before broad domains call rules

Orc

Species Player’s Handbook

darkness. Orcs are, on average, tall and broad. They have gray skin, ears that are sharply pointed, and prominent lower canines that resemble small tusks. Orc youths on some worlds are told about their

ancestors’ great travels and travails. Inspired by those tales, many of those orcs wonder when Gruumsh will call on them to match the heroic deeds of old and if they will prove worthy of his favor

Paladin

Classes Player’s Handbook

;s armies, but even fewer people can claim the calling of a Paladin. When they do receive the call, these blessed folk turn from their former occupations and take up arms and magic. Becoming a

level 1 features, which are listed in the Paladin Features table. See the multiclassing rules to determine your available spell slots. Paladin Features —Spell Slots per

Wizard

Classes Player’s Handbook

mightiest spells change one substance into another, call meteors from the sky, or open portals to other worlds. Most Wizards share a scholarly approach to magic. They examine the theoretical

Features table. See the multiclassing rules to determine your available spell slots. Wizard Features ——Spell Slots per Spell Level—— Level Proficiency Bonus

Druid

Classes Player’s Handbook

orders that call on the forces of nature. Harnessing the magic of animals, plants, and the four elements, Druids heal, transform into animals, and wield elemental destruction. Revering nature above all

Traits table: Hit Point Die and training with Light armor and Shields. Gain the Druid’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Druid Features table. See the multiclassing rules in chapter 2

Sahuagin Baron Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

it. This is the sound of the sahuagin hunting horn — a call to raid and battle. Coastal settlers refer to sahuagin as “sea devils,” for sahuagin have no compassion in them

self-styled rulers of sahuagin ocean domains are massive mutant males that grow second sets of arms. They are terrible foes in battle, and all sahuagin bow down before these powerful barons. Way of

Sahuagin Priestess Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

the sahuagin hunting horn — a call to raid and battle. Coastal settlers refer to sahuagin as “sea devils,” for sahuagin have no compassion in them, slaughtering the crews of ships and decimating coastal

trenches of the ocean, sahuagin view the entire aquatic realm as their kingdom and the creatures in it as blood sport for their hunting parties. The self-styled rulers of sahuagin ocean domains are

Tempest Domain (PHB)

Classes Player’s Handbook (2014)

thunder, gods of earthquakes, some fire gods, and certain gods of violence, physical strength, and courage. In some pantheons, a god of this domain rules over other deities and is known for swift justice

fog cloud, gust of wind, shatter, thunderwave 5th call lightning, sleet storm 7th control water, ice storm 9th destructive wave, insect plague

Unspeakable Horror (Aberrant Armor)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

more, the target is also blinded until the end of its next turn.Untold, half-formed evils lurk amid the Mists, the yet-to-be-realized imaginings of the Dark Powers and the remnants of ruined domains

unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink forth into

Unspeakable Horror (Malleable Mass)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

evils lurk amid the Mists, the yet-to-be-realized imaginings of the Dark Powers and the remnants of ruined domains. While such nightmares typically manifest as nothing more than impressions, whispers, or

horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink forth into other realms to slake unnameable hungers. Customizing a Horror An unspeakable horror

Unspeakable Horror

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

domains. While such nightmares typically manifest as nothing more than impressions, whispers, or vaporous visions amid the fog, mysterious eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils, forcing them

into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink

Unspeakable Horror (Loathsome Limbs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

-realized imaginings of the Dark Powers and the remnants of ruined domains. While such nightmares typically manifest as nothing more than impressions, whispers, or vaporous visions amid the fog, mysterious

netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink forth into other realms to slake unnameable hungers. Customizing a Horror An unspeakable horror has one of four body compositions

Unspeakable Horror (Oozing Organs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

of ruined domains. While such nightmares typically manifest as nothing more than impressions, whispers, or vaporous visions amid the fog, mysterious eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils

, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they

High Fae Mage

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

also form strong bonds with the elemental powers of Eldraine, allowing the mages to call on forces like the eastern wind or the fiery hearth. “The high fae are capable of magic that would make

, embodying the natural splendor and danger of the wilderness. High fae have no regard for mortal values of honor and law, but they nonetheless operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must

Tempest Domain Legacy

Classes Player’s Handbook (2014)

thunder, gods of earthquakes, some fire gods, and certain gods of violence, physical strength, and courage. In some pantheons, a god of this domain rules over other deities and is known for swift

1st fog cloud, thunderwave 3rd gust of wind, shatter 5th call lightning, sleet storm 7th control water, ice storm 9th destructive wave, insect plague

Hexblood

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

changed you and forced you from your home. 6 A slighted druid transformed you and bound you to live only so long as a sacred tree bears fruit. Hexbloods in the Domains of Dread When

creating a hexblood, consult with your DM to see if it’s appropriate to tie your origins to one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in chapter 3): Hazlan. The bizarre magic of this crumbling

Avarice

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

challenge, even when the odds are clearly stacked against her. Seeing other wizards as a threat, paranoia rules her life. Avarice has been a member of the Arcane Brotherhood for almost two years. She

the Knights of the Black Sword, if she needs to call on their talents. Familiar. Avarice’s familiar throughout the adventure is a squawking raven named Skelm. It uses the raven stat block in

Shifter

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

they can temporarily enhance their animalistic features by entering a state they call shifting. Shifters are similar to humans in height and build but are typically more lithe and flexible. Their

race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability

Giff

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Giff are tall, broad-shouldered folk with hippo-like features. Some have smooth skin, while others have short bristles on their faces and the tops of their heads. As beings of impressive size and

character is a member of the human race or one of the game’s fantastical races. If you create a character using a race option presented here, follow these additional rules during character creation

Rogue Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

variety of skills as they do to perfecting their combat abilities, giving them a broad expertise that few other characters can match. Many rogues focus on stealth and deception, while others refine the

coin you needed to escape the squalor of your life. Did wanderlust finally call you away from your home? Perhaps you suddenly found yourself cut off from your family or your mentor, and you had to find

Monk Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

defensive ability and speed, this energy infuses all that a monk does. The Magic of Ki Monks make careful study of a magical energy that most monastic traditions call ki. This energy is an element of

important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to

Gods of Your World

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

rules terms, clerics choose domains, not deities, so your world can associate domains with deities in any way you choose.

please. See “A Sample Pantheon” in this section for an example. As far as the game’s rules are concerned, it doesn’t matter if your world has hundreds of deities or a church devoted to a single god. In

Leaving the Past Behind

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

Leaving the Past Behind Before beginning the adventure, ask each player to contemplate where and how their character lives. Their answers don’t need to be specific or rooted in the Domains of Dread

has conveyed their broad thoughts about their character’s situation, inform them that their character has come to possess a cryptic message and directions to an unfamiliar but nearby meeting place

Prepare to Be Scared

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

, discuss with your group how much fear ties into the game’s rules. Would you prefer to keep frightful reactions narrative, or would you like to use game rules that present additional challenges and

benefits? Ask your DM about the possibility of using the rules for inspiration to motivate fearful character reactions, as detailed in the “Fear and Stress” section of chapter 4. Using this system, a

Welcome to Ravenloft

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

evils claimed you, drawing you into the mists of Ravenloft? In hidden corners of the Shadowfell are nightmare domains that hunger for the brave and the innocent, the ambitious and the wicked. Some call

this collection of eerie realms the Land of the Mists, but monster hunters know it as Ravenloft. Terror, magic, mystery, and suspense fill these fractured domains, an infinite gallery of unfolding

Life in the Domains of Dread

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

domains they call the Land of the Mists. Culture and Technology Each domain boasts its own culture, either drawn from the Material Plane or a parody manufactured to torment a Darklord. As such, a domain

Life in the Domains of Dread The realities of the Domains of Dread seem strange or impossible to individuals from other worlds, but for those who live among the Mists, they’re facts of life. With no

Using This Book

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

Using This Book This book explores the Domains of Dread, the mysterious expanses of the Shadowfell that serve as backdrops for excitement and terror. It guides players and Dungeon Masters through the

process of creating characters, domains, and stories ripe for chilling D&D adventures. Chapter 1 details how players can create characters primed for fright-filled adventures. It presents options for

Rules Discussions

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

prefer to let the DM make a call and continue with the action. If you gloss over a rules issue in play, make a note of it (a good task to delegate to a player) and return to the issue later.

Rules Discussions You might need to set a policy on rules discussions at the table. Some groups don’t mind putting the game on hold while they hash out different interpretations of a rule. Others

Magic and Metaphysics

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

Magic and Metaphysics Eerie vendors such as those at the Carnival’s Litwick Market deal in unique Mist talismans The Dark Powers manipulate the domains and creatures within their grasp in the most

fundamental ways, controlling magic, the nature of life and death, and the means of escaping from their nightmare realms. Mysterious Magic In some domains, magic is an everyday part of life, while in

Using This Book

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

Using This Book The Player’s Handbook is divided into three parts. Part 1 (chapters 1–6) is about creating a character, providing the rules and guidance you need to make the character you’ll play in

the game. It includes information on the various races, classes, backgrounds, equipment, and other customization options that you can choose from. Many of the rules in part 1 rely on material in parts

Using These Rules

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

Using These Rules The D&D Basic Rules document has four main parts. Part 1 is about creating a character, providing the rules and guidance you need to make the character you’ll play in the game. It

includes information on the various races, classes, backgrounds, equipment, and other customization options that you can choose from. Many of the rules in part 1 rely on material in parts 2 and 3

Horror Adventures

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

toolbox of horror-focused rules also provides options for what sort of grim adventures you might create. At the end of this chapter, a horror adventure puts these methods to use and leads characters on

their first steps into the Domains of Dread. During a séance, a spirit makes itself known to the Keepers of the Feather

Monstrous Tactics

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

enemies, even if they’re not strategically optimal choices. For example, creatures known as “goblyns” in Kartakass and other domains are ordinary hobgoblins in terms of their game statistics, but they’re

known for a tactic they call “feasting”: they grapple their enemies and then make unarmed attacks to bite their faces. These attacks aren’t terribly dangerous (a hobgoblin’s unarmed strike deals only

Dark Fantasy Villains

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

Dark Fantasy Villains Villains occupy places of prominence or control in dark fantasy domains. This manifests as political control, military authority, or physical or magical might that allows them

blood of angels 8 The commander of a legion of soul-addicted templars who punish crimes by burning criminals into psychoactive spirit dust 9 An ancient dragon whose godlike magic drains the domain of life 10 A god who killed all their peers and now rules the mortal realm

Sea of Sorrows

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

Sea of Sorrows Darklord: Pietra van Riese Hallmarks: Island domains, nautical horror The murderous pirate Pietra van Riese, captain of the Relentless, had an unsavory reputation for attaching her

corpses. When Pietra sought to speak with them, her voice emerged from their mouths. The Relentless sails a domain that can overlap any body of water in any other domain. Some domains border the Sea of

Divine Characteristics

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

spell on the cleric spell list, as well as any domain spell from their domains). They also have broad influence over aspects of the world associated with their portfolios, beyond what can be defined

by spell effects. For example, Purphoros can make a volcano erupt, and Thassa can call up a tidal wave. Gods can bestow supernatural blessings on mortals, and they can lay terrible curses (such as when

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