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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.

Vampire

Monsters Monster Manual

, the vampire uses Shape-Shift to become mist (no action required). If it can’t use Shape-Shift, it is destroyed. While it has 0 Hit Points in mist form, it can’t return to its vampire form

water. Stake to the Heart. If a weapon that deals Piercing damage is driven into the vampire’s heart while the vampire has the Incapacitated condition in its resting place, the vampire has the

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.

Vampire Infernalist

Monsters Astarion's Book of Hungers

, the vampire uses Shape-Shift to become mist (no action required). If it can’t use Shape-Shift, it is destroyed. While it has 0 Hit Points in mist form, it can’t return to its vampire form

. Running Water. The vampire takes 20 Acid damage if it ends its turn in running water. Stake to the Heart. If a weapon that deals Piercing damage is driven into the vampire’s heart while the

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

Grung Elite Warrior

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

. These amphibians prefer shade and live in trees, but they maintain hatcheries for their offspring in well-guarded ground-level pools. About three months after hatching, a grung tadpole takes on the shape

secrete a substance that is harmless to them but poisonous to other creatures, and sometimes that substance has a special effect based on the grung’s color (see “Variant: Grung Poison&rdquo

Grung Wildling

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

takes on the shape of an adult, and after another six months, the grung reaches maturity. Born in a wide range of colors, grungs most often appear in shades of green, blue, purple, red, orange, and

gold. All grungs secrete a substance that is harmless to them but poisonous to other creatures, and sometimes that substance has a special effect based on the grung’s color (see “Variant

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.

Grung

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

-level pools. About three months after hatching, a grung tadpole takes on the shape of an adult, and after another six months, the grung reaches maturity. Born in a wide range of colors, grungs most often

effect based on the grung’s color (see “Variant: Grung Poison”). They also use this venom to poison their weapons. Variant: Grung Poison A creature poisoned by a grung can suffer an

Kas the Betrayer

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

Tovag, his Domain of Dread. He can be permanently destroyed only by having a stake driven through his heart and then being beheaded. The stake must be cut from a tree growing in soil from Oerth, Kas&rsquo

Shape bonus action.Multiattack. Kas makes three Vengeful Sword attacks. He can replace one of these attacks with a Bite attack. Vengeful Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +15;{"diceNotation":"1d20+15

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

Amnizu (Summoner Variant)

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, where it flows through Dis and Stygia. They collect the souls arriving in the form of lemure;lemures (see the Monster Manual). Lemures 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.Fire, PoisonCold; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Silvered

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

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.

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

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.

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

Guild took over your family business, ran it into the ground, and burned the building for insurance money. You were driven into crime yourself, but you’ll never work for the Guild. You take

Strahd von Zarovich

monsters

Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Domain). If Strahd fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Misty Escape. If Strahd drops to 0 Hit Points outside his resting place, he uses Shape-Shift

to become mist (no action required). If he can’t use Shape-Shift, he is destroyed. While Strahd has 0 Hit Points in mist form, he can’t return to his vampire form, and he must reach his

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

Hobgoblin

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Hobgoblins trace their origins to the ancient courts of the Feywild, where they first appeared with their goblin and bugbear kin. Many of them were driven from the Feywild by the conquering god

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

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

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

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the responsibility to earn a place in the tribe or die trying. Driven Competitors Every day brings a new challenge to a goliath. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the uppermost mountain reaches. A

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

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

can’t fully change shape, they can temporarily enhance their animalistic features — a state they call shifting. Each shifter walks on the knife’s edge between the wilds and the

of their inner nature, something that emerges as the shifter’s personality takes shape. The beast within is a pool of powerful instincts, and its influence is revealed by a shifter’s

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

Lhammaruntosz

Monsters Sleeping Dragon’s Wake

a DC 19 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is pushed 60 feet away from the dragon. Change Shape. Lhammaruntosz magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge

Bahamut, which the dragon can use to commune with the deity. In recent decades Lhammaruntosz has retreated inside the shrine, becoming reclusive due to a attack by a disguised demon which has driven her

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

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

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

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