better before death come rule

Wand of Orcus

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

some fell goal. The wand is topped with a skull that once belonged to a human hero slain by Orcus. The wand can magically change in size to better conform to the grip of its user. All Holy Water

from it (save DC 18). The table indicates how many charges you must expend to cast the spell. Spell Charge Cost Animate Dead 1 Blight 2 Circle of Death 3 Finger of

Deck of Many Things

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

combat, you have Advantage on Death Saving Throws for 1 year. If someone else reduces your chosen foe to 0 Hit Points or you don’t choose a foe, this card has no effect. Donjon. You disappear

the devil’s allies and followers a few times before being able to confront the devil. In the case of the Rogue card, the enmity is secret and should come from someone thought to be a friend or

Eye and Hand of Vecna

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

Vecna the Archlich;Vecna was a mighty wizard who, through magic and conquest, forged a terrible empire. For all his power, however, Vecna feared death and took steps to prevent his demise by becoming

a lich. A treacherous lieutenant named Kas the Betrayer;Kas brought Vecna’s rule to an end in a terrible battle. Of Vecna, all that remained were one hand and one eye, grisly Artifacts that

Fighter

Classes Player’s Handbook

Armor, Scimitar, Shortsword, Longbow, 20 Arrows, Quiver, Dungeoneer's Pack, and 11 GP; or (C) 155 GP Fighters rule many battlefields. Questing knights, royal champions, elite soldiers, and hardened

mercenaries—as Fighters, they all share an unparalleled prowess with weapons and armor. And they are well acquainted with death, both meting it out and defying it. Fighters master various

Orb of Dragonkind

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

Cost Cure Wounds (level 9 version) 4 Daylight 1 Death Ward 2 Detect Magic 0 Scrying (save DC 18) 3 Call Dragons. While you control the orb, you can take a Magic

action to cause the orb to issue a telepathic call that extends in all directions for 40 miles. Chromatic dragons in range feel compelled to come to the orb as soon as possible by the most direct

Death Kiss

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Drain", "rollDamageType":"lightning"} lightning damage, and the death kiss regains half as many hit points.A death kiss is a lesser beholder that can come into being when a true beholder has a vivid

. Lacking the egotism of their stronger kin, a death kiss usually submits to the rule of its creator or any other beholder it encounters, but it tries to escape as soon as the beholder is preoccupied. A

Syndra Silvane

Monsters Tomb of Annihilation

spells on herself before combat. Death Curse. Syndra’s hit point maximum has been reduced to 79 by the Soulmonger’s death curse, and it decreases by 1 every midnight. If her hit point

maximum drops to 0, Syndra dies and can’t be brought back from the dead until the death curse has ended (and if her soul hasn’t been devoured). Destroying the Soulmonger is the only way to halt

Harrow Hound

Monsters The Book of Many Things

condition. Supernatural Tracker. The hound knows the distance to and direction of any creature that has come within 30 feet of it, even if that creature is on a different plane of existence. If the

return to the Gardens of Decay with the hunt incomplete. Powerful Undead, such as vampire;vampires and death knight;death knights, might be accompanied by packs of harrow hounds.PoisonNecrotic, Psychic

Bodak

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Death Gaze. When a creature that can see the bodak’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the bodak, the bodak can force it to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw if the bodak isn’t

(3d10);{"diceNotation":"3d10", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Death Gaze", "rollDamageType":"psychic"} psychic damage on a failed save. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid

Grim Champion of Pestilence

Monsters The Book of Many Things

Spellcasting.Aleron was once a tiefling adventurer, but unlike so many victims of the Deck of Many Things, he never drew the Skull card. Instead, when one of his allies drew the card and faced the avatar of death

, Aleron came to his ally’s aid. A second avatar of death appeared, and Aleron was slain; soon after, his Undead corpse crawled from Withered Vineyard, tainted with plague. Aleron resents his fellow

Mark of Shadow Elf

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

espionage in the lands west of the Mournland, while Thuranni operates in the eastern lands. As a rule, Phiarlan elves are the better spies and Thuranni agents are superior assassins. Thuranni and Phiarlan

Thuranni, Regalport (Lhazaar Principalities) Elves have carried the Mark of Shadow for thousands of years. The mark’s bearers left Aerenal after the conflict that wiped out the Mark of Death

Trapper

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

territory. It remains motionless as it waits for prey to come close. When a target is within its reach, it peels itself away from the surface and wraps around its prey, crushing, smothering, and then

hibernation that can last for months, though it is still aware when prey comes near. A trapper on the verge of starvation might defy its instincts and abandon its old territory in search of better hunting.

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

bother to couch my opinions in flattering words. 5 I can’t help but pocket any trinket or coin I come across, no matter how worthless. 6 I’m convinced that I’m better and

You are a member of a teeming horde — one small part of a sprawling organism. Just as you are part of the swarm, the swarm is part of a larger ecosystem, a never-ending cycle of life, death

Ziraj the Hunter

Monsters Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

Ziraj's prey, or Ziraj might come to their aid to eliminate a common enemy. He's the strong, silent type. The City Watch has received reports of a figure who haunts the rooftops of Waterdeep — a

hulking shadow that glares from its perch, rains down death in the form of long black arrows, and slinks off without so much as a whisper. Where he comes from — if he even has a home — remains a mystery, as

Eye and Hand of Vecna Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

power, Vecna couldn’t escape his own mortality. He began to fear death and take steps to prevent his end from ever coming about. Orcus, the demon prince of undeath, taught Vecna a ritual that

would allow him to live on as a lich. Beyond death, he became the greatest of all liches. Even though his body gradually withered and decayed, Vecna continued to expand his evil dominion. So formidable

Skabatha Nightshade

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

Hourglass Coven. Better known as Granny Nightshade, she offers her assistance to those who are haunted by regret. Her deals often result in cruel twists; for example, a petitioner who asks to be reunited

. Personality Trait. “When dealing with outsiders, I present myself as a kindly old grandmother.” Ideal. “Children are better off working for me than picking up lots of bad habits

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

tampering with the dead in my search to better understand death.” 61–80 “I want to achieve the everlasting existence of undeath.” 81–00 “I am awash in

with dead. Alternatively, he can expend 1 or more of the wand’s charges to cast one of the following spells from it: circle of death (1 charge), finger of death (1 charge), or power word kill (2

Charlatan Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

there, I have a child who doesn’t know me. I’m making the world better for him or her. 4 I come from a noble family, and one day I’ll reclaim my lands and title from those who

weapons of choice. 7 I keep multiple holy symbols on me and invoke whatever deity might come in useful at any given moment. 8 I pocket anything I see that might have some value. d6

Reborn

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Death isn’t always the end. The reborn exemplify this, being individuals who have died yet, somehow, still live. Some reborn exhibit the scars of fatal ends, their ashen flesh or bloodless

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

Urchin Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

securely for at least ten days. How did you come by that money? What allowed you to break free of your desperate circumstances and embark on a better life? Skill Proficiencies: Sleight of

shaped by lives of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better

Leucrotta

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

cover up the stink of death. The first leucrottas came into being alongside some gnolls during the rampages of Yeenoghu on the Material Plane. While many of the hyenas that ate Yeenoghu’s

like doing their own killing, since leucrottas are meticulous in their cruelty and able to draw out kills for better and longer sport. And when there are no victims to be had, a leucrotta can mimic the

Wand of Orcus Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

. Made from bones as hard as iron, the wand is topped with a magically enlarged skull that once belonged to a human hero slain by Orcus. The wand can magically change in size to better conform to the

or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells (save DC 18) from it: animate dead (1 charge), blight (2 charges), circle of death (3 charges), finger of death (3 charges), power word kill

Animate Objects Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

Objects come to life at your command. Choose up to ten nonmagical objects within range that are not being worn or carried. Medium targets count as two objects, Large targets count as four objects

bonus and bludgeoning damage determined by its size. The GM might rule that a specific object inflicts slashing or piercing damage based on its form. At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can animate two additional objects for each slot level above 5th.

Lady Illmarrow

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

, polymorph 5th level (3 slots): cloudkill, cone of cold, hold monster, scrying 6th level (2 slot): chain lightning, circle of death, create undead 7th level (2 slot): finger of death, forcecage

Emerald Claw, but her motives for founding the order are buried in her past. Lady Illmarrow has no interest in ruling the living. Rather, she seeks to become Queen of the Dead. The Mark of Death

Sword of Kas Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

power grew, so did his hubris. His sword urged him to supplant Vecna, so that they could rule the lich’s empire in Vecna’s stead. Legend says Vecna’s destruction came at Kas’s

) from it: call lightning, divine word, or finger of death. Once you use the sword to cast a spell, you can’t cast that spell again from it until the next dawn. Sentience. The Sword of Kas is a

Orb of Dragonkind Legacy

Magic Items Basic Rules (2014)

one of the following spells (save DC 18) from it: cure wounds (5th-level version, 3 charges), daylight (1 charge), death ward (2 charges), or scrying (3 charges). You can also use an action to cast

directions for 40 miles. Evil dragons in range feel compelled to come to the orb as soon as possible by the most direct route. Dragon deities such as Tiamat are unaffected by this call. Dragons drawn to

Rictavio

Monsters Curse of Strahd

): augury, lesser restoration, protection from poison 3rd level (3 slots): magic circle, remove curse, speak with dead 4th level (3 slots): death ward, freedom of movement 5th level (1 slot): dispel

hunting evil monsters. The Waiting Game. Van Richten isn’t a young man anymore. He knows his road is coming to an end, but his work isn't done. He has come to Barovia to kill Strahd von Zarovich

Tomb Tapper

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Petrified Death. A tomb tapper reduced to 0 hit points turns into a lifeless stone statue. Anything it's wearing or carrying is not transformed. Sense Magic. The tomb tapper senses magic within 30

are in awe of earth elementals, believing that they come directly from this source, and are reluctant to attack them.Cold, FireLightning

Tlincalli

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

tlincalli parents come to investigate. Tlincallis eat what they kill, whether their hunt nets desert animals or a caravan, but when they have new mouths to feed, they are careful to take some of their prey

powerful hunter, such as a blue dragon, they carefully weigh whether to serve the superior hunter, move on, or fight to the death to remove it as competition. Tlincallis rarely build cities, make

Entertainer Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

1 I know a story relevant to almost every situation. 2 Whenever I come to a new place, I collect local rumors and spread gossip. 3 I’m a hopeless romantic, always searching

. d6 Ideal 1 Beauty. When I perform, I make the world better than it was. (Good) 2 Tradition. The stories, legends, and songs of the past must never be forgotten, for they teach us

Eladrin Legacy

Species Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

You spend excessively on creature comforts. Winter d4 Winter Personality Trait 1 The worst case is the most likely to occur. 2 You preserve what you have. Better to

Everything dies eventually. Why bother building anything that is supposedly meant to last? 2 Nothing matters to you, and you allow others to guide your actions. 3 Your needs come first. In

Endelyn Moongrave

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

Coven. People come to her to learn about their futures, which she spells out through grotesque theatrical pageants. As payment, she snatches away a portion of each client’s free will, preventing

waste my time.” Bond. “My world is the stage, and my theater is of paramount importance to me.” Flaw. “My death will occur during an eclipse. That is my doom, and I can

Folk Hero Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

You come from a humble social rank, but you are destined for so much more. Already the people of your home village regard you as their champion, and your destiny calls you to stand against the

leadership and was commended for my heroism. FEATURE: RUSTIC HOSPITALITY Since you come from the ranks of the common folk, you fit in among them with ease. You can find a place to hide, rest

Rahadin

Monsters Curse of Strahd

never love her. Rahadin assumed that Patrina would suffer the same fate as those women who had come before her. He was proven wrong when Patrina's own people stoned her to death to keep Strahd from

Tatyana's death and Strahd's curse. The ageless Patrina returned to Ravenloft in the hope of winning Strahd's love. This time, it was clear that Patrina craved Strahd's power and that Strahd would

Mark of Handling Human

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

were born to rule it. —Dalin d’Vadalis The Mark of Handling gives its bearer a primal connection to beasts and the natural world, granting the power to calm and coax. This extends beyond

rumors claim that Vadalis has crafted monsters of its own. Some rumors even insist that Vadalis is trying to magebreed better humans.

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