core rendering great to have resort

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Geth’s ancient heritage rose up from deep within him, spreading out from the core of his being. Some shifters manifested terrible claws, others massive fangs, still others astounding speed or

to friends and kin, shifters place great value on self-reliance and freedom. It’s a shifter proverb to “always be prepared for the journey yet to come,” and most shifters strive to be

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

to and from your contact, even over great distances; specifically, you know the local messengers, corrupt caravan masters, and seedy sailors who can deliver messages for you. BALDUR’S GATE

Characteristics Criminals might seem like villains on the surface, and many of them are villainous to the core. But some have an abundance of endearing, if not redeeming, characteristics. There might be honor

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

CONTACT You have a reliable and trustworthy contact who acts as your liaison to a network of other criminals. You know how to get messages to and from your contact, even over great distances

sold the secrets you uncovered to the highest bidder. Suggested Characteristics Criminals might seem like villains on the surface, and many of them are villainous to the core. But some have an

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; Elminster Bugbears feature in the nightmare tales of many races — great, hairy beasts that creep through the shadows as quiet as cats. If you walk alone in the woods, a bugbear will reach out

. Shiftless, Savage Layabouts When they’re not in battle, bugbears spend much of their time resting or dozing. They don’t engage in crafting or agriculture to any great extent, or

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

great unknown. NISHREK AND THE ETERNAL WAR Orcs believe that if they die with honor, their spirits go to the plane of Acheron, the Infinite Battlefield — specifically the layer of Nishrek

strongholds, and then decorated with uniquely orcish accessories. A war wagon is a source of great pride for a war chief, comparable to a human army’s banner or flag. Many are clad in armor and

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

people who became yuan-ti were one of the original human civilizations. Their society built great temples of stone and forged metal into armor, tools, and weapons. In their ceremonies they paid homage to

yuan-ti know they can’t resort to direct attacks in order to reclaim their rightful place in the world. Operating out of the subterranean ruins of their buildings in foreign lands, yuan-ti

Guide to the City

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

lord’s keep. We’ve got those, and lots of ’em. But the foundation of the city is the core towers. The walls of these towers are so thick you could fit your lord’s castle in one. You’ve got your outside

districts where you get the open air, built on the bridges and platforms that connect the core towers together. You’ve got the little turrets, built on the core tower walls and the bridges between

It's Your World

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

It’s Your World In creating your campaign world, it helps to start with the core assumptions and consider how your setting might change them. The subsequent sections of this chapter address each

, but they’re not the only set of assumptions that can do so. You can build an interesting campaign concept by altering one or more of those core assumptions, just as well-established D&D worlds have done

Skyreach Castle

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

back to the days when giants and dragons fought great wars. The binding kept dragons from taking these castles for their own, and the bond still holds centuries later. The cult has struck a bargain with

strong and impenetrable as granite, thanks to ancient cloud giant wizardry. Towers and walls surround an iceberg core that’s been hollowed out to serve as the lair of a powerful white dragon allied with

Skyreach Castle

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

to the days when giants and dragons fought great wars. The binding kept dragons from taking these castles for their own, and the bond still holds centuries later. The cult has struck a bargain with

strong and impenetrable as granite, thanks to ancient cloud giant wizardry. Towers and walls surround an iceberg core that’s been hollowed out to serve as the lair of a powerful white dragon allied with

The Shape of Sharn

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

keep. We’ve got those, and lots of ‘em. But the foundation of the city is the core towers. The walls of these towers are so thick, you could fit your lord’s entire castle in one. You’ve got your

outside districts where you get the open air, built on the bridges and platforms that connect the core towers together. You’ve got the little turrets, built on the core tower walls and the bridges

The Balance

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

demon nor devil can permanently gain the upper hand. Keepers of the Balance sometimes resort to strategies that seem inexplicable to those who don’t grasp the whole situation. A crusading paladin might be

might vie with a great arcanist as both search for knowledge of a ritual that would cripple Asmodeus for a short time. The arcanist correctly believes that performing the ritual would free a world of

Araj: Vizeran's Tower

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

can use to return to his home if his need is great. (He uses it only as a last resort, however, given the risks involved in teleporting in the Underdark; see “Faerzress” in chapter 2.) Vizeran doesn’t

Runic Circle Adventures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

, appearing as a great fireball blazing through the night sky. Characters who investigate this celestial event find mind flayers skirmishing with githyanki warriors and a githyanki knight amid the wreckage

built the circle. She demands tribute in the form of magical metal treasure to allow the characters to access the circle. She also accepts a fragment from the core of a supposedly inert runic colossus (see chapter 6).

Running the Encounter

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer Academy

nearest creatures. Roll a d20 for the shadows’ initiative, again with no modifier. Alternative Scenarios Some characters might want to resort to options other than direct ship-to-ship combat when the

githyanki ship attacks, with a few examples discussed below. Use your best judgment when adjudicating these tactics, and reward players for great ideas and quick thinking. Using Magic. Certain spells can

Casino Pit Masters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

hesitate to resort to underhanded methods to achieve victory, citing her opponent’s inability to notice her cheating as a failure of intellect. Gaining Nyssa’s Favor. Nyssa admires those who are

an explanation of the game’s rules). Rezran is an opportunist to his core, always chasing after riches. He is a devoted follower of Tiamat and covets the Dragon Queen’s amassed wealth. Gaining Rezran’s

Gauntlgrym

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

. But it was the Great Forge that was the burning heart and true treasure of the city. Deep beneath the settled levels of Gauntlgrym, dwarven crafting and elven magic bound the slumbering primordial

Maegera, a being of fire and destruction, harnessing its incredible powers to heat the forge. On anvils of adamantine blessed by priests of Moradin, great items of power were forged, their base

Core Assumptions

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

Core Assumptions The rules of the game are based on the following core assumptions about the game world. Gods Oversee the World. The gods are real and embody a variety of beliefs, with each god

know the area they live in well. They’ve heard stories of other places from merchants and travelers, but few know what lies beyond the mountains or in the depths of the great forest unless they’ve

Exploring Sigil

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel

to the pervasive rodents called cranium rat squeakers (see Morte’s Planar Parade) and explains how to communicate using them. Shop at the Great Bazaar. Anything and everything is sold in the bustling

avenues of the Great Bazaar: equipment, food and drink, even magic items. Visit a Faction’s Headquarters. Sigil is home to twelve ascendant factions, which perform important city functions. Some are

The Fall of Ythryn

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

centuries, but the Netherese who mastered the power of the Nether Scrolls became a ruling class, living on great flying cities or taking refuge in remote, subterranean lairs. Despite their great

magic or simply unable to control it. Without great magic to keep them aloft, the remaining flying cities of Netheril crashed to the ground, and many arcanists who survived were driven mad. Once magic

Worshiping Purphoros

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

conquered the wilds and founded great civilizations. Bronze is still the most used metal on Theros—and will remain so, at least until Purphoros decides that more than a few are ready for the secret

kept the earth warm and fertile. So, Purphoros quenched the world’s core. For a year, a lifeless winter gripped the world, with neither the sun nor the seasons warming the corpse-chill earth

Build Your Group

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

members whose skills are great for reporting but less useful on adventures. This could be the designated writer, a political cartoonist, or a chronicler who records the party’s adventures. This might

sensational story. High Intelligence and proficiency in Investigation often aids the core work of the Snoop, and knowledge of Arcana, History, or Religion can be helpful for background research. Divination

Rage of Demons

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

, every nerve singing with the tension in the air all around you. Finally, a swirling light begins to flare in the darkness. A barely audible humming shakes you to the core, rising and falling like a

involving Jimjar, the deep gnome gambler they met in the drow slave pen in chapter 1 of the adventure. “Jimjar” isn’t at all who he appears. He is, in fact, a god or other great power in disguise — or

Chapter 1: What Is Eberron?

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

entire nation, leaving terrible scars behind. Crime and corruption lurk in the great cities of Khorvaire. Hidden dragons shape the course of history. Sinister fiends influence the dreams of the unwary

worse. This chapter explores these core themes and the ways that they can affect the stories or characters you create in Eberron. Here’s a quick overview of what lies ahead. A Magical World. From

Life or Death

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

people of Xaryxispace but for the characters, because he has seen how the desire for revenge can bring great souls low—a remark that shames Krux into silence. Grimzod Gargenhale. Grimzod heartily

all-consuming core. Death of a Star When Xaryxis is destroyed, read: The star flares, becoming a thousand times brighter. Moments later, it is gone. The exploding star destroys everything within

Tymora

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

Azuth, who had come to mediate the dispute between the two. Selûne wept great tears as she saw the corruption destroying her friend from within, and before Tyche could discern her intent, Selûne lashed

out with a bolt of purifying light. Tyche’s rotted core split down the middle and a smaller, brighter version of the goddess of luck stepped out, allowing the goddess of the moon to save that which was

Warforged Colossus

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

smashed through a wall, then pour out through hatches once the colossus was in position. Docent Network. Controlling a construct of such size proved to be a great challenge for the Cannith artificers

sending adventurers into the Mournland in hopes of salvaging some or all of the network inside a fallen colossus. Colossus Power Core. The power source of a colossus is a Khyber dragonshard of

Baldur's Gate Today

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer

, sabotage public appearances, or even frame innocents to secure power. The victims of these plots, and officials who want a fair and honest legal system, must resort to hiring their own agents to unearth

as the most reliable and ruthless market on the Sword Coast. Information, treasures, secrets, and souls can be bought or sold for the right price. As a great hero of Baldur’s Gate once said, “Watch

Baldur's Gate Today

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

public appearances, or even frame innocents to secure power. The victims of these plots, and officials who want a fair and honest legal system, must resort to hiring their own agents to unearth

reliable and ruthless market on the Sword Coast. Information, treasures, secrets, and souls can be bought or sold for the right price. As a great hero of Baldur’s Gate once said, “Watch your step in the

Couatl

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

Couatl Couatls are benevolent serpentine beings of great intellect and insight. Their brilliantly colored wings and gentle manner speak to their celestial origins. Divine Caretakers. Couatls were

. Regardless of a couatl’s task, it prefers to remain hidden, revealing itself only as a last resort. Truth Tellers. A couatl can’t lie, but it can withhold information, answer questions vaguely, or

Roleplaying a Hag

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

their enemy is asleep). Although a hag can always resort to attacking with her claws, if it comes to that then something has gone very wrong with her plans. Hag Personality Traits d8 Personality Trait

with a rival of similar power and status. 3 My house holds everything that I hold dear. I can’t abide visitors who threaten my hearth and home. 4 I owe a great favor to a hag grandmother. 5 I traded

Unwelcome Party

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

family or attracting other fiends, but does so as a last resort. Members of the Hunt family reduced to 0 hit points by the devils are knocked unconscious rather than killed, as the devils are hoping to

. Harkina has heard from other survivors that this side of Elturel (formerly the eastern part of the city) is the worse off. The High Hall — the great castle that is home to Elturel’s leaders — is where she

The Present Age

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

destruction. The last one hundred fifty years have comprised one of the most cataclysmic periods in Faerûn’s history. On no fewer than three occasions, Toril has been shaken to its core by forces that have

ruins and artifacts and preparing for a restoration of their once-great empire. The Spellplague In 1385 DR, the ascended deity Cyric, aided by Shar, murdered Mystra, the goddess of magic, in her domain

Criminal

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

criminals. You know how to get messages to and from your contact, even over great distances; specifically, you know the local messengers, corrupt caravan masters, and seedy sailors who can deliver messages

for you. Suggested Characteristics Criminals might seem like villains on the surface, and many of them are villainous to the core. But some have an abundance of endearing, if not redeeming

Doomspace in a Nutshell

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

refute these claims and turn to ancient myths for explanation. Perhaps the angry sun was slain by a primordial foe taking the form of a comet, or perhaps the sun was the shell of a great dragon’s egg

multicolored gas. An intense, flickering light emanates from the moon’s core, creating a sort of celestial beacon. Lesk. The largest of the nine moons of En is a dark desert. Here, clans of ssurran (see

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