before borders down cunning race

Underworld Cerberus

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

deep in the Underworld. Terrifying and cunning, they guard portals between the wards of the Underworld, Erebos’s greatest treasures, and noteworthy souls who might attempt to escape the realm of

living and the dead, cerberi patrol both banks of the Tartyx River. These multiheaded hounds of the Underworld breathe gouts of molten rock that sear and imprison those who trespass upon the borders of

Yuan-ti Malison (Type 3) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

their race, allowing them to shed their frail humanity like dead skin. Those that did not transform eventually became slaves or food for the blessed of the serpent gods. The yuan-ti empires withered

are cunning and ruthless tacticians who readily sacrifice lesser yuan-ti if potential victory justifies such losses. They have no sense of honorable combat and strike first in decisive ambush if they

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. Gang Mentality Since bugbears aren’t a particularly fecund race, their overall population is small and spread over a wide area. Bugbears live in family groups that operate much like gangs. The

remove opposition or exile weaker or unpopular members to keep the rest of the gang strong. Fortunately for the race as a whole, even young and elderly bugbears have the ability to survive alone in the

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

subterranean cities or settlements, you are probably a member of the race that occupies the place—but you might also have grown up there after being captured and brought below when you were a child

and wonderful! (Chaotic) 4 Cunning. Though I may not know their ways, neither do they know mine, which can be to my advantage. (Evil) 5 Inquisitive. Everything is new, but I have a thirst

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

weretouched, as many believe they are the descendants of humans and lycanthropes. Whatever their origins, shifters have evolved into a unique race. They are humanoids with a bestial aspect; while they

also be a cunning rat who darts through the shadows. Wildhunt shifters are born from any creature that tracks its prey. While the beast within certainly has a physical impact on a shifter, it has a

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

that the yuan-ti have prepared a special ambush at the end of the pursuit. Capture, Not Kill The objective of the yuan-ti as a race is to conquer and enslave others; they don’t espouse the sort

Spy

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

Spy Spy Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 12 Hit Points 27 (6d8) Speed 30 ft. STR 10(+0) DEX 15(+2) CON 10(+0) INT 12(+1) WIS 14(+2

Challenge 1 (200 XP) Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the spy can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The spy deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage

Spy

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

spies would rather die than divulge information that could compromise them or their employers. Spy Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 12 Hit Points 27 (6d8) Speed 30 ft

+5, Sleight of Hand +4, Stealth +4 Senses passive Perception 16 Languages any two languages Challenge 1 (200 XP) Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the spy can use a bonus action to take the

Bandit Captain

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

Bandit Captain It takes a strong personality, ruthless cunning, and a silver tongue to keep a gang of bandits in line. The bandit captain has these qualities in spades. In addition to managing a crew

not or claims not to know anything of the captain’s colorful reputation. Bandit Captain Medium humanoid (any race), any non-lawful alignment Armor Class 15 (studded leather) Hit Points 65 (10d8

Thief

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

using magic items you normally couldn’t employ. Fast Hands Starting at 3rd level, you can use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, use your

can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items. Thief’s Reflexes When you reach 17th level, you have

Master Thief

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sleeping Dragon’s Wake

Master Thief Master Thief Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 16 (studded leather) Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26) Speed 30 ft. STR 11(+0) DEX 18(+4) CON 14

Perception 13 Languages any one language (usually Common) plus thieves’ cant Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the thief can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage

Aarakocra

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

birdlike humanoids guard the windy borders of their home against invaders from the Elemental Plane of Earth, such as gargoyles, their sworn enemies. Enemies of Elemental Evil. In service to the Wind

it takes to guard against the incursions of Elemental Evil. Aarakocra have no concept of political borders or property ownership, and the value of gems, gold, and other precious materials means

Master Thief

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

Master Thief Master Thief Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 16 (studded leather) Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26) Speed 30 ft. STR 11(+0) DEX 18(+4) CON 14

Perception 13 Languages any one language (usually Common) plus thieves’ cant Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the thief can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage

Master Thief

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

Master Thief Master Thief Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 16 (studded leather) Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26) Speed 30 ft. STR 11(+0) DEX 18(+4) CON 14

Perception 13 Languages any one language (usually Common) plus thieves’ cant Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the thief can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage

Thief

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

using magic items you normally couldn’t employ. Fast Hands Starting at 3rd level, you can use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, use your

you can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items. Thief’s Reflexes When you reach 17th level

Elves

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

relationships with people other than your kin. Qualinesti High Elves In Qualinesti, a scout warns of threats encroaching on the elven city’s borders Long ago, a group of high elves left Silvanesti, desiring

, Qualinesti elves even enjoyed good relations with the dwarves of Thorbardin. Since the Cataclysm, however, they’ve withdrawn from the world, and few outsiders dare approach their well-guarded borders. As

The Mourning

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

mists was horrifically transformed. Over a million Cyrans were killed on the day of Mourning. Those who survived were soldiers fighting in enemy territory, those living on the borders who were able to

state of shock. Who could unleash such power? Was this a weapon, and if so, when would those responsible issues their demands? Were the borders of the lingering walls of mist stable, or could they

Duergar Spy

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal

Duergar Spy Combining the natural abilities of the duergar race with the specialized training of a spy, the duergar named Ghared is a force to be reckoned with inside Khundrukar (The Forge of Fury

., passive Perception 14 Languages Dwarvish, Undercommon Challenge 2 (450 XP) Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the spy can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Duergar

NPC Stat Blocks

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

Player’s Handbook, equipping NPCs with magic items, and swapping armor, weapons, and spells. If you want to take an NPC stat block and adapt it for a specific monster race, apply the ability modifiers

and add the features listed in the NPC Features table. If the NPC’s AC, hit points, attack bonus, or damage changes, recalculate its challenge rating. NPC Features Race Ability Modifiers Features

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

appreciation for the finer things! — Volo Goblins occupy an uneasy place in a dangerous world, and they react by lashing out at any creatures they believe they can bully. Cunning in battle and

. Beast Masters and Slave Drivers Goblins know they are a weak, unsophisticated race that can be easily dominated by bigger, smarter, more organized, more ferocious, or more magical creatures. Their god

Cerberi

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

trespass upon the borders of life and death. Most cerberi have a boundless hunger for fresh meat, especially the flesh of humanoids. Villains have been known to exploit that hunger by luring cerberi away

to the Underworld’s borders. Two-Headed Cerberus Medium monstrosity, lawful evil Armor Class 12 Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12) Speed 40 ft. STR 15 (+2) DEX 14 (+2) CON 14 (+2

Humans Transformed

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

, becoming like the gods in 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

Plane of Air

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

and the encroachment of the Elemental Chaos. They are served by aarakocra and a little-known race called the vaati. The region of the Plane of Air nearest the Great Conflagration is called the Sirocco

make travel difficult. Here and there, ash clusters into floating realms where outlaws and fugitives take shelter. At the other end of the plane, near the Frostfell (the plane of ice that borders the

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

, designed to collapse under the weight of any creature heavier than a kobold. On occasion, the route through a kobold lair runs along a ledge that borders a cavern or a crevasse, and the kobolds might

at the actions or deeds of other races. They aren’t forgiving of other races, and they enjoy nursing their hatred until they get a chance to wreak revenge on a creature or a race that has wronged

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

created the orcs and continues to direct their destiny. He is aided and abetted by the other warrior deities, Bahgtru and Ilneval, who bring strength and cunning to the battlefield. The followers of all

react to them. As a race, orcs have no noteworthy universal social traits, but some commonality does exist in the crude written communication that all orcs employ and in the way that they use

Efreeti

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

. Haughty and Cruel. The efreet are deceptive, cunning, and cruel to the point of ruthlessness. They despise being forced into servitude and are relentless in pursuit of vengeance against creatures that

have wronged them. Efreet don’t see themselves in this light, naturally, and regard their race as fair and orderly, even as they admit to an enlightened sense of self-interest. Spiteful Enslavers

The Guild

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

, calling them in when it suits them — often with interest. Rivalries exist between kingpins, and their territorial borders shift constantly. As long as these internal feuds don’t disrupt Guild

, thieves’ cant Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Cunning Action. On each of her turns in combat, Nine-Fingers can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Dagger Thrower. Nine-Fingers adds

The Guild

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer

, calling them in when it suits them — often with interest. Rivalries exist between kingpins, and their territorial borders shift constantly. As long as these internal feuds don’t disrupt Guild

: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage. Bonus Actions Cunning Action. Nine-Fingers takes the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Reactions Uncanny Dodge. Nine-Fingers halves the

Bugbears

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

aren’t a particularly fecund race, their overall population is small and spread over a wide area. Bugbears live in family groups that operate much like gangs. The individuals in a group typically number

unpopular members to keep the rest of the gang strong. Fortunately for the race as a whole, even young and elderly bugbears have the ability to survive alone in the wild, and the cast-off members of a gang

Yuan-ti

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

Codo Vidak Serpent Kings of Fallen Empires. The yuan-ti view their physical transformation as a transcendent moment for their race, allowing them to shed their frail humanity like dead skin. Those

-ti that acts honorably or lends aid in a time of trouble does so only as part of a grander design. Yuan-ti leaders are cunning and ruthless tacticians who readily sacrifice lesser yuan-ti if potential

Najara

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

was once easy to doubt their veracity, for what nation didn’t patrol its borders or establish communication (amicable or otherwise) with other nations? The stories of naga and yuan-ti were easy enough

Serpent Hills, where we were taken prisoner by yuan-ti patrolling the borders of their domain. The half-elf was hauled away in slaver’s chains, but for some reason I was taken to the court of Jarant

Reaching the Bottom

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

his cunning; A flash of his scarf, he’ll take off running. Quick as a bolt, his long scarf trailing, Gasping, grasping, you’ll end up flailing. You’ll pout, you’ll moan, you’ll huff, you’ll sneer

hostile toward its keepers and indifferent toward other creatures. Characters who participated in the Witchlight Carnival’s snail race (see chapter 1) have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks made

Dwarves of the Multiverse

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

Dwarves of the Multiverse Like any race, dwarves display a wide array of skin tones, hair colors, and other physical traits. Adding to this diversity, they have a variety of cultural identities from

form bonds with neighbors. Mountain Dwarves. As tough and strong as the natural stoneworks they dwell among, mountain dwarves see themselves as the true progenitors of their race and the exemplars of

Halflings

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

this tome, the elves set down thoughts regarding the power of innocence. They recounted how they had long observed the halfling race, watching as the chaos of the world swept around them and left

Today Throughout recorded history, halflings have never sought to expand their reach beyond the borders of their isolated communities. They live their lives satisfied with what the world has to offer

Mind Flayer Thralls

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

creature retains its Hit Dice, hit points, racial traits (but not proficiencies granted by race), and all of its ability scores except for Intelligence. After the first stage of the process, the creature’s

culture still centers on worship of and subservience to the illithids. Strong but dimwitted, they lack the initiative and the cunning to rebel as long as they are provided with food, shelter, and the

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