both behind drive concept rather

Book of Exalted Deeds

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

The definitive treatise on all that is good in the multiverse, the Book of Exalted Deeds figures prominently in many religions. Rather than being a scripture devoted to a particular faith, the book

this damage disappears in a flash and is destroyed, leaving its possessions behind. The book then vanishes, and the creature’s Attunement to it ends. Benefits granted by the Book of Exalted Deeds

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

dracoliches, magically bound dragons to his service, and learned how to drive dragons across Faerûn into a berserk rage. He considered his intellect beyond morality and became paranoid, resentful, and

efficiently as he can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

bound dragons to his service, and learned how to drive dragons across Faerûn into a berserk rage. He considered his intellect beyond morality and became paranoid, resentful, and megalomaniacal

can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps a magical soul

Manshoon

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. That Manshoon is dead, and the current Manshoon is one of the original’s many clones. Being a magical copy rather than an original doesn’t make Manshoon any less of a threat, as he’s

clandestine coup. It’s widely believed he’s turned his attentions elsewhere, but another Manshoon clone lurks in that city, manipulating the Zhentarim behind the scenes to amass

Water Weird Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

those its summoner declares as off limits. When slain, a water weird becomes an inanimate pool of water. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil

interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might turn against its summoner. A water weird loses its evil alignment if its waters are cleansed

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

witnessing Strahd himself slay Vladimir's beloved, his fellow knight Sir Godfrey Gwilym. With the battle won, Strahd surrounded Argynvostholt. Rather than cower in his lair, Argynvost emerged and

. When Strahd became a vampire, Vladimir and his revenants should have gone to their eternal rest. But Strahd's deeds were so heinous that Barovia and the knight's spirits became trapped behind

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

at his core, the seneschal didn’t return as a skeletal knight but rather as an intangible spirit. Caradoc’s Undead form suits him well, allowing him to possess the living and use unwilling

;The safest place to be is behind the toughest warrior in the room.” Bond. “In life and in death, I’m the only one who matters.” Flaw. “Who can resist a little drama

Book of Exalted Deeds Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

The definitive treatise on all that is good in the multiverse, the fabled Book of Exalted Deeds figures prominently in many religions. Rather than being a scripture devoted to a particular faith, the

in a blinding flash and is destroyed, leaving its possessions behind. Benefits granted by the Book of Exalted Deeds last only as long as you strive to do good. If you fail to perform at least one act

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

Regis the halfling, the only one of his kind for hundreds of miles in any direction, locked his fingers behind his head and leaned back against the mossy blanket of the tree trunk. Regis was short

treasures locked in a cellar rather than on display for all to see. They have a knack for finding the most straightforward solution to a problem, and have little patience for dithering. Kind and

Forlarren

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

bound to their fey lord and unable to bargain away their souls. So rather than claim them, Fierna warped and twisted them before returning them to the Feywild, content that the corruption of the satyrs

its nature. That aspect might drive it to drink itself nearly to death, or to throw itself into caring for others with such relentless energy that it eventually collapses from exhaustion

Tiefling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

. Their skin tones cover the full range of human coloration, but also include various shades of red. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red

reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and then try to embody that concept. For some

Crab Folk

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

, but looted cheap, bulky trade goods while leaving valuable smaller treasures behind. Frustrated by her servants, the hag wove a spell to adapt them to the coastal terrain while planting in their

villages and towns near her domain. If those settlements grew too strong, she sent her familiar, a cruel seagull, to harangue the crab folk with its cries and drive them to war. Today, by a stroke of

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips

City Watch / Investigator

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

easily pick out the dens of criminal activity in a community, although you’re more likely to be welcome in the former locations rather than the latter. Variant: Investigator Rarer

Investigation rather than Athletics. Suggested Characteristics Use the tables for the soldier background below as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to

Isolde

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

archfey named Zybilna, who had forged secret pacts with some of the fiends Isolde and her companions had slain. Rather than be angry at Isolde, Zybilna was impressed by her. She enlisted a powerful fiend

sent malevolent fey creatures to hound Isolde and her Shadowfell carnival. Isolde doesn’t know who is behind this petty torment, nor does she care. Her hunt for the Caller and her thirst for

Soldier Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

lay down my life for the people I served with. 2 Someone saved my life on the battlefield. To this day, I will never leave a friend behind. 3 My honor is my life. 4 I’ll never

mistake in battle that cost many lives—and I would do anything to keep that mistake secret. 4 My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. 5 I obey the law, even if the law causes misery. 6 I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.

Charlatan Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

them like they were children’s books. It’s a useful talent, and one that you’re perfectly willing to use for your advantage. You know what people want and you deliver, or rather

Characteristics Charlatans are colorful characters who conceal their true selves behind the masks they construct. They reflect what people want to see, what they want to believe, and how they see the

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals, which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patrons drive

determine how big a part your pact will play in your character’s adventuring career. Your patron’s demands might drive you into adventures, or they might consist entirely of small favors you can

Feral Tiefling

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

. Their skin tones cover the full range of human coloration, but also include various shades of red. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red

reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and then try to embody that concept. For some

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the group’s needs, but the effect each action will have on the forest and the rest of the natural world. Firbolg tribes would rather go hungry than strain the land during a famine. Hidden

Shepherds As caretakers of the land, firbolgs prefer to remain out of sight and out of mind. They don’t try to dominate nature, but rather seek to ensure that it prospers and survives according to its

Marine

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

of an enemy ship, surviving on brackish water and foolhardy rats. At the right moment, you crept up to the deck and took over the ship on your own. 6 Leave None Behind. You carried an

difficult and struggle to say the right thing in social situations. 3 My intensity can drive others away. 4 I hold grudges and have difficulty forgiving others. 5 I become irrational when

Lady Illmarrow

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

effects. Rejuvenation. Illmarrow’s body turns to dust when she drops to 0 hit points, and her equipment is left behind. She gains a new body after 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollType":"roll

Lady Illmarrow is no folk tale. She is the greatest necromancer in Eberron, and after centuries of silence, she is setting ancient plots into motion at last. She is the power behind the Order of the

Survival of the Fittest

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

pity for adults who can’t take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result of the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to

pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo

Dimir Operative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

journals or hidden away in someone’s mind. Even you might not be aware of all the reasons behind the missions you carry out. Sometimes a mission’s sole purpose is to conceal the

motivation behind another strike performed in a different part of the city, or simply to spread fear. As part of your covert work for House Dimir, you maintain a false identity as a member of another guild

Kalashtar Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

with their quori spirits. Rather, they might experience this relationship as a sense of instinct and inspiration, drawing on the memories of the spirit when they dream. This connection grants kalashtar

. Kalashtar Quirks 1d10 Quirk 1 You try to understand the motives and feelings of your enemies. 2 You prefer using telepathy over speaking aloud. 3 You feel a strong drive to

Mighty Servant of Leuk-o

Magic Items Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

instantly and leave behind no remains. This does not destroy the servant permanently. Rather, 2d6 days later, its parts—left arm, left leg, right arm, right leg, lower torso, and upper torso&mdash

Anthropologist

Backgrounds Tomb of Annihilation

; Suggested Characteristics Anthropologists leave behind the societies into which they were born to discover what life is like in other parts of the world. They seek to see how other races and civilizations

. 2 I’m a stickler when it comes to observing proper etiquette and local customs. 3 I would rather observe than meddle. 4 By living among violent people, I have become

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

;n. Recent events in your homeland have led to the abolition of slavery, and a corresponding increase in the traffic between Mulhorand and the distant parts of Faerûn. Those who leave behind

leave my loved one(s) behind. I hope to see them again one day. d6 Flaw 1 I am secretly (or not so secretly) convinced of the superiority of my own culture over that of this

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

sent Kurtulmak to retrieve it. Garl lured his pursuer into a maze-like cavern, then collapsed the exits behind him, trapping Kurtulmak for all eternity. Kurtulmak is a hateful deity, one who despises

other useful items, but if they are at risk of discovery, they run away rather than attack anyone in the house. By fleeing before they can be seen or identified, they avoid getting into a situation

Courtier

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

In your earlier days, you were a personage of some significance in a noble court or a bureaucratic organization. You might or might not come from an upper-class family; your talents, rather than the

traveled in Waterdeep’s baroque and sometimes cutthroat conglomeration of guilds, nobles, adventurers, and secret societies. You might have been one of the behind-the-scenes law-keepers or

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

behind the life of a soldier for hire, but your skills are undeniably suited for battle, so now you fight on in a different way. MERCENARIES OF THE NORTH Countless mercenary companies

never leave a friend behind. 3 My honor is my life. 4 I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it. 5 Those who fight beside me are those

Character Names

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

names, that’s fine. If the group would rather take the characters and their names a little more seriously, urge Bob’s player to come up with a more appropriate name. Player character names should match

each other in flavor or concept, and they should also match the flavor of your campaign world — so should the nonplayer characters’ names and place names you create. Travok and Kairon don’t want to undertake a quest for Lord Cupcake, visit Gumdrop Island, or take down a crazy wizard named Ray.

Faction Agent

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

: Founded more than a millennium ago, disbanded and reorganized several times, the Harpers remain a powerful, behind-the-scenes agency, which acts to thwart evil and promote fairness through

knowledge, rather than brute force. Harper agents are often proficient in Investigation, enabling them to be adept at snooping and spying. They often seek aid from other Harpers, sympathetic bards and

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

life on the battlefield. To this day, I will never leave a friend behind. 3 My honor is my life. 4 I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it

keep that mistake secret. 4 My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. 5 I obey the law, even if the law causes misery. 6 I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

shines from her hands, the man’s wounds knit closed, and his eyes open wide with amazement. A dwarf crouches behind an outcrop, his black cloak making him nearly invisible in the night, and watches

while you were at prayer? Did another paladin sense the potential within you and decide to train you as a squire? Or did some terrible event—the destruction of your home, perhaps—drive you to

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