before bringing dead concept rather

Cultist of Bhaal

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. Cultists of Bhaal sometimes form cabals of assassins or mercenaries, but they perform their brutal slaughter for the perverse love of bloodshed and honor to their sinister god rather than for

adventurers Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul seized divinity but were slain for their hubris. All three have been reborn and are now known as the Dead Three. Each of the Dead Three has inspired wicked cults that

Narthus

Monsters Heroes of the Borderlands

before the end of Narthus’s next turn has Advantage.A craven lackey, Narthus serves Ivlis out of fear rather than loyalty. Narthus spends his days groveling before Ivlis and cruelly whipping new

fascinations. He grows the cult’s ranks through macabre rituals, conscripting the dead to serve the cult’s depraved goals.

Manshoon

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. That Manshoon is dead, and the current Manshoon is one of the original’s many clones. Being a magical copy rather than an original doesn’t make Manshoon any less of a threat, as he’s

someone else in disguise, which is just as Manshoon prefers. Manshoon seeks power and is checked only by the many enemies who want to see him dead. He recently failed to seize control of Waterdeep in a

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

, Speak with Dead 1/Day Each: Create Undead (level 8 version), Power Word KillLegendary Action Uses: 3. Immediately after another creature’s turn, Sammaster can expend a use to take one of the

efficiently as he can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

, Prestidigitation 2/Day Each: Speak with Dead, Wall of Force 1/Day Each: Create Undead (level 8 version), Disintegrate, Power Word KillProtective Magic. Sammaster casts Counterspell or Shield in

can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps a magical soul

Water Weird Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

those its summoner declares as off limits. When slain, a water weird becomes an inanimate pool of water. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil

interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might turn against its summoner. A water weird loses its evil alignment if its waters are cleansed

Spore Servant Octopus

Monsters Dragons of Stormwreck Isle

was creating a spore servant from a dead giant octopus to protect the caves while the leader could not. Unlike a living octopus, this guardian has only basic control over its tentacles. Rather than coiling around intruders to immobilize them, the spore servant simply bludgeons them.

"} bludgeoning damage.Spore servants are dead creatures reanimated by the magical spores of a myconid leader. The final act of the myconid leader in Seagrow Caves before lapsing into its current comatose state

Vampiric Mist Legacy

Monsters Tales from the Yawning Portal

without squeezing. Each foot of movement in water costs it 2 extra feet, rather than 1 extra foot. The mist can’t manipulate objects in any way that requires fingers or manual dexterity. Sunlight

first encountered, a vampiric mist appears as a billowing mass of light clouds. As the creature feeds, its coloration darkens to a deep crimson. In the Temple of Blood inside the Doomvault (Dead in Thay

Elkhorn

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

dead.” Combat Notes Elkhorn’s challenge rating is based on him using Feint to improve his rather weak sword attack. Having been trained in his youth to fight ogres and trolls, he&rsquo

destruction of evil in all its forms. He’s not especially bright, so he fights with his heart rather than his wits. Age has drained much of the strength from Elkhorn’s body. Strongheart

Young Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

things in life by bringing me delicacies like clams or aboleth flesh. 6 I might be willing to exert myself to take out a mind flayer. Those disgusting creatures must be stopped. 7 I dream of

seeing the deepest places in the ocean. 8 I find I rather enjoy the company of people—as long as they remain unaware of my true nature. Deep Dragon Ideals d6;{"diceNotation

Vampirate

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

","rollDamageType":"piercing"} piercing damage.Vampirates are the walking, talking husks of dead pirates who refused to go quietly into the afterlife. They ply the void in their ships, plundering unsuspecting

vampire’s but doesn’t use them to draw vital fluids from prey, which vampirates consider an unsavory act. Rather, a vampirate drains life energy from another creature by touching it or by

Kasimir Velikov

Monsters Curse of Strahd

more important, he believes that the Amber Temple holds the secret to bringing the ancient dead back to life. With the characters' help, Kasimir thinks he might be able to find out how to restore

is to become as powerful a vampire as Strahd. Kasimir Velikov's Traits Ideal. “I failed my people and my sister, and now I must atone or be damned.” Bond. “I seek to return my long-dead sister, Patrina

Hermit - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

a patriar’s scion in an illegal duel. The family swore revenge, and you fled to the slums rather than risk bringing their wrath down on your kin. 6 You aren’t originally from Baldur

a frivolous lark. You’ve maintained a solitary vigil outside the cavern entrance ever since. 2 You crossed the Guild in a bad way. Fortunately, its members think you’re dead. Less

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

rather than perform the work or confront the foe. Even when subsumed into a goblinoid host and drawn into war, bugbears must often be roused from naps and bribed to get them to do their duties. This

natural state. Thanks to Grankhul, they can use their size and strength to work as stealthy assassins rather than blundering around like ogres. Bullying, murder, and engaging in battle are all holy

Deep Dragon Wyrmling Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. 5 While the petty squabbles of other creatures bore and irritate me, I might hear out those who demonstrate an appreciation for the finer things in life by bringing me delicacies like clams or

I rather enjoy the company of people—as long as they remain unaware of my true nature. Deep Dragon Ideals d6;{"diceNotation":"1d6","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Ideal

Vampirate Captain

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

as a crawling claw or a Will-o'-Wisp;will-o'-wisp. Vampirate Vampirates are the walking, talking husks of dead pirates who refused to go quietly into the afterlife. They ply the void in their

parchment. A vampirate has fangs like a vampire’s but doesn’t use them to draw vital fluids from prey, which vampirates consider an unsavory act. Rather, a vampirate drains life energy from

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

at his core, the seneschal didn’t return as a skeletal knight but rather as an intangible spirit. Caradoc’s Undead form suits him well, allowing him to possess the living and use unwilling

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

Vampirate Mage

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Vampirates are the walking, talking husks of dead pirates who refused to go quietly into the afterlife. They ply the void in their ships, plundering unsuspecting vessels and feeding on the life

use them to draw vital fluids from prey, which vampirates consider an unsavory act. Rather, a vampirate drains life energy from another creature by touching it or by siphoning off its energy from a

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

her divine spark vanishes. She is dead until the next winter solstice, when she reappears at full health in a cold, remote location of her choosing. Frigid Aura. So long as Auril has at least 1 hit

heart of the diamond. If Auril is killed in her third and final form, she is dead until the next winter solstice. While she is dead, her mortal worshipers lose their god-granted spells and abilities

Madam Eva

Monsters Curse of Strahd

from evil and good 2nd level (3 slots): lesser restoration, protection from poison, spiritual weapon 3rd level (3 slots): create food and water, speak with dead, spirit guardians 4th level (3 slots

): divination, freedom of movement, guardian of faith 5th level (2 slots): greater restoration, raise dead 6th level (1 slot): find the path, harm, true seeing 7th level (1 slot): fire storm

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

pleasurable creatures and things are ones that allow lizardfolk to assess more situations as benign rather than fearsome. Cold and Calculating Most humanoids describe cold-blooded people as lacking in

utility and importance. Nowhere does this come through as strongly as when lizardfolk deal with the dead. To a lizardfolk, a comrade who dies becomes a potential source of food. That companion might have

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the group’s needs, but the effect each action will have on the forest and the rest of the natural world. Firbolg tribes would rather go hungry than strain the land during a famine. Hidden

Shepherds As caretakers of the land, firbolgs prefer to remain out of sight and out of mind. They don’t try to dominate nature, but rather seek to ensure that it prospers and survives according to its

Lady Illmarrow

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Emerald Claw, but her motives for founding the order are buried in her past. Lady Illmarrow has no interest in ruling the living. Rather, she seeks to become Queen of the Dead. The Mark of Death

missile, shield, sleep 2nd level (3 slots): blur, detect thoughts, mirror image 3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, fireball, fly, lightning bolt 4th level (3 slots): blight, confusion

Priest of Osybus (Deathly)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Deathly Boon. It can cast animate dead and create undead once per day each, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability. Tattoo of Osybus. If the priest drops to 0 hit points, roll on the Boons

before the priest faces adventurers. If you do so, the priest is Undead, rather than Humanoid, and a priest can receive each boon only once. Boons of Undeath d6 Boon 1 Priest of

Adult Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

While the petty squabbles of other creatures bore and irritate me, I might hear out those who demonstrate an appreciation for the finer things in life by bringing me delicacies like clams or aboleth

rather enjoy the company of people—as long as they remain unaware of my true nature. Deep Dragon Ideals d6;{"diceNotation":"1d6","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Ideal"} Ideal

Ancient Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

While the petty squabbles of other creatures bore and irritate me, I might hear out those who demonstrate an appreciation for the finer things in life by bringing me delicacies like clams or aboleth

rather enjoy the company of people—as long as they remain unaware of my true nature. Deep Dragon Ideals d6;{"diceNotation":"1d6","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Ideal"} Ideal

Topaz Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

fire clears dead wood, replenishes the soil, and allows the forest to regrow even healthier than before. To this end, topaz dragons use their power to reduce crumbling structures and diseased plants to

Creatures 1 Moved by pity, a giant eagle continues bringing food to an abandoned topaz dragon wyrmling, despite the wyrmling’s attempts to eat the eagle. 2 A pseudodragon who is

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

Markos Dies

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

Markos Dies If Markos dies, the characters can return his body to his family. The Delphi family gives each character 150 gp for bringing Markos home and pays to have Markos raised from the dead.

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

divination (to find raw materials and foresee threats to the tribe). The main reason why kobolds depend on arcane magic rather than divine is Kurtulmak’s imprisonment, which makes it difficult for

Priest of Osybus (Blazing)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

so, the priest is Undead, rather than Humanoid, and a priest can receive each boon only once. Boons of Undeath d6 Boon 1 Priest of Osybus (Dread);Dread. Eerie whispers can now be

visage becomes bone white, and its challenge rating increases by 1. It can cast animate dead and create undead once per day each, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability, and it gains the

Character Names

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

names, that’s fine. If the group would rather take the characters and their names a little more seriously, urge Bob’s player to come up with a more appropriate name. Player character names should match

each other in flavor or concept, and they should also match the flavor of your campaign world — so should the nonplayer characters’ names and place names you create. Travok and Kairon don’t want to undertake a quest for Lord Cupcake, visit Gumdrop Island, or take down a crazy wizard named Ray.

Donnabella Fiasco

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

sidekick stat block to represent her. Personality. “I’d rather talk to a book than most people.” Ideal. “We all have a little magic in us. The trick is finding it and bringing it forth.” Bond. “I

Appendix E: Concept Gallery

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

Appendix E: Concept Gallery Just as most adventurers don’t walk into a dragon’s lair without a plan, neither were D&D’s iconic monsters developed without considerable forethought. This gallery

. The images herein show just a few avenues explored in updating these foes to the most current edition of the game, along with notes taken from internal concept and story documents. Some present

Donnabella Fiasco

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

stat block to represent her. Personality. “I’d rather talk to a book than most people.” Ideal. “We all have a little magic in us. The trick is finding it and bringing it forth.” Bond. “I want

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