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Returning 35 results for 'explain rules'.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Initiative Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. The combat rules in “Playing the Game” explain how to roll Initiative. Sometimes a DM might have combatants use their Initiative
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
Initiative Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. The combat rules in chapter 1 explain how to roll Initiative. Sometimes a DM might have combatants use their Initiative scores
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
example, if you play a young or very old character, your age could explain a particularly low Strength or Constitution score, while advanced age could account for a high Intelligence or Wisdom. Size
Characters of most races are Medium, a size category including creatures that are roughly 4 to 8 feet tall. Members of a few races are Small (between 2 and 4 feet tall), which means that certain rules
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
zero.” Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything outlines how to run session zero discussions, but in general, use this session to discuss the game’s content, social contract, and house rules, and to create
characters. Reinforce Expectations Make it clear that D&D is a group storytelling game. As the DM, you have a role in crafting adventures and arbitrating rules, but you aren’t solely responsible for how
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
Ability Modifier. This chapter and the rules glossary explain which ability modifiers to use for various D20 Tests. Your Proficiency Bonus If Relevant. Each creature has a Proficiency Bonus, a number added
Difficulty Class (DC). The target number for an attack roll is called an Armor Class (AC), which appears on a character sheet or in a stat block (see the rules glossary). JOHN GRELLO A D20 Test can result in a dramatic success, a simple accomplishment, or a catastrophe
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Ability Modifier. This chapter and the Rules Glossary explain which ability modifiers to use for various D20 Tests. Your Proficiency Bonus If Relevant. Each creature has a Proficiency Bonus, a number added
Difficulty Class (DC). The target number for an attack roll is called an Armor Class (AC), which appears on a character sheet or in a stat block (see the Rules Glossary).
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
DM, includes details and rules for observatories: locations that facilitate stargazing and astronomical studies.
The Sky of Many Things A zodiac is a series of constellations that appear to rotate
around the night sky in time with the changing seasons. Many people use the alignment of zodiac constellations to explain personality traits, mysterious phenomena, or other patterns. This section
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
Narration in Combat Although it’s important that the players understand what’s going on in terms of the rules, the game can get dull if everyone uses only “gamespeak”: “That’s an 18 to hit,” “You hit
; now roll damage,” “11 points,” and “OK, now we’re to Initiative count 13.” Instead, use the rules and your knowledge of the scene to help your narration. If 18 is barely a hit, but the 11 points of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
riddle, the ghost can explain the rules more clearly: Objective. The characters must guess which cards are in the ghost’s hand and in what order. Rules. To make their first guess, the characters must
an example of how the game might play out. Show the players diagram 4.4. Choose a different solution for the actual puzzle. Customizing the Puzzle As long as the basic rules of the game remain the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble
Tips for Dungeon Masters Rule 0. Rule 0 of D&D is simple: Have fun. It’s fine if everyone agrees to change the rules as long as doing so means the game is more fun for everyone. Be Supportive. The
questions about the situation, and the DM answers those questions to further explain what’s happening. Then the DM asks the most important question in the DM’s toolbox:
"What do you do?"
At this point
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons
questions but explain the rules of their game: the characters’ boulder must fly farther than the cyclops’s. How the characters accomplish this is unimportant to the cyclopes, but the boulder can’t be
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat
questions but explain the rules of their game: the characters’ boulder must fly farther than the cyclops’s. How the characters accomplish this is unimportant to the cyclopes, but the boulder can’t be
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Interacting with Myconids The myconids’ initial attitude toward outsiders is hostile (see “Social Interaction” in the Basic Rules). They aren’t malicious, though, and they don’t resort to violence
the offering he sent the myconids grants advantage on this check. An indifferent myconid is willing to explain what is going on in Seagrow Caves. The sprouts know only that their leader, Sinensa, has
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
. The Many Meanings of “Giant”
The word “giant” has multiple meanings in English and in the rules of D&D, opening the possibility of some confusion.
As a rule, when this book talks about “giants
not capitalized or otherwise qualified.
“Giant” is also a creature type in the D&D rules, and as such, it’s capitalized whenever it’s used. This book usually refers to “creatures of the Giant type” to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
real-world history, and character creation rules presuppose no standard bar for heroics. Encourage Space A typical D&D session is longer than a typical horror movie, and it can be hard to sustain the
investment into their characters. Don’t impose rules on characters that might make players not want to play them anymore. For example, characters might gain any of the lineages and Dark Gifts from
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
your visit, due to the commendable efforts of some friend or family member who loves you dearly, I shall explain briefly the circumstances of entry. You will have traveled through lands claimed and
summoned. None of these rules apply to the city’s least used gate, the West Gate. This smaller gate opens onto the Mud Flats — a mucky beach used by clam diggers, shore fishers, and those brave enough
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
. Life goes much more smoothly when you follow the rules and work within a system. (Lawful)
3 Uncertainty. The more chaos that swirls around me, the more opportunities I can find to profit. (Chaotic
goes wrong, it must be someone else’s fault. Let me explain that in detail.
5 There’s right and there’s wrong, and there’s no gray area in between.
6 Our superiors might not like what you’re doing. I’m going to have to put that in my report.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Halaster’s gates (see “Gates”). Carved into the arch’s keystone is a hand-shaped indentation with a sigil representing magic scribed into the palm. Its rules are as follows: Casting the mage hand
aren’t doing so (or if they are able to negotiate an end to any initial hostilities), the drow are willing to bargain with them. They explain that a behir has been rampaging through this level
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Dagger Danger!
Tips for Dungeon Masters Here are some general tips for new Dungeon Masters. Rule 0. Rule 0 of D&D is simple: Have fun. It’s fine if everyone agrees to change the rules as long as doing so means the
DM’s toolbox:
"What do you do?" At this point, the players explain what they want their characters to do. (If what they want to do is impossible, tell them so and ask them to choose a different
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel
desk at the center of the island. Knol can explain the rules of Dungeonland and take any bets the characters place. The standard entry is 1 platinum chip with a bet on whether the adventurers will
area P3b. She can also explain everything in the “Time in the Arena” section of area P3b, but she doesn’t volunteer this unless asked. Portals. The portal to the southwest leads to area P3b. The portal
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
its cost.”
As time passed, your heart became less heavy, and you gave less and less thought to those childhood events. Now, for reasons you can’t explain, the longing to retrieve that which you have
misery throughout the multiverse in all sorts of ways.) The players don’t know it yet, but the Witchlight Carnival operates under a peculiar set of rules. By entering the carnival without tickets as
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
at least three checks of DC 12 or higher. An Intelligence (History) or Wisdom (Perception) check might allow a character to suss out the rules of a game or analyze the opposition, while an Intelligence
if the characters try to explain themselves or do a deal with her. She is generally forthright in her answers (because she’s proud of her brilliance and expects the characters to die), revealing any
compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Legends of Greyhawk: Secrets of the Free City
would be known as an Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder, hence her communicating in Common Sign Language. While she is principled, she understands that sometimes one must bend the rules in the
confirming the group is indeed the one she was looking for, she begins to explain the mission. She answers any questions to the best of her ability and offers the following information during the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
of reciprocity dictates that guests repay her kindness (see “Rules of Conduct” earlier in the chapter). If the characters aren’t sure what to give her, Tsu says, “Any old trinket will do.” If the
a moment before prompting them to continue. If asked about what they’re doing, the stilt walkers explain (in Goblin or, if necessary, in Common) that they are gathering eggs for trading in Downfall
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel
the casino. As she pockets the worms for use in dark rituals, Putrice is happy to explain how the luck-based machines work. A game of slots costs 1 razorleaf to play. When a participant inserts a
spacefaring pirates in the Astral Sea. The rules are as follows: Each participant’s player chooses any number of d6s (known as “bones”) and shakes them in a cup. You choose any number of d6s as well
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
intent, the bosuns welcome them to the Lambent Zenith and call for Ilren, who stepped in as the camp’s interim leader when the ship’s first mate fell ill. The githyanki explain that they haven’t heard
traverse. Regardless of the characters’ reaction to this revelation, learning it counts as a secret for the purposes of the Power of Secrets rules in this book’s introduction. Ward Rune. The ward rune is
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
these words, the goats wait to see if the characters offer them something in return, thereby honoring the rule of reciprocity (see “Rules of Conduct” in chapter 2). The goats are hungry but not picky
the cyclops; if Mudlump sees the spell being cast and learns of Pollenella’s preference, he lets Amidor keep the bee. Explain Love to Mudlump. The characters tell Mudlump that Amidor and Pollenella are
compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Legends of Greyhawk: Secrets of the Free City
“something personal and private,” namely, contractual paperwork for a business deal that would be difficult to explain given his sudden passing. She knows where his townhouse is but doesn’t know about
also choose to run it strictly “rules as written,” though a low initiative roll for Bill could end the chase before it begins. The chase is a set of tools for you to use as you see fit.
Stat Block
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Sharruth Red Turadaer Brass If the characters ask the kobolds about these dragon effigies, Mek and Minn swell with pride and explain that they crafted them according to Sparkrender’s instructions. The
use the statues for cover from the dragon’s breath; see “Cover” in the Basic Rules.) Consider having the wyrmling deliver short lines of dialogue on each of his turns, inspired by the following
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
following blessing. This blessing adheres to the rules for blessings presented in the Dungeon Master’s Guide: Blessing of the Solipsistic Mind. You access esoteric truths from an ancient tome by focusing
know whether any characters exhibiting Far Realm corruption are allied with Ilvaash, and if the characters don’t explain themselves, the two attack, believing the characters to be duplicitous
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
not extensive. This, in turn, might explain why he has not reopened the tower’s upper floors, confining his own activities to the first and a small portion of the second floor. Lorroakan’s ever
, bearded man named Heltur “Ribbons” Ribbond, a neutral evil male human assassin, rules the Undercellar with an oily, too-affable manner and a wide grin that only makes his scar-seamed face more menacing
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer
suggests his mastery of magic is not extensive. This, in turn, might explain why he has not reopened the tower’s upper floors, confining his own activities to the first and a small portion of the second
man named Heltur “Ribbons” Ribbond, a neutral evil male human assassin, rules the Undercellar with an oily, too-affable manner and a wide grin that only makes his scar-seamed face more menacing. Ribbons
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
party member who rolled the lowest goes missing. When you explain what has just happened, tell the player of the missing character that they have been transported elsewhere and have no awareness of their
statue instead of a stone one. On a successful save, the character gains the blessing of the Frostmaiden, which Auril can rescind at any time while she’s alive. This blessing otherwise adheres to the rules
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
for the rules of conduct (see “Rules of Conduct” in chapter 2). Dubhforgail assumes the characters are Kelek’s minions and demands that they bring her the cake that Kelek promised her (“Eight tiers
belongs to the wizard, but he can’t take it while Ringlerun is frozen in time. To free Ringlerun, Kelek needs a unicorn horn. (He won’t explain how the horn works.) In exchange for a unicorn horn
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
explain that the combination for the crypt doors (area T25) is the word “die” in Draconic. T24: Underwater Trench Mirage Characters standing outside this room can see that it is empty, but a Detect Magic
Secrets rules in this book’s introduction. False Treasures. The items on the pedestals are false re-creations of treasures that can be found throughout the complex. A creature that touches one of these