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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.

Hat of Wizardry

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

This cone-shaped hat is adorned with moons and stars. While you are wearing it, you gain the following benefits. Spellcasting Focus. You can use the hat as a Spellcasting Focus for your Wizard

spells. Unknown Spell. As a Magic action, you can try to cast a cantrip that you don’t know. The cantrip must be on the Wizard spell list and have a casting time of an action, and you make a DC 10

Elf

Species Player’s Handbook

, including worlds in the Material Plane. Elves have pointed ears and lack facial and body hair. They live for around 750 years, and they don’t sleep but instead enter a trance when they need

shaped by it. Some drow individuals and societies avoid the Underdark altogether yet carry its magic. In the Eberron setting, for example, drow dwell in rainforests and cyclopean ruins on the continent of

Mechanical Wonder

Magic Items Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

and your allies. In combat, the wonder shares your Initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don’t issue

, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any, it takes the Dodge action and uses its movement to avoid danger

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

Cultist (Knights of the Black Sword)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

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

-shaped amulet of chardalyn. Each of these amulets has an inner radiance that provides warmth and aid, protecting its wearer against the cold while guiding them safely back to civilization. Once its

Gnoll Witherling

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

against each other, perhaps to determine who rules a war band or because of extreme starvation. Even under ordinary circumstances, gnolls that are deprived of victims for too long struggle to control

the remains back to a semblance of life in the form of a gnoll witherling. Witherlings travel with their comrades and try to kill anything in their path. They don’t eat and aren’t motivated

Dhergoloth

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, dhergoloths rush into battle like whirlwinds of destruction, lashing out with the five sets of claws that extend from their squat, barrel-shaped bodies. They take contracts to put down uprisings, clear out

brutes, employers must use caution when instructing them. They can handle simple orders that don’t take a lot of time to resolve. When given anything complex to do, however, they either forget what

Miros Xelbrin

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

Miros is a retired carnival attraction, dubbed “the Yeti” because of his barrel-shaped body and the thick, white hair covering his arms, chest, back, and head. When Goldenfields suffers

: “Make fun of me all you like, but don’t speak ill of my inn or my employees!” Flaw: “When something upsets me, I have a tendency to fly into a rage.”

Cult Fanatic (Knights of the Black Sword)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

","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

agreed to follow Levistus, a pale glow caught their eye in the snow nearby, leading to the discovery of a sword-shaped amulet of chardalyn. Each of these amulets has an inner radiance that provides

Hat of Wizardry Legacy

Magic Items Xanathar's Guide to Everything

This antiquated, cone-shaped hat is adorned with gold crescent moons and stars. While you are wearing it, you gain the following benefits: You can use the hat as a spellcasting focus for your

wizard spells. You can try to cast a cantrip that you don’t know. The cantrip must be on the wizard spell list, and you must make a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check. If the check succeeds

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.

Bell Branch

Magic Items Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

This silver implement is shaped like a tree branch and is strung with small golden bells. The branch is a spellcasting focus for your spells while you hold it. The branch has 3 charges, and it

, constructs, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead within 60 feet of you. If such creatures are present and don’t have total cover from you, the bells ring softly, their tone indicating the creature types present. As an action, you can expend 1 charge to cast protection from evil and good.

Bearded Axe

Equipment

The hook-shaped “beard” at the lower edge of the head of a bearded axe gives it its characteristic silhouette and provides a larger cutting edge than standard battle axes without

weapon’s damage, but don’t add your ability modifier to that damage unless that modifier is negative. You can make this extra attack only once per turn.

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

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

Bugbear

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

. These types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different ways. For example, the cure wounds spell doesn’t work on a Construct or

lurking just out of sight, and many of them have sneaked away from that god’s influence. They are long of limb and covered in coarse hair, with wedge-shaped ears and pointed teeth. Despite their

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

Wereraven Legacy

monsters Curse of Strahd

light weapons. They are reluctant to make bite attacks in raven form for fear of spreading their curse to those who don’t deserve it or who would abuse it. A Kindness of Wereravens. Wereravens

, 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

Chwinga Astronaut

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

glittering spores, a statuette resembling its former self, a chunk of ice, or a sponge shaped like a dodecahedron (DM’s choice).Magical Gift (1/Day). The chwinga targets a Humanoid it can see

, animated dolls with mask-like faces, spindly limbs, and wild hair. They don’t have names and can’t speak. Chwingas normally avoid other creatures, but they find the trappings of civilization

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

Guild Artisan / Guild Merchant Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

in the guild’s good graces. Variant Guild Artisan: Guild Merchant Instead of an artisans’ guild, you might belong to a guild of traders, caravan masters, or shopkeepers. You don&rsquo

Wilfred Godefroy

monsters

. Wilfred makes one Object Slam attack.Lord Wilfred Godefroy rules the afterlife of all who die in Mordent. Arrogant, impatient, and vengeful, the Darklord seeks any opportunity to exert his control and

. He uses his control over the dead to influence the living, threatening to harm his victims’ dead loved ones if they don’t obey his fickle commands. A generation ago, the creators of the

Noble Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

inheritance that no one cares what you do, as long as you don’t embarrass the family? How does the head of your family feel about your adventuring career? Are you in your family’s good graces, or

. Variant Noble: Knight A knighthood is among the lowest noble titles in most societies, but it can be a path to higher status. If you wish to be a knight, choose the Retainers feature (see the sidebar

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

Topaz Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. Their bodies are wider at the haunches, tapering in a wedge shape toward the head, and their wings are shaped to propel them through both air and water. A topaz dragon’s psionic power manifests

protectors who don’t understand the dragons’ proclivity for destroying large swaths of countryside. Beyond that, topaz dragons dislike company and grow irritated when disturbed. But anyone who

Proficiency Bonus Legacy

Rules

(History) checks. In general, you don’t multiply your proficiency bonus for attack rolls or saving throws. If a feature or effect allows you to do so, these same rules apply.

Characters have a proficiency bonus determined by level, as detailed in chapter 1. Monsters also have this bonus, which is incorporated in their stat blocks. The bonus is used in the rules on ability

Noble - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

inheritance that no one cares what you do, as long as you don’t embarrass the family? How does the head of your family feel about your adventuring career? Are you in your family’s good graces, or

; 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

Owlin

Species Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

, has a special tag in the rules that identifies the type of creature they are. Most player characters, including owlin, are of the Humanoid type. Creature types don’t have rules themselves, but

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

Smuggler

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

’s Code. I uphold the unwritten rules of the smugglers, who do not cheat one another or directly harm innocents. (Lawful) 3 All for a Coin. I’ll do nearly anything if it

business. 5 I was tricked by a fellow smuggler who stole something precious from me. I will find that thief. 6 I give most of my profits to a charitable cause, and I don’t like to brag

Young Topaz Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

haunches, tapering in a wedge shape toward the head, and their wings are shaped to propel them through both air and water. A topaz dragon’s psionic power manifests visibly in the gem-like

their coastal territories overlap, and they can nurture an inexplicably intense hatred of these metallic dragons. They can also draw the ire of druids and other nature protectors who don’t

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

creatures whose combined average hit points don’t exceed 500. These undead magically rise up from the ground or otherwise form in unoccupied spaces within 300 feet of Orcus and obey his commands

chapter 7, "Treasure” of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules

Crystal Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

) 6 Control. Everyone is welcome, as long as they follow my rules. (Lawful) Crystal Dragon Adventures The Crystal Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers suggestions for stories and adventures

—if only they would stop trying to kill the dragon’s guests. 6 A crystal dragon wyrmling is placed in a monastery to learn the teachings of the monks before returning home in three years. The monks don’t appreciate the wyrmling’s pranks. Cold, Radiant

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

creatures whose combined average hit points don’t exceed 500. These creatures magically rise up from the ground or otherwise form in unoccupied spaces within 300 feet of Orcus and obey his commands

Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules. Surrounded by a moat fed by the

Getting Into and Out of Armor

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

Getting Into and Out of Armor The time it takes to don or doff a type of armor or a shield is shown in the Donning and Doffing Armor table. Don. This is the time it takes to put on the item. You

benefit from its AC only if you take the full time to don it. Doff. This is the time it takes to take off the item. If you have help removing armor, reduce this time by half. Category Don Doff Light

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