burden before deeds combat refuse

Bladesinger

Classes Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn

Wield Weapon and Wizardry in Elegant Tandem Bladesingers master a tradition of wizardry that incorporates swordplay and dance. In combat, a Bladesinger uses intricate, elegant maneuvers that fend

, Bladesingers take their talents all across the Realms to help common people and perform heroic deeds. Most communities greet the arrival of a Bladesinger as a good omen.

Grandolpha Muzgardt

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Grandolpha Muzgardt for many years. He asked Grandolpha to his fortress to give her a gift—a pseudodragon made of chardalyn (a pseudo-pseudodragon, if you will)—and make her an offer she can't refuse. Once

admiration for Grandolpha to foresee her treachery. Before entering combat, Grandolpha casts stoneskin on herself. Once her duergar;guards come to her rescue, she withdraws from combat and uses her

Eye of Fear and Flame

Monsters Infernal Machine Rebuild

living, commanding individuals to perform evil deeds of the undead's choosing or be destroyed. If its commands are not obeyed, an eye of fear and flame throws back its hood to reveal its skull—set

combat, it targets not only its opponents but also innocent bystanders, seeking to cause the greatest amount of confusion and destruction. If the creature is destroyed, these gems can be recovered

Gladiator Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

A gladiator is as much an entertainer as any minstrel or circus performer, trained to make the arts of combat into a spectacle the crowd can enjoy. This kind of flashy combat is your entertainer

; FEATURE: BY POPULAR DEMAND You can always find a place to perform in any place that features combat for entertainment — perhaps a gladiatorial arena or secret pit fighting club. At such

Half-Orc Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

their mighty deeds. Scarred and Strong Half-orcs exhibit a blend of orcish and human characteristics, and their appearance varies widely. Grayish skin tones and prominent teeth are the most common

-orcs hear the whispers of Gruumsh in their dreams, calling them to unleash the rage that simmers within them. Others feel Gruumsh’s exultation when they join in melee combat — and either

Entertainer Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

liking to you. Variant Entertainer: Gladiator A gladiator is as much an entertainer as any minstrel or circus performer, trained to make the arts of combat into a spectacle the crowd can

enjoy. This kind of flashy combat is your entertainer routine, though you might also have some skills as a tumbler or actor. Using your By Popular Demand feature, you can find a place to perform in

Yuan-ti Malison (Type 3) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

’t be bound for long by brute force, and that many creatures will refuse to serve. As a result, yuan-ti first influence other creatures with the promise of wealth and power. Time and again

are cunning and ruthless tacticians who readily sacrifice lesser yuan-ti if potential victory justifies such losses. They have no sense of honorable combat and strike first in decisive ambush if they

Alustriel Silverhand

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

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

Alustriel and her deeds better known than in the Silver Marches and its capital, Silverymoon. Alustriel ruled Silverymoon for centuries, once disguised as a wizard named Elué Dualen and then later

Entertainer - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

entertainer as any minstrel or circus performer, trained to make the arts of combat into a spectacle the crowd can enjoy. This kind of flashy combat is your entertainer routine, though you might also have some

skills as a tumbler or actor. Using your By Popular Demand feature, you can find a place to perform in any place that features combat for entertainment — perhaps a gladiatorial arena or secret

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

of my parents is an elite assassin, a member of the Ochran. 2 I learned combat from a kraul. 3 I know a medusa who is stationed in the guildhall. 4 I had a torrid romance with a

Ranger Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

hiding themselves in brush and rubble. Rangers focus their combat training on techniques that are particularly useful against their specific favored foes. Thanks to their familiarity with the wilds

, rangers acquire the ability to cast spells that harness nature’s power, much as a druid does. Their spells, like their combat abilities, emphasize speed, stealth, and the hunt. A ranger’s

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

Bard Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

versatility. Many bards prefer to stick to the sidelines in combat, using their magic to inspire their allies and hinder their foes from a distance. But bards are capable of defending themselves in melee if

, decipher old tomes, travel to strange places, or encounter exotic creatures. Bards love to accompany heroes to witness their deeds firsthand. A bard who can tell an awe-inspiring story from personal

Combat

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

Combat Chris Rallis Combat is prohibited in the keep. If you need game statistics for an NPC, reference the recommended stat block listed on their NPC Card. At your discretion, characters who

antagonize peaceful members of the keep might attract the attention of the soldiers of the keep, of whom there are many (use the Guard stat block). Those who refuse to keep the peace might be arrested and

Mythic Monsters

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

Mythic Monsters This section describes three of Theros’s most infamous terrors, beings whose might and dreadful deeds set them apart as menaces of legendary proportions. While many of Theros’s

into truly legendary confrontations, well suited to the climactic battles at the ends of adventures or whole campaigns. Mythic traits are optional; they don’t need to be used during combat with these

Folk Horror Plots

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

horseback is imprisoned and sentenced to death. 4 Help a cult summon a fiend to combat an impending greater evil. 5 Defeat a violent hag who’s protected by everyone in town and called

“grandmother.” 6 Escape an estate after the residents adopt the party and refuse to let them leave. 7 Learn why the characters bear uncanny resemblances to the founders of an underground village. 8 Slay a dragon and, in so doing, prove a character is the prophesied chosen one.

Spirits of the Past

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

want is to let your ancestors live again, and that means you need to perform deeds worthy of champions. That drives you now: seeking out adventures that will add to the legends of your patron. You and

your DM should develop the identity of your ancestor. How did they fight? What were some of their legendary deeds? Did they have a distinctive weapon or favor a particular kind of magic? Equally

24. Nothic Warrens

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

this room unmolested. 24b. Peek-a-Boo Two nothics cower beneath mounds of rotting tapestries piled against the east wall. The nothics sheepishly observe passersby and avoid combat. 24c. Rotting Refuse

Ghost Stories

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

their suffering with the living. Ghost stories touch on fundamental issues of human existence: the nature of the soul, the weighty fact of mortality, and the burden of ancestry and history. Spirits

events. Look for ways to test heroes’ psychology with your hauntings. Heroes need agency—a way to put spirits to rest. Once the story is revealed, ensure the way to combat the haunting is clear. Spirits are often evil, but they need not be. A spirit might appear to warn heroes of impending doom.

Vistani Lore

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

each settlement. There’s an old windmill on the road between the village of Barovia and the town of Vallaki. It should be avoided at all costs! (The Vistani refuse to say more.) It is wise to stick to

another Vistana. It is the burden of the Vistani’s great gift that their own fates can’t be divined. Vistani curses are potent, but they are invoked with great caution. Vistani know that to curse one

Suggested Characteristics

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

life to the fullest, knowing that tomorrow I might die. 4 I live for the thrill of the hunt. 5 I don’t talk about the thing that torments me. I’d rather not burden others with my curse. 6 I expect

danger around every corner. 7 I refuse to become a victim, and I will not allow others to be victimized. 8 I put no trust in divine beings. Ideals d6 Ideal 1 I try to help those in need, no matter

Q5. Sleeping Area

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

lot of noise. Once combat starts, Zemk fights to the death. How Krentz reacts to the adventurers depends on how they treated him earlier. If they helped him, he gives them a chance to leave in peace

, but he fights alongside Zemk if they refuse to withdraw. If the duergar is killed, Krentz flees if he can or surrenders if he must. Neither Zemk nor Krentz carries any treasure. Both report to Grum’shar (see area Q7).

Iconoclast

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

Iconoclast No one can deny the reality of the gods of Theros, whose presence and deeds are visible in the night sky and sometimes directly in the mortal realm. But some people refute the idea that

, not gods. 5 I’m convinced the gods want me dead. 6 I refuse to be a pawn in divine schemes.

Soldier

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

retired with honor decades ago. You’ve got an endless supply of stories of your heroic deeds. It’s been a long time since you’ve been in combat and your skills are a little rusty. But you’re sure that

Roleplaying an Orc

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

everyone around me. 4 I love a good brawl. 5 I drink the blood of monsters to consume their power. 6 I chant orcish war dirges during combat. Orc Ideals d6 Ideal 1 Strength. Showing superior

commit great deeds in battle. 4 To avenge Gruumsh, I will kill every elf I see. 5 I will seek and destroy those who murdered my tribe. 6 I owe my survival to a non-orc. Orc Flaws d6 Flaw 1 I have a

Character Creation

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

been able to easily master all manner of weapons, although for challenge I prefer to use my own fists in combat. But I boast too much. In truth, I am one of many who are blessed with the might of

individuals whose deeds aren’t bound by fate, who willfully stray from the paths laid before them and chart their own courses. This chapter describes playable races of Theros, new subclass options, a new

Esoteric Martial Arts

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

energy, to gain advantages in combat or perform extraordinary feats. These techniques emphasize the use of controlled breathing, meditation, and spiritual discipline as the primary means of achieving

that obstacles on one’s journey are common. The soul can be corrupted by the absence of wisdom. One’s body can be sullied by violent deeds. The mind is easily compromised by ego and emotional

Prince Oargev of New Cyre

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

Nations. Aundairians, Karrns, and Thranes are generally unsympathetic to the plight of displaced Cyrans. Many of them bitterly bear the scars of the war, their resentments reinforced by the deeds of

violent Cyran extremists. Even the Brelish, for all their practiced indifference, become guarded when confronted by Cyrans, who represent a burden foisted upon them by their leaders. They tend to treat

The Order of the Gauntlet

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

muster more paladins and priests to heal the wounded and combat Severin’s devil allies directly. Before the final battle, members of the order make interesting NPCs for roleplaying encounters because

divine guidance, for it is only with the blessing of Torm and the other gods that Tiamat can be defeated. Just as good deeds must be performed in the light for all to see, evil must be shunned and

Arrival at Cernant Valley

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

and watching for intruders. The eagles offer to lead the characters to Derwyth’s homestead. If the characters decline or offend Avri and Ivo, the eagles tell them to leave. If combat ensues, three elk

test (see the “Derwyth’s Test” section later in this adventure). Going It Alone If the characters refuse the eagles’ guidance, they must find their own way to Derwyth’s homestead. The character leading

Heroes of Destiny

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

knight, but that knight died in combat. Moon Your dreams are haunted by the screams of those you couldn’t save in battle. Puzzle Unpredictability is a hallmark of your fighting style. You keep enemies on

their toes. Rogue Tales of your past heroic deeds might be somewhat exaggerated. Ruin When you lost everything, you realized the only thing you could rely on was your martial skill. Sage Descended

The Order of the Gauntlet

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

muster more paladins and priests to heal the wounded and combat Severin’s devil allies directly. Before the final battle, members of the order make interesting NPCs for roleplaying encounters because

divine guidance, for it is only with the blessing of Torm and the other gods that Tiamat can be defeated. Just as good deeds must be performed in the light for all to see, evil must be shunned and

The Order of the Gauntlet

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

muster more paladins and priests to heal the wounded and combat Severin’s devil allies directly. Before the final battle, members of the order make interesting NPCs for roleplaying encounters because

divine guidance, for it is only with the blessing of Torm and the other gods that Tiamat can be defeated. Just as good deeds must be performed in the light for all to see, evil must be shunned and

Trial by Combat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Light of Xaryxis

Trial by Combat Xedalli asks the characters to serve as her champions. If the characters accept, read: Xeleth sneers. “Very well, sister, since you won’t face me yourself, I, too, name a champion

characters must fight the zodar (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) on their own. See “Running the Zodar” below for more information about this creature. The characters win the trial by combat if they reduce

DM Tips

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

a story as a group, so let the other players contribute through the words and deeds of their characters. Encourage players to engage by asking them what their characters are doing. It’s Not a

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

D&D Beyond

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