contingency role grinding to have rather

Leonin Iconoclast

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

one another and the land. Only in recent times have some leonin started guardedly looking beyond their homeland and wondering what role they might take in the wider world. Most leonin hunters are tribal

warrior;tribal warriors, but those who hunt the servants of the gods rather than game are known as leonin iconoclasts.

Draegloth

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

to strike at its rivals when the draegloth is fully grown. These plans use the draegloth in a significant role, because its abilities can turn the tide in a battle against a house that doesn’t

. Before a draegloth is given any duties, it receives instruction in accepting the role set for it and not challenging authority. Most draegloths fiercely resent being given orders, but thanks to their

Isolde

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

warrior devoted to a pantheon of elven deities called the Seldarine. In this role, she defended the Feywild against dragons, demons, and other threats. In time, her heroics caught the eye of an

archfey named Zybilna, who had forged secret pacts with some of the fiends Isolde and her companions had slain. Rather than be angry at Isolde, Zybilna was impressed by her. She enlisted a powerful fiend

Priest of Osybus (Ectoplasmic)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

demanded their worship. In time, his goal was achieved: he became a lich of almost godly power. Acknowledging the role that his disciples played in his ascension, Osybus gifted them with a trace of his

revive with a benefit from the Boons of Undeath table. You can give a priest one or more of these boons of your choice before the priest faces adventurers. If you do so, the priest is Undead, rather than

Priest of Osybus (Spectral)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

. In time, his goal was achieved: he became a lich of almost godly power. Acknowledging the role that his disciples played in his ascension, Osybus gifted them with a trace of his power. Taking the form

the Boons of Undeath table. You can give a priest one or more of these boons of your choice before the priest faces adventurers. If you do so, the priest is Undead, rather than Humanoid, and a priest

Priest of Osybus (Vampiric)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

power. Acknowledging the role that his disciples played in his ascension, Osybus gifted them with a trace of his power. Taking the form of a shadowy tattoo, this boon allows the priests to steal souls

these boons of your choice before the priest faces adventurers. If you do so, the priest is Undead, rather than Humanoid, and a priest can receive each boon only once. Boons of Undeath d6 Boon

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

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 from the options in the table below to

determine your role: d8 Specialty 1 Officer 2 Scout 3 Infantry 4 Cavalry 5 Healer 6 Quartermaster 7 Standard bearer 8 Support staff (cook

Priest of Osybus (Dread)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

, his goal was achieved: he became a lich of almost godly power. Acknowledging the role that his disciples played in his ascension, Osybus gifted them with a trace of his power. Taking the form of a

Boons of Undeath table. You can give a priest one or more of these boons of your choice before the priest faces adventurers. If you do so, the priest is Undead, rather than Humanoid, and a priest can

Priest of Osybus

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

. Acknowledging the role that his disciples played in his ascension, Osybus gifted them with a trace of his power. Taking the form of a shadowy tattoo, this boon allows the priests to steal souls as their

boons of your choice before the priest faces adventurers. If you do so, the priest is Undead, rather than Humanoid, and a priest can receive each boon only once. Boons of Undeath d6 Boon

Priest of Osybus (Blazing)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

shared his dread secrets with them and demanded their worship. In time, his goal was achieved: he became a lich of almost godly power. Acknowledging the role that his disciples played in his ascension

so, the priest is Undead, rather than Humanoid, and a priest can receive each boon only once. Boons of Undeath d6 Boon 1 Priest of Osybus (Dread);Dread. Eerie whispers can now be

Priest of Osybus (Deathly)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

role that his disciples played in his ascension, Osybus gifted them with a trace of his power. Taking the form of a shadowy tattoo, this boon allows the priests to steal souls as their master did and to

before the priest faces adventurers. If you do so, the priest is Undead, rather than Humanoid, and a priest can receive each boon only once. Boons of Undeath d6 Boon 1 Priest of

Soldier Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

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

from the options in the table below to determine your role: d8 Specialty 1 Officer 2 Scout 3 Infantry 4 Cavalry 5 Healer 6 Quartermaster 7 Standard

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

. Even criminals who operate outside of such organizations have strong preferences for certain kinds of crimes over others. Choose the role you played in your criminal life, or roll on the table below

new place is note the locations of everything valuable—or where such things could be hidden. 4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. 5 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

heart of the world and monuments to the durability of life. In their role as caretakers, firbolgs live off the land while striving to remain in balance with nature. Their methods reflect common

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

Keeping the Adventure Moving

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

the adventure, someone they met along the way, or a character’s contact. When you’re planning an adventure, include NPCs who can fill this role. Evil Intrusion. If things start grinding to a halt, have

two encounters like this ahead of time. The DM’s Role. If the characters can’t figure out how to solve an encounter or aren’t sure what to do next, you can remind the players of things their characters

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

common apes. Although some purebloods are able to reproduce with humans, most are disgusted by the idea and would do so only if seduction is necessary for a pureblood to preserve a role as a confidant or

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

The Role of Rules

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

The Role of Rules Why even have a column like Sage Advice when a DM can just make a ruling? Rules are a big part of what makes D&D a game, rather than simply improvised storytelling. The game’s rules

contingency. If the rules tried to do so, the game would become unplayable. An alternative would be for the rules to severely limit what characters can do, which would be counter to the open-endedness of

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many druids pursue a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature

, druids take on a more active role in combating the threat, as adventurers. Creating a Druid When making a druid, consider why your character has such a close bond with nature. Perhaps your

The Role of Rules

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata

The Role of Rules Why even have Sage Advice when a DM can just make a ruling? Rules are a big part of what makes D&D a game, rather than simply improvised storytelling. The game’s rules are meant to

players to bring them to life and a DM to guide their use. The DM is key. Many unexpected things can happen in a D&D campaign, and no set of rules could reasonably account for every contingency. If

Conclusion

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

rest, Ahn-Jun makes Queen Jin-Mi aware of the characters’ role in saving the city. The Queen meets the characters, hailing them and Ahn-Jun as heroes and rewarding each party member with 500 gp rather than the 250 gp Ahn-Jun originally offered.

memories. The characters might have more work to do to finally lay the gwishin to rest, such as reminding the city of Dae Won-Ha’s historic role in the city’s ascent to prosperity. Kun Ahn-Jun can help the

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

divination (to find raw materials and foresee threats to the tribe). The main reason why kobolds depend on arcane magic rather than divine is Kurtulmak’s imprisonment, which makes it difficult for

Mentor

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

training at a young age, and the mentor has a vital role in shaping a student’s attitudes and beliefs. If your character received training from someone else, who or what was that individual, and what

mentor was a wise treant who taught you to think in terms of years and decades rather than days or months. 2 You were tutored by a dryad who watched over a slumbering portal to the Abyss. During your

What If Everyone Dies?

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

—rather, it presents an opportunity to take the game in a new direction. Consider these possibilities. A Fresh Start Everyone makes new characters, and the campaign starts anew. This might be the most

someone who believed they had an important role to play in this future era? Rescue Mission The players create new, temporary characters who are tasked with retrieving the bodies of the fallen heroes, so

Introduction

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

magic button to bring things back to the way they should be, this person you love so much restored to who they really are rather than what cancer is grinding them down into. It’s easy to give in to

Build Your Group

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

the charlatan, entertainer, or urchin background, often excel in this role. BRELAND LEDGER Lies on trial! karrn Spy faces justice In a courthouse surrounded by agents of the King’s Citadel and

Sleight of Hand and Stealth skills. Confiscators are often rogues, and many have a history of stealing for profit rather than national interest. Hunter. The Hunter stalks humanoid prey, for purposes

Simple Traps

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

experience, the characters can become overly cautious, and you run the risk of the action grinding to a halt as the players search every square inch of the dungeon for trip wires and pressure plates

characters discover a trap, be open to adjudicating their ideas for defeating it. The trap’s description is a starting point for countermeasures, rather than a complete definition. To make it easier

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

they are more interested in grabbing plunder and food rather than in wanton slaughter. The elderly, children, and any who seem weak or meek enough might escape death. If they leave the population more

orcs can be dominated by evil creatures of immense power, and they accept this subservient role either because they are forced to or because it offers them a measure of security while they engage in

The Dual Role of Abbathor

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

The Dual Role of Abbathor A little act of selfishness now and then is to be expected even from the wisest of folk. — Tenelar, Outcast of Five Peaks Dwarves have rigid principles and lofty

their creation, or actually steal them. Greed distorts the joy that dwarves normally take from their work. It focuses on the value of the end result, rather than the importance of the process of creation

The Emerald Enclave

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

in small communities, and the order has almost no representatives in towns and cities. They are not opposed to civilization, however. Rather, they seek to prevent civilization and wilderness from

to nature when they are thrown out of balance with their environment or their role in the world. Whenever characters are traveling through the wilderness—and especially if they get into trouble in a

Build Your Group

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

demons they are hunting. Characters with access to divination magic (including clerics with the Knowledge domains as well as wizards) might excel at this role. Many Scholars come from the sage background

. Unlike the Prophet and Zealot, the Scholar isn’t necessarily devout, just knowledgeable. Teacher. Those in this role spread the teachings of the faith. This isn’t usually an effort to win converts

Draegloth

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monsters of the Multiverse

to strike at its rivals when the draegloth is fully grown. These plans use the draegloth in a significant role, because its abilities can turn the tide in a battle against a house that doesn’t have a

draegloth is given any duties, it receives instruction in accepting the role set for it and not challenging authority. Most draegloths fiercely resent being given orders, but thanks to their training, they

Athreos's Influence

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

Athreos’s Influence Most mortals focus on the River Guide’s role in their own deaths. Countless mortal superstitions prescribe ways to garner Athreos’s favor, but all Athreos demands of those he

nothing of the glamor, honor, or mystery mortals often ascribe such to him. Rather, he does what must be done, and should some cosmological condition fall out of sorts, the River Guide and his servants

Darklords

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

a seemingly innocuous character. Regardless of the Darklord’s current role, their wickedness led to the creation of their domain and their imprisonment in Ravenloft. Though these individuals vary

adventures rather than saving them for distant climactic plots. Darklords Don’t Realize They’re Darklords. With a few exceptions, Darklords don’t realize they occupy a special place in the world. Their

Bronze Dragon Treasures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

one-sided bargains from unnerved sailors. Bronze dragons have a romantic view of their role as guardians of justice and prefer treasures that tie into their heroic narrative. Their hoards teem with

weapons, armor, and magic items built for the battlefield—the more unique, the better. Stories matter to a bronze dragon, who would rather have the humble spear that felled a tyrant than a jeweled

The Emerald Enclave

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

in small communities, and the order has almost no representatives in towns and cities. They are not opposed to civilization, however. Rather, they seek to prevent civilization and wilderness from

to nature when they are thrown out of balance with their environment or their role in the world. Whenever characters are traveling through the wilderness—and especially if they get into trouble in a

D&D Beyond

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