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Returning 35 results for 'defeat instead are bitter'.
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Monsters
Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
target to 0 hit points, the target drops to 1 hit point instead and has the petrified condition, turning into a frozen statue.
If the statue takes bludgeoning damage, it shatters, killing the frozen
creature. If the statue would take fire damage, it instead takes no damage and thaws, ending the petrification.
Icy Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +10;{"diceNotation":"1d20+10", "rollType":"to hit
Monsters
Princes of the Apocalypse
Fey Ancestry. Aerisi has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put her to sleep.
Howling Defeat. When Aerisi drops to 0 hit points, her body disappears in a howling
whirlwind that disperses quickly and harmlessly. Anything she is wearing or carrying is left behind.
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Aerisi fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
until the start of the Returned’s next turn. If the target is missing any of its hit points, it instead takes 17 (2d12 + 2);{"diceNotation":"2d12+2","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Underworld
’t build meaningful relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and follow hollow routines, their existences reduced to shadow plays without weight or substance
Monsters
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
Cling to Life (Recharges after a Long Rest). The first time Zargash would drop to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage, he instead drops to 1 hit point.
Special Equipment. Zargash wears a bat
defeat seems inevitable, he casts gaseous form on himself and flees, leaving his allies to fend for themselves.
League of Malevolence
The League of Malevolence is an odious assemblage of villains
Monsters
Princes of the Apocalypse
Earthen Defeat. When Marlos drops to 0 hit points, his body transforms into mud and collapses into a pool. Anything he is wearing or carrying is left behind.
Earth Passage. Marlos can move in
shunted into the nearest space he last occupied.
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Marlos fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Petrifying Gaze. When a creature that can see Marlos&rsquo
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
long-term memories, they generally can’t build meaningful relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and follow hollow routines, their existences reduced to
shadow plays without weight or substance.
Returned Masks. Adventurers who defeat Returned foes might marvel at their fortune in claiming such rich spoils after a battle. The mask of a Returned is worth
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
’t build meaningful relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and follow hollow routines, their existences reduced to shadow plays without weight or substance
.
Returned Masks. Adventurers who defeat Returned foes might marvel at their fortune in claiming such rich spoils after a battle. The mask of a Returned is worth approximately 100 gp, based on its
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and follow hollow routines, their existences reduced to shadow plays without weight or substance.
Returned Masks. Adventurers
who defeat Returned foes might marvel at their fortune in claiming such rich spoils after a battle. The mask of a Returned is worth approximately 100 gp, based on its composition and craftsmanship
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
","rollDamageType":"acid"} acid damage.
Hold Breath. Polukranos can hold its breath for 1 hour.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Polukranos fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Multiple
the minds and lore of a people that, even after a hydra’s defeat, the beast might reappear as a Nyxborn being and begin its legend anew.Acid
Monsters
Curse of Strahd
","rollDamageType":"bludgeoning"} bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, Vladimir can grapple the target (escape DC 14) provided the target is Large or smaller.
+2 Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack
battled Strahd's armies to the bitter end.
Deadly Vengeance. Unwilling to accept his failure, Vladimir returned as a revenant. So great was his hatred of Strahd and his thirst for vengeance that those
Monsters
Candlekeep Mysteries
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Zikzokrishka fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Zikzokrishka has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical
Zikzokrishka hid her phylactery deep within the Scimitar Spires, a mountain range to the east of the necropolis of Azumar. If the characters defeat her, Zikzokrishka uses her phylactery to rematerialize
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the ki-rin fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The ki-rin has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical
working behind the scenes, or they might be champions of their master’s cause, out to defeat villainy wherever it is found.
When viewed from the outside, a ki-rin’s lair is indistinguishable
Monsters
Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1
of Avernus attempted an expedition to the Feywild long ago, and the forlarren are the bitter reminder of that doomed excursion. The archdevil Fierna—co-ruler of Phlegethos, the fourth layer of the Nine
. Unfortunately, when it reaches that breaking point, its diabolical nature asserts itself, and it remains in this scheming, dominating mindset until its plans are foiled and it faces defeat. Then, overwhelmed
Backgrounds
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
You have served the community where you grew up, standing as its first line of defense against crime. You aren’t a soldier, directing your gaze outward at possible enemies. Instead, your
defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it.
5
Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for.
6
I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.
d6
Flaw
Demilich (Variant)
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Monsters
Monster Manual (2014)
Avoidance. If the demilich is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half
damage if it fails.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the demilich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Turn Immunity. The demilich is immune to effects that turn undead.Howl (Recharge
Lizardfolk
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
; Instead, aggressive, stronger creatures register to the lizardfolk as fearsome beings to be avoided if possible. If such creatures attack, lizardfolk flee, fighting only if cornered. Lizardfolk aren
’t scared of a troll; instead, they understand that a troll is a fearsome, dangerous creature and react accordingly.
Lizardfolk never become angry in the way others do, but they act with
Monsters
Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1
wealth and power with a bitter mix of longing, regret, and shame, seeking always to replace the grandest treasures they once possessed. Simple coins, gems, or trade goods do nothing to satisfy the
giant’s desires. Instead, they seek out grand works of art, wondrous jewelry, and beautiful sculptures.
Reasonable Offers. Fog giants are powerful warriors, but they prefer to use threats and
Deck of Many Things
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Magic Items
Basic Rules (2014)
-handedly defeat the next hostile monster or group of monsters you encounter, you gain experience points enough to gain one level. Otherwise, this card has no effect.
Donjon. You disappear and become
, discard this card, and draw from the deck again, counting both draws as one of your declared draws. If losing that much XP would cause you to lose a level, you instead lose an amount that leaves you
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
-hardened hobgoblin warlord named High Graj Karkajuk. Bitter Breath drives a Tormentor that has an Infernal Screamer (see "Infernal Screamer") instead of a Harpoon Flinger. Hobgoblins round out the
Bitter Breath Bitter Breath is a resentful, vindictive warlord that fell prey to the cutthroat politics of Avernus. Formerly a pit fiend named L’zeth, it strove to undermine Zariel while courting Bel
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
assault on Akros, hoping to draw Iroas into battle and defeat him once and for all.
2 Mogis bargains with Pharika, convincing her to create elixirs that will turn his followers into invincible
monsters. He sends his champions to fetch the necessary ingredients for her.
3 A bitter noble makes a pact with Mogis for power in exchange for carrying out a plot to ignite a war between Meletis
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
oppressor became the means of her bitter domination. The Darklord Urik von Kharkov ruled from the now-ruined Castle Pantara, a fortress of tyranny and torment from which he hunted the people of Valachan
the Mists. Chakuna swore to save her people. She entered the tournament freely, determined to turn the tables on von Kharkov or die. She vowed to sacrifice whatever it took to defeat the Darklord—but
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
table suggests a few adventures the god’s champions might involve themselves in. Iroas’s Quests d6 Adventure Goal
1 Defeat Returned bandits who are terrorizing the polis.
2 Defend a
contest of strength or dexterity to prove Iroas’s superiority over the other gods.
6 Defeat a champion of another god (most likely Mogis, Phenax, or Pharika).
(JASON CHAN) An Iroas Campaign A
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak
Challenge An appropriately equipped and well-rested party of four adventurers should be able to defeat a creature that has a challenge rating equal to their level without suffering any casualties
challenge rating. Typically, XP is awarded for defeating the creature, and characters gain levels as they accumulate XP. In Dragon of Icespire Peak, you don’t need to track experience points, as characters advance in level by completing quests instead of accumulating XP.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
horned devil named Bitter Breath, a human necromancer named Feonor, and a chain devil named Princeps Kovik. These warlords are as cruel and merciless as the hell they inhabit. All share a “survival of
inevitably rises to take its place. Bitter Breath, Feonor, and Princeps Kovik are merely the latest in a long series of warlords to plague the Avernian expanse. If Zariel wasn’t so busy fighting the Blood War
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
receive. Agency Contacts d8 Contact 1 A condescending career desk agent who views you as expendable tools 2 A bitter former field agent, now confined to a field office, who envies your work 3 A
those in the “good old days” 5 A hotheaded former soldier who would prefer a return to open warfare instead of this so-called “Shadow War” 6 A battle-scarred field agent who would do almost anything to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
an opportunity for the characters to engage with a creature that’s too strong to defeat in combat Reward clever characters who overcome a challenge with brains instead of brawn Make a villain, an
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
their actions. In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk doesn’t think, “I’m scared.” Instead, aggressive, stronger creatures
register to the lizardfolk as fearsome beings to be avoided if possible. If such creatures attack, lizardfolk flee, fighting only if cornered. Lizardfolk aren’t scared of a troll; instead, they
Goblin
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
cruel in victory, goblins are fawning and servile in defeat, just as in their own society lower castes must scrape before those of greater status and as goblin tribes bow before other goblinoids
traps, snares, and nets to catch the unwary, and when their hunting patrols encounter other beings, they always look for ways to capture their foes instead of killing them. Goblins that run up against
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
lack sabotages the Wish spell exactly as the warlord hoped, allowing him to suggest an alternate course of action: reassemble the artifact called the Rod of Seven Parts and use it to defeat Vecna instead
facing the might of one of the multiverse’s most powerful good-aligned spellcasters, so the warlord devised a plot to trick Alustriel into helping him defeat Vecna. With the help of spies, Kas learned
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
hatred and loathing of the living is sufficient to keep them roaming the wilds for years after their murderers are slain. A frostmourn looks like a desiccated corpse mummified by exposure to bitter cold
1 hit point instead and has the petrified condition, turning into a frozen statue.
If the statue takes bludgeoning damage, it shatters, killing the frozen creature. If the statue would take fire
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
stones were transparent instead of opaque. Characters who examine the campfire and succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom (Survival) check notice two sets of small, sooty hoofprints leading up to the stones where
Granite, Myzelda of Slate, Yanna of Basalt, Noll of Obsidian, and Malo of Marble. The korreds of Yon despise Endelyn Moongrave, whom they commonly refer to as Bitter End. If the characters convince
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation
the item for their lives. If Fenthaza lives, Ras Nsi makes the mistake of putting her in charge of the team sent to kill the characters, and she offers the party a deal instead. If the characters
agree to kill Ras Nsi, they can go free and keep whatever treasure they take from the fane except for the Black Opal Crown, which Fenthaza insists be given to her at once. If the characters defeat Ras
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath
Dealing with Gallio Elibro Gallio Elibro is a short-tempered male Rashemi mage (with the legend lore spell prepared instead of cone of cold). His relentless studies have pushed him to the brink of
tower, and scribbles in Thalivar’s old journal (area H9). If confronted, he uses Horrifying Visage to scare away his enemies or tries to defeat them in combat (see “Confronting Thalivar’s Ghost” for
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
of the dead against the people of Khorvaire…
In the city of Sharn, a brilliant team of spies pull off an impossible scheme — breaking into the impenetrable vaults of House Kundarak. But instead of
adventure and adds a layer of neo-noir intrigue. Stories don’t always end well and there isn’t a perfect answer to every problem. The Last War turned old allies into bitter enemies and destroyed an
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
Optional Encounter If the characters are struggling or you worry about their ability to defeat the dracolich at the end of the adventure, this encounter adds a “here comes the cavalry” possibility to
dragon turtle stat block with the following changes: It speaks Draconic and Terran. It lacks a swimming speed and the Amphibious trait. Its breath weapon is a 60-foot cone of abrasive sand instead of






