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Returning 35 results for 'some of rule detail variant'.
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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
refuse to recognize my rule over these waters suffer my displeasure. (Lawful or Evil)
5
Preservation. I am the ocean’s steward, tending reefs and waters to ensure that they remain unspoiled
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
the surface world. (Any)
4
Supremacy. Creatures who refuse to recognize my rule over these waters suffer my displeasure. (Lawful or Evil)
5
Preservation. I am the ocean’s steward
Changeling
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
, their features almost devoid of detail. It is rare to see a changeling in that form, for a typical changeling changes their shape the way others might change clothes. A casual shape—one created
Score Increases
When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
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.
to untie a knot or slip out of one. Here’s an optional rule for determining the effectiveness of a knot. The creature who ties the knot makes an Intelligence (Sleight of Hand) check when doing so. The
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
offer bribes, favors, or other incentives to induce people to reveal their secrets.
Your DM might rule that the knowledge you seek is secreted away in an inaccessible place, or that it simply can
.
3
I’m eager to explain every detail of my most intricate experiments and theories to anyone who shows the least bit of interest.
4
I assume that everyone needs even the most basic
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
expended. Variant: Training to Gain Levels As a variant rule, you can require characters to spend time between adventures training or studying before they gain the benefits of a new level. This
variant slows the passage of time in the game world, which can help support a more realistic or gritty tone in your campaign. If you choose this option, after earning enough Experience Points to attain a
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
great thinkers, and spur adventurers to heroic deeds. They sometimes give guidance to those in need or request help from adventurers to encourage them to greatness.
As a rule, moonstone dragons are
a night hag (coven variant);night hag coven are determined to prevent an adult moonstone dragon from contacting creatures in the dream realm, and the dragon has no idea why.
7
An adult
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
)
3
Curiosity. I want to know about everything that enters my domain, especially oddities from the surface world. (Any)
4
Supremacy. Creatures who refuse to recognize my rule over these waters
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
remembering where you are in the list can bog the game down. If you want quicker combats, at the risk of those combats becoming unbalanced, try using the side initiative rule. Under this variant, the
Initiative Variants This section offers different ways to handle initiative. Initiative Score With this optional rule, creature don’t roll initiative at the start of combat. Instead, each creature
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
the following variants. Choose whichever one best suits your campaign. Ability Check Proficiency With this variant rule, characters don’t have skill proficiencies. Instead, each character has
distinction among characters. For example, a character can’t choose to emphasize persuasion or intimidation; he or she is equally adept at both. Background Proficiency With this variant rule, characters don’t
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
Variant Abilities When a beholder’s dream-imagination runs wild, the result can be an offspring that has an unusual or unique set of abilities. Rather than the standard powers of a beholder’s central
eye and eyestalks, the creature has one or more variant abilities — guaranteed to surprise any enemies who thought they knew what they were getting themselves into. This section provides several
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
something, correct yourself and move on. No one expects you to memorize every rule or detail. Even if you don’t realize your mistake until after a game session is over, it’s OK to acknowledge the mistake at the start of the next session and make adjustments moving forward.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
Creating a Shadow Dragon Use the Shadow Dragon Personality Traits and Shadow Dragon Ideals tables to inspire your portrayal of distinctive shadow dragon characters. If you use the variant rule in the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Difficulty Class It’s your job to establish the Difficulty Class for an ability check or a saving throw when a rule or an adventure doesn’t give you one. Sometimes you’ll even want to change such
ability score of 20 still needs a 19 or 20 on the die roll to succeed at a task of this difficulty. Variant: Automatic Success Sometimes the randomness of a d20 roll leads to ludicrous results. Let’s
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
the blood, as it once did.
Because their population is so small, the yuan-ti are aware they are vulnerable in open warfare. Instead, their current plans assume they will never rule outwardly in
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
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
my rule over these waters suffer my displeasure. (Lawful or Evil)
5 Preservation. I am the ocean’s steward, tending reefs and waters to ensure that they remain unspoiled. (Lawful)
6
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Astral Adventurer’s Guide
ballistae and crossbows 1,000 feet Beyond the range of most ranged weapons Initiative The Dungeon Master’s Guide presents a variant rule called side initiative, which is ideal for ship-to-ship engagements
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn
Example Epic Destinies The following sections detail two example destinies: one for an heir to a throne, and another for an aspiring wizard. Heir to the Throne As an example of an epic destiny
, consider a character who is the heir to the throne, destined to rule a realm … if they survive long enough! At the beginning of the character’s story, the character is related to the ruler, but no one
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
something, correct yourself and move on. No one expects you to memorize every rule or detail. Even if you don’t realize your mistake until after a game session is over, it’s OK to acknowledge the mistake
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
detail at once. Most players begin to lose focus after about three sentences of descriptive text. As characters search rooms, open drawers and chests, and examine things more closely, give players
rule. When an exception and a general rule disagree, the exception wins. For example, it’s a general rule that melee weapon attacks use the attacking character’s Strength modifier. But if a feature
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
initial description of a room or situation should focus on what the characters can perceive. You don’t have to reveal every detail at once. Most players begin to lose focus after about three
Rules. General rules govern each part of the game, but the game also includes class features, spells, magic items, monster abilities, and other elements that can contradict a general rule. When an
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Players Award Inspiration As a DM, you have a lot to track during the game. Sometimes you can lose track of inspiration and forget to award it. As a variant rule, you can allow the players to handle
spice that you can use to enhance your campaign. Some DMs forgo using inspiration, while others embrace it as a key part of the game. If you take away anything from this section, remember this golden rule
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
rolls and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage while it's in the smaller space. VARIANT: PLAYING ON A GRID If you play out a combat using a square grid and
adjacent to the square you’re in. (The rule for diagonal movement sacrifices realism for the sake of smooth play. The Dungeon Master’s Guide provides guidance on using a more realistic approach.)
If
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
found on the Material Plane. The rest reside on the Elemental Planes, where they rule from lavish palaces and are attended by worshipful servants. Genies are as brilliant as they are mighty, as proud as
wind, a flash of fire and smoke, or a burst of water and foam. Rule or Be Ruled. Mortal servants validate a genie’s power and high self-opinion. A hundred flattering voices are music to a genie’s ears
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
your world might worship a patron deity, performing secret missions in that deity’s name. To reflect this cultural detail, you could add Religion to the list of skills that a rogue character can choose
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->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->Monster Manual (2014)
and magical properties when brought to the surface. VARIANT: DROW MAGIC ARMOR AND WEAPONS
Drow often wear magic armor and carry magic weapons that lose their enhancement bonuses permanently if they
social ladder are drow of low birth and the occasional non-drow captive. Matriarchal Rule. Lolth, through her faithful priestesses, dictates the rules of drow society, ensuring that her orders and plots
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
table, which might slow the pace of the game.
A common compromise is to rule that players can retract or change anything their characters did up until the point they learn the consequences of their
seeing the people and places they care about threatened or destroyed. Other players gleefully detail a backstory full of beloved NPCs, fully expecting the DM to use those people as bait, tragic
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
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->Player's Handbook (2014)
every foot it moves there, and it has disadvantage on attack rolls and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage while it’s in the smaller space. VARIANT: PLAYING ON A
least 1 square of movement left, even if the square is diagonally adjacent to the square you’re in. (The rule for diagonal movement sacrifices realism for the sake of smooth play. The Dungeon Master’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
treats visitors as honored guests in accordance with the rule of hospitality (see “Rules of Conduct” earlier in the chapter), but he expects a measure of kindness in return. If a fight breaks out
lap—Bavlorna’s Big Book of Bad Blood—in which the hag’s displeasure with her enemies is spelled out in detail. He procured the book from a darkling merchant (see area B10), who stole it from Bavlorna
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
table, which might slow the pace of the game.
A common compromise is to rule that players can retract or change anything their characters did up until the point they learn the consequences of their
seeing the people and places they care about threatened or destroyed. Other players gleefully detail a backstory full of beloved NPCs, fully expecting the DM to use those people as bait, tragic
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
Seelie and Unseelie courts. (Volumes 3 and 8 are missing from Skabatha’s collection and can be found in chapter 4.) Three Rules to Rule By is a thin, dog-eared book that describes the rules of hospitality
, ownership, and reciprocity in detail (see “Rules of Conduct” in chapter 2). Twilight Tides is a fat, wrinkled book about navigating the oceans of the Feywild. After two books were stolen from her
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
Yourself
When you’re preparing an adventure to run for your friends, you don’t need to write hundreds of pages describing each location in exhaustive detail. You can run a game with no more written notes
play groups against each other to reduce the threat of the more powerful monsters. For example, in a dungeon inhabited by mind flayers and the grimlocks they rule, the adventurers might try to incite the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
treasures. Finding six hundred ancient bedoars from the rule of Coronal Eltargrim twelve centuries before offers a deeper sense of immersion in your world than finding 60 sp. Varying names and descriptions
moons of Silverymoon, provides another level of detail. As long as you keep the value of these new coins simple (in other words, don’t invent a coin worth 1.62 gp), you add local flavor to key locations in your world without adding undue complexity.