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Returning 35 results for 'before building during combat rules'.
compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Chapter 13: Building Combat Encounters
When creating a combat encounter, let your imagination run wild and build something your players will enjoy. Once you have the details figured out, use
this section to adjust the difficulty of the encounter.
Combat Encounter Difficulty There are four categories of encounter difficulty.
Easy. An easy encounter doesn’t tax the characters’ resources
Spells
Player’s Handbook
Initiative count, and it functions as a controlled mount while you ride it (as defined in the rules on mounted combat). If you have the Incapacitated condition, the steed takes its turn immediately
the steed’s creature type—Celestial, Fey, or Fiend—which determines certain traits in the stat block.
Combat. The steed is an ally to you and your allies. In combat, it shares your
Classes
Player’s Handbook
Paladin’s oath is a powerful bond. It is a source of power that turns a devout warrior into a blessed champion.
Paladins train to learn the skills of combat, mastering a variety of weapons and
level 1 features, which are listed in the Paladin Features table. See the multiclassing rules to determine your available spell slots.
Paladin Features
—Spell Slots per
Classes
Player’s Handbook
regions of unspoiled nature, but when a significant danger arises, Druids take a more active role as adventurers who combat the threat.
Becoming a Druid...
As a Level 1 Character
Gain all the
Traits table: Hit Point Die and training with Light armor and Shields.
Gain the Druid’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Druid Features table. See the multiclassing rules in chapter 2
Monsters
Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn
again until the start of her next turn.Scheming Marid Ruler
The calculating Biha Babir rules the pelagic city of Maran Saya in Calimshan. Though her physical form is as fluid as the ocean itself, she
a cunning mind. Biha Babir is politically savvy and prefers to outsmart her opponents rather than battle them, though she doesn’t shy from combat if necessary.
Biha Babir covets opulence, but
Magic Items
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
the creatures pulling them work like controlled mounts, as described in the mounted combat rules in the Player’s Handbook, but with the following differences:
Mounting or dismounting a chariot
Equipment
Combat
Utility
Whimsy
3
3
3
Used in everything from building material to drinking vessels and musical instruments, bamboo is perhaps the most versatile material on the
Equipment
Combat
Utility
Whimsy
7
8
4
Dorrin plate is a naturally occurring stone that can be broken off in large sheets and used as roof tiles, crockery, or building material. Potion
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
Weave favors those who act with mercy and compassion, seeks to deliver lives of security for all, and bolsters people’s efforts when they seek to right wrongs and combat evil.
Nowhere are
Species
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
, investigation, and combat.
Personas can be shared by multiple changelings; a community might be home to three healer changelings, with whoever is on duty adopting the persona of Andrea, the gentle
level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation.
Ability
Deep Dragon Wyrmling
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
combat. Deep dragons look down on any creature that isn’t useful to them, though they are willing to bargain for knowledge they lack.
Creating a Deep Dragon
Use the Deep Dragon Personality
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
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
encounter-building system assumes that, as DM, you want to have a clear understanding of the threat posed by a group of monsters. It will be useful to you if you want to emphasize combat in your
Backgrounds
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
again in ruins, Dove Falconhand decided to reform the group with the primary goal of building alliances and friendship between the civilized races of the world and goodly people in order to combat evil
Backgrounds
Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Wrestling. You fought in hand-to-hand combat with an immense lobster.
2
It Dragged the Boat. You nearly caught a fish of monstrous size that pulled your boat for miles.
3
Fins of Pure Gold
might not.
D6
IDEAL
1
Camaraderie. Good people make even the longest voyage bearable. (Good)
2
Luck. Our luck depends on respecting its rules — now
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
Combat. I despise most other dragons, but I meet them face to face without resorting to the base trickery I use on lesser creatures. (Lawful)
Topaz Dragon Adventures
The Topaz Dragon
to ask for help getting home.
6
A topaz dragon is building a tableau of desiccated creatures and has grown obsessed with catching one treasure hunter who escaped the dragon’s clutches
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
ocean. (Good)
6
Code of Combat. I despise most other dragons, but I meet them face to face without resorting to the base trickery I use on lesser creatures. (Lawful)
Topaz Dragon
, but the dragon is too proud to ask for help getting home.
6
A topaz dragon is building a tableau of desiccated creatures and has grown obsessed with catching one treasure hunter who escaped the
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
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
coins
Feature: Undercity Paths
You know hidden, underground pathways that you can use to bypass crowds, obstacles, and observation as you move through the city. When you aren’t in combat, you
the moss-covered building where I took part in my first reclamation mission.
5
I found something in the sewer that must never come to light.
6
I am forever grateful to the reclaimer who
Monk
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
. Whatever their discipline, monks are united in their ability to magically harness the energy that flows in their bodies. Whether channeled as a striking display of combat prowess or a subtler focus of
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
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
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
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
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
agreement with a clan of surly dwarves, or successfully navigate the Chasm of Doom, you might decide that they deserve an XP reward.
As a starting point, use the rules for building combat encounters in
Noncombat Challenges You decide whether to award experience to characters for overcoming challenges outside combat. If the adventurers complete a tense negotiation with a baron, forge a trade
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
2, five 13th-level characters for tier 3, and five 18th-level characters for tier 4. Use that assumption when creating combat encounters, whether you use the encounter-building rules in the Dungeon
Combat Encounters Design your adventure for one of the four tiers, as set forth in chapter 1 of the Player’s Handbook: tier 1 includes levels 1–4, tier 2 is levels 5–10, tier 3 is levels 11–16, and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
point, use the rules for building combat encounters in chapter 4 to gauge the difficulty of the challenge. Then award the characters XP as if it had been a combat encounter of the same difficulty
NPCs made the challenge easier. (See also “Nonplayer Characters” in chapter 3.) Noncombat Challenges You decide whether to award XP to characters for overcoming challenges outside combat. If the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
rogue who likes hand-to-hand combat, or a sharpshooter who picks off enemies from afar. Do you like fantasy fiction featuring dwarves or elves? Try building a character of one of those races. Do you
your character, whether it’s a formal character sheet (like the one at the end of these rules), some form of digital record, or a piece of notebook paper. An official D&D character sheet is a fine
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer
New Rules and Styles The creatures in this book generally follow the core rules, but we’ve made a few tweaks. These new rules and presentation styles are designed to make combat encounters easier to run, more fun, and more memorable.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Combat Options The options in this section provide alternative ways to handle combat. The main risk of adding some of these rules is slowing down play.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Combat This section builds on the combat rules in the Player’s Handbook and offers tips for keeping the game running smoothly when a fight breaks out.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
Running Combat This section builds on the combat rules in the Player’s Handbook and offers tips for keeping the game running smoothly when a fight breaks out.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
. This section provides the rules you need for your characters and monsters to engage in combat, whether it is a brief skirmish or an extended conflict in a dungeon or on a field of battle. Throughout this
section, the rules address you, the player or Dungeon Master. The Dungeon Master controls all the monsters and nonplayer characters involved in combat, and each other player controls an adventurer. “You” can also mean the character or monster that you control.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
chapter provides the rules you need for your characters and monsters to engage in combat, whether it is a brief skirmish or an extended conflict in a dungeon or on a field of battle. Throughout this
chapter, the rules address you, the player or Dungeon Master. The Dungeon Master controls all the monsters and nonplayer characters involved in combat, and each other player controls an adventurer. “You” can also mean the character or monster that you control.
Ancient Deep Dragon
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
far-off lands. Many seek out new insights and tricks that they can use against other denizens of the Underdark, preferring social manipulation and crafty dealmaking to exerting themselves in combat
, 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
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.






