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Returning 35 results for 'spark of rules despite 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
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
Variant Human
Legacy
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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.
Criminal / Spy
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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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
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must always be repaid, promises must be honored, and outright lies must never be spoken (though misdirection and riddles are always welcome). To
, the Kindly Lord. Talion is as strange, ancient, and fickle as the wilds of Eldraine, and the Kindly Lord demands fealty and respect from their followers. But despite their austere demeanor, the Kindly
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
regard for mortal values of honor and law, but they nonetheless operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must always be repaid, promises must be honored, and outright lies must never be
followers. Despite having an austere demeanor, the Kindly Lord is also known for following mysterious whims, journeying to the farthest reaches of Eldraine out of an insatiable curiosity.Bludgeoning
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
, embodying the natural splendor and danger of the wilderness. High fae have no regard for mortal values of honor and law, but they nonetheless operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must
the wilds of Eldraine, and the Kindly Lord demands fealty and respect from followers. Despite having an austere demeanor, the Kindly Lord is also known for following mysterious whims, journeying to
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
Monsters
Curse of Strahd
. She also placed the “spark of magic” in him, ensuring that he would become a spellcaster.
Baba Lysaga’s unhealthy attachment to the baby Strahd did not go unnoticed. After she
her beloved boy, who, in her mind, is eternally blessed. Despite the horrors Strahd has wrought, Lysaga still envisions him as the perfect child she delivered into the world. Strahd is the only thing in
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
Species
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
forge, the cold of high mountain air, the spark of inspiration, and the scouring touch of acid that purifies.
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
Aasimar
Legacy
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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
Species
Spelljammer: Adventures in Space
it, giff are drawn to the Astral Plane because, on a deep psychic level, they remain connected to their creator gods, who have just enough divine spark left in them to imbue giff with sparks of their
own, which giff have learned to channel through their weapons. Most giff have no idea where this so-called astral spark comes from, but they feel its presence most strongly when they are in Wildspace
Entertainer
Legacy
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Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
liking to you.
Variant Entertainer: Gladiator
A gladiator is as much an entertainer as any minstrel or circus performer, trained to make the arts of combat into a spectacle the crowd can
likely repeat.
5
I have trouble keeping my true feelings hidden. My sharp tongue lands me in trouble.
6
Despite my best efforts, I am unreliable to my friends.
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
untamed wilderness. High fae have no regard for mortal values of honor and law, but they nonetheless operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must always be repaid, promises must be honored
Lord demands fealty and respect from their followers. But despite their austere demeanor, the Kindly Lord is also known for following their own mysterious whims, journeying to the farthest reaches of Eldraine to satiate their curiosity.Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Species
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
lurking just out of sight, and many of them have sneaked away from that god’s influence.
They are long of limb and covered in coarse hair, with wedge-shaped ears and pointed teeth. Despite their
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 Score Increases
When determining
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
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
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
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
. (Chaotic)
6
Control. Everyone is welcome, as long as they follow my rules. (Lawful)
Crystal Dragon Adventures
The Crystal Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers suggestions for stories
’t always appreciate the dragon’s sense of humor.
5
A young crystal dragon finds some manticore;manticores' bluster hilarious and befriends them despite their fear. But the dragon is
Species
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
The saurian lizardfolk are thought by some sages to be distant cousins of dragonborn and kobolds. Despite their resemblance to those other scaled folk, however, lizardfolk are their own people and
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 Score
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
occupation or social class that frequents the establishment. This contact is delighted to talk with you, and to listen.
Variant Entertainer: Gladiator
A gladiator is as much an
follow me around.
4
I once satirized a noble who still wants my head. It was a mistake that I will likely repeat.
5
I have trouble keeping my true feelings hidden. My sharp tongue lands me in trouble.
6
Despite my best efforts, I am unreliable to my friends.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Descent into the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth
characters against one another, adventuring parties are scored as a group. These rules are optional. You don’t need to score your players to run this adventure. The scoring system included in this supplement is meant to spark joy, not contention.
Tournament Rules If you wish to emulate the competitive adventures of old, you can run this adventure as a tournament-style scenario by following the guidance in this section. Rather than pitting
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.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
growth, clearly a young tree despite its prodigious size. This is the Worldroot Sapling, a spark of defiant life amid the remnants of dead plants and ashen ground. The sapling is a seedling from the
Kenku
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
their ingenuity and skill had turned toward scheming against their patron, the spark of creativity was torn from their souls. Finally, to ensure that the kenku could never divulge any secrets, their
capable of flight, and similar objects provoke a great desire for the kenku to acquire the items for themselves.
Despite their lack of wings, kenku love dwelling in towers and other tall structures
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
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
result of a fateful encounter with a sphinx or an oracle? Does it indicate the nature of your birth? Each gift’s description also includes a table to spark your imagination as you think about your
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->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
Parleying with Monsters Why fight if a lively chat is possible? If things get out of hand, just show yourself out with a dimension door.
Tasha
Meeting a monster doesn’t have to spark a fight. An
or use the social interaction rules in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Consider granting the characters advantage on any ability check they make to communicate with a creature if they offer something it
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)
Large 10 by 10 ft. Hippogriff, ogre Huge 15 by 15 ft. Fire giant, treant Gargantuan 20 by 20 ft. or larger Kraken, purple worm MODIFYING CREATURES
Despite the versatile collection of monsters in
, perhaps by borrowing a trait or two from a different monster or by using a variant or template. Keep in mind that modifying a monster, including when you apply a template to it, might change its challenge rating.
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