before both defeat creating relatively

Soldier Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

combined with the rigid discipline of military service leave their mark on all soldiers, shaping their ideals, creating strong bonds, and often leaving them scarred and vulnerable to fear, shame, and

forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it. 5 Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for. 6 I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves

Barbarian Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

sufficient to defeat whatever threats arise. A Life of Danger A barbarian plays an important role as a protector of their people and a leader in times of war. Life in the wild places of the world is

the closeknit family structures of the tribe, but eventually find them replaced by the bonds formed among the members of their adventuring parties. Creating a Barbarian When creating a barbarian

Young Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

skin, especially around the head and neck. Their wings are attached to their front legs and can fold in close to the body, allowing deep dragons to easily maneuver through relatively narrow tunnels

. Creating a Deep Dragon Use the Deep Dragon Personality Traits and Deep Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive deep dragon characters, and use the Deep Dragon Spellcasting table to

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

called the Chill. Unlike most of their kind, the Chill refrains from raiding the people of the North and maintains relatively good relations so that they can hire themselves out as warriors. Few city

never leave a friend behind. 3 My honor is my life. 4 I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it. 5 Those who fight beside me are those

Deep Dragon Wyrmling Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

wings are attached to their front legs and can fold in close to the body, allowing deep dragons to easily maneuver through relatively narrow tunnels. Deep dragons often hoard secrets, delighting in

combat. Deep dragons look down on any creature that isn’t useful to them, though they are willing to bargain for knowledge they lack. Creating a Deep Dragon Use the Deep Dragon Personality

Fighter Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

combatants on battlefields and in dungeons alike. Trained for Danger Not every member of the city watch, the village militia, or the queen’s army is a fighter. Most of these troops are relatively

left behind. There are greater risks, perhaps, but also much greater rewards—few fighters in the city watch have the opportunity to discover a magic flame tongue sword, for example. Creating a

Ancient Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

attached to their front legs and can fold in close to the body, allowing deep dragons to easily maneuver through relatively narrow tunnels. Deep dragons often hoard secrets, delighting in knowledge of

. Deep dragons look down on any creature that isn’t useful to them, though they are willing to bargain for knowledge they lack. Creating a Deep Dragon Use the Deep Dragon Personality Traits and

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

soldiers, shaping their ideals, creating strong bonds, and often leaving them scarred and vulnerable to fear, shame, and hatred. d8 Personality Trait 1 I’m always polite and

life on the battlefield. To this day, I will never leave a friend behind. 3 My honor is my life. 4 I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it

Adult Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

attached to their front legs and can fold in close to the body, allowing deep dragons to easily maneuver through relatively narrow tunnels. Deep dragons often hoard secrets, delighting in knowledge

. Deep dragons look down on any creature that isn’t useful to them, though they are willing to bargain for knowledge they lack. Creating a Deep Dragon Use the Deep Dragon Personality Traits and

Ancient Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

immense power. Creating a Sapphire Dragon Use the Sapphire Dragon Personality Traits and Sapphire Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive sapphire dragon characters. Sapphire

top of the map) provides the main access to the lair by way of two sections of relatively thin crystal walls. The dragon can use a lair action to open or close passages through these walls throughout

First Adventure

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

. Many campaigns begin with a published adventure and then develop organically as the characters explore beyond the scope of the adventure. If you’re creating your own adventure for the start of your

campaign, refer to the advice in chapter 4. Keep the first adventure relatively short and simple, allowing plenty of time for the characters to get to know each other as the players roleplay. What’s

Adventure Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves

. The dragon is using trickery to prevent the cult from doing anything too terrible and to draw possible allies to the temple to help him defeat the cult leader. Even as he sends the cult leader on

relatively harmless missions to steal goods, he whispers to the non-Undead members of the cult to undermine their loyalty to Xia. The gullible cultists are in disarray, and the characters’ arrival sets the stage for the final phase of Nezzarum’s plan.

Experience Points

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

challenge rating. When adventurers defeat one or more monsters — typically by killing, routing, or capturing them — they divide the total XP value of the monsters evenly among themselves. If the party

received substantial assistance from one or more NPCs, count those NPCs as party members when dividing up the XP. (Because the NPCs made the fight easier, individual characters receive fewer XP.) Chapter 3, "Creating Adventures" provides guidelines for designing combat encounters using experience points.

Humans

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

dominated Khorvaire for thousands of years. They founded the Five Nations and make up the majority of the population in these countries. Despite their relatively short lifespan—or perhaps because of it

rogue. When you’re creating a human character, consider where you’re from and how that’s reflected in your class and background. Chapter 2 presents an overview of the nations of Khorvaire and ideas

Adult Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

intrusion. The centerpiece of a sapphire dragon’s hoard is usually a cataloged, orderly collection of war gear, which can contain ancient relics of immense power. Creating a Sapphire Dragon Use

by way of two sections of relatively thin crystal walls. The dragon can use a lair action to open or close passages through these walls throughout the lair. Cobweb-Choked Tunnels. Adventurers who

Environment

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

is relatively scarce in such areas. Partly out of fear and partly because their eyes are sensitive to sunlight, kobolds prefer the security of a cave to living in the open air, and can be found in

outcroppings, creating warrens above the water line. Kobolds reside most commonly in hilly or mountainous terrain. Such locations usually have natural caves suitable for living space, plenty of room to dig

Vladeska's Powers and Dominion

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

, the Talons are terrifying. Their numbers are relatively few, but they’re organized enough to oppress Lekar’s ragged survivors and enforce Drakov’s totalitarian laws. In the face of zombie hordes

, though, they’re fighting a losing battle against foes whose numbers only grow. And every time a Talon falls, Lekar’s final defeat grows closer. Talon soldiers use the guard stat block, while commanders

Core Assumptions

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

. The follower of a god serves as an agent of that god in the world. The agent seeks to further the ideals of that god and defeat its rivals. While some folk might refuse to honor the gods, none can

practical to the esoteric, such as the accumulation of material wealth or the resurrection of a dead god. Whatever their goals, these factions inevitably collide, creating conflict that can steer the

Mogis as Campaign Villain

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

d4 Scheme 1 A champion of Mogis unites the minotaur bands and cyclops tribes of Phoberos under her banner, creating a terrifying army. At Mogis’s command, she leads the army in an all-out

assault on Akros, hoping to draw Iroas into battle and defeat him once and for all. 2 Mogis bargains with Pharika, convincing her to create elixirs that will turn his followers into invincible

Play Style

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

Play Style By building a new world (or adopting an existing one) and creating the key events that launch your campaign, you determined what your campaign is about. Next, you have to decide how you

kick in the dungeon door, fight the monsters, and grab the treasure. This style of play is straightforward, fun, exciting, and action-oriented. The players spend relatively little time developing

Chapter 8: Arena of Blood

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Light of Xaryxis

coalition to defeat the Xaryxian Empire doesn’t exist—but that a mercane arms merchant named Vocath might be the key to creating one. If the characters want to form a coalition, they must first persuade

Keranos's Champions

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

Find a long-lost artifact that bestows oracular visions upon the user. 5 Defeat the champion of another god in a battle of wits (perhaps Phenax, Mogis, or Klothys). 6 Find and restore a

prophecies, potentially drawing in secrets of the other gods or of reality itself. It is relatively easy for a mortal to lose Keranos’s favor because the god is quick to anger and doesn’t suffer failure

Humans

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

Nations. Even today humans make up the majority of the population in these countries. Despite their relatively short lifespans — or perhaps because of them — humans are innovative, adaptable, and

aggressive, always pushing their limits and pursuing new ideas. Humans prove extremely diverse; a barbarian from the Demon Wastes has little in common with a Brelish rogue. When creating a human character

Evolving the Encounter Deck

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

Evolving the Encounter Deck Evolving your encounter deck fosters a sense of progress, creating a rough narrative arc as the adventurers explore an area. You can evolve the deck to make encounters

; don’t put that card into the deck until the characters defeat one or more creatures from the second deck. At that point, shuffle the goal card into the second deck.

Whorlstone Tunnels

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

relatively regular dimensions. They are known for their unusual rock formations and abundant patches of fungi, and for being suffused with faerzress (see chapter 2). There are currently two factions

complex, creating spiral patterns on the walls and ceilings. These spirals are what give the complex its name. Because of these weird spiraling patterns, saving throws to resist faerzress-induced

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

creatures wouldn’t feel safe. Kobolds take advantage of their size by creating small-diameter tunnels that they can easily pass through, but that require larger creatures to hunch over or even

, since food is relatively scarce in such areas. Partly out of fear and partly because their eyes are sensitive to sunlight, kobolds prefer the security of a cave to living in the open air, and can be

Daask Campaign Themes

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

attacks won’t end until the adventurers delve deep into the Cogs and defeat Cavallah herself. The Sharn Inquisitive Monstrous Deception Monsters are infiltrating our city! Though the Sharn Watch

powers in Sharn, or pursue ancient artifacts in the ruins below the city to keep them out of others’ hands. Dreamlily is relatively safe; dragon’s blood is not. Its effects are intentionally unpredictable

Creating a Bronze Dragon

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

Creating a Bronze Dragon Bronze dragons are the absolute worst at transforming themselves into human form. They always embellish with extra hair in all sorts of places. I applaud ingenuity, but in

lie outright, though I choose my words carefully. I will fight to the death rather than break my word or abandon a comrade. (Lawful) 4 Discipline. Disorganization breeds defeat. I demand self

Roleplaying a Beholder

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

, emotionless logic is the way I defeat my foes. 3 I determine if a creature is worth keeping alive within the first minute of speaking to it. 4 I frequently dream of [a particular creature] and am

to recover an ancient tome that contains the secret of creating perfect, obedient clones of myself. Beholder Flaws d6 Flaw 1 I usually ignore advice from my minions. 2 I enjoy taunting rivals with

During the Siege

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

horde soon begins overwhelming defenses nearby. Once the characters defeat a few zombies, roll 1d6 and consult the Zombie Siege Encounters table. The event rolled unfolds within sight of one of the

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

Hazlik

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

pursuits, such as creating the perfect mortal form and visiting dream realms within an individual’s psyche. As Hazlik advanced in power, he developed rivalries with his fellow Red Wizards. Through

one competitor Hazlik was unable to defeat: the Red Wizard Indreficus. Hazlik gradually came to fixate on Indreficus as his true rival. Indreficus shared Hazlik’s genius and arrogance, and they spent

Entering Derro Territory

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

chance of another attack becomes 50 percent every half hour. Sneaking through the senseless arrangement of the burrows is relatively easy, as the derro are normally too preoccupied with their own mad

magical wards placed by derro savants to guard against duergar intrusion. When a ward activates in response to the presence of an invisible creature, nearby derro fly into a frenzy, creating a chaotic

Xanthoria's Defeat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

Xanthoria’s Defeat Once Xanthoria is defeated, the characters find the last few pages of her notes among her possessions. They detail her growing obsession with undead and her success at turning

. Promising to complete Xanthoria’s original mission to rid the surrounding forest of undead. Destroying Xanthoria’s notes so that the process of creating a lichen lich can never be duplicated by anyone else

Creating Sentient Magic Items

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

Creating Sentient Magic Items When you decide to make a magic item sentient, you create the item's persona in the same way you would create an NPC, with a few exceptions described here. Abilities A

defeat or destroy those of a diametrically opposed alignment. (Such an item is never neutral.) 2 Bane: The item seeks to defeat or destroy creatures of a particular kind, such as fiends, shapechangers

Cults of the Dragon Below

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

discovered a beating heart that filled an entire room, pumping blood through veins in the walls of the building. According to Allis, the staff claimed to be “creating the heart of Galifar,” apparently

. However, your character could be a member of a relatively benign cult. You might have been raised in a cult but broke free from its influence. If your character was or is part of a cult, work with your DM to develop the details of your sect.

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