before build dealing concern recalling

Returned Kakomantis

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

’t build meaningful relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and follow hollow routines, their existences reduced to shadow plays without weight or substance

. Convincing a merchant to buy a Returned mask, or dealing with the ramifications of such a sale, might prove to be an adventure in itself. Returned Nature. The Returned are undead. They need water

Returned Drifter

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

long-term memories, they generally can’t build meaningful relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and follow hollow routines, their existences reduced to

effectively another sapient being’s face. Convincing a merchant to buy a Returned mask, or dealing with the ramifications of such a sale, might prove to be an adventure in itself. Returned Nature. The

Returned Sentry

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

’t build meaningful relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and follow hollow routines, their existences reduced to shadow plays without weight or substance

. Convincing a merchant to buy a Returned mask, or dealing with the ramifications of such a sale, might prove to be an adventure in itself. Returned Nature. The Returned are undead. They need water

Returned Palamnite

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

they cover with distinctive golden masks. Returned reenter the world blank and undead. No longer possessing the ability to form long-term memories, they generally can’t build meaningful

a Returned mask, or dealing with the ramifications of such a sale, might prove to be an adventure in itself. Returned Nature. The Returned are undead. They need water and air but not food or sleep

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

own laws. Firbolgs use their magic to keep their presence in a forest secret. This approach allows them to avoid the politics and struggles of elves, humans, and orcs. Such events concern the

forest’s children by their deeds, habits, and other actions. By the same token, their tribe names merely refer to their homes. When dealing with other races, firbolgs refer to their lands by

Sul Khatesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

rose up against them. Armies of dragons fought against the fiends of Khyber. And though the overlords couldn't be destroyed, the couatl sacrificed their lives to build a prison of celestial light: a

Khatesh understand what forces they are dealing with, or recognize the danger inherent in her gifts. The Queen of Shadows. An entity of shadow, Sul Khatesh can assume any form. Her favored shape is a twelve

Other Heads of State

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

Brelish crown in dealing with matters beyond the capabilities of local law enforcement. 6 As emissaries of Darguun’s Lhesh Haruuc, work to build respect for Darguun as a nation. 7 As agents of the

trade pacts with the nations of Khorvaire. 2–3 As agents of Queen Aurala, help her build Aundair’s strength in preparation for the next war, without alerting other nations to her ambitions. 4–5 Assist the

One for All: The Stronghold

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

concern of any stronghold is defense, but older and prosperous strongholds can grow to become wondrous underground cities filled with generations of exquisite dwarven artisanship. Regardless of a

at the touch of a child when they are unlocked. While some other races erect statues or build special structures to honor their heroes or commemorate momentous events, the dwarves live and work within

The Dreaming Dark in the War

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

opportunity to call attention to a detail the characters overlooked. Clearly, this character’s subconscious registered the detail as important! Involve a current villain. This can help build the

dungeon with no armor or at school with no clothes. Narratively, these dreams can provide a moment of comic relief or heighten the players own concern about what’s happening in the game.

After the Exchange

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

the forge; they can always build another. Evacuation of the Kagu-Svirfneblin After warning the characters, the kagu-svirfneblin bid them goodbye and exit the inner hall through the southeast double

workshop explodes, causing area F8 to cave in and dealing 70 (20d6) bludgeoning damage to any creatures still in that room. Death from Above Olivier Bernard The pitiless red dragon Grisdelfawr delights in

Band

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Bands table offers hooks you can use to build an adventure around a band of giants. Bands d6 Adventure Hook 1 A band of giants is spotted near a town, and the adventurers are asked to

. 3 A giant-led cult devoted to a demon lord or Elemental Evil wreaks destruction across the countryside. 4 A band of nature-revering giants seeks adventurers’ help dealing with a

Council of Four

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

goes out of his way to avoid stress. He shows well in social situations, but is easily manipulated in the political arena. He is known for listening with concern, showing an earnest desire to help

, making promises to look into things, and then doing nothing. As a result, a great deal of the citizenry’s scorn lies heaped upon Duke Portyr’s shoulders. Duke Portyr expressed concern about Ravengard’s

Secret of Chief Yarb-Gnock

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

, which means “Ever-Gnawing” in Goblin. Spellix was repulsed by the goblins’ squalor and took pity on them. Abandoning all concern for his former mates, whom he didn’t particularly like anyway, Spellix

became the new chief after the previous one choked to death on a mountain goat tongue. By then, Yarb-Gnock had already drawn up plans to build a fortress in the mountains. Karkolohk, the Gnomish word

Council of Four

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer

goes out of his way to avoid stress. He shows well in social situations, but is easily manipulated in the political arena. He is known for listening with concern, showing an earnest desire to help

, making promises to look into things, and then doing nothing. As a result, a great deal of the citizenry’s scorn lies heaped upon Duke Portyr’s shoulders. Duke Portyr expressed concern about Ravengard’s

Roleplaying Devils

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

Roleplaying Devils As the DM, you can play devils as humorous, aloof, bombastic, conniving, or scatterbrained, but a general rule to follow is this: devils have no desire to do good. When dealing

with mortals, devils are constantly figuring out how to exploit and corrupt them, often behind thin smiles of feigned concern and false charm. A devil that successfully corrupts a mortal gets the

The Role of Rules

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata

direction we took for fifth edition was to lay a foundation of rules that a DM could build on, and we celebrate the DM as the bridge between the things the rules address and the things they don’t. In a

, though, when the design intent of a rule isn’t clear or when one rule seems to contradict another. Dealing with those situations is where Sage Advice comes in. It doesn’t replace a DM’s adjudication

Chapter 3: Balance

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

markings can be assigned additional meanings. Choose from a Hand. Many card games rely on dealing hands of cards. You can use hands to represent a limited set of options in a situation, such as possible

Chaturvedi, Yongjae Choi, Vallez Gax, Alessandra Pisano, Francesca Resta, Olena Richards, Ivan Shavrin You can use Magic: The Gathering cards to build idea decks for creatures, items, people, or

The Role of Rules

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

D&D. The direction we chose for the current edition was to lay a foundation of rules that a DM could build on, and we embraced the DM’s role as the bridge between the things the rules address and the

running. There are times, though, when the design intent of a rule isn’t clear or when one rule seems to contradict another. Dealing with those situations is where Sage Advice comes in. This column

Ferocity

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer

, and of how those things build in battle. As a companion’s ferocity increases, they gain access to powerful new actions, but they also become more difficult for a caregiver to control. If a companion

companion to build up their ferocity during a fight. However, a too-easy target doesn’t rile up a companion the way being threatened by an enemy combatant in a battle for survival does. As such, the GM

The Path to Perfection

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

. Dwarves don’t change their minds easily, and once set on a course rarely alter their strategy. Their commitment to following a plan serves them well when they build a stone bridge designed to last for

and chaos can’t possibly be reliable allies. In particular situations, of course, the benefits of cooperating with humans or elves can override the dwarves’ concern about the shortcomings of those races

The Guild

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer

their local kingpin. A kingpin might receive requests for help from citizens, asking for loans or dealing with unauthorized crime, such as a thieving neighbor. A kingpin tracks these favors and debts

illusion magic. She appears to the world as she is: an unassuming woman of middling age and build. Her forgettable looks have proven her greatest asset as a thief, as her victims have trouble recognizing

The Guild

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

their local kingpin. A kingpin might receive requests for help from citizens, asking for loans or dealing with unauthorized crime, such as a thieving neighbor. A kingpin tracks these favors and debts

illusion magic. She appears to the world as she is: an unassuming woman of middling age and build. Her forgettable looks have proven her greatest asset as a thief, as her victims have trouble recognizing

Giants and Other Ancients

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

. You could build an entire campaign in the shadow of such a conflict, which is basically taking the ideas described under “Clash of Titans” earlier in this chapter and extending them through many

spend months or even years dealing with the aftereffects of the cataclysmic battle, then send your campaign in a new direction with a second battle. Maybe a third, truly cataclysmic battle—in which the

Dragon Factions

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

to the point of joining a war against a different overlord. Or they could remain independent, traveling from one dragon’s domain to another and dealing with the complex and sometimes violent political

unique in this system. Alternatively, you could build draconic factions around ideals and goals that aren’t specifically draconic, perhaps applying a dragon overlay to the ten guilds of Ravnica or

Elements of a Great Adventure

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

with Clever Twists It might seem stereotypical to build an adventure around dragons, orcs, and wizards in towers, but these are staples of fantasy storytelling. It might also seem trite to begin an

the past in the course of the adventure. In general, let the world’s history be evident in the present situation. Instead of dealing with what happened in the past, an adventure should focus on

Putting the Planes Together

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

together, the exact relationship of different planes to one another is largely a theoretical concern. No being in the multiverse can look down and see the planes in their arrangement the same way as we

, like a hole torn in the fabric of the cosmos. Other Visions As you build your own cosmology, consider the following alternatives. The Omniverse. This simple cosmology covers the bare minimum: a Material

Settlers, Squatters, and Invaders

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

and commanding the new settlement’s defenses. Like most svirfneblin, Dorbo is serious and aggressive when dealing with outsiders; for all of that, however, he is also a loving and caring husband and a

charismatic Chipgrin, whose concern for his pack’s safety has him hoping to negotiate a truce with the Diggermattocks and stop his svirfneblin cousins from seeing his people as dangerous monsters fit only

Monster Behavior

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

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

DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the creature either investigates or lays an ambush; on a failed save, it hides or fortifies its location. When dealing with a group of creatures, the

Traditionalists

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

build a new dock. She is suspicious of the dwarves’ mining enterprise and doubts it will amount to much. Personality Traits. Eda swears like a sailor when she is frustrated or angry, and the folk in town

ever seen. The Traditionalists in Play The traditionalists simply want things to remain the same. If they had their way, the dwarves would go home, the guard would stick to dealing with monsters rather

Returned

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

and undead. No longer possessing the ability to form long-term memories, they generally can’t build meaningful relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and

Returned masks is rare, as the items are effectively another sapient being’s face. Convincing a merchant to buy a Returned mask, or dealing with the ramifications of such a sale, might prove to be an

Greyhawk Conflicts

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

elemental prince, or an elder god trapped in a dungeon; build a stronghold above or near the dungeon; drive other inhabitants out of the region; and use a special magic item or ritual to free

residence in the nearby ruins and are working to rebuild their great temple. The rest of the adventure focuses on exploring the ruined Temple of Elemental Evil and dealing with the varied evil factions

The Knucklebones Gang

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

build, fix, and drive infernal machines. At some point during their visit, the characters see the kenku angrily hammering on a nonfunctional Demon Grinder. It isn’t working, and they can’t figure out

Feywild, courtesy of powerful fey with whom she has struck bargains. For this reason, the night hag has no concern for the well-being of her redcap and madcap minions. See appendix D for more information

Designing Simple Traps

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

and damage values as shown below. Purpose Before diving into the details of your trap, think about its reason for being. Why would someone build such a trap? What is its purpose? Consider the trap’s

. In addition to dealing damage, a restraining trap also renders a creature unable to move. Making a subsequent successful Strength check (using the trap’s saving throw DC) or dealing damage against the

Example Simple Traps

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

triggers the trap. Falling Portcullis Simple trap (level 1–4, moderate threat) Some folk who build dungeons, such as mad wizards in search of new victims, have no intention of allowing their visitors to make

to try to free itself or another creature in the net. Dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10, 20 hp) also frees a creature without harming the creature. Countermeasures. A successful DC 15 Wisdom

Life Span

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Life Span Try not to be offended when a dragon dismisses you as irrelevant. Remember, you might be dealing with an individual who hatched into the world three civilizations ago, and not every dragon

magic item or art object to build a hoard around 3 Acquire minions who will bring food and treasure 4 Establish dominance over other wyrmlings in the same brood 5 Secure a partnership

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