both before directly change rival

Portentia Dran

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Shortsword","rollDamageType":"slashing"} slashing damage. Change Shape. Portentia magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating equal to or less

actions, and lair actions) that the new form has but that she lacks.Now the owner and driving force behind Dran Enterprises — perhaps Acquisitions Incorporated's most notable rival in the adventuring-for

Gladiator Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

perfection. 8 I change my mood or my mind as quickly as I change key in a song. D6 IDEAL 1 Beauty. When I perform, I make the world better than it was. (Good) 2

against that person’s. 5 I will do anything to prove myself superior to my hated rival. 6 I would do anything for the other members of my old troupe. D6 FLAW

Entertainer Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

I get bitter if I’m not the center of attention. 7 I’ll settle for nothing less than perfection. 8 I change my mood or my mind as quickly as I change key in a song

hated rival. 6 I would do anything for the other members of my old troupe. d6 Flaw 1 I’ll do anything to win fame and renown. 2 I’m a sucker for a pretty

Orzhov Representative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

draw the blood of your enemies, or even directly touch their souls. Suggested Characteristics Members of the Orzhov Syndicate range from the decadent nobility at the top of the oligarchy to the debt

activities in crime, banking, or debt collection could tie you to members of other guilds. Roll twice on the Orzhov Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Orzhov Contacts table

Entertainer - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

less than perfection. 8 I change my mood or my mind as quickly as I change key in a song. d6 Ideal 1 Beauty. When I perform, I make the world better than it was. (Good

measure my deeds against that person’s. 5 I will do anything to prove myself superior to my hated rival. 6 I would do anything for the other members of my old troupe. d6

Kalashtar Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

in a variety of ways. Kalashtar have symmetrical, slightly angular features, and their eyes often glow when they are focused or expressing strong emotions. Kalashtar can’t directly communicate

evil spirits that dominate it. The rebel quori believe that through meditation and devotion, they can change the fundamental nature of Dal Quor, shifting the balance from darkness to light. Most

Simic Scientist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

in my communication. Ideals d6 Ideal 1 Guild. My guild is all that really matters. (Any) 2 Change. All life is meant to progress toward perfection, and

my research and any other tasks I have to complete. Contacts The fluid nature of clades, whose rosters span different laboratories and change as researchers discover new interests, creates

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

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

serpent gods taught the humans how to take on aspects of the snake, but the cost of the change was high, requiring many sacrifices for each person to be transformed. Entire households of slaves in

Creating a Rival

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

characters stand in the way, and how the conflict could be resolved. Ideally, a rival’s goal directly involves the characters or something they care about. Assets. Think about the resources the rival can

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

Faction Agent

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp Factions of the Sword Coast The lack of large, centralized governments in the North and along the Sword Coast is likely directly responsible for the

try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good) 3 Change. We must help bring about the changes the gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic) 4 Power. I hope

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

retaliation usually prevents them from trying to directly harm the gnomes, but they might spit in the milk, balance dishes on tables so they’re easily knocked over and broken, or scatter sewing

were in their presence. Kobolds fall all over themselves to obey orders from a dragon, even if they are dangerous orders. Although kobolds usually don’t worship Tiamat directly, they recognize her

Rival Explorers

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

research grant or an academic award. Or they might be conspicuously spending ill-gotten wealth, boasting of their accomplishments, or directly taunting the characters. (A rival group at these levels might

Rival Explorers Morgrave University teems with unscrupulous adventurers and researchers driven by avarice. Additionally, the university itself has academic rivals—the University of Wynarn in Aundair

Azorius Functionary

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

. 8 I never change my mind once it’s made up. Ideals d6 Ideal 1 Guild. My guild is all that really matters. (Any) 2 Order. The law is meant to ensure

the entire city, your place in the Azorius can easily bring you into contact with members of other guilds, for good or ill. Roll twice on the Azorius Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and

Rakdos Cultist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

I’m secretly hoping that I can change the cult from the inside, using my influence to help rein in the wanton violence. 4 I own something that Rakdos once touched (it’s seared

in different troupes, which allows for the possibility of a widespread network of contacts. Roll twice on the Rakdos Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Rakdos Contacts table

Beast of Grakenok

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

swiftly on land and retains its 50-foot walking speed. Change its lightning breath to deal thunder damage. This represents its discombobulating roar. The enraged whirlwyrm fights to the death. Mike

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

Middle

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

. Over the course of the adventure, the characters might discover secrets that reveal new goals or change their original goal. Their understanding of what’s going on around them might change. Maybe

adversaries, or confront problems directly, perhaps by trying to kill meddlers. Remember that the characters are the heroes of the story. Never let them become mere spectators, watching as events unfold around them that they can’t influence.

Complications and Rivals

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

, 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

.) When a complication occurs during a downtime or franchise activity, the DM determines whether and how that complication connects to a rival. Certain complications might be caused by rivals, as when

Ancient Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. Change Shape. The dragon magically transforms into any creature that is Medium or Small, while retaining its game statistics (other than its size). This transformation ends if the dragon is reduced to 0

once every hundred years, when they choose targets for a deadly hunting spree. 3 Two ancient deep dragon;ancient deep dragons fight over territory. Unwilling to move against each other directly

Healthy Competition

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

enhanced medusa for Lynx, or the brains in iron for Sir Ursas (see below for more information on both). Each expedition also has its own mechanical guide. You might use the members of the rival expedition

missing components, whether they steal them out from under the characters or take them directly in combat. Any stolen components will be delivered to their respective agents before the characters return from the past.

4. Guardroom

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

lizardfolk shaman, and the shaman’s two-headed crocodile companion rest in this area. If they are alerted to intruders by the lizardfolk in area 5, they head directly for area 1 to challenge them. Secret

charge in this area causes the guards to change shifts, leaving for the barracks (area 6). Spending 2 charges reverses time and causes them to instead head into the temple complex to search for

Part 1: Master of Worlds

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

back home to the large city over the hills, and now his niece runs the family business. That sort of change — one that has nothing to do with the adventurers directly, but one that they’ll notice

, game products, and digital games are assumed to take place. The world is yours to change as you see fit and yours to modify as you explore the consequences of the players’ actions. Your world is

Campaign Characters

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

shine. Character Arcs Like most protagonists in film and literature, D&D adventurers face challenges and change through the experience of overcoming them. By incorporating each character’s motivations

Battle Tactics

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

see its opponents before 60-foot darkvision sees it. A beholder always has several backup plans ready. When dealing with one, I have three plans of my own: run, hide, and distract. Rival adventurers

are always a good distraction. Rival beholders are the best one. — Volo Best of all, if ye can learn what schemes a beholder holds dearest, threaten those schemes. Its lured attention will at

Background

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

eternal honor directly caused the destruction of Manivarsha. Having lived a cursed life as a pride-obsessed fiend in the depths of the swamps for centuries, Jijibisha has recently heard of a rival that

K45. Hall of Heroes

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

depict ancient heroes. In actuality, the faces of the statues are stoic and expressionless, but whenever the lightning flashes, their expressions change to utter horror until the hall goes dark again

. The statues are imbued with the spirits of Strahd’s ancestors, all of which grieve over the termination of their bloodline. Each spirit will answer one question if addressed directly. The spirits

Rival Princes

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

Rival Princes When the characters arrive at the square, read or paraphrase the following: Locals crowd a shaded square, listening to a fervent argument between two well-dressed human men wearing dark

come directly from King Diara. Personality Trait. “I’m happiest when I’m working with my hands.” Ideal. “Though I might have more responsibility, I’m no better than anyone else who works in the

Keranos's Champions

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

Keranos’s Champions Keranos sees his champions as tools to bring insight and change to the world. He doesn’t contemplate the moral or ethical consequences of his insights, believing that such

prophecy, or bringing vengeance down on the storm god’s enemies. He uses his champions as agents of change to bring about a great epiphany, as instruments of vengeance against those he feels have wronged

Adult Emerald Dragon

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

issues that isn’t directly harmful to the creature. Distort Perceptions. The dragon attempts to alter the perceptions of one creature it can see within its lair. That creature must succeed on a DC

Ancient Emerald Dragon

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

this way obeys to the best of its ability any command the dragon issues that isn’t directly harmful to the creature. Distort Perceptions. The dragon attempts to alter the perceptions of one

Serpent Cults

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

are born the serpent cults, groups of devout mortals who serve the yuan-ti either directly or in foreign outposts. Fanatical in their ideals, these cultists are willing to die for the yuan-ti and their

have a ritual that can change a human into a pureblood. They sometimes use the promise of this ritual as an enticement for power-hungry followers or a reward for their most devoted cultists. In

E7: Temple Car

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

altar is a serene priest in sunny robes. The priest is, in fact, a gray slaad using its Change Shape ability to fool the characters. The slaad was sent here to kill them, plain and simple. It

STEAL’s rival, the Golden Vault.) If you’re weaving multiple adventures from this anthology into your campaign, one or more villains from earlier adventures might have secret ties to this evil

Factions in Athas

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

important common values and work toward the same end: the destruction of slavery. They fulfill something like the role of the Order of the Gauntlet in Athas. The Free are not directly concerned with

Alluvial Sand Wastes is Tyr, struggling to find its way after the death of King Kalak. The templars of Tyr can’t allow a new threat to grow on their doorstep — or allow the templars of a rival city such

Kraken

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

creators and pursue their own agendas, manipulating forces beneath the sea and beyond. Krakens rarely appear on the surface, but when they do, they herald times of change and doom. When roused to action

, these titans directly attack coastal cities or whole armadas. Kraken onslaughts persist until their wrath is sated, their divine patrons are appeased, or their egos are placated by valuable

Baphomet

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

of Spiders and her brood rarely take part directly in the Blood War; rather, her agents in the Abyss contrive to lure her enemies into throwing themselves into the struggle. Her servitors spy on both

sides, playing demon and devil against each other. Lolth’s plan, as far as those who study the Abyss understand it, is to tempt her rival demon lords into venturing onto other planes or to send them

Introducing the Deck

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

directly, but where might is insufficient, guile and cunning can prevail. Finally, the characters might simply be given a deck by someone who wants them to have it. Rifflers, mischievous fey

, Asteria or Euryale, detailed in chapter 22, might give a deck to characters desperate to change their destiny. Hello there! I’ve snuck some notes throughout this book—it felt appropriate, given my experience with this wondrous deck. May my words provide you with insight and inspiration! −Asteria

D&D Beyond

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