brings before defend concept rather

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

Jammer Leech

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

that of a snail. It has a single watery eye at one end and a spiked tentacle protruding from just below the eye, which it uses to defend itself. A mated pair of leeches produces 1d6;{"diceNotation

defensive measure. If the crew of a ship becomes aware of leeches that have become attached, it’s customary for them to try to scrape the leeches off the hull rather than attack them with weapons

Kelubar Demodand

Monsters Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse

farastu minions—rather than fight directly. Demodands Demodands, also called gehreleths, are Fiends from the Tarterian Depths of Carceri. Cast into the prison plane long ago for forgotten

transgressions, these bitter, wicked creatures have appointed themselves the jailers of the plane. Demodands viciously defend the few known portals that lead out of Carceri and ruthlessly torment other

Grippli Warrior

Monsters Candlekeep Mysteries

grasping and climbing. A grippli can move as quickly on all fours as it can on two legs. Communal Effort. Grippli rely on ambushes and guerrilla warfare to defend themselves and their settlements. They

are raised by the community rather than by a single set of parents, and all of a community’s eggs are kept in freshwater pools until they mature. Protecting their eggs is a major concern for

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

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

protecting their own lands, they protect us as well.” Exploring Opportunities Halflings usually set out on the adventurer’s path to defend their communities, support their friends, or explore a

Reborn

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

sensations or visions of the past to come rushing back. Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark

Memories table to inspire its details. Lost Memories d6 Memory 1 You recall a physically painful moment. What mark or scar on your body does it relate to? 2 A memory brings

Urchin Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

better life. d6 Bond 1 My town or city is my home, and I’ll fight to defend it. 2 I sponsor an orphanage to keep others from enduring what I was forced to endure

;d rather kill someone in their sleep than fight fair. 5 It’s not stealing if I need it more than someone else. 6 People who can’t take care of themselves get what they deserve.

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the responsibility to earn a place in the tribe or die trying. Driven Competitors Every day brings a new challenge to a goliath. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the uppermost mountain reaches. A

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

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

they are more interested in grabbing plunder and food rather than in wanton slaughter. The elderly, children, and any who seem weak or meek enough might escape death. If they leave the population more

swallow a stone. A tribute of elf ears brings favor from Gruumsh. If you bury five stones at dawn before a long journey, you will always find your way back to the war hearth. Stomping your foot three

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

manipulate the folk of Khorvaire to eliminate kalashtar whenever possible. Many kalashtar defend themselves from the Dreaming Dark by focusing on devotion to the Path of Light. Others, though, seek

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

Young Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

into stoneThe thunderous clash of conflict is part of the very nature of sapphire dragons. Militant and territorial, they defend their lairs fiercely, ambushing intruders and plotting assaults against

not guarantee victory. Planning and tactics do. (Lawful) 6 Companionship. Sure, my hoard brings me great joy. But the real treasures are the guests who stop by to see it. (Good

Sapphire Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Intelligence as the spellcasting ability: 1/day each: alarm, Tenser's floating diskThe thunderous clash of conflict is part of the very nature of sapphire dragons. Militant and territorial, they defend

unhappy. (Lawful) 5 Preparation. Justice and righteousness do not guarantee victory. Planning and tactics do. (Lawful) 6 Companionship. Sure, my hoard brings me great joy. But the real

Urchin - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. d6 Bond 1 My town or city is my home, and I’ll fight to defend it. 2 I sponsor an orphanage to keep others from enduring what I was forced to endure. 3 I

from a fight. 2 Gold seems like a lot of money to me, and I’ll do just about anything for more of it. 3 I will never fully trust anyone other than myself. 4 I’d rather

Ancient Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

conflict is part of the very nature of sapphire dragons. Militant and territorial, they defend their lairs fiercely, ambushing intruders and plotting assaults against their rivals. The sonic pulse of their

tactics do. (Lawful) 6 Companionship. Sure, my hoard brings me great joy. But the real treasures are the guests who stop by to see it. (Good) Sapphire Dragon Adventures The Sapphire

Adult Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

sapphire dragons. Militant and territorial, they defend their lairs fiercely, ambushing intruders and plotting assaults against their rivals. The sonic pulse of their breath weapon sows weakness, leaving

, my hoard brings me great joy. But the real treasures are the guests who stop by to see it. (Good) Sapphire Dragon Adventures The Sapphire Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers suggestions for

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

divination (to find raw materials and foresee threats to the tribe). The main reason why kobolds depend on arcane magic rather than divine is Kurtulmak’s imprisonment, which makes it difficult for

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.

Roleplaying an Orc

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

Roleplaying an Orc When you’re roleplaying an orc, the following tables contain possible inspiration. They suggest characteristics that an orc might possess. The gaze of the One Eye brings madness to

strength brings honor to Gruumsh. (Any) 2 Prowess. Killing all your enemies is the path to greatness. (Evil) 3 Dominance. I will have achieved glory when all cower before my might. (Evil) 4 Intimidation

Faded Memories

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

. Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark, silent stretches. Occasionally, though, in a moment of

Memory 1 You recall a physically painful moment. What mark or scar on your body does it relate to? 2 A memory brings tears to your eyes. Is it a bitter or cheerful memory? Does recalling

Lizardfolk Names

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

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.

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

themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folk

Denizens

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

Denizens The erinyes, duergar, and salamanders that defend the hold are united by their loyalty to Vrakir, but each group otherwise disdains the others. The defenders are slow to assist or seek

, the defenders bring their reports to Jarazoun first, allowing him to deal with any trouble himself rather than risk Vrakir’s ire. While on high alert, the hold’s inhabitants can’t be surprised, and

Being Your Own Patron

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

to worry about; when you run your own mercenary company, for example, you need to stock your own armory rather than drawing on an existing organization’s stockpile. The organization brings in income

Origin of the Ordning

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

the ordning in some mythic future. Giants on some worlds (including Eberron) have no concept of the ordning at all. Such giants might think of themselves as a single species, with the differences

among giant kinds reflecting a cultural or geographical distinction rather than an inherent one. They might live in bands composed of multiple giant kinds or family groups of a single kind. Or giants of

Character Advancement

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

taking part in a play session. A character reaches 1 checkpoint for each hour an adventure is designed to last. Note that the award is based on the adventure’s projected playing time, rather than the

designed to take 2 hours, the character reaches 3 checkpoints. Playing time might seem like an odd way to measure experience awards, but the concept is in keeping with how a shared campaign is meant to

Orog

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

of food often brings them to the surface to hunt. Orcs respect an orog’s strength and cunning, and a lone orog might command an orc war band. Stronger and Smarter. An orog uses its strength to bully

terrifying presence on the battlefield. They form no attachments, even to their parents and siblings, and have no concept of love or dedication. They worship the orc pantheon of gods — Gruumsh and Luthic

The Returned

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

effects demand more significant sacrifices. Palamnites While most of the Returned are listless and quiet, palamnites burn with envy and rage. They are vicious killers, destroying what no longer brings

, pseudammas turn tragedy into horror by snatching mortal children and attempting to raise them. However, the Returned have forgotten the needs of the living and they have no concept of how to care for a child.

Secret

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

holy symbol that represents that divinity. Some clerics, especially in a world like Eberron, serve a whole pantheon, rather than a single deity. In certain campaigns, a cleric might instead serve a

cosmic force, such as life or death, or a philosophy or concept, such as love, peace, or one of the nine alignments. Chapter 1 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide explores options like these, in the section

Orders

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

special facilities in their Bastion on a given Bastion turn. The Maintain order is unusual; it is issued to the whole Bastion rather than to one or more special facilities. If a character isn’t in

hirelings focus on maintaining the Bastion rather than executing orders in special facilities. Issuing this order prohibits other orders from being issued to the Bastion on the current Bastion turn

Communication and Disposition

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

in cold weather might say, “This wind brings cold” rather than “I feel cold.” Lizardfolk tend to express concepts in terms of actions, rather than effects. Parley and Surrender The lizardfolk are

refusal to do so automatically prompts an attack. In such an attack, the lizardfolk’s first priority is the expulsion, rather than the death, of the intruders, but they fight to the death if provoked. Once

Water Weird

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil. However, a water weird bound to a sacred or befouled source of water begins to take on the nature of that site

, becoming neutral good or neutral evil. A neutral good water weird tries to frighten away interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might

Darklords

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

adventures rather than saving them for distant climactic plots. Darklords Don’t Realize They’re Darklords. With a few exceptions, Darklords don’t realize they occupy a special place in the world. Their

concept of how long they’ve lived, how many times they’ve died, or why they returned to life. Should a Darklord fall, the temporary defeat lasts until they’re restored by the Dark Powers. In their

Yuan-ti Cities

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

yuan-ti content themselves with maintaining these ancient places rather than building new ones for their needs. Although these sites are hundreds or even thousands of years old, they don’t look or feel

reflects human ideas about art and beauty. Over time this perspective was skewed toward the concept that the snake is the perfect form, so serpents are a common theme in their aesthetic. The major

Resolving the Mystery

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

gingwatzims defend Korvala’s office. Were they guarding something else as well? Characters who choose this violent path might never uncover the pack’s motives, but they can find the real Mazfroth’s Mighty

Digressions and see the book safely back to Candlekeep, if they so desire. NIDALIA The true leader of the Amberdune Pack, Nidalia is a lamia who delights in hoarding books rather than in corruption and

D&D Beyond

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