beings before dread cities rules

Warlock

Classes Player’s Handbook

multiverse. They often begin their search for magical power by delving into tomes of forbidden lore, dabbling in invocations meant to attract the power of extraplanar beings, or seeking places of power where

the influence of these beings can be felt. In no time, each Warlock is drawn into a binding pact with a powerful patron. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as angels, archfey, demons

Ranger

Classes Player’s Handbook

; or (B) 150 GP Far from bustling cities, amid the trees of trackless forests and across wide plains, Rangers keep their unending watch in the wilderness. Rangers learn to track their quarry as a

. Gain the Ranger’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Ranger Features table. See the multiclassing rules to determine your available spell slots. Ranger Features

Wizard

Classes Player’s Handbook

pursue lives of crime or domination. But the lure of knowledge calls even the most unadventurous Wizards from the safety of their libraries and laboratories and into crumbling ruins and lost cities. Most

Features table. See the multiclassing rules to determine your available spell slots. Wizard Features ——Spell Slots per Spell Level—— Level Proficiency Bonus

Doomwake Giant

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

wonders and changing the world—but not always for the better. Doomwake giants arise from pernicious fears that infect a whole city or region. If enough mortals dread destruction for long enough, their

terror can manifest as one of these massive Nyxborn beings. Once unleashed, a doomwake giant goes on a rampage, fulfilling the prophecy mortals believed into being. After doing so, these terrors

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

squeal. Only when a quickling deliberately slows down, which it prefers not to do, can other beings properly see, hear, and comprehend it. Never truly at rest, a “stationary” quickling

The Undying

Classes Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

lifetimes pass like the seasons, like the flicker of endless days and nights. It has the secrets of the ages to share, secrets of life and death. Beings of this sort include Vecna, Lord of the Hand and

the Eye; the dread Iuz; the lich-queen Vol; the Undying Court of Aerenal; Vlaakith, lich-queen of the githyanki; and the deathless wizard Fistandantalus. In the Realms, Undying patrons include

The Undying (SCAG)

Classes Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

lifetimes pass like the seasons, like the flicker of endless days and nights. It has the secrets of the ages to share, secrets of life and death. Beings of this sort include Vecna, Lord of the Hand and

the Eye; the dread Iuz; the lich-queen Vol; the Undying Court of Aerenal; Vlaakith, lich-queen of the githyanki; and the deathless wizard Fistandantalus. In the Realms, Undying patrons include

Ythryn Mythallar

Magic Items Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Weave that can be harnessed for various purposes. For example, Netherese mages used mythallars to keep their cities aloft and empower their magic items. The bigger the mythallar, the more magic it can

rest within 30 feet of it, meditating on the mythallar. Up to eight creatures can be attuned to it at one time; otherwise, the Ythryn mythallar follows the attunement rules in the Dungeon Master&rsquo

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

Strahd, Master of Death House

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

his speed without provoking opportunity attack;opportunity attacks. Strike (Costs 2 Actions). Strahd makes one Death Strike attack.Strahd von Zarovich is the Darklord of Barovia, a Domain of Dread

. Little happens there without the Darklord’s knowledge, although Strahd rarely pays attention to what he considers the uninteresting dealings of lesser beings. History In life, Strahd von

Reborn

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

veins making it clear that they’ve been touched by death. Other reborn are marvels of magic or science, being stitched together from disparate beings or bearing mysterious minds in manufactured

itchy straw stuffing inside you. Reborn in the Domains of Dread When creating a reborn, consult with your DM to see if it’s appropriate to tie your origins to one of the following Domains

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

Those who think of other planes at all consider them remote, distant realms, but planar influence can be felt throughout the world. It sometimes manifests in beings who, through an accident of birth

of savage humanoids and weird cults in untamed lands. Others gain positions of great influence, especially where elemental beings are revered. A few genasi leave the Material Plane to find refuge in

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

Scion of Thrym

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

’s Guide for rules on extreme cold). If the climate in the area already features extreme cold, the cold is numbing—creatures in the area without immunity or resistance to cold damage have

” in chapter 3 for additional inspiration.) Scions of giants’ gods are enormously powerful beings who infuse the world around them with primeval magic. In many worlds, they slumber and have

Aarakocra

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

A winged people who originated on the Elemental Plane of Air, aarakocra soar through the sky wherever they wander. The first aarakocra served the Wind Dukes of Aaqa—mighty beings of air&mdash

At 1st 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

Cradle of the Frost Scion

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

envelops the land within 6 miles of the scion (see the Dungeon Master’s Guide for rules on extreme cold). If the climate in the area already features extreme cold, the cold is numbing—creatures

the substance of the world together. (See “Giants of Myth” in chapter 3 for additional inspiration.) Scions of giants’ gods are enormously powerful beings who infuse the world around

Giff

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Giff are tall, broad-shouldered folk with hippo-like features. Some have smooth skin, while others have short bristles on their faces and the tops of their heads. As beings of impressive size and

divine beings who created giff have likewise been forgotten. Their titanic petrified bodies drift on the Astral Sea, isolated and unrecognizable in their current forms. Although they don’t realize

Githyanki

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

cultivated over eons in the Astral Plane. Now all githyanki can use their psychic bond with that plane to access splinters of knowledge left behind by beings who travel, live, and die among the silver

race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score

Hadozee

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

branch. Today, hadozees are sapient, bipedal beings eager to leave behind the fearsome predators of their home world and explore other worlds. In addition to being natural climbers, hadozees have feet

of the game’s fantastical races. If you create a character using a race option presented here, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When

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

Deep Dragon Wyrmling Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

other dragons, but we are superior beings and should not lower ourselves to direct conflict. 4 I have no interest in going to the surface world. It’s where one sends one’s servants

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

Cleric Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

provoke awe and dread, lay curses of plague or poison, and even call down flames from heaven to consume their enemies. For those evildoers who will benefit most from a mace to the head, clerics depend on

a simple life of temple service, carrying out their gods’ will through prayer and sacrifice, not by magic and strength of arms. In some cities, priesthood amounts to a political office, viewed

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

Domains of Dread

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

Domains of Dread In remote corners of the Shadowfell, it is easy to reach horrific demiplanes ruled over by accursed beings of terrible evil. The best known of these is the valley of Barovia

, overlooked by the towering spires of Castle Ravenloft and ruled by Count Strahd von Zarovich, the first vampire. Beings of the Shadowfell called the Dark Powers created these domains as prisons for these “darklords,” and through cruelty or carelessness trapped innocent mortals in these domains as well.

Shadowfell

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

villainous beings become Darklords, able to exercise great power but confined to realms that twist their desires, capturing them in cycles of dread and despair. Mists surround each of the Domains of Dread

Undead haunt this bleak plane, as do other creatures that thrive in the gloom, including cloakers and darkmantles. Julian Kok The Shadowfell is a realm of death, despair, and dread Shadow Crossings Shadow

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

Kobold

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Underdark near the lairs of the earliest dragons. In some lands, kobolds serve chromatic or metallic dragons—even worshiping them as divine beings. In other places, kobolds know too well how

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

The Dark Powers

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

The Dark Powers Unfathomable, hidden forces manipulate life, death, and reality within Ravenloft. These mysterious, deathless beings are the architects of the Domains of Dread, and have secreted

hint at ways to escape the Domains of Dread. Consider the following possibilities when developing your perspective on the Dark Powers: Amoral Guardians. The Dark Powers are a group of powerful beings

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

Domains of Ravenloft

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

most wicked beings from across ages and worlds within inescapable, mist-shrouded domains. These are the Domains of Dread, the nightmare demiplanes that form the D&D setting of Ravenloft. Untold terrors

lurk within these lands, yet the collection of the Dark Powers is far from complete. This chapter provides information for the DM and explores the misty truths of the Domains of Dread, along with a

The Amber Temple

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

vestiges of dead, hateful gods—beings that aspire to re-create past depravities and manipulate mortals to fulfill unspeakable agendas. Various evil forces set their intentions upon the Amber Temple

, viewing it as a nexus of secrets underpinning the nature of the Domains of Dread. The priests of Osybus (detailed in the “Other Groups” section later in this chapter) have particular interest in this site.

Retainers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer

Retainers Retainers are sapient beings who adventure alongside the player characters. Each retainer is a less experienced adventurer who a player character can take under their wing. Retainers are

never meant to achieve the same power level as the player characters. Rules for retainers first appeared in Strongholds & Followers. This book contains updated rules for these followers.

Prepare to Be Scared

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

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

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

Ancient Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

dragons, but we are superior beings and should not lower ourselves to direct conflict. 4 I have no interest in going to the surface world. It’s where one sends one’s servants. 5

alliances or enmities. Their lairs are highly individual. Some are woven from networks of living fungus. Others are built upon the ruins of ancient cities or carved into caves near underground lakes. Deep

D&D Beyond

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