Tips and Tricks Help [CoS]

[Tokuhara]

So next Friday I'll be starting a campaign with a bunch of my buddies and a DM who is talented to say the least and it'll be my first run ever through Curse of Strahd. Now we the party will essentially be pulled from Faerun into Barovia by currently unknown means and the story begins and runs as normal.

Current Party:

High Elf Rogue (headed Arcane Trickster)
Tabaxi Bard
Lizardfolk Blood Hunter (Going Ghostslayer)
Aasimar Divine Soul Sorcerer
(Me) Firbolg Nature Cleric

Few things to ask:

1. Is there any glaring issues with the party? DM told us very much to "Play What You Want."

2. What spells should I chase later on? I know Radiant damage is going to do work, and with 3 PCs who can heal, I might be able to use more interesting choices. Do note that I have the Gruul Anarch Background because I like the spells it offers and the fluff works well

3. Any tips to help out overall with minimal spoilers?

Thanks!

[Man_Over_Game]

So next Friday I'll be starting a campaign with a bunch of my buddies and a DM who is talented to say the least and it'll be my first run ever through Curse of Strahd. Now we the party will essentially be pulled from Faerun into Barovia by currently unknown means and the story begins and runs as normal.

Current Party:

High Elf Rogue (headed Arcane Trickster)
Tabaxi Bard
Lizardfolk Blood Hunter (Going Ghostslayer)
Aasimar Divine Soul Sorcerer
(Me) Firbolg Nature Cleric

Few things to ask:

1. Is there any glaring issues with the party? DM told us very much to "Play What You Want."

2. What spells should I chase later on? I know Radiant damage is going to do work, and with 3 PCs who can heal, I might be able to use more interesting choices. Do note that I have the Gruul Anarch Background because I like the spells it offers and the fluff works well

3. Any tips to help out overall with minimal spoilers?

Thanks!

A few things of note:


The MINUTE you land in Ravenloft soil, the land, the people, the world itself is against you. Assume traps are literally everywhere that isn't dirt, and then expect skeletons to rise out of that. You may underestimate how serious I mean this. Don't do that.
That being said, inspect EVERYTHING. You will find good things in occasionally random places.
Make a backup character, because dying in the first hour isn't fun if you can't jump back in.
Your team is very squishy. Focus more on survivability than anything else, and come up with a retreat tactic before you actually need it.


Everything else looks fine.

[Tokuhara]

The "world is trying to kill you" aspect was assumed. My DM is very "the dice fall as they may" so I assume he won't pull punches

As for the squish factor... Jeeze... Me and the Lizardman are the highest AC and HP of the party (which is sorta sad, minus me focusing on melee so Shillelagh + Bonk with quarterstaff while clad in chainmail and a shield isn't too bad overall). Backup wise...probably roll in with another cleric or a Shadar-Kai Fighter? Not 100% sure what yet, but I'll burn that particular bridge when I find it.

[Man_Over_Game]

The "world is trying to kill you" aspect was assumed. My DM is very "the dice fall as they may" so I assume he won't pull punches

As for the squish factor... Jeeze... Me and the Lizardman are the highest AC and HP of the party (which is sorta sad, minus me focusing on melee so Shillelagh + Bonk with quarterstaff while clad in chainmail and a shield isn't too bad overall). Backup wise...probably roll in with another cleric or a Shadar-Kai Fighter? Not 100% sure what yet, but I'll burn that particular bridge when I find it.

I'm not trying to say that "Curse of Strahd is Lethal". Everyone should already know that.

No, what I'm saying is, there are traps when you least expect them. As in, you should be inspecting the horse you ride on, because some jerk might have Dominated it to run you off a cliff.

When someone offers you an outstretched hand and they aren't holding any weapons, you have to ask why they're approaching you and how they've made it so long being kind and defenseless.

[Tokuhara]

So I'm very glad I can speak to the wilderness and ask if anything isn't kosher. And truth be told, my Firbolg is chill as heck, because Firbolg. So when someone inevitably betrays me, nonchalant is my standard tone.

But I forsee a small issue (played Return to Castle Ravenloft back in 3.5) with the locals being...problematic with us. 3 of us can certainly blend in, but our dear lizardman and tabaxi might have issues.

[TheHutz]

Don't want to be too spoilerish but I don't think there will be much blending in regardless of what you look like. There are only so many denizens of Barovia and they tend to know each other...

[Tokuhara]

I meant it more in the "not only are they outsiders, but they're also *insert shorthand for nonstandard race*" way

[Man_Over_Game]

I meant it more in the "not only are they outsiders, but they're also *insert shorthand for nonstandard race*" way

To add on to what TheHutz is saying: It doesn't matter what you look like, you'll never be scarier than the horror that's ruled them for eternity. Rather, good luck trying to be intimidating. It might just earn you a bit of respect, and them a bit of hope.

[sophontteks]

My tiefling had to roll a contested charisma check just to see if children straight up ran from him, and was arrested for suspicion because he was a tiefling. This kind of stuff is DM dependent, but the people of Barovia are not very diverse and are very xenophobic.

[tieren]

Beware the slippery slope, the module is designed to push your own actions and decisions into darker and darker shades of grey.

Buy into the different feel of the campaign, if you go in wanting to play high fantasy and feel constrained by the gothic horror you might not have as much fun.

Know from the beginning, and preferrably without learning the hard way, that running away or making a deal with something you might otherwise kill on sight, are valid survival strategies.

[Tokuhara]

I actually requested CoS because I normally deal with High Fantasy and wanted a "change of scenery," and everyone else jumped on board.

On the xenophobia, at least the Aasimar and I (and arguably the elf) can somewhat blend in (Disguise Self when having to deal with people).

As for morality issues, I know personally I'll try and play mediator as long as humanly possible, because I know my players: I'm going to wind up being the voice of reason. Because why not have the lovechild of Yes Man from Fallout New Vegas and The Dude (super chill, permanent optimist, passive aggressive) curb the emotionless lizardman, the haughty rogue, the tabaxi, and the "holier than thou" aasimar?

[DrKerosene]

As a Nature Cleric, you may enjoy the changes made in “Curse Of Strahd Reloaded”, which is still a bit of an ongoing project on Reddit. Ask your DM to give it a brief review for the extra nature themes it adds.

I have doubts that charming animals or plants will be that helpful in combat, but maybe your DM will allow it to work on one of the wolves that Strahd can summon. Otherwise, saving your Channel Divinity for the elemental reduction is probably a good idea if you’re going into any big scary places.

I think the spell Slow would be a really good debuff on a few of the badass solo NPCs you’ll probably want to kill, so maybe pairing that with Bane is an opening combo that you can use to determine if it is time to run or fight.

Being able to ritual cast all your low level divination spells might be surprisingly helpful when you’re in a new place and getting your bearings.

[Tokuhara]

I was talking more my Speech of Beast and Leaf plus a not horrible Animal Handling check. Because between Firbolg, Nature Cleric, and Gruul Anarch, I actually am the king of animal encounters.

Slow is certainly on my list, as well as Bane for neutering encounters while having Sacred Flame and Shillelagh for cantrip damage and Destructive Wave around the final Strahd fight for overall damage, so control and buffs are main targets on my radar

[ChampionWiggles]

Beware the slippery slope, the module is designed to push your own actions and decisions into darker and darker shades of grey.

Buy into the different feel of the campaign, if you go in wanting to play high fantasy and feel constrained by the gothic horror you might not have as much fun.

Know from the beginning, and preferrably without learning the hard way, that running away or making a deal with something you might otherwise kill on sight, are valid survival strategies.

This was going to be mine. CoS is definitely one of the modules where you shouldn't fight everything that's hostile towards you. If you get the feeling you're in over your head, you probably are and should run if possible.

[Tokuhara]

So talk first, fight second, run if needed. I also planned on getting Find Familiar via Magic Initiate alongside Booming Blade. Would getting a "utility" familiar be a good plan, or avoid?

[Man_Over_Game]

So talk first, fight second, run if needed. I also planned on getting Find Familiar via Magic Initiate alongside Booming Blade. Would getting a "utility" familiar be a good plan, or avoid?

Rather, getting a "combat" familiar is something you want to avoid. Having your beloved owl die because you wanted Advantage on an attack instead of just dealing normal damage/relying on teammates is a terrible waste of gold, time, and a familiar. Your familiar should be utility first, combat a distant second.

[Tokuhara]

Rather, getting a "combat" familiar is something you want to avoid. Having your beloved owl die because you wanted Advantage on an attack instead of just dealing normal damage/relying on teammates is a terrible waste of gold, time, and a familiar. Your familiar should be utility first, combat a distant second.

I will agree. My familiar will be a Flying Monkey most of the time, because it can fly and administer potions in an emergency, essentially saving me, the Bard, and the Sorcerer spell slots (fully aware at level 4, 1st level slots aren't as much of a premium as 1-3, but 1 less healing spell to save a party member is one more we can use to get us out of a jam)

[TheHutz]

Rather, getting a "combat" familiar is something you want to avoid. Having your beloved owl die because you wanted Advantage on an attack instead of just dealing normal damage/relying on teammates is a terrible waste of gold, time, and a familiar. Your familiar should be utility first, combat a distant second.

I understand the reasons for this RP wise, but from the gold angle, at least in my game, there was very little to buy in Barovia. Gold didn't seem to have a ton of usefulness.