New Ravenloft DM -- Help (3.5)

[Rotipher of the FoS]

A leucrotta is an obscure critter from European mythology, with the body of a stag and the head of a badger. Some depictions give it solid bony blades in its jaws, a bit like a paper-cutter's, rather than teeth. A leucrotta can mimic human voices to lure victims into ambushes. If you want to fudge its stats, I'd recommend using stats for a dire wolf, adding a kick like a mule's.

[Thelas]

One of my players wants to play a binder.
Now, those might cause problems.
Specifically, I'm thinking powers checks for binding vestiges.
Should I:
a) BANBANBAN?
b) Strongly warn against and use powers checks
c) Give no warning and use powers checks
d) Don't use powers checks for binding?

[Ail]

Well, I'm not starting just yet, but I might as well ask this now and not later.
What sort of short writing (poem or short story) can I give the players to set the mood?
Preferably NOT about Ravenloft, because here's what they know about Ravenloft.
1) The name.
2) There's mist in it.
3) There are fear, horror, and madness saves.
4) The DM likes it.
Here's what they don't know about it:
1) The existance of domains
2) The existance of darklords
3) Who Strahd is
4) That some spells don't work normally
5) Just about everything, really.
For instance, since your some-period-of-time-that-I'm-not-really-sure-aboutly publication (QtR) is referencing Poe's poem, would that be a good choice?

Thelas

Since no one seems to have answered this yet, my favourites would be
"The Raven", by Poe (yes, he's almost unavoidable)
"Christabel", by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, though it's a long one
"the case of Charles Dexter Ward", by H. P. Lovecraft
and strangely, I find that Sherlock Holmes also works well with Ravenloft

but that's just me, anyway, and not all of it. And to tell the truth, I'd suggest the TV episodes rather than the stories in this one :p

[High Priest Mikhal]

One of my players wants to play a binder.
Now, those might cause problems.
Specifically, I'm thinking powers checks for binding vestiges.
Should I:
a) BANBANBAN?
b) Strongly warn against and use powers checks
c) Give no warning and use powers checks
d) Don't use powers checks for binding?

This one I don't have experience with (ToM came out well after my last group disbanded), but from what I've read in the book it seems most vestiges want to be bound and none are inherently good or evil. But some of their powers do qualify for powers checks if used (rebuke undead for Tenebrous, for example). Binding in and of itself shouldn't call for a powers check, but using certain powers that call on evil or negative energies should.

Since binders are virtually unheard of in Ravenloft, the binder's player should keep his practices secret. If Pelorites who have an (incorrect) idea of what vestiges are, what will people and churches who've never heard of them think?

[Mangrum]

A 3.0 version of the leucrotta was published in Monsters of Faerûn.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Both wolfweres and goblyns are in Denizens of Darkness (3.0) and Denizens of Dread (3.5). I won't post them, but I don't think it's violating copyright too much to summarize...

Wolfweres are 5HD Animal (augmented animal, shapechanger) creatures. They have DR 10/cold iron, of course, and some minor spell resistance and a "song of weariness" that creates a cone of slow, as per the spell. They are strong and charismatic, and can turn into wolves, humans, or hybrids. The greater version is 8HD with assorted buff ups, including regeneration and the ability to summon wolves and dire wolves.

Goblyns are 4HD Monstrous Humanoids. They've got high dex and decent strength, 2 claws and a bite. They get improved grab if they hit with both claws. Then they can feast with their bite attack and for each 10 points of damage they do this way, the victim's OR goes up by 1 if they fail a Fort save. They also provoke a Fear save when first encountered which can startle their opponent into being stunned for a round. Minor SR, and immune to sleep and mind-affecting spells.


As for the rest, every version of the RL setting recommends avoiding random encounters, or choosing them yourself. So you can stick to the creatures you have stats for by choosing. Or you can dump them. Frankly, the module is reallllllly long, so you can easily dump random encounters entirely.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Note that most of the 3E gamers who've looked at the wolfwere stats have agreed that the Denizens writers messed up, and they ought to be magical beasts instead.

The "OR" that Gonzoron mentions is Outcast Rating, a Charisma check penalty which the 3E products introduced. Basically, it allows DMs to put a role-playing encounter penalty on PCs with deformities, Powers check-inflicted physical abnormalities, nonhuman ancestry or other social liabilities, without actually reducing Cha scores (which would hamstring sorcerers and so on).

[Thelas]

I might have to do some dream scenes and/or dreamwalking in my game, because I think it would be awesome.
I read the netbook on this site, but that one uses a system where SDC and IWC are not swapped, and I like that idea.
So I ask you:
How can you swap mental and physical scores for dreams in 3.0/3.5 and still get it to work?

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

The problem in 3.x is that stats matter much more. The modifier curves are flatter in 2e, and even then, the stat swap wasn't really fair to the fighters. It does make some kind of sense that your mental strength makes you stronger in dreams, but does it make sense that the dumb brute fighter is a weakling in all his dreams?

You can do it, but prepare for howls from the fighters and cheers from the wizards.

One of the many things I like about Jester's dream rules is that you can partially reflect that idea that strong-willed individuals can control their dreams better through the use of Dream Use. The fighter can be just as strong as usual, but the cleric can use his high wisdom to activate the "Boost" dream power to give himself some extra strength.

[Dimitri Mazieres]

A 3.0 version of the leucrotta was published in Monsters of Faerûn.

And a 3.5 version was published in the FR accessory "City of Splendors: Waterdeep", according to WotC's Monster Index.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

And a 3.5 version was published in the FR accessory "City of Splendors: Waterdeep"

Because nothing says "bustling port city adventure" like a half-stag/half-badger impressionist.

[The Giamarga]

You'd be surprised what you can find on the internet about d&d monsters.

The World of Sulerin Monster Index is a very useful tool to locate the official sources for D&D monsters, be they 1E,2E or 3E.

Also many 3e conversions are available on the net. ENWorld's Creature Catalog springs to mind.

The 2E monster books are a great resource too esp. for fluff i.e. background info. Most of them are available online somewhere.

[Dimitri Mazieres]

And a 3.5 version was published in the FR accessory "City of Splendors: Waterdeep"

Because nothing says "bustling port city adventure" like a half-stag/half-badger impressionist.

It seems that reprinting a 3.5 version of MoF would have been too obvious, so the updated monsters were stealthily included among the whole 3.5 line, so we could be led off-track

On a (somewhat) more serious note, seeing the reactions fans everywhere have when a revision comes out, an updated MoF would have probably been called a rip-off. Or maybe doing so would have left a lot of unsold books...

Oh, well... Another example of the less than stellar transition from 3.0 to 3.5...

[Thelas]

Okay, this time I just have a random question for everyone.

How many of you, in your games, have decided what the Dark Powers are?

I don't necessarily need to know what they are, though I suppose suggestions are nice.

I just want to know, when you're DMing, do you decide what they are or just leave them as a generic DM-fiat tool?

Thanks.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

How many of you, in your games, have decided what the Dark Powers are?

I have, mainly for my own amusement, but then I later actually had reason to use that info in-game. It's a long story.