best broad diffusing concept relies

Vedalken

Species Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

external ears, their noses are broad and flat, and they are partially amphibious. Cool Rationality Despite being talkative, vedalken keep their personal lives private, and they tend to engage more

skilled at not displaying it. Cool rationality guides their actions, they make and follow careful plans, and they are patient enough to do nothing when the ideal outcome relies on such inaction

Tiefling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language, passed down through generations, that

reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and then try to embody that concept. For some

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

elements that can tip the balance one way or the other. Goliaths happily rely on such benefits, but they are careful to remember that such an advantage can always be lost. A goliath who relies too

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

Fighter Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

exquisite bow. The half-orc nearby shouts orders, helping the two combatants coordinate their assault to the best advantage. A dwarf in chain mail interposes his shield between the ogre’s club

, some on fighting with two weapons at once, and some on augmenting their martial skills with magic. This combination of broad general ability and extensive specialization makes fighters superior

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

empires on the foundation of conquest and trade. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the worlds. A Broad Spectrum With their penchant for migration

, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and as a group, humans are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics. EVERYONE’S SECOND-BEST FRIENDS

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, Dragons of Autumn Twilight Walking in two worlds but truly belonging to neither, half-elves combine what some say are the best qualities of their elf and human parents: human curiosity

like elves, and to elves, they look human. In height, they’re on par with both parents, though they’re neither as slender as elves nor as broad as humans. They range from under 5 feet to

Gnome Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

habitations in Oeble, that particular tenement had been built for humans, and smaller residents coped with the resulting awkwardness as best they could. But at least the relative largeness of the apartment

. Gnomes average slightly over 3 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Their tan or brown faces are usually adorned with broad smiles (beneath their prodigious noses), and their bright eyes shine with

Feral Tiefling

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language, passed down through generations, that

reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and then try to embody that concept. For some

Tiefling Names

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

Tiefling Names Tiefling names fall into three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language

, passed down through generations, that reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and

Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry. A Timeless Perspective Elves can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are

, sophistication, and manners, they make up in valor. And I must admit, their best smiths produce art that approaches elven quality.” Halflings. “Halflings are people of simple pleasures, and

Tiefling Names

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

Tiefling Names Tiefling names fall into three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal

concept and then try to embody that concept. For some, the chosen name is a noble quest. For others, it’s a grim destiny. Male Infernal Names: Akmenos, Amnon, Barakas, Damakos, Ekemon, Iados, Kairon

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

determine your character’s height or weight randomly, consult the Random Height and Weight table in the Player’s Handbook, and choose the row in the table that best represents the build you imagine for your character.

Flaws Legacy

Rules

Your character's flaw represents some vice, compulsion, fear, or weakness—in particular, anything that someone else could exploit to bring you to ruin or cause you to act against your best interests

. More significant than negative personality traits, a flaw might answer any of these questions: What enrages you? What's the one person, concept, or event that you are terrified of? What are your vices?

Ability Checks

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

favor by using an approach that relies on your best bonuses and skills. If the group needs to trick a guard into letting them into a castle, the rogue who is proficient in Deception is the best bet

Using This Book

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

2 and 3. If you come across a game concept in part 1 that you don’t understand, consult the book’s index. Part 2 (chapters 7–9) details the rules of how to play the game, beyond the basics described

in this introduction. That part covers the kinds of die rolls you make to determine success or failure at the tasks your character attempts, and describes the three broad categories of activity in the

Ability Checks

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

favor by using an approach that relies on your best bonuses and skills. If the group needs to trick a guard into letting them into a castle, the rogue who is proficient in Deception is the best bet

Time

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

to reach the lonely tower at the heart of the forest hurry across those fifteen miles in just under four hours' time. For long journeys, a scale of days works best. Following the road from Baldur's

Gate to Waterdeep, the adventurers spend four uneventful days before a goblin ambush interrupts their journey. In combat and other fast-paced situations, the game relies on rounds, a 6-second span of time.

Time

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

to reach the lonely tower at the heart of the forest hurry across those fifteen miles in just under four hours' time. For long journeys, a scale of days works best. Following the road from Baldur's

Gate to Waterdeep, the adventurers spend four uneventful days before a goblin ambush interrupts their journey. In combat and other fast-paced situations, the game relies on rounds, a 6-second span of time described in chapter 9, “Combat.”

It's All Optional

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

encourage you to choose the ones that fit best with your campaign’s story and with your group’s style of play. Whatever options you choose to use, this book relies on the rules in the Player’s

Build Your Group

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

presence. Plenty of Bruisers have a criminal past, but former soldiers are often recruited into this role as well. Fighters and rogues make natural Bruisers. Burglar. Agile and nimble, the Burglar relies

give them a broad range of knowledge to support their schemes. Bards, rogues, and wizards are often drawn to this role. Safecracker. The “breaking” part of “breaking and entering” is the Safecracker’s

Foreward

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

hard part was deciding how exactly to do that. We faced an important decision early on in creating the concept for this campaign. In addition to the original 1985 adventure, there was a sequel released

straightforward. I highly recommend it as one of D&D's earliest and best dungeons. Instead, we decided to consider Elemental Evil as cosmic threat. As creatures of the planes, the elemental princes

Know Your Players

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

match their preferences. At best, a group of players is a lot like their characters, in that having different interests and capabilities enables them to handle a broad range of challenges.

Flavors of Fantasy

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

Flavors of Fantasy Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy game, but that broad category encompasses a lot of variety. Many different flavors of fantasy exist in fiction and film. Do you want a horrific

an effort to destroy monsters or villains. This genre is also common in fantasy fiction. Most novels set in the Forgotten Realms are best described as heroic fantasy, following in the footsteps of many of the authors listed in the Appendices of the Player’s Handbook.

A Bard's Muse

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

versatility. Others adopt a more personal approach to their art, driven by their attachment to a muse — a particular concept that inspires much of what those bards do in front of an audience. A bard who

follows a muse generally does so to gain a deeper understanding of what that muse represents and how to best convey that understanding to others through performance. If your bard character has a muse, it

Animal Lord

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

faces environmental disaster or droves of animals are otherwise in jeopardy. Valera Lutfullina Among the best-known animal lords are those that represent cats, hawks, lizards, and wolves, but

lords can summon spectral animals, channel spiritual energy, and exhibit powers associated with one of three broad groups: foragers, hunters, or sages. These powers are tied to an animal lord’s

Tracking Time

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

relies on 6-second rounds. Minutes. In a dungeon or settlement, movement happens on a scale of minutes. In the Free City of Greyhawk, getting from the Silver Dragon Inn to the wharf takes about 10 minutes

in 5 hours’ time. Days. For long journeys, a scale of days works best. Following the road from Veluna City to the Free City of Greyhawk, the adventurers cover 96 miles in 4 uneventful days before a

Chapter 10: Hold of the Storm Giants

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

giants, reclusive by nature, did their best to discourage lesser giants from destroying the civilizations of the small folk. The death of Queen Neri and the disappearance of King Hekaton have left

, his rightful heir. She has taken her place on the Wyrmskull Throne, but with the ordning shattered, she doesn’t have the power to keep the evil giant lords in line. She relies on two storm giants for

K59. High Tower Peak

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

clicking of gears. Pidlwick II can’t speak and doesn’t have an expressive face, so he relies mostly on hand gestures and simple diagrams to communicate. He understands Common but can’t read or write. If

the characters show kindness to the clockwork effigy, it accompanies them and tries its best to be helpful and entertaining. It knows its way around the castle and can serve as a silent guide. If one

Vedalken

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

blue or violet. They lack external ears, their noses are broad and flat, and they are partially amphibious. Cool Rationality Despite being talkative, vedalken keep their personal lives private, and they

they are skilled at not displaying it. Cool rationality guides their actions, they make and follow careful plans, and they are patient enough to do nothing when the ideal outcome relies on such

Religious Service

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

Result 1–10 No effect. Your efforts fail to make a lasting impression. 11–20 You earn one favor. 21+ You earn two favors. A favor, in broad terms, is a promise of future assistance from a

Charisma modifier (minimum of one unused favor). Complications. Temples can be labyrinths of political and social scheming. Even the best-intentioned sect can fall prone to rivalries. A character who serves

Kartakass

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

who have broad ranges of rich skin and hair colors. The use of dyes and cosmetics to accent one’s features and memorability is common among all genders. When players create characters from Kartakass

mentor? What do you use your talents, work, or travels to hide? Does insecurity or doubt drive you to excel? Did someone best you in your field of mastery? Does a vice, curse, or rumor color your

Commodore Krux

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Light of Xaryxis

creature with eyestalks and a watchful central eye tends bar in this establishment. Filling one side of a table meant for six is a broad-chested, hippo-headed man with a green parrot perched on one

-lipped regarding his own history with the Xaryxian Empire as well as how he plans to help the characters, indicating that it is best not to say too much where others might overhear: “A fleet of

Skill Variants

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

the following variants. Choose whichever one best suits your campaign. Ability Check Proficiency With this variant rule, characters don’t have skill proficiencies. Instead, each character has

as my family’s ambassador to the court, and this sort of thing is second nature to me now.” This simple system relies heavily on players developing their characters’ histories. Don’t let it result in

25. Creature Storage

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

adopt it, and gave it a name: Halastron. The modron considers Halaster its friend and follows his orders to the best of its ability. Its orders are as follows: Remember its name. Defend itself. Attack

creature to flesh, he uses a telekinesis spell to transport it to area 25a, then relies on the magic of the pillars there. Area 25h. This room is hidden behind a secret door and contains a lifelike statue

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

actions contribute to the survival of the group. The tribe practices for the eventuality of defending the lair against intruders, and their plans always include knowing the best escape routes and who is

lack of emotional bonding means they have no concept of marriage or permanent family relationships. Their eggs are placed in a common tribal hatchery with no effort to keep track of who each one

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