mechanics some with often advanced foes for life

Warrior of Mercy

Classes Player’s Handbook

Manipulate Forces of Life and Death Warriors of Mercy manipulate the life force of others. These Monks are wandering physicians, but they bring a swift end to their enemies. They often wear masks, presenting themselves as faceless bringers of life and death.

Oath of the Ancients

Classes Player’s Handbook

Preserve Life and Light in the World The Oath of the Ancients is as old as the first elves. Paladins who swear this oath cherish the light; they love the beautiful and life-giving things of the

world more than any principles of honor, courage, and justice. They often adorn their armor and clothing with images of growing things—leaves, antlers, or flowers—to reflect their commitment

Death Tyrant

Monsters Monster Manual

all expended uses at the start of each of its turns. Chomp. The death tyrant makes two Bite attacks. Glare. The death tyrant uses Eye Rays.Death Tyrant Lairs Death tyrants often lurk deep in the

Underdark, in the tunnel-mazes they occupied in life or in the lairs of enemy beholders they conquered. These lairs are devoid of life, as death tyrants change their servants into Undead horrors. The

Paladin

Classes Player’s Handbook

armor. Even so, their martial skills are secondary to the magical power they wield: power to heal the injured, smite their foes, and protect the helpless and those who fight at their side. Almost by

definition, the life of a Paladin is an adventuring life, for every Paladin lives on the front lines of the cosmic struggle against annihilation. Fighters are rare enough among the ranks of a world&rsquo

Dwarf

Species Player’s Handbook

stone and metal and for living underground. The god also made them resilient like the mountains, with a life span of about 350 years. Squat and often bearded, the original dwarves carved cities and

subterranean horrors. Inspired by those tales, dwarves of any culture often sing of valorous deeds—especially of the little overcoming the mighty. On some worlds in the multiverse, the first settlements

Bard

Classes Player’s Handbook

, disheartening foes, and creating illusions. Bards believe the multiverse was spoken into existence and that remnants of its Words of Creation still resound and glimmer on every plane of existence. Bardic

, including performing music, working magic, and making jests. A Bard’s life is spent traveling, gathering lore, telling stories, and living on the gratitude of audiences, much like any other entertainer

Cleric

Classes Player’s Handbook

, a Cleric can reach out to the divine magic of the Outer Planes—where gods dwell—and channel it to bolster people and battle foes. Because their power is a divine gift, Clerics typically

prayers and rites that help them draw on power from the Outer Planes. Not every member of a temple or shrine is a Cleric. Some priests are called to a simple life of temple service, carrying out their

Druid

Classes Player’s Handbook

. Druids are concerned with the delicate ecological balance that sustains plant and animal life and with the need for people to live in harmony with nature. Druids often guard sacred sites or watch over

Fiendish Icon

Monsters Astarion's Book of Hungers

of sinister rituals. Fiendish icons can explode with hellfire to roast their foes, and they often pretend to be ordinary statues until they leap up to ambush invaders. Roll on or choose a result

":"Fiery Eruption", "rollDamageType":"Fire"} Fire damage.Effigy Animated by Hellish Magic Fiendish icons are grotesque, sapient statues depicting fearsome fiends. These creatures gain life as a result

Merrow Doublespeaker

Monsters Lorwyn: First Light

; doublespeakers can use them to stab or throw at foes. Merrow Merrow are primarily water-dwelling people who exploit the realm of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor’s land-dwelling species. They resemble

large fish with humanoid torsos and arms, though their forms vary widely. Merrow are often capable warriors, but most prefer to duel with cutting words before resorting to physical violence.

Shadowmoor Giant

Monsters Lorwyn: First Light

others. At worst, giants might be wrathful toward smaller folk, seeing them as invasive pests to be squashed. When a giant in the realm of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor sleeps, it often has vivid, dramatic dreams

stocked with a giant’s valuable relics. Such treasure hunters do well to tread carefully, for when angered, these giants can unleash the might of mountains and crush foes with the force of an avalanche.

Lorwyn Giant

Monsters Lorwyn: First Light

Lorwyn-Shadowmoor sleeps, it often has vivid, dramatic dreams. Giants see their dreams as powerful augurs or important messages that border on divine inspiration. These giants mark their resting spots

the might of mountains and crush foes with the force of an avalanche.Name Sleep (Recharge 5–6);{"diceNotation":"1d6", "rollType":"recharge", "rollAction":"Name Sleep"}. The giant falls into a deep

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Sammaster fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Life Suppression. Creatures within 60 feet of Sammaster can’t regain Hit Points. Magic

dedicated to transforming living dragons into undead inheritors of a world blasted of life. Sammaster was slain centuries ago but now exists as a lich with his essence tied to a powerful dracolich form

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Sammaster fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Life Suppression. Creatures within 60 feet of Sammaster can’t regain Hit Points. Magic

transforming living dragons into undead inheritors of a world blasted of life. Sammaster was slain centuries ago but now exists as a lich with his essence tied to a powerful dracolich form. History

Scion of the Three

Classes Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn

power manifests as various occult gifts, as well as an uncanny talent for striking and terrifying foes. Scions of the Three are most common in Baldur’s Gate, where the Dead Three lived as

mortals before ascending to godhood. Underground cults to Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul often count Scions of the Three among their most useful agents. Outside Baldur’s Gate, secular thieves’ guilds

Shadowmoor Expert

Backgrounds Lorwyn: First Light

. Regardless of where you tread, you keenly understand that friendship is a rare commodity. You believe that knowing who to trust and who to keep at arm’s length isn’t just practical— it’s often a matter of life or death.

Dhampir

Species Astarion's Book of Hungers

Dhampirs are living people who possess vampiric prowess but are cursed with macabre hunger. Most dhampirs thirst for blood, but some gain sustenance from dreams, life energy, or other vital sources

. Dhampirs must choose whether to fight to control their hunger or give in to predatory urges. Dhampirs often arise from encounters with vampires; some are the descendants of a powerful vampire, while

Clockwork Dragon

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

dragons. Plated in brass, bronze, copper, or faux gold and silver, they are often taken for fine draconic statues at first glance. A clockwork dragon makes a formidable guardian or defender, with its

advanced intellect allowing it to be programmed with a wide range of orders, as well as being capable of wholly independent reactions to potential threats. Though most clockwork dragons have a breath weapon

Aurumvorax

Monsters Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

halved.Early in life, aurumvoraxes cooperate with siblings and their den leader parents, digging tunnels in search of metal and other burrowing prey. As they grow to adulthood, aurumvoraxes hunt on their

. Alone or in small groups, aurumvoraxes dig deep in search of precious metals. Such exploration often leads them into conflict with subterranean settlements. As defenders of such communities often

Factol Skall

Monsters Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary

Aura of Death. Creatures within 30 feet of Skall have disadvantage on death saving throws. Cosmic Annihilation. A creature killed by Skall can be restored to life only by means of a true

: The Mortuary). After eons of existence, Skall is in an advanced state of deterioration. Once a spry lich with a wrinkled frame, he now drifts listlessly through the Mortuary’s forlorn halls

Cyclops Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

are a terrifying threat in combat due to their size and strength, but they can often be tricked by clever foes.

Dragon Chosen

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

dragon’s might. They serve as enforcers of their masters’ will; they often accompany dragon speakers—and are quick to defend them if they sense any ill intent. Dragon chosen are

skilled in close combat, using two weapons to tear at their foes. Dragon Followers Dragons boast many minions, students, employees, acolytes, and thralls. Dragon followers are those servitors whose

Anhkolox

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

target.Anhkoloxes are vicious undead creatures created from the bones of bears and other beasts. Their barbed bones grind and crack, often moving in seemingly impossible ways. Anhkoloxes are driven by

territorial instinct and a predatory urge to hunt and devour living prey. They run on all fours and rear up onto their hind legs when they corner their quarry. When they strike, they wallop foes about

Bandit Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

sometimes led by thugs, veterans, or spellcasters. Not all bandits are evil. Oppression, drought, disease, or famine can often drive otherwise honest folk to a life of banditry. Pirates are bandits of the

Witherbloom Professor of Decay

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

their foes. In battle, they steal the essence of their enemies to heal their own wounds and create spears of sickly green life-draining energy. Witherbloom teachers who espouse the decaying side of the

until the start of the professor’s next turn. Essence Pulse (Recharge 5–6);{"diceNotation":"1d6","rollType":"recharge","rollAction":"Essence Pulse"}. The professor creates a life-draining

Witherbloom Professor of Growth

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

nature through their magic. They brew infusions of plants, fungi, and insects or other minuscule creatures that thrum with the essence of life, using these infusions to fuel their magic instead of using

traditional material components. In battle, they flood their allies with vital essence, healing wounds and soothing ailments. Their foes face the wrath of nature itself, from grasping plants and

Degloth

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

ripping their enemies limb from limb using their razor-studded fists, which are equally adept at slashing foes and crushing the life from them.PoisonCold, Fire, Lightning; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and

Yuan-ti Malison (Type 3) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

calculated poise, and its deadly strike. Their advanced philosophy taught the virtue of detachment from emotion and of clear, focused thought. Yuan-ti culture was among the richest in the mortal

emotions are foreign to most yuan-ti, which understand sentiment only as an exploitable weakness. A yuan-ti views the world and the events of its own life with such extreme pragmatism that it is nearly

Barrowghast

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

the barrowghast a noxious stench. Barrowghasts no longer hunger for physical food and instead crave life energy drained from living creatures. They often target former family members and allies, but

attacks. It can replace one Slam attack with a Life Drain attack. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8;{"diceNotation":"1d20+8", "rollType":"to hit", "rollAction":"Slam"} to hit, reach 10 ft., one target

Megapede

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Multiattack. The megapede makes one Bite attack and uses either Life Drain or Psychic Bomb. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10;{"diceNotation":"1d20+10","rollType":"to hit","rollAction":"Bite"} to hit

":"damage","rollAction":"Bite (poison)","rollDamageType":"poison"} poison damage. Life Drain. The megapede magically drains life energy from other creatures nearby. Each creature within 15 feet of

Dragon Speaker

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

dragons—as well as to weave magic both subtle and thundering. They use their commanding presence to instill awe and fear into the hearts of friends and foes alike. Dragon Followers Dragons boast

benevolent dragons sharing great knowledge, protecting their towns, or sparing their lives during some foolhardy adventure. Other followers seek to uncover the mysteries of draconic nature and live a life

Doomguard Doom Lord

Monsters Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse

ash.Doom lords are the highest-ranking members of the Doomguard, embodying the multiverse’s inevitable collapse into dust. Doom lords’ mere presence snuffs the life from weaker foes, and the stoutest walls crumble before them.Necrotic

Aurumvorax Den Leader

Monsters Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

subterranean settlements. As defenders of such communities often wear metal armor, aurumvoraxes prioritize attacking armored foes—whether that armor is metal or not.

particular taste for gold. This diet lends aurumvorax fur its golden sheen. Alone or in small groups, aurumvoraxes dig deep in search of precious metals. Such exploration often leads them into conflict with

Feral Ashenwight

Monsters Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

creature, it has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.Feral ashenwights retain a fragment of the spark they had in life. However, they are devoid of memories

creature sometimes rises as an ashenwight. The skin of these Undead horrors is desiccated, and their eyes often glow with otherworldly power.Necrotic, Poison

Piercer (Ice variant)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

resemble piercer;piercers. Clinging to the ceilings of caverns and large subterranean passages, piercers blend in perfectly with natural rock, dropping in silence to impale unsuspecting foes on the

ground below. A piercer is the larval form of a roper, and the two creatures often attack in tandem. A rock-like shell encases a piercer's body, giving it the look and texture of a stalactite. That

D&D Beyond

Search Results