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Returning 35 results for 'both before defenses contain rival'.
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both before defense contact ritual
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Monsters
Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn
rival and an equal. The Zlan Liches table gives a brief description of each component.
Zlan Liches
Name
History
Argent Black
Emerged from the Negative Plane, fed on hate and
direct action when an oblique or hidden action will suffice. Its plans always contain fallbacks and contingencies. One of these contingencies—one the other liches who constitute its new form failed
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
hoard is usually a cataloged, orderly collection of war gear, which can contain ancient relics of immense power.
Creating a Sapphire Dragon
Use the Sapphire Dragon Personality Traits and Sapphire
out new defenses?
4
Give me a storied helmet or scimitar over a pile of gold any day.
5
No creature can outsmart my defenses—if they do, they obviously cheated.
6
Any creature
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
, which can contain ancient relics of immense power.
Creating a Sapphire Dragon
Use the Sapphire Dragon Personality Traits and Sapphire Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive
by amassing powerful arms and armor.
3
I secretly look forward to adventurers trying to infiltrate my lair. How else could I try out new defenses?
4
Give me a storied helmet or scimitar
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
protect against psychic damage or mental intrusion. The centerpiece of a sapphire dragon’s hoard is usually a cataloged, orderly collection of war gear, which can contain ancient relics of
.
3
I secretly look forward to adventurers trying to infiltrate my lair. How else could I try out new defenses?
4
Give me a storied helmet or scimitar over a pile of gold any day.
5
No
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
intrusion. The centerpiece of a sapphire dragon’s hoard is usually a cataloged, orderly collection of war gear, which can contain ancient relics of immense power.
Creating a Sapphire Dragon
Use
adventurers trying to infiltrate my lair. How else could I try out new defenses?
4
Give me a storied helmet or scimitar over a pile of gold any day.
5
No creature can outsmart my defenses—if
Backgrounds
Tomb of Annihilation
century old.
Suggested Characteristics
Few archaeologists can resist the lure of an unexplored ruin or dungeon, particularly if such a site is the source of legends or is rumored to contain
disappeared on an expedition some time ago.
3
I have a friendly rival. Only one of us can be the best, and I aim to prove it’s me.
4
I won’t sell an art object or other treasure that
Monsters
Storm King's Thunder
contain numerous caves, two of them large enough for Klauth to shelter in. He keeps his legendary hoard in tunnels beneath one cavern, which can be entered only by lifting or pushing aside a massive slab of
might rival him in power, in a fighting style marked by sudden attacks and just as sudden disappearances.
Klauth spends many waking hours scrying Faerûn with his spells, and he probably knows more
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
advancing civilization, nature needs some help from biomancers and terraformers. If, along the way, you happen to create super-soldiers and mutant monsters that can bolster the combine’s defenses
members are former members of other guilds.
Roll twice on the Simic Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Simic Contacts table.
Simic Contacts
d8
Contact
1
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
against itself (real or imaginary), planning attacks against known rivals, and preparing its defenses against all possible threats. It considers itself the center of the world, in a narcissistic way
; of course the clan of duergar moving into its territory is because a rival is trying to oust it, of course the gang of adventurers in its lair were sent to kill it by a cowardly rival, and so on
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
keen intellect and magic to discover the secrets of making steel. Its military shattered rival tribes and developed advanced tactics for fighting in forests and open plains.
The civilization grew into a
you’re roleplaying a yuan-ti, the following tables contain possible inspiration. They suggest characteristics that a yuan-ti might possess.
Yuan-ti Personality Traits
d8
Personality
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
. Many performers moonlight as assassins, spies, and thieves, given their talents and resources, and as such many amphitheaters contain hidden shrines to Phenax. Amphitheater Adventures Adventures in
an amphitheater often revolve around deception. Great performances get audiences immersed in what they’re seeing, lowering their defenses and allowing pickpockets and spies to work. Backstage, the
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
convinced to defend the school in a contest against a rival college.
7
An emerald dragon invisibly tails a party of adventurers, causing trouble for the heroes so the dragon can watch how they respond
defenses.
Emerald Dragon Lair Features
The emerald dragon lair shown in map 5.8 is a series of ancient vaults situated beneath a city built in the caldera of a dormant volcano. The vaults fell into disuse
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
the school in a contest against a rival college.
7
An emerald dragon invisibly tails a party of adventurers, causing trouble for the heroes so the dragon can watch how they respond.
8
An
(and more paranoid) dragons employing several layers of such defenses.
Emerald Dragon Lair Features
The emerald dragon lair shown in map 5.8 is a series of ancient vaults situated beneath a city
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lorwyn: First Light
contain visible traps meant to keep intruders at bay. Smiths and engineers work together to create ingenious ways to capture prey both in the wild and on the battlefield. The task of keeping the city
defenses for Ballynock from her office in the doun’s central watchtower, where the city watch is based. The largest open space among the doun’s tight confines is Trapper’s Square, which is crowded
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation
playing them off against each other. If his bodyguards are defeated and he is facing death, Yahru offers small bits of information for the promise of freedom. In addition to the layout and defenses of the
temple, Yahru knows the following: Ras Nsi commands the yuan-ti of Omu, but his command is tenuous. The high priest, Fenthaza, is Ras Nsi’s chief rival. Ras Nsi is slowly being eaten away by a magical
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
the house specializes in siege weaponry and defenses, though its most innovative experiments explore the creation of constructed undead—a hybrid of warforged and zombie. In addition to Karrnath, Cannith
rival the old house headquarters in Whitehearth as a hotspot of innovation. Additional cells in Breland, Zilargo, Darguun, and even Stormreach (in Xen’drik) carry out Merrix’s plans and produce
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
essential to many of its defenses and habits. Portions of its lair — especially the remote part where it sleeps — usually aren’t reachable on foot, which makes it harder for its minions to take over the
use such defenses to protect its inner sanctum, allowing it to roam freely through the area while hostiles must dodge or overcome multiple obstacles. Unless its opponents are concealed by fog
Kobold
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
earth are strong or weak, are bearing a load or are safe to excavate, or are likely to contain minerals or offer access to water. This ability enables them to fashion secure homes in places where other
, the kobolds are usually put to work enlarging their masters’ living area and protecting vital areas of the lair with traps and other defenses.
Some human communities hire kobolds to dig their
Orc
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
rival orcs first and foremost as competitors for food and victims.
On some occasions, though, tribes that have a common concern band together. The result is an orc horde — a sea of slavering
return from a raid.
The gaze of the One Eye brings madness to many an orc.
— Elminster
Roleplaying an Orc
When you’re roleplaying an orc, the following tables contain possible
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
or are safe to excavate, or are likely to contain minerals or offer access to water. This ability enables them to fashion secure homes in places where other creatures wouldn’t feel safe. Kobolds take
’ living area and protecting vital areas of the lair with traps and other defenses. Some human communities hire kobolds to dig their sewer tunnels, paying them with food and tools the kobolds wouldn’t
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
, rival legions compete constantly for reputation and status. Meetings between legions erupt in violence if troops aren’t restrained, and only exceptionally powerful leaders can force legions to
surround it first to cut off escape routes and supply lines, then slowly starve their enemies out. Hobgoblins fortify their own holdings, bolstering existing defenses with innovations of their own
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
off, the dragon might start to test its outer defenses in advance of mounting a larger assault. This strategy can take years to come to fruition, but from the dragon’s perspective it is time well
by creatures it can catch in the open, including the travelers that enter and exit the place. On occasion, this state of (relatively) peaceful coexistence is shattered when a devious rival dragon with
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
only from the floors above) contains the vaults of the Dezina Museum of Antiquities, whose public areas fill several of Dalannan’s middle floors. These vaults contain hundreds, if not thousands, of
nevertheless finds time to publish more papers on giant-made pottery than any other scholar, past or present. If you use rival explorers in your campaign who are connected to Morgrave University, they work
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
spore drifted into this cave from area 8. Its spores contain memory fragments of the dead beholder that birthed it. A creature that inhales the spores inherits a random memory, determined by rolling on
rival to dust with a Disintegration Ray. 41–60 The beholder examines a tower-sized stalagmite with a large crystal atop it (see level 20, area 14). 61–80 The beholder is swallowed by a purple worm and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
attention.
Levels 11–16. Finally, the characters discover an ancient Temple of the Elder Elemental Eye deep beneath the cults’ separate temples, and they strive to contain the damage wrought by the cults
for lost Artifacts and other magic items, secure such items, and use magic and monsters to conquer rival nations. An Iuz Arc. The conflict between adventurers and Iuz might follow this broad outline
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
defending against fiendish incursion. 6 Sky Warriors. This military force consists of winged creatures, employs magical flight, or sails airships as a sky navy. Traditional defenses are ineffective against
both power and subtlety. Your missions could run the risk of shattering a fragile peace recently established with a rival nation and plunging multiple nations back into war. Or perhaps your group’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
some rival skulls, that’s just the way of war. And if those skulls sometimes turn out to belong to people on your own side of the ledger, well, that’s just business. You are anything but reckless
usually end a fight quickly.
3 You fight with your off hand at the start of a battle, so that your opponent sets their defenses and attacks to one side. Then you quickly switch hands at the most
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
. For any tasks in which the outcome includes a complication due to a rival, the Six could be attempting to undermine the characters’ franchise to eliminate their threat. Business as Usual Even as the
to be resolved, with those complications revealing useful information concerning the Six’s plots, the ritual site’s possible location, and the defenses around the site.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation
remains reveals that he was killed by wounds from axes and crossbow bolts. Devlin’s ink-stained robes contain a journal that hints at the tomb’s mysteries (see “Devlin’s Journal” below). A search of the
. All objects and creatures encountered in the mirror tomb appear real, but they fade away if taken to the real world. The mirror tomb has the same magical defenses as the true tomb, and any character
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
require combating a rival organization’s disinformation attempts one day, then besting a castle’s defenses the next. The day after that, some poor sap named Bob might need to be disposed of. And no matter
, you might undertake a deep study of conflicts and rival organizations, working carefully to stay three steps ahead of the opposition. In all cases, though, you help advance your franchise by
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
unusually large size, cut into a specific pattern that allows the dragonshard to contain raw magical energy without exploding. A single power core is about the size of a wine barrel, hooked up to an elaborate
though a colossus has fallen, its docent nodes and elemental defenses might still be active. The dragonshards that once bound the elemental that powered the colossus’s main weapon might have been
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a2
Mountain Door, the orc army burrowed into the hillside to circumvent the dwarven defenses. The tunnel is still passable, but its entrance is choked with brush and debris. If the characters enter this area
reinforce the defenses in the complex (see area 5 and area 14). Captured orcs can describe in some detail the general arrangement of the Mountain Door. They don’t know anything about the rest of the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
touching it. CANDLEKEEP DEFENSES
Attacking Candlekeep would be foolhardy. Although most of the monks are simple scholars, a few are powerful spellcasters. If any trouble occurs, an archmage and 1d4
mortals on the Material Plane, and there it amassed such a following as to rival that of gods. In that way, Gargauth became a sort of demigod, and having worshipers increased its power exponentially. My
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
prisoners and thralls. The spacious area southeast of the keep is used for military drills, weapon practice, and assembling before expeditions. FORTRESS DEFENSES
The 30-foot-tall outer walls and the 40
utilitarian and unfurnished. A tower has the following features and defenses:
The tower’s stone doors are reinforced and barred from the inside. Siege weapons are needed to break them down. Arrow slits on
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
reactions, and the only action he can take is to emerge from his shell.
In addition to its undead defenses, the tower has four smaller dragons living inside it: a young black dragon named Slarkas
contain other treasures protected by magical wards, at your discretion. Development If the characters convince Krull to lead them to Arkhan, the tortle guides them safely to the Monument to Tiamat (see