# Chapter 3: DM's Toolbox *Source: Dungeon Master's Guide (2024), p. 51*  Whereas "chapters 1" and "2" teach the essentials of being a Dungeon Master, this chapter provides advice on topics that can surface as you prepare or run a D&D game session, as well as rules for adventure elements ranging from chases and doors to traps. It also includes guidance on creating new "backgrounds", "creatures", "magic items", and "spells" to amuse your players. ## Alignment As described in the "Player's Handbook", [alignment](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/alignment-xphb.md) is a roleplaying tool. It is a quick way to describe a creature's moral and ethical orientation. Like other elements of the game, it's meant to be a tool to serve you and your game, not a constraint or burden. Alignment can help your game in three ways: as a tool for player characters, as a descriptor of a creature's demeanor, and as a summary of an organization's ethos. ### Character Alignment Some common misconceptions about alignment can cause conflicts between players and DMs. The following sections can help you navigate how player characters interact with alignment. #### Actions Indicate Alignment A character might think they're good and profess to believe that senseless slaughter is wrong, but if that character repeatedly engages in senseless slaughter, the character's beliefs aren't what they profess. Alignment doesn't limit the actions characters can take; rather, the actions they take indicate what their alignment is. It's OK to stray from the tenets of one's alignment now and then, and players can (and should) change their characters' alignments if these alignments no longer describe their characters. #### Good and Evil Can Cooperate Good and evil characters can share common goals, though they'll likely use different tactics to pursue those goals. Imagine two characters—one Lawful Good, the other Lawful Evil—who are both dedicated to stopping monsters from preying on the people of their city. The Lawful Evil character is willing to employ methods (such as bribing or threatening potential witnesses) that the Lawful Good character isn't. When good- and evil-aligned adventurers coexist in the same party, they're likely to have disagreements as the campaign unfolds. Many players enjoy roleplaying such conflicts, but see ""Ensuring Fun for All"" in "chapter 1" if you run into trouble with evil characters played in a disruptive way. #### Planes and Alignment The "Outer Planes" (described in "chapter 6") are realms where alignment manifests in reality. When creatures explore the Outer Planes, they can experience those realms differently depending on their alignment. ### Monster Alignment Alignment can help you determine how a creature behaves in your game in two simple ways. #### Starting Attitude A creature's alignment can help you determine the creature's attitude in an encounter. A Chaotic Evil monster is likely to be [Hostile](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/hostile-attitude-xphb.md), while a Lawful Good one is more likely to have a [Friendly](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/friendly-attitude-xphb.md) attitude, ready to help those in need. #### Personality "Chapter 2" of the "Player's Handbook" offers a [table of brief personality traits](Mechanics/CLI/tables/alignment-and-personality-personality-traits-by-alignment-xphb.md) linked to alignment that can inspire you in playing an NPC or another monster in your game. ### Organization Ethos It can be useful to assign an alignment to an organization—including a faction, a guild, or a nation—to describe its ethos. This can help you decide how groups interact with each other. An organization's ethos doesn't dictate the alignment of its members or even the alignment of its leaders. In fact, a stark difference between a society's ethos and the alignment of its leadership can generate interesting material for adventure. For example, imagine a Neutral Good queen ascending to the throne of a Lawful Evil empire and struggling to reform its institutions. ## Chases  The rules for movement in combat don't translate to every situation. In particular, they can make a potentially thrilling chase seem dull and predictable. Faster creatures always catch up to slower ones, while creatures with the same Speed never close the distance between each other. Use the following rules to introduce random elements that make chases more exciting. Know the capabilities of the characters in your party before you make a chase an important feature of an adventure. A character with a high Speed or the right spell (such as [Dimension Door](Mechanics/CLI/spells/dimension-door-xphb.md), [Fly](Mechanics/CLI/spells/fly-xphb.md), or [Hold Monster](Mechanics/CLI/spells/hold-monster-xphb.md)) can often end a chase before it begins. ### Beginning a Chase A chase requires at least one quarry and at least one pursuer. Any participants not already in [Initiative](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/initiative-xphb.md) order must roll Initiative as the chase begins. As in combat, each participant in the chase can take one action and move on its turn. When a chase begins, determine the starting distance between the quarry and the pursuers. Track the distance between them, and designate the pursuer closest to the quarry as the lead. The lead pursuer might change from round to round. ### Running the Chase Participants in the chase are strongly motivated to take the [Dash](Mechanics/CLI/rules/actions.md#Dash) action every round. Pursuers who stop to cast spells and make attacks run the risk of losing their quarry, and a quarry that doesn't take the Dash action is likely to be caught. #### Dashing A chase participant can take the [Dash](Mechanics/CLI/rules/actions.md#Dash) action a number of times equal to 3 plus its Constitution modifier (minimum of once). Each additional Dash action it takes during the chase requires the creature to succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw at the end of its turn or gain 1 [Exhaustion](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Exhaustion) level. A participant drops out of the chase if it has 5 [Exhaustion](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Exhaustion) levels. A creature can remove the [Exhaustion](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Exhaustion) levels it gained during the chase by finishing a [Short](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/short-rest-xphb.md) or [Long Rest](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/long-rest-xphb.md). #### Spells and Attacks A chase participant can make attacks and cast spells against other creatures within range. Chase participants can't normally make [Opportunity Attacks](Mechanics/CLI/rules/actions.md#Opportunity%20Attack) against each other, since they are all assumed to be moving in the same direction at the same time. However, participants can still be the targets of [Opportunity Attacks](Mechanics/CLI/rules/actions.md#Opportunity%20Attack) from creatures not participating in the chase. For example, adventurers who chase a thief past a gang of ruffians might provoke [Opportunity Attacks](Mechanics/CLI/rules/actions.md#Opportunity%20Attack) from the ruffians. ### Ending a Chase A chase ends when one side or the other stops, when each quarry escapes, or when the pursuers are close enough to their quarry to catch it. If neither side gives up the chase, the quarry makes a Dexterity ([Stealth](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Stealth)) check on Initiative count 0 each round, after every participant in the chase has taken its turn. If the quarry is never out of the lead pursuer's sight, the check fails automatically. Otherwise, compare the check's total to the [Passive Perception](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/passive-perception-xphb.md) scores of the pursuers. If the quarry consists of multiple creatures, they all make the check separately, so it's possible for one quarry to escape while others remain in the chase. The quarry can gain [Advantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/advantage-xphb.md) or [Disadvantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/disadvantage-xphb.md) on its check based on the circumstances, as shown in the Escape Factors table.  Other factors might help or hinder the quarry's ability to escape, at your discretion. For example, a quarry with a [Faerie Fire](Mechanics/CLI/spells/faerie-fire-xphb.md) spell cast on it might have Disadvantage on checks made to escape because it's much easier to spot. If the total of the quarry's check is greater than the highest [Passive Perception](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/passive-perception-xphb.md) score of the pursuers, the quarry escapes. If not, the chase continues for another round. Escape doesn't necessarily mean the quarry has outpaced its pursuers. For example, in a city, escape might mean the quarry ducked into a crowd or slipped around a corner, leaving no clue as to where it went. #### Designing Your Own Chase Tables Unusual environments might suggest unique chase tables. A chase through the sewers of the Free City of Greyhawk or through the spiderweb-filled alleys of "Menzoberranzan" (a subterranean city teeming with spiders and worshipers of "Lolth") might inspire you to create your own tables. ### Splitting Up Creatures being chased can split up into smaller groups. This tactic forces pursuers to either divide their forces or allow some of the quarry to escape. If a pursuit splits into several smaller chases, resolve each chase separately. You can keep all the creatures in Initiative order, but track the distances separately for each group. ### Role Reversal During a chase, it's possible for the pursuers to become the quarry. For example, characters chasing a thief through a marketplace might draw unwanted attention from other members of the thieves' guild. As they pursue the fleeing thief, they must also evade the thieves pursuing them. Roll Initiative for the new arrivals, and run both chases simultaneously. Alternatively, the fleeing thief might run into his accomplices. The outnumbered characters might then flee with the thieves in pursuit. ### Mapping the Chase When you plan a chase, draw a rough map that shows the route. Insert obstacles and complications at specific points, especially ones that require the characters to make ability checks or saving throws to avoid slowing or stopping, or use the random tables of complications in the ""Chase Complications"" section to choose obstacles that occur at specific points. Complications can be barriers to progress or opportunities for mayhem. Characters being chased through a forest by bugbears might spot a wasp nest and slow down long enough to attack the nest or throw rocks at it to enrage the wasps within, thus creating an obstacle for their pursuers. A map of a chase can be linear or have many branches, depending on the nature of the chase. For example, a mine cart chase might have few (if any) branches, while a sewer chase might have several.  ### Chase Complications Unexpected complications make a chase more exciting. The accompanying Urban Chase Complications table and Wilderness Chase Complications table provide several examples. Each participant in the chase rolls `d12` at the end of its turn. Consult the appropriate table to determine whether a complication occurs. If it does, it affects the next chase participant in the Initiative order, not the participant who rolled the die. Characters can create their own complications to shake off pursuers or slow their quarry (for example, casting the [Web](Mechanics/CLI/spells/web-xphb.md) spell in a narrow alleyway). Adjudicate these at your discretion.   ## Creating a Background A character's background represents what the character did prior to becoming an adventurer. Creating a unique background or customizing an existing one from the "Player's Handbook" can reflect the particular theme of your campaign or elements of your world. You can also create a background to help a player craft the story they have in mind for their character.  This section describes, step by step, how you can create backgrounds like the ones in the "Player's Handbook", tailored for your world and the heroes in it. ### 1: Choose Abilities Choose three abilities that seem appropriate for the background: - **Strength or Dexterity.** These abilities are ideal for a background involving physical exertion. - **Constitution.** This ability is ideal for a background that involves endurance or long hours of activity. - **Intelligence or Wisdom.** One or both abilities are ideal for a background that focuses on cerebral or spiritual matters. - **Charisma.** This ability is ideal for a background that involves performance or social interaction. ### 2: Choose a Feat Choose one feat from the Origin category. See the "Player's Handbook" for examples of "Origin feats". ### 3: Choose Skill Proficiencies Choose two skills appropriate for the background. There needn't be a relationship between the skill proficiencies a background grants and the ability scores it increases. ### 4: Choose a Tool Proficiency Choose one tool used in the practice of the background or often associated with it. ### 5: Choose Equipment Assemble a package of equipment worth 50 GP (including unspent gold). Don't include Martial weapons or armor, as characters get them from their class choices. ## Creating a Creature  Use the approaches and examples in the following sections to build custom creatures for your game. ### Minor Alterations You can change the superficial details of a creature's appearance however you like, and you can alter any of the following pieces of a monster's stat block without impacting its functionality. #### Size and Creature Type You can alter a creature's size and creature type as you please. For example, you can use an [Ogre](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/giant/ogre-xmm.md) stat block for a human bully—just make it a Medium Humanoid instead of a Large Giant. #### Ability Scores You can usually change a creature's Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores freely unless the ability is used for spellcasting. For example, a [Black Pudding](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/ooze/black-pudding-xmm.md) stat block could represent a sapient alien if you raise its Intelligence and Charisma to 10 or so. It's usually best to leave its Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores alone, as changes to these scores can alter a monster's attack bonus, damage, [Armor Class](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/armor-class-xphb.md), or [Hit Points](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/hit-points-xphb.md), which in turn can alter its [Challenge Rating](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/challenge-rating-xphb.md). #### Languages You can change any or all of the languages the creature knows. You might want to add languages if you've made a creature sapient that wasn't before. You can also add or remove [telepathy](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/telepathy-xphb.md) or other forms of communication. #### Proficiencies You can give a creature any skill proficiencies you want and give it [Expertise](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/expertise-xphb.md) if you want it to be very skilled. If you want a creature to be good at hiding, give it Expertise in the [Stealth](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Stealth) skill. If its keen senses make it an excellent tracker or otherwise adept at finding hidden foes, give it Expertise in the [Perception](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Perception) skill. (You can also increase its Wisdom, as noted above.) You can also swap a monster's saving throw proficiencies. If it has none, you can add one or two. #### Senses [Blindsight](Mechanics/CLI/rules/senses.md#Blindsight), [Darkvision](Mechanics/CLI/rules/senses.md#Darkvision), [Tremorsense](Mechanics/CLI/rules/senses.md#Tremorsense), and [Truesight](Mechanics/CLI/rules/senses.md#Truesight) have no bearing on a creature's Challenge Rating. You can add or remove them freely. #### Spells If a stat block has spells, you can replace any of its spells with a different spell of the same level. Avoid replacing a spell that deals damage with one that doesn't and vice versa. #### Attacks You can freely change the name and flavor of an attack, as well as its damage type. For example, you can turn an ordinary [Skeleton](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/skeleton-xmm.md) into an ice skeleton that deals Cold damage as it accosts characters with a blade of ice or hurls shards of ice at them. #### Resistances and Immunities If a creature doesn't have [Resistance](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/resistance-xphb.md) or [Immunity](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/immunity-xphb.md) to one or more damage types, you can give it Resistance or Immunity to one or two damage types. You can also change the damage type of its existing Resistances and Immunities. ### Traits You can add traits to a creature's stat block to communicate aspects of the creature's nature. See the Creature Traits list for sample traits. You can also use traits from other stat blocks in the "Monster Manual", provided you don't add traits that alter a creature's Hit Points, confer [Temporary Hit Points](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/temporary-hit-points-xphb.md), or change the amount of damage the creature deals to other creatures. #### Creature Traits - **Aversion to Fire.** If the creature takes Fire damage, it has [Disadvantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/disadvantage-xphb.md) on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn. - **Battle Ready.** The creature has [Advantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/advantage-xphb.md) on [Initiative](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/initiative-xphb.md) rolls. - **Beast Whisperer.** The creature can communicate with Beasts as if they shared a common language. - **Death Jinx.** When the creature dies, one random creature within 10 feet of the dead creature is targeted by a [Bane](Mechanics/CLI/spells/bane-xphb.md) spell (save DC 13), which lasts for its full duration. - **Dimensional Disruption.** Disruptive energy extends from the creature in a 30-foot [Emanation](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/emanation-area-of-effect-xphb.md). Other creatures can't teleport to or from a space in that area. Any attempt to do so is wasted. - **Disciple of the Nine Hells.** When the creature dies, its body disgorges a [Hostile](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/hostile-attitude-xphb.md) [Imp](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/fiend/imp-xmm.md) in the same space. - **Disintegration.** When the creature dies, its body and nonmagical possessions turn to dust. Any magic items it possessed are left behind in its space. - **Emissary of Juiblex.** When the creature dies, its body disgorges a [Hostile](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/hostile-attitude-xphb.md) [Ochre Jelly](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/ooze/ochre-jelly-xmm.md) in the same space. - **Fey Ancestry.** The creature has Advantage on saving throws it makes to avoid or end the [Charmed](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Charmed) condition, and magic can't put it to sleep. - **Forbiddance.** The creature can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of its occupants. - **Gloom Shroud.** Imperceptible energy channeled from the "Shadowfell" extends from the creature in a 20-foot [Emanation](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/emanation-area-of-effect-xphb.md). Other creatures in that area have [Disadvantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/disadvantage-xphb.md) on Charisma checks and Charisma saving throws. - **Light.** The creature sheds [Bright Light](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/bright-light-xphb.md) in a 10-foot radius and [Dim Light](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/dim-light-xphb.md) for an additional 10 feet. As a [Bonus Action](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/bonus-action-xphb.md), the creature can suppress this light or cause it to return. The light winks out if the creature dies. - **Mimicry.** The creature can mimic Beast sounds and Humanoid voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 14 Wisdom ([Insight](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Insight)) check. - **Poison Tolerant.** The creature has Advantage on saving throws it makes to avoid or end the [Poisoned](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Poisoned) condition. - **Resonant Connection.** The creature has a supernatural connection to another creature or an object and knows the most direct route to it, provided the two are within 1 mile of each other. - **Siege Monster.** The creature deals double damage to objects and structures. - **Slaad Host.** When the creature dies, a [Hostile](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/hostile-attitude-xphb.md) [Slaad Tadpole](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/aberration/slaad-tadpole-xmm.md) bursts from its innards in the same space. - **Steadfast.** The creature has [Immunity](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/immunity-xphb.md) to the [Frightened](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Frightened) condition while it can see an ally within 30 feet of itself. - **Telepathic Bond.** The creature is linked psychically to another creature. While both are on the same plane of existence, they can communicate telepathically with each other. - **Telepathic Shroud.** The creature is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, as well as to spells from the school of Divination. As a Bonus Action, the creature can suppress this trait or reactivate it. - **Ventriloquism.** Whenever the creature speaks, it can choose a point within 30 feet of itself; its voice emanates from that point. - **Warrior's Wrath.** The creature has Advantage on melee attack rolls against any [Bloodied](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/bloodied-xphb.md) creature. - **Wild Talent.** Choose one cantrip; the creature can cast that cantrip without spell components, using Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as the spellcasting ability. ## Creating a Magic Item The magic items in "chapter 7" are but a few of the magic treasures that characters can discover during their adventures. You can modify these magic items or create new ones using the guidelines in this section. Rules for characters "crafting magic items" are in "chapter 7". ### Modifying a Magic Item You can create a new magic item by tweaking one or more existing ones. Suggestions are provided in the sections that follow. #### Altered Capabilities One capability can replace a similar one. For example, a [Potion of Climbing](Mechanics/CLI/items/potion-of-climbing-xdmg.md) could become a *Potion of Swimming*. #### Altered Form You can alter a magic item's form while leaving its properties intact. For example, you can turn a [Ring of the Ram](Mechanics/CLI/items/ring-of-the-ram-xdmg.md) into a wand or a [Cloak of Protection](Mechanics/CLI/items/cloak-of-protection-xdmg.md) into some other worn object (such as a circlet) without altering the item's properties. #### Altered Damage Types An item that deals damage of one type could instead deal damage of another type. For example, a [Flame Tongue](Mechanics/CLI/items/flame-tongue-xdmg.md) sword could deal Lightning damage instead of Fire damage. #### Combining Items You can merge the properties of two magic items of the same rarity into a single item, provided no more than one of them requires [Attunement](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/attunement-xphb.md). For example, you could combine the properties of a [Helm of Comprehending Languages](Mechanics/CLI/items/helm-of-comprehending-languages-xdmg.md) with those of a [Helm of Telepathy](Mechanics/CLI/items/helm-of-telepathy-xdmg.md) into a single helmet. This makes the item more powerful (and probably increases its rarity), but it won't break your game. #### Special Features and Sentience "Chapter 7" has rules for giving magic items interesting histories, minor properties, quirks, and sentience. ### Creating a New Item If modifying an item doesn't quite fulfill the need, you can create one from scratch. A magic item should either let a character do something they couldn't do before or improve the character's ability to do something they can do already. For example, a [Ring of Jumping](Mechanics/CLI/items/ring-of-jumping-xdmg.md) lets its wearer jump greater distances, thus augmenting what a character can already do. A [Ring of the Ram](Mechanics/CLI/items/ring-of-the-ram-xdmg.md), however, gives a character the ability to deal Force damage. The simpler your approach, the easier it is for a character to use the item in play. Giving the item charges is fine, especially if it has several different abilities, but simply deciding that an item is always active or can be used a fixed number of times per day might be easier to manage. #### Power Level If you make an item that lets a character kill whatever they hit with it, that item will likely unbalance your game. On the other hand, an item whose benefit rarely comes into play isn't much of a reward. Use the Magic Item Power by Rarity table as a guide to help you determine how powerful a magic item should be based on its rarity.  ##### Maximum Spell Level This column of the table indicates the highest-level spell effect the item should confer, in the form of a once-per-day or similarly limited property. For example, a Common magic item might confer the benefit of a level 1 spell once per day (or just once if it's consumable). A Rare, Very Rare, or Legendary magic item might allow its possessor to cast a lower-level spell more frequently. ##### Maximum Bonus If an item delivers a static bonus to AC, attack rolls, saving throws, or ability checks, this column suggests an appropriate bonus based on the item's rarity. #### Attunement Decide whether the item requires a character to be attuned to it to use its properties. Consider the following guidelines. ##### Limit Sharing If having all the characters in a party pass an item around to gain its lasting benefits would be disruptive, the item should require Attunement. ##### Limit Stacking If the item grants a bonus that other items also grant, it's a good idea to require [Attunement](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/attunement-xphb.md) so characters don't try to collect too many of those items. ## Creating a Spell  When creating a new spell, use existing ones as examples. Here are some things to consider: - **Name.** The spell must have a unique name. - **Balance.** If the spell is so good that a caster would want to use it all the time, it's probably too powerful for its level. - **Identity.** Make sure the spell fits with the identity of those who can cast it. Sorcerers and Wizards don't typically cast healing spells, for example. - **Spell Duration, Range, and Area.** A longer duration, greater range, or larger area can make up for a lesser effect, depending on the spell. - **Utility.** Avoid spells that have very limited use, such as one that works only against Oozes. Few characters will bother to learn or prepare such a spell. ### Spell Damage For any spell that deals damage, use the Spell Damage table to determine approximately how much damage is appropriate given the spell's level. The table assumes the spell deals half as much damage on a successful saving throw or a missed attack. If your spell doesn't deal damage on a successful save, you can increase the damage by 25 percent. You can use different damage dice than the ones in the table if the average damage is about the same. For example, you could change a cantrip's damage from `d10` (average 5.5) to `2d4` (average 5), reducing the maximum damage and making an average result more likely.  ### Healing Spells You can also use the Spell Damage table to determine how many Hit Points a healing spell restores. A cantrip shouldn't provide healing. ## Curses and Magical Contagions A curse is a magical burden that lasts for a specified time or until it is ended by some means. A magical contagion is an adverse effect of magical origin that is contagious by definition. The following sections discuss curses and magical contagions in detail. ### Curses  Every curse has rules that govern it. A curse typically takes one of the forms detailed below. #### Bestow Curse The simplest curses are created by the [Bestow Curse](Mechanics/CLI/spells/bestow-curse-xphb.md) spell. The effects of such curses are limited and can be ended by the [Remove Curse](Mechanics/CLI/spells/remove-curse-xphb.md) spell. *Bestow Curse* provides useful benchmarks for gauging the potency of other curses. A curse that lasts for 1 minute equates to a level 3 spell, while one that lasts until dispelled equates to a level 9 spell. #### Cursed Creatures Some monsters are associated with curses, whether as part of their origins or due to their ability to spread curses—werewolves being a prime example. You decide how a spell like [Remove Curse](Mechanics/CLI/spells/remove-curse-xphb.md) affects a creature with accursed origins. For example, you might decide that a mummy was created through a curse and it can be destroyed permanently only by casting *Remove Curse* on its corpse. #### Cursed Magic Items Cursed magic items are created deliberately or originate as the result of supernatural events. Such items are detailed in "chapter 7". #### Narrative Curses A curse might manifest during an adventure when a creature's violation of a taboo warrants supernatural punishment, such as breaking a vow, defiling a tomb, or murdering an innocent. Such a curse can have any effects you design, or it might be a customized version of another type of curse discussed in this section. A creature affected by such a curse should know why they're being punished and be able to learn how to end their curse, likely by symbolically righting the wrong they committed. How a spell like [Remove Curse](Mechanics/CLI/spells/remove-curse-xphb.md) affects a curse that's part of your adventure is up to you—the spell might merely suppress the effects of the curse for a time. Regardless, narrative curses should feel like rare, potent magic rooted in the lore of your campaign. #### Environmental Curses Some locations are so suffused with evil that anyone who lingers there is burdened with a curse. Demonic Possession is one example of an environmental curse. #### Demonic Possession Demonic Possession arises from the chaos and evil of the "Abyss" and commonly besets creatures that interact with demonic objects or linger in desecrated locations, where demonic spirits await victims. A creature that becomes the target of Demonic Possession must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by a bodiless demonic entity. Whenever the possessed creature rolls a 1 on a [D20 Test](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/d20-test-xphb.md), the demonic entity takes control of the creature and determines the creature's behavior thereafter. At the end of each of the possessed creature's later turns, the creature makes a DC 15 Charisma saving throw, regaining control of itself on a success. After finishing a Long Rest, a creature with Demonic Possession makes a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a successful save, the effect ends on the creature. A [Dispel Evil and Good](Mechanics/CLI/spells/dispel-evil-and-good-xphb.md) spell or any magic that removes a curse also ends the effect on it. ### Magical Contagions Alchemists, potion brewers, and areas of wild magic are credited with creating the first magical contagions. An outbreak of such a contagion can form the basis of an adventure as characters search for a cure and try to stop the contagion's spread. #### Rest and Recuperation If a creature infected with a magical contagion spends 3 days recuperating, engaging in no activities that would interrupt a Long Rest, the creature makes a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of the recuperation period. On a successful save, the creature has [Advantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/advantage-xphb.md) on saving throws to fight off the magical contagion for the next 24 hours. #### Example Contagions The following examples show how magical contagions can work. Feel free to alter the saving throw DCs, effects, and other characteristics of these contagions to suit your campaign. - [Cackle Fever](Mechanics/CLI/rules/diseases.md#Cackle%20Fever) - [Sewer Plague](Mechanics/CLI/rules/diseases.md#Sewer%20Plague) - [Sight Rot](Mechanics/CLI/rules/diseases.md#Sight%20Rot) ## Death Adventures involve risk, with consequences that can be as catastrophic as the death of a single character or an entire group. Given the degree to which players get attached to their characters, character death can be an emotionally charged situation. It might even be a hard limit for some players (see ""Ensuring Fun for All"" in "chapter 1"), so it's worth having a conversation about how to handle character death at the start of a new game. ### Death Must Be Fair The best way to avoid hard feelings connected to the death of a beloved character is to make sure the players know you're being fair. Keep these principles in mind: - **Don't Cheat in the Monsters' Favor.** Rolling dice in front of the players when a situation is especially deadly is one way to communicate that you're not cheating in the monsters' favor or singling out a single character for punishment. - **Don't Make It Personal.** Don't punish a character for a player's behavior or some personal grudge. That's probably the quickest way to undermine your players' trust in you as DM and as a fair arbiter of the rules. - **Provide Fair Warning.** Let characters face the consequences of their foolish actions, but make sure you give enough cues for the players to recognize self-destructive actions. You might want to ask a player, "Are you sure?" before committing a character to a potentially fatal course of action. - **Fair Encounters.** Your players have to know that you're fair in designing encounters. It's fine to throw tough encounters at them and sometimes to let them face monsters they can't beat. But it's not fair if the players have no way to know they can't win the fight or have no way to escape.  ### Scaling Lethality You can adjust the lethality of your campaign using the "encounter-building guidelines" in "chapter 4". If your players enjoy games that test their characters to the utmost and are prepared to create new characters at a moment's notice, consider using high-difficulty encounters over and over, with little opportunity for rests between encounters, to create a more lethal adventure. Conversely, using only low-difficulty encounters is less likely to lead to character death, especially if characters have ample opportunity to rest during the adventure. #### Defeated, Not Dead If you and your players agree to avoid character death in your game, you might consider an alternative: a character who would otherwise die is instead "defeated." The following rules apply to a defeated character. ##### Comatose The character has 1 Hit Point and the [Unconscious](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Unconscious) condition. The character can regain Hit Points as normal, but the character remains Unconscious until they are targeted by a [Greater Restoration](Mechanics/CLI/spells/greater-restoration-xphb.md) spell or experience a sudden awakening (see below). ##### Sudden Awakening After finishing a Long Rest, the character makes a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a successful save, the Unconscious condition ends on the character. On a failed save, the condition persists. ### Death Scenes When a character is reduced to 0 Hit Points, the player sometimes has to sit out one or more rounds of combat with nothing to do but roll [Death Saving Throws](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/death-saving-throw-xphb.md). One way to keep a player involved in the game is to prompt some roleplaying along with each Death Save. You might ask the player to describe a memory that surfaces in the character's mind while hovering near death. Consider these possibilities: - **On a Successful Death Save.** A memory that inspires hope and courage. A beloved person who would urge the character to cling to life. A thought of something to live for. A favorite childhood memory. - **On a Failed Death Save.** A memory that stirs up shame or grief. A beloved person who is already dead, beckoning the character to join them. An experience of weariness or despair. You can also reward a player who describes a memory or something else occupying the dying character's thoughts with [Advantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/advantage-xphb.md) on the Death Save. When a character dies, either from failed Death Saves or from an effect that kills the character outright, consider giving the player some ownership over the character's final moments by asking what the character's last words are or how the character greets death. ### Dealing with Death When a character dies, consult with the players to decide what happens next. Some players are perfectly happy to make new characters, especially when they're eager to try out new options. A new party member should start at the same level as the other characters in the party and have gear of similar value. It's also possible for dead characters to be brought back to life. The most common way is through spells such as [Revivify](Mechanics/CLI/spells/revivify-xphb.md) and [Raise Dead](Mechanics/CLI/spells/raise-dead-xphb.md). It's up to you to decide how easy it is for characters to access those spells if they can't cast them. The "Player's Handbook" offers suggested prices for [spellcasting services](Mechanics/CLI/tables/spellcasting-services-xphb.md). ### What If Everyone Dies? Misadventure can wipe out an entire group. (You'll sometimes hear players refer to this as a "total party kill" or "TPK.") Such a catastrophe doesn't have to end the whole game—rather, it presents an opportunity to take the game in a new direction. Consider these possibilities. #### A Fresh Start Everyone makes new characters, and the campaign starts anew. This might be the most drastic option, but it allows for new stories and fresh character dynamics. #### Divine Council The characters find themselves before a council of deities who are arguing about the characters' fate. The characters must convince the council to return them to life. #### Escape from the Underworld The dead characters wake up in "Hades" (see "chapter 6") and must find a way to escape the grim underworld and return to the world of the living. #### Imprisoned The characters wake up in cells, kept alive and imprisoned by their foes for some purpose. #### Raised by Another A powerful individual finds the adventurers' bodies and has them raised from the dead, putting the adventurers in the debt of their rescuer. What if the adventurers wake up decades after their death, returned to life by a [Resurrection](Mechanics/CLI/spells/resurrection-xphb.md) spell cast by someone who believed they had an important role to play in this future era? #### Rescue Mission The players create new, temporary characters who are tasked with retrieving the bodies of the fallen heroes, so they can be raised from the dead or given proper burials. If the dead characters have Bastions (see "chapter 8"), the stand-in party could consist of hirelings from those Bastions. ## Doors Adventurers interact with doors often in a D&D campaign. This section gives rules for most of the doors the adventurers encounter. ### Common Doors The Doors table provides the AC and Hit Points for common doors, which are Medium objects. With the [Utilize](Mechanics/CLI/rules/actions.md#Utilize) action, a creature can try to force open a door that is barred or locked, doing so with a successful Strength ([Athletics](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Athletics)) check. The table provides the DC of the check. For bigger doors, double or triple the Hit Points and increase the DC of the check by 5.  #### Barred Door A barred door has no lock. A creature on the barred side of the door can take the [Utilize](Mechanics/CLI/rules/actions.md#Utilize) action to lift the bar from its braces, allowing the door to be opened. #### Locked Door Characters who don't have the key to a locked door can try to pick the lock using [Thieves' Tools](Mechanics/CLI/items/thieves-tools-xphb.md). The Lock Complexity table tells you how long it takes to try to pick a lock based on its complexity. At the end of that time, the character picks the lock by making a successful Dexterity ([Sleight of Hand](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Sleight%20of%20Hand)) check using Thieves' Tools. The DC is determined by the lock's quality, as shown in the Lock Quality table.   ### Secret Doors A secret door is crafted to blend into the wall that surrounds it. Sometimes faint cracks in the wall or scuff marks on the floor betray the secret door's presence. Other than the fact that it's hidden, a secret door is similar to a common door. With the [Search](Mechanics/CLI/rules/actions.md#Search) action, a character can search for a secret door along a 10-foot-square section of wall and make a Wisdom ([Perception](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Perception)) check. On a successful check, the character finds any secret door hidden in that section of wall as well as the mechanism to open the door. The DC of the check depends on how well the secret door is hidden, as shown in the Secret Doors table. You can instead call for an Intelligence ([Investigation](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Investigation)) check if the challenge involves deducing that a door is present from noticeable clues, rather than spotting those clues in the first place. See ""Perception"" in "chapter 2" for more advice.  #### Secret Door Etiquette Adventurers often fail to locate secret doors. For this reason, don't hide important treasures or locations behind secret doors unless you're comfortable with the characters not finding them, and don't risk letting your adventure grind to a halt because the only path forward is hidden behind a secret door. ### Portcullises Typically made of iron or wood, a portcullis blocks a passage or an archway until it is raised into the ceiling by a winch and chain. Creatures within 5 feet of a lowered portcullis can make ranged attacks or cast spells through it, and they have [Three-Quarters Cover](Mechanics/CLI/tables/cover-xphb.md) against attacks, spells, and other effects originating from the opposite side. A portcullis can also be attacked and destroyed, using the AC and Hit Points of a metal door (if iron) or a wooden door (if wood). Winching a portcullis up or down requires the Utilize action. If a creature can't reach the winch (usually because it's on the other side of the portcullis), lifting the portcullis requires the [Utilize](Mechanics/CLI/rules/actions.md#Utilize) action and a successful Strength ([Athletics](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Athletics)) check. The DC of the check depends on the type of portcullis, as shown in the Portcullises table.  ## Dungeons Some dungeons are old strongholds abandoned by the folk who built them. Others are natural caves or lairs carved out by monsters. Dungeons attract cults, groups of monsters, and reclusive creatures. Because of their varied origins and purposes, dungeons have a range of distinctive qualities. For example, a dungeon that serves as a stronghold for hobgoblin soldiers has a different mood and features than an ancient temple inhabited by the yuan-ti. You can use the Dungeon Quirks table to add distinctive character to a dungeon you're creating or one in a published adventure. The quirks on the table reflect the characteristics of a dungeon's creator, its intended purpose, its location, or some (often catastrophic) event in its history. You can use a single quirk or combine quirks as you see fit, and roll or choose a result that inspires you.  ### Mapping a Dungeon  A dungeon can range in size from a few chambers to a huge complex of rooms and passages extending hundreds of feet. The adventurers' goal often lies as far from the dungeon entrance as possible, forcing characters to delve deeper underground or push farther into the heart of the complex. A dungeon is usually mapped on a grid like graph paper, with each square on the paper representing an area of 5 feet by 5 feet. "Appendix B" shows several examples. If you play with miniatures on a grid, this scale makes it easy to transfer your map to a battle grid. #### Mapping Principles As you draw your map, keep the following in mind. ##### Asymmetry Asymmetrical rooms and map layouts make a dungeon interesting and unpredictable. ##### Three-Dimensional Layout Stairs, ramps, lifts, platforms, ledges, balconies, pits, and other changes of elevation make a dungeon interesting and make combat encounters in those areas challenging. ##### Multiple Pathways Add multiple entrances and exits—to the dungeon as a whole and to individual rooms. By offering multiple paths the characters can follow, you present meaningful decision points to the players. ##### Wear and Tear If you'd like to show wear and tear caused by time or the elements, collapsed passages can be commonplace, cutting off formerly connected sections of the dungeon from each other. Past earthquakes might have opened chasms within a dungeon, splitting rooms and corridors to make interesting obstacles. ##### Natural Features Many dungeons include natural features. An underground stream might run through the middle of a stronghold, causing variation in the shapes and sizes of rooms and necessitating features such as bridges and drains. ##### Secrets Add secret doors and secret rooms to reward players who take the time to search for them. For each door and room, consider their original purpose: were secret doors a defense against invaders, or do denizens of the dungeon scheme to keep secrets from each other? Secrets can help you develop the story of a dungeon. ### Designing Dungeon Rooms Keep the following things in mind when designing a dungeon room: - **Ceiling Support.** Underground chambers are prone to collapse, so many rooms—particularly large ones—have arched ceilings or pillars to support the weight of the rock overhead. - **Decoration.** Most sapient creatures decorate their lairs. Statues, bas-reliefs, murals, and mosaics often adorn dungeon rooms. Equally common are scrawled messages, marks, and maps left behind by others who have passed through the area. Some of these marks are simply graffiti, while others may be useful to adventurers who examine them closely. - **Exits.** Creatures that can't open doors can't make a lair in a sealed room without some sort of external assistance. Strong creatures without the ability to open doors smash them down if necessary. Burrowing creatures might dig their own exits. Common dungeon rooms fall into the broad categories described below. #### Crypts Although it sometimes resembles a vault, a crypt can also be a series of individual rooms, each with its own sarcophagus, or a long hall with recesses on either side to hold coffins or bodies. Crypt builders who are worried about undead rising from the grave lock and trap crypts from the outside—making the crypts easy to get into but difficult to exit. Other builders worried about tomb robbers make their crypts difficult to get into. Some builders make both entry and exit difficult, just to be safe. #### Guard Posts Sapient, social denizens of the dungeon generally guard the entrances to their shared spaces. A guard post may just be a room with a table where bored sentries play a dice game, or it might be a pair of iron golems backed up by spellcasters hiding in balconies overhead. When you design a guard post, decide how many guards are on duty, note their [Passive Perception](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/passive-perception-xphb.md) scores, and decide what they do when they notice intruders (see ""Monster Behavior"" in "chapter 4"). Some will rush headlong into a fight, while others will negotiate, sound an alarm, or flee to get help. #### Living Quarters Most creatures have a lair where they can rest, eat, and store their treasure. Living quarters commonly include beds (if the creatures sleep), possessions (both valuable and mundane), and some sort of food preparation area (anything from a well-stocked kitchen to a firepit to a hunk of rotting meat). #### Natural Subterranean Areas Built dungeons often intersect with natural caverns, grottoes, and passages that are home to subterranean creatures, strange rock formations, pools of water, molds, fungi, and bioluminescent moss. #### Shrines Any sapient creature might have some place dedicated to worship. Depending on the creature's resources and piety, such a shrine can be humble or extensive. Adventurers are likely to encounter priests, cultists, and similar creatures there, and wounded monsters might flee to a shrine to seek healing. #### Vaults A vault contains treasure and is usually sealed behind a locked or secret door. Many vaults are further protected by magic, monsters that can survive without food and water, and traps (see ""Traps"" in this chapter). #### Work Areas Sapient creatures often have laboratories, workshops, libraries, forges, and studios. Because such areas tend to contain valuable equipment, their doors are often locked and sometimes even warded by [Glyph of Warding](Mechanics/CLI/spells/glyph-of-warding-xphb.md) spells and similar effects. ### Dungeon Decay The States of Ruin table can help you determine the general conditions of a dungeon area.  ## Environmental Effects  Characters crossing a frigid tundra might suffer the effects of extreme cold, while a visit to a cloud giant's castle might subject characters to the effects of high altitude. The following sections provide rules for handling these and other environmental effects. - [Dead Magic Zone](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/dead-magic-zone-xdmg.md) - [Deep Water](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/deep-water-xdmg.md) - [Extreme Cold](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/extreme-cold-xdmg.md) - [Extreme Heat](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/extreme-heat-xdmg.md) - [Frigid Water](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/frigid-water-xdmg.md) - [Heavy Precipitation](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/heavy-precipitation-xdmg.md) - [High Altitude](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/high-altitude-xdmg.md) - [Planar Effects](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/planar-effects-xdmg.md) - [Slippery Ice](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/slippery-ice-xdmg.md) - [Strong Wind](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/strong-wind-xdmg.md) - [Thin Ice](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/thin-ice-xdmg.md) - [Wild Magic Zone](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/wild-magic-zone-xdmg.md) ## Fear and Mental Stress Due to the nature of their vocation, adventurers tend to be less susceptible to fear and mental stress than common folk. Whereas a farmer might flee in terror from a bear or an apparition, adventurers are made of sterner stuff. That said, certain creatures and game effects can terrify or fray the mind of even the most stalwart adventurer. If you plan to use any of these rules, discuss them with your players at the start of the campaign. See ""Ensuring Fun for All"" in "chapter 1". ### Fear Effects Whenever the characters encounter something that is supernaturally frightful, use the [Frightened](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Frightened) condition as the baseline effect. Fear effects typically require a Wisdom saving throw, with a save DC set based on how terrifying the situation is. The Sample Fear DCs table provides some examples.  Typically, a [Frightened](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Frightened) creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. At your discretion, a Frightened creature might be subject to other effects as long as the Frightened condition lasts. Consider these examples: - The Frightened creature must take the [Dash](Mechanics/CLI/rules/actions.md#Dash) action on each of its turns and uses its movement to get farther away from the source of its fear. - Attack rolls against the Frightened creature have [Advantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/advantage-xphb.md). - The Frightened creature can do only one of the following on each of its turns: move, take an action, or take a Bonus Action. ### Mental Stress Effects When a character is subjected to an effect that causes intense mental stress, Psychic damage is the best way to emulate that effect. The Sample Mental Stress Effects table provides a few examples of such effects, with suggested saving throw DCs and damage. Mental stress can usually be resisted with a successful Wisdom save, but sometimes an Intelligence or Charisma save is more appropriate. On a successful save, a character might take half as much damage instead of no damage, at your discretion.  #### Prolonged Effects Exposure to mental stress can cause prolonged effects. Consider the following possibilities. ##### Short-Term Effects The character has the [Frightened](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Frightened), [Incapacitated](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Incapacitated), or [Stunned](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Stunned) condition for `d10` minutes. This condition might be accompanied by alarming behavior or hallucinations. These effects can be suppressed with the [Calm Emotions](Mechanics/CLI/spells/calm-emotions-xphb.md) spell or removed by the [Lesser Restoration](Mechanics/CLI/spells/lesser-restoration-xphb.md) spell. ##### Long-Term Effects The character has [Disadvantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/disadvantage-xphb.md) on some or all ability checks for `1d10 × 10` hours, stemming from an unwillingness or inability to exert a particular set of abilities. The character might feel enervated and unable to exert much Strength, for example, or become so suspicious of others that Charisma checks are more difficult. These effects can be suppressed with the Calm Emotions spell or removed by the Lesser Restoration spell. ##### Indefinite Effects An indefinite effect is a long-term effect (see above) that lasts until removed by a [Greater Restoration](Mechanics/CLI/spells/greater-restoration-xphb.md) spell. It can be suppressed by a Calm Emotions spell.  ## Firearms and Explosives Renaissance-era pistols and muskets appear in the "Player's Handbook". In a campaign involving a crashed spaceship or elements of modern-day Earth, characters might find the items described here.  ### Firearms The Firearms table provides examples of modern and futuristic firearms. If you make them available for purchase (perhaps in the fantastical marketplaces of the City of Brass), treat modern items as Rare magic items and futuristic items as Very Rare ones (see "chapter 7"). #### Properties Some weapons in the Firearms table have the following properties, in addition to properties described in the "Player's Handbook". #### Burst Fire As an action, you can expend 10 pieces of a Burst Fire weapon's ammunition to spray shots in a 10-foot [Cube](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/cube-area-of-effect-xphb.md) within the weapon's normal range. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take damage. Roll the weapon's damage once, and apply it to each creature that failed the save. #### Reload You can make a limited number of shots with a Reload weapon. You must then reload the weapon as an action or a Bonus Action. #### Ammunition Firearm Bullets are destroyed upon use in a modern firearm. Futuristic firearms use Energy Cells that become depleted but could possibly be recharged with the proper equipment, at your discretion. An [Energy Cell](Mechanics/CLI/items/energy-cell-xdmg.md) weighs 1/2 lb.   ### Explosives The Explosives table has examples of explosives. If no cost is given for an explosive, it can't typically be bought. If you make these explosives available for purchase, treat them as Rare magic items. Rules for explosives are given below.  #### Bomb As an action, you can light a Bomb and throw it at a point up to 60 feet away, where it explodes. Each creature in a 5-foot-radius [Sphere](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/sphere-area-of-effect-xphb.md) centered on that point makes a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking `3d6` Fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. #### Dynamite Stick An an action, you can light a Dynamite Stick and throw it at a point up to 60 feet away, where it explodes. Each creature in a 5-foot-radius [Sphere](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/sphere-area-of-effect-xphb.md) centered on that point makes a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking `3d6` Force damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. It takes 1 minute to bind two or more Dynamite Sticks together so they explode at the same time. Each stick after the first increases the damage by `d6` (to a maximum of `10d6`) and the effect's radius by 5 feet (to a maximum of 20 feet). It takes 1 minute to rig dynamite with a longer fuse so it explodes after a longer period of time, such as 1 minute or 10 minutes. #### Grenades and Grenade Launchers As an action, you can either throw a grenade at a point up to 60 feet away or use a Grenade Launcher to propel the grenade to a point up to 1,000 feet away. The grenade explodes at that point, creating a particular effect in a 20-foot-radius [Sphere](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/sphere-area-of-effect-xphb.md). #### Fragmentation Grenade Each creature in the [Sphere](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/sphere-area-of-effect-xphb.md) makes a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 17 (`5d6`) Piercing damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. #### Smoke Grenade The area of the [Sphere](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/sphere-area-of-effect-xphb.md) is [Heavily Obscured](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/heavily-obscured-xphb.md) by smoke for 1 minute. A strong wind (such as the [Gust of Wind](Mechanics/CLI/spells/gust-of-wind-xphb.md) spell) disperses the smoke. #### Gunpowder Setting fire to a container full of Gunpowder causes it to explode. When a container explodes, each creature in a 10-foot-radius [Sphere](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/sphere-area-of-effect-xphb.md) centered on the container makes a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (`3d6`) Fire damage (for a powder horn) or 24 (`7d6`) Fire damage (for a keg) on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. ### Alien Technology When adventurers find a piece of technology that isn't from their world or time period, they can deduce what it is with a successful Intelligence ([Investigation](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Investigation)) check, with the DC depending on the complexity of the item: DC 10 for a relatively simple item like a calculator or a lighter, or DC 20 for a complex item such as a computer, a chainsaw, or a hovercraft. You may require a separate Intelligence ([Investigation](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Investigation)) check to determine whether a character can activate or operate the technology; a character who has observed the item in use or has operated a similar item either has [Advantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/advantage-xphb.md) on the check or succeeds on the check automatically (your choice). ## Gods and Other Powers Different deities rule the various aspects of the cosmos and mortal life, sometimes cooperating with each other, sometimes competing. People gather in public shrines to worship gods of life and wisdom or meet in hidden places to venerate gods of deception or destruction. ### Divine Rank The divine beings of the multiverse are often categorized according to their relative cosmic power. Some gods who are worshiped on multiple worlds have a different rank on each world, depending on their influence there. Greater deities are generally the oldest gods of a pantheon, responsible (at least in myth) for creating or parenting the other gods. Their provinces are major areas of nature and mortal life, such as agriculture, the sun, and death. Greater deities are ultimately beyond mortal understanding, and they're often known by different names across regions, cultures, and worlds. Having no fixed appearance or gender, they can assume whatever forms they like. Occasionally these deities manifest and perform mythic deeds among mortals. Lesser deities are typically described in myth as the creations, children, or servitors of the greater deities. They govern narrower provinces, such as the activities of mortal life or limited aspects of the natural world. They share the fundamentally ineffable nature of greater gods, but they are more likely to manifest in mortal realms. Quasi-deities have a divine origin, but they don't receive or answer prayers. They are still immensely powerful beings, and in theory, they could ascend to godhood if they amass enough worshipers. Quasi-deities fall into the following subcategories: **Demigods** are divine beings with mortal origin. Some were born mortal and attained godhood, while others were born from the union of a deity and a mortal. Their mortal parentage makes demigods. **Titans** are the creations of deities. They might be manufactured on a divine forge, born from the blood spilled by a god, or otherwise brought about through divine will or substance. Some titans, including [krakens](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/kraken-xmm.md) and the [tarrasque](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/tarrasque-xmm.md), appear in the "Monster Manual". **Vestiges** are deities who have lost nearly all their worshipers and are considered dead from a mortal perspective. Esoteric rituals can sometimes contact vestiges and draw on their latent power. ### Home Plane and Alignment Gods aren't defined by mortal conceptions of alignment, and different mortal worshipers might interpret a god's behavior and teachings through the lens of different alignments. That said, gods tend to live on the "Outer Planes" that most closely match their general alignment tendencies, so it's safe to assume that the teachings of a god who resides in "Pandemonium" (a plane of rampant chaos and evil), encourage behavior that is Chaotic Evil, while a god who resides in "Elysium" (the plane of pure good) encourages Neutral Good behavior. People can worship a god without obeying that god's tenets or conforming to the god's presumed alignment. People from all walks of life might participate in the annual festival of innocent mischief associated with a trickster god—even people whose alignment is generally lawful and opposed to the trickster's teachings. To stave off disease, good-hearted people might make offerings to appease the wrath of a god associated with plague. Even Cleric characters don't need to have any particular alignment to serve their gods. ### Gods and Divine Magic Divine magic—which includes the spells cast by Clerics, Druids, Paladins, and Rangers—is mediated through beings and forces that are categorized as divine. These can include gods but also include the primal forces of nature, the beneficent power of ancestral spirits, the sacred weight of a Paladin's oath, and impersonal principles or entities such as Fate or the order of the universe. These beings and forces grant characters the power to wield the magic of their planar domains. For game purposes, wielding divine power isn't dependent on the gods' ongoing approval or the strength of a character's devotion. The power is a gift offered to a select few; once given, it can't be rescinded. That said, characters' relationships with the divine forces they access to wield their magic, much like Warlocks' relationships with their patrons, are ripe for exploration. A Cleric might accompany every casting of a spell with a litany of complaints directed at the gods. The [Paladin class description](Mechanics/CLI/classes/paladin-xphb.md) in the "Player's Handbook" offers some suggestions for how a player might roleplay a situation where their Paladin has broken their oath. You can also decide how NPCs react to a character whose behavior doesn't square with the ideals implied by the Holy Symbol the character wears. ### Divine Knowledge The [Commune](Mechanics/CLI/spells/commune-xphb.md) spell allows its caster to ask a deity (or an agent of the god) yes-or-no questions and receive correct information, and other spells of the Divination school have similar effects. As the *Commune* spell description states, gods aren't necessarily omniscient. But they are tremendously knowledgeable, particularly with regard to their particular areas of influence. A sea god can be reasonably expected to know anything that has happened in or on a sea, for example, and a martial god knows details about wars. Gods can reliably predict the future, at least in the short term (hence their ability to answer spells such as [Augury](Mechanics/CLI/spells/augury-xphb.md) and [Divination](Mechanics/CLI/spells/divination-xphb.md)). And some gods might be unwilling to reveal their ignorance, choosing to give an unclear answer rather than admit that they don't know the truth. ### Divine Intervention In some campaigns, gods are fond of meddling in mortal affairs, and heroes sometimes call on the gods for aid beyond what divine magic ordinarily provides. The gods sometimes also send dreams, omens, or emissaries to direct mortals along a certain path. Keep these two principles in mind to guide your use of divine intervention in your campaign: - **Don't Eliminate Character Choice.** The gods can tell characters to do things and even threaten to punish them if they don't do things, but the gods can't control mortal actions. - **Don't Eliminate Risk and Danger.** The intervention of a god should never guarantee success or victory, nor should a god's interference portend immediate defeat. Gods can act to change the balance of an encounter or offer an avenue of escape, but they count on mortal heroes to act like heroes. With those principles in mind, you might have gods intervene in dire situations in one of these ways: - **Blessings.** A god might bestow a Blessing (see ""Supernatural Gifts"" in this chapter) to help a character in need. - **Emissaries.** A god might send a Celestial, a Fiend, or some other kind of emissary to aid a character with information, guidance, or combat. - **Miracles.** As the simplest form of miracle, a god can produce the effect of any spell that devotees of that god might cast (typically Cleric or Druid spells). But a god's direct intervention can take any form you choose, often reflecting the god's nature. ### Creating Religions A list of gods is a good starting point, and it can be sufficient to get a campaign started. But you can add more depth to your campaign world by fleshing out more details of religious belief and practice. #### Myths Stories about the gods explore their relationships with each other, with the natural world, and with the realm of mortals. Myths might describe familial relationships among the gods, deeds of creation, past interactions with mortals, or battles between gods and other cosmic forces. Given the incomprehensible nature of the gods, these myths might not actually reveal anything about the gods, but they certainly describe people's understanding of their own place in relation to the gods. #### Religious Practice People honor multiple gods of a pantheon in different circumstances. A person might burn incense to a hearth or family deity at a kitchen altar in the morning, pray to a deity of the hunt while hunting in the afternoon, and join a communal harvest feast at the temple of an agricultural deity in the evening. Cities and large towns can host numerous temples dedicated to individual gods important to the community, while smaller settlements might have a single shrine devoted to any gods the locals revere. Temples and shrines outside settlements often mark places where a god (or the manifestation of a god) appeared or caused a miracle. These sites can become the focus of pilgrims who travel long distances to partake in the holy power assumed to linger there. > [!note] Build Your Own Pantheon > > Most of the published D&D settings described in "chapter 5" have their own pantheons of gods. If you're creating your own setting, you can use the list of Greyhawk gods in "chapter 5" or build your own pantheon. > > A simple way to build a basic pantheon is to create one god for each of the "Outer Planes" described in "chapter 6", except for the "Nine Hells" (ruled by the archdevil "Asmodeus") and the "Abyss" (the domain of demons). So "Arborea" might be the domain of a god who is patron of the arts, celebrated at great feasts, while "Gehenna's" deity might be a greedy, vengeful god worshiped by people of the same bent. If you prefer, you can also put multiple deities on the same plane, so "Arcadia" might be home to twin gods who are patrons of merchants and smiths. > > Alternatively, you might decide that your world has only one god (who might be viewed differently by various sects or religions), or one good god and one evil god. Or your world might be alive with spirits great and small, from lesser river spirits to the godlike spirits who inhabit great mountains. Impersonal forces and philosophies can also fill the role of gods in a campaign. ^build-your-own-pantheon ## Hazards The "Player's Handbook" describes common hazards that adventurers encounter, such as [falling](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/falling-xphb.md) and [dehydration](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/dehydration-xphb.md). This section details some more unusual hazards you can add to a location to make it more challenging. ### Severity and Level Each hazard in this section is designated as a nuisance or as deadly for characters of certain levels. A nuisance hazard is unlikely to seriously harm characters of the indicated levels, whereas a deadly hazard can grievously damage characters of the indicated levels. Use caution when introducing a hazard to characters of a level lower than the hazard's level range. A hazard that is a nuisance at one level range could be deadly to characters in the next-lower range. ### Example Hazards Hazards are presented in alphabetical order. - [Brown Mold](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/brown-mold-xdmg.md) - [Fireball Fungus](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/fireball-fungus-xdmg.md) - [Green Slime](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/green-slime-xdmg.md) - [Inferno](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/inferno-xdmg.md) - [Poisonous Gas](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/poisonous-gas-xdmg.md) - [Quicksand Pit](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/quicksand-pit-xdmg.md) - [Razorvine](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/razorvine-xdmg.md) - [River Styx](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/river-styx-xdmg.md) - [Rockslide](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/rockslide-xdmg.md) - [Vicious Vine](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/vicious-vine-xdmg.md) - [Webs](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/webs-xdmg.md) - [Yellow Mold](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/yellow-mold-xdmg.md)  ## Marks of Prestige Sometimes the most memorable reward for adventurers is the prestige they acquire throughout a realm. Their adventures often earn them fame and power, allies and enemies, and titles the adventurers can pass on to their descendants. This section details the most common marks of prestige that adventurers might acquire during a campaign. The best rewards in an adventure are directly related to the circumstances of the adventure. For example, if a merchant hires the characters to retrieve a family heirloom from a long-abandoned tower, the merchant might give the deed to the tower as a reward. ### Fortifications A fortification is a reward usually given to seasoned adventurers who demonstrate unwavering fealty to a powerful political figure or ruling body, such as a monarch, a knighthood, or a council of wizards. A fortification can be anything from a fortress in the heart of a city to a provincial keep on the borderlands. While the fortification is for the characters to govern as they see fit, the land on which it sits remains the property of the crown or local ruler. Should the characters prove disloyal or unworthy of the gift, they can be asked or forced to relinquish custody of the fortification. In that respect, the fortification is different from the characters' Bastions (described in "chapter 8"). However, you can also use the gift of a fortification as a pretext for the characters acquiring their Bastions. The individual bequeathing the fortification might offer to pay its maintenance costs for one or more months, after which the characters inherit that responsibility. The type of fortification determines its maintenance costs, as shown in the Maintenance Costs table.  ### Letters of Recommendation A benefactor might provide adventurers with a letter of recommendation rather than payment. Such a letter is usually enclosed in a handsome folio, case, or scroll tube for safe transport, and it usually bears the signature and seal of whoever wrote it. A letter of recommendation from a person of impeccable reputation can grant adventurers access to NPCs whom they would otherwise have trouble meeting, such as a duke, duchess, viceroy, or monarch. Moreover, carrying such a recommendation on one's person establish a baseline of trust with local authorities. A letter of recommendation is worth only as much as the reputation of the person who wrote it and offers no benefit where its writer holds no sway.  ### Medals Although they are often fashioned from gold and other precious materials, medals have an even greater symbolic value to those who award and receive them. Medals are typically awarded by political figures for acts of heroism, and wearing a medal is usually enough to earn the respect of those who understand its significance. Different acts of heroism can warrant different kinds of medals. The king of Breland (in the Eberron setting) might award a Royal Badge of Valor (shaped like a shield and made of ruby and electrum) to adventurers for defending Brelish citizens. The Golden Bear of Breland (a medal made of gold and shaped in a likeness of a bear's head, with gems for eyes) might be reserved for adventurers who prove their allegiance to the Brelish Crown. A medal doesn't offer a specific in-game benefit to one who wears it, but it can affect dealings with NPCs. For example, a character who displays the Golden Bear of Breland is regarded as a hero of the people within the kingdom of Breland. Outside Breland, the medal carries far less weight, except among allies of Breland's king. ### Parcels of Land A parcel of land usually comes with a letter from a local ruler, affirming that the land has been granted as a reward for some service. Such land usually remains the property of the local ruler or ruling body but is lent to a character with the understanding that it can be taken away, especially if the character's loyalty is ever called into question. Characters who receive a parcel of land are free to build on it and are expected to safeguard it. They may yield the land as part of an inheritance, but they can't sell or trade it without permission from the local ruler or ruling body. If a character already has a Bastion (see "chapter 8"), the parcel of land might surround the Bastion or be close to it. Parcels of land make fine rewards for adventurers who are looking for a place to settle or who have family or a personal investment in the region where the land is located. ### Special Favors A reward might be a favor the characters can call on at some future date. Special favors work best when the individual granting them is trustworthy. A Lawful Good or Lawful Neutral NPC will do whatever can be done to fulfill an obligation when the time comes, short of breaking laws. A Lawful Evil NPC does the same, but only because a deal is a deal. A Neutral Good or Neutral NPC might pay off favors to protect their reputation. A Chaotic Good NPC is more concerned about doing right by the adventurers, honoring any obligations without worrying too much about personal risk or adherence to the law. ### Special Rights A politically powerful person can reward characters by giving them special rights, which might be articulated in some sort of official document or proclamation. For example, characters might be granted special rights to attack pirate ships or other enemies of the crown, to lead rites or ceremonies in a community, or to negotiate on a ruler's behalf. They might receive a lifetime of free room and board from the grateful citizens of a community or gain the sworn service of local soldiers to assist them as needed. Special rights last only as long as the legal document dictates, and such rights can be revoked if the adventurers abuse them. ### Titles A politically powerful figure has the ability to dispense titles. A title often comes with a parcel of land (see above). For example, a character might be awarded the title Earl of Stormriver or Countess of Dun Fjord, along with a parcel of land that includes a settlement or region of the same name. Archfey are fond of granting whimsical (and alliterative) titles, such as Chancellor of Chocolates or Grand Duke of Giggles, which might come with minor supernatural gifts (see ""Supernatural Gifts"" in this chapter) rather than land. A character can hold more than one title, and in a feudal society, those titles can be passed down to (or distributed among) one's children. A character who holds a title is expected to act in a manner befitting that title. By decree, titles can be stripped away if the character fails to meet the obligations and responsibilities that come with the title. ### Training A character might be offered special training. This kind of training isn't widely available and thus is highly desirable. The character must spend 30 days with the trainer to receive a special benefit. Possible training benefits include the following: - The character gains proficiency in a skill. - The character gains proficiency with a tool. - The character learns a language. ## Mobs This section can help you speed up play when resolving outcomes with large groups of monsters, also known as mobs. ### Tips Follow these tips to smooth a combat encounter with a large number of monsters: - **Damage.** Use the average damage specified in a monster's stat block. - **Hit Points.** If a spell or attack reduces a monster to a handful of Hit Points, assume the monster is killed or otherwise taken out of the fight. - **Monster Mobs.** Divide a large number of identical monsters into smaller mobs and spread their turns out between the characters' turns. Mobs of five to eight identical creatures work well, but don't have more mobs than there are characters. ### Average Results Whenever you would otherwise make a number of [D20 Tests](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/d20-test-xphb.md) for identical monsters, the Mob Results table can help you determine the number of successful [D20 Tests](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/d20-test-xphb.md) the monsters get without having to roll dice. Follow these steps: - **Step 1.** Determine the minimum `d20` roll the monsters need to succeed on the [D20 Test](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/d20-test-xphb.md) using the following formula: **Roll needed** = target number−monster's bonus - **Step 2.** Find the roll needed on the Mob Results table. If all the monsters have [Advantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/advantage-xphb.md) on the roll (for example, if they're attacking and have the Pack Tactics trait, or if they're making a saving throw against a spell and have the Magic Resistance trait), find the roll needed in the With Advantage column. If all the monsters have [Disadvantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/disadvantage-xphb.md) (for example, if they're attacking a creature protected by the [Blur](Mechanics/CLI/spells/blur-xphb.md) spell), use the With Disadvantage column. Otherwise, use the Normal column. - **Step 3.** Read across the table to find a fractional number of successes you can easily apply to the group of monsters. That's the fraction of monsters that succeed on the [D20 Test](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/d20-test-xphb.md).  ### Adjudicating Areas of Effect When the characters are fighting a large number of monsters, it's not always practical to use miniatures on a battle grid or some other visual aid. So how do you determine how many monsters are affected by the Wizard's [Fireball](Mechanics/CLI/spells/fireball-xphb.md) spell or some other area of effect? The Targets in Area of Effect table offers a guideline. To use the table, find the column for the shape of the area, then read down until you find its size. Then check the rightmost column to see about how many creatures are caught in the area. If you imagine that the targets are spread out, decrease the number by `d3`. If they're bunched up, you can increase the number by `d3`. Of course, an area can't encompass more creatures than are present in an encounter. Your judgment always outweighs these guidelines, and it's fine to err on the side of affecting more creatures. For example, if eight zombies are crowded around a Fighter when the Bard centers a [Shatter](Mechanics/CLI/spells/shatter-xphb.md) spell on the Fighter's space, the spell's area should definitely engulf all eight zombies, even though according to the table, a 10-foot-radius [Sphere](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/sphere-area-of-effect-xphb.md) includes only three creatures.  ### Examples The following scenario shows examples of how you as the DM can apply the guidelines described in the rest of this section. Eight [Zombies](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/zombie-xmm.md) surround and attack a Fighter. The zombies' attack bonus is +3, and the Fighter's AC is 18, so the roll needed is 15 (18−3). Finding 15 in the "Normal" column and reading across to the "Out of 8" column, the DM gets a result of 2/8—two of the zombies hit. Using the zombies' average damage (4 Bludgeoning damage), the Fighter takes 8 Bludgeoning damage. After seeing the Fighter mauled by zombies, the Bard casts [Shatter](Mechanics/CLI/spells/shatter-xphb.md), centering the spell on the Fighter. (The Bard trusts that the Fighter will succeed on the Constitution saving throw and survive the resulting damage.) The spell affects a 10-foot-radius [Sphere](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/sphere-area-of-effect-xphb.md), and the Targets in Area of Effect table suggests that such an area should encompass three zombies. However, the DM decides that all eight zombies (and the Fighter) are affected. The zombies' Constitution saving throw bonus is +3, and the Bard's spell saving throw DC is 16, so the roll needed is 13 (16−3). Finding 13 in the "Normal" column and reading across to the "Out of 8" column, the DM gets a result of 3/8, so three of the zombies succeed on their saving throws. Seeing a larger crowd of zombies in the distance, the Wizard casts [Fireball](Mechanics/CLI/spells/fireball-xphb.md). The spell covers a 20-foot-radius Sphere. The Targets in Area of Effect table suggests that area covers ten zombies, but the DM rules that they're densely packed together and adds `d3`, rolling a 2. So the spell engulfs twelve zombies in its area. The zombies' Dexterity saving throw modifier is −2, and the Wizard's spell save DC is 16, so the roll needed is 18 (16−[−2]). Finding 18 in the Normal column and reading across to the Out of 6 column, the DM gets a result of 1/6. Twelve times 1/6 is 2, so two of the twelve zombies succeed on the save. ## Nonplayer Characters Nonplayer characters (NPCs) are supporting characters controlled by you, the DM. Examples include the local innkeeper, the sage who lives in the tower on the outskirts of town, and the death knight out to destroy the kingdom. The "Monster Manual" contains stat blocks you can use to represent NPCs in your game. You can add details to make them distinctive and memorable. For example, your players will have no trouble remembering the no-nonsense blacksmith with the tattoo of the black rose on her right shoulder or the badly dressed musician with the broken nose. NPCs in your game rarely need much more complexity than that.  ### Detailed NPCs Flesh out NPCs who play prominent roles in your adventures. You can use the accompanying NPC Tracker to record information as you determine these six elements of your NPC: #### Name You'll need a name for any NPC who plays a prominent role in your campaign. You can pick a given name and a surname from any of the accompanying tables; a name can include options from different tables. If you like, you can roll `d6` to determine which table to choose a name from, then roll `d12` to get a name. You can also alter or combine names, pull from a book of names, or use a name inspired by a movie or book.       #### Stat Block  Choose a stat block from the "Monster Manual" to represent the NPC's game statistics. You don't need to do this if you don't expect the NPC to engage in combat or use any special abilities (such as casting spells). You can customize the stat block using the guidelines under ""Creating a Creature"" in this chapter to better reflect the NPC you have in mind. #### Alignment Choose the NPC's [alignment](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/alignment-xphb.md), which can help you sketch the outlines of an NPC's behavior and personality. See the "Player's Handbook" and ""Alignment"" in this chapter for more information. #### Personality With the NPC's alignment and ability scores as a starting point, use the guidelines in the "Player's Handbook" to pick a few words that describe the NPC's personality. You can choose or randomly determine one personality trait associated with each element of the NPC's alignment, or with the NPC's highest and lowest ability scores, and combine them to inspire a persona. For example, if you find the adventurers unexpectedly arguing with a Lawful Neutral guard, you might create a cooperative but laconic guard who is happy to help the adventurers but speaks curtly, hoping to end the conversation as quickly as possible. Or, looking at the [Imp](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/fiend/imp-xmm.md) stat block in the "Player's Handbook" and noting its highest ability (Dexterity) and its lowest (Strength), you might decide that the little devil is fidgety and indirect, constantly on the move and talking in circles to get to its point #### Appearance Briefly describe the NPC's most distinctive physical features. You can start with the basics—skin, hair, and eye colors, as well as the NPC's species. The NPC Appearance table can also help you identify one or two things that stand out about the character's appearance.  #### Secret Describe a secret the NPC is trying to hide or protect. The NPC Secrets table provides several ideas.   ### Recurring NPCs NPCs who keep showing up over the course of a campaign build the sense that the world of the game is a living, breathing place. Whether these NPCs are allies, patrons, friends, or villains, they can deepen players' investment in the world. You can use different stat blocks in the "Monster Manual", perhaps with some tweaks, to reflect the same NPC at different times as they grow over the course of a campaign. For example, characters on their very first adventure might face a villain who uses the stat block of a [Mage Apprentice](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/mage-apprentice-xmm.md), only to have that villain escape and return many adventures later to haunt them as a [Mage](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/mage-xmm.md). Still later, the same villain might reappear as an [Archmage](Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/archmage-xmm.md). Of course, the trick here is making sure that the villain survives from one adventure to the next, or at least coming up with a plausible way for the villain to return from death. After all, death is rarely the final word for adventurers, so it needn't be for their opponents. > [!note] Don't Go Overboard > > Developing nonplayer characters can be fun. That said, use your time wisely. Don't write three pages of backstory for an NPC whose interactions with the adventurers will be over in three minutes. The advice in this section is meant to help you create an interesting character quickly while providing just enough detail. ^dont-go-overboard ### NPCs as Party Members NPCs might join the adventuring party because they want a share of the loot and are willing to accept an equal share of the risk, or they might follow the adventurers because of a bond of loyalty, gratitude, or love. You can delegate decisions about an NPC's actions to one of the players, especially in combat, but you can override the player's decisions to reflect the NPC's motivations. When you choose a stat block from the "Monster Manual" for an NPC party member, make sure the NPC doesn't overshadow the player characters. Use a stat block whose Challenge Rating is no higher than half the characters' level. These NPCs don't amass Experience Points and don't become more powerful. Here are some NPC archetypes that work well as supporting characters in an adventuring party: - **Comic Relief.** A comic relief NPC helps lighten the mood of an adventure or game session, perhaps with an occasional display of ineptness or a gift for puns. - **Curmudgeon.** A curmudgeon NPC is quick to complain humorously about the characters' terrible choices and bad planning. You can occasionally use this NPC to suggest legitimate courses of action or share insights. - **Dutiful Assistant.** A dutiful assistant NPC is good at carrying equipment and looking after the party's horses and other belongings. Such an NPC might be entirely devoted to their duty, or they might be using this easily overlooked position to pursue goals of their own. - **Milquetoast Healer.** Absent a healer of their own, the characters might love an NPC healer whose personality matters less than the healer's devotion to the party and ability to cast [Cure Wounds](Mechanics/CLI/spells/cure-wounds-xphb.md) or [Revivify](Mechanics/CLI/spells/revivify-xphb.md) when needed. - **Walking Textbook.** A walking textbook NPC is knowledgeable about a particular field of expertise and can be a useful source of information, but they can't be relied on to make wise decisions or hold up their end in battle. - **Wallflower Warrior.** A wallflower warrior NPC is good at fading into the background, doesn't usually chat or engage unless approached, and eagerly avoids the spotlight. Their primary purpose is to give monsters another target to attack. Even useful NPCs can slow down the game or overstay their welcome. Consider having NPC party members stick around for no more than a few game sessions or a single adventure before making their exit. NPCs can benefit from time away from the characters now and then.  #### Loyalty Loyalty is an optional rule you can use to determine how far an NPC party member will go to protect or assist the characters (even those the NPC doesn't particularly like). An NPC party member who is abused or ignored is likely to abandon or betray the party, whereas an NPC who owes a life debt to the characters or shares their goals might fight to the death for them. You can simply decide on an NPC's loyalty, or you can track a Loyalty Score using the following rules. ##### Loyalty Score An NPC's loyalty is measured on a numerical scale from 0 to 20. The NPC's maximum Loyalty Score is equal to the highest Charisma score among all adventurers in the party, and its starting Loyalty Score is half that number. If the highest Charisma score changes—perhaps a character dies or leaves the group—adjust the NPC's Loyalty Score accordingly. ##### Tracking Loyalty Keep track of an NPC's Loyalty Score in secret so that the players won't know for sure whether an NPC party member is loyal or disloyal. An NPC's Loyalty Score increases by `d4` if other party members help the NPC achieve a personal goal. Likewise, an NPC's Loyalty Score increases by `d4` if the NPC is treated particularly well (for example, given a magic weapon as a gift) or rescued by another party member. An NPC's Loyalty Score can never be raised above its maximum. When other party members act in a manner that runs counter to the NPC's alignment or personality, reduce the NPC's Loyalty Score by `d4`. Reduce the NPC's Loyalty Score by `2d4` if the NPC is abused, misled, or endangered by other party members for purely selfish reasons. A Loyalty Score can never drop below 0. ##### Meaning of Loyalty An NPC with a Loyalty Score of 10 or higher risks anything to help fellow party members. An NPC whose Loyalty Score is between 1 and 10 is tenuously faithful to the party. An NPC whose Loyalty Score drops to 0 no longer acts in the party's best interests. The disloyal NPC either leaves the party (attacking characters who attempt to intervene) or works in secret to bring about the party's downfall. ##### Crew Loyalty and Mutiny If the characters own or operate a sailing ship or similar vessel, you can use these rules to track the loyalty of individual crew members or the ship's crew as a whole. If at least half the crew's Loyalty Scores drop to 0 during a voyage, the crew turns [Hostile](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/hostile-attitude-xphb.md) and stages a mutiny. If the ship is berthed, disloyal crew members leave the ship and never return. ## Poison Given their insidious and deadly nature, poisons are a favorite tool among assassins and evil creatures.  Poisons come in the following four types: - **Contact.** Contact poison can be smeared on an object and remains potent until it is touched or washed off. A creature that touches contact poison with exposed skin suffers its effects. - **Ingested.** A creature must swallow an entire dose of ingested poison to suffer its effects. The dose can be delivered in food or a liquid. You may decide that a partial dose has a reduced effect, such as allowing [Advantage](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/advantage-xphb.md) on the saving throw or dealing only half as much damage on a failed save. - **Inhaled.** Poisonous powders and gases take effect when inhaled. Blowing the powder or releasing the gas subjects creatures in a 5-foot [Cube](Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/cube-area-of-effect-xphb.md) to its effect. The resulting cloud dissipates immediately afterward. Holding one's breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons, as they affect nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body. - **Injury.** Injury poison can be applied as a Bonus Action to a weapon, a piece of ammunition, or similar object. The poison remains potent until delivered through a wound or washed off. A creature that takes Piercing or Slashing damage from an object coated with the poison is exposed to its effects. ### Purchasing Poison In some settings, laws prohibit the possession and use of poison, but an illicit dealer or unscrupulous apothecary might keep a hidden stash. Characters with criminal contacts might be able to acquire poison easily. Other characters might have to make extensive inquiries and pay bribes before they acquire the poison they seek. ### Harvesting Poison A character can attempt to harvest poison from a venomous creature that is dead or has the [Incapacitated](Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Incapacitated) condition. The effort takes `d6` minutes, after which the character makes a DC 20 Intelligence ([Nature](Mechanics/CLI/rules/skills.md#Nature)) check using a [Poisoner's Kit](Mechanics/CLI/items/poisoners-kit-xphb.md). On a successful check, the character harvests enough poison for a single dose, and no additional poison can be harvested from that creature. On a failed check, the character is unable to extract any poison. If the character fails the check by 5 or more, the character is subjected to the creature's poison. ### Sample Poisons Example poisons are detailed here in alphabetical order. Each poison's description includes the suggested price for a single dose of the poison, its type (contact, ingested, inhaled, or injury), and a description of the poison's debilitating effects. - [Assassin's Blood](Mechanics/CLI/items/assassins-blood-xdmg.md) - [Burnt Othur Fumes](Mechanics/CLI/items/burnt-othur-fumes-xdmg.md) - [Carrion Crawler Mucus](Mechanics/CLI/items/carrion-crawler-mucus-xdmg.md) - [Essence of Ether](Mechanics/CLI/items/essence-of-ether-xdmg.md) - [Lolth's Sting](Mechanics/CLI/items/lolths-sting-xdmg.md) - [Malice](Mechanics/CLI/items/malice-xdmg.md) - [Midnight Tears](Mechanics/CLI/items/midnight-tears-xdmg.md) - [Oil of Taggit](Mechanics/CLI/items/oil-of-taggit-xdmg.md) - [Pale Tincture](Mechanics/CLI/items/pale-tincture-xdmg.md) - [Purple Worm Poison](Mechanics/CLI/items/purple-worm-poison-xdmg.md) - [Serpent Venom](Mechanics/CLI/items/serpent-venom-xdmg.md) - [Torpor](Mechanics/CLI/items/torpor-xdmg.md) - [Truth Serum](Mechanics/CLI/items/truth-serum-xdmg.md) - [Wyvern Poison](Mechanics/CLI/items/wyvern-poison-xdmg.md) ## Renown Renown is an optional rule you can use to track characters' standing, individually or as a party, within a particular group, such as a faction, an organization, or a community. A character's or party's Renown Score starts at 0, then increases as characters earn favor and reputation with respect to the group. You can tie benefits to a character's renown, including ranks, titles, and access to resources. Players track renown separately for each group their characters are associated with. For example, an adventurer might have a Renown Score of 5 with one faction and a Renown Score of 20 with another, based on the character's interaction with each group. You can use renown over the course of an entire campaign or within a single adventure. At a campaign scale, you might set up factions or guilds that characters can join, individually or as a group, and the characters pursue ranks and rewards by gaining Renown within their organizations. At an adventure level, you might decide that the characters as a group need to earn a Renown Score of 5+ with the council before the council trusts the characters enough to share resources with them. ### Gaining Renown At your discretion, a character or party can increase their renown in the following ways: - **Completing Missions.** Advancing a group's interests increases a character's Renown Score within that group by 1. Completing a mission specifically assigned by that group or that directly benefits the group increases the character's Renown Score by 2. Hugely significant quests might grant Renown Score increases of 3 or 4 at once. - **Group Involvement.** Once a character has established a Renown Score of 1+ with a group, the character can gain renown by spending time between adventures undertaking minor tasks for the group and socializing with its members. After doing so for a number of days equal to 10 times the character's current Renown Score, the character's Renown Score increases by 1. ### Benefits of Renown Use these guidelines when determining the benefits of increasing renown. #### Recognition A character who has a Renown Score of 3+ with a group is a respected member of that group. Other members of the group are Friendly toward the character by default and provide the character with lodging and food in dire circumstances. #### Rank Some groups have hierarchies that characters can ascend as they improve their Renown Scores. Other groups have positions of honor that characters can apply for if their Renown Score is high enough. Characters can earn promotions as their Renown Scores increase. You can establish certain Renown Score thresholds as prerequisites (though not necessarily the only prerequisites) for advancing in rank. You can set these thresholds however you like, creating ranks and titles for the groups in your campaign. #### Perks Earning renown within a group might come with certain benefits. A character with a Renown Score of 3+ might gain access to a reliable contact, a safe house, or a discount on adventuring gear. With a Renown Score of 10+, a character might gain access to Potions and Scrolls, the ability to call in a favor, or backup on dangerous missions. A character whose Renown Score rises to 50 might be able to call on a small army, acquire a Rare magic item, gain access to a helpful spellcaster, or assign special missions to members of lower status. ### Losing Renown Disagreements with members of a group aren't enough to cause a loss of renown within that group. However, serious offenses committed against the group or its members can result in a loss of renown and rank within the organization. The extent of the loss depends on the infraction and is left to your discretion. A character's Renown Score with a group can never drop below 0. ### Level-Based Renown If you want to use the benefits of renown without tracking Renown Scores, you can use a character's level as a shorthand for the character's Renown Score with a group, assuming the character has worked with or for that group for most of the character's career. The Level-Based Renown table shows equivalencies between Renown Score and character level.  ## Settlements  Your campaign world is likely to include settlements that characters can visit. The characters might even adopt one of these settlements as a home base, in or near which they can build their Bastions when they are of high enough level to do so (see "chapter 8"). The Settlements by Size table provides population ranges for villages, towns, and cities as well as the value of the most expensive item the settlement is likely to have for sale. Adjust these numbers as you wish to account for special circumstances. For example, a [Potion of Healing](Mechanics/CLI/items/potion-of-healing-xdmg.md) (which costs 50 GP) is too expensive an item to purchase in most villages, but a village that happens to have an alchemist, an herbalist, or a potion brewer might have one or more such potions for sale.  > [!note] Do I Need a Settlement Map? > > A settlement doesn't always require a map. Simply describing the settlement to your players is usually sufficient. But if it's important for the players to know where certain buildings or other locations are in the settlement, having a map is helpful. > > For an example of a settlement map, see the Crossroads Village map in "appendix B". ^do-i-need-a-settlement-map ### Settlement Tables and Tracker The following tables allow you to flesh out details about a settlement. You can use the accompanying Settlement Tracker to record important information about a village, town, or city in your campaign.         ## Siege Equipment Siege equipment includes objects designed to assail castles and other walled fortifications. Most siege weapons require creatures to move them, as well as to load, aim, and fire them. - [Ballista](Mechanics/CLI/objects/ballista-xdmg.md) - [Cannon](Mechanics/CLI/objects/cannon-xdmg.md) - [Flamethrower Coach](Mechanics/CLI/objects/flamethrower-coach-xdmg.md) - [Lightning Cannon](Mechanics/CLI/objects/lightning-cannon-xdmg.md) - [Mangonel](Mechanics/CLI/objects/mangonel-xdmg.md) - [Ram](Mechanics/CLI/objects/ram-xdmg.md) - [Siege Tower](Mechanics/CLI/objects/siege-tower-xdmg.md) - [Suspended Cauldron](Mechanics/CLI/objects/suspended-cauldron-xdmg.md) - [Trebuchet](Mechanics/CLI/objects/trebuchet-xdmg.md) ## Supernatural Gifts  A supernatural gift is a special reward granted by a being or force of great magical power. Supernatural gifts come in two forms: - **Blessing.** A Blessing is usually bestowed by a god or a godlike being. - **Charm.** A Charm is usually the work of a powerful spirit, a magical location, or a mythic creature. Unlike a magic item, a supernatural gift isn't an object and doesn't require Attunement. ### Blessings A character might receive a Blessing from a deity for doing something truly momentous—an accomplishment that catches the attention of both gods and mortals. A Blessing is an appropriate reward for one of the following accomplishments: - Restoring a god's most sacred shrine - Foiling an apocalyptic plot by a god's enemies - Helping a god's favored servant complete a quest An adventurer might also receive a Blessing in advance of a perilous quest. For example, a Paladin could receive one before setting out on a quest to slay a terrifying lich that is responsible for a magical plague sweeping the land. A character should receive a Blessing only if it is useful to that character, and some Blessings come with expectations on the part of the benefactor. A god might give a Blessing for a particular purpose, such as recovering a holy person's remains or toppling a tyrannical empire, and could revoke the Blessing if a character fails to pursue that purpose or acts counter to it. A character retains the benefit of a Blessing forever or until it is taken away by the being who granted it. There is no limit on the number of Blessings a character can receive, but it should be rare for a character to have more than one at a time. Moreover, a character can't benefit from multiple instances of a Blessing at the same time. For example, a character can't benefit from two instances of the *Blessing of Health* at once. You can easily create more Blessings by mimicking the properties of a Wondrous Item. - [Blessing of Health](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/blessing-of-health-xdmg.md) - [Blessing of Magic Resistance](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/blessing-of-magic-resistance-xdmg.md) - [Blessing of Protection](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/blessing-of-protection-xdmg.md) - [Blessing of Understanding](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/blessing-of-understanding-xdmg.md) - [Blessing of Valhalla](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/blessing-of-valhalla-xdmg.md) - [Blessing of Weapon Enhancement](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/blessing-of-weapon-enhancement-xdmg.md) - [Blessing of Wound Closure](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/blessing-of-wound-closure-xdmg.md) ### Charms Charms can be received in many different ways. For example, a Wizard who finds an eldritch secret in a dead archmage's spellbook might be infused with the magic of a Charm, as might a character who solves a sphinx's riddle or drinks from a magical fountain. Mythic creatures sometimes grace their allies with Charms, and some explorers find themselves bearing a Charm after discovering a long-lost location drenched in primeval magic. Some Charms can be used only once; others can be used a specific number of times before vanishing. If a Charm lets a character cast a spell, the character can do so without expending a spell slot or providing any spell components. Unless otherwise stated, the spell uses its normal casting time, range, and duration; if the spell requires Concentration, the character must concentrate. A Charm can't be removed from a creature by anything short of divine intervention or a [Wish](Mechanics/CLI/spells/wish-xphb.md) spell. A character can't benefit from multiple instances of a Charm at the same time. A typical Charm mimics the effects of a Potion or spell, so it is easy to create more Charms of your own. - [Charm of Animal Conjuring](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/charm-of-animal-conjuring-xdmg.md) - [Charm of Darkvision](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/charm-of-darkvision-xdmg.md) - [Charm of Feather Falling](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/charm-of-feather-falling-xdmg.md) - [Charm of Heroism](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/charm-of-heroism-xdmg.md) - [Charm of Restoration](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/charm-of-restoration-xdmg.md) - [Charm of the Slayer](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/charm-of-the-slayer-xdmg.md) - [Charm of Vitality](Mechanics/CLI/rewards/charm-of-vitality-xdmg.md) ## Traps Traps should be used sparingly, lest they lose their charm. A hidden pit can be a fun surprise, but too many traps in an adventure can lead players to become overly cautious, which slows down the game. The best traps are fleeting distractions that skilled characters can overcome in a short amount of time or deadly puzzles that require quick thinking and teamwork to overcome. Traps that are undetectable and inescapable are rarely fun. ### Parts of a Trap The description of a trap includes the following parts after the trap's name: - **Severity and Levels.** A trap is designated as a nuisance or as deadly for characters of certain levels. A nuisance trap is unlikely to kill or seriously harm characters of the indicated levels, whereas a deadly trap can grievously damage characters of the indicated levels. - **Trigger.** Traps are often set to go off when a creature enters an area or touches an object. Examples of triggers include stepping on a pressure plate, crossing a trip wire, turning a doorknob, or using the wrong key in a lock. - **Duration.** Some traps have durations expressed in rounds, minutes, or hours. Others specify that their effects last until the trap is destroyed or dispelled. If a trap's duration is instantaneous, its effect is resolved instantly. Use caution when introducing a trap to characters of a level lower than the trap's level range. A trap that is a nuisance at one level range could be deadly to characters of a lower level range. ### Example Traps Traps are presented in alphabetical order. - [Collapsing Roof](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/collapsing-roof-xdmg.md) - [Falling Net](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/falling-net-xdmg.md) - [Fire-Casting Statue](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/fire-casting-statue-xdmg.md) - [Hidden Pit](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/hidden-pit-xdmg.md) - [Poisoned Darts](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/poisoned-darts-xdmg.md) - [Poisoned Needle](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/poisoned-needle-xdmg.md) - [Rolling Stone](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/rolling-stone-xdmg.md) - [Spiked Pit](Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/spiked-pit-xdmg.md) ### Building Your Own Traps When designing your own traps, use the Building a Trap table to determine an appropriate total amount of damage for the trap to deal based on its level and severity. If the trap also applies a condition, consider reducing the damage. If the trap requires an attack roll or allows a saving throw, use the appropriate columns on the table to determine the attack bonus or an appropriate save DC.