both before define creatures relate

Deep Crow

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

establish lairs of their own. Unknown and Inscrutable. The mindset of these intelligent yet alien creatures is a mystery, but some who have encountered them relate that they are quick to hold a grudge. For

the familiars of evil arcane casters, abandoned in the subterranean depths and left to grow to enormous size. Others claim these creatures were once normal crows transmuted by vile essence and viler

Ancient Red Dragon Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

horns and spinal frill define its silhouette. Its beaked snout vents smoke at all times, and its eyes dance with flame when it is angry.A Red Dragon’s Lair Red dragons lair in high mountains or

’s lair form portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire, allowing creatures of elemental fire into the world to dwell nearby. If the dragon dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollAction":"Days","rollType":"roll"} days.Fire

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to disturb her self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off Icewind Dale

, define her. Lesser gods in the D&D multiverse are extremely powerful and arrogant, but also fallible and blind to their own flaws. It’s appropriate for Auril to act as though she’s

Adult Red Dragon Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

spinal frill define its silhouette. Its beaked snout vents smoke at all times, and its eyes dance with flame when it is angry.A Red Dragon’s Lair Red dragons lair in high mountains or hills

lair form portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire, allowing creatures of elemental fire into the world to dwell nearby. If the dragon dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollAction":"Days","rollType":"roll"} days.Fire

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to

demystifying her in the eyes of your players. Let her actions, not her words, define her. Lesser gods in the D&D multiverse are extremely powerful and arrogant, but also fallible and blind to their

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

Yondalla relate to tortles most of all. Tortles believe that night and day watch over them and other creatures. The moon is the eye of night that watches over them in darkness, and the sun is the

regard these settlements as places worth defending with their lives, and they will abandon a settlement when it no longer serves their needs. Most tortles like to see how other creatures live and

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures

. The less she talks, the less risk you have of unintentionally demystifying her in the eyes of your players. Let her actions, not her words, define her. Lesser gods in the D&D multiverse are

Warforged Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

of Thronehold gave them freedom, but many still struggle both to find a place in the post-war world and to relate to the creatures who created them. The typical warforged shows little emotion. Many

Klauth

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

damage and be knocked prone. Klauth can then fly up to half his flying speed.The odor of sulfur and pumice surrounds a red dragon, whose swept-back horns and spinal frill define its silhouette. Its

about the deeds and whereabouts of surface-world creatures in the North and along the Sword Coast than any other being alive today. Old Snarl obeys strange whims that prompt him to perform acts of

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

Kobolds are a lot less cute when they learn how to cast fireballs. — Volo Kobolds are often dismissed as cowardly, foolish, and weak, but these little reptilian creatures actually have a

a perfect world, the creatures would be left alone to dig their tunnels and raise the next generation of kobolds, all the while seeking the magic that will free their imprisoned god (see the &ldquo

Warforged Personality

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

Treaty of Thronehold gave them freedom, but many warforged struggle both to find a place in the post-war world and to relate to the creatures that created them. The typical warforged shows little emotion

has a muscular, sexless body shape. Some warforged ignore the concept of gender entirely, while others adopt a gender identity in emulation of creatures around them.

Chapter 7: Using Ability Scores

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

? Brilliant and charming? Nimble and hardy? Ability scores define these qualities — a creature’s assets as well as weaknesses. The three main rolls of the game — the ability check, the saving throw

compare the total to a target number. This chapter focuses on how to use ability checks and saving throws, covering the fundamental activities that creatures attempt in the game. Rules for attack rolls appear in chapter 9, “Combat.”

Monsters and Motivations

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

adventurers. Characters might be able to appease a hungry beast by offering it food, and smarter creatures have complex motivations. The Monster Motivation table lets you use a monster’s goals to define its

with a few coins from its hoard. Not all monsters are automatically hostile. When placing monsters in your dungeon, consider their relationships to nearby creatures and their attitudes toward

Beliefs

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

, Pholtus, and St. Cuthbert. Tortles are often drawn to the Gods of Good in Dragonlance and the Sovereign Host in Eberron. Among the nonhuman deities, Moradin and Yondalla relate to tortles most of all

. Tortles believe that night and day watch over them and other creatures. The moon is the eye of night that watches over them in darkness, and the sun is the equally vigilant eye of day. Tortles feel

Warforged Personality

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

. The Treaty of Thronehold gave them freedom, but many still struggle both to find a place in the post-war world and to relate to the creatures who created them. The typical warforged shows little

Dragon

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

, believing that the creatures embody the drive for power and dominion. Akroans sometimes settle near a red dragon’s lair, forging tenuous alliances by making sacrifices of cattle or prisoners to gain its

the rotation of constellations. For worthy sacrifices of food, wealth, or flattery, a dragon might share its interpretations of omens—either those it has witnessed or sights mortals relate to them

Khyber

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

unfamiliar underground passageways and caverns of the Underdark, but entire demiplanes teeming with monstrous creatures. Neither can one deny that the expanses of Khyber serve as a prison for

fiendish overlords, daelkyr, and other powerful evils. These coils also harbor sealed portals connecting to these creatures’ native realms. Expeditions into the depths of Khyber often incorporate elements of

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

to be invincible. They see the principles that define them and their deities at work every day in the world around them — nature rewards the strong and mercilessly eliminates the weak and the

, orcs breed prodigiously (and they aren’t choosy about what they breed with, which is why such creatures as half-orcs and ogrillons are found in the world). Females that are about to give birth are

Lizardfolk Names

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

always literal. They might pick up idioms, but only with some difficulty. Names confuse them, unless they are descriptive. They tend to apply their own naming conventions to other creatures using

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.

Sybar

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

the characters mingle with the people of Sybar, residents can relate the story of the Eternal Garden (as presented in this adventure’s background) or any of the rumors in the Sybar Rumors table, only

) 5 The archmage Porphura isn’t dead at all. She lives still as a lich who rules the island in secret. (False) 6 Singing sea chanteys charms creatures in the garden. (True only for leprechauns; see

Gate to Carceri

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

gates. If attacked, these guards call on additional maelephants, which arrive in 2 rounds. The Watch also uses a flight of four trained wyverns to prevent flying creatures from escaping. If the

currently in the gate-town, though, so even attempting to get his permission to leave is impossible. The farastu demodands (see Morte’s Planar Parade) who serve as the baron’s guards stiffly relate this to

Campaign Theme

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

creatures of unknown realms far removed from mortal concerns. As heroes confront this evil, they must face the selfish, cold tendencies of their own kind as well. A campaign featuring troubled heroes who

confront not only the savagery of the bestial creatures of the world, but also the beast within — the rage and fury that lies in their own hearts. A campaign exploring the insatiable thirst for power

Imp

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual

pass unseen make them skillful spies and adept at fleeing danger. Imps sent to surveil other creatures relate what they discover to their masters, but they frequently omit important details or cast

events in the worst possible light to mislead their masters into following the imps’ devilish council. Imps without masters delight in manipulating other creatures and inflating their own egos. They might

Studies and Philosophy

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

or to define what could be? The perspective of substance emphasizes physical reality. In this view, math is embodied in the natural forces of the multiverse, waiting to be discovered by those with the

substance-theory conflict a scholar more likely aligns with. Quandrix Scholars d8 Scholar Principle 1 Abstractor, using magic to stretch the possibilities of space Theory 2 Augmenter, making creatures

Alignment

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

, evil, or neutral), and the other describes attitudes toward society and order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral). Thus, nine distinct alignments define the possible combinations. These brief summaries of the

faithful to the precepts of their alignment. Lawful good (LG) creatures can be counted on to do the right thing as expected by society. Gold dragons and paladins are typically lawful good. Neutral good (NG

Ivana's Powers and Dominion

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

-and-black veins visibly show through her pale skin. While this discoloration is unignorable, the toxins grant her immunity to poison damage and being poisoned. Her genius and ambition define her

created innumerable unique plants, as well as plant creatures with strange abilities and unflagging loyalty to her. Tyrant Maker. Ivana’s ambition drives her to take on any challenge. She reflexively

A Wizard's Theory

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

do indeed relate to the eight schools of magic. The wizard requests that each character places a hand upon a different stone, to “assist in channeling the streams of magic.” When their hands are in

you and follows you around until it’s destroyed. It is indifferent toward all creatures, including you. Divination You gain the benefits of a true seeing spell for the next hour

8. Sculptors' Workroom

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild

found themselves unable to leave. The sculptors seek assistance to escape the tomb, and provide whatever information they know in exchange for aid. They can relate how the rest of the sculptors (in

small tasks whenever they sleep. Creatures Under the command of Phenex (area 14), the girallon has been ordered to obey the sculptors as they work, but to not allow them to leave the tomb. The creature

Nobles of Borca

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

of bizarre sea creatures and a complete megalodon skeleton. Olzanik. This family of metalworkers obsesses over war. To them, every success is a conquest, but no Olzanik has ever seen battle in

and their ashes scattered in the wastelands. Ritter. The shear-wielding Ritters define the cutting edge of fashion. Their coveted designs change seasonally, and any who create reproductions meet

Noteworthy Sites

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

Noteworthy Sites Dayawlongon is a tropical archipelago whose waters hold massive whirlpools that make boat travel between the islands challenging. Winding rivers, deep jungles, and mountains define

were infused into the skybridges in ages past, with the creatures’ blessing. Only bonesingers, people chosen as stewards of the skybridges, know how to maintain the magic that keeps the skybridges safe.

The Weeping Paths

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

, causing creatures to have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Threats lurk amid the wilds. For every 3 miles the party travels, roll on the Weeping Paths Encounters table

random character. Creatures in this sphere must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) poison damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. The miasma is stationary and

Alignment

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

, evil, or neutral), and the other describes attitudes toward society and order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral). Thus, nine distinct alignments define the possible combinations. These brief summaries of the

faithful to the precepts of their alignment. Lawful Good. (LG) creatures can be counted on to do the right thing as expected by society. Gold dragons and paladins are typically lawful good. Neutral Good. (NG

The Long View

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

can appear cold and emotionless in the face of tragedy. They do feel the same pain that others feel, and they do mourn their losses. But they also understand, in a way that other creatures can’t, that

with other creatures very quickly. An elf often knows within minutes of meeting someone whether that new acquaintance would be a fitting companion for a journey or an adventure, and their first

Why a Monstrous Character?

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

architects of grand, heavily fortified edifices, which other folk dwell in for a price. The cultural notes in chapter 1 are the standard D&D depiction of these creatures, but by no means do they define them

Why a Monstrous Character? Creating characters as creatures normally cast as villains offers up some interesting roleplaying possibilities. Whether played for comedy, as a tragic story of betrayal

Strength

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

Carrying Your Strength score determines the amount of weight you can bear. The following terms define what you can lift or carry. Carrying Capacity. Your carrying capacity is your Strength score

. Larger creatures can bear more weight, whereas Tiny creatures can carry less. For each size category above Medium, double the creature’s carrying capacity and the amount it can push, drag, or lift. For

D&D Beyond

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