CONFIRMED: Ravenloft for 5th Edition

[Zilfer]

I was just able to listen to the podcast, and hearing that Tracy Hickman is actually excited by this adventure makes me all the more excited. I'm really looking forward to seeing the maps that have been made for this, and reading over the new parts. I really hope that this will become a classic adventure for 5E that people talk about for years to come.

It sounds like they're slipping in as many gothic and horror adventure locations as they can, suggesting a creepy windmill as one.

So, really, it's the expansion we saw in Expedition to Castle Ravenloft but more thematic & atmospheric, less tactical, and based on stuff that the original author couldn't fit into the module.

No word on Vistani halflings yet. That was weird in 3e, but I can imagine a band of halflings traveling alongside vardos as companions. That's better than the 4e version where being a Vistani became a feat. Ugh.

What.... Ethnicity became a feat!??!?! o.o'

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

What.... Ethnicity became a feat!??!?! o.o'

Not quite... the 4e Vistani were not bound by ethnicity, but by culture, and anyone could join if they were kindred spirits. (though DMs were free to limit them to human in worlds where that made sense, like Ravenloft) But feats for ethnicity aren't really anything new. There are tons of feats that let you unlock your inner "elf-ness" or "orc-ness" or "vampire-ness" whatever, from 3e and onward. It's just a way of balancing out racial abilities instead of giving them for free.

[Zilfer]

What.... Ethnicity became a feat!??!?! o.o'

Not quite... the 4e Vistani were not bound by ethnicity, but by culture, and anyone could join if they were kindred spirits. (though DMs were free to limit them to human in worlds where that made sense, like Ravenloft) But feats for ethnicity aren't really anything new. There are tons of feats that let you unlock your inner "elf-ness" or "orc-ness" or "vampire-ness" whatever, from 3e and onward. It's just a way of balancing out racial abilities instead of giving them for free.

See I could understand that if you had it in your backstory that your family descended from Elves, or orcs or vampires.... but not just out of the blue. XD Yeah I'm level 10 and I've suddenly decided I am part elf. xD

[hidajiremi]

See I could understand that if you had it in your backstory that your family descended from Elves, or orcs or vampires.... but not just out of the blue. XD Yeah I'm level 10 and I've suddenly decided I am part elf. xD

How about "I'm level 10 and I've been adopted into an elven clan for a great deed, so now I'm going to spend some time among them learning their culture and absorbing their magical knowledge"? Everything sounds dumb if you're looking for an excuse to make it sound dumb.

[alhoon]

hida, that would take about a couple dozen years though...

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Or you open a magic tome and start reading a story about elves that tickles at the edges of your memory until you realize the protagonist is you, and that missing decade you can't remember was spent among your people, the elves, and it all rushes back in, filling the void....

Most of those racial feat things say you must take them at 1st level, but a creative DM and player can always find a justification...

[alhoon]

Reincarnation works just as well... or a wish spell.
But I totally like your version of it. Awesome way to tell Strahd's story from his book a-la from the shadows. Throw in Inajira for good measure.

[Guardian of Twilight]

I was just able to listen to the podcast, and hearing that Tracy Hickman is actually excited by this adventure makes me all the more excited. I'm really looking forward to seeing the maps that have been made for this, and reading over the new parts. I really hope that this will become a classic adventure for 5E that people talk about for years to come.

It sounds like they're slipping in as many gothic and horror adventure locations as they can, suggesting a creepy windmill as one.

So, really, it's the expansion we saw in Expedition to Castle Ravenloft but more thematic & atmospheric, less tactical, and based on stuff that the original author couldn't fit into the module.

No word on Vistani halflings yet. That was weird in 3e, but I can imagine a band of halflings traveling alongside vardos as companions. That's better than the 4e version where being a Vistani became a feat. Ugh.

Yes, the new locations are one of the things that I'm most interested to see and explore, especially with a group of PCs while someone out something waits and watches from the shadows..

I was only able to look over the 3E adventure a little bit and never ran it, sadly. I just stuck with my Ravenloft PDFs and included the Knight of the Raven (I think it was called, though sitting vigil in the chapel of Castle Ravenloft seemed unrealistic, if I read it right).

I never got into 4E as it didn't appeal to my players or myself. And oddly, no one ever wants to play anything other than human in my Ravenloft campaigns. They all seem to want to be from the Western Core, also.

[hidajiremi]

hida, that would take about a couple dozen years though...

For an elf, it might. But the whole human schtick is "picks up new stuff quickly." Depends on your elves, depends on your world, depends on your GM....

The point I'm trying to make here is that "anything sounds dumb in summary." It's up to a given group working together to figure out what any given thing means in their game. Picking things apart to say "no" to them is antagonistic; the goal should be to say "yes" in a fun and interesting way.

[Zilfer]

hida, that would take about a couple dozen years though...

For an elf, it might. But the whole human schtick is "picks up new stuff quickly." Depends on your elves, depends on your world, depends on your GM....

The point I'm trying to make here is that "anything sounds dumb in summary." It's up to a given group working together to figure out what any given thing means in their game. Picking things apart to say "no" to them is antagonistic; the goal should be to say "yes" in a fun and interesting way.

Of course, it's DnD. "Imagination the board game". Technically you could have Cthulu as an animal companion, while trying to save the carebear castle from the invading deceptions and their army of toy soldiers.

I know you can fluff anything into your game I've done it many times, doesn't change my initial reaction to feats of ethnicity. Which Gonz it sounds like a good idea to make it a 1st level thing since then you know the player had it in mind and can run with it, instead of them growing pointy ears all of a sudden. (Poking fun intended for the Devil's Advocates out there)

On another subject I noticed, my group generally tends to play all humans for the most part as well when it comes to Ravenloft. Anyone else have this experience?

[hidajiremi]

On another subject I noticed, my group generally tends to play all humans for the most part as well when it comes to Ravenloft. Anyone else have this experience?

I've run five lengthy (like 2-3 years each) Ravenloft campaigns at this point, plus a ton of short adventures I won't bring up. The vast majority of the characters have been either human or able to pass for human. I think that's because of Ravenloft's Gothic roots; it's just hard for most players to imagine a Jane Eyre style parlor scene with elves and halflings in the mix.

I think that's one of the reasons that Ravenloft evolved as a setting between 2nd and 3rd edition, and why it's a good thing that it keeps evolving. Changing and remixing the setting allows for more ideas to filter in. If they're bad ideas, an individual GM can remove them; if they're good ideas, they spark creativity and build something cool for the setting. Including demihumans was originally just "because it's D&D and we have elves and dwarves and stuff," but gradually demihumans became their own thing in the setting. My Savage Ravenloft version proposes a different origin for demihumans, one more in line with Gothic sensibilities, and I'm sure that Curse of Strahd will offer something yet different.

[Ender]

*AHEM*

Chris Perkins says: "Dr. Rudolph van Richten plays a pivotal role in the Curse of Strahd story. That's all I'll say."

And if that weren't enough, he also says: "...Vecna does appear in the adventure (although he's never mentioned by name, of course)."

[hidajiremi]

And if that weren't enough, he also says: "...Vecna does appear in the adventure (although he's never mentioned by name, of course)."

Interest... falling...

Not enough to not buy it, mind you. But "Hey guys, VECNA'S IN IT!" isn't really encouraging to most long-time fans of the setting.

[alhoon]

I could totally see a cult of Vecna working from the shadows and I welcome the addition.
Of course, that's nothing new for my table, since I use those (and in Barovia) all the time.

[Zilfer]

Lol nice, I don't know anything of Vecna so it won't really bother me I'm sure. xD I just know he has an Evil eye and a sword particularly hates him.

Edit: Or was it a hand?