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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.

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

Drow Inquisitor

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

. Variant: Demon Summoning Drow Inquisitor (Summoner Variant);Variant: Demon Summoning Some drow inquisitors have an action that allows them to summon a yochlol. Summon Demon (1/Day). The drow

’t summon other demons. It remains for 10 minutes, until it or its summoner dies, or until its summoner dismisses it as an action. Spectral Dagger (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The drow

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.

Geryon

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Constitution saving throw or take 13 (2d12);{"diceNotation":"2d12","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Stinger","rollDamageType":"poison"} poison damage and become poisoned until it finishes a short or

. Enervating Screams. Howls and screams fill the air within 1 mile of the lair. Any creature that finishes a short or long rest in this area must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or derive no

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

Scissors of Shadow Snipping

Magic Items The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

next dawn. The shadow (variant);detached shadow is rooted to the spot where it was snipped until you use a bonus action to cause it to behave in one of the following ways, either of which is possible

consciousness and all its Strength after finishing a short or long rest. A creature whose shadow has detached from it is cursed. If a shadowless creature is subjected to any spell that ends a curse, or if

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

Kender

Species Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

diminutive Humanoids who look like humans with pointed ears and diverse appearances. Kender have a supernatural curiosity that drives them to adventure. Due to this inquisitiveness, many kender find

others might become professional thieves. Creating Your Character If you create a kender character, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When

Geryon Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

become poisoned until it finishes a short or long rest. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to half the poison damage it takes. If its hit point maximum drops to 0, it dies

. Howls and screams fill the air within 1 mile of the lair. Any creature that finishes a short or long rest in this area must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or derive no benefit from the rest

Ythryn Mythallar

Magic Items Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

hold. The largest mythallars are 150 feet in diameter. The Ythryn mythallar is a relatively small device—a mere 50 feet in diameter. To attune to this mythallar, a creature must finish a short

rest within 30 feet of it, meditating on the mythallar. Up to eight creatures can be attuned to it at one time; otherwise, the Ythryn mythallar follows the attunement rules in the Dungeon Master&rsquo

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

reckonings of most worlds, humans are the youngest of the common races, late to arrive on the world scene and short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons. Perhaps it is because of their

and conquest, humans are more physically diverse than other common races. There is no typical human. An individual can stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds

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

Amphibious. The dragon turtle can breathe air and water Blessing of the Sea (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If the dragon turtle would be reduced to 0 hit points, its current hit point total

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

Kalaraq Quori

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

eyes. The target can't be revived by any means short of a wish spell until the quori is destroyed. Mind Seed (1/Day). The quori touches one humanoid, which must succeed on a DC 21 Intelligence saving

Inspired (Kalaraq variant);Inspired.Cold, Necrotic, Poison, Psychic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

within they physically transform for a short time. A shifter’s beast within is reflected by the shifter’s subrace. Four subraces are especially common: Beasthide often signifies the

different in personality. With any shifter, identifying the beast within is a crucial part of understanding the character. Similar and Diverse Shifters are similar to humans in height and build but are

Sibriex

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

-shaping they provide. Variant: Flesh Warping Creatures that encounter a sibriex can be twisted beyond recognition. Whenever a creature fails a saving throw against the sibriex’s Warp Creature

turn into short tusks. 41–45 The target’s skin develops bark-like scales, granting it a +1 bonus to AC but reducing its Charisma by 2 (to a minimum of 1). 46–50 The

Giff

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Giff are tall, broad-shouldered folk with hippo-like features. Some have smooth skin, while others have short bristles on their faces and the tops of their heads. As beings of impressive size and

character is a member of the human race or one of the game’s fantastical races. If you create a character using a race option presented here, follow these additional rules during character creation

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

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

(Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If this creature is reduced to 0 hit points, it immediately makes a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If it succeeds, it is instead reduced to 1 hit point. Aura

Rest Variants

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

Humans

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

dominated Khorvaire for thousands of years. They founded the Five Nations and make up the majority of the population in these countries. Despite their relatively short lifespan—or perhaps because of it

—humans are innovative, adaptable, and aggressive, always pushing their limits and pursuing new ideas. Humans are extremely diverse; a barbarian from the Demon Wastes has little in common with a Brelish

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

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

Tying Knots

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.

Identifying a Magic Item

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

fastest way to reveal an item’s properties. Alternatively, a character can focus on one magic item during a short rest, while being in physical contact with the item. At the end of the rest, the character

what happens. You then say the character jumps unexpectedly high. Variant: More Difficult Identification If you prefer magic items to have a greater mystique, consider removing the ability to identify

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.

Strength

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

Resting

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes of the Borderlands

Resting Threats abound within the caves. The characters can take only Short Rests within them. To take a Long Rest, they must first exit any cave they’re in. For more on resting, see the D&D Beyond Basic Rules.

Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble

Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble A short adventure for four to six level 1 characters Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure that introduces four to six new players to

the game and teaches you, the Dungeon Master, how to run it for them. This short adventure is meant to last approximately 1-2 hours of play. John Grello Below relevant adventure text, you’ll see

Strength

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

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

odds aren’t in their favor. A short retreat might be just the thing to reach a better tactical position, find allies, or to allow the yuan-ti the opportunity to study their opponents and

can more easily pronounce the name in this altered form. An adopted name of this sort is recognized as a variant of the birth name, rather than a unique name unto itself. A yuan-ti might refer to

Teeth of Dahlver-Nar

Magic Items Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

, you can use your reaction to cause them to be hit instead. You can’t use this reaction again until you finish a short or long rest. 4 The Mill Road Murders (halfling canine) 3 green hag

;green hags in a Green Hag (Coven Variant);coven When you damage a target that hasn’t taken a turn in this combat, the target takes an extra 3d10 slashing damage from ghostly blades. 5

Borderlands Quest: Dagger Danger!

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Dagger Danger!

Borderlands Quest: Dagger Danger! A short adventure for level 1 characters Borderlands Quest: Dagger Danger is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure that introduces four or five new players to the game and

teaches you, the Dungeon Master, how to run it for them. This short adventure is meant to take two hours to play. The adventure uses elements from the D&D Starter Set: Heroes of the Borderlands

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