Dungeon Master’s Guide

Version 9.1

Inglorious Redemption A Campaign Supporting

Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Credits
D&D Staff-Head Dungeon Master: Chris Lindsay
D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Alan Patrick, Amy Lynn Dzura, Travis Woodall,
Lysa Penrose, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks

Effective Date
September 17, 2019

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 League, all other Wizards of
the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast.
This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express
written permission of Wizards of the Coast.

©2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley
Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.
Part 1. Getting Started
This document is a guide to getting started as a Dungeon Master (DM) for the Forgotten Realms campaign managed by
the D&D Adventurers League. These rules are supplemented by the Adventurers League FAQ (also found in the
Adventurers League DM’s Pack).

• Players. Adventures League play is designed for a

Storyline Seasons table of five players but can be adjusted for as few as
Adventurers League play is broken up into storyline three to as many as seven players. Tables smaller or
seasons, but all sanctioned adventures can be played larger than those limits not recommended as they
regardless of their season. promote an extremely suboptimal play experience.

D&D Adventurers League Play Optional Items

These things aren’t necessary to run D&D Adventurers
D&D Adventurers League play can take place practically League games but might be nice to have.
ANYWHERE--whether at home, a friendly local game Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG). This book contains
and hobby store, a library or school, or even a valuable advice on preparing and running games. The
convention. The possibilities are endless. DMG also contains descriptions of magic items that
DMs and players alike participate in Adventurers might be awarded during the course of play, so it is
League play utilizing a variety of adventure content suggested that you bring that information with you to
options. These currently include D&D Introductory the table if it is not provided in the adventure.
Adventures, D&D Premiere Play, and playing through the Monster Manual (MM). While the statistics for most
published D&D adventures (called hardcover monsters can be found here, special monsters created
adventures). Additionally, many convention organizers specifically for a given season’s published adventure are
have created approved D&D Adventurers League found in that product.
adventures called Convention-Created Content Index Cards. Great for writing down initiative,
adventures (CCC) specifically for their conventions. handing notes to players, and as cheap table tents.
D&D Introductory Adventures. These adventures Dungeon Master Screen. Helpful to hide the
accompany new Wizards of the Coast print products and adventure and your notes and schemes from the players.
premier at participating friendly local game and hobby Miniatures and Map Surfaces. If you and your
stores and are meant to introduce you to new content. players enjoy playing a more tactical game of D&D, you
D&D Premiere Play. These adventures support can use these to help depict combats and detailed areas.
Wizards of the Coast storyline product releases. They’re
purchased from the Dungeon Masters Guild. Dungeon Cheating
Masters purchasing Premier Play adventures can run D&D Adventurers League play is meant to be fun and
them as often as that DM likes. inclusive—not competitive. As the DM, correct cheating
players quickly and discreetly (if possible) by resolving
Being a Dungeon Master the issue and making a fair ruling on what happens. You
Being an Adventurers League DM is easy and fun. The can review paperwork (character sheets, adventure
adventures can be prepared in a short period of time, logsheets, and certificates) at any time. If something
and you don’t have to worry about creating all sorts of seems amiss or inappropriate—either with the
background material. paperwork or during the game—discuss it with the
player and resolve irregularities. You can disallow
something that seems outside the rules or have a player
What You Need to Run a Game reroll dice. Be professional—make every effort to avoid
In order to run a game as a DM in D&D Adventurers
embarrassing the player or assume wrongdoing. We’re
League games, you’ll need the following:
all here to have fun and enjoy the challenge!
• Player’s Handbook or the D&D Basic Rules. The basic
rules .pdf document is free on the Wizards of the Coast
website and contains all the basic rules of the game.
• Adventures. If you’re running games in a public venue
on behalf of an event organizer, check with that
individual to see what adventures they have available.
Otherwise, adventures are available for purchase at
your local gaming store (hardcover adventures only)
or online at www.dmsguild.com.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print and photocopy this document for personal use 2
only. Adventurers League Dungeon Master’s Guide v9.1
Part 2. Running Adventures
You can DM one group of players at a time—each player must have their own character within the adventure’s level
range. Characters that play a hardcover adventure can continue to play it if they advance out of its level range, but if
they later play a different hardcover adventure, they can’t return to the first one.

them from play—including those requiring a wish.

Playing the Dungeon Master This option reduces their Magic Item Limit but is
You have the most important role. You provide the available even if their limit has been reduced to 0 or
narrative and bring the words on the pages of the they have no magic items.
adventure to life. While telling the story, it is also your • The Group Pays. Other characters can contribute
responsibility to make everyone feel welcomed at the toward the cost for spellcasting services to benefit
table creating a fun and fair environment. other characters. They can’t trade magic items for
You’re Empowered. Make decisions about how the another character to receive these services, though.
group interacts with the adventure; adjust or improvise
but maintain the adventure’s spirit. You can’t implement Spellcasting Services
new rules. During a session, characters can receive spellcasting
Challenge Your Players. Gauge the experience level of services from an NPC located anywhere that is town-
your players, as well as what they seem to enjoy in a sized or larger but must be able to travel there.
game and attempt to deliver what they’re after. Otherwise, they’re available only between sessions.
Everyone should be able to shine. You can adjust the Magic Item Table Cost
encounter by adding or removing thematically Cure wounds 10 gp
appropriate monsters. Identify 20 gp
Keep the Adventure Moving. When the game gets Lesser restoration 40 gp
bogged down, provide hints and clues to your players Prayer of healing 40 gp
facing puzzles or engaging in combat and roleplay Dispel magic 90 gp
interactions that get frustrating. This gives players “little Remove curse 90 gp
victories” for making good choices based on clues Speak with dead 90 gp
received. When playing within a given time constraint, Divination 210 gp
such as at a convention, it is important to gauge the Greater Restoration 450 gp
pacing of your game. It’s okay to make adjustments to Raise dead* 1,000 gp
the content when you get bogged down in order to Resurrection* 3,000 gp
True resurrection* 30,000 gp
promote a play experience that feels complete. *Characters can instead receive these services by purchasing spell scrolls.

Spellcasting services provided by NPCs are limited to

Character Disease, Death, and Recovery
the spells on this list. However, characters can purchase
Bad things happen to characters; adventuring is a risky
spell scrolls which NPCs can cast for free, but only to
job. Diseases, poisons, and other similar effects last until
benefit the character who purchased the scroll.
removed, but characters can spend downtime days to
receive spellcasting services or to recuperate (see Season & Region Acolyte-Friendly Temples
Player’s Handbook). Dead characters or those afflicted 1: Phlan Kelemvor
with lycanthropy or vampirism can’t start a new 2: Mulmaster Bane, Loviatar, Tymora, Velsharoon
session until returned to life or cured. Characters 3: Hillsfar Chauntea, Lliira, Tempus
returned to life suffer the effects from the ordeal as 4: Barovia None
normal, but each downtime day spent reduces any 5: Sword Coast
penalties to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability T1: Parnast Mielikki
checks by 1. Bodies are recovered unless otherwise T2: Stagwick Chauntea
specified in the encounter. If the group can’t return a T3: Beregost Lathander, Waukeen
character to life or cure conditions that remove it from 6: Sword Coast
play themselves, the following rules apply: T1: Mirabar Dumathoin, Sharindlar, Tymora
T2: Neverwinter Oghma, Selûne, Tyr
• The Character Pays. Characters can use their gold to T3: Dagger Falls Lathander, Tyr
pay for a spellcasting service that would return them 7: Port Nyanzaru Gond, Savras, Waukeen
to play. Alternatively, the character can trade a 8: Waterdeep Any non-evil deity
permanent magic item (excluding common magic 9: Baldur’s Gate Gond, Umberlee, Tymora
items) to an NPC that is capable of providing
spellcasting services (see below)—who in turn Acolyte Background. Characters with the Shelter of
returns them to life and removes any conditions (or in the Faithful background feature can request spellcasting
some circumstances, story awards) that removed services at a temple of their faith. Once per day they can

Not for resale. Permission granted to print and photocopy this document for personal use 3
only. Adventurers League Dungeon Master’s Guide v9.1
receive one spell from the Spellcasting Services table for merchant might carry writs redeemable for gold.
free (though they must provide the cost of any material Alternatively, in a convention setting, you might want to
component needed). Only some faiths are represented wait and award the cumulative hourly awards at the end
by temples large enough to provide this benefit. During in the form of a chest of gold bars from a wealthy
play, the available faiths are determined by the region in merchant. The campaign staff strongly suggests that
which the adventure is set (shown above). characters be awarded the maximum amount of gold
for their tier per hour. Otherwise, the characters earn a
Adventure Rewards minimum amount for each hour of the session.
Once a character receives an amount of gold equal to
Characters gain levels and earn rewards in the form of their GP Limit, they can’t earn more until they have
gold, magic items, and downtime. These rewards are gained a level when the limit resets.
recorded on their Adventure Logsheets—which they
must maintain—before leaving the table. Most of these Tier Hourly GP Award (Min GP Award) GP Limit/Level
are awarded when you feel it’s appropriate (although 1 20 gp (10 gp) 80 gp
magic items can only be awarded if specifically 2 30 gp (15 gp) 240 gp
3 200 gp (100 gp) 1,600 gp
mentioned in the encounter in which they’re found).
4 750 gp (375 gp) 6,000 gp
Advancement. Characters gain a level once they’ve
completed an adventure. In hardcover sessions, they
Story Awards/Effects/Items. These items or effects—
advance as you decide (or when directed by the
designated by the ALCC—are essential to a hardcover
adventure) or after four hours of play (or eight hours at
adventure’s storyline and are only useable during
tier 2 – 4), to a maximum of one level per session.
sessions of the adventure in which they’re awarded.
Characters advance to the next level at the end of the
These items don’t count against a characters Magic Item
session.
Limit, but only one character can possess a given story
Players can decline advancement if they choose—
item at the same table at the same time.
postponing advancement as long as they wish.
Magic Items. Characters keep any permanent magic
items that their group finds during the session. At the
Dungeon Master Rewards
As you run adventures, you also earn DM Rewards. For
end of the session, each character can keep the items
more information see the D&D Adventurers League
found during the session—to a maximum number of
Dungeon Master Rewards document.
items based on their tier (common items aren’t subject
to this limitation). Consumable magic items (potions,
scrolls, ammunition, and soul coins) are equitably
divided among the characters—resolving disagreements
randomly if necessary. If multiple players want a potion
that the group has found, for example, roll a die to
determine which character keeps the item.
Tier Magic Item Limit Tier Magic Item Limit
1 1 3 6
2 3 4 10

Mundane Treasure. Mundane equipment under a

treasure subheading can’t be sold or traded but can be
used until the end of the session, upon which time it’s
lost. Any treasure with a monetary value (gp, gems, art
objects, etc.) mentioned is ignored. Spellbooks and
items without mechanical properties (such as trinkets or
other objects without a specified value) found in the
encounter are divided equitably among the characters. If
more than one player wants the item, a randomly
determined character keeps it.
Instead, you have discretion to award gold; each hour
you can award each character an amount of gold based
on their tier (see below). You have a lot of flexibility in
how this gold is distributed and what form it takes,
though you can use the treasure entries as cues to award
gold and what form that gold might take. For example, a
goblin might carry dirty copper coins, while a wealthy

Not for resale. Permission granted to print and photocopy this document for personal use 4
only. Adventurers League Dungeon Master’s Guide v9.1