Search Results
All Results
Characters
Compendium
Spells
Items
Monsters
Vehicles
Forums
Returning 35 results for 'some of rules drive variant'.
Other Suggestions:
some of rules driven variants
some of rules driven variant
some of runes driven variant
some of rites driven variant
some of rulers driven variant
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
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
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
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
1
A ruthless shipping magnate has bribed a dragon turtle to attack competitors’ vessels and drive them out of business.
2
A curious dragon turtle swam upriver from the sea and is now
Variant Human
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
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
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
monsters
":"Piercing"} Piercing damage, and the target’s Speed is halved until the end of its next turn.General of a demoralized occupying army, Vladeska Drakov rules what little of Falkovnia hasn’t been
, sleep deprivation, and the endless demands of terrified troops and civilians drive her toward outbursts of paranoia and violence.
Drakov’s Domain
Falkovnia is altered by Drakov’s
Criminal / Spy
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
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
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.
Goliath
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
Species
Elemental Evil Player's Companion
mock folk who rely on society’s structures or rules to maintain power.
Survival of the Fittest
Among goliaths, any adult who can’t contribute to the tribe is expelled. A lone goliath has
away in the night to seek the cold will of fate.
In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in
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
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
without the boredom. (Chaotic)
6
Control. Everyone is welcome, as long as they follow my rules. (Lawful)
Crystal Dragon Adventures
The Crystal Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers
drive the yetis out.
3
An adult crystal dragon and an elf archmage have been friends for centuries and often go stargazing together on the peaks of their favorite mountains, but the dragon is
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->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->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.
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 (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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Sigil and the Outlands
garbage that gathers in Sigil’s alleys and sewers. Common and giant rats are found throughout the Cage, as are variant cranium rats known as squeakers (further detailed in Morte’s Planar Parade). Adapted
razorvine strategically to deter intruders by letting it grow along estate walls or as carefully cultivated hedges. Rules for razorvine can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver
The Dungeon Master The Dungeon Master (DM) has a special role in the Dungeons & Dragons game. The DM is a referee. When it’s not clear what ought to happen next, the DM decides how to apply the rules
adventures, like the prisoner in the goblin lair or the innkeeper in town. Who should be the DM for your gaming group? Whoever wants to be! The person who has the most drive to pull a group together and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
The Dungeon Master The Dungeon Master (DM) is the creative force behind a D&D game. The DM creates a world for the other players to explore, and also creates and runs adventures that drive the story
supporting characters, breathing life into them. And as a referee, the DM interprets the rules and decides when to abide by them and when to change them. Inventing, writing, storytelling, improvising, acting
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
those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8 Trait
1 I speak slowly and deliberately, pausing to reflect after (or sometimes in the middle of) each utterance
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual
appearance is enough to drive off foes, but if forced to fight, water weirds crush enemies within their fluid coils. Water weirds might protect a site for generations and learn much about their
their pools. Rule 2: Before you drink from a fountain or pool, toss a copper coin into it. It’s a small price to pay for your life!
—X the Mystic’s
Rules of Dungeon Survival
Water Weird Large
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak
Quest Goals To complete the Axeholm Quest, adventurers must kill or drive out all the monsters in the fortress. AXEHOLM FEATURES
In the dwarves’ absence, Axeholm has become a dark, sullen tomb
slit for protection, a creature gains three-quarters cover (see the Basic Rules) against outside threats. A Medium character can’t squeeze through an arrow slit, but a Small character can with a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak
apply the rules and keep the story going. The DM is a storyteller. The DM sets the pace of the story and presents the various challenges and encounters that the players must overcome. The DM is the
helpful ones. The most important thing to remember about being a good DM is that the rules are a tool to help you and the players have fun. The rules aren’t in charge. You’re the DM — you’re in
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
introduction of the Monster Manual before proceeding further. It explains stat block terminology and gives rules for various monster traits — information that isn’t repeated here. As with the
that are appropriate for your adventure or campaign. If you’re looking for ways to use the variant beholders, giants, gnolls, goblinoids, hags, kobolds, mind flayers, orcs, and yuan-ti described in this
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->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Astral Adventurer’s Guide
Ship-to-Ship Combat The following rules are designed to make ship-to-ship combat simple yet exciting. Starting Distance At the start of an engagement, the DM decides how far a ship is from its
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->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
rules from chapter 6 of the Player’s Handbook, your Dungeon Master might allow you to take a feat as a variant supernatural gift. You gain one feat of your choice. This list suggests twelve feats from
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
the variant rules presented in this or any other book, let your players know about them. Remember, you’ll always know more about your campaign world than the players do. Having spent all their lives in
, and discuss house rules, with the goal of ensuring the game is a fun experience for everyone involved. The “Ensuring Fun for All” section in chapter 1 covers some of the most important groundwork you
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
your campaign is one where you let the dice fall where they may. It’s a good option for gritty campaigns or ones where the DM focuses on playing an impartial role as a rules arbiter. Variant: Only
is consistent with the character’s personality trait, flaw, or bond. The character’s action should be notable in some way. It might drive the story forward, push the adventurers into danger, or make
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault
. Schnella refused to leave and died fending off Tockworth’s clockwork defenders. Her restless soul lurks in this building, manifesting as a troublesome specter known as a poltergeist (see the “Variant
anyone who touches or otherwise disturbs them. The mimics are working with a psychic gray ooze (see the “Variant: Psychic Gray Ooze” sidebar in the “Oozes” entry of the Monster Manual)—the “puddle of
compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Legends of Greyhawk: Secrets of the Free City
across the Flanaess. The city thrives on contrast: opulence and poverty, reverence and irreverence, tradition and ambition. Here, wealth, influence, and personal drive matter more than birthright
the Law. Magic is respected but regulated; public casting without cause, or magical coercion, is a serious crime. Rules vs. Laws. Greyhawk’s written laws are detailed, but enforcement depends heavily
compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Legends of Greyhawk: Secrets of the Free City
across the Flanaess. The city thrives on contrast: opulence and poverty, reverence and irreverence, tradition and ambition. Here, wealth, influence, and personal drive matter more than birthright
the Law. Magic is respected but regulated; public casting without cause, or magical coercion, is a serious crime. Rules vs. Laws. Greyhawk’s written laws are detailed, but enforcement depends heavily