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Returning 35 results for 'fail the rules'.
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Spells
Basic Rules (2014)
choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. If a creature fails its saving throw, choose one of the following two effects.
You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened
is hostile toward. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble
Introducing the Game Once the players have familiarized themselves with their characters, you’re ready to introduce the game. Now that you’re familiar with your characters and the basics of the rules
, we’re going to play a short adventure to introduce you to Dungeons & Dragons. As the Dungeon Master, I tell you what’s going on in the world around you, and I use the rules and dice rolls to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
humanoid in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point you choose within range must make a Charisma saving throw; a creature can choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. If a creature fails its
harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
learning its ways. You are familiar with the various races, civilizations, and settlements of the Underdark, as well as its major routes for travel. If you fail an Intelligence check to recall some piece
of Underdark lore, you know a source you can consult for the answer unless the DM rules that the lore is unknown.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
soft enough that characters can sink into it with no warning. Use the quicksand rules in chapter 5, “Adventure Environments,” of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for such areas. Creatures that fail to escape become food for Araumycos.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
humanoid in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point you choose within range must make a Charisma saving throw; a creature can choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. If a creature fails its
harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
details how an item is activated. Certain items use the following rules for their activation. Command Word A command word is a word or short phrase that must be spoken or signed for an item to work
. Spoken command words must be audible and fail to work in areas where all sound is suppressed, as in the area of the Silence spell. Consumable Items Some items are consumed—used up, in other words—when
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
the core of the rules of the game. All three follow these simple steps. Roll the die and add a modifier. Roll a d20 and add the relevant modifier. This is typically the modifier derived from one of
and tells players whether their ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws succeed or fail.
The target number for an ability check or a saving throw is called a Difficulty Class (DC). The target
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
Exploring Mount Ironrot Use the following rules when the characters travel around Mount Ironrot. Regional Effects Mount Ironrot is affected by these environmental phenomena: Impeded Navigation. In
. Creatures and objects within 1 mile of Mount Ironrot can’t be perceived through magical scrying sensors. Spells or magical effects that would reveal a creature’s or object’s location fail while that creature
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual
release their grip and plummet, intent on impaling prey in a single strike. If they’re successful, piercers consume their meals and then slowly climb to a new ambush position. If they miss or fail to
.
—X the Mystic’s
Rules of Dungeon Survival
Olivier Bernard
Piercer Medium Aberration, Unaligned
AC 15 Initiative +3 (13)
HP 22 (3d8 + 9)
Speed 5 ft., Climb 15 ft.
Ability
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
as much damage (round down) as targets that fail the save, while also ignoring all other parts of the effect. Damage Notation A stat block usually provides both a number and a die expression for each
its lowest possible level and can’t be cast at a higher level. A monster’s spell can have special rules or restrictions. For example, a green hag can cast the Invisibility spell, but the spell has a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
revive your character, such as with the Raise Dead spell. Or talk with the DM about making a new character to join the group. The Rules Glossary has more information on being dead. Falling Unconscious
If you reach 0 Hit Points and don’t die instantly, you have the Unconscious condition (see the Rules Glossary) until you regain any Hit Points, and you now face making Death Saving Throws (see below
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
revive your character, such as with the Raise Dead spell. Or talk with the DM about making a new character to join the group. The rules glossary has more information on being dead. Falling Unconscious
If you reach 0 Hit Points and don’t die instantly, you have the Unconscious condition (see the rules glossary) until you regain any Hit Points, and you now face making Death Saving Throws (see below
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
failed to defend her charge. The tree turned fetid without the artifact, and Gazaia became angry, vengeful, and grief-stricken. Gazaia’s Anger. If the characters refuse Gazaia’s offer and fail to
guilty that she didn’t defend her charge. 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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Dice The game uses polyhedral dice with different numbers of sides. You can find dice like these in game stores and in many bookstores.
In these rules, the different dice are referred to by the letter
the ones digit. In this case, a roll of 70 and 1 is 71, and 00 and 0 is 100.
When you need to roll dice, the rules tell you how many dice to roll of a certain type, as well as what modifiers to add
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
greater treasure buried at a distant adventure location. Losing the Game. If the characters fail to deduce the ghost’s hand in ten guesses and want to try again, the ghost selects a new hand, and the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
human garbed in a garish red-and-green uniform, welcomes characters who seek to participate in the Aroon Family Pepper Challenge. The assistant outlines the rules: Participants sit at a table with a
prior to the competition. If the characters agree to the rules, the assistant asks them to wait a few moments for the next event to begin. If four or more characters choose to participate, they are the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual
takes half as much damage (round down) as targets that fail the save, while also ignoring all other parts of the effect. Damage Notation A stat block usually provides both a number and a die expression
cast at its lowest possible level and can’t be cast at a higher level. A monster’s spell can have special rules or restrictions. For example, a green slaad can cast the Invisibility spell, but the spell
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
succeed. Otherwise, you fail. A success or failure has no effect by itself. On your third success, you become stable (see below). On your third failure, you die. The successes and failures don't need to be
throws. Mighty villains and special nonplayer characters are common exceptions; the DM might have them fall unconscious and follow the same rules as player characters.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
rules and Urban Chase Complications table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to resolve the scene. The chase ends when the characters catch up to Coal or after three rounds, when a Daask hit
squad intercepts Coal as she runs through an alley. Daask Hit Squad If they fail to catch up to Coal before the Daask hit squad attacks, the characters hear the warforged scream for help in a nearby
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
harmed—Madam Kulp is adamant about the caterpillars’ safety. If the characters agree to these rules, they may descend into the maze when they are ready. Running the Challenge Once the characters have
characters fail, Madam Kulp invites them into the tent and commiserates that tut-krogh caterpillars are tricky creatures. She invites the characters to try her challenge again later. Soon after leaving
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
anchored to the sands. Each arm has AC 13 and 10 hit points. They try to drag a captured character underground (use the quicksand rules in the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Not until all the arms holding
work on them. If the characters antagonize the flameskulls or fail to communicate with them, the flameskulls either attack or flee to alert Helmdar, the storm giant skeleton in area V1.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
throw. Roll a d20. If the roll is 10 or higher, you succeed. Otherwise, you fail. A success or failure has no effect by itself. On your third success, you become stable (see below). On your third
than having it fall unconscious and make death saving throws. Mighty villains and special nonplayer characters are common exceptions; the DM might have them fall unconscious and follow the same rules as player characters.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
each ability is used for. (Constitution checks are rare, as tests of a character’s endurance are usually passive or reactive, making a saving throw more appropriate.) Proficiency When the rules or a
involved.” Sometimes the rules allow for any one of two or more proficiencies to apply to a check. When deciding what check a character should make, be generous in determining if the character’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Light of Xaryxis
already joined). The “Vortshu and T’kitka at Vocath” sidebar shows these rules in play. VORTSHU AND T’KITKA AT VOCATH
The following is an example of the “Forming a Coalition” rules in play.
A
Xaryxian Empire. Further attempts to sway Vortshu fail automatically until the characters convince another faction representative to join their coalition. Having previously won over the aarakocra
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
circular seal above the doors remains in place. (Spells that would transport the rakshasa away from the area simply fail.) Arcturia trapped the rakshasa here years ago and draws blood from the fiend to
. The arch is one of Halaster’s magic gates (see “Gates”). Its rules are as follows: If three humanoids hold hands while standing within 5 feet of the gate, it opens for 1 minute. Characters must be
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
supernatural means, it realizes that its spirit is trapped within the Mists, likely forever. Using the rules for “Fear and Stress” from chapter 4, the creature gains a new Seed of Fear. If a being with a soul
from the Domains of Dread. Spells such astral projection, plane shift, teleport, and similar magic cast for the purpose of escaping a domain simply fail, as do effects that banish a creature to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Prisoner 13
posing as guards are taken to the barracks (area R19), where they meet with head guard Yula Dargeria, a no-nonsense stickler for the prison’s rules. Characters posing as cooks are delivered to the kitchen
area R7) for up to two days and two nights, and the characters receive three meals a day during their stay. If the characters fail to provide a satisfactory reason for their visit, the warden has their weapons and animals returned to them before throwing them out.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
Mythals Mythals are some of the most powerful magic in the world of Toril, constructs that bind and shape the Weave in a particular location, sometimes so powerfully that the rules of magic or even
only do spells and magic items cease to function, but even the supernatural abilities of creatures that are innately tied to the Weave might fail as the knot of the Weave they carry with them
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
suggest the enchantment is beginning to fail.
8 A region has survived for generations by annually tithing victims and treasures to a red dragon.
Connected Creatures Red dragons treat other
artisans are bound in service to an adult red dragon, for whom they make sculptures and art objects from precious metals and gems.
3 An adult red dragon rules over a hidden valley filled with
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
create a team of four. No rules forbid magic during this event. Characters who participate are invited to don yellow aprons that match those of Sid and Sid’s assistants. The next challenge begins shortly
participants complete both tasks, give up, or are defeated by the prawns. If the characters fail at either preparation, Sid’s assistants complete the preparations and then cook and serve the giant shrimp
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
somehow follow him here, use the chase rules in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, adapting the results for urban complications to a cave full of hateful derro. If Droki loses them, the
, she sends a messenger to Ilvara and makes sure the characters don’t go anywhere without her knowing. If the characters fail to lose themselves in the city (see “Gracklstugh and Drow Pursuit” earlier in
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault
posing as guards are taken to the barracks (area R19), where they meet with head guard Yula Dargeria, a no-nonsense stickler for the prison’s rules. Characters posing as cooks are delivered to the kitchen
area R7) for up to two days and two nights, and the characters receive three meals a day during their stay. If the characters fail to provide a satisfactory reason for their visit, the warden has their weapons and animals returned to them before throwing them out.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
use Wisdom checks to find things—see the Search action in the rules glossary—but sometimes they stumble on them accidentally, as Auro did here.
Jared: Past the flames and smoke, you see a glimmering
creatures’ capabilities, and it has to do with health and stamina. When they fail their saves, the gas causes them to have the Paralyzed condition. See “Conditions” later in this chapter for more information.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
, communicate your expectations about these rules to the players ahead of time. If you don’t plan on tracking Rations, tell your players that before they spend an hour purchasing supplies for their
a few hours, a day, or a couple of days to the current stage of the journey), here are some other consequences you can impose if characters fail to overcome or bypass an obstacle: Combat Encounter