Dungeon Master's Guide

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Dungeon Master's Guide

Dungeon Master

’s Guide®

ROLEPLAYING GAME CORE RULES

James Wyatt

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contents

1: 1: HOW TO BE A DMHOW TO BE A DM

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The Gaming Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

The Dungeon Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Table Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

2: 2: RUNNING THE GAMERUNNING THE GAME

. . . . . . . . 16

Preparing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Chronicling a Game . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Modes of the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Narration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Pacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Props . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Dispensing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Passive Skill Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Informing Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Rituals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Improvising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Ending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Teaching the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

3: 3: COMBAT ENCOUNTERSCOMBAT ENCOUNTERS

. . . . . 34

Combat Fundamentals . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Monster Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Surprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Roll Initiative! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Running Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

When Is an Encounter Over? . . . . 41

After an Encounter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Additional Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Actions the Rules Don’t Cover . . 42

Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Forced Movement and Terrain . . 44

Aquatic Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Mounted Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Flying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

4: 4: BUILDING ENCOUNTERSBUILDING ENCOUNTERS

. . . . 52

Monster Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Encounter Components . . . . . . . . . . 56

Encounter Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Target XP Reward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Encounter Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Battleﬁ eld Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Commander and Troops . . . . . . . . 58

Dragon’s Den . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Double Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Wolf Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Encounter Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Terrain Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Terrain and Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Sample Mundane Terrain . . . . . . . 64

Outdoor Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Light Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Vision and Special Senses . . . . . . 67

Sample Fantastic Terrain . . . . . . . 67

5: 5: NONCOMBAT ENCOUNTERSNONCOMBAT ENCOUNTERS

Skill Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Running a Skill Challenge . . . . . . . 74

Opposed Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Interrupting a Skill Challenge . . . 75

Sample Skill Challenges . . . . . . . . 76

Puzzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Using Puzzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Designing Puzzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Traps and Hazards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Using Traps and Hazards . . . . . . . 87

Sample Traps and Hazards . . . . . . 87

6: 6: ADVENTURESADVENTURES

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Published Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Fixing Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Building an Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Quests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Encounter Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Adventure Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Setting Personality . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Setting Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Furnishings and Features . . . . . . 111

Mapping the Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Outdoor Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Event-Based Adventures . . . . . . . 115

Cast of Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Allies as Extra Characters . . . . . . 116

7: 7: REWARDSREWARDS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Experience Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Quests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Milestones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Treasure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Monetary Treasure . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Gems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Art Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Magic Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Awarding Treasure . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Treasure Parcels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

8: 8: CAMPAIGNSCAMPAIGNS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Published Campaigns . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Campaign Theme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Super Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Campaign Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Beginning a Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Starting at Higher Level . . . . . . . 143

Running a Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Tiers of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Ending a Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

9: 9: THE WORLDTHE WORLD

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

The D&D World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Civilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Mapping a Settlement . . . . . . . . . 154

Teleportation Circles . . . . . . . . . . 156

The Wild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Environmental Dangers . . . . . . . 158

Starvation, Thirst,

and Su ocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

The Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

The Gods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

The Axe of the

Dwarvish Lords . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

The Eye of Vecna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

The Hand of Vecna . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

The Invulnerable

Coat of Arnd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

10: 10: THE DM’S TOOLBOXTHE DM’S TOOLBOX

. . . . . . . 172

Customizing Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Increasing or

Decreasing Level . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Adding Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

Functional Templates . . . . . . . . . 176

Class Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Creating Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Monster Design Steps . . . . . . . . . 184

Elite and Solo Monsters . . . . . . . . 184

Creating NPCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

NPC Design Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Level Bonus and

Magic Threshold . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Creating House Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Rules Design 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Example House Rules . . . . . . . . . 189

Fumble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Critical Success and Failure . . 189

Random Dungeons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Random Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

11: 11: FALLCRESTFALLCREST

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

The Town of Fallcrest . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

The Nentir Vale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

Involving the Players . . . . . . . . . . . .209

Kobold Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

COMBAT CARDSCOMBAT CARDS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

INDEXINDEX

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221

BATTLE GRIDSBATTLE GRIDS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222

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Most games have a winner and a loser, but

the D & D Roleplaying Game is

fundamentally a cooperative game. The Dungeon

Master (DM) plays the roles of the antagonists in the

adventure, but the DM isn’t playing against the player

characters (PCs). Although the DM represents all the

PCs’ opponents and adversaries—monsters, nonplayer

characters (NPCs), traps, and the like—he or she

doesn’t want the player characters to fail any more

than the other players do. The players all cooperate

to achieve success for their characters. The DM’s goal

is to make success taste its sweetest by presenting

challenges that are just hard enough that the other

players have to work to overcome them, but not so

hard that they leave all the characters dead.

At the table, having fun is the most important

goal—more important than the characters’ success

in an adventure. It’s just as vital for everyone at the

table to cooperate toward making the game fun for

everyone as it is for the player characters to cooperate

within the adventure.

This chapter includes the following sections.

✦The Gaming Group: Here you learn what

components you need to play the D&D game.

✦The Players: Understand your players, help

them to assemble as a successful party of player

characters, and run a game they want to play.

✦The Dungeon Master: Understand the role of a

DM in the game and what kind of game you want

to make.

✦Table Rules: Consider table rules you should

agree on—guidelines for you and the players’

behavior during the game.

CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

CHAPTER 1

How to Be a DMHow to Be a DM

RALPH HORSLEY

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CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

What do you need to play the D&D game? The heart of

a gaming group is the players, who roleplay their char-

acters in adventures set forth by the Dungeon Master.

Every player contributes to the fun of the game and

helps bring the fantasy world to life. Beyond players, to

play the D&D game you need space to play, rulebooks,

and supplies such as dice, paper, pencils, a battle grid,

and miniatures. Your game can be as simple as that,

or you can add items for your convenience (character

sheets, snacks) or to enhance the game with digital

components (check out www.dndinsider.com).

Players

D&D players fill two distinct roles in a D&D game:

characters and Dungeon Master. These roles aren’t

mutually exclusive, and a player can roleplay a char-

acter today and run an adventure for the characters

tomorrow. Although everyone who plays the game

is technically a player, we usually refer to players as

those who run the player characters.

D&D is a game of the imagination, all about fantas-

tic worlds and creatures, magic, and adventure. You

find a comfortable place where you can spread out

your books and maps and dice, and you get together

with your friends to experience a group story. It’s like

a fantastic action movie, and your characters are the

stars. The story unfolds as your characters make deci-

sions and take actions—what happens next is up to you!

Six People in a Group: The rules of the game

assume that you’re playing in a group of six people: the

DM and five other players.

More or Fewer than Six: Playing with four or six

other players is easy with minor adjustments. Groups

that are smaller or larger require you to alter some of

the rules in this book to account for the difference.

With only two or three characters in a party, you

don’t have the different roles covered (see “Cover-

ing the Character Roles” on page 10, and “Character

Role” on page 15 of the Player’s Handbook), and it’s

harder to get through combat encounters even if the

encounter is scaled down for your smaller group.

With more than six characters, the group gets

unwieldy and tends to split into subgroups. We give

you some tips and tricks for managing a large group

in “Group Size” in Chapter 2 (page 31), but if your

group gets too large, you might want to split into two

or more groups that play at different times.

The Dungeon Master

One player has a special role in a D&D game. The

Dungeon Master controls the pace of the story and ref-

erees the action along the way. You can’t play a game

of D&D without a DM.

What Does the DM Do?: The Dungeon Master

has many hats to wear in the course of a game session.

The DM is the rules moderator, the narrator, a player

of many different characters, and the primary creator

of the game’s world, the campaign, and the adventure.

Who Should Be the DM?: Who should be the

Dungeon Master for your gaming group? Whoever

wants to be! The person who has the most drive to pull

a group together and start up a game often ends up

being the DM by default, but that doesn’t have to be

the case.

Dungeon Masters Can Partner, Trade Off, or

Change: The role of Dungeon Master doesn’t have to

be a singular, ongoing, campaign-long appointment.

Many successful gaming groups switch DMs from time

to time. Either they take turns running campaigns,

switching DM duty every few months, or they take

turns running adventures and switch every few weeks.

Supplies

What do you need to play D&D?

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY

✦ A place to play

✦ Rulebooks

✦ Dice

✦ Paper and pencils

✦ Battle grid or D&D Dungeon Tiles

✦ Dungeon Master’s Screen

✦ D&D Miniatures

USEFUL ADDITIONS

✦ Character sheets

✦ Snacks

✦ Laptop computer, PDA, smart phone, or digital camera

✦D&D Insider

THE GAMING GROUPTHE GAMING GROUP

TIPS FROM THE PROS

In my years of playing D&D, I’ve played in college class-

rooms, in a school and a public library, in my parents’

basement and in their dining room, sprawled out on

couches and crammed in at too-small tables, at my house

and at many different friends’ houses, and in company

meeting rooms. White boards (and the blackboard in that

classroom) are quite useful. In general, I prefer a more pri-

vate spot where we can celebrate an important critical hit

with appropriate volume.

—James Wyatt

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CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

A Place to Play: The bare minimum of space you

need to play D&D is room for everyone in your group

to sit. Most likely, you also want a table for everyone to

sit around. A table holds your battle grid and minia-

ture figures, gives you a place to roll dice and write on

character sheets, and holds piles of books and papers.

You can pull chairs around a dining table or sit in

recliners and easy chairs around a coffee table within

reach. It’s possible to run a game without a table for

the battle grid, but combat runs more easily if every-

one can see where everything is.

Rulebooks: As DM, you need a copy of all the rule-

books you’re going to use to play. At a minimum, that

should be a copy of the Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon

Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual. Your players

each need the Player’s Handbook, since every char-

acter’s broad assortment of powers, feats, and items

means the game runs more smoothly if all the players

bring their own copies of the Player’s Handbook to the

table.

Dice: You need a full assortment of dice. It’s helpful

to have at least three of each kind. (That might seem

to be a lot, but when you have to roll 4d12 + 10 fire

damage for the ancient red dragon’s breath weapon,

you’ll be glad you have more than one d12.) A lot of

powers use multiple d6s, d8s, and d10s. Each player

at the table should also have a set of polyhedral dice,

since most players get very attached to their dice.

Paper and Pencils: Everyone should have easy

access to a pencil and paper. During every round of

combat, you need to keep track of hit points, attack

penalties and defense bonuses, use of powers, spent

action points, the consequences of conditions, and

other information. You and your players need to take

notes about what has happened in the adventure, and

players need to make note of experience points (XP)

and treasure their characters acquire.

Battle Grid: A battle grid is very important for run-

ning combat encounters, for reasons outlined in the

Player’s Handbook. D&D Dungeon Tiles, a vinyl wet-erase

mat with a printed grid, a gridded whiteboard, a cut-

ting mat, or large sheets of gridded paper—any of these

can serve as a battle grid. The grid should be marked

in 1-inch squares. Ideally, it should measure at least 8

inches by 10 inches, and preferably 11 inches by 17

inches or larger.

Dungeon Master’s Screen: This accessory puts

a lot of important information in one place—right in

front of you—and also provides you with a way to keep

players from seeing the dice rolls you make and the

notes you refer to during play.

Miniatures: You need something to place on the

battle grid to mark the position of each character

and creature in an encounter. D&D Miniatures are

ideal. These prepainted plastic figures are three-

dimensional representations of the actual people and

monsters involved in the battle.

Character Sheets: All the players need some way

to record important information about their characters.

You can use plain paper, but a character sheet photo-

copied from the one printed in the back of the Player’s

Handbook is more helpful—or use the D&D Character

Sheets product. Some players put their powers on index

cards instead of their character sheets to make it easier

to keep track of which ones they’ve used.

Snacks: Snacks are not a necessary component of

a D&D game, but they can be an important one. Food

and beverages at the table help keep everyone’s energy

up. If you start your game sessions in the evening after

work or school, you might want to eat dinner before

you play. You can get all the socializing out of the way

while you eat, and hunker down for some serious die-

rolling once everyone is finished.

Computers, PDAs, Smart Phones, and Digital

Cameras: If you own a laptop computer, a personal

digital assistant (PDA), or a smart phone, you can use

it to keep notes and track items instead of paper and

pencils. Players can use their computers to store and

update copies of their character sheet in a number of

file formats, and you can keep notes about your cam-

paign and encounters you’ve built. You can also use a

digital camera as an easy way to keep track of a fight

that you have to stop in the middle of. You just look at

the picture to replicate the positions of the player char-

acters and monsters to resume the battle. You could

also snap pictures of the game in progress to post in

your blog or website to share with members of the

group or their friends.

D&D Insider: Finally, you can enhance your game

with a subscription to D&D Insider (D&DI)—www.

dndinsider.com—an online supplement to the pen-

and-paper game. D&DI gives you a ready source of

adventures, new rules options to try out, and an array

of online tools to make your game go more smoothly.

You can use D&DI to play D&D over the Internet,

bringing friends scattered across the country or the

world back together around a virtual gaming table.

Fun!

The last essential component of a D&D game is fun.

It’s not the DM’s job to entertain the players and

make sure they have fun. Every person playing the game

is responsible for the fun of the game. Everyone speeds

the game along, heightens the drama, helps set how

much roleplaying the group is comfortable with, and

brings the game world to life with their imaginations.

Everyone should treat each other with respect and

consideration, too—personal squabbles and fights

among the characters get in the way of the fun.

Different people have different ideas of what’s fun

about D&D. Remember that the “right way” to play

D&D is the way that you and your players agree on

and enjoy. If everyone comes to the table prepared to

contribute to the game, everyone has fun.

THE GAMING GROUPTHE GAMING GROUP

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CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

Everybody plays D&D to have fun, but different people

get their enjoyment from different aspects of the game.

If you’re preparing and running a game for a group of

players, understanding player motivations—what they

enjoy about the game and what makes them happiest

when they play—helps you build a harmonious group

of players and a fun game for all.

Player Motivations

Most players enjoy many aspects of the game at dif-

ferent times. For convenience, we define the primary

player motivations as types of players: actors, explor-

ers, instigators, power gamers, slayers, storytellers,

thinkers, and watchers.

Actor

The actor likes to pretend to be her character. She

emphasizes character development that has nothing to

do with numbers and powers, trying to make her char-

acter seem to be a real person in the fantasy world. She

enjoys interacting with the rest of the group, with char-

acters and monsters in the game world, and with the

fantasy world in general by speaking “in character” and

describing her character’s actions in the first person.

The actor values narrative game elements over

mechanical ones. Unlike the storyteller, she values

her character’s personality and motivations over other

story elements.

AN ACTOR . . .

✦ Provides PC background, emphasizing personality.

✦ Plays according to her character’s motivations.

✦ Prefers scenes where she can portray her character.

✦ Often prefers social encounters to fights.

ENGAGE THE ACTOR BY . . .

✦ Facilitating her PC’s personality and background

development.

✦ Providing roleplaying encounters.

✦ Emphasizing her character’s personality at times.

✦ Recruiting her to help create narrative campaign elements.

BE SURE THAT THE ACTOR DOESN’T . . .

✦ Bore the other players by talking to everyone and

everything.

✦ Justify disruptive actions as being “in character.”

Explorer

An explorer loves to see new places in the fantasy

world and to meet the residents of such places, fair and

foul. All the explorer needs is the promise of an inter-

esting locale or different culture, and off he goes to see

that place.

The explorer wants to experience the wonders the

game world has to offer. He also wants to know that

there’s more out there to find. He presses for details:

proper names of characters and places, descriptions

of the environment, and some idea of what’s over the

next hill. He’s sometimes interested in the adventure

plot and his character’s motivations. (The explorer is

close kin to both the actor and the storyteller.) The

wonder of new discoveries is what is key to keeping the

explorer happy.

AN EXPLORER . . .

✦ Seeks out new experiences in the game’s setting.

✦ Likes learning hidden facts and locating lost items and

places.

✦ Enjoys atmosphere as much as combat and story.

✦ Advances the plot by being willing to move ever on.

ENGAGE THE EXPLORER BY . . .

✦ Including encounter elements that call for exploration.

✦ Rewarding curiosity and willingness to explore.

✦ Providing rich descriptions, and using cool maps and props.

✦ Recruiting him to map for the party.

BE SURE THAT THE EXPLORER DOESN’T . . .

✦ Use knowledge of the game world to his own advantage.

✦ Bore the other players or exhaust you with his thirst for

detail.

Instigator

An instigator enjoys making things happen. She has

no patience for careful planning or deliberation. She’ll

open an obviously trapped chest “just to see what

happens.” She provokes authority figures and opens

dungeon doors to bring more monsters into an already

difficult fight. The instigator loves the vicarious thrill

of taking enormous risks and sometimes just making

bad choices.

The instigator can be disruptive, but she can also be

a lot of fun for the other players. Things rarely grind to

a halt with an instigator in the group, and the stories

that get retold after the game session often revolve

around whatever crazy thing the instigator did this

week.

AN INSTIGATOR . . .

✦ Likes to make things happen.

✦ Takes crazy risks and makes deliberately bad choices.

✦ Thrives in combat and dislikes having nothing to do.

✦ Takes decisive action when things grind to a halt.

ENGAGE THE INSTIGATOR BY . . .

✦ Including objects and encounters that invite

experimentation.

THE PLAYERSTHE PLAYERS

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CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

✦ Letting her actions put the characters in a tight spot but not

kill them all.

✦ Including encounters with nonplayer characters who are as

feisty as she is.

BE SURE THAT THE INSTIGATOR DOESN’T . . .

✦ Get the rest of the group killed.

✦ Attack the other PCs or their allies.

Power Gamer

A power gamer thrives on gaining levels and loves the

cool abilities that come with those levels. He defeats

monsters to take their stuff and use that stuff against

future enemies. The story and roleplaying are second-

ary to action and awesome abilities and magic items.

Most players have a little power gamer in them. A

couple of the core elements of fun in the D&D game

are the accumulation of power and the use of that

power to accomplish astonishing deeds. Nothing is

wrong with enjoying that in the game.

A POWER GAMER . . .

✦ Optimizes character attributes for combat performance.

✦ Pores over supplements for better character options.

✦ Spends less time on story and roleplaying elements.

✦ Prefers combat to other kinds of encounters.

ENGAGE THE POWER GAMER BY . . .

✦ Stressing story element rewards, such as quest XP.

✦ Using a desired magic item as an adventure hook.

✦ Facilitating access to new options and powers.

✦ Including encounters that emphasize his PC’s attributes.

BE SURE THAT THE POWER GAMER DOESN’T . . .

✦ Become a lot more powerful than the other characters.

✦ Try to take more than his share of treasure.

✦ Treat the other characters as his lackeys.

Slayer

The slayer is like the power gamer, but she is even

easier to please. She emphasizes kicking the tar out of

monsters. Maybe she does so to let off a little steam in

a safe way, or she likes the joy of feeling superior. Per-

haps it’s the pleasure of having the power to mete out

punishment to villains.

D&D combat is thrilling. Few other aspects of

the game put a character in such apparent jeopardy.

Beating the bad guys is a clear success. Most players

enjoy these D&D elements, but the slayer seeks them

foremost.

A SLAYER . . .

✦ Optimizes like a power gamer.

✦ Might pick simple options to get into the action quicker.

✦ Spends less time on story and roleplaying elements.

✦ Wants to fight monsters and take bold action all the time.

ENGAGE THE SLAYER BY . . .

✦ Springing an unexpected battle when the slayer looks

bored.

✦ Making some battles simple and others more complex.

✦ Vividly describing the havoc the slayer wreaks with powers.

✦ Recruiting her to track initiative during combat.

BE SURE THAT THE SLAYER DOESN’T . . .

✦ Ruin adventures by killing monsters the characters should

talk to.

✦ Rush past social and skill challenge encounters to the next

fight.

Storyteller

The storyteller is a player who prefers the narrative

of the game to individual character motivations and

personality. This player sees the game as an ongoing

chronicle of events in the fantasy world, and he wants

to see where the tale goes.

For the storyteller, the rules are there to support the

game’s ongoing story. He believes that when the rules

get in the way, the narrative should win. Compromise

for the sake of the story is more important than indi-

vidual character motivations.

A STORYTELLER . . .

✦ Often provides an extensive background for his PC.

✦ Works hard to make sure his character fits the story.

✦ Likes dramatic scenes and recurring characters.

✦ Prefers adventures that include at least some plot.

ENGAGE THE STORYTELLER BY . . .

✦ Facilitating his PCs background development.

✦ Using his background to help define adventures and

nonplayer characters.

✦ Including at least a little plot in every adventure.

✦ Recruiting him to record important events and encounters.

BE SURE THAT THE STORYTELLER DOESN’T . . .

✦ Insist on making his character the center of the story.

✦ Dictate other characters’ actions to fit his idea of the story.

Thinker

A thinker likes to make careful choices, reflecting on

challenges and the best way to overcome them. She

also enjoys herself most when her planning results in

success with minimal risk and use of resources.

Solving a challenge in a creative way is more impor-

tant to the thinker than character power or roleplaying

issues. In fact, the thinker might prefer sound tactics

to acting in character or straightforward, brute force

battle.

A THINKER . . .

✦ Engages any challenge as a puzzle to be solved.

✦ Chooses her actions carefully for the best possible result.

✦ Is happy to win without action, drama, or tension.

✦ Prefers time to consider options over bold action.

THE PLAYERSTHE PLAYERS

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CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

ENGAGE THE THINKER BY . . .

✦ Including encounters that require problem-solving skills.

✦ Rewarding planning and tactics with in-game benefits.

✦ Occasionally allowing a smart plan to cause a one-sided

win.

✦ Recruiting her to help come up with quests.

BE SURE THAT THE THINKER DOESN’T . . .

✦ Constantly tell the other players what to do.

✦ Grind the game to a halt when considering tactical options.

Watcher

A watcher is a casual player who comes to the game

because he wants to be part of the social event. A

watcher might be shy or just really laid back. He wants

to participate, but he doesn’t really care if he’s deeply

immersed, and he doesn’t want to be assertive or too

involved in the details of the game, rules, or story. He

enjoys the game by being part of a social circle.

A WATCHER . . .

✦ Shows up to be a part of the group.

✦ Helps calm disputes by not being as attached to the game.

✦ Often fills a hole in the PC group, facilitating the fun.

ENGAGE THE WATCHER BY . . .

✦ Never forcing him to be more involved than he wants.

✦ Accepting that he’s fine with his watcher status.

✦ Prompting him when he needs it.

BE SURE THAT THE WATCHER DOESN’T . . .

✦ Distract the other players with TV, a video game, or surfing

the Internet.

✦ Disappear from the table at crucial moments.

Building a Party

Assembling an adventuring party is more than bring-

ing together a bunch of players and the characters they

create. Building a party lets the players to be involved

in the creation of the campaign’s story and in details

about the world. It’s also the first time when players

learn the importance of cooperation.

Covering the Character Roles

The Player’s Handbook discusses the four character

roles: controller, defender, leader, and striker (see page

16 of the Player’s Handbook). When players are making

new characters, they should discuss their preferences

in roles, and agree on how to cover all the roles in the

characters they create to allow for a good balance of

abilities in the party. Otherwise, you might end up

with a party of five strikers.

What happens if the party doesn’t cover all the roles?

No Defender: Without a defender, the party’s con-

troller is particularly vulnerable, and the strikers might

have to sacrifice some mobility. The leader can take on

some of the defender’s role. Enemy soldiers are more

successful at controlling the battlefield, and enemy

brutes become particularly dangerous to the characters.

No Leader: When a party doesn’t have a leader,

it’s less effective overall, and healing during combat is

both more difficult and less effective. A paladin can

help cover the leader’s absence, providing both limited

healing and boosts to the rest of the party. Healing

potions can give the characters more access to their

healing surges during combat. Enemy controllers and

leaders have more influence on the battle.

No Striker: The absence of a striker is perhaps the

easiest to cover. The defender and controller might

need to find ways to increase their damage output to

bring monsters down faster. Enemy brutes, with their

high hit points, and artillery positioned in hard-to-

reach places, become a greater threat to the characters.

No Controller: Not having a controller can free

the defender up to move around more, since at that

point the defender lacks a soft ally to protect. How-

ever, as with a striker, a missing controller means that

monsters last longer. Large groups of monsters, and

minions in particular, survive much longer in the

absence of a controller who can damage multiple crea-

tures with a single attack.

Party Background

At the start of a new campaign, work with the players

to fit them into the world and the story you have in

mind. Set some parameters for them. You might tell

them you’re starting the game in the town of Fallcrest,

for example, and you want them all to have grown up

in that town. Or you could ask each player to give you a

reason his character has come to Fallcrest from some-

where else. Then ask the players to talk about how their

characters know each other, to establish some relation-

ships among them at the beginning of the game.

Those starting relationships can take any form the

players desire. Perhaps two characters are siblings,

or they’ve been friendly rivals since childhood. One

character might have saved another’s life. Two char-

acters might have served in the town militia before

or worked as caravan guards together. Perhaps all

the characters were born in a different town that was

destroyed when they were young children, forcing

their families to flee to another town.

TIPS FROM THE PROS

The story in the Player’s Handbook about the dragonborn

paladin Donaar, who carries a piece of the shell he hatched

from as a reminder of his heritage, came from exactly this

sort of player background creation. The player, reading

the then-current description of dragonborn, exclaimed, “I

hatched? Can I carry a piece of my eggshell with me?” Thus

was born an interesting cultural detail about dragonborn

in that game world.

—James Wyatt

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you can also take as much control over it as you want

to. You might decide that tieflings in your world are

both extremely rare and severely mistrusted. If you do,

though, make sure to let the players know that before

anyone makes up a tiefling character. If you know that

the forest near your campaign’s starting area burned

to the ground ten years ago, driving the elves who lived

there into the human lands, tell your players.

If some details of the story are still vague in your

mind, though, your players can help fill them in. Who

destroyed the elf forest? If it’s not important to your

plans for the campaign, let the player with an elf char-

acter help you think of ideas. If a player does make

a tiefling character, maybe he can help you explain

why tieflings are so feared, or create a clan of tiefling

merchants who have earned the grudging respect of

their human neighbors, or create an underground

network of tieflings who help each other in the face of

hatred and prejudice.

Using Character Backgrounds

If your players create detailed backgrounds for their

characters and their group, reward their efforts. Use

their backgrounds to craft quests and adventures. Invent

situations where their backgrounds are useful. Let the

character who was raised by a blacksmith charm some

important information out of the baroness’s blacksmith—

or notice an important fact how a metal lock was forged.

Give the characters important information they know

because of their past history, such as the location of a

particular shrine or magical location that appears in the

lore of their original homeland.

One small warning: Make sure you make every

character’s background useful or important from time

to time. Don’t let a whole campaign revolve around

one character’s story.

Relationships between characters can also mirror

real-life relationships between players. If two players

are related, for example, they might decide that their

characters are related as well, or that their characters

are childhood friends.

Encourage each player to forge connections to at

least two other characters. These connections create

a network of relationships that gives the characters a

good reason (in the game world) to work together as an

adventuring party. These relationships also give them

plenty of material to work with in roleplaying and give

you hooks for future adventures.

Campaign Details

When you work with the players to create connections

between their characters, you’re also inviting them to

share in the process of building the campaign world.

If players come up with the idea that their characters

worked as mercenaries together, for example, they can

help you create details about the missions they under-

took and what led them to pursue an adventuring

career instead.

Each player can also help you fill in details about

the different races of the game, their place in your

world, and their cultural traits. If the player with a

dragonborn paladin of Erathis (god of civilization)

wants to be an exile from a distant city-state where

dragonborn still appear in great numbers, you can run

with that idea. Visiting the city of the dragonborn can

be an exciting part of a future adventure. What’s the

role of Erathis’s church in the city? Is Erathis a promi-

nent deity there, or was the character’s devotion to

Erathis the reason for her exile?

Of course, you probably have some ideas of your

own about the world of your campaign. Shaping those

details is a job you can share with your players, but

THE PLAYERSTHE PLAYERS

CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

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CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

A competitive sport has referees. It needs them. Some-

one impartial involved in the game needs to make sure

everyone’s playing by the rules.

The role of the Dungeon Master has a little in

common with that of a referee. If you imagined that all

the monsters in an encounter were controlled by one

player and all the adventurers by another player, they

might need a referee to make sure that both sides were

playing by the rules and to resolve disputes. D&D isn’t

a head-to-head competition in that way, but the DM

does act simultaneously as the player controlling all

the monsters and as the referee.

Being a referee means that the DM stands as

a mediator between the rules and the players. A

player tells the DM what he wants to do, and the DM

responds by telling the character what kind of check

to make and mentally setting the target number. If a

player tells the DM he wants his character to swing his

greataxe at an orc, the DM says, “Make an attack roll,”

while looking up the orc’s Armor Class.

That’s such a simple example that most players take

it for granted and don’t wait for the DM to ask for the

attack roll. But if the player tells you that he wants his

character to knock over a brazier full of hot coals into

the orc’s face, you (as the DM) have to make some snap

judgments. How hard is it to knock over the heavy,

solid metal brazier? “Make a Strength check,” you

might respond, while mentally setting the DC at 15. If

the Strength check is successful, you have to figure out

how a face full of hot coals affects the orc, and might

decide it deals 1d6 points of fire damage and gives the

orc a –2 penalty to attack rolls for a round.

Sometimes this role mediating the rules means

that a DM has to enforce the rules on the players. If a

player tells you, “I want to charge up here and attack

the orc,” you might have to say, “No, you can’t charge to

there, it’s too far.” Then the player takes this new infor-

mation and comes up with a different plan.

Remember, though: Being the DM doesn’t mean you

have to know all the rules. If a player tries something

you don’t know how to adjudicate, ask the opinion of the

players as a group. It might take a few minutes, but it’s

usually possible to hash out an answer that seems fair.

Some DMs fear that asking their players’ opinions

will undermine their authority and give rise to claims

that they are being unfair. On the contrary, most

players like it when the DM asks their opinions, and

they’re more likely to feel that the results are fair when

they can give their opinions.

DM Style

What’s the right way to DM? That depends on your

DMing style and the motivations of your players. Con-

sider your players’ tastes, your style, table rules (see

page 14), the type of game you want to run, and your

campaign. Then take a little time to describe to the

players how you want the game to go. Let them give

you input. It’s their game, too. Lay that groundwork

early, so your players can make informed choices and

help you maintain the type of game you want to run.

DM Style Considerations

Gritty . . . or . . . Cinematic

Medieval fantasy . . . or . . . Anachronistic

Silly . . . or . . . Serious

Lighthearted . . . or . . . Intense

Bold . . . or . . . Cautious

Preplanned . . . or . . . Improvised

General . . . or . . . Thematic

Morally ambiguous . . . or . . . Heroic

The considerations listed above are a set of extremes.

Are you big on realism and gritty consequences, or

are you more focused on making the game seem like

an action movie? Do you want the game to maintain

a sense of medieval fantasy, or can you tolerate some

incursions of the modern world and modern think-

ing (anachronism)? Do you want to maintain a serious

tone, or is humor your goal? Even if you are serious, is

the action lighthearted or intense? Is bold action key,

or do the players need to be thoughtful and be cau-

tious? Do you have a hard time improvising, or are you

great at winging it? Is the game full of varied D&D

elements, or does it center on a specific theme such

as horror? Is it for all ages, or does it involve mature

themes? Are you comfortable with a moral ambiguity,

such as allowing the characters to explore if the end

justifies the means, or are you happier with straight-

forward heroic principles, such as justice, sacrifice,

and helping the downtrodden?

Many D&D games lean more toward the right-hand

side of the above list, but most find a balance between

the extremes. However, since the right-hand side qual-

ities are what D&D players expect in a game, so it’s up

to you to set a different tone if that’s what you’re after.

THE DUNGEON MASTERTHE DUNGEON MASTER

TIPS FROM THE PROS

When I started working at Wizards of the Coast, it took a

long time before I felt comfortable running a game for any

of my coworkers, even though I used to always DM for my

friends back home. They all knew the rules better than I

did, and I didn’t want to get caught in a stupid mistake.

Eventually, I got over that. When I’m not sure of a rule, I ask

my players what they think. If I make a mistake, my play-

ers point it out respectfully, and I reconsider my decision.

From my perspective, the DM is the person who prepares

adventures, plans a campaign, and runs the monsters and

NPCs. I don’t want to be a referee or judge, and my players

don’t expect me to.

—James Wyatt

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CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

Kinds of Games

Several key decisions define the kind of game that

you and your players have. Many D&D games are

single-DM, ongoing campaigns, in which the DM

orchestrates a series of adventures that link together to

form an epic story arc. But successful D&D games can

have multiple DMs, be episodic rather than having

a campaign arc, and can even be one-shot games or

convention events. These game models have different

strengths and weaknesses.

Single DM: One player serves as DM for every

session. That person is the mastermind behind every

adventure. The DM plans the campaign’s overarching

plots and maintains continuity.

A SINGLE DM IS GREAT BECAUSE . . .

✦ Everyone arrives at the game knowing who’s doing what.

THE WEAKNESSES OF A SINGLE DM ARE . . .

✦ One person does a lot of work.

✦ If the DM can’t play, no one can.

Multiple DMs: Different players take the DM

role for different sessions. Two or three players might

pass the job around, everyone in the group might take

a turn, or two people might collaborate to DM. In a

campaign, the DMs work together to maintain some

continuity from session to session and make sure that

adventures advance the larger story. Every player has

a character, but when it’s your turn to DM, your char-

acter sits out for that adventure. Your character still

gains levels along with the other characters, though.

MULTIPLE DMS ARE GREAT BECAUSE . . .

✦ Adventure preparation gets spread around.

✦ You all feel like part of a group together.

✦ Other DMs can cover absences or burnout.

✦ The DMs also get to play characters of their own.

THE WEAKNESSES OF MULTIPLE DMS ARE . . .

✦ Continuity sometimes gets shaky.

✦ Characters move in and out of the group, and sometimes

their absence is hard to explain in the story.

✦ Adventures might feel disconnected.

Campaign: A campaign is a connected series of

adventures. These connected adventures share a sense

of a larger purpose or a recurring theme (or themes).

The adventures might feature returning villains,

grand conspiracies, or a single mastermind who’s ulti-

mately behind every adventure of the campaign.

A CAMPAIGN GAME IS GREAT BECAUSE . . .

✦ The campaign feels like a great fantasy epic.

✦ The things you do in one adventure matter in the next.

THE WEAKNESS OF A CAMPAIGN GAME IS . . .

✦ If the DM burns out, the story doesn’t have a conclusion.

Episodic: An episodic game is like a television

show where each week’s episode is its own self-con-

tained story. The game might be built on a premise

that explains its nature: the player characters are

adventurers-for-hire, perhaps, or explorers venturing

into the unknown and facing a string of unrelated

dangers. They might even be archeologists, venturing

into one ancient ruin after another in search of ancient

artifacts. An episodic game can still have story, even if

it has no overarching plot.

AN EPISODIC GAME IS GREAT BECAUSE . . .

✦ Adventures don’t need to fit in to a larger story.

✦ It can be easier to use published adventures.

THE WEAKNESS OF AN EPISODIC GAME IS . . .

✦ Disconnected adventures can start to feel purposeless.

Ongoing Games: An ongoing game is simply one

where you get together with the same group of people

at a recurring time period. Whether you play weekly,

monthly, or once a year when your old gaming buddies

converge from across the country, an ongoing group

has a sense of continuity about it, even if it’s an epi-

sodic game.

AN ONGOING GAME IS GREAT BECAUSE . . .

✦ You know the people you’re gaming with.

✦ Familiarity breeds cooperation.

✦ You find a play style you like and can stick with it.

THE WEAKNESS OF AN ONGOING GAME IS . . .

✦ You’re not exposed to new ideas or different play styles.

One-Shot Games and Convention Events: Any

situation where you sit down to play with people

you don’t normally game with falls in this category,

whether it is an event at your local gaming store, or a

local or nationwide gaming convention. Usually, the

DM provides characters or tells the players to bring

characters of a specific level. The group plays for a

single session, or all the way through an adventure,

and then the game’s over.

Established groups can do one-shots as well. A short

adventure, perhaps one with a different tone than the

usual style of the group, can clear the palate between

two longer campaigns or provide a fun game when the

regular DM can’t play.

A ONE-SHOT GAME IS GREAT BECAUSE . . .

✦ You get to try something different.

✦ You might meet new players.

✦ You’ll get new ideas for your regular game.

THE WEAKNESSES OF A ONE-SHOT GAME ARE . . .

✦ You might not know the people you’re gaming with.

✦ The game or the people in it might not be to your taste.

THE DUNGEON MASTERTHE DUNGEON MASTER

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CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

While setting up a D&D game, every gaming group

needs to set some table rules—rules that outline every-

one’s responsibilities to keep the game fun. Some table

rules deal with the conflict between the needs of the

game and the realities of life, such as when players are

gone and can’t play their characters. Others are about

coming to agreement on special situations, such as

how cocked die results are treated.

Respect: Be there, and be on time. Don’t let dis-

agreements escalate into loud arguments. Don’t bring

personal conflicts to the gaming table. Don’t hurl

insults across the table. Don’t touch other players’ dice,

if they’re sensitive about it. Don’t petulantly hurl dice

across the table.

Distractions: If you run a casual, light-hearted

game, it might be fine to have players wandering away

from the table and back. Most groups, though, have

come together to play D&D—so play D&D. Turn off

the television, ban the portable video games, and get a

babysitter if you have to. By reducing distractions you

have an easier time getting in character, enjoying the

story, and focusing on playing the game.

Food: Come to a consensus about food for your ses-

sion. Should players eat before arriving, or do you eat

together? Does one player want to play host? Do you all

chip in for pizza or take-out? Who brings snacks and

drinks?

Character Names: Agree on some ground rules

for naming characters. In a group consisting of Sithis,

Travok, Anastrianna, and Kairon, the human fighter

named Bob II sticks out. Especially when he’s identi-

cal to Bob I, who was killed by kobolds. If everyone

takes a light-hearted approach to names, that’s fine. If

the group would rather take the characters and their

names a little more seriously, urge Bob’s player to

come up with a better name.

Player character names should match each other

in flavor or concept, but they should also match the

flavor of your campaign world. So should the names

you make up—nonplayer characters’ names and place

names. Travok and Kairon don’t want to visit Gum-

drop Island or talk to the enchanter Tim.

Missing Players: How are you going to deal with the

characters of missing players? Consider these options:

✦Have another player run the missing player’s character.

Don’t do this without the permission of the miss-

ing player. The player running the extra character

should make an effort to keep the character alive

and use resources wisely.

✦Run the character yourself. Having the DM run the

missing character is extra workload for you, but it

can work. You need to play the character reason-

ably, as the missing player would.

✦Decide the character’s not there. You might be able to

provide a good reason for the character to miss the

adventure, perhaps by having her linger in town.

Make sure you leave a way for the character to

rejoin the party when the player returns, though.

✦Have the character fade into the background. This solu-

tion requires everyone to step out of the game world

a bit and suspend disbelief, but it’s the easiest solu-

tion. It amounts to hand-waving. You act as if the

character’s not there, but don’t try to come up with

any in-game explanation for his absence. Monsters

don’t attack him, and he returns the favor. When

the player returns, he picks up where the party left

off as if he was never gone.

Multiple Characters: Most of the time, one player

runs one character in the D&D game. The game plays

best that way. Each player has enough mental band-

width to keep track of the things his character can

do and play effectively. But if your group is small, you

might want one or more players to take on the roles of

two characters.

Don’t force a reluctant player to take on two char-

acters, and don’t show favoritism by allowing only

one player to do it. You might make one character

the mentor or employer of the other, so the player has

a good reason to focus on primarily on roleplaying

just one character. Otherwise, a player can end up

awkwardly talking to himself in character (in con-

versations between the two characters he plays) or

avoiding roleplaying altogether.

Another situation in which multiple characters can

be a good idea is in a game with a high rate of charac-

ter death. If your group is willing to play such a game,

you might have each player keep one or two additional

characters on hand, ready to jump in whenever the

current character dies. Each time the main character

gains a level, the backup characters do as well. Just

make sure your players understand the nature of the

game and your guidelines for these backup characters.

Table Talk: It’s a good idea to set some expecta-

tions about how players talk at the table.

✦ Make it clear who’s speaking—the character, or the

player (out of character).

✦ Can players offer advice if their characters aren’t

present or are unconscious?

✦ Can players give other players information such as

how many hit points they have left?

✦ Can players take back what they’ve just said their

character does?

Being Ready: Every round of combat is an exercise

in patience. The players all want to take their turns. If

TABLE RULESTABLE RULES

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CHAPTER 1 | How to Be a DM

a player isn’t ready when his turn comes up, the others

can get impatient. Encourage your players to consider

their actions before their turn, and let them know that

if they take too long to make a decision, you’ll assume

that the character delays. (Be more forgiving to newer

players, and urge the other players to do the same.)

Rolling Dice: Establish some basic expectations

about how players roll dice. Rolling “in full view of

everyone” is a good starting point. If you see play-

ers roll their attacks or damage and scoop the dice

up before anyone else can see, you might nudge that

player to be a little less cagey.

What about strange die rolls? When a die falls on

the floor, do you count it or reroll it? When it lands

cocked against a book, do you pull the book away and

see where it lands, or reroll it?

What about you, the DM? Do you make your die

rolls where the players can see, or hide them behind

your Dungeon Master’s Screen with your adventure

notes? It’s up to you, but consider:

✦If you roll where players can see, they know that you’re

playing fair. You’re not going to fudge the dice either

in their favor or against them.

✦Rolling behind a screen keeps the players guessing about

the strength of the opposition. When the monster is

hitting all the time, is it of much higher level than

the players, or is the DM just rolling a string of high

numbers?

✦Rolling behind the screen lets you fudge if you want to.

If two critical hits in a row would kill a character,

you might want to change the second critical hit to

a normal hit, or even a miss. Don’t do it too often,

though, and don’t let on that you’re doing it, or the

other players feel as though they don’t face any real

risk—or worse, that you’re playing favorites.

✦You need to make some rolls behind the screen no matter

what. If a player thinks there might be something

invisible in the room and rolls a Perception check,

roll a die behind the screen. If you didn’t roll a die

at all, the player would know there’s nothing hiding.

If you rolled in front of your screen, the player

would have some idea how hidden the opponent

was, and be able to make an educated guess about

whether something is there. Rolling behind the

screen preserves the mystery.

Sometimes you need to make a roll for a player

character, because the player shouldn’t know how

good the check result is. If the character suspects

the baroness might be charmed and wants to

make an Insight check, you should make the roll

behind the screen. If the player rolled it herself

and got a high roll, but she didn’t sense anything

amiss, she’d be confident that the baroness wasn’t

charmed. If she made a low roll, a negative answer

wouldn’t mean much. A hidden die roll allows some

uncertainty.

Rolling Attacks and Damage: Players are often

used to rolling first their attack roll and then their

damage roll. If players make attack rolls and damage

rolls at the same time, things move a little faster

around the table than if they wait to roll damage after

you’ve told them that the attack hits.

You might find it helpful if your players tell you

how much damage an attack did, wait until you’ve

recorded the damage, and then tell you any additional

conditions and effects of the attack—like stunning or

knocking prone.

When making area or close attacks, which use a

single damage roll but a separate attack roll for each

creature in the area (see page 271 of the Player’s

Handbook), it’s helpful to roll damage first. Once you’ve

established how much damage the effect deals on a

hit (and on a miss), you can run through attack rolls

against the creatures one at a time.

Rules Discussions: Set a policy on rules discus-

sions at the table. Some groups don’t mind putting the

game on hold while they hash out different interpreta-

tions of the rules. Others prefer to let the DM make a

call and get on with things. If you do gloss over a rules

issue in play, make a note of it (a good task to delegate

to a player) and get back to it later at a more natural

stopping point.

Metagame Thinking: Players get the best enjoy-

ment when they preserve the willing suspension of

disbelief. A roleplaying game’s premise is that it is an

experience of fictional people in a fictional world.

Metagame thinking means thinking about the

game as a game. It’s like a character in a movie know-

ing he’s in a movie and acting accordingly. “This

dragon must be a few levels higher than we are,” a

player might say. “The DM wouldn’t throw such a

tough monster at us!” Or you might hear, “The read

aloud text spent a lot of time on that door—let’s search

it again!”

Discourage this by giving players a gentle verbal

reminder: “But what do your characters think?” Or, you

could curb metagame thinking by asking for Percep-

tion checks when there’s nothing to see, or setting up

an encounter that is much higher level than the char-

acters are. Just make sure to give them a way to avoid it

or retreat.

TABLE RULESTABLE RULES

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What a Dungeon Master does is commonly

called “running the game.” That’s a bit of a loaded

phrase, since it suggests that the DM is in charge, an

absolute authority, and responsible for the rest of the

players. This chapter is not about just the DM’s job,

but everyone’s responsibility for keeping the game

moving smoothly.

This chapter includes the following sections.

✦Preparing and Getting Started: Learn how

much time you need to invest to prepare and how

to prepare effectively, and how to kick off your

game session.

✦Modes of the Game: The D&D game unfolds in

different modes—setup, exploration, conversation,

encounter, and passing time. Understand what you

need to run the game in each mode.

✦Narration: A big part of the DM’s job is letting the

players know what’s going on. Give the players the

information they need and keep it lively.

✦Pacing: Keep the rhythm of action and

anticipation going in your game.

✦Props: Bring your game to life with props and

handouts.

✦Dispensing Information: Give the characters the

information they need to make smart choices.

✦Improvising: Learn to wing it—and have fun!

✦Ending a Session: What’s the best time to end a

game session?

✦Troubleshooting: How to deal with some of the

most common problems that come up in the game.

✦Teaching the Game: How to introduce new

players to the D&D game.

CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

CHAPTER 2

Running the GameRunning the Game

HOWARD LYON

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

The more you prepare before your game, the more

smoothly the game will go—to a certain point. To avoid

being either under- or overprepared, keep in mind

the one-hour rule of thumb and prioritize the tasks of

preparation within the time you have available.

The One-Hour

Rule of Thumb

Any game session has 15 to 30 minutes of easing into

the game and 15 to 30 minutes of wrapup time. Most

groups get through about one encounter in an hour

of play. So if you play one encounter, it usually takes

about two hours for a game session. If you play two

encounters, it takes about three hours.

Preparation Time

These guidelines assume that you’re running a

straightforward, dungeon-based adventure. Many of

the same principles apply when you run more interac-

tion-focused or investigation-heavy adventures.

One-Hour Preparation

If you spend one hour each week preparing for your

game:

✦ Select a published adventure to run.

✦ Flip through the adventure. Keeping in mind the

length of time you’re going to play in a game ses-

sion, figure out how likely it is that your players will

play each encounter. Prioritize them as: definite,

possible, or unlikely.

✦ Carefully read each encounter you marked as

“definite.” Review the monsters in the encounter,

including their special abilities and tactical infor-

mation. Create some tactical notes if you have to.

Note any special rules that apply to the terrain in

the encounter.

✦ Consider how each of these definite encounters

relates to the particular motivations of your play-

ers. If you have one or more players who are left

in the lurch by the encounters you have planned,

think about elements you can add to the encounter

to hook those players in. For example, if the night’s

encounters don’t give your actor player a chance to

roleplay, find a way to inject some negotiation into

the start of an encounter.

✦ For an encounter that focuses more on interaction,

make notes about the relevant NPCs in the encoun-

ter—their motivations and goals. Pick a quirk for

each important NPC to help the character stand out

in the players’ minds, focusing on something that’s

easy to play.

Two-Hour Preparation

Add:

✦ Carefully review each “possible” encounter and any

monsters used in them. If you’re creating an adven-

ture of your own, prepare a few more encounters

and build some more options into the map, creating

more possible encounters.

✦ Devote any time you have left to creating improvisa-

tional aids (see page 28).

Three-Hour Preparation

Add:

✦ Skim each of the “unlikely” encounters.

✦ Create a new encounter designed to appeal specifi-

cally to one particular player, or alter an existing

encounter to relate specifically to his or her char-

acter’s goals and hooks. Over the course of several

sessions, make sure you spread that attention out

over all your players.

✦ Instead of or as well as additional encounters,

create one or two minor quests (see page 102) that

tie into the adventure, including either existing

encounters or the new encounters you create.

Four-Hour Preparation

With four hours to spend, you can take the time to

craft an adventure of your own that’s not quite so

rushed. Build in elements designed to appeal to each

player. Design a major quest to lead the characters

on the adventure, a handful of minor quests to spice

things up, and at least two or three definite encounters

and a like number of possible encounters. Make notes

about the encounters you’ll design next week.

No Time to Prepare!

Sometimes you have no time to get ready for your

game. Check out the sections on “Improvising” (page

28), “Random Dungeons” (page 190), and “Random

Encounters” (page 193) for ideas on what to do.

PREPARINGPREPARING

CREATING AN ADVENTURE

IN ONE HOUR

If you don’t want to use a published adventure, it’s pos-

sible to create an adventure with no more than one hour

of preparation. Choose a dungeon map. Section off an

area that contains a limited number of potential encoun-

ters. (That railroads your players somewhat, but they’ll

forgive you if it means the difference between playing this

week or not.) Use the sample encounter groups in the

Monster Manual, as well as the sample traps and hazards

in this book.

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

Don’t expect to show up at the appointed time and

start rolling dice at the top of the hour.

Settle In: D&D is a social activity, and taking a

while to get settled and socialize is a time-honored

ritual. Don’t try to fight it. A game group works better

together when the people in it have had time to talk,

joke, and catch up before jumping into the dungeon. If

that time coincides with a meal, so much the better—

neither conversation nor dinner plates will get in the

way of the game once you get in gear.

Over time, many game groups develop a signal to

indicate when it’s time to begin play in earnest. One

player might say, “Game on!”, everyone might put their

dice on the table, or the DM might set up the Dungeon

Master’s screen.

Recap: Just as many television series do, it’s a great

idea to start each game session with a recap of what

happened the week before. This time helps players

get back into the story and the mindset of the game. It

also helps any players who missed the previous session

catch up with what’s been going on.

You can give this recap, but the recap is a great task

to delegate. When a player (or the group) summarizes

the events of the last adventure, you get a glimpse into

the players’ minds. Actor or storyteller players shine

here. They might even decide to talk in or write the

recap in character. Listening to a player’s recap lets you

see what the players remember and what they think is

important, shows you their understanding of the story,

and can even give you ideas for future plot twists.

Listen: The recap is one of the most important

opportunities you have to listen to your players and

get a sense of their experience of the game. Be sure to

pay attention to each player’s contribution to the recap.

Even a snide comment or joke can tell you a lot about

what your players are getting out of the game.

Delegating

You shouldn’t be afraid to delegate some of the job of

running the game to your players. If there are parts of

the game you find burdensome, assign them to players

who enjoy them. If you don’t want to break your nar-

rative stride by looking up a rule, designate another

player to be the rulebook reference expert. If you don’t

like tracking initiative, have another player do it for

you. Players can make the DM’s life easier in a lot of

little ways, from never making you pay for pizza to

helping to flesh out the background of the campaign

world. You have enough to do—delegate what you can.

When a group of players shares the responsibilities

of running the game, everyone has more fun. Best of all,

the players feel as though it’s their game, not just yours.

GETTING STARTEDGETTING STARTED

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

GETTING STARTEDGETTING STARTED

CHRONICLING A GAME

Game groups often enjoy saving their recaps and form-

ing them into a chronicle of the ongoing sessions or

campaign.

Low Tech: You can write the recap on sheets of paper,

noting the date of each recap. Some chroniclers like to pick

out a special notebook or buy a nice blank book in which

to write the game recaps.

High Tech: Chroniclers who have computers sometimes

type the recap into a text processing program and keep it

in an ongoing file, emailing it to others in the group. Other

creative and technically savvy folks create Web sites for

their game groups, set up blogs to post each recap on,

or set up message boards for the game group and post

on them.

D&D Insider allows you to chronicle your campaign

through the Web, too.

Outtakes: The story of your game sessions is the driv-

ing plot of a chronicle. However, funny things that players

say during a game session often spark the memory of the

events—the emotional context—as much as describing the

encounters. Include a few fun things that the players and

their characters said in the recap at the end. They can often

provide hooks in the players’ minds when the neutral facts

have faded from their memories.

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

Over the course of a session of D&D, the game shifts

in and out of five basic modes—setup, exploration, con-

versation, encounter, and passing time. The five modes

are also five different kinds of tasks or activities the

characters engage in during their adventures.

Part of the job of running the game as DM is figur-

ing out what mode the game is in based on what the

player characters are doing. The shifts are generally

smooth and organic, and you might not even notice

the change from one to another unless you’re paying

attention.

Your role as DM is different depending on which

mode the game is in. You interact with the players

according to the mode the game is in. You provide the

scene, describe and play the NPCs and monsters, and

dispense any information the PCs need or gain. You

ultimately determine the group’s success or failure

based on the players’ choices, the difficulty of the situ-

ation, and the luck of the dice.

Setup

The game is in setup mode when you’re telling the

players what they need to know about the adventure

and they’re gearing up for the first encounter of the

gaming session. The characters might be buying sup-

plies or working out plans. You might be reading a

short introductory paragraph about the adventure,

perhaps summarizing events that have brought them

to where they stand at the start of the adventure.

Setup can evolve into conversation, particularly

if the players have questions about the quest they’re

beginning. For example, they want to ask more about

the bandits that have been raiding merchant caravans.

These questions could even evolve directly into a skill

challenge if they believe that whoever is sending their

characters on this adventure is deceiving them or

withholding information, or if they try to negotiate the

reward they’ve been offered.

Setup also naturally evolves into exploration. If you

give the players a summary of events that have brought

them to the entrance of a dungeon, your next words

might be “What do you do?” That question is a hall-

mark of the beginning of exploration mode.

Exploration

In exploration mode, the characters move through the

adventure setting, making decisions about their course

and perhaps searching for traps, treasure, or clues. The

game spends a lot of game time in exploration mode.

It’s what usually fills the space between encounters. It

usually ends when an encounter begins.

Follow these steps to run the game in exploration

mode.

1. Describe the environment. Outline the options

available to the characters by telling them where

they are and what’s around them. When you detail

the dungeon room the PCs are in, mention all

the doors, chests, shafts, and other things the PCs

might want to interact with. Don’t explicitly outline

options. (Don’t say: “You can either go through the

door, search the chest, or look down the shaft.”)

That’s putting unnecessary limitations on the PCs’

actions. Your job is to describe the environment and

to let the PCs decide what they want to do with it.

2. Listen. Once you’re done describing the area, the

players tell you what their characters want to do.

Some groups might need prompting. Ask them,

“What do you do?” Your job here is to listen to what

the players want to do and identify how to resolve

their actions. You can and should ask for more

information if you need it.

Sometimes the players give you a group answer:

“We go through the door.” Other times, individual

players want to do specific things, such as search-

ing a chest. The players don’t need to take turns, but

you need to make sure to listen to every player and

resolve everyone’s actions.

Some tasks involve a skill check or an ability

check, such as a Thievery check to pick the lock on

a chest, a Strength check to force open a door, or a

Perception check to find hidden clues. Characters

can perform other tasks without any check at all:

move a lever, take up a position near the entrance

to watch for danger, or walk down the left fork of a

passage.

3. Narrate the results of the characters’ actions.

Describing the results often leads to another

decision point immediately or after time passes.

“Behind the door is a passage stretching off to the

left and right” gives the characters an immediate

decision point. “The sloping hall leads you hun-

dreds of feet down into the earth before finally

ending in a door” sets up a decision point after some

time. Whenever you reach another decision point,

you’re back to step 1.

A character’s actions can also lead right into an

encounter. “When you look down the well, a gigan-

tic tentacle snakes up from its depths and starts

coiling around you!” leads straight to a combat

encounter. “When you move the lever, a block of

stone slams down across the entrance, stirring up a

cloud of dust. With a horrible grinding sound, the

walls begin to move slowly inward.” That descrip-

tion leads to a skill challenge.

MODES OF THE GAMEMODES OF THE GAME

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

Conversation

In conversation, the PCs are exploring the informa-

tion inside an NPC’s head, rather than exploring a

dungeon room. It’s not a social skill challenge, with

specific goals and a real chance of failure. The PCs

just ask questions, and the NPC responds. Sometimes

a check is involved—usually Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimi-

date, Insight, or Perception. Often the characters and

NPCs trade questions and answers until the PCs have

the information they need to make a decision and

carry it out.

Conversation mode ends in one of two ways: The

conversation ends and the PCs move on their way,

lapsing back into exploration mode. Or, the conversa-

tion escalates into a social skill challenge or a combat

encounter.

Encounter

Encounters are the exciting part of the D&D game.

They have tension and urgency about them and a

chance of failure. They involve lots of die-rolling (often

in the form of attack rolls) and strategic thinking. They

give almost every kind of player something to enjoy.

The rules of the game are most important in

encounters. The rules are all about determining

whether you succeed or fail at the tasks you attempt—

and thus whether you successfully complete the

encounter.

Passing Time

The game has a rhythm and flow, and the action in

the game is interspersed with lulls. These lulls are like

the places where a movie fades to black and comes

up again with the understanding that some time has

passed. Don’t give these situations any more time than

the movies do. When a rest period passes uneventfully,

tell the players that and move on. Don’t make the play-

ers spend time discussing which character cooks what

for dinner (unless the kind of group you are playing

with finds this useful for building characters). Gloss

over the mundane, unexciting details and get back to

the heroic action as quickly as possible.

At times, the players discuss the events of the game

or spend time laying their plans. You don’t need to be

involved in those discussions at all unless they have

questions you need to answer. Learn to recognize the

times when it’s fine to sit down, rest your voice, or

replenish your snacks. Give yourself a breather, and

then get back into the action as soon as everyone’s

ready.

MODES OF THE GAMEMODES OF THE GAME

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

Just like the narrator of a novel, a play, or a movie, you

serve the essential function of telling the players what

is going on in the game world. The game relies on your

descriptions and players’ imaginations to set the scene.

Using a few time-honored techniques of effective nar-

ration helps paint a vivid picture in each player’s mind

and bring the game to life.

Lead by Example

When you roleplay and narrate with enthusiasm, you

add energy to the game and draw the players out.

Encourage them to follow your lead and to describe

their actions in the same vivid way. Then incorporate

their narration into your accounts of their successes

and failures.

Brevity

Don’t describe everything. Most players’ eyes start to

glaze over after about two sentences of descriptive text.

Give just enough information to excite and inform the

players, then let them react or ask for specific details.

✦Don’t overdescribe. Anything you describe in

intricate detail sounds important, and players some-

times waste a lot of time trying to figure out why

insignificant things matter.

✦Don’t omit important details. Make sure the

players know about important terrain features

before the fighting starts—if their characters can see

or perceive them.

✦Don’t give only the most important informa-

tion all the time. If you do that, you encourage

metagame thinking. The players quickly realize

that anything you take the time to describe must be

important. Remain brief, but add touches of atmo-

sphere and enticement in your narration.

Atmosphere

Describe a setting’s features and sensory impressions:

emotional overtones, lighting, temperature, texture,

and odor. A rich environment has plenty of innocu-

ous but interesting sensations that alert explorers

pick up on. Little details are important, such as a

lingering smell of ash or tiny beetles scurrying along

the dungeon floor. Small anomalies—a tiny flower

blossoming in the otherwise desolate and gloomy

graveyard—help establish the overall atmosphere of a

place.

Cinematic Style

It’s a cliché, but it’s also an important rule of narra-

tion: “Show, don’t tell.” Imagine how the environment

would look and sound in a good movie, do your best

to describe it that way, then add details of smells and

texture that a movie can’t communicate. Don’t tell

the players that there’s a pool of bubbling acid nearby,

show it to them with a vivid description. Think about

how acid might smell, talk about a cloud of noxious

vapor hovering above the pool, and describe what the

pool bubbling sounds like.

Your Only Limit Is Your Imagination: Your

imagination is the only boundary in your description.

You aren’t limited by a special effects budget. Describe

amazing vistas, terrifying monsters, dastardly villains,

and bone-crunching fight scenes. Your enthusiasm

and liveliness are contagious, and they energize the

whole game.

Portraying Rules Situations: It’s easy to fall

into the rut of describing events merely in terms of

the applicable rules. Although it’s important that the

players understand what’s going on in such terms,

the D&D game can be at its dullest if everyone talks

in “gamespeak.” You know you’ve fallen into this trap

when the table chatter is: “That’s 26 against AC,” “You

hit, now roll damage,” “31 points,” and “Now we’re to

initiative count 13.”

Instead, use such statistics, along with your knowl-

edge of the scene, to help your narration. If 26 is barely

a hit, but the 31 points of damage is a bad wound for

the enemy, say: “You swing wildly, and the dragonborn

brings his shield up just a second too late. Arrgh! Your

blade catches him along the jaw, drawing a deep gash.

He staggers!”

Enticement

Your narration helps players find the fun, enticing

them to explore details of the environment that lead

to encounters or important information. Anything

you describe with extra, subtle details draws the play-

ers’ attention. Give them just enough to invite further

exploration, but don’t describe the equivalent of a

flashing neon sign reading, “This way to adventure!”

If the players come to a decision point where the

options seem indistinguishable, you can use little

sensory details to distinguish the options. Should the

characters take the left fork or the right? Perhaps the

left fork smells of ash, while the faint sound of lapping

water emerges from the right. Unless the players know

they’re specifically looking for fire or water, these

details don’t steer them, but they make the choice of

one option over the other seem less arbitrary.

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

Suspense

Part of the reason players keep coming back to the

table is that they want to see what happens next. Will

their characters succeed? How will they accomplish

the great task set before them, and at what cost? That’s

suspense.

Suspense exists in the game when the players can

see how they want things to turn out, but they don’t

know for sure how to make it happen. It’s excitement

mixed with a little bit of worry. When you use narra-

tion to create such dramatic tension, you keep players

focused and excited about the game. Then they drive

the game forward to see what’s going to happen next.

Small Doses: During an encounter or a series of

encounters, add small elements of uncertainty in your

descriptions that lead to a payoff within a reasonable

amount of time.

For example, the PCs could notice a sickly sweet

smell in the ancient tomb. When they encounter

guardian mummies, the smell becomes overpower-

ing—it’s the odor of the spices and oils used to embalm

the mummies.

When they smell the odor next, it sets them on

edge, but here you throw them a curveball: They find

embalmed but inanimate corpses in the next room,

spicing up a scene of pure exploration. Just before the

climactic encounter, the smell rises up again—wafting

from under the door where the mummy lord awaits

them. The players are rewarded if they remain cau-

tious and prepare for a fight with a mummy.

Use a controlled hand about throwing too many

curveballs like the harmless corpses. If you use such

narrative tricks too often, you dilute the impact of the

suspense you’re trying to create. Also, make sure that

your narrative details point to something useful within

a reasonable amount of time. If the characters spend

hours wondering what the smell is, they end up bewil-

dered, not in a state of suspense.

Big Picture: Suspense builds as the players learn

more about the adventure situation and what they

have to do to accomplish their goals. With each bit

of new information, the original situation takes on

new facets. It might change entirely when the players

uncover a dramatic twist. The players and the charac-

ters have to adapt, maybe even change their goals as

the truth unfolds. The unfolding of layered events and

information builds suspense within an adventure or

even within the whole story arc of a campaign.

Realism

Your narration of the fantastic world of the game

needs to seem real—not as a simulation of the real

world, but as if the game world were a real place with

coherent, logical rules. Actions should have logical

consequences, and the things the PCs do should have

an impact on the world. The people and creatures of

the world should behave with consistency in ways that

players can understand.

Sometimes realism is a matter of very small details.

If two wooden doors appear to be exactly the same, but

one requires a DC 16 Strength check to break through

and the other one requires a DC 20 check, the world

feels arbitrary and inconsistent. It’s fine for one door to

be harder to break down, but your description should

give cues about why one door is so much sturdier than

the other, whether it has adamantine reinforcements

or a noticeable aura of magic sealing it shut. That

makes the game world seem realistic.

Roleplaying

You don’t just set the scene for adventure, you also take

on the roles of villains, monsters, and other people and

creatures that the heroes encounter in their travels.

Putting a little effort into portraying these people and

creatures has a big payoff in fun.

Portraying Monsters: When a monster is

involved, it’s usually easy for the players to imagine

its actions, especially when you’re using representa-

tive miniatures and the creature is a simple beast.

Appropriate sounds and vocalizations are entertain-

ing, as are descriptions of how a monster reacts to the

environment and the PC actions. For example, a wolf

snarls at its enemy, savages a downed foe, and whim-

pers when wounded. If your wolves (even your dire

wolves) do that, your game comes alive.

Portraying NPCs: Nonplayer characters, includ-

ing humanoids and magical beasts, are people of

some sort. They have abilities and quirks that make

them unique and memorable to the players. Use these

to help you roleplay. Consider how the NPC’s intel-

ligence, goals, and quirks play into the scene at hand.

Don’t be afraid to act in character and even use a

unique voice for the NPC. Keep track of the way you

have important NPCs act so you can maintain consis-

tency if the same character appears again. The “Cast of

Characters” section (page 116) of Chapter 6 helps you

determine some aspects of important NPCs.

Even when an NPC isn’t very detailed, use the racial

or monster description to help you along. For instance,

orcs that shout fearsome battle cries and that roar and

hurl insults in battle are more fun to fight than those

who act like silent axe-wielding bags of hit points.

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

Pacing is all about ebb and flow—a rhythm of action

and anticipation, of building tension and climactic

excitement. Just like in a movie or play, a book, or a

video game, pacing is what keeps the game exciting,

interesting, and fun. Glossing over mundane details

is an important element of good pacing as you run

the game, but respect the need to punctuate running

excitement with natural breaks, and set up your game

sessions for good stopping points—including judi-

ciously setting up cliffhangers for optimal suspense.

Building Anticipation: When the game is in

exploration mode, the pacing is relaxed. That doesn’t

mean exploration mode should be boring. It should

be a period of building tension. Exploring a dungeon

shouldn’t be a matter of walking casually down

hallways and throwing open doors, but an experi-

ence of brooding menace building to the action of an

encounter.

In exploration mode, build tension. Use a lower

tone of voice, avoid dramatic action, and stay in your

seat. Take your time with your narration, indulge in

a little extra description, and create the sense that

danger could erupt suddenly from around the next

corner or behind the next door. See if you can get the

players leaning forward in their seats to see what hap-

pens next. If you’ve got them hooked, it’s even more

startling when you jump to your feet and describe the

sudden attack of a horrible monster.

Finding the Fun: Don’t make players search for

the fun in exploration mode. When the players can’t

find an option that leads to action, the dramatic ten-

sion dissipates, and the game becomes a slog or a

stalemate. Make sure that you give the players enough

clues (or ways to find clues) to solve puzzles and over-

come obstacles.

Climactic Action: When exploration turns to

encounter, shift from building anticipation to pulse-

pounding action. Communicate the excitement and

danger of the encounter with your voice and body lan-

guage. Get to your feet, talk faster and a little louder,

gesture broadly, and pour as much energy as you can

muster into your narration.

In the middle of an encounter, don’t let the action

grind to a halt. Be prepared: Know the rules that

are likely to come up during the session, or flag the

relevant pages in your books. Don’t let the game get

bogged down in rules discussions. Put questions on

hold until the end of the encounter. Speed through

the initiative order, spurring your players to take their

turns as quickly as they can. Be ready when your turn

comes up as well!

Taking Breaks: At the end of an encounter, the

tension you’ve been building dissipates until you start

building it up again. If you or your players need a

break, take one at this natural point of pause. Use the

restroom, eat or get fresh drinks, let the players (and

yourself ) catch their breath. Then start building the

tension again toward the next encounter.

Wrap-Ups and Cliffhangers: As you progress

through a session, keep an eye on the clock. You

should have an idea of when the session’s going to end,

and you should make sure that the game comes to a

good stopping point around that time.

You can’t end every session with a cliffhanger, and

you probably shouldn’t. Let a session end when an

adventure comes to a natural end or resting spot. But

try to leave the players with something to look forward

to, some clear idea of what they’re going to be doing

next, to keep some dramatic tension lingering from

session to session.

The best place to stop the game is when the play-

ers want more—a cliffhanger moment. The characters

throw open a door and see the villain they’ve been

pursuing, but they don’t get to roll initiative until next

week. They open a treasure chest and find a tome that

holds a startling revelation, but the session ends before

they can do anything in response.

Think about the times a television show has faded

to black with “To be continued” on the screen, making

you yell back at the screen in protest. That’s how you

want your game session to end—with the players eager

to find out what happens next.

PACINGPACING

Example of a handout

WAYNE ENGLAND

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

Some players can get deeply immersed in the game

purely by listening to your evocative description and

imagining the scene in their heads. For the rest of us,

there are props. Props are concrete. They give play-

ers something they can see, read, and handle, helping

them to engage and participate in the game. Use every

prop you can to enhance immersion and fun, but keep

the narration lively just the same.

DEPICTING COMBAT ENCOUNTERS

✦ Battle maps

✦ Miniatures

HANDOUTS

✦ Illustrations

✦ Maps

✦ Notes

✦ Objects

ATMOSPHERE

✦ Music

✦ Other atmospheric elements

Items to Depict Combat Encounters: Battle

maps and miniatures are perhaps the most fundamen-

tal props. They confirm that everyone around the table

imagines the same number of combatants arrayed

around the encounter area in the same locations. They

also help players imagine the monsters they’re fight-

ing—including the size of those monsters. (When you

put a Gargantuan dragon down on the table, encour-

age your players to look at it from the level of their

characters’ eyes. It’s a very different perspective from

what even a scale drawing gives.)

A battle map drawn with colored markers on a wet-

erase vinyl mat isn’t the most evocative prop in the

world, but it does help the players understand what’s

in the room and where. Printed maps (such as in D&D

adventures and D&D Miniatures products) and D&D

Dungeon Tiles are even better. They show professional

artistic representations of common and fantastic

dungeon features.

D&D Miniatures portray the monsters of the D&D

game as no other miniatures can, and they include a

helpful prop for your own use—a card that summarizes

the monster’s statistics and abilities for easy reference.

You can also use other miniatures or plastic toys at

an appropriate scale. Unusual figures can even spark

ideas for new monsters. (Some of the classic monsters

of the D&D game were born in exactly that way.)

Handouts: Props can be just as important and

evocative outside combat. Handouts often depict some

element of the game world. Well-done illustrations are

worth a thousand words of narration, and they’re easy

for players to refer back to. Published D&D adventures

include illustrations you can use as handouts to give

your players. For adventures of your own creation, look

for fantasy art that sparks your imagination. Check

the Wizards of the Coast Web sites (www.wizards.

com and www.dndinsider.com), fantasy calendars

and book covers, photographs of incredible real-world

landscapes, or screen shots from computer games.

Maps are great reference during an adventure, and

can spark adventures all on their own. It’s a time-hon-

ored ritual of the game for players to draw their own

maps of dungeons as they explore them. You can also

let the players find a map in the course of the adven-

ture. Such a map might be a classic treasure map with

the location of buried gold marked on it—but without

any mention of the horrible monsters that guard it. It

could be the record of a past explorer who made it into

the depths of a dungeon but didn’t quite make it back

out.

Any time the characters find something written

down—a coded message in the dead assassin’s pouch,

an incriminating letter from the baroness to the

hobgoblin warchief, or a riddle carved into a stone

door—think about giving it to the players as a handout.

You can use a special computer font and print it out

on parchment paper, or scrawl it on notebook paper if

you’re in a hurry. If the players will want to refer back

to the text again, having a handout available saves

everyone a lot of trouble.

Don’t stop at printed handouts such as art, maps,

and letters. Try coins (foreign currency or plastic coins

work well), unusual dice or playing cards, statuettes

or figurines, or any strange knickknacks you find.

Antique and secondhand stores are great places to find

this sort of thing. Look for anything that sparks your

imagination.

Atmosphere: Finally, don’t neglect the impact of

background music. The right music works with your

narration to create an atmosphere. Try playing orches-

tral music, world music, and movie soundtracks.

Depending on your game, you can create atmo-

sphere by lighting candles, burning incense, draping

gauzy fabric over lamps, or using spooky sound effects.

Whatever works for you and your players is great. Just

remember to use sensible safety precautions, and keep

in mind that players need to be able to see their char-

acter sheets and their dice and hear the conversation.

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

As Dungeon Master, one of your important tasks is

figuring out exactly how much information to give to

the players and when. Sometimes you just describe the

scene, giving the players all the information. At other

times, you tell the players only what their characters

can detect using their skills, their knowledge, and

the use of divination rituals. When you’re creating an

adventure, be sure to note the appropriate DCs for

skill checks.

The Information

Imperative

If there’s information the PCs absolutely must have in

order to continue the adventure, give it to them. Don’t

make them have a chance to miss the information by

failing a skill check or not talking to the right person

or just not looking in the right place. The players

should be able to uncover important information by

using skills and investigation, but for crucial informa-

tion, you need a foolproof method to get it into the

players’ hands. Tell them.

Passive Skill Checks

Passive skill checks are a great tool to help you know

how much to tell the players about an object, situa-

tion, or scene right away. Without bringing the game

to a halt by asking for skill checks, you can keep the

momentum and suspense building. It’s a great idea

to use passive checks regularly, saving active checks

(the checks that players request when they want to use

skills actively) for when the PCs want to learn more

based on the cues you give them.

Make a List: To make using passive skill checks

easy, keep a note of each character’s passive skill check

modifiers (10 + skill check bonus) for Perception,

Insight, Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, and

Religion.

Perception: Passive Perception checks help you

set the scene. They tell you right away how much of

the details of a room or encounter area the characters

notice. Very alert characters can instantly pick up on

significant details and hidden creatures or objects that

would go unnoticed by others without a more thor-

ough search.

✦ Make sure you give enough cues at lower Percep-

tion DCs to encourage PCs to make a more rigorous

search of important features.

✦ Don’t rely too heavily on passive Perception checks.

Make sure you give the PCs information they need

to find the fun in your adventure, regardless of their

Perception modifiers.

Insight: Passive Insight checks provide information

from social and emotional intuition and awareness

that can serve a character in social encounters. You

often use the result of a passive Insight check in

social interactions as the DC for the Bluff check of a

nonplayer character. (In other words, as an opposed

check, Insight vs. Bluff.) If the NPC’s Bluff check result

is lower than any character’s passive Insight check

result, that character should get a sense that the NPC

isn’t being straightforward.

When you give the player this information, make

sure to mention that the Insight skill is the reason

behind the knowledge. This lets the player feel good

about the choice to take training in Insight (if he has

done so) and suggests that the player might want to

make an active Insight check to learn more.

Knowledge: You can use passive knowledge

checks to let characters gain some basic informa-

tion about their surroundings and the creatures they

encounter, based on past experience and education.

Use passive checks for characters in the situations

noted here.

✦ Arcana: Magic, the elements, the Elemental

Chaos, the Feywild, the Shadowfell, the Far Realm,

elemental, fey, or shadow monsters

✦ Dungeoneering: Underground environments and

terrain, navigating underground, stonework, fungi,

subterranean animals, and aberrant creatures

✦ History: The history of a region, the chronological

record, arts, literature, geography, warfare, nations,

historical figures, laws, royalty and other leaders,

legends, customs, traditions

✦ Nature: Natural environments, navigating through

wilderness, the outdoors, terrain, climate, weather,

plants, seasons, natural creatures, handling a natu-

ral beast, foraging

✦ Religion: Gods, holy symbols, religious ceremo-

nies, clergy, divine effects, theology, the Astral

Sea and divine dominions, immortal and undead

creatures

Informing Players

All the information the players need to make their

choices comes from you. Therefore, within the rules

of the game and the limits of PC knowledge, Insight,

and Perception, tell players everything they need to

know. You don’t have to reveal all aspects of a situation

or hazard in one go. You should, however, give enough

information that the players know what’s up and have

an idea what to do—and what not to do.

“Gotcha!” Abilities: Pay attention to monster abil-

ities that change the basic rules and tactics of combat,

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

and give players the cues they need to recognize them.

Describe the ability as it might appear in the game

world, and then describe it in game terms to make it

clear.

For example, if the characters are fighting a pit

fiend, whose aura of fire deals fire damage to creatures

within 5 squares, you might tell the players (before

their characters come in range), “The heat emanat-

ing from the devil is intense even at this distance. You

know that getting within five squares of it is going to

burn you.”

Game States, Conditions, and Effects: Since PC

abilities can sometimes hinge on a game state, condi-

tion, or effect that affects their opponent, make it clear

to the players how their enemies are doing. Be descrip-

tive, considering the source of the condition, but also

be explicit.

The most important combat state is bloodied, which

is a gauge for the players on how the fight is going as

well as a cue to use certain powers. Tell them when an

enemy is under any condition, is bloodied, or under

an effect and tell them when it ends. Further, if an

adversary heals, the PCs should notice, and the players

should be told—especially if the monster is no longer

bloodied.

For example, when a monster gets bloodied by light-

ning damage, you might say, “Lightning courses over

its body, forcing it to stagger backward, opening small

wounds and burning its skin. It’s bloodied.” When the

characters’ troll opponent regenerates, say, “Recent

cuts knit together before your eyes. It’s regenerating!”

If a creature is dazed due to a fear-inducing power, you

could say, “Its eyes bulge wide, and it starts to shake.

It’s dazed.”

Hazards, Traps, and Obstacles: Be sure to

include any important setting details the players need

to know. If the PCs can sense a hazard or obstacle,

you should emphasize that element. It’s better for the

game if the PCs sense hints of impending danger. Tell

the players how dangerous something looks, or tell

them the PCs aren’t sure how dangerous something

is, and more investigation might be required. A little

prompting can go a long way. Further, knowing that

something might be dangerous actually builds tension

and fun. A hazard that springs out of nowhere has

none of that appeal.

For example, if a weak floor might collapse under

the PCs, you might describe the floor as cracked or

sagging slightly. A trap could leave behind signs from

its past victims or the times it was tripped and missed.

Rubble from a cave-in might let air through, hinting

that the PCs might be able to get through, whereas

rubble that slowly lets water through lets the players

know that removing the debris is a bad idea. Crackling

lightning on an unattended weapon might mean the

weapon is dangerous (some sort of trap), but it could

just mean the item is magical.

Magic Items: Speaking of magic items, when the

characters get over their fear of the lightning-charged

magic sword and pick it up, tell them what it is and

what it does after they’ve examined it over the course

of a short rest (see page 263 of the Player’s Handbook).

It’s not fun to make characters guess what a magic

item is or try to use a magic item without knowing

its capabilities. You can make an exception for really

special items, including artifacts. Even then, tell the

player at least any numerical bonus the item gives. You

don’t want to hear, “I hit AC 31 . . . plus whatever this

sword’s bonus is,” for hours or weeks on end.

Paying Attention

Make sure you look around the table occasionally

to see if the game is going well. If everyone seems to

be having fun, relax and just keep going. If the fun

is waning, ask the players what they want or need to

bring it back, and take their opinions seriously. Refer

to “Player Motivations” (page 8) and “Troubleshooting”

(page 30)—especially “Balancing Player Tastes” (page

32)—if you run into problems.

Rituals

While you’re disseminating information, think about

how rituals might give some advantage to the PCs.

Divination and scrying rituals can allow characters,

especially epic-level characters, to bypass obstacles

to information as easily as they can bypass physi-

cal obstacles at those levels. Design your adventures

accordingly, paying careful attention to the ritual

descriptions in the Player’s Handbook. Don’t give the

characters less than they’re entitled to, but don’t let

them short-circuit your whole adventure by using ritu-

als, either. For instance, the Observe Creature ritual

requires the caster to be extremely specific when

describing the ritual’s intended target. If allowing

the ritual to succeed would throw a monkey wrench

into your plans for the adventure, you’d be within

your rights to rule that the ritual failed to locate

the intended target because the caster’s description

wasn’t specific enough. Also, remember that high-

level villains have access to the same rituals that the

characters do, including wards they can use to protect

themselves from scrying attempts.

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

No matter how carefully you prepare for a gaming ses-

sion, eventually the players do something unexpected,

and you have to wing it. Relax. A lot of DMs feel a lot of

anxiety about being caught unprepared, and they over-

prepare as a result, creating tons of material they never

have a chance to use.

With a little bit of focused preparation, some famil-

iarity with basic improvisation techniques, and a lot of

flexibility, you can handle any curve ball your players

throw at you. You might even be surprised to realize

that the game is better than it would have been if it

had stuck to your original script.

Improvisational Aids

When you have some extra time in your game prepa-

ration, spend it preparing some tools you can use to

help you improvise when the need arises. Assemble

lists of names for use in the future, design a variety

of modular encounters, collect a packet of mini-dun-

geons, and keep your campaign lists up to date.

Lists of Names: The names in Chapter 3 of the

Player’s Handbook are a good starting point of lists of

names. Time you spend putting together such lists

(organized by at least gender and race) pays off when

you have to create an NPC on the spur of the moment.

You can use baby-naming books or search the Internet

for multiple resources for fantasy-flavored names.

Encounters for Every Taste: Keeping the par-

ticular tastes and motivations of your players in mind,

design modular encounters crafted to appeal to their

interests. Put together groups of monsters or thugs who

could kick in the door and attack at a moment’s notice,

and the slayers in your group are happy. For straight-

forward combat encounters, use the encounter groups

in the Monster Manual as a starting point. The sample

skill challenges in Chapter 5: Noncombat Encounters

can also provide a foundation for similar encounters

that are more customized to your campaign. Once

you’ve designed them, you can use these encounters to

keep things moving when the players make an unex-

pected decision or pick a surprising route, or to make

sure that all your players are staying interested in the

game.

Mini-Dungeons: Keep a small supply of encoun-

ter area maps on hand—not just little dungeons (a

ruined mill house with its cellars, a jailhouse, or a

cave behind a waterfall), but also unusual wilderness

and urban areas. Combined with the encounters you

design, these maps can provide a whole session of

adventure if things go awry or you just run out of time

to prepare one week.

Don’t forget that you can carve up larger published

adventures into their component encounters and loot

them. Or rotate an older encounter map to a different

orientation and change the names in a pinch. D&D

Insider provides many short dungeons and encounters

you can also use in short notice.

Campaign Lists: Keep track of what’s going on in

your campaign. Keep the story of the adventure and

the whole campaign in mind, and keep a list of things

that can happen to drive the story forward. If the PCs

decide to wander off to an unexpected place and you

end up using one of your prepared maps and some

random encounters, pull something off your campaign

list to tie the whole excursion into the broader story.

This one element tied to the ongoing story makes

the players think you had the whole thing planned

from the start, no matter how random the encounters

seemed!

Saying Yes

One of the cornerstones of improvisational theater

technique is called “Yes, and . . .” It’s based on the idea

that an actor takes whatever the other actor gives and

builds on that.

That’s your job as well. As often as possible, take

what the players give you and build on it. If they do

something unexpected, run with it. Take it and weave

it back into your story without railroading them into a

fixed plotline.

For example, your characters are searching for a

lich who has been sending wave after wave of minions

at them. One of the players asks if the town they are

in has a guild of wizards or some other place where

wizards might gather. The reasoning goes that such

a place would have records or histories that mention

IMPROVISINGIMPROVISING

TIPS FROM THE PROS

Something amazing happened one time I was playing D&D

with my 9-year-old son. When we finished an encounter,

my son took over. He decided that he was going to search

around one of the statues in the room, that he was going to

get hit by a trap (an arrow would shoot out at the statue),

and that he’d find a treasure there.

Hey, wait a minute. I thought I was the DM!

That was my first reaction. But I bit my tongue. I rolled

damage for the trap, and I let him have his treasure. (I de-

termined what it was—I wasn’t about to relinquish that

much control.)

He never enjoyed the game more.

I learned the most important lesson about D&D that

day. I remembered that this is a game about imagination,

about coming together to tell a story as a group. I learned

that the players have a right to participate in telling that

story—after all, they’re playing the protagonists!

—James Wyatt

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this lich’s activities in the past, when the lich was still

a living wizard. That wasn’t a possibility you’d antici-

pated, and you don’t have anything prepared for it.

Many DMs, at this point, would say, “No, there’s no

wizards’ guild here.”

What a loss! The players end up frustrated, trying to

come up with some other course of action. Even worse,

you’ve set limits to your own campaign. You’ve decided

that this particular town has no association of wizards,

which could serve as a great adventure hook later in

your campaign.

When you say yes, you open more possibilities.

Imagine you say there is a wizards’ guild. You can

select wizards’ names from your prepared lists. You

could pull together a skill challenge encounter you

have half-prepared and set it up as the encounter that

the PCs need to overcome in order to gain access to

the wizards’ records. You could use a mini-dungeon

map to depict the wizards’ library if the PCs decide

to sneak in, and then scrape together an encounter

with a golem or some other guardian. Take a look at

your campaign lists, think about what would help the

PCs find the lich, and tell the players they find that

information after much digging through the wizards’

records.

Instead of cutting off possibilities, you’ve made your

campaign richer, and instead of frustrating your play-

ers, you’ve rewarded them for thinking in creative and

unexpected ways. Make a note of the things you just

invented about this wizards’ cabal (adding them to

your campaign lists), and use the cabal again later in

your campaign. Everyone’s happy!

ENDING

As we discussed under Pacing (page 24), two great

times to end a game session are at a natural rest point

after a climactic encounter or at a cliffhanger. Which-

ever ending you choose, make sure you leave a little

time at the end of the session to wrap things up.

The end of a session is a casual time, a return to

the social energy of the session’s start. Listen to your

players during this time, even if you have other things

occupying your attention, like handing out experience

points or treasure. The things the players say or do at

the end of the session are the best feedback you receive

from your players, as well as a great source of ideas for

your preparation.

At the end of a session, players will tell you what

they most enjoyed, whether the challenges and

rewards felt appropriate, what they think the villain

is up to, and where they plan to go next. They won’t

usually tell you all this directly, but they’ll reveal it as

they talk about the night’s adventuring at the end of

the session.

Use this information to say yes to your players, as

we just discussed under Improvising. Prepare for the

players to do what they discussed they would do at

the end of the session. Maybe their thoughts about

the villain’s plans are better than your ideas were, or

their notions can add an extra dimension to what you

already have sketched out. Listen, and make your next

plans accordingly, and your players will feel as though

they are a part of the story.

ENDINGENDING

CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

Sometimes your game group, your adventure, or your

campaign runs into problems. Remember that gamers

play to have fun, and the people are human beings

before they are gamers. They have real-life needs and

motivations that can affect the game. The best things

you can do are remain calm, be fair, and listen and

respond to what the players have to say when there are

problems.

Character Death

Adventures involve risk by definition. With every

encounter, the characters can fail. In the case of a

combat encounter, one cost of failure is the chance of

death—of a single character or an entire group.

Players get attached to their characters. That’s

natural. A character represents an investment of a lot

of time at the table, and a big emotional investment

as well. The biggest problem resulting from character

death is hard feelings.

The best way to avoid hard feelings connected to

character death is to be fair and to make sure the

players know you’re being fair. Rolling dice in front

of them helps that perception. The players know that

you’re not cheating in the monsters’ favor, or singling

out a single character for punishment. (See “Rolling

Dice,” page 15, for the benefits and pitfalls of rolling

dice in the open.)

Don’t ever punish a character for a player’s behavior

or some personal grudge. That’s probably the quick-

est way to undermine your players’ trust in you as DM

and as a fair arbiter of the rules. Let characters face

the consequences of their stupid actions, but make

sure you give enough cues for the players to recognize

stupid actions and to give the players every opportu-

nity to take back rash decisions.

Your players also have to know that you’re fair in

designing encounters and are not stacking the odds

against them from the beginning. 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. Scare them, but don’t trap

them.

When a character does die, it’s usually up to the

players as a group to decide what happens. Some play-

ers are perfectly happy to roll up a new character,

especially when they’re eager to try out new options.

Don’t penalize a new character in the group. The new

member should start at the same level as the rest of

the party and have similar gear.

You might want to discourage players from bring-

ing a clone of the dead character in as a “new”

character, adding “II” to the character’s name or

altering it slightly, but otherwise leaving the character

unchanged. It’s obviously artificial and interferes with

the players’ sense of the fantasy world as a believable

and coherent place. On the other hand, copying a

character might be fine depending on the style and

seriousness of your game, and it does keep the game

moving forward with no delay.

If the characters have gained at least a few levels,

the death of a character is the loss of a significant

investment of time and energy. Fortunately, dead char-

acters can be brought back to life. The most common

way is through the Raise Dead ritual described in the

Player’s Handbook (page 311). Usually, a dead character

means that the party has to take at least 8 hours to use

the Raise Dead ritual and rest afterward.

By epic level, many characters can return from

death in the middle of combat by a variety of means

(epic destiny abilities, potions, and so on). At that

point, death can be little more than a speed bump, but

the consequences of failure can be much worse than

death.

Fixing Your Mistakes

It’s going to happen sometimes: You make mistakes.

That doesn’t make you a bad Dungeon Master. It

means you’re human. What matters most is how you

deal with those mistakes.

Bad Rules Call

You do not have to have a perfect mastery of the rules,

and you should be open to at least some discussion of

the right way to apply a rule in any situation. But you

also want to keep the game moving, which means that

at some point you have to cut off discussion. When you

do, tell one of the players to make a note of the issue

and how you resolved it, and reopen the discussion at

the end of the encounter or the end of the session.

If you realize you made a mistake, admit it. If you

don’t admit it, you’ll start to lose your players’ trust.

Then, if you need to, make it up to the players. If your

mistake had a significant effect on the outcome of the

encounter, do what it takes to correct for your mistake.

You can give the characters a little more experience

or a little more treasure, or you can resolve the issue

within the context of the adventure. Maybe that goblin

didn’t escape to warn the ogres after all.

Encounter Too Hard

It can be hard to judge ahead of time just how tough

an encounter is. Throwing a 13th-level monster at

a 9th-level party is often fine, but if the creature

has regeneration that negates all the damage the

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

characters do to it, they will be hard pressed to survive

that fight.

If you see the characters obviously overwhelmed in

an encounter, you can:

✦ give the characters an escape route;

✦ make intentionally bad choices for the monsters;

✦ “forget” to roll to see if monsters recharge their

powers;

✦ come up with a story reason for the monsters to

leave the fight; or

✦ let the monsters win, but leave the characters alive

for some reason.

If you let the characters beat an encounter that was

too hard for them, don’t give them full experience for

that encounter because it wasn’t as challenging as its

level indicates. Reduce the XP award by about a level’s

worth.

Hard Encounter Too Easy

Usually, this isn’t a problem. If the adventure assumes

that the encounter is hard (for example, you need the

villain to escape but the players figure out a way to

prevent that), you can step up the difficulty as you go.

Bring in reinforcements. Give the villain a new capa-

bility the players didn’t know about.

Characters Get Too Powerful

Characters can become too powerful if you give out

too much treasure, or if you create special effects that

are more powerful than you intended. For example,

the characters might vanquish a villain they weren’t

intended to defeat and acquire his magic sword, which

is six levels above their level. Or, you could place a

magic fountain in your adventure and decide that

drinking from it gives a character an extra encounter

power that deals way too much damage for the charac-

ters’ level.

✦In-Game Fix: Figure out ways to remove items

from the players’ possession. Perhaps the villain’s

sword has a mind of its own and the means to

travel by flight or teleportation. Retrieving it could

become a quest that occupies the characters until

they’re high enough level to wield it without unbal-

ancing the game. The power granted by the magic

fountain could turn out to have a limited number of

total uses. Once they’re spent, the magic fades.

✦Out-of-Game Fix: Talk to your players, explain

that you made a mistake, and ask them to volun-

tarily relinquish the overpowered items or powers.

Mature players recognize that the game is more fun

when challenges are meaningful, and they help you

deal with the problem.

Group Size

This book provides rules and guidelines for running

a group of four to six player characters. If your group

varies from that size, you have some specific issues to

deal with.

Scaling

The general encounter-building rules scale easily

to larger or smaller parties. If you have only three

player characters, use three monsters of their level as

the baseline encounter. If you have seven, use seven

monsters. You should still try for a balance among the

different monster roles (see page 54).

Smaller Than Four

Small groups can’t cover the four basic character roles.

If you have only three player characters, you can do

without a controller or a striker at the cost of a little

damage output. It’s hard to play an effective game with

only two player characters, but you can do it. A striker

with a leader is probably the best. It pairs high damage

output with a tough character who can keep the pair

alive. If you’re running a game for only a single player

character, a defender or leader is best—staying alive

is the most important consideration. See “Building a

Party,” page 10, for more information on character

roles and how to adjust for missing roles.

Larger Than Six

The biggest problems with large groups are maintain-

ing order at the table and keeping combat moving.

Outside of combat, have the players designate a party

leader, who is then the only person who tells you what

the group is doing. It’s too difficult to listen to six

people who are all trying to tell you what they do at

the same time. In combat, keep the players on their

toes. Make sure you have a solid way of tracking initia-

tive (see page 38), and force characters to delay if their

players take too long to decide on their actions.

With a particularly large group, make sure that

your encounters take place in areas big enough to hold

all the characters and all the monsters while leaving

room for movement and tactical positioning. An area

about 10 squares by 16 squares is a good minimum for

parties of seven or more characters.

Design Adventures for Size

Adventure design is also important. Don’t send a large

group on quests that require infiltration, scouting, or

negotiation. Large groups do better in military-style situ-

ations and straightforward fights against similarly large

groups of monsters. Small groups, on the other hand,

are ideal for quests that require stealth or subtlety,

especially if the players build their characters with that

in mind. Adventures focused on espionage, intrigue, or

interaction can be very effective with a small group.

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

Problem Players

Sometimes the problem at your game table is not your

game, but your players. We can’t tell you how to deal

with every kind of problem between friends. A few sit-

uations are unique to the game environment, though,

and we do have some advice on handling those.

Because these issues are really problems with players,

to solve the solutions you need to address most of these

issues outside the game.

Setting Expectations

Most player problems occur because you and your

players have different expectations for the game. You

want different things out of it or enjoy different aspects

of it. Often, you can keep the game going smoothly by

being clear about your expectations before problems

arise and by making sure you understand your players’

expectations. Take their opinions and desires seriously,

and make sure they take yours just as seriously. Ide-

ally, you’ll find a style of play that everyone enjoys.

Out-of-Control Players

People often play D&D because it lets them, through

their characters, do things they can’t do in real life—

fight monsters, cast spells, defeat evil so that good can

triumph. Some people play because D&D lets them

run wild, wreaking havoc in towns and going on what

amounts to crime sprees or betraying their allies.

What they want in the game has nothing to do with

heroic adventure, but with using the game rules to act

out antisocial fantasies.

Talk to your players, reopening the conversation

about the kind of game you want to play. If it’s just one

player causing the trouble, it’s perfectly appropriate to

issue an ultimatum: If an out-of-control player wants to

continue playing with the group, he has to stop being

disruptive and play as part of a team.

Prima Donna Players

Some players feel that the game should center on

them, even if they’d never say it in those words.

They hog the spotlight, tell other players what their

characters should do, claim the best magic items for

themselves, and verbally bully the other players. Away

from the game, point out that the player’s behavior is

spoiling the fun for everyone else and ask him to tone

it down, or if necessary, ask the player to leave the

group.

Rules Lawyers

You don’t have to be a rules expert to be the DM, but

that doesn’t mean one other player should assume

that role. A rules lawyer is a player who argues

against the DM’s decisions by referencing the rules.

You should welcome players who know the rules.

They help when you’re stuck or you make mistakes.

But even helpful rules lawyers become a problem if

they correct you continually or give you rules advice

that’s just wrong. Much worse are players who can’t

stand negative results, and who comb the rules for

loopholes and misinterpretations that their charac-

ters can exploit.

A table rule about holding rules discussions until

the end of the game is enough to dissuade some rules

lawyers. Stay open to minor corrections, though, as

long as they’re not too frequent.

If the game grinds to a halt while a rules lawyer

tries to find a specific rule or reference, invite the

player to take as long as he wants to search for it while

you and the rest of the players continue the game. The

rules lawyer’s character essentially steps out of the

game for as long as it takes. Monsters don’t attack him,

and he delays indefinitely. This solution makes the

other players happy, because they get to keep playing

D&D instead of letting one player stop the game.

Balancing Player Tastes

Plenty of gaming groups share very similar tastes and

motivations. Whole groups made up of actors or slay-

ers aren’t uncommon. It’s easy to run these groups,

as long as your tastes are similar. It’s more difficult

to please players in the same group who have very

different tastes.

TIPS FROM THE PROS

If I’m running a demo game of D&D, and I don’t know the

people around the table that well, I rely on an easy way of

handling initiative order. It’s quick and dirty, and isn’t good

for nonbeginner players, but it is useful when you want to

clear brain space for other DMing tasks.

I have all the players roll initiative at the beginning of

combat. Whoever rolls highest goes first, of course. How-

ever, after that, I assign initiative sequentially from that

player’s left, which is clockwise. Monsters all go when I

come up in seating order around the table. This works

like a charm in demonstration games, but when more

advanced players begin to delay or hold their actions, this

little trick runs off the tracks.

Keep it in your back pocket for when you want to run

a game for your younger relatives, your chums at school,

or other friends who are interested in how D&D works.

Otherwise, use the rules.

—Bruce Cordell

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CHAPTER 2 | Running the Game

You can avoid problems by first identifying the

motivations of each player in the group, and then

varying the encounter mix in your adventures. The

discussion of player motivations on page 8 suggests

ways to please every player. Don’t try to put a group of

actors through a run-of-the-mill dungeon crawl, and

don’t expect a group of slayers to negotiate their way

through the intricacies of royal politics. If you spend

some of your preparation time reviewing the adven-

tures you’re planning to run with player motivations

in mind, and then designing additional encounters or

encounter elements to make sure something has some-

thing they fun among the encounter mix, you avoid

most problems stemming from differing player taste.

Other problems arise when players assume that

their particular style of play is superior to others, and

they lose patience with encounters aimed at other

players. This attitude surfaces most often with actors

who look down their noses at slayers and power

gamers. Deal with this issue by reminding the offend-

ing player (away from the table) that you have a group

to please, not just one player, and that the slayers are

patiently enduring the roleplaying-intensive encoun-

ters. The actors should extend the same courtesy to the

slayers in the group.

In game, though, you can also design single

encounters that appeal to multiple player motivations.

Imagine a fight pitting the player characters against a

small army of orcs, making the slayers happy. A young

dragon wanders into the middle of the fight. Sud-

denly the fight can swing one of two ways: The dragon

could help the orcs against the party or help the party

against the orcs. It’s up to the actor in the group, set off

in his own small roleplaying encounter, to persuade

the dragon to help the party. Everyone’s happy!

TEACHING THE GAME

When siblings, spouses, new friends, or children of

existing players join the game, you face the happy task

of teaching a new player how to play D&D. Teaching

new players isn’t just your job. It’s something the group

can share.

What Is D&D?: The first, most important, and

possibly hardest part of teaching a new player the

game is explaining what the game is. A lot of people

are familiar with the concept of a roleplaying game

from past experience or computer gaming, but people

also have some weird misconceptions about how you

play the D&D game. Chapter 1 of the Player’s Hand-

book covers the basics.

The Core Mechanic: Explain the core mechanic

of the game: Make a check and compare it to a defense.

Make sure the new player can recognize a d20, and then

explain that a check means rolling the d20 and adding

some number. That’s the core mechanic in a nutshell.

What You Can Do in the Game: Explain that

the character can try anything the player can imag-

ine, and it’s up to you to determine whether it works.

Explain the three main types of actions in combat:

standard (the important thing), move (getting around),

and minor (the things you do so you can do other

things). Make sure the player understands trading

down (using a move action instead of a standard

action, for example).

Reading a Character Sheet: Highlight the key

information on the character sheet. (You might want

to use a highlighter to mark these spots.) Explain these

concepts:

✦ Class and level describe your role in the group

and how powerful you are.

✦ Hit points are how much damage you can take.

Healing surges are how many times you can be

healed in a day, and how much you heal at a time.

✦ Defenses (AC, Fortitude, Reflex, Will) are the

target numbers that the monsters try to hit when

they roll an attack against you.

✦ Speed is how many squares you can move with one

action.

✦ Initiative is what you use to determine who goes

first in combat.

✦ Powers are the attacks and other special things you

can do in and out of combat.

Mentoring: Finally, make sure one more experi-

enced player at the table has the job of helping the new

player, particularly in combat.

Then start playing! The best way to learn is by

playing.

TEACHING THE GAMETEACHING THE GAME

DAVID GRIFFITH

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Stripped to the very basics, the D&D game

is a series of encounters. Encounters are where

the game happens—where the capabilities of the

characters are put to the test and success or failure

hang in the balance. An encounter is a single scene

in an ongoing drama, when the player characters

come up against something that impedes their

progress. This chapter talks you through running

combat encounters, whether they’re encounters from

a published adventure or encounters you’ve designed

yourself.

This chapter includes the following sections.

✦Combat Fundamentals: How to run a combat as

the DM: preparation, monster readiness, surprise,

rolling and tracking initiative, tips on running the

combat (including tracking individual monsters,

conditions, and effects), and how to wrap up an

encounter.

✦Additional Rules: Rules for actions not covered

by the rules, cover, forced movement, aquatic

combat, mounted combat, flying, disease, and

poison.

CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

CHAPTER 3

Combat EncountersCombat Encounters

RON SPEARS

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

Whether you’re running a pitched battle, a tense nego-

tiation, a pulse-pounding attempt to scale a cliff, or a

dangerous run down a trap-filled passage, don’t forget

everything you learned in the last chapter. It’s never

just a combat encounter—it’s a life-or-death struggle

between heroic adventurers and horrific monsters.

It’s not just the exchange of numbers and the strategy

of moving pieces around on a board—it’s a test of the

adventurers’ skill and mettle against terrible odds.

Keep the pace fast, the narration vivid, and the players

enthralled!

Below is a quick summary of how to run a combat

encounter. The rest of this section gives you the tools

you need to follow these steps.

✦ Come prepared with all the information you need

✦ Determine monster readiness and surprise

✦ Set up the encounter

✦ Roll initiative!

✦ Run combat

✦ Wrap things up

Come Prepared

Before a combat encounter begins, you should have

some information at hand. If you’re running a pub-

lished adventure, most of this information is provided

for you. Otherwise, figure it out as you’re creating the

encounter.

✦ The player characters’ passive Perception checks

(see the description of the Perception skill in the

Player’s Handbook).

✦ A map and a description of the area where the

encounter takes place. This description might take

the form of a brief bit of narration you can read to

your players to set the scene. It should also include

details they might notice, depending on the group’s

passive Perception.

✦ Statistics for the opponents in the encounter. The

statistics should include passive Perception checks

for the opponents.

Monster Readiness

Monsters and NPCs aren’t always ready for trouble at

a moment’s notice. The dragon might be sleeping, and

the goblins might be playing cards when they should

be watching the entrance for intruders. As the player

characters approach an encounter, decide how ready

the monsters are for the encounter. Choose one of

these states: asleep, distracted, ready, or alert.

Asleep: The monster (or group of monsters) isn’t

awake and is only marginally aware of its surround-

ings. Asleep monsters take a –5 penalty to their Per-

ception checks.

A monster that’s asleep doesn’t have any prepared

defenses and is surprised when it wakes up. At the

start of its next turn, it’s ready if there’s an obvious

danger present or distracted if there’s no obvious

threat nearby.

Distracted: The monsters are doing something

that occupies their attention or simply daydreaming.

Distracted monsters take a –2 penalty to their Percep-

tion checks.

Ready: Monsters have their weapons with them,

but they are not necessarily in hand. They’re idly

waiting—not poised to engage a specific danger, but

prepared in general terms to face danger. Most of the

monsters the PCs meet are in the ready state unless

the PCs are particularly sneaky. Ready monsters get

no bonus or penalty to their Perception checks.

Alert: The monsters have perceived a possible

threat and made themselves ready to face it. They

have weapons at the ready, and they’ve moved to the

best positions to engage a straightforward attack from

a likely source. They prepare any available defenses,

possibly including powers that enhance their combat

abilities. They roll active Perception checks each

round. If no threat materializes after 10 minutes, most

monsters revert back to the ready state.

Surprise

Determining surprise is usually pretty straightfor-

ward: If one side notices the other side without being

noticed in return, it has the advantage of surprise.

In many situations, surprise is extremely unlikely.

Two groups traveling an open road or blundering

through a forest notice each other, with no need for

Perception checks of any kind. Neither group surprises

the other.

Surprise can happen when characters or creatures

are actively hiding: Characters try to sneak past the

giants guarding the outskirts of the enemy encamp-

ment. Kobolds hide along a well-traveled road, hoping

to ambush travelers. A fey panther stalks through the

forest, looking for prey. If one group is actively trying

to avoid detection, it might achieve surprise.

In this case, the group member with the lowest

Stealth check modifier rolls a check. (Use this as

a simplification to save time, rather than having

each character or monster roll a check.) Any group

member that’s at least 10 squares away from the rest

of the group can roll a separate check. Compare the

check result to the passive Perception checks of the

creatures that might notice the hiding group, or the

active checks from alert creatures. Creatures that fail

COMBAT FUNDAMENTALSCOMBAT FUNDAMENTALS

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

to notice the sneaking characters are surprised if the

group members attack.

Blocked Vision: Objects or circumstances that

block vision can contribute to an attempt to achieve

surprise. The characters approach a dungeon door.

Thick fog swirls around the moors, eerily lit by a full

moon overhead. The PCs, shrouded in invisibility, try

to get the drop on the ancient dragon.

Blocked vision provides some degree of conceal-

ment, which is one way that characters or creatures

can attempt to actively hide. Characters wandering

through fog or making their way down a dungeon

corridor toward an open archway are also effectively

invisible to other creatures, but they might not be

actively hiding.

Beyond the lowest character levels, surprise is rare

without some attempt at stealth. Creatures that want

to achieve surprise in heavy fog or similar conditions

must make an effort to be quiet and stay out of sight,

making Stealth checks.

A dungeon door not only blocks sight but also muf-

fles sound, making it easier for characters to get close

to their opponents without being detected. The char-

acters can move right up to the door without being

noticed, assuming they’re at least reasonably quiet.

They can listen at the door, making an active Percep-

tion check to hear what’s beyond, and barge in ready

for a fight.

The PCs can’t be surprised when they open a

dungeon door prepared for a fight. They can listen at

the door to get some idea of what they’ll be facing, but

the monsters won’t get the jump on them. It’s a dif-

ferent matter if the monsters in the room are actively

hiding, so the characters burst in and don’t see a threat

until the monsters spring their ambush.

Refer to the Listening

Through a Door table, below,

for Perception DCs if the char-

acters actively listen at the

door. Then answer these two

questions to determine if the

PCs can gain surprise over the

monsters.

✦Do the monsters hear the PCs

approach? If the PCs are

moving at normal speed

through the dungeon and

making no attempt at stealth,

monsters in a room behind

a door hear them with a DC

25 Perception check (active

or passive). If the PCs are

quiet, the PCs make a Stealth

check with a +5 bonus (to

account for the muffling

effect of the door) to set the

monsters’ Perception DC.

If the monsters hear them, the monsters can’t be

surprised.

✦Do the PCs give their presence away? If the characters

set off a trap on the door, trigger an alarm in place

outside the room, or have to try more than once to

break the door down, the monsters know they’re

coming and can’t be surprised.

LISTENING THROUGH A DOOR

Perception DC* Sounds the PCs Hear

Monsters’ Stealth Monsters moving quietly

check + 5 around the room

5 Battle in progress, or agitated

or dramatic conversation**

15 Normal conversation

or ritual casting**

15 Doors opening or closing

(and similar sounds)

25 Quiet conversation, whispers*

35 Battle preparations (weapons

being drawn, and so on)

* Add 2 to the DC if the characters are more than 10

squares away.

** If you succeed by 5 or more, and you know the language

being spoken, you can understand what the creatures are

saying.

COMBAT FUNDAMENTALSCOMBAT FUNDAMENTALS

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

Roll Initiative!

Whether it’s the moment negotiations with the duke

break down or the instant the goblins spring their

ambush, rolling initiative marks the real start of a

combat encounter.

Initiative is usually a simple Dexterity check (one-

half level + Dexterity modifier + other modifiers).

Every monster statistics block in the Monster Manual or

a published adventure includes the creature’s initiative

check modifier, but it’s easy enough to figure it out for

a character on the fly.

Each player character rolls initiative separately, of

course, but don’t give the monsters the same atten-

tion. Roll once for each distinct kind of monster in the

encounter. For example, in an encounter with one orc

Eye of Gruumsh, two orc berserkers, two orc raiders,

and three orc warriors, make one initiative roll for

each of the four kinds of orcs. So as you run through

the initiative order, all the orc warriors act at once, all

the orc raiders go together, and so on.

Individual monsters can delay and ready actions

just like other monsters, so it’s possible you’ll end

up with the two orc raiders acting at different times

by the time the encounter is over. Monsters can also

ready within their turn without shifting their place

in the initiative order. For example, the orc raiders

can both move into a flanking position and then both

attack with combat advantage. Technically, the first

one to move would have to ready its attack until the

other one moved into position, but it all works out the

same in the end.

Tracking Initiative

Different DMs use different methods to track initiative

order in combat. Use the one that works best for you

and your players. The two key factors about tracking

combat order are how you handle readying and delay-

ing, and if the players can see the initiative order.

Combat Cards: One effective method of tracking

initiative and other details of combat is with index

cards. Each character gets a card, and each group of

identical monsters gets a card. When the players tell

you their initiative check results, write the numbers on

their PC combat cards and arrange them in order with

the highest result on top, then insert the monsters’

cards. Then move through the stack, starting at the

top. After each character acts, move his or her card to

the back of the stack.

If a character readies an action, it’s a good idea to

shift the position of the card—turn it so it sticks out

from the stack, for example. Then when the character

takes the readied action, pull the card and insert it

into the stack in the correct new place (either before or

after the creature that triggered the action). If a char-

acter delays, you can do the same thing. Alternatively

(particularly if you have a large group), you can hand

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

the combat card to the player and give him or her the

responsibility of telling you when he or she is jumping

back into the action.

The players don’t have much knowledge of the

order of play when you use combat cards. They don’t

know where the monsters fall into the order until they

act, which some DMs enjoy. On the other hand, they

often forget when their turn is coming up. It can be

helpful, when you call out the name of the character

whose turn it is, to also mention who’s next so that

player can start thinking ahead.

Example combat cards, one for PCs and one for

monsters, can be found on page 220.

Visible List: You can use a white board to track

initiative. As the players tell you their initiative check

results, write them on the white board in order (high-

est results on top), leaving room between each name.

You can either write the monster results on the list at

the same time or add them to the list on each mon-

ster’s first turn.

When a character readies an action, make a mark

next to that character’s name in the order. When the

character takes the readied action, erase the character

from his or her old position on the list and add him or

her back in at the new position. If a character delays,

you can do the same thing, or you can erase the char-

acter from the list and let the player tell you when he

or she is jumping back in.

As a further improvement, use magnets that you

can attach to the white board with characters’ and

monsters’ names written on them. Moving these

elements around is even easier than erasing and

rewriting.

A visible list lets everyone see the order of play as

you go. Players know when their turns are coming up,

and they can start planning their actions in advance.

On the down side, a visible list involves erasing and

rewriting, which can slow down the action in compli-

cated battles.

A variation on the visible list is having one of the

players keep track of initiative, either on a white board

or on a piece of paper the other players can see. This

method reduces your mental processing load, freeing

you up to think about the rest of what’s going on at

the table. On the other hand, it can be hard for you to

remember when the monsters’ turns are coming up!

List Behind the Screen: You can also keep track

of initiative on a list the players can’t see: either your

own private white board or a piece of scratch paper.

Some argue that this combines the worst features of

the other two methods: Players have no visibility into

the order, and it involves erasing and rewriting. How-

ever, some DMs feel that it keeps control of the battle

where it belongs—solidly in the DM’s hands.

COMBAT FUNDAMENTALSCOMBAT FUNDAMENTALS

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

Running Combat

Chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook tells you everything

you need to know about the mechanics of combat.

Here are some tips to help you keep things moving

smoothly.

Describing the Circumstances

“Dispensing Information” (page 26) discusses the

information you should give your players that is most

important in combat encounters: Avoid unfairly hitting

them with “Gotcha!” abilities, be sure to communicate

conditions and states, and alert them to possible dan-

gers and hazards in their environment.

Monsters and Fallen Characters

Don’t hit people when they’re down. When a charac-

ter falls unconscious, monsters turn their attention to

enemies who are still up and fighting. Monsters don’t

usually intentionally deal damage to fallen foes.

Some monsters are interested only in eating, and

might drag a fallen character away from the combat

to enjoy a peaceful meal. Usually these creatures are

lurker monsters that are attached to other encounters,

such as a lone cavern choker. Dragging a character

away is slow going (unless the monster is very strong),

so the other characters should always have a chance to

rescue their fallen allies.

Legitimate Targets

When a power has an effect that occurs upon hitting a

target—or reducing a target to 0 hit points—the power

functions only when the target in question is a mean-

ingful threat. Characters can gain no benefit from

carrying a sack of rats in hopes of healing their allies

by hitting the rats.

When a power’s effect involves a character’s allies,

use common sense when determining how many allies

can be affected. D&D is a game about adventuring par-

ties fighting groups of monsters, not the clash of armies.

A warlord’s power might, read strictly, be able to give

a hundred “allies” a free basic attack, but that doesn’t

mean that warlord characters should assemble armies to

march before them into the dungeon. In general, a pow-

er’s effect should be limited to a squad-sized group—the

size of your player character group plus perhaps one or

two friendly NPCs—not hired soldiers or lantern-bearers.

Tracking Individual Monsters

Tracking individual, identical monsters once they start

taking damage or using rechargeable powers strains

your brain’s processing power. One way to help dif-

ferentiate monsters of the same kind is to use different

miniatures for each individual. On a piece of scratch

paper, you can track hit points and power use for each

monster next to a brief description of the miniature

you’re using for it. You can also tag the miniatures with

small stickers of different shapes or colors.

You can also just note which character each monster

is currently attacking. If you know that the worg attack-

ing Rieta has 14 hit points left, then if Rieta attacks—or

the wizard attacks “the one that’s on Rieta”—you know

where to mark off the resulting damage.

One way to keep rechargeable powers simple is to

initially have all the monsters use the same recharge-

able power for the first time in the same round. For

example, in the second round of combat, when they’re

all in good positions, all the hell hounds use their breath

weapons. Then each time an individual hell hound acts,

roll to see if its breath weapon recharges, and use it if

it does. When a hell hound is taking an action other

than using its breath weapon, you know that its breath

weapon is not charged. All you need think about is the

recharge roll at the start of each creature’s turn.

The simplest way doesn’t always work, of course.

Smart monsters don’t always use rechargeable powers

as soon as they recharge, for example, and monsters

with more than one rechargeable power complicate

things. In these cases, track limited powers the same

way you track hit points.

Tracking Conditions and Effects

Keeping track of conditions can get tricky. For mon-

sters, use the same techniques discussed above. Note

conditions and effects on combat cards or wherever

you track initiative.

The players should remember any conditions in

place on their characters. However, they could forget,

since they have little incentive to remember hamper-

ing conditions, though they might honestly try. Mark

character conditions on combat cards or a white

board. You might also try keeping a supply of index

cards marked with conditions (and the effects of those

conditions) and handing the cards to players as the

conditions come up. Having a bright pink index card

on top of his or her character sheet helps even the

most absent-minded player remember a condition, and

remember to roll a save to get rid of it.

Players should also remember which monsters

they’ve marked as special targets (such as with a pala-

din’s divine challenge or a fighter’s reign of terror). Place

cardboard or magnetic counters by the miniatures of

designated targets to help everyone remember what

effects are in place. Similar tokens can also remind the

players which monsters are bloodied—and help you

remember the same thing about characters.

What the Bad Guys Do

Monsters and even nonplayer characters don’t have

the same breadth of options in combat that player

characters do. Often one power builds on the effect

of another. Don’t hold onto monsters or NPCs’ best

powers. If you do, often they die before getting a

chance to use them. Start with the big guns.

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

Resting Up: When combat has ended, PCs can

quickly restore their strength with a short rest, or take

an extended rest to get back to full health, fully refresh

their powers, and reset their action points (see “Rest

and Recovery” on page 263 in the Player’s Handbook).

Encounter Rewards: Typical encounter rewards

are experience points (XP), action points tied to mile-

stones, and treasure. Chapter 7 discusses each kind of

reward in detail.

Experience Points: You can give characters XP at

the end of every encounter, or wait until they take an

extended rest, or wait until the end of the game ses-

sion. Simply divide the XP total for the encounter by

the number of characters present.

Action Points: If the characters have reached a mile-

stone, give them 1 action point.

Quest Rewards: If the players have completed a

major quest or minor quest, tell them so, and give

them XP for completing it after their next extended

rest, or at the end of the game session.

Treasure: The PCs might also find treasure, either in

the form of wealth or as magic items they can use. The

players can decide among themselves how to divide

the treasure they find.

Basic Tactics: The Monster Manual suggests basic

tactics for the monsters in its pages. Your first guide

to a monster’s behavior in combat, though, is its role.

Artillery monsters avoid melee and favor their ranged

attacks. Skirmishers move a lot and avoid the front

line. Soldiers and brutes engage the party’s defenders

and leaders. Controllers position themselves to make

best use of their abilities.

Smart Monsters: Smart monsters act differently

in combat than dumb ones do. Look at the monster’s

Intelligence score to help you decide what it does. Smart

creatures plan their actions and choose the best course

of action. A vampire might focus its attacks on the cleric

who keeps hitting it with radiant damage. Less intelli-

gent creatures don’t plan, they react. A wolf turns to bite

the last opponent that hurt it or the nearest enemy.

After an Encounter

When an encounter is over, you need to address

lasting consequences, scouring the room, rest, and

encounter rewards.

Encounter Consequences: Encounters don’t occur

in a vacuum. What happens in one encounter impacts

future encounters—and the adventure.

Did any of the PCs’ opponents escape? If so, you

need to determine what the fleeing foes do. Most intel-

ligent creatures look for safe refuge or reinforcements.

The same monsters, healed and ready for more action,

might be waiting in another room, along with more

powerful allies.

Did the PCs kill an NPC that’s important to the

adventure’s plot? Make note of how that character’s

death affects the ongoing plot.

Searching the Room: PCs use Perception checks

to find anything of interest in the room, such as trea-

sure chests, secret doors, or a holy symbol of Zehir

hidden on the body of the supposedly good priest of

Pelor they just captured. The PCs scour the room,

rolling a lot of Perception checks. Unless the charac-

ters are under a time constraint, assume that they’re

going to roll a 20 eventually, and use the best possible

Perception check result for the party. (Effectively, this

result equals the best passive Perception check +10.)

Assume the characters spend a minute or two search-

ing, and move on to tell them what they find.

A published adventure tells you what there is to be

found in a room and how hard it is to find. For your

own adventures, use the Difficulty Class and Damage

by Level table on page 42, with these guidelines:

SEARCH THE ROOM DCS

Perception DC What the PCs Might Find

Easy Anything valuable in a chest full of junk

Moderate A valuable item tucked away in an

unlikely place

Moderate A secret latch or compartment

Hard An average secret door

COMBAT FUNDAMENTALSCOMBAT FUNDAMENTALS

WHEN IS AN ENCOUNTER

OVER?

Typically, encounters are separated by a short rest and

some amount of travel time, even if it’s as little as crossing

the room to open the next door. An encounter ends when

the monsters are dead or have fled and the characters take

a short rest to regain hit points and encounter powers. The

next encounter begins when the characters engage new

opponents.

Effects that last “until the end of the encounter” actu-

ally last about 5 minutes. That means they never carry over

from one encounter to another, as long as those encounters

are separated by a short rest. If characters use them outside

combat, or plow through multiple encounters without taking

a short rest, they enjoy the effect for a full 5 minutes.

What if characters don’t take a short rest? Sometimes

they feel as though they can’t—they have to get to the high

priest’s chamber before the assassin strikes! Sometimes

they just choose not to, perhaps because they hope to

enjoy the benefit of an effect that lasts until the encounter

ends. In any event, starting a new encounter without the

benefit of a short rest after the last one makes the new

encounter more challenging.

If you’re designing encounters in which you expect char-

acters to move from one to the next without a rest, treat the

two events as a single encounter. If the characters surprise

you by running on to a new encounter without resting, it

might be worth scaling back the new encounter a bit.

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

A few combat situations come up rarely enough that

the rules for them intentionally aren’t covered in the

Player’s Handbook—in particular, mounted combat and

combat underwater.

Actions the Rules

Don’t Cover

Your presence as the Dungeon Master is what makes

D&D such a great game. You make it possible for the

players to try anything they can imagine. That means

it’s your job to resolve unusual actions when the play-

ers try them.

Use the “DM’s Best Friend”: This simple guideline

helps you adjudicate any unusual situation: An espe-

cially favorable circumstance gives a +2 bonus to a check

or an attack roll (or it gives combat advantage). A par-

ticularly unfavorable circumstance gives a –2 penalty.

Cast the Action as a Check: If a character tries

an action that might fail, use a check to resolve it. To

do that, you need to know what kind of check it is and

what the DC is.

Attacks: If the action is essentially an attack, use an

attack roll. It might involve a weapon and target AC, or

it might just be a Strength or Dexterity check against

any defense. For an attack, use the appropriate defense

of the target. Use an opposed check for anything that

involves a contest between two creatures.

Other Checks: If the action is related to a skill (Acro-

batics and Athletics cover a lot of the stunts characters

try in combat), use that check. If it is not an obvious

skill or attack roll, use an ability check. Consult the

Difficulty Class and Damage by Level table below,

and set the DC according to whether you think the

task should be easy, hard, or somewhere in between. A

quick rule of thumb is to start with a DC of 10 (easy),

15 (moderate), or 20 (hard) and add one-half the char-

acter’s level.

Setting Improvised Damage: Sometimes you

need to set damage for something not covered in the

rules—a character stumbles into the campfire or falls

into a vat of acid, for example. Choose a column on

the Difficulty Class and Damage table based on the

severity of the effect. Use a normal damage expres-

sion for something that might make an attack round

after round, or something that’s relatively minor.

These numbers are comparable to a monster’s at-will

attack. Use a limited damage expression, comparable

to a monster’s special powers, for one-time damaging

effects or massive damage.

Example: Shiera the 8th-level rogue wants to try

the classic swashbuckling move of swinging on a

chandelier and kicking an ogre in the chest on her

way down to the ground, hoping to push the ogre into

the brazier of burning coals behind it. An Acrobatics

check seems reasonable.

This sort of action is exactly the kind of thinking

you want to encourage, so you pick an easy DC: The

table says DC 15, but it’s a skill check, so make it DC

20. If she makes that check, she gets a hold on the

chandelier and swings to the ogre.

Then comes the kicking. She’s more interested in

the push than in dealing any damage with the kick

itself, so have her make a Strength attack against the

ogre’s Fortitude. If she pulls it off, let her push the ogre

1 square and into the brazier, and find an appropriate

damage number.

Use a normal damage expression from the table,

because once the characters see this trick work they’ll

try anything they can to keep pushing the ogres into

the brazier. You can safely use the high value, though—

2d8 + 5 fire damage. If Shiera had used a 7th-level

encounter power and Sneak Attack, she might have

dealt 4d6 (plus her Dexterity modifier), so you’re not

giving away too much with this damage.

ADDITIONAL RULESADDITIONAL RULES

DIFFICULTY CLASS AND DAMAGE BY LEVEL

Difficulty Class (DC) Values Normal Damage Expressions Limited Damage Expressions

Level Easy Moderate Hard Low Medium High Low Medium High

1st–3rd 10 15 20 1d6 + 3 1d10 + 3 2d6 + 3 3d6 + 3 2d10 + 3 3d8 + 3

4th–6th 13 17 21 1d6 + 4 1d10 + 4 2d8 + 4 3d6 + 4 3d8 + 4 3d10 + 4

7th–9th 15 19 23 1d8 + 5 2d6 + 5 2d8 + 5 3d8 + 5 3d10 + 5 4d8 + 5

10th–12th 17 21 25 1d8 + 5 2d6 + 5 3d6 + 5 3d8 + 5 4d8 + 5 4d10 + 5

13th–15th 18 22 26 1d10 + 6 2d8 + 6 3d6 + 6 3d10 + 6 4d8 + 6 4d10 + 6

16th–18th 20 24 28 1d10 + 7 2d8 + 7 3d8 + 7 3d10 + 6 4d10 + 7 4d12 + 7

19th–21st 22 26 30 2d6 + 7 3d6 + 8 3d8 + 7 4d8 + 7 4d10 + 7 4d12 + 7

22nd–24th 23 27 31 2d6 + 8 3d6 + 8 4d6 + 8 4d8 + 8 4d12 + 8 5d10 + 8

25th–27th 24 28 32 2d8 + 9 3d8 + 9 4d6 + 9 4d10 + 9 5d10 + 9 5d12 + 9

28th–30th 25 29 33 2d8 + 10 3d8 + 10 4d8 + 10 4d10 + 9 5d10 + 9 5d12 + 9

For skill checks: Increase DCs by 5

For attacks with weapons or against AC: Increase DCs by 2

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

Cover

The rules in the Player’s Handbook for determining

cover are straightforward. A creature that’s around a

corner from the attacker, or protected by terrain, has

cover. A significant terrain advantage gives superior

cover. Most of the time, those rules are the only rules

you need.

As the referee, you decide based on common sense

whether a creature has cover against an attack. If you

want rules that can let you determine cover more pre-

cisely, you can use these. They’re the same rules that

appear in the D&D Miniatures game. In D&D, though,

we recommend that you make a quick decision about

cover and move on to the fun.

Melee Attacks

Cover in melee comes up most often when the target

is in a square at the corner of the attacker’s space and

a wall or other solid obstacle fills one of the squares

between them. If the target of the attack occupies the

same square as a pillar or tree, that terrain also grants

cover. If the attacker is trying to jab the target between

the bars of a portcullis, the target has superior cover.

DETERMINING COVER FOR MELEE ATTACKSDETERMINING COVER FOR MELEE ATTACKS

✦Defender’s Burden: The target of a melee attack

has to prove that it has cover. That proof consists of

a line between the attacker and the defender that is

blocked by a solid object.

✦Corner to Corner: The defender has cover if an

imaginary line from a corner of the attacker’s space

to a corner of the defender’s space is blocked.

✦Getting Technical: If you need to be extremely

precise, choose a square the attacker occupies and

a square the defender occupies. Draw an imaginary

line from every corner of the attacker’s space to every

corner of the defender’s space. If even one line is

obstructed, the defender has cover. (A line that runs

parallel right along a wall isn’t blocked.)

✦Superior Cover: Only specific terrain features (such

as grates and arrow slits) grant superior cover from

melee attacks.

Ranged Attacks

Cover comes up a lot more often for ranged attacks,

simply because it’s harder for the attacker to move

into a position with a clear shot. In melee, a character

can usually shift 1 square to avoid attacking around a

corner and negate most cover. A ranged attacker might

have to move halfway across the battlefield to get a

clear shot at a target taking cover around a corner. In

addition to shooting a creature partially protected by a

corner, an important situation to remember for ranged

cover is the presence of other enemies (potential tar-

gets) between the attacker and the target.

DETERMINING COVER FOR RANGED ATTACKSDETERMINING COVER FOR RANGED ATTACKS

✦Attacker’s Burden: For ranged attacks, the attacker

has to prove that he has a clear shot. That proof con-

sists of one corner in his space that has clear lines to

every corner of the target’s space.

✦Choose a Corner: The attacker chooses one corner

of a square he occupies, and draws imaginary lines

from that corner to every corner of any one square the

defender occupies. If none of those lines are blocked

by a solid object or an enemy creature, the attacker

has a clear shot. The defender doesn’t have cover. (A

line that runs parallel right along a wall isn’t blocked.)

✦Cover: If you can’t find a clear shot, the target has

cover. No matter which corner in your space you

choose, one or two lines from that corner to every

corner in the defender’s space are blocked.

✦Superior Cover: The defender has superior cover

if no matter which corner in your space you choose

and no matter which square of the target’s space you

choose, three or four lines are blocked. If four lines

are blocked from every corner, you can’t target the

defender.

Close and Area Attacks

Close and area attacks work very much like ranged

attacks except that you care about the origin square

of the effect, not the creature that creates it. A tree

between a creature and the center of a fireball helps

protect that creature from the blast, not a tree between

the creature and the wizard casting the spell.

Also unlike ranged attacks, creatures don’t provide

cover. An orc in a fireball doesn’t get any protection

from the other orc standing between it and the center

of the fireball.

DETERMINING COVER FOR CLOSE AND DETERMINING COVER FOR CLOSE AND

AREA ATTACKSAREA ATTACKS

✦Like Ranged Attacks: You determine cover for

these attacks in the same way as for ranged attacks,

with two exceptions:

✦Origin, Not Attacker: Treat the origin square of the

effect as the attacker’s square.

✦Creatures Aren’t Cover: Creatures don’t provide cover

against close and area attacks.

ADDITIONAL RULESADDITIONAL RULES

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

Forced Movement

and Terrain

Many creatures have ways to move others around on

the field of battle. “Pull, Push, and Slide” on page 285

of the Player’s Handbook discusses the general rules for

forced movement. One extra wrinkle that might come

up in your game is how forced movement interacts

with various kinds of terrain.

FORCED MOVEMENT AND TERRAINFORCED MOVEMENT AND TERRAIN

✦ Difficult Terrain: Forced movement isn’t hindered

by difficult terrain.

✦ Blocking Terrain: Forced movement can’t move a

creature through blocking terrain (page 61). Every

square along the path must be a space the creature

could normally occupy.

✦ Challenging Terrain: Forced movement can

make some powers more effective or hinder them,

depending on the specific challenging terrain

(page 61). The DM can require the target of forced

movement to make a check as if it were moving

voluntarily across the terrain, with the same conse-

quence for failure.

✦ Hindering Terrain: Forced movement can force

targets into hindering terrain (page 61). Targets

forced into hindering terrain receive a saving throw

immediately before entering the unsafe square they

are forced into. Success leaves the target prone at

the edge of the square before entering the unsafe

square.

If the power that forced the target to move allows

the creature that used the power to follow the target

into the square that the target would have left, the

creature can’t enter the square where the target has

fallen prone.

If forced movement pushes a Large or larger crea-

ture over an edge, the creature doesn’t fall until its

entire space is over the edge. On the creature’s next

turn, it must either move to a space it can occupy or

use a move action to squeeze into the smaller space

at the edge of the precipice.

A DM can allow a power that pushes a target

more than 1 square to carry the target completely

over hindering terrain.

Using forced movement to pull, push, or slide a crea-

ture onto ice, or into a pit, or into a cloud of daggers is

a clever tactic.

Challenging terrain can make forced movement

powers more effective, but it can also hinder them,

depending on the specific terrain. For example, if a

white dragon pushes a character over slick ice, you

could tell the character to make an Acrobatics check

or fall prone. On the flip side, if a shambling mound

pushes a character through thick mud, which might

require an Athletics check to move through at the cost

of paying an extra square of movement, you might let

the character use the mud to slow his or her movement,

reducing the distance he or she is pushed by 1 square.

Targets of forced movement in hindering terrain

(pits, precipices, fire) can avoid plunging into a pit or

over the edge of a cliff or being pushed into a raging

fire. The creature makes a saving throw rolled imme-

diately before entering the unsafe square, with success

leaving the creature prone at the edge of the precipice.

If the power used to move the creature would allow

the character using the power to follow the target

into the square it leaves, the character can’t enter

the square where the creature has fallen prone. For

example, a fighter who bull rushes an orc off a cliff

can’t move into the square of the prone orc when the

orc catches itself at the edge.

At your option, you can allow a power that pushes

the target more than 1 square to carry the target over

hindering terrain in the way. You might imagine a

titan with push 3 knocking a character clear over a pit

to land in a heap on the other side.

Some powers specifically have this effect, and it’s

probably not a good idea to extend it to others. Rely on

how you imagine the power working in the world. If

you see the blow lifting a creature off the ground, par-

ticularly if it leaves him or her prone at the end of the

push, you can decide that the power throws the target

over hindering terrain along the way.

Precipitous Terrain

When you design an encounter area, don’t put 1st-level

characters in a fight at the edge of an 80-foot cliff. The

8d10 points of damage from falling off that cliff would

be lethal even to the group’s fighter.

The table below classifies the distances of falls

according to their severity by character level. A painful

fall does significant damage to characters of the indi-

cated levels, but shouldn’t kill a character who’s not yet

bloodied. A perilous fall might kill a bloodied char-

acter, and could leave even a character at full health

bloodied. A deadly fall could kill a fragile character,

will probably make a character bloodied, and threat-

ens significant harm even to a character who has more

hit points than any of his companions.

FALL SEVERITY BY CHARACTER LEVEL

Level Painful Perilous Deadly

1st–5th 20 ft. 30 ft. 40 ft.

6th–10th 30 ft. 50 ft. 70 ft.

11th–15th 40 ft. 70 ft. 110 ft.

16th–20th 60 ft. 90 ft. 140 ft.

21st–25th 80 ft. 110 ft. 170 ft.

26th–30th 90 ft. 130 ft. 200 ft.

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

Aquatic Combat

Fighting underwater is tricky business for land-

dwelling adventurers and creatures. Water provides

resistance against movement, swirling currents grab

and drag a swimmer along, and tempestuous waters

immobilize all but expert swimmers.

AQUATIC COMBATAQUATIC COMBAT

When fighting underwater, the following modifiers

apply:

✦ Creatures using powers that have the fire keyword

take a –2 penalty to attack rolls.

✦ Characters using weapons from the spear and

crossbow weapon groups take no penalties to attack

rolls with those weapons while fighting underwater.

Characters using any other weapon take a –2 penalty

to attack rolls.

✦ Creatures move using their swim speed. A creature

without a swim speed must use the Athletics skill to

swim, as described in the Player’s Handbook.

✦Aquatic: Creatures native to watery environments

have the aquatic ability. They gain a +2 bonus to

attack rolls against opponents that do not have

this ability. Aquatic monsters, such as sahuagin, are

noted as such.

Underwater Terrain

The most important underwater terrain is the water

itself—especially when the water is moving.

UNDERWATER TERRAINUNDERWATER TERRAIN

✦Current: A current drags creatures along its path.

When you swim into a current, you move a distance

and direction according to the current’s strength and

in the direction where it flows. This is a slide effect,

with the distance and direction determined by the

current. If you wish to fight against a current, you can

spend squares of movement to reduce the distance

the current slides you. You can reduce the distance

partially, or decrease it down to zero, provided that

you have enough movement to do so.

If a current slides you into another square with a

current, you ignore that square’s current. This applies

to all squares the current moves you into, including

the destination.

Current terrain on maps indicates the direction

the current slides you and the distance in squares

that the current moves you.

✦Other Terrain: Difficult terrain, cover, and con-

cealment all exist in watery realms. The ruins of a

sunken ship provide cover, while dirt kicked up by

powerful currents grants concealment. Choppy,

storm-churned seas act as difficult terrain. Best of all,

underwater battles allow for up-and-down move-

ment. Creatures can attack the characters from all

directions, not just along the ground.

Movement in Three Dimensions

Aquatic and aerial encounters force you to think in

three dimensions. Any DM who has had a monster

directly below a PC knows how annoying it is to stack

several miniatures in one square.

Define an arbitrary elevation, preferably the one

where most of the encounter takes place, as “ground”

level. Creatures are all positioned above or below the

action relative to that altitude.

Placing a small d6 or d4 next to a figure is a good

way to measure its distance above or below this level.

The number on the die shows how many squares

the creature is above or below the baseline. Use dice

of one color to mark creatures below the fight and

another color for those above.

When a monster is directly above or below a PC,

you can squeeze its miniature into the same place.

Although crowded, placing the two miniatures in the

same square still works well enough. If you are wor-

ried about figures being knocked over or accidentally

pushed into the wrong square, pull the miniatures off

the table and use smaller proxies, such as the dice that

measure elevation, in their place.

Determining range against creatures above or

below you is straightforward. Look at the distance

between the two creatures as if they were at the same

elevation, counting squares as normal. Then count the

difference between their elevations. Use the higher of

these two numbers.

Since D&D counts diagonal movement the same

as movement across the edges of squares, this method

works out well. If a creature is far away from another,

you can trace a path that shifts upward via diagonals

for free. The opposite is true for a creature that is

almost directly above another: As you trace its range

up to it, you can choose a path that shifts sideways

diagonally and up.

ADDITIONAL RULESADDITIONAL RULES

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

Mounted Combat

A valiant knight and his fearless warhorse charge a

blue dragon. The dwarf cavalry of the Barrier Peaks

takes to its hippogriffs to repel a flight of rampaging

harpies. A drow scout patrol rides monstrous spiders

across a cavern’s ceiling, watching for surface dwell-

ers foolish enough to blunder into its territory. From a

mundane horse to a snarling wyvern, mounted D&D

warriors have many options.

Mounts offer three basic advantages to riders. They

are faster than most humanoids, they can offer move-

ment modes such as flight and swimming, and the

more ferocious of them combine their fighting abilities

with their riders’ attacks.

The mounted combat rules define the relationship

between a rider and a mount. The rules combine the

actions and options of the two creatures, as though

mount and rider were a single creature.

Encounters with PC Mounts

These rules exist to let the PCs use mounts in the easi-

est, most balanced way. When you decide that the evil

wizard rides a wyvern, you add the NPC and the mon-

ster to the encounter as normal and let them take their

full actions separately. The evil wizard moves along

with the wyvern, but both monsters get to attack. The

encounter is balanced because you accounted for both

of their XP values.

You can allow the PCs and the creatures they ride to

get their own sets of actions, especially if a character rides

a powerful, intelligent monster such as a dragon. How-

ever, at that point you have effectively added an additional

member to the party. If you do this, add an additional XP

value of monsters to the encounter equal to the mounts’

XP value. When granting the PCs experience, subtract

these “bonus” monsters from the XP total.

You should use this rule if the mount’s level is at the

party’s level or higher, or if its level is no more than

two below the characters’ level. Lower-level mounts

are too weak to have a big effect on the encounter. As

usual, use your common sense. If a lower-level mount

manages to prove a big help to the party, add extra

creatures and hold back XP as above.

MOUNTSMOUNTS

✦Size: Your mount must be larger than you, and no

smaller than Large size.

✦Adjacent: You must be adjacent to a creature to

mount it.

✦Willing: You can use a creature as a mount only if it

is willing.

✦Saddles: The rules assume that you ride a creature

with a saddle. If you lack a saddle, you take a –2

penalty to attack rolls, AC, and Reflex defense while

mounted.

✦Mounted Combat: Anyone can simply ride along

with a beast of burden without using the Mounted

Combat feat. The Mounted Combat feat allows

you to make the most of a mount’s abilities. When

you have the Mounted Combat feat and you ride a

creature, you gain access to any special mount abili-

ties it confers to its rider. (Not every creature has

these abilities.) While you are riding a creature with

Mounted Combat, the creature can make any Athlet-

ics, Acrobatics, Endurance, or Stealth checks using

your base skill check bonus rather than its own if

yours is better.

MOUNT AND RIDERMOUNT AND RIDER

✦Space: You and your mount occupy the mount’s

space. If it is ever important to determine the precise

location within the mount’s space that you occupy,

you choose.

✦Targeting: Targeted attacks can target you or your

mount, as the attacker chooses. A close attack or an

area attack affects both you and your mount if its

area includes either of you.

✦Mount Benefits: Many mounts offer special attacks

or benefits they can use or grant to their riders.

These abilities range from flat bonuses, such as an

AC bonus to the rider, to special attacks that the

mount can use. The Monster Manual details the

benefits that many creatures grant if you meet a min-

imum level and have the Mounted Combat feat. If

you don’t meet a mount’s prerequisites, you can ride

it, but you don’t gain the mount’s special benefits.

✦Opportunity Attacks: If your mount’s move-

ment provokes an opportunity attack, the attacker

chooses to target either you or your mount. If you

provoke an opportunity attack by making a ranged

attack, the attacker must target you.

✦Forced Movement: If an attack that forces move-

ment targets you but not your mount, you can

choose for your mount to also be affected, so that

you and your mount continue to move together. If

you don’t want your mount to be affected, you can

be pushed off your mount if the forced movement

carries you out of the mount’s space.

MOUNTS IN COMBATMOUNTS IN COMBAT

✦Mounting and Dismounting: Mounting or dis-

mounting a creature is a standard action.

✦Initiative: You and your mount both act on your

initiative count. If you and your mount separate, you

both continue acting on the same initiative count.

✦Actions: On your turn, you and your mount com-

bined can take a normal set of actions—a standard

action, a move action, and a minor action. You

divide these actions as you wish. Most commonly,

your mount takes a move action to walk or fly, and

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

you take a standard action to attack. You and your

mount also share a single immediate action. If you

and your mount separate, you still share one set of

actions on that turn.

✦Attacking Mounts: Your mount can use a standard

action to attack instead of you. If you don’t have the

Mounted Combat feat, your mount takes a –2 pen-

alty to all its attack rolls.

✦Charge: If you charge, you can move your mount’s

speed and either make a melee basic attack yourself

or let your mount make a melee basic attack.

✦Squeezing: If your mount squeezes, it and you both

take the associated penalties.

✦ Mounts in Enclosed Spaces: Mounts native to

outdoor areas don’t like being cramped into tight

dungeon rooms and corridors, and take a –2 penalty

to attacks and defenses if forced into a confined

space. Mounts native to subterranean regions (such

as blade spiders and carrion crawlers) don’t take this

penalty, and the penalty doesn’t apply in an under-

ground area large enough to seem like it’s outdoors

(at least 50 feet in every direction).

✦ Knocked Prone: An attack that knocks your mount

prone also forces you to dismount. You move into

a space of your choice adjacent to the now-prone

mount.

If an attack knocks you prone, you immediately

attempt a saving throw to avoid being dismounted.

This saving throw works just like a normal saving

throw, except you make it as soon as you are

knocked prone, not at the end of your turn.

Lower than 10: Failure. You are dismounted and

fall prone in an open space of your choice adjacent

to the mount.

10 or higher: Success. You remain in the saddle

and are not knocked prone.

Mounts in the Game

Mounts are the most fun when used as part of wilder-

ness adventures, mass battles, and other situations

where the characters have open spaces to fight in and

long distances to cover. In such situations, you can give

the PCs’ enemies mounts of their own.

Keep an eye out for traps, narrow corridors that

require squeezing, and other effects that make mounts

less than useful in dungeons. In addition, wild ani-

mals such as griffons typically dislike enclosed spaces.

Apply a –2 penalty to such a creature’s attacks and

defenses if it is forced inside. Be sure to make such

penalties clear to the players so that their characters

can plan and react appropriately.

If you have any doubts about the effect that mounts

have on the campaign, keep them on the sidelines

or create story reasons to limit them. For example,

the PCs might gain the use of a flight of griffons, but

only when they undertake specific missions on the elf

king’s behalf. Be forthright with the players. Let them

know that they can have cool mounts within the limits

you set before they get a chance to use them. Open

communication and honesty are the best answers to

any problems that arise in the game.

Flying

The rules for fighting in the air stress abstraction and

simplicity over simulation. In real life, a flying crea-

ture’s ability to turn, the speed it must maintain to stay

aloft, and other factors put a strict limit on flight. In

D&D, flying creatures face far fewer limitations.

The Fly Action

Unless otherwise noted below, a flying creature moves

like a creature that walks on the ground. It can turn as

often as it wants, move backward, and so on. Unless a

special ability or a portion of the fly action says other-

wise, it moves like it does for any other mode.

FLY: MOVE ACTIONFLY: MOVE ACTION

✦ Movement: Fly a number of squares up to your fly

speed.

✦ Moving Up and Down: While flying, you can fly

straight up, straight down, or diagonally up or down.

There is no additional cost for moving up or down.

✦ Remaining in the Air: If you fail to fly at least 2

squares during your turn, whether due to not moving

far enough or simply not using the fly action, you

crash at the end of your turn.

✦ Landing and Crashing: If a creature flies to a

surface it can hold onto or rest upon, it can land. A

creature that accidentally flies into an object, such as

an invisible wall, immediately crashes.

✦ Double Fly: If you fly twice in a row on the same

turn, you can fly a total number of squares equal

to double your speed. Normally, you cannot end a

move in an ally’s space. If you double fly, you can

pass through an ally’s space even if your first fly

action would otherwise leave you in its space.

✦ Provokes Opportunity Attacks: If you leave a

square that is adjacent to an enemy, that enemy can

make an opportunity attack.

✦ No Opportunity Attacks: A flying creature cannot

make opportunity attacks.

✦ Knocked Prone: A flying creature that is knocked

prone crashes.

Crashing

Flight is a fast form of movement that allows a trav-

eler to avoid obstacles and swoop over enemies, but it

comes with a major drawback. Tumbling from the sky

and crashing to the earth is risk enough to keep many

adventurers safe on the ground.

ADDITIONAL RULESADDITIONAL RULES

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

Crashing: Most of the time, a creature that falls from

the air slams into the ground and takes falling damage

as normal (see page 284 of the Player’s Handbook).

However, sometimes a creature is high enough in the

air or is a skilled enough flier that it can avoid a crash

landing.

✦ Safe Distance: A flying creature that crashes imme-

diately drops a distance equal to its fly speed. If it

reaches the ground, it lands safely.

✦ Falling: If the flier has not yet reached the ground, it

crashes.

✦ Crashes: A creature that crashes falls all the way to

the ground and takes falling damage.

High-Altitude Crashes: Some encounters take place

high above the ground. You need only the following

two rules if a flying creature crashes thousands of feet

above the ground.

✦ Extreme Altitudes: It is possible that a creature far

above the ground can spend more than a round fall-

ing to the ground. As a rule of thumb, a creature that

crashes falls 100 squares after checking for its safe

distance. If it is still in the air, it can attempt to stop

its descent by flying again.

✦ Halting a Descent: Halting a descent is a special

Athletics check made as a standard action. It is a DC

30 check, with a bonus to the check equal to the

creature’s fly speed. On a success, the creature pulls

out of its fall and stops falling. It must still use a move

action to fly.

Special Flying Rules

Many flying creatures have additional abilities related

to flight. Here are the common abilities that modify

flight.

Altitude Limit: A monster that has an altitude

limit can’t fly more than the indicated number of

squares off the ground. If it flies higher than this limit,

it crashes at the end of its turn even if it drops back

below the limit.

Clumsy Flying: A clumsy flier takes a –4 penalty

to attack rolls and defenses while flying. These crea-

tures are ill suited to fighting in the air.

Clumsy Grounded: A creature that is clumsy when

grounded takes a –4 penalty to attack rolls and defenses

when on the ground, not flying. Such creatures are at

home while flying, and due to their anatomy or training

fare poorly on the ground. For example, a bat is agile in

the air but clumsy on the ground.

Hover: A monster that can hover can shift and

make opportunity attacks while flying. It remains

flying even if it does not move the minimum distance

normally needed to remain aloft. It stays in the air

even if it takes no move actions to fly.

Overland Flight: Overland flight applies to crea-

tures that fly to move from place to place but remain

on the ground to fight. A creature using overland flight

loses its minor, immediate, and standard actions while

it flies, and can use its move action only to fly. The

number associated with overland flight is the number

of squares the monster moves with a single move

action. If it takes actions to do anything else, it crashes.

Aerial Terrain

Difficult terrain for a flying creature includes flying

debris, swirling air currents, and other factors that

interfere with flight. Clouds provide concealment,

while towers, floating castles, and other structures

provide cover. In addition, use the rules for current

under “Aquatic Combat” (see page 45) to model strong

gusts of wind.

Fight in the Skies

It’s fun to knock someone from the skies, but it can be

a real drag when fights take place far, far above the

surface. The distance a creature falls when crashing is

great enough that it likely must spend several rounds

doing nothing but moving to return to the melee.

You don’t need to invent reasons why a combatant

that crashes but manages to recover quickly returns

to the fight. If anything, a monster that rises back to

the melee just as the characters think they have won

makes for a nasty surprise.

Keep in mind the possibility of a crash when build-

ing encounters in the air. Creatures that knock their

foes prone are the biggest cause of crashes.

On the other hand, the threat of a crash adds a lot of

tension to the game. Use it in moderation, or plan your

adventures to account for splitting the party between

characters who stay in the air and those who crash.

Aerial Combat Complexities

When you are running a battle in the air, ground-

based elements allow you to add in terrain and a lot

more complexity than you might find in a clear sky.

Grounded monsters using ranged weapons are the eas-

iest element to add, while soaring rock spires, towers,

and other tall terrain details give the characters and

their enemies stuff to swoop around.

In an enclosed environment, such as an Underdark

cavern or an enormous building, ledges can hang

above the fliers, mounted on the chamber’s roof or

high on its walls. Add in these platforms to attack

fliers from two directions or give walking creatures a

chance to jump down upon fliers who draw too close.

A readied action to jump on a passing flier makes for

an interesting complication or a truly heroic action.

Using a Reference Point

The dwarf crew of an airship works furiously to coax as

much speed from its arcane engines as possible. Mean-

while, a flight of marauding gnolls on winged demons

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

draws ever closer to the ship. The characters take to the

upper deck, ready to repel the approaching boarders.

During the battle, the ship continues to roar forward,

the gnolls pushing their mounts to match the pace.

When running this sort of battle at your table, with

the ship in the center of the activity, designate the ship

as a reference point. On the ship’s initiative count, it

“moves” forward—but instead of moving the ship, repo-

sition all the creatures flying around it. If the ship flies

10 squares to the east, you can reproduce this event by

relocating all the gnolls and their mounts 10 squares

to the west. The ship and the gnolls are in the same

relative positions as if you had actually moved the ship,

but by keeping the ship stationary, you avoid having to

reposition the centerpiece of the battle grid.

Disease

When creatures are exposed to a disease—from the

bite of a disease-carrying monster, immersion in filthy

swamp water, or infected food—they risk contracting

the disease.

DISEASEDISEASE

✦Infection: When you are exposed to a disease, you

risk becoming infected. If you are infected, you suffer

the initial effect of the disease and begin to move on

the disease track.

Monster Attacks: Make a saving throw at the end

of the encounter. If the saving throw fails, you are

infected.

Other Exposure: For other kinds of exposure (envi-

ronmental or food), the disease makes an attack roll.

If the disease’s attack hits, you are infected.

Prolonged Exposure: If a character spends a long

time exposed to disease, the disease makes one

attack roll per day of exposure.

✦Disease Track: Every disease has at least three

states, arrayed on a a row of effects called the dis-

ease’s track: cured (the target is no longer affected),

the disease’s initial effect, and the disease’s final state.

Initial Effect: When you become infected, you

suffer the disease’s initial effect.

Moving on the Disease Track: As the disease pro-

gresses, you might get worse, moving on the track

toward the final state, or you might improve until

you are cured. Some effects continue until you are

cured, persisting regardless of where you are on the

disease’s track, until you improve to the cured state.

Other effects end when you move to a better or

worse state on the track.

✦Disease Progression: Once you’re infected, make

an Endurance check after each extended rest to see

if you improve, worsen, or maintain your current con-

dition. A disease specifies two target Endurance DCs:

a lower DC to maintain and a higher DC to improve.

ADDITIONAL RULESADDITIONAL RULES

Example Diseases

Blinding Sickness Blinding Sickness Level 9 Disease

Often spread in tainted water, blinding sickness

leaves its victims sightless.

The target

is cured.

!Initial Effect The target loses one

healing surge that it cannot regain

until cured.

!" The target’s vision is blurred. Creatures

beyond 10 squares of it have concealment.

"Final State The target

is blinded.

Mummy Rot Mummy Rot Level 11+ Disease

This disease, delivered by the attack of a mummy,

fills the lungs of its victims with dust, making it

progressively harder for them to breathe

The

target is

cured.

!Initial Effect The target regains

only half the normal number of

hit points from healing effects.

!" The target regains only half the normal number of

hit points from healing effects. In addition, it takes

10 necrotic damage, which cannot be healed until

the target is cured of the disease.

"Final State The target

dies.

Cackle Fever Cackle Fever Level 12 Disease

The symptoms of cackle fever include high fever,

disorientation, and frequent bouts of hideous laughter.

The target

is cured.

!Initial Effect The target begins each day with no action

points. Each time the target becomes bloodied, it laughs

uncontrollably and is dazed (save ends). Both of these effects

apply until the target is cured.

!" The target cannot

gain or use action

points.

"Final State The target is

catatonic and unable to

take any actions.

Attack: +12 vs. Fortitude

Endurance improve DC 26, maintain DC 22, worsen DC 21 or lower

Attack: See mummy lord and mummy champion templates, page 179.

Endurance improve DC 20 + one-half mummy’s level, maintain DC

16 + one-half mummy’s level, worsen DC 15 + one-half mummy’s

level or lower

Attack: +16 vs. Fortitude

Endurance improve DC 28, maintain DC 25, worsen DC 24 or lower

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

Maintain: If the check result beats the lower DC

but doesn’t beat the higher one, your condition

remains the same.

Improve: If the check result beats the higher DC,

your condition improves—move one step to the left

on the disease track.

Worsen: If the check result doesn’t beat either

DC, your condition worsens—move one step to the

right on the disease track.

Cure: When you reach the left edge of the track,

you are cured and stop making Endurance checks.

Final State: When you reach the right edge of the

track, the final state of the disease takes effect. Once

the disease is in its final state, you no longer make

Endurance checks to improve. Often, the only way

to recover from the final state is through the Cure

Disease ritual.

✦ Heal Skill: An ally can use a Heal check in place of

your Endurance check to help you recover from a

disease, as described in the Player’s Handbook.

Poison

A scorpion’s sting or serpent’s fang is a painful attack,

but the sting or bite becomes deadly with the addition

of the creature’s natural venom. Poison can be har-

vested from creatures or created through magical and

alchemical mixtures. If poison is applied to a weapon,

such weapon attacks become more deadly.

POISONPOISON

✦ Poison Vector: Poison can be applied with a

weapon, to a trap, to darts or needles, smeared in

such a way as to seep in through the skin, or dis-

persed in a powder or gas so it’s inhaled. Poison in

food or drink takes effect when it’s ingested unless

otherwise noted. The poison attacks the victim

when it makes contact through any of these means.

Some poisons, as noted in their descriptions, can

be administered only by specific means, such as in

food or by a weapon that has been coated with the

poison.

Shakes Shakes Level 14 Disease

This disease causes involuntary twitches and tremors

that grow progressively worse.

The target

is cured.

!Initial Effect The target’s speed is

reduced by 1 until cured.

!" The target is slowed. "Final State The target is

immobilized.

Mindﬁ re Mindﬁ re Level 16 Disease

In the initial stages, victims of mindfire complain of

burning pain in the head. Later, they sink into stupor.

The target

is cured.

!Initial Effect The target gains

vulnerable 10 psychic until

cured.

!" Each time the target becomes bloodied, it

becomes dazed and takes ongoing 10 psychic

damage (save ends both).

"Final State The target

is dazed.

Hellfever Hellfever Level 21 Disease

Those who suffer from hellfever complain of alternating

sensations of searing fire and freezing cold.

The target

is cured.

!The initial effect’s

penalty becomes –1.

!" Initial Effect The target takes

a –2 penalty to attacks and

checks until cured.

!" The target is

weakened.

"Final State The target

is dazed.

Slimy Doom Slimy Doom Level 23 Disease

Abyssal parasites devour the internal organs of the victims,

turning them into quivering slime.

The

target is

cured.

!The target regains

one of its lost

healing surges.

The target loses

this healing

surge again if its

condition worsens.

!" Initial Effect

The target

loses two

healing surges

until cured.

!" Each time the target

becomes bloodied,

it gains ongoing 10

necrotic damage

(save ends). If this

damage reduces

the target to 0 hit

points, it turns into

infectious slime

from the inside out,

dying horribly.

"Final State At the moment of the

failed Endurance check and each

time the target takes damage,

the character gains ongoing 30

necrotic damage (save ends).

If this damage reduces the

character to 0 hit points, it turns

into infectious slime from the

inside out, dying horribly.

Attack: +24 vs. Fortitude

Endurance improve DC 34, maintain DC 29, worsen DC 28 or lower

Attack: +18 vs. Will

Endurance improve DC 31, maintain DC 26, worsen DC 25 or lower

Attack: +18 vs. Fortitude

Endurance improve DC 29, maintain DC 27, worsen DC 26 or lower

Attack: +26 vs. Fortitude

Endurance improve DC 33, maintain DC 30, worsen DC 29 or lower

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CHAPTER 3 | Combat Encounters

✦Poison Characteristics: Poisons are consumable

items (similar to magic items). They affect you

with an attack power. Some poisons have afteref-

fects, which apply after you save against the initial

attack.

✦Poisoned Weapon Attacks: You must apply a

poison to a weapon. The poison takes effect the

next time the weapon hits and deals damage. The

poison’s effect is a secondary attack against the

same target. If a poisoned weapon hits multiple tar-

gets, the poison attacks only the first target hit.

Apply a Poison: Apply poison to a weapon. This is

a standard action. Poison applied to a weapon loses

its potency at the end of the encounter or after 5

minutes have passed.

Stormclaw Scorpion Venom Stormclaw Scorpion Venom Level 5 Poison

This purple-black venom attacks the nerves.

Poison 250 gp

Attack: +5 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 5 poison damage and

immobilized (save ends both).

Aftereffect: The target is immobilized (save ends).

Deathjump Spider Venom Deathjump Spider Venom Level 5 Poison

Looking like nothing so much as black mud, this poison is a fa-

vorite weapon of lizardfolk darters.

Poison 250 gp

Attack: +8 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 5 poison damage and

slowed (save ends both).

Carrion Crawler Brain Juice Carrion Crawler Brain Juice Level 5 Poison

This venom is a clear, green liquid with a vile odor.

Poison 250 gp

Attack: +8 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 5 poison damage and

slowed (save ends both).

First Failed Save: The target is immobilized instead of slowed

(save ends).

Second Failed Save: The target is stunned instead of

immobilized (save ends).

Ground Thassil Root Ground Thassil Root Level 5 Poison

This poison is a flavorless, blue powder.

Poison 250 gp

Attack: +8 vs. Fortitude; slowed (save ends).

First Failed Save: The target is immobilized instead of slowed

(save ends).

Second Failed Save: Target unconscious for 1d4 hours.

Special: Thassil root can be delivered only by way of food or

drink. It makes its first attack 2d6 minutes after its victim

consumes it. All saving throws against this poison are made

with a –2 penalty.

Dark Toxin Dark Toxin Level 10 Poison

This poison, used by dark stalkers, looks like liquid shadow and

smells like mushrooms.

Poison 1,250 gp

Attack: +13 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 5 poison damage (save

ends).

Drow Poison Drow Poison Level 10 Poison

Distilled from demonic ichor in the temples of Lolth, this poison

is the drow race’s favorite means of acquiring new slaves.

Poison 1,250 gp

Attack: +13 vs. Fortitude; the target takes a –2 penalty to

attack rolls (save ends).

First Failed Save: The target is also weakened (save ends).

Second Failed Save: The target falls unconscious until the end

of the encounter.

Hellstinger Scorpion Venom Hellstinger Scorpion Venom Level 15 Poison

A vibrant blue color makes this pasty toxin look harmless.

Poison 6,250 gp

Attack: +18 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 10 poison damage and

weakened (save ends both).

Aftereffect: The target is weakened (save ends).

Blood of Zehir Blood of Zehir Level 15 Poison

This deadly red venom is said to come from the veins of the

serpent-god.

Poison 6,250 gp

Attack: +18 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 10 poison damage and

dazed (save ends both).

Demonweb Terror Venom Demonweb Terror Venom Level 15 Poison

This deadly poison, also called deathblade, is highly prized by

assassins.

Poison 6,250 gp

Attack: +18 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 10 poison damage,

slowed, and –2 penalty to defenses (save ends all).

Black Lotus Black Lotus Level 15 Poison

When prepared as a poison, black lotus is ground into a fine,

black powder that causes terrifying hallucinations.

Poison 6,250 gp

Attack: +20 vs. Fortitude; while bloodied, the target uses its

standard action each round to make a basic attack against

the nearest creature, whether enemy or ally (save ends). The

effect applies again each time the target is bloodied until it

completes an extended rest.

Special: The target takes a –5 penalty to Perception checks

until it completes an extended rest. Black lotus can be

delivered only by way of food or drink. It makes its first attack

1d6 rounds after its victim consumes it.

Insanity Mist Insanity Mist Level 20 Poison

This fine mist smells cloyingly sweet and attacks the mind.

Poison 31,250 gp

Attack: +23 vs. Will; stunned (save ends).

Aftereffect: The target is dazed (save ends).

Special: This poison works only when it is inhaled in mist

form.

Pit Toxin Pit Toxin Level 25 Poison

The fiery red venom from the fangs of a pit fiend sizzles when

exposed to air.

Poison 156,250 gp

Attack: +28 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 15 poison damage and

weakened (save ends both).

ADDITIONAL RULESADDITIONAL RULES

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This chapter gives you the building blocks

you need to build your own combat encounters.

Noncombat encounters are discussed in Chapter 5.

Dynamic monster groups combined with interesting

terrain and other features make for lively combat

encounters.

This chapter includes the following sections.

✦Monster Roles: Combat encounters involve

groups of monsters occupying different roles.

A varied group of monsters presents a more

interesting and challenging encounter than a

group of identical foes.

✦Encounter Components: Here’s the simple

step-by-step process of how to build an encounter

to challenge your players. Start with an experience

point target, then choose monsters and other

threats to create an exciting encounter.

✦Encounter Templates: You can create a whole

range of encounters to challenge your characters

using five simple procedures.

✦Encounter Settings: Where an encounter takes

place is sometimes as important as the monsters

in the encounter. This section discusses physical

features and terrain of both the mundane and

fantastic varieties.

CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

CHAPTER 4

Building EncountersBuilding Encounters

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

The key to designing interesting and varied groups of

monsters for an encounter lies in the monster roles:

artillery, brute, controller, lurker, minion, skirmisher,

and soldier. Each role has its own place in a typical

encounter. The role of every monster is given in a mon-

ster entry at the top right of the creature’s statistics

block in the Monster Manual. Most combat encounters

involve groups of monsters occupying different roles. A

group of varied monsters makes for a more interesting

and challenging encounter than a group of identical

foes.

In the context of monster roles (here and else-

where in the game rules), the terms “controller” and

“leader” have meanings and applications that are dif-

ferent from the class roles of controller and leader, as

described in Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook.

Artillery

Artillery monsters excel at ranged combat. These

creatures rain arrows, explosive fireballs, and similar

attacks on the party from a distance. They’re well pro-

tected against ranged attacks, but more vulnerable in

melee. They often spread damage out over multiple

characters in an area.

Use artillery monsters in an encounter to hang

behind soldiers and brutes and rain damage down

on the characters from protected positions. Because

they’re more fragile than average monsters, they count

on being protected by a line of brutes or soldiers, or

skirmishers that help them to draw off attacks.

Brute

Brute monsters specialize in dealing damage in melee.

Brutes have relatively low defenses but high hit points.

They don’t hit as often as other monsters, but they deal

a lot of damage when they hit. They don’t move around

a lot, and they’re often big.

Use brutes in an encounter to threaten the party

while shielding other monsters with their great size

and imminent threat. Brutes are easy to run, so put

multiple brutes of the same kind in an encounter to

provide the baseline muscle for the monsters.

Controller

Controller monsters manipulate their enemies or the

battlefield to their advantage. They restrict enemy

options or inflict lasting conditions, alter terrain or

weather, or bend the minds of their adversaries.

Position controller monsters just behind a front line

of melee-focused monsters, and use them to attack

the PCs at short range with their control powers. Most

controllers can stand their ground in melee, so they

often wade right in beside the brutes and soldiers.

Controller monsters can be complex to run in num-

bers, so limiting an encounter to one or two controllers

of the same type is usually a good idea.

Lurker

Lurker monsters have some ability that lets them avoid

attacks, whether by striking from hiding or by turning

into an invulnerable statue while regaining strength.

They usually deliver one devastating attack every few

rounds, while concentrating on defense in between.

Use lurkers as surprise additions to encounters

with other monsters or as sneaky assassins that circle

around the main action of a fight, darting in from time

to time with a well-timed strike. Lurkers study the

party while the player characters are busy handling

brutes and soldiers, gauging the PCs’ weaknesses.

Minion

Sometimes you want monsters to come in droves

and go down just as fast. A fight against thirty orcs

is a grand cinematic battle. The players get to enjoy

carving through the mob like a knife through butter,

feeling confident and powerful. Unfortunately, the

mechanics of standard monsters make that difficult. If

you use a large number of monsters of a level similar

to the PCs, you overwhelm them. If you use a large

number of monsters of much lower level, you bore

them with creatures that have little chance of hurting

the PCs but take a lot of time to take down. On top of

that, keeping track of the actions of so many monsters

is a headache.

Minions are designed to serve as shock troops and

cannon fodder for other monsters (standard, elite, or

solo). Four minions are considered to be about the

MONSTER ROLESMONSTER ROLES

TIPS FROM THE PROS

Some encounters make it easy to single out targets for par-

ticularly deadly attacks. They have identifiable leaders or

significant threats that make great targets for daily powers

or concentrated damage from the party’s strikers. Others

consist of similar creatures, with no obvious leader. Include

a mix of both kinds of encounters in your adventures.

The two kinds of encounters appeal to different kinds of

classes—strikers like clear-target encounters, while control-

lers love mobs—and encourage different tactics.

—James Wyatt

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

same as a standard monster of their level. Minions

are designed to help fill out an encounter, but they go

down quickly.

A minion is destroyed when it takes any amount of

damage. Damage from an attack or from a source that

doesn’t require an attack roll (such as the paladin’s

divine challenge or the fighter’s cleave) destroys a minion.

If a minion is missed by an attack that normally deals

damage on a miss, however, it takes no damage.

Use minions as melee combatants placed between

the PCs and back-rank artillery or controller monsters.

Skirmisher

Skirmisher monsters use mobility to threaten the

player characters. Their combat statistics define the

baseline for monsters, but their mobility is their defin-

ing feature.

Use skirmishers as the mobile strikers in an

encounter, the creatures that move to attack vulner-

able PCs from the sides and rear. They often have

powers that let them dart in, attack, and retreat in

one action. Skirmishers like to fight alongside soldiers

and brutes because those monsters tend to stay in one

place and draw a lot of the party’s attention, giving the

skirmishers room to maneuver around this front line.

Soldier

Soldier monsters specialize in drawing the characters’

attacks and defending other monsters. They have high

defenses and average hit points. Their attacks are

accurate, but they don’t do exceptional damage. They

tend not to move around, and they often have powers

that hinder other creatures from moving around them.

Use soldiers in an encounter to keep the party in

place, preventing its members from attacking the

artillery or controller monsters behind the soldiers or

chasing after the skirmishers. Soldiers often have abili-

ties that allow them to work well together, so a group

of identical soldiers works well in an encounter with

other monsters.

Elite Monsters

Elite monsters are tougher than standard monsters

and constitute more of a threat than standard mon-

sters of their main role and level. An elite monster

counts as two monsters of its level. Elite monsters are

worth twice as many XP and are twice as dangerous.

Elite monsters make great “mini-bosses,” allowing you

to add a tougher opponent to a mix of monsters with-

out creating an entirely new monster. A group of ogres

led by an elite ogre reduces the number of ogre figures

on the table without diminishing the encounter’s level.

Solo Monsters

Solo monsters are specifically designed to appear as

single opponents against a group of PCs of the same

level. They function, in effect, as a group of monsters.

They have more hit points in order to absorb the

damage output of multiple PCs, and they deal more

damage in order to approximate the damage output of

a group of monsters.

A solo monster is worth the same amount of XP as

five monsters of its level. It provides the same level of

challenge as five monsters.

A solo monster might have tendencies that flavor it

toward the brute, soldier, skirmisher, lurker, artillery,

or controller role. Each type of chromatic dragon, for

example, leans toward a different role. Red dragons

have soldier tendencies, while blue dragons behave

much like artillery monsters. However, a solo monster

can never completely take on a different role, because

the roles are largely defined by how monsters interact

with other monsters in an encounter. Every solo mon-

ster has to be able to stand and fight on its own.

Leader

“Leader” is not a stand-alone role. It is an additional

quality or subrole of some brutes, soldiers, skirmishers,

lurkers, artillery, and controllers.

Leaders are defined by their relationship to the

monsters under their command. A leader monster, like

a leader PC, grants bonuses and special abilities to its

followers, improving their attacks or defenses, provid-

ing some healing, or enhancing their normal abilities.

Aside from one special ability to enhance its allies, a

leader functions as its primary role indicates.

Add a leader to an encounter with monsters that

gain the greatest benefit from the leader’s abilities. For

example, a leader that gives a defense bonus to nearby

creatures is a great leader for brutes, who have weak

defenses otherwise.

MONSTER ROLESMONSTER ROLES

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

Building an encounter is a matter of choosing threats

appropriate to the characters and combining them

in interesting and challenging ways. The threats at

your disposal include all the monsters in the Monster

Manual, monsters and nonplayer characters of your

own design, traps and hazards, and skill challenge

elements. Encounter-building is a mixture of art and

science as you combine these threats together.

Just as individual threats have a level that measures

their danger, an encounter as a whole has a level. Build

an encounter by choosing a level for the encounter.

The level you choose determines the total XP reward

you’re aiming for. You then select threats (monsters,

traps, or NPCs) until you reach the target number,

which is the minimum number of XP that an encoun-

ter of a given level can contain.

Think of it as spending XP against a budget. The

encounter level gives you an XP budget, and you “buy”

individual monsters, traps, or other threats to build the

encounter until you’ve exhausted your budget.

STEP-BY-STEP ENCOUNTERSSTEP-BY-STEP ENCOUNTERS

1. Choose an encounter level. Encounter level is rela-

tive to the number of characters in the party.

An easy encounter is one or two levels lower

than the party’s level.

A standard encounter is of the party’s level, or

one level higher.

A hard encounter is two to four levels higher

than the party’s level.

2. Determine your XP budget. Multiply the number

of characters in the party by the XP value of a mon-

ster of the encounter’s level.

3. Spend your XP budget. You don’t have to spend

the exact amount. But if you go too high, the

encounter level might increase, and if you don’t

spend the exact amount, you’ll end up with a lower-

level encounter.

Considerations

✦Levels of Individual Threats: Choose threats

within two or three levels of the characters’ level.

Threats in an easy encounter can be as many as

four levels below the party’s level.

Threats in a hard encounter can be as many as

three to five levels above the party’s level.

✦Mix Roles: Use two or three brute or soldier mon-

sters, then spice up the group with other roles and

different kinds of threats.

Encounter Level

A standard encounter should challenge a typical group

of characters but not overwhelm them. The charac-

ters should prevail if they haven’t depleted their daily

resources or had a streak of bad luck. An encounter

that’s the same level as the party, or one level higher,

falls in this standard range of difficulty.

You can offer your players a greater challenge or

an easier time by setting your encounter level two or

ENCOUNTER COMPONENTSENCOUNTER COMPONENTS

EXPERIENCE POINT REWARDS

Monster Standard

Level Monster Minion Elite Solo

1 100 25 200 500

2 125 31 250 625

3 150 38 300 750

4 175 44 350 875

5 200 50 400 1,000

6 250 63 500 1,250

7 300 75 600 1,500

8 350 88 700 1,750

9 400 100 800 2,000

10 500 125 1,000 2,500

11 600 150 1,200 3,000

12 700 175 1,400 3,500

13 800 200 1,600 4,000

14 1,000 250 2,000 5,000

15 1,200 300 2,400 6,000

16 1,400 350 2,800 7,000

17 1,600 400 3,200 8,000

18 2,000 500 4,000 10,000

19 2,400 600 4,800 12,000

20 2,800 700 5,600 14,000

21 3,200 800 6,400 16,000

22 4,150 1,038 8,300 20,750

23 5,100 1,275 10,200 25,500

24 6,050 1,513 12,100 30,250

25 7,000 1,750 14,000 35,000

26 9,000 2,250 18,000 45,000

27 11,000 2,750 22,000 55,000

28 13,000 3,250 26,000 65,000

29 15,000 3,750 30,000 75,000

30 19,000 4,750 38,000 95,000

31 23,000 5,750 46,000 115,000

32 27,000 6,750 54,000 135,000

33 31,000 7,750 62,000 155,000

34 39,000 9,750 78,000 195,000

35 47,000 11,750 94,000 235,000

36 55,000 13,750 110,000 275,000

37 63,000 15,750 126,000 315,000

38 79,000 19,750 158,000 395,000

39 95,000 23,750 190,000 475,000

40 111,000 27,750 222,000 555,000

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

three levels higher or one or two levels lower than

the party’s level. It’s a good idea to vary the difficulty

of your encounters over the course of an adventure,

just as you vary other elements of encounters to keep

things interesting (see “Encounter Mix,” page 104).

Encounter level is relative to the number of charac-

ters in the party. The Monster Manual and published

adventures show levels for encounters based on an

assumed party size of five characters. However, notice

that a 9th-level encounter for five characters (2,000

XP) is a 7th-level encounter for six characters or a

10th-level encounter for four.

Target XP Reward

To find your total XP budget, multiply the number of

characters in the party by the XP value of a monster

whose level is equal to the encounter level you chose.

Target XP = (XP value for a monster of the encoun-

ter’s level) × (number of characters in the party)

The Target Encounter XP Totals table shows XP targets

for parties of four, five, or six characters. For larger

or smaller groups, find the XP value for a standard

monster of the encounter’s level on the Experience

Rewards table and multiply it by the number of char-

acters in the party.

Spending Your XP Budget

The simplest way to spend your XP budget on an

encounter is to use a number of monsters equal to the

number of characters, with each monster’s level equal

to the encounter level. If you’re building a 7th-level

encounter for five characters, five 7th-level monsters

fit the bill perfectly. A solo monster of that level is also

an ideal encounter all by itself.

You don’t have to hit your XP target exactly. If you

don’t, just keep an eye on the XP targets for encounters

a level above or below the level you chose. If you set

out to build a 10th-level encounter for five characters

(target XP 2,500), but you spend only 2,200 XP, you’ve

created a 9th-level encounter.

Once you’ve picked the monsters and traps you

want to use in your encounter, make a note of the total

XP reward for that encounter. Keep it for the end of

the encounter when you award XP to the players.

Level: As you select individual threats to make

up your encounter, keep the level of those threats in

mind. Monsters or traps more than four levels below

the party’s level or seven levels above the party’s level

don’t make good challenges. They’re either too easy

or too hard, even if the encounter’s level seems right.

When you want to use a single monster to challenge

the PCs—or a large mob of monsters, for that matter—

try using minions, elites, and solo monsters instead.

Examples: A 14th-level monster fits within the XP

budget for a 5th-level encounter for five characters, but

its attacks usually hit the PCs, while its defenses are

out of their reach. Similarly, an encounter made up of

fifty 1st-level monsters uses the XP budget for a 14th-

level encounter for five characters, but the monsters

don’t provide any challenge to 14th-level characters.

Roles: An encounter with a group of monsters

that all have the same role is less interesting than one

with a mix of roles. On the other hand, a group of five

monsters with five different roles is too interesting—or,

more to the point, too complex. A good rule of thumb

is to pick a brute or soldier monster and use two or

three of them. Pick one or two monsters of other roles

to round out the encounter.

Brutes and soldiers create the front line of the

combat and give skirmishers, lurkers, artillery, and

controllers the room they need to succeed. When you

start making encounters, this general rule makes for

interesting combats. You can still create a great deal of

variety by slightly adjusting encounters to take advan-

tage of the strengths of the latter four roles.

ENCOUNTER COMPONENTSENCOUNTER COMPONENTS

TARGET ENCOUNTER XP TOTALS

Encounter Target Encounter XP

Level 4 PCs 5 PCs 6 PCs

1 400 500 600

2 500 625 750

3 600 750 900

4 700 875 1,050

5 800 1,000 1,200

6 1,000 1,250 1,500

7 1,200 1,500 1,800

8 1,400 1,750 2,100

9 1,600 2,000 2,400

10 2,000 2,500 3,000

11 2,400 3,000 3,600

12 2,800 3,500 4,200

13 3,200 4,000 4,800

14 4,000 5,000 6,000

15 4,800 6,000 7,200

16 5,600 7,000 8,400

17 6,400 8,000 9,600

18 8,000 10,000 12,000

19 9,600 12,000 14,400

20 11,200 14,000 16,800

21 12,800 16,000 19,200

22 16,600 20,750 24,900

23 20,400 25,500 30,600

24 24,200 30,250 36,300

25 28,000 35,000 42,000

26 36,000 45,000 54,000

27 44,000 55,000 66,000

28 52,000 65,000 78,000

29 60,000 75,000 90,000

30 76,000 95,000 114,000

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

Here are templates you can fill in with monsters of

your own choosing that combine different roles and

levels into dynamic encounters.

Encounter Template Format: In each of these

templates, the letter n represents the level of the

encounter you want to build. The templates assume a

party of five PCs. For such a group, the easy encoun-

ters are about level n – 2, the standard encounters

are level n or level n + 1, and the hard encounters are

between level n + 2 and n + 4.

If you have three or four players, you can also use

the easy encounters as standard encounters and the

standard encounters as hard encounters. Likewise, if

you have six or seven players, use the standard encoun-

ters as easy encounters and the hard encounters as

standard ones.

The example encounters given in this section serve

to illustrate the sorts of adversaries you can produce

from the creatures in the Monster Manual.

Battlefield Control

One controller monster with several skirmishers of

similar level can limit the movement of its enemies

without hampering its allies. The controller’s ability to

hinder enemies heightens the skirmishers’ movement

advantage. Challenging terrain or hindering terrain

(see page 61) in which the monsters can move more

easily than the PCs can replace the controller.

Easy: Controller of level n – 2

6 skirmishers of level n – 4

Standard: Controller of level n + 1

6 skirmishers of level n – 2

Hard: Controller of level n + 5

5 skirmishers of level n + 1

Easy Example for 5th-level PCs: 1 goblin hexer

(level 3 controller) and 6 goblin warriors (level 1 skir-

misher). Level 3 encounter, 750 XP.

Standard Example for 5th-level PCs: 1 harpy

(level 6 controller) and 6 orc raiders (level 3 skir-

misher). Level 5 encounter, 1,150 XP.

Hard Example for 5th-level PCs: 1 gibbering

mouther (level 10 controller) and 5 gnoll claw fighters

(level 6 skirmisher). Level 8 encounter, 1,750 XP.

Commander and Troops

One commander monster in charge (a controller or

soldier, but a lurker or skirmisher could also serve)

leads a number of troops. The troops are usually melee

focused (brutes and soldiers), but more challenging

Commander and Troops encounters can feature some

strategic artillery support.

Easy: Commander of level n

4 troops of level n – 3

Standard: Commander of level n + 3

5 troops of level n – 2

Hard: Commander of level n + 6

3 troops of level n + 1

2 artillery of level n + 1

Easy Example for 8th-level PCs: 1 troglodyte

curse chanter (level 8 controller) and 4 rage drakes

(level 5 brute). Level 5 encounter, 1,150 XP.

Standard Example for 8th-level PCs: 1 mezzode-

mon (level 11 soldier) and 5 evistro demons (level 6

brute). Level 8 encounter, 1,850 XP.

Hard Example for 8th-level PCs: 1 war troll

(level 14 soldier), 3 trolls (level 9 brute), and 2 destra-

chans (level 9 artillery). Level 11 encounter, 3,000 XP.

Dragon’s Den

Some monsters are so powerful that they pose a threat

to a whole adventuring party just by themselves.

Dragons, of course, are the most famous example, but

other creatures such as beholders, purple worms, and

hydras also fit the bill. Dragon’s Den encounters pit the

heroes against a single solo monster. Often the fight

is in the monster’s chosen den or lair, but sometimes

it might be a chance encounter somewhere else—for

example, when a hunting dragon spies the party trav-

eling on a road far below and decides to drop in for a

snack.

Easy: Solo monster of level n – 2

Standard: Solo monster of level n or n + 1

Hard: Solo monster of level n + 3

Hard: Solo monster of level n + 1

Elite monster of level n

Double Line

A front line of brutes or soldiers protects a rear line of

artillery or controller monsters. The front-line mon-

sters keep their opponents from breaking through to

attack the others behind them. The artillery and con-

trollers in the back line use ranged attacks and try to

avoid contact with the enemy.

You can modify the template by using a skirmisher

or lurker to replace one of the rear-line foes. The front-

line monsters protect the artillery or controller, while

the lurker or skirmisher circles around behind the

opponents or otherwise seeks advantageous positions.

Easy: 3 front line (brute/soldier) of level n – 4

2 rear line (artillery/controller) of level n – 2

Standard: 3 front line (brute/soldier) of level n

2 rear line (artillery/controller) of level n

Standard: 3 front line (brute/soldier) of level n – 2

2 rear line (artillery/controller) of level n + 3

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

SIMPLE ENCOUNTER SUBSTITUTIONS

✦ Minion Monsters: Replace one standard monster with

several minion monsters of the same level.

✦ Elite Monsters: Replace two standard monsters with one

elite monster of the same level.

✦ Solo Monster: Replace five standard monsters with one solo

monster of the same level.

✦ Traps and Hazards: Replace one standard monster with a

trap or hazard of the same level.

Minion Monsters: To incorporate minions into

an encounter, replace one standard monster with four

minions of the same level. A Commander and Troops

encounter takes on a different feel when you replace

standard brutes or soldiers with several times their

number of minions—a vampire lord surrounded by his

brood of vampire spawn, for example, or a war devil

with a regiment of legion devils.

Elite Monsters: To incorporate an elite monster

into an encounter, replace two standard monsters with

an elite monster of the same role and level. You can

also replace a single monster with an elite monster of

the same role and level and increase the encounter’s

level by one.

You could modify the Commander and Troops tem-

plate to use an elite monster as the commander. You

then increase the encounter level—or you can remove

one or two troops to keep the encounter level about the

same. An elite commander can reduce the number of

minion troops you use to fill out the encounter.

A Wolf Pack made up of elites can be smaller and

more manageable. A group of three bulettes (9th-level

elite skirmishers) is a bit easier to manage than a pack

of six displacer beasts (9th-level skirmishers), but it’s

the same encounter level. You’ll have fewer monsters

to keep track of, and a little more room for them to

maneuver on the battle grid.

Solo Monsters: A solo monster is usually an encoun-

ter all by itself, but you can also use solo monsters as part

of larger groups. Any encounter template that includes

at least five standard monsters of the same level can fea-

ture a solo monster instead of those standard monsters,

though the solo monster might change the feel of the

encounter significantly. A standard Commander and

Troops encounter could include a commander of level

n + 3 and a solo monster of level n – 2, leaving open the

question of who’s really in command.

If you have a party that’s larger or smaller than five

characters, it works reasonably well to increase a solo

monster’s level by one for each additional character

above five, or decrease it by one for each character

below five. So, use a 10th-level solo monster for a

group of six 9th-level characters, or an 11th-level solo

monster for a group of seven.

Traps and Hazards: A well-placed trap or hazard

can contribute just as much to an encounter as a mon-

ster, but the encounter feels quite different. Replace a

monster with a trap or hazard of the same level.

Hard: 3 front line (brute/soldier) of level n + 2

1 controller of level n + 4

1 artillery/lurker of level n + 4

Hard: 3 front line (brute/soldier) of level n

2 artillery of level n + 1

1 controller of level n + 2

1 lurker of level n + 2

Easy Example for 12th-level PCs: 3 snaketongue

warriors (level 8 soldier) and 2 venom-eye basilisks

(level 10 artillery). Level 9 encounter, 2,050 XP.

Standard Example for 12th-level PCs: 3 blade

spiders (level 10 brute) and 2 drow priestesses (level

15 controller). Level 12 encounter, 3,900 XP.

Hard Example for 12th-level PCs: 3 kuo-toa

harpooners (level 14 soldier), 1 kuo-toa whip (level 16

controller), and 1 bodak skulk (level 16 lurker). Level

14 encounter, 5,800 XP.

Wolf Pack

Some creatures hunt in packs of their own kind. These

creatures are often skirmishers, and they sometimes

adopt special tactics meant to distract opponents and

make best use of combat advantage. One or more

members of the pack act as soldiers, forming a front

line; the others remain mobile, flanking opponents

and ducking out of harm’s way when possible. When

the front line gets worn down, those creatures revert to

their skirmisher role as fresh ones take their place.

Easy: 7 skirmishers of level n – 4

Standard: 7 skirmishers of level n – 2

Standard: 5 skirmishers of level n

Hard: 3 skirmishers of level n + 7

Hard: 4 skirmishers of level n + 5

Hard: 6 skirmishers of level n + 2

Easy Example for 15th-level PCs: 7 grimlock

ambushers (level 11 skirmisher). Level 13 encounter,

4,200 XP.

Standard Example for 15th-level PCs: 5 angels

of battle (level 15 skirmisher). Level 15 encounter,

6,000 XP.

Hard Example for 15th-level PCs: 4 black slaads

(level 20 skirmisher). Level 18 encounter, 11,200 XP.

Simple Substitutions

You can create endless variations from these encoun-

ter templates without making the encounters any more

complicated.

Elite, minion, and solo monsters are designed to

be interesting challenges for PCs of their level, but

they’re tougher or weaker than one standard monster

of the same level. For that reason, they don’t count

as individual monsters when you use them to build

an encounter. Elite monsters count as two standard

monsters and solo monsters count as five. It takes four

minions to fill the place of one standard monster.

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

An encounter that occurs in a small, bare dungeon

room is hard to make memorable, no matter what

the monsters in it are doing. To maximize the fun for

everyone around the table, follow these guidelines

when crafting the chambers, caverns, or battlefields

for your encounters.

Interesting Areas

Your first consideration in crafting interesting

encounter spaces is the size and shape of the room or

encounter area and the placement of the monsters and

players characters.

Room to Move: Make sure everyone has enough

room to move around. For most encounters, the

minimum is an area roughly 8 to 10 squares on a

side (which happens to be the size of the largest D&D

Dungeon Tiles). For an important encounter, consider

a space as large as 16 or 20 squares on a side (two of

those 8-square-by-10-square dungeon tiles). A poster-

size map like those included in D & D

Miniatures starter sets and in D&D adventures covers

an area roughly 20 by 30 squares and makes a great

area for a climactic battle. Folded in half (at about 15

by 20 squares), it also works well for other important

fights.

Bigger Creatures Need More Space: Large and

Huge creatures need more space. An encounter that

includes Large monsters needs at least 16 squares by

10 squares. With Huge monsters, the encounter area

should be at least 20 squares by 20 squares (or about

three large D&D Dungeon Tiles). Gargantuan monsters

work best on poster maps.

Avoid Symmetry: Symmetry is boring. Fighting in

one square or rectangular room after another is dull

and doesn’t allow for much tactical variety. Let rooms

branch out into corridors, alcoves, and antechambers,

and find ways to draw some of the fighting into these

areas. Also, build rooms using all three dimensions.

Large platforms and raised areas, depressions and pits,

along with galleries and overlooks, are interesting and

can produce fun tactical situations.

Fantasy It Up: Your goal is not to create a realistic

area for your encounter. Sprinkle fantastic features

liberally throughout your encounters, and every once

in a while put in fantastic features of cinematic scope.

A room where the PCs have to jump between floating

platforms as they fight a wing of gargoyles, or avoid

gouts of magma while fighting for their lives against

a red dragon—those are encounter areas that take on

a life of their own. They reinforce in everyone’s mind

that D&D is a fantasy game.

Encounter Distance: For outdoor encounters, start

the characters 10 squares away from the monsters. If

terrain or visibility suggests a short-range encounter

(dense forest or thick fog, for example), use 5 squares

instead. In wide-open areas, such as rolling hills or

farmland, use 20 squares. In open terrain, characters

might see monsters at even greater distances, which

gives them a chance to try to avoid an encounter

entirely (especially if the monsters don’t see them).

Don’t start an outdoor encounter with either the

characters or the monsters at the edge of the map.

Leave room for everyone to move around, which for

some characters often means getting away to a safer

distance from the monsters.

Terrain Features

It’s easy to overlook the effects of terrain when build-

ing adventures and encounters. After all, the party’s

enemies are the monsters, not the dungeon stairs, the

low rock wall, or the crumbled statues in the dungeon

room. Yet, terrain provides the context for an encoun-

ter. A mob of goblin archers is easy to defeat when

only empty terrain lies between it and the party. Take

the same goblins, put them on the opposite side of a

wide chasm, and the characters face a much tougher

challenge.

TYPES OF TERRAIN FEATURESTYPES OF TERRAIN FEATURES

✦Difficult Terrain: It costs 1 extra square of move-

ment to enter a square of difficult terrain.

✦Blocking Terrain: Blocking terrain prevents move-

ment, blocks line of sight and line of effect, and

provides cover.

✦Challenging Terrain: Challenging terrain requires a

skill check or ability check to successfully cross it.

✦Hindering Terrain: Hindering terrain prevents

movement or damages creatures that enter it.

✦Obscured Terrain: Obscured terrain provides

concealment and blocks line of sight if a target is far

enough away from you. However, it has no effect on

movement.

✦Cover Terrain: Cover terrain provides cover (see

page 43), making ranged attacks more difficult.

Difficult Terrain

Difficult terrain slows down characters without block-

ing line of sight. In encounter design, difficult terrain

is a useful tool to make a path less appealing without

removing it as an option. It gives you some of the

benefits of walls and other terrain that blocks move-

ment without the drawback of constricting the party’s

options. It costs 1 extra square of movement to enter a

square of difficult terrain.

Too much difficult terrain proves frustrating, since

shifting and attacking becomes impossible. Use dif-

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

ficult terrain in small quantities. The ideal patch of

difficult terrain is just big enough to force the charac-

ters to spend an extra round moving down a particular

path or taking a position in an encounter area.

Avoid using much, if any, difficult terrain in areas

where you expect the PCs and monsters to fight in

melee. Difficult terrain prevents shifting, which can

turn a melee into a static slugfest. That might make for

an occasional change of pace, but it makes the game

boring if it happens too often.

Examples: Rubble, uneven ground, shallow water,

fallen trees, a steep slope.

Blocking Terrain

Blocking terrain prevents movement and blocks line of

sight. The characters might be able to use the Athletics

skill to climb over such obstacles, but otherwise this

type of terrain prevents movement.

Blocking terrain channels the encounter’s flow and

cuts down on the range at which the PCs can attack

the monsters (and vice versa). Using blocking ter-

rain, you can present two or three distinct paths in an

encounter area and different challenges down each

one. For example, the characters come under attack

when they enter an intersection. Orc warriors charge

down two corridors, while an orc shaman casts spells

from a third. If the PCs charge the shaman, they risk

attack from two sides. If they fall back, they can meet

the warriors along one front, but the shaman is safely

away from the melee.

Don’t use too much blocking terrain. Fights in end-

less narrow corridors are boring. While the fighter

beats on the monster, the rest of the party must rely on

ranged attacks.

Examples: Walls, doors, impassable rubble.

Challenging Terrain

Challenging terrain requires a skill check or ability

check to cross. Fail the check, and something bad hap-

pens to you. Challenging terrain makes skills more

important. It adds an active element of risk to the

game.

Athletics checks and Acrobatics checks are often

required for challenging terrain. Moving across slick

ice requires Acrobatics. Slogging through deep mud

requires Athletics. Running over a thin beam requires

Acrobatics. Use the Skill Check Difficulty Class table

below to select a relevant DC for the party’s level.

A successful check allows a character to move at his

speed across the terrain. Some challenging terrain is

also difficult terrain.

The type of terrain determines what happens when

characters fail their checks. Climbing characters

might fall. Characters wading through mud must pay

1 extra square of movement to enter the square. Char-

acters moving across ice fall prone in the first square

of ice they enter.

Too much challenging terrain wears down the

party or slows the action if the characters have a few

unlucky skill checks. If the terrain has a high DC or if

the characters are cautious, they can treat it as hinder-

ing terrain (see below) instead.

Examples: Ice, deep water, deep mud, thin beam

across a chasm.

SKILL CHECK DIFFICULTY CLASS

Party Level Easy Moderate Hard

1st–3rd 15 20 25

4th–6th 18 22 26

7th–9th 20 24 28

10th–12th 22 26 30

13th–15th 23 27 31

16th–18th 25 29 33

19th–21st 27 31 35

22nd–24th 28 32 36

25th–27th 29 33 37

28th–30th 30 34 38

Hindering Terrain

Hindering terrain prevents movement (or severely

punishes it) or damages creatures that enter it, but

allows line of sight.

Hindering terrain can be interesting because it

encourages ranged attacks. You can shoot an arrow

over hindering terrain, while it is impossible or risky

to run through it to attack in melee.

Too much hindering terrain makes melee charac-

ters and monsters worthless. It is best used to protect

a monster or two, or as a favorable defensive position

that the PCs can exploit.

Examples: Pits, deep water, lava, fire.

Obscured Terrain

Obscured terrain provides concealment and blocks

line of sight if a target is far enough away from you.

However, it has no effect on movement.

The following rules expand on the material found

in Chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook.

OBSCURED TERRAINOBSCURED TERRAIN

✦ Lightly Obscured: Squares of dim light, fog, smoke,

heavy snow, or rain are lightly obscured.

Concealment: A creature has total concealment

against you if 5 or more lightly obscured squares

stand between you and it (including the nearest

square of the creature’s space). Closer creatures have

concealment, but not total concealment.

Vision: You can see through lightly obscured

squares, but you take a –5 penalty to Perception

checks to see or spot things.

✦ Heavily Obscured: Squares of heavy fog or heavy

smoke are heavily obscured.

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

Concealment: Adjacent targets have concealment

against you.

Out of Sight: You can’t see creatures that are not

adjacent to you.

Vision: You can see 1 square away, but you take

a –5 penalty to Perception checks to see or spot

things. You can’t see squares farther away.

✦Totally Obscured: You can’t see at all. You can’t see

any creature, not even those adjacent to you.

Obscured terrain lends a sense of mystery to an

encounter. The characters can’t see what lurks ahead,

but their enemies have open space they can move

through to attack. It restricts ranged attacks similar to

blocking terrain does, but it allows more movement.

Encounters are a little more tense and unpredictable.

Obscured terrain becomes a problem when it

shuts down the fight. The characters likely stick close

together, and if the monsters can ignore the concealing

terrain due to some magical effect, the fight might be

unfair rather than tense.

Examples: Fog, mist, zones of magical darkness.

Cover Terrain

Cover terrain provides cover, making ranged attacks

more difficult. See “Cover” in Chapter 3 on page 43.

Cover terrain forces ranged attackers to move if

they want to shoot around it. It also helps creatures

avoid ranged attacks.

Too much cover makes the encounter too difficult

for ranged attackers.

Examples: Low walls, piles of rubble.

Terrain and Roles

Monster roles provide the best pointer for how to use

terrain. Each role has different preferences for the ter-

rain it thrives in. When you build an encounter, think

about the monsters you want to use and how terrain

can help them.

The Natural Method: It makes logical sense that

creatures seek out favorable terrain. If you create an area

map first, think about how your villain would exploit the

terrain by intelligently deploying his followers. Even wild

animals are clever enough to utilize terrain. For exam-

ple, a lion hides in wait by a spring. The spring draws

thirsty prey, and it blocks many routes of escape.

The Staged Method: If you build encounters

purely with an eye toward the game experience, start

by picking out monsters, and create terrain to maxi-

mize their advantages.

Artillery

These monsters thrive on wide, open spaces and diffi-

cult terrain. An open space allows them to rain attacks

on the party at a distance, while difficult terrain forces

melee characters to waste precious time moving to

engage the artillery. Any terrain that blocks move-

ment or slows it down without affecting line of sight is

an artillery monster’s best friend. Artillery also likes

having some cover nearby where it can gain some pro-

tection from the party’s ranged attacks.

Brutes and Soldiers

Brutes and soldiers both like to get into melee while

avoiding the party’s ranged attacks. They favor twisty,

dense terrain that has enough room for melee, but

makes it difficult for ranged attackers to get in shots

from a distance. Brutes and soldiers also like choke

points that make it difficult for rogues and other strik-

ers to get behind them.

Controllers

Controllers like the same sort of terrain as brutes and

soldiers, but with one key difference: A controller likes

slightly larger spaces where its allies can take advan-

tage of its attacks. If an area is too narrow, a controller

and his soldier buddies can’t both attack the party.

Controllers like wide spaces, but not necessarily long

ones. Long spaces allow ranged attackers to pick off

the controllers and their allies at a distance. Wide ones

allow the monsters to all attack at once while keeping

the action at relatively close range.

Lurkers

Lurkers love obscured terrain and areas thick with

blocking terrain. They usually need cover to hide from

the PCs or to escape out of the party’s reach. However,

lurkers also like wide corridors and areas that give

them lots of approaches to the characters. A lurker

wants to slip past the party’s defender, making narrow

passages and easily controlled chokepoints bad for

such a monster.

Skirmishers

Skirmishers are a little like lurkers in that they want

open spaces to attack the party from multiple direc-

tions. On the other hand, if the terrain is too open,

skirmishers can’t easily evade the party’s attacks.

The ideal skirmisher terrain is a mix of blocking or

obscured terrain and open terrain, such as a series of

linked dungeon rooms. A skirmisher can attack in one

room, then slip around the corner to a nearby room to

prepare its next strike.

Building an

Encounter Script

Terrain and monsters never combine in a vacuum.

The characters’ abilities and tactics, the encounter’s

purpose in the overall adventure, and the goal of the

encounter all play a role in determining the right ter-

rain for an encounter. An encounter script in your

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

mind, a simple walk-through of the encounter, is a

great tool for figuring out how to add and use terrain.

Building an encounter script is a simple process.

Start with the basics of the encounter area. You might

have the monsters picked out or the area mapped,

depending on how you have designed the area. With

either of those factors in mind, walk through the likely

outcome of the encounter.

Suppose that the main villain in your adventure is a

wizard and his four ogre bodyguards. Looking over the

wizard’s spells, you see that he has lots of area of effect

attacks. The four ogre bodyguards are brutes.

Assume that the party fights these monsters in a

huge, featureless room. It might help to break out a

grid and miniatures, so you can better visualize what

happens.

The characters who excel in melee run forward to

attack, while the ogres move to intercept them. The

ranged characters hang back and try to take out the

wizard. Meanwhile, the wizard uses his area attacks.

Run the fight in your head, looking at it from the

characters’ and the monsters’ points of view. Consider

likely tactics and goals the PCs have, and then do the

same for the monsters. What kinds of actions can

you expect both sides to take? How does each side

respond to the other? Answer these questions with an

eye toward making things easier for the monsters and

harder for the PCs. A few points become clear:

✦ The wizard has trouble using area attacks against

PCs who are in melee with the ogres. He can blast

the PCs, but he might also catch his minions in the

attack.

✦ The ogres need enough room to crowd around the

party, but if the room is too spacious, the PCs can

run around the ogres and attack the wizard.

✦ The wizard needs cover for protection against

ranged attacks, or the ogres need some way to

threaten such PCs.

Run down your list of concerns, and think of how you

can use terrain to respond to each of them. Here are

some potential complications you can add:

✦ The ogres need to spread out, so be sure to add lots

of open space for them to maneuver.

✦ Alternatively, you could give them a path that lets

them maneuver around the party. For instance,

the passage leading into the encounter area loops

around to the east and west. The ogres wait where

the two entrances meet, and two of them rush down

whichever passage the PCs don’t use.

✦ In contrast, the wizard wants only a narrow path

to her position. Hindering terrain, such as a short

bridge over a pit, restricts access to the wizard. Best

of all, one of the ogres can take up position here

and force the PCs to fight through it. One spot of

hindering terrain should be enough.

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ANNE STOKES

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Creating a script is an iterative process. Keep walk-

ing through the scenario, thinking of how the PCs

and monsters might act in response to the terrain that

solves the problems you foresee, until you have just

the right balance of challenge and complication. In

the example above, walk through the encounter again,

injecting the terrain elements mentioned above. Does

the encounter feel fun? What other elements do you

want to add?

Getting Terrain Mix

Right

Dressing up an encounter with terrain is an art, not a

science. Only during and after an encounter, when you

can see if it worked the way you wanted, can you judge

if your decisions were good ones. Experience is your

best guide. Keep the following points in mind to try to

use terrain well.

1. Terrain has a purpose. Some terrain is just sup-

posed to look cool. Some terrain serves to slow down

the party. Look at each section of the encounter area

and make sure it fulfills some purpose.

2. Terrain encourages choices. Do the PCs fight

the goblins coming down the corridor, or do they focus

on the bugbear torturer? If every fight has the PCs on

one side of the room and the monsters on the other,

things get boring fast. Build areas where the PCs and

monsters can take a lot of different paths to attack

each other.

3. Terrain encourages movement. A crumbling

wall provides cover against a beholder’s attacks. An

ogre runs to close a portcullis, trapping the PCs in the

dungeon unless they can intercept it. Terrain should

give characters and monsters a reason to move toward

it or away from it. An easily defended position, such

as a narrow doorway, is a magnet for the PCs if they

are outnumbered. On the other hand, if the PCs out-

number the monsters, they want to push the fight to

an open space. If both sides are standing around trad-

ing blows round after round, your terrain isn’t doing

its job.

4. Terrain makes fights more interesting. After

an encounter, the players should remember the terrain

as well as the monsters that occupied it. Part of this

memorability comes from the terrain’s tactical aspects,

but your description also plays a big role. Search for

reasons to add memorable terrain to the battlefield.

Using generic rubble as terrain is useful, but you can

add to the experience by describing the rubble in a

temple to Torog as heaps of ancient, broken skulls.

That terrain has the same mechanical effect as ordi-

nary rubble but injects an element of creepiness into

the atmosphere.

Sample Mundane Terrain

Difficult terrain might take the form of a steep stair-

case in a dungeon or shifting sands on a stormy beach.

This section offers help in applying the basic terrain

categories to the features that characters commonly

find in their adventures.

Terrain and Skill Checks or Ability Checks:

When terrain requires a skill check or ability check,

use the Difficulty Class by Level table (page 42) to

set a DC that’s appropriate to the characters’ level.

Some of the examples below show DCs for breaking

down doors or opening locks, and also show the level

at which a character should be able to break down

the door with a Strength check of moderate difficulty.

Thus, that level is a good rule of thumb for dungeon

design. Don’t put an iron door in a dungeon designed

for 10th-level characters unless you intend it to be dif-

ficult for them to break through.

Dungeon Dressing

Dungeon dressing is a category of mundane terrain

that covers everything you expect to find in a dungeon.

Walls: Most dungeon walls are masonry or carved

out of solid rock. Characters can use Athletics checks

to climb a wall and break right through a wall with an

incredible Strength check.

DCS TO CLIMB OR BREAK THROUGH WALLS

Wall Climb DC Break DC

Masonry wall (1 ft. thick) 20 35

Hewn stone wall (3 ft. thick) 20 43

Natural stone wall (3 ft. thick) 10 43

Wooden wall (6 in. thick) 30 26

Doors: Opening a door takes a minor action, or

a standard action if the door is stuck and requires a

Strength check. A door might be locked, or it could

have a window in it that provides superior cover to

anyone firing through it.

DCS TO BREAK DOWN DOORS

Strength Check to DC Level

Break down wooden door 16 3

Break down barred door 20 9

Break down stone or iron door 25 18

Break down adamantine door 29 29

Break through force portal 38 —

Characters can open locked doors by using Thievery to

pick the lock instead of breaking down the door. This

is a standard action as part of a skill challenge. See

“Open Lock” on page 189 of the Player’s Handbook.

Portcullises: A portcullis is a metal gate that

swings shut or drops down from the ceiling. It provides

cover, and a Strength check allows a character to lift it

or pull it open.

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

DCS TO OPEN PORTCULLISES

Strength Check to DC Level

Force open wooden portcullis 23 15

Force open iron portcullis 28 26

Force open adamantine portcullis 33 30+

Secret Doors and Trapdoors: In the confines of a

dungeon, some doors are disguised as part of the wall,

floor, or ceiling. A successful hard difficulty Percep-

tion check allows a PC to spot an average version of

one of these portals. They make great ambush points

for monsters or hiding places for treasure.

Small Statues and Pillars: These terrain features

are difficult terrain that provides cover. You can move

through their spaces because they are small enough to

squeeze past.

Big Statues and Pillars: These are blocking

terrain. As a rule of thumb, a big statue or pillar com-

pletely fills one or more squares.

Tapestries and Curtains: It costs 1 square of

movement to move through a tapestry or curtain hung

to partition a room or hallway. Tapestries and curtains

block line of sight.

Stairs: Stairs are difficult terrain, unless the steps

are sufficiently broad or the slope of their ascent is

gentle.

Pools: Shallow pools, those waist-deep or less to a

character, are difficult terrain. Characters must use

Athletics checks to swim through deeper pools.

Ladders: Characters can climb ladders without

making Athletics checks. A PC moves at one-half

speed when going up or down a ladder.

Ledges and Platforms: Low ledges or platforms

(below waist-high) are difficult terrain. Higher ones

require Athletics checks to jump or climb onto.

Damaging Objects

Like characters, objects have hit points and defense

scores (except for Will defense; see Object Immunities

and Vulnerabilities, below).

An object’s AC, Fortitude, and Reflex defense

depend entirely on its size. (As you can tell from the

following table, it’s pretty easy to hit an object; so easy,

in fact, that many DMs just skip the attack roll unless

the situation is particularly dramatic.)

An object’s hit point total generally depends on

two factors: its size and its material. As a rule, larger

or thicker objects have more hit points than smaller

or thinner ones. Objects made of stone or metal have

more hit points than those made of wood or glass.

Exceptions to this general rule abound. An object

that’s big but full of delicate moving parts might have

fewer hit points than a smaller, more solid object,

because it doesn’t take as much damage to render that

object functionally useless.

To determine an object’s hit points, first find its size

on the Object Properties table below. Then apply any

appropriate multipliers based on its material or com-

position. If more than one multiplier is appropriate, it

doesn’t matter what order you apply them in. A Large

iron clockwork contraption, for instance, should have

around 60 hit points (40 for Large, × 3 for iron, × 0.5

for intricate construction).

An object reduced to 0 hit points is destroyed or

otherwise rendered useless. At your judgment, the

object might even still be more or less whole, but its

functionality is ruined—a door knocked from its hinges

or a clockwork mechanism broken internally, for

example.

OBJECT PROPERTIES

Object AC/ Base

Size Reflex Fortitude HP Example

Tiny 10 5 5 Bottle, book

Small 8 8 10 Treasure chest, manacles

Medium 5 10 20 Door, statue

Large 4 12 40 Wagon, vault door

Huge 3 15 100 Big statue

Gargantuan 2 20 200 Even bigger statue

Material or Composition Hit Point Multiplier

Very fragile × 0.25

Fragile/intricate × 0.5

Reinforced × 1.5

Paper or cloth × 0.1

Glass or ice × 0.25

Leather or hide × 0.5

Wood None

Stone × 2

Iron or steel × 3

Adamantine × 5

ENCOUNTER SETTINGSENCOUNTER SETTINGS

IMPROVISED TERRAIN EFFECTS

The D&D game would become a bloated mess if we tried

to cover every possible obstacle or terrain. If you want to

use something not covered in this chapter, refer to the

examples here as a guideline. Don’t be afraid to make

something up based on a logical interpretation of what

you think should happen.

Find a Match: Look at the sample terrain, find the clos-

est match, and use those rules.

Charge Extra Movement: If a feature is difficult to move

into or through, increase the squares of movement needed

to cross it by 1, 2, or 3.

Skill and Ability Checks: Is there a chance that a char-

acter could try to enter a space and fail? If so, ask for an

appropriate check. Athletics is good for obstacles that can

be overcome by leaping or climbing, while Acrobatics fits

those that demand finesse and agility. Use the Difficulty

Class by Level table (page 42) to aid you.

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

Object Immunities and

Vulnerabilities

Usually, it doesn’t matter what kind of attack you make

against an object: Damage is damage. However, there

are a few exceptions.

All objects are immune to poison damage, psychic

damage, and necrotic damage.

Objects don’t have a Will defense and are immune

to attacks that target Will defense.

Some unusual materials might be particularly

resistant to some or all kinds of damage. In addition,

you might rule that some kinds of damage are par-

ticularly effective against certain objects and grant the

object vulnerability to that damage type. For example,

a gauzy curtain or a pile of dry papers might have

vulnerability 5 to fire because any spark is likely to

destroy it.

Outdoor Terrain

From a dense forest to a scorched desert, the charac-

ters face a wide variety of outdoor terrain.

Trees: Trees are difficult terrain that provides

cover. Big trees are blocking terrain.

Undergrowth: Low, thick trees, small plants, and

other undergrowth are difficult terrain.

Foliage, Leaves, and Vines: Screening foliage,

leaves, and vines are all concealing terrain if the plant

material hangs down low enough or projects outward

enough to block sight. Such plant matter might also be

difficult terrain if the branches are thick or difficult to

move through.

Sand and Dirt: Soft, shifting sand or dirt is dif-

ficult terrain. Hard-packed sand and dirt is normal

terrain.

Hills: A slope is difficult terrain, though shallow or

gentle slopes are normal terrain.

Ice: Slick ice patches are difficult terrain. You might

also require an Acrobatics check for a character to

avoid falling. See the relevant DCs under “Balance” in

the Acrobatics skill in the Player’s Handbook (page 180).

Swamp: Swamp is a combination of shallow pools

and mud. It is difficult terrain.

Constructed Terrain

Fortifications are built to repel attacks, giving you a lot

of interesting terrain options.

Streets: The best maintained streets are normal

terrain, but potholes and poor maintenance in the

rough parts of town can make them difficult terrain.

Windows: Windows provide line of sight and

grant cover. Opening a window is a minor action, and

moving through one large enough for a creature to fit

itself through costs 1 extra square of movement.

Arrow Slits: Arrow slits are small holes designed

to provide archers with maximum protection while

they fire. An arrow slit grants a ranged attacker supe-

rior cover while granting him or her a clear view of the

battlefield. The firer determines the target’s cover from

the square just outside the slit.

Murder Holes: Murder holes use the same rules

as arrow slits, except that they are placed in the ceil-

ings of chambers to allow archers above to rain fire on

attackers below.

Catwalks: Narrow catwalks are difficult terrain.

You might also require an Acrobatics check to avoid

falling. See the relevant DCs under “Balance” in the

Acrobatics skill in the Player’s Handbook (page 180).

Furniture: It costs 1 extra square of movement to

move on top of a table or chair, but no extra movement

to move off. A character can also crawl beneath a table,

gaining cover against standing foes.

Light Sources

Many dungeons and caverns are illuminated to some

degree, since only a few monsters are truly at home in

pitch blackness. The Example Light Sources table lists

light sources, both mundane and magical. (It expands

on the table in the Player’s Handbook, page 262.) The

table describes the radius (in squares) of the light, the

brightness, and the duration of the light effect. You can

alter these numbers as you see fit in the context of a

specific terrain you make.

EVA WIDERMANN

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

The last entries on the table show the light emit-

ted by fire creatures—fire elementals, hell hounds, or

immoliths, for example. Only creatures made of fire

(which includes most creatures that have the fire key-

word) shed this much light.

EXAMPLE LIGHT SOURCES

Source Radius Brightness Duration

Candle 2 dim 1 hour

Torch in wall sconce 5 bright 1 hour

Lantern 10 bright 8 hours/pint

Campfire 10 bright 8 hours

Sunrod 20 bright 4 hours

Phosphorescent fungi 10 dim ongoing

Sacrificial brazier 10 bright 8 hours

Fireplace/oven 5 bright 8 hours/load

of fuel

Forge 2 bright 8 hours/load

of fuel

Magma 40 bright ongoing

Tiny fire creature 2 bright ongoing

Small fire creature 5 bright ongoing

Medium fire creature 10 bright ongoing

Large fire creature 20 bright ongoing

Huge or Gargantuan

fire creature 40 bright ongoing

Vision and Special Senses

Many creatures see in the dark much better than

humans do. Some creatures even see in complete light-

lessness. Other creatures get along in the dark by using

other senses—uncanny hearing, sensitivity to vibra-

tions and air movement, or an acute sense of smell.

Normal Vision: Creatures that have normal vision

see normally in areas of bright light. Areas of dim light

are lightly obscured. Areas of darkness are totally

obscured.

Low-Light Vision: Creatures that have low-light

vision see normally in areas of bright and dim light.

Areas of darkness are totally obscured.

Darkvision: Darkvision lets creatures see normally

regardless of light.

Blindsight and Tremorsense: Creatures that have

blindsight or tremorsense ignore obscured squares

or invisibility within range. They can see creatures

in range regardless of these conditions. Beyond that

range, they rely on vision (unless they’re blind).

Sample Fantastic Terrain

The D&D world is rife with magic, and this power

spawns wondrous terrain. Massive spiderwebs choke

ancient passages. Elemental energy surges through a

cavern, granting strength to fire-based spells.

Tier and Skill Checks and Ability Checks:

Throughout these examples, the term “per tier” is used

to show how an effect should scale. Multiply the per

tier value by one for heroic tier, two for paragon, and

three for epic. If a terrain feature grants a +1 bonus to

attack rolls per tier, the bonus is +1 at heroic tier, +2 at

paragon tier, and +3 at epic tier.

Terrain scales in order to keep it relevant as PCs

and monsters gain higher attack bonuses and hit

points. It is an element of game balance and a reflec-

tion of the greater magical power present in paragon

or epic locations.

Blood Rock

The site of ceremonial sacrifices, a great slaughter, or

some other calamity, the spirit of death hovers over

blood rock. A creature standing in a square of blood

rock can score a critical hit on a natural die roll of 19

or 20.

Cave Slime

This thin, blue slime is harmless but extremely slick.

A creature that enters a square filled with cave slime

must succeed at an Acrobatics check or fall prone. Use

the Difficulty Class by Level table (page 42) to set a

DC that’s appropriate to the character’s level.

Choke Frost

Choke frost is found in the deepest caves of the distant

north or in the lairs of creatures of elemental ice. This

light, white mist congeals into thick ice as creatures

or other sources of heat move through it. Each time

a creature enters a square of choke frost, it takes a –1

penalty to speed. As a move action, a creature can

negate this penalty. Creatures that have the cold key-

word are immune to this effect.

Cloudspore

These strange, Underdark mushrooms are normal ter-

rain, but as soon as a creature enters a square of these

mushrooms, the mushrooms create a thick cloud of

spores. The square provides concealment (see page

281 of the Player’s Handbook) for 5 minutes. Once a

square has discharged a cloud, it cannot do so again

for 24 hours.

Ember Moss

This strange Underdark moss is a useful ingredient in

creating everburning torches and sunrods. It is highly

flammable and burns bright. A character in a square

with ember moss takes an extra 5 damage from all fire

ENCOUNTER SETTINGSENCOUNTER SETTINGS

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

attacks and takes a –4 penalty to saving throws to end

ongoing fire damage.

Font of Power

Due to planar energy, the presence of a powerful arti-

fact, or some other factor, this terrain boosts certain

kinds of attacks. Pick one power keyword, such as fire,

charm, or arcane. Attacks that have that keyword gain

a +5 bonus per tier to damage.

Grab Grass

This thick, tough grass grows in deep forests of the

Feywild or in areas where the Feywild’s magic filters

into the material world. A creature that falls prone in

a square of grab grass must make a Strength check to

stand up. Use the Difficulty Class by Level table (page

42) to set a DC appropriate to the character’s level.

Grasping Slime

This black, viscous goo feeds on Underdark insects

and vermin by trapping them in place and slowly

digesting them. It poses no threat to larger creatures,

but its clinging substance can cause a creature to

become stuck. Grasping slime is difficult terrain. Use

the Difficulty Class by Level table (page 42) to set an

Athletics DC appropriate to the character’s level to

pass through the slime. On a failed check, the creature

enters the slime, but its move ends immediately.

Illusions

Illusions can mimic any terrain. Creatures that real-

ize that an object is an illusion ignore its effects, while

those that do not realize the truth behind the illu-

sion react to it as appropriate. Use characters’ passive

Insight checks to determine if they notice something

“not right,” but don’t allow them to make active checks

without good reason. Once a character has reason

to be suspicious, he can make an Insight check as a

minor action to attempt to disbelieve an illusion. Use

the Difficulty Class by Level table (page 42) to set a DC

appropriate to the character’s level and the relative dif-

ficulty you wish to assign to disbelieving the illusion.

Illusions don’t do any actual damage, and inter-

acting with them might reveal their true nature. For

example, a character who walks into an illusory pit

doesn’t fall to the ground. At that point, the character

realizes the pit is fake.

Illusory Wall

An illusory wall blocks line of sight. Creatures can

walk through it without penalty, though obviously crea-

tures that believe the illusion aren’t likely to try doing

so. Some illusory walls are similar to one-way mirrors

in that they are transparent from one side (allowing a

viewer to see creatures on the other side) while from

the other side they appear to be normal walls (blocking

line of sight, and looking like normal wall terrain).

Loadstone

This strange rock dramatically increases the weight

of all objects. It is difficult terrain, and ranged attacks

that trace line of sight through it take a –2 penalty to

attack rolls.

Mirror Crystal

Mirror crystal causes strange twists and turns in space.

A creature standing on mirror crystal can look down

and see all the other mirror crystal spaces within 20

squares. Creatures can make ranged attacks through

mirror crystal, targeting any creature on or adjacent to

another square of mirror crystal. The range to a crea-

ture attacked through mirror crystal is 1 square.

Pillar of Life

This tall stone pillar is infused with life energy. Any

creature that begins its turn adjacent to it regains 5 hit

points per tier.

Sacred Circle

A sacred circle is dedicated to a specific deity and

infused with divine energy. A creature that shares that

deity’s alignment gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls while

standing in the circle. A sacred circle typically fills an

area 3 squares by 3 squares.

Slides

A slide is coated with a slick substance and designed

to send characters tumbling, offering quick transport

at a price. A slide is difficult terrain. A character who

enters a slide square must make an Acrobatics check.

Use the Difficulty Class by Level table (page 42) to set

an Acrobatics DC appropriate to the character’s level.

A creature that fails immediately moves to the end of

the slide, falls prone, and ends its move.

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CHAPTER 4 | Building Encounters

Spiderwebs

The webs of giant spiders are difficult terrain. A char-

acter who enters a spiderweb must make an Athletics

check or Acrobatics check or become immobilized.

Trapped creatures can use the escape action to free

themselves from the web. Use the Difficulty Class

by Level table (page 42) to set an appropriate DC

for the characters’ levels. Spiderwebs also provide

concealment.

Teleporters

Teleporters are magical gates that whisk characters

from one spot to another. A creature that enters a

teleporter’s space immediately moves to the teleport-

er’s destination square. The square can be another

teleporter to allow for two-way travel. In that case, the

creature automatically moves adjacent to the destina-

tion teleporter.

Whirlwind

Whirlwinds form in areas infused with elemental

energy (often in water or air). A whirlwind’s current

pulls creatures along its path. This is a slide effect.

A creature that enters a whirlwind moves a distance

and direction determined by the strength of the

whirlwind. An affected creature can fight against the

wind by spending squares of movement to reduce the

distance the wind slides it. Only one whirlwind square

can affect a creature at a time. If the wind slides the

creature through or into another whirlwind square,

that square has no effect. A whirlwind can also move

creatures upward. A creature that ends its turn outside

of a whirlwind square and aloft falls to the ground (if it

is not flying—see “Flying,” page 47).

ENCOUNTER SETTINGSENCOUNTER SETTINGS

BRIAN HAGAN

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No D&D game consists of endless combat.

You need other challenges to spice up and add vari-

ety to adventures. Sometimes these challenges are

combined with combat encounters, making for really

interesting and strategic situations. Other times, an

encounter completely revolves around character skills

and social interactions. This chapter is your guide to

running and creating encounters that feature skill

challenges, puzzles, traps, and hazards.

This chapter includes the following sections.

✦Skill Challenges: When characters make

skill checks in response to a series of changing

conditions, with success or failure being uncertain,

they’re in a skill challenge. Scouring the jungle for

a hidden temple or persuading the duke to send

aid to defend the pass might both be skill challenge

encounters, relying heavily on very different skills.

Learn to run skill challenges, creating your own

according to the guidelines presented here, and

see how to combine skill challenges with combat

encounters to create truly memorable situations.

✦Puzzles: Some D&D adventures feature puzzles.

Some DMs believe puzzles should test the

characters, and see puzzles as a form of skill

challenge. Others see puzzles as a challenge for

the players, and welcome the variety and hands-on

nature of puzzles that they can solve personally or

as a group. Use puzzles as either sort of challenge

in your game.

✦Traps and Hazards: Traps and hazards are

inanimate threats to life, limb, mind, or spirit. They

fill roles similar to monsters in encounters or stand

as encounters on their own. Learn how to use traps

and hazards, and select from numerous examples

to use or modify for your adventures.

CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

CHAPTER 5

Noncombat EncountersNoncombat Encounters

DAN SCOTT

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Noncombat Encounters

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

An audience with the duke, a mysterious set of sigils

in a hidden chamber, finding your way through the

Forest of Neverlight—all of these present challenges

that test both the characters and the people who play

them. The difference between a combat challenge and

a skill challenge isn’t the presence or absence of physi-

cal risk, nor the presence or absence of attack rolls and

damage rolls and power use. The difference is in how

the encounter treats PC actions.

Skill challenges can account for all the action in

a particular encounter, or they can be used as part

of a combat encounter to add variety and a sense of

urgency to the proceedings.

The Basics

To deal with a skill challenge, the player characters

make skill checks to accumulate a number of success-

ful skill uses before they rack up too many failures and

end the encounter.

Example: The PCs seek a temple in dense jungle.

Achieving six successes means they find their way.

Accruing three failures before achieving the successes,

however, indicates that they get themselves hopelessly

lost in the wilderness.

Designing

Skill Challenges

More so than perhaps any other kind of encounter, a

skill challenge is defined by its context in an adven-

ture. Adventurers can fight a group of five foulspawn

in just about any 8th- to 10th-level adventure, but a

skill challenge that requires the PCs to unmask the

doppelganger in the baron’s court is directly related to

the particular adventure and campaign it’s set in.

Follow these steps to design skill challenges for your

adventures.

Step 1: Goal and Context

What’s the goal of the challenge? Where does the

challenge take place? Who is involved in this chal-

lenge? Is it a stand-alone skill challenge or a skill

challenge as part of a combat encounter?

Define the goal of the challenge and what obstacles

the characters face to accomplish that goal. The goal

has everything to do with the overall story of the

adventure. Success at the challenge should be impor-

tant to the adventure, but not essential. You don’t want

a series of bad skill checks to bring the adventure to a

grinding halt. At worst, failure at the challenge should

send the characters on a long detour, thereby creating

a new and interesting part of the adventure.

Give as much attention to the setting of the skill

challenge as you do to the setting of the rest of the

adventure. You might not need a detailed map full of

interesting terrain for a skill challenge, but an interest-

ing setting helps set the tone for the encounter.

If the challenge involves any kind of interaction

with nonplayer characters or monsters, detail those

characters as well. In a complex social encounter, have

a clear picture of the motivations, goals, and interests

of the NPCs involved so you can tie them to character

skill checks.

A skill challenge can serve as an encounter in and

of itself, or it can be combined with monsters as part of

a combat encounter.

Step 2: Level and Complexity

What level is the challenge? What is the challenge’s

complexity?

Choose a grade of complexity, from 1 to 5 (1 being

simple, 5 being complex).

SKILL CHALLENGE COMPLEXITY

Complexity Successes Failures

1 4 2

2 6 3

3 8 4

4 10 5

5 12 6

Level and complexity determine how hard the chal-

lenge is for your characters to overcome. The skill

challenge’s level determines the DC of the skill checks

involved, while the grade of complexity determines

how many successes the characters need to overcome

the challenge, and how many failures end the chal-

lenge. The more complex a challenge, the more skill

checks are required, and the greater number of suc-

cesses needed to overcome it.

Set the complexity based on how significant you

want the challenge to be. If you expect it to carry

the same weight as a combat encounter, a complex-

ity of 5 makes sense. A challenge of that complexity

takes somewhere between 12 and 18 total checks to

complete, and the characters should earn as much

SKILL CHALLENGESSKILL CHALLENGES

IS THIS A CHALLENGE?

It’s not a skill challenge every time you call for a skill check.

When an obstacle takes only one roll to resolve, it’s not a

challenge. One Diplomacy check to haggle with the mer-

chant, one Athletics check to climb out of the pit trap, one

Religion check to figure out whose sacred tome contains

the parable—none of these constitutes a skill challenge.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

experience for succeeding as they would for a combat

encounter of the same level (it’s the same as taking on

five monsters of the challenge’s level). For quicker, less

significant challenges, or for challenges that work as

part of a combat encounter, set the complexity lower.

(Figure that each complexity is the equivalent of that

number of monsters of the challenge’s level.)

Set a level for the challenge and DCs for the checks

involved. As a starting point, set the level of the chal-

lenge to the level of the party, and use moderate

DCs for the skill checks (see the Difficulty Class and

Damage by Level table on page 42).

If you use easy DCs, reduce the level of the chal-

lenge by one. If you use hard DCs, increase the level

of the challenge by two. You can also adjust the level

of the challenge by reducing the number of failures

needed to end the challenge. Cut the number of

failures needed in half, and increase the level of the

challenge by two. (You can also mix DCs in the same

challenge, as described on page 74.)

Example: A complexity 3 challenge using hard

DCs and cutting the number of failures needed in half

increases this skill challenge’s level by four.

Step 3: Skills

What skills naturally contribute to the solution of the

challenge? How do characters use these skills in the

challenge?

Certain skills lead to the natural solutions to the

problem the challenge presents. These should serve as

the primary skills in the challenge. Give some thought

to which skills you select here, keeping in mind the

goal of involving all the players in the action. You

know what skills your player characters are good at, so

make sure to include some chances for every character

to shine. In general, it’s a good idea to include a mix of

interaction skills (Bluff, Diplomacy), knowledge-based

skills (Arcana, Nature), and physical skills (Athletics,

Acrobatics) in the challenge, either as primary or as

secondary skills. These general sorts of skills play to

the strengths of most characters.

Start with a list of the challenge’s primary skills,

then give some thought to what a character might

do when using that skill. You don’t need to make an

exhaustive list, but try to define categories of actions

the characters might take. Sometimes characters

might decide to do exactly what you anticipate, but

often you need to take what a player wants to do and

find the closest match to the actions you’ve outlined.

When a player’s turn comes up in a skill challenge,

let that player’s character use any skill the player

wants. As long as the player or you can come up with

a way to let this secondary skill play a part in the chal-

lenge, go for it. If a player wants to use a skill you didn’t

identify as a primary skill in the challenge, however,

then the DC for using that secondary skill is hard. The

use of the skill might win the day in unexpected ways,

but the risk is greater as well. In addition, a secondary

skill can never be used by a single character more than

once in a challenge.

Always keep in mind that players can and will

come up with ways to use skills you do not expect. Stay

on your toes, and let whatever improvised skill uses

they come up with guide the rewards and penalties

you apply afterward. Remember that not everything

has to be directly tied to the challenge. Tangential or

unrelated benefits, such as making unexpected allies

from among the duke’s court or finding a small, forgot-

ten treasure, can also be fun.

SKILL CHALLENGESSKILL CHALLENGES

EVA WIDERMANN

ADDING A SKILL CHALLENGE

TO A COMBAT ENCOUNTER

You can also add a skill challenge to a combat encounter,

using it as you would a monster to determine the correct

challenge level. For example, combine three standard

7th-level monsters with a 7th-level trap with a complex-

ity of 2 and you have a 7th-level combat encounter. While

some of the party deals with the monsters, the rest try to

overcome the trap with skill checks before the walls crash

together and kill everyone in the chamber.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Step 4: Other Conditions

What other conditions might apply to the challenge?

Do the ogre mercenaries demand payment every

10 minutes they allow you to talk to them? Or is there

an energy-draining field in the Labyrinth of Shadows

that applies increasing penalties over the length of

the characters’ intrusion? These other conditions can

impose a sense of urgency on a skill challenge or com-

prise part of the penalty for failing at the challenge.

If you put a monetary cost on the challenge (as in the

example of the ogre mercenaries), try to make up that

cost in treasure if the characters succeed at the chal-

lenge. If they fail, the cost is part of the penalty they pay.

It’s also a good idea to think about other options

the characters might exercise and how these might

influence the course of the challenge. Characters

might have access to utility powers or rituals that can

help them. These might allow special uses of skills,

perhaps with a bonus. Rituals in particular might

grant an automatic success or remove failures from

the running total.

Step 5: Consequences

What happens if the characters successfully complete

the challenge? What happens if they fail?

When the skill challenge ends, reward the charac-

ters for their success (with challenge-specific rewards,

as well as experience points) or assess penalties for

their failure.

A skill challenge’s complexity, combined with

its level, defines its value in experience points. A

skill challenge is worth the same XP as a number of

monsters of its level equal to its complexity. Thus, a

7th-level challenge with a complexity of 1 is worth

300 XP (the same as one 7th-level monster), while a

7th-level challenge with a complexity of 5 is worth

1,500 XP—the same as a 7th-level combat encounter.

You can also decide to allocate some of the adven-

ture’s treasure to the challenge.

Beyond those fundamental rewards, the characters’

success should have a significant impact on the story

of the adventure. Additional rewards might include

information, clues, and favors, as well as simply

moving the adventure forward.

If the characters fail the challenge, the story still

has to move forward, but in a different direction and

possibly by a longer, more dangerous route. You can

think of it like a room in a dungeon. If the characters

can’t defeat the dragon in that room, they don’t get the

experience for killing it or the treasure it guards, and

they can’t go through the door on the opposite side of

the room. They might still be able to get to the cham-

ber behind the door, but by taking a different and

more arduous path. In the same way, failure in a skill

challenge should send the characters down a different

route in the adventure, but not derail them entirely.

In addition, failing a skill challenge might make

some future encounters more difficult. The angry

baron might throw more obstacles in the characters’

path or, alerted to their plans, increase his defenses.

Running a Skill

Challenge

Begin by describing the situation and defining the

challenge. Running the challenge itself is not all that

different from running a combat encounter (see Chap-

ter 3). You describe the environment, listen to the

players’ responses, let them make their skill checks,

and narrate the results. The skill challenge description

outlines the skills that are useful for the challenge and

the results of using them.

Roll initiative to establish an order of play for the

skill challenge. If the skill challenge is part of a combat

encounter, work the challenge into the order just as

you do the monsters.

In a skill challenge encounter, every player charac-

ter must make skill checks to contribute to the success

or failure of the encounter. Characters must make a

check on their turn using one of the identified primary

skills (usually with a moderate DC) or they must use

a different skill, if they can come up with a way to

use it to contribute to the challenge (with a hard DC).

A secondary skill can be used only once by a single

character in any given skill challenge. They can also

decide, if appropriate, to cooperate with another char-

acter (see “Group Skill Checks,” below).

Sometimes, a player tells you, “I want to make a

Diplomacy check to convince the duke that helping us

is in his best interest.” That’s great—the player has told

you what she’s doing and what skill she’s using to do it.

Other times, a player will say, “I want to make a Diplo-

macy check.” In such a case, prompt the player to give

more information about how the character is using

that skill. Sometimes, characters do the opposite: “I

want to scare the duke into helping us.” It’s up to you,

then, to decide which skill the character is using and

call for the appropriate check.

You can also make use of the “DM’s best friend”

rule to reward particularly creative uses of skills (or

penalize the opposite) by giving a character a +2 bonus

or –2 penalty to the check. Then, depending on the

OPPOSED CHECKS

For speed and simplicity, skill challenges use only flat

DCs to oppose the PCs’ skill checks. Opposing them with

skill check results builds too much randomness into the

system.

If you want to include opponents’ checks in your skill

challenges, use their passive checks (10 + base skill check

bonus). Insight and Perception are the skills most often

used in this way.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

success or failure of the check, describe the conse-

quences, and go on to the next action.

Group Skill Checks

Sometimes a skill challenge calls for a group skill

check. When the party is climbing a cliff, everyone

needs to roll an Athletics check to climb. In this

case, allow one character to be the lead climber. This

character makes the actual check to gain a success or

failure. The others make checks to help the lead char-

acter, in effect aiding that character, but their checks

provide neither a success nor a failure toward resolv-

ing the challenge. Each ally that gets a result of 10

or higher provides a +2 bonus to the lead character’s

check (to a maximum bonus of +8).

Informing the Players

In a combat encounter, the players already know a

great deal about how to overcome the challenge. They

know that the monsters possess defenses and hit

points, and that everyone acts in initiative order. Fur-

thermore, they know exactly what happens when their

own attacks hit—and after a few rounds, they have a

good sense of the likelihood of their attacks hitting.

But a skill challenge is a different story. When the

PCs are delving through the Underdark in search

of the ruined dwarven fortress of Gozar-Duun, they

don’t necessarily know how the game adjudicates that

search. They don’t know what earns successes, to put it

in game terms, until you tell them.

You can’t start a skill challenge until the PCs know

their role in it, and that means giving them a couple

of skills to start with. It might be as simple as saying,

“You’ll use Athletics checks to scale the cliffs, but be

aware that a failed check might dislodge some rocks

on those climbing below you.” If the PCs are trying to

sneak into the wizard’s college, tell the players, “Your

magical disguises, the Bluff skill, and knowledge of the

academic aspects of magic—Arcana, in other words—

will be key in this challenge.”

Multiple Skills Engage

Multiple Players

Engage multiple PCs by making a spread of skills rel-

evant. It makes some sense for one character trained

in Diplomacy to do all the talking, but it’s no more fun

than one character doing all the fighting. Instead, mul-

tiple skills are relevant in every skill challenge, just as

a wizard and a rogue are both important in combat. In

a skill challenge, every character has something to do,

so no player is bored. Whether it’s the use of a primary

or secondary skill, or whether a character is cooper-

ating to help another character make a check, every

character participates in a skill challenge.

As always, give the players the information they

need to make smart choices. Make it clear what skills

are useful in a challenge. The players don’t have to

know every skill that can earn them successes at the

start, but they must know some. And make sure to

tell them when a check result provides a success or

a failure—if the players don’t know if they’re doing

well or not, they don’t know how to proceed. You can’t

engage players if they don’t know how to interact with

the challenge.

Reward Clever Ideas

Thinking players are engaged players. In skill chal-

lenges, players will come up with uses for skills that

you didn’t expect to play a role. Try not to say no.

Instead, let them make a roll using the skill but at a

hard DC, or make the skill good for only one success.

This encourages players to think about the challenge

in more depth and engages more players by making

more skills useful.

However, it’s particularly important to make sure

these checks are grounded in actions that make sense

in the adventure and the situation. If a player asks,

“Can I use Diplomacy?” you should ask what exactly

the character might be doing to help the party survive

in the uninhabited sandy wastes by using that skill.

Don’t say no too often, but don’t say yes if it doesn’t

make sense in the context of the challenge.

Example: The cleric wants to know if his Religion

skill can give him some idea where the cultists would

build their temple. If he beats a hard DC, he’s sure

that the cultists would build their temple near a river.

The fighter wants to climb a tree with Athletics to get

a good vantage point on the surrounding forest, think-

ing that gaps in the trees might indicate the presence

of a river. That’s an easy DC check. Once these char-

acters use the skills in that way, though, they can’t use

them again—Religion and Athletics, in this case, are

good for only one success in this particular challenge.

SKILL CHALLENGESSKILL CHALLENGES

INTERRUPTING A SKILL

CHALLENGE

Most of the time, skill challenges are completed in rela-

tively short order. For skill challenges on a long time scale,

however, break the action as necessary. Just keep track

of successes and failures. For example, a skill challenge

could be set up that calls for checks once per hour, once

per day, or once per week or longer. Sometimes success

or failure in the encounters between checks can earn one

or more successes and failures in the larger skill challenge.

When assassins strike in the middle of a negotiation, for

example, fighting them off might impress the duke and

earn a success or two that counts toward completing the

skill challenge.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Skill Checks

Skill challenges require the players to make rolls at

specific times. Call for these checks according to the

pace of the narrative and the nature of the challenge.

This might be each round on their turns, during each

short or extended rest, or some other time frame as

determined by the challenge in question.

Skill checks usually count as successes or failures

for the challenge, but sometimes a specific use of a cer-

tain skill in a challenge just provides a minor benefit

or penalty.

Examples: When forging a trail through the jungle,

every character has to make an Endurance check after

each extended rest to stay healthy. Characters who fail

lose one healing surge until the challenge ends, but

the party doesn’t accrue any failures for these checks.

In the middle of tense negotiations with the duke,

the castellan might interrupt to challenge the PCs on

a point of etiquette. Success on a Diplomacy check

doesn’t count as a success toward the challenge total,

but it could provide a bonus to the next check in inter-

acting with the duke, or win a small favor from the

castellan.

Encounters Have Consequences

Skill challenges have consequences, positive and

negative, just as combat encounters do. When the

characters overcome a skill challenge, they earn the

same rewards as when they slay monsters in combat—

experience and perhaps treasure. The consequences of

total defeat are often obvious: no XP and no treasure.

Success or failure in a skill challenge also influ-

ences the course of the adventure—the characters

locate the temple and begin infiltrating it, or they get

lost and must seek help. In either case, however, the

adventure continues. With success, this is no problem,

but don’t fall into the trap of making progress depen-

dent on success in a skill challenge. Failure introduces

complications rather than ending the adventure. If the

characters get lost in the jungle, that leads to further

challenges, not the end of the adventure.

Sample Skill Challenges

Use the following skill challenge templates as the basis

for skill challenges you design for your adventures. The

level and complexity values are suggestions only; adjust

as necessary to meet the needs of your adventure.

The Negotiation

The duke sits at the head of his banquet table. Gesturing

with a wine glass, he bids you to sit. “I’m told you have news

from the borderlands.”

This skill challenge covers attempts to gain a favor or

assistance from a local leader or other authority figure.

The challenge might take only as long as a normal

conversation, or it could stretch on for days as the char-

acters perform tasks to earn the NPC’s favor.

Setup: For the NPC to provide assistance, the PCs

need to convince him or her of their trustworthiness

and that their cause helps the NPC in some way.

Level: Equal to the level of the party.

Complexity: 3 (requires 8 successes before 4

failures).

Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Insight.

Bluff (moderate DCs): You try to encourage the NPC

to aid your quest using false pretenses. Characters can

cooperate to aid a lead character using this skill.

Diplomacy (moderate DCs): You entreat the NPC for

aid in your quest. First success with this skill opens

up the use of the History skill (the NPC mentions an

event from the past that has significance to him).

Insight (moderate DCs): You empathize with the

NPC and use that knowledge to encourage assistance.

First success with this skill reveals that any use of the

Intimidate skill earns a failure.

History (easy DC): You make an insightful remark

about the significant event from the NPC’s past. This

is available only after one character has gained a suc-

cess using the Diplomacy skill, and it can be used only

once in this way during the challenge.

Intimidate: The NPC refuses to be intimidated by

the PCs. Each use of this skill earns a failure.

Success: The NPC agrees to provide reason-

able assistance to the characters. This could include

treasure.

Failure: The characters are forced to act without

the NPC’s assistance. They encounter more trouble,

which may be sent by the NPC out of anger or

antagonism.

Example in Play

The initiative order for this skill challenge is as follows:

Jarret (20), Kathra (17), Elias (12), Baredd (8), and

Uldar (3). The Duke (played by the DM) doesn’t make

skill checks, but does respond appropriately to each

character’s check in a round.

WHY HEALING SURGES?

Sometimes the penalty for failing a skill check is the cost of

a healing surge. That can mean that a grueling trek across

hostile terrain is sapping the characters’ overall vitality, in

which case the healing surges don’t return until the group

gets back to a more hospitable environment. Other times,

the cost of a healing surge is just a shorthand method for

taking damage. A character injures himself, but he’s not

in combat, so he can spend a healing surge to restore the

lost hit points. If the encounter shifts quickly into combat

with no time for a short rest in between, you can give out

actual hit point damage instead.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Round 1

Jarret: I’m going to try to handle this with diplo-

macy. My good Duke, if you grant our petition for aid,

it will not only help us complete our quest, but it will

also secure your duchy from the ravages of the goblin

horde for a season or more. Surely you can see the

sense of that. (Makes a Diplomacy skill check and gets a

success.)

Duke: Hmm, well said. I do remember the Battle

of Cantle Hill. Nasty business. (The DM informs the

players that the History skill can now be used to aid in this

challenge.)

Kathra: I’m trained in History! I make a History

check to see what I know about that battle. (Makes a

History check and gets a success.)

DM: You know that the Duke fought in the Battle of

Cantle Hill before he rose to his current station. It was

a terrible battle between the people of the duchy and

a horde of goblins from the nearby mountains. The

duchy barely won the day, thanks in large part to the

actions of the Duke.

Kathra: Well, then I tell the Duke that I remember

the tale of that battle well, and how he bravely fought

off the goblins to save the duchy. Help us today, and

such a battle won’t have to be repeated!

Duke: I’m listening. Continue. (The DM says that

Kathra’s response is worth a +2 bonus to Elias’s check.)

Elias: I get a +2 bonus? Great! I’m going to use it to

help our cause with a well-placed bluff. Duke, I know

for a fact that the goblin leader is raising an army

even as we speak. If we don’t enter the mountain and

disrupt that army, the goblins will overrun the duchy

before the next moon rises! (Makes a Bluff check with a

+2 bonus and gets a success.)

Duke: An army? I won’t sit by and let history repeat

itself. Still, you are asking for a lot. . . .

Baredd: Enough of this talking! It’s time for action!

I try to intimidate the Duke into helping us. Look,

Duke, the goblins are the least of your worries. Agree

to our demands, or we might have to take what we

want. (Makes an Intimidate check, unaware that such an

action is an automatic failure.)

Duke: How dare you! I will not be threatened by

the likes of you!

Uldar: Okay, calm down, everyone. We’re all

friends here. I empathize with your desire to protect

your people, Duke, and I assure you that we want to

accomplish the same thing. But to do that, we really

need your assistance. (Makes an Insight check and gets a

success.)

Duke: Yes, well, I do not respond well to threats

and intimidation. (The DM explains as an aside that such

attempts always gain a failure.) Still, as long as we under-

stand each other, let’s continue.

At the end of the round, the PCs have achieved 4 suc-

cesses and 1 failure. The skill challenge continues.

SKILL CHALLENGESSKILL CHALLENGES

HOWARD LYON

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

The Dead Witness

Bones creak as the corpse shudders and inhales. In a breathy

whisper, it asks, “Who disturbs my eternal slumber and

risks my wrath? Leave me be or suffer the consequences.”

After invoking the Speak with Dead ritual, the char-

acters must convince a reluctant corpse to give up its

knowledge. It refuses to be compelled by the power of

the ritual—at least not without a little persuasion. This

takes the form of a conversation that typically lasts 10

minutes or so. If the PCs are successful, the corpse

answers the questions placed before it as usual, even

going so far as to answer an extra question. If the PCs

fail in this challenge, the corpse remains silent and its

anger lingers to make the next encounter with undead

more challenging than it would have otherwise have

been.

With appropriate changes, you could also use this

challenge for other rituals used to gain knowledge or

information.

Setup: To learn what the corpse knows, the PCs

must give it a reason to help.

Level: Equal to the level of the party.

Complexity: 2 (requires 6 successes before 3

failures).

Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, History, Insight.

Bluff (moderate DCs): You falsely suggest that you

share a connection with the corpse, whether it be

family, religion, purpose, or the like. If the corpse

catches the PC in a lie (the check fails), you can allow

it to tell a lie as one of its answers.

Diplomacy (moderate DCs): You explain why you

need the information, truthfully detailing the needs of

your quest.

History (moderate DCs): You bring up events that

relate to the corpse’s past life, or you disclose what

happened after its death to make it feel more at ease

talking to you.

Insight (moderate DCs): You try to connect with the

corpse on an emotional level to make it more open to

answering your questions. First success with this skill

opens up the use of the Religion skill (the corpse men-

tions that it never received last rites before it died).

Religion (easy DC): You perform the death rites

appropriate to the corpse’s faith. This is available only

after one character has gained a success using the

Insight skill, and it can be used only once in this way

during the challenge.

Success: The corpse answers one additional ques-

tion (in addition to the number of questions provided

by the ritual) before time runs out.

Failure: The corpse answers no questions. Further,

the ill will generated by the reluctant corpse makes

the next encounter the PCs have with undead mon-

sters more difficult (increase the level of the monsters

by one or two).

Urban Chase

Merchants scream and shoppers yell as your quarry shoves

her way through the market. You’re not exactly sure what’s

at stake yet, but you know you have to move faster than she

is and catch up to her before she gets away.

The PCs are hot on the heels of the only woman who

can tell them what they need to know. Or the PCs try

to escape as their enemies chase after them. A typical

chase plays out in rounds, but it could take from min-

utes to hours in the game world.

Setup: To catch up with or to escape from the

NPCs, you have to navigate the cityscape faster and

smarter than your opponent.

Level: Equal to the level of the party.

Complexity: 5 (requires 12 successes before 6

failures).

Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception,

Streetwise.

Acrobatics (moderate DCs): You dodge past an obsta-

cle, vault over a crowd, or cross a narrow passage to

close or lengthen the distance between you and your

opponent. A failed check indicates that you take a spill

and lose one healing surge, in addition to counting as a

failure for the challenge.

Athletics (moderate DCs): You run fast, scale a wall,

leap a fence, or swim across a canal to gain an advan-

tage in the chase. A failed check indicates that you get

banged up and lose one healing surge, in addition to

counting as a failure for the challenge.

Perception (easy DCs): You spot a shortcut, notice a

hiding space, or otherwise aid your cause. Using this

skill doesn’t count as a success or failure for the chal-

lenge, but instead provides a +2 bonus or a –2 penalty

to the next character’s skill check.

Streetwise (hard DCs): You know enough about the

layout of urban settlements to use the environment to

your best advantage during a chase.

Success: If the PCs are chasing a quarry, they catch

up to their quarry (who might be carrying a monetary

reward); this could lead directly to a combat encoun-

ter. If the PCs are being chased, they evade pursuit

or lead their pursuers into an ambush (which leads

directly to a combat encounter).

Failure: The PCs lose sight of their quarry and

have to work harder to find her later. She might take

refuge in a den of thieves before they catch her, forc-

ing them to deal with cutthroats or a crime boss to get

back on the track of the adventure. If the PCs were

being chased, their pursuers catch up with them, and

a combat encounter starts immediately.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

The Interrogation

The orc captive snarls at you, hatred gleaming in his eyes.

In this skill challenge, the PCs try to extract infor-

mation from a prisoner. An interrogation can take

minutes or hours, sometimes even days.

Setup: To convince an NPC to give you the infor-

mation you want, you need to strike a deal or break the

NPC’s will to resist your persistent questions.

Level: Equal to the level of the party.

Complexity: 1 (requires 4 successes before 2

failures).

Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate.

Bluff (moderate DCs): You try to trick the NPC into

revealing a vital piece of information. A failure closes

off this approach and increases the DCs of other

checks to hard for the duration of the challenge.

Diplomacy (moderate DCs): You try to reason with

or bargain with the NPC, offering something in good

faith for the information you require. At the end of the

challenge, if three or more successes came from this

approach, you must do everything in your power to

hold up your end of the bargain.

Intimidate (moderate DCs): You threaten the NPC.

A failure closes off this approach and increases the

DCs of other checks to hard for the duration of the

challenge.

Success: The PCs learn valuable information from

the NPC, and he might agree to spy for them or other-

wise give more information in the future.

Failure: The NPC refuses to give any useful

information, or gives information that is incorrect or

dangerously inaccurate. The PCs might walk into an

ambush, or give the wrong code phrase, or otherwise

run into trouble due to the false information they

received.

Lost in the Wilderness

After running for two hours, you are finally able to lose the

pursuing orcs. Unfortunately, you now have no idea where

you are.

The PCs try to survive long enough to find their way

out of an unfamiliar wilderness. Checks in this chal-

lenge might occur once per hour or once per day of

travel through the strange region.

Setup: You must use your knowledge of the wilder-

ness to survive long enough to find your way back to a

familiar area or to a settlement of some sort.

Level: Equal to the level of the party.

Complexity: 2 (requires 6 successes before 3

failures).

Primary Skills: Endurance, Nature, Perception.

Endurance (moderate DCs): At least two characters

in the party must make Endurance checks each turn

to resist the debilitating effects of wandering in the

wilderness and dealing with exposure to the elements.

A failed check indicates that all members of the party

lose one healing surge, in addition to counting as a fail-

ure for the challenge.

Nature (moderate DCs): At least one character in the

party must make a Nature check each turn to help the

group find its way through the wilderness, avoid natu-

ral hazards, and forage sufficient food and water for

the period in question. A failed check indicates that all

members of the party lose one healing surge, in addi-

tion to counting as a failure for the challenge. If the

party is traveling through the Underdark, replace

Nature checks with Dungeoneering checks.

Perception (easy DCs): You notice something that

helps you better survive the trek. Using this skill

doesn’t count as a success or failure for the challenge,

but instead provides a +2 bonus or –2 penalty to the

next character’s Endurance or Nature check.

Success: The PCs emerge from the wilderness

near a friendly settlement, onto a familiar road, or are

otherwise back on track and out of imminent danger.

Failure: The PCs stumble into a monster’s lair. This

leads to a combat encounter at their level + 2. After

dealing with the monster lair, they must complete

another “Lost in the Wilderness” skill challenge to

find their way back to familiar environments or other-

wise get back on track for the adventure.

SKILL CHALLENGESSKILL CHALLENGES

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Discovering Secret Lore

Your knowledge has failed you. Time to research the answer

to the mystery before you.

In this skill challenge, PCs try to learn more about

a clue they’ve discovered during their adventures. It

involves research in local libraries and attempts to

gather information from sages and other scholars. The

challenge might take a matter of minutes, hours, or

even days for particularly complex or obscure clues.

Setup: To find the information they need, the PCs

must search libraries and consult with loremasters.

Level: Equal to the level of the party.

Complexity: 3 (requires 8 successes before 4

failures).

Primary Skills: Arcana, Diplomacy, Religion.

Arcana (moderate DCs): You visit libraries and sift

through vast stacks of lore in search of a useful clue.

Success brings the research one step closer to fruition.

Failure indicates that this particular line of research

ran into a dead end.

Diplomacy (moderate DCs): You visit a sage or scholar,

hoping to curry favor and learn a useful bit of informa-

tion that will bring you one step closer to discovering

the secret lore. This approach requires a character to

spend gold pieces equal to the level of the challenge

× 100. You pay the cost, whether the check results in

a success or a failure. A success provides a +2 bonus

to the next Arcana check or Religion check, as well as

counting as a success for completing the challenge. A

failure likewise provides a –2 penalty, as well as count-

ing toward the completion of the challenge.

Religion (moderate DCs): You delve into religious lore

or seek omens and the counsel of priests to further

your research. Success brings the research one step

closer to fruition. Failure indicates that this particular

line of research ran into a dead end.

Success: The PCs solve the riddle or otherwise gain

the information they need.

Failure: The PCs uncover flawed or incomplete

information. As they proceed forward, they operate at

a disadvantage. Perhaps they find the wrong answer

to a riddle, causing a trap to detonate or cutting off the

aid they could have gotten from a magic item or ritual.

Or they might translate the lore incorrectly, leading to

all kinds of mistakes and misadventures as they other-

wise work to complete their quest.

Combat Encounter

As the monsters attack, you notice that the chamber is also

filling with a deadly green gas.

This is an example of a combat encounter that includes

a skill challenge. While some of the PCs deal with the

attacking monsters, others work to disable or destroy

the trap before it can overcome the adventurers.

Skill uses in combat are usually standard actions, as

described in the Player’s Handbook.

Setup: To successfully complete this encounter, the

PCs must defeat the monsters and overcome the chal-

lenge of the trap.

Level: Equal to the level of the party.

Complexity: 2 (requires 6 successes before 3 fail-

ures). Includes three monsters of the same level as the

party.

Primary Skills: Arcana, Endurance, Perception,

Thievery.

Arcana (hard DCs): You call upon your knowledge of

magical effects to study the trap and determine some

method to help defeat it.

Endurance (moderate DCs): Every character in the

party must make an Endurance check each turn as a

free action to resist the debilitating effects of the trap.

Using this skill doesn’t count as a success or failure for

the challenge, but a success provides a +2 bonus to the

character’s defenses for the next attack the trap makes,

and a failed check indicates that the character takes a

–2 penalty for the next attack the trap makes.

Perception (easy DCs): You try to notice something to

help overcome the trap. Using this skill doesn’t count

as a success or failure for the challenge, but instead

provides a +2 bonus or –2 penalty to the next charac-

ter’s Thievery check.

Thievery (moderate DCs): (A character must first

make a successful Perception check to find the mecha-

nism to disable the trap.) You work to disable the trap.

Success: If a PC gains 6 successes before attaining

3 failures, he or she disables the trap. It no longer dam-

ages the party.

Failure: If a PC attains 3 failures before gaining

6 successes, the trap completes its cycle. This could

mean that it explodes and does considerably more

damage, or that it reaches its fully functional state and

becomes more deadly (increasing its attack bonus and

damage) for the rest of the encounter.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

PUZZLES

Puzzles in a D&D game present a unique form of chal-

lenge, one that tests the capabilities of the players at

the table instead of their characters. Combat is a tacti-

cal challenge for the players, and many traps and skill

challenges present puzzlelike elements, but they also

involve plenty of die rolling to represent the charac-

ters’ abilities. A puzzle, generally speaking, does not.

Furthermore, puzzles present a challenge to players

that’s usually independent of their experience with the

game. Experienced players have an edge in combat or

skill challenges because of their familiarity with the

rules and situations of the game. Unless a puzzle relies

on game knowledge, it’s just as accessible to someone

who has never played D&D before as it is to the hard-

ened veteran. That makes a puzzle a great challenge

to throw in front of a group that includes both experi-

enced and new players—as long as you know that the

new players have some interest in and facility with

puzzles. It gives the new players a chance to join in the

game on an equal footing.

The basic nature of puzzles—that they rely on player

ability—is the reason that some people love puzzles in

the game and some people dislike them. Players who

enjoy puzzles and are reasonably good at solving them

generally like running into them in the course of an

adventure. Players who don’t like puzzles, or who balk

at the idea that a 25th-level wizard with a 26 Intelli-

gence can’t solve a simple number square, find puzzles

an intrusion into the game. Looking at the motivations

of your players (see Chapter 1), you’ll find that puzzles

engage some explorers and many thinkers, and they

can grab a surprising number of watchers, but instiga-

tors, power gamers, and slayers quickly get impatient

with them. If your group consists mostly of the latter

types of players, it’s best to steer away from puzzles.

As with all types of challenges, don’t overuse puz-

zles. A dungeon that is nothing but one puzzle after

another can be fun for a little while, but before long

the players will start wondering whether they’re play-

ing D&D or just working through a book of puzzles.

Watch your players for signs of boredom or frustra-

tion, and head them off with hints or even a combat

encounter sprung on the characters to interrupt their

work on the puzzle.

Is a Puzzle an Encounter?

Although this discussion of puzzles appears in a chap-

ter about noncombat encounters, a puzzle isn’t always

an encounter. An encounter, by definition, involves a

meaningful risk of failure. It’s possible for a puzzle to

fit that definition, particularly if it’s paired with a trap

or if it involves an encounter with a monster such as a

sphinx. Other puzzles, though, aren’t encounters. They

might be obstacles in the characters’ path, but ones

they can find other ways around. As a rule of thumb,

you can treat a puzzle as an encounter if there’s a

definite time limit to solving it, particularly if there’s

physical or other serious risk to failing to solve the

puzzle in that time. Otherwise, it’s not an encounter.

Using Puzzles

A puzzle can be an intriguing way to start an adven-

ture: The earl is kidnapped, and a cryptogram is found

in his bedchamber. A cryptic prophecy leads the

characters to seek—or prevent—its fulfillment. A map

makes no sense until the characters read it in a mirror,

and then it leads them to the dungeon. A sphinx has

taken up residence in a mountain pass and won’t let

anyone through unless they can answer a riddle—and

so far, no one has.

More commonly, puzzles can serve exactly the

same role as other obstacles and challenges in the

game, including monsters, hazards, and physical bar-

riers—they stand between the characters and their

goal, forcing the characters to solve them or find a

way around them. The treasure chest won’t open until

the characters place the colored stones in the correct

spaces on the grid, following a simple rule: Each row,

each column, and each subsection of the grid must

contain exactly one of each color of stone. The door

to the ancient shrine can be opened only by saying

nine prayers to the god the shrine was dedicated to,

whose name is concealed in a puzzle. The minotaurs

have trapped their captives in the heart of a sprawling

labyrinth.

Some puzzles conceal a message that’s important

for the characters to learn, anything from “The baron

is a mind flayer” to “The third door holds no trap.”

Word puzzles work well for concealed messages,

particularly cryptograms, word searches (the leftover

letters spell the message), and quotation puzzles.

Other puzzles are a matter of the players figuring

something out in the context of the adventure. Given

a limited set of facts about the three sons of Emperor

Darvan the Mad and the three crypts beneath the

ruined imperial palace, the characters need to

determine which son is buried in the Crypt of the

Disgraced—a complex logic puzzle.

THE “GET A CLUE” CHECK

One way to appease the frustrated player who thinks his

high-Intelligence character should be able to solve puzzles

he can’t is to allow the player to roll Intelligence checks

or various skill checks to help solve the puzzle. With a

successful check (use the Difficulty Class and Damage by

Level table, page 42, leaning toward the hard DCs), give the

player a hint—a small part of the puzzle, one right move, or

a clue toward a new way of thinking about the puzzle.

PUZZLESPUZZLES

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Types of Puzzles

Riddles are a form of puzzle with an illustrious

history going back to the Greek legends of the sphinx,

not to mention The Hobbit. That classic form of the

“What am I?” riddle basically consists of a series of

clues couched in intentionally obscure language. Solv-

ing such a riddle is a matter of understanding the less

obvious meaning of the riddle’s words. For example:

In daytime I lie pooled about,

At night I cloak like mist.

I creep inside shut boxes and

Inside your tightened fist.

You see me best when you can’t see,

For I do not exist.

Apparent paradoxes, plays on words, and metaphor

conceal the riddle’s answer: darkness.

Cryptograms are written word puzzles in which

the letters are replaced with other letters or symbols.

An easy cryptogram uses a pattern of substitution,

such as using the next letter of the alphabet (use B for

A, C for B, and so on). Harder ones use no pattern,

matching letters more or less at random. Instead of let-

ters, you can use runes or other symbols to spell out a

message.

Word searches are grids of letters that conceal

words written horizontally, vertically, or diagonally

across the grid, forward or backward. You can give the

players a list of words to find, or use tightly themed

words (the names of gemstones, for example) and force

the players to find all the words themselves. Word

searches can conceal a message either by reading the

letters left behind when all the words have been found,

or by arranging the words themselves into sentences.

Quotation puzzles are perfect for concealing mes-

sages. In a quotation box, a message is laid out in a

grid, then the letters in each column are arranged in

alphabetical order instead of their natural order. The

players have to rearrange the letters to spell out the

message. An acrostic is similar, but the letters of the

message are scrambled and divided up among differ-

ent words. Players decipher clues to identify the words,

then match the letters of those words to letters in the

message using a numbered key. Many newspapers run

acrostic puzzles on a regular basis.

Crossword puzzles include crisscross puzzles,

where the goal is to fit all the words from a list into

a provided grid of crossing lines, and fully crossed

puzzles like you find in most newspapers. A crisscross

can hide a message spelled out by shaded squares in

the grid, while a fully crossed puzzle is better as an

obstacle the characters must solve to get past.

Another common newspaper puzzle is easy to adapt

as an obstacle puzzle: a number grid. In place of

numbers, you can use any set of distinct symbols, col-

ored gems, coins, or other items. Given a few numbers

or symbols already placed, the object is straightfor-

ward: fill in the grid so that each number or symbol

occurs exactly once in each row, once in each column,

and once in each subsection of the grid. (A typical

number grid is 9 × 9, with nine 3 × 3 subsections.)

In a logic puzzle, the players figure out an answer

by using clues to winnow all the possibilities down to a

single answer. For example:

Emperor Darvan the Mad had three sons. The oldest,

Fieran, was killed by his brother’s hand. Madrash knew no

fury. Delvan was the youngest.

The three sons wielded three legendary swords, which

were buried with them. Fury’s Heart was never touched by

a righteous hand. Night’s Embrace was untainted by royal

blood. Death’s Chill slew the orc chieftain Ghash Aruk.

Having learned that much, the adventurers now stand in

the antechamber before the crypts of the three brothers and

read the inscriptions on their doors. The Crypt of the Dis-

graced holds the son who murdered his brother. The Crypt

of the Innocent holds the blameless son who died of old age.

The Crypt of the Righteous, undimmed by night, holds the

paladin son.

The characters need to determine which son and which

sword lie in the Crypt of the Disgraced.

A careful reading of the clues and application of

logic reveal that the Crypt of the Disgraced holds

Delvan, who used Fury’s Heart to murder his brother.

Mazes are classic puzzles often associated with

minotaurs (thanks to Greek legend), but you should

use them with caution in a dungeon adventure. Explo-

ration that consists purely of a description of turns and

dead ends is not exactly riveting, and usually involves

only the DM and the player who is trying to make a

map. Used with caution—and spiced with traps and

monsters—a maze can be an effective puzzle. Typi-

cally, dungeon builders design mazes to keep someone

from leaving (as Daedalus did to imprison the original

minotaur), to keep something safe from intruders, or

as a trap, to prevent those who wander in from ever

getting out. (As a trap, a maze works best if a wall or

rubble falls behind the characters when they enter,

preventing them from simply retracing their steps.)

Designing Puzzles

Unless you have a particular fondness or facility for

creating puzzles, the best way to design puzzles for

your D&D game is to steal shamelessly. You can find

shelves full of puzzle books and magazines in any

bookstore, and the Internet has an abundant supply.

Sometimes you can use puzzles exactly as you find

them, but other times a puzzle works best if you tweak

and customize it to the game’s setting and the context

of the adventure.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Riddles

A lot of published riddles are very culture-specific or

aimed at young children, or else so well known that

they don’t offer your players any challenge. However,

it’s not too hard to change the details of a riddle and

give it a new face that makes it harder to figure it out.

For example, consider the classic riddle of the sphinx:

“What goes on four legs in the morning, two legs in the

afternoon, and three legs in the evening?”

That riddle is well known enough that you probably

can’t use it in an adventure as it is. But if you change

its fundamental metaphor (the time of day) and couch

the idea of going about on varying numbers of legs in a

new metaphor, you can disguise the riddle:

In spring four pillars hold me up,

a shining dome above the earth.

In summer two pillars support me,

a doorway into mystery.

In autumn three pillars stand beneath me,

a temple of the Bright City.

In winter my pillars are crumbled to dust,

a ruin of ancient glory.

The answer to the riddle is the same—a person, who

crawls on hands and knees as an infant, walks on two

legs in the prime of life, and uses a cane for support in

old age. Using the seasons instead of the time of day

as a metaphor for the stages of life is a simple change,

and it adds a natural fourth couplet to further disguise

the riddle. Instead of the fairly literal mention of legs

in the original riddle, we switch to the metaphor of

pillars and add different metaphors for the person in

each stage of life.

When you’re making a riddle of your own, syn-

onyms and metaphors are your friends. Start with an

idea of the riddle’s answer, which ideally is a clue to

the plot of your adventure. Then brainstorm a list of

the qualities that thing possesses. Once you have that

list, you can couch each quality in metaphorical or

intentionally obscure language, and you have a basic

riddle.

Cryptograms

Cryptograms are the easiest puzzles to create. You

can make a simple one by choosing a pattern, such as

replacing each letter with another one some number

of letters later in the alphabet (wrapping around to the

beginning when you reach Z, of course). Or just make

yourself a key, taking care not to use the same letter

twice (unless you want a fiendishly difficult puzzle). If

you find published cryptograms that use symbols you

like, you can adopt those symbols for your own puzzle.

Once you have your key, run the letters of your mes-

sage through it and give the result to your players.

Word Searches and Crosswords

You might have a hard time finding word searches

that are at all relevant to the world that D&D char-

acters know, but word searches are also pretty easy

to construct. Start with a blank grid (such as a piece

of graph paper), then make a list of words that share

some common theme. One approach is to use the

words of the message you want the players to piece

together. Or you might use the names of gemstones,

aberrant monsters, or rulers from the ancient dynas-

ties of Bael Turath for a really difficult challenge

(difficult because unfamiliar words are harder to spot

than familiar ones). Then place those words into the

grid in every direction (don’t forget backward, includ-

ing diagonals). Start with the longest words, and work

down to the shortest. If you want the players to piece

together a message from the letters that aren’t used to

make words, make sure you leave room for those let-

ters. Once you have all your words placed, fill in the

empty squares, either with the letters of your hidden

message or with random letters.

Making a crossword puzzle is a very similar task. In

both kinds of puzzles you’re arranging words from a

list in intersecting patterns.

Quotation Puzzles

A quotation box is easy to design. First, write out the

short message you want to deliver, then count the

number of letters in the message. (A message longer

than 120 letters gets pretty unwieldy.) Don’t count

spaces or punctuation, but do include hyphens and

apostrophes. Divide the number of letters by 3 for

an easy puzzle, 6 for a really hard puzzle, or some

number in between.

Then take a piece of graph paper and count out

squares across equal to your new number, rounding

up. Count squares down equal to the number you used

to divide the total. Then write out the message, putting

PUZZLESPUZZLES

PUZZLES AND PROPS

When you include a puzzle in an adventure, it’s a great

opportunity to use a prop (see page 25). Even if the prop

is nothing more than a riddle written out on paper, it gives

the players something to hold, to look at, and to pass

around the table as they try to solve it. Sometimes you

can use actual puzzles as props—puzzle boxes, tangrams,

and other manipulative puzzles are a good place to start.

You can buy a blank jigsaw puzzle and draw a map or write

a riddle on it before taking it apart—and scattering the

pieces in different parts of a dungeon (or even different

dungeons!). Stores that sell books and educational games

for children typically have a good selection of puzzle toys

that can be reasonably challenging for adults.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

one letter in each square and drawing lines between

squares at the ends of words. When you reach the end

of a line, continue in the leftmost square of the next

line. When you’re done, if you have any blank squares

at the end, fill them in with black squares.

Below your message, write down the letters in each

column, rearranging them into alphabetical order.

Those are the letters you’ll then copy onto a new piece

of paper for the players to solve.

An acrostic is harder to create, but if you under-

stand how to solve them it’s a fairly obvious process.

The real challenge is in finding clued words that use

all of the letters in the original message, without using

any letters twice or leaving any out.

Number Grids

There’s no reason to create your own number grid

when there’s an abundance of puzzles you can steal.

The puzzle will feel more esoteric to your players if

you replace the numbers with symbols, colored gem-

stones in a grid carved into stone doors, or letters that

spell out a nine-letter word. (Remember that your

nine-letter word can’t use the same letter twice!) As

with a cryptogram, make yourself a key—you might

replace every occurrence of the number 1 with a C, for

example. If your puzzle spells out a word in one row

or column, you might want to give the players a clue to

the word to help them solve the puzzle.

Logic Puzzles

Logic puzzles are also pretty easy to steal and adapt.

If you come across a puzzle in which you need to cor-

rectly match each of three children with the color of

his shirt and his favorite fruit, you can translate each

child into one of Emperor Darvan’s three sons, each

color into one of the three legendary swords, and each

fruit into a crypt. The trick is in translating the clues.

Fundamentally, each clue in a logic puzzle amounts

to a fact such as, “Object A isn’t connected to object

2,” whether A is a crypt or a fruit and 2 is a sword or

a color. Sometimes a puzzle uses a positive assertion

instead (“Object A is connected to object 2”), but that

makes the puzzle simpler. If you boil the clues from

your example puzzle down into that form, it gets easier

to translate them.

The real fun of a logic puzzle is presenting it in your

adventure. Unlike a puzzle you find in a magazine, the

clues don’t have to be presented neatly arranged in one

place—the entire adventure can consist of assembling

clues that are scattered through ancient libraries and

crumbling ruins. You can also use a logic puzzle as

the structure of a mystery adventure, as the characters

piece together clues that ultimately reveal a killer, a

motive, and a an accomplice.

Puzzle as Skill Challenge

The voice flowed out of the statue, a cold, distant sound.

“What are the four virtues of Keblor Kest? Answer now,

before time runs out!”

You can also set up a puzzle as a skill challenge. In

this example, the PCs make appropriate skill checks

to simulate their characters solving the clues of the

puzzle. If they achieve the listed number of successes

before failures, they solve the puzzle and earn the

reward. If they achieve the listed number of failures

first, however, they fail to solve the puzzle and must

suffer the consequences.

Setup: To open the door to the secret chamber,

the PCs must solve the riddle of the statue. After each

success, the voice says, “Good, you remember Keblor’s

greatness.” After each failure, the voice says, “You

know nothing of Keblor’s greatness and time is run-

ning out!”

Level: Equal to the level of the party.

Complexity: 1 (requires 4 successes before 2

failures).

Primary Skills: Arcana, History, Insight, Religion.

Arcana (moderate DCs): You call upon your knowl-

edge of magical lore to remember one of the four

virtues.

History (hard DCs): You call upon your knowledge of

history to remember some forgotten bit of information

pertaining to the four virtues of Keblor Kest.

Insight (moderate DCs): You try to discern something

to help support the rest of your party. Using this skill

doesn’t count as a success or failure for the challenge,

but instead provides a +2 bonus or –2 penalty to the

next character’s Arcana, History, or Religion skill

check.

Religion (easy DCs): As a religious figure of some

renown, this skill provides the best route to solving the

puzzle of the statue. You call upon your knowledge of

religious lore to remember one of the four virtues.

Success: If the PCs gain 4 successes before attain-

ing 2 failures, the party solves the riddle, and the

statue slides open to reveal the entrance to the secret

chamber.

Failure: If the PCs attain 2 failures before gaining

4 successes, the party fails to solve the riddle before

time runs out. The statue animates and attacks the

party. Start a combat encounter.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

TRAPS AND HAZARDS

One wrong step in an ancient tomb triggers a series of

scything blades that cleave through armor and bone.

The seemingly innocuous vines that hang over a cave

entrance grasp and choke at anyone foolish enough to

push through them. A narrow stone bridge leads over

a pit filled with hissing, sputtering acid. In the D&D

game, monsters are only one of many challenges that

adventurers face.

If it can hurt the party, but it isn’t a monster, it’s

either a trap or a hazard.

Trap or Hazard?

What’s the difference between a trap and a hazard?

Traps are constructed with the intent to damage,

harry, or impede intruders. Hazards are natural or

supernatural in origin, but typically lack the malicious

intent of a trap. Though both feature similar risks, a pit

covered with a goblin-constructed false floor is a trap,

while a deep chasm between two sections of a troglo-

dyte cave constitutes a hazard.

Traps tend to be hidden, and their danger is appar-

ent only when they are discovered with keen senses

or a misplaced step. The danger of a hazard is usually

out in the open, and its challenge determined by the

senses (sometimes far too late) or deduced by those

knowledgeable of the hazard’s environs.

The common link between traps and hazards

revolves around peril—both to adventurers and mon-

sters. Because of this similarity, traps and hazards

feature similar rules, conventions, and presentations.

Perceiving Traps and

Hazards

When the party is within line of sight of a trap, com-

pare each character’s passive Perception check with

the DCs of the traps in the room. A PC whose passive

Perception is equal to or higher than the DCs notices

the trap or the relevant aspect of the trap. Other skills

might also play a role in allowing PCs to notice traps or

identify hazards, such as Dungeoneering and Nature.

Of course, PCs can always try an active Perception

check as a minor action to find any traps they missed

with their passive check. PCs most often decide to roll

an active Perception check when some aspect of the

trap becomes apparent.

Triggering Traps and

Hazards

Traps and hazards act without a hint of intelligence,

so their behavior is predictable, even if it’s sometimes

random. A trap is constructed to go off when certain

conditions are met—from a character stepping on a

pressure-sensitive flagstone in the floor to intruders

entering the evil temple without wearing the symbol

of the deity it’s dedicated to. When triggered, traps

and hazards either attack or activate and roll initiative,

acting every round in initiative order.

Attacks and Effects

A trap’s attack is limited only by the imagination of its

creator. A blade cuts across the corridor, making melee

attacks. Flames shoot out in close blasts. Rubble drops

from the ceiling in an area burst. Arrows shoot out

from the wall, making ranged attacks. Trap attacks use

the same rules as creature attacks, but a trap’s ranged

attacks and area attacks do not provoke opportunity

attacks.

Countering Traps and

Hazards

While the best way to counter a trap or hazard is to

avoid it, sometimes that’s not possible. That leaves

characters with three approaches to countering the

obstacle: break it, disable it, or outsmart it.

Destroying a trap or hazard with a weapon or

attacks is often difficult, if not impossible—arrow traps

are typically protected by walls or shielding, magic

traps have a habit of blowing up when attacked, and

very few attacks can counter that huge boulder rum-

bling down the corridor. But attacking and destroying

a trap may be the best way to defeat it in a pinch.

Most traps can be disabled or delayed with the

Thievery skill. Sometimes other skills and abilities can

supplement the Thievery check. When a character

delays a trap, the trap stops functioning for a period of

time (until the end of the character’s next turn, with a

50% chance each round that it reactivates after that).

Disabling a trap takes the trap out of commission until

someone makes the effort to repair or reset it. While

it’s delayed or disabled, the trap effectively isn’t there.

You can outsmart a trap or hazard. Figuring out

a trap’s location and avoiding the pressure plates is a

sure way of doing this, but more subtle and interesting

methods sometimes apply. Many traps have interest-

ing countermeasures other than destroying, delaying,

or disabling them that make it possible for a variety of

characters to foil or even defeat them.

Placing Traps and

Hazards

Traps and hazards fit into an encounter much like an

additional monster. Every trap or hazard has a level

(and an appropriate XP value for that level), so you

can figure it in as part of an encounter that includes

monsters to determine the appropriate reward for

defeating it. For example, an encounter for five 10th-

level PCs might include four 10th-level monsters and

TRAPS AND HAZARDSTRAPS AND HAZARDS

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

one 10th-level trap. Defeating the trap, just like defeat-

ing the monster, earns the party 500 XP.

Trap and Hazard Roles

Although traps and hazards can take the place of

a monster in your encounter design, they aren’t

monsters. They attack differently, their effects can

debilitate, and they can be difficult to spot at first.

What traps and hazards usually don’t do is choose

from a variety of attacks, move into advantageous posi-

tion, or even choose their target. And they typically

don’t take actions that aren’t strictly defined by their

construction or nature. That is the fundamental differ-

ence between a trap or hazard and a monster.

Because of these differences, traps and hazards

have their own roles that loosely correspond to mon-

ster roles. Like monster roles, they give you an idea of

how a trap or hazard is supposed to fit into an encoun-

ter, how it tends to act, and how it might interact with

the monsters and terrain in the encounter. There are

four trap roles: blaster, lurker, obstacle, and warder.

Blaster

If a trap or hazard creates damaging areas of effect or

attacks multiple targets from a distance in a regular

and programmed way, it’s a blaster. Traps that propel

missile weapons, create exploding blasts each round,

or hurl magical effects from a spell turret all represent

blaster traps.

Blaster traps often serve a role similar to that of

artillery monsters, but can also work as a buffer for

monsters of other roles. Since many traps are harder

to damage than monsters, blaster traps are a first or

second line of defense that artillery or controller mon-

sters hide behind.

Lurker

Lurker traps attack and then disappear or dissipate,

making them harder to attack or counter. A pendulum

trap that strikes only to retract back into the wall each

round, and strange motes of energy from the Shad-

owfell that attack the life force of those nearby before

flickering out of existence for a few moments, are

examples of lurker traps.

Lurker traps fulfill the same role as lurker mon-

sters. They attack and move away, and can be hard

to counter without organized effort on the part of the

characters.

Obstacle

As the name implies, an obstacle trap or hazard

impedes movement, and it might stun or daze crea-

tures to further slow them down. Obstacles are

barriers and perils that characters can get past, but

they have to spend some effort or take some damage,

or both, to do so. Electrified squares on a floor that

demand puzzle-solving to get around, magical glyphs

that require Arcana to decipher and avoid, or fall-

ing portcullises that channel movement through a

maze of corridors are a few examples of interesting

obstacle traps.

Obstacles complement brutes and skirmishers.

Carefully placed obstacles offer the brute an amount

of battlefield control and allow the skirmisher’s

expanded movement options to shine. These perils

can be extremely powerful when used in concert with

soldiers and controllers, since their very presence can

bolster the battlefield control that marks those two

roles.

Wa r d e r

A warder trap or hazard functions as an alarm,

alerting nearby guards or monsters while also doing

damage to the characters who triggered it. A warder

attacks to begin the encounter, dealing its damage or

other effect and raising its alarm. Thereafter, some

warders continue to attack and sound the alarm,

while others do their thing initially and then become

inactive.

A warder can complement a variety of monster

roles, but typically works best with groups of soldiers,

controllers, and lurkers. It gives these monsters time to

prepare an organized defense against intruders who

have already been weakened by the trap.

Elite and Solo Traps

Much like monsters, traps can also be designated as

elite or solo threats. It’s relatively easy to convert any

trap or hazard to an elite version with quick adjust-

ments to its DCs and attacks. Many of the traps

and hazards presented in this section include ways

that you can upgrade them to elite as part of their

presentations.

WINGING IT

There is always more than one way to approach a trap

or hazard. Even the best designed traps feature potential

design holes that a player might exploit to counter a trap.

Sometimes the best or the most fun ideas for countering a

trap or hazard come as a flash of inspiration during play.

Remember the first rule of improvisation: Try not to say

no. When a player suggests a plausible countermeasure for

a trap, even if that possibility isn’t included in the trap’s

presentation, figure out the best way to resolve that using

the rules: a skill check or ability check against an appropri-

ate DC, an attack, or the use of a power. You can always

use the DCs that are included in the trap’s description as

example DCs for using other skills and abilities.

In short, always find ways to reward quick thinking and

fun when it comes to traps and hazards. Outsmarting traps,

hazards, and villains (and even the DM) is fun for players,

and first and foremost, your game should be fun.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

On the other hand, solo traps and hazards are rare

and complex things that usually occur only as a skill

challenge.

Using Traps and Hazards

More so than monsters, traps and hazards take finesse

to run and place in an adventure. Some traps and

hazards behave just like monsters in an encounter,

attacking on their turn in the initiative order. Others

attack once, usually when the characters blunder into

them. Some even behave as skill challenges, requir-

ing multiple successes to defeat before something

dramatic occurs.

Sample Traps and Hazards

False-Floor Pit Level 1 Warder

Trap XP 100

A covered pit is hidden near the center of the room. Timber cov-

ered with flagstones is rigged to fall when a creature walks on it,

dropping the creature into a 10-foot-deep pit.

Trap: A 2-by-2 section of the floor hides a 10-foot-deep pit.

Perception

✦ DC 20: The character notices the false stonework.

Trigger

The trap attacks when a creature enters one of the trap’s

four squares.

Attack

Immediate Reaction Melee

Target: The creature that triggered the trap.

Attack: +4 vs. Reflex

Hit: Target falls into pit, takes 1d10 damage, and falls prone.

Miss: Target returns to the last square it occupied and its

move action ends immediately.

Effect: The false floor opens and the pit is no longer hidden.

Countermeasures

✦ An adjacent character can trigger the trap with a DC 10

Thievery check (standard action). The floor falls into the pit.

✦ An adjacent character can disable the trap with a DC 25

Thievery check (standard action). The floor becomes safe.

✦ A character who makes an Athletics check (DC 11, or DC

21 without a running start) can jump over the pit.

✦ A character can climb out with a DC 15 Athletics check.

Upgrade to Elite (200 XP)

Increase the Perception and Thievery DCs by 2. The pit is

20 feet deep and filled with poisoned spikes. A character

who falls into the pit takes 3d10 damage + ongoing 5

poison damage (save ends).

Rockslide Level 1 Lurker

Hazard XP 100

Rocks fall from above.

Hazard: Rocks tumble down to a target square and make a

burst 3 attack.

Perception

Characters can’t use Perception to detect this hazard.

Additional Skills: Nature or Dungeoneering

A DC 20 Nature or Dungeoneering check notices a rock

formation is unstable.

Initiative +3

Trigger

The trigger for a rockslide can be random, caused by the

actions of others, or timed. When triggered, the rockslide

rolls initiative. Between the trigger and the rockslide’s

attack, characters in the area know that a rockslide is

beginning and the area it will affect.

Attack

Standard Reaction Close burst 3

Targets: Creatures in burst

Attack: +4 vs. Reflex

Hit: 2d6 + 2 damage

Miss: Half damage

Sustain Standard: The rockslide continues for 1d4 rounds.

The burst area is difficult terrain during and after the

rockslide.

Countermeasures

✦ A character in the area can take advantage of natural

openings in the slide to avoid damage by making a DC 25

Nature or Dungeoneering check. With a successful check,

a character takes half damage (no damage if it misses).

Spear Gauntlet Level 2 Obstacle

Trap XP 125

Hidden spears thrust upward from the floor in response to

pressure. The individual trigger plates and spear-thrusting

devices are connected to a key-operated control panel on the

wall nearby.

Trap: Five squares in the room contain hidden spears that

thrust up to attack when triggered.

Perception

✦ DC 20: The character notices the trigger plates.

✦ DC 25: The character notices the hidden control panel.

Trigger

The trap, five squares placed randomly in the room,

attacks when a creature enters one of the trigger squares

or starts its turn on a trigger square. When the trap is

triggered, all five spears thrust up at the same time,

attacking anyone standing on a trigger square.

Attack

Opportunity Action Melee

Target: All creatures on trigger squares when the trap

activates.

Attack: +7 vs. AC

Hit: 1d8 + 3 damage

Countermeasures

✦ A character who makes a successful Athletics check (DC 6

or DC 11 without a running start) can jump over a single

pressure plate square.

✦ An adjacent character can disable a trigger plate with a

DC 25 Thievery check.

✦ A creature adjacent to the control panel can disable the

entire trap with a DC 20 Thievery check.

✦ A DC 20 Dungeoneering check grants the party a +2

bonus to Thievery checks to delay or disable the trap.

✦ A character can ready an action to attack the spears (AC

13, other defenses 10; hp 10). When the spears in one

square are destroyed, that trigger plate becomes useless.

✦ A character can attack a trigger plate or the control panel

(AC 12, other defenses 10; hp 30; resist 5 all). Destroying

a trigger plate renders it useless, and destroying the

control panel disables the entire trap.

Upgrade to Elite (250 XP)

Increase the number of trapped squares to 10 and

increase the DCs for Perception and Thievery checks by 2.

TRAPS AND HAZARDSTRAPS AND HAZARDS

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Magic Crossbow Turret Level 3 Blaster

Trap XP 150

A pair of armored crossbow turrets drops down from the ceiling

on the far edge of the room, peppering creatures with quarrels.

Trap: Two crossbows attack each round on their initiative

after they are triggered.

Perception

✦ DC 20: The character notices the trigger plates.

✦ DC 25: The character notices the location of the hidden

turret emplacements.

✦ DC 25: The character notices the location of the hidden

control panel.

Initiative +3

Trigger

The trap activates and rolls initiative when a character

enters one of the four trigger squares in the room.

Attack

Standard Action Ranged 10

Targets: Each crossbow attacks one intruder. It magically

distinguishes intruders from natives of the dungeon.

Attack: +8 vs. AC

Hit: 2d8 + 3 damage

Countermeasures

✦ A character who makes a successful Athletics check (DC 6

or DC 11 without a running start) can jump over a single

trigger plate square.

✦ An adjacent character can disable a trigger plate with a

DC 25 Thievery check.

✦ Attacking a trigger plate (AC 12, other defenses 10) only

triggers the trap.

✦ A character can attack a turret (AC 16, other defenses 13;

hp 38). Destroying a turret stops its attacks.

✦ A character can engage in a skill challenge to deactivate

the control panel. DC 20 Thievery. Complexity 2 (6

successes before 3 failures). Success disables the trap.

Failure causes the control panel to explode (close blast

3, 2d6 + 3 damage to all creatures in blast) and the trap

remains active.

Upgrade to Elite (300 XP)

Increase the Perception and Thievery DCs by 2. Increase

the number of turrets to four.

Doomspore Level 3 Obstacle

Hazard XP 350

Usually found in large, natural caverns, or in areas tainted by

the Shadowfell, these patches of large, toadstool-shaped fungus

can grow to be about 3 feet tall. When disturbed, a doomspore

unleashes a cloud of deadly spores.

Hazard: A doomspore fills a square (the square is difficult

terrain). When triggered, it releases a cloud of spores.

Perception

No check is necessary to notice the fungus.

Additional Skill: Dungeoneering

✦ DC 20: The character identifies the fungus as doomspore.

Trigger

When a creature enters a square of doomspore, or kicks

or pokes at it from an adjacent square, or attacks it in any

way, the fungus releases a cloud of spores. A bloodied

character in the initial burst or that begins its turn in a

doomspore cloud is attacked by the poison.

Attack

Standard Action Close burst 1

Target: Bloodied creature in burst

Attack: +6 vs. Fortitude

Hit: 1d10 poison damage and ongoing 5 poison damage

(save ends).

Effect: The cloud provides concealment for creatures inside

it. The cloud persists until the end of the encounter or for

5 minutes. Once a patch of doomspore creates a cloud, it

can’t create another one for 24 hours.

Countermeasures

✦ A character can move into a square of doomspore without

triggering the cloud by making a DC 25 Dungeoneering

check. The character’s move must end in the doomspore’s

square.

Upgrade to Elite (700 XP)

✦ Increase the Dungeoneering DCs by 2.

✦ Increase the damage to 3d10 poison damage and ongoing

5 poison damage (save ends).

Pendulum Scythes Level 4 Lurker

Trap XP 175

Scything blades sweep across the room in a seemingly random

pattern, cutting swaths at 5-foot intervals.

Trap: Each row of squares in the chamber features a scything

blade. On its turn, a blade sweeps through one row of

squares at random, attacking all creatures in the row.

Perception

✦ DC 17: The character notices thin, shallow cuts running

across the dungeon floor at 5-foot intervals.

✦ DC 22: The character notices thin slots across the ceiling

of the room, corresponding with the cuts across the floor.

A character who makes a DC 15 Dungeoneering check

recognizes these as signs of a scything blades trap.

✦ DC 22: The character spots the pressure plates at the

room’s entrance.

✦ DC 27: The character notices the hidden control panel if it

is within line of sight.

Initiative +6

Trigger

The trap rolls initiative when a creature enters one of the

six squares of pressure plates at the room’s entrance. As a

standard action, a creature can trigger the trap using the

control panel at the far end of the room, if it has the key.

Attack

Standard Action Melee

Targets: All creatures in a row of squares. Roll randomly each

round to determine the row the trap attacks.

Attack: +9 vs. AC

Hit: 2d8 + 4 damage and secondary attack

Secondary Attack: +7 vs. Fortitude

Hit: Push 1 (in the direction of the blade’s movement),

knock target prone, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends).

Countermeasure

✦ A character who makes a DC 22 Dungeoneering check as

a minor action can determine the row of squares the trap

will attack on its next turn.

✦ A character can ready an action to attack a pendulum

blade (AC 15, other defenses 12; hp 48). Destroying a

blade renders that row of squares safe from attack.

✦ A character can engage in a skill challenge to deactivate

the control panel. DC 22 Thievery. Complexity 1 (4

successes before 2 failures). Success disables the trap.

Failure causes 1d4 + 1 blades to attack each round.

Upgrade to Elite (350 XP)

Two blades attack each round on separate initiative

counts. The characters’ enemies know the logic of the

blades’ attacks and avoid the rows the blades attack.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Whirling Blades Level 5 Obstacle

Trap XP 200

Blades rise out of hidden compartments and spin wildly across

the chamber.

Trap: A whirling blades contraption emerges and spins like a

top, moving its speed in a random direction and attacking

each round.

Perception

✦ DC 22: The character notices trigger plates around the

chamber.

✦ DC 27: The character notices the hidden control panel.

Initiative +7 Speed 4

Trigger

When a character moves into a trigger square, the

whirling blades contraption emerges and attacks.

Attack

Standard Action Close burst 1

Targets: All creatures in burst

Attack: +10 vs. AC

Hit: 3d8+3 damage

Countermeasures

✦ A character can engage in a skill challenge to deactivate

the control panel. DC 22 Thievery. Complexity 2 (6

successes before 3 failures). Success disables the trap.

Failure causes the whirling blades to act twice in the

round (roll a second initiative for the trap).

✦ A character can attack the whirling blades contraption

(AC 16, other defenses 13; hp 55; resist 5 all) or the

control panel (AC 14, other defenses 11; hp 35; resist 5

all). Destroying either disables the entire trap.

Treacherous Ice Sheet Level 5 Obstacle

Hazard XP 200

A slick sheet of ice creates a hazardous obstacle.

Hazard: This sheet of ice fills 10 contiguous squares, turning

them into difficult terrain.

Perception

No check is necessary to notice the ice.

Additional Skill: Nature

✦ DC 22: The character identifies the squares of treacherous

ice.

Trigger

The ice attacks when a creature enters or begins its turn in

a square of treacherous ice. It also attacks when a creature

stands up from prone in a square of treacherous ice.

Attack

Opportunity Action Melee

Target: Creature on the ice

Attack: +8 vs. Reflex

Hit: 1d6+2 damage and fall prone. If the creature is already

prone, no damage but its turn ends immediately.

Countermeasures

✦ With a DC 27 Acrobatic check and a move action, a

character can move into a square of treacherous ice

without risk of falling. If the check fails or the character

move more than 1 square, the ice attacks.

Upgrade to Elite (400XP)

✦ Increase the Nature checks and the attack modifiers by 2.

✦ Increase the size of the sheet to 20 squares.

Poisoned Dart Wall Level 6 Blaster

Trap XP 250

Darts fire from the wall, filling the chamber with danger.

Trap: Each round on its initiative, the trap fires a barrage of

poison darts that randomly attack 2d4 targets in range.

Perception

✦ DC 22: The character notices the small holes in the walls.

✦ DC 27: The character notices the tripwire trigger.

Initiative +7

Trigger

When a character moves across the tripwire at the

entrance of the chamber, the trap rolls initiative.

Attack

Standard Action Ranged 20

Targets: 2d4 targets in range

Attack: +11 vs. AC

Hit: 1d8+2 damage and ongoing 5 poison damage (save

ends).

Countermeasures

✦ An adjacent character can disable the tripwire with a DC

30 Thievery check.

✦ A character who moves no more than 1 square on a turn

gains a +5 bonus to AC against the dart attacks.

Upgrade to Elite (500 XP)

✦ Increase the DCs for Perception and Thievery checks by 2.

✦ The trap fires 4d4 darts that deal 1d8+2 damage and

ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends).

TRAPS AND HAZARDSTRAPS AND HAZARDS

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Glyph of Warding Level 7 Warder

Trap XP 300

A hidden glyph around the door suddenly glows and explodes as

you try to open it.

Trap: A magical glyph wards a portal, ready to explode with

arcane fury when the trap is triggered.

Perception

✦ DC 28: The character notices the glyph.

Additional Skill: Arcana

✦ DC 24: The character spots the glyph and provides a +2

bonus to Thievery checks made to disable it.

Trigger

When a creature tries to open the guarded portal or pass

through it, the glyph explodes.

Attack

Immediate Reaction Close burst 3

Targets: All creatures in burst

Attack: +10 vs. Reflex

Hit: The glyph is designed with one of the following effects:

✦ 4d6+4 fire damage and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends)

✦ 4d6+4 cold damage and immobilize (save ends)

✦ 4d6+4 thunder damage and dazed (save ends)

✦ 4d6+4 lightning damage and dazed (save ends)

✦ 4d6+4 acid damage and ongoing 5 acid damage (save

ends)

✦ 4d6+4 necrotic damage and –2 attack penalty (save ends)

✦ 4d6+4 radiant damage and blinded (save ends)

Countermeasure

✦ An adjacent character can disable the glyph with a DC 28

Thievery check.

Upgrade to Elite (600 XP)

✦ Increase the DCs of Perception, Thievery, and Arcana

checks by 4.

✦ Add to the glyph’s attack:

Aftereffect: 4d6+4 damage of the same type as the glyph’s

original damage.

Daggerthorn Briar Level 7 Obstacle

Hazard XP 300

Found in deep woods and in the Feywild, daggerthorn briar is a

bloodthirsty plant that some hard-hearted nobles use to guard the

grounds of their villas.

Hazard: A single briar patch of daggerthorn fills 10

contiguous squares, turning them into difficult terrain.

Perception

No check is necessary to notice the briars.

Additional Skill: Nature

✦ DC 24: The character identifies the patch as daggerthorn

briar.

Trigger

The briars attack when a creature enters or begins its turn

in or adjacent to a square of daggerthorn briar.

Attack

Opportunity Action Melee

Target: Creature in or adjacent to briar

Attack: +12 vs. AC

Hit: 2d10 + 5 damage and immobilized until escape. The

attack deals 3d10 + 5 damage if the target is bloodied.

Countermeasures

✦ Immobilized characters can use the Acrobatics or Athletics

(DC 20) to free themselves.

✦ A character can attack a square of daggerthorn briar (AC

18, other defenses 15; hp 70; vulnerable 10 fire). Once

a square is destroyed, it cannot attack and is no longer

difficult terrain.

Upgrade to Elite (600 XP)

✦ Increase Nature DCs and attack rolls by 2.

✦ Increase size to 15 squares.

✦ Elite daggerthorn is not vulnerable to fire.

Flame Jet Level 8 Blaster

Trap XP 350

Two hidden nozzles let loose a blast of flame.

Trap: When the trap is triggered, two hidden nozzles in the

walls attack each round on their initiative.

Perception

✦ DC 24: The character notices the nozzles.

✦ DC 28: The character notices the control panel on the far

side of the room.

Initiative +5

Trigger

When a character enters the blast area of one of the flame

jets, it makes its first attack as an immediate reaction. It

then rolls initiative, attacking each round.

Attack

Immediate Reaction or Standard Action Close blast 3

Targets: All creatures in blast

Attack: +11 vs. Reflex

Hit: 3d8+4 fire damage and ongoing 5 fire damage (save

ends).

Miss: Half damage, no ongoing damage.

Countermeasures

✦ An adjacent character can disable one flame jet with a DC

24 Thievery check.

✦ A character can engage in a skill challenge to deactivate

the control panel. DC 28 Thievery. Complexity 1 (4

successes before 2 failures). Success disables the trap.

Failure causes the control panel to explode (close blast

3, 3d8 + 4 damage to all creatures in blast) and the trap

remains active.

Upgrade to Elite (700 XP)

✦ Increase the Perception and Thievery checks by 2.

✦ Increase the number of nozzles to 6, or to 3 with a larger

area of close blast 5.

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Caustic Geyser Level 9 Blaster

Hazard XP 400

A geyser of acidic liquid explodes from the ground.

Hazard: The geyser becomes active when triggered.

Thereafter, it attacks every round on its initiative.

Perception

✦ DC 28: The character detects the geyser before moving

within 6 squares of it.

Additional Skill: Nature or Dungeoneering

✦ DC 24: The character recognizes the danger of the geyser

before moving within 6 squares of it.

Initiative +3

Trigger

The geyser rolls initiative when one or more characters move

within 6 squares of it.

Attack

Standard Action Close burst 3

Targets: Creatures in burst

Attack: +12 vs. Reflex

Hit: 3d8+4 acid damage and followup.

Followup: +10 vs. Fortitude.

Hit: Ongoing 5 acid damage and blinded (save ends).

Miss: Half damage.

Countermeasure

✦ A character in the burst can minimize the damage of

the geyser with a DC 28 Acrobatics check made as an

immediate interrupt before the geyser’s attack. With a

successful check, the character takes half damage if the

geyser hits and no damage if it misses.

Electriﬁ ed Floor Level 10 Obstacle

Trap XP 500

A stretch of hallway contains glowing blue floor tiles. When the

wrong tile is stepped upon, an electrifying shock is triggered.

Trap: This trap consists of 10 randomly positioned squares

that contain electrified tiles. When the trap is triggered, it

attacks.

Perception

✦ DC 26: The character can discern if any adjacent squares

contain electrified tiles.

Additional Skill: Arcana

✦ DC 22: The character’s knowledge provides a +2 bonus to

Thievery checks to disable a tile.

Trigger

When a creature enters or begins its turn in an electrified

square, the trap attacks that creature.

Attack

Opportunity Action Melee 1

Target: Creature in a trapped square

Attack: +13 vs. Fortitude

Hit: 2d10 + 6 lightning damage. On a critical hit, the target is

stunned (save ends).

Miss: Half damage.

Countermeasures

✦ A character who makes a successful Athletics check (DC 6

or DC 11 without a running start) can jump over a single

trapped square.

✦ An adjacent character can disable a tile with a DC 26

Thievery check.

Upgrade to Elite (1,000 XP)

✦ Increase the DCs for Perception and Thievery checks by 2.

✦ The trap’s attacks deal 3d10 + 6 lightning damage and

target is stunned (save ends).

Spectral Tendrils Level 13 Obstacle

Trap XP 800

Ghostly tendrils whip from the ground to lash at you.

Trap: This trap consists of a continuous field of 10 squares.

When a creature steps into the area of this attack, spectral

tendrils lash out and attack the creature.

Perception

✦ DC 27: The character notices something strange about the

area ahead, as though a ghostly mist hangs just above the

ground.

Additional Skill: Arcana

✦ DC 23: The character recognizes some terrain feature,

usually a fresco or other art, that serves as the trap’s focus.

✦ DC 31: The character’s knowledge provides a +2 bonus to

Thievery checks to disable the trap.

Trigger

When a creature enters or begins its turn in a trapped

square, the trap attacks.

Attack

Opportunity Action Melee

Target: Creature in trapped square

Attack: +18 vs. AC

Hit: 2d10 + 6 necrotic damage and dazed until the end of the

target’s next turn.

Aftereffect: Dazed until the end of the target’s next turn.

Countermeasures

✦ A character who makes a DC 27 Acrobatics check can

move through a trigger square without provoking the

attack. The squares count as difficult terrain.

✦ An adjacent character can disable a trigger plate with a

DC 31 Thievery check.

Cave-In Level 13 Lurker

Hazard XP 800

A disruption of some sort sets off a chain reaction that doesn’t

end until all the room is covered in rubble.

Hazard: When triggered, rocks and debris fall from above to

fill the area with attacks. It attacks a different part of the

area each turn, on its initiative.

Perception

✦ DC 31: The character sees that the ceiling appears unstable.

Additional Skill: Dungeoneering

✦ DC 26: Same as for Perception, above.

Initiative +6

Trigger

The trigger for a cave-in can be random, caused by the

actions of others, or timed. When triggered, the cave-

in rolls initiative. Between the trigger and the cave-in’s

attack, characters in the area know that a cave-in is

beginning. On its turn, the cave-in attacks a random

square within the encounter area.

Attack

Standard Action Close burst 1

Targets: All creatures in burst

Attack: +16 vs. Reflex

Hit: 2d12 + 8 damage

Miss: Half damage.

Effect: The burst area becomes difficult terrain.

Sustain Standard: The cave-in attacks each round, targeting a

different square.

Countermeasure

✦ A character who makes a DC 31 Dungeoneering check

as a minor action can determine the square the trap will

attack on its next turn.

TRAPS AND HAZARDSTRAPS AND HAZARDS

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CHAPTER 5 | Noncombat Encounters

Altar of Zealotry Level 15 Lurker

Trap XP 1,200

The altar ahead appears twisted and evil, and it radiates a dis-

turbing feeling of maliciousness and dread.

Trap: Taking the form of a large altar devoted to a dread god,

this shrine attempts to dominate those who approach it.

The trigger area is the entire shrine. It draws its energy

from living creatures not devoted to its deity, and functions

only as long as such creatures are within the shrine.

Perception

No check is required to see the altar.

Additional Skill: Religion

✦ DC 27: The character recognizes the nature of the altar.

Initiative +6

Trigger

When characters enter the area, the trap activates and

rolls initiative. The trap continues its attacks until no living

unbelievers remain in the area.

Attack

Standard Action Ranged sight

Target: A random creature not wearing the holy symbol of the

deity it is dedicated to

Attack: +19 vs. Will

Hit: Target is dominated (save ends).

Aftereffect: Target is dazed (save ends).

Countermeasure

✦ A character can attack the altar (AC 26, other defenses

24; hp 125; resist 10 all). Destroying the altar disables the

trap.

Upgrade to Elite (2,400 XP)

✦ The altar can attack twice each round.

Field of Everﬂ ame Level 18 Blaster

Hazard XP 2,000

As you move forward, the shimmering haze of heat around you

erupts into a field of blazing fire.

Hazard: When a gate or portal to a fiery region of the

Elemental Chaos remains open for several centuries, a

small area around it can become imbued with the magic

of everflame. While the place appears normal to all but

the most knowledgeable observer, it’s a place dangerous

to creatures not accustomed to the flaming heart of

the Elemental Chaos. A field of everflame is usually 20

contiguous squares.

Perception

✦ DC 33: The faintest shimmer in the air marks the area as a

hazard of some sort.

Additional Skill: Arcana

✦ DC 29: The character recognizes the area as a field of

everflame.

Trigger

When a living creature enters or begins its turn within

the area, the hazard is triggered and attacks, bursting into

visible flame around the creature. (The rest of the area

remains difficult to see.)

Attack

Opportunity Action Melee

Target: Living creature within the field

Attack: +21 vs. Fortitude

Hit: 2d10 + 5 fire damage and ongoing 10 fire (save ends).

Miss: Half damage.

Upgrade to Elite (4,000 XP)

✦ Increase the attack bonus by 2.

✦ The field is so powerful that it ignores fire resistance.

Kinetic Wave Level 19 Blaster

Trap XP 2,400

The object ahead suddenly glows with power, and a wave of ki-

netic energy rushes forth, smashing into you like an ocean wave.

Trap: When a creature steps within 5 squares of a particular

object, often an altar, portal, or other obvious item of

power, the object starts to exude kinetic energy that

pushes living creatures away.

Perception

Characters can’t use Perception to detect this trap.

Additional Skill: Arcana

✦ DC 31: The character recognizes the object as the focus of

a kinetic trap.

Initiative +8

Trigger

When a creature comes within 5 squares of the focus

object, the trap activates and rolls initiative.

Attack

Standard Action Close burst 5

Target: All creatures in burst

Attack: +22 vs. Reflex

Hit: 3d12 + 5 damage and push 3 squares and knock prone.

Countermeasures

✦ An adjacent character can disable the trap with a DC 31

Thievery check.

✦ A character can attack the focus object (AC 30, other

defenses 27; hp 69). Destroying the focus disables the

trap.

Entropic Collapse Level 23 Warder

Hazard XP 5,100

The chamber swirls with dust, as though no one has disturbed the

place in a long, long time.

Hazard: When a creature casts a spell or carries a magic

item into an ancient, dusty room, it triggers a temporary

unweaving of the strands of time. Although reality

reasserts itself a few moments later, the damage to the

psyches of those who have glimpsed beyond time takes

longer to heal. The dust typically covers 10 contiguous

squares in a room.

Perception

✦ DC 36: The character notices that the swirling dust

appears to glow with a faint luminescence.

Additional Skill: Arcana

✦ DC 32: The character notices and identifies the telltale

dust glow that often presages entropic collapses.

Trigger

When a character carrying a magic item enters a square

that contains the dust, or when a character in a square

that contains the dust casts a spell, the hazard attacks.

Attack

Opportunity Action Close burst 5

Targets: All creatures in burst

Attack: +29 vs. Will

Hit: 5d6 + 8 psychic damage and dazed (save ends)

Miss: Half damage and dazed (save ends).

Special: Immortals, animates, and undead are immune to the

effects of an entropic collapse.

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Symbol of Su ering Level 24 Warder

Trap XP 6,050

A glowing symbol wards the area ahead.

Trap: Anyone familiar with magic recognizes the symbol as a

powerful ward against approach. But its exact nature isn’t

known until a creature steps close enough to comprehend

it. Once triggered, the symbol inflicts excruciating pain.

Perception

✦ DC 28: The character notices the glowing symbol.

Additional Skill: Religion

✦ DC 32: The character recognizes the nature of the symbol.

Trigger

When a creature approaches within 5 squares of the

symbol, the trap attacks. Once a creature has entered the

area, it can remain in the area without suffering further

attacks. The trap attacks again when another creature

enters the area, or if a creature leaves and reenters the area.

Attack

Opportunity Action Close burst 5

Attack: +27 vs. Will

Hit: 3d6 + 9 psychic damage and slowed until the beginning

of the target’s next turn.

Aftereffect: Ongoing 15 psychic damage and immobilized

(save ends both).

Countermeasure

✦ An adjacent character can disable the trap with a DC 36

Thievery check or a DC 32 Arcana check.

Soul Gem Level 26 Solo Blaster

Trap XP 45,000

A strange, many-faceted gem in the center of the chamber sud-

denly emits blasts of blinding light.

Trap: This fist-sized cut crystal is often embedded in a statue

or placed on a pedestal in the center of a room. When a

creature steps within 5 squares of the soul gem, it starts

emitting blasts of radiant power from its many facets.

Perception

✦ DC 29: The character spots the strange gem.

Additional Skill: Arcana

✦ DC 33: The character recognizes the soul gem.

Initiative +8

Trigger

When a creature moves within 5 squares of the soul gem,

it rolls initiative and attacks.

Attack

Standard Action Close blast 5

Target: All creatures in blast

Attack: +29 vs. Fortitude

TRAPS AND HAZARDSTRAPS AND HAZARDS

Hit: 4d10 + 5 radiant damage and ongoing 5 radiant damage

and stunned (save ends).

Aftereffect of stun: Dazed (save ends).

Special: Each round, roll 1d8 to determine the direction

of the blast. The blast is centered on one square of the

gem’s space, starting with the north square and moving

clockwise around the gem’s space.

Countermeasures

✦ A character can engage in a skill challenge to detach the

soul gem from its socket and thereby disable it. DC 37

Thievery. Complexity 1 (4 successes before 2 failures).

Success detaches the gem and disables the trap. Failure

causes the gem to explode (close burst 8, 4d10 + 5 radiant

damage and stunned (save ends) to all creatures in burst) .

✦ A character can attack the gem (AC 33, other defenses 29;

hp 100; resist 15 all). When reduced to 0 hit points, the

gem explodes in a close burst 8, as above. Destroying the

gem disables the trap.

Sphere of Annihilation Level 29 Lurker

Hazard XP 15,000

A strange sphere of impenetrable blackness hovers before you.

Hazard: A sphere of pure blackness fills one square or,

alternatively, is set into the wall of one square. It doesn’t

provide cover or block movement.

Perception

No check is required to see the sphere.

Additional Skill: Arcana

✦ DC 34: The character recognizes the sphere’s nature.

Trigger

When a creature enters the sphere’s square or the sphere

enters a creature’s square, the sphere attacks.

Special: A character holding a special talisman attuned to the

sphere’s can control it. With a move action and a DC 25

Arcana check, he can move the sphere up to 6 squares.

The sphere hovers in the air. A special ritual is required to

create and attune the talisman, which is a level 29 magic

item.

Attack

Opportunity Action Melee 0

Target: One creature

Attack: +32 vs. Fortitude

Hit: 6d6 + 10 damage and ongoing 15 damage (save ends). A

creature reduced to 0 hit points by the sphere’s damage is

destroyed, reduced to a pile of fine gray dust.

Countermeasure

✦ Destroying or disenchanting the talisman is the only way

to destroy the sphere. The talisman has AC 38, other

defenses 35, hp 200; resist 15 all.

ANNE STOKES

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This chapter teaches you how to build

and modify adventures. An adventure is just a series

of encounters. How and why these encounters fit

together—from the simplest to the most complex—is

the framework for any adventure.

An adventure revolves around a particular

expedition, mission, or series of tasks in which the

PCs are the heroes. Think of it as a distinct story

in which all the elements are tied together. An

adventure might stem from a previous one and lead to

yet another, but a single adventure also stands on its

own.

Several sessions might be required for your group

to complete an adventure, or it might be over in one

session. If you’re using a published adventure, the

adventure is probably going to take you many sessions

to complete. An adventure from D&D Insider’s

DUNGEON Magazine might take as long, or you might be

able to finish it in one night of play.

This chapter includes the following sections.

✦ Published Adventures: Running a purchased

adventure is straightforward. Look here for tips on

modifying the adventure to suit your world, your

players, and your overall vision for the campaign.

✦ Fixing Problems: Whether you’re using a

published adventure or one you wrote yourself,

problems come up. Here is advice on how to

address some common ones.

✦ Building an Adventure: When you’re building

your own adventures, think about the beginning,

the middle, and the ending of the adventure, and

try to make sure they all feel satisfying and fit

together.

✦ Quests: Quests are the hooks that lead characters

into dangerous adventure.

✦ Encounter Mix: A good adventure presents a

variety of challenges.

✦ Adventure Setting: Flesh out your setting’s

personality, from broad concept to small details,

mapping, outdoor settings, and event-based

adventures that don’t rely on maps.

✦ Cast of Characters: Monsters and nonplayer

characters bring an adventure to life.

CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

CHAPTER 6

AdventuresAdventures

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

Published adventures are readily available on D&D

Insider, in Wizards of the Coast products such as cam-

paign guides, and as stand-alone products. If your

campaign is episodic in nature (a series of adventures

that are only loosely connected), you can easily run

your whole campaign using published adventures.

That’s a great solution if you don’t have a lot of time

for preparation. Even if your campaign is more

story-driven, you can make good use of published

adventures with a little bit of preparation.

Hook Them In

The first thing to consider is how to stitch the pub-

lished adventure into your campaign. In order for it to

feel like a seamless part of your campaign’s story, you

need to weave threads out from it in both directions:

backward into the previous adventures and forward

into the following ones.

Plan Forward

As you’re planning your game sessions, always be

thinking about the adventure you’re going to run next.

Look for ways to plant story hooks that lead characters

from their current adventure to the next one. Two or

three sessions before you’re going to start the next

adventure, look through it and find an NPC, loca-

tion, or plot point that you can work into the current

adventure.

Use Adventure Hooks

Most published adventures provide adventure hooks

designed to draw characters into the plot of the adven-

ture. Look for ways to incorporate those hooks into

your current adventure, rather than abruptly throw-

ing them in front of the players at the start of the

next one. Plot is a strong linking tool, and the more

you can weave an adventure hook into the course of

another adventure, the better. For example, one of the

adventure hooks for The Keep on the Shadowfell has the

characters learn of a ruined fortress that might contain

treasures from a fallen empire. You could just tell the

characters at the start of the adventure that they’ve

learned of this place, but the adventure starts to feel

like part of your campaign if they find a history of this

ruined fortress while on another adventure.

Tie in NPCs and Groups

A nonplayer character or group can be another strong

connection between adventures. If a helpful mer-

chant gives the characters useful information in one

adventure, the PCs are more likely to listen to him

when he comes asking for help in the next one. Try

to give recurring characters distinctive features or

mannerisms, so the players remember them from one

adventure to the next.

Look for ways to connect characters in different

adventures to each other. If one adventure involves a

cultist of Zehir and another one pits the PCs against

the cult of Asmodeus, change one or the other (or

both!) so these two cults are devoted to the same

deity. If the next adventure you want to run pits the

characters against a hidden cult of Bane, alter a char-

acter or a group of bandits in the current adventure

so they’re Bane worshipers (carrying his symbol in

their gear).

Plant Location Hooks or Maps

Locations are also good linking tools, from the classic

treasure map depicting the site of the next adventure

to nervous locals talking about the haunted tower in

the mountains while the characters are exploring the

ruins in the forest. Consider planting a partial map

from your next adventure somewhere in the current

adventure—on the body of the main villain is a par-

ticularly strong choice.

Simple Fixes

Even if you don’t have time to weave threads between

adventures, you can use a few simple techniques to put

a unique stamp on a published adventure to make it fit

better in your campaign.

Change Names

If your campaign is based in Golden Huzuz, the City

of Delights, ruled by the Grand Caliph Khalil al-Assad,

it might be a little jarring for the PCs to travel to the

nearby village of Brindinford and speak to Baron

Euphemes. Fortunately, names are easy to change.

Brindinford becomes Halwa, the baron turns into

Amir Ghalid al-Fahad, and the architectural details

of the city change to match the rest of your campaign.

You’re ready to go!

Alter the Setting

It rarely snows anywhere within a thousand miles

of Golden Huzuz, but you just found an adventure

involving a trek across a frozen tundra to an ancient,

monumental ruin. You might be tempted to pass over

that adventure as useless to your campaign, but an

adventure’s setting is easy to alter.

Altering a setting can be as simple as scanning the

descriptive text for details of the setting and changing

those details to match what you have in mind. Rather

than frigid wind blowing sharp ice crystals through

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

the air, describe gusts of arid wind driving stinging

sand into the characters’ faces.

Adjust Monsters

If you’ve changed an adventure’s setting, you might

feel like you need to change some monsters as well.

Maybe a white dragon feels out of place in the desert

outside Golden Huzuz (although its presence could

add a strange mystery to the adventure, which you

could follow up on in a later one). A quick glance at the

Monster Manual’s list of monsters organized by level

makes these changes easy. If the adult white dragon

is out of place, maybe an oni night haunter combined

with some ogre savages fits better with what you have

in mind.

Scale Levels

What do you do if the adventure you want to run is

written for a group of a different level from your play-

er’s characters? First, bear in mind that an encounter

two or three levels above the PCs isn’t a killer encoun-

ter. It might be more challenging, but it shouldn’t wipe

them out. Likewise, an encounter two or three levels

below them can still provide an appropriate challenge.

If you still want to adjust the levels of encounters

in a published adventure, you can do it three ways:

change the numbers of monsters in the encounters,

change the monsters’ levels, or change the monsters

entirely.

Chapter 4 tells you how to adjust the level of an

encounter by adding or removing monsters. You can

easily increase or decrease an encounter’s level by

up to three or four. For example, if you want to use a

published 10th-level encounter against a 14th-level

party, you’re looking to add 2,500 XP. (See the Expe-

rience Rewards table and the Target Encounter XP

Totals table on pages 56 and 57.) You could double the

monsters in the encounter, or just throw a 15th-level

elite monster into the encounter. Taking two 14th-level

monsters out of a 14th-level encounter makes it a fine

encounter for 10th-level characters.

Chapter 10 provides some ways to adjust the levels

of monsters or turn normal monsters into elite or solo

monsters. Adjusting a monster’s level by two to four

is as simple as adjusting its attacks and defenses by 1

or 2 points. Turning a single monster in an encounter

into an elite monster raises the encounter level by one,

and turning one monster into a solo monster raises the

level by four.

Finally, you can use the Monster Manual’s list of

monsters by level to swap out monsters for similar

monsters of a different level. Many monsters have

versions or variations at a range of levels, so you can

replace a 7th-level carrion crawler with a 17th-level

enormous carrion crawler, or vice versa. (But watch

out for the sizes of encounter areas.)

Bring Them Out

Transitioning characters out of a published adventure,

whether you’re bringing them back into the main

storyline of your campaign with an adventure you’ve

written yourself or moving them on to the next pub-

lished adventure you want to run, is just another way

of looking at the issue of bringing characters into the

adventure in the first place.

Weave in More Threads

Use the same techniques described in “Hook Them In”

to plant seeds for the next adventure you want to run

into the published adventure. If you have established

villains in your own campaign, insert one of those vil-

lains (or a member of a villainous organization) into

the closing encounters of the published adventure (or

throughout the course of the adventure) to remind the

players of the larger story that encompasses the cur-

rent adventure.

Twist the Ending

Another interesting technique is a jarring exit, in

which the players suddenly learn that the adventure

they’ve just completed was a diversion from the main

story of the campaign. Perhaps it was just an interest-

ing side trek, or perhaps the villains intentionally

misled them in order to get them out of the way for

a time: “You return triumphantly from your latest

adventure, only to find that while you were away in the

western hinterlands, the Knights of Zehir deposed the

baron and took control of Starhold Keep!”

Don’t overuse this technique, though. Players who

feel as though they’re constantly being duped and

dragged down the wrong path quickly grow frustrated.

Use Unresolved Questions

If you haven’t designed your own adventures before,

a great way to start is by looking at the situation at the

end of a published adventure. The adventure might

pose unresolved questions for the characters, villains

might have escaped, or the characters might have

left sections of the dungeon unexplored. Your play-

ers will thank you for an opportunity to tie up those

loose ends instead of hurtling on into an unrelated

adventure. The rest of this chapter provides plenty of

advice about how to create adventures, and if you use a

published adventure as a starting point, you are off to

a great start.

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

Published adventures, for better or worse, can’t

account for every character action. Occasionally, the

characters decide to go exactly the wrong way, pursu-

ing a path not covered in the adventure at all. They

discover a shortcut that the adventure designer didn’t

anticipate and skip right to the climactic battle of

the adventure. They traipse through encounter after

encounter without breaking a sweat or unleashing any

daily powers.

What do you do?

You can ask your players to show mercy and do

what the adventure expects them to do. Understand-

ing players will agree, but it leaves a sour taste in their

mouth. Instead, remember the first rule of improvis-

ing: Say yes, and go from there. (See page 28 for more

advice about improvising.)

Wandering Off Course

You can often steer wandering characters back to the

main plot line of the adventure, but be careful not to

be too heavy-handed about it. Entice them back to

where you want them to be, don’t pick them up and

drop them there. Don’t bore them back to the adven-

ture, either. Making the characters wander through

the wilderness for weeks on end without a single

encounter communicates your displeasure clearly, but

it’s a painful way of steering the characters.

Use Extra Encounters: Use extra encounters you

prepared ahead of time to fill in the gaps in the adven-

ture, and make sure those encounters are just as fun

and pulse-pounding as the rest of the encounters in

the adventure. Then plant hooks in those encounters

to lead the players back to prepared material.

Generate Random Encounters: If you don’t have

prepared encounters, make something up. Chapter

10 provides ways to generate random dungeons and

random encounters. At worst, you need a way to fill a

few encounters from these improvisational tools until

the end of the session. You can spend your preparation

time before the next session figuring out how to get the

adventure back on track.

Let It Go and Move On: Sometimes the adven-

ture you’re running isn’t worth steering the characters

back to. The characters might have strayed off course

on purpose because they found the adventure unsat-

isfying. Don’t keep leading the players back to an

adventure that has failed to capture their interest

unless you’re sure you can resurrect their interest in

the next encounter. If the characters wander away

from an adventure, it might be time to bring out the

next adventure.

Skipping to the End

Sometimes adventure designers fail to account for the

capabilities of high-level characters or the resourceful-

ness of clever players, and the players find a way to

skip over most of the adventure and get right to the

climactic fight. Again, it’s better to say yes and go from

there, rather than coming up with an arbitrary reason

why their plan doesn’t work. Let the players feel clever,

and reward their ingenuity.

Promote a Lesser Villain: Just because the cli-

mactic battle is over, the adventure need not end.

If the PCs defeat the scheming villain early on,

one of his lieutenants or subordinates—a character

the players left alive in their rush to the end of the

adventure—might step up and continue the master’s

plans, and the adventure can continue on very much

as written.

Introduce More Plot Twists: Another way char-

acters might skip to the end of an adventure is by

jumping to a conclusion that the adventure assumes

they won’t reach until they’ve accumulated a lot

more information. Perhaps they immediately guess

or figure out that the baron is a rakshasa in disguise,

or deduce that the murdered noblewoman isn’t dead,

but faked her own death for some reason. The fact

that the characters intuited the plot isn’t necessarily

an indication of bad adventure design. Giving the

players too much information is better than giving

them too little and leaving them searching for the

fun (see below). You can keep things moving by

introducing plot twists. For instance, the baron is a

rakshasa, but he’s working against the real villain of

the adventure.

Move On, and Scavenge for Future Improvi-

sation: Once again, if the players skip a whole lot of

adventure, it might be that trying to salvage the adven-

ture is more trouble than it’s worth. It doesn’t have to

be a total waste, though. You can scavenge encounters

and locations from it for your next adventure.

A Cakewalk

Whether your characters are higher in level than the

adventure intended, or better equipped, or just more

inventive and tactically savvy, sometimes they over-

come the encounters you throw at them without ever

feeling seriously challenged. Fortunately, solving that

problem is easy.

You can adjust encounter levels upward using the

three techniques described in the previous pages: add

monsters, increase monster levels, or substitute mon-

sters. You can also alter terrain to give the monsters

a home field advantage and challenge the players’

FIXING PROBLEMSFIXING PROBLEMS

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

tactical mastery. Watch what your players do and use

the same tactics against them.

These changes are easy enough to make during

your preparation time, but you can also make them

on the fly if you need to. Extra monsters can arrive as

reinforcements. A dramatic event (such as an earth-

quake) can alter the battlefield and give the players a

little more to worry about at the same time. The mon-

sters are more threatening when the PCs also have

to avoid collapsing ceilings and yawning chasms. A

monster or villain might suddenly manifest a new abil-

ity when it becomes bloodied. It could even suddenly

transform into an elite, a solo monster, or an entirely

different monster. The world of the D&D game is a

fantastic place, so as long as the events you describe

seem like they fit in the world, you can get away with a

lot of adjustment as you go.

Searching for the Fun

Sometimes characters wander about, growing increas-

ingly frustrated with you and the adventure, not

because they’ve strayed off the intended course, but

because they missed some important bit of informa-

tion the adventure assumes they’ll come across. Don’t

make the players search for the fun in the adventure.

The fun should be within easy reach, even if the

answers to the mysteries they face aren’t.

Here’s another case where encounters you’ve

prepared in advance can save the day. When things

start grinding to a halt, a bad guy kicks in the door, a

thrilling combat encounter ensues, and the characters

conveniently find the information from the bad guy

or what he was carrying to kick-start the plot of the

adventure. You don’t have to use a combat encounter,

but don’t hesitate to spring some kind of unexpected

occurrence on the characters.

These added encounters can also introduce interest-

ing new twists to a plot. If the characters get lost while

trying to solve a mystery, perhaps a stranger invites

them to his house and gives them the clue they’re

looking for. Why? What’s the stranger’s interest in all

this? He could be an indifferent observer, or he could

have some stake in the outcome of their investigation.

Perhaps he wants a favor from the PCs in exchange

for his help (and negotiates for that favor in a tension-

filled skill challenge). Perhaps he’s looking for some

other information he hopes they’ll drop in the course

of their conversation with him. Perhaps unraveling the

mystery eventually leads the characters to a confronta-

tion with a hated rival of this stranger. The possibilities

are limitless, and a little creative improvisation can

create lots of room for exciting plot twists and wrinkles

in your campaign.

FIXING PROBLEMSFIXING PROBLEMS

JASON ENGLE

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100

CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

When you build an adventure, you’re building a frame

to hang encounters on. Building that structure is a pro-

cess of answering some simple questions.

You don’t have to answer these questions in any

particular order. You might start from a quest: One

of your players wants a specific magic sword, so the

adventure gives her a place to find that sword. A cool

villain or monster might be the springboard for a set-

ting or series of events. An interesting setting idea

might call for particular inhabitants and plot. The

climax might suggest a story leading up to it.

COMPONENTS OF AN ADVENTURE

Structure

✦ How does the adventure start and end?

✦ What happens in between?

Quests

✦ What is the situation?

✦ What led up to this situation?

✦ Does solving the situation require going somewhere?

✦ Does solving the situation require responding to events?

✦ Why do the PCs care?

✦ What are the PCs’ goals?

Setting

✦ Where is the situation taking place?

✦ What is this setting’s original purpose?

✦ What is the setting used for now?

✦ What kind of terrain and locations can you find there?

✦ What’s interesting and dangerous there besides monsters?

✦ How do you build an event-based adventure?

Cast

✦ Who and what inhabits the setting?

✦ Does the adventure have a villain?

✦ Who else cares about the situation?

✦ Which characters are helpful, neutral, or hostile?

Things to Bear in Mind

When you design an adventure, remember the

motives that bring your players to the table. Doing so is

a sure way to help everyone have more fun. See Chap-

ter 1 for more on player motives.

Consider your adventure’s place in the campaign. If

the adventure centers on a wondrous location, it gives

players a sense of a world that has a reality beyond

their characters. An adventure that engages the PCs

because it involves them on a personal level gives a

sense that the characters have a place in the world.

Both senses are valuable to your game. See Chapter 8

for more on campaigns.

Adventure Structure

All good adventures have a clear structure. Like a

novel or a story, an adventure has a clear beginning,

middle, and ending.

Beginning

An adventure’s beginning is a proposal of a problem,

sometimes suggesting the adventure’s end. An adven-

ture can begin with a roleplaying encounter in which

the PCs find out what they must do and why. It can

start with a surprise attack on the road, or the heroes

stumbling upon something they were not meant to see.

Whatever form it takes, the players should be hooked

into the adventure by the time the beginning is over.

Reach out and grab the players with the adventure’s

beginning. If the adventure starts with someone

asking the PCs to do something for them, you are

inviting them to say no. Players never say no to rolling

initiative. Starting with action is a solid lead-in that

clearly shows adventure is afoot.

GOOD BEGINNINGS . . .

✦ Show the players that adventure is afoot.

✦ Make the players want to be involved, rarely forcing them.

✦ Are exciting but short—one game session.

Middle

The middle of an adventure is where most of the

action occurs. An adventure’s middle might reveal new

quests or change the goal altogether as the PCs make

discoveries. Whatever the case, a good middle requires

the PCs to make important choices and gives the sense

that the adventure is building toward an end.

GOOD MIDDLES . . .

✦ Include a variety of challenges and clear choices.

✦ Build excitement, but give some time for reflection.

✦ Draw the players and the PCs in and onward.

Ending

The ending of an adventure speaks to the proposal of the

beginning and the substance of the middle in a satisfy-

ing way. An ending is often a confrontation with a major

villain, but it can also be a tense negotiation, a narrow

escape, or the acquisition of a prize. Endings needn’t be

triumphant for the PCs, but they should make sense in

the larger context of the whole adventure.

GOOD ENDINGS . . .

✦ Tie together the beginning and middle.

✦ Fit with character actions and choices.

✦ Allow the players and PCs to clearly see success or failure.

✦ Might provide new beginnings.

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Poor Structure

Watch out for some common pitfalls that can wreck

your adventure structure and leave your players dissat-

isfied or even angry.

Bottlenecking: Don’t let the characters’ ability to

move forward in or complete the adventure hinge on

a single action, such as finding the secret door to the

villain’s lair. If the characters don’t find the door, the

adventure comes to a grinding halt. Make sure that the

characters can move ahead with the adventure in at

least two different ways. Instead of punishing charac-

ters with a bottleneck if they fail to find the right clues,

reward them with an extra edge if they do find those

clues.

Railroading: If a series of events occurs no matter

what the characters do, the players end up feeling

helpless and frustrated. Their actions don’t matter,

and they have no meaningful choices. A dungeon that

has only a single sequence of rooms and no branches

is another example of railroading. If your adventure

relies on certain events, provide multiple ways those

events can occur, or be prepared for clever players to

prevent one or more of those events. Players should

always feel as though they’re in control of their charac-

ters, the choices they make matter, and that what they

do has some effect on the end of the adventure and on

the game world.

Cluelessness: On the flip side, don’t give the

players so many options that they can’t make any

meaningful decisions. Even though that open-ended

situation is far from railroading, too many options is

still frustrating to the players. Give hints, nudge them

however you like, but try to keep the action, the story,

and the pace of the game going.

Sidelining: The player characters should always

be the central heroes in the adventure. If NPCs can do

everything the characters can, why are the characters

even on the adventure? Along similar lines, don’t bring

in a powerful character as a deus ex machina to save

the characters from disaster. The characters should

take the consequences and reap the rewards of their

actions.

Squelching: D&D characters are powerful, and as

their powers grow, it is harder to build encounters to

challenge them. Know what the characters are capable

of, and then design to reward the clever use of those

powers. Don’t resort to weird effects that shut down

the characters’ capabilities.

Anticlimax: An unsatisfying end to an adventure

can be a real disappointment to the players. Make sure

to end the adventure with a bang and a big payoff.

Good Structure

Good structure makes use of the tenets of good begin-

nings, middles, and ends.

Hooks: From the beginning, players should want

their characters to be involved in the challenge the

adventure proposes. The “hook” used to pull the

characters into the adventure must be compelling or

personal, or both, to the players and their characters.

Here is where knowing your players and their charac-

ters’ goals pays off (see “Player Motivations” on page 8,

“Party Background” on page 10, “Campaign Details”

on page 11, and “Using Character Backgrounds” on

page 11). Use that knowledge to make compelling

hooks.

Choices: Player and character choices must matter

in a good adventure. Not only must they matter, but

also in at least a few cases, those choices must be

important to an adventure’s end. Your communica-

tion skills and information flow become especially

important here (see Chapter 2: Running the Game).

You must give the players enough information, even

in simple situations, for them to make meaningful

decisions.

Challenges: A good adventure provides varied

challenges that test the PCs and stimulate the play-

ers. Create different encounters to emphasize attack,

defense, skill use, problem-solving, investigation,

and roleplaying. Make sure the encounters invite the

player behavior you want by drawing out and reward-

ing that behavior. Know the characters’ capabilities

so you can build encounters that test those resources.

Chapter 4 gives more advice for building good

encounters.

Excitement: The tension should build in a good

adventure. Event-based adventures are easy to fashion

in this way, but setting-based adventures can have

building tension too. See “Adventure Setting” (page

106).

Climax: Even the simplest adventures should have

dramatically decisive moment when crucial knowl-

edge or decisive action pays off, or the villain gets

what’s coming to him. A sprawling dungeon complex

or a long event-based adventure might have several

such instances, with a big payoff at the ultimate end.

A tough fight doesn’t by itself constitute a climactic

encounter. The last encounter should be the most fan-

tastic and epic in the adventure. Don’t give the players

an exciting encounter on a bridge with swinging

blades and goblin archers mounted on worgs, and then

let them kill the goblin king alone in a bare cave.

Meaningful Victory: Whatever the goal of the

adventure, the characters’ success should be mean-

ingful. Players should care about what happens if

they fail.

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

Quests are the fundamental story framework of an

adventure—the reason the characters want to partici-

pate in it. They’re the reason an adventure exists, and

they indicate what the characters need to do to solve

the situation the adventure presents.

The simplest adventures revolve around a single

quest, usually one that gives everyone in the party

a motivation to pursue it. More complex adventures

involve multiple quests, including quests related to

individual characters’ goals or quests that conflict

with each other, presenting characters with interesting

choices about which goals to pursue.

BASIC QUEST SEEDS

Adversaries

✦ Capture

✦ Compete with to accomplish another task

✦ Defeat

✦ Discover hidden

✦ Drive away

✦ Escape from

✦ Hide from

✦ Infiltrate

✦ Thwart activities or plans

Allies, Extras, and Patrons

✦ Escort to a location

✦ Establish a relationship with

✦ Help perform a specific task

✦ Hide or protect from attack, kidnapping, or other harm

✦ Rescue from existing danger

✦ Settle a debt

Events

✦ Deal with the aftermath

✦ Flee or hide from ongoing weird or harmful

✦ Mistaken identity

✦ Prevent or stop weird or harmful

✦ Transported to a strange place

✦ Win a contest, race, or war

Items or Information

✦ Deliver to a place or person

✦ Destroy, perhaps by a particular method

✦ Hide

✦ Retrieve for an ally or patron

✦ Recover for personal use

Locations

✦ Escape from

✦ Explore

✦ Protect from attack or damage

✦ Seal off

✦ Secure for another use

✦ Survive in

Using Basic Quest Seeds

When you’re devising a simple adventure, one to three

basic seeds are enough to get you started. A classic

dungeon adventure uses three: The characters set

out to explore a dangerous place, defeat the monsters

inside, and take the treasure they find. One simple

quest can be enough, such as a quest to slay a dragon.

You can combine any number of basic seeds to

create a more multifaceted adventure. The more

seeds you throw in the mix, the more intricate your

adventure will be. You might add timing elements to

one or more of the seeds to create more depth in your

adventure.

Once you have your seed or seeds, you can start

getting specific. Go back and answer the questions in

“Components of an Adventure” on page 100, keeping

your quest seeds in mind. Again, you don’t need to

follow any particular order. You might come up with a

set of monsters you want to use first, you might invent

a cool place or item, or you might choose a seed or

three. You can then use Chapter 4 and the “Adventure

Setting” section of this chapter to help flesh out your

adventure.

Major Quests

Major quests define the fundamental reasons that

characters are involved. They are the central goals

of an adventure. A single major quest is enough to

define an adventure, but a complex adventure might

involve a number of different quests. A major quest

should be important to every member of the party, and

completing it should define success in the adventure.

Achieving a major quest usually means either that the

adventure is over, or that the characters have success-

fully completed a major chapter in the unfolding plot.

Don’t be shy about letting the players know what

their quests are. Give the players an obvious goal, pos-

sibly a known villain to go after, and a clear course to

get to their destination. That avoids searching for the

fun—aimless wandering, arguing about trivial choices,

and staring across the table because the players don’t

know what to do next. You can fiddle with using

another secret villain or other less obvious courses, but

one obvious path for adventure that is not wrong or

fake should exist. You can count on the unpredictabil-

ity of player actions to keep things interesting even in

the simplest of adventure plots.

Thinking in terms of quests helps focus the adven-

ture solidly where it belongs: on the player characters.

An adventure isn’t something that can unfold without

their involvement. A plot or an event can unfold with-

out the characters’ involvement, but not an adventure.

An adventure begins when the characters get involved,

QUESTSQUESTS

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

when they have a reason to participate and a goal to

accomplish. Quests give them that.

Minor Quests

Minor quests are the subplots of an adventure, compli-

cations or wrinkles in the overall story. The characters

might complete them along the way toward finishing

a major quest, or they might tie up the loose ends of

minor quests after they’ve finished the major quest.

Often, minor quests matter primarily to a particu-

lar character or perhaps a subset of the party. Such

quests might be related to a character’s background,

a player goal, or the ongoing events in the campaign

relevant to one or more characters. These quests still

matter to the party overall. This game is a cooperative

game, and everyone shares the rewards for completing

a quest. Just make sure that the whole group has fun

completing minor quests tied to a single character.

Sometimes minor quests come up as sidelines to

the main plot of the adventure. For example, say the

characters learn in town that a prisoner has escaped

from the local jail. That has nothing to do with the

main quest. It pales in importance next to the hob-

goblin raids that have been plundering caravans and

seizing people for slaves. However, when the charac-

ters find and free some of the hobgoblins’ slaves, the

escaped prisoner is among them. Do they make sure

he gets back to the jail? Do they accept his promise to

go straight—and his offer of a treasure map—and let

him go free? Do they believe his protestations of inno-

cence and try to help him find the real criminal? Any

of these goals can launch a side quest, but clearly the

characters can’t pursue all of them. This situation gives

them the opportunity to roleplay and make interesting

choices, adding richness and depth to the game.

Designing Quests

Design quests so that they have a clear start, a clear

goal, and clear consequences. Any quest should pro-

vide a ready answer for when the players ask, “What

should we do now?”

Level

Give the quest a level based on how difficult it is to

accomplish. A good rule of thumb is to set the quest

at the level you expect the characters to be when

they complete it. For example, if completing a quest

requires overcoming several encounters well above the

party’s level, the average level of those encounters is a

fine level for the quest.

Start

A quest’s start is where the characters begin the quest

if they choose to accept it. It might be a person who

assigns the quest. It might be an observation they

make that leads them to adopt a quest of their choos-

ing. It’s a point of reference that the players can refer

to and that the characters might be able to return to.

Goal

The goal of a quest is what the characters have to

accomplish to succeed on the quest. Goals should be

as clear as you can make them. Goals can change as

the characters uncover information, but such changes

should also be clear.

Outcome

The reward for success and the cost of failure should

be or become clear to the players and their characters.

Like goals, outcomes can change over the course of an

adventure as the PCs expose the truth.

No Redundant Quests

Don’t reward the characters twice for the same

actions. Quests should focus on the story reasons for

adventuring, not on the underlying basic actions of

the game—killing monsters and acquiring treasure.

“Defeat ten encounters of your level” isn’t a quest. It’s

a recipe for advancing a level. Completing it is its own

reward. “Make Harrows Pass safe for travelers” is a

quest, even if the easiest way to accomplish it happens

to be defeating ten encounters of the characters’ level.

This quest is a story-based goal, and one that has at

least the possibility of solution by other means.

Conflicting Quests

You can present quests that conflict with each other,

or with the characters’ alignments or goals. The play-

ers have the freedom to make choices about which

quests to accept, and these can be great opportunities

for roleplaying and character development.

Player-Designed Quests

You should allow and even encourage players to come

up with their own quests that are tied to their individ-

ual goals or specific circumstances in the adventure.

Evaluate the proposed quest and assign it a level.

Remember to say yes as often as possible!

QUESTSQUESTS

QUEST CARDS

You can give the players index cards to help them keep

track of their quests. Each card should include the quest

level, the start of the quest, the goal, and the possible out-

comes the characters are aware of. This helps remind the

players what they’re trying to do, which can be important

when a quest spans several gaming sessions. Quest cards

can also help players keep their objectives in mind when

they reach a decision point in an adventure.

Leave space on the cards for players to make notes

about the quest, including changes to the quest’s goals or

possible outcomes.

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

When you’re building an adventure, try to vary the

encounters you include, including combat and non-

combat challenges, easy and difficult encounters, a

variety of settings and monsters, and situations that

appeal to your players’ different personalities and

motivations. This variation creates an exciting rhythm.

Adventures that lack this sort of variety can become a

tiresome grind.

Complexity

Encounters can be complex in several different ways.

An encounter with five different kinds of monsters is

complex for the players and for you, so mix those up

with wolf pack encounters (a group made up of a single

kind of monster; see page 59 in Chapter 4) as well as

more straightforward encounter types.

Some encounters are complex in their relationship

to the plot, such as a tangled interaction in which the

characters have to unravel each adversary’s motiva-

tions and hidden agendas, or even a combat encounter

that raises new questions about what’s going on in the

adventure. Make sure to mix those up with encounters

in which it’s completely clear what’s going on.

Rooms with lots of interesting terrain, cover, and

room features make for great combat encounters,

but you should keep some variation in that level of

complexity. You don’t have to resort to a straight-up,

face-to-face melee in a tiny room, but some encounters

can be less tactically interesting than others.

Difficulty

If every encounter gives the players a perfectly bal-

anced challenge, the game can get stale. Once in a

while, characters need an encounter that doesn’t signif-

icantly tax their resources, or an encounter that makes

them seriously scared for their characters’ survival—or

even makes them flee.

The majority of the encounters in an adventure

should be moderate difficulty—challenging but not

overwhelming, falling right about the party’s level or

one higher. Monsters in a standard encounter might

range from three levels below the characters to about

four levels above them. These encounters should make

up the bulk of your adventure.

Easy encounters are two to three levels below the

party, and might include monsters as many as four

levels lower than the party. These encounters let the

characters feel powerful. If you build an encounter

using monsters that were a serious threat to the char-

acters six or seven levels ago, you’ll remind them of

how much they’ve grown in power and capabilities

since the last time they fought those monsters. You

might include an easy encounter about once per char-

acter level—don’t overdo it.

Hard encounters are two to three levels above

the party, and can include monsters that are five to

seven levels above the characters. These encounters

really test the characters’ resources, and might force

them to take an extended rest at the end. They also

bring a greater feeling of accomplishment, though, so

make sure to include about one such encounter per

character level. However, be careful of using high-

level soldiers and brutes in these encounters. Soldier

monsters get really hard to hit when they’re five levels

above the party, and brutes can do too much damage

at that level.

Monsters that are more than eight levels higher

than the characters can pretty easily kill a character,

and in a group they have a chance of taking out the

whole party. Use such overpowering encounters with

great care. Players should enter the encounter with

a clear sense of the danger they’re facing, and have

at least one good option for escaping with their lives,

whether that’s headlong flight or clever negotiation.

On average, it takes a character eight to ten encoun-

ters to gain a level, with the possible addition of a

major quest. For a group of nine encounters, here’s

how they might be broken down.

ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY

Level of Encounter Number of Encounters

Level – 1 1 encounter

Level + 0 3 encounters, 1 major quest

Level + 1 3 encounters

Level + 3 1 encounter

Fantasy

The D&D game is all about fantasy, so don’t feel

restricted by realism when coming up with weird and

interesting adventure elements. Allow movies, video

games, and other media to inspire you. Imagine cool

encounter situations and locales, and then include

them in your adventure.

That does not mean that every encounter has to be

incredibly fantastic. Some monsters provide all the

fantasy an encounter needs. Fighting a dragon is such

a staple of the fantasy genre that you can’t forget you’re

playing a fantasy game in the middle of that battle. On

the other hand, encounters with humanoid monsters

such as orcs and bugbears can start to feel mundane,

and those encounters can use a fantasy injection. A

floating cloud castle or similar fantastic location, an

add-on monster such as a rage drake or a wyvern, or a

strange magical effect such as shifting shadow tendrils

that provide concealment—these elements remind the

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

players that their characters live in a fantastic world

that doesn’t obey the natural laws of the real world.

Monsters

In addition to using different monster groups to vary

the complexity of your encounters, try to vary the

kinds of monsters the characters face in ways that are

more basic as well. Don’t fill a dungeon with nothing

but humanoid monsters, at the risk of losing the sense

of fantasy and wonder. Make sure to include minions

and solo monsters from time to time, so not every

fight pits five PCs against five monsters. Use differ-

ent encounter templates, and vary the composition of

those groups as well, using controllers and soldiers for

some encounters, artillery and brutes for others.

You can also create variation within the same kinds

of monsters, which is particularly useful when the

story of the adventure seems to demand a lot of battles

with the same kinds of monster. When the characters

strike into the hobgoblin stronghold, use the different

hobgoblins presented in the Monster Manual (as well

as goblins and bugbears), make sure to include plenty

of nonhumanoid guard monsters, and then use the

templates in Chapter 10 to create new hobgoblin varia-

tions. The hobgoblin leader might be a vampire or a

mummy, or just a 10th-level fighter built as an NPC.

Or he could be a solo monster, a whirlwind of flashing

blades and killer moves. Or he could be some kind of

aberrant monstrosity dredged from your worst night-

mares and created using the guidelines in Chapter 10.

The players will remember that encounter for years.

NPCs

Memorable nonplayer characters are best built on

stereotype. The subtle nuances of an NPC’s personal-

ity are lost on the players. Just don’t rely on the same

stereotype for every NPC you make. Not every villain

has to be a cackling megalomaniac, not every ally is

honest and forthright, and not every bartender is loud

and boisterous. Variety in NPCs is the spice of your

adventures and lends depth to your campaign.

Player Motivations

Make sure to include a variety of encounters designed

to appeal to the different motivations of your play-

ers. See Chapter 1 for more about these motivations,

but remember these encounter elements for different

types of players.

Actor: Interaction encounters are the actor’s natu-

ral habitat. Plenty of decision points give the actor a

chance to consider what his character would do and

act out the deliberation and debate.

Explorer: The explorer loves cool settings and

fantastic environments. Make sure a sense of new

wonders over the next hill or down the next dungeon

staircase abounds.

Instigator: Traps give the instigator a chance to

make things happen, though deadly traps can bring

the wrath of the other players down on the instigator’s

head. Interaction encounters with lively NPCs, espe-

cially if you’re ready for those encounters to turn into

combat, give the instigator plenty to work with.

Power Gamer: Combat encounters give the power

gamer a place to shine. Cool rewards, including quest

rewards, keep this player happy.

Slayer: Use more combat encounters. The slayer

enjoys a variety of complexity in combat encounters

and can get bored during other encounters.

Storyteller: This player thrives on encounters that

advance the story of the adventure and the campaign

and gladly pursues quests that tie into her background

and specific goals.

Thinker: Puzzle encounters, difficult decisions,

and tactically interesting combats give the thinker

plenty to work with.

Watcher: You never know when or if a watcher

will latch onto an element that catches his interest, so

give him variety. Varied encounters give him opportu-

nities to get more involved without forcing it on him.

Traps and Hazards

Not every combat encounter consists only of monsters

and terrain. Include traps as part of monster mixes as

well as traps that stand alone as encounters in their

own right. Other hazards add spice to encounters as

well. Don’t overlook these components of encoun-

ter design, but don’t overuse them, either. Monsters

are the staple of D&D encounters for a good reason.

They’re exciting, tactically challenging, and visually

interesting.

Fun

Fun is one element you shouldn’t vary. Every encoun-

ter in an adventure should be fun. As much as

possible, fast-forward through the parts of an adven-

ture that aren’t fun. An encounter with two guards at

the city gate isn’t fun. Tell the players they get through

the gate without much trouble and move on to the

fun. Niggling details of food supplies and encum-

brance usually aren’t fun, so don’t sweat them, and

let the players get to the adventure and on to the fun.

Long treks through endless corridors in the ancient

dwarven stronghold beneath the mountains aren’t fun.

Move the PCs quickly from encounter to encounter,

and on to the fun!

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

The Vault of the Drow, the Tomb of Horrors, the Forge

of Fury, and the Keep on the Shadowfell—all those

names describe two things: adventures published

over the last 30 years of D&D history, and the settings

in which those adventures take place. One element

that all the best adventures share is a compelling and

evocative setting. When you’re building an adventure,

think about what makes an awe-inspiring and memo-

rable setting.

One good way to think about setting is to work

backward: imagine a great climactic battle against the

ultimate villain of the adventure. You don’t need to

have any idea who that villain is just yet, but thinking

about the setting might give you ideas. Of course, if you

have a villain in mind, that might inspire setting ideas

as well. If you want your players fighting a red dragon

in that last encounter, something volcanic or otherwise

fiery is a good starting point. Alternatively, if some fan-

tastic terrain inspires you, run with that. Perhaps you

want to set that great climactic battle in an enormous

Underdark cavern where two mighty armies of drow

clashed centuries ago, staining the rock with their

accursed blood. From that starting point, you could

build an expansive Underdark adventure that eventu-

ally leads the characters into that cavern and its blood

rock.

Types of Settings

Adventure settings in the D&D world tend to fall into

four categories. The first consideration in thinking

about a setting is what type of setting you want: an

underground “dungeon,” a wilderness environment, a

city or other settlement, or a fantastic different world

(or plane of existence).

Underground

Many D&D adventures revolve around a dungeon

setting. That’s why the game is called D &

D. The word “dungeon” might conjure images

of dry, bare stone corridors with manacles on the

walls, but dungeons in the D&D game also include

great halls built into the walls of a volcanic crater, nat-

ural caverns extending for miles beneath the surface

of the earth, and ruined castles that provide gateways

to other planes.

Underground settings are such a staple of D&D

adventures because dungeon environments are

cleanly defined, separated from the outside world

and set apart as a special, magical environment.

More important, dungeons physically embody good

adventure design: they offer choices (branching pas-

sages and doorways) but not too many choices. They’re

limited environments that clearly define the options

available. The rooms and corridors constrain the char-

acters’ movement, but the characters can explore them

in any order they choose, so they have a feeling of con-

trol and meaningful choices.

Many dungeons are ancient ruins, long abandoned

by their original creators and now inhabited only by

monsters looking for underground lairs or humanoids

setting up temporary camps. Some undying remnants

of the original inhabitants might also linger in the

ruins—undead, constructs, or immortal guardians set

in place to keep watch over treasures or other impor-

tant locations. The dungeon’s rooms might contain

hints of their previous purpose—rotting remnants

of furnishings piled together into kruthik nests, or

faded tapestries hanging behind a crumbling throne.

Rumors of ancient treasures or artifacts, historical

information, or magical locations might lure adventur-

ers into these ruins.

Other dungeons are currently occupied, presenting

a very different sort of environment for the charac-

ters to explore. Whether they originally created the

dungeon or not, intelligent creatures now inhabit it,

calling its chambers and passages home. It might be a

fortress, a temple, an active mine, a prison, or a head-

quarters. The inhabitants organize guards to defend

it, and they respond intelligently to the characters’

attacks, especially if the characters withdraw and

return later. Characters might fight or sneak their way

into an occupied dungeon to discover the secrets of an

underground cult, stop the orcs from pillaging nearby

towns, or prevent a mad necromancer from animating

undead legions to conquer the barony. Or they might

seek to reclaim the ancient dwarven fortress from the

goblins that have taken it over, making it safe for habi-

tation once again.

Sometimes dungeons are built to hold something—

whether a mighty artifact or the body of a revered

ruler—and keep it safe. A dungeon might also serve

as a prison for a powerful demon or primordial that

couldn’t be destroyed at the time. These dungeons are

usually sealed, often trap-laden, and sometimes inhab-

ited only by monsters that can survive the passage of

ages—undead, constructs, immortal guardians, devils,

or angels.

Some dungeons aren’t built at all. They’re sprawl-

ing networks of natural caverns stretching deep below

the earth. Taken as a whole, this expanse of naturally

occurring dungeon is called the Underdark. It is an

almost lightless region of subterranean wilderness.

Within those caverns, adventurers might find cities of

the drow, ruins of long-forgotten dwarf strongholds,

or the hidden tomb of a mind flayer lich. Many kinds

of monsters call the Underdark home, making it

among the most dangerous areas of the world.

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

Finally, many dungeons combine two or more of

these elements. For example, imagine that the dwarves

of an ancient civilization built a sprawling subterra-

nean complex where they thrived in splendor for many

years. Then they dug too deep. Their tunnels opened

into the natural caverns of the Underdark. Some

horrible evil emerged from the lightless depths and

destroyed the dwarven civilization. Centuries later,

most of the original complex lies in ruins. Here and

there among its sprawling passages, though, ragged

bands of degenerate dwarves, enclaves of schem-

ing drow, and a tribe of savage orcs have made their

homes, and they live in a perpetual state of war against

each other. Somewhere in the ruins is the tomb of the

last dwarf queen, said to hold the mighty Axe of the

Dwarvish Lords. Lastly, the ruins still connect to the

Underdark. All four dungeon types come together in

this single dungeon.

Wilderness

Not every adventure has to take place in a dungeon.

A trek across the wilderness to the heart of the Black-

mire or the Desert of Desolation could be an exciting

adventure in itself.

When designing a wilderness adventure, it helps

to think of the great outdoors as a big dungeon. The

characters should have a destination in mind, so that

helps make the route they will take predictable. Roads,

paths, and terrain features can channel the PCs

along predefined paths, rather than allowing them to

wander freely around a vast and open map. The PCs

still have plenty of choices—from simple choices such

as whether to walk along the bottom or the top of a

gorge, to larger choices such as whether to skirt the

edge of the swamp or cut through the middle, taking

days off the journey but exposing the characters to

greater danger.

In cases where the terrain doesn’t channel the char-

acters to specific locations, think about the adventure

in more of an event-based structure, with encounters

connected by a flowchart of events and choices rather

than defined by geographical location. See “Event-

Based Adventures” on page 115 for more ideas.

Most wilderness areas should seem familiar but

have fantastic elements. The creatures flitting among

the branches of the Wyrmclaw Forest might be tiny

dragonets rather than birds. They’re not any more

dangerous than birds (until the characters encounter a

needlefang drake swarm), but they add a fantastic and

flavorful element to the wilderness environment. Once

in a while, though, break up the familiar wilderness

with truly wondrous locations: trees that hover above

the ground and send roots snaking through the air,

auroras of many-colored light dancing in the depths of

a lake, coldfire flames cascading across the surface of

a glacier, or a swamp filled with pools of acid.

Civilized

From the smallest village to the largest metropolis,

urban environments offer limitless opportunities for

adventure. Humanoids make the most cunning and

devious foes, and NPCs found within the boundar-

ies of the adventurers’ hometown are often the most

memorable villains.

Urban settings need not be mundane—not any

more than wilderness or dungeon areas. Wealthy

citizens might ride hippogriffs between the towers of

the upper-class families. A mysterious local wizard

might live in a tower floating above the city. The storm

sewers might crawl with wererats or hide a secret

enclave of aboleths. The baron might be a rakshasa or

a doppelganger. Magic and danger don’t always come

from normal humanoid threats.

Adventures based in settled areas don’t usually

focus on exploring a location and killing its inhabit-

ants. However, cities can hold mini-dungeons (such

as the aboleths’ sewers or the floating tower of the

rakshasas) that combine elements of underground

and urban settings. City adventures also work well as

event-based adventures in which the setting is a back-

drop for the unfolding drama.

Planar

The world is not the only dangerous place full of dun-

geons. The Shadowfell and the Feywild hold countless

opportunities for even low-level adventurers to seek

treasure and glory, and the Elemental Chaos and the

dominions of the Astral Sea are proving grounds for

the most powerful characters. These different worlds

offer the most magical, fantastic settings for D&D

adventures. The Elemental Chaos is full of mountains

floating through the air, stone slabs drifting on rivers

of liquid fire, and clouds of pure lightning. The domin-

ions of the gods in the Astral Sea are as different as

the deities themselves, from Zehir’s Endless Night to

Pelor’s shining palace at the pinnacle of Celestia.

Planar adventures sometimes resemble wilderness

adventures with more fantastic terrain. However, such

adventures have plenty of opportunities for dungeon

exploration—the fey Labyrinth of Eldren Faere or the

Endless Crypts of Morth Dire in the Shadowfell—and

even urban encounters in the City of Brass or the

Bright City.

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

Setting Personality

A great way to think about the setting for your adven-

ture is to imagine its personality. A dungeon built as a

hobgoblin stronghold has a very different flavor from

an ancient temple-city inhabited by yuan-ti, and both

are different from a place where the alien energy of

the Far Realm has warped and twisted all life into

aberrant forms. A setting’s personality lends its flavor

to the adventure as a whole.

Deciding on a setting’s overall personality helps you

create all the little details that make it come to life.

That said, here and there you can throw in elements

that don’t fit the overall theme. While fighting their

way through the hobgoblin stronghold, if the charac-

ters find a secret door leading to an ancient shrine to

Bahamut built by the dungeon’s original creators, they

get a sense of a bigger world beyond their adventures,

a taste of history, and a larger view of the dungeon’s

place in the world.

Creator and Inhabitants

A setting’s creator and current inhabitants can have a

profound impact on the personality of that setting. A

forest haunted by ettercaps and spiders is a very dif-

ferent place from one where the Feywild draws near

the world and the fey lead their hounds on monthly

wild hunts. An ancient dwarven stronghold takes on

a different flavor when a minotaur cult moves into its

ruins.

When large creatures create dungeons or cities,

they build things to scale. A fortress crafted by titans

can be hard for humans to negotiate, even if only gob-

lins and dark creepers inhabit it now. On the flip side,

adventurers (except halflings) find a kobold warren

to be close quarters. The difference between grand

battles in the stately halls of the titan ruins and run-

ning skirmishes in the cramped tunnels of the kobolds

leads to a marked difference in the personality of those

two settings.

Some other fundamental elements of a setting’s

structure can be shaped by the nature of its creator.

A lost temple of the yuan-ti, choked by overgrown

jungle plants, might use ramps instead of stairs. A

place carved by beholders would use empty shafts to

connect different levels. Flying creatures in general

approach the construction and use of their lairs very

differently from land-bound creatures, potentially cre-

ating challenging dungeons for adventurers to explore.

A setting’s environment might also be closely

related to who built it or lives in it. A fortress built into

the side of an active volcano might have been built by

fire giants or be inhabited by salamanders. A tower-

ing palace of ice in the frigid northern wastes could be

the work of ice archons, or it might be a temple to the

Raven Queen. These are cases in which distinguishing

between the setting’s original creator and its current

inhabitants can be very interesting. Perhaps dwarves

built the volcano fortress, but they were wiped out

when the volcano erupted a hundred years ago. Now

the volcano is home to salamanders. Or its current

inhabitants could be relatively normal creatures that

rely on magic rituals to keep them protected from the

volcano’s heat and ongoing activity.

Cultural details, at both a large scale and a small

one, bring a setting’s personality to life in your play-

ers’ minds. Great bearded faces carved on the doors

of a dwarven stronghold (perhaps defaced by the orcs

who live there now), spiderweb decorations in a citadel

of the drow, grisly battle trophies impaled on spears

around a gnoll camp, and a statue of Pelor in the

ruined temple are all details that tell the PCs some-

thing about who built the setting or who currently

inhabits it. Cultural details such as these can also

tie different settings together, perhaps suggesting an

interesting storyline. Imagine that in three different

dungeons, all the gold coins the characters find were

minted by the ancient tiefling empire of Bael Turath.

Does this cultural detail hint at some historical ele-

ment linking these three dungeons?

A more dramatic sort of cultural detail has to do

with the types of rooms or buildings you might find

in the setting. A drow stronghold might have pens for

slaves, a number of torture chambers, and elaborate

temples to Lolth. A kobold warren or dragonborn ruin

might have egg incubation chambers. An expansive

complex with a dusty library and museum has a dif-

ferent feel from one full of armories, barracks, and

prisons.

History

Many of the elements just discussed speak to the

setting’s history. The race or culture that originally cre-

ated a dungeon gives it a great deal of its personality,

and the history of the site between its creation and the

present is no less significant.

The D&D world has a glorious history of expan-

sive empires and prosperity. In the present day, the

empires of the past lie in ruin, replaced by petty bar-

onies and vast expanses of lawless wilderness. This

world has endless opportunities for adventure: ancient

ruins to explore, lost treasures to be recovered, savage

hordes to drive away from settled lands, and terrible

monsters haunting the dark places of the world. The

exact history of your own campaign world, of course,

is yours to design if you so choose, but these basic

assumptions make for a world of opportunity from the

adventurer’s point of view.

Does this dungeon hold the last ancient monster of

its kind, a powerful being that fiercely defends its last

stronghold? Were its long-dead rulers the last known

possessors of the Regalia of the Seven Kingdoms? Was

it built as a prison for a primordial or demon prince

whose influence still lingers in the place? Do the resi-

dents of the city in the remote jungle not know that

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

the empire of Nerath has fallen? These are all ways

you can tie the history of a setting into adventures you

place there, shaping its flavor and feel.

A word of warning: Let background be background.

Unless the background is essential to your adventure,

don’t spend a lot of time detailing the history of a

dungeon in exhaustive detail. Use history to spice up

the setting and provide the interesting details that help

bring it to life in the players’ minds, then move on to

focus on the adventure.

Environment

Sometimes a setting’s surroundings give it all the per-

sonality it needs. A ruined castle in the Shadowfell, a

monastery drifting through the Elemental Chaos, or

the classic dungeon built into an active volcano are all

settings that have a distinct personality regardless of

their history or inhabitants. You might find inspiration

in the jungle-choked ruins of Angkor Wat or decide

to create a coral labyrinth in a tropical sea. The envi-

ronment in these cases is the primary element of the

setting’s personality, which you can then enhance by

choosing the right inhabitants and creating an appro-

priate history.

Atmosphere

A subtle but important way to communicate your

setting’s personality to the players is through the

background sensory details you use in your descrip-

tions—the ambience the characters experience in the

place. Remember to consider all five senses, as well as

harder-to-define gut feelings and emotional responses

characters might have to the setting. As the characters

enter a natural cavern complex, they might see a dim

blue glow radiating from the walls, hear the distant

dripping of water, smell the slightly acrid scent of wet

earth, and feel the cool air even as the weight of the

earth and stone above them seems to press down on

their spirits. When they creep down the stairs of an

ancient crypt, describe the dust-covered cobwebs, skit-

tering beetles, dry air, and perhaps the haunting sense

of a presence deep within the tomb that watches their

every move, anticipating their arrival.

You don’t need to pile atmospheric details into your

very first description of an adventure setting. Make

a note of the ambience of the place, perhaps listing a

variety of details that might appear to every sense, and

break them out to add some flair to your narratives as

the adventure progresses.

SETTING PERSONALITYSETTING PERSONALITY

ROB ALEXANDER

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

Setting Details

You can design the details of settings in your adven-

tures in three ways: the natural method, the staged

method, and the best method. The strengths of the

first two methods fuse to create the best method while

countering their weaknesses.

The Natural Method

With this method, you picture a location in your mind

and draw it out on your map. If the goblins live in a

ruined castle, you take care to design a castle first, add

in crumbled walls and ruined areas to reflect its age,

and then determine how the goblins live in the place.

Logic, story, and realism guide your design. The areas

you map have a history, they were built for a purpose,

and those two factors guide your design.

The natural method is the best method because it

creates realistic, believable environments that reflect

the story and your campaign world.

The natural method is the worst method because it

can cause you to worry too much about realism, espe-

cially realism that is lost on the players. Taken too far,

worrying about “real” encounter areas can force you

to build boring ones. Remember, you are the creator

and final arbiter of the game, not a rule, someone else’s

sense of realism, or any other outside factor.

The Staged Method

This method embraces the encounter area as a set-

ting for a game. It sets aside worries about realism or a

sense that a location existed as something other than

the place for a fight. With the staged method, you treat

encounter areas as stages for the action, just like a

director or novelist. The only thing that matters is how

much excitement and fun the encounter yields.

The staged method is the best way to go because it

promotes action, adventure, and excitement. It forces

you to design toward a clear goal of making things fun.

The staged method is the worst approach because

it places artifice above everything. Like a paper-thin

façade, it works as long as no one pushes against it. If

the players stop to think about the area, or if you try to

make sense of it in terms of story and narrative, it falls

flat.

The Best Method

The aptly named best method is a fusion of the natu-

ral and staged approaches. Build encounter areas

within the context of the campaign’s story and his-

tory, but keep an eye out for creating fun, interesting

encounters. In truth, the two methods are completely

compatible, particularly when you add monsters to the

mix.

For instance, a ruined castle might have an

entrance gate with battlements above it. The goblin

lord of the place assigns archers to watch the gate from

this position. When the PCs attack, the archers rain

arrows down upon them while the characters must

rush through the gate and up the crumbling stairs to

reach the goblins.

A dungeon filled with puzzles and weird monsters

was built that way because Emperor Darvan the Mad

constructed it to defend his most valuable treasures.

The alleyways around the syndicate’s headquarters are

rife with traps and ambush points because the Lord

of Shadows is always ready for an attack by his rivals.

Encounter areas never spring from a vacuum. They are

built, designed, or chosen by monsters and intelligent

creatures for a reason.

Even wholly natural terrain lends itself to this

approach. While the characters travel along the road,

bandits attack when they reach an area of rough

ground that offers plenty of cover for the bandit

archers. A bulette hunts in a box canyon, trapping ani-

mals in a dead end.

Dungeon Rooms

The rooms in a dungeon setting show what the place

was built for, and they show how the inhabitants live

their lives. When you add rooms to a site, consider the

story they tell about the place and its dwellers. Rooms,

as well as the arrangement of them, should make

sense within the context of their intended purpose and

current use. Don’t forget that fantastic elements can be

a part of the scene—illusions instead of art, or unusual

passages and rooms for creatures that have a distinctly

nonhuman body or mindset.

DUNGEON ROOM POSSIBILITIES

Arena Nursery

Armory Observatory

Audience chamber Prison

Burial site Quarters

Communication center Storeroom

Cookery Temple

Dumping grounds Training area

Guard post Transportation

Library Water supply

Museum Workshop

Terrain Features

In natural settings, whether outdoors or underground,

large-scale terrain features tend to define the environ-

ment. In outdoor environments, look for fantasy art or

even real-world photography that depicts dramatic nat-

ural settings. A forest does not need to be just a battle

grid dotted with trees and undergrowth when even a

casual Internet search can bring up dozens of beauti-

ful pictures of dramatic forest landscapes. Not only do

your players have a more vivid scene to imagine, but

an encounter can also become a lot more interesting

when it takes place on a forested hill with a stream

tumbling down its rocky side.

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

OUTDOOR TERRAIN POSSIBILITIES

Basin Esker Mesa

Bluff Fissure Mound

Canyon Glacier Oasis

Chasm Gorge Overlook

Cliff Grove Plateau

Crater Hill Ravine

Crevice Island Sinkhole

Delta Lake Stream

Dune Meadow Wetland

UNDERGROUND TERRAIN POSSIBILITIES

Column Pool

Flowstone Stalactite

Gypsum flower Stalagmite

City Buildings

Even in a fantastic city, a lot of buildings are mundane

places—the ropemakers, tanneries, and provision-

ers’ shops that support the day-to-day life of the city’s

people. Those don’t usually make great adventure sites,

though. Use them for color as characters move through

the city. The types of businesses found in a city can say

a lot about the city’s personality. (Does the city have a

slave auction yard or abundant hostels where the poor

can find food and shelter? Does it host three temples to

Bahamut, or a great fortress-temple to Bane?)

Look to more exotic and interesting sites for the

important scenes in an urban adventure. Sites that can

take a role as part of an encounter are always a good

choice—a mill with wheels and gears turning a giant

millstone is terrain that smart players (or monsters)

can use to their advantage. Moving parts, built-in haz-

ards, and verticality—the risk of falling with a wrong

step—make city sites more interesting than a stereo-

typical tavern brawl.

INTERESTING CITY SITES

Battlements

Bridges, balconies, and rooftops

Forge (smithy or smelting furnace)

Mill (windmill, water wheel)

Monument (pyramid or ziggurat)

Rooftops

Ruins from an ancient, larger city on the same site

Temple (with magical traps and hazards)

Tower (bell tower, clock tower, watch tower)

Waterways (storm sewers, aqueducts, canals)

FANTASTIC FLAVOR

Defensive walls of magical fire or thorns

Floating buildings—towers, palaces, or whole

neighborhoods

Hippogriff stables or behemoths as beasts of burden

Magical lamps or an artificial sun

Monstrous or magical sentinels (treants or golems)

Planar connections (shadow district or fey garden)

UPSCALE TRADES AND SERVICES (EXAMPLES)

Alchemist Cartographer Ritual caster

Assassin Goldsmith Sage

Bank Jeweler Scribe

Bookseller Moneychanger Spice merchant

AVERAGE TRADES AND SERVICES (EXAMPLES)

Armorer Butcher Painter

Auctioneer Cartwright Provisioner

Baker Mason Stable

Blacksmith Messenger Tavern

POOR TRADES AND SERVICES (EXAMPLES)

Almshouse Fishmonger Pawn shop

Basketweaver Fuller Tanner

Brickmaker Gambling hall Warehouse

Burglar Miller

Furnishings and Features

Spice up dungeon or city rooms with furnishings or

other minor features whose primary purpose is flavor.

Any detail you add to a room not only brings the set-

ting to more vivid life in your players’ minds, it can

also spur unusual and creative ideas in encounters,

such as tipping over a brazier of burning coals or pull-

ing a tapestry down over opponents. (Refer to “Actions

the Rules Don’t Cover” in Chapter 3 on page 42 when

these situations come up.) Some of these features

might count as difficult terrain or grant cover (see

“Encounter Settings” on page 60 in Chapter 4).

SAMPLE FURNISHINGS AND FEATURES

Alcove Altar Arrow slit

Balcony Barrel Bed

Bench Bookcase Brazier

Cage Caldron Carpet

Chair Chandelier Chasm

Chest Collapsed wall Crate

Curtain Dome Evil symbol

Fallen stones Fire pit Forge

Fountain Gong Hole

Idol Ladder Loose masonry

Manacles Mirror Mosaic

Murder hole Oven Painting

Pedestal Peephole Pillar

Platform Pool Portcullis

Ramp Relief Sconce

Screen Shaft Shelf

Shrine Statue Stool

Stuffed beast Sunken area Table

Tapestry Torture device Throne

Trash Tub Wall basin

Weapon rack Well Workbench

SETTING DETAILSSETTING DETAILS

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

Mapping the Site

Once you’ve come up with a concept for your adven-

ture’s setting, you probably need a map. An adventure

map can take many forms—from an exquisitely

detailed dungeon map that shows every feature in

every 5-foot square to a sketchy outline of how one

encounter might lead to one or two or three others,

depending on the route the characters choose. What-

ever your map looks like, it serves the fundamental

purpose of mapping out your adventure, not just its

setting. The map is a visual representation of how

all the encounters that make up the adventure fit

together. The map is also like a flowchart, in which

each decision point (a branch in a corridor, a room

with multiple exits) leads along a different course to

new decision points. By looking at your map, you can

tell where the characters’ decisions lead them. If they

leave the room by the north door, you look at your map

and see that it leads them into the great hall, lined

with pillars, where the fire giant king holds court. If

they leave by the secret door to the southeast, you look

at the map and follow the secret tunnel as it winds to

the hidden vaults below the great hall.

Chapter 11 includes a short adventure with a

dungeon map you can use as example and inspiration

for your own maps. Each encounter also includes a

map of the encounter area in greater detail. Although

in the case of that adventure, the encounter areas are

all close to each other in a relatively limited space, that

doesn’t have to be true. Your adventure map could be

circled numbers representing encounter areas with

lines between them, and each line possibly represent-

ing hours or even days of travel. Your adventure might

have decision points along those lines that aren’t

encounter areas: “After about two hours, you reach a

point where the passage splits. The left branch starts

with a short flight of stairs and seems to lead gently

upward beyond them, while the right branch slopes

sharply downward. Which way do you go?” It is fine if

your map glosses over long stretches of travel to keep

the adventure moving.

Sometimes an encounter map is literally a flow-

chart, when the setting is less important than the plot,

and encounters are more like events. Decision points

on such a map aren’t literal rooms with multiple exits,

but they work just the same way: If the characters

convince the baron to send soldiers to the pass, they

lead a squad to the pass the next day, and their next

encounter is with a group of hobgoblins in the pass. If

they fail to convince the baron, their next encounter is

a team of assassins sent by the vizier that attacks them

that night.

Door

Double door

Secret door

One-way door

False door

Revolving door

Open doorway

Portcullis or bars

Trap door in

ceiling

Trap door in

floor

Secret trap door

One-way secret

door

Open pit

Covered pit

Trap

Stairs

Stairs/slide trap

Spiral stairs

Natural stairs

Ladder

Slide

Statue

Pillar

Fountain

Well

Pool

Dais

Altar

Fireplace

Table and chest

Bed

Tapestry or

curtain

Window

Arrow slit

Railing

Illusory wall

Rock wall

Rock column

Stalactite

Stalagmite

Rubble

Crevasse

Sinkhole

Depression

Pool or lake

Stream

Elevated ledge

Natural chimney

WAYNE ENGLAND

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Drawing the Map

When you’re setting out to draw a dungeon map, start

with a blank sheet of graph paper. With one square on

the graph paper representing 5 feet of distance, you

can easily translate the encounter areas on your map

to the battle grid when combat breaks out.

Your map should include all the important features

of a room, although flavor details can rest in descrip-

tive text or notes rather than appearing on the map.

Consider all the elements that apply from the follow-

ing list.

MAP ELEMENTS

✦ Boundaries and walls

✦ Doors and passages

✦ Furnishings

✦ Hazards

✦ Numbers or letters for key locations

✦ Obstacles

✦ Secret areas

✦ Terrain

✦ Territory for factions

✦ Traps

Unless cartography is fun for you, don’t worry about

the drawing quality in your mapping. Your map is

a tool to help you keep track of the adventure and

convey the setting to the players. It just needs to be

clear and easy for you to use. Make notes on it that will

help you describe the area and run the encounters.

Map Symbols: You can use symbols to indicate

map features. The map symbol illustration here shows

one way to depict common features of adventure set-

tings, but use whatever symbols work best for you.

Adventure Map and Battle Grid

When you map encounter areas, keep in mind that

you’re going to have to transfer your map to the battle

grid when the characters enter the area. Don’t make

areas that are too big to fit on your table (or your grid-

ded surface). If you use D&D Dungeon Tiles for your

battle grid, consider building each area with the tiles

first, then transferring it to the map. That way, you

are sure you can build the location again when the

encounter starts.

The Map Key

The key for your map is the substance of your adven-

ture. For each room on the adventure map, your key

describes what’s in the room—its physical features, as

well as the encounter that waits there. The key turns

a room sketched on graph paper with the numeral 1

in the middle of it into an encounter on the battle grid

designed to entertain and intrigue your players.

ELEMENTS OF A KEY/ENCOUNTER DESCRIPTION

✦ Room description

✦ Monsters

✦ Traps

✦ Hazards

✦ Monster tactics

✦ Encounter XP value

✦ Treasure, if any

✦ Rules for terrain and features in the room

The encounter areas presented in Chapter 11 are

reasonably well detailed, but you don’t necessarily

need the same level of detail in your own adventures.

Particularly if you don’t have a lot of time to prepare, it

can be enough to jot quick notes about each encounter.

Even so, try to include at least enough detail to spur

you to give an expanded description when you’re run-

ning the encounter. Here’s an example of the sort of

quick notes you might make for a room:

Room 1—Foulspawn Guards (2,100 XP)

Smell like rotting flesh mixed with chemical odor. Strange

shadows—don’t seem to follow light, things moving?

2 foulspawn berserkers

1 foulspawn seer

2 foulspawn manglers

Berserkers attack when the characters enter the room. Next

round, seer enters on balcony (10 ft. up) and manglers

sneak in through side doors (Stealth +12).

Treasure: Seer wears an amulet of protection +2 (+2 defenses).

Whatever format works best for your reference during

the game is the format you should use. Some DMs like

having a page neatly organized for each encounter,

while others use index cards. Still others write the

contents of each room directly on the map and don’t

bother with a key at all, trusting their ability to impro-

vise any further details. Your own preference is what

matters, along with the preparation time you have

available.

DRAWING DIAGONAL WALLS

Here’s a tip for drawing diagonal walls on the battle grid:

Don’t draw the walls through the corners of squares.

Instead, start at the middle of a square’s edge and go

through the middle of the adjacent square’s edge. This way,

where creatures can stand is always clear: A square with a

corner cut off is a legal square, but a creature can’t occupy

a space that’s just the corner of a square.

MAPPING THE SITEMAPPING THE SITE

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

Outdoor Settings

A dungeon makes a great adventure setting because

it offers choices without presenting too many options.

The characters can turn right or left, and that choice

can make a significant difference in the adventure,

but they can’t go in a completely different direction

than you planned for. Because the players’ options

are limited, planning for all possibilities is easy. Just

determine what’s in every dungeon room, and you’ve

covered all your bases.

By contrast, an outdoor setting seems to present

limitless options. The players can move in any direc-

tion they want to over the trackless desert, and you

might think you’d have to detail every square mile of

the desert in order to be prepared for every possibility.

Either that, or you design an encounter in an oasis, the

characters miss the oasis because they wandered off

course, and the result is a boring adventure with unin-

terrupted slogging across bare rock and dry sand.

The solution is to think of an outdoor setting very

much like you think about a dungeon. First, most

terrain—even trackless desert—does present some clear

pathways. The reason that roads seldom run straight

is that they follow the contours of the land, finding

the most level or otherwise easiest pathways across

uneven ground. Valleys and ridges channel travel in

a certain direction. Mountain ranges present a forbid-

ding barrier except for natural or constructed passes.

Even an apparently trackless desert has easier routes

and harder ones—regions of wind-blasted rock that are

easier to walk on than shifting sand.

Second, you don’t have to be precise about where

you place encounters on your outdoor maps. A part of

your brain might cling to the realism of saying, “But

the oasis is right there,” but the oasis is not there. The

oasis isn’t real. It exists precisely where you need it to

exist, which is in the path of the player characters as

they make their way across the desert. It might be 80

miles into their journey, or however far they travel in

three days.

You might want to draw a sketch of an outdoor

map for an adventure. However, keep it on the free-

form side. Just as you do in a dungeon, think about

decision points and encounter areas and how to con-

nect them, rather than focusing on the exact terrain

between. A decision point might be a fork in the road,

or the choice to ford a river, continue down its closer

bank, or build a raft and paddle downstream. The ford

might lead to one encounter, while either walking or

rowing downstream might lead to another. The adven-

ture continues, no matter which route the characters

choose.

Thinking about outdoor adventures in this way

presents some risk of overpreparing. If the characters’

goal is to get from one place to another, and the adven-

ture is the encounters they have along the way, they’re

significantly more likely to miss encounters you have

planned than they are in a dungeon where they’re

inclined to explore every room. You can approach this

problem in two ways: You can grin and bear it, taking

care not to put too much effort into each encounter

and knowing that the characters will skip over some of

them. Or, you can throw every encounter in the char-

acters’ way, regardless of the choices they make.

That might seem like railroading, but it’s not—at

least, not any moreso than a normal dungeon is. As

long as the players feel as though they’re making

meaningful choices along the way, the end result can

be that they go through the same encounters they

would have if they would have made completely differ-

ent choices. Their choices should influence the order

in which the encounters occur, just as they do in a

dungeon. For example, opponents from one encounter

might flee and appear again as reinforcements in a

later encounter.

Another way to think about outdoor travel is as

an extended skill challenge. The “Lost in the Wilder-

ness” skill challenge example in Chapter 5 (page 79)

shows how to make a journey through the wilds into

an important part of an adventure. You can interrupt

the skill challenge with combat encounters at several

points along the way—the higher the complexity of the

challenge, the longer it will take to complete, and thus

the more often it is liable to be interrupted. Using the

skill challenge system in this way makes the players

feel as though the episode of outdoor travel is full of

meaningful choices and a chance for their characters’

skills to matter in the game.

Varying Adventure Settings

Present a variety of settings within both a single

adventure and over the course of several adventures.

It’s almost a cliché of the game, but one outdoor

encounter on the way to the dungeon—or an outdoor

encounter that leads the characters to the dungeon—

can be an exciting way to lay the foundation of an

adventure, cluing the players in to the nature of the

threat they face.

A mix of dungeon, outdoor, urban, and even planar

adventuring also keeps a campaign interesting. You

might even structure your campaign so that charac-

ters routinely travel the world, with one adventure

in steamy tropical rainforest and the next set in the

frozen tundra.

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

Event-Based Adventures

If a good outdoor adventure map is a sort of abstrac-

tion of a dungeon map, then the “map” for a purely

event-based adventure is even more so. But the idea of

a dungeon map as flowchart is a great metaphor for

how to structure an adventure around events and deci-

sions instead of around physical space.

An event-based adventure focuses on the things

the characters do rather than the places they go.

Each decision—as well as the outcome of each

encounter—leads to direct consequences. Typically,

event-based adventures rely heavily on skill chal-

lenges, particularly those that involve interactions

with nonplayer characters. They might involve solving

a mystery (which you might also think of as a logic

puzzle), plunging into a tangled web of diplomacy and

intrigue, or tracking down a hidden cult operating

in the bell tower of the abandoned temple. An event-

based encounter is a great way to involve the actors,

storytellers, and thinkers in your group, but you can

keep slayers happy with frequent combat encounters

thrown into the mix.

The setting of an event-based adventure is often

a city (though it can be anything). An event-based

structure works well for urban adventures because you

don’t have to map every building in the city. What’s

important is whom the characters interact with. How-

ever, you can also use this structure for outdoor or

dungeon encounters, particularly in cases where the

opponents are organized and intelligent, rather than

dumb brutes who lurk in their dungeon lairs until

characters come along to fight. Consider an ancient

ruin now inhabited by three different factions: yuan-ti

in one quarter, minotaurs in another, and drow in the

cellars, sewers, and caverns below. Such an adventure

has an element of exploration, but more interesting

is how the characters might play the three factions

against each other, making the events of the adventure

far more important than the setting—particularly since

the inhabitants of the ruin move around regularly,

rather than appearing in fixed encounter locations.

Certain points on the event flowchart for your

adventure might be sites—small dungeons or just

city building. At those points, you set the flowchart

“adventure map” aside and turn to a smaller map,

let the characters explore that site and complete the

encounters there, then return to the flowchart, follow-

ing one branch or another depending on the outcome

of those encounters. These mini-dungeons are a good

way to vary the pace and feel of the adventure and so

to appeal to different player motivations.

Similarly, have encounter areas mapped for the

combat encounters you do plan for an event-based

adventure. Assassins might attack the characters any-

where in the city, when the time is right, but if you

have a few interesting encounter maps available to

choose from (a marketplace, a tavern, a warren of back

alleys) you can pick the right one for the event when it

occurs.

Even more than in most adventures, the overall

structure of an event-based adventure is essential.

You want events to hook the characters in immedi-

ately, build excitement slowly, and reach a climactic

moment, a crucial encounter. That crucial encoun-

ter might be an all-out fight against the mind flayer

impersonating the baron or a final showdown with

the castellan to determine the duke’s final decision,

but it should be the most exciting and tension-filled

encounter in the whole adventure. Pay close attention

to the advice about good and bad structure (see page

101). It’s easy to bottleneck or railroad the players in

an event-based adventure.

Another useful tool for organizing an event-based

adventure is with a timeline. Certain events might

occur at specific times in the adventure regardless

of the characters’ actions (a solar eclipse, a new non-

player character arriving on the scene, a festival day,

or some other event beyond the player characters’

control), or events on the timeline could trigger unless

the characters manage to prevent them. A timeline is a

great way to make sure an event-based adventure stays

on track by adding new elements to the mix at regular

intervals. It can also put time pressure on the charac-

ters to accomplish their goals before certain inevitable

events occur. If the villains are scheming to assassi-

nate the earl during the festival, the characters have a

limited time to unravel the plot and stop it.

Finally, have a few more-or-less random combat

encounters prepared to kick-start the action if things

start to bog down. Rather than drop a clue in the char-

acters’ lap, have someone kick down their door and

start a fight, dropping the clue in the process. That

way, the players feel like they earned the clue, and

the encounter also gets their adrenaline flowing and

ratchets up the excitement a notch.

ADVENTURE SETTINGADVENTURE SETTING

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

An adventure’s cast—the monsters and nonplayer

characters involved—brings it to life. Cast members are

tools that facilitate the game. Many cast members are

monsters or NPCs for the PCs to face and defeat. They

require little work aside from placing them in encoun-

ters and a little attention to behavior that makes them

interesting to roleplay. Others are extras directly

involved with the PCs—employers and other support

characters who require at least a little detail for role-

playing purposes. Still others are unique villains or

monsters that require statistics and roleplaying details

you create.

Every cast member has a purpose, a reason for

appearing in the adventure. The most fundamental

purposes are straightforward: Is the character an ally

or patron to the characters, their enemy, or an extra

with a walk-on role? When you populate your adven-

ture, you can give some of the cast notable purposes.

However, such purposes are relevant only if they’ll

matter to the PCs. Don’t bother with such details if no

way exists for the PCs to interact with them.

Sometimes a cast member can serve multiple

purposes, and the purposes of some cast members

can change as a reaction to the characters’ actions or

events in the world. An ally or patron could become

an enemy, or fade into the background and become a

mere extra. Enemies can reconcile and even become

allies.

Allies

An ally is a cast member that helps the PCs in some

way, large or small. Allies come in all sorts, from the

sagacious peasant who knows and can relate all the

local legends, to the guard captain who fights along-

side the characters as they hold off the hobgoblin

invaders. Allies don’t need to give their help for free,

but they often do.

Allies can serve a number of roles in an adventure.

An ally might be an explorer who shares her maps

with the characters or guides them through the wil-

derness. Or he might be the priest the characters turn

to when they need a Raise Dead ritual performed. A

deity might even assign an angel of protection to ward

a character on a particularly dangerous and important

adventure. If you plan a twist in your game, an ally

might have darker qualities that make the character

later become an enemy.

An ally needs only as much detail as its role in the

game requires. A sage who exists only to provide an

important clue doesn’t need any more detail than a

quirk of appearance or mannerism to help you play

her at the table. But the explorer-guide who accompa-

nies the characters on part of their adventure needs

full combat statistics in addition to those small details.

Patrons

A patron employs the characters, providing help or

rewards as well as hooks to adventure. Most of the

time, a patron has a vested interest in the characters’

success and doesn’t need to be persuaded to help.

However, circumstances or hidden schemes might

make a patron cagey or even treacherous. A patron

might cease to care about the characters after they

complete a particular task. Let these circumstances

guide the detail you give a patron. A name and a few

choice interactions are all you need for a patron who

serves as an adventure hook, but you might need fur-

ther facets for a recurring patron—or one who might

become an ally or enemy. At the least, give some

thought to why the patron wants what he does and

why he hires the characters to pursue his goals instead

of doing it himself.

Enemies

Enemies oppose or hinder the characters. Simple

monsters are enemies, as are dastardly villains you

make up. Most enemies need combat statistics more

than roleplaying details, although an enemy in a skill

challenge might need more extensive personality notes

and motivations. Enemies who play a significant role

in an adventure—the villains featured in climactic

CAST OF CHARACTERSCAST OF CHARACTERS

ALLIES AS EXTRA

CHARACTERS

Sometimes you want an ally or patron nonplayer charac-

ter to accompany the player characters on part or all of an

adventure. You might do it for story reasons, or just because

you like having a character of your own to play when the

player characters leave the comforts of civilization. An ally

can be a way to introduce clues to the characters, or might

be along just so she can betray the characters (and turn

into an enemy) at the worst possible moment.

When a nonplayer character participates in an encoun-

ter, that character earns an equal share of experience

points. You should build encounters to challenge the

party that includes the ally. Allies are within their rights to

demand a share of treasure earned as well, though in that

case you should add treasure to the adventure to account

for the ally.

Resist the temptation to use allied nonplayer charac-

ters as a way to railroad the players, and don’t ever let an

ally become the focus of an adventure. Keep the spotlight

firmly on the player characters where it belongs.

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CHAPTER 6 | Adventures

encounters, as well as recurring villains who vex the

characters in adventure after adventure—should always

be more than their combat statistics. They don’t need

extensive personal histories that explain why they

became so evil, but tales of their past evils can be a

good way to build player anticipation for that climactic

battle. A memorable personality, preferably some-

thing that becomes apparent before the final battle,

also brings a villain to life. Mocking verses, in flowery

language, scrawled in blood beside each victim speak

volumes about the villain the characters seek.

Also consider the motivations of an important

enemy. Is he an evil cultist who offers sacrifices to

Orcus in a cellar shrine? A scheming mastermind who

plans to take over the barony? A mercenary crimi-

nal who does anything if the price is right? A crazed

lunatic who delights in torture with no real purpose?

Villains with different motivations can give very differ-

ent flavor to the adventures they appear in.

Extras

Extras are characters and creatures that exist to make

the world seem more real. In a movie, they’re the people

in the background that the main characters rarely inter-

act with. The duke’s servants, townsfolk who witness

(and scatter away from) a street brawl, and tavernkeep-

ers are extras. In a D&D game, you might keep basic

and short notes on extras you think might become part

of a brief encounter. Many DMs make up extras on the

spot when the PCs go somewhere unexpected. Often

you need to know only what kinds of extras to expect in

an area of your adventure or settlement.

Bringing the Cast to Life

One way to ease the job of roleplaying a wide vari-

ety of characters is to give each one a distinctive

trait—something the heroes remember that charac-

ter by. If the tavern keeper on duty during the day is

hard of hearing and the one on duty at night speaks

loudly (and tactlessly), the players have an easier

time remembering which is which. Traits that have

an easy, obvious effect on how you play that character

are best. It’s one thing to tell the players that a crimi-

nal contact has bad breath, but it’s quite another to

play him so that he ends every sentence with a notice-

able exhalation of breath toward the characters. If

your voice and acting talents are up to the challenge,

creating distinctive voices for important characters

is a great way to make sure they stick in the players’

minds, and different facial expressions can create a

vivid picture of different characters.

Another important thing to remember as you

bring this enormous supporting cast to life is to be

consistent. Creating a distinct daytime and nighttime

tavernkeeper is great. Randomly using one of two dif-

ferent personalities whenever the heroes visit a tavern

is just random. When you invent a new character’s

personality, make a note of it, so you can refer back to

it when the heroes return to the same place later.

One of the great things about establishing consis-

tency like this is that it can be very effective when you

break it. If characters visit their favorite tavern at noon

and find the night keeper on duty, they wonder why,

which can be a wonderfully subtle way to draw the

heroes into an adventure.

Variant Behavior

Surprise your players occasionally by making familiar

creatures act in unusual or bizarre ways for their kind.

The variant behavior should be explainable if the PCs

can discover the cause. Perhaps the setting changes

those who stay within it too long. Maybe the presence

or influence of one or more creatures has swayed

others to behave in an unusual way.

Variant behavior can go in many directions. An evil

creature might instead behave in a more benevolent

fashion, or it could be limited in some way that pre-

vents or suppresses its natural tendencies. Innocent

creatures might be forced to fight for the bad guys,

causing the PCs a moral quandary. Weak creatures

might have stronger yet subservient allies.

CAST OF CHARACTERSCAST OF CHARACTERS

LEE MOYER

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Experience points, treasure, action

points, and intangible rewards keep characters

moving on from encounter to encounter, level to level,

and adventure to adventure. Small rewards come

frequently, while large rewards provide a big boost

once in a while. Both are important.

Without frequent small rewards, players begin to

feel like their efforts aren’t paying off. They’re doing

a lot of work with nothing to show for it. Without

occasional large rewards, encounters feel like pushing

a button to get a morsel of food—a repetitive grind

with no meaningful variation.

Characters gain experience points (XP) for

every encounter they complete. They gain action

points when they reach milestones, generally after

every two encounters. They gain treasure as they

complete encounters—not after every encounter, but

sporadically over the course of an adventure. They

gain a level after completing eight to ten encounters

(including quests).

Gaining a level (see page 27 of the Player’s

Handbook) is the most significant reward the game

has to offer, but even that reward has its own tidal

rhythm. Characters gain new attack powers at

odd-numbered levels, and they gain new feats, ability

score increases, and global adjustments to all their

attacks and defenses at even-numbered levels. Both

are exciting, but they feel different.

This chapter includes the following sections.

✦Experience Points: Every monster slain, skill

challenge, puzzle solved, and trap disabled is

worth an XP reward. As characters gain XP, they

move toward new levels.

✦Quests: Completing quests brings rewards just

like completing encounters.

✦Action Points: Action points encourage

characters to take on more encounters before

stopping to take an extended rest.

✦Treasure: Whether it’s coins, gems, art

objects, or magic items, treasure is the reward

characters can put to use right away.

118

CHAPTER 7 | Rewards

CHAPTER 7

RewardsRewards

HOWARD LYON

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CHAPTER 7 | Rewards

Experience points (XP) are the fundamental reward

of the game, just as encounters are the building blocks

of adventures and campaigns. Every encounter comes

with an experience reward to match its difficulty.

XP Rewards

The Experience Point Rewards table provides XP

values for monsters of every level. Use the “Standard

Monster” column for NPCs, traps, and noncombat

encounters (skill challenges and puzzles).

EXPERIENCE POINT REWARDS

Monster Standard

Level Monster Minion Elite Solo

1 100 25 200 500

2 125 31 250 625

3 150 38 300 750

4 175 44 350 875

5 200 50 400 1,000

6 250 63 500 1,250

7 300 75 600 1,500

8 350 88 700 1,750

9 400 100 800 2,000

10 500 125 1,000 2,500

11 600 150 1,200 3,000

12 700 175 1,400 3,500

13 800 200 1,600 4,000

14 1,000 250 2,000 5,000

15 1,200 300 2,400 6,000

16 1,400 350 2,800 7,000

17 1,600 400 3,200 8,000

18 2,000 500 4,000 10,000

19 2,400 600 4,800 12,000

20 2,800 700 5,600 14,000

21 3,200 800 6,400 16,000

22 4,150 1,038 8,300 20,750

23 5,100 1,275 10,200 25,500

24 6,050 1,513 12,100 30,250

25 7,000 1,750 14,000 35,000

26 9,000 2,250 18,000 45,000

27 11,000 2,750 22,000 55,000

28 13,000 3,250 26,000 65,000

29 15,000 3,750 30,000 75,000

30 19,000 4,750 38,000 95,000

31 23,000 5,750 46,000 115,000

32 27,000 6,750 54,000 135,000

33 31,000 7,750 62,000 155,000

34 39,000 9,750 78,000 195,000

35 47,000 11,750 94,000 235,000

36 55,000 13,750 110,000 275,000

37 63,000 15,750 126,000 315,000

38 79,000 19,750 158,000 395,000

39 95,000 23,750 190,000 475,000

40 111,000 27,750 222,000 555,000

Earning XP

Characters earn XP for every encounter they over-

come. The XP reward for completing an encounter is

the sum of the XP values for each monster, NPC, trap,

or hazard that makes up the encounter. You noted or

assigned this number when you built the encounter,

to judge its difficulty against your players. (Published

adventures note the XP value of each encounter they

contain.) Divide the XP total for the encounter by the

number of players present to help overcome it, and

that’s how many XP each character gets.

Overcoming an Encounter: What counts as over-

coming an encounter? Killing, routing, or capturing

the opponents in a combat encounter certainly counts.

Meeting the success conditions of a skill challenge is

overcoming it. Remember that an encounter, by defini-

tion, has a risk of failure. If that risk isn’t present, it’s

not an encounter, and the characters don’t earn XP. If

the characters accidentally trigger a trap as they make

their way down a hallway, they don’t get XP because it

wasn’t an encounter. If the trap constitutes an encoun-

ter or is part of an encounter, though, they do earn XP

if they manage to disarm or destroy it.

Say the characters avoid a hydra to get into the trea-

sure vault it guards. Do they get XP for overcoming

the challenge of the hydra? No. If the treasure was the

object of a quest, they get the reward for completing

the quest (see Quest Rewards on page 122), which

should include XP as well as treasure. But because

they didn’t have an encounter with the hydra, they

didn’t overcome the challenge. (If they sneak past,

trick, or defeat the hydra in an encounter, they do

earn XP.)

XP for Combat Encounters: The Monster Manual

indicates the XP reward each monster is worth. That

number comes from the Experience Rewards table

on this page, and it depends on the monster’s level. A

minion is worth one-quarter of the XP of a standard

monster of its level. An elite monster is worth twice

as much XP, and a solo monster is worth five times as

much XP.

If you apply a template to a monster (see page 175),

you turn it into an elite or solo monster (see “Creat-

ing New Solos,” page 185) and therefore adjust its XP

value. Likewise, if you alter a monster’s level, its XP

value changes.

A nonplayer character counts as a monster of his

or her level for calculating XP. Traps and hazards that

serve as combat complications also have levels. If the

characters overcome a combat encounter where a trap

or hazard presented a threat during the encounter,

give them XP for the trap or hazard even if they didn’t

disable or neutralize it. They overcame the challenge it

EXPERIENCE POINTSEXPERIENCE POINTS

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CHAPTER 7 | Rewards

121

presented most directly, which was its danger during

the combat.

XP for Noncombat Encounters: Noncombat

encounters that carry risk also carry reward. A skill

challenge has a level and a difficulty that combine

to determine the XP your characters earn for suc-

cessfully completing the challenge. A skill challenge

counts as a number of monsters of its level equal to its

complexity—so a 7th-level challenge with a complexity

of 3 counts as three 7th-level monsters, or 900 XP.

If a puzzle constitutes an encounter (see “Is a

Puzzle an Encounter?” on page 81), treat it as a mon-

ster. If the puzzle is the entire encounter, treat it as

a solo monster. If it’s part of an encounter that also

includes traps or monsters, count it as one or two mon-

sters, depending on how hard it is and how important

it is for the characters to solve it.

Varying the Rate of

Advancement

The experience point numbers in the game are built

so that characters complete eight to ten encounters

for every level they gain. In practice, that’s six to eight

encounters, one major quest, and one minor quest per

character in the party.

If you were to start a campaign with 1st-level char-

acters on January 1st, play faithfully for four or five

hours every week, and manage to finish four encoun-

ters every session, your characters would enter the

paragon tier during or after your session on June 24th,

reach epic levels in December, and hit 30th level the

next summer. Most campaigns don’t move at this pace,

however; you’ll probably find that the natural rhythms

of your campaign produce a slower rate of advance-

ment that’s easier to sustain.

If you double the XP rewards you give out, your

characters will gain a level at least every other session,

and hit 30th level in thirty-five sessions, or about eight

months. That can be great for a campaign that runs

during the school year (allowing some time for holiday

breaks).

If you want to limit your campaign to a single tier

(ten levels), you could cut the XP rewards in half and

stretch that campaign out to nearly a year. Characters

gain levels a little less often than once a month.

Simpler Experience Points

If you want to, you can treat experience points the

same way you handle action points (see “Awarding

Action Points” on page 123): Tell the players that they

gain a level after they complete eight to ten encoun-

ters. Don’t count really easy encounters, count really

hard encounters as two, and don’t worry about precise

XP totals. As with action points, harder and easier

encounters balance each other out over the course of

that level.

Experience at the Table

Awarding experience points is a simple process, but

it can raise a few sticky issues at the table. It’s worth

setting a few table rules for how you give out those

rewards.

XP per Encounter

Some DMs prefer to give XP after every encounter.

That way, they don’t have to keep track of a running

XP total for the session. The players are the only

ones who have to worry about how many XP they’ve

earned. Others prefer to award XP when the charac-

ters stop for an extended rest or at the end of a gaming

session. It’s purely a matter of personal preference, but

be mindful of the pace of the session. Don’t stop to give

out XP if it’s going to bring the game to a halt at a tense

moment.

Leveling Up

Some DMs let characters gain the benefits of a new

level as soon as they have the required XP to reach

that level, while others prefer to wait until the char-

acters take an extended rest or even until the end of a

session before letting characters level up. That decision

is entirely up to you. If your players are particularly

slow about advancing their characters and are taking

a long time to pore over the options available to them,

it might be best to wait until the end of a session. If

leveling up would completely shatter the pace of the

session, put it off until they take an extended rest at

least.

Absent Players

One issue that’s going to come up is how to handle

experience for characters who weren’t present for a

session. As with other table rules, decide on a policy

and stick to it, although it’s all right to make an excep-

tion for the player who misses a lot of sessions for a

good reason.

The game works better in a lot of ways if you just

assume that the characters all gain experience and

advance levels at the same rate, even if their players

miss a session. You don’t have to worry about play-

ers lagging behind the others, and players who miss

a session don’t feel like they’re less effective. D&D is

a cooperative game, and it’s more fun when all the

players are on a level playing field, able to make equal

contributions to the group’s success. All the players can

share in the excitement of gaining a level at the same

time. And it makes tracking XP much easier. In fact, a

group could decide to delegate the job of tracking XP

to a single player, who could announce when the char-

acters go up a level.

The alternative, of course, is to give XP only to the

characters who are present and who participate in

each encounter. If a character is dead while the rest

EXPERIENCE POINTSEXPERIENCE POINTS

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CHAPTER 7 | Rewards

of the party faces an encounter, that character doesn’t

get XP for the encounter. If a player misses a session,

that character doesn’t get XP for the whole session. The

result is that players who never miss a session get ahead

of those who miss the occasional game, and eventually

they wind up a level or more ahead. There’s nothing

wrong with that.

Quest Rewards

When the characters finish a major quest that they’ve

been pursuing for several sessions, divide the XP

reward among all the characters who participated

in the quest, even those who aren’t present in the

particular session when the PCs complete it. That’s

only fair—a major quest is like an encounter that

stretches over multiple game sessions, and everyone

who participates deserves to share in the reward.

Extended Absences

Even if you don’t give characters XP for sessions they

missed, consider making an exception for a player who

has to step out of the game for a long period because

of a significant life event. When a player misses two

months of gaming because of work or school or family,

it’s pretty punishing to return to the game three levels

behind the other characters. Discuss the situation with

the other players, but strongly consider advancing the

character to the same level as the rest of the group or

maybe a level behind.

Catching Up

If letting absent characters keep pace with the rest of

the group is too hard to swallow but you don’t want

characters lagging behind, you can let them catch up

a little more slowly. When a player misses a session,

let the character lag behind for the next session, but

award the character the XP he missed at the end of

the session. Therefore, all the characters present have

the same XP total at the end every session.

If a player misses multiple sessions in a row, you

might require that player to attend the same number

of sessions he missed before awarding the missed XP.

Ultimately, it depends on how much bookkeeping

you’re willing to do in order to let the character catch

up at the rate you want.

QUESTS

Completing quests earns rewards for the PCs. These

rewards primarily take the form of treasure (both

money and items) and experience points, but quests

can also have less concrete rewards. Perhaps someone

owes them a favor, they’ve earned the respect of an

organization that might give them future quests, or

they’ve established a contact who can provide them

with important information or access.

Fundamentally, a minor quest is worth the same as

one monster of the quest’s level, in terms of both XP

and treasure rewards. A major quest is worth a whole

encounter of its level. As with other rewards, all the

PCs share in the rewards for quests, even if the quest

was meant for an individual member of the group.

Completing a major quest is equivalent to complet-

ing an encounter, so it really feels like a significant

accomplishment. The XP reward varies based on the

number of characters in the group, just as the XP value

for an encounter does. When a group of characters

completes a 10th-level major quest, each individual in

the group gets 500 XP, regardless of how many char-

acters are in the group.

Completing a minor quest is equivalent to defeating

a single monster, and that XP reward is divided among

all the characters in the group. Since minor quests

are more likely to be individual quests, the number

of characters in the group helps determine how many

minor quests the characters complete. When a group

of four adventurers completes a 9th-level minor quest,

each character gets 100 XP. When they complete four

minor quests, they earn 400 XP.

QUEST XP REWARDS

PC Major Quest Reward Minor Quest

Level 4 PCs 5 PCs 6 PCs Reward

1st 400 500 600 100

2nd 500 625 750 125

3rd 600 750 900 150

4th 700 875 1,050 175

5th 800 1,000 1,200 200

6th 1,000 1,250 1,500 250

7th 1,200 1,500 1,800 300

8th 1,400 1,750 2,100 350

9th 1,600 2,000 2,400 400

10th 2,000 2,500 3,000 500

11th 2,400 3,000 3,600 600

12th 2,800 3,500 4,200 700

13th 3,200 4,000 4,800 800

14th 4,000 5,000 6,000 1,000

15th 4,800 6,000 7,200 1,200

16th 5,600 7,000 8,400 1,400

17th 6,400 8,000 9,600 1,600

18th 8,000 10,000 12,000 2,000

19th 9,600 12,000 14,400 2,400

20th 11,200 14,000 16,800 2,800

21st 12,800 16,000 19,200 3,200

22nd 16,600 20,750 24,900 4,150

23rd 20,400 25,500 30,600 5,100

24th 24,200 30,250 36,300 6,050

25th 28,000 35,000 42,000 7,000

26th 36,000 45,000 54,000 9,000

27th 44,000 55,000 66,000 11,000

28th 52,000 65,000 78,000 13,000

29th 60,000 75,000 90,000 15,000

30th 76,000 95,000 114,000 19,000

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CHAPTER 7 | Rewards

123

Even though the XP reward for a major quest is

the same as the reward for an encounter, don’t count

a quest as an encounter for the purposes of earning

action points. Characters need to complete two actual

encounters to gain an action point.

If you want to, you can attach a treasure reward to a

quest as well as XP. Treat a quest just like an encounter

for purposes of treasure. You can assign one or more

treasure parcels (see page 126) to its completion, or you

can put all the treasure in the dungeon. Sometimes the

person who gave the PCs a quest gives them a payment

for completing it. Sometimes the characters collect a

bounty on the head of a dangerous criminal or receive a

goodwill offering collected by the families and friends of

the prisoners they rescued and escorted back to safety.

MILESTONES

If the characters complete multiple encounters

without resting, they reach milestones. “Reaching a

milestone” means completing two encounters without

taking an extended rest. For every two encounters

the characters complete between extended rests, they

reach a milestone.

Awarding Action Points

When characters reach milestones, they get action

points. Action points help balance the depletion of

character resources (expended daily powers and heal-

ing surges) by providing a new resource that can help

characters adventure longer before taking an extended

rest.

Characters have 1 action point when they com-

plete an extended rest. When they reach a milestone,

they gain another action point. They gain additional

action points after every milestone. When they take an

extended rest, they lose any unspent action points and

start the next day with 1 action point again.

Varying Action Point

Rewards

You’re well within your rights to tell the players that

an encounter doesn’t count toward a milestone. An

encounter that’s two or more levels lower than the

characters is really easy, and it shouldn’t contribute

toward a milestone.

Likewise, if the characters overcome an encounter

that’s really hard, you can count it as two encounters,

so they reach a milestone right away. An encounter

that’s four or more levels higher than the characters

should count as two encounters.

If you vary encounter difficulty within a more

normal range—one level below to two or three levels

above the characters’ level—just count each encounter

as one. The harder encounters balance out the easier

ones.

MILESTONESMILESTONES

EVA WIDERMANN

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CHAPTER 7 | Rewards

Treasure rewards come in two basic flavors: magic

items and monetary treasure. Magic items include all

the magic weapons, armor, gear, and wondrous items

detailed in the Player’s Handbook and other sources.

Monetary treasure includes coins (silver, gold, and

platinum), precious gems, and valuable objects of art.

Over the course of an adventure, characters acquire

treasure of all kinds.

Monetary Treasure

Monetary treasure doesn’t have a level, but it has a

similar economy. Gold coins are the standard coins

of treasure hoards from 1st level through the paragon

tier. At the lowest levels, characters might find silver

coins as well, but that mundane coinage disappears

from dungeon treasures after about 5th level.

In the mid-paragon tier, platinum coins start

appearing in treasures. One platinum piece (pp) is

worth 100 gp and weighs the same as 1 gold piece,

so it’s a much easier way to transport the quantities of

wealth that high-level characters possess. By the time

characters reach epic level, they rarely see gold any

more. Platinum is the new standard.

In the mid-epic tier, a new currency comes into

play: astral diamonds. These precious gems are used

as currency in the Elemental Chaos and in any divine

dominions that have commercial economies. One

astral diamond (ad) is worth 100 pp or 10,000 gp, and

10 ad weigh as much as one gold or platinum coin—so

500 ad weigh one pound. Astral diamonds never com-

pletely replace platinum, but they’re a useful measure

of wealth in the high epic tier. Astral diamonds are

most commonly found in strings of five or ten, linked

together in settings of mithral or silver.

Gems

Precious gems are as good as currency. Characters can

cash them out at full value or use them to purchase

expensive items. Gemstones come in four common

values: 100 gp, 500 gp, 1,000 gp, and 5,000 gp. The

most common examples of each value are shown on

the lists below. (Numerous kinds of gems exist.) Astral

diamonds are technically gemstones worth 10,000 gp

apiece, but they are more often used as currency in

their own right.

GEMSTONES

100 gp Gems: amber, amethyst, garnet, moonstone, jade,

pearl, peridot, turquoise

500 gp Gems: alexandrite, aquamarine, black pearl, topaz

1,000 gp Gems: emerald, fire opal, sapphire

5,000 gp Gems: diamond, jacinth, ruby

Gems appear in treasures beginning at 1st level. In

the paragon tier, 100 gp gems are rare. Gems worth

500 gp start appearing in 5th-level treasures and fade

out in the paragon tier. Gems worth 1,000 gp appear

from the middle of the heroic tier to the high end of

the paragon tier. The most precious gems occur only in

paragon and epic treasures.

Art Objects

Art objects include idols of solid gold, necklaces drip-

ping with gems, old paintings of ancient monarchs,

bejeweled golden chalices, and more. Art objects

found as treasure are at least reasonably portable, as

opposed to enormous statues (even if they are made of

solid platinum) or tapestries woven with gold thread.

In the heroic tier, characters commonly find art

objects worth 250 gp or 1,500 gp. At paragon levels,

items worth 2,500 gp or 7,500 gp appear. At high

paragon and epic levels, items worth 15,000 gp and

50,000 gp appear in treasures as well. Examples of

each category of item appear on the lists below.

ART OBJECTS

250 gp Art Objects: gold ring with 100 gp gem, bone or ivory

statuette, gold bracelet, silver necklace, bronze crown,

silver-plated sword, silk robe

1,500 gp Art Objects: gold ring with 1,000 gp gem, gold

or silver statuette, gold bracelet with 500 gp gems, gold

necklace with 100 gp gems, silver tiara or crown with

100 gp gems, ivory comb with 500 gp gems, cloth of gold

vestments

2,500 gp Art Objects: gold or platinum ring with 1,000 gp

gems, gold or silver statuette with 500 gp gems, gold

necklace with 500 gp gems, gold crown with 500 gp gems,

gold chalice with 100 gp gems, ceremonial gold breastplate

7,500 gp Art Objects: platinum ring with 5,000 gp gem,

gold statuette with 1,000 gp gems, mithral necklace with

1,000 gp gems, adamantine crown with 1,000 gp gems,

adamantine box containing elemental flame, black tunic

woven of pure shadow

15,000 gp Art Objects: mithral ring with an astral diamond,

gold statuette with 5,000 gp gems, gold necklace with

5,000 gp gems, mithral tiara with 5,000 gp gems, cup of

celestial gold that glows with a soft inner light, silvery cloak

of astral thread, enormous emerald or sapphire

TREASURETREASURE

ASTRAL DIAMONDS

Astral diamonds are clear, faceted crystals that glow with a

faint silvery light. Some legitimate operations mine astral

diamonds in the divine dominions that float through the

Astral Sea, particularly in Mount Celestia and the hinter-

lands of the Bright City. Secret mines also exist in other

dominions. Abandoned dominions are poor sources for

astral diamonds, but characters venturing to those desolate

landscapes might find both operating mines and aban-

doned ones that are dangerous epic dungeons.

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CHAPTER 7 | Rewards

125

CHARACTER GROUP SIZE AND TREASURE

PARCELS

8 Characters: Add three parcels: a magic item of Level + 3, a

magic item of Level + 2, and a magic item of Level + 1.

7 Characters: Add two parcels: a magic item of Level + 2 and a

magic item of Level + 1.

6 Characters: Add one parcel: a magic item of Level + 2.

5 Characters: Use the parcels as given.

4 Characters: Remove parcel 3 (a magic item of Level + 2).

3 Characters: Remove parcel 2 (a magic item of Level + 3) and

parcel 4 (a magic item of Level + 1).

2 Characters: Remove parcel 1 (a magic item of Level + 4),

parcel 2 (a magic item of Level + 3), and parcel 4 (a magic

item of Level + 1).

1 Character: Remove parcel 1 (a magic item of Level + 4),

parcel 2 (a magic item of Level + 3), parcel 4 (a magic item

of Level + 1), and parcel 5.

If you want to, you can give the characters one parcel

of treasure after each encounter they complete (includ-

ing one for a major quest reward, if appropriate). It’s

more interesting, however, to combine some parcels

into larger hoards and leave some encounters with no

treasure at all. Sometimes it’s a good idea to include

treasures with no associated encounter, such as a

hidden cache of gold or stashed item that the char-

acters can find with careful searching after they’ve

overcome a few encounters. In any event, when you

give out one parcel of treasure, cross it off your list.

The trickiest part of awarding treasure is determin-

ing what magic items to give out. Tailor these items

to your party of characters. Remember that these are

supposed to be items that excite the characters, items

they want to use rather than sell or disenchant. If none

of the characters in your 6th-level party uses a long-

bow, don’t put a 10th-level longbow in your dungeon as

treasure.

A great way to make sure you give players magic

items they’ll be excited about is to ask them for wish

lists. At the start of each level, have each player

write down a list of three to five items that they are

intrigued by that are no more than four levels above

their own level. You can choose treasure from those

lists (making sure to place an item from a different

character’s list each time), crossing the items off as the

characters find them. If characters don’t find things on

their lists, they can purchase or enchant them when

they reach sufficient level.

Each set of ten treasure parcels includes one less

magic item than there are characters in the party.

That’s not meant to be unfair, just to make sure that

characters gain magic items at a manageable rate.

Make sure that over the course of several levels of

adventuring, you award items evenly to all the char-

acters, so that over the course of, say, five levels, every

character has acquired four useful and exciting items.

The monetary rewards included in the treasure par-

cels should also allow characters to buy or enchant

items of their level or lower.

50,000 gp Art Objects: bracelet formed of cold elemental

lightning, gown woven of elemental water, brass ring with

bound elemental fire, celestial gold statuette with astral

diamonds, royal attire of astral thread with 5,000 gp gems,

enormous diamond or ruby

Many of the most precious art objects include mate-

rial from the Elemental Chaos or the Astral Sea and

its dominions. None have any magical effect, however,

and even elemental fire is stripped of its heat in the

crafting process so it can’t do any damage (to its wearer

or an enemy).

Magic Items

All the magic items in the Player’s Handbook have a

level. When characters risk life and limb in adven-

tures, they find magic items of higher level than their

own level. Players enjoy finding powerful items, and

they have a strong incentive to use those items rather

than sell or disenchant them for a fraction of their

value. When they use their own resources to acquire

magic items, they buy or create items of their own level

or lower. These items are useful and can be important,

but they don’t have the wonder and excitement of

the items players find on their adventures—and that’s

intentional.

Awarding Treasure

While experience points are fundamentally an

encounter-based (or quest) reward, treasure is a

larger-scale reward doled out over the course of an

adventure. You plan treasure in terms of the eight to

ten encounters it takes characters to advance from one

level to the next.

During the course of gaining that level, expect a

group of five characters to acquire four magic items

ranging in level from one to four levels above the party

level. In addition, they should find gold and other

monetary treasure equal to the market price of two

magic items of their level. So a 6th-level party would

find four magic items, one each of levels 7 through 10,

and gold worth two 6th-level items, or 3,600 gp.

At the start of an adventure, look at the adventure

in chunks of eight to ten encounters. (Include major

quest rewards as if they were encounters, and if the

party completes five minor quests, include those five

rewards as a single encounter as well.) For each of

those chunks, look at the treasure parcels on the fol-

lowing pages. Find the level of the characters as they

work through those encounters, and note the parcels

of treasure you will give out over the course of the

encounters.

If your group has more than five characters, add a

parcel for each additional character, as shown below.

If you have fewer than five characters, remove parcels

accordingly.

TREASURETREASURE

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CHAPTER 7 | Rewards

Treasure Parcels

The lists in the following pages show treasure parcels

for each character level from 1st to 30th.

Mix: The first four parcels at each level are indi-

vidual magic items, and the rest are monetary treasure

parcels. Each monetary treasure parcel is expressed

in three different ways—various amounts of coinage,

gems, and art objects, and sometimes potions or elixirs.

Combining Parcels: Remember that you can com-

bine parcels to make some larger treasures. Try to find

a balance between the excitement of finding a large

treasure hoard and the regular reward of finding sev-

eral smaller treasures. As a quick rule of thumb, over

the course of eight to ten encounters, use one treasure

hoard of three parcels, two treasures of two parcels

each, and three treasures with a single parcel. That

leaves two to four encounters with no treasure reward.

Potions: Keep an eye on how many potions you

give the characters. Don’t give out more than about

three to five potions over the course of a level. The

potions in these lists include only those that are in the

Player’s Handbook—potions of healing, vitality, recovery,

and life. If you want to include potions from other

sources, insert them into parcels using their market

price as part of a monetary treasure parcel’s value.

Heroic Tier Treasure Parcels

Party Level 1 Total Monetary Treasure: 720 gp

1 Magic item, level 5

2 Magic item, level 4

3 Magic item, level 3

4 Magic item, level 2

5 200 gp, or two 100 gp gems,

or two potions of healing +

100 gp

6 180 gp, or one 100 gp gem +

80 gp, or one potion of healing

+ 130 gp

7 120 gp, or one 100 gp gem +

20 gp, or one potion of healing

+ 70 gp

8 120 gp, or 100 gp + 200 sp,

or one 100 gp gem + 200 sp

9 60 gp, or one potion of healing

+ 10 gp, or 50 gp + 100 sp

10 40 gp, or 400 sp, or 30 gp +

100 sp

Party Level 2 Total Monetary Treasure: 1,040 gp

1 Magic item, level 6

2 Magic item, level 5

3 Magic item, level 4

4 Magic item, level 3

5 290 gp, or two 100 gp gems

+ 90 gp, or two potions of

healing + 190 gp

6 260 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 10 gp, or two potions

of healing + one 100 gp gem

+ 60 gp

7 170 gp, or one 100 gp gem +

70 gp, or one 100 gp gem +

one potion of healing + 20 gp

8 170 gp, or 150 gp + 200 sp,

or one 100 gp gem + 70 gp

9 90 gp, or one potion of healing

+ 40 gp, or 60 gp + 300 sp

10 60 gp, or 30 gp + 300 sp, or

one potion of healing + 10 gp

Party Level 3 Total Monetary Treasure: 1,355 gp

1 Magic item, level 7

2 Magic item, level 6

3 Magic item, level 5

4 Magic item, level 4

5 380 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 130 gp, or two

potions of healing + two 100

gp gems + 80 gp

6 340 gp, or three 100 gp

gems + 40 gp, or one potion

of healing + one 250 gp art

object + 40 gp

7 225 gp, or two 100 gp gems

+ 25 gp, or one 100 gp gem +

one potion of healing + 75 gp

8 225 gp, or two 100 gp gems

+ 250 sp, or 180 gp + 450 sp

9 110 gp, or one potion of

healing + 60 gp, or 80 gp +

300 sp

10 75 gp, or 50 gp + 250 sp, or

one potion of healing + 25 gp

Party Level 4 Total Monetary Treasure: 1,680 gp

1 Magic item, level 8

2 Magic item, level 7

3 Magic item, level 6

4 Magic item, level 5

5 470 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + two potions of healing

+ 120 gp, or four 100 gp

gems + 70 gp

6 420 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 170 gp, or three

100 gp gems + one potion of

healing + 70 gp

7 280 gp, or two 100 gp gems

+ 80 gp, or one 100 gp gem +

two potions of healing + 80 gp

8 280 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 30 gp, or 250 gp +

300 sp

9 140 gp, or one 100 gp gem +

40 gp, or one potion of healing

+ 90 gp

10 90 gp, or 50 gp + 400 sp, or

one potion of healing + 40 gp

Party Level 5 Total Monetary Treasure: 2,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 9

2 Magic item, level 8

3 Magic item, level 7

4 Magic item, level 6

5 550 gp, or two 250 gp art

objects + 50 gp, or one 500

gp gem + 50 gp

6 500 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 250 gp, or five 100

gp gems

7 340 gp, or three 100 gp gems

+ 40 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + one potion of healing +

40 gp

8 340 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 90 gp, or 300 gp +

400 sp

9 160 gp, or one 100 gp gem +

60 gp, or one potion of healing

+ 110 gp

10 110 gp, or one 100 gp gem +

10 gp, or one potion of healing

+ 60 gp

Party Level 6 Total Monetary Treasure: 3,600 gp

1 Magic item, level 10

2 Magic item, level 9

3 Magic item, level 8

4 Magic item, level 7

5 1,000 gp, or one 500 gp gem

+ one 250 gp art object +

250 gp, or two 250 gp art

objects + 500 gp

6 900 gp, or one 500 gp gem

+ 400 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 650 gp

7 600 gp, or four 100 gp gems

+ 200 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + two potions of healing

+ 250 gp

8 600 gp, or two 250 gp art

objects + 100 gp, or two 100

gp gems + 400 gp

9 300 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 50 gp, or one potion

of healing + two 100 gp gems

+ 50 gp

10 200 gp, or two 100 gp gems,

or two potions of healing +

100 gp

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127

Party Level 7 Total Monetary Treasure: 5,200 gp

1 Magic item, level 11

2 Magic item, level 10

3 Magic item, level 9

4 Magic item, level 8

5 1,500 gp, or two 500 gp gems

+ 500 gp, or one 1,000 gp

gem + 500 gp

6 1,300 gp, or one 500 gp gem

+ 800 gp, or five 250 gp art

objects + one potion of healing

7 850 gp, or three 250 gp art

objects + two potions of healing,

or six 100 gp gems + 250 gp

8 850 gp, or two 250 gp art

objects + 350 gp, or four 100

gp gems + 450 gp

9 400 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 150 gp, or three

potions of healing + 250 gp

10 300 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 50 gp, or three 100

gp gems

Party Level 8 Total Monetary Treasure: 6,800 gp

1 Magic item, level 12

2 Magic item, level 11

3 Magic item, level 10

4 Magic item, level 9

5 1,900 gp, or one 1,000 gp gem

+ 900 gp, or one 1,500 gp art

object + 400 gp

6 1,700 gp, or one 1,500 gp art

object + 200 gp, or three 500

gp gems + 200 gp

7 1,100 gp, or two 500 gp gems

+ 100 gp, or one 1,000 gp

gem + 100 gp

8 1,100 gp, or two 250 gp art

objects + 600 gp, or eleven

100 gp gems

9 600 gp, or one 500 gp gem

+ 100 gp, or two 250 gp art

objects + one 100 gp gem

10 400 gp, or one 250 gp art

object + 150 gp, or four 100

gp gems

Party Level 9 Total Monetary Treasure: 8,400 gp

1 Magic item, level 13

2 Magic item, level 12

3 Magic item, level 11

4 Magic item, level 10

5 2,400 gp, or two 1,000 gp

gems + 400 gp, or one 1,500

gp art object + 900 gp

6 2,100 gp, or four 500 gp

gems + 100 gp, or one 1,500

gp art object + 600 gp

7 1,400 gp, or one 1,000 gp

gem + 400 gp, or four 250 gp

art objects + 400 gp

8 1,400 gp, or two 500 gp gems

+ 400 gp, or three 250 gp art

objects + 650 gp

9 700 gp, or seven 100 gp

gems, or five potions of healing

+ 450 gp

10 400 gp, or four 100 gp gems,

or one 250 gp art object +

150 gp

Party Level 10 Total Monetary Treasure: 10,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 14

2 Magic item, level 13

3 Magic item, level 12

4 Magic item, level 11

5 2,800 gp, or one 2,500 gp art

object + 300 gp, or two 1,000

gp gems + 800 gp

6 2,500 gp, or one 1,500 gp art

object + one 1,000 gp gem,

or two 1,000 gp gems + one

500 gp gem

7 1,700 gp, or one 1,000 gp

gem + 700 gp, or one 1,500

gp art object + 200 gp

8 1,700 gp, or one 1,500 gp art

object + two 100 gp gems, or

six 250 gp art objects + 200

9 800 gp, or three 250 gp art

objects + 50 gp, or eight 100

gp gems

10 500 gp, or two 250 gp art

objects, or one 500 gp gem

Paragon Tier Treasure Parcels

Party Level 11 Total Monetary Treasure: 18,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 15

2 Magic item, level 14

3 Magic item, level 13

4 Magic item, level 12

5 5,000 gp, or two 2,500 gp art

objects, or one 5,000 gp gem

6 4,000 gp, or four 1,000 gp

gems, or two 1,500 gp art

objects + one 1,000 gp gem

7 3,000 gp, or two 1,500 gp

art objects, or three 1,000 gp

gems

8 3,000 gp, or one 2,500 gp

art object + 500 gp, or one

potion of vitality + two 1,000

gp gems

9 2,000 gp, or two 1,000 gp

gems, or one 1,500 gp art

object + 500 gp

10 1,000 gp, or two 500 gp

gems, or one potion of vitality

Party Level 12 Total Monetary Treasure: 26,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 16

2 Magic item, level 15

3 Magic item, level 14

4 Magic item, level 13

5 7,200 gp, or one 5,000 gp

gem + two 1,000 gp gems +

200 gp, or seven 1,000 gp

gems + 200 gp

6 7,000 gp, or seven 1,000 gp

gems, or two 2,500 gp art

objects + 2,000 gp

7 4,400 gp, or two 1,500 gp art

objects + 1,400 gp, or four

1,000 gp gems + 400 gp

8 4,400 gp, or one 2,500 gp

art object + one 1,500 gp art

object + 400 gp, or one potion

of vitality + three 1,000 gp

gems + 400 gp

9 2,000 gp, or two 1,000 gp

gems, or one 1,500 gp art

object + 500 gp

10 1,000 gp, or one 1,000 gp

gem, or one potion of vitality

Party Level 13 Total Monetary Treasure: 34,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 17

2 Magic item, level 16

3 Magic item, level 15

4 Magic item, level 14

5 9,500 gp, or one 7,500 gp art

object + 2,000 gp, or three

2,500 gp art objects + two

potions of vitality

6 8,500 gp, or three 2,500 gp

art objects + 1,000 gp, or

eight 1,000 gp gems + one

500 gp gem

7 5,700 gp, or two 2,500 gp

art objects + 700 gp, or one

5,000 gp gem + 700 gp

8 5,700 gp, or three 1,500 gp

art objects + 1,200 gp, or five

1,000 gp gems + one 500 gp

gem + 200 gp

9 2,800 gp, or one 2,500 gp

art object + 300 gp, or two

potions of vitality + 800 gp

10 1,800 gp, or one 1,000 gp gem

+ 800 gp, or one 1,500 gp art

object + 300 gp

Party Level 14 Total Monetary Treasure: 42,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 18

2 Magic item, level 17

3 Magic item, level 16

4 Magic item, level 15

5 12,000 gp, or 120 pp, or four

2,500 gp art objects + 2,000

6 10,000 gp, or two 5,000 gp

gems, or one 7,500 gp art

object + one 2,500 gp art

object

7 7,000 gp, or one 5,000 gp

gem + two 1,000 gp gems, or

four 1,500 gp art objects +

1,000 gp

8 7,000 gp, or one 5,000 gp

gem + two potions of vitality, or

seven 1,000 gp gems

9 4,000 gp, or one 2,500 gp

art object + one 1,500 gp art

object, or two 1,500 gp art

objects + 1,000 gp

10 2,000 gp, or two 1,000 gp

gems, or one 1,000 gp gem +

one potion of vitality

TREASURETREASURE

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128

CHAPTER 7 | Rewards

Party Level 15 Total Monetary Treasure: 50,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 19

2 Magic item, level 18

3 Magic item, level 17

4 Magic item, level 16

5 14,000 gp, or 140 pp, or one

7,500 gp art object + one

5,000 gp gem + one 1,500 gp

art object

6 12,000 gp, or 120 pp, or one

7,500 gp art object + 4,500 gp

7 8,500 gp, or one 7,500 gp

art object + 1,000 gp, or one

7,500 gp art object + one

1,000 gp gem

8 8,500 gp, or one 5,000 gp

gem + one 2,500 gp art

object + 1,000 gp, or eight

1,000 gp gems + 500 gp

9 5,000 gp, or one 5,000 gp

gem, or one 2,500 gp art

object + one 1,500 gp art

object + one potion of vitality

10 2,000 gp, or two potions of

vitality, or two 1,000 gp gems

Party Level 16 Total Monetary Treasure: 90,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 20

2 Magic item, level 19

3 Magic item, level 18

4 Magic item, level 17

5 25,000 gp, or 250 pp, or five

5,000 gp gems

6 22,000 gp, or 220 pp, or two

7,500 gp art objects + one

5,000 gp gem + 2,000 gp

7 15,000 gp, or two 7,500 gp

art objects, or three 5,000 gp

gems

8 15,000 gp, or one 7,500 gp

art object + one 5,000 gp

gem + two potions of vitality +

500 gp, or four 2,500 gp art

objects + one 5,000 gp gem

9 8,000 gp, or one 5,000 gp

gem + one 2,500 gp art

object + 500 gp, or one 7,500

gp art object + 500 gp

10 5,000 gp, or one 5,000 gp

gem, or two 1,500 gp art

objects + two potions of

vitality

Party Level 17 Total Monetary Treasure: 130,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 21

2 Magic item, level 20

3 Magic item, level 19

4 Magic item, level 18

5 36,000 gp, or 360 pp, or two

15,000 gp art objects + one

5,000 gp gem + one potion of

vitality

6 33,000 gp, or 330 pp, or four

7,500 gp art objects + three

1,000 gp gems

7 22,000 gp, or 220 pp, or four

5,000 gp gems + two 1,000

gp gems

8 22,000 gp, or two 7,500

gp art objects + one 5,000

gp gem + 2,000 gp, or four

5,000 gp gems + two potions

of vitality

9 11,000 gp, or two 5,000 gp

gems + 1,000 gp, or one 7,500

gp art object + two potions of

vitality + 1,500 gp

10 6,000 gp, or one 5,000 gp

gem + 1,000 gp, or four 1,500

gp art objects

Party Level 18 Total Monetary Treasure: 170,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 22

2 Magic item, level 21

3 Magic item, level 20

4 Magic item, level 19

5 48,000 gp, or 480 pp, or three

15,000 gp art objects + one

2,500 gp art object + 500 gp

6 42,000 gp, or 420 pp, or two

15,000 gp art objects + two

5,000 gp gems + 2,000 gp

7 29,000 gp, or 290 pp, or

three 7,500 gp art objects

+ one 5,000 gp gem + one

1,500 gp art object

8 29,000 gp, or five 5,000 gp

gems + 4,000 gp, or one

15,000 gp art object+ one

7,500 gp art object + three

potions of vitality + 3,500 gp

9 15,000 gp, or three 5,000

gp gems, or two 7,500 gp art

objects

10 7,000 gp, or one 5,000 gp

gem + two potions of vitality, or

seven 1,000 gp gems

Party Level 19 Total Monetary Treasure: 210,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 23

2 Magic item, level 22

3 Magic item, level 21

4 Magic item, level 20

5 60,000 gp, or 600 pp, or four

15,000 gp art objects

6 52,000 gp, or 520 pp, or

three 15,000 gp art objects +

seven 1,000 gp gems

7 35,000 gp, or 350 pp, or

seven 5,000 gp gems

8 35,000 gp, or four 7,500 gp

art objects + one 5,000 gp

gem, or two 15,000 gp art

objects + three 1,000 gp

gems + two potions of vitality

9 18,000 gp, or one 15,000

gp art object + three potions

of vitality, or three 5,000 gp

gems + three 1,000 gp gems

10 10,000 gp, or two 5,000 gp

gems, or one 7,500 gp art

object + one 2,500 gp art

object

Party Level 20 Total Monetary Treasure: 250,000 gp

1 Magic item, level 24

2 Magic item, level 23

3 Magic item, level 22

4 Magic item, level 21

5 70,000 gp, or 700 pp, or 600

pp + two 5,000 gp gems

6 61,000 gp, or 610 pp, or four

15,000 gp art objects +

1,000 gp

7 42,000 gp, or 420 pp, or two

15,000 gp art objects + two

5,000 gp gems + 2,000 gp

8 42,000 gp, or 400 pp + two

potions of vitality, or eight

5,000 gp gems + two 1,000

gp gems

9 21,000 gp, or 210 pp, or four

5,000 gp gems + one potion

of vitality

10 14,000 gp, or twp 5,000

gp gems + one 2,500 gp art

object + 1,500 gp, or one

7,500 gp art object + one

5,000 gp gem + one potion of

vitality + 500 gp

Epic Tier Treasure Parcels

Party Level 21 Total Monetary Treasure: 4,500 pp

1 Magic item, level 25

2 Magic item, level 24

3 Magic item, level 23

4 Magic item, level 22

5 1,250 pp, or two potions of

recovery + one 50,000 gp art

object + five 5,000 gp gems,

or two 50,000 gp art objects +

five 5,000 gp gems

6 1,120 pp, or 1,000 pp + two

5,000 gp gems + two potions

of vitality, or one 50,000 gp

art object + four 15,000 gp

art objects + 2,000 gp

7 750 pp, or five 15,000 gp

art objects, or 700 pp + one

5,000 gp gem

8 750 pp, or 600 pp + three

5,000 gp gems, or 500 pp +

one potion of recovery

9 380 pp, or two 15,000 gp art

objects + one 5,000 gp gem +

three potions of vitality, or five

7,500 gp art objects + 500 gp

10 250 pp, or five 5,000 gp

gems, or three 7,500 gp art

objects + 2,500 gp

Party Level 22 Total Monetary Treasure: 6,500 pp

1 Magic item, level 26

2 Magic item, level 25

3 Magic item, level 24

4 Magic item, level 23

5 1,800 pp, or 1,500 pp + six

5,000 gp gems, or three

50,000 gp art objects + two

15,000 gp art objects

6 1,600 pp, or 1,000 pp + four

15,000 gp art objects, or

three 50,000 gp art objects +

two 5,000 gp gems

7 1,100 pp, or 600 pp + two

potions of recovery, or two

50,000 gp art objects + two

5,000 gp gems

8 1,100 pp, or 500 pp + four

15,000 gp art objects, or 600

pp + ten 5,000 gp gems

9 550 pp, or one potion of

recovery+ six 5,000 gp gems,

or seven 7,500 gp art objects

+ 25 pp

10 350 pp, or two 15,000 gp art

objects + one 5,000 gp gem,

or seven 5,000 gp gems

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CHAPTER 7 | Rewards

129

TREASURETREASURE

Party Level 23 Total Monetary Treasure: 8,500 pp

1 Magic item, level 27

2 Magic item, level 26

3 Magic item, level 25

4 Magic item, level 24

5 2,400 pp, or 2,000 pp +

two 15,000 gp art objects +

two 5,000 gp gems, or four

50,000 gp art objects + two

15,000 gp art objects + two

5,000 gp gems

6 2,100 pp, or 1,600 pp + one

50,000 gp art object, or two

potions of recovery + four

15,000 gp art objects

7 1,400 pp, or 1,000 pp +

one potion of recovery + one

15,000 gp art object, or two

50,000 gp art objects + two

15,000 gp art objects + two

5,000 gp gems

8 1,400 pp, or 450 pp + one

50,000 gp art object + three

15,000 gp art objects, or

one potion of recovery+ two

50,000 gp art objects + three

5,000 gp gems

9 700 pp, or four 15,000 gp art

objects + two 5,000 gp gems,

or two potions of recovery +

four 5,000 gp gems

10 500 pp, or one potion of

recovery + five 5,000 gp gems,

or one 50,000 gp art object

Party Level 24 Total Monetary Treasure: 10,500 pp

1 Magic item, level 28

2 Magic item, level 27

3 Magic item, level 26

4 Magic item, level 25

5 3,000 pp, or one potion of life

+ 20 ad, or six 50,000 gp art

objects

6 2,500 pp, or 20 ad + one

potion of recovery + five 5,000

gp gems, or 1,000 pp + three

50,000 gp art objects

7 1,750 pp, or 1,000 pp +

one potion of recovery + one

50,000 gp art object, or 15

ad + five 5,000 gp gems

8 1,750 pp, or 1,500 pp + one

15,000 gp art object + two

5,000 gp gems, or 1,500 pp +

one potion of recovery

9 900 pp, or six 15,000 gp art

objects, or one 50,000 gp art

object + 400 pp

10 600 pp, or two 15,000 gp

art objects + one potion of

recovery + 5,000 gp, or 300

pp + six 5,000 gp gems

Party Level 25 Total Monetary Treasure: 12,500 pp

1 Magic item, level 29

2 Magic item, level 28

3 Magic item, level 27

4 Magic item, level 26

5 3,500 pp, or 20 ad + one

potion of life + one 50,000

gp art object, or 30 ad + two

potions of recovery

6 3,200 pp, or 20 ad + two

potions of recovery + one

50,000 gp art object + 200

pp, or 30 ad + four 5,000 gp

gems

7 2,000 pp, or 20 ad, or 10 ad

+ four 15,000 gp art objects +

eight 5,000 gp gems

8 2,000 pp, or 1,000 pp + two

50,000 gp art objects, or four

50,000 gp art objects

9 1,000 pp, or one potion of life,

or twenty 5,000 gp gems

10 800 pp, or five 15,000 gp art

objects + one 5,000 gp gem,

or one 50,000 gp art object +

six 5,000 gp gems

Party Level 26 Total Monetary Treasure: 22,500 pp

1 Magic item, level 30

2 Magic item, level 29

3 Magic item, level 28

4 Magic item, level 27

5 6,250 pp, or 50 ad + 750 pp

+ one 50,000 gp art object, or

twelve 50,000 gp art objects

+ one potion of recovery

6 5,600 pp, or 40 ad + one

potion of life + two potions of

recovery + two 5,000 gp gems,

or 50 ad + one 50,000 gp art

object + 1,000 pp

7 3,750 pp, or 20 ad + three

potions of recovery + two

50,000 gp art objects, or 30

ad + one 50,000 gp art object

+ five 5,000 gp gems

8 3,750 pp, or 20 ad + 1,750

pp, or one potion of life +

2,750 pp

9 1,900 pp, or three 50,000 gp

art objects + 400 pp, or 15 ad

+ 400 pp

10 1,250 pp, or 10 ad + one

potion of recovery, or one

50,000 gp art object + five

15,000 gp art objects

Party Level 27 Total Monetary Treasure: 32,500 pp

1 Magic item, level 30

2 Magic item, level 30

3 Magic item, level 29

4 Magic item, level 28

5 9,000 pp, or 90 ad, or 50

ad + one potion of life + six

50,000 gp art objects

6 8,000 pp, or 80 ad, or 75 ad

+ two potions of recovery

7 5,500 pp, or 55 ad, or 50 ad

+ 500 pp

8 5,500 pp, or one potion of life

+ thirty 15,000 gp art objects,

or 50 ad + three 15,000 gp art

objects + 500 pp

9 2,800 pp, or 25 ad + 300

pp, or 25 ad + one potion of

recovery + one 5,000 gp gem

10 1,700 pp, or 15 ad + 200 pp,

or 10 ad + four 15,000 gp art

objects + two 5,000 gp gems

Party Level 28 Total Monetary Treasure: 42,500 pp

1 Magic item, level 30

2 Magic item, level 30

3 Magic item, level 30

4 Magic item, level 29

5 12,000 pp, or 120 ad, or 60

ad + two potions of life + eight

50,000 gp art objects

6 10,000 pp, or 100 ad, or

50 ad + five 50,000 gp art

objects + 2,500 pp

7 7,200 pp, or 70 ad + 200 pp,

or 35 ad + six 50,000 gp art

objects + 700 pp

8 7,200 pp, or 50 ad + four

50,000 gp art objects + 200

pp, or 60 ad + one potion of

life + 200 pp

9 3,600 pp, or 35 ad + 100 pp,

or six 50,000 gp art objects +

two potions of recovery + 100

10 2,500 pp, or 25 ad, or five

50,000 gp art objects

Party Level 29 Total Monetary Treasure: 52,500 pp

1 Magic item, level 30

2 Magic item, level 30

3 Magic item, level 30

4 Magic item, level 30

5 15,000 pp, or 150 ad, or 100

ad + one potion of life + six

50,000 gp art objects

6 13,000 pp, or 130 ad, or 100

ad + 3,000 pp

7 8,750 pp, or 85 ad + 250 pp.

or 40 ad + two potions of life +

three potions of recovery + four

50,000 gp art objects

8 8,750 pp, or 55 ad + two

potions of life + 1,250 pp, or

60 ad + two potions of life +

750 pp

9 4,500 pp, or 45 ad, or 30 ad

+ two 50,000 gp art objects +

two potions of recovery

10 2,500 pp, or 25 ad, or 15 ad

+ 1,000 pp

Party Level 30 Total Monetary Treasure: 62,500 pp

1 Two magic items, level 30

2 Magic item, level 30

3 Magic item, level 30

4 Magic item, level 30

5 17,500 pp, or 175 ad, or

three potions of life + ten

50,000 gp art objects + 95 ad

6 15,000 pp, or 150 ad, or 80

ad + two potions of life + ten

50,000 gp art objects

7 10,000 pp, or 100 ad, or 50

ad + four potions of recovery

+ six 50,000 gp art objects +

1,000 pp

8 10,000 pp, or 80 ad + 2,000

pp, or 25 ad + ten 50,000 gp

art objects + 2,500 pp

9 6,000 pp, or 60 ad, or 25 ad

+ five 50,000 gp art objects +

1,000 pp

10 4,000 pp, or 40 ad, or two

potions of life + four 50,000

gp art objects

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Just as a D&D adventure is a series of

encounters strung together into an overarching story,

a campaign is a larger story that ties those adventures

together. When you’re ready to construct your own

campaign, let this chapter be your guide.

At its most fundamental level, a campaign is the

story of the characters in your game. You don’t have to

give a lot more thought to it than that: It’s fine to run

adventures in an episodic format, with the characters

as the only common element. But you can also weave

themes through those adventures to build a greater

saga of those characters’ achievements in the world.

Planning an entire campaign seems a daunting

task, but don’t worry—you don’t have to plot out every

detail right from the start. You can start off with the

basics, running a few adventures (whether published

or those you design yourself ), and later think about

larger plotlines you want to explore. You’re free to add

as much or as little detail as you wish.

This chapter includes the following sections.

✦Published Campaigns: An overview of how

published campaigns can give your campaign a

solid start and lots of fuel for adventures to come.

✦Campaign Theme: Ideas for creating a campaign

from adventures with a common link.

✦Super Adventures: How to build a campaign

consisting of just one long adventure.

✦Campaign Story. Advice on developing the

campaign, looking toward its conclusion, and

planning how the characters will get there.

✦Beginning a Campaign. How to get started—keep

it small at first.

✦Running a Campaign. Tying adventures together

in a way that makes sense.

✦Ending a Campaign. How to bring the story

to its natural conclusion, in a fun and satisfying

way.

130

CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

CHAPTER 8

CampaignsCampaigns

STEVE ARGYLE

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132

CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

You don’t have to create an entire campaign from

nothing. A published campaign makes starting and

running a game as easy as possible.

Chapter 11 of this book presents a brief example

of a published campaign. It includes a starting area, a

short adventure, and plot hooks and story ideas for fur-

ther development. You can continue from that starting

point, using other published adventures (for example,

Keep on the Shadowfell, Thunderspire Labyrinth, and

Pyramid of Shadows) or designing stories of your own.

A complete campaign setting, such as the F-

 R setting, goes quite a bit farther than this

introduction. A published campaign isn’t quite like a

published adventure. You can run an adventure right

away, with only a minimum of preparation, or custom-

ize it to fit your play group. Although you can start a

published campaign as soon as you crack open the

book, you’ll get more out of using the tools and ideas

it contains as inspiration for crafting your own adven-

tures in that setting.

The FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign Guide provides a

starting area—the town of Loudwater—complete with

interesting characters and encounters, but that’s just

a taste of what awaits. That town lies in the Gray Vale,

just one region in a richly detailed fantasy world. The

F R setting is full of mysterious ruins,

evil plots, and deadly threats. You can build your own

adventures from those details, use published ones set

in that world, or draw on years of F R

novels for inspiration. The Campaign Guide will help

you weave those ideas together with story threads to

bring the campaign setting to life. Your players can

even make characters custom-fitted for the world,

using the rules in the FORGOTTEN REALMS Player’s Guide.

Everything you need to keep a campaign going for

years is readily available in these resources.

Character Origin and

Background

The Player’s Guide for a published campaign gives your

players rules and background information to make

characters who feel as though they belong in the set-

ting. Your job is to find common threads to tie those

characters together at the start of the campaign. In

a F R campaign, for example, one

player might bring a heroic scion native to the Gray

Vale, reared on tales of her parents’ and grandparents’

adventures. Another might play a horse barbarian

from Narfell, traveling the world in search of a way

to free his homeland from the icy grip of winter. A

third character could be an escaped slave from Thay,

haunted by years of servitude in that land of evil

magic.

With just these simple backgrounds, your players

have already given you a lot to work with. Start by

learning more about Thay and Narfell in the Campaign

Guide and think about what led those characters to

the Gray Vale or why they met. You can also let your

players take on that responsibility: They can play

characters of any background, but they have to give a

good reason for them to be in the starting area. (This

tactic is also an incentive for players to learn more

about the world.) Perhaps the escaped slave has heard

whispered tales of the heroic scion’s grandparents,

who won renown fighting against the Red Wizards

of Thay a hundred years ago, and has come seeking

them. The slave might have run into the horse nomad

during their travels, regaling him with tales of those

legendary figures and inspiring him to seek them out

as well. How will the two react when they find out that

the great heroes’ only surviving heir is no more accom-

plished an adventurer than they? Your campaign is off

to an interesting start.

The Campaign Start

A setting’s Campaign Guide provides introductory mate-

rial to familiarize yourself and your players with the

setting. You can get going right away in the starting

location, and the book supplies a few short adventures

as well as pointers to further story ideas. While you’re

playing through these, look for hints, plots, and other

hooks that grab the attention of you or your players.

You can develop your campaign by following those

ideas to interesting parts of the world.

On the flip side, you might first read through the

Campaign Guide to find a story element that captures

your imagination, then plant the seeds of that story in

the very first adventure. To grow the campaign, work

in some connection to the larger world—ties between

the adventure’s main antagonist and a larger villainous

organization, or foreshadowing of some greater threat

to come. Now you’re ready for the next steps.

Next Steps

By the time you get close to wrapping up the introduc-

tory adventures of your campaign, you should have

some idea of what to do next. Maybe you’d like to run

another published adventure, or you feel ready to

strike out on your own. Either way, you’ll need to come

up with a theme.

PUBLISHED CAMPAIGNSPUBLISHED CAMPAIGNS

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133

A campaign’s theme has a clear direction and gives

the players a sense of purpose. (There’s more about

campaign themes in the next section.) It might be

an exciting villain whom you want to expand on, an

organization that sponsors adventurers, or a world-

shaking threat that grows more urgent as the campaign

progresses. Your theme can carry your campaign all

the way to epic levels, or be a short-term issue that

evolves or disappears as time goes by. It might fit in

neatly with elements at the start of the campaign or be

completely unrelated—it’s all right to shift gears, intro-

ducing new themes and plots after the players have

gotten their feet wet.

A Campaign Guide is a treasury of good ideas,

bundled with the tools you need to adapt them to your

game. Use the guidelines in Chapter 6 to help you

customize published adventures for the setting and

choose the ones that work best with your campaign.

Say you’re running a F R campaign

that revolves around the shades of Netheril. You can

easily relate the plot of a published adventure to the

far-reaching ambitions of the shades, regardless of

geographic setting. You might make its key villain into

a shade, then create other adventures featuring that

organization more prominently. Ultimately, the char-

acters might dare the floating cities of Netheril itself.

Making It Yours

Even though you’re using a published setting, always

remember: It’s still your campaign. You should never

limit your creativity to what the book says—any book.

A Campaign Guide is a source of ideas and a tool-

box. You don’t have to use that material exactly as

it stands. You can and should change things you

don’t like, incorporate elements you like from other

campaigns or adventures, and put your own distinc-

tive stamp on the world.

Altering a published campaign to suit your tastes

can be tricky if the setting is familiar to one or more of

your players. It’s a good idea to establish at the outset

that not everything in the book is necessarily true in

your version of the world. Otherwise, the game can

get bogged down by arguments about the details, such

as whether the adherents of this or that deity would

do the things your adventure calls for them to do. It’s

your game, and the players should understand that its

events make sense in your vision for the setting.

In short, use a Campaign Guide as it’s intended—a

springboard for creativity—and let your imagination

run free. It doesn’t matter whether you’re putting

your own personal stamp on a published campaign or

making up your own and incorporating elements you

like from a published setting. The campaign is just as

much yours either way.

Looting Freely

Even if you want to create your own campaign, you

don’t have to do all the work yourself. A lot of really

creative fantasy is already out there, and you can pick

and choose from that rich body of material to make

your game more colorful and exciting.

Perhaps you have an idea for a campaign with a

strong elemental theme, ultimately pitting the char-

acters against one or more primordials. Your world

might incorporate the elemental-touched genasi race

from the FORGOTTEN REALMS Player’s Guide, but can also

borrow heavily from other sources. The Avatar: The

Last Airbender animated television show is full of won-

derful imagery and ideas to suit an elemental plotline.

The A-Q campaign setting for the D&D game,

published in the 1990s, drew on the legends of the

Arabian Nights and featured efreets and elementals.

What and how much you borrow doesn’t matter. The

final product is uniquely yours, and your players will

marvel at its detail.

PUBLISHED CAMPAIGNSPUBLISHED CAMPAIGNS

WILLIAM O’ CONNOR

TIPS FROM THE PROS

Don’t be afraid to steal ideas from books, movies, and other

sources for your personal use. The DM’s job is to entertain,

not to be original.

—Andrew Finch

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134

CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

Just as the personality of a setting shapes the adventures

that take place there, the theme of a campaign gives

a distinctive flavor to its stories. A freewheeling series

of adventures, in which the characters travel from one

dungeon to another with little or no connection, feels

very different from a years-long struggle against cultists

of Orcus that culminates in a final showdown with the

Demon Lord of the Undead himself.

This section gives overviews of some typical cam-

paign themes, as well as different ways of handling

them.

Evolving Themes

You don’t have to stick with a single theme from the

start of your campaign through thirty levels of play.

The characters grow and change over the course of

a campaign; so should your world. You can wrap up

one storyline after a few levels and start a new one, or

introduce multiple themes at various levels and weave

them subtly together.

Breaks between tiers are natural points for conclud-

ing one theme and bringing in another. For example,

the characters might spend their first twenty levels

fighting the temples of evil gods, then discover the

even greater threat of a primordial uprising. At epic

levels, they have to join forces with the gods—includ-

ing the evil ones who were their former enemies—to

defeat the primordials.

Dungeon of the Week

This sort of campaign resembles an episodic television

show. Each week, the main characters move from one

distinct setting to another (a planet, a haunted house,

an era of history, and so on). They solve that episode’s

problems, then go on their way to deal with the next.

Once they’re done, things return to pretty much the

way they were at the start.

A “Dungeon of the Week” is the simplest kind of

campaign to run, since it requires little effort beyond

finding or creating adventures. Each story has its own

main villain, unconnected to the antagonists of any

other. The D&D world is dark and full of threats, and

they don’t need anything else in common.

On a Mission

Only slightly more involved than an unconnected

series of adventures, this campaign theme quickly

links the characters’ exploits with an overarching

goal. It’s easy to overlay a mission or similar story on

otherwise independent sessions. The simplest is one of

exploration: The characters set out to map the region,

the continent, or the whole world, encountering

threats along the way. Perhaps they seek the ancient

capital of a fallen empire, or are trying to find their

way back to the home they left to fight in a recent war.

Religion is a ready-made source of missions. For

example, the characters could be pilgrims to some

holy site, or members of a sacred order dedicated

to defending the last bastions of civilization in an

ever-darkening world. In more militant orders, they

might be holy warriors dedicated to stamping out a

particular kind of threat, such as aberrant creatures

or demonic cultists. Whatever the story, it implies a

stronger connection between adventures.

Ultimate Villain

Episodic adventures against a certain kind of oppo-

nent, such as in the “holy warrior” mission above, lead

naturally to a campaign focused on a single villain

who’s ultimately behind everything. The characters

might begin their careers fighting goblins and kobolds,

only to discover that those monsters are the servants

of foulspawn. Their continuing adventures lead them

CAMPAIGN THEMECAMPAIGN THEME

JASON ENGLE

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CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

135

into the horrors of the Far Realm’s influence, with

battles against aboleths and illithids, climaxing in an

epic struggle against a mind flayer mastermind and its

swordwing minions. That aberrant mastermind need

not have been directly involved in the characters’ first

adventures, but the existence of even the lowly foul-

spawn can be traced to its activities.

You can build a villain-focused campaign from the

top down or from the bottom up. In the first method,

you first choose an epic villain for the campaign’s

climactic battle (Orcus, for example), and then plan

adventures toward that conclusion from the start of

the campaign. In the case of Orcus, these encounters

build on themes of cultists, demons, and undead. In

the second method, you build encounters around

low-level monsters that appeal to you (such as the foul-

spawn) and then create adventures involving similar

or related monsters at higher levels.

Recurring Villains and

Secret Weaknesses

Players can become deeply invested in a campaign

whose main villain keeps coming back to vex their char-

acters. One way to ensure that the final battle with their

nemesis really is climactic is to give the villain a secret

weakness. In order to ultimately destroy their arch-

enemy, the characters need to discover this weakness

and then exploit it. Then that last battle will be more

than just a race to see who runs out of hit points first.

For example, every lich has a phylactery, a magi-

cal receptacle for its soul that it keeps well hidden.

The characters face the lich in combat and defeat it,

believing they have ended its threat, only to find later

that has returned to continue its evil schemes. Now

they must discover the location of the phylactery, win

their way past its magical and monstrous guardians,

and ultimately fight the lich again, with the phylactery

hanging in the balance. Destroying the item might

itself become a quest in which time is of the essence—

the characters might have to perform a particular

ritual, or locate the forge of the phylactery’s creation to

melt it down. Such a theme can carry a campaign well

into the paragon tier.

Epic-level characters might have to confront and

overcome a creature of enormous power, such as the

tarrasque, a demon lord, a deity, or a primordial. Such

beings can be defeated only with special rituals or

particular items. For example, the party must quest

for and assemble the scattered pieces of the Rod of

Seven Parts to have a hope of destroying the primordial

called the Queen of Chaos. Even relatively ordinary

foes can return again and again, protected by some

means that the characters must discover and elimi-

nate. A vile caliph performs a ritual to remove his

still-beating heart and hides it in a chest at the center

of a desert sandstorm. A wicked baron is cursed to rise

from the dead until the onyx shard that holds a splin-

ter of his soul is found and destroyed.

Naturally, when the characters start pursuing the

means to kill a powerful villain, their enemy is sure

to get wind of their efforts sooner or later—and try to

put a stop to it. The villain will be prepared when they

arrive for the ultimate confrontation or, more likely,

will send out agents or otherwise try to prevent them

from completing their task. The villainous response to

the party’s actions can produce a wealth of adventures

in itself.

World-Shaking Events

A campaign featuring a major villain often revolves

around a diabolical plan that will result in significant

changes to the world—presumably for the worse—

which the characters must stop. In other campaigns,

the world faces a crisis without a villain’s involvement,

and the characters have to prevent or at least mini-

mize the impact of such an event.

Campaigns of this nature have a deadline that

looms over the course of dozens of adventures. The

dreaded event will take place at a certain time unless

the characters succeed. Perhaps the Elemental Chaos

is eating away at the stable fabric of creation, draw-

ing the world toward ultimate entropy; the characters

must collect scattered shards of divine energy to shore

up the pillars of creation. Or a primordial entombed at

the center of the earth is extending tendrils of reality-

warping energy toward the surface, forming dungeons

that spew forth hideous monstrosities. The characters

must clear the dungeons and cut off their connection

to the primordial before they engulf what shattered

remnants of civilization remain. The threat to your

world might be mundane in nature, but no less devas-

tating—in the last days of a great empire’s decline, orc

hordes menace the frontiers while decadence and cor-

ruption undermine the empire’s foundation.

Unfolding Prophecy

This type of campaign puts an interesting spin on

world-shaking events, casting them as the unfolding

fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. A villain might

be helping to bring about the foretold doom, further-

ing his own plans, or try to keep the prophecy from

coming true (for example, killing the child who is des-

tined to destroy the villain).

The beauty of a well-crafted prophecy is its ambi-

guity. Classical myth is full of examples of tragic

misinterpretation or ultimate vindication of what has

been foretold. Since it’s always open to a variety of

interpretations, many different ways can exist to fulfill

the prophecy. The villain might try to bring it about in

one way, while the characters struggle to find a solu-

tion that betters the world instead of plunging it into

ruin.

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CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

Divine Strife

The ongoing struggle between good and evil is the

basis for many tales, myths, and campaigns. In a con-

flict between two gods, or between groups of deities

with different alignments, taking sides becomes a

matter of cosmic importance.

In a campaign built around divine strife, the

characters aren’t just fighting evil creatures—they’re

servants of good deities warring with the agents of evil

ones. They might be champions of a single god, such

as Bahamut, dedicated to overthrowing the temples of

Bane. In such a storyline, the enemies of their adven-

tures are connected to the opposing deity: priests of

Bane, hobgoblin warlords devoted to that lord of con-

quest, and angelic servitors of the god himself. Bane

might be planning to seize power from Bahamut, or

to conquer the Celestial Mountain where Bahamut,

Moradin, and Kord reside. Or Bahamut might instigate

the struggle, bent on exterminating an ancient enemy.

Primordial Threat

Even more fundamental to the world than conflicts

among deities is the gods’ ancient war with the pri-

mordials, embodiments of chaos and elemental power.

From the earliest times, gods and primordials fought

over ownership of the cosmos, and the gods emerged

victorious. The surviving primordials could yet arise

as a threat to the whole of creation, seeking to return it

to the Elemental Chaos of its birth.

In the early stages of such a campaign, the char-

acters might battle a goblin cult of a minor fire spirit,

then discover that it is just one manifestation of a

worldwide madness. More cults dedicated to destruc-

tive elemental forces are springing up everywhere,

channeling power to the entombed primordials in

preparation for their escape. Ultimately, the epic-level

characters might have to fight alongside the gods

themselves to oppose these mighty foes.

Fantasy Subgenres

D & D is a fantasy game, but that

broad category has room for a lot of variety. Many dif-

ferent subgenres of fantasy exist in both fiction and

film. Do you want a horrific campaign inspired by the

works of H.P. Lovecraft or Clark Ashton Smith? Or a

world of muscled barbarians and nimble thieves, along

the lines of the classic swords-and-sorcery books by

Robert E. Howard and Fritz Leiber? The D&D game

can handle either of these models, and many others.

Horror

Vampires brood on the battlements of their accursed

castles. Necromancers toil in dark dungeons to create

colossi of undead flesh. Devils corrupt the innocent,

and werewolves prowl the night. All these elements

evoke horrific aspects of the fantasy genre.

If you want to put a horror spin on your campaign,

you have plenty of material to work with. The Monster

Manual is full of creatures that perfectly suit a storyline

of supernatural horror. The most important element

of such a campaign, though, isn’t covered by the rules.

You must create an atmosphere of building dread,

through careful pacing and evocative description.

Your players contribute too—they have to be willing

to be scared. Whether you want to run a full-fledged

horror campaign or a single creepy adventure, you

should discuss your plans with the players ahead of

time to make sure they’re on board. Horror can be

intense and personal, and not everyone is comfortable

with such a game.

Intrigue

The corrupt vizier schemes with the baron’s oldest

daughter to assassinate the baron. A hobgoblin army

sends doppelganger spies to infiltrate the city before

the invasion. At the embassy ball, the spy in the royal

court makes contact with his employer.

Political intrigue, espionage, sabotage, and similar

cloak-and-dagger activities can make for an exciting

D&D campaign. In this kind of game, the characters

might care more about skill training and making con-

tacts than about attack powers and magic weapons.

Roleplaying and interaction-focused skill challenges

take on greater importance than combat encounters,

and the party might go for several sessions without

seeing a monster.

Again, make sure your players know ahead of time

that this is the kind of campaign you want to run.

Otherwise, a player might make a character such as a

dwarf paladin focused on defense, only to find he is out

of place among the half-elf diplomats and tiefling spies.

Mystery

Who stole three legendary magic swords and hid

them away in a remote dungeon, leaving a cryptic clue

to their location? Who placed the duke into a magical

slumber, and what can be done to awaken him? Who

murdered the guildmaster, and how did the killer get

into the guild’s locked vault?

A mystery-themed campaign puts the characters in

the role of investigators, perhaps traveling from town

to town to crack tough cases the local authorities can’t

handle. Such a campaign emphasizes puzzles and

problem-solving in addition to combat prowess.

A larger mystery might even set the stage for the

whole campaign. Why did someone kill the charac-

ters’ mentor, setting them on the path of adventure?

Who really controls the Cult of the Red Hand? In this

case, the characters might uncover clues to the greater

mystery only once in a while; individual adventures

might be at best tangentially related to that theme. A

diet of nothing but puzzles can become frustrating, so

be sure to mix up the kinds of encounters you present.

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CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

137

the larger army, by holding a strategic location until

reinforcements arrive, killing enemy scouts before

they can report, or cutting off supply lines. Infor-

mation gathering and diplomatic missions might

supplement the more combat-oriented adventures.

Wuxia

When their mentor disappears mysteriously, his young

students must hunt down the oni that’s terrorizing the

village. Accomplished heroes, masters of their respec-

tive martial arts, return home to free their village

from a evil hobgoblin warlord. The rakshasa master

of a nearby monastery is performing rituals to raise

troubled ghosts from their rest.

Chinese martial-arts movies (or Japanese anime)

form a distinct fantasy tradition. A campaign that

draws on these elements can still feel very much like

D&D. Players can define the appearance of their

characters and gear however they choose, and powers

might need cosmetic changes to flavor so that they

better reflect such a setting. For example, when the

characters use powers that teleport them or shift

them several squares, they actually make high-flying

acrobatic leaps. Climb checks don’t involve careful

searching for holds but let characters bounce up walls

or from tree to tree. Warriors stun their opponents by

striking pressure points. Such flavorful descriptions of

powers don’t change the nuts and bolts of the rules but

make all the difference in the feel of a campaign.

Variations on a Theme

It’s a good idea to mix things up once in a while, so that

your players can enjoy a variety of adventures. Even

if you’re running a tightly themed campaign, you can

stray now and then. If your campaign involves lots of

intrigue, mystery, and roleplaying, your players might

enjoy the occasional dungeon crawl—in the end, it might

turn out to be related to a larger plot in the campaign. If

most of your adventures are dungeon expeditions, shift

gears with a good urban mystery (whose solution leads

the party into a kind of dungeon crawl in an abandoned

building or tower). If you run horror adventures week

after week, try throwing in a villain who turns out to be

quite ordinary, perhaps even silly. Comic relief is a great

variation on almost any D&D campaign, though players

usually provide it themselves!

Make sure you provide a variety of opponents as

well. Even if your campaign is all about invading

hobgoblins, your players will get tired of fighting an

endless series of them, week after week. Hobgoblins

are accomplished beast trainers, so mix in pets and

war animals to vary your encounters. Even better, take

a break once in a while from the hobgoblin armies

and introduce a new threat. Perhaps gnolls from the

nearby hills take advantage of the chaos of war to raid

the characters’ supply lines, providing a chance to

fight a very different flavor of humanoid opponent.

Swashbuckling

Rapier-wielding sailors fight off boarding sahuagin.

Ghouls lurk in derelict ships, waiting to devour trea-

sure hunters. Dashing rogues and charming paladins

weave their way through palace intrigues and leap

from balconies onto waiting horses below.

You can have grand fun modeling your campaign

on the swashbuckling adventures of pirates and muske-

teers. The characters typically spend more time in cities,

royal courts, and seafaring vessels than in dungeon

delves, making interaction skills important (though not

to the extent of a pure intrigue campaign). Nevertheless,

the heroes might end up in classic dungeon situations,

such as searching storm sewers beneath the palace to

find the evil duke’s hidden chambers.

A swashbuckling theme is slightly anachronistic for

the medieval setting of the D&D game, so you might

want to make some cosmetic changes—particularly

where heavy armor is concerned. Rapiers and acro-

batic combat moves don’t go well with heavy, clanking

metal. The paladin who normally wears a suit of plate

mail might instead sport a relatively light breastplate.

In this case, you might need to adjust the armor bonus

to match that of plate in a standard campaign.

Swords and Sorcery

A grim, hulking fighter disembowels the high priest

of the serpent god on his own altar. A laughing rogue

spends ill-gotten gains on cheap wine in filthy taverns.

Hardy adventurers venture into the unexplored jungle

in search of the fabled City of Golden Masks.

A swords-and-sorcery campaign is old-school

D&D, a tradition that goes right back to the roots of

the game. Here you’ll find a dark, gritty world of evil

sorcerers and decadent cities, where the protagonists

are more motivated by greed and self-interest than

by altruistic virtue. Martial characters tend to be far

more common than arcane or divine ones. In such a

pulp fantasy setting, those who wield magic often sym-

bolize the decadence and corruption of civilization.

Wa r

A hobgoblin army marches toward the city, leading

behemoths and giants to batter down its walls and

ramparts. Dragons wheel above a barbarian horde,

scattering enemies as the raging warriors cut a swath

through field and forest. Fire archons muster at an

efreet’s command, poised to assault an Astral fortress.

Warfare in a fantasy world is rife with opportuni-

ties for adventure. A war campaign isn’t generally

concerned with the specifics of troop movements, but

instead focuses on the heroes whose actions turn the

tide of battle. They might be sent on specific missions:

capture a magical standard that empowers undead

armies, gather reinforcements to break a siege, or cut

through the enemy’s flank to reach a demonic com-

mander. In other situations, the party might support

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CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

A super adventure is a type of short campaign—really

one long adventure—that focuses on a single, limited

setting. The characters’ exploration of this one site

might form part of a larger campaign, or be itself the

entire campaign. A super adventure combines the best

features of a short campaign and a narrow theme. You

don’t need to tie adventures together or link different

villains to a single grand plot. The climactic battle at

the end is a tidy way to end a campaign—before you

begin your next one!

Super adventures share a number of traits:

✦ They are limited to a single setting.

✦ They often allow for free-form, nonlinear

exploration.

✦ They might involve different quests and multiple

expeditions.

✦ They encourage character specialization.

Each of these attributes is discussed in more detail

below.

Single Setting

The setting for a super adventure has to be both large

and compelling, providing enough material for charac-

ters to explore over several months of play. You might

create a massive dungeon with many floors, each more

dangerous than the last, or design a secluded wilder-

ness site with small dungeons scattered throughout.

The adventure site could be a vast network of Under-

dark passages, leading the party ever deeper into the

earth.

A super adventure demands the most compelling

setting you can imagine, with a striking personality

and lots of potential for interesting locations. Classic

published super adventures have been set in the fabled

ruins of Greyhawk; Castle Ravenloft with its myste-

rious lands; the Forbidden City, nestled in a crater

choked with jungle overgrowth; and the Vault of the

Drow, hidden deep underground. You might create

a new classic of your own: the Blackmire, a miasma

of madness and disease surrounding a slumbering

primordial; or the haunted forest of Grimmendeep,

which has swallowed many ancient castles in its tan-

gled briars.

Designing a super adventure is easier if you divide

the larger setting into smaller units. That way, you

and your players can better keep track of where they

are and what they’re doing. A dungeon is a convenient

and traditional design for separating encounter areas.

Its multiple floors have limited connections, whether

stairs or shafts, and each can have its own distinct

personality. A vast locale such as Grimmendeep can

also contain multiple smaller areas with a variety of

flavors, though they’re all overlaid by the larger site’s

personality (in this case, the choking roots and vines of

the haunted forest).

SUPER ADVENTURESSUPER ADVENTURES

BIRTH OF THE SUPER ADVENTURE

It’s my contention that the first super adventure was a

slim, 28-page module called Dwellers of the Forbidden City,

published by TSR, Inc., in 1981. “Proto-super adventure”

might be a more accurate term. It was really just a setting

that was ripe for exploration, combined with a single quest

that barely scratched the surface of its possibilities.

The adventure as published called for the characters to

track down goods recently stolen from merchant caravans.

To do that, they had to find the Forbidden City, and a way

into it, and track down a wizard who had made his home

among the ruins. A straightforward quest—but what made

it exceptional was the number of possible ways to accom-

plish that single goal. This adventure pioneered the idea

of nonlinear exploration. No dungeon corridors channeled

the characters’ movements. There were at least four ways

to get down into the crater where the Forbidden City lay,

each one detailed as a mini-site within the larger setting.

The characters could choose their approach and go what-

ever way they wanted to in the ruined city.

Within the city itself were three factions of monsters.

The yuan-ti made their first appearance in this adventure,

and they were accompanied by froglike bullywugs and

humanoids of highly questionable heritage called mon-

grelmen. Long-armed, arboreal humanoids called tasloi

rode giant wasps through the jungle trees. Fighting the

bullywugs or the tasloi didn’t bring the characters any

closer to finding the lost caravan goods, but there they

were anyway.

An all-too-brief section at the end of the adventure took

a tentative next step, suggesting other quests that might

bring the characters into the Forbidden City. With more

detail, more fleshed-out quests, and another hundred pages

or so, Dwellers of the Forbidden City would have been a spec-

tacular super adventure—four years before the landmark

release of The Temple of Elemental Evil, which more properly

deserves that description.

—James Wyatt

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Nonlinear Exploration

You can design your super adventure’s setting to let the

characters choose which areas to explore and in what

order, depending on the quests laid before them. This

method requires more preparation time but rewards

you and the players with a more interesting experi-

ence. The characters might decide to clear the drow

out of the Phantom Tower before they deal with the

raiders in the ruins of Dorbren Keep, for example.

Those two locations are relatively small and self-con-

tained, rather than full-fledged adventures, so you can

have both ready for whatever the players decide to do.

Each adventure area should contain eight to ten

encounters, so the characters will probably advance

a level when they complete its challenges. But when

adventurers can travel to any area in any order, build-

ing appropriate encounters can be tricky. Fortunately,

adjusting encounter difficulty is fairly simple. To

account for characters who have advanced a few levels,

you can boost the monsters’ levels to match, using the

guidelines in Chapter 10, or add monsters to make the

encounter more challenging.

When characters leave a part of your adventure

setting and venture back later, it should change in

response to their actions. This kind of detail helps

the setting seem more real and alive to the players.

Monsters the party has killed should (usually) stay

dead—the site shouldn’t just reset to the state it was in

the first time around. But the second delve might well

present new threats to the characters. Intelligent survi-

vors of the characters’ first intrusion into their domain

react appropriately, bolstering their defenses or evacu-

ating the area. New creatures might appear in areas

left vacant, such as predators drawn to shelter and

prey opportunities. A living setting provides repeat

play value and continues to hold the players’ interest.

A free-form environment such as this feels very

natural—the opposite of railroading. The players’ deci-

sions seem to really make a difference to the course

of the adventure. A possible problem is that the party

might end up wandering around with no real idea of

what to do. You can keep them from having to search

for the fun by making liberal use of quests.

Multiple Quests

A good way to start your super adventure, just as

with any other adventure, is with a quest or two that

draws the characters in. As the adventure unfolds,

give them more quests that encourage them to move

around the area. They might find clues in one area

that send them to a different one. Quests might lead

the party into a dungeon, back out again, and in again

with a new purpose.

With a number of quests at hand, characters can

look at all their options and choose one. A given quest

might seem the obvious first thing to do, or it could

simply be more interesting. It’s better to offer too many

quests than too few, but don’t go too far in either direc-

tion. They can be major or minor, aimed at the whole

group or tailored to individuals (whether known to

the whole group or secret). At the outset, you might

design individual quests based on each character’s

background and motivations. As the super adventure

progresses, players might even suggest their own.

Character Specialization

A super adventure usually has a narrow focus, such

as a certain kind of environment or foe. Such a theme

gives players the opportunity to choose specialized

options for their characters that they might otherwise

avoid. In a super adventure, the players know their

characters will be fighting undead—or dragons or

demons or gnolls, depending on the setting—for the

duration of their careers.

Published super adventures often include material

specifically designed to allow this kind of specializa-

tion. When you design your own super adventures,

consider creating or borrowing elements that let

characters focus on what they are called to do: special-

ized feats, powers, paragon paths, magic weapons and

armor, and the like. Remember also that characters

can retrain as they advance, changing specialized

skills as needed to face new challenges.

SUPER ADVENTURESSUPER ADVENTURES

WILLIAM O’ CONNOR

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The theme you choose for your campaign shapes

the story it will tell. When you start a campaign, you

should have some idea of its end and how the charac-

ters will get there. Fundamentally, the story is what the

characters do over the course of the campaign.

Keep that point in mind—the story is theirs, not

yours, and not that of any nonplayer character in your

world. The players’ job is to tell that story, develop

their characters, and help chart the course of events

through the choices they make. When you’re writing a

novel, you have control over the protagonists, but when

you’re creating a D&D campaign, they have free will

and are apt to do unexpected things.

That said, you can do a lot to shape the campaign

story. You provide the context—the setting, the back-

ground, and the quests that hook the characters. You

determine how the world responds to their actions.

You set the stage on which their story unfolds with

the adventures you design. For that reason, all the

advice in Chapter 6 about creating adventures applies

to campaign design as well. Offer strong hooks and

meaningful choices. Present varied and exciting chal-

lenges. If the characters go in drastically unexpected

directions, try to coax them back to the story you want

your game to tell without railroading them. Build

the campaign to a climax that’s even bigger than the

smaller peaks of each adventure, and let the players

feel as though their ultimate victory really makes a dif-

ference in the world.

When you’re thinking about the story of your cam-

paign as a whole, ask yourself these three questions.

✦ How does my campaign’s theme shape its story?

✦ What significant events took place before the start

of the campaign?

✦ What’s going to happen in the campaign?

Theme and Story

A campaign theme should suggest the outline of a

story, or at least give some idea about how things are

likely to end up. Here’s advice on how to build a story

using the themes discussed earlier in this chapter.

Dungeon of the Week

A highly episodic campaign doesn’t need to have an

overall story, but it could. As the characters explore,

they might begin to uncover common elements that

link the disparate dungeons together, ultimately lead-

ing to the “Mother of All Dungeons,” figuratively or

even literally speaking. You can also gradually nudge

this sort of campaign toward any other theme, giving

your campaign a new direction and ultimately an

exciting conclusion.

On a Mission

In this kind of campaign, the characters’ purpose

drives the story. How do they achieve their goal? That

question is easier to answer for some missions than for

others. If the characters are trying to explore a conti-

nent, their story might not end until they fill in every

bit of coastline, riverbank, and mountain range on the

map. But if they’re on a holy quest to stamp out evil,

imagining a satisfactory conclusion is a little harder.

In such a case, consider evolving the theme somewhat

over the course of the campaign. For example, the

characters might uncover corruption within their own

church, and their goal shifts to rooting it out—ulti-

mately confronting whoever is behind the evil within.

Ultimate Villain

This campaign revolves around the characters’ efforts

to foil the villain’s plot. Thus, this plot shapes the story

of the campaign. Typically the ultimate villain exploits

the plans of less powerful bad guys to further his or

her ends. Think about those lesser antagonists along

the way to the final conflict, and how their actions

contribute to this greater goal. Do they know they’re

helping the mastermind, or are they oblivious to this

larger purpose? The answers direct the progress of the

story, leading to a climactic confrontation.

World-Shaking Events

When the foundations of the world tremble, the char-

acters need some way to make a difference. How do

these great events play out, and how do the characters

influence them? Will they in fact avert the destruc-

tion or transformation of the world, and if so, how? It

might be that they can’t prevent the calamity, but their

actions can determine what follows in its wake. Per-

haps they can’t stop the empire’s fall, but they might

drive the orc barbarians back from the frontiers, then

destroy the decadent emperor and establish a repub-

lic—or a stronger empire with themselves as rulers.

Unfolding Prophecy

The prophecy itself is the story in this kind of cam-

paign. You can imagine each “verse” of the prophecy

as a series of forking paths: How one is fulfilled causes

the following ones to unfold in different ways, with

multiple interpretations all down the line. In the end,

does the prophecy come to pass, or do the characters

prevent whatever cataclysmic events it seemed to fore-

tell? Perhaps they must venture to the Bright City and

persuade Ioun herself to alter the prophecy. If they

can’t, they might have to battle their way to the loom

where the strands of fate are woven into the tapestry of

history, there to cut the thread.

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CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

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Divine Strife

This campaign theme suggests an escalating conflict

against increasingly powerful servants of the charac-

ters’ divine enemy. Ultimately, the party could face

an evil god directly or play a pivotal role in a battle

between gods. However you plan it, such a scenario

needs to emphasize the characters’ importance—

watching helplessly on the sidelines while two gods

duke it out isn’t a fun or satisfying conclusion to a cam-

paign. Perhaps Bane has imprisoned Bahamut, and

the only way the characters can defeat him is to join

together into a single, mighty avatar of Bahamut that

combines their own abilities with an infusion of divine

power. Some evil gods (such as Tiamat, Torog, and

Zehir) are within the reach of 30th-level characters,

who can win a final, epic struggle by themselves.

Primordial Threat

When the gods fought the primordials at the begin-

ning of the world, they became the first adventurers,

working in parties of four or five to challenge indi-

vidual enemies. In a campaign revolving around a

primordial resurgence, the characters might fight

alongside their divine allies. Or they could follow in

the gods’ footsteps, defeating a primordial as the pin-

nacle of their careers—and earning a well-deserved

place among the gods as their final reward.

Evolving Themes

If you’re thinking about evolving campaign themes,

you’re already considering the overall story. What

events bring this change about? Are they the actions of

the characters, or do they result from external influ-

ence? Characters on a mission of discovery might

unearth a world-shaking threat at some point in their

explorations and alter their focus to deal with it. A

party embroiled in a conflict between two gods might

become aware of a growing danger from a primor-

dial. At that point, the characters have to persuade

the divine enemies to set aside their differences long

enough to overcome the greater threat. (But will one

deity use the climactic battle with the primordial to

attack the other when his back is turned?)

What Has Come Before

You should put some thought into the events that have

brought your world to the point where the campaign

begins. Don’t overdo it, though. You need only as much

history as necessary to set the stage for the story you

have in mind.

The material in the D&D core rulebooks makes a

few basic assumptions about the game world. Mighty

empires rose and fell in the distant past: the dragon-

born realm of Arkhosia, Bael Turath of the tieflings,

and the eladrin Realm of the Twin Queens. Most

recently, the human empire of Nerath covered much

of the known world, uniting the civilized races into

one great nation—but it, too, has fallen. If any empires

remain, they are distant and foreign. The world as the

characters know it is a dangerous place where civi-

lized areas are small, flickering lights amid a greater

darkness.

This historical sketch provides a background

against which the D&D game makes sense. Why is

the world full of dungeons, where characters fight

monsters and find treasure? Because ancient fallen

empires leave behind both ruins and precious arti-

facts. The encroaching darkness is full of creatures

that make their lairs in those ruins and hoard those

treasures. Why do dwarves, tieflings, eladrin, and

humans cooperate in adventuring parties? Because

the human empire brought the different races together

in its towns and cities, and they still live beside one

another in most remaining communities. As well, the

threats of the darkness are driving people from their

ancestral holdings—for example, burning forests scat-

ter the elves, who seek refuge in human towns.

None of these principles are set in stone. You

might adopt them wholly, tweak some of them to suit

your campaign, or discard them completely in favor

of a history of your own. They make a good starting

point, though, for creating your own story. If you alter

this assumed history, make sure you can explain the

underlying assumptions of your campaign.

The Campaign Outline

Once you have some idea of how your campaign

theme will shape the story and have developed a his-

torical backdrop, you can sketch out its major events.

Such an outline must be in broad strokes, since the

characters’ actions have to make a difference, and

their choices be meaningful. This sketch is likely to

change significantly as your campaign progresses and

new details are filled in. If nothing else, though, you’ll

at least have an idea of the campaign’s climax and how

the characters can get there. When they stray from

your outline—and they will—you’ll have some sense of

what adventures to create to get them back on course.

One way to think about this outline is to divide it

into adventuring tiers: heroic, paragon, and epic. You

can use the Monster Manual to find out the kinds of

threats the characters might face at each tier. Since

characters need eight to ten encounters to gain a level,

a tier consists of roughly a hundred encounters, or ten

fairly short adventures. There are plenty of drow in the

paragon tier, for example—perhaps at those levels the

characters will be traveling through the Underdark

realms. You can use that idea as a springboard for

designing adventures to fit your broad story outline

from 11th to 20th level.

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The start of a campaign is a lot like the start of an

adventure: You want to get quickly to the action, show

the players that adventure awaits, and grab them right

away. Give the players enough information to make

them want to come back week after week to see how

the story plays out.

Start Small

You’ve spent some time thinking about the big picture

of your campaign’s theme and story. Now it’s time to

start building adventures and fleshing out the details.

Start small. Don’t be intimidated by the size of the

setting—focus on what’s close at hand. You don’t need

to draw a map of the world right away, because the

characters only know about the town where they start

the game, and perhaps the nearby dungeon. You might

have ideas about how this town’s barony is at war with

a nearby duchy, or some distant forest is crawling with

yuan-ti, and you should make a note of those things.

But right now, the local area is enough to get the game

off the ground.

Above all, make sure you provide a common start-

ing location for the characters—a place where they

have met and decided to put their lives in each other’s

hands. This starting point might be the village where

they grew up or a city that has attracted them from

all over. Perhaps it’s the dungeons of the evil baron’s

castle, where they are locked up for various reasons,

throwing them into the midst of the adventure.

Whatever you choose, give that starting place only

as much detail as it needs. You don’t need to iden-

tify every building in a village or label every street

in a large city. If the characters start in the baron’s

dungeon, you do have to design it—that’s the site of

your first adventure—but you don’t have to worry

about the names of all the baron’s knights yet. Sketch

out a simple map, think about the surrounding area,

and consider whom the characters are most likely to

interact with early in the campaign. Most important,

visualize how this area fits into the theme and story

you have in mind for your campaign. Then get to work

on your first adventure!

Character Origin and

Background

Once you’ve identified where you want to start your

campaign, let the players help tell the story by decid-

ing how their characters got there.

Some players might have trouble coming up with

ideas—not everyone is equally inventive. You can help

spur their creativity with a few simple questions about

their characters.

✦ Are you a native, born and raised in the area? If so,

who’s your family? What’s your current occupation?

✦ Are you a recent arrival? Where did you come

from? Why did you come to this area?

✦ Are you a transplant who has been in the area for

a year or more? Where are you from? Why did you

come here, and what made you stay?

This step is one of your best opportunities to get

the players doing some of the work of world design.

Listen to their ideas, and say yes if you can. Even if

you want all the characters to have grown up in the

starting town, for example, consider allowing a recent

arrival or a transplant if the player’s story is convinc-

ing enough. You might suggest some alterations to a

character’s background so it better fits your world, or

you might weave the first threads of your campaign

story into her history.

Informing Your Players

As you start to develop the ideas of your campaign,

you’ll need to fill in the players on the basics. The easi-

est way to do this is to compile essential information

into a campaign handout. Typical material to include

in the handout includes the following.

✦ Any restrictions or new options for character cre-

ation, such as new or prohibited races.

✦ Any information in the backstory of your campaign

that the characters would know about. This gives

the players an idea of the theme and story you have

in mind.

✦ Basic information about the area where the charac-

ters are starting—the name of the town, important

locations in and around it, prominent NPCs they’d

know about, and perhaps some rumors that point to

trouble brewing.

Keep this handout short, sweet, and to the point—two

pages is a reasonable maximum. Even if you have a

burst of creative energy that produces twenty pages of

great background material, save it for your adventures.

Let the characters uncover it gradually.

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CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

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Starting at Higher Level

Sometimes you don’t want to start characters at 1st

level. A paragon- or epic-tier game might be more to

your taste. Maybe you want to run a published adven-

ture that requires higher-level characters, or you want

to try a one-shot that pits 30th-level characters against

Orcus. Whatever the reason, at some point you’ll need

to create higher-level characters. This process isn’t

much harder than making a 1st-level character.

The steps for creating a D&D character above 1st

level are almost the same as those ones outlined in

Chapter 2 of the Player’s Handbook for a new character.

1. Choose Race. Remember that some racial traits

improve at higher levels.

2. Choose Class. If your level is 11th or higher,

choose a paragon path appropriate to your class. At

21st level or higher, you’ll also need to choose an

epic destiny.

3. Determine Ability Scores. Generate scores as

for a 1st-level character, applying racial modifiers.

Then increase those scores as shown on the Char-

acter Advancement table in the Player’s Handbook,

with increases at 4th level, 8th level, 11th, 14th,

and so on. (You can also use the NPC Ability Scores

table on page 187.)

4. Choose Skills. Make sure you meet skill prerequi-

sites for a paragon path or epic destiny, if applicable.

5. Select Feats. You generally don’t have to worry

about the level at which you gained a particu-

lar feat, since retraining allows you to have the

feats you want at any given level. Do watch out

for paragon and epic feats, though. For example,

a 14th-level character can’t have more than seven

paragon feats (those gained at 11th, 12th, and 14th

level, as well as up to four retrained feats).

6. Choose Powers. You know two at-will powers from

your class; remember to increase damage if your

level is 21st or higher. The Powers by Class Level

table summarizes the number and levels of powers

you have in the other categories. These totals are

not cumulative. The table assumes that you replace

your lowest-level powers with those at higher levels,

but you can keep lower-level ones if you wish.

7. Choose Equipment and Magic Items. Mundane

equipment is much less important for higher-

level characters than it is when you’re starting out.

Choose whatever standard adventuring gear you

want from the tables in the Player’s Handbook. For

magic items, choose one item of your level + 1, one

item of your level, and one item of your level – 1. In

addition, you have gold pieces equal to the value of

one magic item of your level – 1. You can spend this

money on rituals, potions, or other magic items, or

save it for later.

8. Fill in the Numbers. After noting the bonuses you

gain from feats and magic items (as well as your

increased level), calculate your hit points, Armor

Class, defenses, initiative, base attack bonuses and

damage bonuses, and skill modifiers. The Quick Hit

Points table provides a formula for hit points by class.

9. Roleplaying Character Details. Flesh out your

character, using the suggestions in Chapter 2 of the

Player’s Handbook or your own ideas.

POWERS BY CLASS LEVEL

Class Encounter Daily Utility

Level Powers Powers Powers

1st 1 1 —

2nd 1 1 2

3rd 3, 1 1 2

4th 3, 1 1 2

5th 3, 1 5, 1 2

6th 3, 1 5, 1 6, 2

7th 7, 3, 1 5, 1 6, 2

8th 7, 3, 1 5, 1 6, 2

9th 7, 3, 1 9, 5, 1 6, 2

10th 7, 3, 1 9, 5, 1 10, 6, 2

11th P, 7, 3, 1 9, 5, 1 10, 6, 2

12th P, 7, 3, 1 9, 5, 1 P, 10, 6, 2

13th P, 13, 7, 3 9, 5, 1 P, 10, 6, 2

14th P, 13, 7, 3 9, 5, 1 P, 10, 6, 2

15th P, 13, 7, 3 15, 9, 5 P, 10, 6, 2

16th P, 13, 7, 3 15, 9, 5 P, 16, 10, 6, 2

17th P, 17, 13, 7 15, 9, 5 P, 16, 10, 6, 2

18th P, 17, 13, 7 15, 9, 5 P, 16, 10, 6, 2

19th P, 17, 13, 7 19, 15, 9 P, 16, 10, 6, 2

20th P, 17, 13, 7 P, 19, 15, 9 P, 16, 10, 6, 2

21st P, 17, 13, 7 P, 19, 15, 9 P, 16, 10, 6, 2

22nd P, 17, 13, 7 P, 19, 15, 9 P, 22, 16, 10, 6, 2

23rd P, 23, 17, 13 P, 19, 15, 9 P, 22, 16, 10, 6, 2

24th P, 23, 17, 13 P, 19, 15, 9 P, 22, 16, 10, 6, 2

25th P, 23, 17, 13 P, 25, 19, 15 P, 22, 16, 10, 6, 2

26th P, 23, 17, 13 P, 25, 19, 15 E, P, 22, 16, 10, 6, 2

27th P, 27, 23, 17 P, 25, 19, 15 E, P, 22, 16, 10, 6, 2

28th P, 27, 23, 17 P, 25, 19, 15 E, P, 22, 16, 10, 6, 2

29th P, 27, 23, 17 P, 29, 25, 19 E, P, 22, 16, 10, 6, 2

30th P, 27, 23, 17 P, 29, 25, 19 E, P, 22, 16, 10, 6, 2

P: Power from your paragon path.

E: Power from your epic destiny.

QUICK HIT POINTS

Class Hit Points

Cleric (level × 5) + 7 + Constitution score

Fighter (level × 6) + 9 + Constitution score

Paladin (level × 6) + 9 + Constitution score

Ranger (level × 5) + 7 + Constitution score

Rogue (level × 5) + 7 + Constitution score

Warlock (level × 5) + 7 + Constitution score

Warlord (level × 5) + 7 + Constitution score

Wizard (level × 4) + 6 + Constitution score

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CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

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Running a campaign boils down to running a series

of adventures. Chapter 6 provides plenty of advice for

making adventures fun and compelling. Here you’ll

learn how to do the same for your campaign.

The secret of a good campaign lies in how you

weave adventures together to form a larger story,

including the little things that give the sense of a

coherent, consistent world.

Linking Adventures

Adventures that relate directly to your campaign’s

story trace its development over the characters’

careers. A dungeon-of-the-week sort of campaign

doesn’t necessarily need any link between one adven-

ture and the next, and even one with a tight theme

can include occasional adventures that are completely

unconnected to other events. But a campaign story

that connects the adventures lets the players feel as

though they’re making real progress, not just racking

up experience points.

A simple way to tie adventures together is to use

common foes, related quests, and linked events that

are related to the campaign’s overall story. Each suite

of adventures might contain enough encounters to

advance the characters three or four levels, serving

as a simple story arc. You need no more than that to

take characters from 1st level all the way to 30th. The

characters might spend most of their careers fighting

the Nine Dread Scions, working their way through the

nine dungeons where those villains reside, and then

pursuing an epic quest to destroy their monstrous pro-

genitor. Or they have to collect the pieces of the Rod of

Seven Parts scattered in ruins across the world before

confronting the primordial Queen of Chaos.

Story Hooks

You can make a campaign feel like one story with

many chapters by planting the seeds of the next adven-

ture before the last one is finished. This technique

naturally and smoothly moves the characters along.

You don’t have to do this all the time—it’s all right for

the party to have some downtime. But when you take

the opportunity to introduce the right elements, you

can hook the players and the characters effectively.

If you’ve set the hook properly, when the characters

finish the current adventure, they’ll naturally follow

up on that “loose end.” Perhaps a character drinks

from a magic fountain in a dungeon and receives a

mystifying vision that foreshadows the next episode.

The party might find a cryptic map or bizarre relic

that, once its meaning is puzzled out, points to the

next quest. Perhaps an NPC warns the characters of

impending danger or implores them for help.

Be careful, though, that you don’t distract the

characters from the adventure at hand. Design-

ing an effective hook takes some experimentation.

It should be compelling, but not so much that the

characters stop caring about what they’re doing right

now. It should encourage them to finish the current

adventure, preferably by requiring them to complete

a related task. That way, they get interested early on,

but they can’t start the next adventure until they’ve

successfully completed this one. They might have to

assemble all the pieces of a map in a dungeon to learn

where it leads. Alternatively, they find the map but

can’t decode it without the key, which they recover

from the defeated villain.

The best way to keep players from straying is to save

your hooks for the very end of your adventures. The

villain wields a bizarre relic that leads the characters

to learn more about its history, or the party discovers

a letter demonstrating that the villain is working for

someone else.

History and

Foreshadowing

You can make good use of the history behind your

campaign by relating it to the unfolding story. Uncov-

ering that history is a natural way to link adventures.

For example, the ultimate villain might be some enor-

mously powerful aberrant being that was imprisoned

deep in the earth ages ago. Over the course of their

adventures, the characters fight large numbers of aber-

rant creatures, slowly learning about this alien being.

These hints foreshadow the climax of your unfolding

story—the aberrant horror breaking free of its prison.

Examples of such historical elements include the ruins

of ancient temples devoted to the being, records of the

destruction it caused during its rampages, copies of the

rituals used to bind and imprison it, and hints to the

location of its prison.

Foreshadowing doesn’t need to have anything to

do with history, though. If the party fights a lot of

demons and undead over the course of adventures,

your players will have a good idea that the campaign

will end in a confrontation with Orcus. You can also

use prophetic verses to hint at future events. Watch out

for being heavy-handed or, conversely, too obscure. A

well-designed prophecy is a kind of riddle that helps

the characters recognize and deal with key events

when they occur. (You’ll find advice about construct-

ing riddles on page 83.)

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CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

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Keeping Track

Details matter. Your players will more easily imagine

that their characters are living in a real world if it

makes sense. If the characters frequent a particular

tavern, the layout of the building, the staff, and even

the decor shouldn’t change dramatically from one visit

to the next. Consistent details bring the world to life.

On the other hand, the world should definitely

respond to the characters’ actions. When the charac-

ters kill a monster, it stays dead; when they remove

treasure from a room, it doesn’t magically reappear

the next time they enter. If they leave a door open, it

should stay open—unless someone closes it. If you’re

meticulous about details, the players pay attention

when things aren’t as they expect.

No one’s memory is infallible, so it pays to keep

track of such details. A simple method is jotting notes

directly on your adventure map to keep track of open

doors, disarmed traps, and the like. Events beyond

the scope of a single adventure are best recorded in

a notebook dedicated to your campaign. Whether it’s

a literal book or some kind of electronic file, such a

record is a great way to keep your notes organized.

Your notebook might contain any of the following

entries.

✦Campaign Journal: This is the place for notes

about your campaign theme and story, including

the plot outline for planning future adventures.

Update that outline as the campaign develops,

adding ideas as they come to you.

✦Campaign Handout: Keep a copy of the handout

you made for your players (page 25). You might

want to revise it from time to time, summariz-

ing the major events of the campaign to date and

adding hints of things to come.

✦Adventure Log: This briefly summarizes each

adventure to help you keep track of the unfolding

campaign story. You can give your players access to

this log as well, or to an edited version stripped of

your notes and secrets. The players might instead

keep their own record of adventures, which you

should also read and copy to your notebook.

✦Toolbox: Here’s where to keep notes whenever you

create or significantly alter a monster, make up

nonplayer characters, design unique traps, haz-

ards, magic items, or artifacts, or generate random

dungeons or encounters. (For more information, see

Chapter 10.) That way, you don’t repeat your work,

and you’ll be able to draw on this material later.

✦NPC Notes: Record statistics and roleplaying notes

for any nonplayer character the characters might

interact with more than once. Here’s where to iden-

tify the two bartenders with their different voices,

as well as their names, the tavern where they work,

the names of other staff members—maybe even

what’s on the menu. Keep notes on when and how

the characters meet your NPCs, and keep track of

the status of their relationships.

✦Character Notes: Keep a running tally of the

characters’ classes and levels, their goals and back-

grounds, any individual quests they’re pursuing, the

magic items they want, and any other details that

might be significant to your planning. You might even

maintain a copy of each character sheet, particularly

if they’re in electronic form. It’s also a good ideas to

make notes about the players—their motivations and

play styles, what kinds of encounters they particularly

enjoy, and what pizza toppings they prefer.

✦Campaign Calendar: Your world feels more real

to your players when the characters notice the pas-

sage of time. Here’s where you note details such as

the change of seasons and major holidays, and keep

track of any important events that affect the larger

story.

RUNNING A CAMPAIGNRUNNING A CAMPAIGN

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

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CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

As characters grow in power, game play changes, and

so will your campaign. At each level they gain access

to new powers and extraordinary capabilities they

didn’t have before. At higher tiers, new powers and

features from paragon paths and epic destinies can

dramatically alter the feel of the game. Powerful ritu-

als also come into play at the upper levels, sometimes

drastically changing the way characters respond to

situations outside combat.

As your campaign progresses, your story and the

style of encounters need to take into account the differ-

ent tiers of play.

The Heroic Tier

Even 1st-level characters are heroes, set apart from the

common people by natural characteristics, learned

skills, and some hint of a greater destiny that lies

before them.

At the start of their careers, characters rely on

their own abilities and powers, and they wield mun-

dane gear. They acquire magic items quickly, though,

and might even fill their available item slots by 10th

level. In combat, they can make mighty leaps or

climb incredibly fast, but they’re still basically earth-

bound and generally remain visible. Since they rely

on healing surges to regain lost hit points, heroic tier

characters are likely to take an extended rest when

surges get dangerously low. However, toward the

upper end of the tier, even death is a surmountable

obstacle because of the Raise Dead ritual.

The fate of a village might hang on the success or

failure of heroic tier adventurers, to say nothing of the

characters’ own lives. Heroic characters navigate dan-

gerous terrain and explore haunted crypts, where they

can expect to fight savage orcs, ferocious wolves, giant

spiders, evil cultists, bloodthirsty ghouls, and shadar-

kai assassins. If they face a dragon, it’s a young one

that might still be searching for a lair and has not yet

found its place in the world—in other words, much like

themselves.

The Paragon Tier

By 11th level, characters are shining examples of cour-

age and determination—true paragons in the world, set

well apart from the masses.

Paragon tier adventurers are a lot more versatile

than they were at lower levels, and they can find just

the right tool for a given challenge. They can spend

action points to gain additional effects, are able to use

magic rings, and can sometimes regain limited powers

they’ve expended. In combat, they exploit short-range

flight and teleportation, making difficult terrain less

important, and might be able to turn invisible or resist

specific damage types. They also have ways to regain

hit points beyond healing surges, including regenera-

tion, so they can complete more encounters between

extended rests. On the other hand, monsters at the

paragon tier have more ways to thwart these new capa-

bilities, including their own flight, damage resistance,

and blindsight.

Rituals at the paragon tier begin to give characters

magical ways to gather information and overcome

obstacles. Divination rituals such as Consult Oracle

grant access to knowledge they might otherwise not

have, while View Object can make some kinds of mys-

teries obsolete. Exploration rituals such as Passwall

and Shadow Walk let a party bypass solid barriers and

quickly travel long distances.

The fate of a nation or even the world might depend

on momentous quests that such characters undertake.

Paragon-level adventurers explore uncharted regions

and delve long-forgotten dungeons, where they con-

front savage giants, ferocious hydras, fearless golems,

evil yuan-ti, bloodthirsty vampires, crafty mind flay-

ers, and drow assassins. They might face a powerful

adult dragon that has established a lair and a role in

the world.

The Epic Tier

By 21st level, characters have truly superheroic capa-

bilities, and their deeds and adventures are the stuff

of legend. Ordinary people can hardly dream of such

heights of power.

Epic adventurers have even more ways to recover

expended powers, more ways to heal damage without

relying on healing surges, and more powers overall

from magic items and epic destinies. In combat, flight

and teleportation are routine, as well as extraordinary

feats of climbing and jumping. Terrain in general is

less important, unless it blocks extraordinary forms of

travel. Invisibility is common. Such characters can last

through many encounters before resting and can even

return from death in the middle of a fight. Further-

more, epic destinies break the rules in dramatic ways.

At the epic tier, rituals include more and better

kinds of divination, including the ability to spy on

distant beings with Observe Creature. Epic characters

can use True Portal to transport themselves instantly

anywhere in the world.

Epic adventures have far-reaching consequences,

possibly determining the fate of millions—in the

natural world and even places beyond. Epic char-

acters traverse otherworldly realms and explore

TIERS OF PLAYTIERS OF PLAY

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CHAPTER 8 | Campaigns

147

never-before-seen caverns of wonder, where they fight

savage balor demons, abominations such as the fero-

cious tarrasque, mind flayer masterminds, terrible

archdevils, bloodthirsty lich archmages, and even

the gods themselves. The dragons they encounter are

ancient wyrms of truly earth-shaking power, whose

sleep troubles kingdoms and whose waking threatens

existence.

Immortality

A character’s epic destiny guides how he or she ulti-

mately exits the world. That hero’s story has to come

to an end, though his or her actions leave existence

indelibly changed. Each epic destiny presented in the

Player’s Handbook suggests a way for a character with

that destiny to achieve immortality. It’s up to you, in

cooperation with your players, to determine how their

characters get there.

The final quest of your campaign should be its

dramatic climax. After the final encounter of that

last adventure, the characters attain their destined

immortality—the “happily ever after” to their careers.

You might lift them to that state as soon as their enemy

is defeated, or spend a little time wrapping up loose

ends, letting the characters put their affairs in order

and say their goodbyes.

If you don’t have a clear endpoint in mind for your

campaign, the characters’ epic destinies can give you

some direction for those last ten levels. Each indi-

vidual quest takes on greater importance, so that the

party achieves group immortality by completing each

member’s ultimate destiny.

Epic-level characters don’t have to leave play. If you

want to, you can prolong your campaign indefinitely

with 30th-level adventurers, concocting new chal-

lenges to their godlike capabilities. At some point,

though, your campaign will have to end—and it’s better

to do it with a thrilling final quest and a glorious vic-

tory than to let it fizzle out.

ENDING A CAMPAIGN

Wind your campaign up with a bang. As with the

ending of an adventure, a campaign’s ending should

tie up all the threads of its beginning and middle.

Create an exciting and satisfying conclusion for the

theme and story you’ve crafted.

If your campaign has an ultimate villain, the

campaign’s climax ought to feature a final confronta-

tion. If some other threat has menaced the world, the

characters should put an end to that threat—or if they

cannot, take dramatic action to help the world weather

the storm. A party on a mission should finally com-

plete it, and an unfolding prophecy should be fulfilled

one way or another. Even if your campaign is based on

simple discovery, with the characters spending their

entire careers exploring the world, it’s not enough for

them to simply draw in the last few lines on the map.

They need a final adventure that gives some meaning

to that long quest and makes that last pen stroke truly

significant.

You don’t have to take a campaign all the way to

30th level. Ending it at 10th or 20th level can be just

as satisfying, Whenever your story reaches its natural

conclusion is where you should wrap it up. If you see

the end approaching, and the characters are getting

close to 10th, 20th, or 30th level, consider stretching

out the last adventure or two to help them reach that

level by the climax.

Make sure you allow space and time near the end

of your campaign for the characters to finish up any

personal goals. Their own stories need to end in a satis-

fying way, just as the campaign story does. Ideally, try

to link all the characters’ individual goals to the ulti-

mate goal of the final adventure. If you can’t, though,

give them a chance to finish those quests before the

very end.

Once the campaign has ended, a new one can

begin. If you’ll be running a new campaign for the

same group of players, you can really help them get

invested in the new setting by using their previous

characters’ actions as the basis of legends. Let the new

characters experience how the world has changed

because of the old ones. In the end, though, the new

campaign is a new story with new protagonists. They

shouldn’t have to share the spotlight with the heroes of

days gone by.

ENDING A CAMPAIGNENDING A CAMPAIGN

TIPS FROM THE PROS

Know where you are going with your campaign. Don’t be

afraid to end it when you get there.

—Andrew Finch

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You won’t find a world map in this or any of

the core D&D rulebooks. “The world” in which the

D&D game takes place doesn’t have a map—not until

you create one. And you shouldn’t feel in any great

hurry to create one. A map is important only when

the characters seek out the places shown on it.

That said, these books do make some assumptions

about the world in which your adventures take place.

This chapter talks about those assumptions, and then

discusses how you might change them. In the end, the

setting of your campaign is your world—the details are

yours to change or create from whole cloth. But these

aren’t details you have to worry about when you’re

starting out as a DM.

This chapter includes the following sections.

✦The D&D World: The game is built around

certain core assumptions, but you can fill in the

details or alter those assumptions to make the

world your own.

✦Civilization: Civilized parts of the world are

points of light in the darkness, and they can be

exciting adventure sites as well as safe home bases.

This section describes how to design settlements

for various purposes in your campaign.

✦The Wild: Most of the world is untamed

wilderness, and its dangers include more than

monsters and raiders. Weather and harsh

environments add to the risks of adventuring far

from civilization.

✦The Planes: Beyond the natural world, the

universe holds greater challenges and greater

rewards for brave adventurers.

✦The Gods: The Player’s Handbook introduces

the D&D pantheon. This section gives more

information about the nature of these deities,

as well as details about the evil gods whose

servants can challenge the characters.

✦Artifacts: Powerful magic items with agendas

of their own, artifacts can be exciting additions

to a campaign at any level.

✦Languages: This section includes more

information about the languages and scripts of the

D&D world and how to use them in your game.

148

CHAPTER 9 | The World

CHAPTER 9

The WorldTh e Wo r l d

HOWARD LYON

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150

CHAPTER 9 | The World

The rules and story elements in the D&D game are

built around a set of core assumptions about the world.

Here are some of the most important.

The World Is a Fantastic Place. Magic works,

servants of the gods wield divine power, and fire giants

build strongholds in active volcanoes. The world might

be based on reality, but it’s a blend of real-world phys-

ics, cultures, and history with a heavy dose of fantasy.

For the game’s purposes, it doesn’t matter what histori-

cal paladins were like; it cares about what paladins are

like in the fantasy world.

The World Is Ancient. Empires rise and empires

crumble, leaving few places that have not been

touched by their grandeur. Ruin, time, and natural

forces eventually claim all, leaving the D&D world

rich with places of adventure and mystery. Ancient

civilizations and their knowledge survive in legends,

magic items, and the ruins they left behind, but chaos

and darkness inevitably follow an empire’s collapse.

Each new realm must carve a place out of the world

rather than build on the efforts of past civilizations.

The World Is Mysterious. Wild, uncontrolled

regions abound and cover most of the world. City-

states of various races dot the darkness, bastions

in the wilderness built amid the ruins of the past.

Some of these settlements are “points of light” where

adventurers can expect peaceful interaction with the

inhabitants, but many more are dangerous. No one

race lords over the world, and vast kingdoms are rare.

People know the area they live in well, and they’ve

heard stories of other places from merchants and trav-

elers, but few know what lies beyond the mountains

or in the depth of the great forest unless they’ve been

there personally.

Monsters Are Everywhere. Most monsters of the

world are as natural as bears or horses are on Earth,

and monsters inhabit civilized parts of the world and

the wilderness alike. Griffon riders patrol the skies

over dwarf cities, domesticated behemoths carry trade

goods over long distances, a yuan-ti empire holds sway

just a few hundred miles from a human kingdom, and

a troop of ice archons from the Elemental Chaos might

suddenly appear in the mountains near a major city.

Adventurers Are Exceptional. Player characters

are the pioneers, explorers, trailblazers, thrill seekers,

and heroes of the D&D world. Although nonplayer

characters might have a class and gain power, they do

not necessarily advance as PCs do, and they exist for

a different purpose. Not everyone in the world gains

levels as PCs do. An NPC might be a veteran of numer-

ous battles and still not become a 3rd-level fighter; an

army of elves is made up of soldiers, not fighters.

The Civilized Races Band Together. The char-

acter races in the Player’s Handbook all drew closer

together during the time of the last great empire

(which was human-dominated). That’s what makes

them the civilized races—they’re the ones found

living together in the towns and cities of civilization.

Goblins, orcs, gnolls, and kobolds—along with plenty

of other races in the Monster Manual—were never part

of that human empire. Some of them, such as the

militaristic hobgoblins, have cities, organized societ-

ies, and kingdoms of their own. These are islands of

civilization in the wilderness, but they are not “points

of light.”

Magic Is Not Everyday, but it Is Natural. No

one is superstitious about magic, but neither is the use

of magic trivial. Practitioners of magic are as rare as

fighters. People might see evidence of magic every day,

but it’s usually minor—a fantastic monster, a visibly

answered prayer, a wizard flying by on a griffon. Pow-

erful and experienced practitioners of magic are far

from commonplace.

Gods and Primordials Shaped the World. The

primordials, elemental creatures of enormous power,

shaped the world out of the Elemental Chaos. The gods

gave it civility and permanence, and warred with the

primordials for control of the new creation. The gods

eventually triumphed, and primordials now slumber

in remote parts of the Elemental Chaos, rage in hidden

prisons, or float, lifeless, through the Astral Sea.

Gods Are Distant. Gods exist, though most of

them maintain a distance and detachment from the

everyday happenings of the world. Exarchs act in

the world on behalf of their gods, and angels appear

to undertake missions that promote the agendas of

the gods they serve. Gods are extremely powerful,

compared to mortals and monsters, but they aren’t

omniscient or omnipotent. They provide access to the

divine power source for their clerics, paladins, and

other prayer-using followers, and their followers pray

to them in hopes that they or their exarchs will hear

them and bless them.

THE D&D WORLDTHE D&D WORLD

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

151

It’s Your World

The preceding section sums up the basics of what the

game assumes about the D&D world. Within those

general parameters, though, there’s a lot of room for

you to fill in the details. Each published campaign set-

ting describes a different world that adheres to some of

those core assumptions, alters others, and then builds

a world around them. You can do the same to create a

world that’s uniquely yours.

The Details

Where the core D&D rulebooks talk about the world,

they drop names that exemplify the core assump-

tions—such as the tiefling empire of Bael Turath and

the Invulnerable Coat of Arnd. Just as you can alter

names in published adventures to suit the flavor of

your campaign, you can change the names of these

assumed parts of the world. For example, you might

decide that the tieflings of your world have a culture

reminiscent of medieval Russia, and call their ancient

empire Perevolochna. Or, to use the example from

Chapter 6, a peasant hero named Al-Rashid might

have worn the Invulnerable Coat in ancient days.

Aside from these changeable assumed details, most

of the specifics of the world are left to your own inven-

tion. Even if you begin your campaign in the town of

Fallcrest and lead the characters on to Winterhaven

and Hammerfast, eventually the characters will move

off the map in Chapter 11 and explore new lands of

your own creation.

If you follow the core assumptions of the game,

sketching out the world beyond your starting area is

a simple matter. Great tracts of wilderness separate

civilized areas. South of Fallcrest, the characters

might travel through a forest on an old, overgrown

road they’ve been told leads to the city-state of Iron-

wood. You can throw adventures in their path along

the way, then draw them into another grand dungeon

adventure when they arrive in what turns out to be the

gnoll-infested ruins of Ironwood.

You can draft a map of the whole continent at or

near the beginning of your campaign. You don’t have

to, of course, but even if you do, it’s a good idea to

keep it sketchy. As the campaign progresses, you’ll

find that you want certain terrain features in specific

places, or an element of the campaign story will lead

you to fill in details of the map in ways you couldn’t

have anticipated at the start of the campaign. Just as

when you prepare an adventure, don’t overprepare

your campaign. Even in a published campaign, the

large-scale maps of regions and continents don’t detail

every square mile of land. You can and should feel free

to add details where you need them—and alter them

when your campaign suggests it.

Altering Core Assumptions

One definition of speculative fiction (of which fantasy

and science fiction are two branches) is that it starts

with reality as we know it and asks, “What if some

aspect of the world was different?” Most fantasy starts

from the question, “What if magic was real?”

The assumptions sketched out on the previous page

aren’t graven in stone. They make for an exciting D&D

world full of adventure, but they’re not the only set of

assumptions that do so. You can build an interesting

campaign concept by altering one or more of those

core assumptions. Ask yourself, “What if this wasn’t

true in my world?”

The World Is a Fantastic Place. What if it’s not?

What if your characters all use the martial power

source, and magic is rare and dangerous? What if your

campaign is set in a version of historical Europe?

The World Is Ancient. What if your world is

brand-new, and the characters are the first heroes to

walk the earth? What if there are no ancient artifacts

and traditions, no crumbling ruins?

The World Is Mysterious. What if it’s all charted

and mapped, right down to the “Here there be

dragons” notations? What if great empires cover huge

stretches of countryside, with clearly defined borders

between them?

Monsters Are Everywhere. What if monsters are

rare and terrifying?

Adventurers Are Exceptional. What if the cities

of the world are crowded with adventurers, buying

and selling magic items in great markets?

The Common Races Band Together. What if, to

use a fantasy cliché, dwarves and elves don’t get along?

What if hobgoblins live side by side with the other

races?

Magic Is Not Everyday. What if every town is

ruled by a powerful wizard? What if magic item shops

are common?

Gods and Primordials Shaped the World. What

if the primordials won, and hidden cults dedicated to

a handful of surviving deities are scattered through a

shattered world that echoes the Elemental Chaos?

Gods Are Distant. What if the gods regularly walk

the earth? What if the characters can challenge them

and seize their power? Or what if even exarchs and

angels never sully themselves by contact with mortals?

THE D&D WORLDTHE D&D WORLD

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

The D&D world is a wide and wondrous place, filled

with monsters and magic. However, most people live

in relatively safe communities, and even bold adven-

turers need safe havens. Such areas are points of light

in a dark world, and they share common traits. When

you think about the civilized areas of your world, con-

sider these questions:

COMPONENTS OF A SETTLEMENT

✦ What purpose does it serve in your game?

✦ How big is it? Who lives there?

✦ Who governs it? Who else holds power?

✦ What are its defenses?

✦ Where do characters go to find what they need?

✦ What temples are there? What other organizations?

✦ What fantastic elements distinguish it from the ordinary?

The guidelines in this section are just that. They’re

here to help you build the settlement you want for the

purpose you have in mind. If you decide that you want

a particular feature in a settlement you create, don’t let

anything in this section stop you.

Purpose

A settlement’s primary purpose is to facilitate the fun

in your game. Creating a settlement should also be

fun. Other than these two points, the actual purpose

the settlement serves determines the amount of detail

you need to put into it.

As always, don’t do more work than you have to.

Create only the features of a settlement that you know

you’ll need, along with notes on general features. Then

allow the place to grow organically as the PCs interact

with more and more of it, keeping notes on new places

you invent and use in the game. Eventually, you’ll have

a living town that you can use again and again.

Home Base

The primary reason to create a settlement is to give

the characters a place to live, train, and recuperate

between adventures. Such a settlement is the launch-

ing pad from which the characters go out into the

wider world. An entire campaign can center on a

particular town or city. Sometimes, however, a base is

just a temporary stopover for one or more adventures

before the characters move on.

If the characters start their careers in a particu-

lar locale, one that they all call home, that town can

have a special place in their hearts and minds. What

happens in and to that place takes on personal mean-

ing. Characters might want to protect the town from

destruction and corruption, or they could want to

escape the memories and limitations the place holds.

A home base needs a moderate amount of detail,

but that’s work that the players can help you with. Ask

the players to tell you a bit about mentors, family mem-

bers, and other important people in their characters’

lives. You can add to and modify what they give you,

but you’ll at least start with a solid foundation of the

NPCs who are important to the characters. You might

also have the players tell you where and how their

characters spend their time—a favorite tavern, library,

or temple, perhaps. Unless the home base is also an

adventure site, you don’t need more detail than that at

the outset.

Adventure Site

A settlement makes a great adventure site (see Chapter

6 for more about urban adventuring). The amount of

preparation you need for such a settlement depends

on the adventures you want to run there. You might

detail adventure areas, such as battlements or towers

(see “City Buildings” on page 111). For an event-based

adventure, you need notes on the NPCs who play a

part in the adventure. This work is adventure prepa-

ration as much as it is world building, but the cast of

characters you develop for your adventure—includ-

ing allies, patrons, enemies, and extras—can become

recurring figures in your campaign.

Local Color

Often, a settlement is just a place where the charac-

ters stop in to rest and buy supplies. A settlement of

this sort needs no more than a narrative description.

Include the town’s name, decide how big it is, add a

dash of flavor (“The prominent temple to Avandra sug-

gests that this town hasn’t outgrown its pioneer roots”),

and let the characters get down to business. The his-

tory of the inn where the characters spend the night,

the mannerisms of the shopkeeper they buy supplies

from—you can add this level of detail, but you don’t

have to. It’s fine to toss in these bits if the characters

return to the same town—at that point, it begins to feel

a little more like a home base, if a temporary one. Let

it grow as the need arises.

Size

The size of a settlement is largely a matter of flavor, but

it can also influence the goods and services available

there. Since even small villages spring into being along

trade routes, it’s safe to assume that characters can

find what they want or need to buy in practically any

settlement, given enough time. Don’t let a community’s

size get in the way of your characters’ enjoyment of the

game by forcing them to travel hundreds of miles out

of their way to buy the magic items they want.

CIVILIZATIONCIVILIZATION

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153

The vast majority of distinct settlements in the

D&D world are villages clustered around a larger

town or city. Farming villages help supply the town or

city population with food, in exchange for the goods

the farmers can’t produce themselves. Towns and

cities are the seats of the local nobles who govern the

surrounding area, who also carry the responsibility

for defending the villages from attack. Occasionally,

the local lord lives in a keep or fortress with no nearby

town or city.

Village

Most settlements are agricultural villages, support-

ing themselves and nearby towns or cities with crops

and meat. The citizens of a village are involved in

food production in one way or another—if not tending

the crops, then supporting those who do by shoeing

horses, weaving clothes, milling grain, and the like.

They maintain trade with nearby settlements.

Villages pop up within areas protected by the

local rulers, or on land with a defensive geographic

advantage such as a river. Some villages support and

surround military fortresses and outposts, and others

crop up as boomtowns when valuable resources are

discovered. Villages can also become isolated over

time, as kingdoms crumble.

A village’s population is dispersed around a large

area of land. Farmers live on their land, which spreads

them widely around the village center. At the heart of

the village, a standard set of structures cluster together:

essential services, a marketplace, a temple or two, some

kind of gathering place, and perhaps an inn for travelers.

VILLAGE TRAITS

✦ Population: Up to about 1,000.

✦ Government: Noble ruler (usually not resident), with

an appointed agent (a reeve) in residence to adjudicate

disputes and collect taxes for the lord.

✦ Defense: The reeve might have a small force of soldiers;

otherwise the village relies on a citizen militia.

✦Commerce: Basic supplies are readily available, possibly an

inn. Other goods available from traveling merchants.

✦ Organizations: One or two temples or shrines, farmer

associations, few or no other organizations.

To w n

Towns are major trade centers, where important indus-

tries and reliable trade routes allowed the population

to grow. As many as half of a town’s citizens are part

of a thriving middle class of artisans. Towns rely on

commerce—the import of raw materials and food from

surrounding villages, and the export of crafted items to

those villages as well as other towns and cities.

Towns grow in places where roads intersect water-

ways, or at the meeting of major land trade routes.

A town might also grow in a place with a strategic

defensive location or near significant mines or similar

natural resources.

A town’s population is centralized in an area sur-

rounded by defensible walls. Its population is more

diverse than that of villages—during the time of the

last human empire, merchants and artisans of all races

mingled together in the towns and cities, whereas vil-

lages remained more homogeneous.

TOWN TRAITS

✦ Population: Up to about 10,000.

✦ Government: Noble ruler in residence, with an appointed

lord mayor to oversee administration and an elected town

council representing the interests of the middle class.

✦ Defense: Sizable army of professional soldiers as well as

the noble’s personal soldiers.

✦Commerce: Basic supplies are readily available, though

exotic goods and services are harder to find. Inns and

taverns support travelers.

✦Organizations: Several temples might hold political as

well as spiritual authority, merchant guilds, some other

organizations.

City

Cities are overgrown towns and function in the same

way. Their larger populations require more support

from both surrounding villages and trade routes, so

they’re rare. They typically appear in areas where

large expanses of fertile, arable land surround a

location that’s friendly to trade, almost always on a

navigable waterway.

Cities are walled like towns, and it’s possible to

identify the stages of a city’s growth from the expan-

sion of the walls beyond the central core. These

internal walls naturally divide the city into wards,

which have their own representatives on the city

council and their own noble governors. In some

cities, shrinking populations since the fall of the great

empires have left wards abandoned and in ruin.

Cities with more than 25,000 people are extremely

rare in the current age, but they stand as monuments

of civilization and vital points of light in the D&D

world.

CITY TRAITS

✦ Population: Up to about 25,000.

✦ Government: Noble ruler in residence, with several

other nobles sharing responsibility for surrounding areas

and government functions. One such noble is the lord

mayor, who oversees the city administration. An elected

city council represents the middle class, and might hold

more power than the lord mayor. Other groups serve as

important power centers as well.

✦ Defense: Large army of professional soldiers, guards, and

town watch. Each noble in residence has at least a small

force of personal soldiers.

✦ Commerce: Almost any goods or services are readily

available. Many inns and taverns support travelers.

✦Organizations: Many temples, guilds, and other

organizations, some of which hold significant power in city

affairs.

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

Government

In the absence of empires or large kingdoms, power

and authority in the D&D world are concentrated in

towns and cities. Here minor nobles cling to the titles

their families carried under past empires—dukes,

barons, earls, counts, the occasional prince, here and

there a self-styled king. These nobles hold authority

over the towns and cities where they live and the sur-

rounding lands. They collect taxes from the populace,

which they use for public building projects, to pay

the soldiery, and support a comfortable lifestyle for

themselves (although nobles also have considerable

hereditary wealth). In exchange, they promise to pro-

tect their citizens from threats such as orc marauders,

hobgoblin armies, and roving human bandits.

The noble lords appoint officers to act as their

agents in villages, to supervise the collection of taxes

and serve as judges in disputes and criminal trials.

These reeves, sheriffs, or bailiffs are commoners native

to the villages they govern, chosen for their position

because they already claim the respect of their fellow

citizens.

Within the towns and cities, the lords share author-

ity (and administrative responsibility) with lesser

nobles, usually their own relatives, and also with rep-

resentatives of the middle class. A lord mayor of noble

birth is appointed to head the town or city council,

and to perform the same administrative functions

that reeves do in villages. The council is made up of

representatives elected by the middle class of traders

and artisans. Only foolish nobles ignore the wishes

of their town councils, since the economic power of

the middle class is more important to the prosperity

of a town or city than the hereditary authority of the

nobility.

The larger a settlement, the more likely it is that

other individuals or organizations hold significant

power there as well. Even in a village, a popular indi-

vidual—a wise elder or a well-liked farmer—can wield

more influence than the appointed reeve, and a wise

reeve avoids making an enemy of such a person. In

towns and cities, the same power might lie in the

hands of a prominent temple, a guild independent of

the council, or a single individual with magical power

to back up her influence.

Defense

Soldiers—both professional and militia—serve double

duty in most settlements. They carry the responsibil-

ity of defending the settlement from outside threats,

including bandits and raiders. They also keep order

within the settlement. The largest cities maintain

separate forces for these two purposes (a guard and a

watch). In many cities, the noble ruler also has a per-

sonal force of soldiers to maintain the security of the

keep in addition to those responsible for defending the

city walls. These soldiers come from noble families

themselves.

The size of a professional soldiery depends on the

type of settlement as well as its population. If a vil-

lage has full-time soldiers at all, they number no more

than perhaps twenty-five. A town or city might have as

little as one soldier for every hundred residents, or as

many as twice that in particularly dangerous or crime-

ridden areas.

Except in the largest cities, the watch is more adept

at handling disturbances than at investigating crime.

Inquisitives who specialize in solving mysteries are

rare. Instead, the watch commonly offers rewards for

solving mysteries or bringing criminals to justice—fine

opportunities for adventurers to prove themselves!

Commerce

Even small villages give characters ready access to the

gear they need to pursue their adventures. Provisions,

tents and backpacks, and simple weapons are com-

monly available. Traveling merchants carry armor,

military weapons, and more specialized gear. Most

villages have inns that cater to travelers, where adven-

turers can get a hot meal and a bed, even if the quality

leaves much to be desired. When characters stop in

at a settlement to rest and restock their supplies, give

them a bit of local flavor, such as the name of the inn

where they spend the night, and move on with the

adventure.

Even small villages rely heavily on trade with other

settlements, including larger towns and cities. Mer-

chants pass through regularly, selling necessities and

luxuries to the villagers, and any good merchant has

far-reaching contacts across the region. When charac-

ters have magic items to sell, a traveling merchant is in

MAPPING A SETTLEMENT

When you draw a map for a settlement in your game, don’t

worry about the placement of every building.

For a village, sketch out the roads, including trade routes

leading beyond the village and local roads that connect

outlying farms to the village center. Note the location of

the village center and any important terrain features in the

area. If the characters visit specific places in the village, you

can mark those spots on your map.

For towns and cities, again, note major roads and

waterways as well as surrounding terrain. Outline the

walls, and mark the locations of features you know will

be important—the lord’s keep, significant temples, and

the like. For cities, add internal walls and think about

the personality of each ward. You might give the wards

names reflecting their personalities, which also identify the

kinds of trades that dominate the neighborhood (Tannery

Square, Temple Row), a geographical characteristic (Hill top,

River side), or a dominant site (the Lords’ Quarter).

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When they want items above their levels, they have to

go to merchants.

The game still works if you decide that magic items

can’t be bought and sold in your world. Characters

can rely entirely on rituals to duplicate the economy

of buying and selling without money changing hands.

The residuum they collect from disenchanting items

provides the expensive ritual components they need

for the enchanting ritual. If you want characters to rely

entirely on these rituals, remove the cost to perform

the Disenchant Magic Item ritual, making it just as

efficient as selling.

On the flip side, you can drive the characters to

markets instead of rituals by altering the prices they

pay for magic items. You can remove the random

markup, or even alter it to allow the possibility of find-

ing items for sale below normal price. For example,

roll 1d6 as usual, but a 1 means the item is available

for 10 percent below the base price, a 2 means it’s

available for the base price, and 3–6 means a 10 per-

cent to 40 percent markup. Items are readily available,

and sometimes characters can get a good deal.

Organizations

Temples, guilds, secret societies, colleges, and orders

are important forces in the social order of any settle-

ment. Occasionally, their influence stretches across

multiple cities, echoing the wide-ranging political

authority that crumbled with the fall of empires. Orga-

nizations can also play an important part in the lives

of player characters, acting as their patrons, allies,

or enemies just as individual nonplayer characters

do. When characters join these organizations, they

become a part of something larger than themselves,

which can give their adventures a context in the wider

world.

Religion

Temples and religious orders are among the most

important and influential organizations in the world.

They’re likely to have direct influence on characters

who use the divine power source, even though clerics

and paladins operate as free agents, independent of

these hierarchies.

Though the worship of the pantheon of gods is uni-

versal, there are no worldwide hierarchies devoted to

these gods. A temple to Bahamut in one city is uncon-

nected to Bahamut’s temple in the next city, with each

having different rites and differently nuanced inter-

pretations of the god’s commands.

Most temples are dedicated to more than one deity,

and a temple where Bahamut’s altar is next to Mora-

din’s might paint a different picture of the Platinum

Dragon than a temple where he’s worshiped alongside

Erathis. In the first, his protective aspects might be

emphasized—he and Moradin stand together to shield

the community. Beside Erathis, he might be more of

town—or will be soon—to take it off their hands. The

same applies to exotic mundane goods as well: No one

in the village makes silk rope or has much use for it,

but merchants making their way between major cities

carry it all the time.

Traveling merchants are also a great way to intro-

duce adventure hooks to the characters as they

conduct their business. Since they make their living

traversing roads that are not as safe as they used to be,

merchants hire competent guards to keep their goods

safe. They also carry news from town to town, includ-

ing reports of situations that cry out for adventurers to

get involved.

These merchants can’t provide specialized services,

however. When the characters are in need of a library

or a dedicated sage, a trainer who can handle the grif-

fon eggs they’ve found, or an architect to design their

castle, they’re better off going to a large city than look-

ing in a village. These services are less important in

the economy of the game than magic items and other

goods, so you shouldn’t feel as though you have to com-

promise your common sense for the sake of game play.

Of course, it’s natural for characters to travel far

beyond their native villages as they pursue adventure.

When they’re in the City of Brass, they should be able

to buy even the most expensive magic items readily. If

it doesn’t interfere with the flow of your game, it’s fine

to expect that characters will travel to larger cities to

do business as they reach higher levels and deal with

larger sums of money.

The Magic Item Economy

Most of the time, characters find magic items on their

adventures that are above their level. These are excit-

ing items, and the characters have a strong incentive

to keep these items and use them. As characters attain

higher levels, the items they find might replace items

they already have—the fighter finds a +3 flaming sword

and no longer wants his +2 magic sword.

When this happens, the characters ordinarily sell

those items—it’s slightly more beneficial to do that than

to use the Disenchant Magic Item ritual, because the

characters don’t have to pay the component cost. A

merchant, agent, or fence buys items from the charac-

ter at one-fifth the items’ value, in the hope of selling

them at significant profit (usually, above the items’

value). Buyers are hard to find, but the profit to be

made makes it worth the merchant’s risk.

Characters can use the monetary treasure they

find, as well as the gold from selling items, to acquire

new magic items. They can’t make items above their

level, and can’t often afford items more than a few

levels above theirs. It’s to their benefit to use the

Enchant Magic Item ritual for items of their level

or lower, rather than buying these items from mer-

chants, agents, or fences, because of the 10–40 percent

markup over items’ value that these sellers charge.

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

a crusading god, conquering evil to help the spread of

civilization.

In the Temple of the Celestial Mountain, for exam-

ple, Bahamut, Moradin, and Kord share temple space

as they’re said to share a divine dominion. In village

temples, Bahamut’s altar stands alongside Moradin’s

and Pelor’s, and the rites ask the gods’ protection over

both village and crops. The Temple of the Bright City

is devoted to Pelor, Erathis, and Ioun, who all share

a dominion and an interest in the various aspects

of urban life and civilization. Wayside shrines built

along trade routes, by contrast, celebrate the gods

of the roads and wild places—Avandra, Melora, and

Sehanine. The Temple of the Fates worships the three

gods of destiny: the maiden Avandra, god of luck; the

matron Ioun, god of prophecy; and the crone, the

Raven Queen, who ultimately cuts the thread of each

person’s life. Eladrin temples (and some elven ones)

feature altars to Corellon and Sehanine—and a few

have bare altars where no sacrifice is offered, saving a

place for Lolth when she is ultimately reconciled to the

other gods of her family.

A temple in the D&D world doesn’t hold scheduled

worship services. Rather, the temple is always open

and constantly busy. Priests perform the daily rites

the gods require, each at a separate altar. Worshipers

bring children, ailing family members, and livestock

in for the priests’ blessings, and they bring their own

prayers and sacrifices to ask the gods’ favor. Worship-

ers and petitioners stand or kneel in large open spaces.

On holy days, crowds press in to fill every available

space, sometimes for the entire length of the day.

These are as much social events as religious ones,

and the words of the rites can be drowned out in the

hubbub of conversation.

Other organizations have a religious foundation,

too. Knightly orders dedicated to Bahamut or Bane,

colleges devoted to Ioun, civic organizations that honor

Erathis, travelers’ aid societies dedicated to Avandra,

craft guilds that invoke Moradin’s name, and secret

societies of assassins dedicated to Zehir all wield influ-

ence in the cities and larger towns of the world.

Other Organizations

Organizations don’t always have religious underpin-

nings, of course. Knightly orders are formed with

noble patronage. Like-minded scholars with interests

in related subjects gather in colleges. Inns in differ-

ent towns create informal networks and aid societies

to help travelers. Merchants and artisans form guilds

to protect their interests in city governments and

supervise the training of apprentices. Criminal organi-

zations of all kinds operate in the shadows and alleys

of settlements.

Although people of the wizard class are not

common, every large city has associations for prac-

titioners of arcane rituals, mages who can manage

simple spells, and scholars with an interest in magical

subjects as well as true wizards. These organizations

can be important resources for wizard and warlock

characters, a place to find a mentor or purchase ritu-

als. They represent specific magical traditions, which

might be reflected in unique spells, rituals, feats, and

paragon paths. The Spiral Tower is an example—a reli-

gious organization dedicated to Corellon that teaches a

fey tradition of arcane magic and guides wizard char-

acters into a specific paragon path (described in the

Player’s Handbook). The Order of the Golden Wyvern is

a loose association of spellcasters who use their talents

in military pursuits. Golden Wyvern wizards learn the

battle mage paragon path and take feats such as Spell

Accuracy.

Military organizations can support any character,

particularly characters who use the martial power

source—fighters, warlords, rangers, and rogues. These

characters might be veterans of a city’s guard or watch,

a noble’s personal retinue, or a mercenary company

that travels from city to city as its services are needed.

Knightly orders, too, charge their members to travel

the countryside in pursuit of the orders’ goals, which

squares nicely with the adventuring life.

Criminal gangs, guilds, cults, and secret societies

are prominent enemies, particularly in campaigns

centered in urban areas. Characters might pursue

a single villain and bring her to justice, only to find

themselves the target of assassins from the villain’s

criminal guild. Suddenly, they’re involved in a bigger

adventure than they thought, dealing with a criminal

underground that considers them deadly enemies.

TELEPORTATION CIRCLES

A feature of major cities that helps cement their important

place in the economy of the fantasy world is the presence

of permanent teleportation circles. Rituals such as Linked

Portal and Planar Portal rely on these circles, which are

commonly found in temples (particularly those dedicated

to Ioun, Avandra, or Erathis), universities, the headquarters

of arcane organizations, and prominent civic locations.

However, since every teleportation circle is a possible

means of entry into a city, they’re typically guarded by both

military and magical protection.

As you design a fantasy city, think about what teleporta-

tion circles it might contain and which ones characters who

learn Linked Portal are likely to know about. If characters

commonly return to their home base city by means of a

teleportation circle, you can use that circle as a hook for

plot developments in your campaign. What do the charac-

ters do if they arrive in a teleportation circle and find all the

familiar wards disabled and guards lying in pools of blood?

What if their arrival interrupts an argument between two

feuding priests at the Temple of the Bright City?

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Fantastic Settlements

In the magical world of the D&D game, most settle-

ments follow the patterns described above. But

fantastic exceptions abound, cities where magic

or monsters play a significant role in government,

defense, commerce, or organizations. Different races

might also have different settlements from those

described above, and you can use these variations to

inject a fantastic flavor into the settlements your play-

ers visit.

Rather than a noble lord who’s nothing more than

a titled aristocrat, a town or city might be ruled by a

wizard, perhaps a retired adventurer, whose magical

power makes a personal retinue of soldiers unneces-

sary. Such a settlement might feature easily accessible

rituals and minor magic items—or the wizard might

severely restrict magic that could challenge his

authority.

A cleric, paladin, angel, or demigod might rule a

city as a theocracy, where religious commandments

hold the same status as laws. Depending on the ruler,

a theocracy can be a very good or a very bad place to

live or visit.

What happens when a dragon decides to take over

a city? Or a mind flayer secretly controls the baron,

steering the city toward its own mysterious purposes?

What if the ruler is a lich or vampire who installs

undead in positions of power?

As those examples suggest, not every settlement

in the D&D world is a point of light in the darkness—

some are part of the darkness. Hobgoblins and drow

are just as civilized as humans, but their cities are

nightmarish tyrannies where other races are enslaved.

Even a mundane town can be a dark and dangerous

place, when the ruler is a devotee of Asmodeus or even

just an inflexible autocrat. A visit to these cities is an

adventure in itself, and you might build a whole cam-

paign that puts the characters in the role of criminals

or rebels in such a place, freeing slaves and working to

overthrow the tyrannical ruler.

Even in a fantastic settlement, there shouldn’t be

many nonplayer characters with classes from the

Player’s Handbook. The player characters are excep-

tional, in part because they have these classes and

gain levels through their adventuring. Most citizens

are 1st-level minions or other low-level examples of

their races drawn from the Monster Manual or created

using the design guidelines in Chapter 10. The priests

in a temple are ordinary people who might have some

mastery of rituals—and might not. A hedge wizard

might be the human mage from the Monster Manual,

with simple spells and rituals. Reserve classes for

exceptional and important NPCs, particularly patrons

and villains.

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ROB ALEXANDER

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

Uncounted miles stretch between the civilized areas of

the world, wild and dangerous. When characters leave

the relative safety of towns and cities, they quickly

enter a world of monsters and raiders, where the land

can be actively hostile. Even if they’re traversing only a

few miles between a village and a nearby dungeon, the

wilderness is a force to be reckoned with.

Wilderness areas fall into three broad categories.

Formerly settled regions have been reclaimed by the

forces of nature—overgrown with forest, swallowed

into swamp, or worn into rubble by desert wind and

scouring sand. Once-busy roadways are now nothing

but fragments of brick littering the ground. Even in

the peak of the great empires of the past, the lands

between cities were wild, and only frequent patrols

kept trade routes safe. Now those lands are full of mon-

ster-haunted ruins, including the crumbled remains

of those ancient cities. Quests might lead adventurers

to these ruins in search of lost libraries or artifacts,

investigating a rumor of a surviving settlement buried

in the wilderness, or looking for treasure.

Other regions have never been settled. These

consist primarily of inhospitable terrain—deserts,

mountains, and frozen tundra, expanses of jungle and

wide swamps. These areas hold no ruins from the

ancient empires of the world, except the occasional

hint of a short-lived colony that failed to tame the wil-

derness around it. These regions hold more fantastic

terrain—places where magic gathers in pools, or where

parts of the Feywild, the Shadowfell, or the Elemental

Chaos overlap with the world and alter nature with

their proximity. Adventurers might find a foundry

built by fire archons or a snow-capped mountain torn

from its roots and suspended in the air. Their quests

might lead them to seek a font of magical power on

a forbidding peak or a city supposed to appear in the

desert once every century.

Finally, even in these days of fallen empires, colo-

nists and pioneers fight back the wilderness on the

frontier, hoping to spread the light of civilization and

found new kingdoms and empires. The world’s larg-

est city-states establish colonies at the edge of their

sphere of influence, and brave and hardy souls build

hardscrabble villages near sources of minerals or other

resources. Devotees of Erathis seek to tame the wilder-

ness, and followers of Avandra roam in search of new

frontiers. These tiny outposts of civilization barely

shed a glimmer of light into the surrounding wilder-

ness, but they can be home bases for adventurers who

have reason to venture into the wilds around them. A

city-state might send characters on a quest to find or

save a colony that has broken contact, or characters

who serve Erathis might undertake a quest to found a

colony of their own.

Weather

As characters adventure in the wilderness, the

weather can be one of the most significant threats

they face. It might be as simple as drizzling rain that

obscures their foes or gusting wind that hampers

movement in combat. Blinding snow can complicate

a climb through a mountain pass, or a living storm

might attack at random as they scramble for cover.

These examples show four ways you might use weather

in a wilderness adventure.

Rain, fog, or falling snow creates obscured terrain

(see page 61). It might also create difficult terrain on

the ground. Use these weather features as you would

other kinds of terrain when building encounters.

Gusting wind might be an obstacle hazard in an

encounter (see page 86). In a narrow mountain pass,

the wind might be a constant force that acts like a cur-

rent in water. Or it might gust every few rounds (roll

1d4 each round, with a 4 indicating a gust).

Blinding snow in a treacherous mountain pass com-

plicates a skill challenge encounter. It might force PCs

to make Endurance checks every hour, or Acrobatics

checks to avoid slipping and taking damage.

A living storm is a blaster trap, possibly a solo trap

that constitutes an encounter. It attacks every round,

with bolts of lightning, gusts of wind, or blasts of thun-

der. In open terrain, the PCs can’t take cover—and they

might find that the storm turns cover where it is avail-

able into an additional hazard, blasting tree branches

or rock from an overhang down onto them where they

hide. Countermeasures could include Nature checks

to predict and avoid its attacks. Defenders can use

the aid another action to shelter less hardy characters

from the storm’s ef-fects, granting a bonus to those

characters’ defenses against the storm’s attacks.

Weather can also just be a narrative detail you use

to set the atmosphere of your adventure or an encoun-

ter. It’s an important part of your description—your

world feels more real if the weather changes and the

seasons change. But the weather is what you want and

need it to be at any given time, and it doesn’t need to

follow the rules of real-world meteorology.

Environmental Dangers

Wilderness adventures pose another sort of risk: the

environment itself. Polar adventurers risk frostbite

and ex-posure, desert explorers face heat stroke, and

mountaineers must contend with the perils of high

altitudes.

In the D&D world, cataclysmic magical events

can render entire regions hostile. The Lands of the

Screaming Dead sap the life force of those who cross

its borders, and the ash from the volcanic Mount

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

159

Skuldan, stoked by fire titans, can choke the last living

breath from even a hardy adventurer.

The Endurance skill determines how well a char-

acter can withstand such dangers. Every eight hours

within an area of environmental danger, the character

must succeed on an Endurance check. Each time a

character fails, he loses one healing surge. If a charac-

ter has no healing surges left when he fails a check, he

loses hit points equal to his level.

The adventure sets the DC for the Endurance

check. Here are some useful benchmarks. When

designing your own environmental dangers, rely on

the Difficulty Class and Damage by Level table (page

42) and your common sense.

Condition Endurance DC

Severe weather 20

High altitude 21

Extreme altitude 26

Cold 22

Frigid cold 26

Heat 22

Stifling heat 26

Pervasive smoke or ash 26

Pervasive necromantic energy 31

If a character takes an extended rest while in an area

of environmental danger, he recovers healing surges

lost in combat but not those lost from failed Endurance

checks. During the six hours that include extended

rest, the character gets a +2 bonus to Endurance

checks because he’s resting and not exerting himself.

If two or more environmental dangers apply at

the same time (such as climbing a mountain in a

snowstorm), characters make Endurance checks

against each danger.

Starvation, Thirst, and

Suffocation

When deprived of food, water, or air, the rule of three

applies. An adventurer can handle three weeks with-

out food, three days without water, and three minutes

without air outside of strenuous situations. After that,

such deprivation is a significant test of a PCs’ stamina.

At the end of the time period (three weeks, three

days, or three minutes), the character must succeed on

a DC 20 Endurance check. Success buys the character

another day (if hungry or thirsty), or round (if unable

to breathe). Then the check is repeated at DC 25, then

at DC 30, and so on.

When a character fails the check, he loses one

healing surge and must continue to make checks. A

character without healing surges who fails a check

takes damage equal to his level.

In strenuous situations, such as combat, going with-

out air is much harder. A character holding his breath

during underwater combat, for example, must make

a DC 20 Endurance check at the end of his turn in a

round where he takes damage.

As with environmental dangers, a character cannot

regain healing surges lost to starvation, thirst, or suf-

focation until he eats a meal, drinks, or gains access to

air again, respectively.

A character with 0 or fewer hit points who contin-

ues to suffer from one of these effects keeps taking

damage as described above until he dies or is rescued.

THE WILDTHE WILD

ROB ALEXANDER

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

The world occupies a special place at the center of

the universe. It’s the middle ground where the con-

flicts between gods and primordials, and among the

gods themselves, play out through their servants both

mortal and immortal. But other planes of existence

surround the world, nearby dimensions where some

power sources are said to originate and powerful crea-

tures reside, including demons, devils, and the gods.

Before the world existed, the universe was divided

into two parts: the Astral Sea and the Elemental

Chaos. Some legends say that those two were once one

realm, but even the gods can’t know that for certain,

for they had their origin in the Astral Sea.

The Astral Sea

The Astral Sea floats above the world, an ocean of

silvery liquid with the stars visible beneath the shal-

low sea. Sheets of shimmering starlight like gossamer

veils part to reveal the dominions, the homes of the

gods, like islands floating in the Astral Sea. Not all the

gods live in dominions—the Raven Queen’s palace of

Letherna stands in the Shadowfell, and Lolth’s home,

the Demonweb Pits, is located in the Abyss. Avandra,

Melora, and Torog wander the world, and both Seha-

nine and Vecna wander the whole cosmos.

Arvandor is a realm of natural beauty and arcane

energy that echoes the Feywild. It’s the home of Corel-

lon and sometimes of Sehanine. Arvandor seems to be

as much a part of the Feywild as of the Astral Sea, and

travelers claim to have reached it through both planes.

The Bright City of Hestavar, as its title suggests, is a

vast metropolis where Erathis, Ioun, and Pelor make

their homes. Powerful residents of all the planes make

their way to the Bright City to buy and sell exotic

goods.

Tytherion, called the Endless Night, is the dark

domain that Tiamat and Zehir share. No light can

pierce its darkest depths, and both serpents and

dragons haunt its otherworldly wilderness.

The Iron Fortress of Chernoggar is Bane’s strong-

hold in the Astral Sea. As its name suggests, it’s a

mighty stronghold of rust-pitted iron, said to be

impregnable to attack. Even so, Gruumsh makes his

home on an eternal battlefield outside the fortress’s

walls, determined to raze it to the ground one day.

Immortal warriors fight and die on both sides of this

conflict, returning to life with every nightfall.

Celestia is the heavenly realm of Bahamut and

Moradin. Kord also spends a good deal of time on

its mountainous slopes because of an old friendship

with the other gods, but his tempestuous nature keeps

him from calling it home. Upon parting a veil to enter

Celestia, a traveler arrives on the lower reaches of a

great mountain. Behind him, the mountains disappear

into silvery mist far below.

The Nine Hells is the home of Asmodeus and the

devils. This plane is a dark, fiery world of continent-

sized caverns ruled by warring princelings, though all

are ultimately under the iron fist of Asmodeus.

The Elemental Chaos and

the Abyss

At the foundation of the world, the Elemental Chaos

churns like an ever-changing tempest of clashing ele-

ments—fire and lightning, earth and water, whirlwinds

and living thunder. Just as the gods originated in the

Astral Sea, the first inhabitants of the Elemental Chaos

were the primordials, creatures of raw elemental

power. They shaped the world from the raw material

of the Elemental Chaos, and if they had their way, the

world would be torn back down and returned to raw

materials. The gods have given the world permanence

utterly alien to the primordials’ nature.

The Elemental Chaos approximates a level plane on

which travelers can move, but the landscape is broken

up by rivers of lightning, seas of fire, floating earth-

bergs, ice mountains, and other formations of raw

elemental forces. However, it is possible to make one’s

way slowly down into lower layers of the Elemental

Chaos. At its bottom, it turns into a swirling maelstrom

that grows darker and deadlier as it descends.

At the bottom of that maelstrom is the Abyss,

the home of demons. Tharizdun, the Chained God,

planted a shard of pure evil in the heart of the Elemen-

tal Chaos before the world was finished, and the gods

imprisoned him for this act of blasphemy. (This story

is told in more detail in the “Demon” entry of the Mon-

ster Manual.) The Abyss is as entropic as the Elemental

Chaos where it was planted, but it is actively malevo-

lent, where the rest of the Elemental Chaos is simply

untamed.

The World and its Echoes

The world has no proper name, but it bears a wide

variety of prosaic and poetic names among those

people who ever find need to call it anything but “the

world.” It’s the creation, the middle world, the natural

world, the created world, or even the First Work.

THE PLANESTHE PLANES

SIGIL, THE CITY OF DOORS

Somewhere between the planes, neither adrift in the

Astral Sea nor rooted in the Elemental Chaos, spins the

City of Doors, the bustling metropolis of Sigil. Planar trade

flows freely through its streets, facilitated by a bewildering

number of portals leading to and from every known corner

of the universe—and all the corners yet to be explored. The

ruler of the City of Doors is the enigmatic Lady of Pain,

whose nature is the subject of endless speculation.

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161

The primordials formed the world from the raw

materials of the Elemental Chaos. Looking down on

this work from the Astral Sea, the gods were fasci-

nated with the world. Creatures of thought and ideal,

the gods saw endless room for improvement in the

primordials’ work, and their imaginings took form and

substance from the abundance of creation-stuff still

drifting in the cosmos. Life spread across the face of

the world, the churning elements resolved into oceans

and landmasses, diffuse light became a sun and moon

and stars. The gods drew astral essence and mixed

it with the tiniest bits of creation-stuff to create mor-

tals to populate the world and worship them. Elves,

dwarves, humans, and others appeared in this period

of spontaneous creation. Resentful of the gods’ med-

dling in their work, the primordials began a war that

shook the universe, but the gods emerged victorious

and the world remains as they have shaped it.

As the world took shape, the primordials found

some pieces too vivid and bright, and hurled them

away. They found other pieces too murky and dark,

and flung them away as well. These discarded bits of

creation clustered and merged, and formed together in

echoes of the shaping of the world. As the gods joined

in the act of creation, more ripples spread out into the

Feywild and the Shadowfell, bringing creatures to

life there as echoes of the world’s mortals. Thus the

world was born with two siblings: the bright

Feywild and the dark Shadowfell.

The Shadowfell is a dark echo of

the world. It touches the world in

places of deep shadow, sometimes spilling out into the

world, and other times drawing hapless travelers into

its dark embrace. It is not wholly evil, but everything

in the Shadowfell has its dark and sinister side. When

mortal creatures die, their spirits travel first to the

Shadowfell before moving on to their final fate.

The Feywild is an enchanted reflection of the

world. Arcane energy flows through it like streams of

crystal water. Its beauty and majesty is unparalleled

in the world, and every creature of the wild is imbued

with a measure of fantastic power.

And Beyond

Scholars claim that the universe described here is

not all there is—that something else exists beyond the

Astral Sea and the Elemental Chaos. Evidence for this

idea appears in the form of the most alien creatures

known, aberrant monsters such as the aboleth and gib-

bering orb. These creatures don’t seem to be a part of

the world or any known realm, and where they live in

the world, reality alters around them. This fact has led

sages to postulate the existence of a place they call the

Far Realm, a place where the laws of reality work dif-

ferently than in the known universe.

In addition, the souls of the dead—though they

travel first to the Shadowfell—pass beyond it after a

time. Some souls are claimed by the gods and

carried to the divine dominions, but

others pass to another realm beyond

the knowledge of any living being.

THE PLANESTHE PLANES

EVA WIDERMANN

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

The deities of the D&D world are powerful but not

omnipotent, knowledgeable but not omniscient, widely

traveled but not omnipresent. They alone of all crea-

tures in the universe consist only of astral essence. The

gods are creatures of thought and ideal, not bound by

the same limitations as beings of flesh.

Because of their astral nature, the gods can perform

deeds that physical creatures can’t. They can appear

in the minds of other creatures, speaking to them in

dreams or visions, without being present in physical

form. They can appear in multiple places at once. They

can listen to the prayers of their followers (but they

don’t always). But they can also make physical forms

for themselves with a moment’s effort, and they do

when the need arises—when presumptuous epic-level

mortal adventurers dare to challenge them in their

own dominions, for example. In these forms, they can

fight and be fought, and they can suffer terrible conse-

quences as a result. However, to destroy a god requires

more than merely striking its physical form down with

spell or sword. Gods have killed other gods (Asmodeus

being the first to do so), and the primordials killed

many gods during their great war. For a mortal to

accomplish this deed would require rituals of awe-

some power to bind a god to its physical form—and

then a truly epic battle to defeat that form.

THE DEITIES

Deity Alignment Areas of Influence

Asmodeus Evil Power, domination, tyranny

Avandra Good Change, luck, trade, travel

Bahamut Lawful good Justice, honor, nobility,

protection

Bane Evil War, conquest

Corellon Unaligned Arcane magic, spring,

beauty, the arts

Erathis Unaligned Civilization, invention, laws

Gruumsh Chaotic evil Turmoil, destruction

Ioun Unaligned Knowledge, prophecy, skill

Kord Unaligned Storms, strength, battle

Lolth Chaotic evil Spiders, shadows, lies

Melora Unaligned Wilderness, sea

Moradin Lawful good Creation, artisans, family

Pelor Good Sun, summer, agriculture,

time

Raven Queen Unaligned Death, fate, winter

Sehanine Unaligned Trickery, moon, love,

autumn

Tharizdun Chaotic evil Annihilation, madness

Tiamat Evil Wealth, greed, vengeance

Torog Evil Underdark, imprisonment

Vecna Evil Undeath, secrets

Zehir Evil Darkness, poison, serpents

The most powerful servants of the gods are their

exarchs. Some exarchs are angels whose faithful ser-

vice has earned them this exalted status. Others were

once mortal servants who won the station through

their mighty deeds. Asmodeus has devils as exarchs,

and both Bahamut and Tiamat have granted that

status to powerful dragons. Every exarch is a unique

example of its kind, empowered with capabilities far

beyond those of other angels, mortals, or monsters.

Malign Gods

The good, lawful good, and unaligned gods are

described in the Player’s Handbook. The evil and cha-

otic evil gods aren’t detailed there, because the game

assumes that player characters view these gods and

their servants as enemies. The villains in your cam-

paign, though, can be servants of these malign gods.

Asmodeus

Asmodeus is the evil god of tyranny and domina-

tion. He rules the Nine Hells with an iron fist and a

silver tongue. Aside from devils, evil creatures such as

rakshasas pay him homage, and evil tieflings and war-

locks are drawn to his dark cults. His rules are strict

and his punishments harsh:

✦ Seek power over others, that you might rule with

strength as the Lord of Hell does.

✦ Repay evil with evil. If others are kind to you,

exploit their weakness for your own gain.

✦ Show neither pity nor mercy to those who are

caught underfoot as you climb your way to power.

The weak do not deserve compassion.

Bane

Bane is the evil god of war and conquest. Militaristic

nations of humans and goblins serve him and conquer

in his name. Evil fighters and paladins serve him. He

commands his worshipers to:

✦ Never allow your fear to gain mastery over you, but

drive it into the hearts of your foes.

✦ Punish insubordination and disorder.

✦ Hone your combat skills to perfection, whether you

are a mighty general or a lone mercenary.

Gruumsh

Gruumsh is the chaotic evil god of destruction, lord of

marauding barbarian hordes. Where Bane commands

conquest, Gruumsh exhorts his followers to slaughter

and pillage. Orcs are his fervent followers, and they

bear a particular hatred for elves and eladrin because

THE GODSTHE GODS

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

163

Corellon put out one of Gruumsh’s eyes. The One-Eyed

God gives simple orders to his followers:

✦ Conquer and destroy.

✦ Let your strength crush the weak.

✦ Do as you will, and let no one stop you.

Lolth

Lolth is the chaotic evil god of shadow, lies, and spi-

ders. Scheming and treachery are her commands, and

her priests are a constant force of disruption in the

otherwise stable society of the evil drow. Though she is

properly a god and not a demon, she is called Demon

Queen of Spiders. She demands that her followers:

✦ Do whatever it takes to gain and hold power.

✦ Rely on stealth and slander in preference to outright

confrontation.

✦ Seek the death of elves and eladrin at every

opportunity.

Tharizdun

Tharizdun is the chaotic evil god who created the

Abyss. He is not mentioned in the Player’s Handbook or

named in the Monster Manual, because the fact of his

existence is not widely known. A few scattered cults

of demented followers revere him, calling him the

Chained God or the Elder Elemental Eye. Tharizdun

doesn’t speak to his followers, so his commands are

unknown, but his cults teach their members to:

✦ Channel power to the Chained God, so he can

break his chains.

✦ Retrieve lost relics and shrines to the Chained God.

✦ Pursue the obliteration of the world, in anticipation

of the Chained God’s liberation.

Tiamat

Tiamat is the evil god of wealth, greed, and envy. She

is the patron of chromatic dragons and those whose

lust for wealth overrides any other goal or concern.

She commands her followers to:

✦ Hoard wealth, acquiring much and spending little.

Wealth is its own reward.

✦ Forgive no slight and leave no wrong unpunished.

✦ Take what you desire from others. Those who lack

the strength to defend their possessions are not

worthy to own them.

To ro g

Torog is the evil god of the Underdark, patron of jailers

and torturers. Common superstition holds that if his

name is spoken, the King that Crawls burrows up from

below and drags the hapless speaker underground to

an eternity of imprisonment and torture. Jailers and

torturers pray to him in deep caves and cellars, and

creatures of the Underdark revere him as well. He

teaches his worshipers to:

✦ Seek out and revere the deep places beneath the

earth.

✦ Delight in the giving of pain, and consider pain you

receive as homage to Torog.

✦ Bind tightly what is in your charge, and restrain

those who wander free.

Vecna

Vecna is the evil god of undead, necromancy, and

secrets. He rules that which is not meant to be known

and that which people wish to keep secret. Evil

spellcasters and conspirators pay him homage. He

commands them to:

✦ Never reveal all you know.

✦ Find the seed of darkness in your heart and nourish

it; find it in others and exploit it to your advantage.

✦ Oppose the followers of all other deities so that

Vecna alone can rule the world.

Zehir

Zehir is the evil god of darkness, poison, and assassins.

Snakes are his favored creation, and the yuan-ti revere

him above all other gods, offering sacrifice to him in

pits full of writhing serpents. He urges his followers to:

✦ Hide under the cloak of night, that your deeds

might be kept in secret.

✦ Kill in Zehir’s name and offer each murder as a

sacrifice.

✦ Delight in poison, and surround yourself with

snakes.

Divine Evil

Evil and chaotic evil deities have clerics and paladins

just as other gods do. However, the powers of those

classes, as presented in the Player’s Handbook, are

strongly slanted toward good and lawful good charac-

ters. Players might find it jarring to fight a paladin of

Zehir whose weapon erupts with radiant light.

You can alter the nature of powers without chang-

ing their basic effects, making them feel more

appropriate for the servants of evil gods: changing

the damage type of a prayer, for instance, so that evil

clerics and paladins deal necrotic damage instead of

radiant damage. When a prayer would blind its target

with holy light, it might instead shroud a character’s

eyes with clinging darkness. Holy fire consuming a

foe with ongoing fire damage might become a coating

of acidic slime that eats away at the flesh, or a purple

hellfire with identical effects.

THE GODSTHE GODS

LEE MOYER (9)

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

164

Artifacts are unique, named magic items whose cre-

ation or existence can’t be explained by the normal

laws of magic. Unlike common magic items, artifacts

are an essential part of the world’s weave, a piece of

the story of the universe.

Artifacts have a level but no price—they can’t be

bought or crafted, and their temporary nature ensures

that they don’t have a long-term impact on a character’s

total wealth. As with normal magic items, an artifact’s

level measures the potency of its properties and

powers, but artifacts break the usual magic item rules.

An artifact can’t be created, disenchanted, or

destroyed by any of the normal means available for

other magic items. In fact, the characters’ access to

artifacts (and even their retention of recovered arti-

facts) is entirely within your control. A character

can quest after a particular artifact whose existence

is known or suspected, but even then the character

acquires an artifact only if the DM says so.

Similarly, a character can research a specific

method to destroy a known artifact, if destroying it

fits with your plans for the campaign. Destroying an

artifact should require an extraordinary effort—arti-

facts are normally immune to all forms of damage or

unwanted alterations to their form—and each artifact

has a unique means of destroying it. For instance, you

might decide that a character can destroy the Eye of

Vecna by hurling himself (with the Eye implanted in

his skull) into the Rift of Pyradon, a fiery chasm in

the depths of the Elemental Chaos. The Hand of Vecna,

though, might survive that fate, requiring instead that

its owner sever it from his arm with the sword of the

same dead god whose skull crowns the Wand of Orcus.

Artifact Use Limits

Artifacts do not count as magic items when it comes

to using their daily powers. In other words, the use of

an artifact’s daily power does not cost you the use of a

magic item’s daily power and does not count toward

that limit.

Artifact Behavior

Artifacts are sentient—although they’re not necessarily

communicative—and they have their own motivations.

In many ways, they function like nonplayer characters.

An artifact cooperates with its owner as long as doing

so fits with the artifact’s goals and nature.

Each artifact’s description contains a list of its goals

and roleplaying notes for its personality. Some artifacts

are malevolent and seek to corrupt their wielders,

whereas others push the wielder to great acts of heroism.

What’s more, an artifact’s powers change depend-

ing on its attitude or connection to its current owner.

When its wielder performs actions in concert with its

goals, an artifact becomes more powerful, but when

the wielder acts against the artifact’s wishes, its power

diminishes. The artifact’s mindset is measured by a

concordance score.

Concordance

An artifact’s concordance score measures the artifact’s

attitude toward its wielder. The scale ranges from 0

(angered) to 20 (pleased).

When a character takes possession of an artifact,

it starts with a concordance of 5. (The owner’s race,

class, or other characteristics might adjust this starting

concordance.) Various actions and events increase or

decrease this score as long as the character possesses

the artifact. When the artifact is pleased with its

wielder’s actions, its concordance goes up. When the

wielder acts contrary to the artifact’s desires, its con-

cordance decreases.

The wielder knows of the factors that alter the

concordance—it’s in the artifact’s best interests to com-

municate its desires and expectations. But keep the

artifact’s concordance score a secret, telling the player

only if the artifact’s powers or properties change. The

player shouldn’t ever know exactly how close the arti-

fact is to changing its attitude.

CONCORDANCE

Score Artifact’s Attitude

16–20 Pleased

12–15 Satisfied

5–11 Normal

1–4 Unsatisfied

0 or lower Angered

Moving On

Whatever their nature, all artifacts share one

behavioral trait in common: They move on. When a

character acquires the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, she

instinctively realizes that, as with all the heroes and

villains before her who have held the artifact, her own-

ership will be temporary.

Every artifact has unique goals. When a wielder has

advanced the artifact’s goals or proven to be a hopeless

case, the artifact moves on. For a few levels, make the

artifact’s intentions part of your story line and the PCs’

possible quest. Consider the artifact’s probable exit

points before you allow a character to gain possession

of an artifact.

ARTIFACTSARTIFACTS

ARTIFACTS AND THE RPGA

Artifacts are not legal for use in RPGA events unless the

event grants the use of the artifact. If you gain the use of

an artifact during an RPGA event, the artifact automatically

“moves on” at the end of the adventure; you cannot keep

it for a future event.

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

165

As a rule of thumb, plan for an artifact to remain in

a character’s possession for somewhere between one

and three levels of play. You can make exceptions, of

course, but this is about the right amount of time to

allow a specific artifact to play a role in your campaign.

An artifact moves on when you decide it does. A

particularly mighty quest might provide a great finale

for the artifact’s presence—perhaps it must be sacrificed

to complete the quest, or the final act of slaying the evil

champion drains the artifact of its power, or the arti-

fact just decides that it has other places to be and other

things to do. Of course, not all exit points are heroic—a

villain might steal the artifact for his own use, or the

artifact’s evil might move the characters to seek its

destruction.

When an artifact decides to leave, it moves on in

whatever manner is appropriate to the artifact, its

current attitude, and the story of your campaign. A

benevolent artifact, such as the Axe of the Dwarvish

Lords, typically chooses a quiet time to take its leave.

If its attitude is positive, it waits until the next time

its wielder gains a level, wishing the character a fond

farewell and good fortune in future adventures. If its

attitude is negative, it disappears at the end of the cur-

rent encounter, communicating its disappointment in

its wielder as it departs.

A malevolent artifact such as the Eye of Vecna has

no compunctions about leaving its owner at the most

inopportune moment (for instance, ripping itself from

the character’s eye socket during a battle).

Understanding

an Artifact

More than any other magic item, an artifact is a part of

the world—its story stretches into the history and leg-

ends of the ancient past and possibly into the distant

future as well. This chapter describes four artifacts

by way of example, and future supplements and cam-

paign guides include more. To understand an artifact

and its place in your world, consider the following.

1: What is it and what does it want? Every arti-

fact has a personality and goals. You don’t need to

come up with an exhaustive history, especially if the

players are unlikely to learn that history during the

course of the game. But consider how the artifact com-

municates and what it says, treating it like a nonplayer

character with all the quirks and breadth of possibility

that your other NPCs possess.

2: Concordance modifiers. Every artifact has one

to three positive modifiers and one to three negative

modifiers that match the artifact’s personality and

goals. Every artifact’s concordance increases by 1d10

when its wielder gains a level. Other positive modi-

fiers might include performing a quest on behalf of a

specific group or individual (a religion or other orga-

nization, the heir of a specific lineage, or the like), or

killing a specific kind of enemy. Negative modifiers

can include any behavior the artifact disapproves of,

refusing its commands, or introducing it to someone

the artifact thinks would be a better wielder.

3: Attach effects to each attitude. Artifacts typi-

cally have properties and powers that function the

same way no matter what its concordance with its

wielder is. These are comparable with other magic

items of the artifact’s level—a similar enhancement

bonus (in the case of an artifact weapon, armor, or

amulet), and other powers and properties in line with

the character’s powers.

An artifact’s greatest powers are granted only

to a wielder the artifact trusts. As the concordance

between an artifact and its owner improves, the

artifact grows more powerful. Its greater powers can

exceed even the character’s most potent abilities,

though its best power is rarely more than five levels

above the character’s level.

On the other hand, when an artifact’s attitude wors-

ens, it grows less powerful. Its powers or properties are

reduced in potency, it applies penalties that encourage

(or discourage) particular behaviors, or it actively seeks

to harm to its wielder or his allies.

A wielder can always utilize the standard powers

of an artifact (unless specifically told otherwise by the

artifact’s attitude). The powers granted by an artifact’s

attitude, however, are only available while the artifact

possesses the appropriate concordance score or higher.

The Axe of the

Dwarvish Lords

The Axe is appropriate for epic-level characters.

Axe of the Dwarvish Lords Axe of the Dwarvish Lords Epic Level

One of five tools given to the first dwarves by Moradin, the Axe of

the Dwarvish Lords appears in times of great crisis—often in the

hands of a champion destined to save the dwarf people.

The Axe of the Dwarvish Lords is a +5 thundering greataxe with

the following properties and powers.

Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls

Critical: +5d6 damage, or +5d10 damage against creatures

larger than Medium size

Property: This weapon deals an extra 2d10 damage against

creatures larger than Medium size.

Property: You can throw the Axe as a heavy thrown weapon

(range 5/10). It returns to your hand after being thrown as

normal for a magic thrown weapon.

Property: You can speak and understand the Dwarven

language and read the Davek script.

Power (Daily ✦ Divine, Healing): Standard Action. You can

use death ward (paladin 16).

Power (Daily): Free Action. You can use this power when you

hit an enemy with the Axe. The enemy is knocked prone.

That enemy’s space, and all squares within 2 squares of the

enemy, crack and fracture into rubble and become difficult

terrain until the end of the encounter. You and your allies

can move through this terrain as if it were normal.

ARTIFACTSARTIFACTS

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

Goals of the

Axe of the

Dwarvish

Lords

✦ Help the dwarves

flourish in keeping

with their ancient

traditions.

✦ Give goblins and

(especially) giants the

deaths they so richly

deserve.

✦ Become an inspira-

tion to honorable

people everywhere.

Roleplaying

the Axe of

the Dwarvish

Lords

The Axe of the Dwarvish

Lords is taciturn—even

by the standards of sen-

tient weapons from the

mists of ancient history. It communicates in gruff com-

mands only its bearer can hear. It urges its bearer to

battle any giants encountered, becoming sullen when

refused this honor.

CONCORDANCE

Starting score 5

Owner gains a level +1d10

Owner is a dwarf +2

Owner completes a quest on behalf of dwarf leaders +1

Owner kills a giant (maximum 1/day) +1

Owner or an ally attacks a dwarf (max. 1/encounter) –2

Owner disobeys a directive from dwarf leaders –2

Pleased (16–20)

“A thousand dwarf ancestors guide the path of this blade.

I’m just one in an unbroken line of champions.”

The Axe is clearly in tune with its wielder at this

point, and together they’re doing the will of the

dwarves.

The Axe’s enhancement bonus increases to +6.

Critical: +6d6 damage, or +6d10 damage against creatures

larger than Medium size

Property: This weapon deals an extra 3d10 damage against

creatures larger than Medium size.

Power (Daily): Minor Action. You call forth an aura of

thunder (aura 1) that lasts until the end of your next turn.

Any enemy that starts its turn within the aura takes 15

thunder damage and is knocked prone.

Special: An exarch or angel in the service of Moradin might

occasionally emerge from the Axe to give you prophetic

guidance or send you on a quest. It won’t fight for you.

Satisfied (12–15)

“Quail in fear, giants! This Axe has spilled the blood of your

savage ancestors.”

The wielder has proved to be a worthy representative

of the dwarves, and the Axe does its wielder’s bidding

as long as the bearer remains worthy of its trust.

Power (Daily): Minor Action. You can heal yourself, recovering

hit points as if you spent a healing surge.

Normal (5–11)

“The Axe asks for my fealty to the dwarves.”

The Axe is reserved and cautious with a new wielder

until the character proves his worth and dedication.

Unsatisfied (1–4)

“I’m disappointing the Axe—and the dwarves.”

The wielder is fighting dwarves or disobeying their

legitimate leaders, and the Axe is not pleased. If the

wielder doesn’t change his ways, the Axe soon leaves.

Special: You take a –2 penalty to attack rolls and damage rolls

against any creatures other than goblins or giants. This

applies whether you are using or even holding the Axe.

Angered (0 or lower)

“I have failed it—the Axe is not pleased.”

The wielder is not meeting the Axe’s expectations,

and it will not remain in his possession for long.

The Axe’s enhancement bonus drops to +4.

Critical: +4d6 damage, or +4d10 damage against creatures

larger than Medium size

Property: This weapon deals an extra 2d10 damage against

creatures larger than Medium size.

Special: You take a –5 penalty to attack rolls and damage rolls

against any creatures other than goblins or giants. This

applies regardless if you are using or even holding the Axe.

Moving On

“The Axe tells me it’s needed elsewhere now.”

The Axe wants to go where it’s most useful, and at

some point it knows that it’s more needed in other

hands. When the character next gains a level, the Axe

disappears, its sentience and other abilities traveling to

another land for a new hero to discover. If the Axe is at

least satisfied, it leaves behind a normal +6 thundering

greataxe for its champion to wield in its stead.

The Eye of Vecna

The Eye is appropriate for paragon-level characters.

The Eye of Vecna doesn’t do anything unless installed

permanently in an empty eye socket. Removing an

eye to make room for the Eye of Vecna is a gory process

that deals damage equal to three times the character’s

healing surge value. These hit points can’t be restored

until after the character has taken an extended rest.

Once installed, the Eye of Vecna becomes part of its

possessor’s body, functioning just like a normal eye

(though it retains its unusual appearance).

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167

The Eye of Vecna The Eye of Vecna Paragon Level

One of two relics left behind by Vecna before he ascended to god-

hood, the Eye of Vecna is a red, embalmed orb that pulses as if

alive, but remains icy cold to the touch. It retains a remnant of

Vecna’s mortal power—a power with a singular devotion to evil.

Body Slot: Head

Property: You gain a +1 item bonus to Arcana, Insight, and

Perception checks.

Property: The Eye grants you darkvision.

Property: When using an attack power granted by the Eye,

you can use your highest mental ability score (Intelligence,

Wisdom, or Charisma) for the attack, regardless of the

normal ability score noted for the power.

Power (At-Will ✦ Arcane, Charm, Implement, Psychic):

Standard Action. You can use eyebite (warlock 1).

Power (Encounter ✦ Arcane, Illusion, Implement, Psychic):

Standard Action. You can use mire the mind (warlock 7).

Power (Daily ✦ Arcane): Standard Action. You can use eye of

the warlock (warlock 16).

Goals of the Eye of Vecna

✦ Be reunited with the Hand of Vecna.

✦ Spread the worship of Vecna across the world.

✦ Wrest secrets from those who keep them, then use

those secrets as weapons of betrayal.

✦ Be installed in a powerful living vessel, preferably a

powerful wielder of arcane magic.

Roleplaying the Eye of Vecna

The Eye of Vecna communicates silently with its pos-

sessor, delivering vivid hallucinatory visions about

what it wants. These visions are subtle at first, but

eventually they become grisly and more explicit.

The Eye’s ability to communicate is limited when

it’s not installed in an eye socket. Those who handle

the Eye in its unattached state receive only brief visions

of power—whatever is compelling to that person.

They also gain a clear idea of what they need to do to

acquire the Eye’s power.

Concordance

Until its wielder implants the Eye, the artifact has no

concordance and the wielder doesn’t gain any of its

properties or powers.

Starting score 5

Owner gains a level +1d10

Owner can cast at least one arcane spell +2

Owner attaches the Hand of Vecna +2

Owner betrays a close friend in dire straits +1

Owner wrests an important secret from a captive +1

Owner or ally kills an undead creature

(maximum 1/encounter) –2

Owner spends 8 hours in the presence of a

higher-level arcane spellcaster (maximum 1/day) –2

Pleased (16–20)

“The Eye and I are one.”

The Eye of Vecna is pleased with its host—for now.

It concentrates on advancing Vecna’s designs on the

world, confident that it has found an effective vehicle

for its ambitions.

Property: The Eye’s item bonus to Arcana, Insight, and

Perception checks increases to +5.

Property: You take a –5 penalty to Diplomacy checks.

Power (Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement): Minor Action. You call

forth an aura of clear sight (aura 10) that lasts until the end

of your next turn. While the aura is active, you gain a +10

bonus to all attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks

made against targets within the aura.

Satisfied (12–15)

“The Eye . . . it reveals so much to me.”

The Eye of Vecna is satisfied enough with its host, but

it’s still looking for a better one. It’s content to serve its

host, but it occasionally sends a frightening vision to

remind the possessor who’s really in charge.

Property: The Eye’s item bonus to Arcana, Insight, and

Perception checks increases to +2.

Property: You take a –2 penalty to Diplomacy checks.

Power (Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Necrotic):

Standard Action. You can fire a beam of necrotic energy

from the Eye. The attack is made with your highest mental

ability score vs. Fortitude. A hit deals 3d6 + 5 necrotic

damage and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).

Normal (5–11)

“I can feel the Eye’s power.”

When first implanted in a host, the Eye is commu-

nicative, trying to set the terms of the relationship and

explain what activities the Eye favors or abhors.

Unsatisfied (1–4)

“The Eye is showing me things. Horrible things.”

The Eye of Vecna believes that the host is unlikely

to satisfy its ambitions, so it’s actively seeks a better

wielder. But it’s evil enough to toy with the current

host first, even in dangerous situations.

Property: You take a –2 penalty to Diplomacy checks.

Special: Once per day at any time, the Eye can induce a

horrifying vision in your mind. The Eye makes a special

attack against your Will defense, rolling 1d20 + your level.

If this attack hits, you are stunned (save ends).

The Eye typically induces a vision during a nonthreat-

ening situation first, trying to force a more compliant

attitude from its owner. But the Eye isn’t shy about

inducing a vision during a combat situation.

Angered (0 or lower)

“Tear it out! Don’t let it see you!”

At this point, the Eye of Vecna is at war with its pos-

sessor, and it wants to torture its host before moving on

to a more acceptable wielder.

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

Property: You take a –5 penalty to Diplomacy checks.

Special: Once per encounter at any time, the Eye can induce

a horrifying vision in your mind. The Eye makes a special

attack against your Will defense, rolling 1d20 + your level.

If this attack hits, you are blinded and stunned (save ends).

Special: Each time you make an initiative check at the start

of an encounter, there is a 25% chance that the Eye uses

eyebite against one of your allies within range of the spell

(determined randomly by the DM).

Special: The Eye can speak through you whenever you are

stunned or unconscious. It can use either your natural

voice or a sinister, eerily loud whisper.

Moving On

“I am Vecna.”

The Eye of Vecna consumes its owner, body and

mind. The character dies instantly, and his body

crumbles to dust. Even if the character is raised from

the dead, he forever carries an empty eye socket as a

souvenir of having once possessed the Eye.

The Eye rejoins its divine namesake. Vecna imme-

diately gains all the knowledge of the former wielder

and savors the secrets so acquired. After a time, he

sends the Eye back into the world to glean more secrets

from other unwitting or greedy arcane characters.

If the Eye’s wielder also bears the Hand of Vecna, that

artifact also returns to the god.

The Hand of Vecna

The Hand is appropriate for characters in the middle

of the paragon tier and upward.

The Hand of Vecna doesn’t do anything unless

attached to the stump of an arm where a hand once

was. Removing a hand to make room for Vecna’s Hand

deals damage equal to one-half the character’s maxi-

mum normal hit points. Once installed, the Hand of

Vecna becomes part of its possessor’s body. It retains

its grisly appearance, though it functions just like as a

normal hand.

The Hand of Vecna The Hand of Vecna Paragon Level

One of two relics left behind by Vecna before he ascended to god-

hood, the Hand of Vecna is a blackened, mummified left hand,

icy cold to the touch. It retains a remnant of Vecna’s mortal

power—a power with a singular devotion to evil.

Body Slot: Hands

Property: You gain a +2 item bonus to Athletics checks.

Property: When using an attack power granted by the Hand,

you can use your highest physical ability score (Strength,

Constitution, or Dexterity) for the attack, regardless of the

normal ability score noted for the power.

Power (At-Will ✦ Arcane, Implement): Standard Action. You

can use diabolic grasp (warlock 1).

Power (Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement): Standard Action.

You can use sign of ill omen (warlock 7).

Power (Encounter): Move Action. You can use spider climb

(warlock 6).

Goals of the Hand of Vecna

✦ Be reunited with the Eye of Vecna.

✦ Spread worship of Vecna across the world.

✦ Wrest secrets from those who keep them, then use

those secrets as weapons of betrayal.

✦ Be installed in a powerful living vessel, preferably a

powerful wielder of arcane magic.

Roleplaying the Hand of Vecna

The Hand of Vecna can move independently of its

owner’s wishes to communicate, using a strange sign

language that only a character who has attached the

Hand can understand. Its ability to communicate is

limited when it’s not attached. When a humanoid

character touches the Hand, it springs to life, scratch-

ing at the left hand of the creature that touched it. At

the same time, the character feels a surge of power,

accompanied by a sense that his greatest desires are

within grasp.

Concordance

Until its owner attaches the Hand, the artifact has no

concordance and the owner doesn’t gain any of its

properties or powers.

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169

Starting score 5

Owner gains a level +1d10

Owner can cast at least one arcane spell +2

Owner implants the Eye of Vecna +2

Owner betrays a close friend in dire straits +1

Owner wrests an important secret from a captive +1

Owner or ally kills an undead creature

(maximum 1/encounter) –2

Owner spends 8 hours in the presence of a

higher-level arcane spellcaster (maximum 1/day) –2

Pleased (16–20)

“I am Vecna’s hand in the world.”

The Hand of Vecna is pleased with its host—for now.

It concentrates on advancing Vecna’s designs on the

world, confident that it has found an effective vehicle

for its ambitions.

Property: The Hand’s item bonus to Athletics checks

increases to +5.

Property: You take a –5 penalty to Diplomacy checks.

Power (Daily ✦ Arcane): Minor Action. You call forth an aura

of death (aura 10) that lasts until the end of your next turn.

While the aura is active, enemies that enter the aura or

start their turn in the aura take 10 necrotic damage. Each

time an enemy takes damage in this manner, you heal 10

hit points.

Satisfied (12–15)

“All power is within the grasp of this Hand.”

The Hand of Vecna is satisfied enough with its host,

but it’s still looking for a better one. It’s content to serve

its host, but it occasionally acts on its own to remind

the possessor who’s really in charge. The wielder

might wake in the middle of the night to find the Hand

clenched around her throat, for example.

Property: The Hand’s item bonus to Athletics checks

increases to +3.

Property: You take a –2 penalty to Diplomacy checks.

Power (Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Necrotic):

Standard Action. You can hurl a ball of necrotic energy

from the Hand, (area burst 1 within 10 squares). The

attack is made with your highest physical ability score vs.

Reflex. A hit deals 2d10 + 5 necrotic damage and ongoing

5 necrotic damage (save ends) to all enemies in the burst.

Normal (5–11)

“I can feel the Hand’s power.”

When first attached to a host, the Hand is commu-

nicative, trying to set the terms of the relationship and

explain what activities the Hand favors or abhors.

Unsatisfied (1–4)

“The Hand doesn’t do what I want, it does what it wants.”

The Hand of Vecna believes that the host is unlikely

to satisfy its ambitions, so it actively seeks a better

wielder. But it’s evil enough to toy with the current

host first, even in dangerous situations.

Property: You take a –2 penalty to Diplomacy checks.

Special: Once per day at any time, the Hand might choose

to drop whatever it holds and attempt to choke you.

The Hand makes a special attack against your Fortitude

defense, rolling 1d20 + your level. If this attack hits, you

are dazed (save ends). Until you make a saving throw, you

also can’t use the Hand to attack or manipulate objects or

to use the Hand’s powers.

The Hand typically defies its host in a nonthreatening

situation first, trying to demonstrate who’s in charge.

After that warning, any time becomes fair game.

Angered (0 or lower)

“Get it off me! Keep away from it!”

At this point, the Hand of Vecna is at war with

its possessor, and it wants to torture its host before

moving on to a more acceptable wielder.

Property: You take a –5 penalty to Diplomacy checks.

Special: Once per encounter at any time, the Hand might

choose to drop whatever it holds and attempt to choke

you. The Hand makes a special attack against your

Fortitude defense, rolling 1d20 + your level. If this attack

hits, you are dazed (save ends). Until you succeed on a

saving throw, you also can’t use the Hand to attack or

manipulate objects or to use the Hand’s powers.

Special: Each time you miss with an attack, there is a 25%

chance that the Hand uses diabolic grasp against one of

your allies within range of the spell (determined randomly

by the DM).

Moving On

“I am Vecna.”

The Hand of Vecna consumes its owner, body and

mind. The character dies instantly, and her body

crumbles to dust. Even if the character is raised from

the dead, she forever carries a handless stump as a

souvenir of having once wielded the Hand.

The Hand rejoins its divine namesake. Vecna

immediately gains all the knowledge of the former

wielder and savors the secrets so acquired. After a

time, he sends the Hand back into the world to glean

more secrets from other unwitting or greedy arcane

characters.

If the Hand’s wielder also bears the Eye of Vecna,

that artifact also returns to the god.

ARTIFACTSARTIFACTS

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CHAPTER 9 | The World

The Invulnerable

Coat of Arnd

The Invulnerable Coat is appropriate for characters in

the middle of the heroic tier and upward.

The Invulnerable Coat of Arnd The Invulnerable Coat of Arnd Heroic Level

This gleaming chain mail belonged to a poor cleric of Kord who

fought to free his village from its tyrannical baron. Imbued with

the cleric’s fighting spirit and holy strength, the Invulnerable

Coat of Arnd seeks to reclaim its ancient glory.

The Invulnerable Coat of Arnd is a suit of +2 chainmail.

Enhancement: AC

Property: You gain resist 5 acid, resist 5 fire, and resist 5

lightning.

Property: You gain a +2 item bonus to saving throws.

Power (At-Will ✦ Divine, Weapon): Standard Action. You

can use valiant strike (paladin 1).

Power (At-Will): Minor Action. Change one of the resistances

granted by the armor to any of the following damage

types: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, psychic, or

radiant. That resistance remains changed until you use the

power to change it again.

Power (At-Will): Minor Action. Change the Invulnerable Coat

into plate armor, scale armor, or chainmail.

Power (Encounter): Minor Action. You can spend a healing

surge.

Goals of the Invulnerable

Coat of Arnd

✦ Attach itself to a hero who will be remembered in

legend.

✦ Prove itself against ever greater threats and

challenges.

✦ Overthrow tyrants.

Roleplaying the Invulnerable

Coat of Arnd

The Invulnerable Coat thrives on danger, so it urges

its wearer to take on increasingly difficult risks. The

Invulnerable Coat’s not happy unless the wearer is

throwing himself into battle. Planning and strategy

aren’t high on the artifact’s list of priorities. The Invul-

nerable Coat doesn’t communicate with its wearer, but

its emotional state does rub off, so the owner feels

elated in battle and despairs at defeat.

CONCORDANCE

Starting score 5

Owner gains a level +1d10

Owner receives public acclaim for completing a

major quest +1

Owner defeats an enemy three or more levels

higher than he is (maximum 1/day) +1

Owner falls to 0 hit points in battle –1

Owner flees from combat –1

Pleased (16–20)

“There is no limit to the brave deeds we can accomplish.”

The Invulnerable Coat of Arnd is excited to have such

a hero to protect. It starts to literally glow with pride,

constantly shedding dim light in a 2-square radius.

Property: You gain resist 10 acid, resist 10 fire, and resist 10

lightning. This supersedes the normal resistances granted

by the artifact.

Property: You gain a +5 bonus to Will defense against fear

effects.

Power (Daily): Minor Action. You call forth an aura of courage

(aura 2) that lasts until the end of your next turn. You and

any ally within the aura gain a +5 bonus to attack rolls.

Satisfied (12–15)

“We are destined for greatness.”

The Invulnerable Coat of Arnd is pleased with the

wielder’s bravery and drive, so it devotes more of its

power to urging him on to greater glory.

Property: You gain a +2 bonus to Will defense against fear

effects.

Power (Daily): Free Action. Gain 1 action point.

Normal (5–11)

“Glory waits for no one—we must seize it by the throat!”

The Coat wants its wielder to put himself in harm’s

way, and it urges him toward acts of daring.

Unsatisfied (1–4)

“All is not lost—I can still redeem myself!”

Special: You take a –2 penalty to all defenses against

creatures whose level is equal to or lower than yours.

Angered (0 or lower)

“I’m not worthy of armor this fine.”

The Coat regards its wielder as a coward and urges

him to find someone more worthy to wear it.

The artifact’s enhancement bonus to AC drops to +1.

Special: You take a –5 penalty to all defenses against

creatures whose level is equal to or lower than yours.

Moving On

“Our names shall live on in legend.”

The Invulnerable Coat recognizes that its wielder’s

bravery needs no further assistance.

When the wielder next gains a level, the Invulner-

able Coat crumbles into residuum worth 5,000 gp. Its

magic and sentience appear elsewhere in the world,

encased in a new suit of armor.

Also, the wielder gains a permanent +1 bonus to

Diplomacy checks and Intimidate checks. Even those

who do not know of his bravery recognize an aura of

greatness around him—a remnant of the Coat.

If the Invulnerable Coat moves on because it is unsat-

isfied with the wielder, then the wielder receives a

permanent –1 penalty to Diplomacy and Intimidate

checks, and the armor crumbles into worthless dust.

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171

LANGUAGES

The Player’s Handbook introduces the ten languages

spoken throughout the D&D world, along with the

six scripts used to write them. The Monster Manual

includes information on the languages creatures speak

and understand, though of course individuals might

vary from those standards.

A universe with ten languages might seem improb-

able, but it’s explainable in the context of the D&D

world and better for the play of the game.

The gods have their own language, Supernal, which

they share with their angelic servants. When a god

or angel speaks Supernal, listeners who don’t speak

Supernal understand the words as if the speaker used

their own languages. The gods and angels can choose

to disguise their speech, but in general Supernal is a

universal language.

When the gods created the races of the world, each

race heard the Supernal language in a different way,

based on fundamental characteristics of their nature.

From those distinct ways of hearing, the foundational

languages of the world arose—Common for humans

and halflings, Elven for elves and eladrin, Goblin for

the goblin races, Dwarven for the dwarves, and Dra-

conic for dragons.

The primordials had their own language with none

of the special qualities of Supernal. The titans and

giants adopted a debased version of this language for

their own tongue, and Abyssal is a form of Primordial

warped and twisted by the evil at the heart of the

Abyss.

These foundational languages spread to other

creatures of the world and the planes, with dialect

variation but no more significant alteration.

Scripts follow a similar logic. Supernal and Primor-

dial have their own scripts. The main civilized races

developed different scripts to transcribe the founda-

tional languages: Common, Davek runes for Dwarven,

the Rellanic script for Elven, and Iokharic lettering for

Draconic. Goblin is the only foundational language of

the world that lacks its own script, owing to the brutal

and barbaric nature of the goblin race. The Giant

language uses the Davek runes of the dwarves, dating

from the dwarves’ long servitude to the giants.

The Deep Speech is a language related to the

alien communication of the Far Realm, used by crea-

tures influenced by the energy of that place beyond

the world and the planes. It uses the Rellanic script

because the drow were the first to transcribe it, since

they share Underdark haunts with aberrant creatures.

Languages in the Game

Having only ten languages keeps the game moving.

It’s easy for a party of adventurers to master nearly

every language, and intelligent creatures they encoun-

ter speak at least a little Common. Familiarity with

languages lets adventuring parties read inscriptions

and tomes they come across in their adventuring.

The 1st-level ritual Comprehend Language covers the

situations where they can’t. Fundamentally, language

never has to be an issue in the game—unless you want

it to be.

Characters and their opponents can use languages

as a kind of code, speaking among themselves in lan-

guages their enemies can’t understand. An arrogant

eladrin lord might refuse to speak in Common and

ignore anyone who doesn’t speak Elven. Barbaric

goblins might not understand Common, forcing the

characters to negotiate with them in Goblin for the

release of captives. When you use languages in this

way, make sure you don’t leave players whose charac-

ters can’t participate bored for too long.

Scripts are essentially independent of language.

Just as different real-world languages use the same

script to transcribe their different words, Common

could be written in Davek or Rellenic as easily as in

the Common script. Characters might run across old

dwarf texts in Davek runes that use Common words—

or the Abyssal language. Such a text would require

familiarity with two languages to decipher.

The six basic scripts named in the Player’s Handbook

might not be the only scripts ever used in your world.

You might decide that an ancient empire had its own

script, one that none of the characters are familiar

with. This would work just like a cryptogram puzzle

(see page 83), forcing the players to figure out what

runes or characters represent which letters in the

“Common” script.

Words of Power

The Supernal and Abyssal languages are both actual

languages used to communicate, but they also include

words of power—words whose syllables contain the

raw magic of creation (in the case of Supernal) or pri-

mordial evil (Abyssal). Player characters can’t know

these languages initially. They might eventually learn

the basics of communicating in these tongues, but

without mastering these mighty sounds. Mortals who

learn Supernal don’t gain the ability to have their

words universally understood. Texts containing these

words in either language could unleash powerful

effects—and these tomes or scrolls might be artifacts in

their own right.

LANGUAGESLANGUAGES

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As the Dungeon Master, you continually

exercise your creative imagination to present new

challenges to your players. You’re not even limited

by the encounter rules in this book or the selection

of monsters in the Monster Manual—only your own

imagination controls what you can do. This chapter

is all about going beyond the basics and making the

D&D game distinctly yours.

Customizing your campaign is a mix of art and

science. Here is where you’ll find plenty of “crunch”—

new rules for creating and modifying monsters and

other challenges. This chapter also offers plenty of

advice on giving your imagination free rein without

unbalancing your game. Above all, it’s about having

fun!

This chapter includes the following sections.

✦Customizing Monsters: Tools to help you adjust

abilities or add specialized roles or class levels to

existing monsters.

✦Creating Monsters: How to create your own

monsters to supplement those in the Monster

Manual.

✦Creating NPCs: How to create nonplayer

characters, who are important villains and allies.

They work much as the players’ characters do,

using the same classes and the same basic rules.

✦Creating House Rules: Advice on customizing

your campaign with new rules of your own design.

✦Random Dungeons: These rules let you create an

adventure on the fly or provide starting points for a

crafted dungeon.

✦Random Encounters: A way to generate

challenges on the spur of the moment—even

without a Dungeon Master!

172

CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

CHAPTER 10

The DM’s ToolboxThe DM’s Toolbox

DAN SCOTT

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

The Monster Manual provides hundreds of enemies for

your adventures, but they aren’t all that’s available. You

can customize existing monsters to increase their util-

ity, making them stronger, weaker, or just different.

Whether you want to bump an ogre up a few levels

or turn it into an elite berserker, this section gives you

the tools you need to tinker with monsters. You’ll also

find rules for adding a class to a monster, mining the

Player’s Handbook for combat powers.

You can use several methods to adjust an existing

monster: change its level, give it equipment, alter its

appearance and behavior, and apply a template. Each

of these approaches is discussed below.

Increasing or Decreasing

Level

Boosting a monster’s level is easy. Just increase its

attack rolls, defenses, and AC by 1 for every level you

add. For every two levels, increase the damage it deals

with its attacks by 1. The monster also gains extra hit

points at each level, based on its role (see the “Monster

Statistics by Role” table on page 184).

Decreasing a monster’s level works like increas-

ing it, but in reverse. For each level down, reduce the

creature’s attack rolls, defenses, and AC by 1 and drop

its hit points based on its role. For every two levels, also

reduce its damage by 1.

This process works best for adjusting a monster’s

level up to five higher or lower. Beyond that, the mon-

ster changes so much that you’d do better to start with

another creature of the desired role and level range.

Adding Equipment

You can add equipment to a monster to make it a little

more challenging, or to put treasure into the char-

acters’ hands. Equipment shouldn’t be random but

should serve some purpose in the design of an encoun-

ter. Make sure to include any such items as part of the

overall treasure you’re giving out for the adventure

(see “Treasure” on page 124).

Armor: When you add armor to a monster, you

first need to determine if the armor is good enough

to improve the monster’s AC. Start with the monster’s

effective armor bonus—a measure of how much of the

creature’s AC comes from its armor or from its thick

hide. This number is equal to its AC minus 10 minus the

higher of its Dexterity or Intelligence ability modifiers.

Do not include the Dexterity or Intelligence modifier if

the creature wears heavy armor. Subtract the effective

armor bonus from the creature’s AC, and then add the

bonus from its new armor. If the creature moved from

heavy to light armor, you can also add the higher of its

Dexterity or Intelligence ability modifier to its AC.

If the creature’s statistics block does not mention

any worn armor, use the higher of its original AC or its

new AC after adding armor. Most creatures have natu-

rally thick hides that provide an armor bonus to AC. If

the armor a creature wears is not as good as its natural

armor, it uses the AC bonus provided by its natural

armor. Worn armor, such as a suit of chainmail, and

natural armor, such as an insect’s carapace or a drag-

on’s thick scales, do not stack.

For example, an ogre savage normally has an

Armor Class of 19 (it’s assumed to be wearing crude

hide armor). Its effective armor bonus is +5 (19 – 10

– 4 [Dex]). Giving the ogre chainmail instead would

improve its AC by 1 to 20, since the armor’s +6 bonus

is 1 higher than this number.

Magic Items: A monster equipped with magic

items can use the powers those items grant.

Enhancement Bonuses: A monster benefits from an

enhancement bonus to attack rolls, defenses, or AC

only if that bonus is higher than its magic threshold, as

shown on the table below.

A monster’s magic threshold is an abstract rep-

resentation of its equipment, power, and general

effectiveness against characters of its level. If you give

the monster a magic item that grants a bonus to attack

rolls and damage rolls or to defenses, subtract the

magic threshold from that bonus before you apply it.

For example, if you give that 8th-level ogre savage a +2

magic greatclub, you add only a +1 bonus to its attack

rolls and damage rolls, since its magic threshold is +1.

MONSTER MAGIC THRESHOLD

Monster Level Magic Threshold

1st–5th +0

6th–10th +1

11th–15th +2

16th–20th +3

21st–25th +4

26th–30th +5

Remember that a monster’s game statistics are set to

be appropriate for its level. Thus, altering a monster’s

attack, defense, or damage values is a lot like chang-

ing its level (see above). Avoid the temptation simply

to give all your monsters better armor and weapons.

Giving all your ogre savages plate armor and +3 great-

swords may seem like a reasonable change, but now

they have the attack, damage, and defense numbers of

a higher-level monster—which makes them a tougher

challenge than other 8th-level brutes.

If you want to give a monster equipment that

changes its attack, defense, or damage values by more

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

175

than a point or so, consider also making those altera-

tions as part of changing its level. For example, those

ogre savages in plate armor and wielding +3 greatswords

have AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls three points

higher than normal. That’s pretty close to what a mon-

ster three levels higher would have (+3 to all defenses,

+3 to attack rolls, and +1 damage), so you might as well

make those ogre savages into 11th-level monsters and

give them the extra hit points to go along with their

other benefits.

Cosmetic Changes

The characters are delving into the jungle-covered

ruins of an ancient city now haunted by the yuan-ti.

There they discover strange arboreal humanoids with

long arms that swoop into battle on the backs of giant

wasps. What are these mysterious beings?

This technique is useful for keeping players on their

toes even when they know the Monster Manual back-

ward and forward. Use the statistics of a given monster

but completely alter its appearance when you describe

it to the players. You can make minor changes to its

powers as well, altering damage types or changing

details of weapons (lashing tentacles become a whip-

ping tail, for example).

Templates

A template is like a recipe for changing a monster.

Each template provides instructions for modifying hit

points and defenses, and adds a number of powers and

abilities. Simply pick a monster and a template, follow

the directions, and you’re ready to go.

This section provides more than a dozen templates

for customizing monsters. Functional templates adapt

a monster to a given purpose in an adventure. You can

also add a functional template to a nonplayer character.

See “Creating NPCs” on page 186 for more information.

Class templates allow you to add features of a specific

character class to a monster.

Multiple Templates: Each of these templates is

intended for use by itself, making a monster into an elite

opponent. However, you can turn a standard monster

into a solo creature by adding two templates. Follow the

process for adding each template, one at a time, but add

just one template’s hit point bonus (your choice which).

Then double the creature’s total hit points. Increase the

monster’s saving throw bonus to +5.

You can also advance an elite monster to a solo one

by adding a template, then doubling its hit points and

adjusting its saving throw as above.

This method is quick and easy, but it carries some

risks. For example, the adjusted monster’s hit points

might be lower than those of a typical solo monster of

its level and role. Once you’ve finished the process, be

sure to “reality check” the monster by comparing its

statistics and abilities to others of similar power.

FUNCTIONAL TEMPLATES CLASS TEMPLATES

Battle champion Cleric

Bodyguard Fighter

Death knight Paladin

Death master Ranger

Demagogue Rogue

Demonic acolyte Warlock

Devastator Warlord

Feyborn Wizard

Frost adept

Lich

Mummy lord

Mummy champion

Savage berserker

Scion of flame

Shadowborn stalker

Vampire lord

How to Read a Template

A template lists changes to a monster’s statistics and

grants it some new powers and abilities. In general, if

a template does not alter a certain statistic, that entry

does not appear in the list.

Each template notes any prerequisites for adding

it to a monster. Some can be added to any creature,

while others work only with particular types or at cer-

tain adventuring tiers.

The modified monster retains all its normal powers

and abilities except those that overlap or conflict with

those bestowed by the template.

Here’s a sample template, the lich.

Lich

Prerequisite: Level 11, Intelligence 13

Lich Elite Controller or Artillery

(undead) XP Elite

Senses Darkvision

Defenses +2 AC; +4 Fortitude; +4 Will

Immune disease, poison

Resist 5 + 1/2 level necrotic

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level (controller) or +6 per level (artillery)

Regeneration 10. If the lich takes radiant damage, its

regeneration doesn’t function on its next turn.

P

Spellmaster (minor; recharge ⚄ ⚅)

The lich regains the use of an expended encounter power.

Necromantic Aura (Necrotic) aura 5

Any living creature that enters or starts its turn in the aura

takes 5 necrotic damage.

Necrotic Master

The lich can convert any attack power it has to necrotic.

Change a power’s energy keyword to necrotic, or add

necrotic energy to an attack power that doesn’t normally

deal energy damage.

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

Every template begins with a brief descriptive pas-

sage that explains the essential nature of the template,

followed by a paragraph that tells you what types of

creatures or classes the template can be applied to.

Prerequisite: This entry appears if the monster

must meet certain requirements to gain the template,

such as a specific type or a minimum level.

The remaining information is presented in monster

stat block form, for easy insertion into the monster’s

existing statistics.

Role: The monster’s combat role appears in the

upper right corner of the stat block header.

Type and Keyword: The left-hand entry of the

second line of the stat block header states this informa-

tion. If the template adds a keyword to the monster,

such as undead, it is included here. The monster

retains any previous keywords.

Senses: Add the given abilities to the monster’s

Senses entry.

Defenses: Adjust the monster’s AC and other

defenses as described in this entry.

Immune/Resist/Vulnerable: Add the stated

entries and values. If the monster already has one or

more of these abilities, use the more beneficial value.

Saving Throws +2: All elite monsters have a +2

bonus to saving throws.

Action Point 1: All elite monsters have 1 action

point.

Hit Points: Add the stated number of hit points for

the monster’s new role, and then also add its Constitu-

tion score to the new hit point total.

Powers: Add the stated powers to the monster’s stat

block, calculating attack and damage numbers. The

level of an attack power usually depends on the mon-

ster’s level and is expressed as “Level + n,” where “Level”

is the monster’s level and n is a number you add to that

value. Damage is adjusted by the modifier for a given

ability score, just as with characters’ attack powers.

Functional Templates

Functional templates adapt a monster or a nonplayer

character to a given purpose in an adventure. Some

reflect a classic villain archetype, such as the death

master that commands armies of undead. Others help

a monster fill a useful niche in an encounter, such

as the bodyguard that holds back the party while its

master fulfills her plans.

Battle Champion

The battle champion is a tougher-than-normal human-

oid monster from a civilized tribe or nation, such as

a goblin king, a drow duelist, or the commander of a

garrison of dwarves. It is not only a skilled warrior, but

also a rallying point for allies in combat.

“Battle champion” is a template you can apply to

any humanoid monster. If you are modifying a non-

player character, this template works best with the

fighter, paladin, and warlord classes.

Prerequisite: Humanoid

Battle Champion Elite Soldier (Leader)

Humanoid XP Elite

Defenses +2 AC; +2 Fortitude

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

P

Battle Lord Tactics

The battle champion and its allies deal an extra 1d6

damage against enemies that the battle champion flanks.

Increase this extra damage to 2d6 at 11th level and to

3d6 at 21st level.

Battle Talent

The battle champion can score critical hits on attack rolls

of natural 19 and 20.

Inspiring Assault

Whenever it scores a critical hit, the battle champion and

all allies within 5 squares of it regain hit points equal to

one-half the battle champion’s level.

DUPLICATE OR CONFLICTING

MONSTER ABILITIES

When you a overlay a template on a monster, you simply

add the template’s abilities and powers to those the mon-

ster already has. Sometimes, though, these powers and

abilities contradict or duplicate previously existing ones.

The basic rule in such situations is that numeric values

of duplicate abilities are not cumulative. (See “Bonuses and

Penalties” on page xx of the Player’s Handbook for complete

information.) The monster retains the value more favorable

to it.

The following points deal with unusual situations.

✦ If a monster has vulnerability to a given damage type

and then receives a template that grants resistance or

immunity to the same damage type, it retains its vulner-

ability. For example, a creature that has vulnerable 10

necrotic and gains resist 10 necrotic from a template

ends up taking no extra damage from a necrotic attack.

However, if an effect strips it of its necrotic resistance,

it is still vulnerable to necrotic damage.

✦ If a template grants a monster an encounter power

it already had, the monster now has two uses of that

power per encounter. Track the two abilities sepa-

rately—the one conferred by the template might have

a different recharge requirement, for example.

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

177

Bodyguard

Villains can always find guileless dupes to carry out

their plans. Yet they still need capable, skilled assis-

tants. The bodyguard is one of the most important

followers a villain can have, a fanatic melee combatant

who gladly gives its life to protect its master.

“Bodyguard” is a template you can apply to any

humanoid creature. If you are modifying a nonplayer

character, this template works best with the fighter,

paladin, and ranger classes.

Prerequisite: Humanoid

Bodyguard Elite Soldier

Humanoid XP Elite

Defenses +2 AC; +2 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +1 Will

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

P

Indomitable Presence

Every time a bodyguard attacks an enemy, whether the

attack hits or misses, it marks that target. The mark lasts

until the end of the bodyguard’s next turn. When a target

is marked, it takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls if the attack

doesn’t include the bodyguard as a target. A creature

can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark

supersedes a mark that was already in place.

In addition, whenever a marked enemy that is

adjacent to the bodyguard shifts or makes an attack that

does not include the bodyguard, the bodyguard can make

a basic melee attack against that enemy as an immediate

interrupt.

Shieldbearer

Allies adjacent to the bodyguard gain a +2 power bonus to

AC.

Death Knight

Death knights were once powerful warriors who have

been granted eternal undeath, whether as punishment

for a grave betrayal or reward for a lifetime of servi-

tude to a dark master. A death knight’s soul is bound

to the weapon it wields, adding necrotic power to its

undiminished martial prowess. Death knights make

good leaders for groups of undead creatures.

“Death knight” is a template that can be added

to any monster. Most death knights begin as NPC

defenders, such as fighters and paladins. However,

monsters in the soldier role can make effective death

knights, from fire giants to githyanki to yuan-ti

abominations.

Prerequisite: Level 11

Death Knight Elite Soldier (Leader)

(undead) XP Elite

Senses Darkvision

Defenses +2 AC; +4 Fortitude; +2 Will

Immune disease, poison

Resist 10 necrotic at 11th level, 15 necrotic at 21st level

Vulnerable 10 radiant

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

P

Marshal Undead

Aura 10; lower-level undead allies in the aura gain a +2

bonus to their attack rolls.

Soul Weapon ✦ Necrotic, Weapon

When attacking with its melee weapon, the death knight

deals an additional 5 necrotic damage to its target.

CUnholy Flames (standard; recharge ⚄ ⚅) ✦Fire,

Necrotic

Close burst 2; level +2 vs. Reflex; 6d8 + Constitution

modifier necrotic and fire damage to living creatures;

undead creatures within the burst (including the death

knight) deal an extra 2d6 fire damage with melee attacks

until the end of the death knight’s next turn.

Death Master

A death master is the epitome of necromantic power.

It can call undead creatures from the grave to serve it

and to smite its enemies with fell magic that drain life

energy for its own use.

CUSTOMIZING MONSTERSCUSTOMIZING MONSTERS

SOUL WEAPON

The process of becoming a death knight requires its caster

to bind his immortal essence into the weapon used in

the ritual. If this soul weapon is broken or destroyed, the

death knight can restore it to perfect condition by touch

as a minor action.

A death knight is dazed and weakened while it doesn’t

have possession of its soul weapon. Any creature other

than the death knight is dazed and weakened while car-

rying the soul weapon.

The soul weapon loses its soul weapon properties when

the death knight is destroyed.

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

“Death master” is a template you can apply to any

humanoid, usually a cleric, wizard, or warlock. It rep-

resents a spellcaster who has delved into the secrets of

necromantic lore and used them to create and control

the undead.

A death master is always accompanied by four

undead minions of the death master’s level or lower.

Prerequisite: Humanoid

Death Master Elite Controller (Leader)

Humanoid (shadow) XP Elite

Defenses +2 AC; +2 Fortitude; +2 Will

Resist 5 necrotic at 1st level, 10 necrotic at 11th level, 15

necrotic at 21st level

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

P

Shroud of the Grave (necrotic) aura 5

All undead within 5 squares of the death master lose

any vulnerability to radiant damage.

R Call of the Grave (standard; encounter)

Ranged 10; four undead minions of the death master’s

level or lower appear in any unoccupied space within

range. These undead minions take their turns immediately

after the death master.

Demagogue

This template portrays a villain with overwhelming

force of personality who desires to manipulate and use

others. Its followers are utter fanatics dedicated to the

cause, no matter the price—even death or worse.

“Demagogue” is a template you can apply to any

humanoid or magical beast to represent the leader of

an evil organization or group. Any NPC or monster

that leads and uses others is a good fit for this template.

Prerequisite: Humanoid or magical beast

Demagogue Elite Controller (Leader)

Humanoid or magical beast XP Elite

Defenses +2 Fortitude; +4 Will; +4 to all defenses against

charm and fear effects

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

P

Deathless Fanaticism aura 5

Lower-level allies (other than minions) in the aura re-

main alive when reduced to 0 hit points. An affected

creature dies at the end of its next turn if it is still at 0 hit

points or below.

Mob Defense

The demagogue gains a +1 bonus to all defenses for each

ally adjacent to it.

Clever Escape (move; recharge ⚄ ⚅)

The demagogue moves up to twice its speed. It can move

only into squares that take it farther away from its enemies.

This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Demonic Acolyte

This template reflects grim priests of Orcus, raving

cult lords of Demogorgon, sacred berserkers of

Baphomet, and devotees of other demon lords. A

demon lord must personally invest power in an aco-

lyte, making such foes particularly dangerous.

“Demonic acolyte” is a template you can apply to any

humanoid or magical beast to represent the priesthood

of a demon’s cult. If you are modifying a nonplayer

character, this template works best with the cleric, war-

lock, and wizard classes. In particular, clerics who have

turned away from the gods and sought power from

demons are ideal candidates for such “blessings.”

Prerequisite: Humanoid or magical beast

Demonic Acolyte Elite Controller (Leader)

Humanoid or magical beast (demon) XP Elite

Defenses +1 AC; +2 Fortitude; +2 Will

Resist 5 (choose one type) at 1st level, 10 (choose two types)

at 11th level, 15 (choose three types) at 21st level

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

P

Shield of Abyssal Majesty aura 5

Allies in the aura gain the demonic acolyte’s

resistance(s).

Abyssal Might

The demonic acolyte gains a +2 power bonus to damage

rolls with all attacks. This bonus increases to +4 at 11th

level and +6 at 21st level.

Consume Soul (immediate reaction, when an ally within 5

squares of the acolyte is reduced to 0 hit points)

The demonic acolyte regains hit points equal to one-half

its level.

Devastator

The devastator is an expert at battle magic. It excels at

laying down a continuous fire of destructive spells to

blast enemies from the field.

“Devastator” is a template you can apply to any

humanoid creature to represent a spellcaster trained

for war. If you are modifying a nonplayer character,

this template works best with the cleric, warlock, and

wizard classes.

Prerequisite: Humanoid

Devastator Elite Artillery

Humanoid XP Elite

Defenses +2 AC; +2 Reflex

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +6 per level + Constitution score

P

Spell Shaper

Whenever the devastator uses a close burst or an area

attack power, it can choose up to two allies in the power’s

area of effect. Those allies are not targeted by the power.

Endless Power (minor; recharge ⚅)

The devastator regains the use of an expended encounter

power.

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179

Lich

Liches are evil arcane masterminds that pursue the

path of undeath to achieve immortality. They are

cold, scheming creatures who hunger for ever-greater

power, long-forgotten knowledge, and the most terrible

of arcane secrets.

Some liches know a ritual that sustains them

beyond destruction by tying their essence to a phy-

lactery. When a lich who has performed this ritual is

reduced to 0 hit points, its body and possessions crum-

ble into dust, but it is not destroyed. It reappears (along

with its possessions) in 1d10 days within 1 square of

its phylactery, unless the phylactery is also found and

destroyed.

“Lich” is a template you can add to any intelligent

creature of 11th level or higher. It best complements an

arcane NPC, such as a wizard or warlock, or a monster

with arcane powers, such as a beholder or oni. Other

highly intelligent creatures might also become liches;

for example, mind flayers, who draw on psionic power.

Prerequisite: Level 11, Intelligence 13

Lich Elite Controller or Artillery

(undead) XP Elite

Senses Darkvision

Defenses +2 AC; +4 Fortitude, +4 Will

Immune disease, poison

Resist 5 + 1/2 level necrotic

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score (controller) or

+6 per level + Constitution score (artillery)

Regeneration 10. If the lich takes radiant damage, its

regeneration doesn’t function on its next turn.

P

Spellmaster (minor; recharge ⚄ ⚅)

The lich regains the use of an expended encounter power.

Necromantic Aura (Necrotic) aura 5

Any living creature that enters or starts its turn in the aura

takes 5 necrotic damage.

Necrotic Master

The lich can convert any attack power it has to necrotic.

Change a power’s energy keyword to necrotic, or add

necrotic energy to an attack power that doesn’t normally

deal energy damage.

Mummy Champion

A mummy champion is created through a dark ritual

intended to sustain a creature past its mortal life

span, or revive it after death. Such rituals are typically

reserved for important religious champions and war-

riors, but they could also curse an unfortunate soul to

a prison of undeath.

“Mummy champion” is a template you can apply to

any humanoid creature, especially one with the brute

or leader role.

This monster has a strongly divine flavor, so NPCs

with the template are usually clerics, paladins, or

fighters in service to a god.

Prerequisites: Humanoid, level 11

Feyborn

Feyborn creatures embody the Feywild. They have

been subtly transformed by the plane’s powerful,

uncontrolled magic. Some underwent prolonged expo-

sure to powerful fey magic. Others are favorites of fey

lords, who granted them special boons in return for

faithful service.

“Feyborn” is a template you can apply to any beast

or humanoid creature, representing a being infused

with the mystical power of the fey.

Prerequisite: Beast or humanoid

Feyborn Elite Skirmisher

Beast or humanoid (fey) XP Elite

Defenses +1 AC; +2 Reflex, +2 Will

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

P

Step Through the Mists (move; encounter)

The feyborn creature teleports up to 3 squares.

M Undeniable Beauty (immediate interrupt, when feyborn

creature is targeted by a melee attack; at will)

Level + 2 vs. Will against the attacker; the attacker must

target a different creature or end its attack.

R Lure of the Wild (standard; recharge ⚅)

Ranged 10; level + 2 vs. Will. The target is pulled 5

squares and is dazed (save ends).

Frost Adept

A frost adept is a champion of elemental cold, spe-

cially chosen for strict adherence to its master’s power.

Elemental beings grant the might of ice to especially

faithful servants, such as an utterly devoted priest or a

warrior of unmatched skill.

“Frost adept” is a template you can apply to any

humanoid or magical beast to represent a monster

blessed with the power of elemental cold. If you are

modifying a nonplayer character, this template works

best with the warlock and wizard classes.

Prerequisite: Humanoid or magical beast

Frost Adept Elite Controller

Humanoid or magical beast (elemental) XP Elite

Defenses +2 AC; +2 Fortitude

Resist 5 cold at 1st level, 10 cold at 11th level, 15 cold at

21st level

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

P

Body of Ice

Any creature that hits the frost adept with a melee attack

is slowed until the end of that creature’s next turn.

Ice Master

The frost adept can convert any attack power it has to

cold. Change a power’s energy keyword to cold, or add

cold energy to an attack power that doesn’t normally deal

energy damage.

CUSTOMIZING MONSTERSCUSTOMIZING MONSTERS

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Mummy Champion Elite Brute (leader)

Humanoid (undead) XP Elite

Senses Darkvision

Defenses +2 AC; +2 Fortitude, +4 Will

Immune disease, poison

Resist 10 necrotic at 11th level, 15 necrotic at 21st level

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +10 per level + Constitution score

Regeneration 10. If the mummy champion takes fire damage,

its regeneration doesn’t function on its next turn.

P

Despair (Fear) aura 5

Enemies within the aura receive a –2 penalty to attack

rolls against a mummy champion.

mRotting Slam (standard; at will) ✦Necrotic

Level + 5 vs. AC; 2d8 + Strength modifier necrotic damage,

and the target contracts mummy rot (see page 49). Mummy

rot’s level is equal to the mummy champion’s level.

Mummy Lord

A mummy lord is created through a dark ritual

intended to sustain a creature past its mortal life

span, or revive it after death. Such rituals are typically

reserved for important religious leaders, but they could

also curse an unfortunate soul to a prison of undeath.

“Mummy lord” is a template you can apply to any

humanoid creature, especially one with the control-

ler or leader role. This monster has a strongly divine

flavor, so NPCs with the template are usually clerics. A

drow priestess, foulspawn seer, kuo-toa whip, or yuan-

ti malison disciple of Zehir are all good candidates for

the mummy lord template.

Prerequisites: Humanoid, level 11

Mummy Lord Elite Controller (leader)

Humanoid (undead) XP Elite

Senses Darkvision

Defenses +2 AC; +2 Fortitude, +4 Will

Immune disease, poison

Resist 10 necrotic at 11th level, 15 necrotic at 21st level

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

Regeneration 10. If the mummy lord takes fire damage, its

regeneration doesn’t function on its next turn.

P

Despair (Fear) aura 5

Enemies within the aura receive a –2 penalty to attack

rolls against a mummy lord.

CMummy’s Curse (when reduced to 0 hp)

Close burst 10; level +2 vs. Will; all enemies within burst

contract the mummy rot disease (see page 49). Mummy

rot’s level is equal to the mummy lord’s level.

Savage Berserker

A savage berserker is a brutal, vicious champion of

battle. It doesn’t need allies to succeed in combat but

draws on its own toughness and brutal strength.

“Savage berserker” is a template you can apply to

any humanoid creature. It’s ideal for creating a vil-

lain based on an evil humanoid race, such as an orc

war leader, a hill giant chieftain, or the champion of a

lizardfolk tribe. If you are modifying a nonplayer char-

acter, this template works best with the fighter and

paladin classes.

Prerequisite: Humanoid

Savage Berserker Elite Brute (leader)

Humanoid XP Elite

Defenses +4 Fortitude

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +10 per level + Constitution score

Regeneration 5 at 1st level, 10 at 11th level, 15 at 21st level

P

Murderous Frenzy

The savage berserker gains 1 action point the first time it

reduces a foe to 0 hit points in an encounter.

Savage Rebuke (immediate reaction, when hit by a melee

attack; at will)

The savage berserker makes a basic melee attack.

Scion of Flame

A scion of flame is a champion of elemental fire, spe-

cially chosen for its devotion to the all-consuming

flame. Elemental beings grant the blessings of fire to

especially faithful servants.

“Scion of flame” is a template you can apply to any

humanoid or magical beast to represent a monster

infused with the power of elemental fire. If you are

modifying a nonplayer character, this template works

best with the warlock and wizard classes.

Prerequisite: Humanoid or magical beast

WAYNE REYNOLDS

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181

Scion of Flame Elite Controller

Humanoid or magical beast (elemental) XP Elite

Defenses +1 AC; +2 Fortitude, +2 Reflex

Resist 5 fire at 1st level, 10 fire at 11th level, 15 fire at 21st

level

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

P

Body of Flame

Any creature that hits the scion of flame with a melee

attack takes fire damage equal to 2 + one-half the scion’s

level.

Fire Master

The scion of flame can convert any attack power it has

to fire. Change a power’s energy keyword to fire, or add

fire energy to an attack power that doesn’t normally deal

energy damage.

Shadowborn Stalker

The Shadowfell offers power to those willing to delve

into forbidden lore and dark rituals. A shadowborn

stalker draws the essence of the plane into its body

and soul, causing a radical transformation in its abili-

ties and appearance. It gains light gray skin, jet-black

hair, and white, pupilless eyes. An aura of shadow

plays about a shadowborn stalker, granting it a

sinister cast.

“Shadowborn stalker” is a template you can apply

to any humanoid creature to represent an assassin

or thief who has struck a bargain with the powers

of the Shadowfell. Goblins, drow, shadar-kai, and

other beings that rely on stealth are good choices for

this template. If you are modifying a nonplayer char-

acter, this template works best with the rogue and

warlock classes.

Prerequisite: Humanoid

Shadowborn Stalker Elite Lurker

Humanoid (shadow) XP Elite

Senses Darkvision

Defenses +2 AC; +2 Reflex, +2 Will

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +6 per level + Constitution score

P

Cloak of Shadows (minor; encounter)

The shadowborn stalker is invisible until the end of its

next turn.

A Cloud of Darkness (minor; encounter)

Close burst 1; this power creates a zone of darkness that

remains in place until the end of the shadowborn stalker’s

next turn. The zone blocks line of sight for all creatures

except the shadowborn stalker. Any creature entirely

within the area (except the shadowborn stalker) is blinded.

Vampire Lord

Vampire lords are powerful and dangerous undead

villains. Some are former spawn freed by their cre-

ators’ deaths, others mortals chosen to receive the

“gift” of vampiric immortality. They can create armies

of dominated vampire spawn or pass on their powers

to chosen mortals.

“Vampire lord” is a template you can apply to any

humanoid creature of 11th level or higher. Vampire

CUSTOMIZING MONSTERSCUSTOMIZING MONSTERS

MONSTERS, POWERS, AND

ATTACK BONUSES

When you apply a class template to a monster, you can

determine its attack bonus in one of two ways. Use which-

ever one yields the higher value, so that your villains have

a reasonable chance to hit the characters.

The simplest method is to calculate attack bonus using

the creature’s level, equipment (if any), and ability scores as

you would when making a character. However, this result

might be lower than the expected attack bonus for the

monster’s role and level. In that case, calculate the value

for role and level and use that value if it is higher. Use the

role provided by the class template, not the monster’s

original role, when making this comparison.

Use your own judgment about what is an appropriate

value, but keep in mind that a monster with a lower-than-

expected attack bonus is unlikely to pose much of a threat.

LEE MOYER

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182

CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

lords retain their living appearance, although they are

paler and their canines somewhat more pronounced,

and they are wholly evil.

Prerequisites: Humanoid, level 11

Vampire Lord Elite Controller or Skirmisher

Humanoid (undead) XP Elite

Senses Darkvision

Defenses +2 AC; +2 Fortitude, +2 Reflex, +2 Will

Immune disease, poison

Resist 5 necrotic at 1st level, 10 necrotic at 11th level, 15

necrotic at 21st level

Vulnerable radiant 10

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

Regeneration 10 (regeneration does not function while the

vampire lord is exposed to direct sunlight)

P

M Blood Drain (standard, encounter; recharges when an

adjacent creature becomes bloodied) ✦Healing

Requires combat advantage. Level + 2 vs. Fortitude; 2d12

+ Charisma modifier damage, and the target is weakened

(save ends), and the vampire lord heals hit points equal to

one-quarter of its normal total.

R Dominating Gaze (minor, recharge ⚅) ✦ Charm

Ranged 5; Level + 2 vs. Will; the target is dominated (save

ends, with a –2 penalty to the saving throw). Aftereffect:

The target is dazed (save ends). The vampire lord can

dominate only one creature at a time.

Mist Form (standard; encounter) ✦Polymorph

The vampire lord becomes insubstantial and gains a fly

speed of 12, but cannot make attacks. The vampire lord

can remain in mist form for up to 1 hour or end the effect

as a minor action.

Class Templates

Class templates allow you to add features of a specific

character class to a monster. The following eight tem-

plates represent all the classes in the Player’s Handbook.

Adding a class to an existing monster is a simple

matter of overlaying the appropriate template. If you

want to advance the monster in a class, first increase

its level as described on page 174, then add the rel-

evant class template.

This method works best with existing monster sta-

tistics blocks. Use the rules for creating new monsters

(page 184) if you are adding class levels to creatures of

your own design.

If the effect of a class feature or power depends on

level, such as the cleric’s healing word, use the monster’s

level. As usual, the monster retains its own abilities

and powers unless they contradict or duplicate those

provided by the template.

Choosing Class Powers

The heart of applying a class template is choosing suit-

able powers for the monster. For a heroic-tier monster,

select one power from that class’s list for each category:

at-will, encounter, and daily attack powers, and utility

powers. For monsters at higher tiers, choose additional

powers as summarized below.

✦ At-Will Powers Choose one.

✦ Encounter Powers Choose one of a level up to the

monster’s level. For a monster of 11th level or higher,

choose one additional encounter power. The powers

must be of different levels.

✦ Daily Powers Choose one of a level up to the

monster’s level. For a monster of 21st level or higher,

choose one additional daily power. The powers must

be of different levels.

✦ Utility Powers Choose one of a level up to the

monster’s level. For a monster of 11th level or higher,

choose one additional utility power. For one of

21st level or higher, select a third utility power. The

powers must all be of different levels.

How to Read a Class Template

Class templates follow the same general format as

functional templates. Categories of information that

appear only in class templates are explained below.

Power Source: This information sometimes inter-

acts with other game rules. See page 54 of the Player’s

Handbook for more information.

Skills: If the monster already has training in the

a skill granted by the template, it cannot substitute

another skill.

Class Features: Refer to the relevant entries in the

Player’s Handbook for descriptions of class features.

Implement: If a class template enables a creature

to use one or more kinds of implements, that informa-

tion is noted here.

Weapon Proficiency/Armor Proficiency: If

the monster already uses the weapon or armor types

granted by the template, it cannot substitute others.

Cleric

Power Source: Divine.

Cleric Elite Controller (Leader)

Defenses +2 Will

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple weapons

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail

Trained Skills Religion, plus one other skill from the cleric

class list

Class Features Channel Divinity, Healer’s Lore, healing word

Implement Holy symbol

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

183

Fighter

Power Source: Martial.

Fighter Elite Soldier

Defenses +2 Fortitude

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple melee, military melee,

simple ranged, military ranged

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, scale; light

shield, heavy shield

Trained Skills Two skills from the fighter class list

Class Features Combat Challenge, Combat Superiority,

Weapon Talent

Paladin

Power Source: Divine.

Paladin Elite Soldier

Defenses +1 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +1 Will

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple melee, military melee,

simple ranged

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, scale,

plate; light shield, heavy shield

Trained Skills Religion, plus one other skill from the paladin

class list

Class Features Channel Divinity, Divine Challenge, lay on

hands

Implement Holy symbol

Ranger

Power Source: Martial.

Ranger Elite Skirmisher

Defenses +1 Fortitude, +1 Reflex

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple melee, military melee,

simple ranged, military ranged

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather, hide

Trained Skills Dungeoneering or Nature (your choice), plus

one other skill from the ranger class list

Class Features Fighting Style, Hunter’s Quarry, Prime Shot

Rogue

Power Source: Martial.

Rogue Elite Skirmisher

Defenses +2 Reflex

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Dagger, hand crossbow, shuriken, sling,

short sword

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather

Trained Skills Thievery plus one other skill from the rogue

class list

Class Features First Strike, Rogue Tactics, Rogue Weapon

Talent, Sneak Attack

Warlock

Power Source: Arcane.

Warlock Elite Skirmisher

Defenses +1 Reflex, +1 Will

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple melee, simple ranged

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather

Trained Skills Two skills from the warlock class list

Class Features Eldritch blast, Eldritch Pact, Prime Shot,

Warlock’s Curse

Implements Rods, wands

Warlord

Power Source: Martial.

Warlord Elite Soldier (leader)

Defenses +1 Fortitude, +1 Will

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple melee, military melee,

simple ranged

Armor Training Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, light shield

Trained Skills Two skills from the warlord class list

Class Features Combat Leader, Commanding Presence,

inspiring word

Wizard

Power Source: Arcane.

Wizard Elite Artillery

Defenses +2 Will

Saving Throws +2

Action Point 1

Hit Points +6 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Dagger, quarterstaff

Armor Proficiency Cloth

Trained Skills Arcana plus one other skill from the wizard

class list

Class Features Arcane Implement Mastery, cantrips, Ritual

Caster, spellbook

Implements Orbs, staffs, wands

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MONSTER STATISTICS BY ROLE

Skirmisher Brute Soldier Lurker Controller Artillery

Initiative bonus +2 — +2 +4 — —

Hit points 8 + Con 10 + Con 8 + Con 6 + Con 8 + Con 6 + Con

+ (level × 8) + (level × 10) + (level × 8) + (level × 6) + (level × 8) + (level × 6)

AC Level + 14 Level + 12 Level + 16 Level + 14 Level + 14 Level + 12

Other defenses Level + 12 Level + 12 Level + 12 Level + 12 Level + 12 Level + 12

Attack vs. AC* Level + 5 Level + 3 Level + 7 Level + 5 Level + 5 Level + 7

Attack vs. other defenses* Level +3 Level + 1 Level + 5 Level + 3 Level + 4 Level + 5

*Reduce the attack bonus by 2 for powers that affect multiple creatures.

184

CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

The information on customizing monsters (page 174)

and the creatures provided in the Monster Manual and

future volumes should handle most of your needs for

monsters. When you really need to create something

from scratch, the guidelines here will help you with

the process.

Monster Design Steps

Following these steps won’t result in a fully designed

and developed monster, but they’ll provide a good

approximation.

1. Choose Level. The level of the monster deter-

mines its key statistics, including defenses, attack

bonuses, and hit points.

2. Choose Role. A monster’s role suggests the

kinds of powers it uses in combat. Chapter 4 describes

monster roles more fully, and the Monster Statistics

by Role table on this page shows how a monster’s role

influences the statistics and powers you give it.

3. Determine Ability Scores. It’s helpful to think

of ability scores in pairs, each pair corresponding to

one of the three defenses (Fortitude, Reflex, and Will).

Ability scores also help determine the monster’s attack

bonuses, ability and skill checks, and Armor Class.

On average, the highest ability score of a pair is

equal to 13 + one-half the monster’s level. For exam-

ple, the target score for an 8th-level monster is 17 (13

+ 4). However, set the ability that governs the mon-

ster’s primary attacks to be 3 higher, or 16 + one-half

the monster’s level. An 8th-level monster that relies on

melee attacks should have a Strength of 20.

4. Determine Hit Points. Level and role deter-

mine hit points. The monster gains a flat number of

hit points at each level, just as characters do. Use the

Monster Statistics by Role table to set hit points.

5. Calculate Armor Class. A monster’s Armor

Class is based on its level and role. Average AC is equal

to 14 + the monster’s level, but some roles alter this

target number, as shown in the table.

6. Calculate Other Defenses. A monster’s level

determines its defenses. A given defense based on an

average ability score is equal to 12 + the monster’s level.

For every 2 points the ability score varies from the aver-

age, adjust the defense by +1 (if higher) or –1 (if lower).

7. Choose Powers. The most complex part of

monster creation is creating powers for the monster.

For inspiration, check the powers for creatures in the

Monster Manual. That book has a list of monsters by

level and role, so you can quickly look up other crea-

tures that are similar to your new monster. Then either

choose some powers that seem right, modifying them

as needed, or create new ones of comparable effect.

A monster needs a basic attack, which can be melee

or ranged and is usable at will; some kinds of mon-

sters might have a second basic attack. Then add one

encounter power or rechargeable power per tier (one

at heroic, two at paragon, three at epic).

8. Calculate Attack Bonus. The monster’s attack

bonus is a function of its level and role. Powers that

target AC typically have a higher attack bonus than

those that target other defenses.

9. Set Damage for Attacks: Use the Damage by

Level table to set damage for the monster’s attacks.

Most at-will attacks should use the medium normal

damage shown on the table. For attacks against mul-

tiple targets, the melee attacks of artillery monsters,

and controller attacks that also include significant

control functions, use the low normal damage column.

For attacks that have low accuracy (including brute

attacks) and the high-damage attacks of lurker mon-

sters, use the high normal damage column. Use the

limited damage expressions for powers the monster

can use only once or twice a fight—powers that have

encounter recharge or recharge rolls.

10. Additional Details. Monster design doesn’t

stop once you’ve done all the math. Add flavor, appear-

ance, and tactics to round out your creation.

Elite and Solo Monsters

Elite and solo monsters represent the toughest foes the

characters can face; Chapter 4 has more about these

role enhancements. They make great villains, stars

of a campaign, or intimidating “boss” monsters at the

climax of an adventure.

CREATING MONSTERSCREATING MONSTERS

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

185

Iconic D&D villains, such as the vampire Count

Strahd von Zarovich or the demilich Acererak, are

solo monsters. Such enemies are powerful enough by

themselves to take on an entire party of adventurers.

Elite monsters are tough enough to fight a lower-level

party on their own, but normally they have a few allies

on hand. Lareth the Beautiful, an evil cleric of Lolth,

is a good example. Although powerful, he never enters

battle without bandits, gnolls, or ghouls at his side.

Creating New Elites

An easy way to create a memorable villain is to con-

vert an existing monster into an elite version. In a

goblin-infested dungeon, for example, an elite bugbear

warrior makes a natural chieftain. Adding a template

is an easy way to “upgrade” a monster, whether it’s one

in the Monster Manual or a new creation of your own.

You can also follow these guidelines to advance a

monster to elite status.

1. Adjust Role. The monster’s level and role

remain the same, but it is now an elite version.

2. Adjust Hit Points. An elite monster has hit

points equal to twice the hit points of the standard

monster, plus twice its Constitution score.

3. Adjust Defenses. Increase up to three defenses,

including AC, by 2. Focus on the creature’s best

defenses first. If your monster has a specific weak

defense, don’t increase it.

4. Adjust Saving Throws: All elite monsters have

a +2 bonus to saving throws.

5. Add 1 Action Point: All elite monsters have 1

action point.

6. Adjust Powers and Abilities: Although your

elite creature represents two monsters in combat, it

still has only one set of actions each turn. In effect,

you’re trading two sets of actions for one. Thus, an

elite monster needs additional opportunities to attack,

hinder, or otherwise react to the characters.

Recharge When First Bloodied: As a rule, elite mon-

sters are more dangerous when the chips are down.

To reflect this, select one of the creature’s encounter

powers. It gains another use of this power when it

becomes bloodied for the first time in an encounter.

Immediate Actions: An elite monster typically has

some way to interfere with or respond to the charac-

ters’ actions. Many of the templates described earlier

in this chapter include powers that grant an immedi-

ate action, whether interrupt or reaction, to counter or

respond to an opponent’s attack or movement.

Additional Attacks: As an alternative to immediate

actions, allow an elite creature to make an additional

attack on its turn. This might be a special attack it can

use as a minor action once during its turn, or simply a

double attack using a standard action.

Creating New Solos

You can turn a basic creature into a terrifying solo

monster as the high point of an adventure.

You can make a “quick and dirty” solo monster

by applying two templates (or one, if the monster is

already elite), as described in the “Templates” section.

Alternatively, you can create a new solo from scratch.

1. Adjust Role. The monster’s level and role

remain the same, but it is now a solo version.

2. Adjust Hit Points. A solo has hit points equal

to 8 times its level +1, plus its Constitution score. If the

solo is level 10 or lower, multiply that result by 4 for its

final hit points. If it is level 11 or higher, multiply that

result by 5 for its final hit points.

3. Adjust Defenses. Increase up to three defenses,

including AC, by 2.

4. Adjust Saving Throws: All solo monsters have

a +5 bonus to saving throws.

5. Add 1 Action Point: All solo monsters have 2

action points.

6. Adjust Powers and Abilities: A solo crea-

ture represents five monsters in combat, so it needs

a number of ways to take additional actions. It also

needs more ways to use powers on its own turn and to

interfere with the characters.

More At-Will Powers: Select one of the creature’s

encounter powers. It can now use that power at will.

Additional Standard Action: The easiest way to let a

solo take on an entire party at once is to give it an addi-

tional standard action on each of its turns. Thus, it can

always make at least two attacks on its turn, and can

make a third when necessary by using an action point.

CREATING MONSTERSCREATING MONSTERS

DAMAGE BY LEVEL

Normal Damage Expressions

Level Low Medium High

1st–3rd 1d6 + 3 1d10 + 3 2d6 + 3

4th–6th 1d6 + 4 1d10 + 4 2d8 + 4

7th–9th 1d8 + 5 2d6 + 5 2d8 + 5

10th–12th 1d8 + 5 2d6 + 5 3d6 + 5

13th–15th 1d10 + 6 2d8 + 6 3d6 + 6

16th–18th 1d10 + 7 2d8 + 7 3d8 + 7

19th–21st 2d6 + 7 3d6 + 8 3d8 + 7

22nd–24th 2d6 + 8 3d6 + 8 4d6 + 8

25th–27th 2d8 + 9 3d8 + 9 4d6 + 9

28th–30th 2d8 + 10 3d8 + 10 4d8 + 10

Limited Damage Expressions

Level Low Medium High

1st–3rd 3d6 + 3 2d10 + 3 3d8 + 3

4th–6th 3d6 + 4 3d8 + 4 3d10 + 4

7th–9th 3d8 + 5 3d10 + 5 4d8 + 5

10th–12th 3d8 + 5 4d8 + 5 4d10 + 5

13th–15th 3d10 + 6 4d8 + 6 4d10 + 6

16th–18th 3d10 + 6 4d10 + 7 4d12 + 7

19th–21st 4d8 + 7 4d10 + 7 4d12 + 7

22nd–24th 4d8 + 8 4d12 + 8 5d10 + 8

25th–27th 4d10 + 9 5d10 + 9 5d12 + 9

28th–30th 4d10 + 9 5d10 + 9 5d12 + 9

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

186

Nonplayer characters (NPCs) are the supporting cast

in the drama that stars your players’ characters. Cre-

ating NPCs helps to bring your adventures and your

campaign to life, creating a world that seems real.

NPCs are typically humanoid beings with a clearly

defined purpose in your campaign and distinctive

personalities. One might be a paladin of the Raven

Queen who stalks the land, a gloomy figure who could

become enemy or ally. Another is the scheming cleric

of Asmodeus who leads the god’s hidden cult, the

main antagonist of your adventure. A third is a brutal

yet honorable orc champion, a powerful warlord and

another ultimate adversary or ally. All have a strong

flavor based on their class and their connections to

other parts of the world.

That said, no NPC needs the depth of background,

personality, and statistics that a well-crafted player

character has. Many NPCs just need a name, a couple

of skills, and a word or two about their place in the

world and how it relates to the PCs. For example,

the town priest Avarun worships Erathis and has a

number of ritual scrolls that he can use: Cure Disease

(4), Raise Dead (1), and Remove Affliction (2).

You can also compose seven sentences to summa-

rize an NPC’s essential elements so that he or she can

interact with the player characters in a meaningful

and memorable way.

Occupation: The first sentence introduces the NPC,

describing the character’s way of life.

Physical Description: This sentence provides a

brief summary of the NPC’s appearance. In addition

to covering the basics (height and build, color of skin,

hair, and eyes, and so forth), think about a distinctive

quirk to help set the character apart in the players’

minds. Roll or choose a quirk from the table, or come

up with one of your own.

Attributes and Skills: Here is where you note

whether any of the NPC’s abilities are markedly above

or below average—great strength or monumental

stupidity, for example. You should also mention any

special skills he or she has, even if they’re not associ-

ated with the character’s occupation. These notes will

help you create appropriate statistics later.

Values and Motivations: Summarize the values

that the NPC holds dear, and what spurs him or her to

action. These factors can have an impact on the party’s

interaction with that person. These details also help

you decide how the NPC reacts to the characters.

Behavior: This sentence describes how the NPC

interacts with others—traits that will stand out in the

players’ minds. An NPC might be urbane, sarcastic,

loud and obnoxious, soft-spoken, or condescending. If

this behavior is applied differently depending on who

you are, people than with strangers, note that here.

Useful Knowledge: Does the NPC know some-

thing that might benefit the PCs? This information

might be purely for flavor, or it could be a key clue

leading the PCs deeper into the adventure.

Mannerism: Describe a memorable characteristic

of the NPC, something for the players to remember.

They might forget a name, but they’ll remember the

blacksmith with the elaborate vocabulary. Roll or pick

a mannerism from the table, or make up your own.

NPC MANNERISMS

d20 Mannerism

1 Is prone to singing, whistling, or humming quietly

2 Speaks in rhymes or meter

3 Has particularly low or high voice

4 Slurs words, lisps, or stutters

5 Enunciates very clearly

6 Speaks loudly

7 Whispers

8 Uses flowery speech or long words

9 Frequently uses the wrong word

10 Uses colorful oaths and exclamations

11 Constantly makes jokes or puns

12 Is prone to predictions of certain doom

13 Fiddles and fidgets nervously

14 Squints

15 Stares into distance

16 Chews something

17 Paces

18 Taps fingers

19 Bites fingernails

20 Twirls hair or tugs beard

NPC QUIRKS

d20 Quirk

1 Distinctive jewelry (earrings, necklace, bracelets)

2 Piercing

3 Flamboyant or outlandish clothes

4 Formal or very clean clothes

5 Ragged and very dirty clothes

6 Pronounced scar

7 Missing tooth

8 Missing finger

9 Unusual eye color (or two different colors)

10 Tattoo

11 Birthmark

12 Unusual skin color

13 Bald

14 Braided beard or hair

15 Unusual hair color

16 Nervous eye twitch

17 Distinctive nose

18 Distinctive posture—crooked or very rigid

19 Exceptionally beautiful

20 Exceptionally ugly

CREATING NPCSCREATING NPCS

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

187

NPC Design Steps

When the Monster Manual doesn’t have the exact entry

you need, use these guidelines to craft an NPC. Remem-

ber that many NPCs simply need a name, a couple of

sentences of background (as described on the previous

page), a key skill or two, and maybe a ritual. Most don’t

have classes or even roles (in the monster sense). Only

go to the trouble of adding game statistics if the NPC is

going to serve as an opponent or an adventuring ally for

the PCs. Otherwise, you’re doing too much work.

Along the same lines, treat NPCs as you would mon-

sters. That is, only give them the things you’ll need to

run them in an encounter or an adventure. Don’t stat out

an NPC as a player stats out a player character. That’s

just too much work for what you really need. Most NPCs,

even opponents, only need as much detail as a monster.

In the rare case where you want to build a campaign-

long villain, then it might serve for you to fully stat out

the NPC in PC fashion, but this should be the excep-

tion—the rare exception.

1. Choose Level. The level of the NPC determines

key statistics, as well as its threat to the party.

2. Choose Race and Class. Decide which class

most closely matches the NPC’s role. Some classes

work well for more than one role, depending on the

powers you select. Use the NPC class blocks that

follow.

3. Determine Ability Scores. Use the standard

ability array. Assign the six numbers as appropriate to

the NPC’s class, applying any racial modifiers. Then

adjust the scores to account for the NPC’s level, just

as you would for a player character. The table below

summarizes the total ability score increases at specific

levels. (These increases are not cumulative.)

NPC ABILITY SCORES

Standard Ability Array: 16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10.

Level Ability Score Increases

4th +1 to two

8th +2 to two

11th +3 to two, +1 to all others

14th +4 to two, +1 to all others

18th +5 to two, +1 to all others

21st +6 to two, +2 to all others

24th +7 to two, +2 to all others

28th +8 to two, +2 to all others

4. Determine Hit Points and Healing Surges.

An NPC’s hit points are primarily determined by his

class, role, and level, as described below. An NPC

is, fundamentally, like a monster, and therefore the

NPC’s hit point total must be close to that of a monster.

NPCs can use healing surges. Like monsters, they

have one healing surge per tier. So, a heroic tier NPC

(1st–10th level) has one healing surge, and an epic tier

NPC (21st level or higher) has three.

Like player characters, NPCs can use their second

wind once per encounter as a standard action.

5. Calculate Defenses. Determine the scores for

the NPC’s Fortitude, Reflex, and Will defenses using the

standard formula: 10 + 1/2 level + relevant ability modi-

fier. Calculate the NPC’s Armor Class as you would for a

player character, including bonuses from armor.

After you have calculated these numbers, add any

bonuses from class or race to all defenses. Then add

the level bonus to represent improvements based on

level advancement, as described in the “Level Bonus

and Magic Threshold” sidebar.

If you gave the NPC a magic item that grants a

bonus to defenses, you must also subtract the magic

threshold from that bonus, as noted in the sidebar.

NPC LEVEL BONUS AND MAGIC THRESHOLD

Level Level Bonus Magic Threshold

1st–5th +1 +0

6th–10th +3 +1

11th–15th +5 +2

16th–20th +7 +3

21st–25th +9 +4

26th–30th +11 +5

6. Choose Powers. As described below.

At-Will Powers: Choose one.

Encounter Powers: Choose one of the NPC’s level.

Add an additional power of a lower level if 11th level

or higher.

Daily Powers: Choose one of the NPC’s level. Add an

additional power of a lower level if 21st level or higher.

Utility Powers: Choose one of the NPC’s level. Add

an additional power of a lower level if 11th level or

higher, and another if 21st level or higher.

CREATING NPCSCREATING NPCS

LEVEL BONUS AND MAGIC

THRESHOLD

As player characters gain levels, they choose feats and

gain magic items that increase their attack bonuses and

defenses. The level bonus, shown on the table below, is

an abstraction that helps NPCs keep pace with charac-

ters. You can think of it as representing feats you’re not

bothering to choose, low-level magic items, or the NPC’s

intrinsic power.

Add this number to the NPC’s Armor Class and other

defenses, attack rolls, and damage rolls.

An NPC’s magic threshold is related to the level bonus.

If you give an NPC a magic item that grants a bonus to

attack rolls and damage rolls or to defenses, subtract the

magic threshold from that bonus before you apply it.

For example, if you give a 12th-level NPC a +4 magic

longsword, add only a +2 bonus to his or her attack rolls

and damage rolls, since the magic threshold at that level

is +2.

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188

CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

7. Choose Skills. Pick a skill or two for the NPC to

be trained in, using the information below.

8. Choose Equipment. Select weapons and armor

from Chapter 7 of the Player’s Handbook, taking into

account class and race.

You can give the NPC a magic item of a suitable

level, but if he or she is an antagonist, count the item as

part of the treasure for the adventure. (See “Awarding

Treasure,” page 125, for more information.)

9. Calculate Attack and Damage Bonuses.

Calculate the NPC’s attack bonuses and damage

bonuses as you would for a player character, then add

the level bonus to each just as you did for defenses in

step 5. The weapon you chose in step 8 determines the

damage of weapon-based powers.

If you gave the NPC a magic item, remember

to subtract the magic threshold, just as you did for

defenses in step 5.

10. Choose Rituals: Giving your NPC certain

ritual scrolls might be appropriate, especially if he or

she is an ally of the characters. Ritual scrolls work well

for NPCs that aren’t ritual casters. Remember that vil-

lains can perform powerful rituals “off camera” to help

drive your narrative.

Cleric NPC

Power Source: Divine. Role: Controller (Leader)

Defenses +2 Will

Hit Points 8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple weapons

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail

Trained Skills Religion, plus one other skill from the cleric

class list

Class Features Channel Divinity (one power), healing word

Implement Holy symbol

Fighter NPC

Power Source: Martial. Role: Soldier

Defenses +2 Fortitude

Hit Points 8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple melee, military melee,

simple ranged, military ranged

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, scale; light

shield, heavy shield

Trained Skills Two skills from the fighter class list

Class Features Combat Challenge

Paladin NPC

Power Source: Divine. Role: Soldier

Defenses +1 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +1 Will

Hit Points 8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple melee, military melee,

simple ranged

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, scale,

plate; light shield, heavy shield

Trained Skills Religion, plus one other skill from the paladin

class list

Class Features Divine Challenge, lay on hands

Implement Holy symbol

Ranger NPC

Power Source: Martial. Role: Skirmisher

Defenses +1 Fortitude, +1 Reflex

Hit Points 8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple melee, military melee,

simple ranged, military ranged

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather, hide

Trained Skills Dungeoneering or Nature (your choice), plus

one other skill from the ranger class list

Class Features Fighting Style, Hunter’s Quarry

Rogue NPC

Power Source: Martial. Role: Skirmisher

Defenses +2 Reflex

Hit Points 8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Dagger, hand crossbow, shuriken, sling,

short sword

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather

Trained Skills Thievery plus one other skill from the rogue

class list

Class Features First Strike, Rogue Weapon Mastery, Sneak

Attack

Warlock NPC

Power Source: Arcane. Role: Skirmisher

Defenses +1 Reflex, +1 Will

Hit Points 8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple melee, simple ranged

Armor Proficiency Cloth, leather

Trained Skills Two skills from the warlock class list

Class Features Eldritch blast, Eldritch Pact, Warlock’s Curse

Implements Rods, wands

Warlord NPC

Power Source: Martial. Role: Soldier (Leader)

Defenses +1 Fortitude, +1 Will

Hit Points 8 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Simple melee, military melee,

military ranged

Armor Training Cloth, leather, chainmail; light shield

Trained Skills Two skills from the warlord class list

Class Features Combat Leader, inspiring word

Wizard NPC

Power Source: Arcane. Role: Artillery

Defenses +2 Will

Hit Points 6 per level + Constitution score

Weapon Proficiency Dagger, quarterstaff

Armor Proficiency Cloth

Trained Skills Arcana plus one other skill from the wizard

class list

Class Features Arcane Implement Mastery, Ritual Caster,

spellbook

Implements Orbs, staffs, wands

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

189

CREATING HOUSE RULES

As Dungeon Master, you wear several hats: storyteller,

rules arbiter, actor, adventure designer, and writer.

Some DMs like to add a sixth hat to that stack: rules

designer. House rules are variants on the basic rules

designed specifically for a particular DM’s campaign.

They add fun to your D&D game by making it unique,

reflecting specific traits of your world.

A house rule also serves as a handy “patch” for a

game feature that your group dislikes. The D&D rules

cannot possibly account for the variety of campaigns

and play styles of every group. If you disagree with

how the rules handle something, changing them is

within your rights.

This advice can’t turn you into an expert game

designer—we’d need more than a page for that.

Instead, this is a basic introduction to the concepts

behind rules design. Once you’ve become familiar

with these ideas, the best way to learn more about

game design is to play, see what’s fun and what’s not,

and use your discoveries to guide your own work.

Rules Design 101

Before you begin designing a house rule, ask yourself

how necessary it is. A new rule won’t help your game if

it keeps all the problems of the old one. Keep in mind:

✦ Why do I want to change or add this rule?

✦ What should the change accomplish?

✦ How should my new rule accomplish its goal?

Think carefully about the reason for changing or

adding a rule. Are you reacting to a persistent problem

in your campaign, or to one specific incident? Isolated

problems might be better handled in other ways. More

important, do the other players agree to the need for

a change? You have the authority to do whatever you

want with the game, but your efforts won’t help if you

have no group.

If a change still seems in order, consider what the

new or revised rule should do. You need a clear grasp

of the rule’s function before you can begin design.

Start by thinking about intent—don’t worry about the

mechanics yet. Imagine what you want to happen at

the game table when the rule comes into play.

Once you have worked out the rule’s intended func-

tion, write up how it works. This material doesn’t need

to be exhaustive or resemble a legal code. You can

modify the rule or make judgment calls during play.

Playing with the new rule is the most important

part of the design process. Keep a close eye on how the

rule affects the game. Does it achieve the desired goal?

Is your group enjoying the game more because of it?

If not, try revising how it works—or even start over. A

rule hardly ever works perfectly the first time.

Example House Rules

Here are a couple of sample house rules, followed by

discussions on their intended purpose.

FUMBLEFUMBLE

Whenever you make an attack roll of natural 1, your

turn immediately ends, and you grant combat advan-

tage to all attackers until the start of your next turn.

If the roll is part of a close or area attack, resolve

all the other attack rolls before ending your turn.

A fumble, or “critical miss,” is a failed attack that leaves

the attacker in a bad position. A lot of DMs like the

symmetry of having fumbles on natural 1s to balance

the possibility of critical hits on natural 20s. This rule

models the uncertainty of combat, when even a skilled

warrior can take a bad step or misjudge an attack so

badly as to be unable to respond to any counterstrike.

The exception for close and area attacks is some-

thing that you’d likely discover a need for in play. Such

powers affect all targets at once, as opposed to those

that let you blast one foe at a time, so it doesn’t make

sense to cancel the remaining attacks. This way, if a

wizard fumbles a single attack roll with fireball, the

spell still fries the other monsters in its area.

Characters using powers that give them multiple

attack rolls will fumble more than other characters,

because they’re rolling more attacks (and thus getting

more natural 1s). The wizard in the party might get

frustrated from fumbling in every fight just because

he’s rolling three times as many attacks as the fighter.

A fumble rule adds a sense of uncertainty to every

attack, so it works best with players who like a random

element of danger. It’s also a lot of fun to take advan-

tage of a monster’s critical miss.

CRITICAL SUCCESS AND FAILURECRITICAL SUCCESS AND FAILURE

On a skill or ability check, a roll of natural 20 is a criti-

cal success and a roll of natural 1 is a critical failure.

On a critical success, the check automatically suc-

ceeds, and you gain a +5 bonus to checks with that

skill until the end of your next turn. In a skill challenge,

add one extra victory to the tally.

On a critical failure, the check automatically fails,

and you take a –5 penalty to checks with that skill

until the end of your next turn. In a skill challenge, add

one extra defeat to the tally.

This house rule extends the symmetry of natural 20s

and natural 1s to skill checks. Some DMs don’t like the

idea of skill checks that always succeed, or conversely,

that have no chance in a desperate attempt.

This house rule adds an extra layer of uncertainty

and tension to noncombat situations, especially in skill

challenges (see page 72). Monsters and NPCs can gain

the benefits (and take the risks) of this rule too, which

might have unintended consequences in play.

CREATING HOUSE RULESCREATING HOUSE RULES

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190

CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

Did the characters unexpectedly wander into the

Great Labyrinth below the minotaur city? Perhaps you

find yourself with less time to prepare than usual, or

you just want a dungeon environment that’s a little

wacky. Whether you want to prepare something quick

for tonight’s adventure or have some fun on a rainy

day, creating random dungeons is a simple way to fill a

sheet of graph paper.

The tables provided in this section help you quickly

create a dungeon environment. You can either draw

the chambers and corridors yourself, using the

examples provided here, or use pieces from any D&D

Dungeon Tiles product to represent them. Dimensions

are given in squares.

To start, copy one of the areas pictured in this sec-

tion onto a sheet of graph paper or use photocopies of

the battle grid on pages 222 and 223 of this book. If

you’re building a dungeon on the fly while your play-

ers are at the table, lay down tiles to create the starting

area or draw it onto your battle grid. Then pick an exit—

or let the players choose one—and roll a d20, consulting

either the Corridors table or the Doors table below.

How Does it End?

Following these instructions can lead to sprawling

complexes that more than fill a single sheet of graph

paper. If you want to constrain the dungeon somewhat,

you can set some limits ahead of time to just how far it

can grow.

Don’t Leave the Paper: If a feature would exceed

the boundaries of your sheet, cut it short or otherwise

limit it. A corridor might turn or come to a dead end at

the map edge. A chamber can become smaller, or be

replaced by stairs or a dead-end corridor.

One Level at a Time: Once you’ve created eight

to ten chambers, stop. The result is a dungeon section

that should advance your characters one level and give

them about a level’s worth of treasure. You can either

go back and erase doors and corridors on the map that

you haven’t filled out yet, or find ways to connect them

up with each other.

Corridors

A dungeon can start with a corridor, or you can place a

corridor as a separator between doors or chambers.

Result of 1–19: If the corridor ends in a door, a

chamber, or stairs, refer to the appropriate section and

roll again on the tables provided there.

If the passage divides at an intersection or has a

side branch, choose a path and roll again on the Cor-

ridors table. If the corridor continues and also has a

door or stairs, choose either the corridor or the door

or stairs and roll on the appropriate table. You decide

RANDOM DUNGEONSRANDOM DUNGEONS

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

191

which square an opening, door, or stairway is in, either

by drawing it on the map or aligning a dungeon tile

the way you want.

If the corridor dead-ends, choose a different exit

and roll on the indicated table.

Result of 20: A roll of 20 results in a random

encounter of some sort, whether a trap or hazard, or

one or more monsters. See the “Random Encounters”

section starting on page 193 for help on working out

what’s there.

CORRIDORS

d20 Corridor

1 Straight 4 squares

2 Straight 8 squares

3–5 Ends in door

6 Straight 4 squares, door on right

7 Straight 4 squares, door on left

8 Straight 4 squares, side passage on right

9 Straight 4 squares, side passage on left

10 Three-way intersection (“T”)

11 Four-way intersection

12 90-degree turn left

13 90-degree turn right

14–15 Ends in chamber (no door)

16 Ends in stairs

17 Straight 4 squares, stairs on right

18 Straight 4 squares, stairs on left

19 Dead end

20 Random encounter

Doors

The first step in creating random doors is deciding

whether they’re all easy to open or not. If you want

doors of varying difficulty, consult the Door Types

table first. The door’s material determines how hard it

is to open, with difficulty increasing by tier (roll on the

applicable column). Refer to page xx in Chapter 4 for

details of different sorts of doors and portcullises.

DOOR TYPES

Door Type

d20 Heroic Paragon Epic

1–4 Not stuck Barred Stone

or locked

5–8 Wooden Stone Iron

9–11 Barred Iron Wooden

or locked portcullis

12–14 Stone Wooden Adamantine

portcullis

15–17 Iron Adamantine Iron portcullis

18–20 Wooden Iron portcullis Adamantine

portcullis portcullis

After deciding on the door’s difficulty, roll another

d20 and refer to the following table to see what lies

beyond.

BEYOND A DOOR

d20 Feature

1–2 Corridor left and right

3–8 Corridor straight ahead

9–18 Chamber

19 Stairs

20 False door plus trap

Result of 1–8: If the die roll results in a corridor of

some sort, refer to the “Corridors” section below and

roll again on that table.

Result of 9–18: If the die roll results in a chamber,

refer to the “Chambers” section below and roll again

on the tables there.

Result of 19: If the die roll indicates stairs, refer to

the “Stairs” section below and roll again on that table.

If your dungeon has only one floor, reroll this result or

substitute another kind of exit.

Result of 20: A roll of 20 results in a false door that

triggers a trap. See “Traps and Hazards” in Chapter 5

to choose a suitable trap for your characters’ level.

Chambers

Quite often, a door or corridor leads into a chamber

of some kind. Although small rooms are possible,

larger areas work better for combat since they allow

more movement choices and varied terrain. The

chambers provided in the following table are big

enough to leave lots of space for the party and mon-

sters or hazards.

First roll on the Chamber Size and Shape table,

then refer to the Chamber Exits table to determine

how many exits lead out (the way in doesn’t count).

You’ll have to decide how many exits are in which

walls, or you can choose a suitable dungeon tile

with the right number. For each exit that isn’t stairs,

roll another d20 to see if it’s a door or a corridor. If

your dungeon has only one floor, reroll a result that

includes stairs, or substitute another kind of exit.

CHAMBER SIZE AND SHAPE

d20 Chamber

1–2 Square, 8 × 8 squares

3–4 Square, 10 × 10 squares

5–6 Rectangle, 6 × 8 squares

7–8 Rectangle, 8 × 10 squares

9–10 Rectangle, 10 × 16 squares

11–12 Octagon, 8 × 8 squares

13–14 Octagon, 8 × 12 squares

15–16 Octagon, 12 × 12 squares

17–18 Irregular, roughly 8 × 10 squares

19–20 Irregular, roughly 10 × 16 squares

RANDOM DUNGEONSRANDOM DUNGEONS

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192

CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

CHAMBER EXITS

d20 Exits

1–5 None

6–11 One

12–15 Two

16–17 Three

18 Four

19 Stairs only

20 One exit plus stairs

For each exit other than stairs, roll 1d20:

1–10, exit is a door

11–20, exit is a corridor

Finally, roll on the following table for unusual features

in the chamber, placing them as you wish. You can

roll more than once if you want to, or have multiple

squares contain the same feature, but watch out for

crowding. The “Terrain Features” section of Chapter 4

has more advice about using terrain effectively.

CHAMBER FEATURES

d20 Features

1–3 Rubble or other difficult terrain

4–5 Crevasse or chasm

6–7 Statue, obelisk, or similar object

8–9 Pit

10–13 Pool, fountain, or basin

14–16 Furniture

17–18 Altar, brazier, or arcane symbol on floor

19 Platform or dais

20 Sarcophagus

Stairs

The existence of stairs presumes a dungeon with more

than one floor. If you want to keep your dungeon

simple, reroll stairs results from other tables or replace

them with other kinds of features.

For the purpose of this entry, “stairs” includes other

means of going up and down, such as chimneys, shafts

(with or without elevators), and ladders. The distance

between the floors of your dungeon is up to you; 30

feet is a good starting number.

STAIRS

d20 Stairs

1 Up to dead end

2 Down to dead end

3–9 Down one floor

10–14 Up one floor

15–17 Trapdoor plus ladder up one floor

18–19 Trapdoor plus ladder down one floor

20 Shaft up and down, one floor each way

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

193

Sometimes you need a group of monsters to chal-

lenge your characters on the spur of the moment. This

section shows you how to populate those random dun-

geons with challenging encounters. This is also where

we at last reveal the secret of how to play D&D without

a Dungeon Master!

A random encounter is usually less complex than

one you craft yourself, but it doesn’t have to be any less

fun. You can create interesting tactical challenges with

a few die rolls.

Encounter Basics

Before you create your random encounter, you need to

establish its difficulty and basic nature.

To determine the difficulty of the encounter, roll a

d20 and consult the following table.

ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY

d20 Difficulty

1–4 Easy

5–16 Moderate

17–20 Hard

Now, roll d10 on the Encounter Template table below

to determine the sort of encounter. Encounter tem-

plates are described in Chapter 4.

ENCOUNTER TEMPLATE

d10 Template

1–2 Commander and troops

3–4 Wolf pack

5–6 Dragon’s den

7–8 Battlefield control

9–10 Double line

If you want more variety, and an opportunity to work

traps and hazards (see Chapter 5) into the process, roll

d10 again and consult the Encounter Extra Feature

table below.

ENCOUNTER EXTRA FEATURE

d10 Extra Feature

1–4 No extra feature

5 Replace one monster with trap

6 Replace one monster with hazard

7 Replace one monster with lurker

8 As template from above, but add a trap

9 As template from above, but add a hazard

10 As template from above, but add a lurker

Each encounter template in Chapter 4 suggests a com-

position for various difficulty levels. If the template

offers multiple options for a given difficulty (such as

the wolf pack), you can either choose one or randomly

select it.

Then comes the tricky part: choosing specific mon-

sters (or traps and hazards) to build the encounter. For

traps and hazards, choose an example in Chapter 5

that’s closest to the level you want. For monsters, your

best bet is to use the Monster Manual’s list of monsters

by role and level. You can either choose the creatures

you want from the list or roll them randomly. Let’s say

you’re creating a commander and troops encounter

for a 4th-level party, and you need 4th-level soldiers or

brutes to fill it out. The Monster Manual includes four

4th-level brutes and three 4th-level soldiers. To choose

randomly from the seven available monsters, roll a

d8. If you get a result of 8, choose a 5th-level monster

instead.

RANDOM ENCOUNTERSRANDOM ENCOUNTERS

ANNE STOKES

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

The Encounter Deck

You can generate random encounters by assembling

a deck of cards that represent monsters, traps, and

hazards. The stat cards included with D&D Miniatures

Game products are ideal for this purpose, since they

present brief monster statistics for easy reference. This

approach requires some preparation but gives fun and

flexible results.

Before the game, you need to assemble an encoun-

ter deck. For an adventure containing eight to ten

encounters, aim for about fifty cards. You probably

won’t use them all, but this mix allows a nice variety.

Create a mix of roles close to the following list.

MONSTER MIX

✦ 18 soldiers or brutes

✦ 14 skirmishers

✦ 5 minions

✦ 5 artillery

✦ 5 controllers

✦ 2 lurkers

✦ 1 solo

Within this selection of monsters, put together a range

of challenges along the following lines. In each case,

“Level” refers to the level of the characters.

MONSTER LEVEL

✦7 of Level – 2

✦30 within Level – 1 to Level + 1

✦8 of Level + 2 or Level + 3

✦5 of Level + 4 or Level + 5

You can choose monsters at random, but you can

create more interesting and flavorful encounters by

working with a theme, such as aberrant monsters or

evil cultists. Mixing themes works well—along with

the aberrant creatures, for example, you could have a

strong contingent of demons and demon-worshipers.

Multiple cards might well represent the same monster.

Generating Encounters

When it’s time to generate an encounter, draw one

card from the deck for each character in the party

Each card stands for one monster of that role, with two

exceptions. A card that indicates a soldier or brute rep-

resents two of the same monster, while each minion

card represents four creatures.

Once you’ve drawn all your cards, assemble an

encounter using the following principles. Shuffle any

cards you don’t use back into the deck for the next

encounter.

RALHP HORSLEY

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CHAPTER 10 | The DM’s Toolbox

195

✦ Each encounter should contain two brutes or sol-

diers plus two or three monsters of other roles. If

your group has more than five players, add a mon-

ster for each additional character.

✦ If you draw a lurker, set it aside and draw another

card. Build an encounter from the rest of the cards

and the new one, then add the lurker to the mix.

✦ A solo monster is the only creature in the encoun-

ter. Return all the others to the deck.

If certain monsters seem to naturally fit together in a

certain situation, simply choose them from the deck

instead of drawing randomly.

Twists

You can add special characteristics to some of the

cards in your deck to liven up your encounters and

make them feel more like an adventure.

Boss: Add a card for a powerful monster (six or

seven levels above that of the characters) and designate

it as the “boss,” the main villain of the adventure. The

party’s goal is to defeat that monster. The first time you

draw the card, don’t add it to the encounter—draw a

replacement and shuffle the first back into the deck.

Doing this give the characters their first tantalizing

glimpse, setting up the later showdown with that

enemy. The boss might be seen slipping out a door

behind the other creatures, or standing at a safe van-

tage point to watch the progress of the battle. (This is a

fine opportunity for it to utter a taunt such as “You’ve

fallen into my trap, foolish adventurers!” and then

laugh maniacally before getting away.) A really tricky

boss might escape twice before finally confronting the

adventurers.

Another way to handle a boss monster is to leave

its card out of the deck at the beginning of the adven-

ture. After the PCs have defeated one or two monsters

you’ve designated as key, shuffle the card into the

deck. For example, you might decide that the boss will

arrive after the party encounters your solo monster.

Evolving Deck: To create a sense of progress,

you can have your dungeon change over time. To do

so, start with one encounter deck. As the characters

advance through the dungeon, add in cards from a

second deck of more difficult encounters.

To use this option, you’ll need to create two encoun-

ter decks, with the creatures in the second of higher

level than those in the first. Whenever the party

defeats monsters, springs traps, or overcomes hazards

in the first deck, replace those cards with an equal

number of random cards from the second deck. As the

adventure continues, the encounters become tougher

and tougher.

You can combine this option with a boss monster.

In this situation, leave out the boss’s card until the

characters defeat one or more creatures from the

second deck. Then shuffle its card into the second

deck.

For an interesting variant, try giving the two decks

different themes. The first deck might contain mostly

vermin and beasts, while the second is made up of

evil clerics, their undead creatures, and their human-

oid guards. In this example, the characters are out

to locate and destroy an evil temple. They start out

encountering miscellaneous dungeon denizens but

then run into members of the temple, leading to the

final battle.

Traps and Hazards: You can add traps, hazards,

and interesting terrain features to your random

encounters. To do this, include cards representing

them, in addition to your fifty monster cards. Each

time one of these cards comes up, add it to the encoun-

ter and draw another card from the encounter deck.

Playing without a DM

This might seem to be strange advice for a Dungeon

Master’s Guide, but it’s entirely possible to play D&D

without a Dungeon Master. If all you’re looking for

is fun and exciting combat, with no more than the

barest hint of plot or purpose, a random dungeon with

a random encounter deck is all you need. Someone

needs to prepare the deck, and someone needs to run

the monsters during the game. They doesn’t need to be

the same person. All the players can decide together

what the monsters do, and let the player who’s the

target of an attack make that attack roll (or have the

person to the left roll for the monsters).

A random dungeon with no DM makes for a good

way to spend a game session when your regular DM

can’t play. It’s also a fun activity over a lunch hour, as

long as your school or office is forgiving of a group of

people rolling dice and shouting battle cries!

THE ENCOUNTER DECKTHE ENCOUNTER DECK

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Where do the player characters go when

they’re not battling through dismal dungeons or

exploring ancient ruins? Where do they go to spend

the treasure they win and rest up for the next

adventure? The answer is simple: a base town.

A base town is a haven where the heroes can

interact with patrons, listen for rumors, sell art

objects or magic items, and buy new gear. It

might be an elven tree-village that happens to be

located near a dungeon the heroes are exploring,

a prosperous human trade-town that interesting

people pass through, an isolated dwarf stronghold

in the borderlands, or a true city inhabited by

thousands of people. Whatever the nature of the

base town, it’s the place your player characters return

to between adventures, and the place where new

adventures begin.

This chapter introduces a town called Fallcrest,

which you can use as a base town for your first

D&D game.

✦The Town of Fallcrest: This section is a brief

description of the town’s story, important

characters, and noteworthy locales. Fallcrest

provides adventurers with inns to sleep in,

taverns to frequent, merchants to barter with, and

contacts or patrons who can point them at the next

adventure.

✦The Nentir Vale: The region surrounding

Fallcrest is a thinly settled frontier dotted with

ruins and monster lairs. This section is an overview

of the lands around Fallcrest.

✦Involving the Players: In this section we provide

suggestions for giving your player characters story

connections to Fallcrest and its people.

✦Kobold Hall: The chapter concludes with a ready-

to-play beginning adventure: Kobold Hall. If

you’re looking for a chance to start being a

Dungeon Master, this adventure is for you.

196

CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

CHAPTER 11

FallcrestFall c r es t

RALPH HORSLEY

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

Fallcrest stands amid the Moon Hills at the falls of the

Nentir River. Here travelers and traders using the old

King’s Road that runs north and south, the dwarven

Trade Road from the east, and the river all meet. The

surrounding ridges shelter several small valleys where

farmers and woodsfolk live; few are more than six or

seven miles from the town. In general the people out-

side Fallcrest’s walls earn their living by farming or

keeping livestock, and the people inside the walls are

artisans, laborers, or merchants. People with no other

prospects can make a hard living as porters, carrying

cargo from the Lower Quays to the Upper Quays (or

vice versa).

Fallcrest imports finished goods from the larger

cities downriver and ironwork from the dwarf town

of Hammerfast, and exports timber, leather, fruit,

and grain. It also trades with the nearby town of Win-

terhaven. The surrounding hills hold several marble

quarries that once produced a good deal of stone, but

the area has little demand for ornamental stone these

days, and only a few stonecutters still practice their

trade.

FALLCREST

A small town built from the ruins of a larger city, Fallcrest is

the crossroads of the Nentir Vale.

Population: 1,350; another 900 or so live in the countryside

within a few miles of the town. The people of Fallcrest are

mostly humans, halflings, and dwarves. No dragonborn or

eladrin are permanent residents, but travelers of all races

pass through on occasion.

Government: The human noble Faren Markelhay is the Lord

Warden (hereditary lord) of the town. He is in charge of

the town’s justice, defense, and laws. The Lord Warden

appoints a town council to look after routine commerce

and public projects.

Defense: The Fallcrest Guard numbers sixty warriors (see

the accompanying statistics block), who also serve as

constables. Moonstone Keep is their barracks. The Lord

Warden can call up 350 militia at need.

Inns: Nentir Inn; Silver Unicorn. The Silver Unicorn is pricier

and offers better service; the Nentir Inn sees a more

interesting clientele.

Taverns: Blue Moon Alehouse; Lucky Gnome Taphouse;

Nentir Inn taproom.

Supplies: Halfmoon Trading House; Sandercot Provisioners.

Temples: Temple of Erathis; Moonsong Temple (Sehanine);

House of the Sun (Pelor).

Fallcrest’s Story

Up until four centuries or so ago, the Moon Hills and

the surrounding Nentir Vale were thinly settled bor-

derlands, home to quarrelsome human hill-chieftains

and remote realms of nonhumans such as dwarves

and elves. Giants, minotaurs, orcs, ogres, and goblins

plagued the area. Ruins such as those on the Gray

Downs or the ring-forts atop the Old Hills date back

to these days, as do stories of the hero Vendar and the

dragon of the Nentir.

With the rise of the empire of Nerath to the

south, human settlers began to move up the Nentir,

establishing towns such as Fastormel, Harkenwold,

and Winterhaven. A Nerathan hero named Aranda

Markelhay obtained a charter to build a keep at the

portage of the Nentir Falls. She raised a simple tower

at the site of Moonstone Keep three hundred ten years

ago, and under its protection the town of Fallcrest

began to grow.

Over the next two centuries, Fallcrest grew into a

small and prosperous city. It was a natural crossroads

for trade, and the Markelhays ruled it well. When

the empire of Nerath began to crumble about a cen-

tury ago, Fallcrest continued to flourish—for a time.

Ninety years ago, a fierce horde of orcs known as the

Bloodspears descended from the Stonemarch and

swept over the vale. Fallcrest’s army was defeated in a

rash attempt to halt the Bloodspears out on Gardbury

Downs. The Bloodspears burned and pillaged Fall-

crest and went on to wreak havoc all across the Nentir

Vale.

In the decades since the Bloodspear War, Fall-

crest has struggled to reestablish itself. The town is a

shadow of the former city; little trade passes up and

down the river these days. The countryside for scores

of miles around is dotted with abandoned homesteads

and manors from the days of Nerath. Once again the

Nentir Vale is a thinly settled borderland where few

folk live. This is a place in need of a few heroes.

Key Locations

Fallcrest is divided into two districts by a steep bluff

that cuts across the town. The area north of the bluff is

known locally as Hightown. This district survived the

city’s fall in relatively good shape, and it was the first

area resettled. To the south of the bluff lies Lowtown,

which tends to be newer and poorer. In the event of

a serious threat, people retreat up to Hightown—the

bluff and the town walls completely ring this part of

Fallcrest, making it highly defensible.

The map on the facing page depicts all the num-

bered locations discussed in this section. Four of the

locations include statistics for nonplayer characters

who might come into conflict with the PCs.

1. Tower of Waiting

This old fortification was built on a small island in the

Nentir to guard the city from any waterborne attack

from the north. It fell into ruin even before the sack of

the old city, and now is little more than an empty shell

overrun by mice and birds.

THE TOWN OF FALLCRESTTHE TOWN OF FALLCREST

MIKE SCHLEY

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

DM Tip: According to local legend, the tower was

once a prison for nobles who were too well connected

to be killed out of hand or mistreated. The ghost of an

evil princess who dabbled in demon worship haunts

the tower. You can build your own small dungeon

beneath the ruins, featuring a wrathful specter and

minor demons.

2. Upper Quays

Boats proceeding down the Nentir must stop here and

offload their cargo, which is then portaged through

the town to the Lower Quays and loaded onto boats

below the falls. Likewise, cargo heading in the other

direction is carried up to these quays and loaded

aboard boats bound upstream.

A surly dwarf pugilist named Barstomun Strong-

beard runs the porters’ guild, and he takes a cut of

any wages paid to laborers carrying cargo up or down

around the falls. Barstomun and his thugs are trying

to extend their reach by intimidating merchants who

send their goods overland and forcing them to hire

guild porters for any cargo handling in town.

Barstomun Strongbeard Level 4 Brute

Medium natural humanoid, dwarf XP 175

Initiative +3 Senses Perception +4; low-light vision

HP 67; Bloodied 33

AC 16; Fortitude 18, Reﬂ ex 15, Will 15

Saving Throws +5 against poison e ects

Speed 5

mFist Pummel (standard; at-will)

+7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage.

MQuick Punch (minor; at-will)

+7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage.

Dodge and Throw (immediate reaction; encounter; after an enemy

misses with a melee attack)

+7 vs Fortitude; slide target 1, and target is knocked prone.

Stand Your Ground

When an e ect forces Barstomun to move—through a push, a

pull, or a slide—he moves 1 square less than the e ect speciﬁ es.

When an attack would knock Barstomun prone, he can

immediately make a saving throw to avoid falling prone.

Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Dwarven

Skills Endurance +7

Str 18 (+6) Dex 13 (+3) Wis 13 (+3)

Con 17 (+5) Int 11 (+2) Cha 8 (+1)

3. Five-Arch Bridge

Dwarf artisans from the citadel of Hammerfast built

a fine stone bridge over the Nentir two hundred years

ago. Although the bridge was destroyed when Fallcrest

fell, the great stone piers supporting it remained intact,

so a few years back the people of the town laid a new

timber trestle over the old stone footings.

A small toll house guards the western side of the

bridge. Five Fallcrest guards under the command of

Sergeant Thurmina watch this post. They collect a

toll of 1 cp per head (and 1 sp per mount) making use

of the bridge in either direction. Thurmina is a gruff

woman who has been known to turn a blind eye to odd

cargo moving over the bridge when paid to do so.

The river current begins to pick up on the south

side of the bridge. Boats (or swimmers) venturing far

from the banks are in danger of being carried over the

falls.

4. Nentir Inn

A fine new building constructed of fieldstone and

strong timber, the Nentir Inn stands on the west bank

of the river. Merchants from Winterhaven or Ham-

merfast make up the clientele, along with travelers

who happen to be passing through. A good room with

two single beds goes for 5 sp per night. The Nentir Inn

also boasts a lively taproom, which is popular with the

folk who live in the vales on the west bank of the river.

The proprietor is a charming half-elf named

Erandil Zemoar who showed up in Fallcrest one day

about two years ago, bought land, and built an inn.

The money that Erandil used to set up the Nentir

isn’t his; he charmed an aging noblewoman in the far

south out of her fortune, and fled one step ahead of the

authorities.

One of the Nentir Inn’s current guests is an expatri-

ate noble from the south named Serim Selduzar, who

harbors ambitions against Fallcrest. This tiefling is

clever and feigns good humor about his “present unfor-

tunate circumstances,” and he has a wickedly sarcastic

streak to his wit. Serim claims to be the third son of a

southern noble with little prospect to inherit. He tells

inquirers that he is thinking of establishing a small

manor somewhere nearby, but in truth he has set his

sights on arranging the downfall of the Markelhay

family and installing himself as the new Lord Warden.

The tiefling is looking for capable associates to help

him, and a band of enthusiastic adventurers would

suit his purposes admirably. Given the chance, Serim

befriends the player characters in the hope that he

might dupe them into overthrowing the Markelhays

for him.

5. Knight’s Gate

Fallcrest’s northern city gate is known as Knight’s

Gate, because the Lord Warden’s riders normally

come and go from the city by this road. The gate con-

sists of strong outer doors of iron-reinforced timber

and an inner portcullis between a pair of small stone

towers. The portcullis is normally lowered at sunset,

and the gates close only in times of danger.

The gatehouse barracks accommodates five Fall-

crest guards plus Sergeant Nereth, who commands

this gate. He is a stiff-necked fussbudget who rigor-

ously enforces all rules; the guards stationed here can’t

stand their sergeant.

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

201

THE TOWN WALLS

Fallcrest’s Hightown is guarded on two sides by a wall (the

river and the bluffs protect the other two sides). It consists

of two parallel barriers of stone block with a few feet of

fill between them, and stands about 20 feet tall. Every

hundred yards or so, a small tower strengthens the wall.

Two pairs of sentries (Fallcrest guards from the castle) walk

the wall tops at night, but unless danger is imminent, the

towers are left locked and aren’t manned. The gatehouses

are permanently garrisoned.

6. Silver Unicorn Inn

For many years, the Silver Unicorn has billed itself

as “the Pride of Fallcrest,” charging high rates for its

attentive service and well-appointed rooms. The recent

opening of the Nentir Inn put a big dent in the Silver

Unicorn’s business, and the owner, a stern halfling

matriarch named Wisara Osterman, strongly disap-

proves. She’s certain that there is something shifty

about Erandil Zemoar, but can’t put her finger on it.

A room in the Silver Unicorn costs 2 gp per night.

7. Halfmoon Trading House

The Halfmoon family is a large, far-flung clan of

halflings who keep small trading posts in several set-

tlements throughout the Nentir Vale. This is the largest

and most important of those establishments. It’s under

the care of Selarund Halfmoon, a friendly halfling

who dispenses a never-ending stream of advice to his

customers, such as, “It never rains but as someone

gets wet!” or “A nail ain’t afraid of a hammer with no

handle!” No one knows what he’s talking about most of

the time, but Selarund is more sly than he lets on and

keeps a close eye on events all around the town.

The Halfmoon Trading House is an excellent place

to buy any of the mundane tools, gear, supplies, or

clothing mentioned in the Player’s Handbook.

8. Moonstone Keep

The seat of Lord Warden Faren Markelhay, Moonstone

Keep is an old castle that sits atop a steep-sided hill

overlooking the town. The outer bailey includes bar-

racks housing up to sixty Fallcrest guards. At any given

time about twenty or so are off-duty. Other buildings

in the courtyard include a stable, an armory, a chapel,

a smithy, and several storehouses. The keep is the large

D-shaped building at the north end of the castle.

Faren Markelhay is a balding, middle-aged human

with a keen mind and a dry wit. He is a busy man and

sees to local matters personally, so adventurers calling

on him are likely to wait a long time for a short inter-

view. However, he is eager for news of other towns in

the Vale (and farther lands as well) and never turns

away someone who brings him news or waits to see

him.

THE TOWN OF FALLCRESTTHE TOWN OF FALLCREST

WAYNE REYNOLDS

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

DM Tip: The Lord Warden is always on the lookout

for traveling sellswords or adventurers who might take

on a contract to clear out a nest of bandits, drive off a

dangerous beast, or escort a valuable cargo to its desti-

nation. The kobolds of Kobold Hall have been causing

trouble on the King’s Road lately, and they’re at the top

of his list; if the player characters are looking for work,

Lord Markelhay points them toward Kobold Hall first

(see the adventure later in this chapter). He also has

word of trouble in the town of Winterhaven, and he

encourages player characters to consider helping the

Lord Mayor of that town.

Lord Markelhay’s wife is Lady Allande Markelhay

(female human wizard 4). She is a cool and reserved

woman ten years younger than her husband. A student

of the arcane arts, she uses her powers to advise her

husband. They have four children; the eldest, Ernesto,

is currently away in the south, living in the court of

another ruler.

9. The Tombwood

Along the southern slopes of Moonstone Hill grows

a large thicket that has never been entirely cleared.

Within its tangled paths lies the old castle cemetery

(now heavily overgrown), as well as a battle-mound

dating back centuries.

DM Tip: These old crypts are linked by secret pas-

sages to dangerous, sealed-off parts of the Moonstone

Caverns beneath the town. You can create your own

dungeon here.

10. House of the Sun

When Fallcrest was a larger city, it supported several

good-sized temples located in the Hightown districts.

With the town’s depopulation, several of these were

abandoned, including the House of the Sun, a temple

dedicated to Pelor. The place also includes shrines to

Kord and Bahamut. Recently, a zealous dwarf priest

of Pelor named Grundelmar came to Fallcrest from

Hammerfast and reestablished this old temple. Grun-

delmar is loud and opinionated, a real fire-breather

who goes on and on about smiting evil wherever it

might lurk.

DM Tip: Grundelmar is worried about conditions

on the Trade Road, and he strongly encourages any

would-be heroes to search out the bandit lair of Raven

Roost and deal with the outlaws. This lair is a good

opportunity to build your own dungeon.

11. House Azaer

A small, well-off trading company, House Azaer is

owned by the tieflings of the Azaer family. They

import goods (including arms and armor) from Ham-

merfast, Harkenwold, and the lands to the south, and

organize caravans up to Winterhaven several times

a year. House Azaer is an excellent place to purchase

nearly any mundane equipment from the Player’s

Handbook, although its prices are a little on the high

side.

Amara Azaer is in charge of the house business

in Fallcrest, and spends her time on the premises.

Though young, the tiefling is quite sharp and doesn’t

miss an opportunity for profit in running the Azaer

business.

12. The Nentir Falls

Here the Nentir River descends nearly 200 feet in

three striking shelflike drops. On the small island in

the middle of the falls stands the statue of an ancient

human hero named Vendar, holding up his hand as

if to challenge enemies approaching from downriver.

Local legend tells that Vendar slew a dragon whose lair

was hidden in caverns beneath the falls.

13. Temple of Erathis

This large, impressive stone temple is finished with

Fallcrest’s native marble. Its chapel is a large rotunda

with a 30-foot-tall dome. The temple of Erathis is the

largest and most influential temple in town. The place

also includes shrines to Ioun and Moradin.

High Priest Dirina Mornbrow oversees two lesser

priests and several acolytes—townsfolk who spend part

of their day tending the temple. Dirina is a woman

of about sixty who is convinced of the superiority of

Erathis’s dogma, and disappointed that more people

in Fallcrest don’t pay proper reverence to “our city’s

patron god.” She is familiar with several divination

and restoration rituals and can aid adventurers with

ritual magic at need—for an appropriate gift to Erathis,

of course. She has limited access to the following ritual

scrolls: Hand of Fate (1), Cure Disease (4), Raise Dead

(1), Remove Aff liction (2).

14. The Bluffs

Fallcrest is divided in half by a great cliff snaking

northwest to southeast across the town. The bluffs

average 150 to 250 feet in height. They are not strictly

vertical, but are too tall and steep to be easily climbed.

Someone leaping (or pushed) off the upper edge would

fall and roll about 2d6 [ts] 10 feet before sliding to a

stop, likely on a precarious ledge.

15. The Catacombs

The limestone bluffs between Hightown and Lowtown

hold a number of caves, which the folk of Fallcrest

have used as burial crypts for centuries. As caves fill

up, they are walled off and forgotten about. Naturally,

stories abound in town about treasure hoards hidden

away in the crypts, and the restless undead that guard

them.

DM Tip: The stories are in part true; portions of

the catacombs now in use are safe enough, but explor-

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

203

19. Naerumar’s Imports

Considered the finest of Fallcrest’s retail establish-

ments, Naerumar’s Imports deals in gemstones,

jewelry, art, and magic trinkets. The owner is Orest

Naerumar, a tiefling who displays impeccable man-

ners and discretion. Orest corresponds with relatives

and colleagues in several towns and cities outside

the Nentir Vale; given a few weeks, he can order in

low-level magic items or other items of unusual value.

Similarly, Orest purchases interesting items such as

these, since other dealers in distant towns or cities

might be looking for them.

Orest doesn’t ask questions about where characters

in his store found the goods they’re selling to him,

but he is not a fence—if he knows that something was

obtained illegally, he declines to purchase it.

DM Tip: Orest normally arranges for halflings

of the Swiftwater clan to transport special orders—

jewelry, gems, or magic items of value. However, he

sometimes makes other arrangements for items that

seem especially valuable or dangerous. If the player

characters are looking for something to do, Orest can

hire them to carry or guard exceptionally valuable

goods he’s sending to a merchant in another town.

Orest Naerumar Level 8 Skirmisher

Medium natural humanoid, tiefling rogue XP 350

Initiative +8 Senses Perception +5; low-light vision

HP 79; Bloodied 39

AC 21; Fortitude 19, Reﬂ ex 23, Will 22

Resist ﬁ r e 9

Speed 6

mDagger +1 (standard; at-will) ✦Weapon

+11 vs. AC; 1d4 + 1 damage.

MSly Flourish (standard; at-will) ✦Martial, Weapon

+14 vs. AC; 1d4 + 9 damage.

MDazing Strike (standard; encounter) ✦Martial, Weapon

+14 vs. AC; 1d4 + 4 damage and target dazed until the end of

Orest’s next turn.

Infernal Wrath (minor; encounter)

Orest gains a +1 power bonus to his next attack roll against an

enemy that hit him since his last turn. If the attack hits and deals

damage, Orest deals an extra 5 damage.

First Strike

At the start of an encounter, Orest has combat advantage against

any creatures that have not yet acted.

Sneak Attack

Once per round, Orest gains +2d6 damage when he has combat

advantage.

Bloodhunt

Orest gains a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against bloodied

foes.

Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Dwarven

Skills Bluff +13, Diplomacy +14, Insight +11, Stealth +10

Str 13 (+5) Dex 19 (+8) Wis 14 (+6)

Con 15 (+6) Int 15 (+6) Cha 20 (+9)

Equipment usually unarmored, might carry a level 6 through 8

magic dagger

ers forcing their way into older portions might stumble

into deadly traps, ancient curses, evil shrines, and

more than a few malevolent undead.

16. Moonsong Temple

The third of Fallcrest’s temples is devoted to Sehanine.

It also includes shrines to Corellon, Melora, and Avan-

dra. The Markelhays regard Sehanine as their special

patron, and over the years they have given generously

to the temple. The temple occupies a commanding

position atop the bluffs, and its white minarets can be

seen from any corner of Lowtown.

The leader of the temple is High Priest Ressilmae

Starlight, a wise and compassionate elf who finished

adventuring decades ago and retired to a contempla-

tive life. He is a musician of great skill who happily

tutors the local children, even those who are poor and

can’t afford to pay for their lessons. He has limited

access to the following ritual scrolls: Cure Disease (2),

Raise Dead (1), Remove Affliction (1).

17. Fallcrest Stables

Lannar Thistleton owns this business, providing trav-

elers with tack, harness, stabling, shoeing, wagons,

and just about anything dealing with horses, mules, or

ponies. He keeps a larger corral about a mile outside

of town, and at any given time Lannar has several

riding horses, draft horses, or mules in his paddock

near Wizard’s Gate. The halfling is an excellent source

of rumors, since he sees the travelers coming or going

by the roads. He is a friendly fellow of about forty,

with a large brood of children at his home out in the

countryside.

18. Wizard’s Gate

Fallcrest’s eastern city gate is known as Wizard’s Gate,

because it’s the gate most convenient to the Septarch’s

Tower. The road to the east travels a few miles into the

surrounding hills, linking a number of outlying farms

and homesteads with the town.

The gate resembles Knight’s Gate in construc-

tion, and is similarly watched by a detachment of five

guards and a sergeant. The leader of this detachment

is Sergeant Murgeddin, a dwarf veteran who fought

in the Bloodspear War and was present at the Battle

of Gardbury, where Fallcrest’s army was defeated.

A friendly drink goes a long way toward loosening

Murgeddin’s tongue about that long-ago war.

DM Tip: During the battle, Murgeddin saw the

old Lord Markelhay flee into the catacombs under

the Gardmore Abbey and never come out. The dwarf

suspects that the ancestral sword of the Markelhays—

Aranda Markelhay’s magic longsword Moonbane—lies

somewhere below the abbey. You can create your own

dungeon in the ruins of the abbey.

THE TOWN OF FALLCRESTTHE TOWN OF FALLCREST

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

20. Kamroth Estate

This is the home of the self-styled “lord” Armos Kam-

roth, a wealthy landowner who collects rents from

scores of farmers and herders living in the countryside

nearby. Armos is a brusque, balding man of about fifty

who makes a show of loaning money in good faith and

exacting only what the law allows—but somehow he

has quietly bought up dozens of free farms over the

years and turned their owners into his tenants.

Armos is a miser of the worst kind and is secretly

a devotee of Tiamat. He leads a small circle of like-

minded folk who meet secretly in hidden vaults

beneath his comfortable estate. Any news of treasure

discovered by itinerant heroes inflames his avarice

and leads him to begin scheming for ways to part the

adventurers from their wealth.

Armos Kamroth Level 5 Controller (leader)

Medium natural humanoid, human cleric XP 200

Initiative +3 Senses Perception +6

HP 54; Bloodied 27

AC 18; Fortitude 16, Reﬂ ex 15, Will 20

Speed 5

m Mace (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon

+7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage.

R Lance of Faith (standard; at-will ) ✦ Divine, Implement

Ranged 5; +7 vs. Reﬂ ex; 1d8 + 5 damage, and one ally gains a +2

power bonus to his next attack against the target.

R Cause Fear (standard; encounter) ✦Divine, Implement

Ranged 10; +7 vs. Will; the target moves its speed + 1 away from

Armos. The ﬂ eeing target avoids unsafe squares and di cult

terrain if it can. This movement provokes opportunity attacks.

Divine Fortune (free; encounter ) ✦Divine

Armos gains a +1 bonus to his next attack roll or saving throw

before the end of his next turn.

Healing Word (minor; 2/encounter ) ✦ Divine, Healing

Close burst 5; you or one ally can spend a healing surge and

regain an additional 1d6 hit points.

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic

Skills Diplomacy +8, Religion +7

Str 14 (+4) Dex 12 (+3) Wis 18 (+6)

Con 14 (+4) Int 11 (+2) Cha 12 (+3)

Equipment chainmail, mace, symbol of Tiamat worn under shirt

21. Moonwash Falls

A small, swift stream known as the Moonwash flows

through Fallcrest to meet the Nentir River. The stream

is rarely more than 20 feet wide or 5 feet deep. The

town’s children love to play in the pool at the base of

the falls in the summertime.

22. Septarch’s Tower

This lonely structure is a tall, seven-sided spire of pale

green stone that doesn’t match anything else in the

town. In the days before the Bloodspear War, this was

the seat of Fallcrest’s mages’ guild—an order of a dozen

or so wizards and arcane scholars. Defensive enchant-

ments prevented the orcs from sacking the tower, but

the guild’s members died fighting for the city or fled to

safer lands.

The tower is now the property of Nimozaran the

Green, an elderly wizard who was once apprenticed

to the last of the old guild mages. Nimozaran con-

siders himself the “High Septarch of Fallcrest” and

master of the guild, whose membership now includes

only himself and a rather unpromising male halfling

apprentice named Tobolar Quickfoot. Nimozaran

expects any potential new guild members to pay a

hefty initiation fee, and so far none of the few other

arcanists living in or passing through Fallcrest have

seen reason to join. He can teach a limited number

of rituals, including Comprehend Language, Eye of

Alarm, and Enchant Magic Item.

The topmost level of the tower is a room that

includes a permanent teleportation circle. Characters

using travel rituals can set this circle as their destina-

tion (although they’ll certainly startle old Nimozaran if

they do).

23. Blue Moon Alehouse

This brewhouse on the banks of the Moonwash Stream

is the best tavern in Fallcrest. The owner is a nervous,

easily flustered fellow of fifty or so named Par Win-

nomer. The true genius behind the Blue Moon is the

halfling brewmaster Kemara Brownbottle. She is

happy to let Par fret about running the taphouse, while

she spends her time perfecting her selection of ales

and beers.

The Blue Moon is popular with halfling traders

whose boats tie up along the Lower Quay, well-off

town merchants, and the farmers who live in the coun-

tryside south of Fallcrest. The old dwarves Teldorthan

(area 24) and Sergeant Murgeddin (area 18) hoist a

tankard or two here on frequent occasion, and both

can provide beginning adventurers with good leads on

potential adventures.

24. Teldorthan’s Arms

The dwarf Teldorthan Ironhews is the town’s weapon-

smith and armorer. He is a garrulous old fellow who

spends his time trading stories with his customers

with a pipe clenched in his teeth, while his appren-

tices (two of whom are his sons) do the work. Make no

mistake—Teldorthan is a master armorer, and under

his supervision his apprentices turn out work of excep-

tional quality.

Teldorthan has in stock (or can soon manufacture)

just about any mundane weapon or armor found in the

Player’s Handbook, although he advises beginners to try

a hammer: “If you can drive a nail, you can kill an orc!

You can drive a nail, can’t you?”

DM Tip: Teldorthan recently lost a valuable strip of

dragon hide he intended to make into scale armor. A

trade caravan had sent it down from Winterhaven, but

kobolds raided the caravan near the Cloak Wood and

stole the wagon’s goods. The dwarf strongly suspects

that the kobolds are hiding out in the ruined manor

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

205

called Kobold Hall, and he wants someone to recover

his property. He is willing to pay the player characters

to make the attempt. This offer leads characters into

the sample adventure later in this chapter.

25. King’s Gate

Fallcrest’s southern gate was destroyed in the attack

that devastated the city long ago, and it still has not

been entirely rebuilt. One of the two paired towers

is nothing but rubble, and several large gaps remain

in the town walls south of the bluffs through which

anyone could enter the city.

Despite its lack of functionality, the King’s Gate is

still used as a guardpost by the Fallcrest guards. Ser-

geant Gerdrand is in charge here; he is a tall, lanky

man who doesn’t say much, answering questions with

a grunt or a shake of the head.

26. The Market Green

The majority of Fallcrest’s folk live above the bluffs in

Hightown and walk down to do business on the streets

of Lowtown, which bustle with commerce. This wide

square is an open, grassy meadow where Fallcrest’s

merchants and visiting traders do business in good

weather. The town’s children gather here for games of

tag or kick-stones.

27. Sandercot Provisioners

The largest general store in Fallcrest, Sandercot’s deals

in just about anything—food, clothing, stores, rope,

tools, gear, leather goods, and more. Compared to the

Halfmoon Trading House, Sandercot’s has slightly

cheaper prices but goods of somewhat lower quality.

The owner is Nimena Sandercot, the widow of the

late and unlamented Marken Sandercot. Marken asso-

ciated with brigands and ne’er-do-wells, making a tidy

sum by buying up goods stolen from his neighbors. His

widow has continued the practice. Nimena puts on an

air of rustic charm, but when it’s time to talk “back-

room business” she is ruthless, grasping, and greedy.

She has three young sons, all of whom are quickly

learning the family business.

Nimena is a willing fence for anything someone

cares to sell, but she won’t pay a copper more than she

has to.

28. Lucky Gnome Taphouse

The Lucky Gnome is widely regarded as the cheapest

and coarsest of Fallcrest’s drinking establishments. It

caters to the porters and laborers who work the nearby

docks, and fistfights are a nightly occurrence.

The owner of the Lucky Gnome is an unsavory

character named Kelson. Kelson runs the River Rats, a

small street gang that plagues Lowtown, from the back

room of his tavern.

Kelson Level 5 Skirmisher

Medium natural humanoid, human rogue XP 200

Initiative +5 Senses Perception +6

HP 52; Bloodied 26

AC 20; Fortitude 16, Reﬂ ex 21, Will 16

Speed 6

m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon

+8 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage.

M Deft Strike (standard; at-will ) ✦ Martial, Weapon

Kelson can move 2 squares before the attack. +11 vs. AC; 1d4 +

6 damage.

M King’s Castle (standard; encounter) ✦Martial, Weapon

+11 vs Reﬂ ex; 2d4 + 6 damage; Kelson can also switch places

with a willing adjacent ally.

First Strike

At the start of an encounter, Kelson has combat advantage

against any creatures that have not yet acted.

Nimble Reaction

Kelson gains a +2 racial bonus to AC against opportunity attacks.

Second Chance (immediate interrupt; encounter)

When an attack hits Kelson, he forces the enemy to roll the

attack again. The enemy must use the second roll.

Sneak Attack

Once per round, Kelson gains +2d6 damage when he has combat

advantage.

Alignment Evil Languages Common

Skills Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Streetwise +7, Stealth +12

Str 14 (+4) Dex 20 (+7) Wis 11 (+2)

Con 12 (+3) Int 10 (+2) Cha 15 (+4)

Equipment leather armor, dagger, one level 4 through 6 magic item

29. Lower Quays

Keelboats and similar craft put in here to unload

their cargo and portage it up to other boats above

the falls. As described above for the Upper Quays,

the porters’ guild jealously defends its monopoly

on moving cargo around the falls, and it frequently

attempts to intimidate local merchants into paying for

portage services—whether needed or not. In addition

to the porters’ guild, another gang of troublemakers

lurks around the Lower Quays: the River Rats. These

street toughs and thieves look out for the chance to

pilfer from the warehouses or roll a drunk in a dark

alleyway.

Boats belonging to a number of different travelers

tie up here, the most common of which are the keel-

boats of the halfling Swiftwater Clan. The Swiftwaters

carry cargo all the way down to the Nentir’s mouth,

hundreds of miles downriver. They’re more than will-

ing to take passengers for a small fee. Irena Swiftwater

is the matriarch of the clan. She is a sharp merchant

who passes herself off as an absent-minded reader of

fortunes and maker of minor charms.

THE TOWN OF FALLCRESTTHE TOWN OF FALLCREST

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206

CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

Fallcrest lies near the middle of the broad border-

land region known as the Nentir Vale. The vale is

now mostly empty, with a handful of living villages

and towns scattered over this wide area. Abandoned

farmsteads, ruined manors, and broken keeps litter

the countryside. Bandits, wild animals, and monsters

roam freely throughout the vale, threatening anyone

who fares more than few miles away from one of the

surviving settlements. Travel along the roads or river is

usually safe—usually. But every now and then, travelers

come to bad ends between towns.

The Nentir Vale is a northern land, but it sees rela-

tively little snow—winters are windy and bitterly cold.

The Nentir River is too big to freeze except for a few

weeks in the coldest part of the year. Summers are

cool and mild.

The “clear” parts of the map are covered in mixed

terrain—large stretches of open meadowland, copses

of light forest, gently rolling hills, and the occasional

thicket of dense woodland and heavy undergrowth.

The downs marked on the map are hilly grassland,

with little tree cover. The hills are steeper and more

rugged, and include light forest in the valleys and

saddles between the hilltops.

Interesting locales in the Nentir Vale are described

below.

Fiveleague House

Fiveleague House is more properly known as the Five-

league Inn. It’s a strongly built innhouse surrounded

by a wooden palisade. Fiveleague House caters to

travelers and merchants coming or going from Ham-

merfast, a day’s journey (five leagues) farther east. The

proprietor is a big, bearlike human named Barton.

Barton makes a good show of joviality, but he’s secretly

allied with the bandits of Raven Roost and sends them

word of travelers worth robbing who will be continu-

ing west toward Fallcrest.

Gardmore Abbey

The Gardbury Downs take their name from this

striking ruin, a large monastery that has lain in ruins

for almost one hundred fifty years. The abbey was

dedicated to Bahamut and served as the base of a

militant order of paladins who won great fame fight-

ing in Nerath’s distant crusades. As the story goes,

the paladins brought a dark artifact back from a far

crusade for safekeeping, and evil forces gathered to

assault the abbey and take it back. Extensive dungeons

lie beneath the ruins, which might still conceal the

hoarded wealth of the old crusading paladins.

THE NENTIR VALETHE NENTIR VALE

MIKE SCHLEY

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

207

The Sword Barrow

This large burial mound stands near the middle of

the Gray Downs, a desolate region. The old human

hill-clans who lived in the Vale raised the barrow

centuries before civilized folk settled in Fallcrest. The

hill-folk are long gone, but their grim barrows remain.

The Sword Barrow gained its name because scores of

rusted blades of ancient design are buried around its

edges, blades pointing inward; a visitor can turn up

several in a few minutes of looking around. The blades

seem completely ordinary, not hinting at the old ward-

ing magic that surrounds the place.

Hammerfast

A dwarven hold cut from the rock of a deep vale in

the Dawnforge Mountains, Hammerfast is the largest

and wealthiest town in the region. The Trade Road

runs through the citadel gates and continues eastward

beyond the Dawnforge Mountains. Hammerfast is

governed by a council of masters, each the leaders of

one of the town’s powerful guilds. The current High

Master is the leader of the merchant guild, a dwarf

named Marsinda Goldspinner. The dwarves of Ham-

merfast look to their own first and don’t give away

anything for free, but they are honest and industrious.

Harken Forest

This large woodland stretches from the Nentir River

to the mountains and extends for miles to the south.

It separates the Nentir Vale from the more populous

coastal towns of the south. A strong goblin keep called

Daggerburg lies somewhere in the southwest reaches,

not too far from Kalton Manor; the goblins sometimes

raid the river-traffic moving along the Nentir, or send

small parties of marauders to Harkenwold’s borders.

An elf tribe known as the Woodsinger Clan roams

the eastern portions of the forest. They occasionally

trade with the humans of Harkenwold and keep an

eye on travelers along the old King’s Road. They have

a long-standing feud with the Daggerburg goblins,

and the goblins keep to the western parts of the forest

to avoid swift and deadly elven arrows. However, the

goblins are growing more numerous and have become

bolder in recent months.

Harkenwold

Half a dozen small villages lie along the upper vales of

the White River. Together, they make up the Barony

of Harkenwold—a tiny realm whose total population is

not much greater than Fallcrest’s. The people of Har-

kenwold are farmers, woodcutters, and woodworkers;

little trade comes up or down the old King’s Road.

The ruler of Harkenwold is Baron Stockmer, an

elderly man who was known for his strong sword arm

in his youth. He is a just and compassionate ruler.

Kalton Manor

Back in the days when Nerath was settling the Nentir

Vale, minor lords in search of land to call their own

established manors and holds throughout the area.

Kalton Manor was one of these, a small keep raised by

Lord Arrol Kalton about two hundred years ago. Lord

Arrol intended to settle the lower vale of the White

River, but it was not to be—monsters from the Witch-

light Fens drove off the tenants Arrol had brought with

him. At the end, Arrol and a handful of his servants

and family lived alone in a half-finished keep slowly

falling into ruin until they disappeared as well. Stories

tell of hidden treasure—the old Kalton fortune—hidden

in secret chambers beneath the ruined keep.

Keep on the Shadowfell

Long ago, soldiers from Nerath built a strong fortress

over the Shadowfell rift to protect it. The old keep

lies in ruins now, and a new generation of cultists has

secretly taken up residence here. They seek to undo

the magical wards sealing the Shadowfell rift and

open the way for undead horrors.

The keep is described in detail in the adventure H1:

Keep on the Shadowfell.

Kobold Hall

Like Kalton Manor, the wreck now known locally as

Kobold Hall was the estate of a minor lord who came

to Nentir Vale to establish his own demesnes. Ruined

during the Bloodspear War, the old castle has been

abandoned for almost a century. Kobold tribes from

the Cloak Wood now lurk in its depths.

The short adventure at the end of this chapter is set

in Kobold Hall.

Nenlast

This tiny human village lies at the east end of Lake

Nen. The folk here make a meager living by trading

smoked fish to the dwarves of Hammerfast. They also

deal with the Tigerclaw barbarians of the Winterbole

Forest. When the wild folk choose to trade, they come

to Nenlast to barter their pelts and amber for good

dwarven metalwork.

Raven Roost

This small keep stands at the southern end of the Old

Hills. Once it was the seat of a small manor, but it fell

into ruin long ago and has recently been taken over

by a gang of bandits. The leaders of the bandits are

a trio of shadar-kai named Samminel, Erzoun, and

Geriesh. They secretly deal with Barton, the propri-

etor of Fiveleague House, giving him a cut of the take

when he tips them off about wealthy travelers on the

Trade Road.

THE NENTIR VALETHE NENTIR VALE

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

Ruins of Fastormel

Once a prosperous town on the shores of Lake Nen,

Fastormel was destroyed by the Bloodspear orcs and

has never been resettled. The town was ruled by a

Lord Mage (the most powerful wizard in town claimed

the ruler’s scepter), and the Mistborn Tower of the last

Lord Mage still stands amid the ruins of the town. The

tower is shrouded in a strange silver mist that never

dissipates, no matter what the weather would other-

wise dictate.

The Stonemarch

A rugged land of stony hills and deep gorges cut by

white-rushing rivers, the Stonemarch is home to tribes

of dangerous humanoids and giants. Orcs, ogres,

giants, and trolls haunt the farther reaches of these

barren lands. Fortunately for the residents of the vale,

the monsters rarely come east over the Cairngorm

Peaks. A great orc-warren known as the Fanged Jaws

of Kulkoszar lies in the northern part of the wasteland;

here the chief of the Bloodspear tribe rules over hun-

dreds of the fierce warriors.

Temple of Yellow Skulls

The ruins of an evil shrine stand in the middle of

these desolate hills. Legend tells that a rakshasa prince

summoned demons to this place and bound them

to his service by imprisoning their vital essences in

gold-plated human skulls. None of these have yet been

recovered from the ruins, but the story persists. Deep

caverns beneath the ruins lead all the way down to the

Underdark, and from time to time dangerous mon-

sters of the deep places emerge here and prowl the

nearby lands.

Thunderspire

This striking peak is the largest of the Old Hills.

Beneath Thunderspire lies the ancient minotaur city

of Saruun Khel. The minotaur kingdom fell almost a

hundred years before Fallcrest was established, when

a struggle for succession led to a vicious civil war. In

the upper halls of the minotaur city the mysterious

order of wizards known as the Mages of Saruun have

established a secretive stronghold; merchants passing

along the Trade Road sometimes take shelter here.

The labyrinth of Saruun Khel is the setting for

adventure H2: Thunderspire Labyrinth.

Winterhaven

Hard under the Cairngorms at the west end of the

Nentir Vale lies the remote town of Winterhaven. Like

Fallcrest, Winterhaven is a small town surrounded by

a few miles of farmland and pastures. Winterhaven

serves as the characters’ base of operations during the

adventure H1: Keep on the Shadowfell.

INVOLVING THE PLAYERS

When you begin a new D & D cam-

paign, it’s a good idea to encourage the players to

create characters grounded in your setting. Before

your first game session, ask the players what sort of

characters they would like to play. Armed with this

information, you can build ties between the characters

and the town of Fallcrest. The players will care a lot

more about what’s going on in and around the town if

they see reasons why their characters would care.

If you don’t like the ideas offered here, no prob-

lem—you’re free to make up your own connections

for the player characters, or have no connections at

all. It’s often fun for a player to roleplay being “the

outsider.”

Races

Dragonborn: No dragonborn are native to Fallcrest,

but travelers occasionally pass through and take up

work for a time, especially as bodyguards or cara-

van guards. The Halfmoon halflings, House Azaer,

and the importer Naerumar have work available for

a capable adventurer.

Dwarf: A fair number of dwarves live in Fallcrest, so

a dwarf character could easily be a native of the

city—perhaps a relative of Teldorthan Irontooth. If

not, the nearest dwarven homeland is Hammerfast,

a week’s travel distant. Merchants and crafters from

Hammerfast travel to Fallcrest to trade or work,

lodging in one of the local inns for a few weeks.

Eladrin: Eladrin are not often seen in Fallcrest. Some

of the old manors in the Moon Hills and the nearby

parts of the Vale were once the homes of well-off

eladrin families; a player character eladrin might

hold the title to an abandoned estate a mile or two

out of town, which provides a good reason to call

on Lord Markelhay (and earns the enmity of Armos

Kamroth, who wants the land for his own).

Elf: Elves are also scarce in Fallcrest, but a small

number reside in and around the town. Ressilmae

Starlight of the temple of Sehanine might be a rela-

tive or an old friend of an elf character. Elves from

outside Fallcrest might belong to the Woodsinger

clan from the Harkenwold Forest.

Half-Elf: A small number of half-elves reside in Fall-

crest or the vicinity. Most are well-off farmers or

herders living in the Moon Hills near the town; the

rest are expert artisans—jewelers, tailors, or wood-

workers—in the town. A half-elf player character

can be the child or relative of a Fallcrest family.

Halfling: Halflings are the most numerous people

in Fallcrest aside from humans, and they come

from any walk of life. A Fallcrest native might be

related to the Halfmoon family, the Ostermans of

the Silver Unicorn, or the Thistletons of Fallcrest

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209

Stables. Halflings descended from the traders

who pass through Fallcrest can be members of the

Swiftwater clan.

Human: Most of Fallcrest’s people are human. Char-

acters with rural backgrounds likely grew up on

the farms in the nearby Moon Hills. Characters

with an urban upbringing might be the children of

well-off landowners such as the Kamroths, or ruf-

fians and sellswords who had a hard childhood in

Lowtown.

Tiefling: Two tiefling families and a few individuals

live and thrive in Fallcrest, including the Azaers

and the Naerumars.

Classes

Cleric: Since there are temples of Erathis, Pelor, and

Sehanine in town, a player character cleric devoted

to one of these deities would naturally have allies

and colleagues here.

Fighter: Fallcrest is a trading town, and merchants

need bodyguards or caravan guards when they set

out for distant towns. The Halfmoons or House

Azaer might employ a fighter. Fighters from better-

off families might be retainers in the service of the

Markelhays—young “court blades” who are a cut

above the typical garrison guard.

Paladin: As with clerics, paladins devoted to Erathis,

Pelor, or Sehanine have natural allies in the temples

of Fallcrest. In addition, paladin characters might

also be aspiring knights sworn to the service of the

Markelhay family.

Ranger: Many of the countryside folk living around

Fallcrest are foresters and hunters; a ranger char-

acter could easily belong to one of these families.

Rangers who aren’t natives might hail from the

Barony of Harkenwold or the remote village of Nen-

last to the northeast.

Rogue: Members of groups such as the porters’

guild or the River Rats are natural associates of a

player character rogue. Capable people are in high

demand anywhere, and a rogue might also fit in as

an agent of a merchant house such as the Half-

moons or the Azaers.

Warlock: The folk of Fallcrest regard warlocks as they

do wizards—mysterious figures to be treated cau-

tiously. Well-off merchants or nobles often retain

a “house mage” to advise them in magical matters,

so a warlock could easily work for the Markelhays,

Amros Kamroth, or other wealthy individual.

Warlord: Like fighters or paladins, warlords might

be attached to the Markelhay household. Those of

lower stature can serve as sellswords or agents of

merchant companies such as House Azaer.

Wizard: A player character wizard might be an

apprentice to Nimozaran, of the Septarch’s Tower.

Lady Markelhay is also a skilled mage and might

take a wizard character into her confidence.

INVOLVING THE PLAYERSINVOLVING THE PLAYERS

WILLIAM O’CONNOR

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210

CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

The ruined manor now known as Kobold Hall was

once a minor lord’s proud holding, a walled keep over-

looking the old King’s Road. That was years ago, and

the lord’s name and the glories he earned are long for-

gotten. Today, the place is called Kobold Hall after the

malicious humanoids that infest the place. The Cloak

Wood has overrun the grounds, with trees growing in

the midst of abandoned gardens and courtyards.

Several kobold tribes dwell within the ruins, hiding

in the multitude of tunnels, ruins, and cellars found

here. The tribes squabble with each other, raid sur-

rounding settlements, and attack caravans on the old

King’s Road. Lately, the kobolds have become more

aggressive. The Skull Kicker tribe has taken over or

driven off the rival tribes. Emboldened, the Skull Kick-

ers stole a wagon loaded with valuable cargo from a

caravan on the King’s Road. As the adventure begins,

the characters find themselves in the small town of

Fallcrest. Explain to the players that their characters

know each other and are looking for adventure.

Use one of the hooks below to set up the backstory

for the adventurers, or create your own. You don’t need

a lot of details; you just need enough to explain why

the PCs are together and why they are heading out to

investigate Kobold Hall.

If you use one of these hooks, the PCs might also

gain experience points for completing a quest. When

the party finishes a quest, divide the XP award among

all the characters who participated in the quest.

Hook: Dragon Hide

The player characters are hired by Teldorthan Gold-

cap, the dwarf armorer. Among the cargo in the stolen

wagon was a cured green dragon hide destined for

Teldorthan’s shop. The dwarf intends to turn the hide

into a fine suit of scale armor. Teldorthan hires the

adventurers to enter the kobold lair and get back his

dragon hide. If they succeed, he gives them 200 gp.

Alternative: The PCs hear about the loss of the

wagon and the dragon hide and approach Teldorthan

to see if there’s a reward for its return.

Quest XP: 500 XP for recovering the dragon hide

and returning it to Teldorthan Goldcap.

Hook: Kobold Bounty

The Lord Warden of Fallcrest has had enough of

kobold raids along the old King’s Road. If the PCs

approach him looking for work, he readily offers

them a bounty for clearing out Kobold Hall. The Lord

Warden promises a bounty of 10 gp for each dis-

patched kobold and an additional 100 gp if the PCs

bring proof that the ruins have been cleared out, such

as the bone mask worn by the kobold leader.

Alternative: The Lord Warden specifically seeks

out the PCs to ask them to undertake this mission.

Quest XP: 750 XP for bringing the wyrmpriest’s

bone mask to the Lord Warden as proof of the demise

of the kobold threat.

Hook: Terrible Secret

Nimozaran the Green, High Septarch of Fallcrest,

believes that something more terrible and dangerous

is behind the kobold attacks. They seem too organized

and too aggressive, compared to other kobolds the old

wizard has dealt with in the past. He asks the PCs if

they are willing to enter the creatures’ lair to discover

the secret of Kobold Hall. He offers them the use of his

tower’s teleportation circle if they accept the quest.

Alternative: The PCs approach the old wizard to

offer him their services in exchange for his good will

and any magical aid he might be willing to offer.

Quest XP: 500 XP for bringing back news of the

presence of a white dragon in the ruins to Nimozaran.

Players’ Introduction

When the PCs decide to explore Kobold Hall, read or

paraphrase the following to the players:

You travel 15 miles from Fallcrest into the wilderness to

find the once-sprawling manor now known as the ruins of

Kobold Hall. Inside the keep, you find a trapdoor at the base

of an old guard tower. It must lead beneath the ruins.

DM’s Introduction

“Kobold Hall” is a simple D&D adventure for five 1st-

level player characters. It is short on plot and decision

points; it’s simply five combat encounters in a row. The

adventure is intended to give you something easy to

run the first time you try your hand as the Dungeon

Master, while allowing the other players at the table to

explore their characters’ abilities and learn the game.

Try to bring the kobolds and the environment to

life. The first encounter is a simple fight, but the next

four use interactive environments and traps to show

off elements of the D&D game.

Be sure to read each encounter thoroughly before

running the adventure, particularly paying attention

to the traps and terrain. You should also closely exam-

ine the monster statistics blocks. They’ve got some

nasty tricks up their sleeves for the player characters!

Altering Treasure

As with any published adventure, it is possible that

the treasures found here aren’t optimal for your party.

It’s a good idea to replace such items with goods that

appeal to the party. The levels of the two items found

as treasure in this adventure are given to make it

easier to find replacements.

KOBOLD HALLKOBOLD HALL

MIKE SCHLEY

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HOW TO PLAYHOW TO PLAY

CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

211

Kobold Hall

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

212

Encounter Level 1 (500 XP)

Setup

This area serves as a guardroom for the kobolds. A pit

filled with sludge provides an obstacle for intruders.

When the PCs arrive, they see one kobold. The others

stay hidden until the PCs move deeper into the area.

This encounter includes the following creatures.

2 kobold slingers (S)

3 kobold skirmishers (K)

As the adventurers enter this chamber, read:

Dominating the room ahead is a long trench filled with a

glowing green substance. Beyond the trench, a small, reptil-

ian humanoid stands in a shadowy chamber, gaping at you.

It carries a sling, and quickly reaches into a pouch at its belt

for a stone. It hisses and shouts, “Intrudersss! Intrudersss!”

3 Kobold Skirmishers (K) Level 1 Skirmisher

Small natural humanoid XP 100 each

Initiative +5 Senses Perception +0; darkvision

HP 27; Bloodied 13

AC 15; Fortitude 11, Reﬂ ex 14, Will 13; see also trap sense

Speed 6

mSpear (standard; at-will) ✦Weapon

+6 vs. AC; 1d8 damage; see also mob attack.

Combat Advantage

+1d6 damage on melee attacks and ranged attacks against

target the skirmisher has combat advantage against.

Mob Attack

+1 bonus to attack rolls per kobold ally adjacent to the target.

Shifty (minor; at-will)

Shift 1 square as a minor action.

Trap Sense

+2 bonus to all defenses against traps.

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic

Skills Acrobatics +8, Stealth +10, Thievery +10

Str 8 (–1) Dex 16 (+3) Wis 10 (+0)

Con 11 (+0) Int 6 (–2) Cha 15 (+2)

Equipment hide armor, light shield, spear

Features of the Area

Pit: The pit is 10 feet deep, filled up to 4 feet with

a thick, green sludge. Any PC who falls into the pit is

immobilized. A DC 13 Strength check allows a PC to

break free. The sludge is difficult terrain. Creatures

can walk in it, but a creature that ends its move in the

sludge is immobilized as described above.

Climbing out of the pit requires a DC 10 Athletics

check. A creature that falls in takes 1d10–2 damage,

since the sludge provides cushion against a fall.

Portcullis: The passage to the east has a portcul-

lis designed to bar larger creatures. Small creatures

ignore it, but it stops larger folk. Forcing the portcullis

up requires a DC 15 Strength check. The lever to open

it is down the hall from the portcullis.

2 Kobold Slingers (S) Level 1 Artillery

Small natural humanoid XP 100 each

Initiative +3 Senses Perception +1; darkvision

HP 24; Bloodied 12

AC 13; Fortitude 12, Reﬂ ex 14, Will 12; see also trap sense

Speed 6

m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon

+5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage.

r Sling (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon

Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also glue shot.

Glue Shot (standard; at-will)

Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. Reﬂ ex; the target is immobilized (save

ends).

Shifty (minor; at-will)

Shift 1 square.

Trap Sense

+2 bonus to all defenses against traps.

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic

Skills Acrobatics +8, Stealth +10, Thievery +10

Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1)

Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0)

Equipment leather armor, dagger, sling with 20 bullets and 3 glue

shot sling bullets (see above)

Tactics

The kobold slinger attempts to lure the PCs into the

room, where the others hide. The slinger fires at

the PCs, while the two skirmishers split up to circle

around the pit and attack.

Meanwhile, the kobolds behind the portcullis wait

until the PCs are in sight of their position. Once the

PCs have moved up, they attack.

The kobolds are alert to area attacks. They never

cluster together unless they can gain flanking attacks.

AREA 1. SLUDGE PITAREA 1. SLUDGE PIT

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

213

Encounter Level 1 (550 XP)

Setup

This chamber was once a tomb. The kobolds use the

traps here to defend their lair.

This encounter includes the following creatures and

traps.

3 kobold skirmishers (K)

2 dart traps (1 and 2)

As the adventurers enter this chamber, read:

The room ahead has four stone coffins, all of which show

signs of vandalism and abuse. To the left is a series of six

niches, set apart into two groups of three. Two more niches

along the walls each hold a suit of armor.

On the opposite end of the room is a raised section of

floor with a makeshift altar to Tiamat set atop it. Three

kobolds carrying spears stand in front of the altar.

3 Kobold Skirmishers (K) Level 1 Skirmisher

Small natural humanoid XP 100 each

See page 212.

Dart Trap Level 1 Blaster

Trap XP 100

Darts fire from the suit of armor, filling the chamber with danger.

Trap: When one of the traps is triggered, a dart flies from the suit of

armor’s visor.

Perception

✦ DC 20: The character notices the firing mechanisms in the .

✦ DC 25: The character notices a trigger stone.

Trigger

If a character enters a trigger square or starts its turn in a trigger

square, the dart trap attacks.

Attack

Immediate Interrupt Ranged 10

Target: Character who enters or starts its turn in a trigger square

Attack: +8 vs. AC

Hit: 1d6 + 2 damage, and target is Immobilized until the end of

target’s next turn.

Countermeasures

✦ An adjacent character can disable a trigger stone with a DC 20

Thievery check.

✦ An adjacent character can disable a firing mechanism with a DC

25 Thievery check.

✦ A suit of armor can be destroyed. Each has AC 12, 30 hp, and

resist 5 to all damage.

Tactics

The kobolds attempt to use the traps to their advan-

tage. They try to lure characters into chasing them

across the room, taking advantage of the fact that

creatures of Small size are too light to trigger the

trap.

Features of the Area

Coffins: The stone coffins are difficult terrain

that provide cover.

Armor: These two suits of plate armor stand at

attention. When the dart traps activate, their helmet

visors swing open to reveal a dart-firing mechanism.

Trigger Points: Several squares on the map are

marked with the number 1 or 2. The 1s correspond

to squares that trigger dart trap 1. The same applies

to trap 2. The two suits of armor are likewise marked

1 and 2 to indicate the location of each trap’s firing

mechanism.

Altar: The kobolds have lovingly crafted this crude

altar to the evil dragon god. A small bag on the altar

holds 60 gp, an offering to Tiamat.

AREA 2. THE TOMBAREA 2. THE TOMB

AREA 2: THE TOMBAREA 2: THE TOMB

MIKE SCHLEY (2)

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

214

Encounter Level 2 (675 XP)

Setup

This chamber has been turned into an arena for games

of skull-skull, the sport of Kobold Hall. The player

characters enter the chamber while a game is in prog-

ress and find that the game is an exercise in mindless

violence, as befits kobolds.

This encounter includes the following creatures.

2 kobold slingers (S)

2 guard drakes (D)

4 kobold minions (M)

As the adventurers enter this chamber, read:

This chamber looks like it was once a tomb, but the kobolds

have transformed it into what you might almost call a

playground.

Four stone coffins lie here, with a sludge-filled pit

between them. On the opposite end of the room is a pair of

wooden double doors. Flanking the double doors are two

raised platforms, both 10 feet above the floor. Two kobolds

stand on each platform.

Arrayed on the coffins are several animal skulls, all of

them arranged in small piles. One kobold holds a sludge-

drenched stone tied to a long rope that is secured in the

ceiling.

2 Guard Drakes (D) Level 2 Brute

Small natural beast (reptile) XP 125 each

Initiative +3 Senses Perception +7

HP 48; Bloodied 24

AC 15; Fortitude 15, Reﬂ ex 13, Will 12

Immune fear (while within 2 squares of an ally)

Speed 6

m Bite (standard; at-will)

+6 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage, or 1d10 + 9 damage while within 2

squares of an ally.

Alignment Unaligned Languages —

Str 16 (+4) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 12 (+2)

Con 18 (+5) Int 3 (–3) Cha 12 (+2)

4 Kobold Minions (M) Level 1 Minion

Small natural humanoid XP 25 each

Initiative +3 Senses Perception +1; darkvision

HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.

AC 15; Fortitude 11, Reﬂ ex 13, Will 11; see also trap sense

Speed 6

m Spear (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon

+5 vs. AC; 2 damage.

r Javelin (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon

Ranged 10/20; +5 vs. AC; 2 damage.

Shifty (minor; at-will)

Shift 1 square.

Trap Sense

+2 bonus to all defenses against traps.

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic

Skills Stealth +5, Thievery +5

Str 8 (–1) Dex 16 (+3) Wis 12 (+1)

Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0)

Equipment hide armor, light shield, 3 javelins, 1 spear

2 Kobold Slingers (S) Level 1 Artillery

Small natural humanoid XP 100 each

Initiative +3 Senses Perception +1; darkvision

HP 24; Bloodied 12

AC 13; Fortitude 12, Reﬂ ex 14, Will 12; see also trap sense

Speed 6

mDagger (standard; at-will) ✦Weapon

+5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage.

rSling (standard; at-will) ✦Weapon

Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also glue shot.

Glue Shot (standard; at-will)

Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. Reﬂ ex; the target is immobilized (save ends).

Shifty (minor; at-will)

Shift 1 square.

Trap Sense

The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps.

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic

Skills Acrobatics +8, Stealth +10, Thievery +10

Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1)

Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0)

Equipment leather armor, dagger, sling with 20 bullets and 3

rounds of glue shot (see above)

AREA 3. SKULL-SKULL!AREA 3. SKULL-SKULL!

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

215

Skull-Skull Stone Level 1 Blaster

Trap XP 100

This sludge-covered stone is tied to a long rope that hangs from a hook

in the ceiling.

Trap: When a kobold throws the stone, it attacks a target and then

returns to the kobold on the opposite platform.

Trigger

A kobold uses a standard action to attack with the skull-skull stone.

It can be used by two different kobolds in each round.

Attack

Standard Action Melee

Target: One character in the marked area on the map.

Attack: +8 vs. AC

Hit: 1d8+2 damage and push 2 squares.

Countermeasures

✦ A character in the marked area can ready an action to attack the

rope (AC 14, 10 hp, and resist 5 to all damage).

✦ A character can make ranged attacks against the rope.

Tactics

The kobolds try to batter the PCs into submission

while avoiding melee.

The kobold minions split up, two on each platform.

Two take turns activating the skull-skull trap, one

throwing a spear on a turn when it isn’t activating the

trap. The other two minions remain on the stairs, out

of sight, ready to replace a fallen comrade and keep

the trap operating.

The slingers fire at the PCs, hoping to use their spe-

cial shots to harass characters and make them easier

targets for the rock.

The kobolds’ pet guard drakes remain on the other

side of the door. They rush up the stairs to attack a PC

who climbs up to the platforms. Otherwise, they attack

anyone who breaches the door.

Features of the Area

Pit: The pit is 10 feet deep, filled up to a depth of

4 feet with a thick green sludge. The sludge has two

important traits.

First, it is sticky. Any character who falls into the pit

is immobilized. A DC 13 Strength check allows a PC

to break free.

The sludge is difficult terrain. Creatures can walk

in it, but a creature that ends its move in the sludge is

immobilized as described above.

Climbing out of the pit requires a DC 10 Athletics

check. A creature that falls in takes 1d10–2 damage,

since the sludge provides cushion against a fall.

Door: The door has 20 hit points. Bashing it down

requires a DC 16 Strength check.

Skull-Skull Stone: This weird device counts as a

trap. The kobolds normally swing it down to hit a skull

on the coffins below. The object of the game is to get

a skull to stick to the rock, and then grab the skull as

it comes back to the thrower. When the PCs arrive

on the scene, the kobolds are happy to use the rock

against them.

Platforms: There are no railings for the raised plat-

forms. Climbing the wall up to the platform from the

floor requires a DC 15 Athletics check. Scattered on

the floor in a small pile in the northern platform are

100 gp in coins, a ruby worth 50 gp, and two garnets

worth 25 gp each.

AREA 2: SKULL-SKULL!AREA 2: SKULL-SKULL!

MIKE SCHLEY

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

216

Encounter Level 4 (850 XP)

Setup

The kobold chieftain rules from this chamber. Para-

noid at the thought of intruders, the chieftain and his

minions erected an elaborate, crushing boulder trap in

this room. When the PCs enter, the chieftain activates

the boulder and hides in his lair. Meanwhile, kobolds

pour forth to attack the PCs.

This encounter includes the following creatures and

trap.

2 kobold slingers (S)

1 kobold wyrmpriest (W)

2 kobold dragonshields (K)

1 spiretop drake (D)

1 rolling boulder (T)

As the adventurers enter this chamber, read:

You arrive at a chamber with a 20-foot-tall ceiling. Before

you is a 10-foot tall wall that leaves passages open to both

the right and left. Suddenly, the sound of cracking timbers

echoes through the hall. The floor shakes, dust cascades

down from the ceiling, and something big and heavy hurtles

toward you!

Kobold Wyrmpriest (W) Level 3 Artillery (Leader)

Small natural humanoid XP 150

Initiative +4 Senses Perception +4; darkvision

HP 36; Bloodied 18

AC 17; Fortitude 13, Reﬂ ex 15, Will 15; see also trap sense

Speed 6

mSpear (standard; at-will) ✦Weapon

+7 vs. AC; 1d8 damage.

REnergy Orb (standard; at-will) • see text

Ranged 10; +6 vs. Reﬂ ex; 1d10 + 3 cold damage.

CIncite Faith (minor; encounter)

Close burst 10; kobold allies in the burst gain 5 temporary hit

points and shift 1 square.

C Dragon Breath (standard; encounter)

Close blast 3; +6 vs. Fortitude; 1d10 + 3 cold damage. Miss: Half

damage.

Shifty (minor; at-will)

Shift 1 square.

Trap Sense

+2 bonus to all defenses against traps.

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic

Skills Stealth +11, Thievery +11

Str 9 (+0) Dex 16 (+4) Wis 17 (+4)

Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+0) Cha 12 (+2)

Equipment hide armor, spear, bone mask, +1 sta of the war mage

2 Kobold Dragonshields (K) Level 2 Soldier

Small natural humanoid XP 125 each

Initiative +4 Senses Perception +2; darkvision

HP 30; Bloodied 15

AC 18; Fortitude 14, Reﬂ ex 13, Will 13; see also trap sense

Resist 5 cold

Speed 6

mShort Sword (standard; at-will) ✦Weapon

+7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target is marked until the

end of the kobold dragonshield’s next turn.

Dragonshield Tactics (immediate reaction, when an adjacent

enemy shifts away or an enemy moves adjacent; at-will)

The kobold dragonshield shifts 1 square.

Mob Attack

The kobold dragonshield gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls per

kobold ally adjacent to the target.

Shifty (minor; at-will)

Shift 1 square.

Trap Sense

+2 bonus to all defenses against traps.

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic

Skills Acrobatics +7, Stealth +9, Thievery +9

Str 14 (+3) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 12 (+2)

Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+0) Cha 10 (+1)

Equipment scale armor, heavy shield, short sword

Spiretop Drake (D) Level 1 Skirmisher

Small natural beast (reptile) XP 100

Initiative +6 Senses Perception +3

HP 29; Bloodied 14

AC 16; Fortitude 11, Reﬂ ex 14, Will 13

Speed 4, ﬂ y 8 (hover); see also ﬂ y b y a t t a c k

mBite (standard; at-will)

+6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage.

mSnatch (standard; at-will)

+4 vs. Reﬂ ex; 1 damage, and the spiretop drake steals a small

object from the target, such as a vial, scroll, or coin.

M Flyby Attack (standard; at-will)

The spiretop drake ﬂ ies up to 8 squares and makes one melee

basic attack at any point during that movement. The drake

doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from

the target of the attack.

Alignment Unaligned Languages —

Str 11 (+0) Dex 18 (+4) Wis 16 (+3)

Con 13 (+1) Int 3 (–4) Cha 11 (+0)

AREA 4. THE BIG BOSSAREA 4. THE BIG BOSS

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

217

2 Kobold Slingers (S) Level 1 Artillery

Small natural humanoid XP 100 each

Initiative +3 Senses Perception +1; darkvision

HP 24; Bloodied 12

AC 13; Fortitude 12, Reﬂ ex 14, Will 12; see also trap sense

Speed 6

m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon

+5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage.

r Sling (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon

Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also glue shot.

Glue Shot (standard; at-will)

Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. Reﬂ ex; the target is immobilized (save ends).

Shifty (minor; at-will)

Shift 1 square.

Trap Sense

+2 bonus to all defenses against traps.

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic

Skills Acrobatics +8, Stealth +10, Thievery +10

Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1)

Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0)

Equipment leather armor, dagger, sling with 20 bullets and 3 glue

shot sling bullets (see above)

Rolling Boulder Level 3 Blaster

Trap XP 150

A giant boulder rolls through the chamber.

Trap: The boulder rolls over everything in its path.

Perception

✦ DC 10: The character notices the approaching boulder.

Initiative +5 Speed 8

Trigger

As soon as the encounter begins, the trap rolls initiative.

Attack

Opportunity Action Melee

Target: Attacks any character in a space it enters

Attack: +7 vs. Reflex

Hit: 2d6 damage and knock prone.

Special: If the boulder ends its turn in a space with a character, it

makes a second attack. The character then moves to any open

adjacent space (character’s choice).

Countermeasure

✦ A character can attempts a DC 20 Athletics check as an

immediate reaction to leap over the rolling boulder.

Tactics

The kobolds prefer to let their boulder crush the PCs.

They keep to the sides of the chamber, firing at the

characters. The slingers climb ladders in the interior

chamber to stand atop the interior walls and fire.

The chieftain (the wyrmpriest) and the two drag-

onshields remain on the platform. If a PC comes close

to the platform, the dragonshields rush forward to

attack. The chieftain uses his +1 staff of the war mage to

increase the area of his dragon breath attack.

The spiretop drake is the chieftain’s pet. It darts out

to peck at the characters. If it can steal a potion from a

PC, it does so and brings the trinket to its master.

Features of the Area

Central Room: The wall here is 10 feet tall, and

the ceiling in this chamber is 20 feet above the floor.

PCs and kobolds can climb over the wall to reach the

central chamber. Climbing requires a DC 10 Athlet-

ics check.

The wall is wide enough to allow a creature to

stand on top of it.

Door: The door to the central room has 20 hit

points. Bashing it down requires a DC 16 Strength

check.

Boulder: Full stats for the trap are given above. It

starts at the point marked on the map and follows the

path.

Platform: There are no railings on the raised plat-

forms. Climbing up the side of the platform requires a

DC 15 Athletics check. The platform is 10 feet up.

Ending the Encounter

When the characters defeat the kobolds, they find a

small silver key in the chief’s belt pouch, along with

a piece of parchment that describes the location of a

secret door in the alcove to the north. The key opens

the door, revealing a secret set of stairs leading down

to the final encounter area.

The kobold chieftain carries a +1 staff of the war

mage (level 3 item).

+1 Staff of the War Mage: This staff provides its

user with a +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and

damage rolls. On a critical hit, it deals an extra 1d8 +

1 damage. In addition, once per day as a free action,

the user can increase the size of a blast or a burst by 1.

AREA 4: THE BIG BOSSAREA 4: THE BIG BOSS

MIKE SCHLEY

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

218

Encounter Level 3 (750 XP)

Setup

This chamber is the lair of the young white dragon

Szartharrax. Although he is still small by the stan-

dards of his kind, Szartharrax is far and away the

most dangerous monster in Kobold Hall. He is the

reason the Skull Kickers managed to assert themselves

over the other kobold gangs in the area; Szartharrax

decided to back them and ate the rival chieftains,

which persuaded the rest of the scaly little monsters to

swear allegiance to the Skull Kickers. Szartharrax has

an appetite for gold, and the white dragon has been

demanding tribute from his loyal servants. Fear of the

dragon’s anger is driving the kobolds to attack cara-

vans and launch raids against the nearby settlements.

Szartharrax is a tough opponent; the adventurers

will have to fight well to survive.

This encounter includes the following creature.

1 young white dragon (D)

As the adventurers enter this chamber, read:

You follow a long, winding passage from the kobold

chieftain’s throne room down and down into the earth. Even-

tually, the finely worked stone tunnels give way to natural

passages. Finally, you come upon a large cavern. The air is

unnaturally cold in here. In the center of the room is a large

pool of frozen dark water. The cavern is quiet.

Tactics

The dragon begins the encounter hiding in the area

marked on the map. Since he is hidden behind the

large pillar, make a Stealth check for the dragon, and

then have the players make Perception checks for

their characters. Player characters whose Perception

checks are lower than the dragon’s Stealth check are

surprised. Roll initiative and begin the combat.

The dragon starts by flying to a spot just in front

of the party and using his icy breath against as many

player characters as he can catch in the area at one

time. He then immediately spends 1 action point

to use his Frightful Presence ability. In subsequent

rounds, the dragon tears the adventurers apart with

his Dragon’s Fury attack. If Szartharrax gets the

chance to make any opportunity attacks, he uses his

bite instead.

Szartharrax avoids heavily armored characters,

preferring instead to pick off lightly armored foes. If

the dragon becomes bloodied, he goes into a rage. He

attacks the nearest PC, ignoring any intelligent tactics

in favor of brute force.

AREA 5. THE TRUE THREATAREA 5. THE TRUE THREAT

Young White Dragon (D) Level 3 Solo Brute

Large natural magical beast (dragon) XP 750

Initiative +1 Senses Perception +7; darkvision

HP 232; Bloodied 116; see also bloodied breath

AC 18; Fortitude 20, Reﬂ ex 18, Will 17

Resist 15 cold

Saving Throws +5

Speed 6 (ice walk), ﬂ y 6 (hover), overland ﬂ ight 10

Action Points 2

m Bite (standard; at-will) ✦ Cold

Reach 2; +6 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 plus 1d6 cold damage (plus an extra

1d6 cold damage on a successful opportunity attack).

m Claw (standard; at-will)

Reach 2; +6 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage.

M Dragon’s Fury (standard; at-will)

The dragon makes two claw attacks. If the dragon hits a single

target with both claws, it makes a bite attack against the same

target.

C Breath Weapon (standard; recharge ⚄⚅ ) ✦ Cold

Close blast 5; +4 vs. Reﬂ ex; 3d6 + 4 cold damage, and the target

is slowed and weakened (save ends both).

CBloodied Breath (free, when first bloodied; encounter) ✦Cold

The dragon’s breath weapon recharges, and the dragon uses it

immediately.

C Frightful Presence (standard; encounter) ✦ Fear

Close burst 5; targets enemies; +4 vs. Will; the target is stunned

until the end of the dragon’s next turn. Aftere ect: The target

takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).

Alignment Evil Languages Draconic

Skills Athletics +15

Str 18 (+5) Dex 10 (+1) Wis 12 (+2)

Con 18 (+5) Int 10 (+1) Cha 8 (+0)

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CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

219

Features of the Area

Pool: The pool of water is 2 feet deep and frozen

solid. The ice is difficult terrain, but the dragon

ignores it if it walks through it (thanks to its ice walk

ability).

Conclusion

If the PCs manage to slay the dragon, they find a small

cave up ahead that has a locked treasure chest (DC 20

Thievery check to open). The chest contains the piece

of dragon hide that Teldorthan wanted recovered, 100

gold pieces, a pearl worth 20 gp in a small felt bag, and

a +1 lifedrinker longsword (level 5 item).

+1 Lifedrinker Longsword: This longsword pro-

vides its user with a +1 enhancement bonus to attack

rolls and damage rolls. On a critical hit, it deals an

extra 1d6 necrotic damage. In addition, when the user

drops an enemy to 0 hit points with a melee attack

with this weapon, the user gains 5 temporary hit

points.

Further Adventures

The party slew the dragon and defeated the kobolds,

but the PCs have only just begun their adventuring

careers.

Slaying a dragon is no easy feat, and Szartharrax

might have powerful allies who want revenge. Perhaps

his mother or sibling hunts down the characters and

their friends.

This adventure might also point to bigger things.

The characters find a letter in Szartharrax’s treasure

chest. Written in Draconic, it is an offer of alliance

from a goblin warlord who wishes to unite the mon-

sters in the area against the people of Fallcrest. If you

plan to run the H1: Keep on the Shadowfell adventure,

that goblin could be Irontooth. The letter sends the

PCs off on their next adventure.

Finally, there is nothing like a good, old-fashioned

dungeon crawl. Having defeated the kobolds, the

characters can explore Szartharrax’s caves to uncover

auxiliary passages leading deeper into the earth. Use

the random dungeon generator or create an adventure

of your own that involves the rest of the dragon’s min-

ions. Perhaps a kobold cleric and his undead minions

uncovered a shrine to Tiamat, and Szartharrax needed

Teldorthan’s hide to finish a terrible rite to the dragon

god. Using the encounters in this chapter as a guide,

there’s no better time than now to start creating your

own adventures. Recruit some vicious monsters, draw

some encounter maps, create a story to lead the PCs to

the adventure, and keep playing!

AREA 5: THE TRUE THREATAREA 5: THE TRUE THREAT

MIKE SCHLEY

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Init Result

Character Name PC Combat Card

Conditions: Asleep, Blinded, Dazed, Deafened, Dominated, Dying, Helpless, Immobilized, Marked (put marking creature’s name in parens),

Ongoing damage, Petriﬁ ed, Prone, Restrained, Slowed, Stunned, Surprised, Unconscious, Weakened.

End State Abbreviations: EoT = end of turn; SoT = start of turn; Sv = until saving throw; EoE = end of encounter. Indicate whose turn; for example

“Dazed/Tordek EoT.” Cross out the condition when it ends.

Damage Taken

Condition/End state Condition/End state

Second Wind used: o

Healing Surges used: ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo

Action Points used: ooo

Condition/End state Condition/End state

Start of Turn: Apply Ongoing Damage

End of Turn: Attempt Saving Throws, End Duration E ects

Notes

Init Result

Monster Name

Monster Combat Card

Conditions: Asleep, Blinded, Dazed, Deafened, Dominated, Dying, Helpless, Immobilized, Marked (put marking creature’s name in parens),

Ongoing damage, Petriﬁ ed, Prone, Restrained, Slowed, Stunned, Surprised, Unconscious, Weakened.

End State Abbreviations: EoT = end of turn; SoT = start of turn; Sv = until saving throw; EoE = end of encounter. Indicate whose turn; for example

“Dazed/Tordek EoT.” Cross out the condition when it ends.

Damage Taken

Condition/End state Condition/End state

daily/encounter power used: ooo

Condition/End state Condition/End state

Start of Turn: Check for Recharge, Apply Ongoing Damage

End of Turn: Attempt Saving Throws, End Duration E ects

Notes

daily/encounter power used: ooo

Action points used (if elite or solo): oo Bloodied: o

Bloodied: o

Init Result

Character Name PC Combat Card

Conditions: Asleep, Blinded, Dazed, Deafened, Dominated, Dying, Helpless, Immobilized, Marked (put marking creature’s name in parens),

Ongoing damage, Petriﬁ ed, Prone, Restrained, Slowed, Stunned, Surprised, Unconscious, Weakened.

End State Abbreviations: EoT = end of turn; SoT = start of turn; Sv = until saving throw; EoE = end of encounter. Indicate whose turn; for example

“Dazed/Tordek EoT.” Cross out the condition when it ends.

Damage Taken

Condition/End state Condition/End state

Second Wind used: o

Healing Surges used: ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo

Action Points used: ooo

Condition/End state Condition/End state

Start of Turn: Apply Ongoing Damage

End of Turn: Attempt Saving Throws, End Duration E ects

Notes

Init Result

Monster Name

Monster Combat Card

Conditions: Asleep, Blinded, Dazed, Deafened, Dominated, Dying, Helpless, Immobilized, Marked (put marking creature’s name in parens),

Ongoing damage, Petriﬁ ed, Prone, Restrained, Slowed, Stunned, Surprised, Unconscious, Weakened.

End State Abbreviations: EoT = end of turn; SoT = start of turn; Sv = until saving throw; EoE = end of encounter. Indicate whose turn; for example

“Dazed/Tordek EoT.” Cross out the condition when it ends.

Damage Taken

Condition/End state Condition/End state

daily/encounter power used: ooo

Condition/End state Condition/End state

Start of Turn: Check for Recharge, Apply Ongoing Damage

End of Turn: Attempt Saving Throws, End Duration E ects

Notes

daily/encounter power used: ooo

Action points used (if elite or solo): oo Bloodied: o

Bloodied: o

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INDEX

CHAPTER 11 | Fallcrest

221

absent players 121, 122

Abyss, the 160

action points 41, 123

actor (player motivation) 8

adventure setting 106

adventure structure 100

adventures, event-based 115

adventures, linking 144

adventures, published 96

alert (monster readiness) 36

allies (cast of characters) 116

allies as targets 40

altitude (environment) 159

aquatic combat 45

Arcana skill 26

arrow slits (terrain) 66

art objects 124

artifacts 164

artillery (monster role) 54, 62

asleep (monster readiness) 36

astral diamonds 124

Astral Sea 160

Axe of the Dwarvish Lords 165

background, character 10, 11, 142

battle champion (template) 176

battle grid/battle map 7, 25, 112

blaster (trap/hazard role) 86

blindsight 67

blocked vision 37

blocking terrain 44, 60

blood rock (terrain) 67

bloodied 27

bodyguard (template) 177

brute (monster role) 54, 62

campaign story 140

campaign theme 134

campaigns, published 132

cast of characters 116

catwalks (terrain) 66

cave slime (terrain) 67

challenging terrain 44, 60

character origin and background 142

character roles 10

charge (mounted combat) 47

choke frost (terrain) 67

choosing class powers 182

city buildings 111

city traits 153

civilization 152

class templates 182

cloudspore (terrain) 67

cold (environment) 159

combat cards 38, 220

commerce (civilization) 154

complexity (encounters) 104

complexity (skill challenges) 72

concealment 61

concordance (artifacts) 164

conditions and effects 27, 40

controller (monster role) 54, 62

cover 43

cover terrain 62

critical success and failure (house

rule) 189

cryptograms 82, 83

current (underwater terrain) 45

D&D Insider 7

D&D world, the 150

damage, improvised 42

damage by level (table) 42, 185

damaging objects 65

darkvision 67

death (of characters) 30

death knight (template) 177

death master (template) 177

defense (civilization) 154

deities 162

demagogue (template) 178

demonic acolyte (template) 178

devastator (template) 178

diagonal walls 113

difficult terrain 44, 48, 60, 64, 65

Difficulty Class by level (table) 42

disease 49

distracted (monster readiness) 36

“DM’s best friend” 42

doors 64

drowning (suffocation) 159

dungeon dressing 64

dungeon rooms 110

Dungeoneering skill 26

dungeons, random 190

duplicate monster abilities 176

earning XP 120

Elemental Chaos 160

elite and solo traps 86

elite monsters 55, 59

ember moss (terrain) 67

encounter difficulty 30

encounter level 56

encounter mix 104

encounters, generating 194

encounters, random 193

ending a campaign 147

Endurance skill 49, 50, 158, 159

enemies (cast of characters) 116

environmental dangers 158

epic tier 146

event-based adventures 115

experience point rewards (table)

57, 120

experience points 120

explorer (player motivation) 8

extended rest 41

extras (cast of characters) 117

Eye of Vecna 167

falling damage 44

feyborn (template) 179

Feywild 161

flying 47

foliage, leaves, and vines (terrain) 66

font of power (terrain) 68

forced movement 44, 46

frost adept (template) 179

fumble (house rule) 189

functional templates 176

furnishings and features 111

furniture (terrain) 66

gems 124

gods 162

government (civilization) 154

grab grass (terrain) 68

grasping slime (terrain) 68

group size 6, 31, 58, 125

group skill checks 75

Hand of Vecna 168

handouts 25

hazards 27, 59

Heal skill 49

healing surges 76, 159

heat (environment) 159

heroic tier 146

hills (terrain) 66

hindering terrain 44, 61

History skill 26

house rules 188

ice (terrain) 66

illusions (terrain) 68

illusory wall (terrain) 68

immortality 147

improvised damage 42

initiative 38, 46

Insight skill 26

instigator (player motivation) 8

Invulnerable Coat of Arnd 170

knowledge checks 26

ladders 65

languages 171

leader (monster role) 55

ledges and platforms 65

leveling up 121

lich (template) 179

light sources 66

listening through a door 37

loadstone (terrain) 68

logic puzzles 82, 84

low-light vision 67

lurker (monster role) 54, 62

lurker (trap/hazard role) 96

magic item economy, the 155

magic items 27, 174

magic items (treasure) 125

mapping 112, 154

metagame thinking 15

milestones 123

miniatures 7, 25

minion (monster role) 54, 59

mirror crystal (terrain) 68

missing players 14

monetary treasure 124

monster magic threshold (table) 174

monster statistics by role (table) 184

monsters, creating 184

monsters, customizing 174

mounted combat 46

movement in three dimensions 45

multiple characters 14

mummy champion (template) 179

mummy lord (template) 180

mundane terrain 64

murder holes (terrain) 66

Nature skill 26

necromantic energy (environment)

159

NPC level bonus and magic threshold

(table) 187

NPCs, creating 186

number grids (puzzles) 82, 84

objects, damaging 65

obscured terrain 61

obstacle (trap/hazard role) 86

obstacles 27

opposed checks (skill challenges) 74

organizations (civilization) 155

outdoor settings 114

outdoor terrain 66

paragon tier 146

passive skill checks 26, 74

patrons (cast of characters) 116

Perception skill 26, 36, 37, 41, 64

pillar of life (terrain) 68

player motivations 8, 105

playing without a DM 195

poison 50

pools 65

portcullises 64

potions (treasure) 126

power gamer (player motivation) 9

powers by class level (table) 143

precipitous terrain 44

problems in adventures 98

quest rewards 122

quests 102, 122

quick hit points (table) 143

quotation puzzles 82, 83

random dungeons 190

random encounters 193

rate of advancement 121

ready (monster readiness) 36

religion (civilization) 155

Religion skill 26

riddles 83

rituals 27

rolling dice 15

sacred circle (terrain) 68

sand and dirt (terrain) 66

savage berserker (template) 180

scion of flame (template) 180

searching the room 41

secret doors 65

settlements 152

settlements, fantastic 157

shadowborn stalker (template) 181

Shadowfell 161

short rest 41

Sigil 160

skill challenges 72, 84

skill check Difficulty Class (table) 61

skirmisher (monster role) 54, 62

slayer (player motivation) 9

slides (terrain) 68

smoke or ash (environment) 159

soldier (monster role) 55, 62

solo monsters 55, 59

soul weapon 177

spiderwebs (terrain) 69

squeezing (mounted combat) 47

stairs 65

starting at higher level 143

starvation 159

statues and pillars 65

Stealth skill 36, 37

storyteller (player motivation) 9

streets (terrain) 66

suffocation 159

super adventures 138

supplies 6

surprise 36

swamp (terrain) 66

tapestries and curtains 65

target encounter XP totals (table) 57

targets, legitimate 40

teleportation circles 156

teleporters (terrain) 69

templates 175

terrain features 110

thinker (player motivation) 9

thirst 159

three dimensions 45

tiers of play 146

town traits 153

trapdoors 65

traps 27, 59

traps and hazards 85, 105

treasure 124

treasure parcels 126

trees (terrain) 66

tremorsense 67

undergrowth (terrain) 66

underwater terrain 45

vampire lord (template) 181

village traits 153

vision and special senses 67

walls 64

warder (trap/hazard role) 86

watcher (player motivation) 10

weather 158, 159

whirlwind (terrain) 69

wilderness 158

windows (terrain) 66

word puzzles 82, 83

words of power 171

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