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Returning 35 results for 'secrets of runes defense variant'.
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secrets of rules defense variant
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
encounter.
Variant: Servants of Living Stars
Some stars in the sky are Elder Evils, alien beings of godlike power from the reality-defying Far Realm.
A living portent can be a fragment of these beings
minions to avert its own demise.
Khirad, the Star of Secrets. A blue-white star whose gifts grant insight but also reveal terrible truths.
Zhudun, the Corpse Star. A dead star that whispers of the
Backgrounds
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
You have served the community where you grew up, standing as its first line of defense against crime. You aren’t a soldier, directing your gaze outward at possible enemies. Instead, your
easily pick out the dens of criminal activity in a community, although you’re more likely to be welcome in the former locations rather than the latter.
Variant: Investigator
Rarer
Magic Items
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
weapon is searching for a new owner.
Azuredge has a solid steel handle etched with tiny runes, wrapped in blue dragon hide with a star sapphire set into the pommel. The axe head is forged from silver
defense against the axe, which passes through that spell’s barrier of magical force.
When you hit a fiend or an undead with the axe, cold blue flames erupt from its blade and deal an extra 2d6
Criminal / Spy
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Backgrounds
Basic Rules (2014)
; specifically, you know the local messengers, corrupt caravan masters, and seedy sailors who can deliver messages for you.
Variant Criminal: Spy
Although your capabilities are not much different
sold the secrets you uncovered to the highest bidder.
Suggested Characteristics
Criminals might seem like villains on the surface, and many of them are villainous to the core. But some have an
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
5th
dominate person
Your magic often takes the form of blue or golden runes floating and glowing in the air in circular patterns or of shimmering azure barriers of magical energy. If you
recruited me into the Azorius left and joined the Boros.
3
I have a friendship with a Dimir agent who sometimes funnels me secrets about Azorius activities.
4
A Golgari spore druid would love to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hold Back The Dead
Waterdeep (Northeast) The siege weapon in Waterdeep’s defense zone (see Map 1.5) is a small bronze cannon inlaid with arcane runes and mounted on a heavy tripod. It launches balls of crackling
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
mystic shapes of our runes.
—Diancastra
You’ve dedicated your life to studying runecraft. Whether you were taught by a master rune carver or learned by poring over ancient engravings, you can tap into
the supernatural power held within runes. The art of runecraft was initially created by giants, but over time, the practice has been adopted by many peoples. As such, though Giant runes are the most
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
keen intellect and magic to discover the secrets of making steel. Its military shattered rival tribes and developed advanced tactics for fighting in forests and open plains.
The civilization grew into a
can more easily pronounce the name in this altered form. An adopted name of this sort is recognized as a variant of the birth name, rather than a unique name unto itself. A yuan-ti might refer to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer
variant feature that ties the background to a group in Baldur’s Gate, provided to give characters an additional connection to the city. Characters may choose to replace the standard feature of their
background with one of these variant features. Each background also includes a bonus feature that marks a character as a native of Baldur’s Gate who’s familiar with the city — both its streets and its
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
variant feature that ties the background to a group in Baldur’s Gate, provided to give characters an additional connection to the city. Characters may choose to replace the standard feature of their
background with one of these variant features. Each background also includes a bonus feature that marks a character as a native of Baldur’s Gate who’s familiar with the city — both its streets and its
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
always occur in shady venues.
Variant Criminal: Spy
Although your capabilities are not much different from those of a burglar or smuggler, you learned and practiced them in a very
different context: as an espionage agent. You might have been an officially sanctioned agent of the crown, or perhaps you sold the secrets you uncovered to the highest bidder.
Suggested
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
to reward players who take the time to search for them. For each door and room, consider their original purpose: were secret doors a defense against invaders, or do denizens of the dungeon scheme to keep secrets from each other? Secrets can help you develop the story of a dungeon.
stream might run through the middle of a stronghold, causing variation in the shapes and sizes of rooms and necessitating features such as bridges and drains. Secrets. Add secret doors and secret rooms
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual
Githzerai Psion These powerful psions oversee githzerai sanctuaries, study enigmatic planar events, and lead rrakkma—hostile forays into mind flayer colonies to slay illithids and uncover secrets of
the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16):
At Will: Mage Hand (the hand is Invisible)
1/Day Each: Plane Shift, See Invisibility
Reactions
Psionic Defense. The githzerai casts Feather Fall or
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
came here to learn secrets and receive divine guidance. While attuned to the room and inside it, a dwarf can cast the divination spell at will. Answers provided by the spell come from an unknown source
(perhaps the Keeper of Secrets under the Mountain, perhaps the mountain itself). Too many castings of the spell in a short amount of time can lead to false readings, as noted in the spell’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel
cleft surrounded by foul, bleeding runes. Inside is the Book of Vile Darkness. Secrets of Eternity If a character agrees to let the Scholar share a forbidden secret, the baernaloth requests that the
was meant to know with one interested character (see the “Secrets of Eternity” section below). If the characters ignore the baernaloth, leave its cave, or refuse its offers, it lets them go. If the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
; it isn’t maug, but it isn’t maat, either. Mastering the secrets of magic, though, demands a degree of devotion that would take giants away from pursuits that are valued by the ordning. As a
consequence, it’s a path rarely taken. The exception is rune magic. Giants are drawn to the solidity and permanence of magical runes. Stone giants are great practitioners of rune carving, both because of the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
by Melissara. Inside is a small black journal. The first page of the book is trapped with a glyph of warding spell, whose explosive runes deal fire damage (save DC 15). The glyph is keyed to go off if
anyone but Melissara opens the journal (a precaution to prevent her cousins from reading it and discovering her secrets). The journal details Melissara’s unease with her family, as well as her growing
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual
Archmage Archmages have mastered incredible magical power. While some use their magic to protect the world, others become tyrants or pursue forbidden secrets. Many archmages retain magical servants
and collect magic items and occult lore. Have you gazed on the Runes of Chaos, held the Death Moon Orb in your trembling hands, entered the Devouring Portal and walked the Paths of the Doomed, or sat
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Locathah Rising
in her head and pull her tentacles up into the shell protectively, like a strange hermit crab. Whymsee (Kraken Priest Variant)
Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor
next turn.
Shell Defense. Whymsee withdraws into her shell. Until she emerges, she gains a +4 bonus to AC and has advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws. While in her shell, Whymsee is
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
Force Grey named Meloon Wardragon (see appendix B), but the weapon is searching for a new owner. Azuredge has a solid steel handle etched with tiny runes, wrapped in blue dragon hide with a star
made with this magic weapon. The shield spell provides no defense against the axe, which passes through that spell’s barrier of magical force. When you hit a fiend or an undead with the axe, cold blue
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
. Slaughtertusk is happy to let a fight drag on, feasting on its enemies’ pain before finally slaying them. If reduced to fewer than 100 hit points, it uses its Summon Demon feature (see the “Variant
if the adventurers have it at their mercy, promising to tell them the secrets of the Maze Engine or anything else they want. At the first opportunity, it teleports away, summoning demonic aid to cover its retreat if possible.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
called Fire Eyes and the Lord of the Bronze Mask, is the god of defense and vigilance, the protector of dwarves. Haela Brightaxe is the goddess of luck in battle, and the patron of dwarf fighters. Gods
of Craft Dumathoin, the Keeper of Secrets under the Mountain, is the patron of the shield dwarves, as well as the god of buried wealth, mining, gems, and exploration, and the guardian of the dead
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
Mount Ironrot, the graymatter engine fell into a despondent torpor that lasted until the arrival of its recent visitors. Brian Valeza Landro Sharing Secrets Landro understands the world by peering into
the clandestine variety. I would be interested to learn your secrets.”
Landro wishes to learn secrets from the characters through a type of osmosis. Landro tells the characters that this process is
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
rules from chapter 6 of the Player’s Handbook, your Dungeon Master might allow you to take a feat as a variant supernatural gift. You gain one feat of your choice. This list suggests twelve feats from
my strength when I rest on it. (Durable)
The stars of Nyx are never hidden from my sight, revealing their secrets to my eyes. (Keen Mind)
I hear the echoes of the gods’ speech in every mortal
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
with the Giant type, or you could write enmity toward giants into the tenets of your paladin’s Sacred Oath. Giant Lore You might have learned magic, martial techniques, or other secrets from studying
) might use the magic of Giant runes, or a paladin’s Sacred Oath could involve allegiance to the tenets of a philosophy or organization of giants (such as those described in chapter 2). Giant-Made
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
their stat block earlier in the adventure) are training in this area. When the fighting starts, read: “Intruders!” shouts the woman. “They’re here to steal the secrets of Master Bak Mei! Students, show
Tigress carries a red wooden key that unlocks the door to area L3. Jade Tigress Medium humanoid (human)
Armor Class 15 (Unarmored Defense)
Hit Points 71 (11d8 + 21)
Speed 40 ft.
STR
18
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
breathing No Goggles of night No Rope of climbing No Sending stones No Wand of magic detection No Wand of secrets No Replicable Items (6th-Level Artificer) Magic Item Attunement Boots of elvenkind
levitation Yes Boots of speed Yes Bracers of defense Yes Cloak of the bat Yes Dimensional shackles No Gem of seeing Yes Horn of blasting No Ring of free action Yes Ring of protection Yes Ring of the ram Yes
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
No Goggles of night No Rope of climbing No Sending stones No Wand of magic detection No Wand of secrets No Replicable Items (6th-Level Artificer) Magic Item Attunement Boots of elvenkind No
Artificer) Magic Item Attunement Amulet of health Yes Belt of hill giant strength Yes Boots of levitation Yes Boots of speed Yes Bracers of defense Yes Cloak of the bat Yes Dimensional shackles No
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
include Chalnefaaz, a community of myconids that bud tiny, wailing faces, and the Bulwark of Secrets, an abbey of guardian nagas who protect dangerous lore. You can use the nodules in the Endless Void
interlocked links of Ilvaash’s runes (knots of tentacles, brains, and jagged lines reminiscent of jaws). A brain breaker uses the stat block of an infected elder brain (see chapter 7) with the following
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
approach the characters take, remember that learning the full scope of the orrery’s history, the secrets of its creator, and the range of its powers is the goal of the whole campaign. Whatever small bits
Waterdeep can undertake research to study its mysterious runes, which can lead to information regarding That-Which-Endures (see the sidebar in the “New Race: Verdan” section in chapter 3.) Gorkoh the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder
grants immortality to its wearer, was last seen in the possession of a human adventurer (and former Harper) named Artus Cimber. Guided by magical runes of tracking, Storvald plans to find the ring and
empower his runes. Unbeknown to Storvald, the runes are steering the frost giants not to Artus Cimber but to other, closer individuals who carry the Cimber bloodline — Artus’s living relatives, most of whom
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
of climbing No
Sending stones No
Wand of magic detection No
Wand of secrets No
Replicable Items (6th-Level Artificer) Magic Item Attunement
Boots of elvenkind No
Yes
Boots of levitation Yes
Boots of speed Yes
Bracers of defense Yes
Cloak of the bat Yes
Dimensional shackles No
Gem of seeing Yes
Horn of blasting No
Ring of free action Yes
Ring of protection Yes
Ring of the ram Yes
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver
approaching, Iarno the evil mage grabs his staff of defense (see appendix A) and the scrolls in his chest (see the “Treasure” section), and flees through the secret door in the northeast corner of the room
ruffians to secure his own position in town. Iarno knew of the Black Spider through his contacts in the Lords’ Alliance and brokered a meeting. The drow promised to share the secrets and wealth of the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
front of the ship. During the Lambent Zenith’s crash, arcane wards should have sealed the safe room’s doors. The safe room is inaccessible while the wards are active. Ward Runes. Two runes hidden on the
ship power the wards. Kycera knows one rune was placed in the ship’s stateroom, but she doesn’t remember the second rune’s location. She believes that magic or a pass phrase can deactivate the runes
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
world. Living portents seek out beings who will play a part in the prophecies they serve, and as the living portents search, they relate fragments of the prophecies to those they encounter. Variant
demise.
Khirad, the Star of Secrets. A blue-white star whose gifts grant insight but also reveal terrible truths.
Zhudun, the Corpse Star. A dead star that whispers of the power to defy death