build before defusing carried rarely

Troglodyte Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

secretions, and the debris of their foul feasting. Single-Minded Brutes. Troglodytes are devoted almost entirely to procuring food. They rarely plan more than a few days into the future, instead

in a frenzy. Troglodytes make little and build less, scavenging their possessions from their prey. They understand the value of metal weapons and armor, and fight among one another for the right to

Phoenix

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

in the area that aren’t being worn or carried. The explosion destroys the phoenix’s body and leaves behind an egg-shaped cinder, which weighs 5 pounds. The cinder deals 21 (6d6

aren’t being worn or carried (no action required). Flyby. The phoenix doesn’t provoke opportunity attack;opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach. Illumination. The

Returned Kakomantis

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

lives are rarely what they expected—not that they remember what it was they expected. As a result of having followed the Path of Phenax (see chapter 4), the Returned lose their identities

’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

Returned Drifter

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

the living once more, but their second lives are rarely what they expected—not that they remember what it was they expected. As a result of having followed the Path of Phenax (see chapter 4

long-term memories, they generally can’t build meaningful relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and follow hollow routines, their existences reduced to

Returned Sentry

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

second lives are rarely what they expected—not that they remember what it was they expected. As a result of having followed the Path of Phenax (see chapter 4), the Returned lose their identities

’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

Xill

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

paralytic poison. When their the poison overwhelms their target, the xill snatches the victim and returns to the Ethereal. The ultimate fate of unfortunates carried off in this manner is not known, but

Kerpatis's followers. Brainwashed by his magic and set to guard his many dungeons, these fanatics are among his most dangerous followers. It is telling that the xills rarely kidnap commoners. Instead, they

Tlexolotl

Monsters Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

","rollDamageType":"fire"} fire damage, and flammable objects in that aura that aren’t being worn or carried ignite. A creature that touches the tlexolotl or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of

, rising only rarely to gorge itself on massive amounts of animal and plant life before returning to its slumber. Should a tlexolotl’s sleep be disturbed—whether by intruders in its volcanic

Quavilithku Spyder-Fiend

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

save or half as much damage on a successful one. Nonmagical objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried take 44 (8d10);{"diceNotation":"8d10", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction

position. Spyder-fiends loyally serve their general, Miska the Wolf-Spider. While they were rarely seen during Miska’s imprisonment in Pandemonium, they have become increasingly active as Miska

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

who rarely lose composure on the battlefield. Marines who leave the service tend to work as mercenaries, but their combat experience also makes them excellent adventurers. Though they are self-reliant

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in

. EXCELLENT AMBASSADORS Many half-elves learn at an early age to get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and

Vegepygmy

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, vegepygmies can absorb nutrients from soil and many sorts of organic matter, so they rarely go hungry. A vegepygmy can hiss and make other noises by forcing air through its mouth, but it can’t

speak in a conventional sense. Among themselves, vegepygmies communicate by hissing, gestures, and tapping. Vegepygmies build and craft little; any gear they have is acquired from other creatures or built

Thorny Vegepygmy

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

nutrients from soil and many sorts of organic matter, so they rarely go hungry. A vegepygmy can hiss and make other noises by forcing air through its mouth, but it can’t speak in a conventional sense

. Among themselves, vegepygmies communicate by hissing, gestures, and tapping. Vegepygmies build and craft little; any gear they have is acquired from other creatures or built by copying simple

Vegepygmy Chief

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

fungi (all appear in the Monster Manual). Although they prefer to eat fresh meat, bone, and blood, vegepygmies can absorb nutrients from soil and many sorts of organic matter, so they rarely go

tapping. Vegepygmies build and craft little; any gear they have is acquired from other creatures or built by copying simple construction they have witnessed. Russet Mold Few know for sure where

Returned Palamnite

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

, where they serve the vicious will of Tymaret the Murder King (see chapter 3). Returned have escaped the Underworld and dwell among the living once more, but their second lives are rarely what they

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

Adult Topaz Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

targets a creature or an object not being worn or carried that it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 28 (8d6);{"diceNotation":"8d6

Creatures Topaz dragons rarely tolerate any company but their own, and they are usually indifferent at best even toward their own kind. Moreover, their unpredictability means that even if a creature

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

dash of nonhuman blood, revealing hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and rarely live even a single century. Variety in All Things Humans are the most

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

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

Giff

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

blossom into hard feelings, loud arguments, and head-butting contests, but they rarely escalate beyond that. Creating Your Character When you create your D&D character, you decide whether your

. 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 character’s class offers suggestions on which

Diplomats or Wanderers

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

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast

get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and human energy without human boorishness. They often make excellent

Bard Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

set bards apart from their fellows. Only rarely do bards settle in one place for long, and their natural desire to travel—to find new tales to tell, new skills to learn, and new discoveries

, making a bargain for a musical gift in addition to your life and freedom, but at what cost? QUICK BUILD You can make a bard quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your

Diplomats or Wanderers

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

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast

get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and human energy without human boorishness. They often make excellent

Ancient Topaz Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Actions). The dragon targets a creature or an object not being worn or carried that it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or take 40 (9d8

. Connected Creatures Topaz dragons rarely tolerate any company but their own, and they are usually indifferent at best even toward their own kind. Moreover, their unpredictability means that

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

, paladins are rarely of any evil alignment. Most of them walk the paths of charity and justice. Consider how your alignment colors the way you pursue your holy quest and the manner in which you conduct

yourself before gods and mortals. Your oath and alignment might be in harmony, or your oath might represent standards of behavior that you have not yet attained. QUICK BUILD You can make a paladin

Pastoral Pleasantries

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

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 land beyond their quiet

Gnolls

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

will survive a rampaging gnoll horde unscathed, even as the towns, villages, and farms that surround the castle are ablaze, their people slaughtered and devoured. Gnolls rarely build permanent

Recurring NPCs

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

Recurring NPCs NPCs who keep showing up over the course of a campaign build the sense that the world of the game is a living, breathing place. Whether these NPCs are allies, patrons, friends, or

at least coming up with a plausible way for the villain to return from death. After all, death is rarely the final word for adventurers, so it needn’t be for their opponents. Don’t Go Overboard

Reghed Tribe Camp

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

the same tribe to commingle and build their camps close to one another, the four tribes avoid contact with one another. Members of one tribe are rarely found in another tribe’s camp unless some sort of diplomacy is taking place.

Merfolk

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

their people are as varied in color, culture, and outlook as the human races of the surface. Land folk and merfolk rarely meet except by chance, though starry-eyed mariners tell tales of romance with

face a common threat or to complete a conquest. Such unifications can be the beginning of undersea kingdoms with dynasties lasting hundreds of years. Merfolk Settlements. Merfolk build their settlements

1Q. Great Hall

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

contraband hauled in from the Carnath Roadhouse is inspected, sorted, and repacked before being carried to the portal beneath the southwest tower. The tables in that half of the hall are covered with

inner ward. Even asleep, the guard drakes are at normal alertness. Treasure The southwest corner of the room is a makeshift carpentry shop, where cultists build new chests and boxes to hold the

1Q. Great Hall

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

contraband hauled in from the Carnath Roadhouse is inspected, sorted, and repacked before being carried to the portal beneath the southwest tower. The tables in that half of the hall are covered with

inner ward. Even asleep, the guard drakes are at normal alertness. Treasure The southwest corner of the room is a makeshift carpentry shop, where cultists build new chests and boxes to hold the

The Code Legal

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

the high walls of Castle Waterdeep, and floggings are carried out in the watch post nearest the sentencing. The Watch makes every effort to take individuals into custody quietly, so as not to disrupt

gates and in the harbor. Be aware that the Code Legal provides only an outline of typical sentences for various offenses, and magisters have broad discretion when meting out justice as they see fit. Any Masked Lord can overturn a magister’s ruling, but there’s rarely a Masked Lord around when you need one.

Actions in Exploration

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

assist each other in these actions. Other actions come up only rarely. It’s seldom necessary to rely on the action rules during exploration, except to remember that a character can do only one thing at a

to the next. There’s no hard-and-fast rule about how long to spend on each character’s activity, but make sure no one is waiting for their turn for too long. You can build tension in an exploration

Phoenix

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

possessed by a need to burn everything to ash. The phoenix rarely stays in one place for long as it strives to transform the world into an inferno. To rise like a phoenix from the ashes — so many use

throw, taking 22 (4d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The fire ignites flammable objects in the area that aren’t worn or carried. The explosion destroys

Cloaker

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

Underdark enclaves, but they rarely build settlements or form social structures. Most operate as solitary predators, lurking in dismal subterranean reaches or abandoned dungeons—sometimes for months at a

-cloakers find terrifying in unexplainable, primal ways. Cloakers might antagonize explorers lost in the Underdark for days, terrorizing and scattering them before attacking. They rarely converse with other

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