before building defeated construct reason

Snow Sphinx

monsters

whips around a feline face, revealing piercing blue eyes that can freeze foes with a single glance. Compared to its desert-dwelling cousins, this sphinx is far less likely to be defeated with reason or

Soul Shaker

Monsters Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

. If defeated, a soul shaker disperses into several skittering, animate limbs. The terror can only truly be vanquished by destroying these disembodied appendages. If more than one of these pieces

escape, the soul shaker reforms over the course of days and begins hunting once more.PoisonNecroticConsume Vitality. The soul shaker targets a creature it is grappling. If the target is not a Construct or

Baba Lysaga's Creeping Hut

Monsters Curse of Strahd

, drink, or sleep. The magic that animates an object is dispelled when the construct drops to 0 hit points. An animated object reduced to 0 hit points becomes inanimate and is too damaged to be of much use

attacks with its flailing and stomping roots. It can also use its roots to fling large rocks. Hut Interior. The hut is a 15-foot-square, ramshackle wooden building with a gently sloping thatch roof. Its

Vampiric Mist

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Life Sense. The mist can sense the location of any creature within 60 feet of it, unless that creature’s type is Construct or Undead. Forbiddance. The mist can’t enter a residence

undetected to bleed their victims dry. Vampiric mists, sometimes called crimson mists, are all that remain of vampires who couldn’t return to their burial places after being defeated or suffering

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

watch a frog croaking on a lily pad, or to stand in a crowded human marketplace. Tortles like to learn new skills. They craft their own tools and weapons, and they are good at building structures and

put to use when building forts to contain their offspring. Although they spend a considerable portion of their lives in isolation, tortles are social creatures that like to form meaningful

Giff Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

brighter the flash, and the thicker the smoke it produces, the more giff love a weapon. Their skill with gunpowder is another reason for their popularity as mercenaries. Giff revel in the challenge of

building a bomb big enough to level a fortification. They gladly accept payment in kegs of gunpowder in preference to gold, gems, or other currency. No Honor in Magic. Some giff become wizards

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is incapable of showing mercy or compassion. Play her as a supremely cold and

, heroes must reduce each of her forms to 0 hit points one after another. After she’s defeated in her third and final form, Auril dies. As long as she has mortal followers who worship her, however

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is

current weakened state, Auril can assume three different forms. To destroy her, heroes must reduce each of her forms to 0 hit points one after another. After she’s defeated in her third and final

Charlatan Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

Characteristics Charlatans are colorful characters who conceal their true selves behind the masks they construct. They reflect what people want to see, what they want to believe, and how they see the

a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. 5 I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to. 6 Sarcasm and insults are my

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

quirk for a lizardfolk character or to inspire a unique mannerism. Lizardfolk Quirks d8 Quirk 1 You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and

notable deeds or actions. For example, Garurt translates as “axe,” a name given to a lizardfolk warrior who defeated an orc and claimed his foe’s weapon. A lizardfolk who likes to

Triton Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

and worse, so you know you can count on them in a fight. — Brego Stoneheart, sea captain Tritons guard the ocean depths, building small settlements beside deep trenches, portals to the

spread across the world’s oceans and established protectorates to watch over deep sea trenches, portals, undersea caves, and other locations where their enemies might lurk. They defeated their

Charlatan - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. Suggested Characteristics Charlatans are colorful characters who conceal their true selves behind the masks they construct. They reflect what people want to see, what they want to believe

want. 4 I’m a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. 5 I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to. 6 Sarcasm and

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

might prove helpful: So long as she has mortal worshipers, Auril can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals

after another. After she’s defeated in her third and final form, Auril dies. As long as she has mortal followers who worship her, however, Auril is reborn at full strength during the next winter

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

at the burned-out building, a sudden cacophony erupted around us. Birds squawked, cats hissed, and dogs growled. Lidda hustled us back to the city’s safer avenues. Only when we were back within

. The kenku lack the talent to improvise or alter a plan, but a wise Master sets multiple plans in motion at once, confident that underlings can follow orders to the letter. For this reason, many

Personality

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

. He is lonely and dreams of building a community of spellcasters who support each other. Unfortunately, his ego makes that dream all but impossible. Although Mordenkainen can be brash and off-putting

, he eschews cruelty and sees no reason to cause pointless suffering. The wizard doesn’t like to admit it, but he would put his own safety at risk to quell the pain of innocents.

Scaling Lethality

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

Scaling Lethality You can adjust the lethality of your campaign using the encounter-building guidelines in chapter 4. If your players enjoy games that test their characters to the utmost and are

. Conversely, using only low-difficulty encounters is less likely to lead to character death, especially if characters have ample opportunity to rest during the adventure. Defeated, Not Dead If you and

Lyre of Building

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Lyre of Building Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement by a bard) While holding this lyre, you can cast mending as an action. You can also play the lyre as a reaction when an object or a structure

as an action to cast fabricate, move earth, passwall, or summon construct (appears in this book), and that spell can’t be cast from it again until the next dawn.

Undead Attack

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

building to the party, who are easier to reach. If the zombies are defeated and examined, each bears a brand on its forehead in the shape of a skull. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check reveals

Undead Attack This encounter occurs at night. As the characters approach the junction of the Triboar Trail and the High Road, set the scene: An oddly shaped building sits at the juncture of the

Auril's Everlasting Rime

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

nightly quest to hold the sun at bay stems from a need to preserve the beauty of things by freezing them. There is no way to reason with a being so bereft of compassion as Auril, but in her weakened

state, she can be defeated or forced to reckon with her cruel indifference toward life. Anyone who hopes to reach the Netherese city buried in the ice must first visit Auril’s island and obtain The

Approaching the Lodge

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

and width of any building found in Ten-Towns. The lodge has three tall openings on the east side. On the southern side of the building is a tunnel left behind by a remorhaz that raided the lodge’s

reason why the wolves won’t enter the lodge? No ability check can answer this question; the characters must find out for themselves! In truth, the winter wolves expect Norsu to slaughter the

Never Alone

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild

opposite to the thessalhydra’s zone, and for good reason. The human heart that sits within the construct is magically connected to the thessalhydra, tapping into the power of the Infernal Machine components

thessalhydra and another creation of Moghadam’s known as the thessalheart construct. Thessalhydra When the characters first enter the temple, roll a d4. On a 1–2, the temple’s guardian thessalhydra is

Halls of the Hunting Axe

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

with gardens and joined by walls into one vast and sprawling building. It was surrounded by a moat fed by underground springs; splendid stone statues of heroic dwarves stood on high pedestals wherever

one turned. All trace of the gigantic building is gone now except the foundations of its thickest, highest walls, which jut like lines of stone teeth from thickets of trees and creeping vines. For

New Characters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

, the characters need a reason for Lord Neverember to request their help in chapter 1, even if it’s simply because their heroics are widely known. Regardless, 10th-level characters have already had long

character fought the cultists and defeated the cult’s archmage leader. 2 As a bodyguard for a high-ranking political or business figure, the character has staved off attacks from assassins and demons. 3

Dissecting the Adventure

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

Khorvaire, the Flotket Alps of Wildemount, or some other mountain range while preserving the plot elements. You can also strip out the story about an evil duergar building a dragon construct and have

Helmed Horror

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

Helmed Horror This construct possesses intelligence, the ability to reason and adjust its tactics, and an unswerving devotion to its maker that persists even after its maker’s demise. Resembling an

, or otherwise take active measures to improve its defensive position. Constructed Nature. A helmed horror doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. Helmed Horror Medium construct, neutral Armor

Sumber Hills

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

become homes to bandits and monsters. Those who quarry the Sumber Hills for building stones and gravel often trade tales of finding gemstones and rich veins of ore in the hills — but for the most part

figures have increased, too. Reason to Visit. The characters likely traipse all over the Sumber Hills in chapter 3 of the adventure as they seek out the Haunted Keeps.

The Rose Stage

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

The Rose Stage A popular outdoor performing space, the Rose Stage holds benches for spectators, an orchestra pit, and a large main stage decorated with a huge rose. An enclosed annex building behind

, pledgemages, and professors from the different colleges. SETTING UP SEDGEMOOR The characters will have heard about Sedgemoor during their first year at Strixhaven, but they have likely had no reason

Smoldertown (Areas L7–L9)

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

deliver unrefined ore to the foundry. Map 5.2 includes an inset map that shows the foundry’s interior, which is one large, open space. The building has no ceiling, allowing heat and smoke to escape

tinker’s tools. L8: Motherlode Tavern Hanging above the entrance of this grimy stone building is a painted wooden sign that depicts gemstones pouring from a flagon. A minor magical effect causes the

Adjusting for Party Level

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

and phase spiders in the keep, using the rules for encounter building in the Dungeon Master’s Guide to create an appropriate challenge. Weaker Construct. The stone golem in area 4 can be replaced with

a clay golem, a shield guardian, or another weaker Construct. Ghostly Allies. When the characters battle the behir, their ghostly allies harry and distract the creature, giving it disadvantage on

Speaker's Quest

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

-Towns in search of a rare crystal known as chardalyn. With it, they’re building a mighty construct that will lay waste to Ten-Towns if nothing is done to stop it. “Our militia captured one of the

speaker’s next task is to prepare the settlement for what will surely be the fight of its life, in the event that Xardorok’s construct attacks Ten-Towns.

Thundering Observatory Adventures

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

creatures from the encounter tables for two kinds of giants in chapter 3 have damaged the observatory in their struggle for control of the site, and its energy is building toward an overload. To stop

leading to the observatory. Creatures from the Giant Construct Encounters table in chapter 3, fueled by magical lightning, deny entrance to the turret when the characters escort the gnome there to study.

M10. Treasury

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

M10. Treasury This solitary building is set atop a small floating islet within an area of open space punched down through the main body of the monastery’s island. It is held aloft on its own

the journal — but offering to do so only in exchange for a body. Specifically, it demands that the body of the defeated Grand Master be brought to this area. If this is done, the brain can use the

Turbine Heights (Areas L4–L6)

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

for 1 minute. L4. Infirmary A stone sign depicting a crutch hangs above the entrance to this one-story building. The double door below the sign is ajar, revealing a hallway beyond. Beyond the double

building, four dead gnomes in armor lie amid the fragments of a doglike automaton. The dead gnomes lying in the street are prison guards who were killed by Tockworth’s automatons. The guards managed to

Escape from Vogler

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

load, aim, and fire the boilerdrak at the Wharfinger’s Office—the structure at the north of the map. The building rapidly catches fire. Characters who succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check or

who come within 5 feet of the boilerdrak recognize it isn’t a dragon, but a mechanical device. After the baaz draconians are defeated, proceed with the “Fewmaster Gholcag” encounter. Vogler

Nabassu

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

reason, most demons shun nabassus and force them to live on the fringes of the Abyss. There, nabassus pick off weaker demons or, if the situation warrants, gather in packs to take down larger prey. Some

hour, provided that creature is neither a construct nor an undead. The devouring requires the nabassu to be within 5 feet of the corpse for at least 10 minutes, after which it gains a number of Hit

D&D Beyond

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