seem of rather during varied - Search

Giff Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

military training to the exclusion of all other areas of study can make them seem dull-witted to those who have more varied interests. GUNPOWDER BY THE KEG Aside from their personal gunpowder weapons

refuse to fight other giff, and will never agree to a contract unless it stipulates that they can sit out a battle rather than wage war against their kin. A giff prizes the reputation of its unit above its

Gray Dwarf (Duergar) Legacy

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

sometimes seem joyful when at work. They have the typical dwarven appreciation for order, tradition, and impeccable craftsmanship, but their goods are purely utilitarian, disdaining aesthetic or

obliterated by Moradin’s betrayal. The duergar lead bleak, grim lives devoid of happiness or satisfaction, but they see that as their defining strength — the root of duergar pride, as it were — rather than a drawback to be corrected.

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

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

new place is note the locations of everything valuable—or where such things could be hidden. 4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. 5 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those

Vedalken

Species Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

with ideas than with people. They form close friendships based on mutual interests or compelling disagreements, and their interactions dwell on their thoughts about those issues rather than their

feelings about them. To members of other races, vedalken often seem cold, even emotionless. That assessment isn’t fair—they feel emotion every bit as intensely as other folk do, but they are

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the group’s needs, but the effect each action will have on the forest and the rest of the natural world. Firbolg tribes would rather go hungry than strain the land during a famine. Hidden

Shepherds As caretakers of the land, firbolgs prefer to remain out of sight and out of mind. They don’t try to dominate nature, but rather seek to ensure that it prospers and survives according to its

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

could be hidden. 4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. 5 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide. 6 I don’t pay

Characteristics Criminals might seem like villains on the surface, and many of them are villainous to the core. But some have an abundance of endearing, if not redeeming, characteristics. There might be honor

Urban Bounty Hunter

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

. 4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. 5 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide. 6 I don’t pay attention to the risks

The Hauntings of Halvhrest House

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

The Hauntings of Halvhrest House The House of Lament is a catastrophically haunted structure. It doesn’t rush to reveal its terrors, though. Rather, its history, threats, and phantasmal inhabitants

reveal themselves gradually and in a variety of ways. Before leading your adventurers into the house, familiarize yourself with the varied ways the house’s hauntings manifest.

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

pleasurable creatures and things are ones that allow lizardfolk to assess more situations as benign rather than fearsome. Cold and Calculating Most humanoids describe cold-blooded people as lacking in

in the other humanoids and makes them less helpful in battle. Utility and Survival The lizardfolk mindset might seem unnecessarily cruel, but it helps them survive in a hostile environment. The

Something in Between

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

. Even in a dungeon setting, you can present NPCs that aren’t meant to be fought but rather helped out, negotiated with, or just talked to. Think about your preferred style of play by considering these

questions: Are you a fan of realism and gritty consequences, or are you more focused on making the game seem like an action movie? Do you want the game to maintain a sense of medieval fantasy, or do

Horror in Tepest

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within

Horror in Tepest Adventures in Tepest often include the following elements. Strangeness in Viktal The locals seem welcoming and vigorous in their worship of the nature deity, Mother. The village

strange disasters plague Tepest. Lorinda’s children take varied forms. To create such a monster, choose a stat block appropriate to challenge your characters, then consider how that creature might

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

against those who have disrespected him. Expert Tunnelers Kobolds are naturally skilled at tunneling. Similar to dwarves, they seem to have a near-instinctive sense of what sections of stone or

other useful items, but if they are at risk of discovery, they run away rather than attack anyone in the house. By fleeing before they can be seen or identified, they avoid getting into a situation

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

because you have made too many enemies among the desert communities of your home. Sossal. Few have heard of your homeland, but many have questions about it upon seeing you. Humans from Sossal seem

foreign land. 2 I pretend not to understand the local language in order to avoid interactions I would rather not have. 3 I have a weakness for the new intoxicants and other pleasures of this

Rolling with It

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

that anything is possible. Sure, it might seem unlikely that the party’s halfling can leap on the ogre’s back, pull a sack over its head, and then dive to safety, but with a lucky enough roll it just

might work. A drawback of this approach is that roleplaying can diminish if players feel that their die rolls, rather than their decisions and characterizations, always determine success.

Area Information

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rrakkma

strike them repeatedly and unavoidably in the head. At first, this may seem innocent, but left for days, or even just hours for some, this form of torture could break even the most steadfast soul or

drive them completely insane. A successful DC 25 Intelligence (Investigation) check turns up a rather sizeable black pearl (pearl of power) that seems to have found its way to the bottom of one of the depressions. Treasure & Rewards The characters may find the following treasure. A pearl of power

33. Illusion Classroom

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

, in a rather exhaustive and encyclopedic manner. A successful dispel magic spell (DC 17) cast on Professor Figment ends the illusion. The first creature that tries to dispel the illusion of Professor

, where was I?” The illusory objects and wildlife seem real to the senses. The illusion of the villa, the fountain, the sunlight, and the wildlife can be ended with a successful dispel magic spell (DC

Hidden Shepherds

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

Hidden Shepherds As caretakers of the land, firbolgs prefer to remain out of sight and out of mind. They don’t try to dominate nature, but rather seek to ensure that it prospers and survives

tactics fail, the firbolgs take more direct action. Their observations of a settlement determine what happens next. If the outsiders seem peaceful, the firbolgs approach and gently ask them to leave, even

Chapter 13: The Cult Strikes Back

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

must be eliminated. Like “Chapter 9: Council of Waterdeep,” this chapter is played out as separate encounters. However, these attacks work best if they are incorporated into other chapters, rather than

safe anywhere. If the characters ever split up to pursue separate missions in what seem like safe environments, the cult is almost certain to strike. CHARACTER DEATH Character death should always be

Chapter 13: The Cult Strikes Back

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

must be eliminated. Like "Chapter 9: Council of Waterdeep”, this chapter is played out as separate encounters. However, these attacks work best if they are incorporated into other chapters, rather than

safe anywhere. If the characters ever split up to pursue separate missions in what seem like safe environments, the cult is almost certain to strike. CHARACTER DEATH Character death should always be

What Coalition?

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Light of Xaryxis

interest in battling the Xaryxian Empire, which seems only a distant threat to them. They would rather fight among themselves. You saw for yourselves how prickly the aartuks were. My peaceful entreaty

seems to have offended them. “The only thing these factions seem to have in common is their hunger for ships, spelljamming helms, and weapons—things I can’t provide. War is everyone’s native tongue here

Character Advancement

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

taking part in a play session. A character reaches 1 checkpoint for each hour an adventure is designed to last. Note that the award is based on the adventure’s projected playing time, rather than the

designed to take 2 hours, the character reaches 3 checkpoints. Playing time might seem like an odd way to measure experience awards, but the concept is in keeping with how a shared campaign is meant to

Giff

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

sit out a battle rather than wage war against their kin. A giff prizes the reputation of its unit above its own life. Life is fleeting, but the regiment endures for generations or even centuries. A

have no magical capability. Typical giff are as smart as the average human, but their focus on military training to the exclusion of all other areas of study can make them seem dull-witted to those who

No Room at the Inn

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

ask about sleeping in the stable, one of the nobles speaks up, saying, “Our horses are rather picky about who they share space with. We had to reserve all of it, too, for their sake. You understand

enormously amusing and seem pleased by the prospect of the merchants and their animals suffering in the freezing rain all night. They needle and goad the characters and their fellow travelers at every

Iroas as Campaign Villain

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

, involving attacks on people who may seem unrelated to the initial conflict. As a campaign villain, Iroas is most likely driven by his desire to win in battle, to confront Mogis, or to avenge an insult to

, forms a group in support of Mogis. Iroas, rather than accepting Heliod’s aid, launches a grand campaign of his own against his brother. 3 Mogis arms one of his champions with an axe capable of

No Room at the Inn

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

ask about sleeping in the stable, one of the nobles speaks up, saying, “Our horses are rather picky about who they share space with. We had to reserve all of it, too, for their sake. You understand

enormously amusing and seem pleased by the prospect of the merchants and their animals suffering in the freezing rain all night. They needle and goad the characters and their fellow travelers at every

Rival Explorers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

characters seem motivated by greed, choose as their rivals high-minded scholars from Wynarn. These foes work to discover the secrets of the past, contribute to the sum of knowledge, and prove that their

characters solve this problem by breaking the curse rather than killing the rivals, but either way, these foils no longer trouble the characters after they resolve this situation. (A rival group at these levels might consist of an Archmage, an Archpriest, a Spy Master, and a Warrior Commander.)

Way of the Drunken Master

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

, you can move in sudden, swaying ways. You gain the following benefits. Leap to Your Feet. When you’re prone, you can stand up by spending 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed. Redirect

within 5 feet of you. Drunkard’s Luck Starting at 11th level, you always seem to get a lucky bounce at the right moment. When you make an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving throw and have

Types of Hags

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

, and most are stout or have a medium build rather than being thin or emaciated. Night hags enjoy corrupting the dreams of good people, compromising the ideals of their victims to get them to

to the environment of her current home. She might accomplish this transformation through force of will over time, or faster with the help of a ritual or assistance from her coven. The reasons for making such a change are as varied as the personalities and goals of hags.

Targets

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

have varied ways of naming and visualizing this interface. By any name, without the Weave, raw magic is locked away and inaccessible; the most powerful archmage can’t light a candle with magic in an

such as detect magic or identify, they glimpse the Weave. A spell such as dispel magic smooths the Weave. Spells such as antimagic field rearrange the Weave so that magic flows around, rather than

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

they are more interested in grabbing plunder and food rather than in wanton slaughter. The elderly, children, and any who seem weak or meek enough might escape death. If they leave the population more

Vallaki Lore

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

rather serve the devil than a madman.” She owns an old house in town (area N4) but rarely leaves her estate. Her two adult sons, Nikolai and Karl, are local troublemakers. Lady Wachter also has a mad

(chapter 2, area M). Folks used to see him skulking along the north shore of Lake Zarovich, shooting lightning bolts into the water to kill the fish. (If the characters seem interested in meeting this

Vedalken

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

rather than their feelings about them. To members of other races, vedalken often seem cold, even emotionless. That assessment isn’t fair — they feel emotion every bit as intensely as other folk do, but

4. The Alchemist

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

. For now, it has adopted the guise of a scatterbrained, shabbily dressed young man who has, for reasons he would rather not divulge, set up an alchemist’s lab in this cave. The slaad refers to itself

those who try to control the slaad. If the characters obtain the gem and return it to the Alchemist, it cheers, turns invisible, and flees with the gem. If the characters seem interested in knowing

Watch Your Step!

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

hundred feet before impacting on a lower bridge. Though this alone might seem like small comfort, it’s also true that the major bridges in the upper and middle wards are enchanted with feather fall

between our safety and death caused by some rat who would rather spend gold on drink. Falling in Sharn d8 Result 1 You fall hundreds of feet before striking the ground at the base of the

Travel-Montage Approach

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

. There, the rogue finds a small rock that looks like a grinning face, but otherwise you encounter nothing out of the ordinary.” The trick is to focus on a few details that reinforce the desired mood rather

realistic and memorable landscape is enough. Use the landscape to set the mood and tone for your adventure. In one forest, close-set trees shroud all light and seem to watch the adventurers as they pass

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