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Player's Guide: Elemental Evil Edition: March 1, 2015 To July 15, 2015 Credits
Player's Guide: Elemental Evil Edition: March 1, 2015 To July 15, 2015 Credits
Version 2.0
Credits
D&D Organized Play: Chris Tulach
D&D R&D Player Experience: Greg Bilsland
D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Greg Bilsland, Chris Lindsay, Shelly Mazzanoble, Chris Tulach
D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham,
Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, Alan Patrick
Editing and Layout: Scott Fitzgerald Gray
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers
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What is the D&D D&D Adventurers League Mission
Adventurers League? D&D Adventurers League events must:
The D&D Adventurers League is an ongoing official • Be inclusive of players of all backgrounds
organized play campaign for Dungeons & Dragons®. • Foster a welcoming atmosphere focused on fun
• Be accessible to the public (with a few exceptions)
It uses the fifth edition of the Dungeons & Dragons
• Use only approved adventure content
rules, and features the Forgotten Realms® setting. You
can play D&D Adventurers League games at any place
that features adventures bearing the D&D Adventurers Storyline Seasons
League logo. You can create a character and bring that Every few months, D&D Adventurers League begins
character to games anywhere D&D Adventurers League a new storyline season. The storyline season provides
is supported. a theme and plot elements that connect several
Most D&D Adventurers League games are public, adventures together, forming a sort of “mini campaign.”
in-person play events. Typical venues for these events The current storyline season is called Elemental Evil.
are game and hobby stores, conventions, and public- Storyline seasons provide continuity to play. In
accessible game day events. addition, the rotation of a storyline season provides a
time to begin new characters, update rules documents,
How to Use This Guide and start new adventures. You can always continue
The D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide is a playing an existing character through multiple
comprehensive guide to all the rules used for official storylines, as long as your character meets the level
games. In addition to player-focused rules, it contains requirement for the adventures.
important information for Dungeon Masters and
organizers. It contains special rules for playing
Dungeons & Dragons in the official campaign.
When there are differences between the rules and
guidelines here and in other sources, the rules here take
precedence for D&D Adventurers League play.
This guide is divided up into three parts:
• Part 1 is about creating and advancing a character. It
covers what rules are allowed for characters and how
to advance characters after playing adventures.
• Part 2 is about the campaign structure for the D&D
Adventurers League. It covers the different play
programs, what kinds of adventures are available,
and special rules for running and organizing D&D
Adventurers League events.
• Part 3 contains resources and other information that
you might find handy. It also contains a list of fre-
quently asked questions.
Allowed Rules later on, you can change your character to something that
you find more interesting, or modify your existing character.
Characters originating during the Elemental Evil See “Character Advancement” for more information on how
storyline season can use the following rules for this is done.
character options:
appendix B of the Player’s Handbook or the D&D Basic
• D&D Basic Rules (all rules except rolling ability Rules. Clerics and characters with the Acolyte background
scores and hit points, rolling for starting wealth, some must choose a deity from that list. If you’re a cleric, you
alignment restrictions) can choose one of the deity’s suggested domains or the
• D&D Player’s Handbook™ (all rules except rolling abil- Life domain. The Death domain is not allowed unless that
ity scores and hit points, some alignment restrictions) rules option is available for your storyline season.
• Princes of the Apocalypse™ appendices A and B
• Elemental Evil™ Player’s Companion (all rules Determine Ability Scores
except aarakocra) You can generate your character’s ability scores using
• Monster Manual™ appendix A (beasts only) one of the following methods:
Official documentation, such as a D&D Adventurers • Standard set (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8)
League certificate, might provide exceptions to the • Customizing ability scores variant (Player’s
allowed rules. Handbook chapter 1)
After assigning ability scores, apply your racial benefits
Character Creation to derive your starting ability score at 1st level. You
To create a character for the D&D Adventurers League, cannot roll your ability scores.
follow the steps below. Special exceptions and unique
rules as applicable to the D&D Adventurers League are
Describe Your Character
noted within each section. Select the following additional details to help define
Characters begin play at 1st level. your character, as presented in your allowed rules:
• Name
Choose a Story Origin • Alignment
Select your story origin for your character. Most of • Ideals
the time, this is simple—it’s your starting adventure’s • Bonds
storyline season. Your choice of story origin tells you • Flaws
what rules you can use for character options. You can • Background
choose any available story origin, even if you plan on • Faction (optional)
playing in another storyline.
The following story origins are currently available: Starting Lifestyles
Your starting lifestyle is determined by your
• Elemental Evil
background. You can change your lifestyle (up or down)
• Tyranny of Dragons (see “Past Story Origins” at the
when you spend downtime days for activities.
end of this document)
Starting Lifestyles
Choose a Race Background Starting Lifestyle
All races available in your rules for character options Acolyte Modest
are allowed for play, including the uncommon races. Charlatan Comfortable
Variant Human Traits. If you are playing a human, Criminal Poor
you are allowed to use the variant traits, as presented in Entertainer Modest
chapter 2 of the Player’s Handbook. Folk Hero Modest
Guild Artisan Comfortable
Choose a Class Hermit Poor
All classes and character options within each class Noble Wealthy
available in your rules are allowed for play. Outlander Poor
Deities. D&D Adventurers League storylines are set
Sage Modest
in the Forgotten Realms, and as such, people worship
Sailor Modest
the deities of that world. If you would like your character
Soldier Modest
to worship a deity, you can choose one from the list of
Forgotten Realms or nonhuman deities presented in Urchin Modest
Character Rebuilding
We recognize that many players will start out with a
pregenerated character, or might try out a character class,
race, or other option, and then decide later on that it wasn’t
what they were looking for. As such, characters in the first tier
(levels 1–4) can be rebuilt after any episode or adventure.
A player cannot change a character’s name, but can rebuild
the character using any other rules options available for that
character’s story origin. The character keeps all experience,
treasure, equipment, magic items, downtime, and faction
renown earned to that point. The character does not get new
starting equipment. If a player decides to change his or her
character’s faction, that character loses all renown earned
with the former faction, and starts at 0 with the new faction.
Once a character reaches 5th level, rebuilding is
not allowed.
The Setting other aid. The most prominent is the Black Lord’s Altar, an
ominous building devoted to Bane, god of tyranny. The High
D&D Adventurers League adventures are set in the House of Hurting is a temple to Loviatar, the Maiden of
Pain. The High Hall of Swords is a castle-like structure that
Forgotten Realms, on the continent of Faerûn. Some
serves as a temple to Tempus, the god of battle. The Tower
adventures, including ones in adventure products
of Mysteries serves those who worship Leira, Velsharoon,
available in-store, are set in the Sword Coast region—a Savras, and (secretly) Mystra. However, it is open only to
savage wilderness dotted with powerful and iconic cities the arcanists known as the Cloaks, and to those given leave
such as Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter, and Waterdeep. by them to enter. The Gate of Good Fortune is a temple
Other adventures, especially ones created especially for and casino for Tymora’s faithful. The once-abandoned
D&D Adventurers League play, are set in the Moonsea House Built on Gold is in the midst of being rededicated to
region—a brutal land beset by bandits, monstrous Waukeen, god of trade.
hordes, and tyrants. Shrines to Lathander, Malar, Mask, Talos, and Umberlee
can also be found in the city, but they are not able to offer any
Elemental Evil resources in the form of spellcasting services.
The Elemental Evil storyline season takes place And they are further along in their plans than most
from March 2015 to August 2015. It is supported by people in the North realize.
the following adventures playable through the D&D Four elemental cults grow in power in the Sumber
Adventurers League: Hills, claiming abandoned keeps that connect to an
• Princes of the Apocalypse (D&D Encounters, underground fortress once part of an ancient dwarven
August 2015) kingdom. Within those chambers are the remnants of
• Mulmaster Undone (select conventions through D&D a temple built by drow worshipers of Elemental Evil.
Epics, June 2015) Each of the four cults venerates a powerful entity of air,
• Sixteen short adventures set in the Moonsea (conven- earth, fire, or water: a Prince of Elemental Evil. Like
tions and stores through D&D Expeditions, March their princes, the four cults are rivals, yet they all serve
2015 to August 2015) a mysterious force they call the Elder Elemental Eye.
A prophet gifted with a powerful elemental weapon
Sword Coast leads each cult. Those weapons—Windvane, Ironfang,
The main storyline for Elemental Evil takes place Tinderstrike, and Drown—were the catalysts for the
in the Sword Coast, where a terrible threat gathers creation of four elemental nodes, places where the
against the North. Throughout this region of elemental planes connect to the material plane. The
the Forgotten Realms, savage marauders bring cults draw elemental creatures through the nodes,
destruction. Monsters are on the prowl, preying on and they use elemental magic to create devastation
flocks, rampaging through croplands, and attacking orbs capable of ravaging the countryside. They’ve
homesteads and travelers. In settlements, discord been testing these magic weapons, bolstering the
and suspicion grow. Sinister strangers lurk in the cults’ ranks, and infiltrating various communities, all
shadows, whispering about how everything is soon to directed by visions the prophets receive from the Elder
change. This year brought an unseasonably warm and Elemental Eye. In time, each prophet hopes to entice his
stormy spring. Tales spread of flooding, windstorms, or her elemental prince to pass through the node and
wildfires, and tremors. wreak devastation on the Dessarin Valley and beyond.
These troubles have a source known to few in the
North: Elemental Evil. Servants of this malevolence
Mulmaster
gather in the Sumber Hills and spy on the Dessarin Most of the events involving the Elemental Evil storyline
Valley, drawn by a force they can’t explain. Dabbling in in the Moonsea take place in and near the city of
dangerous lore, these fanatics seek to master elemental Mulmaster. Originally established as a trading post,
magic and unleash its destructive power everywhere. Mulmaster and its oppressed people are now ruled by a
council of sixteen known as Blades, who represent and
further the interests of the city’s noble lords under the
Evergreen Adventure guidance of High Blade Jaseen Drakehorn.
The D&D Starter Set contains an adventure called Lost Mine The High Blade relies heavily upon organizations
of Phandelver, which is set in the Sword Coast region. This
such as the Cloaks (an order of arcanists), the Hawks
adventure takes characters from 1st to 5th level, and is a
great place to start a new group of D&D players. You can play (Mulmaster’s secret police), and the Soldiery to
it at home or in your local game store. maintain her control over the city. She punishes
Lost Mine of Phandelver is always available for play in the Mulmasterites bold (or foolish) enough to defy her edicts
D&D Adventurers League. Track play of this adventure just with exile, torture, and death. At the lowest level, the
like you would any other adventure for league play. City Watch is charged with maintaining order within
Regional Coordinators
Playtesting Adventures
If a group playtests a D&D Adventurers League
Regional coordinators are helpful, organized individuals adventure, you’ll be asked to fill out a short survey on
who facilitate and promote play in their assigned your experience. Please take a few minutes to fill out the
regions. These individuals work with the administrators survey; that feedback is invaluable to shaping the final
to help grow events and excitement in their regions. adventure’s experience.
The regional coordinators can direct interested Playtesting an adventure involves playing one of
players, DMs, and organizers to the appropriate your existing characters in a not-quite-ready for release
resources and give them information on current adventure. After the adventure is finished, you’ll receive
events in their assigned areas. They also determine a link to a survey to give us feedback. By playtesting the
which public events receive regional previews of adventure, you do so with the understanding that the
upcoming adventures. final adventure can and will change (based probably on
See a list of regions and the associated social media your feedback). Unless otherwise specified, the playtest
groups in the “Links and Resources” section of this of the adventure does not count as an official D&D
guide. If you’re interested in becoming an organizer for Adventurers League game, and your character does not
your region, please contact the administrators.
DM Previews
Organizers Also known as a “slot zero,” DM previews are play
Organizers serve as the primary facilitators of public opportunities for Dungeon Masters before a scheduled
events, from one or two tables at a small store to a huge event. Organizers can allow DM preview sessions before the
convention experience with hundreds of players gaming event as long as the table follows these rules.
at the same time. They are often associated with stores • The session must occur at least 48 hours before the event.
or conventions, and are there to take feedback and make • The game played at the session must be an adventure
sure you have fun participating while at the event. In available for public play at the event.
addition, organizers often appoint one or more among • The table must consist of a majority of DMs for the event
them as appeals staff in case a player challenges a DM (two DMs for a three-to-four person table, three DMs
ruling after a session has concluded. for a five-to-six person table, and four DMs for a seven-
person table). Other players attending the event can fill the
Dungeon Masters remainder of the table.
• All rewards earned are conditional upon the DM’s
Dungeon Masters are an important link in the fulfillment of commitment to run games at the event. The
administrative chain. They represent the D&D organizer of the event can revoke rewards earned if the DM
Adventurers League at the play table, and are fails to meet his or her commitment.
responsible for making adjudications on behalf of the • You can play in only one DM preview for each session you
organization while running the game. A DM’s ruling run at the event. For example, you cannot play three DM
at the table is considered final for the purpose of that preview games and run only one session at the event.
• The Dungeon Master for the DM preview gets full DM
play session.
credit for running the game.
• Additional restrictions might apply for large conventions
and special events, such as D&D Epics.
Designing Adventures
Every so often, we will have a designer open call for
D&D Adventurers League adventures. If you like
designing adventures, can work to specifications, and
are able to meet deadlines, we might add you to our
approved list of adventure designers.
Our adventure designers are paid for their work and
as such, are treated like professionals. We typically
give an adventure designer a couple of weeks to flesh
out an outline from an existing concept, and then about
six weeks to design the adventure. Attention to detail,
ability to create a fun and exciting framework for an
adventuring story, and ability to receive constructive
feedback are required.
Our designer open call will be announced through Goals
social media and requires a design test, as well as • Gather information throughout Faerûn.
a sample of previous work. We’ll keep the call open • Promote fairness and equality by covert means.
for several weeks, and then close it. Some number • Thwart tyrants and leaders, governments, and organi-
of designers will be selected from the open call to be zations that grow too powerful.
added to the approved list. Once closed, we’ll reopen a • Aid the weak, poor and oppressed.
designer call when we want to add more designers to
our approved list. Beliefs
• One can never have too much information or
Faction Guide arcane knowledge.
• Too much power leads to corruption. The abuse of
In the Forgotten Realms, five factions have risen to
magic, in particular, must be closely monitored.
prominence. These factions seek to further their own
• No one should be powerless.
aims while opposing destructive forces that threaten
the folk of Faerûn. Each faction has its own motivations, Member Traits
goals, and philosophy. Some are more heroic than
Harper agents are trained to act alone and rely on
others, but all band together in times of trouble to
their own resources. When they get into scrapes, they
thwart major threats.
don’t count on their fellow Harpers to rescue them.
Factions are an important part of the D&D
Nevertheless, Harpers are dedicated to helping one
Adventurers League experience, but characters don’t
another in times of need, and friendships between
have to become a member of a faction right away, or
Harpers are nigh unbreakable. Masterful spies and
at all. Belonging to a faction sometimes means having
infiltrators, they use various guises and secret identities
responsibilities, but it also carries with it support and
to form relationships, cultivate their information
rewards for service.
networks, and manipulate others into doing what needs
If you ever switch factions or leave a faction, you lose
to be done. Although most Harpers prefer to operate in
all ranks and renown with the old faction, and must
the shadows, there are exceptions.
start at rank 1 with zero renown with your new faction.
Ranks
• Watcher (rank 1)
• Harpshadow (rank 2)
• Brightcandle (rank 3)
• Wise Owl (rank 4)
• High Harper (rank 5)
Goals Goals
• Be armed and vigilant against evil. • Restore and preserve the natural order.
• Identify evil threats such as secretive power groups • Destroy all that is unnatural.
and inherently evil creatures. • Keep the elemental forces of the world in check.
• Enforce justice. • Keep civilization and the wilderness from destroy-
• Enact retribution against evil actions—do not strike ing each other.
preemptively.
Beliefs
Beliefs • The natural order must be respected and preserved.
• Faith is the greatest weapon against evil—faith in • Forces that upset the natural order must be destroyed.
one’s god, one’s friends, and one’s self. • Civilization and the wilderness must learn to coex-
• Battling evil is an extraordinary task that requires ist peacefully.
extraordinary strength and bravery.
• Punishing an evil act is just. Punishing an evil Member Traits
thought is not. Members of the Emerald Enclave are spread far and
wide, and usually operate in isolation. They learn to
Member Traits depend on themselves more than others. Survival in a
The Order of the Gauntlet is a dedicated, tightly knit harsh world also demands great fortitude and mastery
group of like-minded individuals driven by religious zeal of certain fighting and survival skills. Members of the
or a finely honed sense of justice and honor. Friendship Enclave who dedicate themselves to helping others
and camaraderie are important to members of the order, survive the perils of the wilderness are more social than
and they share a trust and a bond normally reserved for others who are charged with defending sacred glades
siblings. Like highly motivated soldiers, members of the and preserving the natural balance.
Order of the Gauntlet seek to become the best at what
they do and look forward to testing their mettle. There Ranks
are few, if any, “lone wolves” in this organization. • Springwarden (rank 1)
• Summerstrider (rank 2)
Ranks • Autumnreaver (rank 3)
• Chevall (rank 1) • Winterstalker (rank 4)
• Marcheon (rank 2) • Master of the Wild (rank 5)
• Whitehawk (rank 3)
• Vindicator (rank 4)
• Righteous Hand (rank 5)
Goals
• Ensure the safety and prosperity of cities and other
settlements of Faerûn. Goals
• Maintain a strong coalition against the forces
• Amass wealth.
of disorder.
• Look for opportunities to seize power.
• Proactively eliminate threats to the estab-
• Gain influence over important people and
lished powers.
organizations.
• Bring honor and glory to one’s leaders and
• Dominate Faerûn.
one’s homeland.
Beliefs
Beliefs • The Zhentarim is your family. You watch out for it, and
• If civilization is to survive, all must unite against the
it watches out for you.
dark forces that threaten it.
• You are the master of your own destiny. Never be less
• Fight for your realm. Only you can bring honor, glory,
than what you deserve to be.
and prosperity to your lord and homeland.
• Everything—and everyone—has a price.
• Don’t wait for the enemy to come to you. The best
defense is a strong offense. Member Traits
A member of the Zhentarim thinks of himself or herself
Member Traits as a member of a large family, and relies on the Black
In order to seek out and destroy threats to their
Network for resources and security. However, members
homelands, agents of the Lords’ Alliance must be highly
are granted enough autonomy to pursue their own
trained at what they do. Few can match their skills in
interests and gain some measure of personal power
the field. They fight for the glory and the security of
or influence. The Black Network is a meritocracy. As
their people and for the lords who rule over them, and
a whole, it promises “the best of the best,” although in
they do so with pride. However, the Lords’ Alliance
truth, the Zhentarim is more interested in spreading
can only survive if its members “play nice” with one
its own propaganda and influence than investing in the
another, which requires a certain measure of diplomacy.
improvement of its individual members.
Rogue agents within the Lords’ Alliance are rare, but
defections have been known to occur. Ranks
• Fang (rank 1)
Ranks • Wolf (rank 2)
• Cloak (rank 1)
• Viper (rank 3)
• Redknife (rank 2)
• Ardragon (rank 4)
• Stingblade (rank 3)
• Dread Lord (rank 5)
• Warduke (rank 4)
• Lioncrown (rank 5)
Faction Insignias
Faction Item
Harpers Pin
Order of the Gauntlet Pendant
Emerald Enclave Leaf clasp
Lords’ Alliance Signet ring (symbol palm side)
Zhentarim Gold coin (stamped symbol)
Rank 2: Agent
Rank 2 characters have shown that they’re aligned
with the faction’s goals, and are able to take on more
responsibility.
Secret Missions. During certain adventures, you
might be given the opportunity to undergo a secret
mission on behalf of your faction. Completion of these
missions might earn you additional benefits.
Apprenticeship to an Adventurer Mentor. Your
character can be apprenticed to another higher-ranking
adventurer from your faction. The benefits of this
apprenticeship will become available when rank 4
benefits are released.
We do not recommend returning with the same A new D&D Expeditions adventure has a debut
character to play Princes of the Apocalypse or Lost weekend at one or several conventions selected by
Mine of Phandelver after you’ve exited from one of those Wizards of the Coast. Then each region that did not
adventures. If you do so, you must enter the adventure host a debut has an opportunity to feature the adventure
again at the beginning of a chapter. at one regional preview event that takes place after
the debut but before the adventure’s wide release. The
What happens when new player rules options release of an adventure is typically at the beginning of
are released? a subsequent month. At that point, the adventure can
be played at any public location (stores, conventions,
New player rules for characters are tied to storyline and so on).
seasons. When you create a character, you choose
the story origin for the character, which defines what
Tyranny of Dragons
This storyline was set in Phlan, and ran from August
2014 through March 2015. All adventures from this
storyline are currently available. This is season 1, and
each adventure bears the season’s number in its code
(DDEN1, DDEP1, and DDEX1).
Allowed Rules
Characters choosing the Tyranny of Dragons storyline
season can use the following rules for character options:
• D&D basic rules (all rules except rolling ability scores
and hit points, rolling for starting wealth, some align-
ment restrictions)
• D&D Player’s Handbook (all rules except rolling abil-
ity scores and hit points, some alignment restrictions)
• Monster Manual appendix A (beasts only)
Official Documents
• D&D Basic Rules. The rules document that contains
everything you need to get started.
• Official Adventure Logsheet. You’ll need these to
record your D&D Adventurers League play.
• Current Storyline Character Sheet. Especially opti-
mized for D&D Adventurers League play!