drain impact are best

Withers

Monsters Tomb of Annihilation

(1 slot): telekinesisMultiattack. The wight makes two longsword attacks. It can use its Life Drain in place of one longsword attack. Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +4;{"diceNotation":"1d20+4

","rollType":"to hit","rollAction":"Life Drain"} to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2);{"diceNotation":"1d6+2","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Life Drain","rollDamageType":"necrotic"} necrotic

Soul Coin

Magic Items Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. A creature carrying the coin can use its action to expend 1 charge from a soul coin and use it to do one of the following: Drain Life. You siphon away some of the soul’s essence and gain 1d10

answer you truthfully and to the best of its ability. The answer is no more than a sentence or two and might be cryptic. Freeing a Soul. Casting a spell that removes a curse on a soul coin frees the soul

Soul Cage

Spells Xanathar's Guide to Everything

for the sixth time, it is released, and the spell ends. While a soul is trapped, the dead humanoid it came from can’t be revived. Steal Life. You can use a bonus action to drain vigor from

. The soul knows only what it knew in life, but it must answer you truthfully and to the best of its ability. The answer is no more than a sentence or two and might be cryptic. Borrow Experience.

Flavors of Fantasy

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

Robert E. Howard and Fritz Leiber? Your choice can have a impact on the flavor of your campaign. Heroic Fantasy Heroic fantasy is the baseline assumed by the D&D rules. The Player’s Handbook describes

an effort to destroy monsters or villains. This genre is also common in fantasy fiction. Most novels set in the Forgotten Realms are best described as heroic fantasy, following in the footsteps of many of the authors listed in the Appendices of the Player’s Handbook.

When Not to Shake It Up

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

repetition and dearth of meaningful stakes. Some D&D campaigns fall into the same trap, stringing world-spanning disasters together one after another with little impact on the characters or the world. Thus

, it’s probably not in the DM’s best interest to reorder the world every single time there’s a lull in the action, lest world-shaking events become ordinary. As a general rule, a campaign can sustain up

Newspaper Contacts

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

printed page. Depending on the editor, you might not even recognize the stories when they’re printed, and your editor’s personality and goals can have a tremendous impact on your work for the paper

journalism.” 5 An editor who is more interested in keeping powerful friends happy than in reporting the truth 6 An editor who thinks the way to make reporters do their best work is by making them compete

Strixhaven's World

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

wherever it best fits the needs of your campaign. It could be in a world of your own creation, in a published D&D setting (such as the Forgotten Realms or Eberron), in the planar cosmopolis of Sigil, or in

an interplanar nexus that allows it to draw students from across the Material Plane or the entire multiverse. Whatever world you decide to place Strixhaven in, three elements of the wider world of Arcavios might have some impact on adventures in the school.

Heliod as Campaign Villain

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

a wide-ranging impact on the pantheon and the mortal world. The Heliod’s Divine Schemes table offers examples of how the god might have a mythic impact on the mortal world, embroiling the characters

hubris of nobles who boast of having the best hounds, Heliod turns all dogs into wolves and monsters that kill and run wild. 4 Heliod arms a champion with his weapon, Khrusor, but the hero goes

Heavy Armor

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

lb. Plate 1,500 gp 18 Str 15 Disadvantage 65 lb. Of all the armor categories, heavy armor offers the best protection. These suits of armor cover the entire body and are designed to stop a wide

chafing and to cushion the impact of blows. The suit includes gauntlets. Splint. This armor is made of narrow vertical strips of metal riveted to a backing of leather that is worn over cloth padding

Bugbears

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

bully hobgoblins into giving them gold and food in return for serving as scouts and shock troops. Even when paid, bugbears are at best unreliable allies, yet goblins and hobgoblins understand that no

matter how much bugbears might drain a tribe of resources, these creatures are a potent force. Followers of Hruggek. Bugbears worship Hruggek, a lesser god who dwells on the plane of Acheron. In the

Draw In the Players

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

, see “Respect for the Players” in chapter 1 for advice about harming the people and places characters love.) If the adventure situation doesn’t have an obvious impact on the characters or the people or

things they care about, you can use other techniques to draw in the players. These are best tailored to the motivations of your players and their characters. For example, some adventuring groups are

Dragon as Schemer

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

provides inspiration to help you turn dragon-related adventure hooks into adventures that impact the characters in your game. Cross-Purposes d6 The Dragon’s Schemes… 1 …directly target one or more

…create an opportunity for a character to pursue a personal goal. 6 …cause an accident or catastrophe that threatens the characters. An adventure featuring a dragon’s schemes often works best as

Soul Cage

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

exploit a soul for the sixth time, it is released, and the spell ends. While a soul is trapped, the dead humanoid it came from can’t be revived. Steal Life. You can use a bonus action to drain vigor

soul knows only what it knew in life, but it must answer you truthfully and to the best of its ability. The answer is no more than a sentence or two and might be cryptic. Borrow Experience. You can

Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

about their fate in hopes of receiving an answer from the sages. Unknown to outsiders, the sages’ talents come from their best-guarded secret: a series of ancient, magical tomes called the Books of

defend the sages and obey their every order—to meet with Derwyth, a fellow star-watcher near the star’s estimated point of impact. In the tower hands’ absence, Shalfey’s power-hungry successor, the sage

Kruphix as Campaign Villain

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

Silence. Just as Kruphix reins in the worst excesses of the other gods, the best chance of foiling Kruphix as a villain lies in the nature of Kruphix himself. A campaign in which Kruphix is a villain

judgments might have a mythic impact on the mortal world and make divine conflicts more severe rather than less. Kruphix’s Divine Schemes d4 Scheme 1 Shadowy forces steal a holy artifact

Wandering Outsiders

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

committed to causing trouble. Kettlesteam uses disguise self to assume whatever form best enables her to mingle in crowds. Characters can encounter Kettlesteam in more than one location; if they corner her

the shadow stat block, except it is a Fey instead of an Undead. A creature whose Strength is reduced to 0 by the shadow’s Strength Drain attack does not die but falls unconscious instead. The creature

Kobold Inventor

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

Kobold Inventor Inventors. A kobold inventor captures bugs, scoops up exotic dungeon slimes, and uses the best stolen ingredients to make unlikely weapons that it can use in combat. Kobold Inventor

. Green Slime Pot. The kobold throws a clay pot full of green slime at the target, and it breaks open on impact. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 5/20 ft., one target. Hit: The target is covered

Soul Coin

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

Soul Coin. A soul coin has 3 charges. A creature carrying the coin can use its action to expend 1 charge from a soul coin and use it to do one of the following: Drain Life. You siphon away some of the

in life, but it must answer you truthfully and to the best of its ability. The answer is no more than a sentence or two and might be cryptic. Freeing a Soul. Casting a spell that removes a curse on a

Casino Currency

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

Coin. A Soul Coin has 3 charges. A creature carrying the coin can use its action to expend 1 charge from a Soul Coin and do one of the following: Drain Life. You siphon away some of the soul’s

life, but it must answer you truthfully and to the best of its ability. The answer is no more than a sentence or two and might be cryptic. Freeing a Soul. Casting Remove Curse or another spell that

Assigning Assets

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

standing against the best warriors in Faerûn. Temple of Tiamat. The temple is necessary as the site of the ritual. Damaging it can help weaken Tiamat if the ritual is successful. Red Wizards. Red

can have an enormous impact on the battle. Metallic Dragons. The metallic dragons will be outnumbered by their chromatic cousins. However, they cooperate with allies better than the evil dragons do

Mammon

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

, its structures characterized by cheap construction, flimsy materials, and shoddy artisanship. If you must make a deal with a devil, Mammon might be your best option. Unfortunately, you need the wealth

amount of gold that is needed to incite the greed of mortals is a minuscule drain on Mammon’s treasury, but the transactions that he and his followers consummate draw in more souls than the efforts of

Appendix B: Kender Stumblenoodles Recipe

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes’ Feast: Saving the Children’s Menu

extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (see Cook’s Note) 12 ounces fusilli or rotini 1½ cups lightly packed, coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (see Cook’s Note) 1⅓ cups panko breadcrumbs Cook’s Notes It’s best to grate

directions until about 2 minutes short of al dente (there should be some resistance to the tooth). Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce, and stir to coat thoroughly. Let the mixture cool briefly, add the

Sanctuary

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

’ best shot at rescuing the townsfolk is to overpower Group C and take control of the back door. In the temple, they can arrange a distraction to keep Groups A and B occupied at the front while the

next impact. How frequently you roll the die is up to you! One roll every 15–20 seconds is a good target for an average group. Be flexible, judge the players’ level of tension, and don’t let anyone relax

Sanctuary

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

’ best shot at rescuing the townsfolk is to overpower Group C and take control of the back door. In the temple, they can arrange a distraction to keep Groups A and B occupied at the front while the

next impact. How frequently you roll the die is up to you! One roll every 15–20 seconds is a good target for an average group. Be flexible, judge the players’ level of tension, and don’t let anyone

Shipwright

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

fully repaired. Life at Sea Your life at sea and in port has shaped you; you can roll on the following table to determine its impact or choose an element that best fits your character. d6 Sea’s

Horror Pacing

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

of calm. The best horror adventures are like roller coasters, ratcheting up suspense and releasing it before building toward the next harrowing moment. Also, mix up social interaction, exploration

bursts. Focus less on senses and more on descriptions of impact—a splash of crimson, who knows where it came from? Split the characters’ attention. Roleplay other creatures begging, panicking, and trying

Using Survivors

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

survivors are designed to engage with terrifying circumstances, but their triumph over such threats is not assured. Players’ decisions will certainly impact the survivors’ fates, but if it seems like doom

general role like noble, villager, or sailor with a touch of talent. Make use of these ready-made characters in whatever ways suit your adventure best.

Armor and Shields

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

Of all the armor categories, heavy armor offers the best protection. These suits of armor cover the entire body and are designed to stop a wide range of attacks. Only proficient warriors can manage

better armor. Chain Mail. Made of interlocking metal rings, chain mail includes a layer of quilted fabric worn underneath the mail to prevent chafing and to cushion the impact of blows. The suit

Occultant

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

calls on how best to “clean up” any incorrect readings or misunderstandings. Noteworthy Occultants: Talanatha Three-Coins Essential Functions: Track kills; assess the value to the franchise of the

), whose beads resemble tiny skulls. Read the Kill Also at rank 1, your occultant abacus not only tracks your franchise’s kills, it helps you determine the impact of those kills on the franchise’s fate

Nautiloid Down

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

to communicate using telepathy, Vorryn and Dredavex prefer to speak aloud in Gnomish or Undercommon, with an accent best described as “gooey.” Vorryn is persnickety and exasperated most of the time

courses through the ship’s veins. Equipment is scattered everywhere, both from the impact of the crash and because of subsequent repair work. Approaching the Nautiloid As you trudge deeper into a

Dragon Encounters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

you’re crafting a whole adventure around a dragon or just want to throw a dragon with an interesting personality into the party’s path, how do you put a dragon to best use in an encounter? Start by

relationship between dragon and minions can impact an encounter. With these four questions in mind, you can look to the Dragon Encounter Complications table for suggestions of quirks, special effects, and

The Zhentarim

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

the best guards or mercenaries money can buy. And if the cargo is shady or the cause you’re fighting for is questionable or even unjust, the Zhentarim don’t mind. Affiliation with the Zhentarim can be

have any particular interest in morality, and evil acts have no impact on her attitude toward the party. She disapproves of taking any wyrmspeakers alive, though, fearing the power of such dangerous

The Zhentarim

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

the best guards or mercenaries money can buy. And if the cargo is shady or the cause you’re fighting for is questionable or even unjust, the Zhentarim don’t mind. Affiliation with the Zhentarim can be

have any particular interest in morality, and evil acts have no impact on her attitude toward the party. She disapproves of taking any wyrmspeakers alive, though, fearing the power of such dangerous

Traditionalists

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Saltmarsh’s dependable fishing trade can thrive and the smugglers in the area are left alone. They resent the intrusion of outsiders seeking to transform Saltmarsh and undoubtedly drain power from the fishing

is young and unpredictable, but he has supported the traditionalists’ viewpoint on most issues. At their best, traditionalists are community-minded folk who want Saltmarsh to return to its old way of

The Zhentarim

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

the best guards or mercenaries money can buy. And if the cargo is shady or the cause you’re fighting for is questionable or even unjust, the Zhentarim don’t mind. Affiliation with the Zhentarim can be

have any particular interest in morality, and evil acts have no impact on her attitude toward the party. She disapproves of taking any wyrmspeakers alive, though, fearing the power of such dangerous

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