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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.

Biha Babir

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

again until the start of her next turn.Scheming Marid Ruler The calculating Biha Babir rules the pelagic city of Maran Saya in Calimshan. Though her physical form is as fluid as the ocean itself, she

Shadows. Biha Babir took up leadership of Maran Saya after the previous ruler, her father, retired. People know her as a shrewd ruler, preferring battles of wit over clashes of swords. Of the genie

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

Inspired (Hashalaq variant)

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.The rulers of distant Sarlona are known as the Inspired. These noble families are said to be bound to celestial spirits

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

disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.The rulers of distant Sarlona are known as the Inspired. These noble families are said to be bound to celestial spirits that guide

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

Nightmare Shepherd

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

(Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The shepherd pulls twisted souls from the Underworld; 1d6;{"diceNotation":"1d6","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Herd the Underworld"} shadow;shadows (without

Sunlight Weakness; see the Monster Manual) arise in unoccupied spaces within 20 feet of the shepherd. The shadows act right after the shepherd on the same initiative count and fight until they’re

Inspired (Kalaraq variant)

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

":"Vicious Mockery","rollDamageType":"psychic"} psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.The rulers of distant Sarlona are known as the Inspired

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

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.

Inspired

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

distant Sarlona are known as the Inspired. These noble families are said to be bound to celestial spirits that guide and empower them, but the truth is far darker. The Inspired are the mortal hosts of

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

Killmoulis

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

help a tired or lost traveler. Emerging from the shadows near the site of the deed, the creature takes to the road, wandering to seek out travelers who might have food it can sneak away with in return

for the benefits of its magic. Shy and solitary by nature, a killmoulis enjoys watching and listening to folk from distant places that it knows little about. Whether fierce raiders, enterprising

Sailor Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

distant line of the horizon, but the time has come to try your hand at something new. Discuss the nature of the ship you previously sailed with your Dungeon Master. Was it a merchant ship, a naval

Master will determine how long it takes to get where you need to go. In return for your free passage, you and your companions are expected to assist the crew during the voyage. Variant Sailor: Pirate

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

Sailor - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

the bottomless depths. Your first love is the distant line of the horizon, but the time has come to try your hand at something new. Discuss the nature of the ship you previously sailed with your

the Gray Wavers—the Flaming Fist harbor guards—and have a sense of how to operate the city’s mechanized cranes. Variant Sailor: Pirate You spent your youth under the sway of a

Owlin

Species Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Distant kin of giant owls from the Feywild, owlin come in many shapes and sizes, from petite and fluffy to wide-winged and majestic. Owlin have arms and legs like other Humanoids, as well as wings

additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one of those scores by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or

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

Lord Soth of Sithicus (DMR)

monsters

elven beauty that once captivated him lies ruined, the land burns with the flames of Krynn’s Cataclysm, and the realm’s shadows remind Soth of his past failures. Worse, no worthy foes exist

effects end immediately. Lord Soth’s Lair Lord Soth rules from Nedragaard Keep, a twisted, copy of his accursed fortress on Krynn, Dargaard Keep. Nedragaard Keep grows and withers over time like

Firbolg

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Distant cousins of giants, the first firbolgs wandered the primeval forests of the multiverse, and the magic of those forests entwined itself with the firbolgs’ souls. Centuries later, that

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

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

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

personality: a feline shifter may be cool and distant, driven by predatory instincts, while a shifter with a lupine spirit might be drawn to find and protect a pack. When a shifter fully embraces this beast

also be a cunning rat who darts through the shadows. Wildhunt shifters are born from any creature that tracks its prey. While the beast within certainly has a physical impact on a shifter, it has a

Lizardfolk

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

The saurian lizardfolk are thought by some sages to be distant cousins of dragonborn and kobolds. Despite their resemblance to those other scaled folk, however, lizardfolk are their own people and

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 Score

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

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

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

Mysterious Islands

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Mysterious Islands Small islands dot most oceans, distant or unexplored locales that might host all manner of adventures. The following rules can be used to generate any islands the characters might encounter.

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

Character Creation

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

Bahamut, and the warlock who made an eldritch pact with a moonstone dragon. For dragons are not always adversaries. They can be patrons, allies, and benefactors; they can scheme in the shadows; and they

can dramatically shape adventurers’ lives. The following sections present a variety of options for creating characters with a tie to dragons: “Draconic Races” presents variant dragonborn race options to

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

4. Steep Passage

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

splashing down its west side. In the shadows, a side passage leads west across the other side of the stream. Characters using light or darkvision to look farther up the passage spot the bridge at area 5

. Add: In the shadows of the ceiling to the north, you can just make out the dim shape of a rickety bridge of wood and rope crossing over the passage ahead of you. Another passage intersects this one

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

Ranger

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

Ranger Rough and wild looking, a human stalks alone through the shadows of trees, hunting the orcs he knows are planning a raid on a nearby farm. Clutching a shortsword in each hand, he becomes a

creature while he readies his bow. Far from the bustle of cities and towns, past the hedges that shelter the most distant farms from the terrors of the wild, amid the dense-packed trees of trackless forests and across wide and empty plains, rangers keep their unending watch.

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