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Halfling

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

Kadroth

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

Cultist (Knights of the Black Sword)

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

Variant Feral Tiefling

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

Since not all tieflings are of the blood of Asmodeus, some have traits that differ from those in the Player’s Handbook. The Dungeon Master may permit the following variants for your

, choose 1d4 + 1 of the following features: small horns; fangs or sharp teeth; a forked tongue; catlike eyes; six fingers on each hand; goat-like legs; cloven hoofs; a forked tail; leathery or scaly skin; red or dark blue skin; cast no shadow or reflection; exude a smell of brimstone.

Variant Tiefling

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

Since not all tieflings are of the blood of Asmodeus, some have traits that differ from those in the Player’s Handbook. The Dungeon Master may permit the following variants for your tiefling

; cloven hoofs; a forked tail; leathery or scaly skin; red or dark blue skin; cast no shadow or reflection; exude a smell of brimstone.

Cult Fanatic (Knights of the Black Sword)

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

Deathless Rider

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

Kruthik Hive Lord

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

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

. 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

Oath of Redemption (XGtE)

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

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

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

Flint squinted into the setting sun. He thought he saw the figure of a man striding up the path. Standing, Flint drew back into the shadow of a tall pine to see better. The man’s walk was

-Elf Variants Some half-elves in Faerûn have a racial trait in place of the Skill Versatility trait. If your DM allows it, your half-elf character can forgo Skill Versatility and instead take the elf trait Keen Senses or a trait based on your elf parentage:

Reborn Legacy

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

Oath of Redemption

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.

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

Demilich (Variant) Legacy

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

Tools

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules

you take the action. This entry also provides the DC for the action. Craft. This entry lists what, if anything, you can craft with the tool. For crafting rules, see “Crafting Equipment” later in the

chapter. Variants. This entry appears if the tool has variants, which are listed. Each requires a separate proficiency.

Tools

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook

you take the action. This entry also provides the DC for the action. Craft. This entry lists what, if anything, you can craft with the tool. For crafting rules, see “Crafting Equipment” later in the

chapter. Variants. This entry appears if the tool has variants, which are listed. Each requires a separate proficiency.

Mixed Heritage

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

generally have elven names. In some places half-elf children are named according to the “other” parent, or with a mix of human and elven names, as a way of setting half-elves apart from the rest of

Handbook, although some variations are possible; see the “Half-Elf Variants” sidebar. HALF-ELF VARIANTS Some half-elves in Faerûn have a racial trait in place of the Skill Versatility trait. If your DM

Genasi Legacy

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

Worlds of Adventure

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

Worlds of Adventure

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

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

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

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

Dark Fantasy

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

Chapter 9: Dungeon Master's Workshop

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

magic items. The options in this chapter relate to many different parts of the game. Some of them are variants of rules, and others are entirely new rules. Each option represents a different genre, style

Chapter 9: Dungeon Master’s Workshop As the Dungeon Master, you aren’t limited by the rules in the Player’s Handbook, the guidelines in these rules, or the selection of monsters in the Monster Manual

Diseases

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

Diseases A plague ravages the kingdom, setting the adventurers on a quest to find a cure. An adventurer emerges from an ancient tomb, unopened for centuries, and soon finds herself suffering from a

wasting illness. A warlock offends some dark power and contracts a strange affliction that spreads whenever he casts spells. A simple outbreak might amount to little more than a small drain on party

Dark Fantasy Settings

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

. Alternatively, the setting might exhibit the effects of a disaster—perhaps an event that gave rise to brutal powers. Such scars appear both upon the setting and upon its inhabitants. Dark Fantasy Settings d8

Dark Fantasy Settings Sinister individuals leave their marks upon dark fantasy domains, whether as oppressive architecture, unavoidable propaganda, or scars upon an exploited environment

Part 3: Master of Rules

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

player do it), and the game continues. Sometimes mediating the rules means setting limits. If a player tells you, “I want to run up and attack the orc,” but the character doesn’t have enough movement

how. That chapter also contains optional rules for unusual situations or play styles, such as the use of firearms in a fantasy setting.

Folk Hero - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

dozen adopted grandparents inviting you in for a meal. 3 Seeing a lost patriar after dark in the Outer City, you guided the wayward noble through back streets to safety. The patriar repaid your

1 The tyrant who rules my land will stop at nothing to see me killed. 2 I’m convinced of the significance of my destiny, and blind to my shortcomings and the risk of failure. 3

Chapter 1

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Astarion's Book of Hungers

Chapter 1 Vampiric Character Options CYNTHIA SHEPPARD Revelers at this decadent ball in Baldur’s Gate don’t realize that vampires are in their midst and on the prowl This chapter includes rules to

flesh out characters who have ties to the vampiric underworld, whether in Baldur’s Gate or another setting of your choosing.

What Does a DM Do?

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

way that will make the game fun for everyone. Referee. When it’s not clear what ought to happen next, the DM decides how to apply the rules. Storyteller. The DM crafts adventures, setting situations in

session and for creating situations that facilitate fun. Improviser. A big part of being the DM is deciding how to apply the rules as you go and imagining the consequences of the characters’ actions in a

The Land of the Mists

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

logic as nightmares: Whatever is the most terrifying is true. The Dark Powers, the Mists, and the nature of domains are purposefully mysterious. Mundane details and the lives of domain inhabitants are

constructed on illusions and impossibilities. Should characters realize the surreality of the setting, those revelations only create a stronger sense of existential dread and suggest greater questions

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

skills. This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays a dragon, he or she might

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

Horror Toolkit

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

Horror Toolkit Setting the stage for horror isn’t entirely a product of good storytelling. As highlighted throughout this book, any rule might take on a terrifying cast, whether you present it as

having some grim source or you customize it with ominous new options. This section goes a step further, providing options to make existing rules more terrifying and presenting systems that encourage unique horror experiences.

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