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High Fae Noble

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

until the end of the high fae’s next turn. Ridicule. When a creature misses the high fae with an attack roll, the high fae magically mocks the creature, dealing 5 (2d4);{"diceNotation":"2d4

untamed wilderness. High fae have no regard for mortal values of honor and law, but they nonetheless operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must always be repaid, promises must be honored

22. Southeast Storeroom

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

never in sunshine?” The answer is “The letter O.” The rules of this gate are as follows: If the riddle is answered aloud and correctly by someone within 30 feet of the arch, the gate opens for 1

Unseen Order

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

riddle, the ghost can explain the rules more clearly: Objective. The characters must guess which cards are in the ghost’s hand and in what order. Rules. To make their first guess, the characters must

can use this information to make another guess by placing four more cards in the next row down. Winning the Game. There are ten rows for cards, meaning the characters have ten chances to correctly

42. Guest Lecturer's Quarters

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

hour, twice in a blue moon, and never in sunshine?” The answer is “The letter O.” The rules of this gate are as follows: If the riddle is answered aloud and correctly by someone within 30 feet of the

Special Weapons

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

Special Weapons Weapons with special rules are described here. Lance. You have disadvantage when you use a lance to attack a target within 5 feet of you. Also, a lance requires two hands to wield

creature can use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. Dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10) also frees the creature without

The Role of Rules

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

The Role of Rules Why even have a column like Sage Advice when a DM can just make a ruling? Rules are a big part of what makes D&D a game, rather than simply improvised storytelling. The game’s rules

are meant to help organize, and even inspire, the action of a D&D campaign. The rules are a tool, and we want our tools to be as effective as possible. No matter how good those tools might be, they

The Role of Rules

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

The Role of Rules Why even have Sage Advice when a DM can just make a ruling? Rules are a big part of what makes D&D a game, rather than simply improvised storytelling. The game’s rules are meant to

help organize, and even inspire, the action of a D&D campaign. The rules are a tool, and we want our tools to be as effective as possible. No matter how good those tools might be, they need a group of

Respect for the DM

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

“Know Your Players” in chapter 2), but it can cross a line into being exploitative, interfering with everyone else’s fun. Setting clear expectations is essential when dealing with this kind of rules

(with their input), arbitrate the rules, and settle arguments. And when you’re narrating the action of the game, the players should be paying attention. Player Die Rolling Players should roll their dice

Reality Dawns

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

the phrase to the characters. Further, Alustriel has examined the sanctum’s portal and knows Kas fled to the plane of Pandemonium. They surmise, correctly, that Vecna is weaving his ritual in Pandesmos

. Alustriel correctly supposes that Kas plans to find Vecna and co-opt the lich-god’s ritual to become the most powerful being in existence. This outcome is as bad as Vecna ruling the multiverse, as far as

Respect for the DM

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules

everyone else’s fun. Setting clear expectations is essential when dealing with this kind of rules exploitation. Bear these principles in mind: Rules Aren’t Physics. The rules of the game are meant to

(with their input), arbitrate the rules, and settle arguments. And when you’re narrating the action of the game, the players should be paying attention. Player Die Rolling Players should roll their dice

The Balance

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

The Balance The demons and the devils both foresee their own versions of the future of the multiverse — a cosmos in which one side or the other triumphs in the Blood War and rules for the rest of

might vie with a great arcanist as both search for knowledge of a ritual that would cripple Asmodeus for a short time. The arcanist correctly believes that performing the ritual would free a world of

Blade Bazaar

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

different prices to buy or sell every time they are asked about the same items, and insist that the characters dealing with them are the ones changing their terms. A duergar merchant suddenly turns

somehow follow him here, use the chase rules in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, adapting the results for urban complications to a cave full of hateful derro. If Droki loses them, the

General Features

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

enter the maze again and retrace their steps, dealing with all encounters along the way. (Use this option carefully if you’re not a fan of splitting the party.) If the characters enter the maze at

correctly, they won’t need to face any of the maze’s dangers. That’s unlikely, though. Although the maze is devilishly hard to get through, it’s easy to leave. All the characters need to do is express a

Narration in Combat

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

Narration in Combat Although it’s important that the players understand what’s going on in terms of the rules, the game can get dull if everyone uses only “gamespeak”: “That’s an 18 to hit,” “You hit

; now roll damage,” “11 points,” and “OK, now we’re to Initiative count 13.” Instead, use the rules and your knowledge of the scene to help your narration. If 18 is barely a hit, but the 11 points of

General Features

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

enter the maze again and retrace their steps, dealing with all encounters along the way. (Use this option carefully if you’re not a fan of splitting the party.) If the characters enter the maze at

correctly, they won’t need to face any of the maze’s dangers. That’s unlikely, though. Although the maze is devilishly hard to get through, it’s easy to leave. All the characters need to do is express

L6. Rocking Horse

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

correctly intuits that a horn once protruded from this depression. The rocking horse used to be a unicorn named Elidon until the hags of the Hourglass Coven turned it into an obedient Construct. If a

, Elidon intends to honor the rule of reciprocity (see “Rules of Conduct” in chapter 2) and offers to use his magic to aid the characters in the following ways before parting company with them: He can use

Eye of the All-Father

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

creature must use an action to push or pull on the heavy door, opening it with a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. See area 6 for rules on dealing with giant doors that are frozen shut. Frost

Making an Attack

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

, unless the particular attack has rules that specify otherwise. Some attacks cause special effects in addition to or instead of damage. If there’s ever any question whether something you’re doing

whether you guessed the target’s location correctly. When a creature can’t see you, you have advantage on attack rolls against it. If you are hidden — both unseen and unheard — when you make an attack, you give away your location when the attack hits or misses.

Weapon Properties

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

effectively. Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons. See the rules for two-weapon fighting in chapter 9. Loading. Because of the time required

has unusual rules governing its use, explained in the weapon’s description (see "Special Weapons" later in this section). Thrown. If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a

4. True Entrance

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

the incorrectly placed cube, dealing 18 (4d8) lightning damage to any creature within 20 feet of the door. A mage hand spell can be used to place the cubes from farther away and avoid this damage. A

detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of evocation magic around each of the cavities. If the characters place the cubes correctly, read: The nine cubes flare with light, then disappear

Overkill Attacks

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

of goblin minions (each with 6 hit points). She hits a goblin minion with her longsword and uses Divine Smite, dealing 8 slashing damage and 11 radiant damage to the target for a total of 19 damage

rogue is hidden and takes aim at a group of zombie minions (each with 6 hit points) with his light crossbow (which has a short range of 80 feet). He hits a zombie minion with his crossbow, dealing

24. Githzerai Retreat

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

to Level 17. The arch is one of Halaster’s magical gates (see “Gates”). This gate’s rules are as follows: The gate opens for 1 minute if a creature touches the arch with a six-fingered gauntlet (one

Runes”). A creature that passes through the gate appears in area 7a on level 17, in the closest unoccupied space next to the identical gate located there. The githzerai have correctly deduced that a

Human Names and Ethnicities

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

Dwarvish or Elvish (pronounced more or less correctly), but most parents give names that are linked to their region’s culture or to the naming traditions of their ancestors. The material culture and

, Ramondo VARIANT HUMAN TRAITS If your campaign uses the optional feat rules from chapter 6, your Dungeon Master might allow these variant traits, all of which replace the human’s Ability Score

Fireside Contests

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Giants of the Star Forge

Fireside Contests The Fireside contests are described below. They can be run in any order. The rules of the Fireside contests are as follows. Competitors. Any number of characters can partake in each

wrestler competes in each contest against any characters who take part. Purposefully dealing damage to another competitor immediately disqualifies the attacker. Other forms of interference—such as

Airship Locations

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

ballista (see the “Siege Equipment” section in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Tying a rope to a harpoon, if desired, takes an action. In addition to dealing 16 (3d10) piercing damage on a hit

dozen bolts. For ballista rules, see the “Siege Equipment” section in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 4. Propeller Hatch A wooden door behind the furnace (area 1) on the upper deck pushes open

When Elves Attack

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

Boo’s Astral Menagerie for the astral elf and plasmoid stat blocks). The Dark Star Ship-to-Ship Battle See chapter 2 of the Astral Adventurer’s Guide for rules on ship-to-ship engagements. Captain

Star’s opportunity to fire on the Moondancer. It then takes another minute for the two ships to come within boarding distance. Dealing with the Dark Star Once the ships are close enough, the three astral

Random Encounters in Hither

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

of reciprocity dictates that guests repay her kindness (see “Rules of Conduct” earlier in the chapter). If the characters aren’t sure what to give her, Tsu says, “Any old trinket will do.” If the

to drag them down into it unless they can guess the mephits’ favorite food. The answer, of course, is mud pie. Each character gets one guess. If a character guesses correctly, the mephits cackle

Inspiration

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

person would avoid the noble’s intrigues and the haunted house, but in film noir or horror, we’re not dealing with sensible people; we’re dealing with protagonists in a particular type of story. For

your campaign is one where you let the dice fall where they may. It’s a good option for gritty campaigns or ones where the DM focuses on playing an impartial role as a rules arbiter. Variant: Only

Zariel

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

Zariel Zariel rules Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. Once a mighty angel charged with watching the tides of the Blood War, she succumbed to the plane’s corrupting influence and fell from

, and mortals end up worse for dealing with her, because she holds all the cards. A bargain with Zariel is eternal; there is little hope of wriggling out of it. However, she does expect the best from

Monsters

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

breath weapon actions allowed? A monster follows the normal opportunity attack rules, which specify that an attack of opportunity is one melee attack. That means a monster must choose a single melee

. A monster like a dragon exists because of that magic-enhanced nature. The second type of magic is what the rules are concerned about. When a rule refers to something being magical, it’s referring to

The Moonshaes

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

Northlander culture. There’s no safe harbor for outsiders; you just have no idea what you are dealing with. For other Northlanders, the settlement of Westhaven on Pandira serves as a neutral ground where

of Alaron, is a possession of Amn, where Lady Erliza rules from Caer Westphal. She is the second of her name, noted for her striking resemblance to her great-grandmother, the first Amnian ruler of the

Exploration Example

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook

use Wisdom checks to find things—see the Search action in the rules glossary—but sometimes they stumble on them accidentally, as Auro did here. Jared: Past the flames and smoke, you see a glimmering

Spells. Many characters have the ability to cast spells, which have a huge variety of effects. Some spells are mostly useful in combat, by dealing damage or imposing conditions. Other spells have

Hags

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

cunning of creatures, and they treat all others as inferior. Even so, a hag is open to dealing with mortals as long as those mortals show the proper respect and deference. Over their long lives, hags

given to other hags — as long as the oath isn’t given with the fingers crossed. Some humanoids make the mistake of thinking that the hags’ rules of conduct apply to all creatures. When confronted by such

Southern Isles

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

pirates hold to their own code of conduct, the folk of Nelanther care nothing for rules, honor, or even good, neighborly sense: they attack each another as often and as viciously as they do any

start over anyway. For another, it’s dirty, dangerous work, and dealing with pirates is a task best left to swift ships, well-armed navies, and the kinds of fools that would want to count them in the

Combat

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

factor. You can still try to hide from your foes and gain the benefits conferred by being hidden, but you don’t deprive your foes of their turns when you do so. Surprise rules work for two opposing

fight use the rules for Dexterity (Stealth) checks. If a wizard casts a spell like fireball during a surprise round, do the enemies get disadvantage on their saving throw? Being surprised has no effect

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