Curse of Strahd: A Dungeons & Dragons Sourcebook (D&D Supplement) Game – March 15, 20

[Scorpienne]

Curse of Strahd: A Dungeons & Dragons Sourcebook (D&D Supplement) Game – March 15, 2016

You can now preorder!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786965983?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/12493432_1551245768533790_2533487793119832417_o.jp g

[Bellberith]

How many editions, video games, and books will it take to kill this man?

[Scorpienne]

More info from EnWorld:

Some more snippets of info:

"There's going to be a twitter campaign hashtag thing called #DNDFortune during the lead up to the adventure. You can get a 'reading' each day from Madam Eva using her tarokka deck.

The tarokka deck will be produced by Gale Force 9 and should be available when the adventure releases. It can be used to randomise locations in the adventure.

​The adventurers are trapped (I assume in Barovia by the mists, but maybe in the castle itself; not sure)."

http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?3162-CURSE-OF-STRAHD-Will-Be-Available-March-15th#.Vpw0XPkrJD8

[Belac93]

I predict Dhampir race and Vistani alternative human/race, new warock pact/cleric domain, and a cursed background.

[Millstone85]

So, just like the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide is what we have of the 5e Forgotten Realms for now, this will be a portion of 5e Ravenloft?

[eastmabl]

So, just like the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide is what we have of the 5e Forgotten Realms for now, this will be a portion of 5e Ravenloft?

Probably less like SCAG, more like EEPC.

[Vemynal]

I predict Dhampir race and Vistani alternative human/race, new warock pact/cleric domain, and a cursed background.

This and the Shadow Sorcerer archetype and it'll be the first thing I spend money on <3

[Joe the Rat]

I wonder if that will replace the I6 conversion I'm working on, or be a good resource.

The party rogue can't go home again until March!

[EvanescentHero]

Probably less like SCAG, more like EEPC.

While I agree, it's interesting they used the word "sourcebook," a word I believe they haven't used for adventures and did use for the SCAG.

[Ralanr]

Ravenloft?!

All I need now is Ebberron and I will be an incredibly happy man.

[Toaau]

Ravenloft? Really?
I mean, I know it's one of the Big 5, (Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, Dark Sun, and Dragonlance) but I wouldn't have thought it'd be Ravenloft, I'd have gone for Eberron.
Reasoning: I was expecting them to continue with FR, or go with somethings completely different. Ravenloft and Dragonlance are just different tones of fantasy, IMHO. Dark Sun needs psionics, so that was out. And so I expected Eberron, because it was A: Different and B: Simple.

TL;DR-I expected Eberron, not Ravenloft. Still cool though.

[Zalabim]

Can't release Eberron without Artificer, and if that's going to be a new class it needs as much work as psionics as a new class. I'm sure they're working on both of these, but I'm not surprised they aren't ready yet. Ravenloft doesn't need as much new material to support a book, and comes with an adventure.

[Gwendol]

Hm, it says Sourcebook in the title but reads adventure in the subtitle. A bit of both perhaps...?

[JackPhoenix]

Can't release Eberron without Artificer, and if that's going to be a new class it needs as much work as psionics as a new class. I'm sure they're working on both of these, but I'm not surprised they aren't ready yet. Ravenloft doesn't need as much new material to support a book, and comes with an adventure.

Speaking of psionics, during the Ask me anything session on Reddit, MM said he was given the final version of Mystic just a week earlier. So there will be some psionic in the future...

[Jigawatts]

Ravenloft? Really?
I mean, I know it's one of the Big 5, (Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, Dark Sun, and Dragonlance) but I wouldn't have thought it'd be Ravenloft, I'd have gone for Eberron.
Reasoning: I was expecting them to continue with FR, or go with somethings completely different. Ravenloft and Dragonlance are just different tones of fantasy, IMHO. Dark Sun needs psionics, so that was out. And so I expected Eberron, because it was A: Different and B: Simple.

TL;DR-I expected Eberron, not Ravenloft. Still cool though.

Based on WotC surveys, Dragonlance isn't a tier 1 setting, which is sad because it's one of my top 4. Replace it in your list with Planescape and those are the five tier 1 settings, with Dragonlance, Greyhawk, and Spelljammer being tier 2, and all others being much lower.

[Temperjoke]

http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/news/return-ravenloft

Fully announced now.

[TentacleSurpris]

So it's a "sourcebook" with a built in product tie-in, the tarokka deck to randomize locations and encounters.

This is the kind of product tie-in I like. It supports the tabletop game and helps to increase immersion of the players, rather than being just a toy or boardgame or something. Yes it's more money to spend, but only one player in a group needs to own it. It's something that could be pirated with a pdf but it would decrease the fun and immersion to do so. It's not absolutely necessary (you could number the encounters and locations in the book and roll dice), but it's something to have. So the concept is solid, let's just see how the execution goes.

I actually include wise old fortune-telling crones in all of my adventures when I DM, so I will use the product again.

As for the book, if it's just another module, I will skip it. I want some new class archetypes for the classes that only have two (or one, I'm looking at you, Ranger). I don't want to buy a module without new character options.

[Sredni Vashtar]

Ravenloft? Really?
I mean, I know it's one of the Big 5, (Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, Dark Sun, and Dragonlance) but I wouldn't have thought it'd be Ravenloft, I'd have gone for Eberron.
Reasoning: I was expecting them to continue with FR, or go with somethings completely different. Ravenloft and Dragonlance are just different tones of fantasy, IMHO. Dark Sun needs psionics, so that was out. And so I expected Eberron, because it was A: Different and B: Simple.

TL;DR-I expected Eberron, not Ravenloft. Still cool though.

I assume that people want to continue their campaigns with the same characters, and it's real easy to transition from the Realms to Ravenloft.

[EccentricCircle]

Weren't there rumours that Ravenloft was going to be the fourth big setting for 4e back in the day? We got the board game, and a load of shadowfell stuff, but they moved away from doing a full campaign setting. So i guess it makes sense that it would be the first one for this edition.

[mephnick]

I kind of wish they'd charge a lot less money for like..a handbook of the mechanical options in these things.

I don't care about Ravenloft, but I'd be interested in a few things in the book for ten bucks.

Although if they're as lame as the SCAG classes maybe I'm not.

[JackPhoenix]

Product overview says:

A fantasy-horror adventure for characters levels 1 – 10, Curse of Strahd™ provides everything a Dungeon Master needs to create an exciting and memorable play experience.
Fans of the Dungeons & Dragons® Roleplaying Game can have additional adventures in Ravenloft by participating in the D&D Adventurers League™ organized play program.


Level 1-10? Previous adventures (well, not counting HotDQ, but that was 2-part) were 1-15. It costs 49.95$...did the tarroka deck cost us 5 levels of adventure? Or is it still sold separately? "Available with the release of the adventure" suggests the latter.

[eastmabl]

Level 1-10? Previous adventures (well, not counting HotDQ, but that was 2-part) were 1-15. It costs 49.95$...did the tarroka deck cost us 5 levels of adventure? Or is it still sold separately? "Available with the release of the adventure" suggests the latter.

Considering that Gale Force 9 is the licensee of WOTC, the deck is almost assuredly separate.

My thoughts on the matter:

Princes of Elemental Evil was 3-15, for a total of 12 levels. This is two levels of play less that adventure.
Since gothic horror is a totally different flavor than running the previous four adventures WOTC released, I have to assume that there's some page count being eaten up by how to run this type of game.

[EvanescentHero]

Considering that Gale Force 9 is the licensee of WOTC, the deck is almost assuredly separate.

My thoughts on the matter:

Princes of Elemental Evil was 3-15, for a total of 12 levels. This is two levels of play less that adventure.
Since gothic horror is a totally different flavor than running the previous four adventures WOTC released, I have to assume that there's some page count being eaten up by how to run this type of game.


I'd imagine we're getting some new player options as well, like we did with Elemental Evil.

[ad_hoc]

Product overview says:

A fantasy-horror adventure for characters levels 1 – 10, Curse of Strahd™ provides everything a Dungeon Master needs to create an exciting and memorable play experience.
Fans of the Dungeons & Dragons® Roleplaying Game can have additional adventures in Ravenloft by participating in the D&D Adventurers League™ organized play program.


Level 1-10? Previous adventures (well, not counting HotDQ, but that was 2-part) were 1-15. It costs 49.95$...did the tarroka deck cost us 5 levels of adventure? Or is it still sold separately? "Available with the release of the adventure" suggests the latter.

If all you want are levels, I can write up some monster encounters to get you from 1-20. I will even give you a discount of only $30.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

Princes of Elemental Evil was 3-15, for a total of 12 levels. This is two levels of play less that adventure.

Technically PoEE did include content for levels 1 to 3. It was just expressly optional to the main adventure.

On top of extra pages detailing game type and mechanical content, there got to be at least some detailing the universe, since this is the first non-Forgotten Realms adventure.

[andhaira]

I hope it has the Knight of the Raven as a subclass. It was a very good (and slightly op) PrC in the old Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.

Paladin would be the most fitting for this subclass ofcourse.

[Ralanr]

I'd imagine we're getting some new player options as well, like we did with Elemental Evil.

I hope so.

Werewolf barbarian subclass maybe?

[TheTeaMustFlow]

I hope it has the Knight of the Raven as a subclass. It was a very good (and slightly op) PrC in the old Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.

Paladin would be the most fitting for this subclass ofcourse.

Personally, I'd prefer it as a Ranger Subclass (the whole Raven familiar thing screams Ranger to me. Also, Ranger needs some love from things other than UA.)

[JumboWheat01]

I don't think I know anything of Ravenloft. Almost all videogames I've played are Forgotten Realms based, the only one I've played that's not is Eberron. Was rather shocked by Eberron. What's Ravenloft like?

[eastmabl]

I don't think I know anything of Ravenloft. Almost all videogames I've played are Forgotten Realms based, the only one I've played that's not is Eberron. Was rather shocked by Eberron. What's Ravenloft like?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_fiction but with RPGs.

Themes of horror, death, undeath, romance, tragedy.

[DanyBallon]

I don't think I know anything of Ravenloft. Almost all videogames I've played are Forgotten Realms based, the only one I've played that's not is Eberron. Was rather shocked by Eberron. What's Ravenloft like?

Two words: Gothic Horror

Ravenloft is the D&D setting where you meet Dracula, Frankenstein, werewolves and the like.

Strahd in many ways can be related to Dracula.

The twist of Ravenloft is that every Darklord, Strahd is one of them, rule over its own domain surrounded by a magical mist. That mist trap whoever set foot into a darklord domain. An other twist is that the darklords are also trapped into their domain and suffer somekind of curse. Strahd is condamned to see the women he loved, and for which he killed his own brother, be reincarnated every hundred years, and die by his hands.

Also, castle Ravenloft, the residence of the dreaded vampire has a reputation to rearrange itself, making it near possible to map it.

[JumboWheat01]

Oh, that actually sounds somewhat interesting. Will have to see if I can dig up material related to it, see some of the more technical aspects.

[Kane0]

Looking forward to this coming out of a Carrion Crown game.

[Ralanr]

I hope it has the Knight of the Raven as a subclass. It was a very good (and slightly op) PrC in the old Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.

Paladin would be the most fitting for this subclass ofcourse.

Vengeance paladins and oathbreakers seem to fit this area well. A ranger subclass would make more sense, sort of like a holy ranger. An inquisitor if you will.

If they do make a ranger subclass for this gothic horror addition an it isn't named Inquisitor, then I will be very disapointed in Wizards.

[M Placeholder]

Two words: Gothic Horror

Ravenloft is the D&D setting where you meet Dracula, Frankenstein, werewolves and the like.

Strahd in many ways can be related to Dracula.

The twist of Ravenloft is that every Darklord, Strahd is one of them, rule over its own domain surrounded by a magical mist. That mist trap whoever set foot into a darklord domain. An other twist is that the darklords are also trapped into their domain and suffer somekind of curse. Strahd is condamned to see the women he loved, and for which he killed his own brother, be reincarnated every hundred years, and die by his hands.



The Dark Powers will also, always make it seem like Strahd has a chance, maybe things will be different, and that if the Count had done one thing different, things might have turned out differently. Of course, they never do.

Strahd has another, more subtle curse too. The very thing that spent his youth, that wore him down like like wind wears down stone into sand, was the fight to reclaim his homeland. It cost him his youth, and in Sergei, he saw that youth. Now, for all intents and purposes he IS Barovia. He has become the thing that cost him his youth.

I'm also predicting we'll see some new undead, including some of the cool creatures that Strahd has cooked up thanks to the necromantic powers given by the Dark Powers. Maybe the Vampire Kender will make an appearance too.

[velinion]

Will have to see if I can dig up material related to it, see some of the more technical aspects.

The original 1st Edition adventure is on D&D Classics ($5), and is 32 pages.
Since I can't post links yet, search for "I6 Ravenloft (1e)"

Ran it late last year with almost no changes in 5e (except disallowed short rests and severely reduced natural healing), and it went very well with 4 players. Warned everyone that it wasn't necessarily balanced, and they might all die horribly, which added to the mood of the game, and also kept them all alive.

Just about all the monsters are in the Monster Manual (except Strad's homemade super-zombies, but making a slightly more powerful version of a zombie isn't that hard) and are mostly a little less deadly than they were in 1st Edition. Especially Rust Monsters. Seriously, what is the point of a rust monster that doesn't instantly make the players react "NO! My magic items!!! RUN!!!!!"

A note to anyone else attempting to run this from the 1e pdf: For the sake of your sanity, print yourself a copy of the both pages of the map to make notes on (since locations are randomized, and you don't want players seeing where's important), the random encounter table on page 6, AND the random encounter table on page 12... yeah, the book needed better organization.

[SpawnOfMorbo]

How many editions, video games, and books will it take to kill this man?

idk, I tried to down vote this subconsciously.

Nothing against the OP, I don't know the OP, but this book/setting can go die in a fire.

[Steampunkette]

I preordered my copy the first day it was available. This is the first time I have ever preordered a book or supplement for any tabletop game. I deeply love Ravenloft and I can't wait to see what this edition brings us from that land of Gothic Horror.

Also worth noting, I think the reason it only includes ten levels is because it is designed to be run on a randomizer, rather than a specific adventure path. Hence the cards being drawn for the characters to make a mad libs adventure of different pregenerated encounters.

[Corran]

Well, I am excited about this new book as it might include class options I am keen on seeing being officially published, so I can introduce them to my game. Even if I dont get what I am expecting, I am more than happy to see new material regarding classes, races, etc be released. That said, I am not sure if I am going to buy the book, as I am not interested in the slightest about ready-made adventures. I really dont like that WIZARDS put adventures in the same book with new options. I would be happy if they could seperate things, even if that meant that we would receive books with actual new material in a much slower rate. And they could publish adventures at the samee time, and those who like playing the ready made adventures would buy them. End of rant.

[Ralanr]

Well, I am excited about this new book as it might include class options I am keen on seeing being officially published, so I can introduce them to my game. Even if I dont get what I am expecting, I am more than happy to see new material regarding classes, races, etc be released. That said, I am not sure if I am going to buy the book, as I am not interested in the slightest about ready-made adventures. I really dont like that WIZARDS put adventures in the same book with new options. I would be happy if they could seperate things, even if that meant that we would receive books with actual new material in a much slower rate. And they could publish adventures at the samee time, and those who like playing the ready made adventures would buy them. End of rant.

I'm hoping for a free player supplement like elemental evil.

[ad_hoc]

Well, I am excited about this new book as it might include class options I am keen on seeing being officially published, so I can introduce them to my game. Even if I dont get what I am expecting, I am more than happy to see new material regarding classes, races, etc be released. That said, I am not sure if I am going to buy the book, as I am not interested in the slightest about ready-made adventures. I really dont like that WIZARDS put adventures in the same book with new options. I would be happy if they could seperate things, even if that meant that we would receive books with actual new material in a much slower rate. And they could publish adventures at the samee time, and those who like playing the ready made adventures would buy them. End of rant.

I think it is a great thing.

I strongly prefer having rules content be created for specific themes. And to only have as much as is needed to realize those themes.

[HammeredWharf]

I think it would be much, much better if Strahd lost his place as Ravenloft's "mascot". He's just a Dracula clone and has been killed so many times before I've lost count. Yes, yes, Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is a classic adventure, but it's gotten old already, especially when Ravenloft has several more interesting characters in it.

[Sredni Vashtar]

I think it would be much, much better if Strahd lost his place as Ravenloft's "mascot". He's just a Dracula clone and has been killed so many times before I've lost count. Yes, yes, Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is a classic adventure, but it's gotten old already, especially when Ravenloft has several more interesting characters in it.

I agree, to a point. Strahd works well as he's the iconic vampire that'll grab the attention of people outside the hobby. Also, he's much more interesting than Dracula once you get down to it.

However, I do feel that a different mascot could work better as a representative to those of us within the hobby.

[BladeWing81]

Two words: Gothic Horror

Ravenloft is the D&D setting where you meet Dracula, Frankenstein, werewolves and the like.

Strahd in many ways can be related to Dracula.

The twist of Ravenloft is that every Darklord, Strahd is one of them, rule over its own domain surrounded by a magical mist. That mist trap whoever set foot into a darklord domain. An other twist is that the darklords are also trapped into their domain and suffer somekind of curse. Strahd is condamned to see the women he loved, and for which he killed his own brother, be reincarnated every hundred years, and die by his hands.

Also, castle Ravenloft, the residence of the dreaded vampire has a reputation to rearrange itself, making it near possible to map it.

So ravenloft is a MetroidVania RPG setting?
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!
when we play this we are so going to listen to the Symphony of the night, Lament Of Innocence and Curse of darkness soundtracks. does anyone know if the Lords of shadow soundtrack is any good?

[E’Tallitnics]

So what's this I'm hearing about randomization? Will the Tarokka deck of cards be needed?

[DanyBallon]

So what's this I'm hearing about randomization? Will the Tarokka deck of cards be needed?

The Tarokka deck is a deck of 54 cards, so I guess you can just assign the cards to a typical playing card deck

[EvanescentHero]

The Tarokka deck is a deck of 54 cards, so I guess you can just assign the cards to a typical playing card deck

Frankly, I'd imagine they'll do that for you in the book.

[E’Tallitnics]

Frankly, I'd imagine they'll do that for you in the book.

Oh I'm sure they will. Still, nice deck of cards really sells the mood!

But what about this "randomization" that I'm hearing? The castle is impossible to map because it shifts around? As does Barovia? What madness is that!?

[EvanescentHero]

Oh I'm sure they will. Still, nice deck of cards really sells the mood!

But what about this "randomization" that I'm hearing? The castle is impossible to map because it shifts around? As does Barovia? What madness is that!?

I think you draw cards from the deck to determine where you go next, or something like that. Evidently it makes the adventure highly replayable.

[E’Tallitnics]

I think you draw cards from the deck to determine where you go next, or something like that. Evidently it makes the adventure highly replayable.

That sounds pretty awesome! And well worth a 10 dollar deck of cards.

[Safety Sword]

I think you draw cards from the deck to determine where you go next, or something like that. Evidently it makes the adventure highly replayable.

Well there goes our rule of always turning left....

[JumboWheat01]

Well there goes our rule of always turning left....

Passwall all the walls!

I rather like the idea of a shifting maze of goodness to try to navigate around. Lets you come back time and time again with different characters and the exact adventure will be so different.

[Steampunkette]

You could still always turn left if the encounters exist outside Castle Ravenloft... which I think they might.

I'm guessing the deck has a series of pre-generated encounters to collect specific items or stop groups of characters or otherwise complete a series of objectives that allow you to -get- to Strahd, or are otherwise required to defeat him.

Nothing about that demands they be within Castle Ravenloft itself.

[Petrocorus]

Based on WotC surveys, Dragonlance isn't a tier 1 setting, which is sad because it's one of my top 4. Replace it in your list with Planescape and those are the five tier 1 settings, with Dragonlance, Greyhawk, and Spelljammer being tier 2, and all others being much lower.
Note that Dragonlance and Greyhawk are not top tier setting mostly by TSR's and WotC's own doing.


I kind of wish they'd charge a lot less money for like..a handbook of the mechanical options in these things.

My personal wish would be that they start selling pdf version of their books and allow official translations.


I hope it has the Knight of the Raven as a subclass. It was a very good (and slightly op) PrC in the old Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.

Yes, please!



Strahd has another, more subtle curse too. The very thing that spent his youth, that wore him down like like wind wears down stone into sand, was the fight to reclaim his homeland. It cost him his youth, and in Sergei, he saw that youth. Now, for all intents and purposes he IS Barovia. He has become the thing that cost him his youth.


BTW, in what setting was Barovia and Strahd before being displaced by the Dark Powers?

[M Placeholder]

BTW, in what setting was Barovia and Strahd before being displaced by the Dark Powers?

It's not specified, and its probably not on any of planets that were detailed in the campaign settings. Barovia might still exist on its original planet, in addition to the one in Ravenloft AKA the Demiplane of Dread (hope they keep it a demiplane and the mists exist).

[GlenSmash!]

I'll pick this up for sure, even if I never run it. It's hard to see WOTC branching out to another world as anything but a good thing. I hope this book is successful, because I think WOTC is going to consider the sales of this book when deciding what setting their next book will be in. I want more settings and even more Ravenloft in the future.

P.S. I definitely want to run this. I've been thinking of running a conversion of Ravenloft anyway, so I am a happy camper.

[Kish]

How many editions, video games, and books will it take to kill this man?
Just one! Make sure you pick one of the ones where he is actually destroyed, though (the original Ravenloft module, the Master of Ravenloft gamebook, Expedition to Castle Ravenloft), and more important for the immediate implication, don't expect that to mean he won't be updated to later editions just because he's been destroyed in that one.

In House of Strahd, the DM is instructed to handwave Strahd's survival somehow.

The character named Count Strahd dies at the end, but he has a radically different backstory and resembles Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde much more than the Dracula-ish version, so I don't think he counts for the answer to your question.

Strahd's Possession ends with you wounding Strahd badly enough that his Contingency kicks in and teleports him to his hidden coffin. You've bought Barovia months, years, maybe even decades of relative freedom, but he'll be back.

[deliberately botched spoiler tag=Curse of Strahd]Who knows whether he actually gets destroyed in it? Quite possibly not even the people making it, yet.[/spoiler]