build both dedicated concept rather

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

dedicated to transforming living dragons into undead inheritors of a world blasted of life. Sammaster was slain centuries ago but now exists as a lich with his essence tied to a powerful dracolich form

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

’t take this action again until the start of his next turn.Lich Founder of a Dracolich Cult Sammaster founded and led the Cult of the Dragon, a secret, evil organization dedicated to

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

Water Weird Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

those its summoner declares as off limits. When slain, a water weird becomes an inanimate pool of water. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil

interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might turn against its summoner. A water weird loses its evil alignment if its waters are cleansed

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

Chitine

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

was to create servile warriors dedicated first to the cult and then, only by association with it, to Lolth. The goddess found this arrangement unacceptable. As punishment, the Spider Queen twisted

with duties related to that rank, and all are expected to sacrifice themselves to protect the colony’s choldriths. Every chitine has spinnerets and slowly produces webbing that is used to build

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

Fighter Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

untrained soldiers with only the most basic combat knowledge. Veteran soldiers, military officers, trained bodyguards, dedicated knights, and similar figures are fighters. Some fighters feel drawn to

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

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

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not gods. A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to a demon

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

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

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the group’s needs, but the effect each action will have on the forest and the rest of the natural world. Firbolg tribes would rather go hungry than strain the land during a famine. Hidden

Shepherds As caretakers of the land, firbolgs prefer to remain out of sight and out of mind. They don’t try to dominate nature, but rather seek to ensure that it prospers and survives according to its

Shipwright

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

You have sailed into war on the decks of great ships, patching their hulls with soup bowls and prayers. You once helped build a fishing vessel that single-handedly saved a town from starvation. You

again until after it has been pulled ashore and fully repaired. Suggested Characteristics Shipwrights are resourceful carpenters and designers. They often have a dedicated spot at the local

Izzet Engineer

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

protocols will lead us toward progress more surely than any belief system. (Lawful) 5 Fun. I love my job! Despite the dangerous working conditions, there’s nothing I’d rather do

. (Chaotic) 6 Power. Someday I’ll find or create the magic that will make me the most powerful being in Ravnica. (Evil) Bonds d6 Bond 1 I have dedicated my life

Warforged Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

and crystal eyes embedded beneath a reinforced brow ridge. Beyond these common elements of warforged design, the precise materials and build of a warforged vary based on the purpose for which it was

deeper meaning. The typical warforged has a sexless body shape. Some warforged ignore the concept of gender entirely, while others adopt a gender identity. The more a warforged develops its

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

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

. QUICK BUILD You can make a rogue quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score. Make Intelligence your next-highest if you want to excel at

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

Origin of the Ordning

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

the ordning in some mythic future. Giants on some worlds (including Eberron) have no concept of the ordning at all. Such giants might think of themselves as a single species, with the differences

among giant kinds reflecting a cultural or geographical distinction rather than an inherent one. They might live in bands composed of multiple giant kinds or family groups of a single kind. Or giants of

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

, 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

Adult Topaz Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

destruction and creation, whether abstract or dedicated to practical applications. They are fascinated by magic that creates objects from nothing, animates Undead, destroys matter, or manipulates negative

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

Character Names

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

names, that’s fine. If the group would rather take the characters and their names a little more seriously, urge Bob’s player to come up with a more appropriate name. Player character names should match

each other in flavor or concept, and they should also match the flavor of your campaign world — so should the nonplayer characters’ names and place names you create. Travok and Kairon don’t want to undertake a quest for Lord Cupcake, visit Gumdrop Island, or take down a crazy wizard named Ray.

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

Chapter 3: Giant Adventures

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

Chapter 3: Giant Adventures Diancastra’s divine nature was not revealed to me until our second meeting, when she helped me put an end to a cult dedicated to Elemental Evil and its leader, a truly

vicious cloud giant. I think she appreciated what our fists together could do! —Bigby This chapter, intended for the Dungeon Master, is full of tables and inspiration you can use to build encounters

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

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

? Perhaps your homeland was befouled by evil, and you took up an adventuring life in hopes of finding a new home or purpose. QUICK BUILD You can make a druid quickly by following these suggestions

Fire Snake

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

salamanders dedicated to the cults of Elemental Evil, they slay them rather than enslaving them. Domineering Nobles. Although salamanders follow the destructive impulses of their fiery nature

emerges as a fire snake. A fire snake matures into a salamander adult within a year. Enslaved by the Efreet. Long ago, the efreet hired azer to build the fabled City of Brass, but then failed in

Survival of the Fittest

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

pity for adults who can’t take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result of the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to

themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folk

Character Advancement

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

taking part in a play session. A character reaches 1 checkpoint for each hour an adventure is designed to last. Note that the award is based on the adventure’s projected playing time, rather than the

designed to take 2 hours, the character reaches 3 checkpoints. Playing time might seem like an odd way to measure experience awards, but the concept is in keeping with how a shared campaign is meant to

Creating Religions

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

temple of an agricultural deity in the evening. Cities and large towns can host numerous temples dedicated to individual gods important to the community, while smaller settlements might have a single

the focus of pilgrims who travel long distances to partake in the holy power assumed to linger there. Build Your Own Pantheon Most of the published D&D settings described in chapter 5 have their

Secret

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

holy symbol that represents that divinity. Some clerics, especially in a world like Eberron, serve a whole pantheon, rather than a single deity. In certain campaigns, a cleric might instead serve a

cosmic force, such as life or death, or a philosophy or concept, such as love, peace, or one of the nine alignments. Chapter 1 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide explores options like these, in the section

It's Your World

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

, but they’re not the only set of assumptions that can do so. You can build an interesting campaign concept by altering one or more of those core assumptions, just as well-established D&D worlds have done

Staff

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

. — Omin Dran Majordomo A majordomo administers a franchise headquarters. They typically reside within the headquarters and seldom leave it, sending out communications through a dedicated messenger (at no

concept behind the hirelings and selecting one proficiency for each. The DM can then customize the hirelings as desired, perhaps by adding additional proficiencies or adjusting their combat statistics

Build Your Group

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

Build Your Group Religious orders attract people from all walks of life. It can be fun to play against type—to make a devout character with the criminal or charlatan background, for example

mired in politics as the Brelish bureaucracy? High Cardinal Baerdren ir’Davik, who also holds the rank of grand master of the templars, appears to be an exemplary templar, utterly dedicated to the

A Second Request

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

the Brightguard’s favor. If the characters ask Artavazda for more information, the pari admits to working with vague information about the Silent Roar but insists the Brightguard is dedicated to

and flies away rather than immediately acting against the characters; Laleh contacts the characters with an invitation to the Twilight Rose soon after. Otherwise, when the characters are finished conversing with the pari, Artavazda gives them directions to the Twilight Rose.

Purphoros as Campaign Villain

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

Purphoros as Campaign Villain As a campaign villain, Purphoros is more likely to be driven by his impulses rather than by any coherent plan. He might begin by encouraging his champions to create

bridge tumbling down on the mortal world? 4 Purphoros’s double, Petros, reveals an army of metal Nyxborn creatures and unleashes them against temples and settlements dedicated to other gods

Water Weird

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

. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil. However, a water weird bound to a sacred or befouled source of water begins to take on the nature of that site

, becoming neutral good or neutral evil. A neutral good water weird tries to frighten away interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might

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