shape of rules direct variant - Search

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

punished.Acid, Cold, LightningFluid Form. Biha Babir Shape-Shifting;shape-shifts into a form resembling a Beast or Humanoid that is Medium or smaller, while retaining her game statistics (other than her size), or returns to her true marid form.

Grung Elite Warrior

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Amphibious. The grung can breathe air and water. Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with the grung’s skin must succeed on a DC 12

Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the grung can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on

Grung Wildling

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Amphibious. The grung can breathe air and water. Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with the grung’s skin must succeed on a DC 12

Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the grung can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on

Grung

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Amphibious. The grung can breathe air and water. Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with the grung’s skin must succeed on a DC 12

Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the grung can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on

Tlacatecolo

Monsters Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

":"piercing"} piercing damage plus 14 (3d8);{"diceNotation":"3d8","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Talon (Poison)","rollDamageType":"poison"} poison damage. Change Shape. The tlacatecolo magically

level of exhaustion. If the creature is in direct sunlight when it makes this saving throw, it automatically succeeds on the save. If the creature is targeted by magic that ends a poison or disease

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.

High Fae Kindguard

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

fae kindguards are in direct service to Talion, the Kindly Lord. Nine times nine have these high fae sworn a binding oath to protect the Kindly Lord, each time pricking their hand on a hawthorn

operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must always be repaid, promises must be honored, and outright lies must never be spoken (though misdirection and riddles are always welcome). To

Harpy Matriarch

Monsters Ghosts of Saltmarsh

disguise itself to resemble a humanoid of roughly similar size and shape for up to 1 hour. It can revert to its true form as a bonus action. This illusion does not hold up to close scrutiny. Luring Song

direct route, trying to get within 5 feet. It doesn't avoid opportunity attacks, but before moving into damaging terrain, such as lava or a pit, and whenever it takes damage from a source other than the

Kelpie

Monsters Tales from the Yawning Portal

Amphibious. The kelpie can breathe air and water. Seaweed Shape. The kelpie can use its action to reshape its body into the form of a humanoid or beast that is Small, Medium, or Large. Its

immediately runs out of breath, unless it can breathe water. If the charmed target is more than 5 feet away from the kelpie, the target must move on its turn toward the kelpie by the most direct route

Spitting Mimic

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

damage on a successful one.Mimics are shape-shifting monsters described in the Monster Manual. The variant presented here is a particularly large and voracious specimen—the result of Netherese experiments on ordinary mimics—that spits acid.Acid

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

Boss Delour

Monsters The Book of Many Things

"} poison damage.Delour the wererat is a sly trickster and consummate thief who rules the Moonstalkers alongside his friend Boss Augustus;Augustus. Delour’s honeyed words and calculating mind make

with utmost respect. If he discovers Augustus’s plot to become human and leave the Moonstalkers, he would consider it the ultimate betrayal.Change Shape. Delour polymorphs into a rat-humanoid

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

Changeling Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

changelings today—even in those changelings who have never set foot in the fey realm. Each changeling decides how to use their shape-shifting ability, channeling either the peril or the joy of the

, their features almost devoid of detail. It is rare to see a changeling in that form, for a typical changeling changes their shape the way others might change clothes. A casual shape—one created

Hag of the Fetid Gaze

Monsters Candlekeep Mysteries

like another creature of her general size and humanoid shape. The illusion ends if the hag takes a bonus action to end it or if she dies. The changes wrought by this effect fail to hold up to physical

with her.Three Green Hag (Coven Variant);green hags named Dread Morgan, Vile Sazha, and Auntie Greenbones were once rivals who dwelled in an area of the Feywild coterminous with the High Forest. A

Wereraven Legacy

monsters Curse of Strahd

"} to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2);{"diceNotation":"1d6+2","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Hand Crossbow","rollDamageType":"piercing"} piercing damage. Change Shape. The

, modestly give money to charity. They take steps to keep magic items out of evil hands by stashing them in secret hiding places. Characters as Wereravens. The Monster Manual has rules for characters

Living Portent

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

power to defy death. RadiantChange Shape. The living portent magically transforms into a Humanoid while retaining its game statistics (other than its size and Brilliance trait). The transformation ends if the living portent is reduced to 0 hit points or uses a bonus action to end it.

Banderhobb

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Resonant Connection. If the banderhobb has even a tiny piece of a creature or an object in its possession, such as a lock of hair or a splinter of wood, it knows the most direct route to that

shape resembling a bipedal toad. In this form, a banderhobb temporarily serves its creator as a thug, a thief, and a kidnapper that swallows the unwary. Hags have devised a ritual for creating

Shapechange Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change shape or size to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground

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.

Air Genasi

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Planes, each genasi can tap into the power of one of the elements. Air, earth, fire, and water—these are the four pillars of the Material Plane and the four types of genasi. Some genasi are direct

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

Water Genasi

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

the power of one of the elements. Air, earth, fire, and water—these are the four pillars of the Material Plane and the four types of genasi. Some genasi are direct descendants of a genie, while

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 Increases When

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

Shifter Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Shifters are sometimes called weretouched, as they are descendants of people who contracted full or partial lycanthropy. Humanoids with a bestial aspect, shifters can’t fully change shape, but

race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability

City Watch / Investigator

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

easily pick out the dens of criminal activity in a community, although you’re more likely to be welcome in the former locations rather than the latter. Variant: Investigator Rarer

hell hound without flinching. 6 I enjoy being strong and like breaking things. 7 I have a crude sense of humor. 8 I face problems head-on. A simple, direct solution is the best path to

Deep Dragon Wyrmling Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

other dragons, but we are superior beings and should not lower ourselves to direct conflict. 4 I have no interest in going to the surface world. It’s where one sends one’s servants

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

Hashalaq Quori

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

range of simple shapes. A point of blue light suspended within its tendrils serves as the hashalaq's sensory organ, which can be moved around to suit the creature's current shape. The Power of Pleasure

. 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

Aasimar Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

receives visions and guidance from celestial entities via dreams. These dreams help shape an aasimar, granting a sense of destiny and a desire for righteousness. Each aasimar can count a specific

;provides guidance to the aasimar, though this connection functions only in dreams. As such, the guidance is not a direct command or a simple spoken word. Instead, the aasimar receives visions, prophecies

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

Plasmoid

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Plasmoids are amorphous beings with no typical shape. In the presence of other folk, they often adopt a similar shape, but there’s little chance of mistaking a plasmoid for anything else. They

vibrations. Plasmoids can stiffen the outer layers of their bodies to maintain a humanlike shape, so they can wear clothing and accessories. They speak by forcing air out of tubular cavities that

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.

dragonborn race in the Player’s Handbook is the most direct way to reflect a character with dragons somewhere far back in their ancestry. But for players who want to try a more nuanced approach, this

Earth Genasi

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

power of one of the elements. Air, earth, fire, and water—these are the four pillars of the Material Plane and the four types of genasi. Some genasi are direct descendants of a genie, while others

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 Increases When

Fire Genasi

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

the power of one of the elements. Air, earth, fire, and water—these are the four pillars of the Material Plane and the four types of genasi. Some genasi are direct descendants of a genie, while

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 Increases When

Githzerai

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

their mental powers within the endless chaos of Limbo have imbued githzerai with the ability to shape psionic energy to protect themselves and probe minds. 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 Score

Search Results