. Goliaths rarely keep such opinions to themselves, and

Mister Light

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

get to know Naeryx better, though it took a while for Naeryx to trust him. After getting his hands on some money, Urmius bought a sad little carnival that was camped on the outskirts of

costume and is rarely seen in public without makeup. He carries around a fancy weather vane given to him by the carnival’s previous owner. He twirls it and waves it around like a fool’s

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

Flint squinted into the setting sun. He thought he saw the figure of a man striding up the path. Standing, Flint drew back into the shadow of a tall pine to see better. The man’s walk was

, 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

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

. Made from bones as hard as iron, the wand is topped with a magically enlarged skull that once belonged to a human hero slain by Orcus. The wand can magically change in size to better conform to the

Claugiyliamatar

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

home and hunting ground of the ancient female green dragon Claugiyliamatar, better known to many as Old Gnawbone. She 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 Claugiyliamatar drives them out. Claugiyliamatar rarely meddles in the affairs of small

Claugiyliamatar (possessed)

Monsters Divine Contention

underground city known as Southkrypt. For centuries, Kryptgarden Forest has been the home and hunting ground of the ancient female green dragon Claugiyliamatar, better known to many as Old Gnawbone. She

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

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

I’m friends with an Orzhov advokist; we compare notes on different forms of law magic. 8 I was ridiculed once in a Rakdos performance; the performer was impressed with my good humor about

Designing NPCs

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

Designing NPCs Nothing brings your adventures and campaigns to life better than a cast of well-developed NPCs. That said, NPCs in your game rarely need as much complexity as a well-crafted character

Devil Traits

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

Devil Traits Common traits among devils include the following: Charm. Devils are consummate charmers. Like humans, some are better at it than others. The good ones savor the exchange of pleasantries

, speaking in measured sentences or noticing pleasant details about the environment or a character’s clothing. Patience. Devils are rarely in a rush to make a deal or sign a contract. As masters of the

Kryptgarden Forest

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

ancient female green dragon Claugiyliamatar, better known to many as “Old Gnawbone.” She earned her nickname by 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 Claugiyliamatar drives them out. Hunters from Westbridge used to cautiously seek game along the easternmost verges of

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

and companions you lead can travel between any two locations in the city twice as fast as your speed would normally allow. The paths of the undercity are haunted by dangers that rarely brave the

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

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

new leader can act as the real boss. If the creature brushes aside such manipulation, the tribe falls into line behind the new tyrant—better to abide the new rule than conspire against it and be

the symbols used are rarely the same between different tribes and often make little sense to other creatures. Some possible status symbols are given in the Status Symbols table. A caste or a boss

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

provoke retaliatory attacks from the creatures they steal from. It’s better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat. In a couple of situations, kobolds might

responsible for blocking tunnels to deter pursuit. Kobolds feel a cool affinity or something like kinship for other members of their tribe, but they are rarely affectionate with each other. Two kobolds

Approaching Castle Naerytar

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

to win Snapjaw’s trust or they’ve treated him no better than bullywugs would have, then he tells the guards that the characters are nothing but trouble, and the lizardfolk attack. If Snapjaw is not

Dexterity (Stealth) check for the lizardfolk guards, with advantage (they’ve had plenty of time to conceal themselves). Compare their result to the characters’ passive Wisdom (Perception) scores to

Cliffside

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

district of Precarious. The area’s rough and poor, filled with sailors and dockworkers. Many of these boisterous folk love the life in Cliffside; as a common saying goes, “Better a tankard of ale in

, who sell their services as guides to help ships traveling to Xen’drik. In fact, the sahuagin rarely initiate violence, but there have been clashes between them and aggressive, drunken sailors.

Approaching Castle Naerytar

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

to win Snapjaw’s trust or they’ve treated him no better than bullywugs would have, then he tells the guards that the characters are nothing but trouble, and the lizardfolk attack. If Snapjaw is not

Dexterity (Stealth) check for the lizardfolk guards, with advantage (they’ve had plenty of time to conceal themselves). Compare their result to the characters’ passive Wisdom (Perception) scores to

City of Skophos

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

city, with individuals serving as tyrants over city districts. The city’s rulers rarely meet in council, and when they do, the quarrelsome tyrants rarely find common cause or any basis for agreement

starting point, they pursue their vision of a better way of life, aspiring to nobler principles than senseless slaughter and better governance than iron-fisted tyranny. Under the leadership of the temple’s

Bronze Dragon Treasures

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

and loot salvaged from shipwrecks and the seabed. Though these dragons rarely steal outright, a several-ton bronze dragon landing near—or even on—a merchant ship asking to trade often obtains extremely

weapons, armor, and magic items built for the battlefield—the more unique, the better. Stories matter to a bronze dragon, who would rather have the humble spear that felled a tyrant than a jeweled

Bulezau

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monsters of the Multiverse

’ entourages. When not being corralled by larger and tougher demons, bulezaus gather into scrabbling mobs, wrestling and fighting among themselves until a better target comes along or until a stronger

bulezau, for all its rage and violence, has the head of a goat. I always respond, have you met a goat? They’re stubborn, they’re vicious, and they rarely go down without bashing you several times in the

Fallen Clock Tower

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild

Fallen Clock Tower The collapsed structure crosses the 100-foot-deep chasm and appears extremely unstable. (Banrion can teleport across the chasm, but does so only rarely. Because she can teleport

character must succeed on two DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks to safely cross. Characters who are roped together gain no benefit for these checks, but are in a better position to help each other if one

City Watch

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

crossbows or other weapons to attack at range, but running from the Watch — though it may be a time-honored tradition for local miscreants — rarely works out for newcomers to the city. I guarantee that all

members of the Watch know the streets they patrol and that area’s residents better than you do, even if you stay in Waterdeep for ten seasons. The City Watch has watch posts throughout the city

Yakfolk Neighbors

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

their visitors sleep, the yakfolk beat them unconscious, strip them of their gear and weapons, and consign them to a life of menial labor. Deprived of food and warmth, prisoners rarely survive more

Adbar know better than to trust the yakfolk, and they occasionally send patrols north to spy on the village. One of those patrols was ambushed by yakfolk and the survivors taken prisoner. The yakfolk used

Camp Alertness

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

automatic. As the day wears on and the commotion winds down, the camp becomes calmer and better organized. Guards resume their normal routines. If characters haven’t entered the camp before sundown of the

—then compare their Charisma (Deception) checks to Mondath’s Wisdom check to determine whether she believes them. You can allow advantage or disadvantage on the roll when someone’s lies are especially

Githzerai

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

that her warmongering would soon make her a tyrant no better than the mind flayers. Githzerai Zerth Skilled githzerai monks that best exemplify the teachings and principles of Zerthimon are

called zerths. These powerful and disciplined monks can shift their bodies from one plane to another using only the power of their minds. Beyond Limbo. Though githzerai rarely deal with the realms beyond

Tips for New Dungeon Masters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

until circumstances warrant otherwise, as discussed below. Armor Class. When characters make attacks against a creature, you compare those attacks to the creature’s Armor Class to determine whether the

the characters have hit the creature at least once, allowing players to know without asking if attacks made against the creature hit or miss. Hit Points. It’s better not to tell players how many hit

Inquisitive Agencies of Sharn

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

involved in very different sorts of investigations. Lower Sharn means poor clients and lawless streets. Middle Sharn means merchant rivalries and better pay. Upper Sharn means uncovering the secrets

of House Tharashk. Finders Guild agencies often end up as rivals to the Sharn Watch and can rarely count on the Watch for support. Inquisitives of House Medani’s Warning Guild detect and disrupt the

About the Tavern

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

-five years old and has run the establishment for decades. His elven blood through his half-elf mother has kept him alive this long, and keeps him looking better than most full-blooded humans his age. He

runs a moneylending business on the side, offering loans to customers he trusts. He rarely gives loans to adventurers, knowing how flighty they can be, but he might offer them a free glass of

D&D Beyond

Search Results