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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

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

Velomachus Lorehold

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

"} thunder damage and is pushed up to 20 feet in a horizontal direction of Velomachus’ choice. On a success, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed. Objects that aren&rsquo

components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability: 1/day each: contact other plane (as an action, contacting a long-dead spirit), divination, move earth, wall of forceVelomachus can take 3

Gazer

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

isn’t being worn or carried, the gazer moves it up to 30 feet in any direction. The gazer can also exert fine control on objects with this ray, such as manipulating a simple tool or opening a

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

Spirit of Death

Spells The Book of Many Things

target is haunted, you and the spirit sense the direction and distance to the target if it is on the same plane of existence as you. Additionally, if the target starts its turn within 10 feet of the

You call forth a spirit that embodies death. The spirit manifests in an unoccupied space you can see within range and uses the reaper spirit stat block. The spirit disappears when it is reduced to 0

Banshee Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

Detect Life. The banshee can magically sense the presence of creatures up to 5 miles away that aren’t undead or constructs. She knows the general direction they’re in but not their exact

the spirit of a female elf. Its face is wreathed in a wild tangle of hair, its body clad in wispy rags that flutter and stream around it.Cold, Necrotic, PoisonAcid, Fire, Lightning, Thunder; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

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.

Scissors of Shadow Snipping

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

only if you can see the shadow: You control the shadow’s movements and can make the shadow move up to 30 feet across a solid or liquid surface, in any direction you choose (including along

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

Ythryn Mythallar

Magic Items Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

rest within 30 feet of it, meditating on the mythallar. Up to eight creatures can be attuned to it at one time; otherwise, the Ythryn mythallar follows the attunement rules in the Dungeon Master&rsquo

of existence as the Ythryn mythallar, you can use an action to cause it to fly in any direction you choose at a speed of 30 feet. All matter within 500 feet of the device moves with it. The Ythryn

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

Minotaur

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Minotaurs are barrel-chested humanoids with heads resembling those of bulls. Blessed with a supernaturally strong sense of direction, minotaurs make great navigators. Some sages believe minotaurs

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 Increases

Lord Soth of Sithicus (DMR)

monsters

cares nothing for his domain. But should noteworthy threats or remarkable individuals appear, he seeks to crush or enlist them. The only exception is the spirit of his treacherous former ally, Caradoc

battle, Caradoc refused to capture her spirit unless Soth bargained with Takhisis to restore Caradoc to life. Enraged, Soth tried to destroy Caradoc as the Mists rose around them. When the Mists faded

Thessalkraken

Monsters Infernal Machine Rebuild

thrown up to 40 feet in a random direction and knocked prone. If a thrown target strikes a solid surface, the target takes 3 (1d6);{"diceNotation":"1d6","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Fling

. Among the largest was the thessalkraken—a slightly smaller variant of the legendary kraken, resembling that great tentacled titan but with a jagged-toothed maw that drips constantly with

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

Gazer (Familiar Variant)

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

less that isn’t being worn or carried, the gazer moves it up to 30 feet in any direction. The gazer can also exert fine control on objects with this ray, such as manipulating a simple tool or

’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

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

Harengon

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Harengons originated in the Feywild, where they spoke Sylvan and embodied the spirit of freedom and travel. In time, these rabbitfolk hopped into other worlds, bringing the fey realm’s

fairy or the harengon in this section, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2

Sibriex

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Contamination. The sibriex emits an aura of corruption 30 feet in every direction. Vegetation withers in the aura, and the ground in the aura is difficult terrain for other creatures. Any creature

-shaping they provide. Variant: Flesh Warping Creatures that encounter a sibriex can be twisted beyond recognition. Whenever a creature fails a saving throw against the sibriex’s Warp Creature

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

. Vladimir is immune to effects that turn undead. Vengeful Tracker. Vladimir knows the distance to and direction of any creature against which it seeks revenge, even if the creature and Vladimir are on

memory shrouded by his hate. Were Vladimir to let go of his hatred, his spirit would find peace and could remember the warmth of love. Were Strahd to be defeated, even temporarily, the mists surrounding

Rudolph van Richten

monsters

, Erasmus watches over his father. The spirit of the artistic and thoughtful young man haunts the elder van Richten and aids him and his father’s allies with subtle direction and encouragement

Githzerai

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

and reforming without purpose or direction, until a creature exerts deliberate will to stabilize it. Through their potent psionic power, githzerai carved a home for themselves amid the chaos. As the

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

Dhampir Legacy

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

their lineage. Dhampir Origins d8 Origin 1 You are the reincarnation of an ancestor who was a vampiric tyrant. 2 Your pact with a predatory deity, fiend, fey, or spirit causes

lineage option, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your ability scores, you increase one of those scores by 2 and increase a different

Reborn Legacy

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Your body hosts a possessing spirit that shares its memories and replaces your missing appendages with phantasmal limbs. 8 In public, you pass as an unremarkable individual, but you can feel the

, but you aren’t any longer. You now possess only your lineage’s racial traits. When you create a character using a lineage option, follow these additional rules during character creation

Spell Scroll Legacy

Magic Items Basic Rules (2014)

copied. Whether the check succeeds or fails, the Spell Scroll is destroyed. VARIANT: SCROLL MISHAPS A creature who tries and fails to cast a spell from a spell scroll must make a DC 10

the intended target, the spell takes effect normally. If the caster was not the intended target, the spell goes off in the general direction of the intended target, up to the spell’s maximum range, if the target has moved away.

Baphomet Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

, the Horned King and the Prince of Beasts. He rules over minotaur;minotaurs and others with savage hearts. He is worshiped by those who want to break the confines of civility and unleash their bestial

reversed within that room. Any creatures or objects in the room when this happens fall in the direction of the new pull of gravity, unless they have some means of remaining aloft. Baphomet can ignore the

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules. Surrounded by a moat fed by the

of Death. This creature emanates a deathly aura that extends 30 feet in every direction from its space while it isn’t incapacitated. The aura is blocked by total cover. While in the aura, the

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

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.

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

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

12. Residential Caves

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

chased out a family trying to settle within (see area 12a). 12a. Vazuk’s Home Vazuk was a simple leatherworker who died in the drow invasion. His spirit awoke when a family moved into what used to be

his home, then began to throw fits and terrorize any creatures coming near. Vazuk is a specter (use the poltergeist variant). He can’t be turned while inside his former home. He attacks the characters

Tying Knots

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.

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.

Rest Variants

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

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