Stats for Strahd, also CoS Spoilers

[PaxZRake]

Hey Guys,

Does anyone know if Strahd's stats are anywhere online?

I have the book, just not on hand, and I just want to make sure that I'm really aware of his capabilities since there's a good chance that the party is going to be fighting him tonight. They're probably heading up to Yester Hill, and I want to make sure they get a taste of what fighting Strahd is like without slamming them with a TPK.

Advice on having a Lvl 5 Party (Vengeance Paladin, Tumbler Rogue, Storm Cleric, Swash Rogue) fight Strahd without TPKing them would be great too!

Thanks!

[Aelyn]

I don't have his stats to hand, and even if I did, I wouldn't post them - they're copyright material (or otherwise covered by IP). I will say that, with a concerted effort, Strahd should easily beat a party at lv.5

So my advice would be this: Strahd considers the party to be an irrelevant threat, to be played with. Make him annoying, make him frustrating. Have him harass the party from a distance, swoop in and out, and generally taunt them. They should be frustrated yet helpless.

One idea - at some point have him swoop in and KO the strongest party member. He then grapples them, holds their head back to expose the neck, and taunts the party with how easy it would be to Turn them. Then his next turn is just to lick the neck - no bite - before tossing then to their friends and flying off, cackling.

If the party do something that actually inconveniences him - like a Paladin critting with a maxxed-out Smite, something he'd really feel - have him get angry, KO someone, then fly off muttering about how it wasn't fair , he was caught unaware and they shouldn't be able to do that...

[Specter]

They're on page 240 of Curse of Strahd. The ability scores are 18, 18, 18, 20, 15, 18, if that's what you wanted. Online, not that I've heard of.

At level 5 with no Sunsword, if they face Strahd head-on, it's 90% chance of TPK. Make that 100% chance if they fought the druids before.
But the thing is, Strahd doesn't want to kill them, at least not at that point. His game would be weakening them to the brink of death, and them laughing maniacally for breaking their spirit.

[PaxZRake]

I'm not looking for anything illegal... or I suppose I am, banish the thought. I just tend to be able to google a monster and find a pic of their stat block. NM on that. I'll just take 10 minutes to make sure I'm good while the pre-game socializing happens.

I like the idea of just messing with them though. I can't have him take the fight seriously, I want the fight to happen so the party gets an idea of what he's capable of. It makes sense to make it more RP than combat, on my side anyway... I like that. Maybe have him taunt the party that the ritual is almost complete so they get the idea that they should be focusing on the Druids or getting the jewel.

[ruy343]

Remember: Strahd likes to play with his food before he kills it.

Strahd will likely want to corrupt them, like he has the abbot, twisting their intentions toward terrible ends. He enjoys watching the sacred and holy warrior fight for a twisted cause, and delights in watching a character succumb to feelings of dread, helplessness, and sorrow.

If you can evoke that, he'll live on in the players' minds even if he doesn't kill them. He'll likely let them go, and he'll make sure that they KNOW that he's letting them go. That's the beauty of it - he could end their meaningless lives at any time, but it's just more fun to give their lives a twisted meaning before then!

[Corsair14]

Did they do that adventure path in actual Ravenloft? If so, I don't think its possible to kill him since he is a dark lord in his own domain. You may kill him physically but then the dark powers simply bring him back a short time later as if nothing happened. That's half the punishment of being a dark lord, not even death is a release.

[Spore]

If so, I don't think its possible to kill him since he is a dark lord in his own domain.

Killing Strahd allows the heroes to exit the domain. But his torment continues.

Strahd unites a Vampire with a 9th level wizard, basically. His CR is 15. His spells are classic wizard spells, a bit utility and a handful of necromancy spells. If you change up his spells a bit he might be less deadly.