born before defeated compared rather

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. History Sammaster was a keenly intelligent wizard born centuries ago. A quick study throughout his itinerant apprenticeship, Sammaster primarily studied magic relating to dragons. After learning all

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

Sammaster was a keenly intelligent wizard born centuries ago. A quick study throughout his itinerant apprenticeship, Sammaster primarily studied magic relating to dragons. After learning all he could from

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

Snow Sphinx

monsters

whips around a feline face, revealing piercing blue eyes that can freeze foes with a single glance. Compared to its desert-dwelling cousins, this sphinx is far less likely to be defeated with reason or

logic. Although a snow sphinx can speak, it generally greets its prey with claws and teeth rather than riddles or philosophical conversation. Physically, this fearsome creature is well adapted to harsh

Kiddywidget

Monsters Candlekeep Mysteries

skitterwidgets that are created rather than born, kiddywidgets aren’t beholden to the wearer of a control ring, even after they grow to become skitterwidgets.Lightning, Poison

Leonin Iconoclast

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

doom than peace and bounty. Some leonin, known as iconoclasts, devote themselves to thwarting the gods by hunting down their followers and all things born of Nyx that impede on Oreskos and the safety of

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

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

witnessing Strahd himself slay Vladimir's beloved, his fellow knight Sir Godfrey Gwilym. With the battle won, Strahd surrounded Argynvostholt. Rather than cower in his lair, Argynvost emerged and

memory shrouded by his hate. Were Vladimir to let go of his hatred, his spirit would find peace and could remember the warmth of love. Were Strahd to be defeated, even temporarily, the mists surrounding

Vampiric Mist

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

without squeezing. Each foot of movement in water costs it 2 extra feet, rather than 1 extra foot. The mist can’t manipulate objects in any way that requires fingers or manual dexterity. Sunlight

undetected to bleed their victims dry. Vampiric mists, sometimes called crimson mists, are all that remain of vampires who couldn’t return to their burial places after being defeated or suffering

City Watch / Investigator

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

City of Skilled Hands. Even if you’re not city-born or city-bred, this background can describe your early years as a member of law enforcement. Most settlements of any size have their own

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

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

pleasurable creatures and things are ones that allow lizardfolk to assess more situations as benign rather than fearsome. Cold and Calculating Most humanoids describe cold-blooded people as lacking in

pity. Born into the world lacking stout scales and sharp teeth, it’s a wonder they have managed to survive for so long. The typical human would barely make it through a day in the swamps. Still

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

, heroes must reduce each of her forms to 0 hit points one after another. After she’s defeated in her third and final form, Auril dies. As long as she has mortal followers who worship her, however

. A stat block is given for each of Auril’s three forms. These descriptions do not reflect Auril at full power, but rather Auril as she is encountered in this adventure.Lair Actions Auril

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

rather than perform the work or confront the foe. Even when subsumed into a goblinoid host and drawn into war, bugbears must often be roused from naps and bribed to get them to do their duties. This

natural state. Thanks to Grankhul, they can use their size and strength to work as stealthy assassins rather than blundering around like ogres. Bullying, murder, and engaging in battle are all holy

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

child born of dragon and elf could become a godlike avatar of death. Illmarrow Rises. Even as dragons and elves fought to destroy the line of Vol, a child was born to the house: Erandis. A scion of elf

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

current weakened state, Auril can assume three different forms. To destroy her, heroes must reduce each of her forms to 0 hit points one after another. After she’s defeated in her third and final

rather Auril as she is encountered in this adventure.Lair Actions Auril dwells on Solstice, a frozen island hidden among the titanic icebergs in the Sea of Moving Ice. Few creatures know of this

Charlatan Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

them like they were children’s books. It’s a useful talent, and one that you’re perfectly willing to use for your advantage. You know what people want and you deliver, or rather

a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. 5 I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to. 6 Sarcasm and insults are my

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

xenophobic, in general their societies are inclusive. Human lands welcome large numbers of nonhumans compared to the proportion of humans who live in nonhuman lands. Exemplars of Ambition Humans who

, 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

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

after another. After she’s defeated in her third and final form, Auril dies. As long as she has mortal followers who worship her, however, Auril is reborn at full strength during the next winter

forms. These descriptions do not reflect Auril at full power, but rather Auril as she is encountered in this adventure.Lair Actions Auril dwells on Solstice, a frozen island hidden among the titanic

Charlatan - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

one that you’re perfectly willing to use for your advantage. You know what people want and you deliver, or rather, you promise to deliver. Common sense should steer people away from things that

want. 4 I’m a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. 5 I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to. 6 Sarcasm and

Anthropologist

Backgrounds Tomb of Annihilation

; Suggested Characteristics Anthropologists leave behind the societies into which they were born to discover what life is like in other parts of the world. They seek to see how other races and civilizations

. 2 I’m a stickler when it comes to observing proper etiquette and local customs. 3 I would rather observe than meddle. 4 By living among violent people, I have become

Sorcerer

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

compared to other characters. Their power not only rests within them, but it likely takes some effort to keep it at bay. Every sorcerer is born to the role, or stumbles into it through cosmic chance

Appendix: Festive Monsters

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->One-Shot Wonders: Holiday Adventure Pack

single glance. Compared to its desert-dwelling cousins, this sphinx is far less likely to be defeated with reason or logic. Although a snow sphinx can speak, it generally greets its prey with claws and

teeth rather than riddles or philosophical conversation. Physically, this fearsome creature is well adapted to harsh habitats, such as ice-covered mountains or arctic plains. It has wide paws to stop

Githzerai

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

Githzerai The githzerai were born as a race at the end of the gith’s bloody, genocidal uprising against the mind flayers. A gith named Zerthimon, who had gained a significant following during the

sooner had the gith defeated their sworn enemies than they were plunged into a bitter civil war. In the ensuing conflict, Zerthimon was killed and his followers, naming themselves githzerai

Kalashtar Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

I am kalashtar, born of two worlds. Over a thousand years ago, my ancestor bound her bloodline to the spirit Kashtai, and I am a child of that union. Kashtai moves within me. Her memories come to

with their quori spirits. Rather, they might experience this relationship as a sense of instinct and inspiration, drawing on the memories of the spirit when they dream. This connection grants kalashtar

Espionage Agency Contacts

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

Espionage Agency Contacts Your assignments come from a superior in the agency who typically works at a desk rather than in the field—compiling intelligence into reports for their superiors and

kindly bureau chief who views you as a truly special team with invaluable skills 4 A crotchety middle-manager on the cusp of retirement who constantly bemoans the state of today’s agents compared to

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many druids pursue a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature

nature, coming face to face with a giant eagle or dire wolf and surviving the experience. Maybe your character was born during an epic storm or a volcanic eruption, which was interpreted as a sign that

Souls and Shells

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

Souls and Shells Barovians are made of flesh and blood. They are born, they live, they age, and they die. But not all of them—only about one in every ten—have souls. When a being with a soul dies in

generations tend to look alike. That is why Ireena Kolyana looks exactly like Strahd’s beloved Tatyana—both women were born with the same soul. Strahd needs loyal subjects to feed his ego. Barovians without

Lizardfolk Names

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

translates as “axe,” a name given to a lizardfolk warrior who defeated an orc and claimed his foe’s weapon. A lizardfolk who likes to hide in a stand of reeds before ambushing an animal might be called

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.

Draconians

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

Draconians As early as the preludes later in this chapter, the characters will face the Dragon Army’s secret weapon: draconians. These dragon-like monstrosities are unnatural creatures born of the

god’s name. In the course of the adventure, present draconians as magical, monstrous, fanatical, and unknowable. They aren’t creatures with their own goals and ambitions. Rather, they are magical

Zodiac Signs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

Zodiac Signs A zodiac sign is a mythological entity associated with a constellation in a zodiac. For the Sky of Many Things, a creature is said to be “born under” a zodiac sign if its birthday occurs

description of the sign’s constellation, common myths and beliefs about it, and omens associated with creatures born under that sign. The signs are presented in their order within the zodiac. Skull The

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

few miles from where they were born. You aren’t one of those folk. You are from a distant place, one so remote that few of the common folk in the North realize that it exists, and chances are

foreign land. 2 I pretend not to understand the local language in order to avoid interactions I would rather not have. 3 I have a weakness for the new intoxicants and other pleasures of this

Ability Checks

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

creature’s efforts. In a contest, the ability checks are compared to each other, rather than to a target number. When you call for a contest, you pick the ability that each side must use, deciding

interpreting what things mean. The character might spot that one section of a wall is clean and dusty compared to the others, but he or she wouldn’t necessarily make the deduction that a secret door is there

Childhood

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

Childhood Much has been made of the relative fecundity of humans compared to elves. Ignorant folk wonder how elves can live so long, yet have so few children. They cannot know what it means to an elf

is an elf of their own kind, for when the primal elves went against Corellon and took permanent shapes, they chose this fate for themselves. How many elves are born to which parents or in any given

Tragic Flaws

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

exploit or punish, with hubris being the classic example. The gods of Theros aren’t so concerned about “ordinary” flaws like addiction or laziness. Rather, consider a tragic flaw involving something you

. NATAL OMENS The birth of a hero is often accompanied by signs in Nyx and Theros alike. You can use the Omens table in chapter 4 to randomly determine an omen that appeared when you were born. It’s up to you and your DM to determine the omen’s meaning.

Adventure Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves

kingdom’s subjects defeated the githyanki and declared independence, but centuries later, the magical gardens endure under the watchful protection of a different red dragon, Xabazhut. Xabazhut is a young

dragon born from the ashes of the ancient dragon who died in the gardens. He now seeks to carry on the ancient dragon’s tradition of driving people away from the valley. Every two centuries, the ancient

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. Every kenku is born with a desire to take to the air, and those who learn spellcasting do so in hope of mastering spells that will allow them to fly. Rumors of magic items such as flying carpets, brooms

kenku, constant attempts to mimic noises can come across as confusing or irritating rather than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be clear

Siberys Dragonmarks

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

with Dragonmarks? Compared to the rules in Eberron: Rising from the Last War, here’s what’s different about dragonmarks in this chapter: The benefits of each dragonmark now derive from feats

rather than species options. These feats belong to a special category, Dragonmark feats. Dragonmark magic works a little differently than before: now you can use any spell slots you have to cast the

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