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Returning 35 results for 'defeated instead are better'.
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defeat instead are better
defeat instead are bitter
defeat instead are bearer
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
succeeds and the spell is of 4th level or lower, the spell has no effect on the lion and instead targets the caster.Multiattack. The lion makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claw
these massive lions' connection to Nyx is unclear, many myths tell of the deadly predators stalking mortals and spreading fear until they're ultimately defeated by a brave hunter. As a result, overcoming a fleecemane lion is widely considered an early step on the road to becoming a true hero.
Monsters
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
disappeared. The greater emissary uses the lesser emissary’s initiative count.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the emissary fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Unusual
and just as readily appear as people, animals, or other creatures—the more unassuming, the better. Should it reveal its true form, an emissary appears as a roughly bipedal mass of agitated organs
Monsters
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Evasion. If the dolgaunt is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the dolgaunt instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw
into intelligent, cold, and efficient killers.
When the daelkyr were defeated, the dolgaunts descended into the depths of Khyber with their masters. There, they study in cavernous monasteries, forging
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Auril has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Unusual Nature. Auril doesn’t require air, food, drink, or
to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her.
Auril’s worshipers know better than to disturb her self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off Icewind Dale
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
weather, detect thoughts, ice storm
Legendary Resistance (2/Day in This Form). If Auril fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Auril has advantage on saving throws
weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her.
Auril’s worshipers know better than to
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
Spellcasting.Aleron was once a tiefling adventurer, but unlike so many victims of the Deck of Many Things, he never drew the Skull card. Instead, when one of his allies drew the card and faced the avatar of death
Undead in the Grim Harrow, considering himself better than all of them and unjustly condemned to the Gardens of Decay for an act of altruism.
Though the weakest of the Harrow’s three leaders
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
must repeat the saving throw. On a failed save, it has the unconscious condition instead of the restrained condition caused by the tendrils. On a successful save, the effect ends on the creature. An
curse. Even with the Phyrexians defeated, the curse remains and spreads unchecked through Eldraine due to interference from the planeswalker Ashiok and Eriette, one of the witches who helped create the
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
.
Legendary Resistance (2/Day in This Form). If Auril fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Auril has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical
her to explode and die. A mephit that dies in this way does not use its Death Burst. Instead, each creature within 10 feet of the exploding mephit must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
with its body, making them look like irregularities in the surface. The creature might instead attach itself to a nearby wall or a ceiling, using the remnants as bait; any creature that stops to
hibernation that can last for months, though it is still aware when prey comes near. A trapper on the verge of starvation might defy its instincts and abandon its old territory in search of better hunting.
Magic Items
Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
limbs, with the effect of such loss determined by the GM. If the creature has no limb to sever, you lop off a portion of its body instead.
In addition, you can speak the sword’s command word to
, fine art, and poetry. Vain, the weapon strives to improve its appearance. It craves gemstones and seeks out better ones with which to adorn itself. Most of all, it longs to return to the forests around
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
":"piercing"} piercing damage. If the leucrotta scores a critical hit, it rolls the damage dice three times, instead of twice.
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6;{"diceNotation":"1d20+6","rollType":"to
like doing their own killing, since leucrottas are meticulous in their cruelty and able to draw out kills for better and longer sport. And when there are no victims to be had, a leucrotta can mimic the
Monsters
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Zariel has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Regeneration. Zariel regains 20 hit points at the start of
.
Matalotok. Zariel recently defeated the demon lord Kostchtchie and took his hammer, Matalotok, which grants Zariel immunity to cold damage. Without this hammer, Zariel has resistance to cold damage
Monsters
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Legendary Resistance (4/Day). If the emissary fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Unusual Nature. The emissary doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.Multiattack. The
in its lesser form. When this form is destroyed, the emissary’s body collapses into a gory slurry. It then instantly returns in its greater form. Only if the emissary is defeated in its greater
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
memory shrouded by his hate.
Were Vladimir to let go of his hatred, his spirit would find peace and could remember the warmth of love. Were Strahd to be defeated, even temporarily, the mists surrounding
Monsters
Vecna: Eve of Ruin
Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If Vecna fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Special Equipment. Vecna carries a magic dagger named Afterthought. In the hands of anyone other than
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
Monsters
Vecna: Eve of Ruin
Resistance (3/Day). If Alustriel fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Special Equipment. Alustriel carries a magic staff known as the Staff of Silverymoon. In the hands of anyone other
Alustriel and her deeds better known than in the Silver Marches and its capital, Silverymoon. Alustriel ruled Silverymoon for centuries, once disguised as a wizard named Elué Dualen and then later
Orcus
Legacy
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Monsters
Out of the Abyss
saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Orcus has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Orcus’s weapon attacks are magical
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
Monsters
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Iggwilv has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. (This trait is bestowed by her robe of the archmagi.)
Special Equipment. Iggwilv wears
path to greatness began when she was adopted by the mother of all witches, Baba Yaga, who named her Natasha. On the worlds of the Material Plane, she was better known as Tasha, the inventor of Tasha's
Monsters
Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
can choose to succeed instead.
Misty Escape. When she drops to 0 hit points outside her resting place, Keresta transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling
);{"diceNotation":"1d8+4","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Unarmed Strike","rollDamageType":"bludgeoning"} bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, Keresta can grapple the target (escape DC 18).
Bite
Magic Items
Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
wizard Tasha). Although she was defeated, Iggwilv managed to damage the crook during the battle, infecting it with an insidious curse—and the potential for future victory. In the aftermath, the
1 balor and 1 pit fiend appear. At the DM’s discretion, a portal opens into the presence of an archdevil or demon lord instead, then closes after 5 minutes.
91–00
Iggwilv’s
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
can see within 120 feet of it. The spell targets the chosen creature instead of the morkoth. If the spell forced a saving throw, the chosen creature makes its own save. If the spell was an attack, the
fragments that make up the island’s core are also located. Sections of the lair and its center might be kept dry to better protect and preserve collected objects and creatures, but most of the lair
Monsters
Divine Contention
Amphibious. Claugiyliamatar can breathe air and water.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Claugiyliamatar fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Innate Spellcasting. Claugiyliamatar
underground city known as Southkrypt. For centuries, Kryptgarden Forest has been the home and hunting ground of the ancient female green dragon Claugiyliamatar, better known to many as Old Gnawbone. She
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Spider Climb. The dragon can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without
discuss how they might reunite and restore Sardior, the Ruby Dragon.
2
A horde of revenant;revenants led by a death knight has one goal—destroying the ancient sapphire dragon who defeated
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Shift Perception (1/Day). The dragon can cast hallucinatory terrain, requiring no spell components
illusions, 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
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Tunneler. The dragon can burrow through solid rock at half its burrowing speed and can leave a 20
, 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
Monsters
Infernal Machine Rebuild
Demogorgon’s heads.
Much like the true Demogorgon, the ettin’s two heads constantly clash and refuse to speak directly with one another, instead relaying messages through their assigned
stewards.
If the ettin is defeated, examining the pouches around his necks reveals a collection of eyeballs and still-beating dragon hearts. The silver wires connect those living tissues to the ettin
Yuan-ti Malison (Type 3)
Legacy
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Monsters
Monster Manual (2014)
spells and other magical effects.
Malison Type. The yuan-ti malison (type 3) has a Human head and upper body with a serpentine lower body instead of legs.Multiattack (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti makes
or were defeated by those who fought against their cannibalism and slavery, and the serpent folk were left in the ruins of their great capitals, far removed from other races.
Cold of Heart. Humanoid
Lizardfolk
Legacy
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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
Half-Elf
Legacy
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Species
Basic Rules (2014)
Flint squinted into the setting sun. He thought he saw the figure of a man striding up the path. Standing, Flint drew back into the shadow of a tall pine to see better. The man’s walk was
-Elf Variants
Some half-elves in Faerûn have a racial trait in place of the Skill Versatility trait. If your DM allows it, your half-elf character can forgo Skill Versatility and instead take the elf trait Keen Senses or a trait based on your elf parentage:
monsters
instead.
Magic Resistance. Zlan has Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Next of the Seven (6/Year). If Zlan dies within 100 miles of a piece of chardalyn at least 4
Crenshinibon, better known as the Crystal Shard. Zlan Clervish was one of those seven liches, and that lich’s will predominates in the fused entity. All seven bodies are frozen together with ice and
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
for one last chance to win back the goodwill you’ve drunk away.
5
You once defeated a raging bugbear with a hand mirror, a mounted deer’s head, and two kicks to the groin. Later, you
;
Suggested Characteristics
A folk hero is one of the common people, for better or for worse. Most folk heroes look on their humble origins as a virtue, not a shortcoming, and their home communities
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
the blood, as it once did.
Because their population is so small, the yuan-ti are aware they are vulnerable in open warfare. Instead, their current plans assume they will never rule outwardly in
odds aren’t in their favor. A short retreat might be just the thing to reach a better tactical position, find allies, or to allow the yuan-ti the opportunity to study their opponents and
Bugbear
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
instead of killing them, he showed mercy and even honored them in a way by setting them free — under his control — so that bugbears could continue to employ their talents against his enemies
heads of defeated foes, cut away or stitch open the eyelids, and leave the mouths hanging open. The heads are then placed on spikes or hung from cords around a bugbear den. The heads themselves are
Firbolg
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
’ presence is marked by an absence of animals and a strange quiet, as if the forest wishes to avoid attracting attention to itself. The faster travelers decide to move on, the better.
If these
adopt elven names when they must deal with outsiders, although the concept of names strikes them as strange. They know the animals and plants of the forest without formal names, and instead identify the
Morkoth
Legacy
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Monsters
Volo's Guide to Monsters
within 120 feet of it. The spell targets the chosen creature instead of the morkoth. If the spell forced a saving throw, the chosen creature makes its own save. If the spell was an attack, the attack roll
core of the warren, where the pearly matter of the island is also located. Sections of the lair and its center might be kept dry to better protect and preserve collected objects and creatures, but most






