build before driven cautious reflect

Way of the Astral Self (TCoE)

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

mighty. FORMS OF YOUR ASTRAL SELF The astral self is a translucent embodiment of the monk’s soul. As a result, an astral self can reflect aspects of a monk’s background, ideals, flaws, and

with something? Are you driven by justice or a selfish desire? Any of these motivations could manifest in the form of your astral self.

Valenar High Elf

Species Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

to Khorvaire over the years and have integrated with the cultures of the Five Nations. As a whole, elves are driven by tradition and respect for the past. Where humans value innovation, elves strive

is why your people constantly seek out conflict; you need to find challenges worthy of a hero. In creating a Valenar, think about your patron ancestor. Your class should reflect their class; if you

Fog Giant

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

cloud giants in the ordning—the set of values and expectations that determines their rank in giant society—is driven by wealth. Those cloud giants foolish or unlucky enough to have their

killed or driven away. Calculating Masters. When a fog giant accumulates followers, it sets them to the task of rebuilding the giant’s collection of wondrous, expensive treasures. Its favored

Way of the Astral Self

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

. FORMS OF YOUR ASTRAL SELF The astral self is a translucent embodiment of the monk’s soul. As a result, an astral self can reflect aspects of a monk’s background, ideals, flaws, and

something? Are you driven by justice or a selfish desire? Any of these motivations could manifest in the form of your astral self.

Forlarren

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

demands of the Nine Hells and the impulsive hedonism of the Feywild. Driven by dramatic and unpredictable emotions, these feral creatures wreak havoc wherever they go. Corrupted Essence. The devils

, set itself up as a petty lord, and rule over all those who fall into its grasp. A Sinister Cycle. A forlarren in its fey aspect demonstrates self-destructive urges that reflect the inherent tension in

Rak Tulkhesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

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

form. The stat blocks provided here reflect the powers they would wield if they were ever unleashed upon the world. Immortal Nature. An overlord doesn't require air, food, drink or sleep. It also

Valenar Wood Elf

Species Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

to Khorvaire over the years and have integrated with the cultures of the Five Nations. As a whole, elves are driven by tradition and respect for the past. Where humans value innovation, elves strive

is why your people constantly seek out conflict; you need to find challenges worthy of a hero. In creating a Valenar, think about your patron ancestor. Your class should reflect their class; if you

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to disturb her self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off Icewind Dale

. A stat block is given for each of Auril’s three forms. These descriptions do not reflect Auril at full power, but rather Auril as she is encountered in this adventure.Lair Actions Auril

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to

loses all the traits and actions of the old form and gains those of the new form. A stat block is given for each of Auril’s three forms. These descriptions do not reflect Auril at full power, but

Sul Khatesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

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

. Some thirty overlords are bound in Khyber. Two are described here: Rak Tulkhesh and Sul Khatesh, both of whom remain imprisoned and can't take physical form. The stat blocks provided here reflect the

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures

forms. These descriptions do not reflect Auril at full power, but rather Auril as she is encountered in this adventure.Lair Actions Auril dwells on Solstice, a frozen island hidden among the titanic

Hobgoblin

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Hobgoblins trace their origins to the ancient courts of the Feywild, where they first appeared with their goblin and bugbear kin. Many of them were driven from the Feywild by the conquering god

;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

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

Uthgardt Tribe Member

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

and ruin. But for the last few generations, some bands among the tribes were tempted to settle, make peace, trade, and even to build towns. Perhaps this is why Uthgar chose to raise up the totems

Uthgardt stands for. Outlander d8 Personality Trait 1 I’m driven by a wanderlust that led me away from home. 2 I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

paladins take their work seriously. A delve into an ancient ruin or dusty crypt can be a quest driven by a higher purpose than the acquisition of treasure. Evil lurks in dungeons and primeval forests

angel of death by the gods or driven by your need for revenge? The Gods of the Multiverse section lists many deities worshiped by paladins throughout the multiverse, such as Torm, Tyr, Heironeous

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

, wandering tabaxi are catlike humanoids driven by curiosity to collect interesting artifacts, gather tales and stories, and lay eyes on all the world’s wonders. Ultimate travelers, the inquisitive

result every few days that pass in the campaign to reflect your ever-changing curiosity. Tabaxi Obsessions d8 My curiosity is currently fixed on … 1 A god or planar entity

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

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

personality: a feline shifter may be cool and distant, driven by predatory instincts, while a shifter with a lupine spirit might be drawn to find and protect a pack. When a shifter fully embraces this beast

different in personality. With any shifter, identifying the beast within is a crucial part of understanding the character. Similar and Diverse Shifters are similar to humans in height and build but are

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

are comfortable in light armor and know how to use simple weapons. Delvers into Secrets Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and

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

Battle Master Builds

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

combined with a fighting style and feats, allows you to create a broad range of fighters, each with its own flavor and play style. Below are recommendations for how you might build a Battle Master to

reflect various types of warriors. Each of these builds contains suggested fighting styles, maneuvers, and feats. Those suggestions are from the Player’s Handbook, except for the ones followed by an asterisk, which indicates an option introduced in this book.

Attitudes

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

Attitudes Each dragon councilor has one of four attitudes in this chapter, ranging from unfriendly to cautious, neutral, and friendly. To secure the cooperation of the metallic dragons as a whole

dragon, they gain a two-step improvement in the attitude of that dragon (for example, from unfriendly to neutral, or from cautious to friendly). A general concession grants a one-step improvement to a

Eldritch Machines

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

coterminous or it might only be possible to build it in a manifest zone. Ultimately, eldritch machines are plot devices. Their powers are far beyond the standard level of what is possible in Eberron, but such

a device can reflect the culmination of a villain’s master plan or a last defense against evil that must be protected at all costs.

Personal Motives

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

Personal Motives Not every conflict involves a fight between light and darkness. The vast majority of people are driven by simple motives: greed, fear, pride, or ambition. One person just wants to

few more pieces of gold out of Khorvaire, spies who will do anything to protect their nations, and petty criminals trying to build empires. Eberron holds a place for selfless heroes and truly vile villains, as well as everyone in between.

The Zhentarim

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

full extent of the threat, as corruption and madness have already infiltrated their secret outpost since those initial reports (see chapter 9). However, even the most cautious member of the Zhentarim

to their way of life. Zhentarim bonds of oath and honor hold the network together and galvanize its members in united purpose. More importantly, those bonds reflect the pattern of tight control that

Gods, Celestials, and Fiends

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

outlook means that religion is driven by faith, as opposed to the concrete actions of deities. The faithful believe that their triumphs reflect the assistance of a divine influence. They don’t expect a god

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

villains, they can deepen players’ investment in the world. You can use different stat blocks in the Monster Manual, perhaps with some tweaks, to reflect the same NPC at different times as they grow over

Marks of Mystery

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

determine to what extent you become drawn into house politics. Taking the background associated with your house (such as House Jorasco Heir) is the best way to build your character as a dragonmarked heir

you, it would try to bring you and your family line into the house. To build this kind of character, choose a Dragonmark feat at level 4 or later. Mark of Prophecy You might bear a mark unrelated to

The Dreaming Dark in the War

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

opportunity to call attention to a detail the characters overlooked. Clearly, this character’s subconscious registered the detail as important! Involve a current villain. This can help build the

players’ hatred for an elusive recurring villain! Foreshadow the future. This could simply reflect a character’s fears, but it might also convey a warning from a celestial or other supernatural

Choosing a Guild

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

one catch your eye. If you have access to Magic: the Gathering cards from a Ravnica set, find a card that appeals to you and build that character. If you’re a Magic player and you already have a

favorite guild, create a character from that guild. To reflect your character’s membership in a guild, you can choose the background included in the guild’s description instead of a background from the

Faiths of Khorvaire

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

, including holy symbols and domains. This section provides a more direct look at what your faith means to you and how to reflect that devotion through your actions. In creating a devout character, it

beyond that this is something driven by a character’s story. The Oath of Devotion is a logical archetype for a paladin of the Silver Flame, but a zealous paladin specifically devoted to pursuing evil

Karametra's Champions

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

Karametra’s Champions Karametra’s champions build community, advance civilization, and bestow bounty wherever they go in the name of their god. Karametra seeks to provide for all, end famine and

leaving their peaceful lives behind and looking for others to bring into the fold. And her pride in them is all the greater when they manage to build chosen families who journey with them to pursue

Campaign Events

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

Campaign Events If you don’t want to build a world that focuses on the presence or absence of giants, you can instead build a campaign around world-shaking events that are instigated by giants. Storm

. Similar events might mark the start, middle, or end of a campaign as the actions of giants shake the world. The World-Shaking Events table offers inspiration for giant-driven events that can set or alter

Modifying a Class

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

modify existing classes to better serve your game’s needs. Changing Proficiencies Changing a class’s proficiencies is a safe and simple way to modify a class to better reflect your world. Swapping

your world might worship a patron deity, performing secret missions in that deity’s name. To reflect this cultural detail, you could add Religion to the list of skills that a rogue character can choose

Able Scavengers

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

they steal from. It’s better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat. In a couple of situations, kobolds might abandon this careful approach. First, because of their

infestation of kobolds, and conversely kobolds are usually driven out of communities that have a large gnome population. Second, kobolds are always on the lookout for magic that might help them free their

Encounter Pace and Tension

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

that structure in an adventure where the players control their characters’ actions, but you can use the encounters you plan to build tension toward a climax. Each encounter in an adventure is an

limited resources. Variety also contributes to a sense of escalating tension. Build variety into your encounters in three ways: Vary Encounter Type. Use a mix of social interaction, exploration, and

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