before building dread constantly rules - Search

Quickling

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Air and Darkness, the dread ruler of the Gloaming Court. Once lazy, egotistical folk, the creatures that would become the quicklings were late in answering the queen’s summons one time too many

constantly paces and shifts in place, as though it can’t wait to be off again. Quicklings have a capricious nature and are always up to something. A quickling spends most of its time perpetrating

Hexblood

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

changed you and forced you from your home. 6 A slighted druid transformed you and bound you to live only so long as a sacred tree bears fruit. Hexbloods in the Domains of Dread When

creating a hexblood, consult with your DM to see if it’s appropriate to tie your origins to one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in chapter 3): Hazlan. The bizarre magic of this crumbling

Shadar-kai

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Shadar-kai are the elves of the Shadowfell, originally drawn to that dread realm by the Raven Queen. Over the centuries, some of them have continued to serve her, while others have ventured into the

race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score

Bael

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Dread. Any creature, other than a devil, that starts its turn within 10 feet of Bael must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of him until the start of its next turn. A creature

constantly stymied by politically shrewd rivals. Bael prefers to make servants out of his adversaries, and mortals bound to his service earn their wretched place by falling victim to his superior

Baphomet Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

, the Horned King and the Prince of Beasts. He rules over minotaur;minotaurs and others with savage hearts. He is worshiped by those who want to break the confines of civility and unleash their bestial

become frightened and disoriented, as though constantly under threat of being hunted, and might lash out or panic even when no visible threat is nearby. If a humanoid spends at least 1 hour within 1 mile

Deep Dragon Wyrmling Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. Whether taking on a new form, making new allies, or trying a new strategy, flexibility keeps one youthful. (Chaotic) 5 Superiority. Weaker creatures cannot be trusted, so I constantly remind my

it to the surface world. Lost and confused, the wyrmling has been captured by a group of cruel adventurers. 3 A deep dragon wyrmling whimsically rules over a worshipful group of kobolds, sending

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

, emulating their dread master. Orcus is a bestial creature of corruption with a diseased, decaying look. He has the lower torso of a goat, and a humanoid upper body with a corpulent belly swollen with rot

chapter 7, "Treasure” of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

the dead, emulating their dread master. Orcus is a bestial creature of corruption with a diseased, decaying look. He has the lower body of a goat and a humanlike upper body with a belly swollen with

Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules. Surrounded by a moat fed by the

Fairy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

skin. 3 You have exceptionally large ears. 4 A glittering mist constantly surrounds you. 5 You have a small spectral horn on your forehead, like a little unicorn horn. 6 Your

member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race such as the fairy or the harengon in this section, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability

Monk Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to

Dark Fantasy

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

atmosphere of building dread, created through careful pacing and evocative description. Your players contribute too; they have to be willing to embrace the mood you’re trying to evoke. Whether you want to run

full of creatures that perfectly suit a storyline of supernatural horror. The most important element of such a campaign, though, isn’t covered by the rules. A dark-fantasy setting requires an

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society. Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth Tool Proficiencies: One

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

Prepare to Be Scared

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

atmosphere of the adventure. Don’t consider fear a tactical disadvantage or something to be avoided. As part of playing a frightening game, you’re a participant in building and reinforcing a sense of dread

rules every time something frightening occurs, but your group might use them as a way to highlight individual fears and build an adventure’s overarching sense of dread. FROM THE MISTS OR BEYOND

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

I’m incapable of admitting a flaw in my logic. Contacts The laboratories of the Izzet League are constantly starting up new projects and dissolving old ones, so it’s easy for

Chapter 1: Feywild Overview

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Domains of Delight: A Feywild Accessory

Chapter 1: Feywild Overview Domains of Delight are to the Feywild what Domains of Dread are to the Shadowfell: sequestered realms governed by powerful beings. Whereas a Domain of Dread is ruled by a

accessory helps you create Domains of Delight and the archfey who rule them, building on the information about the Feywild that appears in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. The ideas, tips, and tables in this

Using This Book

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

Using This Book This book explores the Domains of Dread, the mysterious expanses of the Shadowfell that serve as backdrops for excitement and terror. It guides players and Dungeon Masters through the

on the characters and adventures found in these haunted lands. Chapter 4 offers tools for Dungeon Masters running frightening adventures, from rules for creating curses and running out-of-body

Encounter Building

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

Encounter Building This section introduces new guidelines on building combat encounters for an adventure. They are an alternative to the rules in “Creating Encounters” in chapter 3 of the Dungeon

Master’s Guide. This approach uses the same math that underlies the rules presented in that book, but it makes a few adjustments to the way that math is presented to produce a more flexible system. This

Ancient Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

taking on a new form, making new allies, or trying a new strategy, flexibility keeps one youthful. (Chaotic) 5 Superiority. Weaker creatures cannot be trusted, so I constantly remind my servants

, they use local settlements—and any competent visitors—as pawns in their struggle. 4 An ancient deep dragon has put the folk of a city to work building the dragon a metropolis to rule

Horror Adventures

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

adventures benefit from an atmosphere of dread, conceived through a combination of terrifying narratives, dramatic presentation, and game elements encouraging fear. Drawing out the anxiety and anticipation

toolbox of horror-focused rules also provides options for what sort of grim adventures you might create. At the end of this chapter, a horror adventure puts these methods to use and leads characters on

Session Zero

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

run a special session—colloquially called session zero—to establish expectations, outline the terms of a social contract, and share house rules. Making and sticking to these rules can help ensure

that the game is a fun experience for everyone involved. Often a session zero includes building characters together. As the DM, you can help players during the character creation process by advising them to select options that will serve the adventure or campaign that awaits.

Members Only

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

password constantly, fearing someone might have infiltrated their members’ ranks. You watch a figure approach an oak door with a slide window. The figure knocks, and a guard opens the window and says

, “Six.” The figure replies, “Three.” The guard then opens the door, allowing the figure to enter. This building seems to have only one entrance: the oak door with a small slide window. A guard opens the window and speaks a seemingly random number to anyone who knocks on the door.

Creating a Monk

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

some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to accomplish outside the monastery? Are you eager to return to your home? As a

Raven Queen, The

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

, a pale and regal elf who exploded into an untold number of ravens, a shambling tangle of slick roots and sticks that overwhelmed them with dread, or an unknown presence that pulled them screaming

into the gloom. Despite all attempts to demystify her, the Raven Queen has remained enigmatic and aloof. She rules from her Raven Throne within the Fortress of Memories, a mazelike castle deep within

General Features

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

General Features Many of Thundertree’s buildings have crumbled in the years since the town was abandoned, even as nature threatens to swallow what remains. Buildings. A building in Thundertree is

terrain (see “Difficult Terrain” in the Basic Rules). Intact buildings are rundown, ramshackle stone cottages that are otherwise still standing. Their wooden doors are swollen and require a successful

Interacting with Objects

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook

describes what happens. Sometimes, however, rules govern what you can do with an object, as detailed in the following sections. What Is an Object? For the purpose of the rules, an object is a discrete

, inanimate item like a window, door, sword, book, table, chair, or stone. It isn’t a building or a vehicle, which are composed of many objects. Time-Limited Object Interactions When time is short, such

Interacting with Objects

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules

describes what happens. Sometimes, however, rules govern what you can do with an object, as detailed in the following sections. What Is an Object? For the purpose of the rules, an object is a discrete

, inanimate item like a window, door, sword, book, table, chair, or stone. It isn’t a building or a vehicle, which are composed of many objects. Time-Limited Object Interactions When time is short, such

Magic and Metaphysics

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

the voices of otherworldly ancients? Do the effects of drinking a potion of healing feel like grubs weaving wounds shut from within? Magic looks menacing in the Domains of Dread, but descriptive

embellishments shouldn’t change the actual effects of spells or magic items. Prison of Souls Everyone among the Domains of Dread is a prisoner. The Darklords number among the most prominent captives, but

Objects

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

before the wall does. For the purpose of these rules, an object is a discrete, inanimate item like a window, door, sword, book, table, chair, or stone, not a building or a vehicle that is composed of many other objects.

Objects

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

before the wall does. For the purpose of these rules, an object is a discrete, inanimate item like a window, door, sword, book, table, chair, or stone, not a building or a vehicle that is composed of many other objects.

Learning by Observing

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

the DM change the pitch or tempo of narration in different situations? Player Participation. Did the players participate in the world-building or make decisions that seemed to send the adventure in an

unexpected direction? How did the DM handle it? Rules Adjudication. To what extent did the DM lean on the rules to adjudicate outcomes? Did the DM adjudicate situations wisely or in ways that made the

Learning by Observing

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules

the DM change the pitch or tempo of narration in different situations? Player Participation. Did the players participate in the world-building or make decisions that seemed to send the adventure in an

unexpected direction? How did the DM handle it? Rules Adjudication. To what extent did the DM lean on the rules to adjudicate outcomes? Did the DM adjudicate situations wisely or in ways that made the

Chapter 2: Dungeon Master's Tools

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

. The chapter opens with optional rules meant to help you run certain parts of the game more smoothly. The chapter then goes into greater depth on several topics — encounter building, random encounters

you. It gives you new rules options, as well as some refined tools for creating and running adventures and campaigns. It is a supplement to the tools and advice offered in the Dungeon Master’s Guide

The Infernal Machine of Lum the Mad

Magic Items Infernal Machine Rebuild

Lum. By experimenting with its many controls, he was able to achieve astounding and destructive magical effects in the building of his empire, and so the artifact came to be known as the Infernal

object on the same plane as you and have the compass point constantly in the direction of the named target. You gain no knowledge of the distance to the target. A specialized clockwork compass floats

Chasing the Children

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

finished stone building in the town. These children, some of them terrified and missing their parents, others mischievous and too young to understand consequences (much like adventurers), decide to run

, asking them questions constantly, and wanting to be just like the character (regardless of how inappropriate that might be).

Introduction: How to Use a Monster

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

the rules for monster customization and encounter building in the Dungeon Master’s Guide—to build your own adventures. Consult appendix B for monster lists that will help your adventure building. What’s

New in the 2025 Version? This is the 2025 version of the fifth edition Monster Manual. If you’ve read the 2014 version, much of this book will feel familiar, since the fundamental rules and variety

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