before build drives cautious resolve

Rak Tulkhesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

their lives to build a prison of celestial light: a silver flame that bound the overlords in Khyber once more. These bonds have held for countless generations, but the overlords still yearn to break free

impulses that drives many mortals to battle. Fear, greed, hatred — these are seeds that the Rage of War sows in the hopes of producing a bloody harvest. Rak Tulkhesh typically takes the form of a vaguely

Kender

Species Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

diminutive Humanoids who look like humans with pointed ears and diverse appearances. Kender have a supernatural curiosity that drives them to adventure. Due to this inquisitiveness, many kender find

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’re free to

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

empires on the foundation of conquest and trade. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the worlds. A Broad Spectrum With their penchant for migration

Rogue Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

an angry thieves’ guild master? Or did you leave your guild in search of bigger risks and bigger rewards? Is it greed that drives you in your adventures, or some other desire or ideal? What

. QUICK BUILD You can make a rogue quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score. Make Intelligence your next-highest if you want to excel at

Kobold

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

a scale color more akin to that of a chromatic or a metallic dragon. A kobold’s cry can express a range of emotion: anger, resolve, elation, fear, and more. Regardless of the emotion expressed

by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. 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

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and shapes their later careers as well. Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known. But many warlocks serve patrons

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

Attitudes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

Attitudes Each dragon councilor has one of four attitudes in this chapter, ranging from unfriendly to cautious, neutral, and friendly. To secure the cooperation of the metallic dragons as a whole

dragon, they gain a two-step improvement in the attitude of that dragon (for example, from unfriendly to neutral, or from cautious to friendly). A general concession grants a one-step improvement to a

Human

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

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 empires on

the foundation of conquest and trade. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the worlds.

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

Ephara's Influence

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

those who build new cities and those who free others from tyranny. Ephara knows that not all threats to a city come from outside it, and she encourages her followers to watch out for tyranny and

injustice from within. She seeks for justice to prevail in civilized lands. Ephara seeks far more for her cities than mere safety. She drives every city to aspire toward efforts that help its people

Human

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

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 empires on

the foundation of conquest and trade. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the worlds.

Vistani

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

Vistani The Vistani (singular: Vistana) are wanderers, traveling about in horse-drawn, barrel-topped wagons, which they build themselves. Compared to Barovians, they are flamboyant, dressing in

are closely knit. They resolve disagreements through contests that end with reconciliatory singing, dancing, and storytelling. The Vistani are quick to act when their lives or traditions are threatened and are merciless when they believe they must be.

Actions in Exploration

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

in action.) In such situations, have the characters take turns, though it’s usually not necessary to roll Initiative as you would in a combat encounter. Resolve one character’s actions before moving

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

Erebos's Villains

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

daughter is restored as a potent Returned who now terrorizes the polis. 4 A wealthy noble drives tenants out of a poor part of a polis so he can build a temple to Erebos. 5 The queen of a remote

Creating a Rogue

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

thieves’ guild master? Or did you leave your guild in search of bigger risks and bigger rewards? Is it greed that drives you in your adventures, or some other desire or ideal? What was the trigger that

support. Or maybe you made a new friend — another member of your adventuring party — who showed you new possibilities for earning a living and employing your particular talents. Quick Build You can make a

Using Your Journal

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

cameo to this halfling? This halfling could be tied to a bigger plot or have information that could help the characters resolve some conflict. Suddenly, a minor trinket foreshadows bigger events to come

whatever your players throw at you, and you can even borrow pieces of various ideas to incorporate into future adventures. Not every adventure needs to build on earlier plots; a good stand-alone

Encounter Pace and Tension

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

that structure in an adventure where the players control their characters’ actions, but you can use the encounters you plan to build tension toward a climax. Each encounter in an adventure is an

limited resources. Variety also contributes to a sense of escalating tension. Build variety into your encounters in three ways: Vary Encounter Type. Use a mix of social interaction, exploration, and

2. Vast Cavern

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

four articulated metal legs. Zox Clammersham is using the scaladar under his control to build the Simulacrux and to defend it, should it come under attack. The Simulacrux is designed to replicate

, and immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t made of adamantine. Destroying the arch all but dooms the project, since Zox lacks the resolve to start

Neo-Noir Intrigue

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

. There are ways to resolve these problems, but the answers aren’t always simple or obvious. There can certainly be times when decisions are straightforward. If the Emerald Claw is about to detonate a

pieces of gold out of Khorvaire. There are spies who will do anything to protect their nations and petty criminals trying to build empires. There’s a place in Eberron for selfless heroes and truly vile

Inside the Clans

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

all are cautious when entering areas with elevated ruins. The home ground of the Slizt clan is the Husk, an area at the center of a vast rubblebelt featuring many large, ancient structures that have

can be said to underlie the Gruul way of life, it is about living in the now, with little concern for forethought, planning, or speculation. Impulse drives the actions of the Gruul Clans. They want to

Temple of Light

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Light of Xaryxis

their grievances against the Xaryxian Empire, while Xeleth attempts to twist every point against them. Resolve this debate by having one of the characters—whichever one is leading the argument in favor

the characters. If the characters are captured, Xeleth promises to have them executed as soon as the coronation is over. In the unlikely event that the party defeats Xeleth or drives him off, skip

Acererak

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

necromantic device called the Soulmonger, then hid it in the heart of the tomb. ACERERAK’S TRAITS Ideal. “Why be a god when I can be a creator of gods?” Bond. “I build dungeons to trap and slay

powerful adventurers. Their deaths and souls are my nourishment.” Flaw. “I underestimate the resolve of my enemies.” Acererak Medium undead, neutral evil Armor Class 21 (natural armor) Hit Points

Creating a Rival

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

Creating a Rival In essence, a rival is a somewhat specialized NPC. You can use chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to build a new NPC for this purpose, or pick one from your current cast of

you resolve one or more workweeks of downtime, pick one of the ways a rival’s plans might be advanced and introduce it into play. Think about how a rival might operate in order to bring specific

Battle Balloon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

the Dragon has been seen with flying ships of its own. Still, among the small number of factions and organizations known to possess or build airships, Acquisitions Incorporated might be the best known

privately financed or loaned out by Head Office under extraordinarily cautious terms, battle balloons can be customized with unique equipment — different siege weapons, lifting and cargo gear, and so forth

Modifying a Class

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

, paladins might not swear their oaths to ideals, but instead swear fealty to powerful sorcerers. To capture this story concept, you could build a new paladin spell list with spells meant to protect

their masters, drawn from the sorcerer or wizard lists. Suddenly, the paladin feels like a different class. Be cautious when changing the warlock spell list. Since warlocks regain their spell slots

Abyss

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

figure into the schemes of the Spider Queen. Lolth’s servants also build dungeons amid the webbing, trapping and hunting Lolth’s hated enemies within crisscrossing corridors of web-mortared stone. Far

instruments on the Material Plane, and he drives them to ever-greater atrocities in his name. Delighting in sorrow and hopelessness, the Gnoll Lord yearns to turn the cosmos into a wasteland in which

The Knucklebones Gang

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

Chukka and Clonk These two kenku are loyal, longtime associates of Mad Maggie’s. She refers to them as the Magpies. Clonk, the bigger of the two kenku, is the strong, silent type who sometimes drives

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

Uthgardt

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

more information on Uthgardt shamans.) Uthgardt hunt and forage for food. With one notable exception among the tribes, they don’t build houses or permanent settlements, preferring a nomadic lifestyle

the tribe’s great chief. She is ruthless yet cautious. Sky Pony Tribe During the War of the Silver Marches, Sky Pony warriors harried and attacked orcs that spilled out of the mountains. Great Chief

Factions of Gracklstugh

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

Deepking. The lairds hold council to resolve disputes and discuss future plans. Each clan has its own holdings in Gracklstugh and specializes in a certain craft or service. Duergar Clans Smithing Clan

efficiency, stoicism, and hard work, and these values are exemplified in their capital. Everything the duergar make or build has a purpose and function; the only aesthetic they value in architecture is

Battlefield Events

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Divine Contention

. Use your judgement to resolve any plans that the players devise and award them appropriately (see “Narrative Combat”). If the gate is demolished, the players must hold the line alongside the defenders

than once, it retreats into the clouds. If the dragon retreats, the defenders are inspired to turn the tide of battle against their enemies. The party drives off the dragon. Mark one victory and go to

Overlords

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

their lives to build a prison of celestial light: a silver flame that bound the overlords in Khyber once more. These bonds have held for countless generations, but the overlords still yearn to break

impulses that drives many mortals to battle. Fear, greed, hatred—these are seeds that the Rage of War sows in the hopes of producing a bloody harvest. Rak Tulkhesh typically takes the form of a vaguely

Gods of the Orcs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

epitomizes the physical might and ruthlessness that orcs use to overwhelm their foes. He is the one who drives every thrust of an orc’s weapon, so that it does as much harm as possible. Fearless and

have typically already been taken into Yurtrus’s fold, and their bones are used to build furnishings and structures in the area of the lair dedicated to the worship of Yurtrus. Chosen of Yurtrus. Orcs

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

creator (in the adventure), the creator’s purpose, and the location the trap protects. Traps have context in the world — they aren’t created for no reason — and that context drives the trap’s nature

Goblins

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

, and now when the Mighty One calls for it, even their souls are forfeit. It is this realization that drives them to dominate other creatures whenever they can — for goblins, life is short. Goblins seek

ascendancy is cruel Khurgorbaeyag, known as the Overseer. Khurgorbaeyag drives his worshipers to be the masters of others. Only by wielding the whip can they hope to escape its lash. Khurgorbaeyag

Gnome Gods

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

send an omen to nudge a group of gnomes in a certain direction, or even manifest an avatar in the middle of a gnome burrow. When Garl makes one of these rare appearances, it is to resolve a dispute that

worked together to replace it with a stronger one made of iron, but her resentment over the mishap lingers. Gnomes build their homes in hidden and defensible places because Gaerdal teaches them these

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