before both decide check repeats

Programmed Illusion

Spells Player’s Handbook

larger than a 30-foot Cube, and you decide when you cast the spell how the illusion behaves and what sounds it makes. This scripted performance can last up to 5 minutes. When the trigger you specify

creature that takes the Study action to examine the image can determine that it is an illusion with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If a creature discerns the

Hat of Many Spells

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

spell must be on the Wizard spell list, it must be of a level you can cast, and it can’t have Material components costing more than 1,000 GP. Once you decide on the spell, you must expend a spell

slot of the spell’s level. Then, to determine whether you cast the spell, make an Intelligence (Arcana) check (DC 10 plus the spell’s level). On a successful check, you cast the spell using

Symbol

Spells Player’s Handbook

. The glyph is nearly imperceptible and requires a successful Wisdom (Perception) check against your spell save DC to notice. When you inscribe the glyph, you set its trigger and choose which effect the

symbol bears: Death, Discord, Fear, Pain, Sleep, or Stunning. Each one is explained below. Set the Trigger. You decide what triggers the glyph when you cast the spell. For glyphs inscribed on a

Control Water

Spells Player’s Handbook

, the wave repeats on the start of your next turn while the flood effect lasts. Part Water. You part water in the area and create a trench. The trench extends across the spell’s area, and the

takes 2d8 Bludgeoning damage. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage. A creature can swim away from the whirlpool only if it first takes an action to pull away and succeeds on a Strength (Athletics) check against your spell save DC.

Glyph of Warding

Spells Player’s Handbook

spell ends without being triggered. The glyph is nearly imperceptible and requires a successful Wisdom (Perception) check against your spell save DC to notice. When you inscribe the glyph, you set

its trigger and choose whether it’s an explosive rune or a spell glyph, as explained below. Set the Trigger. You decide what triggers the glyph when you cast the spell. For glyphs inscribed on

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.

Monastery of the Distressed Body, Grand Master

Monsters Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

of a Vorpal Sword. Shards of a vorpal sword once broken against the devil replace its claws. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Perception) check identifies them as such. When the

decide that the target is too large for its head to be cut off by the devil’s claws. If removed, the shards lose their magical powers. Local Teleportation-Field Bracelets. Local teleportation

Programmed Illusion Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

larger than a 30-foot cube, and you decide when you cast the spell how the illusion behaves and what sounds it makes. This scripted performance can last up to 5 minutes. When the condition you

illusion with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the creature can see through the image, and any noise it makes sounds hollow to the creature.

Splugoth the Returned

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

":"1d4+2","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Dagger","rollDamageType":"slashing"} slashing damage. Word From Beyond (1/day). Splugoth remembers and repeats aloud a few words from a place he entered while

the weapon cannot be used until the creature succeeds on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check as an action to pull it out of Splugoth. Natural weapons can have their attacks negated by this feature, but

Occultant Abacus

Magic Items Acquisitions Incorporated

someone in your franchise within the last 24 hours, then grant the character who slew it a d10. Once within the next hour, that character can add the d10 to an attack roll, ability check, or saving

. The difference between the index finger and the middle finger. The elasticity of the ear lobe. 6 You take a long, careful look, and then decide based on which fellow franchisee has been nice to

Control Water Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

. The water level remains elevated until the spell ends or you choose a different effect. If this effect produced a wave, the wave repeats on the start of your next turn while the flood effect lasts

Strength (Athletics) check against your spell save DC. When a creature enters the vortex for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save

Glyph of Warding Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

where you cast this spell, the glyph is broken, and the spell ends without being triggered. The glyph is nearly invisible and requires a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your

spell save DC to be found. You decide what triggers the glyph when you cast the spell. For glyphs inscribed on a surface, the most typical triggers include touching or standing on the glyph, removing

Symbol Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

(Investigation) check against your spell save DC to find it. You decide what triggers the glyph when you cast the spell. For glyphs inscribed on a surface, the most typical triggers include touching or

Temple of the Gods

Spells Xanathar's Guide to Everything

the door. The temple’s interior is an open space with an idol or altar at one end. You decide whether the temple is illuminated and whether that illumination is bright light or dim light. The

24 hours. Even if the creature can enter the temple, the magic there hinders it; whenever it makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw inside the temple, it must roll a d4 and

Initiative Legacy

Rules

Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. When combat starts, every participant rolls Initiative; they make a Dexterity check that determines their place in the Initiative order. The DM

foe who is unaware that combat is starting, that foe is surprised.Initiative Order. A combatant's check total is called their Initiative count, or Initiative for short. The DM ranks the combatants, from

Improvising Ability Checks

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

ability check? How hard is it? What’s the result? Use the descriptions of the ability scores and their associated skills in the Basic Rules to help you decide what kind of ability check to use. Then

determine how hard the task is so that you can set the DC for the check. The higher the DC, the more difficult the task. The easiest way to set a DC is to decide whether the task’s difficulty is easy

G9. Gnome Guard Post

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak

, or by scaling the slick rock wall with a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. Two rock gnome recluses stand on the ledge — a female named Ulla and a male named Pog. When anyone enters the cave

, Ulla calls out, “Who goes there?” in Gnomish, then Pog repeats the question in Common. Their orders are to “attack shapechangers on sight.” Since anyone might be a shapechanger, they attack anyone

Initiative

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

Initiative Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. When combat starts, every participant makes a Dexterity check to determine their place in the initiative order. The DM makes one

roll for an entire group of identical creatures, so each member of the group acts at the same time. The DM ranks the combatants in order from the one with the highest Dexterity check total to the one

Initiative

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

Initiative Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. When combat starts, every participant makes a Dexterity check to determine their place in the initiative order. The DM makes one

roll for an entire group of identical creatures, so each member of the group acts at the same time. The DM ranks the combatants in order from the one with the highest Dexterity check total to the one

Interacting with Objects

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

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

open a secret door in a nearby wall. If the lever is rusted in position, though, a character might need to force it. In such a situation, the DM might call for a Strength check to see whether the

Interacting with Objects

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

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

open a secret door in a nearby wall. If the lever is rusted in position, though, a character might need to force it. In such a situation, the DM might call for a Strength check to see whether the

Resolving Outcomes

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

you decide: Is a D20 Test Warranted? If the task is trivial or impossible, don’t bother with a D20 Test. A character can move across an empty room or drink from a flask without making a Dexterity check

Resolving Outcomes You decide when a player makes a D20 Test based on what the character is trying to do. Players shouldn’t just roll ability checks without context; they should tell you what their

Proficiency

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

skill. When that skill is used for an ability check, it is usually used with Dexterity. Under certain circumstances, you can decide a character’s proficiency in a skill can be applied to a different

ability check. For example, you might decide that a character forced to swim from an island to the mainland must succeed on a Constitution check (as opposed to a Strength check) because of the distance

Carrion Crawler

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

ability check. Actions Multiattack. The carrion crawler uses Paralyzing Tentacles and makes one Bite attack. Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) Piercing damage plus 3 (1d6

) Poison damage. Paralyzing Tentacles. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 12, one creature the carrion crawler can see within 10 feet. Failure: The target has the Poisoned condition and repeats the save at

Conclusion

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble

a long metal pole they can use to lift the silver bowl out of the forge. You can decide if any D20 Tests are needed to do this, but if there is no consequence for failure, then it’s usually not necessary to force the players to make a check.

. When the Bowl of Plenty cools, however, the characters are in for a final surprise. Cooling the Bowl If the characters ask about how to get the bowl out of the fire, tell them that they can check

Wandering Monsters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

Wandering Monsters If the characters spend a long time in an area, you can check for wandering monsters by rolling a d20. On a roll of 17–20, an encounter takes place. Conversely, if the players seem

restless, you can decide that an encounter occurs. Roll a d12 and consult the Wandering Monsters table to determine what threat the party meets. Wandering Monsters d12 Monsters 1–3 2d4 stirges 4–5 1d4 ghouls 6 1d4 gricks 7–8 1d4 bugbears 9 1d6 skeletons 10 1d6 zombies 11–12 1 ochre jelly

Becoming Lost

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

Becoming Lost Unless they are following a path, or something like it, adventurers traveling in the wilderness run the risk of becoming lost. The party’s navigator makes a Wisdom (Survival) check when

you decide it’s appropriate, against a DC determined by the prevailing terrain, as shown on the Wilderness Navigation table. If the party is moving at a slow pace, the navigator gains a +5 bonus to

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

a DC 10 Charisma check for Snapjaw. If the check succeeds, the guards are persuaded. If the check fails, the characters don’t impress them. They won’t take action against the bullywugs now, but they

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

a DC 10 Charisma check for Snapjaw. If the check succeeds, the guards are persuaded. If the check fails, the characters don’t impress them. They won’t take action against the bullywugs now, but they

5b. Tower Heights

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

(Athletics) check. The Leaper. Any creature that climbs the tower hears a horrified scream. The sound of the scream originates from above, passes any climbers, moves to the tower’s floor, and then repeats

Role of the Dungeon Master

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak

for an ability check. Just tell the player what happens. Conversely, if there’s no way anyone could accomplish the task, just tell the player it doesn’t work. If and when you decide that an ability

check is required, ask yourself these questions: What Kind of Ability Check? Use the descriptions of the ability scores and their associated skills in the Basic Rules to help you decide what kind of

Tools and Skills Together

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

the character notice the door’s presence, but you decide that the tool proficiency entitles the character to an automatic success on an Intelligence (Investigation) check to determine how to open the door.

choices for the characters, you can use the methods outlined below. Advantage. If the use of a tool and the use of a skill both apply to a check, and a character is proficient with the tool and the skill

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

the edge of the cliff or climb down the ravine to walk along the bottom?”), to make a single ability check (use the Typical DCs table in the Dungeon Master’s Guide), or to navigate their way through a

Market Investigations

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

Market Investigations Once the characters decide to look into the events at the Tyenmo and Xungoon shops, they’re free to start their investigation. A character who visits one of the shops and spends

at least 5 minutes inspecting the space can make a DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check. On a successful check, the character discovers nothing unusual except for a few persimmon peels (see

Updated Guides

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

characters claim any missing components of the Infernal Machine, those components can be added to the mechanical guide, providing a +2 bonus to this check per component. You might decide that neither agent

to other locations in time and space with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check. A failed check causes the characters to be misdirected physically or temporally, as you determine. If the

D&D Beyond

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