before both distant combat react

Faerie Pest

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

toddler, except for the black-feathered wings sprouting from the faerie’s shoulders. When engaged in combat, faerie pests wield thought-manipulating magic alongside sharp blades coated in

moss than most mortals. While ouphes are related to Eldraine’s faeries, the faeries treat them like distant (and somewhat embarrassing) cousins. Ouphes can be represented with the stat blocks for Pixie;pixies or Sprite;sprites. Mischievous Stealth. The faerie takes the Hide action.

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. For example, humans confronted by an angry troll experience fear on a basic level. Their limbs shake, their thinking becomes panicked and jumbled, and they react by instinct. The emotion of fear takes

’t scared of a troll; instead, they understand that a troll is a fearsome, dangerous creature and react accordingly. Lizardfolk never become angry in the way others do, but they act with

Halaster Blackcloak

Monsters Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

, however, Halaster is alert and attentive to the activities and preparations of all beings near him. He never willingly enters combat without first casting mage armor and mind blank on himself.As the

effect is triggered, as though Halaster had cast minor illusion in an area. Common illusions include the echo of rattling chains, the distant sound of explosive spells being cast, a dusty cloak or a rusty

Ranger Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

the creature while he readies his bow. Far from the bustle of cities and towns, past the hedges that shelter the most distant farms from the terrors of the wild, amid the dense-packed trees of

hiding themselves in brush and rubble. Rangers focus their combat training on techniques that are particularly useful against their specific favored foes. Thanks to their familiarity with the wilds

Cleric Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

her holy symbol as light pours from it to drive back the zombies crowding in on her companions. Clerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and the distant planes of the gods. As varied as the

their combat training to let them wade into melee with the power of the gods on their side. Divine Agents Not every acolyte or officiant at a temple or shrine is a cleric. Some priests are called to

Barbarian Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

by walls and crowds. They thrive in the wilds of their homelands: the tundra, jungle, or grasslands where their tribes live and hunt. Barbarians come alive in the chaos of combat. They can enter a

character, think about where your character comes from and his or her place in the world. Talk with your DM about an appropriate origin for your barbarian. Did you come from a distant land, making you a

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

scythe. Only a skilled and determined hero can hope to survive single combat with an orc. Savage and fearless, orc tribes are ever in search of elves, dwarves, and humans to destroy. Motivated by their

while learning to fight, to survive in the wild, and to fear the gods. The children that can’t endure the rigors of a life of combat are culled from the main body of the tribe, taken into the

Thrane Characters

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

on archery-related combat styles and spells or take the Sharpshooter feat. Any Thrane could take the acolyte background to reflect a strong connection to the church, or the soldier background based on

church in politics distracts it from its true mission and invites corruption. Dealing with Darkness. The Shadow in the Flame can tempt even the most virtuous soul. How do you react when you encounter

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

stars overhead, a wild-eyed tiefling chants the mystic ritual that will open a doorway to a distant world. Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through

(such as the ability to see in darkness or to read any language) to access to powerful spells. Unlike bookish wizards, warlocks supplement their magic with some facility at hand-to-hand combat. They

Cold and Calculating

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

, lizardfolk behave in a distant manner. They don’t mourn fallen comrades or rage against their enemies. They simply observe and react as a situation warrants. Lizardfolk lack meaningful emotional ties

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

and know the most about the territory farthest from the tribe’s lair. These individuals hunt game in peaceful times, and in combat they serve as scouts, foot soldiers, and cavalry. Gatherers

Approach by Sea

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

party’s mission. At a predetermined signal or after some period of time, the keelboat will return to see if the characters are ready to be collected. COMBAT NOT REQUIRED The characters are considered

achieve the mission goals without combat, they’re playing smart and well. The intent is to get the players to think tactically and avoid unnecessary fights against a superior foe. Reward the characters

Thrane Characters

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

by taking the Magic Initiate feat. Archery is a devotional practice of the Silver Flame, so as a martial Thrane you might focus on archery-related combat styles or take the Sharpshooter feat. Any

tempt even the most virtuous soul. How do you react when you encounter corruption and greed? Are you a compassionate person who seeks to lead people to the light, or a zealot determined to crush all darkness? Cathedral of the Silver Flame

Inhabitants

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

, consideration, and attempts to engage in actions that don’t involve combat. The lizardfolk’s greatest fear is the sahuagin, and the sooner the characters realize this fact, the better. The lizardfolk population

is summarized on the Lizardfolk Roster table, which also provides information on how the occupants of various areas might react as the adventure unfolds. Patrols in the Lair The lizardfolk patrol the

Astral Plane

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

sky, anchored in ends so distant she couldn’t perceive them, their middle parts revolving angrily like pieces of string rolled between a child’s fingertips. She glanced down, wondering what supported

great silvery sea, the same above and below, with swirling wisps of white and gray streaking among motes of light like distant stars. Most of the Astral Sea is a vast, empty expanse. Visitors occasionally

The Three Pillars of Adventure

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

interaction, and combat. Exploration includes both the adventurers’ movement through the world and their interaction with objects and situations that require their attention. Exploration is the give-and

rescued prisoner, pleading for mercy from an orc chieftain, or persuading a talkative magic mirror to show a distant location to the adventurers. The rules in part 2 (especially "Using Ability Scores" and

Tactics

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

like goblins, which tend to squabble among themselves and cooperate only when threatened by a strong leader. Kobolds avoid combat on a large scale, instead sticking to hit-and-run raids using smaller

obvious places as false “treasure,” prompting intruders to open the container and release a swarm. In a combat involving large numbers of kobolds (such as ten or more), consider spreading out their

Fenthaza

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

gong in area 9. The Temple Roster table summarizes the positions of yuan-ti across the lair and indicates how they react when intruders are detected or the gong is struck. Once an alarm is raised

the temple from area 1 or 23 and behave as you desire. The temple is a living community. Outside combat, inhabitants move between chambers, feed, wash, rest, and engage in all the villainous deceptions of yuan-ti life. You can use the Temple Reinforcements table to simulate this.

Drow of Xen'drik

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

shadows of the distant past. When the elves fled to Aerenal, the drow remained on Xen’drik as subjects of the giants, and they were caught in the collapse of giant civilization. Today they linger on

seeking powers that can help your people in their endless war? Or are you a Sulatar pursuing a personal path to glory? How do you react to meeting members of other elven cultures during your journeys

Classes at Morgrave

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

Classes at Morgrave Morgrave’s physical education classes cover everything from acrobatics and athletics to archery, dueling, and various other forms of combat. The arcane studies program covers the

, or even to distant countries or lands. Although Morgrave professors are experts in their fields, this doesn’t mean they have all the abilities of high level player characters! Just because that

50. Mirror of Life Trapping

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

one trapped creature at random to accommodate the new prisoner. The Prisoners of the Mirror table lists the mirror’s current prisoners and summarizes how they react if set free or spoken to. Otherwise

the Dungeon Master’s Guide for the mirror’s statistics.) Rather than running combat with so many creatures, assume that only the invisible stalker and the troll attack the party initially. The other

Inhabitants

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

provides information on how the occupants of various areas might react as the mission unfolds. On this table, sahuagin is abbreviated as “sah.” Sahuagin Roster, Level 1 Area Occupants at Start Notes 1

aid. 2 2 sahuagin These guards go to 1 if they hear combat or if the gong is rung three times. 12 5 sahuagin, 2 sahuagin coral smashers,* 2 sahuagin priestesses These sahuagin go to 1 if the gong is

Master

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

you had to defeat in single combat to complete your instruction. 2 Your master was kindly and taught you to pursue the cause of peace. 3 Your master was merciless in pushing you to your limits. You

nearly lost an eye during one especially brutal practice session. 4 Your master seemed goodhearted while tutoring you, but betrayed your monastery in the end. 5 Your master was cold and distant. You

The Restless Dead

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

The Restless Dead After the characters retire for the night, the quiet of Anadoua’s Rest House is disturbed. Read or paraphrase the following text: Distant music provides an almost hypnotic undertone

captive in death. Their sorrow causes them to fear the characters are allies of the invaders who murdered them. Before the haints can say much, or after 1 round of combat, a wraith that looks like a

Arrival in Elturel

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

irregular intervals. Perched atop a distant bluff, overlooking the rest of the city, is a crumbled fortress. Traxigor gazes up at the black orb nervously, utters a few arcane syllables, and

disappears in the blink of an eye. Traxigor casts time stop, giving him time to flee using his fly spell. He’s long gone before the time stop ends and the characters can react. Any character who succeeds on

Denizens

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

Denizens The Grudd Haug Roster table summarizes the locations of the den’s inhabitants and indicates how those creatures react when intruders are detected. As soon as trespassers are spotted or

combat erupts, the entire den goes on alert. As a consequence, adventurers might find themselves fighting several encounters’ worth of creatures at once. Grudd Haug’s defenders lack a cohesive defense

Monster Behavior

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

Monster Behavior The attitudes, motivations, and behavior of the monsters in an encounter help determine how a social interaction plays out (and whether it might erupt into combat) and influence the

course of combat. Brian Valeza Kobolds build a barricade to keep adventurers at bay Initial Attitudes A published adventure typically notes or implies whether a creature’s initial attitude toward the

Running the Adventure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a6

intruders are within. How will they react? From whence will they call in guards? Where will Snurre go? Most assuredly, he will not remain seated upon his throne when an attack is in progress! You have not

miles distant from Snurre’s sooty palace. This hidden site should initially prove to be safe from detection as long as the characters leave no plain trail to it and as long as they are not followed to it

Denizens

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

their caves and wait for enemies to come to them. Once they enter combat, the giants pursue enemies that attempt to flee. The Blue Bear tribe shares Kayalithica’s belief that civilization is a blight on

locations of the canyon’s inhabitants when the characters approach and indicates how those creatures react when intruders are detected. Deadstone Cleft Roster Area Creature(s) Notes area 2 1 roc The roc

Horror Pacing

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

, combat, and other types of encounters to create interesting and engaging pacing. Ensure that scenes are always somehow relevant to your story and move characters toward their goals. Logistics You often

to escape. Politely demand players react quickly: “There’s no time to debate—what do you do?” Parallel Scenes Occasionally encourage players to split the party. When characters are separated, cut

Redcap

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monsters of the Multiverse

moment redcaps awaken, they desire only murder and carnage, and they constantly seek to satisfy these cravings. Redcaps lack subtlety. They live for direct confrontation and the mayhem of mortal combat

get in a vicious swing of their weapon before the target can react. Redcaps’ desire to slay is rooted in their will to survive. To sustain their unnatural existence, they must soak their hats in the

Denizens

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

can be heard throughout the castle. The Lyn Armaal Roster table summarizes the locations of the inhabitants when the characters approach and indicates how those creatures react when intruders are

detected. Any cloud giant or aarakocra simulacrum can place the castle on alert. A cloud giant does this by bellowing “To arms!” at the end of its first turn in combat. An aarakocra simulacrum does it by

Tabaxi

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

. Sample tabaxi names include Nest of Eggs (“Eggs”), Dead Leaf (“Leaf”), Eyes of Onyx (“Onyx”), Lost Spear (“Lost”), and Daylight Moon (“Moon”). Clan names include Distant Rain, Hundred Feathers, Sleeping

., passive Perception 14 Languages Common plus any one language Challenge 1 (200 XP) Feline Agility. When the tabaxi moves on its turn in combat, it can double its speed until the end of the turn. Once

Redcap

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

combat. Even if a redcap wanted to be stealthy, its iron boots force it to take ponderous, thunderous steps. When a redcap is near to potential prey, though, it can close the distance quickly and get in

a vicious swing of its weapon before the target can react. Steeped in Slaughter. To sustain its unnatural existence, a redcap has to soak its hat in the fresh blood of its victims. When a redcap is

2. Giants' Lodge

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

hoist their greataxes when intruders appear. After the first round of combat, it occurs to one of the giants that she should sound the warning horn. She staggers up a flight of wooden stairs to blow

the horn (area 2C) while the other giants keep fighting. If the characters react quickly enough, they can prevent her from reaching the horn. If they keep the giant from sounding the horn, the other

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