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Eye and Hand of Vecna

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

Vecna the Archlich;Vecna was a mighty wizard who, through magic and conquest, forged a terrible empire. For all his power, however, Vecna feared death and took steps to prevent his demise by becoming

Concentration required), demanding that you commit an evil act. The hand might have a specific act in mind or leave it up to you. Hand of Vecna Spells Spell Charge Cost Finger of Death 5

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. His Cult of the Dragon devotes itself to helping evil dragons become dracoliches to bring this evil new age to fruition. Sammaster was killed in battle, but had prepared contingencies for his demise

can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps a magical soul

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

for his demise. He drew on the warped resurrection of dracoliches to become a lich himself. He continues to lead the Cult of the Dragon from the shadows, developing new ways to control and corrupt

efficiently as he can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps

Water Weird Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

ends, the target is restrained, the water weird tries to drown it, and the water weird can’t constrict another target.A water weird is an elemental guardian bound to a specific water-filled

interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might turn against its summoner. A water weird loses its evil alignment if its waters are cleansed

Conch of Teleportation

Magic Items Storm King's Thunder

This item is an ordinary, albeit rather large, conch shell that has been inscribed with the uvar rune. The conch measures 2½ feet long and weighs 20 pounds. As an action, you can cast the

teleport spell by blowing into the shell. The destination is fixed, and there is no chance of either a mishap or the spell being off target. Anyone teleported by the conch appears in a specific location

Living Portent

Monsters The Book of Many Things

encounter. Variant: Servants of Living Stars Some stars in the sky are Elder Evils, alien beings of godlike power from the reality-defying Far Realm. A living portent can be a fragment of these beings

minions to avert its own demise. Khirad, the Star of Secrets. A blue-white star whose gifts grant insight but also reveal terrible truths. Zhudun, the Corpse Star. A dead star that whispers of the

City Watch / Investigator

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

easily pick out the dens of criminal activity in a community, although you’re more likely to be welcome in the former locations rather than the latter. Variant: Investigator Rarer

Investigation rather than Athletics. Suggested Characteristics Use the tables for the soldier background below as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to

Noble - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

wish to use the background’s standard feature might have gained their standing in Baldur’s Gate from business rather than inheritance. Skill Proficiencies: History, Persuasion Tool

; without question, and any corruption among guards or government officials tends to work in your favor, not against you—at least until you make some effort to expose it. Variant Noble: Knight A

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

; 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

new place is note the locations of everything valuable—or where such things could be hidden. 4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. 5 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those

Soldier Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

or deck of cards, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp Specialty During your time as a soldier, you had a specific role to play in your unit or army. Roll a d8 or choose

mistake in battle that cost many lives—and I would do anything to keep that mistake secret. 4 My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. 5 I obey the law, even if the law causes misery. 6 I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.

Adult Moonstone Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

often difficult because I’m so easily distr… oh my goodness, is that circlet made of silver? 7 I find the waking world tedious and mundane and would much rather spend my time asleep

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

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.

Mighty Servant of Leuk-o

Magic Items Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

sight of the servant, starting with those threatening the artifact— preferably using the servant, if possible. Self-Destruct. By inputting a specific series of lever pulls and button presses

instantly and leave behind no remains. This does not destroy the servant permanently. Rather, 2d6 days later, its parts—left arm, left leg, right arm, right leg, lower torso, and upper torso&mdash

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

of evil that calls for them to butcher or eradicate all who oppose them. In keeping with their goal of domination, the yuan-ti would rather capture potentially useful opponents than kill them. They use

Chapter 5: Backgrounds

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

characters in a Forgotten Realms campaign, many of them specific to Faerûn or to the Sword Coast and the North in particular. As in the Player’s Handbook, each of the backgrounds presented here provides

proficiencies, languages, and equipment, as well as a background feature and sometimes a variant form. For personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws, most of the backgrounds in this chapter use a thematically similar background in the Player’s Handbook as their foundation.

Tying Knots

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.

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

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

could be hidden. 4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. 5 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide. 6 I don’t pay

Draconic Races

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.

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

figure responsible for the creation of the tabaxi, gifts each of his children with one specific feline trait. Those tabaxi gifted with curiosity are compelled to wander far and wide. They seek out

of the world beyond their home. Barterers of Lore Tabaxi treasure knowledge rather than material things. A chest filled with gold coins might be useful to buy food or a coil of rope, but it’s

Rest Variants

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

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

to regain spell slots of 6th level or higher. Gritty Realism This variant uses a short rest of 8 hours and a long rest of 7 days. This puts the brakes on the campaign, requiring the players to

Inspiration for the DM

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

Inspiration for the DM Another way to use the inspiration deck is to make its effects available to monsters and villains. In this variant, each time a player expends inspiration, the DM also draws a

card from the deck. Rather than adding it to the communal hand, you keep that card secret until you play it on behalf of one of the characters’ opponents. You can play your inspiration cards soon

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp Specialty During your time as a soldier, you had a specific role to play in your unit or army. Roll a d8 or choose from the options in the table below to

keep that mistake secret. 4 My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. 5 I obey the law, even if the law causes misery. 6 I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.

Build Your Group

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

the house than with the specific roles in the party. Consider some or all of these roles for your characters: Adventurer. Some characters are associated with your patron house because of their

might have a wide range of abilities, particular to whatever needs the House has at the time. Many with peculiar skills or highly specific fields of expertise find themselves in the employ of

Izzet Engineer

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

basic knowledge of the structure of buildings, including the stuff behind the walls. You can also find blueprints of a specific building in order to learn the details of its construction. Such

protocols will lead us toward progress more surely than any belief system. (Lawful) 5 Fun. I love my job! Despite the dangerous working conditions, there’s nothing I’d rather do

Yuan-ti Names

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

sort is recognized as a variant of the birth name, rather than a unique name unto itself. A yuan-ti might refer to itself by its birth name, by its adopted name, or (especially among purebloods) by a

Bluetspur

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Bluetspur, and none who witness them remember. This alien domain etches itself not upon the waking mind, but rather upon the body as inexplicable scars and on the psyche through nightmares. Not all the

mind flayers work desperately to reconcile their god’s demented whims even as they struggle to delay its demise. To those ends, their tentacles slip through the Mists to drag unwitting souls back to

Variant Abilities

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

Rolling with It

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

characters succeeding or failing on any one check to move the action in a specific direction. You must be ready to improvise and react to a changing situation. Relying on dice also gives the players the sense

might work. A drawback of this approach is that roleplaying can diminish if players feel that their die rolls, rather than their decisions and characterizations, always determine success.

Reaching the Engine

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

nalfeshnee named Slaughtertusk to watch over the crevasse and prevent any creature from approaching the device. Slaughtertusk would rather be helping the Horned King track down and kill Yeenoghu. The

nalfeshnee is bored with its assigned task, although it knows better than to disobey the Horned King. Still, rather than immediately destroying any intruders, it toys with them for as long as possible

Skills

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

lacks that proficiency, he or she just makes a Strength check. Variant: Skills with Different Abilities Normally, your proficiency in a skill applies only to a specific kind of ability check

Skills Each ability covers a broad range of capabilities, including skills that a character or a monster can be proficient in. A skill represents a specific aspect of an ability score, and an

Components

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

the spell's power; rather, the particular combination of sounds, with specific pitch and resonance, sets the threads of magic in motion. Thus, a character who is gagged or in an area of silence, such

character must have that specific component before he or she can cast the spell. If a spell states that a material component is consumed by the spell, the caster must provide this component for each

Skills

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

she just makes a Strength check. Variant: Skills with Different Abilities Normally, your proficiency in a skill applies only to a specific kind of ability check. Proficiency in Athletics, for example

Skills Each ability covers a broad range of capabilities, including skills that a character or a monster can be proficient in. A skill represents a specific aspect of an ability score, and an

Helmed Horror

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

Helmed Horror This construct possesses intelligence, the ability to reason and adjust its tactics, and an unswerving devotion to its maker that persists even after its maker’s demise. Resembling an

understand the difference between an order’s intent and its exact wording. Unlike many constructs, it seeks to fulfill the former rather than slavishly follow the latter. Tactical Cunning. A helmed horror

Constitution

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

ability represents is largely passive rather than involving a specific effort on the part of a character or monster. A Constitution check can model your attempt to push beyond normal limits, however. The

Appendix B: Death House

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

block their path. LEVEL ADVANCEMENT In this mini-adventure, the characters gain levels by accomplishing specific goals, rather than by slaying monsters. These milestones are as follows

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