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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

Anvilwrought Raptor

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

"} piercing damage.Prized among Meletis's thaumaturges, anvilwrought raptors are often crafted in the form of a hawk or an owl. Most serve as messengers and spies, flying over the busy streets or high over

creatures to his most devoted followers so they could mimic his works and invent new forms at their own forges. Some anvilwroughts are vigilant guardians at holy shrines, others serve as familiars and

Gazer

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

kill. Gazer (Familiar Variant);Variant: Gazer Familiar Spellcasters who are interested in unusual familiars find that gazers are eager to serve someone who has magical power. Unless its master is

strict, a gazer familiar can be unruly, behaving aggressively toward other Tiny creatures. A gazer serving as a familiar has the following trait: Familiar. The gazer can serve another creature as a

Devastation Orb

Magic Items Princes of the Apocalypse

batter it. The wind is strong enough to uproot weak trees and destroy light structures after at least 10 minutes of exposure. Otherwise, the rules for strong wind apply, as detailed in chapter 5 of the

the area of effect, the rules for heavy precipitation apply, as detailed in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. If there is a substantial body of water in the area, it floods after 2d10 hours

Drow Shadowblade

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

other houses. In communities free of Lolth’s sway, they serve as spies tasked with foiling the plots of that demon lord’s cult. In any role they take on, they move undetected until the

-forming in the Abyss, siphoning its essence into themselves. drow shadowblade (summoner variant);Variant: Demon Summoning Some drow shadowblades have an action that allows them to summon a demon

Deathless Rider

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

disadvantage if it can see the rider, ending the condition on itself on a success.Legends told in the courts of Eldraine suggest that the deathless riders serve a warlock-queen, known simply as the Shadow

Queen, who rules from a castle called Dynnistan. It isn’t known whether these legends are based on any true experience or are simply the result of imagination trying to account for a terrifying and

Solar Bastion Knight

Monsters The Book of Many Things

, knights who track the Grim Harrow through the multiverse might resemble rangers instead of paladins. In addition, Sir Jared, detailed at the end of chapter 10, can serve as a model for knights with a lower challenge rating.

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

. 5 A clan of gnomes pays a young dragon turtle to serve as a mobile refueling platform for their fleet of steamboats. 6 A young dragon turtle likes to feast on giant crocodile;giant crocodiles' eggs. Fire

Animated Coffin

Monsters Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary

boxes with simple fittings to elaborate, gilded sarcophagi and reverent, fabric-lined caskets. Beyond the City of Doors, animated coffins serve similar—albeit less industrial—roles

sardines 3 A groaning mummy 4 A patch of yellow mold (see the Dungeon Master’s Guide) 5 A slumbering vampire spawn 6 A portal to the Path of Graves (detailed in Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary) Poison, Psychic

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.

Gazer (Familiar Variant)

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

’t kill. Variant: Gazer Familiar Spellcasters who are interested in unusual familiars find that gazers are eager to serve someone who has magical power. Unless its master is strict, a gazer

Familiar. The gazer can serve another creature as a familiar, forming a telepathic bond with its willing master, provided that the master is at least a 3rd-level spellcaster. While the two are bonded

Inspired (Hashalaq variant)

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

who can dream can volunteer to serve as a quori vessel. But the Inspired of Sarlona are humans bred to be such vessels. They have no choice in this destiny, since they can't resist quori possession

Dreaming Dark has long experience in weaving dreams that can convince mortals to surrender their bodies. VARIANT: QUORI VESSEL The Inspired are vessels for quori spirits, allowing the quori to

Inspired (Tsucora variant)

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

can volunteer to serve as a quori vessel. But the Inspired of Sarlona are humans bred to be such vessels. They have no choice in this destiny, since they can't resist quori possession. Physically

has long experience in weaving dreams that can convince mortals to surrender their bodies. VARIANT: QUORI VESSEL The Inspired are vessels for quori spirits, allowing the quori to manifest a portion

Inspired (Kalaraq variant)

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

they carry out the foul agenda of the Dreaming Dark. Any humanoid who can dream can volunteer to serve as a quori vessel. But the Inspired of Sarlona are humans bred to be such vessels. They have no

Dreaming Dark. Such Inspired have to willingly accept quori possession, but the Dreaming Dark has long experience in weaving dreams that can convince mortals to surrender their bodies. VARIANT: QUORI

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

Inspired

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

the nightmare spirits of Dal Quor, and they carry out the foul agenda of the Dreaming Dark. Any humanoid who can dream can volunteer to serve as a quori vessel. But the Inspired of Sarlona are humans

surrender their bodies. VARIANT: QUORI VESSEL The Inspired are vessels for quori spirits, allowing the quori to manifest a portion of their power while the vessel is possessed. An Inspired can

Living Portent

Monsters The Book of Many Things

inhabitants of the 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: 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

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

Shadar-kai

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Shadar-kai are the elves of the Shadowfell, originally drawn to that dread realm by the Raven Queen. Over the centuries, some of them have continued to serve her, while others have ventured into the

race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score

Dhampir Legacy

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

to one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft): Barovia. In the shadow of Castle Ravenloft, tales flourish of those who love or descend from vampires

lineage option, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your ability scores, you increase one of those scores by 2 and increase a different

Reborn Legacy

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Domains of Dread (detailed in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft): Har’Akir. You died and endured the burial rites of this desert realm, yet somehow a soul—yours or another’s&mdash

, but you aren’t any longer. You now possess only your lineage’s racial traits. When you create a character using a lineage option, follow these additional rules during character creation

Hashalaq Quori

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

. Hashalaq quori have studied their mortal prey for centuries. Inhabiting human bodies as Inspired (Hashalaq variant);Inspired has granted the hashalaq a deep understanding of the hedonistic urges of

members understand the ways of magic. In Dal Quor, the hashalaq quori are typically found as advisors to the Kalaraq Quori;kalaraq. They also serve as judges, policing the quori and ensuring that the rivalries of the Tsucora Quori;tsucora never threaten the greater plans of the Dreaming Dark.Psychic

Hexblood Legacy

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

creating a hexblood, ask your DM if it makes sense for your character to have ties to one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft): Hazlan. The bizarre magic

player, unless the DM rules otherwise. Creating Your Character At 1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of one of the game’s fantastical races

Returned Palamnite

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

, where they serve the vicious will of Tymaret the Murder King (see chapter 3). Returned have escaped the Underworld and dwell among the living once more, but their second lives are rarely what they

. They think and speak and even feel emotions based on their new experiences, but given their circumstances, those emotions tend to be muted. VARIANT: RETURNED KAKOMANTIS Although the dead typically

Avarice

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

challenge, even when the odds are clearly stacked against her. Seeing other wizards as a threat, paranoia rules her life. Avarice has been a member of the Arcane Brotherhood for almost two years. She

serve her as bodyguards and scouts. Avarice uses her Rary's telepathic bond spell to stay in telepathic contact with her gargoyles before sending them off on any mission. Avarice also has the support of

Kobold

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Underdark near the lairs of the earliest dragons. In some lands, kobolds serve chromatic or metallic dragons—even worshiping them as divine beings. In other places, kobolds know too well how

race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score

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

Deep Dragon Wyrmling Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

serve. 2 Svirfneblin hire the characters to deliver tribute to their deep dragon neighbor. 3 A disguised deep dragon offers access to rare artifacts—to a party who is willing to

it to the surface world. Lost and confused, the wyrmling has been captured by a group of cruel adventurers. 3 A deep dragon wyrmling whimsically rules over a worshipful group of kobolds, sending

Changeling Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

on the spur of the moment, with no depth or history—is called a mask. A mask can be used to express a mood or to serve a specific purpose and then might never be used again. However, many

level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability

Proficiency Bonus Legacy

Rules

Characters have a proficiency bonus determined by level, as detailed in chapter 1. Monsters also have this bonus, which is incorporated in their stat blocks. The bonus is used in the rules on ability

checks, saving throws, and attack rolls. Your proficiency bonus can’t be added to a single die roll or other number more than once. For example, if two different rules say you can add your

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

. The least of these become ghoul;ghouls and zombie;zombies who serve in his legions, while his favored servants are the cultists and necromancers who murder the living and then manipulate the dead

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

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

become ghoul;ghouls and zombie;zombies (both appear in the Monster Manual) that serve in his legions, while his favored servants are the cultists and necromancers who murder the living and then manipulate

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

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

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.

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