bitter barriers diffusing contrast rule

Soulknife Legacy

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Most assassins strike with physical weapons, and many burglars and spies use thieves’ tools to infiltrate secure locations. In contrast, a Soulknife strikes and infiltrates with the mind

, cutting through barriers both physical and psychic. These rogues discover psionic power within themselves and channel it to do their roguish work. They find easy employment as members of thieves&rsquo

Forlarren

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

of Avernus attempted an expedition to the Feywild long ago, and the forlarren are the bitter reminder of that doomed excursion. The archdevil Fierna—co-ruler of Phlegethos, the fourth layer of the Nine

, set itself up as a petty lord, and rule over all those who fall into its grasp. A Sinister Cycle. A forlarren in its fey aspect demonstrates self-destructive urges that reflect the inherent tension in

Mark of Shadow Elf

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

assassins within House Phiarlan. Only special clients—nobles, merchant lords, and the like—have access to these spies. Toward the end of the Last War, a bitter feud broke out between the

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

Polearm Master

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

weapon, and if you hit, you add the same ability modifier to the damage roll, which is normal for weapon damage rolls. A specific rule, such as the rule for two-weapon fighting, might break the general

rule by telling you not to add your ability modifier to the damage. Polearm Master doesn’t have such a rule. Does Polearm Master let me make an opportunity attack against a target that is being forced

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

here as part of some such delegation, then decided to stay when the mission was over. Mulhorand. From the terrain to the architecture to the god-kings who rule over these lands, nearly everything

hundreds of miles of the Great Glacier and the Great Ice Sea. No one from your nation makes the effort to cross such colossal barriers without a convincing reason. You must fear something truly

Aftermath of the Last War

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

Karrns as agents of darkness. Likewise, Thranes have bitter memories of the conflict with Aundair, and Aundairian wizards or eldritch knights receive a cold reception. For most Thranes, the war

strengthened their faith and drew them together. However, some question the validity of theocratic rule. Such doubt can be found even among the most devout followers of the faith; such people fear that the

Mapping a Wilderness

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

Mapping a Wilderness In contrast to a dungeon, an outdoor setting presents seemingly limitless options. The adventurers can move in any direction over a trackless desert or an open grassland, so how

uneven ground. Valleys and ridges channel travel in certain directions. Mountain ranges present forbidding barriers traversed only by remote passes. Even the most trackless desert reveals favored

Mount Celestia

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

the purest souls can. Gazing toward that peak fills even the most jaded of travelers with awe. Optional Rule: Blessed Beneficence In contrast to the dissonance experienced by evil creatures here, good

Lockbury Henge

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

Lockbury Henge Yon is home to eight clans of korreds. Queen Argantle, elected to rule over all eight clans, protects this sacred site. Lockbury Henge is meant to be a place where korreds can enjoy

otherwise irritate the korreds, Argantle and Jagu emerge from their megaliths and attack the characters for their insolence. Otherwise, the rule of hospitality (see “Rules of Conduct” in chapter 2

The Houses of Shadow

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

spies. Toward the end of the Last War, a bitter feud broke out between the major families of the house. Known as the Shadow Schism, it resulted in a split withinin Phiarlan — and the foundation of House

rule, Phiarlan elves are the better spies and Thuranni agents are superior assassins. On the surface Thuranni and Phiarlan maintain a peaceful relationship, but rivalries run deep.

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

travelers as a rule, with tongues and hearts as nimble as their feet. Whereas if strongheart halflings are on the move, it always seems driven by a desire to return to home or find and settle in a

Para-elemental Planes

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

Frostfell’s monsters and bitter cold make it a dangerous place to travel. Most planar voyagers keep to the air, braving the powerful winds and driving snow to avoid setting foot on the great glacier. Plane

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

The Houses of Shadow

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

special clients—nobles, merchant lords, and the like—have access to these spies. Toward the end of the Last War, a bitter feud broke out between the major families of the house. Known as the Shadow

operates in the eastern lands. As a rule, Phiarlan elves are the better spies and Thuranni agents are superior assassins. Thuranni and Phiarlan maintain a peaceful relationship, but rivalries run deep

Multiclassing

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

strikes? The Sneak Attack feature works with a weapon that has the finesse or ranged property. An unarmed strike isn’t a weapon, so it doesn’t qualify. In contrast, a rogue/ monk can use Sneak Attack with a

they are on the sorcerer spell list, or do they have to gain them from sorcerer to trigger? From the multiclassing rules: “Each spell you know and prepare is associated with one of your classes”. This rule means only the spells gained from levels in sorcerer trigger Wild Magic Surge.

Knights of Solamnia

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

, called Solamnia in his honor. King Solamnus sought above all to rule this new society justly. On the Isle of Sancrist, at a black granite stone in a secluded glade, he prayed to the gods for guidance

Isle in the west or retreated to the protection of their strongholds and keeps, while others disguised themselves to continue their work. Their power waning, the knights today are locked in a bitter

Sora Kell, the Queen of the Night

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

. Tales of Sora Kell claim she is the first night hag, born from Khyber in the first age of the world alongside the ancient rakshasas. Some even claim that her daughters—the hags who rule Droaam—are

vicious monster Sora Maenya—rule the nation of Droaam, either to facilitate their own scheming or at their mother’s command. Adventurers who enjoy the patronage of Sora Kell can impose on her

Hosts of the Nine Hells

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

. Avernus is a boulder-strewn desolation where fiery comets streak across the sky and devil aristocrats rule from dismal iron fortresses. The River Styx saws a jagged course through Avernus’s basalt cliffs

, and though Asmodeus can bend these laws, he seldom does. Most devils in the Material Plane were summoned there by mortal mages who expended tremendous amounts of magical power to breach the barriers

Moving Around Other Creatures

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

Moving Around Other Creatures You can move through a nonhostile creature’s space. In contrast, you can move through a hostile creature’s space only if the creature is at least two sizes larger or

, there’s little room for anyone else. In contrast, as many as twenty Medium creatures can surround a Gargantuan one. Squeezing into a Smaller Space A creature can squeeze through a space that is

Hosts of the Nine Hells

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

. Avernus is a boulder-strewn desolation where fiery comets streak across the sky and devil aristocrats rule from dismal iron fortresses. The River Styx saws a jagged course through Avernus’s basalt cliffs

who expended tremendous amounts of magical power to breach the barriers that separate the Nine Hells from other planes. Using Devils Devils aren’t numerous in The Rise of Tiamat until the final

Creature Size

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

. Because larger creatures take up more space, fewer of them can surround a creature. If four Large creatures crowd around a Medium or smaller one, there's little room for anyone else. In contrast, as many as

adjacent to the square you’re in. (The rule for diagonal movement sacrifices realism for the sake of smooth play. The Dungeon Master’s Guide provides guidance on using a more realistic approach.) If

Rogue

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

rule states that if you are surprised, you can’t move or take an action. A surprised rogue can use Evasion, since that feature doesn’t require the rogue to take an action or move. Can the rogue’s

, but using a magic item doesn’t fall under Use an Object, as explained in the Dungeon Master’s Guide (see "Activating an Item"). In contrast, using a nonmagical item, such as a healer’s kit, is in

Combat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

sides. What happens with surprise when a third group of combatants sneaks up, hidden from the melee, and ambushes? The surprise rule is relevant only when a combat is starting. Any ambushes during the

. Can you move through the space of a prone enemy? The prone condition doesn’t override the rule that prevents you from moving through an enemy’s space, unless that enemy is at least two sizes larger or

City of Skophos

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

fortress-palaces of tyrants, the lairs of monstrous oracles, and cavernous indoor markets also stand as destinations at the end of confounding avenues. Priests and warlord champions of Mogis rule the

Skophos that can coexist in some measure of peace with the wider world. Mogis’s Chalice Many grand temples to Mogis stand in Skophos, presenting a stark contrast to the crude shrines that usually serve as

Hosts of the Nine Hells

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

. Avernus is a boulder-strewn desolation where fiery comets streak across the sky and devil aristocrats rule from dismal iron fortresses. The River Styx saws a jagged course through Avernus’s basalt cliffs

who expended tremendous amounts of magical power to breach the barriers that separate the Nine Hells from other planes. Using Devils Devils aren’t numerous in The Rise of Tiamat until the final

Genies

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

found on the Material Plane. The rest reside on the Elemental Planes, where they rule from lavish palaces and are attended by worshipful servants. Genies are as brilliant as they are mighty, as proud as

wind, a flash of fire and smoke, or a burst of water and foam. Rule or Be Ruled. Mortal servants validate a genie’s power and high self-opinion. A hundred flattering voices are music to a genie’s ears

Phenax's Influence

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

the individual’s fall from grace is complete. Phenax’s Goals Phenax doesn’t want to rule Nyx. He is the perennial outsider, existing only to disrupt the plans of his fellow gods. Every lie, every

Lord of the Underworld and the River Guide. Still bitter over Phenax’s deception, Erebos concocts ways to torment the upstart god. Were he to discover a method to slay Phenax and return him to the

Fierna and Belial

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

, Fierna and Belial rule in strange tandem. They are variously thought of by mortals as mother and son, daughter and father, wife and husband, or ruler and consort, but none of those terms can capture

Belial, but his contingency plans rescue him from possible disaster. Other devils might gain a brief advantage over the two lords because of their infighting, but whenever any true threat to their rule

The Revered Queen

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

proclaimed that Vlaakith was to rule in Gith’s place until she returned. After the gith overthrew the mind flayers and Zerthimon’s followers began to emerge as a threat to Gith’s preeminence, Vlaakith

played a critical role in ensuring that the githyanki under her rule were protected from an immediate, direct assault by their kin. Using her mastery of arcane magic, she helped the githyanki establish a

Dragon Factions

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

their services to dragons in exchange for membership in a draconic faction. By joining one dragon’s faction, characters might end up locked in bitter strife with a different faction—and characters who

to amass as much wealth and power as possible. The Gem Circle, by contrast, might be dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, while the Metallic Circle is more altruistic, working to further the

Citadel Adbar

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

Citadel Adbar In the extreme north of Faerûn, near the Cold Wood, lie the Ice Mountains. There, in the bitter cold, stands the eternal fortress of Citadel Adbar, the last great remnant of the

, died. His unprepared twin sons shared the rule until the elder, Bromm, was himself killed by a dragon, leaving young King Harnoth with the rule of the ancient citadel. What followed was a great bleeding

Where Are You From?

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

the god-kings who rule over these lands, nearly everything about Mulhorand is alien to someone from the Sword Coast. You likely experienced the same sort of culture shock when you left your desert

the north and bounded on its other sides by hundreds of miles of the Great Glacier and the Great Ice Sea. No one from your nation makes the effort to cross such colossal barriers without a convincing

Shadow Dragon Adventures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

despotic rule of a shadow dragon—but fail to mention that the dragon pursues them. 7 A shadow dragon has seized control of a city’s criminal underworld. Those who want to depose the dragon face

. 4 A shadow dragon wyrmling and a shadow demon have become unlikely companions as they compare and contrast their parallel evolutions. 5 Two shadow dragon wyrmlings of different dragon kinds

Blue Dragon Adventures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Creatures In contrast to most chromatic dragons, blue dragons see value in relationships with other creatures, even if the power balance in those relationships is always weighted in the dragon’s favor

blue dragon’s family was killed, and the dragon is building a whole realm as a base for exterminating those responsible. 2 A young blue dragon claims the rule of a fast-growing city to impress

People of Setessa

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

children are sacred to Karametra, so they are brought into the city and tended just as Setessa’s own children are. In contrast to the discipline associated with educating children in other poleis

in life. Nonhumans in Setessa Setessa doesn’t welcome outsiders, as a rule, except the orphaned and abandoned children brought to live in the polis. But the polis can be more hospitable to nonhuman

Forlarren

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

forlarren are the bitter reminder of that doomed excursion. The archdevil Fierna—co-ruler of Phlegethos, the fourth layer of the Nine Hells—courted a mighty fey in hopes of luring him into trading

helpless creature pleading for aid even as it looks for the opportunity to betray and overpower. Or it might seek to dominate the weak, set itself up as a petty lord, and rule over all those who fall

D&D Beyond

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