concept rival giving to have rather

Ringlerun

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

made him the envy of many rival spellcasters. Ringlerun has a good heart, but he’s easily distracted by intellectual pursuits. He would rather spend time in quiet contemplation or reading than in

Warforged

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

mindless automatons, House Cannith devoted vast resources to improving these steel soldiers. An unexpected breakthrough produced sapient soldiers, giving rise to what some have only grudgingly accepted

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

Dimir Operative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

Contacts table, giving you an ally who serves as your contact in Dimir. Then roll twice on the table for your secondary guild. The first roll gives you an ally there, and the second roll gives you a rival

d6 Flaw 1 I like secrets so much that I’m reluctant to share details of a plan even with those who need to know. 2 I would let my friends die rather than reveal my true

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

, 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

leather pulled taut over an articulated wooden frame. Pidlwick II has rubbed soot around its eyes and mouth, giving it the triangular eyes and jagged grin of a jack-o'-lantern. Pidlwick II's Traits

Orzhov Representative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

become as rich as the oligarchs. (Evil) 3 Power. One day, I will be the one giving orders. (Evil) 4 Prestige. I want to be admired, respected, feared, or even hated for my position

activities in crime, banking, or debt collection could tie you to members of other guilds. Roll twice on the Orzhov Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Orzhov Contacts table

Lady Illmarrow

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Emerald Claw, but her motives for founding the order are buried in her past. Lady Illmarrow has no interest in ruling the living. Rather, she seeks to become Queen of the Dead. The Mark of Death

attack on House Vol was nothing more than an excuse to eliminate a political rival. But others believe that what the Undying Court truly feared was a path shown in the Draconic Prophecy — that a

Adult Moonstone Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

often difficult because I’m so easily distr… 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

of an arcanaloth seeking a powerful Feywild artifact. 5 An adult moonstone dragon attempts to help a beholder worried that its dreams will soon give birth to a rival beholder. 6 Members of

Selesnya Initiate

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

1 I never raise my voice or lose my temper. 2 I feel the pains and joys of everyone around me, friend or foe. 3 I would rather make a friend than thwart an enemy. 4 I’m

guilds, and often these new guild members maintain friendships with former guild mates. Roll twice on the Selesnya Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Selesnya Contacts table

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

even the lowliest attendant to make friends (and enemies) in laboratories across Ravnica. Roll twice on the Izzet Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Izzet Contacts table

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

Simic Scientist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

Everything I do is an attempt to impress someone I love. Flaws d6 Flaw 1 I have a rather embarrassing mutation that I do everything I can to keep hidden. 2 I’m more

members are former members of other guilds. Roll twice on the Simic Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Simic Contacts table. Simic Contacts d8 Contact 1

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

Accursed

races

chosen with a specific character concept in mind. Accursed are so named not because their birth or creation was the result of magical malfeasance, a hag’s bargain, a corrupted scroll, or any

of the other typical senses of “curse” in the game. Rather, accursed reflects the grim sense of how most other folk in the campaign will view such a character, especially those who don

Downcast

races

divine domain. Some became consumed with enforcing narrow virtues. Others have turned from grace entirely, choosing to embody vice rather than virtue, and becoming feared as Arch Daemons. The

feetAge: Stripped of their immortality, the Downcast nevertheless possess long lifespans to rival even the elves. A Downcast reaches maturity in their late teens, but can live up to 800 years.

Barbarian Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

berserk state where rage takes over, giving them superhuman strength and resilience. A barbarian can draw on this reservoir of fury only a few times without resting, but those few rages are usually

fraught with peril: rival tribes, deadly weather, and terrifying monsters. Barbarians charge headlong into that danger so that their people don’t have to. Their courage in the face of danger makes

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

Rogue Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

variety of skills as they do to perfecting their combat abilities, giving them a broad expertise that few other characters can match. Many rogues focus on stealth and deception, while others refine the

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

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

keen intellect and magic to discover the secrets of making steel. Its military shattered rival tribes and developed advanced tactics for fighting in forests and open plains. The civilization grew into a

of evil that calls for them to butcher or eradicate all who oppose them. In keeping with their goal of domination, the yuan-ti would rather capture potentially useful opponents than kill them. They use

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

Treasured Item

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

connects the druid’s mind and heart to a profound concept or spiritual outlook. When you decide what your character’s treasured item is, think about giving it an origin story: how did you come by the item

Treasured Item

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

connects the druid’s mind and heart to a profound concept or spiritual outlook. When you decide what your character’s treasured item is, think about giving it an origin story: how did you come by the item

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.

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.

Standalone Adventures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Standalone Adventures Rather than playing the four adventures as a campaign, you can run them as standalone adventures. A section near the start of each adventure tells you how to use the adventure

, or 6 as a standalone adventure, you should ask each player to choose at least one student to be a Friend, a Beloved, or a Rival, as described in the Relationship rules later in this chapter. The

Standalone Adventures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Standalone Adventures Rather than playing the four adventures as a campaign, you can run them as standalone adventures. A section near the start of each adventure tells you how to use the adventure

, or 6 as a standalone adventure, you should ask each player to choose at least one student to be a Friend, a Beloved, or a Rival, as described in the Relationship rules later in this chapter. The

Despotic Perspective

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

purpose, giving them the opportunity to serve as guards, spies, or assassins against a rival. Refusal means, at best, servitude as a charmed minion, and at worst, disintegration.

; of course the clan of duergar moving into its territory is because a rival is trying to oust it, of course the gang of adventurers in its lair were sent to kill it by a cowardly rival, and so on

Despotic Perspective

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

purpose, giving them the opportunity to serve as guards, spies, or assassins against a rival. Refusal means, at best, servitude as a charmed minion, and at worst, disintegration.

; of course the clan of duergar moving into its territory is because a rival is trying to oust it, of course the gang of adventurers in its lair were sent to kill it by a cowardly rival, and so on

Creating a Rival

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

Creating a Rival In essence, a rival is a somewhat specialized NPC. You can use chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to build a new NPC for this purpose, or pick one from your current cast of

the others might be neutral or good; conflicts with those rivals might be social or political, rather than manifesting as direct attacks. The best rivals have a connection with their adversaries on a

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

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

Creating a Rival

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

Creating a Rival In essence, a rival is a somewhat specialized NPC. You can use chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to build a new NPC for this purpose, or pick one from your current cast of

the others might be neutral or good; conflicts with those rivals might be social or political, rather than manifesting as direct attacks. The best rivals have a connection with their adversaries on a

Talking to Mordenkainen

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

. Even so, he claims that “balance will be maintained in the universe” by giving the characters directions to a lesser mage who also studies the workings of magic in Avernus — specifically, a “mage of no

renown” who haunts the site of an obelisk. The yugoloths recently told Mordenkainen about this stranger and his guidance has an ulterior motive: if the characters end up slaying the mysterious mage, Mordenkainen has one less rival to contend with in Avernus.

Skill and Precision

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

Skill and Precision Rogues devote as much effort to mastering the use of a variety of skills as they do to perfecting their combat abilities, giving them a broad expertise that few other characters

comes to combat, rogues prioritize cunning over brute strength. A rogue would rather make one precise strike, placing it exactly where the attack will hurt the target most, than wear an opponent down

Skill and Precision

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

Skill and Precision Rogues devote as much effort to mastering the use of a variety of skills as they do to perfecting their combat abilities, giving them a broad expertise that few other characters

comes to combat, rogues prioritize cunning over brute strength. A rogue would rather make one precise strike, placing it exactly where the attack will hurt the target most, than wear an opponent down

This Is Surreal, Isn't It?

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

. This student should be a character’s Friend, Rival, or Beloved. The student looks at the characters with trepidation before giving the character they know best a hug, a pat on the shoulder, or another

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