before bodies divinity contrast rather

Cultist of Bhaal

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. Cultists of Bhaal sometimes form cabals of assassins or mercenaries, but they perform their brutal slaughter for the perverse love of bloodshed and honor to their sinister god rather than for

adventurers Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul seized divinity but were slain for their hubris. All three have been reborn and are now known as the Dead Three. Each of the Dead Three has inspired wicked cults that

Rimekin

Species Lorwyn: First Light

cold logic and rejected reactionary responses. As a result, the magical flames that engulfed their bodies took on a frigid air, and they became rimekin. Like flamekin, rimekin possess innate magic

, but the flames they conjure burn icy blue rather than red hot. Further, these “flames” emanate a chilling cold rather than blazing heat. This effect extends, superficially, to the items

Vampiric Mist

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

without squeezing. Each foot of movement in water costs it 2 extra feet, rather than 1 extra foot. The mist can’t manipulate objects in any way that requires fingers or manual dexterity. Sunlight

some mishap. Denied the restorative power of these places, the vampires’ bodies dissolve into mist. The transformation strips the intelligence and personality from them until only an unholy

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

rather than perform the work or confront the foe. Even when subsumed into a goblinoid host and drawn into war, bugbears must often be roused from naps and bribed to get them to do their duties. This

indolence offers no clue to how vicious the creatures are. Bugbears are capable of bouts of incredible ferocity, using their muscular bodies to exact swift and ruthless violence. At their core

Reborn

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

bodies. Whatever their origins, reborn know a new life and seek experiences and answers all their own. Faded Memories Reborn suffer from some manner of discontinuity, an interruption of their lives or

sensations or visions of the past to come rushing back. Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

body, thought, and emotion. Freed from the limitations of their human bodies, the yuan-ti used their new abilities to conquer new lands and expand their borders. One Race, Many Forms The bodies of all

of evil that calls for them to butcher or eradicate all who oppose them. In keeping with their goal of domination, the yuan-ti would rather capture potentially useful opponents than kill them. They use

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

goliath, and fewer still can claim friendship with them. Goliaths wander a bleak realm of rock, wind, and cold. Their bodies look as if they are carved from mountain stone and give them great

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

Blood of Vol

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

study the secrets of blood and life, and because they believe that death is the end, they see nothing wrong with using the bodies of the fallen to serve the living. Seekers of the Divinity Within (as

Blood of Vol Everyone has a spark of divinity. Find that power within. Death is the end, Dolurrh is oblivion, and if the gods exist, they are cruel. Stand with those you care for; all we have is this

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

hold and controls their actions. In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk doesn’t think, “I’m scared.&rdquo

pleasurable creatures and things are ones that allow lizardfolk to assess more situations as benign rather than fearsome. Cold and Calculating Most humanoids describe cold-blooded people as lacking in

Power of Nature

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

of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature, animals, or elemental forces. The ancient druidic traditions are sometimes called the

Old Faith, in contrast to the worship of gods in temples and shrines. Druid spells are oriented toward nature and animals — the power of tooth and claw, of sun and moon, of fire and storm. Druids also

Power of Nature

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

of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature, animals, or elemental forces. The ancient druidic traditions are sometimes called the

Old Faith, in contrast to the worship of gods in temples and shrines. Druid spells are oriented toward nature and animals — the power of tooth and claw, of sun and moon, of fire and storm. Druids also

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many druids pursue a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature

, animals, or elemental forces. The ancient druidic traditions are sometimes called the Old Faith, in contrast to the worship of gods in temples and shrines. Druid spells are oriented toward nature and

Trickery Domain

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

, stealing from the rich, freeing captives, and flouting hollow traditions. They prefer subterfuge, pranks, deception, and theft rather than direct confrontation. Trickery Domain Spells Cleric Level

or until you use this feature again. Channel Divinity: Invoke Duplicity Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to create an illusory duplicate of yourself. As an action, you create

Alien Minds

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

their actions. In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk doesn’t think, “I’m scared.” Instead, aggressive, stronger creatures

for lizardfolk. Pleasurable things should be preserved and protected, sometimes at the cost of the lizardfolk’s own safety. The most pleasurable creatures and things are ones that allow lizardfolk to assess more situations as benign rather than fearsome.

Cleric: Order Domain

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

else, rather than to a specific individual or the passing influence of emotion or popular rule. Clerics of order are typically concerned with how things are done, rather than whether an action’s results

multiverse. Order Domain Features Cleric Level Feature 1st Domain Spells, Bonus Proficiencies, Voice of Authority 2nd Channel Divinity: Order’s Demand 6th Embodiment of the Law 8th Divine Strike 17th

Life in the Tayyib Empire

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

worshiping the source of divinity rather than its fallible manifestations. Its adherents are called Muwahhid. Some erudite worshipers join the Imperial Ulema, an order of Muwahhid scholars sponsored by

What If Everyone Dies?

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

—rather, it presents an opportunity to take the game in a new direction. Consider these possibilities. A Fresh Start Everyone makes new characters, and the campaign starts anew. This might be the most

to the world of the living. Imprisoned The characters wake up in cells, kept alive and imprisoned by their foes for some purpose. Raised by Another A powerful individual finds the adventurers’ bodies

Re-created by the Doctor

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

provide an opportunity to put players in control of strange creatures or unique bodies. Either as part of an adventure or a longer campaign, the characters might awaken with their minds transplanted into

undergo that process, could be an exciting way to start an adventure or whole campaign. On the other, players might not appreciate losing access to their characters or having their bodies held hostage

Grave Domain

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

. This is a delay of death, not a denial of it, for death will eventually get its due. I guess if you can’t disintegrate them or eat them, burying dead bodies makes as much sense as anything else

. Grave Domain Features Cleric Level Feature 1st Domain Spells, Circle of Mortality, Eyes of the Grave 2nd Channel Divinity: Path to the Grave 6th Sentinel at Death’s Door 8th Potent Spellcasting 17th

Githzerai

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

know that in body and mind, their species was manipulated by their former illithid oppressors. Rather than giving in to this programming, githzerai follow the teachings of their first leader

, Zerthimon, and reshape their minds and bodies to find peace. Githzerai psychically create serene, hidden sanctuaries in chaotic reaches of the multiverse. Most of these redoubts drift through the chaotic

Sigil at a Glance

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Sigil and the Outlands

, curving far overhead. Visitors can find this reality unsettling. There are no suns, moons, stars, or other celestial bodies in the sky above Sigil, though city lights twinkle above in the darkest hours

edge are ever heard from again. Those who pass over the edge don’t end up in the Outlands; rather, they are flung to random corners of the planes.

Secret

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

holy symbol that represents that divinity. Some clerics, especially in a world like Eberron, serve a whole pantheon, rather than a single deity. In certain campaigns, a cleric might instead serve a

Multiclassing

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

Multiclassing Are ability score improvements class-level dependent, rather than total level? Ability score improvements are based on your level in a particular class, not your total character level

strikes? The Sneak Attack feature works with a weapon that has the finesse or ranged property. An unarmed strike isn’t a weapon, so it doesn’t qualify. In contrast, a rogue/ monk can use Sneak Attack with a

Centaur

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

basic physiology, the centaur bands are commonly associated with their own distinct traits. Lagonna band centaurs tend to be sleek and muscular, with powerful legs built for endurance rather than

speed. They usually have coats of a single color, often with a shine that can look metallic in bright light. Pheres band centaurs typically have long, nimble legs and lean bodies, and are often marked

Centaur

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

the next wall looms in their path and brings them to a stop. Nature’s Cavalry Centaurs have the upper bodies, down to the waist, of muscular humans, displaying all the human variety of skin tones and

features. Their ears are slightly pointed, but their faces are wider and squarer than those of elves. Below the waist, they have the bodies of small horses, with a similar range of coloration — from

Grimlock

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

individual’s former personality remains. Grimlocks have shallow depressions rather than eyes. A sixth sense allows grimlocks to perceive their surroundings. Psychic energies from their transformations

linger in grimlocks’ bodies, and they channel these eerie forces into their attacks. Roll on or choose a result from the Grimlock Tasks table to inspire how grimlocks serve illithids. Grimlock Tasks

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

enact it. Enraged, the entity imposed three dreadful curses upon them. First, the kenku’s beloved wings withered and fell away from their bodies, leaving them bound to the earth. Second, because

kenku, constant attempts to mimic noises can come across as confusing or irritating rather than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be clear

Moving Around Other Creatures

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

Moving Around Other Creatures You can move through a nonhostile creature’s space. In contrast, you can move through a hostile creature’s space only if the creature is at least two sizes larger or

, there’s little room for anyone else. In contrast, as many as twenty Medium creatures can surround a Gargantuan one. Squeezing into a Smaller Space A creature can squeeze through a space that is

Ability Checks

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

creature’s efforts. In a contest, the ability checks are compared to each other, rather than to a target number. When you call for a contest, you pick the ability that each side must use, deciding

. In contrast, a character with high Intelligence and low Wisdom is probably oblivious but clever. The character might not spot the clean section of wall but, if asked about it, could immediately

Purphoros's Influence

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

Purphoros’s Influence The raw creative force that Purphoros embodies is chaotic, but Purphoros isn’t a god of unbridled chaos. Rather, he shows mortals how to harness that primal energy, shaping it

Purphoros, deeply involved in the project of civilization. Purphoros’s desire to overturn the established order with violence stands in stark contrast to their measured ways. As a result, Purphoros stands aloof from them.

Creature Size

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

. Because larger creatures take up more space, fewer of them can surround a creature. If four Large creatures crowd around a Medium or smaller one, there's little room for anyone else. In contrast, as many as

miniatures or other tokens, follow these rules. Squares. Each square on the grid represents 5 feet. Speed. Rather than moving foot by foot, move square by square on the grid. This means you use your speed

Rogue

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

, but it is no help against a spell or other effect, such as fireball, that delivers its damage after a saving throw rather than after an attack roll. Can a rogue use Evasion if they are surprised? The

, but using a magic item doesn’t fall under Use an Object, as explained in the Dungeon Master’s Guide (see "Activating an Item"). In contrast, using a nonmagical item, such as a healer’s kit, is in

Cleric Subclasses

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook

of your Channel Divinity to cast Shield of Faith or Spiritual Weapon rather than expending a spell slot. When you cast either spell in this way, the spell doesn’t require Concentration. Instead the

Ward 9 Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds Level 3: Preserve Life As a Magic action, you present your Holy Symbol and expend a use of your Channel Divinity to evoke healing energy that can restore

During the Siege

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

During the Siege Run the siege as a series of encounters rather than one extended battle. As terrible events unfold around the characters, it’s up to them to determine who and how they’ll help. Begin

wall. 6 Zombie bodies pile up, creating a growing ramp onto a section of wall. 7 Zombies dig through or under the wall, allowing them to flow steadily into the city. 8 Zombies cause a

Psychic Wind

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

Psychic Wind A psychic wind isn’t a physical wind like that found on the Material Plane, but a storm of thought that batters travelers’ minds rather than their bodies. A psychic wind is made up of

D&D Beyond

Search Results