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Returning 35 results for 'shapes of rules direct variant'.
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shape of rules direct variant
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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.
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
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
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
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
Spells
Elemental Evil Player's Companion
flow of the water as you direct, up to 5 feet in any direction. This movement doesn’t have enough force to cause damage.
You cause the water to form into simple shapes and animate at your
Variant Human
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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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
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
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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
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
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
yuan-ti know they can’t resort to direct attacks in order to reclaim their rightful place in the world. Operating out of the subterranean ruins of their buildings in foreign lands, yuan-ti
, the yuan-ti will do so—and they actually prefer these tactics to open warfare. Because abominations and malisons can change into the shapes of snakes, they can keep their presence hidden and
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
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
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
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
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.
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Area of Effect The descriptions of many spells and other features specify that they have an area of effect, which typically has one of six shapes. These shapes are defined elsewhere in this glossary
: Cone
Cube
Cylinder
Emanation
Line
Sphere
An area of effect has a point of origin, a location from which the effect’s energy erupts. The rules for each shape specify how to position its
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
Area of Effect The descriptions of many spells and other features specify that they have an area of effect, which typically has one of six shapes. These shapes are defined elsewhere in this glossary
: Cone
Cube
Cylinder
Emanation
Line
Sphere
An area of effect has a point of origin, a location from which the effect’s energy erupts. The rules for each shape specify how to position its
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
patron. 3 A fortune teller’s reading for one of the characters points to a quest and offers hints about challenges that lie ahead. 4 Flames, clouds, smoke, or huge flocks of birds take distinct shapes
that portend the adventure situation. 5 Animals or animated objects speak clearly to direct the adventurers toward the situation. 6 Someone who died returns as a ghost and haunts the characters. The ghost prompts the characters to investigate the cause of the ghost’s death and put it to rest.
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.
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
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
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
shapes the character’s abilities beyond the choice of class. Background and species options are presented in chapter 4. Chapter 5: Feats. The feats in chapter 5 are special features that characters
game information for creatures that certain characters can befriend or transform into. Appendix C: Rules Glossary. The game’s main rules terminology is summarized in this appendix, making it an invaluable reference during play.
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