before bring dealing cautious run

Jarund Elkhardt

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

his life, and age has made him cautious. He has seen other kings and queens rise and fall, has made war with friends and peace with his enemies, and has led warriors he knew as babes to their deaths

in battle. The strain of his long years of rule is etched on his weather-worn face. Jarund's late son, Jarund Twice-Born, was killed almost a decade ago while trying to bring down a cave bear, leaving

Onyx

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

. Dealing with Onyx. Onyx cannot be overcome or killed by combat. Any weapon attack against her that hits AC 12 makes contact but deals no lasting damage. However, if the attack would deal 10 or more

encounter on how to run it. Without the special circumstances from that encounter, Onyx can be considered a standard cat.

Vargouille

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

behind when one Fiend kills another. Because of their hunger for living prey, vargouilles are eager to escape the Lower Planes. On rare occasions, summoning a demon to another plane can bring a

’s curse. If the curse is allowed to run its course, an abyssal spirit invades the person’s body, causing a gruesome transformation. Over a period of hours, the victim’s head takes on

Blindheim

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

travelers. They typically make a cautious approach to stronger creatures, speaking in halting, croaking Undercommon to offer their services in return for fresh food, metal weapons, and trinkets from

energy from their eyes. Blindheims fear that some day the sun will venture underground and have its revenge upon them. When dealing with surface dwellers, they insist that visitors swear to never

Charlatan Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

weakness and secure their fortunes. 4 I put on new identities like clothes. 5 I run sleight-of-hand cons on street corners. 6 I convince people that worthless junk is worth their hard

Charity. I distribute the money I acquire to the people who really need it. (Good) 4 Creativity. I never run the same con twice. (Chaotic) 5 Friendship. Material goods come and go. Bonds of

Aereni Wood Elf

Species Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

ground and faced your ancestors, and twenty fell before his singing blades. You are no Dhakaani of old, and a mere twenty of you will bring no honor to the Taeri.” The warlord hissed in fury, and

master of these skills? Do you have ancestors in the Undying Court, and if so, what’s your relationship with them? Do you find dealing with the short-lived races to be a challenge, or are you patient with them?

Aereni High Elf

Species Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

ground and faced your ancestors, and twenty fell before his singing blades. You are no Dhakaani of old, and a mere twenty of you will bring no honor to the Taeri.” The warlord hissed in fury, and

master of these skills? Do you have ancestors in the Undying Court, and if so, what’s your relationship with them? Do you find dealing with the short-lived races to be a challenge, or are you patient with them?

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

","rollDamageType":"bludgeoning"} bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, Vladimir can grapple the target (escape DC 14) provided the target is Large or smaller. +2 Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack

Barovia would fade, allowing the spirits of Vladimir and his knights to enter the afterlife. Nevertheless, Vladimir would rather savor Strahd's torment than bring peace to his fallen order or peace

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

other useful items, but if they are at risk of discovery, they run away rather than attack anyone in the house. By fleeing before they can be seen or identified, they avoid getting into a situation

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

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

it hard not to pluck the treasure and bring it back to their settlement to beautify it. An aarakocra who spends years among other races can learn to inhibit these impulses. Confinement terrifies the

lies on the slopes of the Star Mounts’ southernmost mountains. At the headwaters of the Unicorn Run, the Last Aerie is home to several dozen aarakocra. Recently, aarakocra elders detected

Acolyte Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

society among my temple’s elite. Rough living grates on me. 8 I’ve spent so long in the temple that I have little practical experience dealing with people in the outside world

the personal cost. (Good) 3 Change. We must help bring about the changes the gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic) 4 Power. I hope to one day rise to the top of my faith

Acolyte - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

city’s larger faiths, keeping track of the hundreds of religions newcomers bring with them is no mean feat. Suggested Characteristics Acolytes are shaped by their experience in temples

on me. 8 I’ve spent so long in the temple that I have little practical experience dealing with people in the outside world. d6 Ideal 1 Tradition. The ancient

Loggers' Camp

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

Loggers’ Camp “Loggers’ Camp” is balanced for characters of 3rd level, though characters of 2nd level can survive the perils of this quest if they are cautious and clever. Characters of 4th level or higher should have an easy time dealing with the threats to the camp.

Occultant Abacus

Magic Items Acquisitions Incorporated

glasses. 3 Burning a small piece of the body and looking for shapes in the smoke. 4 A cautious, reasoned, professional guesstimate. 5 Careful measurements. The distance between nostrils

. This property of the occultant abacus can’t be used again until the next dawn. Bring Out Your Dead Also at rank 2, you regain the use of your Read the Kill feature after you finish a short or

Charlatan - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. 5 I run sleight-of-hand cons on street corners. 6 I convince people that worthless junk is worth their hard-earned money. FEATURE: FALSE IDENTITY You have created a second

. (Lawful) 3 Charity. I distribute the money I acquire to the people who really need it. (Good) 4 Creativity. I never run the same con twice. (Chaotic) 5 Friendship. Material goods

Phandalin Miner's Exchange

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

’ leader, whom the outlaws call “Glasstaff,” and bring her any correspondence found in his quarters. The characters are wise to be cautious when dealing with Halia. She doesn’t reveal that she wants to take

working to slowly bring Phandalin under her control, and she can become a valuable patron to the characters if they don’t cross her. Halia’s Job Offer If the characters ask about the Redbrands, Halia

Strahd von Zarovich

Monsters Curse of Strahd

","rollAction":"Unarmed Strike","rollDamageType":"necrotic"} necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, Strahd can grapple it (escape DC 18) instead of dealing the slashing damage. Bite. Melee Weapon

intelligently and do everything you can to make him a terrifying and cunning adversary for the player characters. When you run an encounter with Strahd, keep the following facts in mind: Strahd

Dealing with the Soldiers

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

Dealing with the Soldiers If the characters confront the Dragon Army soldiers on the cliffs, the messenger attempts to retreat to the Dragon Army camp on her warhorse rather than aiding her allies

. With the Dragon Army soldiers gone, Cudgel is eager to ride out to meet her mercenaries. She plans to bring them back to a defensible position just north of the village. If the characters don’t attack the Dragon Army soldiers on the cliffs, skip to the “Preparing for the Worst” section.

Rogue

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

Rogue People forget that the entire point of venturing down into a dusty tomb is to bring back the prizes hidden away there. Fighting is for fools. Dead men can’t spend their fortunes. — Barnabas

their way. On adventures, a rogue is likely to mix an outwardly cautious approach — few rogues enjoy combat — with a ravenous hunger for loot. Most of the time, in a rogue’s mind, taking up arms

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the Lake of Steam out along the trade routes to cross the world, yuan-ti poisons and potent liquors are covertly sold. Beware! Some of the latter slowly and subtly bring imbibers under the sway of

get into places their normal forms couldn’t enter. Their immunity to poison gives all yuan-ti a tactical advantage in dealing with other creatures. A pureblood serving as a food taster for a

Dealing with Bazelsteen

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

Dealing with Bazelsteen Engine oil covers this horned devil, which constantly chews on a shard of smoking, red hot coal. Bazelsteen is more interested in machines than creatures and is willing to

requires that they help it complete a test (see “Test Run 221” below). If the characters perform this task well, Bazelsteen agrees to fully repair their infernal war machines. He also offers one free

Faction Agent

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

dealing with people in the outside world. d6 Ideal 1 Tradition. The ancient traditions of worship and sacrifice must be preserved and upheld. (Lawful) 2 Charity. I always

try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good) 3 Change. We must help bring about the changes the gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic) 4 Power. I hope

Azorius Functionary

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

(though it might cause more problems than it solves when you’re dealing with incorrigible lawbreakers). If you abuse this privilege, though, you can get in serious trouble with your superiors and

the entire city, your place in the Azorius can easily bring you into contact with members of other guilds, for good or ill. Roll twice on the Azorius Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and

Innocent Prisoner

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel

refusing to bring in a bounty he believed was innocent—a deed that led to other faction members’ deaths. Valder abandoned his family when he fled his home in Sigil and went into hiding. Recently, Valder’s

Fellik to move on to his rightful afterlife in Mount Celestia. Fellik is good natured but cautious and indecisive. He’s wary of the characters and won’t do anything they say unless a character does it

Overview

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer Academy

: slip past the planet’s defenses, find the meteorite, and bring it back to Spelljammer Academy. This adventure is split into three parts: Part 1: The Spindle. While exploring the Spindle (a mountain

characters travel back to Toril, they cross paths with an asteroid and run into a githyanki agent of Vocath looking to retrieve Miken. Part 3: Homecoming. The characters return to the Spelljammer Academy

Session Zero

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

zero.” Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything outlines how to run session zero discussions, but in general, use this session to discuss the game’s content, social contract, and house rules, and to create

be included. Emphasize that boundaries aren’t negotiable, and neither you nor any of the players should bring them into the game. Note that boundaries may change during play. Encourage players to bring

Adventure Examples

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

Adventure Examples This section contains example adventures that demonstrate the principles described throughout the chapter. Each provides enough information for you to run a one-session adventure

encounter. Monster names in bold point you to the stat blocks in the Monster Manual. Some encounters also specify treasure the characters might find. Use your imagination to bring the locations and encounters

Absent Players

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

reporting back to the party’s patron. Substitute Player. With the absent player’s consent, have another player run the missing player’s character, or run the character yourself if you feel you can do so

, your group might play as long as no more than one person is absent. If two or more people can’t attend a session, consider playing a short adventure with different characters, and perhaps a different Dungeon Master, or bring out a favorite board game.

Dealing with Amrik

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

Dealing with Amrik Unless the characters attack him at once, Amrik assumes they’ve come to him for a loan. He is more than happy to provide one, up to a limit of 150 gp (the amount currently carried

muscle he can bring to bear against anyone who defaults on a loan, and his family’s influence extends beyond Baldur’s Gate. The characters might try to secure a loan, with or without the intention of

Episode 2: Fun in Phandalin

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

characters discover signs of recent rituals tapping into the power of the Far Realm — and take on the monsters the attackers left behind. After dealing with the threats in the dungeon, the characters run

Bring It to an End

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

Bring It to an End The climactic ending of an adventure fulfills the promise of all that came before. The best climax is one the players see coming, so if a dragon is the mastermind behind all the

, forcing the adventurers to close the portal while dealing with a villain at the same time. 8 The dungeon begins to collapse while a villain attempts to escape in the chaos. 9 The adventurers must choose

Respect for the Players

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

Respect for the Players Your players need to know from the start that you’ll run a game that is fun, fair, and tailored for them; that you’ll allow each of them to contribute to the story; and that

everyone can see it. Overly Cautious Players Overly cautious players can slow down the game by checking every flagstone, door, and wall in a dungeon for traps and hidden dangers. Sometimes this

Dealing with Agatha

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

Dealing with Agatha If the characters are respectful and polite, Agatha can be persuaded to help them with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. The player whose character takes the lead in

, and you don’t need maps to run the encounters effectively. If you feel the need for a map, create your own using the adventure text as a guide.

Keeping Combat Moving

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

Keeping Combat Moving Sometimes even the best-planned combat encounter can turn into a slog, where no one’s moving and neither side is hitting or dealing much damage to the other. When that happens

, here are a few techniques you can use to get things moving again or bring the encounter to a speedy close. Don’t Repeat Game States When characters do something to change the tactical situation, don’t

Appendix D: Magic Items

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

. When an item’s charges run dry, its magic drains away — or the item might malfunction or explode, with effects determined by you. The “Alien Technology” section in chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s

Guide offers useful general guidelines for dealing with strange devices of the sort found in this adventure. If Kwalish’s notes can’t be deciphered (or if the inventor doesn’t show up when the

D&D Beyond

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