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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 Many Spells

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

special Somatic component: you must reach into the hat and “pull” the spell out of it. Unknown Spell. While holding the hat, you can try to cast a level 1+ spell you don’t know. The

its normal casting time, and you can’t use this property again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. On a failed check, you fail to cast the spell and a random effect occurs instead

Moonblade

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

minute. A creature repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. You can’t use this property again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. 96-99

The Moonblade has the properties of a Ring of Spell Storing. 100 You can take a Magic action to conjure a spectral entity that resembles a shadowy elf if you don’t already have one

Speaking Stones

Magic Items Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club

Speaking Stones come in pairs, with each stone carved to match the other. While you touch one stone, you can take a Magic action to send a short message of 25 words or fewer to the bearer of the

of your message. You can send the message across any distance. If no creature bears the other stone, you know that fact as soon as you use the stone, and you don’t send the message. Once

Boon of Terror

Feats Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn

the fastest available means. Once you use this benefit, you can’t use it again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. Intimidating. You gain Proficiency in the Intimidation skill if you don’t already have it. You also gain Expertise in Intimidation.

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

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

Sunforger

Magic Items Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

successful one. Afterward, you can use an action to cause the weapon to reappear in your empty hand. You can’t cause it to explode again until you finish a short or long rest. If you don’t

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.

Pennant of the Vind Rune

Magic Items Storm King's Thunder

following properties, which work only while it’s on your person. Wind Step. As an action, you fly up to 20 feet. If you don’t land at the end of this flight, you fall unless you have

property, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Wind Walker. While you are attuned to this rune, you can cast levitate as a bonus action. Once you use this property, you can

Gadabout

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures

gadabout’s turns and accompanies the gadabout wherever it goes.Gadabouts are gentle, winged creatures that can be used as personal conveyances for short-distance travel across the airless void of

to date who know how to grow gadabouts. Since gadabouts don’t generate seeds, each one is a valuable commodity. Mercane and dohwar merchants who come into possession of a healthy gadabout might sell it for 2,500 gp or more.Fire

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

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

Warduke

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

better comes along.” Flaw. “I don’t have a single friend I can count on.” Combat Notes Warduke likes to hit things with his sword; it’s as simple as that. League of

in a 40-foot radius and dim light for an additional 40 feet. Second Wind (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). Warduke regains 13 hit points.

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

Constructed Commoner

Monsters Candlekeep Mysteries

Unusual Nature. The commoner doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep, and it gains no benefit from finishing a short or long rest. When it drops to 0 hit points, it becomes a lifeless

regardless of their apparent origin. Constructed commoners don’t bleed or feel pain like flesh-and-blood humanoids. If a villager’s hit points drop to 0, its true form is revealed: that of

Glaive

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

, and fellow blades don’t dare call her anything else. Mournland adventurers, however, refer to the terrifying commander by another name: Kill Switch.PoisonOverdrive (Recharges after Finishing a

Short or Long Rest). Glaive enters a state of overdrive that lasts for 1 minute or until she has the incapacitated condition. While in overdrive, Glaive gains the following benefits: Glaive has

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

Vigor of the Hill Giant

Feats Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

maximum of 20. Bulwark. When you are subjected to an effect that would move you at least 5 feet or give you the prone condition, you can use your reaction to steady yourself. You aren’t moved and don

’t have the prone condition. Iron Stomach. Whenever you eat food as part of a short rest and spend one or more Hit Dice to regain hit points, you regain additional hit points equal to your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus.

K'Tulah

Monsters Candlekeep Mysteries

;I talk fast and can carry on a conversation about almost anything.” Ideal. “Decorum is overrated. Life’s too short for formalities.” Bond. “The research I’ve

collected painstakingly over the past decade is my pride and joy.” Flaw. “I don’t like feeling trapped.”

Thri-kreen Mystic

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

","rollDamageType":"psychic"} psychic damage. Drain Vitality (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The thri-kreen targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of itself. The target must make a DC 14 Constitution

features and two pairs of arms. Because their bodies are encased in protective chitin, they tend to eschew armor. Although thri-kreen don’t need to sleep, they do require periods of inactivity to

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

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

Gulthias Staff

Magic Items Curse of Strahd

must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be afflicted with short-term madness (see “Madness” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Blight Bane. While you are attuned

to the staff, blights and other evil plant creatures don’t regard you as hostile unless you harm them.

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

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

Chef

feats Player’s Handbook

proficiency with Cook’s Utensils if you don’t already have it. Replenishing Meal. As part of a Short Rest, you can cook special food if you have ingredients and Cook's Utensils on hand

. You can prepare enough of this food for a number of creatures equal to 4 plus your Proficiency Bonus. At the end of the Short Rest, any creature who eats the food and spends one or more Hit Dice to

Chef Legacy

Feats Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

’s utensils if you don’t already have it. As part of a short rest, you can cook special food, provided you have ingredients and cook’s utensils on hand. You can prepare enough of this

food for a number of creatures equal to 4 + your proficiency bonus. At the end of the short rest, any creature who eats the food and spends one or more Hit Dice to regain hit points regains an extra 1d8

Frost Giant Everlasting One

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

. Those who don’t shrink from such visions or report them to priests of Thrym receive more of the same. If a frost giant comes to relish these dreams and nightmares, as some do, Vaprak sets a

“blessing” and worship of Vaprak from one generation to the next.ColdVaprak’s Rage (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The giant enters a rage. The rage lasts for 1 minute or until

Neogi

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, aside from the ability that a given creature has to control others, and they don’t comprehend the emotional aspects of existence that humans and similar beings experience. To a neogi, hatred is as

(Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The neogi targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed by the neogi for 1

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

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