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Returning 35 results for 'strive of rules decreases 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.
Magic Items
Dungeon Master’s Guide
remains with you only as long as you strive to work evil in the world. If you fail to perform at least one evil act within the span of 10 days, or if you willingly perform a good act, the book
by any means while your soul remains imprisoned.
Adjusted Ability Scores. One ability score of your choice increases by 2, to a maximum of 24. Another ability score of your choice decreases by 2, to
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
Species
Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
This aasimar variant originally appeared in the Dungeon Master's Guide as an example for creating your own races.
Whereas tieflings have fiendish blood in their veins, aasimar are the descendants of
goodness on the Material Plane without drawing undue attention to their celestial heritage. They strive to fit into society, although they usually rise to the top, becoming revered leaders and honorable heroes.
Monsters
Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
condition. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or become cursed. The cursed target’s Charisma decreases by 1 after each hour, as its head takes on fiendish aspects, and its Charisma
disembodied Humanoid heads with wings. While most vargouilles roam the planes to curse Humanoids and create more vargouilles, a variant known as the vargouille reflection resides in Undersigil. When a
Backgrounds
Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
Prerequisite: Dragonlance Campaign
You have trained to be a valorous warrior known as a Knight of Solamnia. Strict rules guide your every action, and you work to uphold them as you strive to
Wereraven
Legacy
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monsters
Curse of Strahd
everyone else. Although skilled at blending into society, they keep mostly to themselves, respect local laws, and strive to do good whenever possible.
In their human and hybrid forms, wereravens favor
, 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
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
Quests from the Infinite Staircase
throw or be cursed with mummy rot. The cursed target can’t regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6);{"diceNotation":"3d6", "rollType":"roll", "rollAction":"Rotting Fist
by evil, Nafik now rules over the upper halls of Amun Sa’s pyramid and the priests he sentenced to an exanimate eternity.Necrotic, PoisonBludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical AttacksFire
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
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
Deep Dragon Wyrmling
Legacy
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Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
another, and we would all do well to prioritize that kinship. (Any)
3
Mystery. I appreciate a question I cannot answer, so I strive to be an enigma for other creatures. (Any)
4
Adaptability
it to the surface world. Lost and confused, the wyrmling has been captured by a group of cruel adventurers.
3
A deep dragon wyrmling whimsically rules over a worshipful group of kobolds, sending
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
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
Book of Vile Darkness
Legacy
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Magic Items
Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
must make a DC 17 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s alignment changes to neutral evil.
The Book of Vile Darkness remains with you only as long as you strive to work evil
reading and studying the book, one ability score of your choice increases by 2, to a maximum of 24. Another ability score of your choice decreases by 2, to a minimum of 3. The book can’t adjust your
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
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.
Magic Items
Keys from the Golden Vault
must make a DC 17 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s alignment changes to neutral evil.
The Book of Vile Darkness remains with you only as long as you strive to work evil
, one ability score of your choice increases by 2, to a maximum of 24. Another ability score of your choice decreases by 2, to a minimum of 3. The book can’t adjust your ability scores again
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->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->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->Monster Manual (2014)
) piercing damage.
VARIANT: DISEASED GIANT RATS
Some giant rats carry vile diseases that they spread with their bites. A diseased giant rat has a challenge rating of 1/8 (25 XP) and the following
Constitution saving throw or contract a disease. Until the disease is cured, the target can’t regain hit points except by magical means, and the target’s hit point maximum decreases by 3 (1d6) every 24 hours. If the target’s hit point maximum drops to 0 as a result of this disease, the target dies.
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
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
old times.
Yuan-ti Ideals
d6
Ideal
1
Greed. I display my wealth as a sign of my power and prosperity. (Evil)
2
Aspiration. I strive to follow the path toward becoming
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
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 in chapter 5. If you carry weight in excess of 5 times your Strength score
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Morte’s Planar Parade
variant known as the vargouille reflection resides in Undersigil. When a vargouille reflection spots a Humanoid target, it takes on that creature’s visage, terrifying that creature by appearing as its own
cursed. The cursed target’s Charisma decreases by 1 after each hour, as its head takes on fiendish aspects, and its Charisma can’t increase. The curse doesn’t advance while the target is in sunlight or the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Sigil and the Outlands
garbage that gathers in Sigil’s alleys and sewers. Common and giant rats are found throughout the Cage, as are variant cranium rats known as squeakers (further detailed in Morte’s Planar Parade). Adapted
razorvine strategically to deter intruders by letting it grow along estate walls or as carefully cultivated hedges. Rules for razorvine can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
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 Trait
1 I speak slowly and deliberately, pausing to reflect after (or sometimes in the middle of) each utterance
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Renown in Kalakeri You can track the characters’ influence with Ramya’s loyalist faction and her siblings’ rebel faction, using the renown rules from the Dungeon Master’s Guide to track the
Score with that group increases by 1, but their Renown Score with the other group decreases by 1 (to a minimum of 0). After the first time characters gain renown with either faction, any faction the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
Knight of Solamnia Prerequisite: Dragonlance Campaign You have trained to be a valorous warrior known as a Knight of Solamnia. Strict rules guide your every action, and you work to uphold them as you
strive to defend the weak and oppose evil. Your honor is as important to you as your life. Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Survival Languages: Two of your choice Equipment: An insignia of rank, a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual
Death Knight Death knights are deadly combatants and domineering commanders with grim histories. Some strive to end the curses that doom them to undeath, though their selfish souls eternally shackle
Point maximum decreases by an amount equal to the damage taken. Failure or Success: The death knight can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Lunge. The death knight moves up to half its Speed, and it makes one Dread Blade attack.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Core Assumptions The rules of the game are based on the following core assumptions about the game world. Gods Oversee the World. The gods are real and embody a variety of beliefs, with each god
collapse. Conflict Shapes the World’s History. Powerful individuals strive to make their mark on the world, and factions of like-minded individuals can alter the course of history. Factions include
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
introduction of the Monster Manual before proceeding further. It explains stat block terminology and gives rules for various monster traits — information that isn’t repeated here. As with the
that are appropriate for your adventure or campaign. If you’re looking for ways to use the variant beholders, giants, gnolls, goblinoids, hags, kobolds, mind flayers, orcs, and yuan-ti described in this