beyond bards define concerns rather

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

dracoliches, magically bound dragons to his service, and learned how to drive dragons across Faerûn into a berserk rage. He considered his intellect beyond morality and became paranoid, resentful, and

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

bound dragons to his service, and learned how to drive dragons across Faerûn into a berserk rage. He considered his intellect beyond morality and became paranoid, resentful, and megalomaniacal

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

Choker

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

choker can keep its body deep inside the crevice where it hides, beyond the reach of most normal weapons. Chokers tend to set their ambushes alone, rather than working in concert, but where one

choker is a subterranean predator far more dangerous than its small size and spindly, rubbery limbs would suggest. Chokers have cartilage rather than a bony skeleton. This flexible internal structure

College of Lore Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

Bards of the College of Lore know something about most things, collecting bits of knowledge from sources as diverse as scholarly tomes and peasant tales. Whether singing folk ballads in taverns or

elaborate compositions in royal courts, these bards use their gifts to hold audiences spellbound. When the applause dies down, the audience members might find themselves questioning everything they held

Leonin Iconoclast

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

one another and the land. Only in recent times have some leonin started guardedly looking beyond their homeland and wondering what role they might take in the wider world. Most leonin hunters are tribal

warrior;tribal warriors, but those who hunt the servants of the gods rather than game are known as leonin iconoclasts.

Bard Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

of song, speech, and the magic they contain. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation

still resound throughout the cosmos. The music of bards is an attempt to snatch and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their spells and powers. The greatest strength of bards is their sheer

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

, define her. Lesser gods in the D&D multiverse are extremely powerful and arrogant, but also fallible and blind to their own flaws. It’s appropriate for Auril to act as though she’s

, Auril is reborn at full strength during the next winter solstice, with divine power far beyond what is reflected in the stat blocks presented here. After finishing a long rest, Auril regains any of

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

at his core, the seneschal didn’t return as a skeletal knight but rather as an intangible spirit. Caradoc’s Undead form suits him well, allowing him to possess the living and use unwilling

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

demystifying her in the eyes of your players. Let her actions, not her words, define her. Lesser gods in the D&D multiverse are extremely powerful and arrogant, but also fallible and blind to their

form, Auril dies. As long as she has mortal followers who worship her, however, Auril is reborn at full strength during the next winter solstice, with divine power far beyond what is reflected in the

Nosferatu

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

their lair’s comfort. Rather than retiring to crypts, they seek filthy or inaccessible fissures, places any living soul would avoid. For a few moments after feeding, nosferatu are lucid and

capable of considering more than their next meal. In these instants, nosferatu recollect glimpses of what they once were, beings who knew pride, intention, and a world beyond the shadows. They might even

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

colors. Halfling practicality extends beyond their clothing. They’re concerned with basic needs and simple pleasures and have little use for ostentation. Even the wealthiest of halflings keep their

treasures locked in a cellar rather than on display for all to see. They have a knack for finding the most straightforward solution to a problem, and have little patience for dithering. Kind and

Way of Mercy Legacy

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Monks of the Way of Mercy learn to manipulate the life force of others to bring aid to those in need. They are wandering physicians to the poor and hurt. However, to those beyond their help, they

bring a swift end as an act of mercy. Those who follow the Way of Mercy might be members of a religious order, administering to the needy and making grim choices rooted in reality rather than idealism

Alustriel Silverhand

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

gives no hint of her supernaturally extended life span. She typically wears long robes and wields a unicorn-headed staff, her Staff of Silverymoon. Personality Alustriel’s primary concerns

in her true form. She helped create Silverymoon’s famous Moonbridge and cofounded the Lady’s College, the first school in Faerûn for mages as students rather than as apprentices in

Faction Agent

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

knowledge, rather than brute force. Harper agents are often proficient in Investigation, enabling them to be adept at snooping and spying. They often seek aid from other Harpers, sympathetic bards and

with interests and concerns that transcend local politics and geography, the Alliance has its own cadre of individuals who work on behalf of the organizations, wider agenda. Alliance agents are required

City Watch / Investigator

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

easily pick out the dens of criminal activity in a community, although you’re more likely to be welcome in the former locations rather than the latter. Variant: Investigator Rarer

Investigation rather than Athletics. Suggested Characteristics Use the tables for the soldier background below as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

. The less she talks, the less risk you have of unintentionally demystifying her in the eyes of your players. Let her actions, not her words, define her. Lesser gods in the D&D multiverse are

solstice, with divine power far beyond what is reflected in the stat blocks presented here. After finishing a long rest, Auril regains any of her forms that were destroyed, provided at least one

Moonstone Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

others is often difficult because I’m so easily distr… oh my goodness, is that circlet made of silver? 7 I find the waking world tedious and mundane and would much rather spend my

. Violence need never be the answer in a multiverse of infinite possibilities. (Neutral) 3 Whimsy. Why waste time on boring, ordinary concerns when the world is filled with fantastic and ludicrous

Young Moonstone Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

… oh my goodness, is that circlet made of silver? 7 I find the waking world tedious and mundane and would much rather spend my time asleep, in the realm of dreams. 8 I find the

possibilities. (Neutral) 3 Whimsy. Why waste time on boring, ordinary concerns when the world is filled with fantastic and ludicrous wonders? (Chaotic) 4 Beauty. There is beauty to be found

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

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

Adult Moonstone Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

often difficult because I’m so easily distr… oh my goodness, is that circlet made of silver? 7 I find the waking world tedious and mundane and would much rather spend my time asleep

never be the answer in a multiverse of infinite possibilities. (Neutral) 3 Whimsy. Why waste time on boring, ordinary concerns when the world is filled with fantastic and ludicrous wonders

Ancient Moonstone Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Conversing with others is often difficult because I’m so easily distr… oh my goodness, is that circlet made of silver? 7 I find the waking world tedious and mundane and would much rather

Nonviolence. Violence need never be the answer in a multiverse of infinite possibilities. (Neutral) 3 Whimsy. Why waste time on boring, ordinary concerns when the world is filled with fantastic and

Learning from Experience

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

Learning from Experience True bards are not common in the world. Not every minstrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal court is a bard. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires

hard study and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. It can be hard to spot the difference between these performers and true bards, though. A bard’s life is spent

Music and Magic

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

. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation still resound throughout the cosmos. The music of

bards is an attempt to snatch and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their spells and powers. The greatest strength of bards is their sheer versatility. Many bards prefer to stick to the

Music and Magic

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

. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation still resound throughout the cosmos. The music of

bards is an attempt to snatch and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their spells and powers. The greatest strength of bards is their sheer versatility. Many bards prefer to stick to the

Learning from Experience

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

Learning from Experience True bards are not common in the world. Not every minstrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal court is a bard. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires

hard study and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. It can be hard to spot the difference between these performers and true bards, though. A bard’s life is spent

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

traditions with origins far beyond the reach of any single human’s memory. They live fully in the present—making them well suited to the adventuring life—but also plan for the future

, 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

Chapter 4: Personality and Background

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

Chapter 4: Personality and Background Characters are defined by much more than their race and class. They’re individuals with their own stories, interests, connections, and capabilities beyond those

that class and race define. This section expounds on the details that distinguish characters from one another, including the basics of name and physical description, the rules of backgrounds and languages, and the finer points of personality and alignment.

Chapter 4: Personality and Background

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

Chapter 4: Personality and Background Characters are defined by much more than their race and class. They’re individuals with their own stories, interests, connections, and capabilities beyond those

that class and race define. This chapter expounds on the details that distinguish characters from one another, including the basics of name and physical description, the rules of backgrounds and languages, and the finer points of personality and alignment.

Court of Whispers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Radiant Citadel

Court of Whispers The denizens of the Court of Whispers barter for current knowledge. Heralds, criers, bards, and griots buy and sell information from the fifteen founding civilizations active in the

of major concerns in their people’s homelands, as well as potential threats to the Citadel, while the Shieldbearers of the Citadel (see the “Palace of Exile” section) seek information so they can

Lady Illmarrow

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

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

. Illmarrow is a fiefdom on the isle of Farlnen — home to a community of elves exiled from Aerenal, who have practiced necromancy for centuries. But Lady Illmarrow’s roots extend far beyond her

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

, while poring over tomes of forbidden lore, a brilliant student’s mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void. Once a pact is made, a

gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals, which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patrons drive

Life in the Domains of Dread

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

Correspondence In some domains, the residents are aware that realms exist beyond the Mists, but most have little interest in lands beyond their own. The Darklords’ obsessions distract them from concerns

origins: Common, which functions as a shared tongue throughout the Land of the Mists. Beyond this, all the other languages noted in the Player’s Handbook and Monster Manual are spoken among the Domains of

Selesnya Initiate

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

1 I never raise my voice or lose my temper. 2 I feel the pains and joys of everyone around me, friend or foe. 3 I would rather make a friend than thwart an enemy. 4 I’m

always straining to peer into another reality that seems to be just beyond my senses. 5 I’m uneasy if I can’t see plants growing or feel soil beneath my feet. 6 Seeing illness

Court of Whispers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

Court of Whispers The denizens of the Court of Whispers barter for current knowledge. Heralds, criers, bards, and griots buy and sell information from the fifteen founding civilizations active in the

of major concerns in their people’s homelands, as well as potential threats to the Citadel, while the Shieldbearers of the Citadel (see the “Palace of Exile” section) seek information so they can

Lizardfolk Names

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

Common words. Lizardfolk use active verbs to describe the world. A lizardfolk in cold weather might say, “This wind brings cold” rather than “I feel cold.” Lizardfolk tend to define things in terms of actions, rather than effects.

D&D Beyond

Search Results