Monsters of the Multiverse - Flip eBook Pages 1-50 (2024)

DUNGEONS &DRAGONS' MORDEN Monsters of tll,e ultiver e

MORDENKAINEN PRESENTS MONSTERS OF THE MULTIVERSE.

CREDITS Lead Designer: Jeremy Crawford Art Directors: Emi Tanji, Kate Irwin This book is a revision of content that originally appeared in the books Vo/o's Guide to Monsters (2016) and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (2018). It also includes revised options from Princes of the Apocalypse (2015), Eberron: Rising from the Last War (2019), and Mythic Odysseys ofTheros (2020). Original Design: Jeremy Crawford, Adam Lee, Mike Mearls, Christopher Perkins, Ben Petrisor, Sean K Reynolds, Robert J. Schwalb, Matt Sernett, Chris Sims, Nolan Whale, Steve Winter Revision Design: Sydney Adams , Judy Bauer, Jeremy Crawford, Makenzie De Armas, Dan Dillon, Ari Levitch, Ben Petrisor, Taymoor Rehman Editing: Judy Bauer, Michele Carter, Kim Mohan, Christopher Perkins Graphic Designers: Trystan Falcone, Emi Tanji Cover Illustrator: Joy Ang Interior Illustrators: Dave Allsop, Tom Babbey, John-Paul Balmet, Thomas M. Baxa, Mark Behm, Eric Belisle, Michael Berube, Mike Bierek, Jared Blando, Zoltan Boros, ON THE COVER A celestial ki-rin soars into the air, bringing hope to the multiverse in this painting by Joy Ang. 620D0149000003 EN ISBN: 978-0-7869-6743-8 First Printing: October 2021 987654321 UK CR CE Christopher Bradley, Alix Branwyn, Aleksi Briclot, IP Dmitry Burmak, Filip Burburan, Christopher Burdett, Sidharth Chaturvedi, Jedd Chevrier, Conceptopolis, Daarken, Nikki Dawes, Eric Deschamps, Simon Dominic, Dave Dorman, Nicholas Elias, Wayne England, Jason Felix, Justin Gerard, Justyna Gil, Lars Grant-West, Jon Hodgson, Ralph Horsley, Tyler Jacobson, Mike Jordana, Vance Kelly, Julian Kok, Michael Komarek, Daniel Landerman, Olly Lawson, Daniel Ljunggren, Valera Lutfullina, Warren Mahy, Lorenzo Mastroianni, Brynn Metheney, Aaron Miller, Francisco Miyara, Caio Monteiro, Scott Murphy, Marta Nael, Marco Nelor, Jim Nelson, Adam Paquette, PINDURSKI , Claudio Pozas , April Prime, Grzegorz Rutkowski, Marc Sasso, Chris Seaman, llya Shkipin, Rudy Siswanto, David Sladek, Craig J Spearing, Bryan Sola, Zack Stella, Sarah Stone, Philip Straub, Arnie Swekel, Thom Tenery, David A. Tram pier, Cory Trego-Erdner, Beth Trott, Brian Valeza, Randy Vargas, Franz Vohwinkel, Anthony S. Waters, Campbell White, Richard Whitters, Eva Widermann, Sam Wood , Shawn Wood, Ben Wootten, Zuzanna Wuuyk, Min Yum Project Engineer: Cynda Callaway Imaging Technician: Kevin Yee Prepress Specialist: Jefferson Dunlap D&D STUDIO Executive Producer: Ray Winninger Principal Designers: Jeremy Crawford , Christopher Perkins Design Manager: Steve Scott Design Department: Sydney Adams, Judy Bauer, Makenzie De Armas, Dan Dillon, Amanda Hamon, Ari Levitch, Ben Petrisor, Taymoor Rehman, F. Wesley Schneider, James Wyatt Senior Art Director: Richard Whitters Art Department: Trystan Falcone, Kate Irwin, Emi Tanji, Shawn Wood, Trish Yochum Senior Producer: Dan Tovar Producers: Bill Benham, Robert Hawkey, Lea Heleotis Director of Product Management: Liz Schuh Product Managers: Natalie Egan , Chris Lindsay, Hilary Ross MARKETING Director of Global Brand Marketing: Brian Perry Global Brand Manager: Shelly Mazzanoble Senior Marketing Communications Manager: Greg Tito Community Manager: Brandy Camel Disclaimer: We asked the wizard Mordenkainen to write a humorous disclaimer fo r this book. We re ceived this response: "The day I start writing frivolous disclaimers for game manuals is the day I retire fro m wizardry and abandon all self respect." Mordenkainen's rival wizard Tasha apparen tly inte rcepted our request and sent us this note: "Mordenkainen lost his sense ofhumorsomewhere between the City ofGreyhawk and the Astral Plane. Keep your chins up, my dearest ones. The multiverse is filled with horrors, many of which are de tailed in this book. Marshal your laughter and a fe w good spells. If we 're going to be devo ured, bett er to fa ce the darkness with a smile." DU NG EO NS & DRAGO NS, D& D, Wi za rds of the Coast, th e dragon am pe rs and , Dungeon Master, Playe r's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide, all othe r Wiza rd s of the Coast product names, an d thei r respective logos are tradema rks of Wizards of the Coast in t he USA a nd othe r countries. All cha racters and their distinc ti ve likenesses are property of Wiza rd s of the Coa st . The materia ls des cribed in this statemen t are protec te d un der the copyri ght laws of the United States of America and a roun d the world unde r internation a l intellectual prope rty treati es. Any reprod uction or unaut ho rized use of the ma te rials co ntained herein o r artwork co nta ined here in is prohi bited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. Printed in China. ©2021 Wizards of the Coast LLC , PO Box 707, Re nto n, WA 980 57-0707, USA. Manufactu red by: Hasbro SA, Ru e Em ile- Boechat 31, 2800 Delemon t. CH. Represented by: Hasbro De Entree 240 7107 EE Amste rdam NL Has bro UK Ltd ., P.O. Box43 Newport, NP1 9 4Y H, UK.

CONTENTS Using This Book ......................................... 4 Boggle .......................................................... 65 Dybbuk ....................................................... 113 Chapter 1: Fantastical Races ................. 5 Creating Your Character. .. ......................... 5 Aarakocra ...................................................... 6 Boneclaw ..................................................... 66 Bulezau ........................................................ 67 Cadaver Collector ...................................... 68 Eidolon ....................................................... 114 Eladrin, Autumn ...................................... 115 Eladrin, Spring ........................................ 116 Aasimar .......................................................... 7 Canoloth ...................................................... 69 Eladrin, Summer ..................................... 116 Bugbear .......................................................... 8 Centaur .......................................................... 9 Catoblepas ................................................... 70 Cattle ............................................................ 71 Eladrin, Winter ........................................ 117 Elder Brain ................................................ 120 Changeling ................................. ................. 10 Deep Gnome ....................... ............. ........... 11 Duergar ........................................................ 12 Eladrin ......................................................... 13 Aurochs .................................................... 71 Deep Rothe .............................................. 71 Ox ............................................................... 72 Stench Kow ....... ...................................... 72 Elder Tempest .......................................... 121 Elemental Myrmidon, Air ...................... 122 Elemental Myrmidon, Earth ................. 122 Elemental Myrmidon, Fire .................... 123 Fairy .............................................................. 14 Firbolg .......................................................... 15 Genasi, Air .................................................. 16 Cave Fisher ................................................. 73 Champion .................................................... 74 Chitine .......................................................... 75 Elemental Myrmidon, Water. ................ 123 Fire Giant Dreadnought ........................ 124 Firenewt Warlock of lmix ...................... 125 Genasi, Earth ............................................. 17 Choker .......................................................... 76 Firenewt Warrior ..................................... 125 Genasi, Fire ................................................ 17 Choldrith ...................................................... 77 Flail Snail .................................................. 126 Genasi, Water ............................................. 17 Clockwork Bronze Scout... ...................... 79 Flind ............................................................ 127 Githyanki ................... .................................. 18 Githzerai ...................................................... 19 Clockwork Iron Cobra .............................. 79 Clockwork Oaken Bolter.. ...... .................. 80 Fraz-Urb'luu .............................................. 129 Froghemoth .............................................. 130 Goblin ........................................................... 20 Clockwork Stone Defender ..................... 80 Frost Giant Everlasting One ................. 131 Goliath ........................................................ .. 21 Cloud Giant Smiling One ........................ 81 Frost Salamander ................................... 132 Harengon .............................................. ....... 22 Hobgoblin .................................................... 23 Kenku ........................................................... 24 Corpse Flower ............................................ 82 Cranium Rat ............................................... 83 Cranium Rats, Swarm of.. ....................... 83 Gauth .......................................................... 133 Gazer .......................................................... 134 Geryon ........................................................ 136 Kobold .......................................................... 25 Darkling ................................ ....................... 84 Giant Strider ............................................. 137 Lizard folk ............................................... ..... 26 Darkling Elder ............................................ 84 Giff ............................................................... 138 Minotaur ...................................................... 27 Death Kiss ................................................... 85 Girallon ...................................................... 139 Orc ................................................................. 28 Deathlock .................................................... 86 Githyanki Gish ......................................... 140 Satyr ........................ : ... ................................. 29 Sea Elf .......................................................... 30 Death lock Mastermind ............................ 87 Death lock Wight ........................................ 87 Githyanki Kith'rak ............................... .... 140 Githyanki Supreme Comma nder ........ 141 Shadar-kai ........................... _. ....................... 31 Shifter ..................... ...................... ............... 32 Deep Scion .................................................. 88 Demogorgon ............................................... 90 Githzerai Anarch ..................................... 142 Githzerai Enlightened ............................ 143 Tabaxi ....................... ..... ............................... 33 Derro ............................................................ 91 Gnoll Flesh Gnawer ................................ 144 Tortle ............................................................ 34 Derro Savant .............................................. 92 Gnoll Hunter ......................................... .... 144 Triton ............................................................ 35 Devourer ...................................................... 93 Gnoll Witherling ...................................... 145 Yuan-ti .......................................................... 36 Dhergoloth .................................................. 94 Gray Render .............................................. 146 Dinosau rs ................................ .................... 95 Graz'zt ........................................................ 148 Chapter 2: Bestiary ................................ . 37 Abishai, Black ............................................. 38 Abishai, Blue ............................................... 39 Abishai, Green ............................................ 40 Brontosaurus .......................................... 95 Deinonychus .. .......................................... 95 Dimetrodon ............................................. 95 Hadrosaurus ...................................... ..... 96 Grung ......................................................... 149 Grung Elite Warrior. ............................... 150 Grung Wildling ........................................ 150 Guard Drake ............................................. 151 Abishai, Red ................................................ 40 Abishai, White ............................................ 41 Alhoon .......................................................... 43 Alkilith ......................................................... 44 Allip ................................... ............................ 45 Amnizu ......................................................... 46 Annis Hag ..................... ............................... 47 Archdruid .................................................... 48 Quetzalcoatlus ..................... ................... 96 Stegosaurus ............................................ 96 Velociraptor ............................................. 96 Dolphin ................. ....................................... 97 Dolphin Delighte r ...................................... 97 Draegloth ................................ ..................... 98 Drow Arachnomancer .............................. 99 Drow Favored Consort ........................... 100 Hellfire Engine ......................................... 152 Hobgoblin Devastator. ............................ 153 Hobgoblin Iron Shadow ......................... 154 Howler ........................................................ 155 Hutijin ......................................................... 157 Hydroloth ................................... , ............... 158 Juiblex ......................................................... 160 Ki-rin .......................................................... 162 Archer ........................................................... 49 Armanite ...................................................... 50 Astral Dreadnought .................................. 51 Drow House Captain .............................. 101 Drow Inquisitor ........................................ 102 Drow Matron Mother .............................. 104 Kobold Dragonshield .............................. 163 Kobold Inventor ....................................... 164 Kobold Scale Sorcerer. ................ .......... 165 Babau ............................................................ 52 Drow S hadowblade ................................. 105 Korred ........................................................ 166 Bael ... ............................................................ 54 Balhannoth ................................................. 55 Banderhobb ................................................. 56 Baphomet ............ .................................. ...... 58 Bard .............................................................. 59 Barghest ............... ................. ...................... 60 Berbalang .................................................... 61 Bheur Hag ................................................... 62 Blackguard .................................................. 63 Bodak ........................................................... 64 Duergar Despot... ..................................... 107 Duergar Kavalrachni .................. ............ 107 Duergar Mind Master ............................. 108 Duergar Soulblade .................................. 109 Duergar Stone Guard ............................. 110 Duergar Warlord ...................................... 111 Duergar Xarrorn ....................... ............... 111 Duergar Hammerer ................................ 112 Duergar Screamer .................................. 112 Kraken Priest ........................................... 167 Kruthik, Young ......................................... 168 Kruthik, Adult... ........................................ 169 Kruthik Hive Lord ................................... 169 Leucrotta ................................................... 170 Leviathan ................................................... 171 Martial Arts Adept... ................................ 172 Marut .......................................................... 173 Master Thief .................. ............................ 17 4

Maurezhi .................................................... 175 Shadar-Kai Shadow Dancer ................. 213 Troll, Spirit .................. ~ ........................... 247 Maw Demon ........................... ................... 176 Shadar-Kai Soul Monger ....................... 214 Troll, Venom .............................................. 248 Meazel .. ............................. ......................... 177 Shadow Mastiff ........................................ 215 Ulitharid .................................................... 249 Meenlock ................................................... 178 S hadow Mastiff Alpha ............................ 215 Vampiric Mist ........................................... 250 Merregon ................................................... 179 Shoosuva ................................. .................. 216 Vargouille .......................................... ........ 251 Merrenoloth ............ .................................. 180 Sibriex ........................................................ 217 Vegepygmy ................................................ 252 Mindwitness ............................................. 181 Skulk .......................................................... 219 Vegepygmy Chief .... ..... ............................ 253 Moloch ........................................................ 183 Skull Lord ................................................. 220 Vegepygmy, Thorny ................................. 253 Molydeus .............................................. ...... 184 Slithering Tracker ................................... 221 War Priest ................................................. 254 Morkoth ........................... ........................... 186 Sorrows worn, Angry .............................. 222 Warlock of the Arch fey ........................... 255 Mouth of Grolantor. .. ............................... 187 Sorrowsworn, Hungry ........................... 223 Warlock of the Fiend ............................... 255 Nabassu ..................................................... 188 Sorrowsworn, Lonely ............................. 223 Warlock of the Great Old One .............. 256 Nagpa .............................................. ........... 189 Sorrowsworn, Lost ................................. 224 Warlord ..................................................... . 257 Narzugon ................................................... 190 Sorrowsworn, Wretched .. .... .................. 224 Wastrilith .............. ........................ ............. 258 Neogi Hatchling ....................................... 191 Spawn of Kyuss ....................................... 225 Wizard, Apprentice ................................. 259 Neogi ........................................... ................ 192 Star Spawn Grue ..................................... 227 Wizard, Abjurer ....................................... 260 Neogi Master ................................ ............ 192 Star Spawn Hulk ..................................... 227 Wizard, Conjurer ....................... .............. 260 Neothelid ................................................... 193 Star Spawn Larva Mage ........................ 228 Wizard, Diviner ........................................ 261 Nightwalker .............................................. 194 Star Spawn Mangler .............................. 229 Wizard , Enchanter .......... ........................ 261 Nilbog ......... ................................................ 195 Star Spawn Seer ......... ............................ 230 Wizard, Evoker ......................................... 262 Nupperibo .................................................. 196 Steeder, Female ....................................... 231 Wizard, lllusionist ................................... 263 Oblex Spawn ............... ...................... ........ 197 Steeder, Male ............................................ 231 Wizard, Necromancer ................... ......... 264 Oblex, Adult... ........................... ................. 198 Steel Predator .......................................... 232 Wizard , Transmuter .. .............................. 265 Oblex, Elder .............................................. 199 Stone Cursed ............................................ 233 Wood Woad ............................................... 266 Ogre Battering Ram ........... ................... 200 Stone Giant Dreamwalker .................... 234 Xvart .. ......................................................... 267 Ogre Bolt Launcher ................................ 200 Storm Giant Quintessent... .................... 235 Xvart Warlock of Raxivort.. ................... 267 Ogre Chain Brute .................................... 201 Swarm of Rot Grubs ............................... 237 Yagnoloth ................................................... 268 Ogre Howdah ........................................... 201 Swashbuckler ........................................... 238 Yeenoghu ................................................... 270 Oinoloth .............................. ....................... 202 Sword Wraith Commander ................... 239 Yeth Hound ............................... ................ 271 Orcus ............ .............................................. 204 Sword Wraith Warrior ................. .......... 239 Yuan-ti Anathema .................................... 272 Orth on ........................................................ 205 Tanarukk ................................................... 240 Yuan-ti Broodguard ................................. 273 Phoenix ..................................................... 206 Titivilus ........................... ........................... 242 Yuan-ti Mind Whisperer ..................... ... 274 Quickling ................................................... 207 Tlincalli ...................................................... 243 Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker .................. 275 Redcap ...................................................... 208 Tortle .................................................. ........ 244 Yuan-ti Pit Master .................................... 276 Retriever .................................................... 209 Tort le Druid ...................................... ........ 244 Zaratan ....................................................... 278 Rutterkin .................................................... 210 Trapper ........................................... ............ 245 Za riel ......................................................... 280 Sea Spawn ... .... ......................................... 211 Troll, Dire .................................................. 246 Zuggtmoy .. .............................................. ... 282 Shadar-Kai Gloom Weaver ................... 213 Troll, Rot... ................................................. 247 A d. M t L. t 283 ppen 1x: ons er 1s s .................... . ING s OOK The multiverse of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS brims with peril, and many of the greatest dangers are monsters. A companion to the Monster Manual, this book collects monsters from many different planes of existence, each creature ready to imperil D&D heroes of different levels. The book also includes game statistics for nonplayer characters, who may assist or oppose the heroes, and an array of fantastical races for players to consider for their characters. The monsters and fantastical races in the following chapters are accompanied by the occasional comments of the mighty wizard Mordenkainen, one of the most learned mages of the D&D world of Greyhawk. The archmage Tasha, Mordenkainen's friendly rival, interjects as well. All together, the monsters, nonplayer characters, and fantastical races herein provide a host of new friends and foes to populate your D&D worlds. 4 USING THIS BOOK WHAT You'LL FIND WITHIN Chapter 1, "Fantastical Races," presents over 30 race options for player characters, complementing the options in the Player's Handbook and other D&D books. These races debuted elsewhere and appear all together for the first time here, each of them revised to fit into the current state of the game. Chapter 2, "Bestiary," contains over 250 monsters and NPCs, each one represented by a stat block and story text. When you're preparing to run an adventure as the DM, consider sprinkling these creatures into your games, mixing them with the monsters and NPCs from the Monster Manual. The creatures in this chapter fit seamlessly with the ones you use from other D&D books. Appendix, "Monster Lists," makes it easy for you to find the right stat blocks for your adventures. This appendix lists the book's monsters a nd NPCs by creature type, challenge rating, and environment.

CHAPTER 1 FANTASTICAL ACES ATHERING TOGETHER FANTASTICAL RACES from throughout the D&D multiverse, this chapter offers the following races for player characters, supplementing the race options in the Player's Handbook: Aarakocra Firbolg Harengon Shadar-ka i Aasimar Genasi, Air Hobgobli n Shifter Bugbear Genasi, Earth Ke nku Tabaxi Centaur Genas i, Fire Kobold Tortle Changeli ng Genasi, Water Lizardfolk Triton Deep Gnome Githyanki Minotaur Yuan -ti Duergar Githzerai Ore Eladrin Goblin Satyr Fairy Goliath Sea Elf Many of these races are based on creatures that appear in the Monster Manual or the bestiary of this book. Consult with your DM to see whether an option here is appropriate for your campaign. If you do use a race in this chapter, first read the "Creating Your Character" section below. CREATING YOUR CHARACTER At 1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race in this chapter, follow these additional rules during character creation. ABILITY SCORE INCREASES When determining your character's ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The "Quick Build" section for your character's class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can't raise any of your scores above 20. LANGUAGES Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character. The Player's Handbook offers a list of languages to choose from. The DM is free to modify that list for a campaign. CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES 5

• CREATURE TYPE Every creature in D&D, including each player character, has a special tag in the rules that identifies the type of creature they are. Most player characters are of the Humanoid type. A race in this chapter tells you what your character's creature type is. Here's a list of the game's creature types in alphabetical order: Aberration, Beast, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Humanoid, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead. These types don't have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different ways. For example, the cure wounds spell doesn't work on a Construct or an Undead. LIFE SPAN The typical life span of a player character in the D&D multiverse is about a century, assuming the character doesn't meet a violent end on an adventure. Members of some races, such as dwarves and elves, can live for centuries. If typical members of a race in this book can live longer than a century, that fact is mentioned in the race's description. HEIGHT AND WEIGHT Player characters, regardless of race, typically fall into the same ranges of height and weight that humans have in our world. If you'd like to determine your character's height or weight randomly, consult the Random Height and Weight table in the Player's Handbook, and choose the row in the table that best represents the build you imagine for your character. 6 CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES AARAKOCRA A winged people who originated on the Elemental Plane of Air, aarakocra soar through the sky wherever they wander. The first aarakocra served the Wind Dukes of Aaqa- mighty beings of air-and were imbued with a measure of their masters' power over winds. Their descendants still command echoes of that power. From below, aarakocra look like large birds and thus are sometimes called birdfolk. Only when they roost on a branch or walk across the ground is their Humanoid nature clear. Standing upright, aarakocra are typically about 5 feet tall, and they have long, narrow legs that taper to sharp talons. Feathers cover their bodies-usually red, orange, yellow, brown, or gray. Their heads are also avian, often resembling those of parrots or eagles. AARAKOCRA TRAITS As an aarakocra, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Flight. Because of your wings, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can't use this flying speed if you're wearing medium or heavy armor. Talons. You have talons that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals ld6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Wind Caller. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the gust of wind spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast the spell with this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of 2nd level or higher. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it when you cast gust of wind with this trait (choose when you select this race).

AASIMAR Whether descended from a celestial being or infused with heavenly power, aasimar are mortals who carry a spark of the Upper Planes within their souls. They can fan that spark to bring light, ease wounds, and unleash the fury of the heavens. Aasimar can arise among any population of mortals. They resemble their parents, but they live for up to 160 years and often have features that hint at their celestial heritage. These often begin subtle and become more obvious when the aasimar gains the ability to reveal their full celestial nature. The Aasimar Celestial Features table has examples you can choose or use as inspiration to create your own. AASIMAR CELESTIAL FEATURES d6 Celestial Feature A dusting of metallic, white, or charcoal freckles 2 Metallic, luminous, or dark eyes 3 Starkly colored hair 4 An unusual hue tinting your shadow 5 A ghostly halo crowning your head 6 Rainbows gleaming on your skin AASIMAR TRAITS As an aasimar, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Celestial Resistance. You have resistance to necrotic damage and radiant damage. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Healing Hands. As an action, you can touch a creature and roll a number of d4s equal to your proficiency bonus. The creature regains a number of hit points equal to the total rolled. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. Light Bearer. You know the light cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it. Celestial Revelation. When you reach 3rd level, choose one of the revelation options below. Thereafter, you can use a bonus action to unleash the celestial energy within yourself, gaining the benefits of that revelation. Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. Once you transform using your revelation below, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest: Necrotic Shroud. Your eyes briefly become pools of darkness, and ghostly, flightless wings sprout from your back temporarily. Creatures other than your allies within 10 feet of you that can see you must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. Until the transformation ends, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra necrotic damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus. Radiant Consumption. Searing light temporarily radiates from your eyes and mouth. For the duration, you shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet, and at the end of each of your turns, each creature within 10 feet of you takes radiant damage equal to your proficiency bonus. Until the transformation ends, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra radiant damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus. Radiant Soul. Two luminous, spectral wings sprout from your back temporarily. Until the transformation ends, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed, and once on each of your turns, you can deal extra radiant damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus. CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES 7

BUGBEAR Neither bugs nor bears, bugbears are the hulking cousins of goblins and hobgoblins. With roots in the Feywild, early bugbears resided in hidden places, in hard-to-reach and shadowed spaces. Long ago and from out of the corner of your eye, they came to the Material Plane, urged to spread throughout the multiverse by the conquering god Maglubiyet. Centuries later, they still bear a fey gift for lurking just out of sight, and many of them have sneaked away from that god's influence. They are long of limb and covered in coarse hair, with wedge-shaped ears and pointed teeth. Despite their formidable build, bugbears are quiet skulkers, thanks to a fey magic that allows them to hide in spaces seemingly too small for them. BUGBEAR TRAITS As a bugbear, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a goblinoid for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a goblinoid. Size. Your size is Medium. 8 CHAPT_ER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself. Long-Limbed. When you make a melee attack on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal. Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Sneaky. You are proficient in the Stealth skill. In addition, without squeezing, you can move through and stop in a space large enough for a Small creature. Surprise Attack. If you hit a creature with an attack roll, the creature takes an extra 2d6 damage if it hasn't taken a turn yet in the current combat.

CENTAUR Centaurs gallop throughout the multiverse and trace their origins to many different realms. The centaurs presented here hail from the Feywild and mystically resonate with the natural world. From the waist up, they resemble elves, displaying all the elf varieties of skin tone. From the waist down, they have the bodies of horses. CENTAUR TRAITS As a centaur, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Fey. Size. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 40 feet. Charge. If you move at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hit it with a melee weapon attack on the same turn, you can immediately follow that attack with a bonus action, making one attack against the target with your hooves. Equine Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push or drag. In addition, any climb that requires hands and feet is especially difficult for you because of your equine legs. When you make such a climb, each foot of movement costs you 4 extra feet instead of the normal 1 extra foot. Hooves. You have hooves that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals ld6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Natural Affinity. Your fey connection to nature gives you an intuitive connection to the natural world and the animals within it. You therefore have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, or Survival. CHAPTER 1 [ FANTASTICAL RACES 9

CHANGELING With ever-changing appearances, changelings reside in many societies undetected. Each changeling can supernaturally adopt any face they like. For some changelings, a new face is only a disguise. For other changelings, a new face may reveal an aspect of their soul. The first changelings in the multiverse appeared in the Feywild, and the wondrous, mutable essence of that plane lingers in changelings today-even in those changelings who have never set foot in the fey realm. Each changeling decides how to use their shape-shifting ability, channeling either the peril or the joy of the Feywild. Sometimes they adopt new forms for the sake of mischief or malice, and other times they don a new identity to right wrongs or delight the downtrodden. IO CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES In their true form, changelings appear faded, their features almost devoid of detail. It is rare to see a changeling in that form, for a typical changeling changes their shape the way others might change clothes. A casual shape-one created on the spur of the moment, with no depth or history- is called a mask. A mask can be used to express a mood or to serve a specific purpose and then might never be used again. However, many changelings develop identities that have more depth, crafting whole personas complete with histories and beliefs. A changeling adventurer might have personas for many situations, including negotiation, investigation, and combat. Personas can be shared by multiple changelings; a community might be home to three healer changelings, with whoever is on duty adopting the persona of Andrea, the gentle physician. Personas can even be passed down through a family, allowing a younger changeling to take advantage of contacts established by the persona's previous users. CHANGELING TRAITS As a changeling, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Fey. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Changeling Instincts. Thanks to your connection to the fey realm, you gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Performance, or Persuasion. Shapechanger. As an action, you can change your appearance and your voice. You determine the specifics of the changes, including your coloration, hair length, and sex. You can also adjust your height and weight and can change your size between Medium and Small. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your game statistics change. You can't duplicate the appearance of an individual you've never seen, and you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs that you have. Your clothing and equipment aren't changed by this trait. You stay in the new form until you use an action to revert to your true form or until you die.

DEEP GNOME Deep gnomes, or svirfneblin, are natives of the Underdark and are suffused with that subterranean realm's magic. They can supernaturally camouflage themselves, and their svirfneblin magic renders them difficult to locate. These abilities have enabled them to survive for generations among the perils of the Underdark. Like other gnomes, deep gnomes can live for centuries, up to 500 years. DEEP GNOME TRAITS As a deep gnome, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a gnome for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a gnome. Size. You are Small. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light a nd in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Gift of the Svirfneblin. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the disguise self spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the nondetection spell with it, without requiring a material component. Once you cast either of these spells with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). Gnomish Magic Resistance. You have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against spells. Svirfneblin Camouflage. When you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, you can make the check with advantage. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, a nd you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES II

DUERGAR Duergar are dwarves whose ancestors were transformed by centuries living in the deepest places of the Underdark. That chthonic realm is saturated with strange magical energy, and over generations, early duergar absorbed traces of it. They were further altered when mind flayers and other Aberrations invaded and performed horrific experiments on them. Fueled by Underdark magic, those experiments left early duergar with psionic powers, which have been passed down to their descendants. In time, they liberated themselves from their aberrant tyrants and forged a new life for themselves in the Underdark and beyond. Like other dwarves, duergar typically have a life span of 350 years. DUERGAR TRAITS As a duergar, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a dwarf for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a dwarf. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. 12 CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Duergar Magic. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the enlarge/reduce spell on yourself with this trait, without requiring a material component. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the invisibility spell on yourself with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast either of these spells with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). Dwarven Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the poisoned condition on yourself. You also have resistance to poison damage. Psionic Fortitude. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed or stunned condition on yourself.

ELADRIN Eladrin are elves of the Feywild , a realm of perilous beauty and boundless magic. Using that magic, eladrin can step from one place to another in the blink of an eye, and each eladrin resonates with emotions captured in the Feywild in the form of seasons- affinities that affect the eladrin's mood and appearance. An eladrin's season can change, though some remain in one season forever. Choose your season or roll on the Eladrin S easons table. Your Trance trait lets you change your season. Like other elves, eladrin can live to be over 750 yea rs old. ELADRIN SEASONS d4 Season Autumn: peace and goodwill, when summer's harvest is shared with all 2 Winter: contemplation and dolor, when the vibrant energy of the world slumbers 3 Spring: cheerfulness and celebration , marked by merriment and hope as winter's sorrow passes 4 Summer: boldness and aggression, a time of unfettered energy and calls to action ELADRIN TRAITS As an eladrin, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You a re a Humanoid. You are also considered a n elf for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be an elf. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself. Fey Step. As a bonus action , you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You can use this tra it a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. When you reach 3rd level, your Fey Step gains an additional effect based on your season; if the effect requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier (choose when you select this race): Autumn. Immediately after you use your Fey Step, up to two creatures of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 minute, or until you or your companions deal any damage to the creatures. Winter. When you use your Fey Step, one creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you before you teleport must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. Spring. When you use your Fey Step, you can touch one willing creature within 5 feet of you. That creature then teleports instead of you, appearing in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you. Summer. Immediately after you use your Fey Step, each creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you takes fire damage equal to your proficiency bonus. Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the Perception skill. Trance. You don't need to sleep, a nd magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness. Whenever you finish this trance, you can change your season, and you can gain two proficiencies that you don't have, each one with a weapon or a tool of your choice selected from the Player's Handbook. You mystica lly acquire these proficiencies by drawing them from shared elven memory, and you retain them until you finish your next long rest. CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES 13

• 14 CHAPTER I I FANTASTICAL RACES FAIRY The Feywild is home to many fantastic peoples, including fairies. Fairies are a wee folk, but not nearly as much so as their pixie and sprite friends. The first fairies spoke Elvish, Goblin, or Sylvan, and encounters with human visitors prompted many of them to learn Common as well. Infused with the magic of the Feywild, most fairies look like Small elves with insectile wings, but each fairy has a special physical characteristic that sets the fairy apart. For your fairy, roll on the Fey Characteristics table or choose an option from it. You're also free to come up with your own characteristic if none of the suggestions below fit your character. FEY CHARACTERISTICS d8 Characteristic Your wings are like those of a bird. 2 You have shimmering, multicolored skin. 3 You have exceptionally large ears. 4 A glittering mist constantly surrounds you . 5 You have a small spectral horn on your forehead, like a little unicorn horn. 6 Your legs are insectile. 7 You smell like fresh brownies. 8 A noticeable, harmless chill surrounds you. FAIRY TRAITS As a fairy, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Fey. Size. You are Small. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Fairy Magic. You know the druidcraft cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the faerie fire spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the enlarge/reduce spell with this trait. Once you cast faerie fire or enlarge/reduce with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). Flight. Because of your wings, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can't use this flying speed if you're wearing medium or heavy armor.

FIRBOLG Distant cousins of giants, the first firbolgs wandered the primeval forests of the multiverse, and the magic of those forests entwined itself with the firbolgs' souls. Centuries later, that magic still thrums inside a firbolg, even one who has never lived under the boughs of a great forest. A firbolg's magic is an obscuring sort, which allowed their ancestors to pass through a forest without disturbing it. So deep is the connection between a firbolg and the wild places of the world that they can communicate with flora and fauna. Firbolgs can live up to 500 years. FIRBOLG TRAITS As a firbolg, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Firbolg Magic. You can cast the detect magic and disguise self spells with this trait. When you use this version of disguise self, you can seem up to 3 feet shorter or taller. Once you cast either of these spells with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using any spell slots you have. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). Hidden Step. As a bonus action, you can magically turn invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to make a saving throw. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Speech of Beast and Leaf. You have the ability to communicate in a limited manner with Beasts, Plants, and vegetation. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them. Al t\ chiliJ., I let\rneiJ. tht\t plt\yi~~ hiiJ.et\~o.-1eek with o.ilt\ppet\ri~~ frbol~I ii f.1,1~ b1,1t f1,1tile . CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES 15

LEFT TO RIGHT: EARTH GENASI, WATER GENASI, FIRE GENASI, AND AIR GENASI GENAS! Tracing their ancestry to the genies of the Elemental Planes, each genasi can tap into the power of one of the elements. Air, earth, fire, and water-these are the four pillars of the Material Plane and the four types of genasi. Some genasi are direct descendants of a genie, while others were born to non-genasi parents who lived near a place suffused by a genie's magic. A typical genasi has a life span of 120 years. AIR GENASI TRAITS Air genasi are descended from djinn, the genies of the Elemental Plane of Air. Embodying many of the airy traits of their otherworldly ancestors, air genasi can draw upon their connection to the winds. Air genasi's skin tones include many shades of blue, along with the full range of human skin tones, with bluish or ashen casts. Sometimes their skin is marked by lines that seem like cracks with bluish-white energy spilling out. An air genasi's hair might blow in a phantom wind or be made entirely of clouds or vapor. As an air genasi, you have the following traits. 16 CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your walking speed is 35 feet. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Unending Breath. You can hold your breath indefinitely while you're not incapacitated. Lightning Resistance. You have resistance to lightning damage. Mingle with the Wind. You know the shocking grasp cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the feather fall spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the levitate spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast feather fall or levitate with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race).

EARTH GENASI TRAITS Tracing their ancestry to dao, the genies of the Elemental Plane of Earth, earth genasi inherit dao's steadfast strength and control over earth. An earth genasi's skin can be the colors of stone and earth or a human skin tone with glittering sparkles like gem dust. Some earth genasi have lines marking their skin like cracks, either showing glimmering gemlike veins or a dim, yellowish glow. Earth genasi hair can appear carved of stone or crystal or resemble strands of spun metal. As an earth genasi, you have the following traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Earth Walk. You can move across difficult terrain without expending extra movement if you are using your walking speed on the ground or a floor. Merge with Stone. You know the blade ward cantrip. You can cast it as normal, and you can also cast it as a bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Starting at 5th level, you can cast the pass without trace spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast that spell with this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast it using any spell slots you have of 2nd level or higher. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). FIRE GENAS! TRAITS Descended from efreet, the genies of the Elemental Plane of Fire, fire genasi channel the flamboyant and often destructive nature of flame . They show their heritage in their skin tones, which can range from deep charcoal to shades of red and orange. Some bear skin tones common to humanity but with fiery marks, such as slowly swirling lights under their skin that resemble embers or glowing red lines tracing over their bodies like cracks. Fire genasi hair can resemble threads of fire or sooty smoke. As a fire genasi, you have the following traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Fire Resistance. You have resistance to fire damage. Reach to the Blaze. You know the produce flame cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the burning hands spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the flame blade spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast burning hands or flame blade with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). WATER GENASI TRAITS Water genasi descend from marids, aquatic genies from the Elemental Plane of Water. Water genasi are perfectly suited to life underwater and carry the power of the waves inside themselves. Their skin is often shades of blue or green, sometimes a blend of the two. If they have a human skin tone, there is a glistening texture that catches the light, like water droplets or nearly invisible fish scales. Their hair can resemble seaweed, waving as if in a current, or it can even be like water itself. As a water genasi, you have the following traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. Acid Resistance. You have resistance to acid damage. Amphibious. You can breathe air and water. CaJJ to the Wave. You know the acid splash cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the create or destroy water spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the water walk spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast create or destroy water or water walk with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES I7

GITHYANKI Once members of a people who escaped servitude to mind flayers, githyanki split from their cousins, githzerai, and fled to the Astral Plane. In that timeless, silvery realm, githyanki honed their psionic powers and built a great city called Tu'narath. They have since spread throughout the multiverse, starting in outposts outside the Astral Plane, called creches, where time passes and their children can reach adulthood. A lanky people with skin tones of yellows, greens, and browns, githyanki complement their physical prowess with psionic might, instilled in them by mind flayers and cultivated over eons in the Astral Plane. Now all githyanki can use their psychic bond with that plane to access splinters of knowledge left behind by beings who travel, live, and die among the silver astral clouds. Githyanki who reside in the Astral Plane can live indefinitely. GITHYANKI TRAITS As a githyanki, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. 18 CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES Astral Knowledge. You can mystically access a reservoir of experiences of entities connected to the Astral Plane. Whenever you finish a long rest, you gain proficiency in one skill of your choice and with one weapon or tool of your choice, selected from the Player's Handbook, as you momentarily project your consciousness into the Astral Plane. These proficiencies last until the end of your next long rest. Githyanki Psionics. You know the mage hand cantrip, and the hand is invisible when you cast the cantrip with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the jump spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the misty step spell with it. Once you cast jump or misty step with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). None of these spells require spell components when you cast them with this trait. Psychic Resilience. You have resistance topsych ic damage.

GITHZERAI Githzerai migrated to the Everchanging Chaos of Limbo after the ancient schism that split their ancestors from their cousins, githyanki. Limbo is a roiling maelstrom of matter and energy, collapsing and reforming without purpose or direction, until a creature exerts deliberate will to stabilize it. Through their potent psionic power, githzerai carved a home for themselves amid the chaos. As the ages passed, githzerai explorers ranged out to other planes and worlds of the multiverse. Githzerai are generally slender, with speckled skin in shades of yellow, green, or brown. Eons of cultivating their mental powers within the endless chaos of Limbo have imbued githzerai with the ability to shape psionic energy to protect themselves and probe minds. GITHZERAI TRAITS As a githzerai, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Githzerai Psionics. You know the mage hand cantrip, and the hand is invisible when you cast the cantrip with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the shield spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the detect thoughts spell with it. Once you cast shield or detect thoughts with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). None of these spells require spell components when you cast them with this trait. Mental Discipline. Your innate psychic defenses grant you advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed and frightened conditions on yourself. Psychic Resilience. You have resistance topsychic damage.

GOBLIN A subterranean folk, goblins can be found in every corner of the multiverse, often beside their bugbear and hobgoblin kin. Long before the god Maglubiyet conquered them, early goblins served in the court of the Queen of Air and Darkness, one of the Feywild's archfey. Goblins thrived in her dangerous domain thanks to a special boon from her- a supernatural knack for finding the weak spots in foes larger than themselves and for getting out of trouble. Goblins brought this fey boon with them to worlds across the Material Plane, even if they don't remember the fey realm they inhabited before Maglubiyet's rise. Now many goblins pursue their own destinies, escaping the plots of both archfey and gods. GOBLIN TRAITS As a goblin, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a goblinoid for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a goblinoid. Size. You are Small. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself. Furyofthe Small. When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and the creature's size is larger than yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest, and you can use it no more than once per turn. Nimble Escape. You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.

GOLIATH The first goliaths lived on the highest mountain peaks- far above the tree line, where the air is thin and frigid winds howl. Distantly related to giants and infused with the supernatural essence of their ancestors' mountainous home, goliaths stand between 7 and 8 feet tall and have a wide array of skin tones resembling different types of stone. GOLIATH TRAITS As a goliath, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Little Giant. You have proficiency in the Athletics skill, and you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Mountain Born. You have resistance to cold damage. You also naturally acclimate to high altitudes, even if you've never been to one. This includes elevations above 20,000 feet. Stone's Endurance. You can supernaturally draw on unyielding stone to shrug off harm. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a dl2. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. 21

HARENGON Harengons originated in the Feywild, where they spoke Sylvan and embodied the spirit of freedom and travel. In time, these rabbitfolk hopped into other worlds, bringing the fey realm's exuberance with them and learning new languages as they went. Harengons are bipedal, with the characteristic long feet of the rabbits they resemble and fur in a variety of colors. They share the keen senses and powerful legs of leporine creatures and are full of energy, like a wound-up spring. Harengons are blessed with a little fey luck, and they often find themselves a few fortunate feet away from dangers during adventures. 22 CHAPTER l I FANTASTICAL RACES HARENGON TRAITS As a harengon, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Hare-Trigger. You can add your proficiency bonus to your initiative rolls. Leporine Senses. You have proficiency in the Perception skill. Lucky Footwork. When you fail a Dexterity saving throw, you can use your reaction to roll a d4 and add it to the save, potentially turning the failure into a success. You can't use this reaction if you're prone or your speed is 0. Rabbit Hop. As a bonus action, you can jump a number of feet equal to five times your proficiency bonus, without provoking opportunity attacks. You can use this trait only if your speed is greater than 0. You can use it a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

HOBGOBLIN Hobgoblins trace their origins to the ancient courts of the Feywild, where they first appeared with their goblin and bugbear kin. Many of them were driven from the Feywild by the conquering god Maglubiyet, who marshaled them as soldiers, but the fey realm left its mark; wherever they are in the multiverse, they continue to channel an aspect of the Feywild's rule of reciprocity, which creates a mystical bond between the giver and the receiver of a gift. On some worlds, such bonds lead hobgoblins to form communities with deep ties to one another. In Eberron and the Forgotten Realms, vast hobgoblin legions have emerged, with ranks of devoted soldiers famed for their unity. Hobgoblins are generally taller than their goblin cousins but not quite as big as bugbears. They have curved, pointed ears and noses that turn bright red or blue during displays of emotion. HOBGOBLIN TRAITS As a hobgoblin, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a goblinoid for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a goblinoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself. Fey Gift. You can use this trait to take the Help action as a bonus action, and you can do so a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Starting at 3rd level, choose one of the options below each time you take the Help action with this trait: Hospitality. You and the creature you help each gain a number of temporary hit points equal to ld6 plus your proficiency bonus. Passage. You and the creature you help each increase your walking speeds by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. Spite. Until the start of your next turn, the first time the creature you help hits a target with an attack roll, that target has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes within the next minute. • Fortune from the Many. If you miss with an attack roll or fail an ability check or a saving throw, you can draw on your bonds of reciprocity to gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of allies you can see within 30 feet of you (maximum bonus of +3). You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES 23

24 KENKU Feathered folk who resemble ravens, kenku are blessed with keen observation and supernaturally accurate memories. None of them can remember the origin of the first kenku, however, and they often joke that there are as many kenku origin stories as there are kenku. Some of them paint their genesis as a curse, being a flightless bird people doomed to mimic other people's creations. Other kenku recite cryptic but beautiful poems about their advent being a blessed event in which they were sent into the multiverse to observe and catalog its many wonders. Whatever their true origin, kenku are most often found in the Shadowfell and the Material Plane, and they tend to have the coloration typical of ravens. KENKU TRAITS As a kenku, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. Your size is Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. CHAPTER l [ FANTASTICAL RACES Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Expert Duplication. When you copy writing or craftwork produced by yourself or someone else, you have advantage on any ability checks you make to produce an exact duplicate. Kenku Recall. Thanks to your supernaturally good memory, you have proficiency in two skills of your choice. Moreover, when you make an ability check using any skill in which you have proficiency, you can give yourself advantage on the check before rolling the d20. You can give yourself advantage in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Mimicry. You can accurately mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations only with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus+ your Charisma modifier.

KOBOLD Some of the smallest draconic creatures in the multiverse, kobolds display their draconic ancestry in the glint of their scales and in their roars. Legends tell of the first kobolds emerging from the Underdark near the lairs of the earliest dragons. In some lands, kobolds serve chromatic or metallic dragons-even worshiping them as divine beings. In other places, kobolds know too well how dangerous those dragons can be and help others defend against draconic destruction. Whatever their relationship to dragons, kobold scales tend to be rust colored, although the occasional kobold sports a scale color more akin to that of a chromatic or a metallic dragon. A kobold's cry can express a range of emotion: anger, resolve, elation, fear, and more. Regardless of the emotion expressed, their cry resonates with draconic power. KOBOLD TRAITS As a kobold, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Small. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Draconic Cry. As a bonus action, you let out a cry at your enemies within 10 feet of you. Until the start of your next turn, you and your allies have advantage on attack rolls against any of those enemies who could hear you. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Kobold Legacy. Kobolds' connection to dragons can manifest in unpredictable ways in an individual kobold. Choose one of the following legacy options for your kobold: Craftiness. You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, Investigation, Medicine, Sleight of Hand, or Survival. Defiance. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the frightened condition on yourself. Draconic Sorcery. You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for that cantrip (choose when you select this race). CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES 25

LIZARD FOLK The saurian lizardfolk are thought by some sages to be distant cousins of dragon born and kobolds. Despite their resemblance to those other scaled folk, however, lizardfolk are their own people and have lived on the worlds of the Material Plane since the worlds' creation. Gifted by the gods with remarkable physical defenses and a mystical connection to the natural world, lizardfolk can survive with just their wits in situations that would be deadly for other folk. Because of that fact, many lizardfolk myths state that their people were placed by the gods in the Material Plane to guard its natural wonders. Lizardfolk have colorful scales and exhibit a wide array of scale patterns. Their individual facial features are as varied as those of lizards. LIZARDFOLK TRAITS As a lizardfolk, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. 26 CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES Bite. You have a fanged maw that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with it, the strike deals ld6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time. Hungry jaws. You can throw yourself into a feeding frenzy. As a bonus action, you can make a special attack with your Bite. If the attack hits, it deals its normal damage, and you gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Natural Armor. You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your base AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor. Nature's Intuition. Thanks to your mystical connection to nature, you gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, or Survival.

• MINOTAUR Minotaurs are barrel-chested humanoids with heads resembling those of bulls. Blessed with a supernaturally strong sense _;,,.-.rof direction, minotaurs make great navigators. Some sages believe minotaurs were first created by the Lady of Pain to patrol the magical mazes that she uses to trap her foes. Minotaur horns range in size from about 1 foot long to easily three times that length. Minotaurs often carve their horns to sharpen their edges, etch symbols of power into them, or sheathe them in bronze to prevent them from shattering during battle. Thick hair extends down minotaurs' necks and powerful backs, and some have long patches of hair on their chins and cheeks. Their legs end in heavy, cloven hooves, and they have long, tufted tails. MINOTAUR TRAITS As a minotaur, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Horns. You have horns that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals ld6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. ,,,. Goring Rush. Immediately after you take the Dash action on your turn and move at least 20 feet, you can make one melee attack with your Horns as a bonus action. Hammering Horns. Immediately after you hit a creature with a melee attack as part of the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to push that target with your horns. The target must be within 5 feet of you and no more than one size larger than you. Unless it succeeds on a Strength saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus+ your Strength modifier, you push it up to 10 feet away from you. Labyrinthine Recall. You always know which direction is north, and you have advantage on any Wisdom (Survival) check you make to navigate or track. CHAPTER I I FANTASTICAL RACES 27

0RC Ores trace their creation to the one-eyed god Gruumsh, an unstoppable warrior and powerful leader. The divine qualities of Gruumsh resonate within ores, granting them a reflection of his toughness and tenacity that can't be matched, and the god equipped his children to be able to live above or below ground. On some worlds, such as Eberron, ores were among the first defenders of the natural order from the encroachments of Fiends and other extraplanar threats. Gruumsh's blessings have made ores tireless guardians and mighty allies wherever they are found, even when they turn their devotion to other gods. 0RC TRAITS As an ore, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Adrenaline Rush. You can take the Dash action as a bonus action. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Whenever you use this trait, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Relentless Endurance. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

SATYR Originating in the Feywild-a realm of pure emotion-satyrs thrive on the energy of merriment. They resemble elves but have goatlike legs, cloven hooves, and ram or goat horns. The magic of the fey realm has given them an innate ability to perform, to delight, and to resist magical intrusion. While they're usually found in the Feywild, satyrs do wander to other planes of existence, most often to the Material Plane. There they seek to bring a bit of their home plane's splendor to other worlds. SATYR TRAITS As a satyr, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Fey. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 35 feet. Ram. You can use your head and horns to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals ld6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Magic Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells. Mirthful Leaps. Whenever you make a long jump or a high jump, you can roll a d8 and add the number rolled to the number of feet you cover, even when making a standing jump. This extra distance costs movement as normal. Reveler. As an embodiment of revelry, you have proficiency in the Performance and Persuasion skills, and you have proficiency with one musical instrument of your choice. CHAPTER l I FANTASTICAL RACES 29

SEA ELF Sea elves fell in love with the wild beauty of the ocean in the earliest days of the multiverse. While other elves traveled from realm to realm, sea elves navigated the currents and explored the waters of many worlds. Today these elves can be found wherever oceans exist, as well as in the Elemental Plane of Water. Like other elves, sea elves can live to be over 750 years old. SEA ELF TRAITS As a sea elf, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered an elf for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be an elf. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. Child of the Sea. You can breathe air and water, and you have resistance to cold damage. 30 CHAPTER l I FANTASTICAL RACES ,. ... ELVES OF MANY REALMS Created by the god Corel Ion, the first elves were Fey beings who cavorted on various planes of existence, changing their physical forms at will. Outside the glory of Arvandor, their favorite place was the Feywild-a realm of unbrid led passion . It was to that place of splendors that elves fled after they were exi led from Corel Ion's presence for plotting with their god's rival , Lolth. And it was there that they transformed from Fey creatures into Humanoids and lost their ability to shape-shift at will. Afterward, they often wept as they realized what they had lost, their sorrow made even deeper by the Feywil d's influence. But in the Feywil d, they also discovered the potential joys of being people of fi xed forms, and they rediscovered hope once they renounced Lolth's treachery. Most elves eventua lly spread from the Feywild to other worlds, as wanderlust and curiosity drove them to the far reaches of the multiverse. In those other worlds, elves developed the physical forms now associated with them. Because of their original mutable nature, each group of elves mystically took on characteristics of the environment with which they bonded, whether forests (wood elves), fey crossings in the Material Plane (high elves), the Underdar k (drow), the Shadowfell (shadar-kai), the Feywild (eladrin), or oceans (sea elves). In some places, Corellon has passed from elves' memory, but the god 's blood flows within them still, even if they know nothing of its source. That blood is what causes them to evolve after spending centuries connected to a particular environment, so it is only a matter of time before other kinds of elves emerge. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself. Friend of the Sea. Aquatic animals have an extraordinary affinity with your people. You can communicate simple ideas to any Beast that has a swimming speed. It can understand your words, though you have no special ability to understand it in return. Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the Perception skill. Trance. You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hou rs in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness. Whenever you finish this trance, you can gain two proficiencies that you don't have, each one with a weapon or a tool of your choice selected from the Player's Handbook. You mystically acquire these proficiencies by drawing them from shared elven memory, and you retain them until you finish your next long rest.

... SHADAR-KAI Shadar-kai are the elves of the Shadowfell, originally drawn to that dread realm by the Raven Queen. Over the centuries, some of them have continued to serve her, while others have ventured into the Material Plane to forge their own destinies. Once shadar-kai were Fey like the rest of their elven kin; now they exist in a state between life and death, thanks to being transformed by the Shadowfell's grim energy. Shadar-kai have ashen skin tones, and while they're in the Shadowfell, they also become wizened, reflecting the somber nature of that gloomy plane. Like other elves, shadar-kai can live to be over 750 years old. SHADAR-KAI TRAITS As a shadar-kai, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered an elf for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be an elf. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Blessing of the Raven Queen. As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Starting at 3rd level, you also gain resistance to all damage when you teleport using this trait. The resistance lasts until the start of your next turn. During that time, you appear ghostly and translucent. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself. Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the Perception skill. Necrotic Resistance. You have resistance to necrotic damage. Trance. You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness. Whenever you finish this trance, you can gain two proficiencies that you don't have, each one with a weapon or a tool of your choice selected from the Player's Handbook. You mystically acquire these proficiencies by drawing them from shared elven memory, and you retain them until you finish your next long rest. CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES 31

SHIFTER Shifters are sometimes called weretouched, as they are descendants of people who contracted full or partial lycanthropy. Humanoids with a bestial aspect, shifters can't fully change shape, but they can temporarily enhance their animalistic features by entering a state they call shifting. Shifters are similar to humans in height and build but are typically more lithe and flexible. Their facial features have a bestial cast, often with large eyes and pointed ears; most shifters also have prominent canine teeth. They grow fur-like hair on nearly every part of their bodies. While a shifter's appearance might remind an onlooker of an animal, they remain clearly identifiable as shifters even when at their most feral. Most shifters resemble a particular kind of lycanthrope. You can choose the kind of lycanthrope in your past, or you can determine it randomly by rolling on the Lycanthrope Ancestor table. The table also provides a suggestion for the Shifting option you might have as a result of your ancestry. 32 CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES LYCANTHROPE ANCESTOR d6 Ancestor Suggested Shifting Option Werebear Beasth ide 2 Wereboar Beasthide 3 Wererat Swiftstride 4 Weretiger Swiftstride 5 Werewolf (wolflike) Longtooth 6 Werewo lf (doglike) Wi ldhunt SHIFTER TRAITS As a shifter, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Bestial Instincts. Channeling the beast within, you have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, or Survival. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Shifting. As a bonus action, you can assume a more bestial appearance. This transformation lasts for 1 minute, until you die, or until you revert to your normal appearance as a bonus action. When you shift, you gain temporary hit points equal to 2 x your proficiency bonus. You can shift a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Whenever you shift, you gain an additional benefit based on one of the following options (choose when you select this race): Beasthide. You gain ld6 additional temporary hit points. While shifted, you have a + 1 bonus to your Armor Class. Longtooth. When you shift and as a bonus action on your other turns while shifted, you can use your elongated fangs to make an unarmed strike. If you hit with your fangs, you can deal piercing damage equal to ld6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Swiftstride. While shifted, your walking speed increases by 10 feet. Additionally, you can move up to 10 feet as a reaction when a creature ends its turn within 5 feet of you. This reactive movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks. Wildhunt. While shifted, you have advantage on Wisdom checks, and no creature within 30 feet of you can make an attack roll with advantage against you unless you're incapacitated.

"f • ... • TABAXI Created by the Cat Lord- a divine being of the Upper Planes-to blend the qualities of humanoids and cats, tabaxi are a varied people in both attitude and appearance. In some lands, tabaxi live like the cats they resemble, naturally curious and at home in playful environments. In other places, tabaxi live as other folk do, not exhibiting the feline behavior the Cat Lord intended. Tabaxi's appearance is as varied as their attitudes. Some tabaxi have features or patterning in their fur like tigers, jaguars, or other big cats, while others have appearances more like a house cat. Still others have unique patterns or might style their fur to their preferences- or might even be hairless! TABAXI TRAITS As a tabaxi, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. Cat's Claws. You can use your claws to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals ld6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Cat's Talent. You have proficiency in the Perception and Stealth skills. Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Feline Agility. Your reflexes and agility allow you to move with a burst of speed. When you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the turn. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you move O feet on one of your turns. CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES 33

TORTLE Tortles have a saying: "We wear our homes on our backs." These turtle folk live on many worlds, most often journeying up and down coasts, along waterways, and across the sea. Tortles don't have a unified story of how they were created, but they all have a sense of being mystically connected to the natural world. Carrying their shelter on their backs gives tortles a special feeling of.security wherever they go, for even if they visit a far, unknown country, they have a place to lay their heads. Tortles exhibit the same range of coloration and patterns found among turtles, and many tortles enjoy adorning their shells in distinctive ways. TORTLE TRAITS As a tortle, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Claws. You have claws that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals ld6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. 34 CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 1 hour. Natural Armor. Your shell provides you a base AC of 17 (your Dexterity modifier doesn't affect this number). You can't wear light, medium, or heavy armor, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield's bonus as normal. Nature's Intuition. Thanks to your mystical connection to nature, you gain proficiency with one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, or Survival. SheJJ Defense. You can withdraw into your shell as an action. Until you emerge, you gain a +4 bonus to your AC, and you have advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws. While in your shell, you are prone, your speed is O and can't increase, you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, you can't take reactions, and the only action you can take is a bonus action to emerge from your shell.

TRITON Originally from the Elemental Plane of Water, many tritons entered the Material Plane centuries ago in response to the growing threat of evil elementals. Those tritons spread across the worlds' oceans, protecting the surface from terrors in the deep. Over time, triton have extended their stewardship over the sea floor to the ocean's surface. Tritons have webbed hands and feet, small fins on their calves, and coloration that favors blues and greens. TRITON TRAITS As a triton, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. Amphibious. You can breathe air and water. Control Air and Water. You can cast fog cloud with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the gust of wind spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the water walk spell with it. Once you cast any of these spells with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Emissary of the Sea. You can communicate simple ideas to any Beast, Elemental, or Monstrosity that has a swimming speed. It can understand your words, though you have no special ability to understand it in return. Guardian of the Depths. Adapted to the frigid ocean depths, you have resistance to cold damage. CHAPTER 1 I FANTASTICAL RACES 35

YUAN-TI Yuan-ti were originally humans who transformed themselves into serpent folk through ancient rituals. Most yuan-ti were corrupted into monsters by those rites, but some yuan-ti instead became a new people who mix characteristics of humans and snakes. Blessed with resistance to magical and poisonous effects by the rituals that created them, each of these yuan-ti manifests their serpentine heritage in a variety of ways: a forked tongue, snake eyes, a snakelike nose, or some other ophidian characteristic. However a yuan-ti looks, they have the power to pursue great good or evil in the multiverse. YUAN - TI TRAITS As a yuan-ti, you have the following racial traits. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. 36 CHAPTER l I FANTASTICAL RACES Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Magic Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells. Poison Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the poisoned condition on yourself. You also have resistance to poison damage. Serpentine Spellcasting. You know the poison spray cantrip. You can cast animal friendship an unlimited number of times with this trait, but you can target only snakes with it. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast suggestion with this trait. Once you cast it, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast it using any spell slots you have of 2nd level or higher. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race).

CHAPTER 2 ESTIARY Gf HIS BESTIARY PROVIDES GAME STATISTICS and lore for more than 250 monsters, which are suitable for any D&D campaign. The chapter includes old favorites from past editions of the game as well as creatures created for the current edition. This chapter is a companion to the Monster Manual and adopts a similar presentation. If you are unfamiliar with the monster stat block format, read the introduction of the Monster Manual before proceeding further. It explains stat block terminology and gives rules for various monster traits- information that isn't repeated here. The creatures in this bestiary are organized alphabetically. A few are gathered under a group heading; for example, the "Dinosaurs" section contains stat blocks for various dinosaurs. Herein you will find some weapons that deal unusual damage types and spellcasting that functions in atypical ways. Such an exception is a special feature of a monster and represents how it uses the weapon or casts its spells; the exception has no affect on how a weapon or a spell functions for someone else. Finally, if a stat block contains the name of a class in the monster's name or in parentheses under the name, the monster is considered a member of that class for the purpose of meeting prerequisites for magic items. CHAPTER 2 I BESTIARY 37

ABISHAIS Each abishai was once a mortal who somehow won Tiamat's favor before death and, as a reward, found its soul transformed into a draconic devil to serve at her pleasure in the Nine Hells. Each type of abishai is associated with one of Tiamat's five dragon heads: black, blue, green, red, and white. Tiamat deploys abishais as her agents, sending them forth to represent her interests in the Hells and across the multiverse. Some have simple tasks, such as delivering a message to cultists. Others have greater responsibilities, such as leading large groups, assassinating targets, and serving in armies. In all cases, abishais are fanatically loyal to Tiamat, ready to lay down their lives if needed. Abishais stand outside the normal hierarchy of the Nine Hells, having their own chain of command and ultimately answering to Tiamat (and Asmodeus, when he chooses to use them). Other archdevils can command abishais to work for them, but most archdevils do so rarely, since it is never clear whether an abishai follows Tiamat's orders or Asmodeus's. There is inherent risk in countermanding an order given by Tiamat, but interfering with Asmodeus's plans invites certain destruction. BLACK ABISHAI Medium Fiend (Devil), Typically Lawful Evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18) Speed 30 ft., fl y 40 ft. STR 14 (+2) DEX 17 (+3) CON 14 (+2) Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +6 Skills Perception +6, Stealth +6 INT 13 (+l) WIS 16 (+3) CHA 11 (+0) Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren 't silvered Damage Immunities acid, fire, poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Devil's Sight. Magical darkn ess does n't impede the abishai's darkvision. 38 CHAPTER 2 I BESTIARY BLACK ABISHAI Expert assassins and infiltrators, black abishais can weave shadows to mask their presence, allowing them to reach a location where they can deliver a fatal strike to their targets. Magic Resistance. The abishai has adva ntage on savin g throws agai nst spel ls an d other magica l effects. ACTIONS Multiattack. The abis hai makes one Bite attack and two Scimitar attacks. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one target. Hit: 8 (ldl0 + 3) pierci ng damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage. Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one target. Hit: 6 (ld 6 + 3) force damage . Creeping Darkness (Recharge 6). The abis hai casts darkness at a point withi n 120 feet of it, requiring no spel l components or co nce ntration. Wisdom is its spe ll castin g ability fo r this spel l. Wh ile the spe ll persists, the abishai ca n move the area of darkness up to 60 feet as a bonus action . BONUS ACTIONS Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the abishai takes t he Hid e action.

BLUE ABISHAI Seekers of forgotten lore and lost relics, blue abishais are the most cunning and learned of their kind. Their research into occult subjects gleaned from tomes plundered from across the multiverse enables them to become accomplished spellcasters. They use their magic to devastate Tiamat's enemies. GREEN ABISHAI Green abishais are adept at discovering secrets and other sensitive information, while their diplomatic skills and their magic ensure they can manipulate even the shrewdest opponents. RED ABISHAI Red abishais have no equals among the abishais when it comes to leadership ability and raw power. Red abishais lead other devils into battle or take charge of troublesome cults to ensure that they continue to carry out Tiamat's commands. A red abishai cuts a fearsome figure, and that sight can be inspiring to the abishai's allies, filling them with a fanatical willingness to fight. WHITE ABISHAI White abishais fight with a reckless fury, making them ideally suited for bolstering the ranks of Tiamat's armies. White abishais fight without fear, becoming whirlwinds of destruction on the battlefield. BLUE ABISHAI Medium Fiend (Devil, Wizard), Typically Lawful Evil Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Hit Points 202 (27d8 + 81) Speed 30 ft., fly SO ft. STR 15 (+2) DEX 14 (+2) CON 17 (+3) SavingThrows lnt+l2, Wis+l2 Skills Arcana + 12 INT 22 (+6) WIS 23 (+6) CHA 18 (+4) Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered Damage Immunities fire, lightning, poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft. , passive Perception 16 Languages Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +6 Devil's Sight. Magica l darkness doesn't impede the abishai's darkvision. Magic Resistance. The abishai has advantage on saving throws against spe lls and other magical effects. ACTIONS Multiattack. The abishai makes three Bite or Lightning Strike attacks. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach S ft,, one target. Hit: 13 (2dl0 + 2) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) lightning damage. Lightning Strike. Ranged Spell Attack: +12 to hit, range 120 ft. , one target. Hit: 36 (8d8) lightning damage. Spe/lcasting. The abishai casts one of the following spells, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 20): At wi ll: disguise self. mage hand, minor illusion 2/day each: charm person, dispel magic, greater invisibility, wall of force BONUS ACTIONS Teleport. The abishai teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that it can see. CHAPTER 2 I BESTIARY 39

II e GREEN ABISHAI Medium Fiend (Devil), Typically Lawful Evil Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 195 (26d8 + 78) Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. STR 12 (+l) DEX 17 (+3) CON 16 (+3) Saving Throws Int +8, Cha +9 INT 17 (+3) WIS 12 (+l) CHA 19 (+4) Skills Deception +9, Insight +6 , Perception +6, Persuasion +9 Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silve red Damage Immunities fire, poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft . Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Devil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn't impede the abishai's darkvision. REDABISHAI Medium Fiend (Devil), Typically Lawful Evil Armor Class 22 (natural armor) Hit Points 289 (34d8 + 136) Speed 30 ft., fl y 50 ft. STR 23 (+6) DEX 16 (+3) CON 19 (+4) . INT 14 (+2) Saving Throws Str +l2, Con +10, Wis +8 Skills Intimidation +10, Perception +8 WIS 15 (+2) CHA 19 (+4) Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slash ing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered Damage Immunities fire , poison Condition Immunities frightened , poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18 Languages Draconic, Infernal , telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 19 (22,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +6 Devil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn't impede the abishai's darkvision. Magic Resistance. The abishai has advantage on saving throws against s pells and other magical effects. ACTIONS Multiattack. The abishai makes on e Bite attack and one Claw attack, and it can use Frightful Presence or In cite Fanaticism. 40 CHAPTER 2 I BESTIARY • • Magic Resistance. The abishai has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. ACTIONS Multiattack. The abishai makes two Fiendish Claw attacks, or it makes one Fiendish Claw attack and uses Spellcasting. Fiendish Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) force damage. lfthe target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 16 (3dl0) poison damage and become poisoned for l minute. The poisoned target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Spel/casting. The abishai casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 17): At will: alter self, major image 3/day each: charm person, detect thoughts,fear 1/day each: confusion, dominate person, mass suggestion Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3dl0 + 6) piercing damage plus 38 (7dl0) fire damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2dl0 + 6) force damage plus 11 (2dl0) fire damage. Frightful Presence. Each creature of the abishai 's choice that is within 120 feet and aware of the abishai must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of it for l minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the abishai's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours. Incite Fanaticism. The abishai chooses up to four other creatures within 60 feet of it that can see it. Until the start of the abishai's next turn, each of those creatures makes attack rolls with advantage and can't be frightened . Power of the Dragon Queen. The abishai targets one Dragon it can see within 120 feet ofit. The Dragon must make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw. A chromatic dragon makes this save with disadvantage. On a successful save, the target is immune to the abishai's Power of the Dragon Queen for l hour. On a failed save, the target is charmed by the abishai for l hour. While charmed in this way, the target regard s the abishai as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected . This effect ends if the abishai or its companions deal damage to the ta rget.

WHITE ABI SH A I G RE E N ABISHAI WHITE ABISHAI Medium Fiend (Devil), Typically Lawful Evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 68 (8d8 + 32) Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. STR 16 (+3) DEX 11 (+0) CON 18 (+4) Saving Throws Str +6, Con +7 INT 11 (+0) WIS 12 (+l) CHA 13 (+l) Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren 't silvered Damage Immunities cold, fire , poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages Draconic, Infernal , telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Devil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn't impede the abishai's darkvision. Magic Resistance. The abishai has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. RED AB I SHA I Reckless. At the start of its turn, the abishai can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn. ACTIONS Multiattack. The abishai makes one Bite attack, one Claw attack, and one Longsword attack. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (ld6) cold damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one target. Hit: 8 (ldl0 + 3) slashing damage. Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (ld8 + 3) force damage, or 8 (ldl0 + 3) force damage if used with two hands. REACTIONS Vicious Reprisal. In response to taking damage, the abishai makes one Bite attack against a random creature within 5 feet of it. If no creature is within reach , the abishai moves up to half its speed toward an enemy it can see, without provoking opportunity attacks. CHAPTER 2 I BESTIARY 41

ALHOON Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic are exiled as deviants, and for them no everlasting communion with an elder brain (appears in this book) is possible. The road to lichdom offers an alternative way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and fraught with barriers. Alhoons are mind flayers who have used a shortcut to attain a lichlike state. Elder brains forbid mind flayers from pursuing magic power aside from psionics, but it isn't an interdiction they must often enforce. Illithids brook no masters but members of their own kind, so it isn't in their nature to bow to any god or otherworldly patron. However, wizardry remains a temptation. In the pages of a spellbook, an illithid sees a system to acquire authority. Through the writings of the wizard who penned it, the illithid perceives the workings of a highly intelligent mind. Most mind flayers who find a spellbook react with abhorrence or indifference, but for some, a spellbook is a gateway to a new way of thinking. For a time, the study of such forbidden texts can be hidden from other illithids and even from an elder brain. Yet eventually, mind flayer arcanists determined to pursue wizardry must flee the colony for their own safety. Once they taste freedom from the colony, some prize their privacy, others seek to commune with similar minds, and still others seek to dominate a colony by elevating themselves to the position of leadership normally held by an elder brain. Regardless, all such arcanists face the same stark fact: when they die, they will not join the host of minds in the elder brain- deviant minds are never accepted as part of the collective. For them, death means oblivion. Lichdom offers salvation and the prospect of being able to pursue knowledge indefinitely. Yet learning the secret of achieving lichdom requires an arcane spellcaster to be at the apex of power- a significant challenge for mind flayers, given the scarcity of available mentors and training. Confronting this reality, a group of nine mind flayer arcanists used their arcane magic and psionics to weave a new truth. These nine called themselves the Alhoon, and those who follow in their footsteps are referred to by the same name. 42 CH A PTER 2 I BESTIARY COLLABORATIVE UNDEATH To become alhoons, mind flayer arcanists must cooperate in the creation of a periapt of mind trapping, a fist-sized container made of silver, emerald, and amethyst. The process requires at least three mind flayer arcanists and the sacrifice of an equal number of souls from living victims in a three-day-long ritual of spellcasting and psionic communion. Upon its completion, free-willed undeath is conferred on the mind flayers, turning them into alhoons. Initially, an alhoon can be difficult to distinguish from a normal mind flayer. The most obvious difference is the lack of a mind flayer's ever-present mucus coating. Without that protection, an alhoon's skin becomes dry and cracked, and its eyes might appear shriveled and sunken. Both of these clues are easily missed by someone who hasn't seen a mind flayer. However, in short order, an alhoon's flesh withers away and its empty eye sockets gleam with cold pinpricks of light like those of other liches. Unlike a true lich's phylactery, the periapt of mind trapping doesn't restore the alhoons to undeath if they are destroyed. Instead, a destroyed alhoon's mind is transferred to the periapt, where it remains in communion with any other trapped alhoon minds, as well as the souls of those sacrificed. The undeath conferred by a p eriapt of mind trapping lasts only so long as the life of the living victim selected. Thus an alhoon who sacrificed a 200-yearold elf looks forward to a much longer existence than one that sacrificed a 35-year-old person. Alhoons can extend their existence by repeating the ritual with new victims, effectively resetting the clocks for themselves. Destroying a periapt of mind trapping consigns those trapped within it to oblivion, and thus alhoons often work together to create elaborate protections for their periapt and their preferred ritual site. Sometimes a single alhoon is entrusted with the p eriapt of mind trapping, but this is a dangerous proposition. Anyone who holds the periapt gains advantage on attacks, saving throws, and checks against the alhoons associated with its creation, and those alhoons in turn suffer disadvantage on attacks, saving throws, and checks against the holder. In addition, the holder can telepathically communicate with any sacrificed soul trapped within, and alhoons within the periapt can speak telepathically with the holder. A creature carrying the periapt can't prevent communication from alhoons but can silence trapped souls.

ALHOON Medium Undead (Mind Flayer, Wizard), Typically Neutral Evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 150 (20d8 + 60) Speed 30 ft., fly 15 ft. (hover) STR 11 (+0) DEX 12 (+l) CON 16 (+3) INT 19 (+4) WIS 17 (+3) Saving Throws Con +7, Int +8, Wis +7, Cha +7 Skills Arcana +8, Deception +7, History +8, Insight +7, Perception +7, Stealth +5 Damage Resistances cold , lightning, necrotic Damage Immunities poison CHA 17 (+3) Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened , paralyzed , poisoned Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17 Languages Deep Speech , Undercommon, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 10 (5 ,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Magic Resistance. The al hoon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Turn Resistance. The alhoon has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns Undead. ACTIONS Multiattack. Th e alhoon makes two Chill in g Grasp or Arcane Bolt attacks. Chilling Grasp. Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) cold damage, and the alhoon regains 14 hit points. Arcane Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +8 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (8d6) force damage. Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The alhoon magically emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d8 + 4) psychic damage and be stunned for l minute. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Spellcasting. The alhoon casts one of the following spel ls, requiring no material components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16): At will: dancing lights, detect magic, detect thoughts, disguise self, mage hand, prestidigitation 1/day each: dominate monster, globe of invulnerability, invisibility, modify memory, plane shift (self only), wall of force REACTIONS Negate Spell (3/Day). The alh oon targets one creature it can see within 60 feet of it that is casting a spell. If the spell is 3rd level or lower, the spel l fails, but any spel l slots or charges are not wasted . CHAPTER '2 I BESTIARY 43

An alkilith is easily mistaken for some kind of foul fungal growth that appears on doorways, windows, and other portals. These dripping infestations conceal the demonic nature of the alkilith, making what should be a dire warning appear strange but otherwise innocuous. Wherever alkiliths take root, they weaken the fabric of reality, creating a portal through which even nastier demons can invade. The appearance of an alkilith in the world heralds a great wrongness and an imminent catastrophe. An alkilith searches for an aperture such as a window or a door around which it can take root, stretching its body around the opening and anchoring itself with a sticky secretion. If left undisturbed, the opening becomes attuned to the Abyss and eventually becomes a portal to that plane (see "Planar Portals" in the Dungeon Master's Guide). Alkiliths spring from cast-off bits of the hideous, shuddering body ofJuiblex (appears in this book). They gradually become self-aware and seek to find their way onto the Material Plane. Since most cultists consider them too risky to summon- they can, after all, create portals to the Abyss- alkiliths must find other escape routes out of their native plane. 44 CHAPTER 2 I BESTIARY Medium Fiend (Demon), Typically Chaotic Evil Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 168 (l6d8 + 96) Speed 40 ft. , climb 40 ft. STR 12 (+l) DEX 19 (+4) CON 22 (+6) Saving Throws Dex+8, Con +10 Skills Stealth +8 INT 6 (-2) WIS ll (+0) CHA 7 (- 2) Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning; bludgeon ing, piercing, and slashing from nonmagica l attacks Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities ch armed , frightened, poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft ., passive Perception 10 Languages understands Abyssa l but can't speak Challenge ll (7,200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Abyssal Rift. If the alkilith su rrounds a door, wi ndow, or similar opening continuously for 6d6 days, the opening becomes a permanent portal to a random layer of the Abyss. Amorphous. The alkilith can move throu gh a space as narrow as l inch wide without squeezing. False Appearance. If the alkilith is motionless at the start of combat, it has advantage on its initiative roll. Moreover, if a creature hasn't observed the alkilith move or act, that creature must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check to discern that th e alkilith isn't ordinary slime or fungus. Foment Confusion. Any creature that isn't a demon that starts its turn within 30 feet of the alkilith must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw, or it hears a faint buzzing in its head for a moment and has disadvantage on its next attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. If the saving throw against Foment Confusion fails by 5 or more, th e creature is in stead subjected to the confusion spell fo r l minute (no concentration required by the alkil ith). While under the effect of that confusion, the creature is immune to Foment Confusion. Magic Resistance. The alkilith has advantage on saving throws against spe lls and other magical effects. Spider Climb. The alkilith can climb difficult surfaces, such as upsid e down on cei lings, without making an ability check. Unusual Nature . The alkilith does n't require air, food, drink, or sleep. A CTION S Multiattack. The alkilith makes three Tentacle attacks. Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) acid damage .

ALLIP When a creature uncovers a secret that a powerful being has protected with a mighty curse, the result is often the creation of an allip. Secrets protected in this manner range in scope from a demon lord's true name to the hidden truths of the cosmic order. The creature acquires the secret, but the curse annihilates its body and leaves behind a spectral being composed of fragments from the victim's psyche and overwhelming psychic agony. Every allip is wracked with a horrifying insight that torments what remains of its mind. In the presence of other creatures, an allip seeks to relieve this burden by sharing its secret. The creature can impart only a shard of the knowledge that doomed it, but that piece is enough to wrack the recipient with temporary mental anguish and violent compulsions. The survivors of an allip's attack are sometimes left with a compulsion to learn more about what spawned this monstrosity. Strange phrases echo through their minds, and weird visions occupy their dreams. The sense that some colossal truth sits just outside their recall plagues them for days, months, and sometimes years after their fateful encounter. INSIDIOUS LORE An allip might attempt to share its lore to escape its curse and enter the afterlife. It can transfer knowledge from its mind by guiding another creature to write down what it knows. This process takes days or possibly weeks. An allip can accomplish this task by lurking in the study or workplace of a scholar. If the allip remains hidden, its victim is gradually overcome by frantic energy. A scholar, driven by sudden insights to work night and day, produces reams of text with little memory of exactly what the documents contain. If the allip succeeds, it passes from the world-and its terrible secret hides somewhere in the scholar's text, waiting to be discovered by its next victim. ALLIP Medium Undead, Typically Neutral Evil Armor Class 13 Hit Points 40 (9d8) Speed Oft., fly 40 ft . (hover) STR 6 (- 2) DEX 17 (+3) CON 10 (+0) Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +5 Skills Perception +5, Stealth +6 INT 17 (+3) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 16 (+3) Damage Resistances acid , fire , lightning, thunder; bludgeon ing, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion , frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages the languages it knew in life Challenge 5 (1 ,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Incorporeal Movement. Th e al lip can move thro ugh oth er creatures and objects as if they we re diffi cu lt terrain . It takes 5 (l dlO) fo rce damage if it ends its turn inside an object. Unusual Nature. The al lip doesn't require air, food , drink, or sleep. ACTIONS Maddening Touch. Me lee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) psychic damage. Howling Babble (Recharge 6). Each creatu re with in 30 feet of the allip that can hear it mu st make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a fa iled save, a target takes 12 (2d8 + 3) psychic damage, an d it is stunned until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half as mu ch damage and isn't stunned. Constructs and Undead are imm un e to th is effect. Whispers of Compulsion. The all ip chooses up to three creatures it ca n see within 60 feet of it. Each target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, or it takes 12 (2d8 + 3) psych ic damage and must use its reaction to make a me lee weapon attack aga inst one creatu re of the al lip's choice that the alli p can see. Co nstructs and Undead are immune to th is effect. CHAPTER 2 I BESTIARY 45

Medium Fiend (Devil), Typically Lawful Evil Armor Class 21 (natural armor) Hit Points 202 (27d8 + 81) Speed 30 ft., fl y 40 ft. STR ll (+O) DEX l3 (+l) CON 16 (+3) INT 20 (+5) WIS 12 (+l) Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +9, Wis +7, Cha + l 0 Skills Perception +7 CHA 18 (+4) Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagica l attacks th at aren 't silvered Damage Immunities fire, poison Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17 Languages Common, Infernal, telepathy 1,000 ft. Challenge 18 (20,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +6 Devil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn't impede the amnizu's darkvision. Magic Resistance. The amnizu has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. ACTIONS Multiattack. The amnizu uses Blinding Rot or Forgetfulness, if available. It also makes two Taskmaster Whip attacks. Taskmaster Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +ll to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (ld8 + 5) slashing damage plus 16 (3dl0) force damage. 46 CHAPTER '2 I BESTIARY AMNIZU Amnizus lead infernal legions into battle and command guardians at the gateways to the Hells. Amnizus are arrogant, bullying, and ruthless, but they're also highly intelligent tacticians and unfailingly loyal- qualities the hellish archdukes value. Some amnizus perform the critical task of watching over the River Styx from fortresses along the river's blighted banks, where it flows through Dis and Stygia. They collect the souls arriving in the form of lemures (see the Monster Manual). Lemures have no personalities or memories; they're driven only by the desire to commit evil. The amnizus that patrol here drill the rules of the Nine Hells into the new arrivals' minds and marshal them into legions. VARIANT: D EVIL SUMMONING Some amnizus have an action that allows them to summon other devils: Summon Devil (1/Day). The amnizu summons 2d4 bearded devils or ld4 barbed devils (both appear in the Monster Manual). A summoned devil appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of the amnizu, acts as an ally of the amnizu, and can't summon other devils. It remains for l minute , until the amnizu dies, or until its summoner dismisses it as an action. Blinding Rot. The amnizu targets one or two creatures that it can see within 60 feet of it. Each target must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or take 26 (4dl2) necrotic damage and be blinded until the start of the amnizu 's next turn. Forgetfulness (Recharge 6). The amnizu targets one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. That creature must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw or take 26 (4dl2) psychic damage and become stunned for l minute . A stunned creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the target is stunned for the full minute , it forgets everything it sensed , experienced, and learned during the last 5 hours. Spellcasting. The amnizu casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 19): At will: command 3/day: dominate monster l /day: feeblemind REACTIONS Instinctive Charm. When a creature within 60 feet of the amnizu makes an attack roll against it, and another creature is within the attack's range , the attacker must make a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the attacker must target the creature that is closest to it, not including the amnizu or itself. If multiple creatures are closest, the attacker chooses which one to target. If the saving throw is successful, the attacker is immune to the amnizu 's Instinctive Charm for 24 hours.

ANNIS HAG Annis hags lair in mountains or hills. These hunchbacked and hump-shouldered hags are the largest and most physically imposing of their kind, standing eight feet tall. They can easily tear a fully grown person apart, but they love hunting the young, preferring their flesh above all others. Annis hags leave tokens of their cruelty at the edges of forests and other areas they claim to provoke fear and distrust in nearby villages and settlements. To an annis hag, nothing is sweeter than making a once-vibrant community paralyzed with terror, so folk never venture out at night, strangers are met with suspicion and anger, and parents warn their children: "Be good, or the annis will get you." When an annis feels especially cruel, the hag adopts the appearance of a kindly elder, approaches a child in a remote place, and gives them an iron token (described below), through which the child can magically confide in the hag. Over time, "Granny" or "Grampy" convinces the child that it's okay to do bad deeds-starting with breaking things or wandering without permission, then graduating to pushing someone down the stairs or setting a house on fire. Eventually, the child's terrified family and community face painful decisions of what to do about the seemingly remorseless child. Much as annis hags befriend children in order to corrupt them, they may adopt a group of ogres, trolls, or other creatures (ogres and trolls appear in the Monster Manual), ruling them through brute strength, insults, and superstition. IRON TOKEN An annis hag can pull out one of their iron teeth or nails and spend 1 minute shaping and polishing it into the form of a coin, a ring, or a tiny mirror. Thereafter, any creature that holds this iron token can have a whispered conversation with the hag, provided the creature and the hag are within 10 miles of each other. When the hag speaks through the token, the holder can hear the hag's whisper but not any other sounds at the hag's location. Similarly, the hag can hear the holder of the token but not the noise around it. A hag can have up to three iron tokens active at one time. As an action, the hag can discern the direction and approximate distance to those active tokens. The hag can deactivate any of those tokens at any distance (no action required), whereupon the token retains its current form but loses its magic. HAG COVENS An annis hag that is part of a coven (see the "Hag Covens" sidebar in the Monster Manual) has a challenge rating of 8 (3,900 XP). Large Fey, Typically Chaotic Evil Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 90 (l2dl0 + 24) Speed 40 ft. STR 21 (+5) DEX 12 (+l) Saving Throws Con +5 CON 14 (+2) INT 73 (+l) Skills Deception +5, Perception +5 Damage Resistances cold WIS 14 (+2) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages Common, Giant, Sylvan CHA 15 (+2) Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 ACTIONS Multiattack. The annis makes one Bite attack and two Claw attacks. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) piercing damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) slashing damage. Crushing Hug. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 36 (9d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15) if it is a Large or smaller creature. Until the grapp le ends, the target takes 36 (9d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of the hag's turns. The hag can't make attacks while grappling a creature in this way. Spellcasting. The hag casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 73): 3/day each: disguise self (including the form of a Medium Hu - manoid)Jog cloud I CHAPTER 2 I BESTIARY 47

ARCHDRUID Archdruids watch over the natural wonders of their domains. They seldom interact with folk away from their druid groves and shrines, unless there is a great threat to the natural order or to a nearby community. An archdruid typically has one or more pupils who are druids (see the Monster Manual), and the archdruid's lair is usually guarded by loyal Beasts and Fey creatures. When an archdruid uses their Change Shape action, you may choose the creature they turn into, abiding by the action's restrictions. Or you may roll on the Archdruid Favored Shapes table to determine the form the archdruid adopts. These creatures appear in the Monster Manual, unless otherwise noted. ARCHDRUID FAVORED SHAPES d8 Favored Shape Air elemental 2 Earth elemental 3 Fire elemental 4 Giant crocodile 5 Mammoth 6 Flail snail (appears in this book) 7 Triceratops 8 Water elemental 48 CHAPTER 2 I BESTIARY Medium Humanoid (Druid), Any Alignment Armor Class 14 (hide armor) Hit Points 154 (28d8 + 28) Speed 30 ft. STR 14 (+2) DEX 14 (+2) CON 12 (+l) Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +9 INT 12 (+l) • WIS 20 (+5) Skills Medicine +9, Nature +5, Perception +9 Senses passive Perception 19 Languages Druidic plus any two languages CHA 11 (+O) Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 ACTIONS Multiattack. The archdruid makes three Staff or Wildfire attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting. Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 21 (6d6) poison damage . Wild.fire. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (6d6 + 5) fire damage , and the target is blinded until the start of the druid's next turn. Spellcasting. The archdruid casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 17): At will: beast sense, entangle, speak with animals 3/day each: animal messenger, dominate beast.faerie fire, tree stride 1/day each: commune with nature (as an action), mass cure wounds BONUS ACTIONS Change Shape (2/Day). The archdruid magically transforms into a Beast or an Elemental with a challenge rating of 6 or less and can remain in that form for up to 9 hours. The archdruid can choose whether its equipment falls to the ground , melds with its new form , or is worn by the new form. The archdruid reverts to its true form if it dies or falls unconscious. The archdruid can revert to its true form using a bonus action. While in a new form, the archdruid's stat block is replaced by th e stat block of that form, except the archdruid keeps its current hit points, its hit point maximum, this bonus action, its languages and abi lity to speak, and its Spellcasting action. The new form's attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunity to nonmagical attacks.

ARCHER Archers defend castles, hunt wild game on the fringes of civilization, serve as artillery in military units, and occasionally make good coin as brigands or caravan guards. Some renowned archers and groups of archers are known for the special fletching of their arrows. You may roll on the Archer Fletching table to determine the distinctive fletching used by an individual archer or a group of them. ARCHER FLETCHING dl2 Fletching Feathers from an owlbear's mane 2 Coc ka trice feathers 3 Axe beak feathers 4 Planetar feathers 5 Couatl feathers 6 Pegasus feathers 7 Griffon feathers 8 Vrock feathers 9 Peryton feathers 10 Dryad leaf va nes 11 Drake scale vanes 12 Stirge wing vanes ARCHER Medium Humanoid, Any Alignment Armor Class 16 (studded leather) Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30) Speed 30 ft. STR 11 (+O) DEX 18 (+4) CON 16 (+3) INT 11 (+O) Skills Acrobatics +6, Perception +5 Senses passive Perception 15 WIS 13 (+l) Languages any one language (usually Common) CHA 10 (+0) Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 ACTIONS Multiattack. The archer makes two Shortsword or Longbow attacks. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) piercing damage. Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (ld8 + 4) piercing damage. BONUS ACTIONS Archer's Eye (3/Day). Immediately after making an attack roll or a damage roll with a ranged weapon, the archer can roll a dlO and add the number rolled to the total. CHAPTER 2 I BESTIARY 49