beyond before defeat contrast refuges

Ironscale Hydra

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

each head regrown in this way. Reactive Heads. For each head the hydra has beyond one, it gets an extra reaction that can be used only for opportunity attacks. Wakeful. While the hydra sleeps, at least

, from the bog-dwelling hydras known across the multiverse to massive ironscale hydras that lurk in deep wildernesses. Beyond even these exist serpentine horrors born of the whims of foul gods, like the

Zargash

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

folly, but Zargash is twisted beyond any hope of redemption. His hobbies include slaying the living and animating the dead. Alignment. Chaotic evil. Personality Trait. “I do not fear death

defeat seems inevitable, he casts gaseous form on himself and flees, leaving his allies to fend for themselves. League of Malevolence The League of Malevolence is an odious assemblage of villains

Polukranos

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

beyond one, it gets an extra reaction that can be used only to make opportunity attacks. Siege Monster. Polukranos deals double damage to objects and structures. Wakeful. While Polukranos sleeps, at

, from the bog-dwelling hydras known across the multiverse to massive ironscale hydra;ironscale hydras that lurk in deep wildernesses. Beyond even these exist serpentine horrors born of the whims of foul

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

hold and controls their actions. In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk doesn’t think, “I’m scared.&rdquo

aggression toward creatures that they could defeat in a fight and that can’t be dealt with in some other manner. They are aggressive toward prey they want to eat, creatures that want to harm them, and

Deck of Several Things

Magic Items Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

defeat the next hostile monster or group of monsters you encounter, you have advantage on ability checks made using one skill of your choice for the duration of the adventure. Otherwise, this card has no

already been claimed, you gain an equivalent hoard. Idiot. Reduce your Intelligence by 1d4 + 1 (to a minimum score of 1) for the duration of the adventure. You can draw one additional card beyond

Deck of Many Things Legacy

Magic Items Basic Rules (2014)

-handedly defeat the next hostile monster or group of monsters you encounter, you gain experience points enough to gain one level. Otherwise, this card has no effect. Donjon. You disappear and become

1d4 + 1 (to a minimum score of 1). You can draw one additional card beyond your declared draws. Jester. You gain 10,000 XP, or you can draw two additional cards beyond your declared draws. Key. A

Monk Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

landscapes of the worlds of D&D, tiny refuges from the flow of ordinary life, where time seems to stand still. The monks who live there seek personal perfection through contemplation and rigorous

important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to

Ki-rin

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

violet eyes. In a breeze or when aloft, the creature’s scales and hair appear to blaze with a holy, golden fire. Beyond their coloration, ki-rins vary in appearance based on the deity each one

working behind the scenes, or they might be champions of their master’s cause, out to defeat villainy wherever it is found. When viewed from the outside, a ki-rin’s lair is indistinguishable

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

beyond — from the boundless vistas of the Elemental Plane of Air. They are immigrants, refugees, scouts, and explorers, their outposts functioning as footholds in a world both strange and alien

the Wind Dukes long ago to defeat the Queen of Chaos’s monstrous champion, Miska the Wolf-Spider. When plunged into Miska’s body, the chaos in his blood sundered the rod and scattered its

Blackgate

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

Blackgate The jackalweres live in the northern neighborhood of Blackgate, not far from the Wide. This district is part of the Outer City, a sprawl of settlements that stretch beyond the city’s actual

walls. The Outer City is home to Baldur’s Gate’s poorer inhabitants, who live in ramshackle huts and flimsy tents—a stark contrast to the opulence of the Upper City. Merchants with wares too meager

Developments

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

Developments If the characters defeat Arauthator, the reactions of Oyaviggaton’s other inhabitants are dependent on whether the dragon is killed or driven off. If Arauthator is killed, the ice toads

grieve, but they won’t take any action against the characters. In contrast, the kobolds are furious with grief, throwing themselves at the characters in frenzied, suicidal attacks. The ice trolls

Developments

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

Developments If the characters defeat Arauthator, the reactions of Oyaviggaton’s other inhabitants are dependent on whether the dragon is killed or driven off. If Arauthator is killed, the ice toads

grieve, but they won’t take any action against the characters. In contrast, the kobolds are furious with grief, throwing themselves at the characters in frenzied, suicidal attacks. The ice trolls

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

, animals, or elemental forces. The ancient druidic traditions are sometimes called the Old Faith, in contrast to the worship of gods in temples and shrines. Druid spells are oriented toward nature and

includes the worship of Nature as a primal force beyond personification, but also encompasses the worship of Beory, the Oerth Mother, as well as devotees of Obad-Hai, Ehlonna, and Ulaa. In the worlds

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

undead, and to protect the innocent and those who join them in the fight for justice. Beyond the Mundane Life Almost by definition, the life of a paladin is an adventuring life. Unless a lasting injury

your quests? Perhaps you stumbled into a sacred grove or a hidden elven enclave and found yourself called to protect all such refuges of goodness and beauty. Or you might have known from your

Conclusion

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Scions of Elemental Evil

Conclusion Once the characters defeat Ulsedra Vox, any cultists remaining inside the temple flee when told their leader is gone. The characters can easily leave the building. On the temple’s

outskirts, the characters rejoin the elf Filonia in her small camp. Pleased beyond measure to see the characters, the knight asks to hear tales of their mission during their return to Celene.

Alien Minds

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

their actions. In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk doesn’t think, “I’m scared.” Instead, aggressive, stronger creatures

understand that a troll is a fearsome, dangerous creature and react accordingly. Lizardfolk never become angry in the way others do, but they act with aggression toward creatures that they could defeat in a

Interfering with the Lady

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Sigil and the Outlands

learned its lesson, the Lady sends it to the Mazes in the next blink. Similar to other godlike beings, the Lady of Pain has no stat block. She is beyond the ability of characters to defeat by conventional means.

Level 5: Wyllowwood

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

Level 5: Wyllowwood Wyllowwood is designed for four 8th-level characters. Those who defeat the monsters on this level should gain enough XP to reach 9th level. In some cases, defeating a monster can

River of the Depths, which they first encounter on level 4. Characters who follow the river must navigate rapids and small waterfalls to reach Wyllowwood. Beyond this level, the River of the Depths

Adult Kruthik

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

their legs and can fling these dagger-sized spikes at enemies beyond the reach of their claws. Adult Kruthik Medium monstrosity, unaligned Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12

hives serve a purpose in the natural world. Bees pollinate flowers. Termites make earth out of wood. Kruthiks, by contrast, slay societies. Perhaps that function is just as necessary.

Halflings

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

Halflings Folk think of elves as aloof and graceful, dwarves as fierce and hardy, and of gnomes — if they think of them at all — as clever and shy. Halflings, in contrast, have the reputation of

common sense, and tales about halflings abound with lucky breaks and narrow escapes. Beyond these typical elements of the halfling character, halflings can be divided into two major subraces. Many

Para-elemental Planes

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

Conflagration, howling winds from the Plane of Air mix with the cinder storms and lava of the Sea of Fire. This plane is an endless storm of flames, smoke, and ash. The thick ash obscures sight beyond a

fundamentally similar to places found on the Material Plane—the place where all four elements mingle freely. At a symbolic level, the Para-elemental Planes represent the interaction and sometimes the contrast

Divine Intervention

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

Divine Intervention In some campaigns, gods are fond of meddling in mortal affairs, and heroes sometimes call on the gods for aid beyond what divine magic ordinarily provides. The gods sometimes also

god should never guarantee success or victory, nor should a god’s interference portend immediate defeat. Gods can act to change the balance of an encounter or offer an avenue of escape, but they count

Jhesiyra Kestellharp

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

form. Jhesiyra can exert control over Halaster’s magic gates, keeping adventurers from passing through them if she thinks they lack the might needed to defeat the perils beyond. In terms of game rules

, inhabiting the very dungeon itself. Halaster is unaware of Jhesiyra’s presence but also wonders over her disappearance following the Spellplague. Jhesiyra’s plan is to use adventurers to defeat Halaster so

Using an Overarching Story

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

is to amass the power they need to defeat a powerful enemy that threatens the world. Their goal in the second example is to defend something they care about by destroying whatever threatens it. The

and using it to defeat a cosmic threat. Example 2: Agents of X You can also build a campaign around the idea that the adventurers are agents of something larger than themselves — a kingdom or secret

Worshiping Iroas

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

stubbornness. Countless tales tell of him or his champions besting terrible beasts, enemy armies, or threats to the world. Still other stories rise beyond accounts of his victories. Bulwark of Brotherhood

. Iroas carries a battle-worn bronze shield called the Bulwark of Brotherhood. It symbolizes the protective bond shared by all soldiers at war and his determination, ironically, to defeat his own brother

Character Levels

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

Character Levels The adventure is meant for characters of levels 1–10 and includes threats for those levels and beyond. Strahd can be an especially deadly challenge at these levels. It is assumed

Ravenloft without first increasing their power will likely die. You can award experience points for the defeat of foes, use milestone awards, or a mixture of both. Given the fact that much of the

Folk Horror

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

adventures, particularly as they contrast with what majorities consider the status quo. In folk horror tales, characters often discover that their beliefs aren’t as universally held as they assumed, and

traditions beyond their understanding. Alternatively, characters might realize their own beliefs are lies as others reveal unsettling truths. Communities that ascribe to the traditions of folk horror

Cities and Sites

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

Cities and Sites Beyond the magnificence of Sharn, Breland hosts a vast spectrum of other wonders. Argonth The floating fortress of Breland, Argonth is one of the marvels of the Last War. The product

before some incident led you to become an adventurer. Black Pit A massive chasm in the Blackcap Mountains, the Black Pit is over a mile across and descends beyond the limits of sight. It’s said to be an

Athreos's Champions

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Athreos’s Champions Athreos expects his champions to maintain the balance between the living and the dead, just as he does. Beyond this, his servants take it upon themselves to maintain funerary

customs unique to their cultures and preserve the memories of the departed. Beyond the mortal world, the River Guide opposes any who disrupt the cycle of life and death, behavior that occasionally brings

Ending the Adventure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak

Ending the Adventure ROCK GNOME RECLUSE The adventure can end in one of several ways. Ideally, it concludes with the defeat of Cryovain the white dragon, the completion of all the Phandalin quests

offer, you can run it again for different players, or you can find an adventure that takes the characters beyond 6th level. The “Where Next?” section below offers a few suggestions.

Attack of the Nematode

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

Nematode writhing 500 feet above the town like a malevolent cloud. The creature is far too large to defeat by conventional attacks or spells, so the characters must once again explore the Nematode from

rather than lightning). Beyond the membrane in the Nematode’s head is a massive, fluid-filled chamber that serves as the Nematode’s brain. The characters must damage each of the five electroreceptors in

Cargo Deck Conflagration

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer Academy

creatures and objects beyond that range are only lightly obscured. Running the NPCs As the characters defeat the last of the mephits, Krik’Lit and Pffred get the fire under control by expending half the

. Visibility. Visibility on the Cargo Deck is reduced to 10 feet. Creatures and objects beyond that range are heavily obscured. Elemental Meddling The chamber containing the galley is the source of the

Childhood

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

numbers of elves will be needed to withstand. In contrast, if an elven community goes a century or longer without a new birth, members take this as a sign that the community has stagnated and must disband

might grow up as opposites, each determined to seek out and defeat the other. During a young elf’s first few years, the memories evoked during trance are drawn not from current life experiences, but

Core Assumptions

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

. The follower of a god serves as an agent of that god in the world. The agent seeks to further the ideals of that god and defeat its rivals. While some folk might refuse to honor the gods, none can

deny their existence. Much of the World Is Untamed. Wild regions abound. City-states, confederacies, and kingdoms of various sizes dot the landscape, but beyond their borders the wilds crowd in. People

Storm Giant

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

of a storm giant can affect the fate of thousands. Distant Prophet-Kings. Storm giants live in isolated refuges so far above the surface of the world or below the sea that they are beyond the reach

D&D Beyond

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