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Returning 35 results for 'dead inherently are better'.
Magic Items
Dungeon Master’s Guide
some fell goal.
The wand is topped with a skull that once belonged to a human hero slain by Orcus. The wand can magically change in size to better conform to the grip of its user. All Holy Water
from it (save DC 18). The table indicates how many charges you must expend to cast the spell.
Spell
Charge Cost
Animate Dead
1
Blight
2
Circle of Death
3
Finger of
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
, the oblex—a slime capable of assaulting the minds of other creatures. These pools of jelly are cunning hunters that feed on thoughts and memories. The sharper the mind, the better the meal, so
plunders the creature’s mind, leaving its prey befuddled and confused—or dead.
When oblexes feed on thoughts, they can form weird copies of their prey to use as lures, which helps them harvest even more victims for their mind flayer masters.
Orcus
Legacy
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Monsters
Out of the Abyss
tampering with the dead in my search to better understand death.”
61–80
“I want to achieve the everlasting existence of undeath.”
81–00
“I am awash in
Wand of Orcus. The wand has 7 charges, and any of its properties that require a saving throw have a save DC of 18. While holding it, Orcus can use an action to cast animate dead, blight, or speak
Monsters
Acquisitions Incorporated
the person you've shot first is already dead? Still, when the situation calls for it, this protector of the woodlands is equally at home on missions of subterfuge and social interaction in the big city, provided her well-known love of ale, wine, and other intoxicants doesn't get the better of her.
Monsters
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
Hourglass Coven. Better known as Granny Nightshade, she offers her assistance to those who are haunted by regret. Her deals often result in cruel twists; for example, a petitioner who asks to be reunited
key between her hunched shoulders that rotates quickly when she’s in a good mood and slows down as her mood sours. When she is furious, the key comes to a dead stop.
Alignment. Neutral evil
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
her divine spark vanishes. She is dead until the next winter solstice, when she reappears at full health in a cold, remote location of her choosing.
Frigid Aura. So long as Auril has at least 1 hit
heart of the diamond.
If Auril is killed in her third and final form, she is dead until the next winter solstice. While she is dead, her mortal worshipers lose their god-granted spells and abilities
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
sharper the mind, the better the meal, so oblexes hunt targets more likely to be intelligent, such as wizards and other spellcasters. When suitable fare comes within reach, an oblex draws its body up to
engulf its victim. As it withdraws, it plunders the creature’s mind, leaving its prey befuddled and confused—or dead.
When oblexes feed on thoughts, they can form weird copies of their
Monsters
Vecna: Eve of Ruin
spells, requiring no material components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 22):
At will: Animate Dead (as an action), Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, Fly, Lightning Bolt
scribe. He spent the better part of his childhood secretly educating himself in his masters’ arts. Once Vecna learned all he could, he massacred the wizards. He then recorded his every foul thought
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
Golgari, no fear of death or taboo about the dead, just a fierce affirmation of the cycle.
Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Survival
Tool Proficiencies: Poisoner’s kit
Languages
animate dead, plant growth
4th
giant insect, grasping vine
5th
cloudkill, insect plague
Golgari magic is often accompanied by a sickly green glow and a rotting
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
jelly are cunning hunters that feed on thoughts and memories. The sharper the mind, the better the meal, so oblexes hunt targets more likely to be intelligent, such as wizards and other spellcasters. When
suitable fare comes within reach, an oblex draws its body up to engulf its victim. As it withdraws, it plunders the creature’s mind, leaving its prey befuddled and confused—or dead.
When
Backgrounds
Acquisitions Incorporated
sometimes one casualty is left a little less than dead, just waiting to discover what a lucky break that accident actually was.
You were a victim of a legal incident that was ostensibly the fault of
’re talking about. With common folks who don’t know any better, you might be able to intimidate or deceive to get favors or special treatment.
Monsters
Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
, command, inflict wounds, ray of sickness
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, ray of enfeeblement, spiritual weapon
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, bestow curse, dispel magic, spirit guardians
stranger to hardship. Hoping to make a better life for herself, she became an adventurer and sought fame and fortune in Undermountain. Keresta met her end in the lair of a vampire and became a vampire spawn
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
successfully prevented a murder, and the would-be perpetrator wants me dead.
5
One of my parents was prominent in the guild, and I resent constantly being compared to that standard.
6
I’ve
best at everything in my legal training, and now I work with the person who was always just a little bit better.
6
A good friend was promoted into work they can’t tell me about.
7
I
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
, allowing them to better conceal their treasures from prying eyes and divinations.
Creating an Emerald Dragon
Use the Emerald Dragon Personality Traits and Emerald Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your
avoid interacting with other intelligent creatures. However, their interest in history and culture occasionally gets the better of them, prompting them to seek some engagement with the folk of the world
Wand of Orcus
Legacy
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Magic Items
Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
.
Made from bones as hard as iron, the wand is topped with a magically enlarged skull that once belonged to a human hero slain by Orcus. The wand can magically change in size to better conform to the
or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells (save DC 18) from it: animate dead (1 charge), blight (2 charges), circle of death (3 charges), finger of death (3 charges), power word kill
Lizardfolk
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
utility and importance. Nowhere does this come through as strongly as when lizardfolk deal with the dead. To a lizardfolk, a comrade who dies becomes a potential source of food. That companion might have
beauty have little meaning for them. A sharp sword serves a useful and good purpose, while a dull sword is a dead weight without a whetstone.
Lizardfolk see little need to plan more than a season or so
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
rowboats and single-masted skiffs that require careful handling to avoid capsizing. Larger, twin-masted cogs and keelboats with single decks handle the wind and waves better. These ships fly the flags
is used in lamps and small stoves around which townsfolk huddle for warmth.
Ten-Towners buy their whale oil from whalers who live on the shores of the Sea of Moving Ice. Whaling is thus a lucrative (if inherently dangerous) business in Icewind Dale.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
rowboats and single-masted skiffs that require careful handling to avoid capsizing. Larger, twin-masted cogs and keelboats with single decks handle the wind and waves better. These ships fly the flags
is used in lamps and small stoves around which townsfolk huddle for warmth.
Ten-Towners buy their whale oil from whalers who live on the shores of the Sea of Moving Ice. Whaling is thus a lucrative (if inherently dangerous) business in Icewind Dale.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
presence on stage—especially in romantic roles—critics have called his performances histrionic. To better perform his future roles in ancient plays, Quentillius has joined the Dead Languages Society. He
lines or who miss cues. Backstage crew members fare better, as Quentillius regards them as crucial and often brings them and the director flowers or notes of thanks. While Quentillius is a powerful
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
presence on stage—especially in romantic roles—critics have called his performances histrionic. To better perform his future roles in ancient plays, Quentillius has joined the Dead Languages Society. He
lines or who miss cues. Backstage crew members fare better, as Quentillius regards them as crucial and often brings them and the director flowers or notes of thanks. While Quentillius is a powerful
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
place of Neverwinter River, choking the city. While Neverwinter is filled with living creatures trying to build a better future, Evernight is populated by Undead—primarily vampires and ghouls—who
prey on each other and on travelers. Evernight is a crossroads of trade in the Shadowfell and hosts numerous markets, including the lively Corpse Market. There, undead merchants trade in the bodies and blood of the dead—sometimes, the very recently dead.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
place of Neverwinter River, choking the city. While Neverwinter is filled with living creatures trying to build a better future, Evernight is populated by Undead—primarily vampires and ghouls—who
prey on each other and on travelers. Evernight is a crossroads of trade in the Shadowfell and hosts numerous markets, including the lively Corpse Market. There, undead merchants trade in the bodies and blood of the dead—sometimes, the very recently dead.
Kobold
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
provoke retaliatory attacks from the creatures they steal from. It’s better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat.
In a couple of situations, kobolds might
lay up to six eggs per year, and an egg matures for two to three months before it hatches.
Kobolds don’t engage in funeral ceremonies; a dead kobold’s body is burned or disposed of in
Goblin
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
new leader can act as the real boss. If the creature brushes aside such manipulation, the tribe falls into line behind the new tyrant—better to abide the new rule than conspire against it and be
made from dead darkmantles
20
Cloaks made of scraps from an elven tapestry
Booyahgs
Spellcasters of any sort among the goblins are rare. Goblins typically lack the intelligence and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
. He has become too powerful to conquer.
So I say to you, give us up for dead and encircle this land with the symbols of good. Let holy men call upon their power that the devil may be contained within
the walls of weeping Barovia. Leave our sorrows to our graves, and save the world from this evil fate of ours.
There is much wealth entrapped in this community. Return for your reward after we are all departed for a better life.
Kolyan Indirovich
Burgomaster
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
. He has become too powerful to conquer.
So I say to you, give us up for dead and encircle this land with the symbols of good. Let holy men call upon their power that the devil may be contained within
the walls of weeping Barovia. Leave our sorrows to our graves, and save the world from this evil fate of ours.
There is much wealth entrapped in this community. Return for your reward after we are all departed for a better life.
Kolyan Indirovich
Burgomaster
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
, something creepy with something cute, dead with alive, threatening with welcoming. Mix details together in unexpected ways, the more unnatural or off-putting the better. Rationalize and Normalize
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault
profane entity. Four adventurers hired to retrieve the book from Delphi Mansion have disappeared without a trace. We have good reason to believe they’re dead. This quest, should you choose to undertake
it, requires you to travel to Delphi Mansion and retrieve The Celestial Codex. May you fare better than the last group. Good luck, operatives.”
Closing the music box causes the golden key to vanish.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
gathering on the fringes of Icewind Dale. Adventurers are much better equipped to deal with such threats, particularly in the dead of winter. One recent arrival in the area is Xardorok Sunblight, a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
undead, demons, devils, and other supernatural threats can be inherently evil. Against such foes, paladins who swear this oath bring the full wrath of their weapons and spells to bear. Yet the
decision, follow through with it knowing your path is just. Redemption. So you feel bad about having done something, and then you have to do something to feel better? Why don’t you just kill and eat
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
, something creepy with something cute, dead with alive, threatening with welcoming. Mix details together in unexpected ways, the more unnatural or off-putting the better. Rationalize and Normalize
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
something else, Zybilna satisfies that desire as well as she can, given the limits of the spell. If Zybilna can provide what the characters desire without casting a wish spell, so much the better. For
laughs and says, “Not in this lifetime.” Dead Dretches. If the characters slew three or more of the dretches in area P37, Zybilna is not feeling so generous. She grants the characters’ wish to return home, but nothing else.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
age and renown might know unique rituals that can temporarily or permanently alter or transform a creature, bring back the dead for a limited time, rewrite memories, or siphon emotions. At the other end
, a hag should be able to use weird magic only once or twice per encounter in her lair, or only once per encounter if she is elsewhere. A hag who is expecting a fight might be better prepared and able
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
enter his realm remain there for all time. Within the Underworld, only the relative paradise of Ilysia is sheltered from his influence. In the other four realms of the dead, his will is law. Mortals
sometimes sends agents to retrieve those he has particular interest in. Erebos’s Goals Erebos wants above all to maintain his position of absolute authority over the realm of the dead. He lashes out at
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
enter his realm remain there for all time. Within the Underworld, only the relative paradise of Ilysia is sheltered from his influence. In the other four realms of the dead, his will is law. Mortals
sometimes sends agents to retrieve those he has particular interest in. Erebos’s Goals Erebos wants above all to maintain his position of absolute authority over the realm of the dead. He lashes out at