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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.

Elf

Species Player’s Handbook

, including worlds in the Material Plane. Elves have pointed ears and lack facial and body hair. They live for around 750 years, and they don’t sleep but instead enter a trance when they need

to rest. In that state, they remain aware of their surroundings while immersing themselves in memories and meditations. An environment subtly transforms elves after they inhabit it for a millennium or

Wish

Spells Player’s Handbook

this way, you don’t need to meet any requirements to cast that spell, including costly components. The spell simply takes effect. Alternatively, you can create one of the following effects of

wish for something not included in any of the other effects. To do so, state your wish to the DM as precisely as possible. The DM has great latitude in ruling what occurs in such an instance; the greater

Deck of Many Things

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

combat, you have Advantage on Death Saving Throws for 1 year. If someone else reduces your chosen foe to 0 Hit Points or you don’t choose a foe, this card has no effect. Donjon. You disappear

and become entombed in a state of suspended animation in an extradimensional sphere. Everything you’re wearing and carrying disappears with you except for Artifacts, which stay behind in the space

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

Gnoll Witherling

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

against each other, perhaps to determine who rules a war band or because of extreme starvation. Even under ordinary circumstances, gnolls that are deprived of victims for too long struggle to control

the remains back to a semblance of life in the form of a gnoll witherling. Witherlings travel with their comrades and try to kill anything in their path. They don’t eat and aren’t motivated

Glaive

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

, and fellow blades don’t dare call her anything else. Mournland adventurers, however, refer to the terrifying commander by another name: Kill Switch.PoisonOverdrive (Recharges after Finishing a

Short or Long Rest). Glaive enters a state of overdrive that lasts for 1 minute or until she has the incapacitated condition. While in overdrive, Glaive gains the following benefits: Glaive has

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 Sword Legacy

monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

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

Inquisitor of the Mind Fire Legacy

monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

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

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

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

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

creatures whose combined average hit points don’t exceed 500. These undead magically rise up from the ground or otherwise form in unoccupied spaces within 300 feet of Orcus and obey his commands

chapter 7, "Treasure” of the 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

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

Wereraven Legacy

monsters Curse of Strahd

light weapons. They are reluctant to make bite attacks in raven form for fear of spreading their curse to those who don’t deserve it or who would abuse it. A Kindness of Wereravens. Wereravens

, modestly give money to charity. They take steps to keep magic items out of evil hands by stashing them in secret hiding places. Characters as Wereravens. The Monster Manual has rules for characters

Shadar-kai

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, Beast, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Humanoid, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead. These types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures

Material Plane to forge their own destinies. Once shadar-kai were Fey like the rest of their elven kin; now they exist in a state between life and death, thanks to being transformed by the Shadowfell

Shifter Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

they can temporarily enhance their animalistic features by entering a state they call shifting. Shifters are similar to humans in height and build but are typically more lithe and flexible. Their

race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability

Shapechange Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

or merge into your new form. Equipment that merges has no effect in that state. During this spell's duration, you can use your action to assume a different form following the same restrictions and

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.

Inquisitor of the Tome Legacy

monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

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

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

Reborn Legacy

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

’s creature types in alphabetical order: Aberration, Beast, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Humanoid, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead. These types don’t have rules

physical state that their minds are ill equipped to deal with. Their memories of events before this interruption are often vague or absent. Occasionally, the most unexpected experiences might cause

Guild Artisan / Guild Merchant Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

in the guild’s good graces. Variant Guild Artisan: Guild Merchant Instead of an artisans’ guild, you might belong to a guild of traders, caravan masters, or shopkeepers. You don&rsquo

Fisher

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

nature. 2 My friends are my crew; we sink or float together. 3 I need long stretches of quiet to clear my head. 4 Rich folk don’t know the satisfaction of hard work. 5 I

laugh heartily, feel deeply, and fear nothing. 6 I work hard; nature offers no handouts. 7 I dislike bargaining; state your price and mean it. 8 Luck favors me, and I take risks others

Wilfred Godefroy

monsters

. Wilfred makes one Object Slam attack.Lord Wilfred Godefroy rules the afterlife of all who die in Mordent. Arrogant, impatient, and vengeful, the Darklord seeks any opportunity to exert his control and

. He uses his control over the dead to influence the living, threatening to harm his victims’ dead loved ones if they don’t obey his fickle commands. A generation ago, the creators of the

Noble Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

inheritance that no one cares what you do, as long as you don’t embarrass the family? How does the head of your family feel about your adventuring career? Are you in your family’s good graces, or

. Variant Noble: Knight A knighthood is among the lowest noble titles in most societies, but it can be a path to higher status. If you wish to be a knight, choose the Retainers feature (see the sidebar

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

Proficiency Bonus Legacy

Rules

(History) checks. In general, you don’t multiply your proficiency bonus for attack rolls or saving throws. If a feature or effect allows you to do so, these same rules apply.

Characters have a proficiency bonus determined by level, as detailed in chapter 1. Monsters also have this bonus, which is incorporated in their stat blocks. The bonus is used in the rules on ability

Elder Brain

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, rewriting their thoughts and authoring their dreams. An elder brain sustains itself by consuming the brains of other creatures. If its mind flayer servants don’t bring meals directly to it, the

master, which then absorbs the knowledge and experience contained therein. Mind flayers conceive of this oneness with the elder brain as a sacred state akin to an afterlife. Hive Mind Elder brains

Noble - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

inheritance that no one cares what you do, as long as you don’t embarrass the family? How does the head of your family feel about your adventuring career? Are you in your family’s good graces, or

; 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

Owlin

Species Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

, has a special tag in the rules that identifies the type of creature they are. Most player characters, including owlin, are of the Humanoid type. Creature types don’t have rules themselves, but

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

Lizardfolk

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead. These types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different ways. For example, the cure wounds spell doesn

survive with just their wits in situations that would be deadly for other folk. Because of that fact, many lizardfolk myths state that their people were placed by the gods in the Material Plane to guard

Smuggler

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

’s Code. I uphold the unwritten rules of the smugglers, who do not cheat one another or directly harm innocents. (Lawful) 3 All for a Coin. I’ll do nearly anything if it

business. 5 I was tricked by a fellow smuggler who stole something precious from me. I will find that thief. 6 I give most of my profits to a charitable cause, and I don’t like to brag

Crystal Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

) 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 and adventures

—if only they would stop trying to kill the dragon’s guests. 6 A crystal dragon wyrmling is placed in a monastery to learn the teachings of the monks before returning home in three years. The monks don’t appreciate the wyrmling’s pranks. Cold, Radiant

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

creatures whose combined average hit points don’t exceed 500. These creatures magically rise up from the ground or otherwise form in unoccupied spaces within 300 feet of Orcus and obey his commands

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

Getting Into and Out of Armor

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

Getting Into and Out of Armor The time it takes to don or doff a type of armor or a shield is shown in the Donning and Doffing Armor table. Don. This is the time it takes to put on the item. You

benefit from its AC only if you take the full time to don it. Doff. This is the time it takes to take off the item. If you have help removing armor, reduce this time by half. Category Don Doff Light

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