common run guard to her reasons

False Lich

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

nefarious magical copies of themselves to fool enemies, to guard treasure, or for other inscrutable reasons. To create a false lich, a lich binds a shred of its life force to a corpse in a profane

Astral Elf Star Priest

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

priests draw their strength from the pantheon of elven gods and oversee religious practices in astral elf society. It’s common for them to serve aboard spelljamming ships, not only as emissaries

their ships and citadels in orbit around stars. Astral elves do this for several reasons. Proximity to a star allows the astral elves to forge pacts with solar dragons and to collect starlight, which the

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

Almost all of the common people and other folk that one might encounter along the Sword Coast or in the North have one thing in common: they live out their lives without ever traveling more than a

few miles from where they were born. You aren’t one of those folk. You are from a distant place, one so remote that few of the common folk in the North realize that it exists, and chances are

Cradle of the Fire Scion

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

. Veins of precious metals and ore are more common within 6 miles of the scion. Desertification. Precipitation is almost nonexistent within 6 miles of the scion, parching the land and withering most

scions guard their birthplaces (which are rich in elemental magic) or hold the substance of the world together. (See “Giants of Myth” in chapter 3 for additional inspiration.) Scions of

Tearulai

Magic Items Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

understand Common, Draconic, Elvish, and Sylvan. In addition, the sword can ascertain the true value of any gemstone brought within 5 feet of it. Personality. Tearulai admires great beauty, music

Myth Drannor, where it was created. If its wielder’s goals run counter to its own, Tearulai attempts to take control of its wielder and escape Undermountain, whereupon it can use its transport via plants spell to return whence it came.

Waterdhavian Noble

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

You are a scion of one of the great noble families of Waterdeep. Human families who jealously guard their privilege and place in the City of Splendors, Waterdhavian nobles have a reputation across

expect things of you when they know your surname and what it means. Your reasons for taking up adventuring likely involve your family in some way: Are you the family rebel, who prefers delving in

Scion of Surtur

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

the giant’s magic, creating one or more of the following effects: Abundant Ore. Veins of precious metals and ore are more common within 6 miles of the scion. Desertification. Precipitation is

first empires of giants until Annam retreated into seclusion. On other worlds, the scions guard their birthplaces (which are rich in elemental magic) or hold the substance of the world together. (See

Mongrelfolk

Monsters Curse of Strahd

forms results in its having a slow, awkward gait. Sound Mimicry. Mongrelfolk have misshapen mouths and vocal cords. They speak fragmented Common mixed with various animal cries and nonsense. They

wild or while standing guard outside their lairs. Until it is seen, a camouflaged mongrelfolk has advantage on Stealth checks made to hide. Horrific Offspring. It’s possible to restore a

Hulgaz

Monsters The Book of Many Things

her finger is a well-rehearsed ploy, a gesture she has weaponized to put her targets off guard. Hulgaz is a charmer in both the common and magical sense. She effortlessly ingratiates herself

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

military organization you were a part of, how far through its ranks you progressed, and what kind of experiences you had during your military career. Was it a standing army, a town guard, or a village

gaming set, vehicles (land) Equipment: An insignia of rank, a trophy taken from a fallen enemy (a dagger, broken blade, or piece of a banner), a set of bone dice or deck of cards, a set of common

Constantori's Portrait

Magic Items Keys from the Golden Vault

of 120 feet and has darkvision within a range of 60 feet, but it can’t see anything behind itself. The painting can converse in Common, Draconic, and Elvish as if it were a living person

Portrait. While you are attuned to the painting, you can command it to guard its location against one or more creatures you identify as the painting’s enemies. The painting performs this function

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

type of gaming set, thieves’ tools Equipment: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a pouch containing 15 gp Criminal Origins Criminals are pervasive in Baldur

, working for someone who has more than they deserve. But the Guild offered you a way to fix that. You keep doing what you’ve always done — guard work, dock labor, business accounting &mdash

Strahd von Zarovich

Monsters Curse of Strahd

intelligently and do everything you can to make him a terrifying and cunning adversary for the player characters. When you run an encounter with Strahd, keep the following facts in mind: Strahd

the reach of melee combatants and spellcasters, or he flies away (using summoned wolf;wolves or swarm of bats;swarms of bats or swarm of rats;rats to guard his retreat). Strahd observes the characters

Dimir Operative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

journals or hidden away in someone’s mind. Even you might not be aware of all the reasons behind the missions you carry out. Sometimes a mission’s sole purpose is to conceal the

;Disguise kit Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A Dimir insignia, three small knives, a set of dark-colored common clothes, and the starting equipment of the background described in this

Haunted One

Backgrounds Curse of Strahd: Character Options

You are haunted by something so terrible that you dare not speak of it. You’ve tried to bury it and run away from it, to no avail. Whatever this thing is that haunts you can’t be slain

, common;set of common clothes, and 1 sp. Harrowing Event Prior to becoming an adventurer, your path in life was defined by one dark moment, one fateful decision, or one tragedy. Now you feel a darkness

Sailor - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

, characters with this background are common. You sailed on a seagoing vessel for years. In that time, you faced down mighty storms, monsters of the deep, and those who wanted to sink your craft to

fellows, or on the run? Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Perception Tool Proficiencies: Navigator’s tools, vehicles (water) Equipment: A belaying pin (club), 50 feet of silk rope, a lucky

Charlatan - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

one that you’re perfectly willing to use for your advantage. You know what people want and you deliver, or rather, you promise to deliver. Common sense should steer people away from things that

sound too good to be true, but common sense seems to be in short supply when you’re around. The bottle of pink-colored liquid will surely cure that unseemly rash, this ointment — nothing

Smuggler

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

burning river. Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Deception Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (water) Equipment: A fancy leather vest or a pair of leather boots, a set of common clothes, and a

organization, or might run a small smuggling vessel of their own. Smugglers live the lies they have told, and they have a natural ability to recall all the falsehoods and half-truths they have ever spouted

Sage - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

answer, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp Specialty To determine the nature of your scholarly training, roll a d8 or choose from the options in the table below. d8

back. d6 Flaw 1 I am easily distracted by the promise of information. 2 Most people scream and run when they see a demon. I stop and take notes on its anatomy. 3

Simic Scientist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

clade — a diverse group of individuals combining disparate talents in pursuit of a common goal — or a researcher on a specialized, short-term project focused on addressing an immediate

protection and durability 2 Fin Clade, focused on movement 3 Gyre Clade, focused on cyclical patterns and metamagic 4 Guardian Project, focused on creating guard monsters and super

Izzet Engineer

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

and twisted remains of a failed experiment, a hammer, a block and tackle, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 5 gp (Azorius 1-zino coins) Feature: Urban Infrastructure The popular

suspension. 7 Great ideas are fine, but great results are what counts. 8 If you can guess what I’m about to do, that means I’ve run out of imagination. Ideals d6

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

within they physically transform for a short time. A shifter’s beast within is reflected by the shifter’s subrace. Four subraces are especially common: Beasthide often signifies the

bear or boar: stoic, stubborn, and thick-skinned. Longtooth shifters typically have lupine traits and prefer to run with a pack. Swiftstride are often predatory and feline, but a swiftstride could

Faction Agent

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

, and their members operate anywhere the organization deems necessary. These groups employ listeners, rumormongers, smugglers, sellswords, cache-holders (people who guard caches of wealth or magic for

choice, as appropriate to your factionLanguages: Two of your choiceEquipment: Badge or emblem of your faction, a copy of a seminal faction text (or a code-book for a covert faction), a set of common

Boros Legionnaire

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

;s wing, a tattered piece of a Boros banner (a souvenir from a famous battle), a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 2 gp (Boros-minted 1-zino coins) Feature: Legion Station You have

important to me than my life. 6 Dangerous work is best accomplished by an orderly group working with common purpose. 7 I treat my weapons, uniform, and insignia with reverence, for they

Cloistered Scholar

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

: LIBRARY ACCESS Though others must often endure extensive interviews and significant fees to gain access to even the most common archives in your library, you have free and easy access to the

great deeds and win it back. d6 Flaw 1 I am easily distracted by the promise of information. 2 Most people scream and run when they see a demon. I stop and take notes on

Urchin - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

in, a pet mouse, a token to remember your parents by, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp FEATURE: CITY SECRETS You know the secret patterns and flow to cities and

important person, and I’m wanted for it. 6 No one else should have to endure the hardships I’ve been through. d6 Flaw 1 If I’m outnumbered, I will run away

Charlatan Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

, you promise to deliver. Common sense should steer people away from things that sound too good to be true, but common sense seems to be in short supply when you’re around. The bottle of pink

weakness and secure their fortunes. 4 I put on new identities like clothes. 5 I run sleight-of-hand cons on street corners. 6 I convince people that worthless junk is worth their hard

Pirate Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

board—boatswain, captain, navigator, cook, or some other position? Who were the captain and first mate? Did you leave your ship on good terms with your fellows, or on the run? You spent your youth

you may roll for a random trinket on the Trinkets table in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook), a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp Feature: Bad Reputation No matter where

Soldier Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

standing army, a town guard, or a village militia? Or it might have been a noble’s or merchant’s private army, or a mercenary company. Skill Proficiencies: Athletics

or deck of cards, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp Specialty During your time as a soldier, you had a specific role to play in your unit or army. Roll a d8 or choose

Rogue Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

. Suppressing a giggle, a gnome waggles her fingers and magically lifts the key ring from the guard’s belt. In a moment, the keys are in her hand, the cell door is open, and she and her

treasure. Creating a Rogue As you create your rogue character, consider the character’s relationship to the law. Do you have a criminal past—or present? Are you on the run from the law or from

Laneshi

races

common folk, these pale humanoids with manes of kelp-like hair are creatures of the sea, able to converse with the flora and fauna of the depths. Laneshi dwell within a culture that views the world in

comprises all laneshi born as twins, a common occurrence among their people. The first-born twin is always inducted into the mystic caste, while the other is consecrated as their sibling’s spirit guide

Sailor Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

board—boatswain, captain, navigator, cook, or some other position? Who were the captain and first mate? Did you leave your ship on good terms with your fellows, or on the run? Skill

with a hole in the center (or you may roll for a random trinket on the Trinkets table in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook), a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp Feature: Ship

Urchin Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

Hand, StealthTool Proficiencies: Disguise kit, thieves’ toolsEquipment: A small knife, a map of the city you grew up in, a pet mouse, a token to remember your parents by, a set of common clothes

will run away from a fight. 2 Gold seems like a lot of money to me, and I’ll do just about anything for more of it. 3 I will never fully trust anyone other than myself. 4 I&rsquo

Sage Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

colleague posing a question you have not yet been able to answer, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp Specialty To determine the nature of your scholarly training, roll a d8 or

information. 2 Most people scream and run when they see a demon. I stop and take notes on its anatomy. 3 Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization. 4 I overlook

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

other useful items, but if they are at risk of discovery, they run away rather than attack anyone in the house. By fleeing before they can be seen or identified, they avoid getting into a situation

, giving each individual and every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect. The kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to live off the scraps of others, and they are often dominated by larger

D&D Beyond

Search Results