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Returning 35 results for 'speak of rules 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
Monster Manual
water. Stake to the Heart. If a weapon that deals Piercing damage is driven into the vampire’s heart while the vampire has the Incapacitated condition in its resting place, the vampire has the
form. Anything it is wearing transforms with it.
While in bat form, the vampire can’t speak. Its game statistics, other than its size and Speed, are unchanged.
While in mist form, the vampire
Monsters
Astarion's Book of Hungers
.
Running Water. The vampire takes 20 Acid damage if it ends its turn in running water.
Stake to the Heart. If a weapon that deals Piercing damage is driven into the vampire’s heart while the
wearing transforms with it.
While in imp form, the vampire’s game statistics, other than its size and Speed, are unchanged.
While in mist form, the vampire can’t take any actions, speak, or
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
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
secrete a substance that is harmless to them but poisonous to other creatures, and sometimes that substance has a special effect based on the grung’s color (see “Variant: Grung Poison&rdquo
;). They also use this venom to poison their weapons.
Variant: Grung Poison
A creature poisoned by a grung can suffer an additional effect that depends on the grung’s color, as described below
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
gold. All grungs secrete a substance that is harmless to them but poisonous to other creatures, and sometimes that substance has a special effect based on the grung’s color (see “Variant
: Grung Poison”). They also use this venom to poison their weapons.
Variant: Grung Poison
A creature poisoned by a grung can suffer an additional effect that depends on the grung’s color, as
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
;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"}
Trait
1
I speak slowly and deliberately, pausing to reflect after (or sometimes in the middle of) each utterance.
2
I am more
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
speak any languages but can approximate words and sentences it hears, mimicking them in a high-pitched, mocking manner. Beholders find gazers amusing and tolerate their presence like spoiled pets. Some
kill.
Gazer (Familiar Variant);Variant: Gazer Familiar
Spellcasters who are interested in unusual familiars find that gazers are eager to serve someone who has magical power. Unless its master is
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
effect based on the grung’s color (see “Variant: Grung Poison”). They also use this venom to poison their weapons.
Variant: Grung Poison
A creature poisoned by a grung can suffer an
loud noise at the start and end of its turn.
Gold Grung. The creature is charmed by the grung and can speak Grung.
Green Grung. The poisoned creature can’t move except to climb or make standing
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
bipedal body has a slavering wolf’s head and a fanged serpent’s head. Its demon lord can speak and see through the serpent head; this master also uses the molydeus to guard treasures, slay
that doesn’t affect the weapon’s capabilities.
Molydeus (Summoner Variant);Variant: Demon Summoning
You can give a molydeus the ability to summon other demons.
Summon Demon (1/Day
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.
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
Monsters
Vecna: Eve of Ruin
Tovag, his Domain of Dread. He can be permanently destroyed only by having a stake driven through his heart and then being beheaded. The stake must be cut from a tree growing in soil from Oerth, Kas&rsquo
; Kas has earned many epithets during his long existence. He is a vampire, legendary swordfighter, and ruthless warlord, and he is driven primarily by one thing: his hatred for Vecna.
Kas resembles a
Species
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
Hobgoblins trace their origins to the ancient courts of the Feywild, where they first appeared with their goblin and bugbear kin. Many of them were driven from the Feywild by the conquering god
fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation.
Ability Score Increases
When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 2: Dragonlance Creatures
, guidance
2/day each: goodberry, greater restoration, pass without trace, speak with plantsMisty Escape. If the Forest Master takes damage from a melee attack, he, along with any equipment he is wearing or
carrying, teleports to an unoccupied space within 30 feet that he can see.Said to be older than the trees themselves, the Forest Master is a wise and powerful unicorn who rules over the creatures of
Shapechange
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Spells
Basic Rules (2014)
so. You can't use any special senses you have (for example, darkvision) unless your new form also has that sense. You can only speak if the creature can normally speak.
When you transform, you
rules for the original form, with one exception: if your new form has more hit points than your current one, your hit points remain at their current value.
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
Guild took over your family business, ran it into the ground, and burned the building for insurance money. You were driven into crime yourself, but you’ll never work for the Guild. You take
Monsters
Tales from the Yawning Portal
form, Tloques-Popolocas can't speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and he has a flying speed of 30 feet. His statistics, other than his size and speed, are unchanged. Anything he's wearing transforms
Running Water. Tloques-Popolocas takes 20 acid damage when he ends his turn in running water.
Stake to the Heart. Tloques-Popolocas is destroyed if a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into his
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
vertical surfaces), provided it remains within your sight at all times. The shadow is harmless and unable to be harmed, and it is invisible in darkness. It can’t speak, and it doesn’t require
Monsters
Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1
speak to and understand rat;rats and giant rat;giant rats.
Swarming Rush. A jermlaine adds 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Swarming Rush"} to its weapon damage rolls while
attempts to hunt them down and fashion cloaks and other material from their skin. Such experiments have yet to yield a functional magic item, and the jermlaine's hatred of outsiders is driven in part by
Monsters
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
will: detect magic, druidcraft, speak with animals
2/day each: polymorph, remove curse, speak with plants
1/day: awaken (as an action), plane shift (self only)Skabatha is the oldest member of the
the past, another reflects the present, and the third reflects the future. These hags are utter wickedness distilled into corporeal forms, driven by a lust for secrets that can be used to manipulate
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
Criminal / Spy
Legacy
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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
Piercing damage is driven into Strahd’s heart while Strahd has the Incapacitated condition in his resting place, Strahd has the Paralyzed condition until the weapon is removed.
Sunlight. Strahd
. [hover]), or he returns to his vampire form. Anything he is wearing transforms with him.
While in bat or wolf form, Strahd can’t speak. His game statistics, other than his size and Speed, are
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
’t speak any languages but can approximate words and sentences it hears, mimicking them in a high-pitched, mocking manner. Beholders find gazers amusing and tolerate their presence like spoiled
’t kill.
Variant: Gazer Familiar
Spellcasters who are interested in unusual familiars find that gazers are eager to serve someone who has magical power. Unless its master is strict, a gazer
Monsters
Sleeping Dragon’s Wake
, speak with animals
Regeneration. Lhammaruntosz regains 5 hit points at the start of her turn.
Spellcasting. Lhammaruntosz is an 8th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save
).
In a new form, Lhammaruntosz retains her alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as
Species
Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
additional rules during character creation.
Ability Score Increases
When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one of those scores by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or
raised above 20.
Languages
Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character. The Player’s Handbook offers a list
Species
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
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
speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character. The Player’s Handbook offers a list of languages to choose from. The DM is free
Monsters
Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
speak, his walking speed is 5 feet, and he has a flying speed of 30 feet. His statistics, other than his size and speed, are unchanged. Anything he is wearing transforms with him, but nothing he is
carrying does. He reverts to his true form if he dies.
While in mist form, Zorak can't take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. He is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
can use its action to polymorph into a Large hyena or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into its true form.
While in hyena form, the vampire can’t speak, and its walking speed is 50 feet. Its
vampire can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. it is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition
Vampire
Legacy
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Monsters
Basic Rules (2014)
, the vampire can’t speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and it has a flying speed of 30 feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it
, but nothing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
While in mist form, the vampire can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying
Vampire Spellcaster
Legacy
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Monsters
Monster Manual (2014)
vampire can't speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and it has a flying speed of 30 feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but nothing
it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
While in mist form, the vampire can't take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
. They think and speak and even feel emotions based on their new experiences, but given their circumstances, those emotions tend to be muted.
VARIANT: RETURNED KAKOMANTIS
Although the dead typically
Vampire Warrior
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Monsters
Monster Manual (2014)
vampire can't speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and it has a flying speed of 30 feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but nothing
it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
While in mist form, the vampire can't take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can