Search Results
All Results
Characters
Compendium
Spells
Items
Monsters
Vehicles
Forums
Returning 35 results for 'shifting of rune defense variant'.
Other Suggestions:
shifting of race defend variant
shifting of race defenses variant
shifting of rules defend variant
shifting of rules defenses variant
shifting of race defense variant
Monsters
Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn
traveled across Calimshan, infiltrating rival genie courts and eliminating remnants of the Twisted Rune. Some accounts even tell of her fighting alongside Sultana Songal during the Night of Fleeing
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.
Monsters
Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the giant fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Fire Rune. The giant has a fire rune inscribed on a medallion or some other object in its
possession. While holding or wearing the object bearing the rune, the giant can use its Magma Wave action and Furnace Armor bonus action.
The object bearing the rune has AC 15; 40 hit points; and immunity to
Monsters
Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
Frost Rune. The giant has a frost rune inscribed on a chunk of ice or some other object in its possession. While holding or wearing the object bearing the rune, the giant can use its Ice Wolves
action and Ice Armor reaction.
The object bearing the rune has AC 16; 40 hit points; and immunity to necrotic, poison, and psychic damage. The object regains all its hit points at the end of every turn
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
Backgrounds
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
You have served the community where you grew up, standing as its first line of defense against crime. You aren’t a soldier, directing your gaze outward at possible enemies. Instead, your
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
much they’ve recently eaten. Shifting Skin. Visitors to Spawn Hollow feel their skin slowly shifting over their muscles. Watchful Eyes. Visitors to the Labyrinth of Eyes constantly feel as though
they’re being watched. Gnawbles The rifts connect to different parts of the Far Realm, but they all have one thing in common: somewhere in each rift, the fanatics’ magical bolstering rune has faded and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
Frost Giant Ice Shaper Frost giants who master rune magic are known as ice shapers, and their sheer power typically contributes to a meteoric rise in the giants’ ordning. Many of them end up as jarls
energy of air and water to wield ice in both offense and defense. They summon ice elementals in the shape of wolves, cloak themselves in icy armor, and just as quickly turn that armor into a hail of deadly
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hold Back The Dead
defense, the army seeks to eliminate the characters by hurling monsters onto the battlements. Siege Weapon Sabotage. While the characters rest, a shape-shifting spy and its minions try to sabotage
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Giants of the Star Forge
Fire Giant Forgecaller A fire giant who masters traditional rune magic can control the heat of a volcanic environment and conjure raw elemental energy of fire and magma. In a fire giant community
, these forgecallers oversee both forges and the community’s defense, often in Surtur’s name. Some forgecallers prefer to live and work in isolation, seeking the hottest fires in volcanoes’ hearts or the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
Fire Giant Forgecaller A fire giant who masters traditional rune magic can control the heat of a volcanic environment and conjure raw elemental energy of fire and magma. In a fire giant community
, these forgecallers oversee both forges and the community’s defense, often in Surtur’s name. Some forgecallers prefer to live and work in isolation, seeking the hottest fires in volcanoes’ hearts or the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
, shifting the campaign’s focus to its defense and maintenance; a character could become separated from the rest of the party, trapped in an undetectable and unreachable prison; or characters could instantly
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
, and storm giant tempest caller all wield the traditional rune magic of their kind. They are joined by the death giant shrouded one and the fomorian warlock of the dark, giants outside the ordning
that nevertheless wield rune magic. Giant Cultists. Other variations include giants that follow the cults of "interloper gods." Some of these are Fiends transformed by their devotion to demon lords or
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Mimic 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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
rising back up to the ceiling in the next 50 feet, and a rune of fear in its final 30 feet. Whirling Blades (Initiative 20). The blades attack each creature in the first 80 feet of the hallway, with a
prone. Rune of Fear (Initiative 10). Each creature in the 30-foot-long area beyond the Crushing Pillars must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the creature becomes frightened by
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Locathah Rising
in her head and pull her tentacles up into the shell protectively, like a strange hermit crab. Whymsee (Kraken Priest Variant)
Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor
next turn.
Shell Defense. Whymsee withdraws into her shell. Until she emerges, she gains a +4 bonus to AC and has advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws. While in her shell, Whymsee is
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
, enveloping and devouring their victims. While it feeds, a cloaker uses its swift, whiplike tail for defense, although it rarely takes a stand against dangerous foes or groups of creatures. As an added
defense, cloakers can create illusory duplicates of themselves. Haunting Moan. Cloakers’ thoughts are alien to other life-forms, and they communicate with one another through subsonic moans inaudible to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
, and the greater wards placed on Undermountain by Halaster prevent it from getting away by plane shifting. Before he died, Yarek used a sending spell to warn the headmaster about the escaped devil
Devil Devil. Beyond the illusory wall waits a bone devil armed with a hooked polearm (see the “Variant: Bone Devil Polearm” sidebar in the “Devils” entry in the Monster Manual).
Statue. A raised stone
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
Shape-Shifting The time a dragon spends in a humanoid form is not directly related to our opinion of said form. In fact, dragons generally disagree with mortals about visual taste.
Most of you are
affecting the dragon’s challenge rating (as noted under “Customizing Dragons” earlier in this chapter). Likewise, if you use the Monster Manual variant rule to make dragons innate spellcasters, you could
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Having eluded the drow so far, ten grimlocks huddle in the back of this 10-foot-high cavern. They feed on fish from the River Sargauth and fight only in self-defense. 10c. Sea Hag Coven This 30-foot
damages the cauldron, an elder rune materializes above it (see “Elder Runes”). Draw from the Elder Runes Deck (see appendix B) to determine which rune appears. The elder rune targets a random creature
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Phantasmal Forest The Phantasmal Forest dominates the haunted land of Avonleigh, a shifting, surreal woodland cloaked by perpetual night. A dreamlike place controlled by Ebonbane, the forest changes
. The manor is still haunted by the spirit of Kateri Shadowborn. Stone Circle The Circle was founded here long ago. Amid rune-carved dolmens is a circular slab marked with the impression of thirteen
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
faith, making them proficient with the quarterstaff and nothing else. You could give them a benefit to make up for the loss of proficiencies—something like the monk’s Unarmored Defense class feature, but
an existing feature that can be used as a model? How does the new class feature compare to other features of the same level? Variant: Spell Points One way to modify how a class feels is to change how
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
Yugoloths Yugoloths are fickle fiends that inhabit the planes of Acheron, Gehenna, Hades, and Carceri. They act as mercenaries and are notorious for their shifting loyalties. They are the embodiments
fiend finds the General unless the General desires it. His personal name is unknown, and even the Books of Keeping contain no mention of this powerful, thoroughly evil entity. VARIANT: YUGOLOTH
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
, using them for menial tasks and for basic defense of Longsaddle. Some apprentices are often the inadvertent test subjects for an experimental spell, but such is the danger of apprenticing to the
, or shifting forms are fairly common sights in Longsaddle, not surprising to locals though they might give visitors pause. Given the Harpells’ reputation as powerful wizards, and the sheer number of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
immediately. Otherwise, they mock the party but don’t fight except in self-defense. Roaming Ooze The presence of the Pudding King (see “The Pudding Court” later in this chapter) is drawing oozes to
Blingdenstone. Roll a d4 and consult the Roaming Ooze table to determine what appears. d4 Encounter 1 1 black pudding 2 1 gelatinous cube 3 1d4 + 1 gray oozes, one of which is a psychic gray ooze variant (as
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
proficiencies, particularly if the dragon spends time in Humanoid form. Spells. The Monster Manual’s variant rule about making dragons innate spellcasters is an easy way to add variety to dragons
druid spells feels different from one who casts warlock spells. You can also give a dragon spells of a higher level than the variant rule allows, but such a tweak might increase the dragon’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
example of Corellon’s wild, ever-shifting ways. As these primal reflections of Corellon changed their nature and defined themselves, they came to see Corellon and Lolth in new lights. They now viewed
parent or the other. Corellon was revolted by this perceived betrayal and railed against Lolth’s intrusion. Some of the primal elves rose to her defense. They argued that no entity who sprang from
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Kestellharp”). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see “Elder Runes”). A creature that passes through the gate appears in area 10 on level 6, in the closest unoccupied
Wyllowwood. Wherever she is, Wyllow hears the roar and comes to the dragon’s defense. The dragon, Valdemar, refers to itself as Tearulai and won’t willingly part with the sword stuck in its skull. Nor
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
14th level or higher to pass through this gate (see “Jhesiyra Kestellharp”). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see “Elder Runes”). A creature that passes through the
gown and a gold tiara.
The living unseen servant plays the harpsichord tirelessly and fights only in self-defense. A detect magic spell reveals auras of transmutation magic around the dancers who, in
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
this gate (see “Jhesiyra Kestellharp”). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see “Elder Runes”). A creature that passes through the gate appears in area 2d on level 14
lizards have the Spider Climb trait (see the “Variant: Giant Lizard Traits” sidebar in appendix A of the Monster Manual), which allows them to climb over the web cables and exit this area. Treasure. Fastened to Talabsyn’s cloak is an obsidian scarab engraved with the insignia of House Freth (25 gp).
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
corner. These docile reptiles are used as mounts by the drow scouts in area 25b and have the Spider Climb trait (see the “Variant: Giant Lizard Traits” sidebar in appendix A of the Monster Manual
, causing all the gears to lock again. Characters must be 10th level or higher to pass through this gate (see “Jhesiyra Kestellharp”). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
afflicted with madness, Kurr can’t bring himself to kill any living creature except in self-defense. If the characters spare his life, Kurr can act as a guide, for he has explored a great deal of the
party regardless of its size. If there are five or more quaggoths in the group, one of them is a quaggoth thonot (see the “Variant: Quaggoth Thonot” sidebar in the “Quaggoth” entry of the Monster
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
creatures that enter the room using their Psychic Crush action option (see the “Variant: Psychic Gray Oozes” sidebar in the “Oozes” entry in the Monster Manual). While contained in the altar, the oozes
Plane. An oath of service binds the ghost to the temple for as long as it stands. The ghost is unaligned and fights only in self-defense. If reduced to 0 hit points, the ghost is destroyed for 24 hours
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
: Little remains of this tower besides its outer shell. The interior walls are decorated with shifting geometric patterns. A human skeleton in a white robe lies on the uneven floor.
If Professor Skant
extensive damage, I would venture to guess that the tower still works!”
A character who examines the shifting geometric patterns can, with a successful DC 17 Intelligence (Arcana) check, come to the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
summon other yugoloths (as described in the “Variant: Yugoloth Summoning” sidebar in the “Yugoloths” entry in the Monster Manual) and tries to do so if reinforcements are needed. Characters who defeat
within 10 feet of it. Characters must be 15th level or higher to pass through this gate (see “Jhesiyra Kestellharp”). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see “Elder Runes
compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Legends of Greyhawk: Secrets of the Free City
, except to offer a ladder that can reach the second-floor balcony and window. Area 2: Entrance Hall The front door to Anton’s townhouse has a traditional lock and a unique variant of the Arcane Lock
spell. A rune on the lock matches the one on Anton’s dagger, and the Arcane Lock effect is dispelled if the dagger is within 5 feet of the door. With the magical lock disabled, as a Utilize action, a