build bad diffusing conceal relatively

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

return the courtesy, the duchess commissioned the legendary toymaker Fritz von Weerg to build a clockwork effigy of Pidlwick as a gift for Strahd's family. Although the duchess's heart was in the right

Ideal. “I wish I could make people happy.” Bond. “I would like to find someone—anyone—who isn't afraid of me and who enjoys my company.” Flaw. “When I'm upset, I do bad things.”Poison

Fighter Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

combatants on battlefields and in dungeons alike. Trained for Danger Not every member of the city watch, the village militia, or the queen’s army is a fighter. Most of these troops are relatively

Fighter As you build your fighter, think about two related elements of your character’s background: Where did you get your combat training, and what set you apart from the mundane warriors

Changeling Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

with people around them. Does the character conceal their true changeling nature? Do they embrace it? Do they have connections to other changelings or are they alone and in search of companions

specific purpose and then might never be used again. However, many changelings develop identities that have more depth. They build an identity over time, crafting a persona with a history and beliefs. This

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

that, avoiding offense. Standing about 3 feet tall, they appear relatively harmless and so have managed to survive for centuries in the shadow of empires and on the edges of wars and political strife

communities are threatened. Pastoral Pleasantries Most halflings live in small, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span, but a human nation or culture preserves

shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the elder races, and that’s why they build their mighty

Dragonmarked Characters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

Dragonmarked Characters Here are examples of characters with the Mark of Warding. Artificer House Agent. Some people want to build a better mousetrap. Better isn’t enough for you — you want to build

. Criminal Rogue. It’s not that you’re a bad person. You’ve just never met a lock you didn’t want to open. It’s like they speak to you, whispering “Free me! Free me!” You’re not even in it for the gold

Variety in All Things

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

settled. When they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span

Variety in All Things

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

settled. When they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span

Hobgoblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

to keep the knowledge fresh for new generations. When hobgoblins aren’t waging war, they farm, they build, and they practice both martial and arcane arts. These trappings of civil society do

little to conceal an underlying brutality that hobgoblins practice on each other and perfect upon other races. Punishment for infractions of hobgoblin law are swift and merciless. Beauty is something

Vladeska's Powers and Dominion

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

, the Talons are terrifying. Their numbers are relatively few, but they’re organized enough to oppress Lekar’s ragged survivors and enforce Drakov’s totalitarian laws. In the face of zombie hordes

executions serve the greater good and impose necessary order, but make it clear that zombies aren’t the realm’s only monsters. Only Bad Decisions. There is one simple truth in Falkovnia: the dead are

Whorlstone Tunnels

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

relatively regular dimensions. They are known for their unusual rock formations and abundant patches of fungi, and for being suffused with faerzress (see chapter 2). There are currently two factions

using the tunnels for their own ends. The Gray Ghosts have an alchemical laboratory and a fungal garden supplying them with poisons, and the leaders of the guild conceal a secret in the form of a

Horror in Your Game

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

how to bring it to life through your adventures. Creating Atmosphere. Threatening traps and monsters alone don’t create exciting D&D adventures. This book provides techniques to help you build

attention for both of us. We’ve found no trace of Vhorishkova since arriving, but I feel her watching. It’s like she’s everywhere. It’s bad here, Uncle. Not snake-headed hogs bad. Like, full Delmunster

It's Just Business

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

. What better way to think of the big bad monster at the center of a web of even bigger and badder plans than as the CEO of a megacorporation, using every resource to dominate the market? What is an

these hired helpers to prominence for their importance to the campaign story. And, of course, for comic effect. When the characters are relatively low level, an Acquisitions Incorporated style of play can

Ephara's Influence

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

build a city. Ephara and Nylea are almost polar opposites, and there is no shortage of bad blood between the god of the cities and the god of the hunt. Nylea resents the construction of every

those who build new cities and those who free others from tyranny. Ephara knows that not all threats to a city come from outside it, and she encourages her followers to watch out for tyranny and

Story Overview

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

, a rival goblin gang that often deals in illicit arms. Rumors swirled that Krenko killed Dargig, the youngest of the three brothers, after a weapons drop went bad. The remaining two brothers, Rikkig

Krenko’s freedom, and are desperate to make him pay. GUILDLESS VILLAINS Not every villain in a Ravnica campaign is a member of a guild, and not every scheme originates in the guildhalls. As you build

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

sewer tunnels, paying them with food and tools the kobolds wouldn’t have access to on their own. If they are treated well and left alone to do the job, the kobolds work industriously and build a

, they might build a warren and make a permanent home there, while continuing to expand the town’s sewers as the community grows. These so-called “city kobolds” live underground but

Copper Dragon Lairs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Copper Dragon Lairs Copper dragons prefer dry uplands, hilltops, or mountainous foothills, where they build their lairs in caves, crags, or tunnels. Although sometimes natural, the passages and

walls in the lair can conceal cunning hidden passages or might be stone or clay thin enough for the dragon to burst through them. The narrowest tunnels in a copper dragon’s lair are just barely wide

Fensirs

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

resemble relatively small frost or stone giants. They use armor and weapons similar to what other combatants on Ysgard use in the eternal battle. The transformation that created fensirs left them with an

seems like a transparently bad idea. What were those giants thinking? —Bigby And yet, can we fairly say that the existence of fensirs is “transparently bad”? Some might argue they are a

Morgrave University

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

founding: Lord Morgrave himself is said to have made his fortune selling Dhakaani artifacts on the black market, and some have claimed that the true purpose of the university was to help him build his

fortune through such questionable means. Allies. The academic world is relatively small, and people at any one university tend to have connections at others. You might parlay such relationships into

Small and Practical

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

relatively harmless and so have managed to survive for centuries in the shadow of empires and on the edges of wars and political strife. They are inclined to be stout, weighing between 40 and 45 pounds

, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much land beyond their quiet shires. They typically don’t recognize any sort of halfling

Hobgoblins

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

that other folk study, making them skilled in battle but relatively illiterate on the finer points of how and why their magic works. The Academy of Devastation believes that an academic approach to

functions according to Maglubiyet’s will. Masked Devils. Iron Shadows on a secret mission wear masks crafted to resemble devils, both to conceal their identities and to strike fear into their foes. Their

Battle Balloon

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

Battle Balloon Through the winter clouds that surround the castle on this desolate hill, you see a shape emerge. Something so gigantic, you can’t believe it can actually fly. Airships are relatively

the Dragon has been seen with flying ships of its own. Still, among the small number of factions and organizations known to possess or build airships, Acquisitions Incorporated might be the best known

People of Akros

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

the vast majority of Akros’s population, the serfs largely reside outside the protection of the Kolophon, laboring to grow the staple crops that support Akros’s citizens and its trade. A relatively

small number of serfs are skilled artisans who manage to build a more prosperous life for themselves with their crafts. But even these wealthier serfs can’t own the land they live on, and they enjoy few

Franchise Downtime

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

, skimming from the coffers of either temple, running illegal gambling at the Sleeping Giant — any of these activities could net a nice profit with relatively limited risk. Staying on the Good Side If

-work miners. Doing so makes acquiring ongoing concessions or information from townsfolk much easier, but puts the characters in the bad graces of Sharna Quirstiron at the Miner’s Exchange. Leads to the

Hobgoblins

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

history of shared traditions, recorded and retold to keep the knowledge fresh for new generations. When hobgoblins aren’t waging war, they farm, they build, and they practice both martial and arcane arts

. These trappings of civil society do little to conceal an underlying brutality that hobgoblins practice on each other and perfect upon other races. Punishment for infractions of hobgoblin law are

Villains

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

pawn in a position of power 3 Magic (d6) 1 Obtain an ancient artifact 2 Build a construct or magical device 3 Carry out a deity’s wishes 4 Offer sacrifices to a deity 5 Contact a lost deity or power

Terrorism Villain’s Secret Weakness Finding and exploiting a villain’s weakness can be very gratifying for players, although a smart villain tries to conceal its weakness. A lich, for example, has a

Glory of the Giants

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

, and the relatively small stature of present-day humans is a mark of their degeneracy. Others imagine remote realms—cloud castles or lost continents—where Brobdingnagian people dwell, set apart from

ideas about giants’ organizations and societies. Chapter 3 presents tools to help Dungeon Masters build encounters, adventures, and whole campaigns around giants. The chapter includes tables you can

Sorcerer

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

attention to themselves if things go bad. Focusing with Flair All sorcerers rely on an arcane focus through which they channel their magic, but traditional focuses lack a singular style. Staffs, orbs, wands

Personal Magic When you cast a spell, you go all in, channeling that magic through body and soul. Often, leftover magic from a casting manifests as a residual effect that can build up over

Elements of a Great Adventure

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

with Clever Twists It might seem stereotypical to build an adventure around dragons, orcs, and wizards in towers, but these are staples of fantasy storytelling. It might also seem trite to begin an

describing the present situation, what the bad guys are up to, and how the adventurers become involved in the story. Heroes Who Matter An adventure should allow the adventurers’ actions and decisions to

Pidlwick II

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

commissioned the legendary toymaker Fritz von Weerg to build a clockwork effigy of Pidlwick as a gift for Strahd’s family. Although the duchess’s heart was in the right place, the effigy didn’t have

happy.” Bond. “I would like to find someone—anyone—who isn’t afraid of me and who enjoys my company.” Flaw. “When I’m upset, I do bad things.” Pidlwick II Small construct, neutral evil Armor Class 14

Solitary but Social

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

receive relatively cordial treatment from those other hags instead. Every hag has a particular status relative to others of her kind and to hags of all sorts, based on age, abilities, influence

on rare magic to the hag’s daughter. THE RULE OF THREE They say that things come in threes. Good things. Bad things. Strange things. Hags and purveyors of witchcraft embrace the Rule of Three, as it

The Scarlet Sash

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

scolds those who display bad manners or foolish behavior. She can easily mimic the sound of breaking glass, which she likes to use to create a distraction. Personality Trait. “I can be trusted with a

contact with the characters for as long as possible. When they are no longer able to conceal their presence, the wereravens greet the characters in humanoid form, clad in sandals and dusty black robes

Mirabar

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

, since no one in Mirabar wishes to see the surface city wiped out. It would simply be bad for business. Mirabar spares no expense in defending its wealth, and hires as many mages and adventurers as

dust. Still, despite the city’s overall wealth, there are rich and (relatively) poor Mirabarrans. Not everyone shares in the coin the city’s sales bring in, and wage workers whose income is

Halfling Gods and Myths

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

most adept at the skills halflings needed to survive. Those legendary halflings comprise the rest of the pantheon. Yondalla created the first halfling villages and showed the people how to build

, plant, and harvest. She knew that the bounty of a halfling village would be tempting plunder for any brigand or monster, so she used her powers to conceal their homes from easy discovery, blending them

Waterdeep

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

neighborhood of many winding streets, where folk are comfortable making deals that might in other places provoke the displeasure of the law. Field Ward. Of relatively recent vintage, the Field Ward stands

city. North Ward. Home to many noble villas, townhouses, and a great many inns, North Ward is the neighborhood of the respectably wealthy. Sea Ward. Those whose fortunes are on the rise build their

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