build before desire calling rather

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

megalomaniacal. Sammaster’s travels brought him into contact with people who revered dragons as icons of primeval might. Masquerading his desire to dominate dragonkind as devotion, Sammaster

efficiently as he can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. Sammaster’s travels brought him into contact with people who revered dragons as icons of primeval might. Masquerading his desire to dominate dragonkind as devotion, Sammaster established himself

can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps a magical soul

Edgin Darvis

Monsters Thieves’ Gallery

relies on charisma first—rather than magic or muscle—to escape trouble. Once a member of the Harpers, a spy organization dedicated to protecting Faerûn’s common folk, Edgin has

confidence and rakish demeanor make him a natural leader. With carefully chosen words, he inspires the members of his thieves’ crew to greatness. But when his past mistakes come calling, Edgin must

Gift of Gab

Spells Acquisitions Incorporated

Jim Darkmagic is said to have invented this spell, originally calling it I said what?! Have you ever been talking to the local monarch and accidentally mentioned how their son looks like your

favorite hog from when you were growing up on the family farm? We’ve all been there! But rather than being beheaded for an honest slip of the tongue, you can pretend it never happened — by

Fog Giant

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

down the gate of a backwater duke’s castle, slaying a dozen or more guards, then calling for parley is a typical fog giant strategy—followed by an offer to leave the duke alive in return

roof of a merchant’s home, seizing what they seek, and stalking away before the town watch can rally. Intricate Networks. Clever, ambitious, and greedy, many fog giants build up whole networks of

Mark of Sentinel Human

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Protection is my purpose. I defend the innocent from those who would do them harm. For my siblings, this is a job; for me, it’s a calling. —Harric d’Deneith, Sentinel Marshal

Khorvaire. The Sentinel Marshals hold the honor of the house in their hands. Being a Marshal is a privilege, and it comes with high expectations. Despite its might and the desire of some house members

Dwarf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to one of the dwarf gods. Clan and ancestry are also important motivators. A dwarf might seek to restore a clan

up the adventuring life might be motivated by a desire for treasure—for its own sake, for a specific purpose, or even out of an altruistic desire to help others. Other dwarves are driven by the

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

, silent stretches. Occasionally, though, in a moment of peace, stress, or excitement, a reborn gains a glimpse of what came before. When you desire to have such a dreamlike vision, roll on the Lost

Rogue Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

would rather make one precise strike, placing it exactly where the attack will hurt the target most, than wear an opponent down with a barrage of attacks. Rogues have an almost supernatural knack for

an angry thieves’ guild master? Or did you leave your guild in search of bigger risks and bigger rewards? Is it greed that drives you in your adventures, or some other desire or ideal? What

Bard Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

necessary, using their magic to bolster their swords and armor. Their spells lean toward charms and illusions rather than blatantly destructive spells. They have a wide-ranging knowledge of many

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

Isolde

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

archfey named Zybilna, who had forged secret pacts with some of the fiends Isolde and her companions had slain. Rather than be angry at Isolde, Zybilna was impressed by her. She enlisted a powerful fiend

Isolde place her devotion to the carnival above her desire to leave it. When Isolde’s fey carnival crossed paths with another carnival from the Shadowfell, the eladrin found the escape she

Madam Eva

Monsters Curse of Strahd

the master of Ravenloft, but she has all the power she desires and doesn’t seek to supplant him. She would rather help Strahd find someone else to succeed him, although she has grave doubts about

her ability to locate such an individual. None of Madam Eva’s Vistani kin know her true identity or purpose. They puzzle over her desire to remain in Barovia. Madam Eva’s Traits Ideal

Cleric Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

his axe in wide swaths to cut through the ranks of orcs arrayed against him, shouting praise to the gods with every foe’s fall. Calling down a curse upon the forces of undeath, a human lifts

to those chosen to fulfill a high calling. Harnessing divine magic doesn’t rely on study or training. A cleric might learn formulaic prayers and ancient rites, but the ability to cast cleric

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

, instead assuming that the guests had died in their sleep. But Strahd was not fooled. He came to realize fairly quickly that the clockwork effigy had begun to display a murderous nature. Rather than have

Wand of Orcus Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

spells using 2 fewer charges (minimum of 0). Call Undead. While you are holding the wand, you can use an action to conjure skeleton;skeletons and zombie;zombies, calling forth as many of them as you

’s desire to slay everything in the multiverse. The wand is cold, cruel, nihilistic, and bereft of humor. In order to further its master’s goals, the wand feigns devotion to its current

Urchin Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

shaped by lives of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better

;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.

Young Moonstone Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

… oh my goodness, is that circlet made of silver? 7 I find the waking world tedious and mundane and would much rather spend my time asleep, in the realm of dreams. 8 I find the

1 A young moonstone dragon on the cusp of adulthood refuses to settle down and build a lair. To protect the local populace from the dragon’s chaotic activities, a minor deity sends a deva

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

of the world beyond their home. Barterers of Lore Tabaxi treasure knowledge rather than material things. A chest filled with gold coins might be useful to buy food or a coil of rope, but it’s

mull over the stories and rumors they collected like a miser counting coins. Although material wealth holds little attraction for the tabaxi, they have an insatiable desire to find and inspect ancient

Urchin - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better life &mdash

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

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

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

. Whether calling on the elemental forces of nature or emulating the creatures of the animal world, druids are an embodiment of nature’s resilience, cunning, and fury. They claim no mastery over

of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many druids pursue a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature

Urban Bounty Hunter

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

bond might involve other bounty hunters or the organizations or individuals that employ you. Your ideal could be associated with your determination always to catch your quarry or your desire to maintain

. 4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. 5 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide. 6 I don’t pay attention to the risks

Ranger Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

whistles to the hawk that circles high above him, calling the bird back to his side. Whispering instructions in Elvish, he points to the owlbear he’s been tracking and sends the hawk to distract

ranger’s true calling is to defend the outskirts of civilization from the ravages of monsters that press in from the wild. In some places, rangers gather in secretive orders or join forces with

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

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

Selesnya Initiate

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

fervent desire to share the joy you have experienced with Ravnica. Along with the rest of the conclave, you are committed to resisting the ambitions of the other guilds — with military force if

1 I never raise my voice or lose my temper. 2 I feel the pains and joys of everyone around me, friend or foe. 3 I would rather make a friend than thwart an enemy. 4 I’m

Monk Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

seriously, approaching their adventures as personal tests of their physical and spiritual growth. As a rule, monks care little for material wealth and are driven by a desire to accomplish a greater

lawful in alignment. QUICK BUILD You can make a monk quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the hermit background

Adult Topaz Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

sun and have no desire to get wet, beyond enjoying a bit of sea spray in the air. But they love being able to see the water, so they build their lairs on the heights of seaside cliffs or near perfect

almost never show them to anyone else. Topaz Dragon Lairs Topaz dragons are happiest by the sea. They spend most of their time basking in the sun and have no desire to get wet, beyond enjoying a bit of

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

of the world, but even fewer people can claim the true calling of a paladin. When they do receive the call, these warriors turn from their former occupations and take up arms to fight evil. Sometimes

earliest memories that the paladin’s life was your calling, almost as if you had been sent into the world with that purpose stamped on your soul. As guardians against the forces of wickedness

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. Every kenku is born with a desire to take to the air, and those who learn spellcasting do so in hope of mastering spells that will allow them to fly. Rumors of magic items such as flying carpets, brooms

capable of flight, and similar objects provoke a great desire for the kenku to acquire the items for themselves. Despite their lack of wings, kenku love dwelling in towers and other tall structures

Walking a Different Path

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

the Ancestral Guardian Rather than calling upon the spirits of your ancestors, you are in communion with the franchise executives and corporate raiders who have traveled your path before. These paragons

you still can’t invoke the power of a totem creature when you need it. Rather than calling upon the bear, eagle, or wolf as your totem, you might gain the same features by calling upon more urban

Inheritor

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

your adventuring career, you can decide whether to tell your companions about your inheritance right away. Rather than attracting attention to yourself, you might want to keep your inheritance a secret

. (Neutral) 6 Destiny. Nothing and no one can steer me away from my higher calling. (Any) d6 Bond 1 I have a family, but I have no idea where they are. One day, I hope to see

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals, which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patrons drive

their patrons in dreams or waking visions, or deal only with intermediaries. QUICK BUILD You can make a warlock quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability

Mount Makab

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

Mount Makab Calling Makab a mountain is a wild misnomer; it is a malignant deformation on a planetary scale, a spire with no apparent summit. Its contorted slopes stretch into the toxic heavens, and

its form occupies the periphery of viewers’ attention no matter which direction they look. Mount Makab is not a natural feature, but rather part of a colossal, illithid-designed device. Its purposes

Gods, Gold, and Clan

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

others. Other dwarves are driven by the command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to one of the dwarf gods. Clan and ancestry are also important motivators. A

Gods, Gold, and Clan Dwarves who take up the adventuring life might be motivated by a desire for treasure — for its own sake, for a specific purpose, or even out of an altruistic desire to help

Topaz Dragon Lairs

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

. Her desire is born not of greed, though, but rather from her study of the Material Plane, its magic, and dragons’ interconnection with both. Dragons on many worlds acknowledge Astilabor as they establish new lairs to host their hoards, linking them to the magic of the surrounding region.

Topaz Dragon Lairs Topaz dragons are happiest by the sea. They spend most of their time basking in the sun and have no desire to get wet, beyond enjoying a bit of sea spray in the air. But they love

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