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Fighting monsters is a cornerstone of Dungeons & Dragons. But what happens if your party doesn’t want to fight? For Dungeon Masters whose adventurers would prefer to exchange words rather than blows, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything offers rollable tables to determine what a nonhostile monster might want from them. These tables supplement the Resolving Interactions section of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, which offers four steps to balancing roleplay with ability checks in social encounters:
- Starting Attitude: Is the monster friendly, indifferent, or hostile to the adventurers? Friendly monsters will be genial, indifferent ones might help or hinder a party depending on their whims, and a hostile creature is unhelpful but doesn’t necessarily attack on sight.
- Conversation: What do the characters discover when speaking with the monster? The players will hopefully put their best diplomats forward to try to shift the monster’s attitude, if necessary. If roleplay slows down, Dungeon Masters can ask characters to make successful Wisdom (Insight) checks to discern the monster’s personality trait, ideal, bond, and flaw.
- Charisma Check: This is where the party reveals what they want from the monster. Depending on the preceding conversation, a Charisma (Persuasion, Deception, or Intimidation) check might apply. The difficulty of the check would depend on the creature’s current attitude toward the party. Characters who made significant contributions to the conversation can aid each other on the check to grant advantage as necessary, but the characters might also have disadvantage if they offended the monster! Certain situations might also require a group ability check.
- Repeat? If the characters fail their checks and the monster doesn’t outright attack them or leave the area, repeat the previous steps, if permitted.
Ready to put these rules into action? Here are three monsters amicable to parleying:
Pelsariss, the young red dragon
“Greetings, do-gooders,” the dragon rumbles, staring down at you with an expression reminiscent of a cat trying hard to not devour a mouse. “I know why you’re here. You’ve heard of Pelsariss the Red and of all my riches. Luckily for you, I’m in a fine mood today. What if I were to tell you that I’d be willing to part with a portion of my hoard in exchange for a favor?”
Pelsariss is a neutral evil young red dragon who would fit well in an adventure influenced by the upcoming Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons. She has claimed the ruins of a former Zhentarim tower deep in the South Wood as her territory. The tower retains a collection of magical weapons once used by the mercenary group, and Pelsariss’ impressive hoard lies atop this collection.
Within the last year, an older red dragon named Mordrid took up residence in the mountains bordering the South Wood. Pelsariss views this incursion by a slightly stronger rival as deeply concerning, and despises the fact that Mordrid has amassed more slaves than her in such a short period of time.
Pelsariss’ tower is a frequent target for would-be adventurers. The dragon previously derived great pleasure from roasting intruders with her Fire Breath, but these days, Pelsariss has instead decided to reroute these miscreants. She hopes to nudge greedy souls toward Mordrid’s neighboring lair — which is larger and more lush with treasure, after all — and use them to soften up her rival.
Starting Attitude: Pelsariss is unnervingly friendly (albeit somewhat condescending) toward visitors to her tower, at least at first. She promises adventurers 2,000 gp if they go after Mordrid.
Conversation: If characters see through Pelsariss’ sweet language and call her out on her conniving ways, her attitude shifts. Any character can uncover the dragon’s true characteristics either through roleplay or with a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check.
Personality Trait: “I am a superior being, and all humanoids — and other dragons — should recognize that.”
Ideal: “Eventually, all of South Wood and its environs will be under my control.”
Bond: “There’s only one thing more important than my hoard: my status amongst my peers.”
Flaw: “I can’t rest when I know other dragons are encroaching upon my lands.”
Charisma Check: It doesn’t take much to realize that Pelsariss is trying to use the characters for cheap labor, and that she doesn’t particularly care whether they live or die. A character who sneaks around Pelsariss’ lair undetected will also learn that 2,000 gp is a pittance to the dragon, who also has old Zhentarim +1 and +2 weapons in her hoard. Those who hope to wrangle more than 2,000 gp out of the dragon can attempt the following group checks.
If the party wants more gold in exchange for hunting Mordrid, Pelsariss is willing to part with as much as 5,000 gp on a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) group check.
If the party asks for +1 weapons in exchange for their labor, Pelsariss might be willing to toss a few implements away on a successful DC 21 Charisma (Persuasion) group check.
If the party asks for +2 weapons, Pelsariss will begrudgingly acquiesce on a successful DC 22 Charisma (Persuasion) group check.
Repeat? Pelsariss is no fool and her diplomatic maneuvering only goes so far. If the party fails their group check, the dragon will not give them another chance. If they refuse to do her bidding, she will grow hostile and attack, along with her 10 goblin followers. Pelsariss will also instantly attack if she detects any member of the party using magic to influence her or steal from her hoard.
Gorba, the troll
In front of the bridge is a wooden sign bearing the following words in shaky handwriting: “THIS GORBA BRIDGE. YOU PAY TOLL.” Ignoring this perplexing bit of graffiti, you attempt to cross the bridge, only to find yourself facing a green troll, who swings himself up from the bottom of the structure like a lithe chimpanzee.
“I Gorba and this my bridge,” the troll grunts. “You not read sign? Pay now. In good ale, meat pies, shinies.”
Gorba is a chaotic neutral troll who can easily fit into any campaign. He lives beneath the ruined bridge leading to Shurtsville, a town surrounded by a large lake. Prior to Gorba’s arrival, Shurtsville was attacked by gnoll raiders who burned the bridge. Much to the surprise of the townsfolk, Gorba moved in one day, fixed the bridge’s foundations, and began demanding alcohol, meat pies, and shiny jewels as tolls from villagers who tried to cross.
Shurtsville’s flabbergasted locals asked the town elder, a gnome named Klenders Pebblemint, to determine whether Gorba was a threat. After a lengthy investigation, Klenders concluded that the bridge was in a better state than it had ever been and said that Gorba seemed to have an honest entrepreneurial spirit. “He takes pride in his craft,” Klenders said. “He’s very protective of that bridge, and said he prefers pies and booze over flesh.”
The townsfolk were still fearful of Gorbal until the gnolls attempted to attack Shurtsville again. When the creatures vandalized Gorba’s bridge, the troll massacred them and saved the town from destruction. As payment, the odd troll only requested more meat pies. Since then, Shurtsville’s residents have gladly paid the green troll all of his tolls, considering him a boon rather than a threat.
Starting Attitude: Gorba is indifferent toward newcomers until they pay him a toll to cross his bridge. He is friendly toward those who pay, as well as the people of Shurtsville.
Conversation: Gorba is more willing to engage in conversation than most of his kin. His attitude can only be improved by paying his toll, but players can learn the following characteristics through roleplay or with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check:
Personality Trait: “Gorba likes good bridge. And shinies. And good ale. And good meat. But meat should be in form of pie, and must be eaten under bridge.”
Ideal: “Ideal day is Gorba collecting many tolls, then going under bridge. Eating meat pies. Drinking ale. Shining shinies.”
Bond: “Only two important things in life: good bridge and good tolls.”
Flaw: “If you break bridge, Gorba break you.”
Charisma Check: Gorba is simple to deal with if the players have the items he desires, though crafty characters might get a thrill from tricking him.
If each member of the party offers Gorba either a bottle of alcohol, a meat pie, or some form of jewelry worth at least 1 gp, the troll will let them pass without requiring any Charisma checks.
Tricky members of the party can fool Gorba into letting them pass with a spell or a successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check, perhaps by telling him that they’ll pay double on the way back. If they fail, Gorba’s attitude shifts to hostile, and he will block the way and demand payment, attacking any character who tries to force their way past him.
Repeat? Each character can only attempt one Charisma check on Gorba to freely cross the bridge. If they try to roll more than one check, Gorba wises up to their deception and asks for his toll, turning violent if they refuse. The same goes if Gorba notices them casting spells on him.
If a character attempts to cross the lake leading to Shurtsville without paying the toll, Gorba will grapple them, accuse them of toll evasion, and give them one chance to pay before attacking.
If a character for any reason defaces the bridge, Gorba attacks without question.
Antrim Terrinsdale, the nosferatu
In the darkness, a gaunt figure sits hunched over dirty scraps of paper, frantically scratching on them with what looks like discarded charcoal. As you venture nearer, the figure whirls around with a low hiss. It is — or at least had at some point been — a man. He is emaciated and clad in rags, and has sunken eyes, ghastly fangs, and a profound look of misery plastered on his pale face.
Antrim Terrinsdale is a lawful evil nosferatu who can be an excellent inclusion into Waterdeep: Dragon Heist or any urban horror adventure. Once an enterprising painter, he occasionally accepted jobs by nobles to paint them at their estates. Antrim’s downfall came when he took a commission to paint Lord and Lady Membon, two incognito vampires with a penchant for collecting not only art, but also the blood of artists. The Membons attacked Antrim when he visited their estate, and while the painter managed to escape, he was badly bitten by one of the Membons’ bodyguards.
Antrim died of blood loss in an alleyway, and his demise was ruled an act of random violence. He was buried in Waterdeep’s City of the Dead but rose from the earth six days later as a nosferatu. After killing a drunken vagrant in his first bloodlust, Antrim retreated to the sewers beneath Waterdeep.
Over the past three months, Antrim has made a quiet cul-de-sac his home, only leaving it to prey on rats or the occasional beggar. Those who hope to bring the Membons to justice might find the nosferatu in a lonely corner of the sewers, hunched over torn scraps of newspaper, moaning to himself, and frantically trying to create something resembling art from a mixture of refuse, dirt, and blood.
Starting Attitude: Secretly roll any die if an adventuring party encounters Antrim. On an even roll, Antrim’s starting attitude toward the players is indifferent, since the nosferatu has just fed. On an odd roll, Antrim is hostile and may succumb to his bloodlust depending on the players’ actions.
Conversation: Antrim was once a talkative fellow, and this habit persists in undeath, especially when he isn’t hungry. Players can sway his attitude if they are sympathetic or take note of his attempts to paint. They can also uncover the following characteristics either through roleplay or with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) check:
Personality Trait: “I once had my life and my art. Now, when I’m not mad from blood cravings, all I have is misery.”
Ideal: “I once dreamed of painting Laeral Silverhand herself.”
Bond: “Paints, brushes, and canvases used to be my tools for recreating the world. If only I had them still.”
Flaw: “The hunger is so immense that when it is upon me, I forget who I once was.”
Charisma Check: If the players are investigating Lord and Lady Membon, Antrim will be willing to assist out of a desire for vengeance. The nosferatu owes his current state to accepting strangers at face value, however, and demands an offering from the party to prove their goodwill.
If the players give Antrim a vial of fresh blood and succeed on a DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion) check, the nosferatu will help them.
If the players give Antrim something that reminds him of his old career, like paintbrushes, they may make the check with advantage.
If the players find one of Antrim’s old paintings and present it to the nosferatu, they may make the check with advantage, and the DC becomes 10.
Repeat? If Antrim’s attitude is still hostile when the players fail their check, the nosferatu will attack. If his attitude is indifferent or friendly, the players can attempt to sway his mood and repeat their checks two more times. If they still fail, Antrim’s paranoia sets in, and the nosferatu lashes out, assuming that the players are agents of the Membons.
Resolving encounters without combat
As a Dungeon Master, creating opportunities for your players to flex their social skills in encounters that might otherwise lead to combat can help them feel like they have greater control over the direction of the game. Thinking up motives and goals for creatures can also help your combat encounters feel more unique from one another.
A ferocious owlbear might simply be seeking to protect its young and back off if the party retreats. A few bandits might have been law-abiding citizens until a local lord with a vendetta got them fired from their jobs. They might be willing to return to these jobs if the party can secure them on their behalf.
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight will offer non-combat options for all of its encounters, allowing parties to navigate the adventure without exchanging blows with monsters. But you can use the rules presented here to help you honor moments when your players ask, “Do we have to fight them?”
Jeremy Blum (@PixelGrotto) is a journalist, gaming blogger, comic book aficionado, and fan of all forms of storytelling who rolled his first polyhedral dice while living in Hong Kong in 2017. Since then, he’s never looked back and loves roleplaying games for the chance to tell the tales that have been swirling in his head since childhood.
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