before bonding define creatures riveting

Ancient Red Dragon Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

horns and spinal frill define its silhouette. Its beaked snout vents smoke at all times, and its eyes dance with flame when it is angry.A Red Dragon’s Lair Red dragons lair in high mountains or

’s lair form portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire, allowing creatures of elemental fire into the world to dwell nearby. If the dragon dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollAction":"Days","rollType":"roll"} days.Fire

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to disturb her self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off Icewind Dale

, define her. Lesser gods in the D&D multiverse are extremely powerful and arrogant, but also fallible and blind to their own flaws. It’s appropriate for Auril to act as though she’s

Adult Red Dragon Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

spinal frill define its silhouette. Its beaked snout vents smoke at all times, and its eyes dance with flame when it is angry.A Red Dragon’s Lair Red dragons lair in high mountains or hills

lair form portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire, allowing creatures of elemental fire into the world to dwell nearby. If the dragon dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollAction":"Days","rollType":"roll"} days.Fire

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to

demystifying her in the eyes of your players. Let her actions, not her words, define her. Lesser gods in the D&D multiverse are extremely powerful and arrogant, but also fallible and blind to their

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures

. The less she talks, the less risk you have of unintentionally demystifying her in the eyes of your players. Let her actions, not her words, define her. Lesser gods in the D&D multiverse are

Trade Talk

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

Trade Talk Thessalar’s fixation on monster design provides an opportunity for bonding with any character with insight into that topic—or who can fake it well enough, either using suitable roleplaying

and player ingenuity, or a successful DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Suggesting a new design for a magical creature (ideally one combining the aspects of two or more existing creatures in some particularly deadly way) can grant advantage on checks made to interact with the artificer.

Klauth

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

damage and be knocked prone. Klauth can then fly up to half his flying speed.The odor of sulfur and pumice surrounds a red dragon, whose swept-back horns and spinal frill define its silhouette. Its

about the deeds and whereabouts of surface-world creatures in the North and along the Sword Coast than any other being alive today. Old Snarl obeys strange whims that prompt him to perform acts of

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

to be invincible. They see the principles that define them and their deities at work every day in the world around them — nature rewards the strong and mercilessly eliminates the weak and the

, orcs breed prodigiously (and they aren’t choosy about what they breed with, which is why such creatures as half-orcs and ogrillons are found in the world). Females that are about to give birth are

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

Kobolds are a lot less cute when they learn how to cast fireballs. — Volo Kobolds are often dismissed as cowardly, foolish, and weak, but these little reptilian creatures actually have a

a perfect world, the creatures would be left alone to dig their tunnels and raise the next generation of kobolds, all the while seeking the magic that will free their imprisoned god (see the &ldquo

Session Zero

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

a troupe of adventuring Entertainers. The origins the players choose define who their characters were before becoming adventurers. Think about how the characters’ backgrounds might inform adventures

characters met, you can suggest the following options. Bonding Event. Some bonding event (such as a wedding, a festival, or a funeral) brings the characters together, whereupon they quickly discover a

Chapter 7: Using Ability Scores

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

? Brilliant and charming? Nimble and hardy? Ability scores define these qualities — a creature’s assets as well as weaknesses. The three main rolls of the game — the ability check, the saving throw

compare the total to a target number. This chapter focuses on how to use ability checks and saving throws, covering the fundamental activities that creatures attempt in the game. Rules for attack rolls appear in chapter 9, “Combat.”

Monsters and Motivations

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

adventurers. Characters might be able to appease a hungry beast by offering it food, and smarter creatures have complex motivations. The Monster Motivation table lets you use a monster’s goals to define its

with a few coins from its hoard. Not all monsters are automatically hostile. When placing monsters in your dungeon, consider their relationships to nearby creatures and their attitudes toward

Lizardfolk Names

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

always literal. They might pick up idioms, but only with some difficulty. Names confuse them, unless they are descriptive. They tend to apply their own naming conventions to other creatures using

Common words. Lizardfolk use active verbs to describe the world. A lizardfolk in cold weather might say, “This wind brings cold” rather than “I feel cold.” Lizardfolk tend to define things in terms of actions, rather than effects.

Alignment

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

, evil, or neutral), and the other describes attitudes toward society and order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral). Thus, nine distinct alignments define the possible combinations. These brief summaries of the

faithful to the precepts of their alignment. Lawful good (LG) creatures can be counted on to do the right thing as expected by society. Gold dragons and paladins are typically lawful good. Neutral good (NG

Studies and Philosophy

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

or to define what could be? The perspective of substance emphasizes physical reality. In this view, math is embodied in the natural forces of the multiverse, waiting to be discovered by those with the

substance-theory conflict a scholar more likely aligns with. Quandrix Scholars d8 Scholar Principle 1 Abstractor, using magic to stretch the possibilities of space Theory 2 Augmenter, making creatures

Ivana's Powers and Dominion

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

-and-black veins visibly show through her pale skin. While this discoloration is unignorable, the toxins grant her immunity to poison damage and being poisoned. Her genius and ambition define her

created innumerable unique plants, as well as plant creatures with strange abilities and unflagging loyalty to her. Tyrant Maker. Ivana’s ambition drives her to take on any challenge. She reflexively

Noteworthy Sites

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

Noteworthy Sites Dayawlongon is a tropical archipelago whose waters hold massive whirlpools that make boat travel between the islands challenging. Winding rivers, deep jungles, and mountains define

were infused into the skybridges in ages past, with the creatures’ blessing. Only bonesingers, people chosen as stewards of the skybridges, know how to maintain the magic that keeps the skybridges safe.

Nobles of Borca

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

of bizarre sea creatures and a complete megalodon skeleton. Olzanik. This family of metalworkers obsesses over war. To them, every success is a conquest, but no Olzanik has ever seen battle in

and their ashes scattered in the wastelands. Ritter. The shear-wielding Ritters define the cutting edge of fashion. Their coveted designs change seasonally, and any who create reproductions meet

Alignment

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

, evil, or neutral), and the other describes attitudes toward society and order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral). Thus, nine distinct alignments define the possible combinations. These brief summaries of the

faithful to the precepts of their alignment. Lawful Good. (LG) creatures can be counted on to do the right thing as expected by society. Gold dragons and paladins are typically lawful good. Neutral Good. (NG

The Long View

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

can appear cold and emotionless in the face of tragedy. They do feel the same pain that others feel, and they do mourn their losses. But they also understand, in a way that other creatures can’t, that

with other creatures very quickly. An elf often knows within minutes of meeting someone whether that new acquaintance would be a fitting companion for a journey or an adventure, and their first

Why a Monstrous Character?

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

architects of grand, heavily fortified edifices, which other folk dwell in for a price. The cultural notes in chapter 1 are the standard D&D depiction of these creatures, but by no means do they define them

Why a Monstrous Character? Creating characters as creatures normally cast as villains offers up some interesting roleplaying possibilities. Whether played for comedy, as a tragic story of betrayal

Strength

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

. Lifting and Carrying Your Strength score determines the amount of weight you can bear. The following terms define what you can lift or carry. Carrying Capacity. Your carrying capacity is your Strength

Strength. Larger creatures can bear more weight, whereas Tiny creatures can carry less. For each size category above Medium, double the creature's carrying capacity and the amount it can push, drag, or

Strength

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

Carrying Your Strength score determines the amount of weight you can bear. The following terms define what you can lift or carry. Carrying Capacity. Your carrying capacity is your Strength score

. Larger creatures can bear more weight, whereas Tiny creatures can carry less. For each size category above Medium, double the creature’s carrying capacity and the amount it can push, drag, or lift. For

Campaign Events

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

Campaign Events The Dungeon Master’s Guide includes a discussion of world-shaking events that might define turning points at the start, middle, or end of a campaign. One way to give dragons a

mythical creatures emerge from hiding or a long hibernation. What drove them away, and what is bringing them back? Another possibility is that dragons are responsible for the near-extinction of some other

Appendix E: Concept Gallery

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

offerings for years to come. On the following pages, you’ll find a number of images designed to serve as story beats in the larger Tyranny of Dragons campaign. These images were created to define impactful

like more vital inhabitants of a wider world, while nuances of dragons and other can creatures aid in bringing these terrors to life. These pages might also be shared with players as you see fit

Appendix E: Concept Gallery

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

offerings for years to come. On the following pages, you’ll find a number of images designed to serve as story beats in the larger Tyranny of Dragons campaign. These images were created to define impactful

like more vital inhabitants of a wider world, while nuances of dragons and other can creatures aid in bringing these terrors to life. These pages might also be shared with players as you see fit

Appendix E: Concept Gallery

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

offerings for years to come. On the following pages, you’ll find a number of images designed to serve as story beats in the larger Tyranny of Dragons campaign. These images were created to define impactful

like more vital inhabitants of a wider world, while nuances of dragons and other can creatures aid in bringing these terrors to life. These pages might also be shared with players as you see fit

Setessa's Surroundings

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

and Akros, no villages or military outposts mark Setessan territory, but a few key features in the Nessian Wood define the area under Setessan control. Amatrophon The Amatrophon encompasses a large

the earth, and some say they drink from the Rivers That Ring the World, the waters of the Underworld. All manner of wild and magical creatures dwell in the Nessian Wood, far from the reach of human

Life and Outlook

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

blows over their differences. Kobolds choose mates primarily for convenience. Their lack of emotional bonding means they have no concept of marriage or permanent family relationships. Their eggs are

seem older and more respectable. Most kobold tribes avoid eating what they call “talking meat” — intelligent creatures — because such behavior prompts retaliation. The fear of starvation can make them

Life in the Tribe

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

to replenish the casualties of their endless warring, orcs breed prodigiously (and they aren’t choosy about what they breed with, which is why such creatures as half-orcs and ogrillons are found in

pair-bonding occurs in a tribe other than at the moment when coupling takes place. At other times, males and females are more or less indifferent toward one another. All orcs consider mating to be a

Bard: College of Spirits

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

to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. When the target teleports, it can choose a number of creatures it can see within 30 feet of it up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 0) to immediately

short or long rest) using your Spiritual Focus. You can conduct the ritual with a number of willing creatures equal to your proficiency bonus (including yourself). At the end of the ritual, you

Encounter Pace and Tension

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

that define the environment the characters are exploring. For example, an encounter table filled with bats, wraiths, giant spiders, and zombies creates a sense of horror and suggests the possibility of

even more terrifying foes. Provide Assistance. Some random encounters can benefit the characters instead of hindering or harming them. Helpful creatures might give the characters useful information or

Matriculating from the Schools of Magic

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

school can help define your role in the business, as well as your fellow franchise members’ expectations for you. Abjuration Protective magic is often underappreciated by the members of the lesser

creatures for scouting or guard duty, or using dimension door to slip away from a deal gone bad. The hard part of that last one is always figuring out which of your franchise mates you’ll bring with you

Beholders

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

Beholders True beholders are isolationists that despise others of their kind, but their dreams can give rise to a variety of lesser beholder-like creatures, a few of which are described here. Death

it uses to generate electrical energy inside its body. Paranoid about dying from starvation, it obsessively drains even little creatures such as rats in an effort to stave off this fate for as long as

Skill Variants

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

Skill Variants A skill dictates the circumstances under which a character can add his or her proficiency bonus to an ability check. Skills define those circumstances by referring to different aspects

creatures sneaking up. If a character has the Expertise feature, the player can apply its benefit to personality traits related to ability checks, instead of to skills or tools. If a character would gain

D&D Beyond

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