birth before dark continue rules

Sorcerer

Classes Player’s Handbook

power, while others trace it to strange events in their personal or family history. The blessing of a dragon or a dryad at a baby’s birth or the strike of lightning from a clear sky might spark a

Gain the Hit Point Die from the Core Sorcerer Traits table. Gain the Sorcerer’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Sorcerer Features table. See the multiclassing rules to determine

Giant Fire Beetle Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

creature that takes its name from a pair of glowing glands that give off light. Miners and adventurers prize these creatures, for a giant fire beetle's glands continue to shed light for 1d6;{"diceNotation

":"1d6","rollType":"roll"} days after the beetle dies. Giant fire beetles are most commonly found underground and in dark forests.

Kadroth

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Dark Devotion. The fanatic has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Spellcasting. The fanatic is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC

he's tight with Levistus. He rules the roost by sheer force of personality, though it chafes him that Hethyl Arkorran has more respect and influence within the cult. Kadroth doesn't involve Avarice

Dracophage Subject

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

slaad tadpole. In the 24-hour period before the tadpole is born, the host feels unwell; its speed is halved; and it has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. At birth, the

’s foul magic. The Dragon Armies closely guard the secret of the draconians’ creation, allowing Krynn’s metallic dragons to continue to think their eggs are being held hostage so they don’t oppose the Dragon Queen’s conquests.Poison

Cultist (Knights of the Black Sword)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Dark Devotion. The cultist has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Icy Doom. When the cultist dies, its corpse freezes for 9 days, during which time it can’t be

Levistus, the archdevil who rules Stygia, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, from the confines of an ice prison from which he cannot escape. Most of the cultists are Icewind Dale natives who would

Cult Fanatic (Knights of the Black Sword)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Dark Devotion. The fanatic has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Spellcasting. The fanatic is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC

","rollDamageType":"piercing"} piercing damage.The Knights of the Black Sword are a secret society of cultists devoted to Levistus, the archdevil who rules Stygia, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, from the

Deathless Rider

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

Queen, who rules from a castle called Dynnistan. It isn’t known whether these legends are based on any true experience or are simply the result of imagination trying to account for a terrifying and

called lich-knights or fell horsemen. In stark contrast to the knights of Eldraine, the deathless riders are without virtue of any kind. They are few in number—unless many more lurk in the dark

Strahd Zombie

Monsters Curse of Strahd

"} slashing damage.Strahd zombies are undead that serve the vampire Strahd von Zarovich. Created from the long-dead guards of Castle Ravenloft, they were called into being through dark magic by Strahd

. Strahd zombies are suffused with horrible necromantic magic that allows their severed body parts to continue to attack. All parts of a Strahd zombie are considered one and the same creature, so damage to

Kruthik Hive Lord

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

":"Acid Spray","rollDamageType":"acid"} acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.A hive lord rules each kruthik hive. When the hive lord dies, the surviving members of the

floor with their sharp legs. In addition to having an acute sense of smell, kruthiks can see in the dark and can detect vibrations in the earth around them. They take the scent of their own dead as a

Danse Macabre

Spells Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Threads of dark power leap from your fingers to pierce up to five Small or Medium corpses you can see within range. Each corpse immediately stands up and becomes undead. You decide whether it is a

commands, the creatures do nothing except defend themselves against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creatures continue to follow it until their task is complete. The creatures are under your

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

skills. This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays a dragon, he or she might

mock folk who rely on society’s structures or rules to maintain power. Survival of the Fittest Among goliaths, any adult who can’t contribute to the tribe is expelled. A lone goliath has

Memory Web

Monsters Quests from the Infinite Staircase

webs lie in ambush draped over plant life, wrapped around corpses, or stuck to ossuaries in dark catacombs. Memory webs feed on memories and require daily sustenance. When a memory web’s prey

can continue to feed on a corpse’s memories for days after its death. If a memory web is slain, any memories it consumed over the last day are discharged from its body in a telepathic deluge

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; Elminster The serpent creatures known as yuan-ti are all that remains of an ancient, decadent human empire. Ages ago their dark gods taught them profane, cannibalistic rituals to mix their flesh

primordial world heeded the prayers of these people and hissed dark demands into their ears. The people tainted their souls by performing human sacrifices in the name of the gods, debased their flesh by

The Abbot

Monsters Curse of Strahd

some much-needed light to Barovia. His efforts worked for a while, but then the Dark Powers began to corrupt him. Imperfections. The Abbot's fall from grace started when the Belviews—a family of sickly

present since birth. The Abbot became consumed with a prideful, obsessive desire to rid the poor Belviews of their lingering imperfections. The Belview family, however, had strange ideas of what it

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

than most people to the world of murder, theft, and violence that pervades the underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society

. Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set, thieves’ tools Equipment: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a pouch

Aasimar Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

dark eyes 3 Starkly colored hair 4 An unusual hue tinting your shadow 5 A ghostly halo crowning your head 6 Rainbows gleaming on your skin Creating Your Character At

1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability

Demilich (Variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

curse on a success.The transformation into a demilich isn’t a bitter end for all liches that experience it. Made as a conscious choice, the path of the demilich becomes the next step in a dark

souls of the insolent intruders to his tomb, magically transferring them to his phylactery. Liches who follow Acererak’s path believe that by becoming free of their bodies, they can continue

Hobgoblin

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Maglubiyet, who marshaled them as soldiers, but the fey realm left its mark; wherever they are in the multiverse, they continue to channel an aspect of the Feywild’s rule of reciprocity, which

fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score

Noble - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Thanks to your noble birth, people are inclined to think the best of you. You are welcome in high society, and people assume you have the right to be wherever you are. The common folk make every

effort to accommodate you and avoid your displeasure, and other people of high birth treat you as a member of the same social sphere. You can secure an audience with a local noble if you need to. Baldur

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

Those who think of other planes at all consider them remote, distant realms, but planar influence can be felt throughout the world. It sometimes manifests in beings who, through an accident of birth

accustomed to a variety of different people. GENASI ON ATHAS Although any world that includes one or more elemental planes can feature genasi, on Athas, the world of the Dark Sun campaign setting

Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

might continue to use the child name. Each elf’s adult name is a unique creation, though it might reflect the names of respected individuals or other family members. Little distinction exists

(Moonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal) Subrace Ancient divides among the elven people resulted in three main subraces: high elves, wood elves, and dark elves, who are commonly called drow. Choose one of

Hexblood

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

before their birth. Many hexbloods turn to lives of adventure, seeking to discover the mysteries of their magic, to forge a connection with their fey natures, or to avoid a hag that obsesses over them

might come to accept over the course of centuries. Once a hexblood undergoes this irreversible ritual, they emerge as a hag NPC no longer under the control of the hexblood’s player, unless the DM rules otherwise.

Ancient Dragon Turtle

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon. (Though the Monster Manual doesn’t explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply

those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"} Trait 1 I speak slowly and deliberately

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

, rot, and rebirth. You have spent your life in the slow churn of that ecosystem, in the dark places of the city where the messy parts of existence are on display. There is little squeamishness among the

. Ideals d6 Ideal 1 Guild. My guild is all that really matters. (Any) 2 Stoicism. All of us are part of the cyclical march of nature, which will continue with

Inheritor

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

member of your family, by right of birth, or it could have been left to you by a friend, a mentor, a teacher, or someone else important in your life. The revelation of your inheritance changed your life

with me to pursue my destiny. d6 Flaw 1 The tyrant who rules my land will stop at nothing to see me killed. 2 I’m convinced of the significance of my destiny, and

Unspeakable Horror (Malleable Mass)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

evils lurk amid the Mists, the yet-to-be-realized imaginings of the Dark Powers and the remnants of ruined domains. While such nightmares typically manifest as nothing more than impressions, whispers, or

horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink forth into other realms to slake unnameable hungers. Customizing a Horror An unspeakable horror

Unspeakable Horror

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

by 5 or more, the target is also blinded until the end of its next turn.Untold, half-formed evils lurk amid the Mists, the yet-to-be-realized imaginings of the Dark Powers and the remnants of ruined

into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society. Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth Tool Proficiencies: One

type of gaming set, thieves’ tools Equipment: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a pouch containing 15 gp Criminal Origins Criminals are pervasive in Baldur

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

who study its ebb and flow to expect the stalemate to continue. A different view is put forth by the archmage Tzunk, who notes that Maglubiyet has never faced a foe as ferocious and protective as

diplomacy. They care only for satisfying their insatiable desire for battle, to smash their foes and appease their gods. Booming Birth Rate In order to replenish the casualties of their endless warring

Unspeakable Horror (Aberrant Armor)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

more, the target is also blinded until the end of its next turn.Untold, half-formed evils lurk amid the Mists, the yet-to-be-realized imaginings of the Dark Powers and the remnants of ruined domains

unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink forth into

Unspeakable Horror (Loathsome Limbs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

-realized imaginings of the Dark Powers and the remnants of ruined domains. While such nightmares typically manifest as nothing more than impressions, whispers, or vaporous visions amid the fog, mysterious

eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty

Unspeakable Horror (Oozing Organs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

throw fails by 5 or more, the target is also blinded until the end of its next turn.Untold, half-formed evils lurk amid the Mists, the yet-to-be-realized imaginings of the Dark Powers and the remnants

, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they

Rules Discussions

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

prefer to let the DM make a call and continue with the action. If you gloss over a rules issue in play, make a note of it (a good task to delegate to a player) and return to the issue later.

Rules Discussions You might need to set a policy on rules discussions at the table. Some groups don’t mind putting the game on hold while they hash out different interpretations of a rule. Others

Folk Hero - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

dozen adopted grandparents inviting you in for a meal. 3 Seeing a lost patriar after dark in the Outer City, you guided the wayward noble through back streets to safety. The patriar repaid your

1 The tyrant who rules my land will stop at nothing to see me killed. 2 I’m convinced of the significance of my destiny, and blind to my shortcomings and the risk of failure. 3

Birth of a Darklord

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

Birth of a Darklord Upon the completion of the Darklord’s greatest irredeemable act, the Mists drag them—and perhaps the lands around them—into the Domains of Dread. At this point, you should have an

idea of who your Darklord is, what they did, what form their evil takes, and how they came to the attention of the Dark Powers. Flesh out these details, referring back to how the Darklord reflects

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