before building descent concern rather

Swarmkeeper

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

force in battle, as well as helpful company for the ranger. Some Swarmkeepers are outcasts or hermits, keeping to themselves and their attendant swarms rather than dealing with the discomfort of others

. Other Swarmkeepers enjoy building vibrant communities that work for the mutual benefit of all those they consider part of their swarm. A Swarmkeeper’s swarm and spells are reflections of the

Grippli Warrior

Monsters Candlekeep Mysteries

are raised by the community rather than by a single set of parents, and all of a community’s eggs are kept in freshwater pools until they mature. Protecting their eggs is a major concern for

Swarmkeeper (TCoE)

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

force in battle, as well as helpful company for the ranger. Some Swarmkeepers are outcasts or hermits, keeping to themselves and their attendant swarms rather than dealing with the discomfort of others

. Other Swarmkeepers enjoy building vibrant communities that work for the mutual benefit of all those they consider part of their swarm. A Swarmkeeper’s swarm and spells are reflections of the

Alustriel Silverhand

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

are to spread kindness, reward virtue, and promote a culture of compassion throughout the multiverse. She is good at building alliances and quick to intervene when she senses a threat to the forces of

in her true form. She helped create Silverymoon’s famous Moonbridge and cofounded the Lady’s College, the first school in Faerûn for mages as students rather than as apprentices in

Giff Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

refuse to fight other giff, and will never agree to a contract unless it stipulates that they can sit out a battle rather than wage war against their kin. A giff prizes the reputation of its unit above its

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

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the group’s needs, but the effect each action will have on the forest and the rest of the natural world. Firbolg tribes would rather go hungry than strain the land during a famine. Hidden

Shepherds As caretakers of the land, firbolgs prefer to remain out of sight and out of mind. They don’t try to dominate nature, but rather seek to ensure that it prospers and survives according to its

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, humans champion causes rather than territories or groups. Human Names and Ethnicities Having so much more variety than other cultures, humans as a whole have no typical names. Some human parents

tall and have green or brown eyes, but these traits are hardly universal. Humans of Chondathan descent dominate the central lands of Faerûn, around the Inner Sea. Chondathan Names: (Male) Darvin

Ancient Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

rather enjoy the company of people—as long as they remain unaware of my true nature. Deep Dragon Ideals d6;{"diceNotation":"1d6","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Ideal"} Ideal

of my power. (Evil) 6 Patience. All creatures might teach me something, and I’m willing to wait and find out what that might be rather than acting in haste. (Good) Deep Dragon

Verdan

Species Acquisitions Incorporated

. Reality is a descent into chaos punctuated by brief flashes of order, whence we arose and so imagine it to be the norm rather than a distant outlier. That-Which-Endures held entropy back for a mere instant

Mogis

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

against. Tread carefully when using him as a patron, as his area of concern trends toward villainy rather than heroics.

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Guild took over your family business, ran it into the ground, and burned the building for insurance money. You were driven into crime yourself, but you’ll never work for the Guild. You take

could be hidden. 4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. 5 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide. 6 I don’t pay

New Race: Verdan

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

. Reality is a descent into chaos punctuated by brief flashes of order, whence we arose and so imagine it to be the norm rather than a distant outlier. That-Which-Endures held entropy back for a mere instant, and the Verdan emerged. I’m sorry, was that the question? — K’thriss Drow’b

Izzet Engineer

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

basic knowledge of the structure of buildings, including the stuff behind the walls. You can also find blueprints of a specific building in order to learn the details of its construction. Such

protocols will lead us toward progress more surely than any belief system. (Lawful) 5 Fun. I love my job! Despite the dangerous working conditions, there’s nothing I’d rather do

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

kenku, constant attempts to mimic noises can come across as confusing or irritating rather than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be clear

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

they are more interested in grabbing plunder and food rather than in wanton slaughter. The elderly, children, and any who seem weak or meek enough might escape death. If they leave the population more

rival orcs first and foremost as competitors for food and victims. On some occasions, though, tribes that have a common concern band together. The result is an orc horde — a sea of slavering

Simic Scientist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

1 I helped create a krasis that I love like a pet and would carry with me everywhere … except it’s the size of a building, and it might eat me. 2 In my laboratory, I

Everything I do is an attempt to impress someone I love. Flaws d6 Flaw 1 I have a rather embarrassing mutation that I do everything I can to keep hidden. 2 I’m more

2. Northern Terraces

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

seldom seen in myconids. It asks for exasperatingly minor details such as the precise dimensions of bricks or the density of lumber. Gasbide reveals through the rapport that it dreams of building a

of the growers doesn’t care much for Phylo’s new ideas. But though it misses mass meldings, Hebopbe doesn’t see Basidia’s protests as worthy of concern. Hebopbe is infected by Zuggtmoy’s spores, but isn’t yet under her control.

Chapter 10: Descent into the Depths

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

Chapter 10: Descent into the Depths Having survived Mantol-Derith and obtained Ghazrim DuLoc’s ring, the adventurers and their allies continue on into the Underdark. This time, rather than escaped

Hidden Shepherds

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

Hidden Shepherds As caretakers of the land, firbolgs prefer to remain out of sight and out of mind. They don’t try to dominate nature, but rather seek to ensure that it prospers and survives

according to its 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

Deep Gnomes

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

is marked by smooth, curving shapes rather than straight lines and hard edges. Svirfneblin are intensely community-minded and have little concern about privacy among themselves. Thus, they don’t

Dissecting the Adventure

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

Dissecting the Adventure You can dissect this adventure and use pieces of it rather than the whole thing. Nothing in this adventure is too sacred to tamper with and repurpose to serve your own needs

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

Nobles of Borca

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

line. She pours her family’s wealth into supporting art in Levkarest and endlessly building her estate both taller and deeper. Ivliskova. The Ivliskovas run dozens of orphanages and the elite Ivliskova

Finishing School. This boarding school boasts a flawless graduation rate—for those students who don’t disappear. Nobriskov. Pious and formal, the Nobriskovs claim descent from Borca’s ancient clans

Trading Post

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

Trading Post As the coastal mist clears, you get your first good look at the grippli trading post. Ramshackle shelters are clustered around a large permanent building. The low rumble of many voices

large building. Assuming the characters are cooperative, the grippli guards take the visitors directly to her. If the party seems trustworthy, she speaks to them. She prefers Primordial (it’s easier on

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

other useful items, but if they are at risk of discovery, they run away rather than attack anyone in the house. By fleeing before they can be seen or identified, they avoid getting into a situation

they were demigods — mighty beings of divine descent. This isn’t a casual sort of worship or lip service; kobolds are awed in the presence of a dragon, as if an actual avatar of a deity

General Features

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

structures (about 12 feet high) with stone doors that are 5 feet high and 3 feet wide. Building interiors tend to be unlit (which is of little concern to deep gnomes, who have darkvision), and they contain

table to determine what kind of building it is. Each building’s occupants took everything of value before fleeing Little Lockford, leaving nothing of value for characters to find. Buildings of Little

Blood Will Tell

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

come off as coarse, blunt, or rude in dealings with other people. With the directness of an orc, they speak their minds with no apparent concern for how their opinions are received. No matter where

they live, half-orcs usually find themselves defined by others in terms of their usefulness as heavy laborers and soldiers. It is the rare and fortunate few who are judged by their character and their deeds rather than their ancestry.

Purphoros as Campaign Villain

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

Purphoros as Campaign Villain As a campaign villain, Purphoros is more likely to be driven by his impulses rather than by any coherent plan. He might begin by encouraging his champions to create

building a massive Nyx-bronze bridge that will link Mount Velus in the mortal world with Nyx itself. Every god opposes him in this effort. Can the construction effort be sabotaged without bringing the

Other Things Characters Can Do

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

, roll on the table or choose a development you think might spur the character into action. Town in Chaos d20 Development 1–3 Building collapse 4–6 Enlarged duergar 7–9 Invisible

duergar 10–14 Malevolent townsfolk 15–16 Thieves 17–18 Trapped beast 19–20 Walking wounded Building Collapse A damaged building collapses twenty feet away from you. The

Stoneheart Quarry

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

builders need only take a pick to any wall to find their building materials. Rather, this cavern provides the small army of earth elementals aiding the settlers, and its magical stone is used in the

Vault Guards

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

guards are posted on the balcony and one guard patrols around the outside of the building at ground level. A character can avoid the notice of the exterior guards with a successful DC 12 Dexterity

rotation in the “Preparation” section know two guards are posted in the lobby, seven guards patrol the first floor of the vault, and no guards patrol upstairs. Rather than requiring you to track each

Yuan-ti Cities

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

yuan-ti content themselves with maintaining these ancient places rather than building new ones for their needs. Although these sites are hundreds or even thousands of years old, they don’t look or feel

humanoids and taken over by yuan-ti), stairs and humanoid architecture are the norm. Each of these sites resembles the headquarters of a spy ring, a thieves’ guild, or a hedonistic cult rather than the

Using This Book

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

experiences to advice for building safe, suspenseful campaigns. It also includes an atmospheric adventure to draw characters into Ravenloft’s fearful grip. Chapter 5 details how to make any foe into a

place. The crimes and tragedies that transpired here. I know we’d both rather forget them—this whole accursed land—but the Mists drew me back. Now that I’m here, I know. The past we both hoped to bury

During the Siege

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

During the Siege Run the siege as a series of encounters rather than one extended battle. As terrible events unfold around the characters, it’s up to them to determine who and how they’ll help. Begin

siege weapon to fire into the city or start a conflagration. 9 Fighting breaks out at a building Talon priests use to treat the wounded. 10 Zombies break through a gate and begin scaling

Watch Your Step!

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

effects that trigger automatically, keeping you from crushing an innocent passerby in your descent. Many different outcomes could follow a lengthy fall. The Falling in Sharn table presents a few

between our safety and death caused by some rat who would rather spend gold on drink. Falling in Sharn d8 Result 1 You fall hundreds of feet before striking the ground at the base of the

Lynx Creatlach

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

with precious stones and metals. In truth, Lynx is an active agent of Zariel but is no longer among the living. Rather, she’s a lawful evil undead tiefling, with her skeleton specially crafted to retain

her former skills and intellect, and bonded to an equally special flesh golem that she wears as a costumed skin. (If you are playing through Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, this setup was one of

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