building before distanced combat return

Building Combat Encounters

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

Chapter 13: Building Combat Encounters When creating a combat encounter, let your imagination run wild and build something your players will enjoy. Once you have the details figured out, use

this section to adjust the difficulty of the encounter. Combat Encounter Difficulty There are four categories of encounter difficulty. Easy. An easy encounter doesn’t tax the characters’ resources

Blackrazor

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

energy sprang from a void of negative energy and will one day return to it. Blackrazor is meant to hurry that process along. Despite its nihilism, Blackrazor feels a strange kinship to Wave and Whelm

, two other weapons locked away under White Plume Mountain. It wants the three weapons to be reunited and wielded together in combat, even though it violently disagrees with Whelm and finds Wave tedious

Deck of Many Things

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

effect. Comet. The next time you enter combat against one or more Hostile creatures, you can select one of them as your foe when you roll Initiative. If you reduce your foe to 0 Hit Points during that

combat, you have Advantage on Death Saving Throws for 1 year. If someone else reduces your chosen foe to 0 Hit Points or you don’t choose a foe, this card has no effect. Donjon. You disappear

Bamboo

Equipment

Combat Utility Whimsy 3 3 3 Used in everything from building material to drinking vessels and musical instruments, bamboo is perhaps the most versatile material on the

Dorrin Plate

Equipment

Combat Utility Whimsy 7 8 4 Dorrin plate is a naturally occurring stone that can be broken off in large sheets and used as roof tiles, crockery, or building material. Potion

Dragon Chosen

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

skilled in close combat, using two weapons to tear at their foes. Dragon Followers Dragons boast many minions, students, employees, acolytes, and thralls. Dragon followers are those servitors whose

devotion to a dragon approaches fanatical reverence and who receive magical power from the dragon in return. Dragon followers might serve and revere any kind of dragon, and their behavior and beliefs

Goblin Psi Brawler

Monsters Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

other Aberrations, which help them transform in return for their service as shock troops. Regardless, the result is the same: a goblin with unnatural and barely contained psychic power. Psionic goblins

often struggle to handle the turbulent psychic energy within their minds and bodies. Those psionic goblins who learn how to safely tap into this psychic power are formidable forces in combat. Psionic

Feather Rock

Equipment

Combat Utility Whimsy 13 17 15 As its name suggests, feather rock is a paradoxical stone with a peculiar nature that seems to contradict the pull of gravity. These spindle

-shaped stones always reach skyward, while remaining anchored to the ground on a tapered point. Even if these stones are tipped over, they return to their “reaching” position. Howlers covet

Blackrazor Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

it eats, including the wielder’s. The sword believes that all matter and energy sprang from a void of negative energy and will one day return to it. Blackrazor is meant to hurry that process

together in combat, even though it violently disagrees with Whelm and finds Wave tedious. Blackrazor’s hunger for souls must be regularly fed. If the sword goes three days or more without consuming a soul, a conflict between it and its wielder occurs at the next sunset.

Alustriel Silverhand

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

are to spread kindness, reward virtue, and promote a culture of compassion throughout the multiverse. She is good at building alliances and quick to intervene when she senses a threat to the forces of

Weave favors those who act with mercy and compassion, seeks to deliver lives of security for all, and bolsters people’s efforts when they seek to right wrongs and combat evil. Nowhere are

Goblin Psi Commander

Monsters Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

with other Aberrations, which help them transform in return for their service as shock troops. Regardless, the result is the same: a goblin with unnatural and barely contained psychic power. Psionic

goblins often struggle to handle the turbulent psychic energy within their minds and bodies. Those psionic goblins who learn how to safely tap into this psychic power are formidable forces in combat

Monk Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

. Whatever their discipline, monks are united in their ability to magically harness the energy that flows in their bodies. Whether channeled as a striking display of combat prowess or a subtler focus of

training. Many entered the monastery as children, sent to live there when their parents died, when food couldn’t be found to support them, or in return for some kindness that the monks had performed

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

foes when they found them and drove the rest into hiding. With their foes banished to the deepest reaches of the sea, tritons settled in to watch for any sign of their return. Over time, the tritons

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

scythe. Only a skilled and determined hero can hope to survive single combat with an orc. Savage and fearless, orc tribes are ever in search of elves, dwarves, and humans to destroy. Motivated by their

while learning to fight, to survive in the wild, and to fear the gods. The children that can’t endure the rigors of a life of combat are culled from the main body of the tribe, taken into the

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

Ambusher. During the first round of combat, Pidlwick II has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't had a turn yet.Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2;{"diceNotation":"1d20+2","rollType

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

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

regular shift patrolling either the Lower City or the Outer City. In return, you have access to the Flaming Fist’s fortresses and a direct line of communication with Flaming Fist officers and

regular patrol in the Upper City or take a regular shift at its gates, and must report for training in the Watch Citadel once every ten days. In return, you have access to the Citadel and a direct line of

Knight of the Order

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

again in ruins, Dove Falconhand decided to reform the group with the primary goal of building alliances and friendship between the civilized races of the world and goodly people in order to combat evil

Rak Tulkhesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

in combat, Rak Tulkhesh roars in rage as new weapons are spawned from his body, called forth by the Rage of War to slaughter all who dare stand before him. Khyber Shards. Rak Tulkhesh's soul is

cities, the hatred against warforged and Cyran refugees, the calls for a return to war — all these things bear the mark of Rak Tulkhesh's malign influence. Minions of Rak Tulkhesh. Any organization that

Young Topaz Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Combat. I despise most other dragons, but I meet them face to face without resorting to the base trickery I use on lesser creatures. (Lawful) Topaz Dragon Adventures The Topaz Dragon

to ask for help getting home. 6 A topaz dragon is building a tableau of desiccated creatures and has grown obsessed with catching one treasure hunter who escaped the dragon’s clutches

Topaz Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

ocean. (Good) 6 Code of Combat. I despise most other dragons, but I meet them face to face without resorting to the base trickery I use on lesser creatures. (Lawful) Topaz Dragon

, but the dragon is too proud to ask for help getting home. 6 A topaz dragon is building a tableau of desiccated creatures and has grown obsessed with catching one treasure hunter who escaped the

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

coins Feature: Undercity Paths You know hidden, underground pathways that you can use to bypass crowds, obstacles, and observation as you move through the city. When you aren’t in combat, you

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

Arriving at the Temple

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

Silverymoon. Both trails converge on the south side of the bathhouse building and the double doors leading into area T1. If the characters put off entering the bathhouse building to first wander the grounds

, the cambion Saeth (see “Coven Minions” earlier in the adventure) leaves area T1 to intercept them. He encourages the characters to return with him to the bathhouse, describing the abandoned shrine as a

Encounter Building

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

Encounter Building This section introduces new guidelines on building combat encounters for an adventure. They are an alternative to the rules in “Creating Encounters” in chapter 3 of the Dungeon

encounter-building system assumes that, as DM, you want to have a clear understanding of the threat posed by a group of monsters. It will be useful to you if you want to emphasize combat in your

Ancient Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

far-off lands. Many seek out new insights and tricks that they can use against other denizens of the Underdark, preferring social manipulation and crafty dealmaking to exerting themselves in combat

, 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

Conclusion

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Scions of Elemental Evil

Conclusion Once the characters defeat Ulsedra Vox, any cultists remaining inside the temple flee when told their leader is gone. The characters can easily leave the building. On the temple’s

outskirts, the characters rejoin the elf Filonia in her small camp. Pleased beyond measure to see the characters, the knight asks to hear tales of their mission during their return to Celene.

Leaving the Wilderness

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes of the Borderlands

Leaving the Wilderness The characters can leave the wilderness any time they choose, provided they aren’t in combat. If they return to a region later, it’s as they left it.

Leaving the Caves

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes of the Borderlands

Leaving the Caves The characters can leave the Caves of Chaos any time they choose, provided they aren’t inside a cave or engaged in combat. If they return to a cave later, it is as they left it.

Companion Encounter Balance

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer

Companion Encounter Balance Unless a caregiver has the beastheart class (found in Beastheart and Monstrous Companions), the GM should consider a companion as akin to a powerful combat-focused magic

item when building encounters. A companion gives a party a significant power boost, not just by dishing out more damage and providing more hit points for enemies to target, but also by creating

Retainer Encounter Balance

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer

Retainer Encounter Balance When building encounters, the GM should consider a retainer as akin to a powerful combat-focused magic item. A retainer gives a party a significant power boost; they not

Noncombat Challenges

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

agreement with a clan of surly dwarves, or successfully navigate the Chasm of Doom, you might decide that they deserve an XP reward. As a starting point, use the rules for building combat encounters in

Noncombat Challenges You decide whether to award experience to characters for overcoming challenges outside combat. If the adventurers complete a tense negotiation with a baron, forge a trade

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

goblin tribe has to nobility is the caste of lashers — families of goblins trained in the ways of battle, and also possessed of key skills such as strategy, trap-building, beast taming, mining

and know the most about the territory farthest from the tribe’s lair. These individuals hunt game in peaceful times, and in combat they serve as scouts, foot soldiers, and cavalry. Gatherers

Joint DMs

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

enjoy or the DMs trading focus from session to session. One DM might run combat description and keep a battle moving while the other focuses on miniatures and music. The two DMs can play two different

NPCs in a social interaction encounter. Between sessions, they can collaborate or divide up world-building, encounter creation, and other tasks. CoupleofKooks

Combat Encounters

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

2, five 13th-level characters for tier 3, and five 18th-level characters for tier 4. Use that assumption when creating combat encounters, whether you use the encounter-building rules in the Dungeon

Combat Encounters Design your adventure for one of the four tiers, as set forth in chapter 1 of the Player’s Handbook: tier 1 includes levels 1–4, tier 2 is levels 5–10, tier 3 is levels 11–16, and

Awarding XP

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

point, use the rules for building combat encounters in chapter 4 to gauge the difficulty of the challenge. Then award the characters XP as if it had been a combat encounter of the same difficulty

NPCs made the challenge easier. (See also “Nonplayer Characters” in chapter 3.) Noncombat Challenges You decide whether to award XP to characters for overcoming challenges outside combat. If the

The Domain's Downfall

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

The Domain’s Downfall Once you know what your domain and Darklord are, think ahead to the climax of your adventures. A Darklord likely can’t be defeated by combat alone, so what is their weakness? In

circumstances might they return? What happens to their domain? Does a new Darklord rise? Does the domain permanently dissolve? Can the adventurers escape the domain? Do the adventurers return home or travel to another domain?

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