creating role great to have rules

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

D&D. The direction we chose for the current edition was to lay a foundation of rules that a DM could build on, and we embraced the DM’s role as the bridge between the things the rules address and the

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

help organize, and even inspire, the action of a D&D campaign. The rules are a tool, and we want our tools to be as effective as possible. No matter how good those tools might be, they need a group of

Bard

Classes Player’s Handbook

, disheartening foes, and creating illusions. Bards believe the multiverse was spoken into existence and that remnants of its Words of Creation still resound and glimmer on every plane of existence. Bardic

, proficiency with one Musical Instrument of your choice, and training with Light armor. Gain the Bard’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Bard Features table. See the multiclassing rules to

Druid

Classes Player’s Handbook

regions of unspoiled nature, but when a significant danger arises, Druids take a more active role as adventurers who combat the threat. Becoming a Druid... As a Level 1 Character Gain all the

Traits table: Hit Point Die and training with Light armor and Shields. Gain the Druid’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Druid Features table. See the multiclassing rules in chapter 2

Kadroth

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

":"damage","rollAction":"Dagger","rollDamageType":"piercing"} piercing damage.From this usurped office, he coordinates all cult activities in Ten-Towns. It's a role he carved out for himself by asserting that

he's tight with Levistus. He rules the roost by sheer force of personality, though it chafes him that Hethyl Arkorran has more respect and influence within the cult. Kadroth doesn't involve Avarice

Prosthetics

Equipment

the world have made great strides in helping those people deal with those injuries through Prosthetics. When a creature with a Grievous Wound uses a Prosthetic, they ignore the penalties imposed by the

Grievous Wound while wearing a Prosthetic that replaces the lost or wounded body part. Some Prosthetics can be enchanted with magic, giving them even further powers. Rules for Magical Prosthetics can be found in the Grim Hollow Campaign Guide.

Baphomet Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

, the Horned King and the Prince of Beasts. He rules over minotaur;minotaurs and others with savage hearts. He is worshiped by those who want to break the confines of civility and unleash their bestial

natures, for Baphomet envisions a world without restraint, where creatures live out their most savage desires. Cults devoted to Baphomet use mazes and complex knots as their emblems, creating secret

Crystal Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

nurturing. Creating a Crystal Dragon Use the Crystal Dragon Personality Traits and Crystal Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive crystal dragon characters. Crystal Dragon

) 6 Control. Everyone is welcome, as long as they follow my rules. (Lawful) Crystal Dragon Adventures The Crystal Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers suggestions for stories and adventures

Scion of Grolantor

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

. Siege Monster. The scion deals double damage to objects and structures.Multiattack. The scion makes one Great Tree Club attack and two Slam attacks, or it makes three Boulder attacks. Great Tree

Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +15;{"diceNotation":"1d20+15", "rollType":"to hit", "rollAction":"Great Tree Club"} to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8);{"diceNotation":"4d10+8", "rollType

Inquisitor of the Sword

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

by a tome. Today the inquisition rules the city of Malitain, a vast city-state to the north of Barovia’s original site, and the inquisition sends its members throughout the multiverse, seeking

folk fear that an overzealous inquisitor might be as great a monster as the fiends the inquisitors originally hunted.Blink Step. The inquisitor teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

Ancient Red Dragon Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

lairs, creating hazards that hinder intruders and letting searing heat and volcanic gases wash over a dragon as it sleeps. With its hoard well protected deep within the lair, a red dragon spends as

much of its time outside the mountain as in it. For a red dragon, the great heights of the world are the throne from which it can look out to survey all it controls—and the wider world it seeks to

Inquisitor of the Mind Fire

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

members became the inquisition’s scholars, represented by a tome. Today the inquisition rules the city of Malitain, a vast city-state to the north of Barovia’s original site, and the

them to be a source of terror in many communities, where folk fear that an overzealous inquisitor might be as great a monster as the fiends the inquisitors originally hunted.

High Fae Mage

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

even the great Gadwick himself seem little more than a clumsy apprentice.” —Chulane, Teller of Tales High Fae Ageless and inhuman, high fae are the oldest creatures in Eldraine

, embodying the natural splendor and danger of the wilderness. High fae have no regard for mortal values of honor and law, but they nonetheless operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must

Young Crystal Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

healing and nurturing. Creating a Crystal Dragon Use the Crystal Dragon Personality Traits and Crystal Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive crystal dragon characters

. (Chaotic) 6 Control. Everyone is welcome, as long as they follow my rules. (Lawful) Crystal Dragon Adventures The Crystal Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers suggestions for stories

Scion of Thrym

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Thrym, the scion can achieve a tremendous feat of strength: creating a glacier in the ground and hurling it skyward, along with any creatures standing on it. Regional Effects The region surrounding a

scion of Thrym is altered by the giant’s magic, creating one or more of the following effects: Biting Chill. Extreme cold envelops the land within 6 miles of the scion (see the Dungeon Master

Deathlock Mastermind

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

lesser creatures to help them carry out their missions, becoming the masterminds behind vast conspiracies and intrigues that culminate in the accomplishment of great acts of evil. Deathlocks The

the wicked methods of creating a deathlock and then subjugate it, acting as the deathlock’s patron.PoisonNecrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Silvered

Uthgardt Shaman

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

resentful of most kinds of magic. Seldom do they choose to become shamans. Instead, the role is thrust upon those who are born with a strong connection to the spirit world. To be a shaman is to stand

Wolf: beast sense (wolf or dire wolf only), moonbeam, speak with animals (wolf or dire wolf only) Great Worm: crusader's mantle, hypnotic pattern Griffon: beast sense (birds only), fly Red Tiger

Adult Red Dracolich Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

strongholds. Caves with volcanic or geothermal activity are the most highly prized red dracolich lairs, creating hazards that hinder intruders and letting searing heat and volcanic gases wash over a

dracolich as it sleeps. With its hoard well protected deep within the lair, a red dracolich spends as much of its time outside the mountain as in it. For a red dracolich, the great heights of the world

Adult Red Dragon Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

, creating hazards that hinder intruders and letting searing heat and volcanic gases wash over a dragon as it sleeps. With its hoard well protected deep within the lair, a red dragon spends as much of its

time outside the mountain as in it. For a red dragon, the great heights of the world are the throne from which it can look out to survey all it controls—and the wider world it seeks to control

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

than most people to the world of murder, theft, and violence that pervades the underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society

. 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

Deathlock

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

a good god, while one that serves a Great Old One might hunt for the materials needed to call forth a horrifying entity into the world. To accomplish a difficult goal, the deathlock might be forced

, a foul Undead driven to serve its otherworldly patron. An powerful necromancer might also discover the wicked methods of creating a deathlock and then subjugate it, acting as the deathlock’s patron.PoisonNecrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Silvered

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

Combat Robot

Monsters Quests from the Infinite Staircase

see within 120 feet of itself. The grenade explodes in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point, creating one of the following effects (robot’s choice): Concussion Grenade. Each creature

overload if exposed to strong electrical currents. A robot has a pair of small appendages for fine motor control and object manipulation, as well as two larger appendages specialized for its role. Robots

Minotaur

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Minotaurs are barrel-chested humanoids with heads resembling those of bulls. Blessed with a supernaturally strong sense of direction, minotaurs make great navigators. Some sages believe minotaurs

powerful backs, and some have long patches of hair on their chins and cheeks. Their legs end in heavy, cloven hooves, and they have long, tufted tails. Creating Your Character At 1st level, you

Cradle of the Frost Scion

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

rushes at any foe that dares to challenge it. Emulating sagas of Thrym, the scion can achieve a tremendous feat of strength: creating a glacier in the ground and hurling it skyward, along with any

creatures standing on it. Regional Effects The region surrounding a scion of Thrym is altered by the giant’s magic, creating one or more of the following effects: Biting Chill. Extreme cold

Adult Crystal Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

positive energy for healing and nurturing. Creating a Crystal Dragon Use the Crystal Dragon Personality Traits and Crystal Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive crystal

without the boredom. (Chaotic) 6 Control. Everyone is welcome, as long as they follow my rules. (Lawful) Crystal Dragon Adventures The Crystal Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers

Ancient Crystal Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

light, or channel positive energy for healing and nurturing. Creating a Crystal Dragon Use the Crystal Dragon Personality Traits and Crystal Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of

is learning, but without the boredom. (Chaotic) 6 Control. Everyone is welcome, as long as they follow my rules. (Lawful) Crystal Dragon Adventures The Crystal Dragon Adventure Hooks

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

. Great bat wings sprout from his shoulders, and his head is like the skull of a goat, the flesh nearly rotted from it. In one hand, he wields the legendary Wand of Orcus, which is described in

chapter 7, "Treasure” of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

rot. Great bat wings sprout from his shoulders, and his head is like the skull of a goat, the flesh nearly rotted from it. In one hand, he wields the legendary Wand of Orcus, which is described in the

Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules. Surrounded by a moat fed by the

Young Dragon Turtle

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

dragon turtle’s defenses, magical storms manifest to shield the dragon turtle and strike at foes. Creating a Dragon Turtle Use the Dragon Turtle Personality Traits and Dragon Turtle Ideals tables

explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8

Fraz-Urb'luu Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

that of a great gargoyle, some 12 feet tall, with an extended, muscular neck and a smiling face framed by long, pointed ears and lank, dark hair, and bat-like wings are furled against his powerful

shoulders. He can assume other forms, however, from the hideous to the beautiful. Often the demon lord becomes so immersed in playing a role that he loses himself in it for a time. Many of the cultists

Dragon Turtle Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

shield the dragon turtle and strike at foes. Creating a Dragon Turtle Use the Dragon Turtle Personality Traits and Dragon Turtle Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive dragon turtle

characters, and use the Dragon Turtle Spellcasting table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon. (Though the Monster Manual doesn’t explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for

Ettin Ceremorph

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

sufficient food for two tadpoles, and the two tadpoles are able to transform the entirety of the ettin’s body, creating an ettin ceremorph. As part of the transformation process, one of the ettin’s

heads sinks into the body, with that brain focused on controlling the body. The other head focuses on cogitation and psionic power, though its power is not as great as a mind flayer’s. Ettin

Tarandus

races

travelling, observing and creating maps that guide others along safe paths. All tarandus possess antlers that rise roughly a foot above their heads. Their dark-red noses can emit a gentle glow

, though more ornate garments and armour may be loaned to individuals by their herd in honour of taking on a specific role or responsibility. Their settlements are filled with map-halls and navigation

Hollyphant

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

, creating a trumpet sound that can be heard out to a range of 600 feet. The trumpet also creates a 30-foot cone of energy that has one of the following effects, chosen by the hollyphant: Trumpet of Blasting

, rapidly fluttering wings that not only hold it aloft but also propel it at great speed. Although kind, a hollyphant won't bear witness to an evil act without punishing the malefactor. Its pearlescent

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