before build defusing collected rarely

Troglodyte Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

secretions, and the debris of their foul feasting. Single-Minded Brutes. Troglodytes are devoted almost entirely to procuring food. They rarely plan more than a few days into the future, instead

in a frenzy. Troglodytes make little and build less, scavenging their possessions from their prey. They understand the value of metal weapons and armor, and fight among one another for the right to

Quickling

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

acts of mischief on slower creatures. One rarely passes up an opportunity to tie a person’s bootlaces together, move the stool a creature is about to sit on, or unbuckle a saddle while no one is

looking. Tricks of that sort are hardly the limit of their artful malice, however. They don’t commit outright murder, but quicklings can ruin lives in plenty of other ways, such as by stealing an important letter, swiping coins collected for the poor, or planting a stolen item in someone’s bag.

Returned Kakomantis

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

lives are rarely what they expected—not that they remember what it was they expected. As a result of having followed the Path of Phenax (see chapter 4), the Returned lose their identities

’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

Tlincalli

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

powerful hunter, such as a blue dragon, they carefully weigh whether to serve the superior hunter, move on, or fight to the death to remove it as competition. Tlincallis rarely build cities, make

Returned Drifter

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

the living once more, but their second lives are rarely what they expected—not that they remember what it was they expected. As a result of having followed the Path of Phenax (see chapter 4

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

Returned Sentry

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

second lives are rarely what they expected—not that they remember what it was they expected. As a result of having followed the Path of Phenax (see chapter 4), the Returned lose their identities

’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

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in

. EXCELLENT AMBASSADORS Many half-elves learn at an early age to get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and

Mister Light

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

his time playing in his room. He collected costumes and liked nothing more than to parade around Umbrage Mansion in strange garments and outlandish makeup. Urmius first met Naeryx Krumple at a family

costume and is rarely seen in public without makeup. He carries around a fancy weather vane given to him by the carnival’s previous owner. He twirls it and waves it around like a fool’s

Vegepygmy

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, vegepygmies can absorb nutrients from soil and many sorts of organic matter, so they rarely go hungry. A vegepygmy can hiss and make other noises by forcing air through its mouth, but it can’t

speak in a conventional sense. Among themselves, vegepygmies communicate by hissing, gestures, and tapping. Vegepygmies build and craft little; any gear they have is acquired from other creatures or built

Thorny Vegepygmy

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

nutrients from soil and many sorts of organic matter, so they rarely go hungry. A vegepygmy can hiss and make other noises by forcing air through its mouth, but it can’t speak in a conventional sense

. Among themselves, vegepygmies communicate by hissing, gestures, and tapping. Vegepygmies build and craft little; any gear they have is acquired from other creatures or built by copying simple

Vegepygmy Chief

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

fungi (all appear in the Monster Manual). Although they prefer to eat fresh meat, bone, and blood, vegepygmies can absorb nutrients from soil and many sorts of organic matter, so they rarely go

tapping. Vegepygmies build and craft little; any gear they have is acquired from other creatures or built by copying simple construction they have witnessed. Russet Mold Few know for sure where

Returned Palamnite

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

, where they serve the vicious will of Tymaret the Murder King (see chapter 3). Returned have escaped the Underworld and dwell among the living once more, but their second lives are rarely what they

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

Adult Topaz Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Creatures Topaz dragons rarely tolerate any company but their own, and they are usually indifferent at best even toward their own kind. Moreover, their unpredictability means that even if a creature

proves itself useful to a topaz dragon, it shouldn’t count on being safe from the dragon the next time they meet. Topaz dragons rarely go out of their way to fight other creatures, however, with

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the elder races, and that’s why they build their mighty

dash of nonhuman blood, revealing hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and rarely live even a single century. Variety in All Things Humans are the most

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

tabaxi rarely stay in one place for long. Their innate nature pushes them to leave no secrets uncovered, no treasures or legends lost. Wandering Outcasts Most tabaxi remain in their distant

mull over the stories and rumors they collected like a miser counting coins. Although material wealth holds little attraction for the tabaxi, they have an insatiable desire to find and inspect ancient

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

communities are threatened. Pastoral Pleasantries Most halflings live in small, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much

Ancient Topaz Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. Connected Creatures Topaz dragons rarely tolerate any company but their own, and they are usually indifferent at best even toward their own kind. Moreover, their unpredictability means that

even if a creature proves itself useful to a topaz dragon, it shouldn’t count on being safe from the dragon the next time they meet. Topaz dragons rarely go out of their way to fight other

Giff

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

blossom into hard feelings, loud arguments, and head-butting contests, but they rarely escalate beyond that. Creating Your Character When you create your D&D character, you decide whether your

. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which

Diplomats or Wanderers

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

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast

get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and human energy without human boorishness. They often make excellent

Bard Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

set bards apart from their fellows. Only rarely do bards settle in one place for long, and their natural desire to travel—to find new tales to tell, new skills to learn, and new discoveries

, making a bargain for a musical gift in addition to your life and freedom, but at what cost? QUICK BUILD You can make a bard quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your

Diplomats or Wanderers

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

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast

get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and human energy without human boorishness. They often make excellent

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

, paladins are rarely of any evil alignment. Most of them walk the paths of charity and justice. Consider how your alignment colors the way you pursue your holy quest and the manner in which you conduct

yourself before gods and mortals. Your oath and alignment might be in harmony, or your oath might represent standards of behavior that you have not yet attained. QUICK BUILD You can make a paladin

Pastoral Pleasantries

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

Pastoral Pleasantries Most halflings live in small, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much land beyond their quiet

Duties in Leilon

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

next part of the story: Build a home. With the characters (hopefully) proving themselves to be the heroes that Leilon needs, the town council might offer one or more of them a parcel of land. They can

room to keep extra weapons for the soldiery. Build other structures. It is still early in the process of rebuilding Leilon, and there is much to do. The construction of the palisade has barely begun

7. Library and Scriptorium

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

7. Library and Scriptorium Dwarves only rarely commit words to paper, making this dwarven library a rare find. Characters who make no effort to conceal their approach are detected by the creatures in

duergar are rooting through the collected works, and a single cloaker lurks in the shadows of the vaulted ceiling. Ladders. Sliding iron ladders on rails allow access to the tallest shelves, which top

Gnolls

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

will survive a rampaging gnoll horde unscathed, even as the towns, villages, and farms that surround the castle are ablaze, their people slaughtered and devoured. Gnolls rarely build permanent

Recurring NPCs

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

Recurring NPCs NPCs who keep showing up over the course of a campaign build the sense that the world of the game is a living, breathing place. Whether these NPCs are allies, patrons, friends, or

at least coming up with a plausible way for the villain to return from death. After all, death is rarely the final word for adventurers, so it needn’t be for their opponents. Don’t Go Overboard

Reghed Tribe Camp

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

the same tribe to commingle and build their camps close to one another, the four tribes avoid contact with one another. Members of one tribe are rarely found in another tribe’s camp unless some sort of diplomacy is taking place.

Merfolk

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

their people are as varied in color, culture, and outlook as the human races of the surface. Land folk and merfolk rarely meet except by chance, though starry-eyed mariners tell tales of romance with

face a common threat or to complete a conquest. Such unifications can be the beginning of undersea kingdoms with dynasties lasting hundreds of years. Merfolk Settlements. Merfolk build their settlements

Actions in Exploration

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

assist each other in these actions. Other actions come up only rarely. It’s seldom necessary to rely on the action rules during exploration, except to remember that a character can do only one thing at a

to the next. There’s no hard-and-fast rule about how long to spend on each character’s activity, but make sure no one is waiting for their turn for too long. You can build tension in an exploration

Cloaker

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual

Underdark enclaves, but they rarely build settlements or form social structures. Most operate as solitary predators, lurking in dismal subterranean reaches or abandoned dungeons—sometimes for months at a

-cloakers find terrifying in unexplainable, primal ways. Cloakers might antagonize explorers lost in the Underdark for days, terrorizing and scattering them before attacking. They rarely converse with other

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

sewer tunnels, paying them with food and tools the kobolds wouldn’t have access to on their own. If they are treated well and left alone to do the job, the kobolds work industriously and build a

, they might build a warren and make a permanent home there, while continuing to expand the town’s sewers as the community grows. These so-called “city kobolds” live underground but

It's Your World

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

, but they’re not the only set of assumptions that can do so. You can build an interesting campaign concept by altering one or more of those core assumptions, just as well-established D&D worlds have done

by monstrous rulers. The populace lives in perpetual terror of these darklords and their evil minions, but other monsters rarely trouble people’s daily lives. Magic Is Everywhere. What if every town is

21. Archpriest's Chambers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

spider, to be fashioned into wings Enough wood to build a chariot (a large raft or a zurkhwood mushroom would suffice) A weapon worthy of a kuo-toa god If the characters refuse to help, the

have collected more carcasses than the archpriest needs. The rotting collection includes a dead darkmantle wrapped in a net, a bugbear’s severed head and torso, a dead hook horror, and a headless

Centaur

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

range across lands with mild to hot climates, where a centaur requires only light furs or oiled skins to deal with inclement weather. They are hunter-gatherers and rarely build shelters or even use

D&D Beyond

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