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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

River Styx from fortresses along the river’s blighted banks, where it flows through Dis and Stygia. They collect the souls arriving in the form of lemure;lemures (see the Monster Manual). Lemures

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

Angel of Slaughter

monsters

. Each angel of slaughter dwells in a fortress in the Shadowfell. In return for its services, an angel of slaughter is gifted some of the souls and corpses that it harvests during its catastrophic

endeavors. The angel either consumes these souls to power its abilities, or the angel employs the souls to maintain its Shadowfell demesne. In its true form, an angel of slaughter is a whirlwind of blood

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.

Inquisitor of the Mind Fire Legacy

monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

.” With those words, the psychically gifted priest Ulmed founded the Ulmist Inquisition, an order of psionic inquisitors that seeks to discover the wickedness hiding in people’s souls. In the

members became the inquisition’s scholars, represented by a tome. Today the inquisition rules the city of Malitain, a vast city-state to the north of Barovia’s original site, and the

Eater of Hope

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

of life and joy. Although these demons can strike down most foes, they prefer to let terror and despair overtake their victims first, letting their victims marinate in fear before the fiend devours

’ greed to turn them against one another and their own best interests. Some foul souls can’t let go of the miserable lives they had. Having been despicable in life, these spirits fester in

Soul Coin

Magic Items Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

be the victim of a night hag’s curse. Carrying Soul Coins. To hold a soul coin is to feel the soul bound within it — overcome with rage or fraught with despair. An evil creature can

served or the outer plane most closely tied to its alignment (DM’s choice). The souls of lawful evil creatures released from soul coins typically emerge from the River Styx as lemure;lemure devils

Inquisitor of the Sword Legacy

monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

founded the Ulmist Inquisition, an order of psionic inquisitors that seeks to discover the wickedness hiding in people’s souls. In the days before Count Strahd von Zarovich became the first

by a tome. Today the inquisition rules the city of Malitain, a vast city-state to the north of Barovia’s original site, and the inquisition sends its members throughout the multiverse, seeking

Amnizu (Summoner Variant)

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, where it flows through Dis and Stygia. They collect the souls arriving in the form of lemure;lemures (see the Monster Manual). Lemures 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.Fire, PoisonCold; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Silvered

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

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

Geryon

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

to feel flesh and steel sundered beneath his claws and to taste his foes’ blood. Yet Geryon’s ferocity has also limited his ability to collect souls and forge an effective hierarchy

–6). As a reaction when this creature takes damage, it can roll a d10 and subtract the number rolled from the damage. Geryon (Variant);VARIANT: SOUND THE HORN Geryon can have an action that

Gem Dragonborn

Species Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

echo of discovery—but also the desiccation of despair. Creating Your Character When you create your D&D character, you decide whether your character is a member of the human race or one of

the game’s fantastical races. If you select one of the dragonborn races in this chapter, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your

Shadar-kai Soul Monger

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

", "rollDamageType":"psychic"} psychic damage and suffers 1 level of exhaustion. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and doesn’t gain a level of exhaustion.Wracked with despair over the

Plane, scouting out choice souls and tragedies that might please their deity. They are rumored to be able to coax worldly events along tragic paths for her amusement. The Raven Queen is famously

Inquisitor of the Tome Legacy

monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

;s souls. In the days before Count Strahd von Zarovich became the first vampire, Strahd thundered across the lands with Ulmed. Their mission was clear: to destroy the infernal powers that had

order’s members became the inquisition’s scholars, represented by a tome. Today the inquisition rules the city of Malitain, a vast city-state to the north of Barovia’s original site

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

Lord Soth of Sithicus (DMR)

monsters

over. Soth was trapped in Sithicus, escaped, and was trapped again, perpetuating a cycle of despair. Soth’s story and where characters encounter him are for you to detail in your adventures

effects end immediately. Lord Soth’s Lair Lord Soth rules from Nedragaard Keep, a twisted, copy of his accursed fortress on Krynn, Dargaard Keep. Nedragaard Keep grows and withers over time like

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

those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"} Trait 1 I speak slowly and deliberately

Aasimar Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Whether descended from a celestial being or infused with heavenly power, aasimar are mortals who carry a spark of the Upper Planes within their souls. They can fan that spark to bring light, ease

1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability

Firbolg

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Distant cousins of giants, the first firbolgs wandered the primeval forests of the multiverse, and the magic of those forests entwined itself with the firbolgs’ souls. Centuries later, that

Character At 1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character

Astral Elf

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Long ago, groups of elves ventured from the Feywild to the Astral Plane to be closer to their gods. Life in the Silver Void has imbued their souls with a spark of divine light. That light manifests

’s fantastical races. If you create a character using a race option presented here, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your

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

Lemures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual

Lemures Devils of Agony and Despair Habitat: Planar (Nine Hells); Treasure: None The least of all devils, lemures arise from wicked souls, their mortal memories scoured away. Only vague limbs and anguished features jut from these slurries of infernal proto-matter.

Chapter 4: Yon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

of their own, and the air is filled with a sense of impending dread. Carved into the realm’s tallest pinnacle is Motherhorn, Endelyn’s theater, where hapless souls come seeking hope, only to leave

after stark revelations of decline and despair—if they leave at all. Lightning powers the contraptions of Motherhorn, a mountaintop theater where the show must go on

Hades

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

Hades The layers of Hades are called the Three Glooms—places without joy, hope, or passion. A gray land with an ashen sky, Hades is the destination of many souls that are unclaimed by gods or Fiends

. These souls become larvae and spend eternity in this place, which lacks a sun, a moon, stars, or seasons. Leaching away color and emotion, the gloom on this plane is more than most visitors can stand

Hades

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

Hades The layers of Hades are called the Three Glooms — places without joy, hope, or passion. A gray land with an ashen sky, Hades is the destination of many souls that are unclaimed by the gods of

the Upper Planes or the fiendish rulers of the Lower Planes. These souls become larvae and spend eternity in this place that lacks a sun, a moon, stars, or seasons. Leaching away color and emotion

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.

Shar

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

Shar The Mistress of the Night, the Dark Lady, Our Lady of Loss The dark twin of Selûne, Shar is the goddess of darkness, both in its physical form and as it exists in the minds and souls of mortals

pray to her for protection, such as miners, as well as by those who have fallen into melancholy and despair, who wish to forget something, or who have lost something and wish to recover it. Priests

Escape from Barovia

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

for centuries give way to sunshine, shocking the Barovians out of their despair. The Barovians take the sunlight as a sign that the evil in their land has been purged. Though escape is now possible

, most Barovians realize that they have nowhere to go and no reason to leave. A few depart, fearing the return of the darkness or longing to see their ancestral homelands. Those who have souls can leave

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

primordial world heeded the prayers of these people and hissed dark demands into their ears. The people tainted their souls by performing human sacrifices in the name of the gods, debased their flesh by

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

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

Demons

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer

Demons Demons consume mortal souls to fuel their fiendish powers. Use the following rules whenever you run one of the demons in this book.

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

Erebos

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

. His hoarding of both souls and the treasures the dead carry into the Underworld see him worshiped by those who desire to collect and keep wealth. Erebos’s very presence is stifling, and those who come

face to face with him often depart in despair. He is jealous and tyrannical within his realm, but unlike his brother Heliod, he neither blusters nor tries to expand his influence. He waits patiently

Appendix B: Infernal War Machines

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

weapons. An infernal war machine’s engine roars a bass, growling rumble with an undertone of agonized screams as its furnace burns souls for fuel. This appendix includes stat blocks for infernal war machines, rules for running and repairing them, and guidelines for handling chases in Avernus.

Appendix B: Infernal War Machines Infernal war machines are vehicles built in the Nine Hells and fueled by the souls of the damned. Smaller war machines carry raiding parties or scouts. Larger, more

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