before both directions cautious roles

Animated Coffin

Monsters Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary

boxes with simple fittings to elaborate, gilded sarcophagi and reverent, fabric-lined caskets. Beyond the City of Doors, animated coffins serve similar—albeit less industrial—roles

. Natural ambushers and tireless sentries, animated coffins guard ancient necropolises, family crypts, and the lairs of powerful Undead. A cautious vampire might sleep in an animated coffin to evade hunters

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

provoke retaliatory attacks from the creatures they steal from. It’s better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat. In a couple of situations, kobolds might

roles that protect and sustain the tribe. The strongest kobolds are trained to be hunters and warriors, the most clever are crafters and strategists, the toughest are miners and beast-wranglers, and so

Commoner

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

magical talents, extraordinary training, or a life of adventure. Some are generous, helpful sorts, while others are more cautious in sharing what they have. Use the following list of jobs and roles to

Life and Outlook

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

Life and Outlook Kobolds have a tribal society in which they all take on specialized roles that protect and sustain the tribe. The strongest kobolds are trained to be hunters and warriors, the most

assigned gender roles for young or adults. A leader, sorcerer, miner, or crafter is as likely to be female as male. Grow Fast, Die Early Kobolds grow and mature much more swiftly than members of

Animated Coffin

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary

the City of Doors, animated coffins serve similar—albeit less industrial—roles. Natural ambushers and tireless sentries, animated coffins guard ancient necropolises, family crypts, and the lairs of

powerful Undead. A cautious vampire might sleep in an animated coffin to evade hunters during the day, while a necromancer might enlist animated coffins to conscript corpses from faraway settlements into

Roleplaying Devils

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

is therefore not truly killed. However, a devil that is killed in the Nine Hells is dead forever; not surprisingly, that’s why devils tend to be more cautious in their dealings at home than abroad

roles in this story. Before running the adventure, it’s worth taking the time to familiarize yourself with the “Devils” entry in the Monster Manual, which not only describes the most common types of

Fighting the Lizards

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

addresses the fifty or so of his fellows, and they scatter, performing the tasks of setting up camp. A larger, bestial-looking lizardfolk moves closer to the leader, as if waiting for directions

are a typical adventuring party, they charge in without a plan. However, they might favor caution and knowledge over brute force. A more cautious party can better catch the lizards unaware and might

Plot Points

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

can spend a plot point to become the DM. That player’s character becomes an NPC, and play continues. It’s probably not a good idea to swap roles in the middle of combat, but it can happen if your group

unexpected directions. This approach is also a great way for would-be DMs to try running a game in small, controlled doses. In a campaign that uses plot points this way, everyone should come to the

Investigating the Quake

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

once, Bookwyrm listens to what they have to say, then puts them in charge of the investigation, escorts them through the Emerald Door, and gives them directions to the tower. Along the way, the First

. Having finally found purpose in the triviality of their roles, the cultists take up positions in the tower when the countdown to launch begins. Stonky has assigned aliases to the members of the

If the Characters Decline

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

If the Characters Decline If the characters are suspicious, or if they are being particularly cautious, they might not want to hand over the Rod of Seven Parts or rest in their quarters. Below are

wife before the group leaves to confront the archlich. Alustriel provides directions to Velgar’s Vittles. In reality, Malaina was suspicious of Mordenkainen, but she didn’t want to make accusations

Horror Gameplay

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

members of different genders, ethnicities, and sexualities, as well as people with disabilities and of varied beliefs, as having broad roles, professions, interests, and outlooks. Endlessly work to

&D is improvisational, the game can go in unexpected directions. If a direction makes the game a worse experience for anyone, use these tools to correct course. Many content tools exist, but a popular

1: Outer Gatehouse

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

riders strong. I hope to become one.” (True) Social Interaction. Player characters can meet many different people throughout the keep. As DM, you assume the roles of these nonplayer characters, whom you

. The gate guards, Bartho and Gala, can describe and give directions to any location in the keep. They can also tailor recommendations to a traveler’s needs. For example, if a character wants to purchase

Kir Sabal

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

chapter). Asharra can provide directions, but she doesn’t allow her people to go anywhere near the ruins because of the evil, intelligent cranes (eblis) known to live there. DANCE OF THE SEVEN WINDS

they’re doing this solely for the future of Chult, but Asharra secretly hopes that the aarakocra will be elevated to key roles in any renewed Chultan kingdom, if and when it comes about. Mwaxanaré is vain

D&D Beyond

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