better breaks diffusing churning resort

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Cone of Cold","rollDamageType":"cold"} cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Create Ice Mephit (3/Day). Auril breaks off an

that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to disturb her self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off Icewind Dale from the rest of the world, and a shroud of mist

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

yuan-ti know they can’t resort to direct attacks in order to reclaim their rightful place in the world. Operating out of the subterranean ruins of their buildings in foreign lands, yuan-ti

odds aren’t in their favor. A short retreat might be just the thing to reach a better tactical position, find allies, or to allow the yuan-ti the opportunity to study their opponents and

Rakdos Cultist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

law-abiding citizens of Ravnica. Personality Traits d8 Personality Trait 1 I revel in mayhem, the more destructive the better. 2 When violence breaks out, I lose myself in

black at the spot), and I cherish it. 5 I want to be better at my chosen form of performance than any other member of my troupe. 6 I am devoted to Rakdos and live to impress him

Fiery Fangs

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

pack breaks through windows and terrifies the staff. (It’s all the better if the characters are eating a meal there themselves). The monsters single-mindedly pursue the characters and fight until one is

Oath of Redemption

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

Oath of Redemption The Oath of Redemption sets a paladin on a difficult path, one that requires a holy warrior to use violence only as a last resort. Paladins who dedicate themselves to this oath

justice. Peace. Violence is a weapon of last resort. Diplomacy and understanding are the paths to long-lasting peace. Innocence. All people begin life in an innocent state, and it is their environment or

Squaring Off Against the Cult of the Dragon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

that Rezmir and Jos survive this chapter. It’s not a catastrophe if they don’t, but it’s much better if they do. Dralmorrer Borngray and Pharblex Spattergoo have everything to lose if enemies of the

together than apart. As soon as fighting breaks out, they join forces and cooperate. The best place for Borngray and Pharblex to make their stand depends on how the attack develops; you’ll need to play

Squaring Off Against the Cult of the Dragon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

that Rezmir and Jos survive this chapter. It’s not a catastrophe if they don’t, but it’s much better if they do. Dralmorrer Borngray and Pharblex Spattergoo have everything to lose if enemies of the

together than apart. As soon as fighting breaks out, they join forces and cooperate. The best place for Borngray and Pharblex to make their stand depends on how the attack develops; you’ll need to play

Iymrith's Lair

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

churning cauldron of black clouds fills the sky as thunder peals and lightning flashes. Half buried in the cold dunes is a crumbling amphitheater adorned with statues, many of them broken, the rest

character of giant size stands in the amphitheater and loudly challenges Iymrith, the dragon’s ego gets the better of her, and she responds to the challenge by crawling out of her lair to destroy her

Blade Bazaar

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

characters must resort to less convenient means of finding the Whorlstone Tunnels. If the characters do manage to catch Droki in the West Cleft, he drops limp and babbles, but is suspiciously amenable and

decreases the pursuit level by 2. However, if combat ever breaks out between the characters and the drow, a squad of five duergar stone guards (see appendix C) and five duergar warriors arrive within 1d4 rounds and arrest the lot of them (see “Getting Captured”).

Camp Alertness

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

automatic. As the day wears on and the commotion winds down, the camp becomes calmer and better organized. Guards resume their normal routines. If characters haven’t entered the camp before sundown of the

to resort to stealth or subterfuge to get in. For example, characters scaling the plateau from the east could use brush for cover right up to where the cliff overlooks the camp. From there, they

Camp Alertness

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

automatic. As the day wears on and the commotion winds down, the camp becomes calmer and better organized. Guards resume their normal routines. If characters haven’t entered the camp before sundown of the

need to resort to stealth or subterfuge to get in. For example, characters scaling the plateau from the east could use brush for cover right up to where the cliff overlooks the camp. From there, they

Roleplaying a Hag

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

their enemy is asleep). Although a hag can always resort to attacking with her claws, if it comes to that then something has gone very wrong with her plans. Hag Personality Traits d8 Personality Trait

stakes. 4 I laugh at my own jokes — the darker, the better. 5 I never volunteer information, and I respond only to questions. 6 I offer generous terms in my deals, but the cost for defaulting is

Other Nonplayer Characters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

inexplicably breaks into merry songs and short stretches of joke-telling. His voice is a fine tenor and his jokes are hilarious. But these gregarious moods are always short. The rest of the time, he is

long before everyone in the caravan knows to steer clear of Tyjit Skesh. She is quick to anger and quicker to resort to her blades when something sets her off. She is honest to a fault and never fails to

Other Nonplayer Characters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

inexplicably breaks into merry songs and short stretches of joke-telling. His voice is a fine tenor and his jokes are hilarious. But these gregarious moods are always short. The rest of the time, he is silent

before everyone in the caravan knows to steer clear of Tyjit Skesh. She is quick to anger and quicker to resort to her blades when something sets her off. She is honest to a fault and never fails to let

Overkill Attacks

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

damage immediately knocks them out. But wait, it gets better—if the initial attack’s overkill damage exceeds the second minion’s hit point maximum, the leftover overkill damage can roll over to a

the fiction for minions with low challenge ratings, like goblins and zombies. But the balance of combat and fiction breaks down to near-silliness at higher levels when the same spells easily take

The Elder Brain

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

. One nasty, suspicious mind. — Elminster Renegade Illithids Sometimes a mind flayer that’s away from its colony breaks free from the elder brain. Perhaps it ran into a situation where its bonds of

illithid remains fearful of gith attacks, and likely sets about creating a sort of colony of its own, the better to remain undetected. It gathers minions, establishes a lair, and makes defense of its

Haayon the Punisher

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

), and six loyal cultists gather inside the pavilion. Behind the pavilion are two hippogriffs that serve the knights as mounts. The giant and his minions hear any fighting that breaks out in the outer

out. If they ask about the punished cultists, the giant justifies their humiliation by saying they’re weak. If they serve as a warning to others, all the better. Haayon is a patient and perceptive

Counsel of Despair

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

. Some beg the characters not to interfere, while others take the adventurers’ arrival as reason to stand up to the cult. If fighting breaks out here, most of the commoners scatter, but six aid the

little better than poorly treated servants desperately trying to keep up with the hill giant’s appetite. Herivin and his staff want the villains dead. When confronted, Dreyon orders the commoners to drive out the characters. If that fails, he then tries to use the Westbridgers as living shields.

Pulp Adventure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

towers of Sharn… or the ancient goblin tunnels that lie beneath it. What Are the Stakes? What’s better than a battle on the deck of an airship? A battle on the deck of an airship that’s about to crash

investment in the world. Optional Rule: Environmental Elements A fight breaks out in The Cat & Biscuit. The gnome rogue leaps from the landing and swings across the room, passing over the heads of

The Monastery

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

(Perception) check. Any monk whose face is seen shows an identical grim countenance — a face flayed nearly to the bone, the result of a brutal initiation to better match the appearance of the Grand

their own, Lean Meimbaol from area M1 arrives to personally escort them to the abbey. If combat breaks out, the monks all reveal their true natures, and attempt to overwhelm and capture the characters

Evil Students

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

fight breaks out. The Horned Sisters Two tiefling sisters named Turbulence and Violence sought to join the Arcane Brotherhood of Luskan but were turned down. They served aboard pirate ships for a few

while giving them assurances that things will change for the better. Wormriddle the night hag has been keeping an eye on the sisters, who take advantage of any distraction to flee back to Skullport

Heart of Ubtao

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

wizard who wants to “imprison” the Soulmonger; that way, its unique magic can be studied while it’s safely quarantined from the world. She argues that destroying it should be a last resort. Valindra

useful. If a fight breaks out (and there’s little reason one should unless the characters start it), Valindra lets her undead servants deal with the adventurers, then slips through her teleportation

Roleplaying Prisoner 13

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

guards and placing the prison on high alert. If a fight breaks out with closed doors between the battle and the nearest guards, on initiative count 0, make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check for the guards

or drawing. The characters can retry if they fail, at the cost of more time and more risk of discovery. Last Resort. A gruesome but effective option is killing Prisoner 13 and taking her body back

Broken Silence

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

divine calling to learn about their deity’s goals and become one of their chosen. You may alter any of this prelude’s elements to better match individual gods’ virtues and identities. Before you begin

tree visible from outside breaks through the ruin’s marble floor and stretches through the collapsed ceiling. Around it, broken statues line the remaining walls, standing in crumbling alcoves. The

Roleplaying Prisoner 13

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Prisoner 13

guards and placing the prison on high alert. If a fight breaks out with closed doors between the battle and the nearest guards, on initiative count 0, make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check for the guards

or drawing. The characters can retry if they fail, at the cost of more time and more risk of discovery. Last Resort. A gruesome but effective option is killing Prisoner 13 and taking her body back

Factions in the North

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

last resort. The Harpers were instrumental in defeating Tiamat and ending the tyranny of dragons, and with reports of giant attacks on the rise, they see giants as an emergent threat to peace in the

lost souls to its organization with the promise of a better life. Its agents are evil and grasping. When they are not gathering information for the kraken, they lurk in the shadows and indulge in

Mournland Environment

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

Mishann. Our reporters are still sifting through accounts of what has happened, but it is clear at this point that beautiful Cyre, the jewel of Galifar’s vast holdings, has disappeared behind a churning

Mournland and sought to slake their thirst with a drink from the lake. At the lake bottom is the ruined town of Eastwood Springs, which once served as a resort for the leisure classes of Cyre. As yet, no one

Kobolds

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

experiments. Its creations are sometimes comical in appearance, but — like kobolds’ traps — they work a lot better than their materials would suggest. Good While They Last. An inventor’s new weapons last

, there’s a 50 percent chance that the swarm disperses. 4. Green Slime Pot. The kobold throws a clay pot full of green slime at the target, and it breaks open on impact. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to

Dhargun Ironworks

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

(CG male dwarf berserker) is a reformed barbarian. His only love used to be the battlefield, but that changed when he met Gwendolyn. Everything about her was peaceful, tranquil, and better than him. He

Gwendolyn. If a battle breaks out, Jormun stands by Tannus or Gwendolyn (whoever is in greater danger). Other Guests. Nine other dwarves representing both families have come to see the wedding — and to

Morkoth

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

possessions through the planes. Someone who dares to steal from a morkoth, or breaks a deal with one, will know no rest until the morkoth is slain or all promises are kept. Collectors of everything odd

pearly matter of the island is also located. Sections of the lair and its center might be kept dry to better protect and preserve collected objects and creatures, but most of the lair is underwater. A

Maglubiyet's Will Be Done

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

on each head that direct the beast by controlling the view of its blinkered eyes. Former slaves, often soldiers who once fought against the host, who now fight alongside the host to gain better

the host do the goblinoids resort to slaughter and slavery to empty it of enemies. A host that gains many victories might end up claiming vast amounts of territory and eventually become a true nation

Goldenfields Quests

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

attract new clients, and while the Happy Cow breaks even, it’s not a big moneymaker, and right now the Hardcheese moneylending business is on the ropes. The Black Network has agents in Daggerford handing

. Koggin would do it himself, but he thinks that the adventurers stand a better chance of persuading the Snail to relent. Nelkin is described in the “Daggerford” section in chapter 3. If the characters

Other Adventuring Gear

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

13 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d4 piercing damage and stop moving. Thereafter, until the creature breaks free of the trap, its movement is limited by the length of the chain (typically 3 feet long

is provided with the lock. Without the key, a creature proficient with thieves' tools can pick this lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. Your DM may decide that better locks are available for

Locations on the Grove Level

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a1

of 15 or higher or succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check spots the frog. If combat breaks out, the frog jumps down and joins the fight in the second round. Three twig blights are here, too

the twig blights. You can’t save them.” Why are you talking to us? “Though your remains would enrich the compost, you’ll serve my needs better as supplicants. You shall retain your lives, after a

Mr. Dory's Warehouse

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

councillors, Thornwell, has her own reasons for wanting Mr. Dory humiliated, bankrupted, or — better yet — killed. She has been keeping an eye on her enemy as a result (see the “Adventure Hooks

cunning and clever. If combat breaks out here, he remains hidden in the water while the skum do the fighting. He makes a Dexterity (Stealth) check in an attempt to hide. As long as he remains unnoticed

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