boss battle diffusing concept read

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

appreciation for the finer things! — Volo Goblins occupy an uneasy place in a dangerous world, and they react by lashing out at any creatures they believe they can bully. Cunning in battle and

goblin tribe has to nobility is the caste of lashers — families of goblins trained in the ways of battle, and also possessed of key skills such as strategy, trap-building, beast taming, mining

Returned Kakomantis

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

throws against any effect that turns undead. Unreadable Face. The Returned is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts. Wisdom (Insight) checks to ascertain the

. Returned Masks. Adventurers who defeat Returned foes might marvel at their fortune in claiming such rich spoils after a battle. The mask of a Returned is worth approximately 100 gp, based on its

Returned Drifter

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Turn Resistance. The Returned has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. Unreadable Face. The Returned is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its

shadow plays without weight or substance. Returned Masks. Adventurers who defeat Returned foes might marvel at their fortune in claiming such rich spoils after a battle. The mask of a Returned is worth

Returned Sentry

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

. Turn Resistance. The Returned has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. Unreadable Face. The Returned is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its

. Returned Masks. Adventurers who defeat Returned foes might marvel at their fortune in claiming such rich spoils after a battle. The mask of a Returned is worth approximately 100 gp, based on its

Whelm Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Dwarvish, Giant, and Goblin. It shouts battle

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

seek out a larger, more powerful wyrm to battle. Few goliath adventurers reach old age, as most die attempting to surpass their past accomplishments. Fair Play For goliaths, competition exists only

the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips

Returned Palamnite

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

throws against any effect that turns undead. Unreadable Face. The Returned is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts. Wisdom (Insight) checks to ascertain the

who defeat Returned foes might marvel at their fortune in claiming such rich spoils after a battle. The mask of a Returned is worth approximately 100 gp, based on its composition and craftsmanship

Minotaur

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

carve their horns to sharpen their edges, etch symbols of power into them, or sheathe them in bronze to prevent them from shattering during battle. Thick hair extends down minotaurs’ necks and

those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20. Languages Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

lack of emotional bonding means they have no concept of marriage or permanent family relationships. Their eggs are placed in a common tribal hatchery with no effort to keep track of who each one

populated areas, practice cannibalism, believing it is foolish to waste good meat. In any case, kobolds that eat humanoids don’t simply start consuming corpses or prisoners right after a battle

Goblins

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

all manner of wickedness. Leaders and Followers. Goblins are ruled by the strongest or smartest among them. A goblin boss might command a single lair, while a goblin king or queen (who is nothing more

than a glorified goblin boss) rules hundreds of goblins, spread out among multiple lairs to ensure the tribe’s survival. Goblin bosses are easily ousted, and many goblin tribes are taken over by

Credits

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn

Velinov, Raoul Vitale, Sam White, Rafael Zanchetin Cartographer: Mike Schley Concept Art Director: Josh Herman Concept Artists: Alex Branwyn, Michael Broussard, Daarken, Lake Hurwitz, Titus Lunter

history. HINCHEL OR On the Cover Vajra Safahr, Karlach, Minsc, Boo, and Jarlaxle array themselves for battle in the ruins of Myth Drannor in this majestic illustration from Billy

The Battle Begins

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Divine Contention

The Battle Begins When the battle begins, read the following boxed text aloud: The night is dark, and torrential rain beats down on the rooftops. An hour before dawn, the bell on the newly erected

south gate begins to toll urgently. A cry goes up from the wall as troops dash to man their positions: “The dead! The dead are coming!” The Battle of Leilon has begun.

Survival of the Fittest

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

pity for adults who can’t take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result of the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to

themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folk

Appendix E: Concept Gallery

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

Appendix E: Concept Gallery Just as most adventurers don’t walk into a dragon’s lair without a plan, neither were D&D’s iconic monsters developed without considerable forethought. This gallery

. The images herein show just a few avenues explored in updating these foes to the most current edition of the game, along with notes taken from internal concept and story documents. Some present

Villain Actions

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer

abilities give the battle a logical flow and a cinematic arc: The first villain action is an opener, which shows the characters they’re not battling a typical creature. Openers generally deal some damage

, summon a lackey or three, buff the boss, debuff the characters, or move the creature into an advantageous position. They’re just a taste of what’s to come. The second villain action provides crowd

Preparation

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

Preparation Before running the adventure, prepare as follows: Step 1. Read the “Adventure Background” section. Step 2. Familiarize yourself with the individuals described in the Key NPCs table. The

Skeleton, Flaming Spirit Naga Tough Boss Treant Troll Yuan-ti Malison (Type 3) Key NPCs Name Role Stat Block Location Catacus Druidic elf elder who wants the dragon protected Archpriest

Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

, crafter, and explorer — and an outcast among its kind. Sgothgah’s life changed forever when it encountered and consumed a cult of lunatics who worshiped Tharizdun, an ancient deity of darkness. As it read

aboleth mulled over the concept of Tharizdun in idle moments, and eventually those thoughts flowered into something alien and repulsive to most aboleths: religious faith.

1. Goblin Bazaar

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

1. Goblin Bazaar In this monstrous market live forty goblins. Half of them are guards, and the other half are traders. The goblin boss and his retinue lurk in area 1e. 1a. Bazaar Side Entrance

goblin boss, Yek. She hasn’t eaten in two days and happily provides information or her service as a guide in exchange for food or freedom. She knows about the magic circlet that turned Yek into a human

Foreward

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

hard part was deciding how exactly to do that. We faced an important decision early on in creating the concept for this campaign. In addition to the original 1985 adventure, there was a sequel released

held within this book. The forces of elemental evil, much like the D&D game, are a dynamic, living thing, Read on and witness their latest scheme. Mike Mearls January 2015

Bring It to an End

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

nefarious activity happening in an adventure, having the dragon’s minions mention the nature of their boss sets up the coming climactic encounter. Although the climax must hinge on the successes and

a villain and a group of minions in a battle to the finish. 2 The adventurers chase a villain while dodging obstacles designed to thwart them, leading to a final confrontation in the villain’s refuge

The Final Boat

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

others have yet to board a boat. The remaining boats have enough space for them and the characters. Before the characters head to their boats, read the following text: “Hold the boat!” a voice rasps from

as Jeyev Veldrews, Cudgel’s lieutenant. He says he’s been sent by Becklin to pass on the following information: The battle with the Red Dragon Army went poorly, but a few of the Ironclad Regiment

Battle Begins

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

Battle Begins When the characters are ready, Darrett or a militia member guides them into line with the other Vogler troops. Read the following description: After much laughter and jostling, the

, a reenactor hoots and yells, “Let’s send those Istarian rats running!” A moment later, a trumpet blast signals the start of the battle. “For Istar!” yells the mercenaries’ leader, a tall half-ogre

Card Reading

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

” section that follows. 4. Strahd’s Enemy Flip over card 4, and read: This card sheds light on one who will help you greatly in the battle against darkness. This card determines where the characters can

Card Reading When you perform a card reading before running the adventure, write down the results for reference later. If the characters have their fortunes read in the adventures, do the card

Mythic Monsters

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

encounters. Each monster features an “As a Mythic Encounter” section that highlights its mythic trait, notes how using it changes the difficulty of the encounter and the rewards, and includes read-aloud text you can use mid-battle to signal a terrifying shift in the conflict. (SAM ROWAN)

monsters. If you so choose, you may simply ignore a monster’s mythic trait and mythic actions. If you wish to increase a battle’s stakes, though, using a monster’s mythic trait results in some mid-battle

Trial by Combat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Light of Xaryxis

Trial by Combat Xedalli asks the characters to serve as her champions. If the characters accept, read: Xeleth sneers. “Very well, sister, since you won’t face me yourself, I, too, name a champion

the zodar to 0 hit points. The zodar wins the battle if all the characters are at 0 hit points at the start of the zodar’s turn or if the characters who are still standing concede defeat. The

Bugbear Lair Locations

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes of the Borderlands

Warrior—the self-proclaimed boss of the cave—scolds two Goblin Warriors for sleeping on the job. When they notice the characters, the bugbear commands the goblins to fight and joins them in battle. The

tunnel branches east and west. H2: War Room The door to this makeshift war room is ajar, allowing the characters to hear two gruff voices bickering inside. When the characters enter or peek inside, read or

Journey Back to Leilon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Divine Contention

. The stalkers fight to the death. Storm Galas Windrage creates a storm to distract the characters and their allies before the coming battle. When the storm begins, read the following boxed text aloud

the coming battle. There is one invisible stalker per two members of the party, including sidekicks. The encounter begins when the characters hear the captain yell from his cabin as he is attacked

Battle of Strixhaven

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Battle of Strixhaven Before the day of the Battle of Strixhaven dawns, allow the players plenty of time to tie up any loose ends their characters currently have on campus. If they haven’t chosen a

this adventure. Once you’re ready to begin, read the following: The last day of the term has finally arrived, and it’s time for you to crush your opponents at Mage Tower or face ignominious defeat

Beast of Grakenok

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel

Beast of Grakenok When Grakenok comes into sight, read or paraphrase the description below. If Sytri or Tol reached Grakenok before the characters, they are already engaged in battle. With its

Schley Map 9.1: Courier Four-Way Battle The characters, Sytri, and Tol all seek the glory of defeating the elder whirlwyrm. Track how much damage each character and the rival heroes deal to the monster

Preparing for Battle

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

Preparing for Battle When the characters and people of Vogler arrive at High Hill, read the following description: Passing through woods and fields, Vogler’s parade of militia members and reenactment

, if for no other reason than to honor Ispin Greenshield’s last wishes. If a character refuses, Mayor Raven offers to pay them 5 gp to be a judge during the battle, making sure no one uses real weapons

Battle of Elturel

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

Battle of Elturel Legions of devils camped on the shores of the River Styx below Elturel are the biggest threats for characters attempting to flee the city. Characters who fly, glide, or balloon over

the siege can avoid the main body of the devils’ army, but come under attack by forces to the rear. Adjust the boxed text below accordingly as you read it to the players to set the scene: Armored

Goblin Lair Locations

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes of the Borderlands

with cake-stained faces dance below. A Goblin Boss and four Goblin Warriors are here celebrating the boss’s birthday. The goblins are initially Hostile toward the characters. When the goblins

notice the characters, they stop dancing. Read or paraphrase the following text: The goblin on the throne leaps to her feet and barks, “BREE-YARK! This is my party, and I don’t remember inviting you

Facing Tiamat

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

her temple collapses to ash and bone is a memorable way to wrap up a campaign—but the characters might not survive as anything more than memories. During the battle in the temple, read the following

Facing Tiamat When the forces of good have been deployed and the battle begun, the characters will take on the most important goal of assaulting the Temple of Tiamat. Making their way through the

Back in Session

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

the characters wrap up a day of their new courses and head toward Bow’s End Tavern on the central campus for some socializing. In this scene, the characters learn about the Battle of Strixhaven, a

you’re ready to begin, read or paraphrase the following, altering the text to incorporate the student’s name or other details: Your peers’ shouts of camaraderie punctuate the air as you finish your

Facing Tiamat

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

her temple collapses to ash and bone is a memorable way to wrap up a campaign — but the characters might not survive as anything more than memories. During the battle in the temple, read the following

Facing Tiamat When the forces of good have been deployed and the battle begun, the characters will take on the most important goal of assaulting the Temple of Tiamat. Making their way through the

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