best bad diffusing corrupt rival

Zlan

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

rival and an equal. The Zlan Liches table gives a brief description of each component. Zlan Liches Name History Argent Black Emerged from the Negative Plane, fed on hate and

through the accumulation of chardalyn from across Icewind Dale. Zlan’s affinity with chardalyn allows it to access information across the region and use chardalyn to corrupt those who could

Annis Hag

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

hag. Over time, “Granny” or “Grampy” convinces the child that it’s okay to do bad deeds—starting with breaking things or wandering without permission, then

child. Much as annis hags befriend children in order to corrupt them, they may adopt a group of ogres, trolls, or other creatures (ogre;ogres and troll;trolls appear in the Monster Manual), ruling them

Gambler

Backgrounds Acquisitions Incorporated

All you need to make a lot of gold is a little gold. Except at those times when all you need to have no gold at all is a little gold. Whether you’re a good gambler or a bad one rarely matters

Feature: Never Tell Me the Odds Odds and probability are your bread and butter. During downtime activities that involve games of chance or figuring odds on the best plan, you can get a solid sense

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

thought it was an accident. In the days that followed, Pidlwick II tried its best to fill its namesake's shoes, but the effigy's mere presence was upsetting to Tatyana, and it was never called on to perform

Ideal. “I wish I could make people happy.” Bond. “I would like to find someone—anyone—who isn't afraid of me and who enjoys my company.” Flaw. “When I'm upset, I do bad things.”Poison

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

; specifically, you know the local messengers, corrupt caravan masters, and seedy sailors who can deliver messages for you. Variant Criminal: Spy Although your capabilities are not much different

who seem the fairest often have the most to hide. 6 I don’t pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds. 7 The best way to get me to do something is to tell me

Shadar-kai Shadow Dancer

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

their enemies from all angles with a flurry of entangling chains that hold fast and corrupt the flesh. When their quarry is helpless, they dispatch it and then loot the corpse for trinkets

along tragic paths for her amusement. The Raven Queen is famously cryptic even to her most devoted followers, however; their efforts are rewarded only with vague omens they interpret as best they can

Dragonborn Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

best attributes of dragons and humanoids. Some dragonborn are faithful servants to true dragons, others form the ranks of soldiers in great wars, and still others find themselves adrift, with no clear

all dragonborn strive to be self-sufficient, they recognize that help is sometimes needed in difficult situations. But the best source for such help is the clan, and when a clan needs help, it turns

Demogorgon

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

chaos, confusion, and destruction, seeking to corrupt all that is good and undermine order in the multiverse, to see everything dragged howling into the infinite depths of the Abyss. The demon lord is

by a skull-shaped minaret. There, Demogorgon’s heads contemplate the mysteries of the arcane while arguing about how best to obliterate their rivals. The bulk of this palace extends deep

Rival Intern

Backgrounds Acquisitions Incorporated

Acquisitions Incorporated goes about its business. Why deal with the rest, when you can work for the best? Perhaps the rival did not treat you as well as you were hoping, or you washed out of that organization

You were an intern at a rival of Acquisitions Incorporated, and you gained a healthy respect for not just the job and the franchising opportunities, but for the ruthless and efficient way

Demogorgon Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

Spiraling Depths, Demogorgon is the embodiment of chaos, madness, and destruction, seeking to corrupt all that is good and undermine order in the multiverse, to see everything dragged howling into the

form of two serpentine towers, each crowned by a skull-shaped minaret. There, Demogorgon’s heads contemplate the mysteries of the arcane while arguing about how best to obliterate their rivals. The

House Agent (Cannith)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

my house and for my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and

I would do anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have

House Agent (Jorasco)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

house and for my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I would

do anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have revenge

Emerald Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

is a magic in the retelling of stories. Each new teller adds a bit of themself to the spell. (Any) 4 Nurture. Rearing a child is our best chance to make sure our own stories are passed on. (Any

must be convinced to defend the school in a contest against a rival college. 7 An emerald dragon invisibly tails a party of adventurers, causing trouble for the heroes so the dragon can watch how

House Agent (Tharashk)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

and for my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I would do

anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have revenge

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

to and from your contact, even over great distances; specifically, you know the local messengers, corrupt caravan masters, and seedy sailors who can deliver messages for you. BALDUR’S GATE

attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds. 7 The best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can’t do it. 8 I blow up at the slightest insult. d6

Orzhov Representative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

concentrates the spoils at the top of the hierarchy. As a functionary in that system, your best hope is to claim as much as possible of the money that passes through your hands on its way up, so that

and wealth. (Evil) 5 Stability. The economy functions best when chaos is kept under control and everyone knows their place. (Lawful) 6 Eternity. I want to live forever — in

Selesnya Initiate

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

conclave has a deeper connection to the Worldsoul than I do. 6 I’m trying to atone for the life of crime I led before I joined the Selesnya, but I find it hard to give up my bad habits

guilds, and often these new guild members maintain friendships with former guild mates. Roll twice on the Selesnya Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Selesnya Contacts table

House Agent (Sivis)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

and for my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I would

do anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have revenge

House Agent (Vadalis)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I would do anything

for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have revenge. 4 I

Gladiator Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

against that person’s. 5 I will do anything to prove myself superior to my hated rival. 6 I would do anything for the other members of my old troupe. D6 FLAW

. 4 I once satirized a noble who still wants my head. It was a mistake that I will likely repeat. 5 I have trouble keeping my true feelings hidden. My sharp tongue lands me in trouble. 6 Despite my best efforts, I am unreliable to my friends.

Entertainer Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

hated rival. 6 I would do anything for the other members of my old troupe. d6 Flaw 1 I’ll do anything to win fame and renown. 2 I’m a sucker for a pretty

likely repeat. 5 I have trouble keeping my true feelings hidden. My sharp tongue lands me in trouble. 6 Despite my best efforts, I am unreliable to my friends.

Young Emerald Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. There is a magic in the retelling of stories. Each new teller adds a bit of themself to the spell. (Any) 4 Nurture. Rearing a child is our best chance to make sure our own stories are passed on

and must be convinced to defend the school in a contest against a rival college. 7 An emerald dragon invisibly tails a party of adventurers, causing trouble for the heroes so the dragon can

House Agent (Deneith)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I would do

anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have revenge. 4 I

House Agent (Lyrandar)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

my house and for my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I

would do anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have

House Agent (Medani)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

for my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I would do

anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have revenge. 4

House Agent (Thuranni)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

for my house and for my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and

I would do anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have

Creating a Rival

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

Creating a Rival In essence, a rival is a somewhat specialized NPC. You can use chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to build a new NPC for this purpose, or pick one from your current cast of

the others might be neutral or good; conflicts with those rivals might be social or political, rather than manifesting as direct attacks. The best rivals have a connection with their adversaries on a

Satyr Legacy

Species Mythic Odysseys of Theros

amazing things ever. I want to pick them, wear them, and discover their silent secrets. 2 There isn’t a tree or statue that isn’t fun to climb. 3 Nothing wards off bad luck like a

that my clothes are my glorious soul on display for all the world to behold, and I dress accordingly. 7 Having horns is the best. They are fun to decorate, and they can pop open an amphora, no

Rival Explorers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

Rival Explorers Morgrave University teems with unscrupulous adventurers and researchers driven by avarice. Additionally, the university itself has academic rivals—the University of Wynarn in Aundair

, the Library of Korranberg, and others—whose scholars might become personal foils to adventurers associated with Morgrave. Goals of Rival Explorers Create a team of rival explorers who oppose the

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

everywhere in the world around them, and the priests of a tribe are entrusted with the responsibility of identifying these signs and omens — both good and bad — and deciding how the tribe should

House Agent (Ghallanda)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

my house and for my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I

would do anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have

House Agent (Kundarak)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

house and for my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I

would do anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have revenge

House Agent (Orien)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I would do

anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have revenge. 4 I

House Agent (Phiarlan)

Backgrounds Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

and for my own curiosity. (Any) 6 Comfort. I want to ensure that me and mine enjoy the best things in life. (Any) D6 BOND 1 My house is my family, and I would do

anything for my family. 2 I love someone from another house, but the relationship is forbidden. 3 Someone I love was killed by a rival faction within my house, and I will have revenge

The Middle Path

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

The Middle Path Many DMs find that using a combination of the two approaches works best. By balancing the use of dice against deciding on success, you can encourage your players to strike a balance

bad die roll foiling the character’s plans. By the same token, a bad plan or unfortunate circumstances can transform the easiest task into an impossibility, or at least impose disadvantage.

D&D Beyond

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