broad best diffusing concept refer

Glaive

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

blighted region. Among the blades, Glaive is best known for her talent at self-modification. “Glaive” is etched onto the back of her neck-plate. It is the only name Glaive has ever known

, and fellow blades don’t dare call her anything else. Mournland adventurers, however, refer to the terrifying commander by another name: Kill Switch.PoisonOverdrive (Recharges after Finishing a

Eater of Hope

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

’ greed to turn them against one another and their own best interests. Some foul souls can’t let go of the miserable lives they had. Having been despicable in life, these spirits fester in

. A demon of Theros doesn’t require food, drink, or sleep. FIENDS OF THEROS On Theros, the term “demon” encompasses all fiends. The people of Theros might refer to “demons

Tiefling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language, passed down through generations, that

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

Fighter Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

exquisite bow. The half-orc nearby shouts orders, helping the two combatants coordinate their assault to the best advantage. A dwarf in chain mail interposes his shield between the ogre’s club

, some on fighting with two weapons at once, and some on augmenting their martial skills with magic. This combination of broad general ability and extensive specialization makes fighters superior

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

empires on the foundation of conquest and trade. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the worlds. A Broad Spectrum With their penchant for migration

, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and as a group, humans are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics. EVERYONE’S SECOND-BEST FRIENDS

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

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

. Goliaths see females and males as equal in all things, and they find societies with roles divided by gender to be puzzling or worthy of mockery. To a goliath, the person who is best at a job should be

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

adopt elven names when they must deal with outsiders, although the concept of names strikes them as strange. They know the animals and plants of the forest without formal names, and instead identify the

forest’s children by their deeds, habits, and other actions. By the same token, their tribe names merely refer to their homes. When dealing with other races, firbolgs refer to their lands by

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, Dragons of Autumn Twilight Walking in two worlds but truly belonging to neither, half-elves combine what some say are the best qualities of their elf and human parents: human curiosity

like elves, and to elves, they look human. In height, they’re on par with both parents, though they’re neither as slender as elves nor as broad as humans. They range from under 5 feet to

Gnome Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

habitations in Oeble, that particular tenement had been built for humans, and smaller residents coped with the resulting awkwardness as best they could. But at least the relative largeness of the apartment

. Gnomes average slightly over 3 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Their tan or brown faces are usually adorned with broad smiles (beneath their prodigious noses), and their bright eyes shine with

Feral Tiefling

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language, passed down through generations, that

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

Tiefling Names

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

Tiefling Names Tiefling names fall into three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language

, passed down through generations, that 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

Keeping Time from Day to Day

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

their arrangements around such expressions. The concept of hours and minutes exists mainly where wealthy people use clocks, but mechanical clocks are often unreliable, and rarely are two set to the same

time. If a local temple or civic structure has a clock that tolls out the passing of the hours, people refer to hours as “bells,” as in “I’ll meet you at seven bells.”

Firbolg Names

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

Firbolg Names Firbolg adopt elven names when they must deal with outsiders, although the concept of names strikes them as strange. They know the animals and plants of the forest without formal names

, and instead identify the forest’s children by their deeds, habits, and other actions. By the same token, their tribe names merely refer to their homes. When dealing with other races, firbolgs refer

Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry. A Timeless Perspective Elves can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are

, sophistication, and manners, they make up in valor. And I must admit, their best smiths produce art that approaches elven quality.” Halflings. “Halflings are people of simple pleasures, and

Tiefling Names

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

Tiefling Names Tiefling names fall into three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal

concept and then try to embody that concept. For some, the chosen name is a noble quest. For others, it’s a grim destiny. Male Infernal Names: Akmenos, Amnon, Barakas, Damakos, Ekemon, Iados, Kairon

Giff

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Giff are tall, broad-shouldered folk with hippo-like features. Some have smooth skin, while others have short bristles on their faces and the tops of their heads. As beings of impressive size and

determine your character’s height or weight randomly, consult the Random Height and Weight table in the Player’s Handbook, and choose the row in the table that best represents the build you imagine for your character.

Flaws Legacy

Rules

Your character's flaw represents some vice, compulsion, fear, or weakness—in particular, anything that someone else could exploit to bring you to ruin or cause you to act against your best interests

. More significant than negative personality traits, a flaw might answer any of these questions: What enrages you? What's the one person, concept, or event that you are terrified of? What are your vices?

Using This Book

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

2 and 3. If you come across a game concept in part 1 that you don’t understand, consult the book’s index. Part 2 (chapters 7–9) details the rules of how to play the game, beyond the basics described

in this introduction. That part covers the kinds of die rolls you make to determine success or failure at the tasks your character attempts, and describes the three broad categories of activity in the

Monsters

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

Monsters Ghosts, mind flayers, werewolves—every monster is a story. Consider which monsters complement or contrast a Darklord’s story. In a few sentences, describe which monsters best represent the

ghosts who suffer from the Darklord’s experiments. For inspiration, refer to the “Darklord’s Shadows” section and your answers to the questions there, as well as the Monsters tables in the “Genres of Horror” section later in this chapter.

The Draconic Prophecy

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

: “The gorgon’s breath.” These words could refer to a literal gorgon, perhaps one magically altered or infused with radiant energy so its breath restores health, brings the dead back to life, or animates

objects. Or they could refer to House Cannith, whose symbol is a gorgon. (Members of the Chamber, in particular, believe that mortals’ dragonmarks appeared on flesh in order to involve these people in

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

to the folk of the Sword Coast. If you come from Kara-Tur, the people of Faerûn likely refer to you as Shou, even if that isn’t your true ethnicity, because that’s the blanket term

be deluded innocents at best, or ignorant fools at worst. 6 I have a weakness for the exotic beauty of the people of these lands.

Secret

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

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

up serving, choose a Divine Domain that is appropriate for it, and if it doesn’t have a holy symbol, work with your DM to design one. The cleric’s class features often refer to your deity. If you

How It Started

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

grew, so too did its demand for willing and able-bodied adventurers. However, a limited payroll meant having to settle for one or the other. After coming to the conclusion that a mission statement best

recover the soul of said intern. (Clearly, none of those hells paid for him either.) The rogue Viari is one of Acquisitions Incorporated’s best internship success stories. In fact, he was so

Outer Planes

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

, the Outer Planes provide the direction, thought, and purpose for its construction. Accordingly, many sages refer to the Outer Planes as divine planes, spiritual planes, or godly planes, for the Outer

Planes are best known as the homes of deities. When discussing anything to do with deities, the language used must be highly metaphorical. Their actual homes aren’t literally places at all, but

Outer Planes

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

refer to the Outer Planes as divine planes, spiritual planes, or godly planes, for the Outer Planes are best known as the homes of deities. When discussing anything to do with deities, the language used

a virtually meaningless concept on the Outer Planes. The perceptible regions of the planes often seem quite small, but they can also stretch on to what seems like infinity. It might be possible to

Goliath Names

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

roles divided by gender to be puzzling or worthy of mockery. To a goliath, the person who is best at a job should be the one tasked with doing it. A goliath’s nickname is a description that can change

change them to refer to an individual’s notable deeds. Goliaths present all three names when identifying themselves, in the order of birth name, nickname, and clan name. In casual conversation, they

The Balance

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

eternity. A third point of view exists, held by those who take both sides at their word and strive to make sure that neither outcome ever comes to pass. The adherents of this viewpoint refer to the

concept they espouse as the Balance, and they seek to maintain equilibrium across the cosmos above all. Mordenkainen and his compatriots are among its most notable devotees. Since a true appreciation of

Foreward

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

hard part was deciding how exactly to do that. We faced an important decision early on in creating the concept for this campaign. In addition to the original 1985 adventure, there was a sequel released

straightforward. I highly recommend it as one of D&D's earliest and best dungeons. Instead, we decided to consider Elemental Evil as cosmic threat. As creatures of the planes, the elemental princes

Know Your Players

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

match their preferences. At best, a group of players is a lot like their characters, in that having different interests and capabilities enables them to handle a broad range of challenges.

Running Preludes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

, each character should participate in a prelude encounter. After you’ve determined which preludes to run, choose which characters will participate in which. Then consider how to best run each prelude

the encounter together. The “Scales of War” prelude lends itself to this. Throughout these preludes, mentions of “characters” refer to those characters who are the focus of the prelude. Characters can

Flavors of Fantasy

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

Flavors of Fantasy Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy game, but that broad category encompasses a lot of variety. Many different flavors of fantasy exist in fiction and film. Do you want a horrific

an effort to destroy monsters or villains. This genre is also common in fantasy fiction. Most novels set in the Forgotten Realms are best described as heroic fantasy, following in the footsteps of many of the authors listed in the Appendices of the Player’s Handbook.

Darklord's Shadows

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

committed. Consider selecting those that best complement the players’ characters and that don’t conflict with any boundaries discussed in your group’s session zero (see “Preparing for Horror” in chapter 4

? Once you’ve considered these questions, write down your answers and review them. Mark or highlight the words that resonate or feel creepily evocative. As you proceed through domain creation, refer back to these details for inspiration.

A Bard's Muse

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

versatility. Others adopt a more personal approach to their art, driven by their attachment to a muse — a particular concept that inspires much of what those bards do in front of an audience. A bard who

follows a muse generally does so to gain a deeper understanding of what that muse represents and how to best convey that understanding to others through performance. If your bard character has a muse, it

Statistics

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer

expertise of their caregiver, a companion’s proficiency bonus is equal to their caregiver’s proficiency bonus. Additionally, some of a companion’s statistics refer to their proficiency bonus, abbreviated as

, PBd6 means 2d6. Signature Attack Each companion has an action designated as their signature attack. A signature attack is always a melee attack, and it’s typically the creature’s best natural attack. A

Animal Lord

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

faces environmental disaster or droves of animals are otherwise in jeopardy. Valera Lutfullina Among the best-known animal lords are those that represent cats, hawks, lizards, and wolves, but

lords can summon spectral animals, channel spiritual energy, and exhibit powers associated with one of three broad groups: foragers, hunters, or sages. These powers are tied to an animal lord’s

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