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Returning 35 results for 'both before direct clever rival'.
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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
Species
Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
or clever? Whatever their nature, it’s your duty to follow their example. Is this something you proudly embrace, or do you resist it? Each patron ancestor is tied to many Valenar: do you have a
particular rival who channels the same ancestor, or one who channels a rival of your ancestor?
It’s also important to think about why you are traveling with a group of player characters
Species
Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
or clever? Whatever their nature, it’s your duty to follow their example. Is this something you proudly embrace, or do you resist it? Each patron ancestor is tied to many Valenar: do you have a
particular rival who channels the same ancestor, or one who channels a rival of your ancestor?
It’s also important to think about why you are traveling with a group of player characters
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
turn.Wynemar Brack was once a farmer, but mercenaries in a local war razed her fields and sacked her village. In desperation, she yielded to the clever patter of a traveling fortune teller and drew from a
, Grim Champion of Bloodshed, and Aleron, Grim Champion of Pestilence—rival Jyn for power and together can oppose her. The fact that the three champions rarely agree on anything is a major check on
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
and tail to mirror the dragon’s mood.
Clever Concealment
The shyest of the gem dragons, emerald dragons are also the most curious. They love to observe local settlements and peoples, using
must be 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
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
the back and tail to mirror the dragon’s mood.
Clever Concealment
The shyest of the gem dragons, emerald dragons are also the most curious. They love to observe local settlements and peoples
and must be 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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
often efforts that are specific to the rival. A rival’s action might be a direct attack, such as an assassination attempt, that you play out during a session. Or it might be a background activity that
Creating a Rival In essence, a rival is a somewhat specialized NPC. You can use chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to build a new NPC for this purpose, or pick one from your current cast of
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
suggest that when the gods came to the First World and tried to populate it with their Humanoid followers, a clever dragon fled to the Feywild to hide a clutch of eggs. The magic of that faerie realm
of an arcanaloth seeking a powerful Feywild artifact.
5
An adult moonstone dragon attempts to help a beholder worried that its dreams will soon give birth to a rival beholder.
6
Members of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase
rival groups. As the characters explore the ziggurat, they slowly uncover clues of the tragedy that befell Cynidicea and its people. While braving clever traps, evil cultists, and restless Undead, the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Those Who Rule The following sahuagin rule the fortress, oversee its armed forces, and direct its worship of Sekolah. Baroness Seklaz The initial attack against the lizardfolk and the subsequent
clever but hasty, and prone to sulking when things do not go his way. The fortress and the forthcoming sahuagin invasion on the coastal area represent his opportunity to make history. High Priestess
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
dungeon, a pall of smoke and the sound of its heavy breathing filling the chambers near its lair. Clever characters will do their utmost to avoid the dragon, even as the party’s brave thief makes off
d20 Goals 1–2 Find a sanctuary 3–5 Conquer the dungeon 6–8 Seek an item in the dungeon 9–11 Slay a rival 12–13 Hide from enemies 14–15 Recover from a battle 16–17 Avoid danger 18–20 Seek wealth
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
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
yuan-ti know they can’t resort to direct attacks in order to reclaim their rightful place in the world. Operating out of the subterranean ruins of their buildings in foreign lands, yuan-ti
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
Ralzala the Dao A dao named Ralzala defends the demon zapper. Ralzala swore loyalty to Zariel to gain revenge against a rival dao who tried to ruin her. The dao regrets the arrangement and wants to
. She reveals that the deposed archdevil Bel would gladly aid the characters in overthrowing Zariel. If the characters help Ralzala break her pact with Zariel, the dao promises to direct them to Bel’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
you’re a ranger, was your ancestor a famous blademaster, or a stealthy hunter? Was your ancestor chivalrous or merciless? Bold or clever? Whatever their nature, it’s your duty to follow their example
. Is this something you proudly embrace, or do you resist it? Each patron ancestor is tied to many Valenar: do you have a particular rival who channels the same ancestor, or one who channels a rival of
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
to mirror the dragon’s mood.
Clever Concealment
The shyest of the gem dragons, emerald dragons are also the most curious. They love to observe local settlements and peoples, using their psionic
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
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
dragon’s mood.
Clever Concealment
The shyest of the gem dragons, emerald dragons are also the most curious. They love to observe local settlements and peoples, using their psionic abilities to
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
time the characters engage in downtime or direct their staff in a franchise task, the players and the DM can think about how those tasks and activities might complicate the ongoing campaign narrative
, and how the franchise’s enemies — or potential enemies — might get caught up in those complications. When a complication or a rival comes into play during downtime or franchise activities, the DM
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
likely a legendary archmage. Was your ancestor a famous blademaster, a stealthy hunter, or a war chanter? Were they chivalrous or merciless? Bold or clever? Whatever their path, it is your duty to follow
whose patron ancestor was a bitter rival of yours? Also consider why you are traveling with a group of player characters (who are presumably not also members of your war band) instead of serving with the
Orc
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
created the orcs and continues to direct their destiny. He is aided and abetted by the other warrior deities, Bahgtru and Ilneval, who bring strength and cunning to the battlefield. The followers of all
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
predicting those events or causing them? If a character draws the Flames card, and soon after, minions of Aurnozci (see chapter 20) try to capture them, is this a direct result of drawing the card, or would
, don’t put off card effects for too long. It’s okay for players to wonder for a session or two exactly when and how the effects will manifest, and you can use that time to devise clever and memorable
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
intelligence to ally itself with other creatures, others that understand an ooze’s need to feed might lure it into a location where it can be of use to them. Clever monsters keep oozes around to defend
have no sense of tactics or self-preservation. They are direct and predictable, attacking and eating without cunning. Under the control of Juiblex, they exhibit glimmers of sentience and malevolent intent. Ooze Nature. An ooze doesn’t require sleep.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
offering so she can examine it more closely, even if this makes it obvious she is interested. If she doesn’t have anything else like it, or can think of a use for it, or if having it means a rival
with a rival of similar power and status. 3 My house holds everything that I hold dear. I can’t abide visitors who threaten my hearth and home. 4 I owe a great favor to a hag grandmother. 5 I traded
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
(Silver Flame)
7 A clever doppelganger (Tyrants)
8 A vengeful warforged (Lord of Blades)
9 A possessed innocent (Dreaming Dark)
10 An oni mastermind (Daask)
11 An enigmatic
magical weapon.
4 Defeat a rival.
5 Open a planar portal.
6 Summon fiends or undead.
7 Overthrow a peer or superior.
8 Cause a riot in the Cogs.
9 Start a war
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
exile as an unbeliever in Lolth. Ironically, this might have saved Vizeran’s life, as House DeVir was wiped out not long thereafter by its rival, House Do’Urden. Consigned to solitude in the Underdark
centuries, Vizeran now believes that time has come. Vizeran harbors a thirst for vengeance against his only living rival — Gromph Baenre, the drow Archmage of Menzoberranzan. As a follower of the Elder
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
.
Direct and Deadly. Hill giants’ ability to digest nearly anything has allowed them to survive for eons without needing to adapt and change.
With no culture of their own, hill giants ape the
attempt to enter.
In conversation, hill giants are blunt and direct, and they have little concept of deception. A hill giant might be fooled into running from another giant if a number of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
direct it against Mekkalath might regret their decision. For example, the death tyrant might agree to attack the dragon, then start by slaying the peaceful minotaurs and turning them into its zombie
minions. Mekkalath is aware of the death tyrant, and if it escapes, Mekkalath soon moves to destroy this potential rival and secure his dominance over the hill. Such a battle might last long enough for
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
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 cluster of allied city-states
can’t resort to direct attacks in order to reclaim their rightful place in the world. Operating out of the subterranean ruins of their buildings in foreign lands, yuan-ti agents infiltrate enemy
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
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
designs on a white dragon’s territory enters the picture. Taking advantage of the dragon’s limited mental faculties, the rival secretly sends its minions out to harass the dragon. Convinced that the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
directly sharing what they want to see in a campaign. You can learn about your players’ preferences in two ways: Direct Input. Ask your players what they want to do in a campaign. Regularly inquire about how
rival midcampaign should be handled carefully to avoid straining credulity. Make sure a player is comfortable with new developments about their character before introducing them. Character-Focused
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
dragon’s lair left behind a curse, a trap, or a lingering spirit that clever characters can turn against the dragon.
8 The dragon’s lair is almost impossible to navigate without access to one or more
rival who notices the characters approaching the dragon’s lair and keeps tabs on the fight. This rival might step in to help the characters or the dragon, depending on the circumstances, or might
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
for a guild project or for a paying client. Your group must gather the missing components from a dangerous location or a recalcitrant owner while outpacing a rival to the prize. 3 Eliminate a Rival
. A competitor has humiliated the guild one too many times, and it’s time for that to stop. Your group is charged with ensuring the rival never besmirches the guild’s reputation again. Can you trick
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
spraying an alchemical defoliant on local farmland to push people living in the area away from the dragon’s lair. The resulting famine is devastating the countryside.
3 Rival realms are
threat of betrayal. Mindless Undead, shambling mounds, carnivorous flora, Oozes, and Constructs make appealing servants, especially working in concert with a black dragon’s fiendishly clever traps. A
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
perhaps you work as its direct agents, enacting its will. Whether you chose this arrangement or were tricked into it, you can count on the strange resources of your benefactor as long as you serve its
scroll. Research. Relying on an ancient being’s network of contacts, the being’s vast collection of lore, or perhaps the being’s direct teaching helps you unearth hidden secrets. If you can contact
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
deity. Religious Order Contact d6 Contact 1 Shadow Tongue. A mysterious speaker for your order advises your next steps but fears being discovered by a powerful rival faith. 2 Inspired Creator. A
, even if their reasons are unclear until you arrive. 6 Divinity’s Voice. Otherworldly messages direct you to undertake divine quests. Religious Order Member Your primary duty to a religious order is
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
increases or decreases depending on the sovereign’s nature, the type of work you perform, and the length of your employment. Sovereign Contact You might benefit from direct contact with your group patron
Rival. You seek to weaken or remove a rival to the regent’s rule—perhaps a general, an archdruid, or a noble with a claim to the throne. 3 Expel Corruption. You help the sovereign reform their






