before build driven cosmic related

Deathlock

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, it always reflects the patron’s interests, ranging from small-scale concerns to matters of cosmic scope. A deathlock in the thrall of a Fiend might work to destroy a specific temple dedicated to

, a foul Undead driven to serve its otherworldly patron. An powerful necromancer might also discover the wicked methods of creating a deathlock and then subjugate it, acting as the deathlock’s patron.PoisonNecrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Silvered

Chitine

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

with duties related to that rank, and all are expected to sacrifice themselves to protect the colony’s choldriths. Every chitine has spinnerets and slowly produces webbing that is used to build

Allip

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

the creation of an allip. Secrets protected in this manner range in scope from a demon lord’s true name to the hidden truths of the cosmic order. The creature acquires the secret, but the curse

remains hidden, its victim is gradually overcome by frantic energy. A scholar, driven by sudden insights to work night and day, produces reams of text with little memory of exactly what the documents

Guard Drake

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

it was created from, but with a wingless, squat, muscular build. A drake can’t reproduce, nor can its scales be used to make other guard drakes. Variant: Chromatic Drakes Each type of

chromatic dragon’s scales creates a guard drake that resembles a wingless, stunted version of that type of dragon, with unique abilities related to that type. Each has the special features described

Fog Giant

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

cloud giants in the ordning—the set of values and expectations that determines their rank in giant society—is driven by wealth. Those cloud giants foolish or unlucky enough to have their

killed or driven away. Calculating Masters. When a fog giant accumulates followers, it sets them to the task of rebuilding the giant’s collection of wondrous, expensive treasures. Its favored

Astral Drifter

Backgrounds Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

For longer than you can remember, you have traversed the Astral Sea. There, you experienced firsthand the wonders of the Silver Void: you stopped aging and no longer felt hunger or thirst. Driven by

lasting impression on you. This deity saw fit to share one secret or obscure bit of cosmic lore with you. Work with your DM to determine the details of this knowledge and its impact on the campaign. Roll

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

has taken him or her away from adventuring for a time, every paladin lives on the front lines of the cosmic struggle against evil. Fighters are rare enough among the ranks of the militias and armies

paladins take their work seriously. A delve into an ancient ruin or dusty crypt can be a quest driven by a higher purpose than the acquisition of treasure. Evil lurks in dungeons and primeval forests

Fighter Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

Fighter As you build your fighter, think about two related elements of your character’s background: Where did you get your combat training, and what set you apart from the mundane warriors

them. Your armaments are now among your most important possessions—the only things that stand between you and death’s embrace. QUICK BUILD You can make a fighter quickly by following

Goliath Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

The first goliaths lived on the highest mountain peaks—far above the tree line, where the air is thin and frigid winds howl. Distantly related to giants and infused with the supernatural

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 scores to increase. You can

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

more like closely related families than true subraces. Choose one of these subraces or one from another source.

Shipwright

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

You have sailed into war on the decks of great ships, patching their hulls with soup bowls and prayers. You once helped build a fishing vessel that single-handedly saved a town from starvation. You

it. 6 A pipe, an ale, and the smell of the sea: paradise. 7 I have an endless supply of cautionary tales related to the sea. 8 I don’t mind getting my hands dirty

Hobgoblin

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Hobgoblins trace their origins to the ancient courts of the Feywild, where they first appeared with their goblin and bugbear kin. Many of them were driven from the Feywild by the conquering god

;Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores

Dwarf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

identities and affiliations, recognize related dwarves, and invoke their ancestors’ names in oaths and curses. To be clanless is the worst fate that can befall a dwarf. Dwarves in other lands are

up the adventuring life might be motivated by a desire for treasure—for its own sake, for a specific purpose, or even out of an altruistic desire to help others. Other dwarves are driven by the

Monk Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

seriously, approaching their adventures as personal tests of their physical and spiritual growth. As a rule, monks care little for material wealth and are driven by a desire to accomplish a greater

lawful in alignment. QUICK BUILD You can make a monk quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the hermit background

Uthgardt Tribe Member

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

and ruin. But for the last few generations, some bands among the tribes were tempted to settle, make peace, trade, and even to build towns. Perhaps this is why Uthgar chose to raise up the totems

Uthgardt stands for. Outlander d8 Personality Trait 1 I’m driven by a wanderlust that led me away from home. 2 I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of

Cosmic Horror

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

driven by motivations humans can’t understand. Cults, forbidden books, and strange symbols form the cornerstones of cosmic horror. The genre has a history of framing marginalized demographics as monstrous and stigmatizing mental illness. Be aware and avoid those tropes.

Cosmic Horror Cosmic horror revolves around the fear of personal insignificance. The genre is predicated on the idea of entities so vast and so genuinely beyond our comprehension that we cannot

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

dozen) in a fortified compound enclosed by stone walls that are easily defensible. If no such compound exists, they build one. The parents spend the remainder of their lives guarding the compound

related to a god and choose to worship that deity. In the Forgotten Realms, tortles are especially fond of Eldath, Gond, Lathander, Savras, Selûne, and Tymora. In the Greyhawk setting, they

Beyond the Mundane Life

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

a quest driven by a higher purpose than the acquisition of treasure. Evil lurks in dungeons and primeval forests, and even the smallest victory against it can tilt the cosmic balance away from oblivion.

front lines of the cosmic struggle against evil. Fighters are rare enough among the ranks of the militias and armies of the world, but even fewer people can claim the true calling of a paladin. When

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

personality: a feline shifter may be cool and distant, driven by predatory instincts, while a shifter with a lupine spirit might be drawn to find and protect a pack. When a shifter fully embraces this beast

different in personality. With any shifter, identifying the beast within is a crucial part of understanding the character. Similar and Diverse Shifters are similar to humans in height and build but are

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

are comfortable in light armor and know how to use simple weapons. Delvers into Secrets Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and

their patrons in dreams or waking visions, or deal only with intermediaries. QUICK BUILD You can make a warlock quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability

Beyond the Mundane Life

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

a quest driven by a higher purpose than the acquisition of treasure. Evil lurks in dungeons and primeval forests, and even the smallest victory against it can tilt the cosmic balance away from oblivion.

front lines of the cosmic struggle against evil. Fighters are rare enough among the ranks of the militias and armies of the world, but even fewer people can claim the true calling of a paladin. When

Using an Overarching Story

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

and using it to defeat a cosmic threat. Example 2: Agents of X You can also build a campaign around the idea that the adventurers are agents of something larger than themselves — a kingdom or secret

overarching goal that can be fulfilled only by first completing a series of related quests. For example, you could create a villain who can’t be defeated until the characters explore nine dungeons in which the

Sorcerer Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

otherworldly influence, or exposure to unknown cosmic forces. One can’t study sorcery as one learns a language, any more than one can learn to live a legendary life. No one chooses sorcery; the power

, the lich who created you as an experiment, or the deity who chose you to carry this power. QUICK BUILD You can make a sorcerer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your

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

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

corruption spreading through the local flora and turning animals into Aberrations. 5 A band of hunting giants has driven its prey—enormous beasts—into pastureland. The local farmers seek help. 6

Klothys's Influence

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

, granting them understanding of cosmic truths and insights into how the future should unfold. Klothys withdrew to the Underworld ages ago to keep watch over the imprisoned titans and ensure they couldn’t

destiny from the Underworld, Klothys now endeavors to undo the cosmic damage caused by Heliod, Xenagos, and ambitious mortals in recent years. The ways in which they ravaged reality to realize their

Arcane Origin

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

particular cause. Does your character know the source of your magical power? Does it tie back to some distant relative, a cosmic event, or blind chance? If your sorcerer doesn’t know where their power

bloodline. You are related to some powerful creature, or you inherited a blessing or a curse. 2 You are the reincarnation of a being from another plane of existence. 3 A powerful entity entered the world

Personal Motives

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

Personal Motives Not every conflict involves a fight between light and darkness. The vast majority of people are driven by simple motives: greed, fear, pride, or ambition. One person just wants to

few more pieces of gold out of Khorvaire, spies who will do anything to protect their nations, and petty criminals trying to build empires. Eberron holds a place for selfless heroes and truly vile villains, as well as everyone in between.

Creating a Fighter

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

Creating a Fighter As you build your fighter, think about two related elements of your character’s background: Where did you get your combat training, and what set you apart from the mundane

Creating Religions

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

among the gods, deeds of creation, past interactions with mortals, or battles between gods and other cosmic forces. Given the incomprehensible nature of the gods, these myths might not actually reveal

the focus of pilgrims who travel long distances to partake in the holy power assumed to linger there. Build Your Own Pantheon Most of the published D&D settings described in chapter 5 have their

Marks of Mystery

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

related to the other dragonmarked heirs of the house. In this case, you have much in common with the NPC heirs of your house. The actions of your house influence you, although you and your DM can

determine to what extent you become drawn into house politics. Taking the background associated with your house (such as House Jorasco Heir) is the best way to build your character as a dragonmarked heir

Arcane Workshop

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

magical reagents. Most of them have small libraries containing works related to the workshop’s signature creations. Arcane Workshop Features Arcane workshops have many features in common, from workbenches

and tools to diagrams etched into the floors and walls. Although most workshops are controlled by House Cannith, that house is not the only group of artificers who build and operate such locations

Creating a Paladin

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

Creating a Paladin The most important aspect of a paladin character is the nature of his or her holy quest. Although the class features related to your oath don’t appear until you reach 3rd level

? Or are you an embittered loner sworn to take vengeance on those who have done great evil, sent as an angel of death by the gods or driven by your need for revenge? Appendix B lists many deities

A Treasury of Dragons

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

dragons of the worlds of D&D. It introduces the gem dragons—a family of five dragon kinds—as well as a variety of other Dragons and dragon-related monsters, character options, and inspirations. This

), feats, and roleplaying suggestions that can connect characters of any class to a draconic theme. Chapter 2 discusses magic related to dragons, including new spells, magic items, and draconic gifts

Creating a Fighter

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

Creating a Fighter As you build your fighter, think about two related elements of your character’s background: Where did you get your combat training, and what set you apart from the mundane

. Your armaments are now among your most important possessions — the only things that stand between you and death’s embrace. Quick Build You can make a fighter quickly by following these suggestions

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