bend before dominate concept rather

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

megalomaniacal. Sammaster’s travels brought him into contact with people who revered dragons as icons of primeval might. Masquerading his desire to dominate dragonkind as devotion, Sammaster

efficiently as he can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. Sammaster’s travels brought him into contact with people who revered dragons as icons of primeval might. Masquerading his desire to dominate dragonkind as devotion, Sammaster established himself

can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps a magical soul

Water Weird Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

those its summoner declares as off limits. When slain, a water weird becomes an inanimate pool of water. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil

interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might turn against its summoner. A water weird loses its evil alignment if its waters are cleansed

Quandrix Apprentice

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

metaphysics. Their ultimate goal isn’t mastery, however. Rather, in their projects they explore and expand knowledge without expecting concrete answers. Whether students are extrapolating

mathematical patterns in nature or engaging in speculative dives into topological formulas that bend reality, their studies blur the line between abstract numerical theory and natural reality. Quandrix

Cranium Rat Squeaker Swarm

Monsters Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse

the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13): At will: command,* detect thoughts,* sending* 1/day each: confusion,* dominate monster* *To cast this spell, the swarm must have more than half its hit

points remaining.The cranium rat squeaker;cranium rats squeakers of Sigil have no connection to the mind flayers that created their progenitors. Rather, these magical rodents cooperate with the

Trickery Domain Legacy

Classes Player’s Handbook (2014)

, stealing from the rich, freeing captives, and flouting hollow traditions. They prefer subterfuge, pranks, deception, and theft rather than direct confrontation. Trickery Domain Spells Cleric

Level Spells 1st charm person, disguise self 3rd mirror image, pass without trace 5th blink, dispel magic 7th dimension door, polymorph 9th dominate person, modify memory

Quandrix Pledgemage

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

in the magic of geometry and metaphysics. Their ultimate goal isn’t mastery, however. Rather, in their projects they explore and expand knowledge without expecting concrete answers. Whether

students are extrapolating mathematical patterns in nature or engaging in speculative dives into topological formulas that bend reality, their studies blur the line between abstract numerical theory and

Vecna the Archlich

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation 2/day each: Dimension Door, Invisibility, Scrying (as an action) 1/day each: Dominate Monster, Globe of Invulnerability, Plane Shift (self only)Vecna can take up to three

this adventure, Vecna has risen to godhood on Oerth, but he seeks to become the most powerful god in existence and bend the multiverse to his will. By the time the characters are involved, Vecna’s

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

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

Obzedat Ghost

Monsters Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

let go of the fortunes they amassed in life. Addicted to power and prestige, these patriarchs continue to dominate the guild and accumulate even larger fortunes. Mostly Unanimous. The ghosts of the

Obzedat function as a unit, driven by their shared desire to accumulate ever more wealth for the guild. In times of disagreement, the eldest of the council exerts his seniority to bend the council to

Forlarren

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

bound to their fey lord and unable to bargain away their souls. So rather than claim them, Fierna warped and twisted them before returning them to the Feywild, content that the corruption of the satyrs

into earning trust from those it encounters, casting itself as a helpless creature pleading for aid even as it looks for the opportunity to betray and overpower. Or it might seek to dominate the weak

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

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

was conquered by Maglubiyet, after all, and now when the Mighty One calls for it, even their souls are forfeit. It is this realization that drives them to dominate other creatures whenever they can

opportunity to supervise and dominate such creatures, which have no status at all. WHO'S THE BOSS? Goblins pattern the rule of their tribes after the whip-cracking rule of their god, Khurgorbaeyag

Kalashtar Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

with their quori spirits. Rather, they might experience this relationship as a sense of instinct and inspiration, drawing on the memories of the spirit when they dream. This connection grants kalashtar

evil spirits that dominate it. The rebel quori believe that through meditation and devotion, they can change the fundamental nature of Dal Quor, shifting the balance from darkness to light. Most

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

Oghma

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

cited by his faithful about this concept serves them as a prayer when it is repeated aloud: “An idea has no heft but it can move mountains. An idea has no authority but it can dominate people. An idea

Character Names

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

names, that’s fine. If the group would rather take the characters and their names a little more seriously, urge Bob’s player to come up with a more appropriate name. Player character names should match

each other in flavor or concept, and they should also match the flavor of your campaign world — so should the nonplayer characters’ names and place names you create. Travok and Kairon don’t want to undertake a quest for Lord Cupcake, visit Gumdrop Island, or take down a crazy wizard named Ray.

Warlock

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata

melee theme of the feature? It sure does, but we’re willing to occasionally bend a design concept if doing so is likely to increase a player’s happiness. If you’re a Pact of the Blade Warlock, can

Action-Oriented Creatures

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

Action-Oriented Creatures The solo and leader creatures presented in this book are designed to be bosses: enemies who can take on an entire party by themselves or with a handful of underlings. Rather

dominate the battlefield. These actions make the boss creatures dynamic and formidable. Whether fought as an exciting solo challenge or alongside a few easy-to-run underlings, action-oriented creatures challenge the characters with dramatic and powerful actions in combat.

Survival of the Fittest

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

pity for adults who can’t take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result of the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to

themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folk

Evil Inchoate

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

absolute evil, demons have no concept of empathy. Each demon believes that only its needs and desires matter. This self-centeredness applies even with regard to other demons. These fiends have no

bend to its will, shifting to bring about its vision of a world of absolute perfection with the demon at its center. One Cosmos, Infinite Visions All demons seek to satisfy their whims and force others

Origin of the Ordning

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

the ordning in some mythic future. Giants on some worlds (including Eberron) have no concept of the ordning at all. Such giants might think of themselves as a single species, with the differences

among giant kinds reflecting a cultural or geographical distinction rather than an inherent one. They might live in bands composed of multiple giant kinds or family groups of a single kind. Or giants of

Character Advancement

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

taking part in a play session. A character reaches 1 checkpoint for each hour an adventure is designed to last. Note that the award is based on the adventure’s projected playing time, rather than the

designed to take 2 hours, the character reaches 3 checkpoints. Playing time might seem like an odd way to measure experience awards, but the concept is in keeping with how a shared campaign is meant to

Undead

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Morte’s Planar Parade

characters find a trapped crawling claw. Rather than attacking, the severed hand can lead the characters to the thankful immortal who lost it. 2 A banshee influenced by Acheron appears as a fallen knight

-commander with a legion of specters. Guardians of the gate-town of Rigus hire the characters to help banish the phantom army. 3 A lich seeks to dominate the gate-town of Hopeless and see it dragged

It's Just Business

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

. What better way to think of the big bad monster at the center of a web of even bigger and badder plans than as the CEO of a megacorporation, using every resource to dominate the market? What is an

-reaching power of global corporations allied with political power doesn’t just inform our own real world — it molds it. Bringing that concept of powerful corporations working with or against nobility to

Warlock

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

weapons appear in a campaign. Does this versatility extend outside the melee theme of the feature? It sure does, but we’re willing to occasionally bend a design concept if doing so is likely to increase

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

divination (to find raw materials and foresee threats to the tribe). The main reason why kobolds depend on arcane magic rather than divine is Kurtulmak’s imprisonment, which makes it difficult for

Secret

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

holy symbol that represents that divinity. Some clerics, especially in a world like Eberron, serve a whole pantheon, rather than a single deity. In certain campaigns, a cleric might instead serve a

cosmic force, such as life or death, or a philosophy or concept, such as love, peace, or one of the nine alignments. Chapter 1 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide explores options like these, in the section

Allies, Minions, and Pets

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

Allies, Minions, and Pets Thanks to their lack of physical prowess and their small size, kobolds are rarely in a position to dominate other creatures, so they usually don’t have minions. Even when

the opportunity presents itself, kobolds would rather not try to enslave or hire any intelligent creatures because they can’t trust such creatures to not turn on them. Kobolds are good, however, at

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

Slaadi

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

other creatures. Slaadi have no formal society. Rather, strong slaadi dominate weaker ones. Blue and red slaadi rampage across Limbo and spill into other worlds at the direction of green slaadi. More

Water Weird

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

. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil. However, a water weird bound to a sacred or befouled source of water begins to take on the nature of that site

, becoming neutral good or neutral evil. A neutral good water weird tries to frighten away interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might

Darklords

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

adventures rather than saving them for distant climactic plots. Darklords Don’t Realize They’re Darklords. With a few exceptions, Darklords don’t realize they occupy a special place in the world. Their

concept of how long they’ve lived, how many times they’ve died, or why they returned to life. Should a Darklord fall, the temporary defeat lasts until they’re restored by the Dark Powers. In their

Starting the Adventure

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

a leisurely pace, though. Behind you, a horse rounds a bend in the road, galloping at top speed. The beast looks frantic, terrified and frothing with exertion. Upon it sways a figure wearing a gold

black blood. His mask is clearly a funerary mask, though it’s cast of gold rather than clay. Characters who succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence check recognize the strange individual as one of the

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

reflects human ideas about art and beauty. Over time this perspective was skewed toward the concept that the snake is the perfect form, so serpents are a common theme in their aesthetic. The major

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