Dungeon Master's Guide

Characters who reach 20th level have attained
the pinnacle of mortal achievement. Their deeds are
recorded in the annals of history and recounted by
bards for centuries. Their ultimate destinies come to
pass. A cleric might be taken up into the heavens to
serve as a god's right hand. A warlock could become
a patron to other warlocks. Perhaps a wizard unlocks
the secret to immortality (or undeath) and spends eons
exploring the farthest reaches of the multiverse. A druid
might become one with the land, transforming into a
nature spirit of a particular place or an aspect of the
wild. Other characters could found clans or dynasties
that revere the memory of their honored ancestors
from generation to generation, create masterpieces of
epic literature that are sung and retold for thousands
of years, or establish guilds or orders that keep the
adventurers' principles and dreams alive.
Reaching this point doesn't necessarily dictate the
end of the campaign. These powerful characters might
be called on to undertake grand adventures on the
cosmic stage. And as a result of these adventures, their
capabilities can continue to evolve. Characters gain no
more levels at this point, but they can still advance in
meaningful ways and continue performing epic deeds
that resound throughout the multiverse. Chapter 7
details epic boons you can use as rewards for these
characters to maintain a sense of progress.
STARTING AT HIGHER LEVEL
-----
Experienced players familiar with the capabilities of
the character classes and impatient for more significant
adventures might welcome the idea of starting a
campaign with characters above 1st level. Creating a
higher-level character uses the same character creation
steps outlined in the Player's Handbook. Such a
character has more hit points, class features, and spells,
and probably starts with better equipment.
Starting equipment for characters above 1st level is
entirely at your discretion, since you give out treasure
at your own pace. That said, you can use the Starting
Equipment table as a guide.
FLAVORS OF FANTASY
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is a fantasy game, but that broad
category encompasses a lot of variety. Many different
flavors of fantasy exist in fiction and film. Do you want
a horrific campaign inspired by the works of H. P.
Lovecraft or Clark Ashton Smith? Or do you envision a
world of muscled barbarians and nimble thieves, along
the lines of the classic sword-and-sorcery books by
Robert E. Howard and Fritz Leiber? Your choice can
have a impact on the flavor of your campaign.
HEROIC FANTASY
~~------------------
Heroic fantasy is the baseline assumed by the D&D
rules. The Player's Handbook describes this baseline:
a multitude of humanoid races coexist with humans in
fantastic worlds. Adventurers bring magical powers to
bear against the monstrous threats they face. These
characters typically come from ordinary backgrounds,
but something impels them into an adventuring life. The
adventurers are the "heroes" of the campaign, but they
might not be truly heroic, instead pursuing this life for
selfish reasons. Technology and society are based on
medieval norms, though the culture isn't necessarily
European. Campaigns often revolve around delving into
ancient dungeons in search of treasure or in an effort to
destroy monsters or villains.
This genre is also common in fantasy fiction. Most
novels set in the Forgotten Realms are best described as
heroic fantasy, following in the footsteps of many of the
authors listed in appendix E of the Player's Handbook.
SwoRD AND SoRCERY
A grim, hulking fighter disembowels the high priest
of the serpent god on his own altar. A laughing rogue
spends ill-gotten gains on cheap wine in filthy taverns.
Hardy adventurers venture into the unexplored jungle in
search of the fabled City of Golden Masks.
A sword-and-sorcery campaign emulates some of the
classic works of fantasy fiction , a tradition that goes
back to the roots of the game. Here you'll find a dark,
gritty world of evil sorcerers and decadent cities, where
STARTING EQUIPMENT
Character Level
l st-4th
5th-lOth
11th-16th
17th- 20th
Low Magic Campaign
Normal starting equipment
500 gp plus ldlO x 25 gp,.
normal starting equipment
5,000 gp plus ldlO x 250 gp,
one uncommon magic item,
normal starting equipment
20,000 gp plus ldlO x 250 gp,
two uncommon magic items,
normal starting equipment
Standard Campaign
Normal starting equipment
500 gp plus ldlO x 25 gp ,
normal starting equipment
5,000 gp plus ldlO x 250 gp,
two uncommon magic items,
normal starting equipment
20,000 gp plus ldlO x 250 gp,
two uncom mon magic items ,
one rare item, normal starting
equipment
High Magic Campaign
Normal starting equipment
500 gp plus ldlO x 25 gp,
one uncommon magic item ,
normal starting equipment
5,000 gp plus ldlO x 250 gp,
three uncommon magic items,
one rare item, normal starting
equipment
20,000 gp plus ldlO x 250 gp,
three uncommon magic items ,
two rare items, one very rare item,
normal starting equipment
g8
CHAPTER 1 I A WORLD OF YOUR OWN