building before detail contested remain

Arcane Hand Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

. Forceful Hand. The hand attempts to push a creature within 5 feet of it in a direction you choose. Make a check with the hand's Strength contested by the Strength (Athletics) check of the target. If the

hand moves with the target to remain within 5 feet of it. Grasping Hand. The hand attempts to grapple a Huge or smaller creature within 5 feet of it. You use the hand's Strength score to resolve the

Acolyte Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

. Choose a god, a pantheon of gods, or some other quasi-divine being, and work with your DM to detail the nature of your religious service. The Gods of the Multiverse section contains a sample pantheon

your chosen deity or pantheon, and you have a residence there. This could be the temple where you used to serve, if you remain on good terms with it, or a temple where you have found a new home. While

Sword of Kas Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

Class instead. The adjusted bonuses remain in effect until the start of your next turn. Spells. While the sword is on your person, you can use an action to cast one of the following spells (save DC 18

Kas. The creature must cast the wish spell and make a Charisma check contested by the Charisma check of the sword. The sword must be within 30 feet of the creature, or the spell fails. If the sword

Bigby's Hand Legacy

Spells Player’s Handbook (2014)

. Forceful Hand. The hand attempts to push a creature within 5 feet of it in a direction you choose. Make a check with the hand's Strength contested by the Strength (Athletics) check of the target. If the

hand moves with the target to remain within 5 feet of it. Grasping Hand. The hand attempts to grapple a Huge or smaller creature within 5 feet of it. You use the hand's Strength score to resolve the

Eladrin Legacy

Species Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

, a time of unfettered energy. Some eladrin remain associated with a particular season for their entire lives, whereas other eladrin transform, adopting characteristics of a new season. When

Everything dies eventually. Why bother building anything that is supposedly meant to last? 2 Nothing matters to you, and you allow others to guide your actions. 3 Your needs come first. In

Acolyte - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

;performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power. Choose a god, a pantheon of gods, or some other quasi-divine being, and work with your DM to detail the nature of your

, if you remain on good terms with it, or a temple where you have found a new home. While near your temple, you can call upon the priests for assistance, provided the assistance you ask for is not

Triton Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

and worse, so you know you can count on them in a fight. — Brego Stoneheart, sea captain Tritons guard the ocean depths, building small settlements beside deep trenches, portals to the

variety of social institutions, kingdoms, and other customs bewildering. For all their proud culture, they remain innocent of the surface world. The typical triton protectorate is tightly regimented

Starting Location

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

Free City of Greyhawk, described later in this chapter, is an ideal starting location and illustrates the kinds of things to consider as you detail a starting location. If you’re building your own

Starting Location Begin your campaign in a location you can detail, such as a village, a neighborhood in a larger city, an outpost, or a roadside tavern. Be prepared to give players enough

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

knowledge of anatomy to use by narrating the injuries my enemies suffer in grisly detail. 8 Like a wild animal, I lash out viciously when I’m provoked — and I’m easily provoked

the moss-covered building where I took part in my first reclamation mission. 5 I found something in the sewer that must never come to light. 6 I am forever grateful to the reclaimer who

Inquisitive

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

Inquisitive As an archetypal Inquisitive, you excel at rooting out secrets and unraveling mysteries. You rely on your sharp eye for detail, but also on your finely honed ability to read the words and

equipped to expose and end hidden evils. Inquisitive Features Rogue Level Feature 3rd Ear for Deceit, Eye for Detail, Insightful Fighting 9th Steady Eye 13th Unerring Eye 17th Eye for Weakness

Simic Scientist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

. 3 I’m eager to explain every detail of my most intricate experiments and theories to anyone who shows the least bit of interest. 4 I assume that everyone needs even the most basic

1 I helped create a krasis that I love like a pet and would carry with me everywhere … except it’s the size of a building, and it might eat me. 2 In my laboratory, I

Ancient Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

rather enjoy the company of people—as long as they remain unaware of my true nature. Deep Dragon Ideals d6;{"diceNotation":"1d6","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Ideal"} Ideal

, they use local settlements—and any competent visitors—as pawns in their struggle. 4 An ancient deep dragon has put the folk of a city to work building the dragon a metropolis to rule

Dinev's Rest

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

Dinev’s Rest Closed inn At the south end of town is Caer-Dineval’s inn, a drafty old building with boarded-up windows and a crooked weathervane shaped like a rearing dragon. The place has been out of

business for almost a year. Six duergar hide inside the ramshackle inn and remain out of sight until Xardorok’s chardalyn dragon attacks the town (see chapter 4).

10. Guard Tower

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

) that prisoners can move or act unnoticed with a successful Dexterity (Stealth) check contested by the guards’ passive Wisdom (Perception) score. The tower’s upper chamber stores extra arms and armor

armor 6 shields 6 hand crossbows 20 cases of hand crossbow bolts, each case containing 20 bolts 6 shortswords and 10 daggers 6 bags of caltrops (20 caltrops per bag) 4 100-foot-long coils of silk rope 2 building hammers (not usable as weapons) 2 bags of iron spikes (10 spikes per bag)

Random Buildings

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

, roll on the Building Type table. Then roll on the table corresponding to that building to add further detail. If a roll makes no sense considering where the characters are (such as a lavish mansion

Random Buildings Pulse-pounding chases and harrowing escapes within the confines of a town or city can sometimes force characters to dash into buildings. When you need to flesh out a building quickly

Lower Dura

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

trappings of a wealthy lifestyle. There was a time when Lower Dura was the heart of Sharn, and remnants of this glory remain. The Silvermist Theater in Callestan was built to entertain nobles. The ward

of sorts, where all the major criminal powers of Sharn have a stake. Those groups are described in more detail later in this chapter. The district of Fallen is a haunted ruin; this temple district was

Half-Elves and Dragonmarks

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

families among the Khoravar by the time their dragonmarks appeared, and they remain pillars of the Khoravar’s diverse culture. The Khoravar ideal of building bridges supports the work of both houses. With

Purpose

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

Purpose A settlement exists primarily to facilitate the story and fun of your campaign. Other than that point, the settlement’s purpose determines the amount of detail you put into it. Create only

of the inn where the characters spend the night, the mannerisms of the shopkeeper they buy supplies from — you can add this level of detail, but you don’t have to. If the characters return to the same

Approaching the Lodge

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

and width of any building found in Ten-Towns. The lodge has three tall openings on the east side. On the southern side of the building is a tunnel left behind by a remorhaz that raided the lodge’s

characters, but in case that doesn’t happen, they remain outside to attack any characters who try to flee. (Specifically, the wolves wait in area L1, east of the lodge’s main entrance.) If one wolf is slain, the other flees to avoid a similar fate.

General Features

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

General Features Many of Thundertree’s buildings have crumbled in the years since the town was abandoned, and nature threatens to swallow what remains. Buildings A building in Thundertree is either

any intact building are 2 feet wide and covered by wooden shutters containing 6-inch-wide arrow slits. Creatures on one side of an arrow slit gain three-quarters cover against attacks from the other

General Features

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

General Features Many of Thundertree’s buildings have crumbled in the years since the town was abandoned, even as nature threatens to swallow what remains. Buildings. A building in Thundertree is

DC 10 Strength check to force open. The windows of any intact building are 2 feet wide and covered by wooden shutters containing 6-inch wide arrow slits. Creatures on one side of an arrow slit gain

1. Create a Home Base

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

1. Create a Home Base See the “Settlements” section earlier in this chapter for guidance on building this settlement. A small town or village at the edge of the wilderness serves as a fine home base

reasons (legitimate or otherwise), throwing them into the midst of the adventure. For each of these steps, give the locations only as much detail as they need. You don’t need to identify every

Making a Plan

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

the ground. (This tower is detailed in the “Threshold of the Heavens” section.) Occupied Mansion. Small patrols come and go from a ruined mansion a third of the way across the city. (This building is

Spire at the city’s center and find the Dragon Army’s leaders (see “Threshold of the Heavens”). Use the following sections to further detail the ruins as much as you please. This chapter concludes at

9. Dragon's Platform

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

two stone walkways raised atop 20-foot-high marble columns. Bridge. A stone bridge on the platform spans the river to the east. (See area 10 for more information on the bridge.) Building. A mossy

staircase climbs the south wall to the top of the platform. There stands a 15-foot-high stone building with a commanding view of the river and stone doors set into its north, west, and south walls. A

V6: Elysian Springs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves

V6: Elysian Springs Beside a small alpine lake, an elegant mansion stands untouched by wildfire. A handful of armed people patrol around the building, keeping a nervous watch on the fires to the

evacuated. Those who remain are staff members attempting to protect the property from looters and, if possible, from the spreading fires. These staff members consist of eleven human Guards who are

1. Village of Parnast

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

castle’s detail, but you see two statues standing just before the enormous gate. Cultists posing as villagers are unfriendly toward visitors, while villagers under the cult’s sway remain silent and

Vault Guards

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

interior guards, the party has the run of the building until the next shift’s guards show up. However, the three guards outside the building remain alert to loud noises inside the vault and enter the

Vault Guards Vidorant employs a dozen guards (use the veteran stat block) to protect her treasures—three guards outside and nine inside the vault. Guards remain alert for noises elsewhere in the

8. Nightstone Inn

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

(from the chamber above) lie among the shattered dining room furnishings. Two smaller round tables and several chairs remain intact, and resting atop each table is an unlit oil lamp. Characters exploring

revealing her location. Any character who peers up through the hole in the ceiling can spot Kella lurking in the shadows with a successful Wisdom (Perception) check contested by Kella’s Dexterity

Event-Based Adventures

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

importance. Building an event-based adventure is more work than building a location-based one, but the process can be simplified by following a number of straightforward steps. Several steps include tables

steps the villain takes to achieve its goals. Create a timeline showing what the villain does and when, assuming no interference from the adventurers. Building on the previous example, you might

Sumber Hills

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

hear “Sumber Hills,” because it’s there that once had rich quarries and good hunting. Some hunting lodges and keeps owned by wealthy Waterdhavians or adventurers remain — and in recent times have

become homes to bandits and monsters. Those who quarry the Sumber Hills for building stones and gravel often trade tales of finding gemstones and rich veins of ore in the hills — but for the most part

Golems

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

the Dungeon Master’s Guide). The comprehensive illustrations and instructions in a manual detail the process for creating a golem of a particular type. “Beyond the unopenable doors lay a grand hall

.” — Mordenkainen the Archmage, chronicling his party’s harrowing exploits in the dungeons below Maure Castle Elemental Spirit in Material Form. The construction of a golem begins with the building

4. Drow Enclave

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

, he attempts to steal something from one randomly determined party member. Far from being a skilled thief, Zilch must succeed at a Dexterity check contested by the passive Wisdom (Perception) scores of

that conceal a dozen giant spiders loyal to the drow. The warehouse’s denizens attack the party unless the characters are accompanied by a drow. The merchants have been instructed to remain in the

DM Tips

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

something, correct yourself and move on. No one expects you to memorize every rule or detail. Even if you don’t realize your mistake until after a game session is over, it’s OK to acknowledge the mistake

game and keep track of your campaign. These sheets are also available for download in appendix C. Encounter-Building Assistance. The rules for estimating the difficulty of combat encounters have

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

other creatures, because such objects are more likely to be in good condition and thus more useful or valuable. When they go after items that aren’t free for the taking, kobolds try to remain

moves its tribe to another area, ceding the contested territory to its more successful neighbors. As demonstrated by their hatred of gnomes, kobolds have a persecution complex and easily take offense

6. Moa's Shrine

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

god Moa (represented by a jaculi) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods. 6A. Shrine Entrance Palm trees grow in front of this squat building, and worn steps ascend

covered pits are spaced along the corridor in the positions marked X on the shrine map. Their covers remain locked until the puzzle cube is moved from the pedestal in area 6C. Thereafter, a creature

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