Funny / Dungeons & Dragons

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Any examples for this must be taken from published Dungeons & Dragons material, not your personal experiences in a game.

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• The 3rd edition Dungeon Master's Guide had a table titled One Hundred Personality Traits for the purposes of quickly coming up with descriptions for random and minor NPCs, however entries #26 and #100 were accidentally omitted. In the 3.5 revision the table was reprinted adding in trait #100: No sense of humor (See #26). #26 was still missing (intentionally this time).
• The 3.5e Expanded Psionics Handbook has two entries for the spell deja vu.
• The "On the set of D&D 4th Edition" cartoons had quite a few gems, not the least of which was the infamous, "I'm a Monster, Raar!"
• The first edition Monster Manual includes a picture of a man with his upper half inside a giant frog. The man is bend 90 degrees at the waist and not struggling, so the result reminds one of a lion tamer putting his head in the lion's mouth.
  • From the Giant Lynx (which are intelligent) entry in the same book, we have a cartoon of some adventurers encountering one. One adventure says to the other "Whaddaya mean we gotta talk to this lynx?? The last monster we talked to ate half of the party!"
  • The "Leprechaun" entry depicts the fey in question wreaking havoc around their page with their magic, including tearing down the text in the upper right corner and riding the "Giant Leech" in the adjacent entry like a horse.
  • This illustration◊ of a mind flayer.
• In Fiendish Codex: Tyrants of the Nine Hells, there's a section detailing Deals With The Devil, as well as how to get out of them. It's possible to do so legally, in Hell's actual court, but only if the bargaining devil actually broke the law (such as by actually lying to the mortal). Then it ends with this gem:
  It is also possible for a defendant to win her case on merit, only to suffer condemnation to the Nine Hells on unrelated grounds. Much diabolical laughter ensues.
• The third edition Dungeon Master's Guide has two gems both related to naming: first, when speaking of whether to make the game style serious or humorous, it notes, "If the king of the land is a talking dog named Muffy or if the PCs have to find a brassiere of elemental summoning rather than a brazier of elemental summoning, don't expect anyone to take the game too seriously." Then under naming conventions it suggests, "Although any character name is fine in and of itself, a group that includes Bob the Fighter, Aldrorius Killraven of Thistledown, and Runtboy as characters lacks the consistency to be credible."
  • The fourth edition mentions the following "In a group consisting of Sithis, Travok, Anastrianna and Kairon, the human fighter named Bob II sticks out. Especially when he's identical to Bob I, who was killed by kobolds ... Travok and Kairon don't want to visit Gumdrop Island or talk to the enchanter Tim." This excerpt is a textbook example of Aerith and Bob.
• The 3.5 Monster Manual includes sample battle tactics for some monsters, usually those with a lot of versatile abilities, so new DMs can utilize them more effectively. This comes to pure Black Comedy for the mind flayer's sample tactic, if all goes well for flayer:
  Round four: Eat brains.
• The comic book by John Rogers opens with the line, "On the bright side, they're orphan zombies, so nobody's gonna miss 'em," and only goes on from there.
• The Forgotten Realms sourcebook Races of Faerûn contains this gem: "Human legend has it that the centaurs are the result of some mad cross between a wild elf and a wild mustang, but both the wild elves and the centaurs take umbrage at this suggestion. (The mustangs have no particular opinions on the matter.)"
• Player's Guide to Eberron: After several paragraphs of incredible smugness from an elf and a half-elf, quoted from a play:
  Cullaris: Tell me, what virtue do we not possess?
  Mahlla: Humility?
  Cullaris: Yes, perhaps.
• The disclaimer on the 5th Edition Player's Handbook, on the credits page.
  Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast is not responsible for the consequenses of splitting up the party, sticking appendages in the mouth of a leering green devil face, accepting a dinner invitation from bugbears, storming the feast hall of a hill giant steading, angering a dragon of any variety, or saying yes when the DM asks, "Are you really sure?"
• The disclaimer on the Monster Manual of the same edition, also on the credits page:
  Disclaimer: Any similarities between monsters depicted in this book and monsters that actually exist are purely coincidental. That goes double for mind flayers, which absolutely, utterly, and completely do not exist, nor do they secretly run the D&D team. Do we really need a disclaimer to tell you that? You shouldn't use your brain to consider such irrational thoughts. They only make the mind cluttered, confused, and unpleasantly chewy. A good brain is nice, tender, and barely used. Go ahead, put down this book and watch some reality TV or Internet cat videos. They're really funny these days. You won't regret it. We say this only because we love you and your juicy, succulent gamer brain.
  • Some of the little notes commenting on certain monsters are quite amusing too. Take this one from the "Zombie" entry.
  "After Beex died, we cast an Animate Dead spell on his corpse. It was fun for a while, but the zombie started to smell real bad, so we doused it in oil and set it on fire. Beek would've found that hilarious." - Fonkin Hoddypeak, on friendship
• And following the tradition, here's the Dungeon Master's Guide disclaimer:
  Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast does not officially endorse the following tactics, which are guaranteed to maximize your enjoyment as a Dungeon Master. First, always keep a straight face and say OK no matter how ludicrous or doomed the players’ plan of action is. Second, no matter what happens, pretend that you intended all along for everything to unfold the way it did. Third, if you’re not sure what to do next, feign illness, end the session early, and plot your next move. When all else fails, roll a bunch of dice behind your screen, study them for a moment with a look of deep concern mixed with regret, let loose a heavy sigh, and announce that Tiamat swoops from the sky and attacks.
• All D&D 5th edition books have these. From the Starter Set:
  Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast is not responsible for the consequences of any failed saving throws, including but not limited to petrification, poison, death magic, dragon breath, spells, or vorpal sword-related decapitations.
• From Hoard of the Dragon Queen:
  Disclaimer: The following adventure contains chromatic dragons. Wizards of the Coast cannot be held liable for characters who are incinerated, dissolved, frozen, poisoned, or electrocuted.
• From Rise of Tiamat:
  Disclaimer: Tiamat does not apologize for TPKs.
• From the Elemental Evil Player's Companion:
  Disclaimer: For safe utilization of elemental magic, remember the following guidelines. You can drink water but not fire. You can breathe air but not earth. You can walk on earth but not on water (unless you have the right pair of boots or spell). You can do a lot of things with fire, but almost all of them are bad ideas.
• From the Princes of the Apocalypse module:
  Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast urges adventurers to remember that not all rock creatures are earth elementals. A talking rock that controls boulders is a galeb duhr. A talking rock wearing jewelry is a dao. A silent rock that's resistant to non-adamantine weapons is a stone golem. A rock with wings is a gargoyle. A rock without a K is a giant bird. A rock that sits there and does nothing could be just a rock or a balor disguised by an illusion. In all cases, proceed with caution.
• From the Out of the Abyss module:
  Disclaimer: Before you take on demon lords, consult a physician. Do not drink alcohol while taking on demon lords. Taking alcohol and demon lords may increase your risk of death. Other side effects of demon lords may include hallucinations, mindless rage, gluttony, greed, paranoia, self-delusion, bestial urges, nihilism, hedonism, megalomania, a messiah complex, cannibalism, multiple personalities, and homicidal psychosis.
• From the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide:
  Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast cannot be held responsible for any actions undertaken by entities native to or currently inhabiting the Forgotten Realms, including necromancer lords of distant magocracies, resident mages of any or all Dales but especially Shadowdale, drow rangers wielding one or more scimitars and accompanied by one or more panthers, mad wizards inhabiting sprawling dungeons accessible via a well in the middle of a tavern, beholders who head up criminal cartels, and anyone with the word Many-Arrows in their name. In the event of a catastrophic encounter with any or all such entities, blame your Dungeon Master. If that doesn't work, blame Ed Greenwood, but don't tell him we told you that. He knows more archmages than we do.
• Curse of Strahd, anyone?
  Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast cannot be held liable for any lingering side effects of venturing into the dread realm of Ravenloft, such as lycantropy, vampirism, a fear of dead things, a fear of living things, an inability to sleep without a nightlight and a +5 holy avenger under your pillow, and the unsettling suspicion that Strahd is too clever to be so easily defeated and that this is all just part of some grand scheme of his to extend his power beyond Barovia. You didn't think you could escape unless he wanted you to, did you?
• Volo's Guide to Monsters:
  Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast does not vouch for, guarantee, or provide any promise regarding the validity of the information provided in this volume by Volothamp Geddarm. Do not trust Volo. Do not go on quests offered by Volo. Do not listen to Volo. Avoid being seen with him for risk of guilt by association. If Volo appears in your campaign, your DM is undoubtedly trying to kill your character in a manner that can be blamed on your own actions. The DM is probably trying to do that anyway, but with Volo's appearance, you know for sure. We're not convinced that Elminster's commentary is all that trustworthy either, but he turned us into flumphs the last time we mentioned him in one of these disclaimers.
  • Elminster is editing the book, like he has with all of Volo's previous Guide books. The sheer amount of snark from the venerable archmage at times just oozes off the pages.
  • A pair of notes in the mind flayer section:
    Volo: I wonder what a Mind Flayer's brain tastes like.
    Elminster: Volo, ye are the fool of fools. Illithid brains are poisonous, and drive humans insane with a flood of memories at every bite. Er, ask me not how I know this.
  • Also during the mind flayer section, Elminster, a 1200+ year old archmage that can teleport to other worlds, thinks Volo's been loafing in an opium den after he talks about illithid ships that travel between Planes via the cosmos.
  • Some of the Lizard Folk personality quirks are real winners.
    1. You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and portable!
    5. You have learned to laugh. You use this talent in response to all emotional situations, to better fit in with your comrades.
    6. You still don't understand how metaphors work. That doesn't stop you from using them at every opportunity.
• The Tales from the Yawning Portal keeps it short and sweet:
  Disclaimer: Do we really need a disclaimer to tell you that it's not our fault that your character died because you decided to climb down into a monster- and trap-filled hole in the ground?
• And joy, now we have the disclaimer for Tomb of Annihilation to remind us of what is waiting in Chult:
  Disclaimer: This adventure will make your players hate you - the kind of simmering hatred that eats away at their souls until all that remains are dark little spheres of annihilation where their hearts used to be. PS Don't forget to tear up their charater sheets.
• Xanathar's Guide to Everything...which completely nosedives into Suspiciously Specific Denial:
  Disclaimer: No goldfish were harmed in the making of this book. Especially not Sylgar. Sylgar definitely did not die because we forgot to change his water. If you see Xanathar, make sure it knows that. Be perfectly clear Sylgar was not harmed. And we had nothing to do with it. Better yet, don't bring it up, and don't mention us.
  • Xanathar's continues the trend of in-character commentary about various subjects. As Xanathar's is a rule expansion book featuring new options for expanding gameplay, Xanathar provides various opinions in a very Psychopathic Manchild fashion. And as some of these are obviously him discussing it with adventurers or minions who have gotten the attention of one of the most infamous Beholders of the D&D multi-verse, one can only imagine how nervous they must be.
  Regarding Barbarians: Rawr! I'm angry! Funny, I don't feel any stronger. Maybe because I'm always angry, I'm always in top condition. Stands to reason.
  Storm Barbarians note: You know one of the great benefits of living underground? No weather. Don't mess this up for me.
  On Bards in general: Music is stupid. Wait, I changed my mind. Music is fun. Play more music. No, I was right the first time. Music is stupid. But I won't maim you after all, in case I change my mind again.
• Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes dives straight into Meta territory.
  Disclaimer: We asked Mordenkainen to write a humorous disclaimer for this book, and we got this response: "The day I start writing frivolous disclaimers for game manuals—particularly one riddled with text stolen from my notes—is the day I retire from wizardry and abandon all self-respect."
  • Mordenkainen is of the opinion that halflings have survived for so long because they're so annoying that no one wants to deal with them.
• And now the Waterdeep Dragon Heist reminds you exactly what your newly created characters are up against:
  Disclaimer: The Lords of Waterdeep cannot be held responsible for the flogging, banishment, incarceration, or execution of adventures who violate the Code Legal, nor are the Lords responsible for the actions of beholder crime lords, unscrupulous nobles, drow swashbucklers, and evil clones. Also don't be alarmed by the colossal statues scattered throughout the city. They're quite safe and haven't gone berserk in years.
• Speaking of Waterdeep, there's the disclaimer to Dungeon of the Mad Mage:
  Disclaimer: The Mad Mage of Undermountain is not seeing visitors right now. Don't come down because, uh, we're renovating and everything is a mess. You won't find any treasure, and the buffet is closed until further notice. Ye gods, where did all these githyanki come from? As if the mind flayers weren't bad enough. What's that? You think you can plunder my home and get away with it? Ha! You don't have the experience points.
• Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica:
  Disclaimer: The Living Guildpact is not responsible for the fate of those arrested by the Azorius, beaten by the Boros, dodged by the Dimir, grossed out by the Golgari, gored by the Gruul, imploded by the Izzet, outwitted by the Orzhov, rousted by the Rakdos, subsumed by the Selesnya, or sickened by the Simic. Join or leave a guild at your own risk, and get involved with guild politics at your peril.
• Ghosts of Saltmarsh adds a stealth nod to the next adventure module to be released after it...:
  Disclaimer: After battling dragons, elemental cultists, vampires, demons, and giants, you deserve a relaxing ocean cruise. Please keep all limbs well within the ship's confines. We are not responsible for valuables, hit points or lives lost during your voyage. In fact, perhaps you'd prefer a more relaxing vacation option. Can we suggest a voyage to the Nine Hells? They're quite balmy this time of year.
• Descent into Avernus has a nod to the good ol' days of the Satanic Panic.
  Disclaimer: This adventure is a work of fiction aimed at providing you and your friends with many hours of fantastic entertainment. Although devils and the Nine Hells play prominent roles in this story, the evil they represent is meant to be fought and overcome. Wizards of the Coast fully endorses the kicking of evil's butt. Let darkness fall and light prevail. We strongly advise that you not play this adventure backward, lest Asmodeus appear in a puff of smoke to talk politics, as archfiends are wont to do.
• Eberron: Rising from the Last War goes for Gameplay and Story Integration:
  Disclaimer: Published by the brilliant gnomes of House Sivis, this illustrious volume exposes truths you won't believe about the Last War! You might think that's enough to satisfy you, dear reader, but there's more! The book also contains dice-fueled rules for reenacting thrilling events in the world of Eberron (dice not included). Also, don't forget to. recharge this book's magic with a dragonshard about once a eek. If you don't, the book will turn back into a potato.
• The official Acquisitions Incorporated book's disclaimer:
  Disclaimer: Acquisitions Incorporated has made every legal, moral, and arcane attempt to ensure the safety of the information herein. That being said, if an employee should meet their end in the service of Acquisitions Incorporated, we reserve the right to reanimate you to perform light office tasks. Maybe you should read these contracts more carefully, eh?
• Explorer's Guide to Wildemount is largely heartwarming and welcoming players into the world, and yet still manages to end with:
  Wizards of the Coast and Critical Role are not responsible for any mental trauma suffered by animal companions or domesticated fey creatures from persistant danger and deadly challenges, nor are we responsible for whatever lack of passive Perception might lead to a failure to notice the animals' rapid escape.
• From Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
  Disclaimer: Contained herein are the observations of the archmage Tasha. Later known as the Witch Queen and then Iggwilv, she is one of the greatest wizards in the history of the multiverse. We fear there is an incantation hidden within these notes and have therefore bound this tome with powerful wards. If you are reading this, the first wars has already been broken! If you dare read any further, we cannot guarantee the safety of your soul or that you won't open a portal to another plane of existence. If a portal does appear, pray that nothing worse than Tasha's mother Baba Yaga appears. And if the mother of hags arrives, be sure to offer only praises for her daughter. Or offer muffins. She loves muffins.
  • The framing device for this book is that it's an In-Universe tome about magic written by Tasha and published on Oerth. Unfortunately (according to Tasha), Mordenkainen insisted that it had to be approved by a panel from the Greyhawk Guild of Wizardry. "Which I am assured is an esteemed center of learning and not at all an elaborate scam to swindle highborn rubes."
  • Again, more personal notes from the book's alleged author's opinions. She's really not a fan of artificers:
  On the Artificer Class: Artificers create cutting-edge problems, then try to solve them—loudly and often with collateral damage.
  On the above's Armorer specialization: Classic artificer logic right here: "What if, when our invention goes explosively wrong, we're inside it?"
  On Artillerist specialist: Some artificers ask the hard questions: "Couldn't there be even more collateral damage?"
  On College of Eloquence Bards: Note to self: revisit work on speech-negating spell. Necessity level: ear-bleeding.
  On Fey Wanderer Ranger: Do you think a kilt is a vital part of the fey wandering aesthetic? And if not, why are you so wrong?
  On Twilight Domain Clerics: I can't believe I'm writing this, but I think I could get behind a faith focused on mood lighting and evening wear.
  On Aberrant Mind sorcerers: Tentacles, psychic powers, beings from beyond the stars - one person's bad dream is another person's good time
  On Clockwork Soul Sorcerers: I rarely tell people I speak Modron because, invariably, they just want to learn how to curse, so let's get this out of the way now. Lesson one: 'Beep boop' and other slams.
• Even the newest version of a setting that's known for horror can't do without a bit of humor in the disclaimer, as seen in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft:
  Disclaimer: By the sole act of opening this book, you acknowledge your complicity in the domains-spanning conspiracy that denied me, Azalin Rex, Wizard-King of Darkon, my rightful place as both author of and cover model for what could have been so much more than this doubtful collection of lies and slanders. Fortunately, as I've recently found my immortality unburdened by the trivialities of rule, I have endless opportunity to pursue thorough vengeances for even the pettiest affronts. Please prepare for my coming. I expect to be quartered in the utmost comfort while we personalize your redefinition of the word "horror."
• From Fizban's Treasury of Dragons:
  Disclaimer: No guarantee is made that this book was or was not removed from the hoard of a dragon. Be aware that items taken from a dragon's hoard might carry traces of the dragon's inherent magic even long after they are removed from said hoard. Exposure to another dragon's hoard can reawaken that magic, with unpredictable results.
  • The book is narrated by Bahamut, in his disguise as the human wizard Fizban. A disguise that is, admittedly, very poor.
  "Objectively speaking, of all the dragons, Bahamut has made the best decisions. He is also the most handsome. And his hoard is gigantic-est."
  "If you happen to find yourself in the possession of a platinum scarf, be prepared for side effects: Head swivels, gasps of admiration, and myriad compliments."

  • Fizban's slight narcisist streak also extends to dragonkind as a whole.
  Comment on the Drakewarden Ranger: "They say that rangers tend to look a lot like their bestial companions. That makes the Drakewardens among the most attractive humanoids"
  • The chapter illustration for chapter 4, about lairs and hoards, depicts Fizban in the middle of a heated debate with a very smug-looking statue. In the background, a brass dragon appears to be using ventriloquism for its own amusement. Gets particularily funny when you realize that "Fizban" is actually said brass dragon's Creator Deity.
  • The book opens on a Creation Myth known as the First world, including a lengthy poem describing Tiamat and Bahamut's labors in its creation and its eventual destruction. Fizban thinks the poets are glorifying it a bit.
  "I remember that time as one big, boring, patience-trying dilly-dalliance. A lot of hurry up and wait."
  • In the chapter about dragon turtles, Bahamut once again breaks character to admit that he has absolutely no idea where dragon turtles came from. He knows he didn't make them, and Tiamat insists that she didn't either.
  • The list of potential personality traits for green dragons paint a rather non-flattering image of what they tend to be like, while still being darkly humerous.
  You're either with me or you're against me. Just kidding - You're lunch either way!
  The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned: more to control, more to torture, more to feast upon when I'm finally bored
  I like seeing life through the eyes of a lesser being - before forcing that creature to gouge their eyes out

  • Fizban's comment on this is that green dragons in some ways embody the ideals of dragonkind, lamenting that Tiamat is credited with their creation. Thus implying that Bahamut considers all of these admirable traits.
• From Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen:
  The Dragon Armies cannot ensure that owners of this book will not have their lives repurposed in the service of the Dragon Queen's glorious will. Promises to the contrary should be considered best-case scenarios, not statements of certainty. Thank you for suppourting the Dragon Armies and a cataclysmically bright future for all of Krynn.
• The third-party rulebook The Book of Erotic Fantasy:
  • The Voyeuristic Seer, a prestige class that specializes in using divination to watch other people have sex. The spell section contains a lot of other silly things, like the anti-clothing shell and the Disrobe spell.
  • The book has a section on ooze reproduction: "One Ooze. Idiot Damages Ooze. Two Oozes."
• A lot in the various Planescape books, including most entries penned by Xanxaost the slaad:
  • The whole idea of mephit vendetta code, which ends with "Mephits are never given to friends, as anyone who has met one understands."
  • Xanxaost: Mmm... mephits.
• Forgotten Realms books contain some hilarity more often than not:
  • Elminster's Ecologies:
  "Two types of chimerae stalk Cormanthor: the mean ones, and the really mean ones. You can't tell one from the other, except for their lips."
  "As if keeping an undead ferret in her tunic weren't enough to drive civilized company away, she spent her last social gathering explaining the disparate relative effects of falling damage on living and undead rat squirrels to two decidedly uncomfortable apprentice mages with good prospects."
  • Volo's Guides, with his and Elminster's footnotes:
    [4] Elminster: Delusions this grand are the final frightening stages of the descent into babbling idiocy. Hmmm, perhaps the lad would've made a good mage after all...
  Once the focal stones are safely hidden inside a hollow statuette out behind her privy,[20]

  [20] Volo: As I was saying, wizards tend to be a mite suspicious of the world around — and not always without reason.
• Portable Hole Full of Beer, and its remakes Son of a Portable Hole and Bride of Portable Hole: The Book of Neurotic Fantasy. Complete with Flumphonomicon, mockery of weirdly specialized prestige classes and dumbed-down flavour text of some late D&D products, stats for monsters like Marshmallow Golem, "12 Year Old Gamer Girl" template, a handful of spells and items—some of which are usable in a sane game, but have outstanding Power Perversion Potential—and so on. It's downloadable for free.
  • There are prestige classes for becoming a Pokemon master, becoming a chef who specializes in cooking the monsters the party defeats, and metagaming more and more until the character becomes fully aware they are in a roleplaying game, turns into a real person, and moves in with their player.
• Book of Oafish Might has much the same style as Portable Hole (only a bit more... oafish), presenting things like mock templates "Redundant Creature" or "Really, really Evil Creature" and enough slapstick material to make The Loonie stand and hear... hear...
• A couple of guys (Frank Trollman and his buddy Keith) wrote some articles which had some houserules to iron some of the wrinkles out of Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 (Like Polymorph or Wish). One of these, the Dungeonomicon, has almost all of its section headings end in an —nomicon name and a pithy quote. Highlights include: The Constructanomicon: "How does that even stay up?" Other articles include such memorable quotes as: Character Backgrounds: "I… I'm a fighter. I stab people. In the face." Not even feats are safe, with the feat Giant Slayer having the flavor text Everyone has a specialty. Yours is miraculously finding ways to stab creatures in the face when it seems improbable that you would be able to reach that high. and Zen Archery reading You are very calm about shooting people in the face. That's a good place to be.
• Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes has a table that explains the demonic/tana'ri mindset perfectly, and why they haven't gotten past the Blood War stalemate despite being advantaged in numbers and sheer unpredictability:
  Demon Bonds, 1-6: I am a perfect product of creation, destined to one day shape the cosmos to my whims. Everything I do verifies my destiny.
  • The same chapter tells a story about how Asmodeus, lord of devils, was accused of various crimes by various angels. Asmodeus, defining his character as a Magnificent Bastard, responded to these accusations, demanding a fair trial. The angels, utterly confused, agreed, and (after having the entire heavenly host look over the contract to make sure there were no loopholes) met up in Mechanus, where Primus would serve as an unbiased judge. Asmodeus said his case, and then it was the angels' turn. Their lists of accusations ran on for weeks, that even Primus eventually ran out of patience, and told the angels that only a limited amount of them could present any more accusations. The angels started fighting over who got to go first, and had thus broken the sacred neutrality demanded by Primus, making the entire trial null and void. It's unclear why Asmodeus did this, other than For the Evulz. It didn't help that all the infighting started when Zariel, who was still an angel at the time, shoved her way to the front.
• Waterdeep: Dragon Heist has some fun with one of the villains, the flamboyant Jarlaxle Baenre. He becomes in one part of the module, one big, and hilarious Shout-Out to Sean Connery. Players have a chance to actually meet him in disguise (well, they have numerous opportunities...) on his ship. When they meet him there, he's described as "a well-built, scantily-clad man, his scarlet apparel designed to accentuate his trim figure and bountiful chest hair." His cover name? Zardoz Zord. Later, the party has a chance to discover his personal submarine, which he named the Scarlet Marpenoth. In the Forgotten Realms calendar, Marpenoth maps to October, meaning — wait for it... Zed is the captain of the Red October.
• Part of 5e character creations is picking backgrounds. Each background has four parts: a personality trait, an ideal, a bond, and a flaw. Some of these options can be amusing. For example.
  • Flaw number 5 for the Noble background:
  In fact, the world does revolve around me.
  • “I was, in fact, Raised by Wolves.” is a possible personality trait for the Outlander background.
  • The Archaeologist background from Tomb of Annihilation is full of shout-outs to Indiana Jones. You can start with a whip, hat, or medallion as your signature item, possible flaws include being afraid of “a common wild animal” and “having no time for” friends or family, and “That artifact belongs in a museum.” is an option for an ideal.
  • Bond number two for the Marine background, introduced in Ghosts of Saltmarsh: "I. Will. Finish. The. Job."
• Spell components are often punningly related to a spell’s effects. Examples include Detect Thoughts requiring a copper piece (a penny for your thoughts) and Feeblemind requiring a handful of clay or glass spheres (losing your marbles).
• The Exhaustion status in 5e comes with six, increasingly debilitating levels, and the levels can only be removed one at a time. That's not funny. What is funny is that dying while exhausted and being brought back with a Raise Dead or Revivify spell will not remove more than one level. Death is apparently not very relaxing.
• Sending, a spell that allows one to send a 25-word message to someone anywhere, anytime, and unlike with Messege, they are almost never expecting it.
• Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft introduces Nepenthe, an evil sapient sword who serves as the Darklord of a carnival-themed domain. It also mentions that it used to be the tool of a sword-swallower, implying that this terrifying Knight Templar sword who's only purpose is executions used to be part of a parlor trick that involved sticking down a half-ogre's throat.
• There's also a bit of meta Fridge Humour in Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, in the spell ashardalon's stride. It essentially functions as a Nitro Boost, increasing your speed and damaging any enemy you run past. As with most spells, its damage scales based on the level of the spell slot used... but the speed boost also scales based on the spell slot. And the higher the speed boost, the more enemies you can run past. This has the effect that the spell's maximum potential damage, for a character with the default 30 ft. speed, is 140x + 14x². The wizards are canonically quadratic.
• One of the NPCs in Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos is Aurora Luna Wynterstarr, a Dhampyr who recently changed her name with black hair and an extremely goth fashion sense. Dungeons & Dragons has officially made a Shout-Out to My Immortal.
• In the rather tongue in cheek book Minsc and Boo's Journal of Villainy, the authors continue with Disclaimer shenanigans.
  The editor of this journal takes no responsibility for the veracity of the author's claims. The editor will point out that the author believes that his hamster can talk (I've only ever heard it squeak), comes from space and has a hamster sister the size of a horse....
• The 5th PHB's illustration for "Intimidation" shows a red-haired barbarian leaning over to look a terrified guard in the eyes (said guard being a head or two shorter) and threatening to crush his helmet.
• Minsc and Boo's Guide to Stuff and Things, in the tradition of Journal of Villainy, is an April Fool's module created by the D&D Adventurers' League with WotC to benefit Extra Life, and is full of new subclass options bizarre enough to be banned from League play (as they put it, any adventurers will need official AL authorization, but Boo "chewed through our stack of certificates, so it might be awhile"). They include:
  • Kwit Manje, an Artificer type that can blend potions with recipes to create magic dishes for half the GP, or use four hours' game time on their personal stove to cook their own food-based familiar — which the guide states isn't "innately edible".
  • The Barbarian Path of the Beard-Battler, who possesses a giant supernatural beard (regardless of gender, sex, race or even construct) that can melee and swing weapons, and Path of the Non-Conformist, a disaffected hipster barbarian that inflicts psychic damages on foes with their self-pitying complaints.
  • The Flumph Domain Cleric, who seeks nothing more than to become a noble flumph themselves; they gain advanced telepathy at 1st level at the cost of being able to easily stand up when knocked down, and can "fly" by expelling putrid gas.
  • The Circle of Garbage Druid, a trash-dweller whose Wild Shape will mimic the size and abilities of a chosen animal, but always take the appearance of a raccoon that grows fatter as the druid's level goes up.
  • The Way of the Sweaty Palm Monk, who channels their anxiety and discomfort into saltwater from their hands; at lower levels, this can be used to season food, but high-level monks can create torrents of perspiration or become sweat elementals that engulf their enemies like a gelatinous cube.
  • The Flat-Realmer Ranger, a supernaturally stubborn type that refuses any knowledge not of their own earth, despite the well-documented existence of other worlds and planes of reality; not only do they get into constant debates and arguments with others and suffer a severe Charisma penalty, but they can also become so intractable that they gain the ability to disbelieve enemies' magic and summon floating squares of earth to cross gaps.
  • The Meta-Thief Rogue, a selfish and annoying character that uses the power of cheating, deception and metagaming to benefit themselves at the cost of every other player and the entertainment value of the game; naturally, it comes with a lot of chances for the DM to challenge and contest them.
  • The Warlock Patrons The Chef — a barely-disguised Swedish Chef with a confusion-inducing "language" and summons of Kermit, Fozzie, and the chocolate moose — and Fugeiri of Flavortown — who bestows upon you "sweet frosted tips" and the arcane might of spicy food decadent enough to grant poison immunity.
  • The Wheezomancer Wizard, an old-school grognard who can use the sometimes more effective spells and magic items from earlier D&D editions, but must do so at the cost of having to explain in meandering diatribes why they used to be better "back in their day", and bring their old Manuals and Guidebooks with them to the table.