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Variant Rules

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

Variant Rules A shared campaign might use some variant rules to handle certain aspects of the game. The Adventurers League, for instance, has variant systems for gaining levels and acquiring treasure

. These “house rules,” presented below, serve as a sort of common language, ensuring that the rewards all characters receive are equivalent no matter what kind of adventure a character experienced.

Amnizu

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

have no personalities or memories; they’re driven only by the desire to commit evil. The amnizus that patrol here drill the rules of the Nine Hells into the new arrivals’ minds and marshal

them into legions. Amnizu (Summoner Variant);Variant: Devil Summoning Some amnizus have an action that allows them to summon other devils: Summon Devil (1/Day). The amnizu summons 2d4

Variant Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

If your campaign uses the optional feat rules from the Player’s Handbook, your Dungeon Master might allow these variant traits, all of which replace the human’s Ability Score Increase trait.

Young Dragon Turtle

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8

Dragon Turtle Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

characters, and use the Dragon Turtle Spellcasting table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon. (Though the Monster Manual doesn’t explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for

making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"} Trait

Shapechange Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

, and you must have seen the sort of creature at least once. You transform into an average example of that creature, one without any class levels or the Spellcasting trait. Your game statistics are

rules for the original form, with one exception: if your new form has more hit points than your current one, your hit points remain at their current value.

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

than most people to the world of murder, theft, and violence that pervades the underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society

; 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

Giff

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

crowds. They're also natural swimmers. Most giff believe they originated on one world, but their home world is now the stuff of legend, because no living giff has seen it or knows where it is. The

character is a member of the human race or one of the game’s fantastical races. If you create a character using a race option presented here, follow these additional rules during character creation

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

chapter 7, "Treasure” of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules

effects: Dead beasts periodically animate as undead mockeries of their former selves. Skeletal and zombie versions of local wildlife are commonly seen in the area. The air becomes filled with the

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules. Surrounded by a moat fed by the

Undead mockeries of their former selves. Skeletal and zombie versions of local wildlife are commonly seen in the area. If Orcus dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10

Ancient Dragon Turtle

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon. (Though the Monster Manual doesn’t explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply

those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"} Trait 1 I speak slowly and deliberately

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society. Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth Tool Proficiencies: One

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

Rewards

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

Rewards Adventures in a shared campaign that uses variant rules for gaining levels and acquiring treasure (such as those described below) don’t include experience point awards or specific amounts and kinds of treasure.

Creating a Dragonmarked Character

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

Creating a Dragonmarked Character Dragonmarks manifest on certain members of a few species, represented in the rules by variant race options: For humans and half-orcs, a dragonmark is a variant race

that replaces traits associated with those races. For half-elves, a dragonmark is a variant race that lets you keep some half-elf traits and replace others with the traits associated with your mark

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

At the highest mountain peaks — far above the slopes where trees grow and where the air is thin and the frigid winds howl — dwell the reclusive goliaths. Few folk can claim to have seen a

mock folk who rely on society’s structures or rules to maintain power. Survival of the Fittest Among goliaths, any adult who can’t contribute to the tribe is expelled. A lone goliath has

Human Traits

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

HUMAN TRAITS If your campaign uses the optional feat rules from chapter 6, your Dungeon Master might allow these variant traits, all of which replace the human’s Ability Score Increase trait

with, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling their speech with words borrowed from other tongues: Orc curses, Elvish musical expressions, Dwarvish military phrases, and so on. VARIANT

Tying Knots

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

Tying Knots The rules are purposely open-ended concerning mundane tasks like tying knots, but sometimes knowing how well a knot was fashioned is important in a dramatic scene when someone is trying

Sleight of Hand with Intelligence, rather than Dexterity. This is an example of how to apply the rule in the “Variant: Skills with Different Abilities” section in chapter 7 of the Player’s Handbook.

Draconic Races

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

section offers three variant dragonborn race options that can be used to create a character with clear connections to a specific draconic ancestry. When you’re making a new character using one of these races, use the rules under “Creating Your Character” to fill out the details.

Rest Variants

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

Rest Variants The rules for short and long rests presented in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook work well for a heroic-style campaign. Characters can go toe-to-toe with deadly foes, take damage to

within an inch of their lives, yet still be ready to fight again the next day. If this approach doesn’t fit your campaign, consider the following variants. Epic Heroism This variant uses a short rest

Strength

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

lift. For a Tiny creature, halve these weights. Variant: Encumbrance The rules for lifting and carrying are intentionally simple. Here is a variant if you are looking for more detailed rules for

determining how a character is hindered by the weight of equipment. When you use this variant, ignore the Strength column of the Armor table. If you carry weight in excess of 5 times your Strength score, you

Strength

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

a Tiny creature, halve these weights. Variant: Encumbrance The rules for lifting and carrying are intentionally simple. Here is a variant if you are looking for more detailed rules for determining how

a character is hindered by the weight of equipment. When you use this variant, ignore the Strength column of the Armor table in chapter 5. If you carry weight in excess of 5 times your Strength score

Local Nuisances

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Sigil and the Outlands

garbage that gathers in Sigil’s alleys and sewers. Common and giant rats are found throughout the Cage, as are variant cranium rats known as squeakers (further detailed in Morte’s Planar Parade). Adapted

razorvine strategically to deter intruders by letting it grow along estate walls or as carefully cultivated hedges. Rules for razorvine can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Creating a Dragon Turtle

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Spellcasting table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon. (Though the Monster Manual doesn’t explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply

those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8 Trait 1 I speak slowly and deliberately, pausing to reflect after (or sometimes in the middle of) each utterance

Guard Drake

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

originally devised by the cult of Tiamat, but has spread to other groups that are skilled in arcana and associated with dragons. The cooperation of a dragon is necessary for the ritual to succeed, and a

resembles the type of dragon it was created from, but with a wingless, squat, muscular build. A drake can’t reproduce, nor can its scales be used to make other guard drakes. VARIANT: CHROMATIC GUARD

3. Slanted Room

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

water. The statue emits a dim purple radiance, its head is completely turned around, and one of its arms has broken off and is nowhere to be seen. Ooze. A psychic gray ooze lurks beneath the murky

water, north of the statue. (It’s invisible while underwater.) The ooze uses its Psychic Crush action option (see the “Variant: Psychic Gray Ooze” sidebar in the “Oozes” entry in the Monster Manual

Chapter 3: Bestiary

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

introduction of the Monster Manual before proceeding further. It explains stat block terminology and gives rules for various monster traits — information that isn’t repeated here. As with the

that are appropriate for your adventure or campaign. If you’re looking for ways to use the variant beholders, giants, gnolls, goblinoids, hags, kobolds, mind flayers, orcs, and yuan-ti described in this

Pont-a-Museau

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

spies. This rumor might contain truth, as many who whisper it vanish in the night and are never seen again. Chateau Delanuit. Upon an island in the center of the Musarde sits Chateau Delanuit, the

hereditary Renier estate. From here, Jacqueline Renier rules Richemulot. She holds audience from her parlors and public courtrooms, but her private residence is sacrosanct, and few outside her family ever

The Boromar Clan

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

local branch of House Jorasco. Boromars can be seen at every Skyway gala. But it’s an open secret that they’ve been running crime in Sharn since the first days of the city. They’ve been bribing the Sharn

values tradition and prefers to avoid violence. However, you’ll be expected to respect the hierarchy and follow the rules… and you may be targeted by Daask.

Running the Encounter

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer Academy

Running the Encounter Use the following guidance for running and resolving the encounter between the characters’ hammerhead and the githyanki ship. The Battle Begins Using the side initiative variant

rules from chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, the players roll a d20 for their initiative as a group, and you roll a d20 for the githyanki aboard the enemy ship. Neither roll takes any

Ship-to-Ship Combat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Astral Adventurer’s Guide

Ship-to-Ship Combat The following rules are designed to make ship-to-ship combat simple yet exciting. Starting Distance At the start of an engagement, the DM decides how far a ship is from its

ballistae and crossbows 1,000 feet Beyond the range of most ranged weapons Initiative The Dungeon Master’s Guide presents a variant rule called side initiative, which is ideal for ship-to-ship engagements

Supernatural Gifts

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

Murder Among Thieves

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Legends of Greyhawk: Secrets of the Free City

expected at all levels; those who pay full price are seen as naïve. Guild Power. Nearly every profession has a guild, and the most powerful guildmasters sit on the city’s Directing Oligarchy. Magic and

the Law. Magic is respected but regulated; public casting without cause, or magical coercion, is a serious crime. Rules vs. Laws. Greyhawk’s written laws are detailed, but enforcement depends heavily

Sword in the Shadows

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Legends of Greyhawk: Secrets of the Free City

expected at all levels; those who pay full price are seen as naïve. Guild Power. Nearly every profession has a guild, and the most powerful guildmasters sit on the city’s Directing Oligarchy. Magic and

the Law. Magic is respected but regulated; public casting without cause, or magical coercion, is a serious crime. Rules vs. Laws. Greyhawk’s written laws are detailed, but enforcement depends heavily

Session Zero

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

the variant rules presented in this or any other book, let your players know about them. Remember, you’ll always know more about your campaign world than the players do. Having spent all their lives in

, and discuss house rules, with the goal of ensuring the game is a fun experience for everyone involved. The “Ensuring Fun for All” section in chapter 1 covers some of the most important groundwork you

Shadows Over the Free City

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Legends of Greyhawk: Secrets of the Free City

expected at all levels; those who pay full price are seen as naïve. Guild Power. Nearly every profession has a guild, and the most powerful guildmasters sit on the city’s Directing Oligarchy. Magic and

the Law. Magic is respected but regulated; public casting without cause, or magical coercion, is a serious crime. Rules vs. Laws. Greyhawk’s written laws are detailed, but enforcement depends heavily

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