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Returning 35 results for 'setting of rules dark variant'.
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.
Species
Player’s Handbook
territorial mob of halflings like those in the Dark Sun setting.
Halflings who prefer to live underground are sometimes called strongheart halflings or stouts. Nomadic halflings, as well as those who
).
Halfling communities come in all varieties. For every sequestered shire tucked away in an unspoiled part of the world, there’s a crime syndicate like the Boromar Clan in the Eberron setting or a
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
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Dark Devotion. The fanatic has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
Spellcasting. The fanatic is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC
he's tight with Levistus. He rules the roost by sheer force of personality, though it chafes him that Hethyl Arkorran has more respect and influence within the cult. Kadroth doesn't involve Avarice
Monsters
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
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
that guide and empower them, but the truth is far darker. The Inspired are the mortal hosts of the nightmare spirits of Dal Quor, and they carry out the foul agenda of the Dreaming Dark.
Any humanoid
Monsters
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
and empower them, but the truth is far darker. The Inspired are the mortal hosts of the nightmare spirits of Dal Quor, and they carry out the foul agenda of the Dreaming Dark.
Any humanoid who can dream
throughout Khorvaire as well. Beggars and generals, mayors and merchants might all be secret servants of the Dreaming Dark. Such Inspired have to willingly accept quori possession, but the Dreaming Dark
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
merchants might all be secret servants of the 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
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Dark Devotion. The cultist has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
Icy Doom. When the cultist dies, its corpse freezes for 9 days, during which time it can’t be
Levistus, the archdevil who rules Stygia, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, from the confines of an ice prison from which he cannot escape.
Most of the cultists are Icewind Dale natives who would
Monsters
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
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
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
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Dark Devotion. The fanatic has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
Spellcasting. The fanatic is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC
","rollDamageType":"piercing"} piercing damage.The Knights of the Black Sword are a secret society of cultists devoted to Levistus, the archdevil who rules Stygia, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, from the
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
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
called lich-knights or fell horsemen.
In stark contrast to the knights of Eldraine, the deathless riders are without virtue of any kind. They are few in number—unless many more lurk in the dark
Variant Human
Legacy
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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.
Monsters
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
quori's Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the possession ends.Quori
Dal Quor is the plane of dreams and is currently dominated by a dark power known as il-Lashtavar
, or the Dreaming Dark. Il-Lashtavar is served by a host of aberrations that are the embodiments of dreams and nightmares — the quori. Because it is difficult for anything to physically travel to or
Monsters
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
after the possession ends.Quori
Dal Quor is the plane of dreams and is currently dominated by a dark power known as il-Lashtavar, or the Dreaming Dark. Il-Lashtavar is served by a host of aberrations
guide the quori race, and the Devourer of Dreams — the personal emissary of the Dreaming Dark — is of this order. Although the kalaraqs never fight one another overtly, each has its own agenda, and
Criminal / Spy
Legacy
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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
.
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth
Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set, thieves’ tools
Equipment: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a pouch
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
":"Acid Spray","rollDamageType":"acid"} acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.A hive lord rules each kruthik hive. When the hive lord dies, the surviving members of the
floor with their sharp legs.
In addition to having an acute sense of smell, kruthiks can see in the dark and can detect vibrations in the earth around them. They take the scent of their own dead as a
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
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
Whisperer. A purple star whose guidance and minions seem to help for a time but whose influence inevitably leads to disaster.
Hadar, the Dark Hunger. A cinder-red dying star that siphons life from its
Monsters
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Feedback","rollDamageType":"psychic"} psychic damage.Quori
Dal Quor is the plane of dreams and is currently dominated by a dark power known as il-Lashtavar, or the Dreaming Dark. Il-Lashtavar is
. 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
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
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
Monsters
Infernal Machine Rebuild
. Among the largest was the thessalkraken—a slightly smaller variant of the legendary kraken, resembling that great tentacled titan but with a jagged-toothed maw that drips constantly with
acid.A Thessalkraken’s Lair
A thessalkraken lives in the dark depths, usually a sunken rift or a cavern filled with detritus, treasure, and the remains of sacrificial victims.
Lair Actions
On
classes
Xanathar's Guide to Everything
the influence of dark forces that drives them to evil. By setting the proper example, and working to heal the wounds of a deeply flawed world, you can set anyone on a righteous path.
Patience.
Aasimar
Legacy
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Species
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
dark eyes
3
Starkly colored hair
4
An unusual hue tinting your shadow
5
A ghostly halo crowning your head
6
Rainbows gleaming on your skin
Creating Your Character
At
1st 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
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
unquestioned, and impress those on the lookout for wealthy patrons. You are welcome in the Upper City and may stay there after dark without being harassed or evicted. Your word is accepted over others&rsquo
; without question, and any corruption among guards or government officials tends to work in your favor, not against you—at least until you make some effort to expose it.
Variant Noble: Knight
A
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
type of gaming set, thieves’ tools
Equipment: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a pouch containing 15 gp
Criminal Origins
Criminals are pervasive in Baldur
Reborn
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
sensations or visions of the past to come rushing back.
Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark
, 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
classes
Xanathar's Guide to Everything
the influence of dark forces that drives them to evil. By setting the proper example, and working to heal the wounds of a deeply flawed world, you can set anyone on a righteous path.
Patience.
Demilich (Variant)
Legacy
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Monsters
Monster Manual (2014)
curse on a success.The transformation into a demilich isn’t a bitter end for all liches that experience it. Made as a conscious choice, the path of the demilich becomes the next step in a dark
evolution. The lich Acererak — a powerful wizard and demonologist and the infamous master of the Tomb of Horrors — anticipated his own transformation, preparing for it by setting enchanted
Genasi
Legacy
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Species
Elemental Evil Player's Companion
accustomed to a variety of different people.
GENASI ON ATHAS
Although any world that includes one or more elemental planes can feature genasi, on Athas, the world of the Dark Sun campaign setting
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
villains. Some races have unusual traits in different worlds. The halflings of the Dark Sun setting, for example, are jungle-dwelling cannibals, and the elves are desert nomads. Some worlds feature races
a central role in the Dragonlance setting. But they’re all D&D worlds, and you can use the rules here to create a character and play in any one of them. Your DM might set the campaign on one of these
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
villains. Some races have unusual traits in different worlds. The halflings of the Dark Sun setting, for example, are jungle-dwelling cannibals, and the elves are desert nomads. Some worlds feature races
a central role in the Dragonlance setting. But they’re all D&D worlds, and you can use the rules here to create a character and play in any one of them. Your DM might set the campaign on one of these
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
full of creatures that perfectly suit a storyline of supernatural horror. The most important element of such a campaign, though, isn’t covered by the rules. A dark-fantasy setting requires an
Dark Fantasy Vampires brood on the battlements of their accursed castles. Necromancers toil in dark dungeons to create horrid servants made of dead flesh. Devils corrupt the innocent, and werewolves
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
; Elminster
The serpent creatures known as yuan-ti are all that remains of an ancient, decadent human empire. Ages ago their dark gods taught them profane, cannibalistic rituals to mix their flesh
primordial world heeded the prayers of these people and hissed dark demands into their ears. The people tainted their souls by performing human sacrifices in the name of the gods, debased their flesh by
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.