Curse of Strahd final encounter help

[Grod_The_Giant]

Black marble steps descend to a dark tomb that has a vaulted ceiling thirty feet overhead. Sitting amidst the wreckage, his royal finery torn and tattered, is Count Strahd von Zarovich himself, an elegantly slender blade dangling from one hand and his head in the other. He raises it as you walk down the stairs, and you have to fight the urge to recoil at the sheer hatred in his eyes.

"You," he says softly. His voice isn't a snarl, isn't a shout or a roar of anger. He's gone beyond anger, beyond rage, and arrived at a place cold, and still, and dead. "You," he repeats, rising to his feet with a vestige of his old grace. "You have robbed me of my best friend. Of my second mother. Of my brides. Of my home. Of my love." He takes a step forward. "I showed you mercy. Now I shall show you death."

His sword rises into a guard stance, his cloak billowing in an unseen wind. The final dance has begun.

The three relics have been retrieved. The sun has been rekindled. The castle has been torn down*. The characters are at full power; all that remains is the final hunt. One last, glorious, battle, with everything on the line. So... What's the best way to stage the most epic possible boss fight with Strahd?

He's going to be somewhere in the crypts of Castle Ravenloft, those being all that's left of the structure (I was thinking his tomb might be appropriate). The party are still fairly concerned about him, so they'll probably go into the fight cautiously, but let's be honest-- five level 10 characters and a CR 6 NPC, with both the Sun Sword and the Symbol of Ravenkind, all fully rested, will mop the floor with a CR 15 vampire in a straight fight. I'm happy to change his statblock and bends the rules however we needed (extra turns, multi-stage fights, etc). Any suggestions for how to make this good?



Ismark the Lesser (Monster Hunter Fighter 7/Vengeance Paladin 3): One of my players is running Ismark as a PC. He's a standard high-AC-two-handed-weapon tank, and has the Sunsword (which I tweaked to be a greatsword to fit him better).
Armand (Arcane Trickster 5/War Wizard 5): The party's van Helsing type. He does the classic Familiar-Help-action-Green-Flame-Blade-Sneak-Attack thing, and just picked up Haste to drop on the fighter in the final fight. Has a +1 Rapier. Always goes first.
Dew on the Morning Glade (Taxabi Drunk Master 10): Poor kitty. He's very fond of grappling, with the Strength and Brawny feat to back it up. Has a special magic item setting his Str and Con to 17. Also extremely mobile.
Cogdia (Warforged Protection Cleric 10): Not quite a healbot, but still pretty focused on healing and defense. She can't melee to save her life, and mostly hangs back and throws out (Mass) Healing Words and Sacred Flames. Has the Symbol of Ravenkind.
Rhogul (Dragonborn Warlock; Dragon patron (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?563755-The-Dragon-Patron-%28Dragonfire-Adept-adaptation%29)/Chain pact). Arguably the least useful party member. Rarely uses his spell slots or familiar; mostly just likes to stand back and spew the Draconic Breath cantrip (from my homebrew patron) for 2d8+Con AoE damage. I gave him a custom item that lets him add another 1d6 to a single target, but he's still low offense. Doesn't have Eldritch Blast; does know Fly.
Ireena Kolyana (Mage NPC): Started off as another PC by the Cleric's player, she was a Divine Soul Sorcerer before being taken by Strahd. He didn't turn her, preferring to keep her charmed until the wedding, but the party's rescued her and shaken her out of it. I used the stats of a Mage with a tweaked spell list as a placeholder, but can shuffle that around if needed.



*I used the three gems from the Wizard of Wines as a more central plot element than as written; I decided that the Order of the Silver Dragon had the third, and was using its power to keep the sun from going out entirely. Once the party recovered the other two, the sun was back for real. That meant Arganvost's skull needed a different role, the nature of which I arrived at when I got heavily sick of running the Castle-- the dragon's spirit returned for one last attack, collapsing the castle around

[PrinceOfMadness]

IMO, it depends a little on what kind of tone you want to convey to your party.

If you want to drive home that they're fighting the master of Barovia, he should be making heavy use of his lair actions and extra help - which can come in the form of summoned mooks, or maybe from some NPCs that he's dominated (ideally, ones that the PCs have some connection to). His lair actions should appropriately demonstrate his role as the lord of the domain - the very architecture of Strahd's tomb should prove deadly to his foes.

If, on the other hand, you want to portray Strahd as desperately trying to reclaim his possessions, what the PCs stole from him, then I would toy around with his own statblock. Beef up his legendary actions to make them more terrifying - consider giving him some 'strike and fade' type abilities to target vulnerable PCs. You might also consider boosting his AC a point or two - and maybe granting him a few more uses of Legendary Resistance (perhaps 1/round rather than 3/day?)

I would also consider granting Strahd a surprise round, if possible - perhaps what they're seeing as they walk in is an illusion? - because if the PCs win initiative, that can really kill the tone of the encounter otherwise.

I think the biggest thing I would recommend is that Strahd is under no obligation to fight fair. He can and should use every dirty trick in the book to isolate PCs and turn the odds in his own favor. The PCs came prepared with these relics - but by this point in the campaign, Strahd should know them at least as well as they know him, and know what weaknesses can be exploited.

[DrKerosene]

Is it possible for Strahd to be aided by the Abbot?

I assume you would have mentioned if the Party got their hands on the Shield Guardian from the Amber Temple.

I suppose the spell Slow might be a good openner if you wanted to try to immediately trap the PCs behind a collapsing wall/exit scenario. Then again, I’d probably just spam Fireball if possible. Trapped in a burning tomb? Hrm.

[Grey Watcher]

I found at least one stronger version of Strahd out there: http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?3285-Check-Out-This-Beefed-Up-CR17-Strahd!

(If you've already used Strahd come scritto when he captured Ireena, I guess you could claim he's also leveled up in the meantime?)

Also, various threads and subreddits and such have ideas for revamping (heh) his lair to make things more interesting.

[Malifice]

Step 1: Set a doom clock

I suggest linking it to the 'Doom reading' made at the start of the campaign. The PCs find out that Strahd is weakest in the place shown by the Doom reading, and at a specific time. They need to infiltrate Castle Ravenloft, and reach that room by [time X]. If they fail, the Domain of Dread will spread across the Mortal planes dooming all living creatures, and Strahds power will increase!

Set it up so the players only find this information out once they're in (or just outside) the Castle, and have the time limit be 5 hours (enough time for exploration a few short rests, but not enough time for long rests).

Even better have the PCs get to the Castle at like 5 hours to midnight, and need to locate the 'Doom Room' before midnight.

If the PCs can reach the 'doom room' before the clock expires, they face Strahd as presented in the Adventure (stats unchanged) for a final showdown.

If they fail, Strahd's HP are doubled, be gains +2 to all Saves, Attack rolls, Skills and Save DC's, and his attacks all deal +50 percent damage.

Something like that. It's the final showdown with a BBEG. Just like in every single movie you haver EVER watched, the PCs should be on a thrilling race against the clock for the final chapter, with the fate of the world or whatever in thier hands.

Step 2: Get them to Castle Ravelonft. Spring the above doom clock on them.

Step 3: Ensure they face multiple encounters to weaken them and drain resources. Have minions of the Castle attack them. Have Strahd appear and attack them at random (or mock them as his minions attack them) before teleporting away. Have as many of these encounters be able to be defeated or bypassed with Roleplaying (involving PC lore about Strahd) or smart play (thus saving resources for the final showdown with Strahd).

You could have Strahds murdered wife turn up. If the PCs are savy with the Raveloft Lore they can roleplay their way out of it. If they're not savvy to the Lore, she (now a buffed up Spectre cranked up to CR 15) attacks them.

Tie the encounters into Ravenloft lore. Have there be some way to bypass them with minimal resource expenditure if the players roleplay well, roll well, and have engaged with the lore and backstory of Strahd and Ravenlofft.

Step 4: Showdown with Strahd.

Id likely have two versions of Strahd. A fully buffed and near unkillable version (if the PCs fail to reach him before the doom clock) and the one presented in the book.

I'd likely include minions in the encounter, and environmental challenges (appropriate to and depending on the 'Doom Room' of the tarot reading at the start of the game).

Have a doom clock within a doom clock ticking, or engineer it so the PCs only get there with like 1 minute (10 rounds) to 'midnight' and Strahd becoming the unkillable version and the Moral planes being subsumed into the Domain of Dread or something.

Make it epic.

[Trustypeaches]

IMO play up the “master of the castle” angle.

Strahd can move though walls, create new walls with Wall of Stone, and use Stone Shape to seal doors and passages or create new ones.

As players are traversing the caverns, have him crawl along the floors beneath them and open up pits beneath them, dropping them into rooms below filled with mooks. Have him use Wall of Stone to trap the Sunsword wielding player and pick off the others.

[Grod_The_Giant]

IMO, it depends a little on what kind of tone you want to convey to your party.
...
I think the biggest thing I would recommend is that Strahd is under no obligation to fight fair. He can and should use every dirty trick in the book to isolate PCs and turn the odds in his own favor. The PCs came prepared with these relics - but by this point in the campaign, Strahd should know them at least as well as they know him, and know what weaknesses can be exploited.
The italics at the top are the opening narration I wrote for the scene. My general thought is... well, he thinks he's a brooding tragic hero who was this close to having everything he wanted, only to have it snatched away.


Is it possible for Strahd to be aided by the Abbot?

I assume you would have mentioned if the Party got their hands on the Shield Guardian from the Amber Temple.

I suppose the spell Slow might be a good openner if you wanted to try to immediately trap the PCs behind a collapsing wall/exit scenario. Then again, I’d probably just spam Fireball if possible. Trapped in a burning tomb? Hrm.
Isn't the Abbot his brother Sergi? Why would they work together?

(On the subject of help, he already sent his brides and that one foppish vampire spawn after the party when they stole the skull; they dead now).


I found at least one stronger version of Strahd out there: http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?3285-Check-Out-This-Beefed-Up-CR17-Strahd!

(If you've already used Strahd come scritto when he captured Ireena, I guess you could claim he's also leveled up in the meantime?)

Also, various threads and subreddits and such have ideas for revamping (heh) his lair to make things more interesting.
That looks like a good start, thanks.


Step 1: Set a doom clock...
Um. There is no more Castle Ravenloft. The players did infiltrate the dungeon. They escaped with Arganvost's skull and he blew it up in return. (And because holy crap was I sick of that dungeon). They've pretty much killed all his allies and foiled all his schemes. All he's got left is his personal power.


IMO play up the “master of the castle” angle.
True... I'm not really looking for something attrition-based, though.

-----

Currently, I'm thinking that the best setting might be the giant dungeon with the 40 crypts. That gives Strahd plenty of space to lurk around and retreat into, and the players only opened a few of the crypts--pretty sure there are more monsters they could turn loose mid-fight...

[Madfellow]

Isn't the Abbot his brother Sergi? Why would they work together?

(On the subject of help, he already sent his brides and that one foppish vampire spawn after the party when they stole the skull; they dead now).


No, the Abbot is a fallen deva. He's already been trying to make a bride for Strahd to try and break the curse; it's not a huge stretch. Didn't you read the chapter on Krezk and the abbey?

[Unoriginal]

Did your players struggle against a particular NPC(s) or found some particularly memorable?

[Grod_The_Giant]

No, the Abbot is a fallen deva. He's already been trying to make a bride for Strahd to try and break the curse; it's not a huge stretch. Didn't you read the chapter on Krezk and the abbey?
Oh shoot, you're right. I was remembering the "Something Blue" event at Krezk and got mixed up. Hmm... there might be some potential there-- the Warforged Cleric, I decided, was created by the Abbot as one of his experiments with golems, and he's brought her back to life once-- but I'm not sure I have time to set it up right. It also kinda goes against the "cornered monster at bay" thing I'm going for.


Did your players struggle against a particular NPC(s) or found some particularly memorable?
Struggle? Oh yes, very much. Let's see... they nearly died to the hags at the Old Bonegrinder, they hated Izek for being a monumental creep, the Cleric did die fighting the Baba Lysaga, seriously struggled against werewolves at Van Richten's tower*, got confused and nearly killed by the slaad at the Amber Temple*... there've been a lot of desperate moments and memorable fights. The NPCs in question are all dead now, but admittedly that doesn't mean much in Barovia. What are you thinking?

*The Monk took one look at the sigil on the tower door, say "oh, it's obviously a dance!" and proceeded to pantomime it. His surprise when that turned out to actually be the solution was a delight to see.
**You see, the Fighter snuck off during his watch to make a bargain with one of the sarcophogi, and wound up looking undead... meanwhile, the slaad turns into a copy of the original... and they both get there at about the same time...

[Unoriginal]

Struggle? Oh yes, very much. Let's see... they nearly died to the hags at the Old Bonegrinder, they hated Izek for being a monumental creep, the Cleric did die fighting the Baba Lysaga, seriously struggled against werewolves at Van Richten's tower*, got confused and nearly killed by the slaad at the Amber Temple*... there've been a lot of desperate moments and memorable fights. The NPCs in question are all dead now, but admittedly that doesn't mean much in Barovia. What are you thinking?

I'm thinking that you could bring one or more of them back. Strahd's a necromancer, and all the souls of those who die in Barovia are stuck there.

You could have an all-star "here's your old friends" brawl.

[Sjappo]

Spoilers galore.

I'm struggling with the same thing. I want the last battle to be tense at least, no curb stomp. I came up with the following. NB I didn't run the final battle, just a minor skirmish near the organ.

Possibly use the CR 17 variant although the CR 15 is plenty powerful. The problem is the sunlight stopping the regeneration and doing 20 HP per turn to boot. No amount of HP is going to save the Count then. The AC is nice I suppose.

Ditch the standard spell list. I decided that Strahd, being a superior strategist, would have the perfect spell prepared for any situation, so I didn't prepare any and gave him access to all wizard spells. I'm going to limit myself to lvl 5 and below spells but I'm not going to count spells slots.
Regarding spells: wall spells are great for isolating single characters. Spells like Hold Person are brutal with Strahd's high spells DC. Shield, counter spell, various cloud spells to break line of sight (and arguably block light?)

Disarm the sunblade. Disarming is pretty easy. Picking it up is an object manipulation action. I ruled that dropping the sword shuts it down. Toss it out of the window of the crypt of the king and queen. At least I plan to. I disarmed the blade with Rahadin in my little skirmish and the PC's freaked out.

All sorts of beasties are hiding in the tombs. Don't wait for the PC's to stumble upon them. Have Strahd wake them. From the top of my head there is a banshee, a nightmare and at least four vampire spawn. Even if you don't at least have Strahd ride his nightmare into battle, for the image alone.

Lure them in the teleport traps near Strahd's tomb.

AOE spells wake the bats in the catacombs, they are not strong but it adds up.

The Holy Symbol only generates daylight once per day for a few minutes. Strahd can wait it out if he wants to.

Hope these ideas help a bit.

[Trustypeaches]

Ways to Deal with Sunlight:
Use Stone Shape to drop the floor out from under the Sunsword / Symbol wielding player before attacking the rest of the party.
Use Wall of Stone to isolate the Sunsword / Symbol Wielding Player
Use Flesh Golems, Werewolves, Dire Wolves, and other non-undead creatures to attempt to grapple / remove the artifacts from the players

[Grod_The_Giant]

Possibly use the CR 17 variant although the CR 15 is plenty powerful. The problem is the sunlight stopping the regeneration and doing 20 HP per turn to boot. No amount of HP is going to save the Count then. The AC is nice I suppose.
I notice the CR 17 version reduces the burning to only 10 damage, which is a lot less painful.


Ditch the standard spell list. I decided that Strahd, being a superior strategist, would have the perfect spell prepared for any situation, so I didn't prepare any and gave him access to all wizard spells.
Oooh... that, that's good, that is. That's mean. I like it.

[Sjappo]

I notice the CR 17 version reduces the burning to only 10 damage, which is a lot less painful.
Huh, I seem to have mist that. Thanx.

Oooh... that, that's good, that is. That's mean. I like it.
I stole that idea myself. Don't know where from to be honest. I've read a lot of posts, blogs, DMGuide stuff about this module.

In my run-through Strahd captured Von Richten and turned him. I cannot wait to stick him on them.