build before death continue retain

Darkling Elder Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

Death Burn. When the darkling elder dies, magical light flashes out from it in a 10-foot radius as its body and possessions, other than metal or magic objects, burn to ash. Any creature in that area

must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 7 (2d6);{"diceNotation":"2d6","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Death Burn","rollDamageType":"radiant"} radiant damage and

Mist Hulk

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Air Form. The mist hulk can enter another creature’s space and stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing. Death Burst. When the mist hulk dies, it bursts in

":"Death Burst", "rollDamageType":"bludgeoning"} bludgeoning damage and has the prone condition. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage only.Multiattack. The mist hulk makes two Slam

Bozak Draconian

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Death Throes. When the draconian is reduced to 0 hit points, its scales and flesh immediately shrivel away, and then its bones explode. Each creature within 10 feet of it must succeed on a DC 10

Dexterity saving throw or take 9 (2d8);{"diceNotation":"2d8", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Death Throes", "rollDamageType":"force"} force damage. Glide. When the draconian falls and isn’t

Dust Hulk

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Air Form. The dust hulk can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing. Death Burst. When the dust hulk dies, it

, barely maintaining a cohesive form. When a dust hulk dies, it disperses into a cloud of dust. Dust hulks retain their ancestors’ passion for artistry, but instead of carving stone, they view

Cinder Hulk

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Death Burst. When the cinder hulk dies, it leaves behind a cloud of cinders and smoke that fills a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on its space. The sphere is heavily obscured. Any creature that moves

into the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6);{"diceNotation":"3d6", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Death

Greater Death Dragon

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Cataclysmic Rush", "rollDamageType":"necrotic"} necrotic damage. A creature can take this damage only once per turn.Some death dragons manage to retain almost all

of their former selves, albeit twisted by their state of being. These greater death dragons scheme to achieve their ends, all the while amassing and jealously guarding treasure hoards as they did in

Darkling Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

Death Flash. When the darkling dies, nonmagical light flashes out from it in a 10-foot radius as its body and possessions, other than metal or magic objects, burn to ash. Any creature in that area

absorbs over the course of its lifetime explodes outward when the darkling dies, incinerating the creature and much of its possessions. Love of Art. Despite their curse, darklings retain a fondness

Fensir Devourer

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Death Curse. When the fensir starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate, it releases a curse on those around it. Each creature within 30 feet of the fensir when it dies must

, the creature must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or take 11 (2d10);{"diceNotation":"2d10", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Death Curse", "rollDamageType":"psychic"} psychic damage

Dracophage Subject

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Death Throes. When the draconian is reduced to 0 hit points, it dissolves into acid that splashes on those around it. Each creature within 5 feet of the draconian must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity

saving throw or be covered in acid for 1 minute. A creature covered in the acid takes 7 (2d6);{"diceNotation":"2d6", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Death Throes", "rollDamageType":"acid"} acid

Kapak Draconian

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Death Throes. When the draconian is reduced to 0 hit points, it dissolves into acid that splashes on those around it. Each creature within 5 feet of the draconian must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity

saving throw or be covered in acid for 1 minute. A creature covered in the acid takes 7 (2d6);{"diceNotation":"2d6", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Death Throes", "rollDamageType":"acid"} acid

Aurak Draconian

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

advantage on saving throws made to avoid or end the frightened condition on itself. Death Throes. When the draconian is reduced to 0 hit points, its magical essence lashes out as a ball of lightning at

creature takes 9 (2d8);{"diceNotation":"2d8", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Death Throes", "rollDamageType":"lightning"} lightning damage and is stunned until the end of its next turn. On a successful

Sivak Draconian

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Death Throes. When the draconian is reduced to 0 hit points by a creature that is Large or smaller, the draconian crumbles into dust that then forms a spectral, shrieking image of the creature that

combination of warped alchemy and the Dragon Queen’s foul magic. The Dragon Armies closely guard the secret of the draconians’ creation, allowing Krynn’s metallic dragons to continue to think their eggs are being held hostage so they don’t oppose the Dragon Queen’s conquests.

Cairnwight

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

exclusion of all other tasks, retreating into a spacious cavern and blocking out all distractions. Creating a masterwork can become such a driving obsession that death can’t stop it: a giant who dies

while creating art might rise as a cairnwight and continue the work. Once the artwork is completed, the cairnwight remains as its undying guardian. A cairnwight looks much like an emaciated stone

Abhorrent Overlord

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

continue to flock around the demon, offering fealty and squabbling for scraps. Some foul souls can't let go of the miserable lives they had. Having been despicable in life, these spirits fester in death

creatures whose gray, leathery skin is in stark contrast to the gleaming jewelry made of Underworld gold that they adorn themselves with. Their appetite for pain and death is eclipsed only by their greed

Dunbarrow Witch

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

/day each: animal messenger, charm person, Tasha's hideous laughter 1/day each: bestow curse, dispel magic “Taste the sweetness, breath for breath. Keep the balance, death for death.&rdquo

, while others animate furniture, weapons, or other objects. Feel free to build encounters with witches that include additional creatures such as animated armor, a flying sword, a rug of smothering, or a Tiny Beast acting as a spy.

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

You are a member of a teeming horde — one small part of a sprawling organism. Just as you are part of the swarm, the swarm is part of a larger ecosystem, a never-ending cycle of life, death

Golgari, no fear of death or taboo about the dead, just a fierce affirmation of the cycle. Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Survival Tool Proficiencies: Poisoner’s kit Languages

Hobgoblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

Maglubiyet, the greater god allows them to retain a measure of their influence over the hobgoblins because their philosophies are in line with his own. Hobgoblins don’t build temples to their gods, lest

death becomes a hero eternal. Young hobgoblins start soldiering when they can walk and heed the mustering call as soon as they can wield their weapons capably. Every legion in the hobgoblins&rsquo

Baaz Draconian

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Controlled Fall. When the draconian falls and isn’t incapacitated, it subtracts up to 100 feet from the fall when calculating the fall’s damage. Death Throes. When the draconian is

to continue to think their eggs are being held hostage so they don’t oppose the Dragon Queen’s conquests.

Frostmourn

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

keep them roaming the wilds for years after their murderers are slain. A frostmourn looks like a desiccated corpse mummified by exposure to bitter cold. It carries the marks of its death on its body: a

wound that seeps frosty vapor or vibrant, purple veins showing the ravages of poison. It can momentarily dissolve its body into a swirling blizzard to avoid harm, reforming at a distance to continue its assault.Cold, PoisonFire

Simic Hybrid

Species Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

animals into humans, elves, and vedalken. The goal of the Guardian Project is to build a Simic army of soldiers perfectly adapted to a variety of combat situations. These hyper-evolved specimens are

retain their basic physical form. All are augmented with characteristics of animals, mostly aquatic, reptilian, or amphibian creatures. These include crab claws, squid tentacles, wings or fins like

Spawn of Kyuss

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Orcus who plundered corpses from necropolises to create the first spawn of Kyuss. Even centuries after Kyuss’s death, his malign disciples continue performing the horrific rites he perfected

Returned Kakomantis

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Bolt","rollDamageType":"necrotic"} necrotic damage.Although the dead typically recall little of their lives, some have an obsession with magic that survives both death and rebirth as a Returned. These

’t build meaningful relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and follow hollow routines, their existences reduced to shadow plays without weight or substance

Tlincalli

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

powerful hunter, such as a blue dragon, they carefully weigh whether to serve the superior hunter, move on, or fight to the death to remove it as competition. Tlincallis rarely build cities, make

Memory Web

Monsters Quests from the Infinite Staircase

can continue to feed on a corpse’s memories for days after its death. If a memory web is slain, any memories it consumed over the last day are discharged from its body in a telepathic deluge

Returned Palamnite

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

(3d6);{"diceNotation":"3d6","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Shortsword","rollDamageType":"poison"} poison damage.Even death and the loss of their identities can’t erase the rage that inspires

they cover with distinctive golden masks. Returned reenter the world blank and undead. No longer possessing the ability to form long-term memories, they generally can’t build meaningful

Rak Tulkhesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

death until the children of Eberron and Siberys rose up against them. Armies of dragons fought against the fiends of Khyber. And though the overlords couldn't be destroyed, the couatl sacrificed

their lives to build a prison of celestial light: a silver flame that bound the overlords in Khyber once more. These bonds have held for countless generations, but the overlords still yearn to break free

Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

might continue to use the child name. Each elf’s adult name is a unique creation, though it might reflect the names of respected individuals or other family members. Little distinction exists

humans translate their family names into Common, but others retain the Elvish version. Child Names: Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin

Sul Khatesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

children of Khyber rose from the darkness to reign over Eberron. The greatest among them were the overlords, who held dominion over a world of fear, war, and death until the children of Eberron and Siberys

rose up against them. Armies of dragons fought against the fiends of Khyber. And though the overlords couldn't be destroyed, the couatl sacrificed their lives to build a prison of celestial light: a

Fighter Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

them. Your armaments are now among your most important possessions—the only things that stand between you and death’s embrace. QUICK BUILD You can make a fighter quickly by following

mastery with weapons and armor, and a thorough knowledge of the skills of combat. And they are well acquainted with death, both meting it out and staring it defiantly in the face. Well-Rounded

Shadar-kai

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Material Plane to forge their own destinies. Once shadar-kai were Fey like the rest of their elven kin; now they exist in a state between life and death, thanks to being transformed by the Shadowfell

by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your

Moloch

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

conspiracy nearly succeeded, but was ultimately thwarted. Moloch was stripped of his station and sentenced to death—only the timely use of a planar portal allowed him to escape. Moloch wasted no

him win back his title. Rumors suggest that he can often be found in Sigil, where he bargains with yugoloths to build yet another army with which he might invade Malbolge and wrest the throne from

Red Abishai

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

abishais when it comes to leadership ability and raw power. Red abishais lead other devils into battle or take charge of troublesome cults to ensure that they continue to carry out Tiamat’s commands

somehow won Tiamat’s favor before death and, as a reward, found its soul transformed into a draconic devil to serve at her pleasure in the Nine Hells. Each type of abishai is associated with

Hobgoblin

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Maglubiyet, who marshaled them as soldiers, but the fey realm left its mark; wherever they are in the multiverse, they continue to channel an aspect of the Feywild’s rule of reciprocity, which

;Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

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

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

Gnoll Vampire

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

hours.When a gnoll’s ravenous hunger is so great that it craves flesh and blood even after death, it can rise as a vampire to continue its feeding frenzy. A gnoll vampire is a savage predator

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