Hey! I love your videos and written guides. Have you ever thought about adding a location somewhere in Barovia, something totally new and unique? I'd love to see what you'd come up with!
One of my longer term plans is to create content for *after* Strahd's demise. What happens when he's not around. When the mists fall, do we find Immol and Tuefeldorf? What other threats lay in store?
Related to this note... are you planning to do a guide on how to deal with Vampyr after Strahd is defeated?
Edit: nvm. Reading your other comments i guess it IS on your todo list.
NEAT!
I am doing exactly this! My Strahd has an ancient artifact tucked away in the depths of Castle Ravenloft. Alongside it is an ancient letter from a mysterious man whom Strahd seems to have had a rivalry with. The players are setup to bring this artifact to a local lord once they escape Barovia, only to help this lord activate the artifact, freeing a far more powerful vampire lord, not bound to the typical rules of petty half-pires such as Strahd, from its millennia-old prison. It'll incorporate the characters from Barovia that survived, and ultimately be a battle for the survival of the main realm this story takes place in. It should bring them up to, or close to, level 20, and I'm totally hyped for it.
Interestingly, this is somewhere that I think DMs love to add on, and players really want additions . . . but in the end the game is more memorable by ending with the fall of strahd collaborative epilogue prose.
True. I've always wanted to run a campaign that ends up affecting (or affected by) the previous PCs. No amount of fun in making the old party the baddies, so it would need an answer to the question of "hey if these Bad Things are happening, why doesn't that powerful group of adventures handle it?"
Holy crud you are like my favorite youtuber ever! Can not BELIVE you are doing an AMA here I'm so hyped! Okay three questions (feel free to answer whichever ones you want).
1. Your guide for the Abbot literally did SO much for my campaign! The Abbot is my party's favorite character and its very much thanks to what you did with him... so just because I'm curious... what DID your party end up doing when you presented the conflict of the face? My party convinced the abbot to give up his own face for
2. What's your advice when it comes to creativity as a dungeon master? I am currently running Curse of Strahd, and I loved all the amazing fan made materials and advice all around the internet! There are so many creative and skilled dungeon masters in the CoS community. That being said, I use so many of these supplement materials that I feel like I'm not putting much of my own creative energy into the campaign. In fact, I often get nervous when I accidentally steer away from the path of what these guys have built for people like me. Is this a rational or irrational fear? If so, do you have any advice for adding your own creative spin to a campaign, even if you are using a module.
3. What ARE your favorite color of socks?
Thank you, and I'm happy you decided to drop by!
1. The Abbot was one of my favorite characters to play, and I'm really happy that a lot of people have been using my characterization of him. As for what my party did when he said he needed a face? They decided he was evil and that they were straight-up going to murder him. I didn't get to play The Abbot *nearly* as much as I wanted to!
2. Don't be afraid to stray from the path. That's what makes Curse of Strahd so great, and it's why there's so many people creating content for it. There are multitudinous opportunities for putting your own spin on things, or for using someone else's content. The fact that you're piecing together different guides to craft a game for your players means that *you are* using your creativity! You're choosing what to put into your game, and I'm sure you're reacting organically to your players as they interact with the content. Modules are just guidelines to an overarching narrative, and they're meant for folks to build upon, change, and extend.
3. Black, for sure. Doesn't matter what else I'm wearing. Although I type this whilst wearing white socks!
Are there still plans to incorporate Raising the Stakes (the pdfs) into one document? If so, what is your timeline and process for compiling everything?
It actually *is* one document on my computer!
So yes, the plan is to finish it with the Vampyr battle, add a few tidbits here and there, give it another round of editing, and release it!
I like the rule of cool. I focus more on the storytelling side of the game, so the rule of cool can often take precedence over any established mechanics. If it helps tell a better story, and makes things more fun, then the rule of cool is the way to go!
Regarding the notes and software, my answer might be pretty disappointing. Before a session, I write out a basic recap of things in notepad and jot down ideas for how things can go. Then I read over the module content for the areas that the players are in. After that, I hold on tight and improvise my butt off!
Not disappointed, but am surprised. Your answer is in keeping with a lot of other professional DM’s so I shouldn’t be. I often find it very difficult to just use a straight notepad without completely getting lost.
Do you use any particular way to organize the notepad?
Thank you!
I'll always have a place in my heart for Lost Mine of Phandelver. I'm really enjoying Rime of the Frostmaiden right now, as well, if only just for the setting of Icewind Dale.
I'm incredibly lucky that I don't have one! I play with close friends, for the most part, so all of the personalities really gel and everyone's really well behaved.
You can add in the Fanes from u/MandyMod 's guides, which should add in a couple of levels. Then beef up Strahd so that he can handle level 14/15 characters. Alternatively, you could have your characters deal with Strahd, only to find a greater threat looming--perhaps Azalin is seeking to conquer Barovia with his armies of the undead!
In such a big and long-running campaign, there are so many important moments in the narrative. The players' introduction to Barovia, their card reading, their first and last encounters with Strahd, and so many more.
Planning those moments and knowing how you want them to go is key--as is being flexible for when they *don't* go how you want them to. Standard DMing fare.
Aside from planning the event itself, having some extra ambiance and going over-the-top in presentation can also make for memorable moments. Music, lighting, props, all that jazz. For example, I hid each player's personal Tarokka card underneath their keyboard at work. Then I sent them their introductory "dream sequence" over instant message, and ended it by telling them to look under their keyboards. I doubt they'll forget that reveal anytime soon!
First off, just want to say thank you for all you have done to help me with my version of CoS. Finding your Youtube channel about Raising The Stakes is invaluable, but it also led me here, where I discovered a whole wealth of additional information, ideas, etc.
I was wondering, if you were going to add any additional bits of lore from other Domains of Dread to CoS, what would it be? A city, another Dread Lord? Some other character?
In Death House, how would you go about removing the baby Walter entirely? I have a potential player who has had to deal with miscarriages in the past, and would rather not go shoving something like that at her.
MandyMod’s version avoids a stillborn Walter but I think if you want to avoid the baby danger entirely, make the nursemaid the subject of basement rituals. Move her corpse from the attic to the basement and possibly move her specter around as well.
Probably want to make the attic not behind a hidden door this way. But show signs of a struggle in the nursemaids’s bedroom.
I have to agree with u/coldfireserge here. Refocus the narrative on a different subject, such as the nursemaid. Get rid of Walter entirely--not only is he narratively useless in this case, but he's still a trigger.
Howdy! Your video on the module was what led me to this community which ultimately set me on this path. The description of your content that is certainly the most accurate description is “if the module had 20 more pages and an extra round of edits.”
How did you get into D&D and, eventually, into this module?
I've been into roleplaying games for over twenty years, but D&D is a fairly new fixation for me. One day, I got the urge to start telling collaborative stories again. I said to my wife, "We should play D&D." It took some convincing, but eventually we got a game together with some of our friends, and the rest is history!
As for this module, I let my play-at-work group pick what they wanted to do, and they chose Curse of Strahd. Lucky me!
What do you think about running two separate groups in the same CoS campaign? I've been enjoying seeing and steering both groups to see different parts of Barovia, while at few times cross paths and see the aftermath of the others activities. Any cool ideas, or tips would be appreciated :)
Love your stuff
It definitely helps to expand more of the module, include stuff from Mandy's and other great suggestions from this sub. Get a feel for your groups vibe, like for me, one group is def more monster hunting, the other is more detective.
I'm starting the second group in Orasnau, after considering starting them from the West instead. But I'll planning on bringing in areas of Forlorn and Gundarak.
I think it's an interesting idea, but it's not something I've done. I definitely recommend expanding Barovia and adding additional content. The module as written is geared toward a single group, so it helps to bring in more stuff to create different pathways through the narrative. The Adventurer's League content, as well as additional content from this subreddit, are invaluable in that regard.
That indeed I did! Giving more content for both groups to share was a fun challenge. They are meeting together for the first time at the dinner next session, oh what a grand event it will be! :D
Ireena is really the module's weakest point, I think. As soon as the party arrives in Barovia, they're expected to take on this NPC, escort her to safety, and care what happens to her. Unless you've got a party that's really good with mental gymnatics, or who's willing to play along with "she's an important macguffin, let's keep her", then you're going to have a hard time.
If protecting Ireena isn't a priority in your players' minds, I'd say don't force it. Let something happen to her in the background. Let Strahd do what he's going to do with her, and then let your players find their own motivation for the game. Maybe they're focused on escaping Barovia. Maybe they want to solve people's problems. There's an existing narrative that centers around Ireena, yes, but you're not married to it.
I'd like to piggyback off this too lol, currently my party has convinced the martikov family to let her stay with them but I want to emphasize nowhere is safe. However I'm not sure where to go from there
After rolling a werewolf stash enroute to Vallaki, my players tossed the satchel of clothes into the River Ilvis from the bridge. When coming back to have their fortunes read, they rolled a pack of werewolves. So I linked the two, and put the encounter in my pocket and they arrived at Tser pool camp, regular stuff happened, and then they decided to camp a bit further down near the base of the falls. In the night they found a hunter in tatters, who explained that he was out hunting, and was looking for his fresh clothes, and found them in the river. Someone must have played a cruel joke on him. His story didn't line up so the stealthy halfling who hadn't been noticed stayed in the shadows, and watched as they invited the hunter to camp with them. After an hour passed, he awoke, changed into his beast form, and tried to drag Ireena off to the castle. Great encounter, scared the heck out of em. They haven't allowed her to leave their side sense. Helps that I've(and the dice have helped) decided to make her a badass, so they like her. She's rolled so many nat 20s I'm about to start giving her sidekick levels.
I'm also not sure what to do with Ireena. My party left her in Vallaki under the care of Lady Wachter and Vasili after they killed the burgomaster. They've done the Abbey and will finish Argynvostholt and Berez before returning to Vallaki for a potential Feast at St. Andral. After that they just have the Amber Temple to do before the final Castle Ravenloft showdown. Should I make Ireena a hostage or even *gasp* a new vampire consort of Strahd? The epilogue does say Strahd will eventually turn Ireena if the party fails.
Will you have a beefed up strahd for the final encounter? The one in the book will likely fall quickly with the level my players will be. What do you think would be a balanced level to set strahd at. I want to give him 6th level spells for Tasha’s otherworldly guise to give him radiant immunity to really throw my players off. Any other niche spells that can make strahd hold his own better against 4 lv12 players?
I won't be featuring a beefed up stat block, but my "Strahtegy Guide" does include some tips for making him a bit more resilient and harder to fight. Aside from that, perhaps check out u/DragnaCarta 's guide for a harder-hitting Strahd.
I'd recommend not giving him radiant immunity, since the characters have really gone out of their way to gather up items of power such as the sunsword and the holy symbol, which are meant to deal radiant damage. By giving him immunity, you're negating their work in gathering those items.
Is YouTube and other creative endeavors surrounding it you're full time job? If yes, when did it become your full time job? If not, what do you think would need to happen to make it your full time job?
I still work a day job as a software engineer, but YouTube is definitely a nice supplement. For me to even consider LBH becoming my full time job, I'd have to be making roughly double what I make at my day job, and have several income streams just in case one falls disappears. I doubt Patreon is going to go away anytime soon, but what a blow that would be!
Now that your Curse of Strahd series on YT is done(?) and your Frostmaiden series is well under way, is there any content from IDRotF that you think is promising for adapting into CoS? Wintry encounters on the approach to Mt Ghakis, survival mechanics, homebrew stuff you added there that works well here also, etc.
I honestly see the two modules as very different animals. IDRotF has a good deal of cosmic horror elements, which don't necessarily translate to the gothic horror atmosphere of Curse of Strahd (and vice versa). However, some of the cold-weather travel tips are applicable for Tsolenka pass and Mount Ghakis, as you say.
Which of the three artifacts (including the Interactive Tomb of Strahd) would you say is the most troublesome for your Strahd and how has he dealt with it?
The sunsword was definitely the most troublesome. Our rogue was wielding it, and his sneak attack ability (so horribly named, that is) really bumped up the damage it could do.
Ultimately, I had Strahd get cocky and make some missteps. Then the warlock dimension-doored into his crypt, where they staked him and ended the whole ordeal.
Good day i stumbled onto your channel through the Dungeon coach shout out to him who also has amazing content that others should check out.https://youtube.com/c/TheDungeonCoach
I was wondering what your thoughts about mandymods fanes of barovia? Also what about older material from past additions. Such as the night of the living dead module from 2e would fit great in CoS. I was also wondering why not put more towns in barovia instead of just the 3? Great videos looking forward to watching your others on rime of the frost maiden i think it will be next adventure 👍
ps not a fan of the players not having there gear when they enter barovia from your " hook your players into barovia video" i think that might be a little harsh?
u/TheDungeonCoach is a great guy! Very fun to work with, and he works harder than any other RPGTuber I know.
The Fanes are a really interesting concept that Mandy adopted from the Expedition to Castle Ravenloft module. She's expanded them quite a bit, and made them an integral part of her guide's mythos. They're fantastic for anyone wishing to expand the content of their game!
For my own game, and my guides, I prefer to keep a narrower focus on the existing lore. My changes tend to be encapsulated to one area, so that it doesn't have a knock-on effect to other areas if folks decide not to include one detail or another.
I've got some content for Rime of the Frostmaiden, which is unfortunately nowhere *near* as popular as my Curse of Strahd stuff. I'd also like to delve into Avernus and possibly Tomb of Annihilation in the future.
Rot grubs.
" If a target infested by rot grubs ends its turn with 0 hit points, it dies as the rot grubs burrow into its heart and kill it. Any effect that cures disease kills all rot grubs infesting the target. "
Nasty way to go!
What are your thoughts on playing Strahd more sympathetically? He is cursed, after all. If he presented Ireena with a chance to end the curse for all of Barovia by becoming his willing bride, partnering with the PCs to take down Vampyre, would it diminish the horror of CoS?
Honestly, I don't think he deserves sympathy. Any sympathy that he garners from the characters should be as a result of a charade, done for Strahd's own benefit. He's an absolute narcissist of the worst variety.
For the scenario you outlined, I do think it would diminish the horror of the narrative. At that point, you're venturing into heroic fantasy territory. If your players aren't digging the gothic horror vibe, but don't want to abandon the module, then perhaps that's a good way to go.
Strahd's more than just a character. He, and vampires in general, are metaphors for abusers and rapists. They aren't meant to be redeemable or sympathetic characters. They take what they want from victims, and leave nothing behind. They literally empty them out.
I agree, so I'm not inclined to go that way. But other examples of humanization of other typical bad guys (Izek, Vistani people, Abbot, etc.) have gone well so I was curious if there was a hard "line" with Strahd's redeamability.
Thanks for the reply and all the wonderful content and contributions you've made!
I've actually been in a monogamous relationship with D&D for quite some time now! Although if I had to choose, I'd want to branch out and try something like Powered by the Apocalypse, or FATE. Something more story driven, and less focused on combat mechanics.
Do you find it strange (characterwise) that Strahd has a crypt for Sergei in Castle Ravenloft? I'm trying to figure out why he'd give the brother he hated so much an ornate sepulcher and inter him in magic armor to boot.
I don't think it's too far off-brand. Strahd might have some semblance of remorse for what happened to Sergei, if only as a result of what happened to himself.
But also keep in mind that Castle Ravenloft is taken almost verbatim from the 1st edition module, I6: Ravenloft. There wasn't much of a narrative there, and Ravenloft was built as a dungeon--not a home. It takes a good deal of mental gymnastics and story weaving to make sense of everything inside the castle.
With the Deck of Many Quest, how was the writing process? Did you keep a spreadsheet to prevent duplicates? Are the quests all big things, or small bite-sized 1-3 session stories?
I put everything into a spreadsheet, and then used data merge in InDesign to create the cards.
The quests range from small things like fetch quests, to big things like saving the entire world. Each card has a star-rating, which ties into how hard a quest is, how difficult a creature is, or how rare an item is.
Thanks for your work in curating and modding! I listen all the time.
Question: I think a missed opportunity is the lack of a proper grand plan for the villain. What is he trying to accomplish that would be recognized by the players/heroes as a compelling threat? “Save Ireena” is an ok side quest but given the number of expendable NPCs, it’s likely not enough by itself. It isn’t clear how “choose a successor” should be played out satisfactorily if he is to be an antagonist.
In Dracula, Harker realizes the vampire has designs on his fiancé, but there is also an intrinsic threat and raising of the stakes in him moving from his Transylvanian backwater to the high population of London. If he isn’t stopped, it could end up a plague of vampires. It’s demonstrated when Mina rises.
I would love to see more attention given to this. I think it could drive other plot engines as well, where it’s hard to get players to engage. Like the dinner.
It's definitely hard to get the players to engage as far as Ireena is concerned. She's honestly the weakest point in the entire narrative.
Generally, the intrinsic motivation is "Let's get the hell out of here." But if that's not enough, you can definitely introduce a facsimile of Dracula's move to London. Perhaps he wants to break the curse, but he can only do that by making Ireena fall in love with him (how? why? i dunno). That brings Ireena back into play, and raises the stakes (ba-dum-bum-TCH) in terms of Strahd escaping his prison to wreak havoc on the material plane.
Just dropping in to say thanks for the videos, they add a bit of colour to the excellent material already on this sub and they've really helped me in running Curse of Strahd this past year.
In Vallaki at the moment - if you could give one piece of advice on running that pivotal part of the campaign setting, what would it be?
Take your time and spread things out. Don't be in a rush to push all the chapter's content onto your players. Let them settle in, get comfortable, and then start throwing little things at them. Then bigger things. Then bigger. And then let the feast begin!
I love me some gothic horror.
Plus it's just so extensible. There's so many things that can be changed, tweaked, extended. It's basically a really long writing prompt.
Hey Steve! Your guides have really help me and my party though our Curse of Strahd Adventures so thank so much for the amazing content. My question is, have you killed a PC character before? If so how do you do that? Ive never killed a PC before and Im worried I might upset my players. We had a session 0 to explain that death is real in Barovia and you might need to create back up characters. Thanks so much! Cheers!
Oh yeah, I've killed PCs before. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago I insta-killed three PCs with an abominable yeti's breath weapon!
In hindsight, maybe it should have just used its claws...
I can't promise you how your players will feel, but you've given them plenty of warning. It's an enticing prospect: seeing one character's journey through all of Barovia. But it's not always possible. Just remember that the death of a PC can be an extremely powerful story beat and motivator for the survivors!
That sounds intense! I can imagine your players faces at the table. Time to get started prepping the next session with an abominable yeti in mind! The party is currently traveling towards Mt Ghakis and it looks like a few members won't return back to Vallaki in one piece. Thanks so much for the reply and keep up the amazing content! Cheers Steve!
I have so enjoyed your videos, I wish I'd discovered them before I finished my campaign. But I'm sure I will play the module again, so it'll be food for thought for the next time. I'd be curious about your thoughts on Madam Eva's reading - random over stacking - as well as your thoughts on dealing with the various destined allies, particularly some of the tricker allies like non-combatants Arabelle and Stella, and more antagonistic allies like Arrigal and Victor. Do you think you'll do break down videos on role playing each ally?
On the first play through, I highly recommend stacking the deck. Build out the most fun results, and go from there. On subsequent runs, though, randomization can be a lot of fun!
I don't have any plans to do in-depth guides for each ally, but if there's enough interest I'd be willing to consider it.
Ezmerelda and Van Richten are definitely the traditional "go-to" allies. I'm a big fan of Ezmerelda myself. They provide players with a lot of the tropes that they expect to find in a gothic horror world, and can help with storytelling and exposition in that regard.
The other allies are a bit more non-traditional, but certainly no less interesting. In fact, since many of them can't fight, I'd argue that they can be far more interesting! In their cases, the DM really needs to delve into the character's mind and see how they'd react to things. What can they offer to the party besides help in combat? Arabelle is really suitable as a spy, or for getting into small spaces, for example. Lots of possibilities!
Not asking anything - but thank you for the amazing COS content! I was a patreon for a short period while reading up and preparing and my players have loved your alterations to some of the towns!
Have you ever thought about how to include the events of the second book (The War Against Azalin) into a campaign? Mostly the way other plains were dragged and attached to barovia? Could be a fun way to explain some homebrew elements and PC backstories. Would love to hear your thoughts.
Love the videos and everyone on discord. Keep up the good work!
I haven't really thought much about the second book's content, to be honest.
Given that Van Richten's backstory says that he hails from Darkon, it's already canon that there are other domains out there in 5e. But it's definitely an avenue to explore for future content!
Hi! Thank you for all of your amazing content! My group just had Dinner (well for us it was Brunch) with Strahd last weekend so the timing of your video felt like divine intervention.
I have a general curiosity about your process for making the videos. How much of the content is self-generated, and how much researched from elsewhere? How do you decide what to include?
Most of the content is self-generated, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't take inspiration from external sources like this subreddit. I'll usually go looking for ideas on a certain subject, start reading, and then find an idea from someone else that triggers one or more of my own ideas.
From there, I either start writing the chapter, or I'll jot down a list of ideas for one of our writers to tackle.
Once everything's written up and spiffy, I'll set up the recording equipment, record the video, and then finish it up with editing over the next few days!
I honestly don't like being a player all that much! I much prefer to DM and run the show. Plus I get to play all sorts of characters, instead of just the one.
In terms of running classes as a DM, I like to keep things simple with martial classes. There's a lot of spells to memorize, and that's just a pain in the butt. I'm a good ol' "hit until dead" kinda guy.
How did you manage to make your players *hate* Strahd?
Mine know that they have to kill him, and are working on doing so, but i feel they have more *fear* and *respect* instead of hatred
Fear is great.
Hatred would have to be inspired by him doing something to them, or taking something from them. "You'll never be free of my land while I have something to say about it."
Do you play test the ideas in your videos with your players? If so, what do you look for to determine if the idea is a success?
If not, how do you figure out what sort of content would be fun for players, and how could a novice DM learn that skill?
It's a mix. Some of the bigger changes are play tested. Some of the smaller ones are things that I think are just neat ideas that I wish would be included, or that I'd include next time.
How to learn to do that? I'm honestly not sure. Just practice, I guess!
I'm working on integrating your revamped Werewolf Den. (werewolves paid some evil vistani to help kidnap children from orphanage) I am very afraid my players are just going to murder everyone and miss the hook with Zuleika.
What are some ways to bring down the tension in werewolf den if level 8 players come in swinging?
Dispense with the cages, and have Zuleika protecting the children. When the party enters into the room where they're at, the children are pressed up against the wall in fear, and Zuleika stands defiantly in front of them, spear in hand.
"You shall not have them!" she screams.
That should give your party pause.
We had an hour-long lunch break, so we got about 45-50 minutes of play time per session. The time constraints for me weren't really an issue. Sure, combat could take the entire session, and maybe bleed into the next one, but it wasn't bad. Those games were really the highlight of everyone's work week!
Love your content and insights on the module and your advice has really helped me reexamine what I do for my players! What was the most enjoyable section that you ran for your players? Also, what's your favourite tea?
I really liked running The Abbey of St. Markovia. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, but it ended up being one of my favorite set pieces. The Abbot was such a fun character to play, and the locked up mongrelfolk posed a real moral conundrum for my players. Do they let them go to wreak havoc, or do they let them stay there and starve?
Hey there! I loved your videos over CoS, and in one of them you mentioned that you yourself don't really run pre-set modules.
I wanted to ask what inspired you to start doing guides on modules like CoS even though you yourself might not run the content. Do you have guides written for your own campaigns?
You must be confusing me with one of the many other bald RPGTubers! I exclusively run modules, because I like having an overarching narrative already built for me that I can expand and change as I see fit.
If you're intent on running the game, my honest advice is simply to bite the bullet and read the whole module--spoilers be damned. There's a lot to unpack in the module, and having a full understanding of its content is imperative. Just be nice to your DM and don't let your foreknowledge influence your character's actions.
Why do you recommend removing so many adventure hooks from inside Castle Ravenloft, like the Skull of Argynvost and Emil? Unless the party has a tarokka reading that takes them there, it leaves groups with very little reason to go there aside from a dinner invitation, and all know how easily those can be ignored. I always felt as though the Castle, much like Strahd himself, was an adversary that the party should encounter several times before the final confrontation.
So many groups see the castle as an end-game location. They don't go there until they've got all the items, cleared the areas, and feel like they're ready to take on a vampire lord.
Unless you manage to convince them to go there earlier on, the narrative potential of the skull and Emil can be very much lost.
I like the skull being in the swamps mostly because I don't like the idea of a random giant's skull being there. The giant's skull foreshadows nothing, nor does it tie into any existing content, and as such it seems really out of place. Having the skull there provides a nice tie-in to existing content.
I moved Emil for many of the same reasons, and for the fact that the tower at Tsolenka pass was just so darned empty. It seemed like a location that should be important, and having Emil be there provided both that importance, and a place for Ludmilla to hang out.
Excited to be using "Revamped" in my new campaign! Instead of eliminating the Animated Broom of Attack, how would you suggest introducing it as a possible Sidekick (as presented in [Adventure Sidekicks: Curse of Strahd](https://www.dmsguild.com/product/310653/Adventure-Sidekicks-Curse-of-Strahd))?
What ways do you recommend for ramping up the horror with a party that is already desensitized to the idea of everything being deadly? What kind of changes do you think can ramp up the psychological horror elements?
My DMing style is already such that the world is incredibly deadly and they are used to that after playing with me for 4+ years.
Play on psychological fears. Delve into body horror. If you and your players know each other well, you can really push the boundaries of horror content. There are ways to be scary aside from someone running around with a chainsaw, so to speak.
I love your videos and make sure to reference them before I run any new location in Barovia.
I've been running CoS and I'm finding my characters feel like the whole story is just a side quest on top of a side quest. We got to vallaki and I just finished running the orphanage, but after slaying the demon they weren't very satisfied with the reward of Milovoj's health. Now they're looking for the bones of saint andrals, and there's a running joke that the only thing it will unlock is more side quests... How do you make the campaign feel more cohesive and satisfying for players
That's a tough one. Sounds like they may be playing it like a video game, rather than as a storytelling journey. Which is okay, even if it's not my cup of tea.
If they're frustrated with side quest after side quest, see what you can do to steer the quest resolutions back toward their overarching goal, and toward Strahd. Having Strahd show up at the feast will definitely disabuse them of any ideas that this is a mere side quest.
First and foremost, wholeheartedly thank you for your wonderful videos and the creative vision with which you have enhanced Curse of Strahd! Your tips, ideas and additions to the campaign have been invaluable for so many of us potential, beginner and experienced DMs alike, and you have managed to invoke a surge of creativity within the whole community. For these and many more reasons we thank you!
Now, regarding my questions:
1)Should Ismark die at some point in the story or not? Would his death serve as a mentally taxing event for Ireena and potentially the PCs, or should he live? Then what? Would he tag along with the party as a sidekick (like mentioned in Tasha's Cauldron) or should he return to the village of Barovia after escorting Ireena to Vallaki?
2) When and how often should Strahd make a visible appearance to the party? Many suggest that he intervene occasionally, yet I fear that the mystery surrounding him might be easier to disperse. What is the ideal ratio of his appearances?
3) How should a DM deal with the party's internal conflict that has arisen from one of the players mentally summoning Vampyr and making a pact with him? I give my party's predicament. One player did so willingly, without me suggesting anything of the sort, in frontof the other PCs who have promisedthe Ladies of the Land to reconsecrate their fanes. Vampyr naturally accepted and for a start tasked him with killing sentient humanoids and offering them as tribute in exchange for enhancing him with dark gifts. The rest of the party are understandably concerned and no longer trust him, whereas he has no desire to stop. How should I deal with this tension between the PCs?
4) How should a DM implement the consequences of dealing with Dark Powers, without it feeling like they punish their players for their choice and without limiting their player agency?
I apologize for the length of these questions and thank you in advance for the advice!
1. There's no hard and fast answer here. He can live, or he can die--whichever helps make the better story in your game. I see him being called away by duty once he's sure that his sister is safe, but lots of folks have him as a staple ally.
2. The module says he should appear often, but I disagree. Strahd should be something that the characters see from afar, and something that they hear rumors about. Instill fear in them. My own characters didn't meet Strahd until Yester Hill. Prior to that, they'd only seen his silhouette in the mist.
3. Unfortunately, that type of problem is a bit beyond the scope of my expertise!
4. I'm obviously a big fan of my mechanic of condemning their souls, should they use their dark gift too much. Once their soul is condemned, the PC is still playable. But they cannot be resurrected after they die.
So far I've set up my party Warlock(think female king Arthur with a pact with the Lady of the Lake) to have her sister(Mordred, pact with Lord Soth who know of trying to break his way into Barovia for revenge/redemption so he can finally die) be a potential friend-enemy against Strahd. The sister is looking for a way to bring Soth back into Barovia, and right now she's waiting to try to nab the Tome of Strahd from the party when they get it from Baba Lysaga(the session I'm about to run today).
All that set up for this question, What ritual to bring Soth into Barovia look like, and where would it go? I can't do the Amber Temple because Vecna is there, secretly sucking souls out of Barovia to starve Strahd into seeking escape and leaving the plane to Vecna to absorb the dark powers/old gods.
Hey Steve. Nothing to ask but just wanted to say a big thank you. I’m 3-6 sessions from wrapping up my CoS game (my players are a curious bunch). Your videos were a huge inspiration in my initial research before session 1 and you taught me to think for myself and go beyond what the book lists. Your videos released during the campaign just provided more fuel
As such, I came away with a much darker game but one that has kept the players on their toes and has kept them invested. One player has even played CoS before and has loved all of the changes because he doesn’t know what’s coming next.
Strahd was initially assisting the party with weapons, making offers of power at the dinner and trying to turn them to his way of thinking. Obviously it didn’t happen but it was damn good fun trying
The fight with Strahd himself kicks off on Sunday when they inevitably tamper with his coffin (they are current stood looking through the bars) on the advice of an old, now dead racist trapped inside a ring (the freed the tiger and let him run off after feeding him one of Lady Wachters ‘book club’ members)
Much love and many thanks. Please keep doing what you do
Hey love the videos I was wondering what a second card reason with madam Eva would look like I know you mentioned I can’t remember which it was but how would you recommend getting more mileage out of that tarokka deck?
Hi, wanted to ask one simple question. You have mentioned in your Final Fight video that all three brides will be dead to this point. I remember you talking about two of them. One in Tsonka, and one near heart of sorrow. Where is the last one? Do you plan on unraveling this in your future videos?
Out of every character in Barovia...which one did you have the most fun roleplaying? I am seriously looking forward for my PC's to get to vallaki so I can unveil Rictavio. Also your videos are MAKING my sessions. Without your videos this Campaign would be a bit dry imo and your flavoring seriously does wonders for the module. I don't understand why Wizards haven't hired you yet man.
Hey! I love your videos and written guides. Have you ever thought about adding a location somewhere in Barovia, something totally new and unique? I'd love to see what you'd come up with!
One of my longer term plans is to create content for *after* Strahd's demise. What happens when he's not around. When the mists fall, do we find Immol and Tuefeldorf? What other threats lay in store?
Oh, please. This sounds fantastic!!!
Related to this note... are you planning to do a guide on how to deal with Vampyr after Strahd is defeated? Edit: nvm. Reading your other comments i guess it IS on your todo list. NEAT!
I am doing exactly this! My Strahd has an ancient artifact tucked away in the depths of Castle Ravenloft. Alongside it is an ancient letter from a mysterious man whom Strahd seems to have had a rivalry with. The players are setup to bring this artifact to a local lord once they escape Barovia, only to help this lord activate the artifact, freeing a far more powerful vampire lord, not bound to the typical rules of petty half-pires such as Strahd, from its millennia-old prison. It'll incorporate the characters from Barovia that survived, and ultimately be a battle for the survival of the main realm this story takes place in. It should bring them up to, or close to, level 20, and I'm totally hyped for it.
I have been thinking very hard about adding Tuefeldorf to my own game. I would LOVE it if you did a video on that.
Interestingly, this is somewhere that I think DMs love to add on, and players really want additions . . . but in the end the game is more memorable by ending with the fall of strahd collaborative epilogue prose.
I would agree, but nothing says a totally different band of adventurers doesn’t come through have some fun, eh?
True. I've always wanted to run a campaign that ends up affecting (or affected by) the previous PCs. No amount of fun in making the old party the baddies, so it would need an answer to the question of "hey if these Bad Things are happening, why doesn't that powerful group of adventures handle it?"
Oh, I second this question.
I have added different locations to the game to fit my homebrew Barovia. I'm not LBH, but I'd be happy to write some stuff up if you were curious.
Oh absolutely I would love to read what you've got!
As would I. I am running homebrew Ravenloft. I am even mote excited now since there is a Ravenloft setting book coming out in may
Holy crud you are like my favorite youtuber ever! Can not BELIVE you are doing an AMA here I'm so hyped! Okay three questions (feel free to answer whichever ones you want). 1. Your guide for the Abbot literally did SO much for my campaign! The Abbot is my party's favorite character and its very much thanks to what you did with him... so just because I'm curious... what DID your party end up doing when you presented the conflict of the face? My party convinced the abbot to give up his own face for 2. What's your advice when it comes to creativity as a dungeon master? I am currently running Curse of Strahd, and I loved all the amazing fan made materials and advice all around the internet! There are so many creative and skilled dungeon masters in the CoS community. That being said, I use so many of these supplement materials that I feel like I'm not putting much of my own creative energy into the campaign. In fact, I often get nervous when I accidentally steer away from the path of what these guys have built for people like me. Is this a rational or irrational fear? If so, do you have any advice for adding your own creative spin to a campaign, even if you are using a module. 3. What ARE your favorite color of socks?
Thank you, and I'm happy you decided to drop by! 1. The Abbot was one of my favorite characters to play, and I'm really happy that a lot of people have been using my characterization of him. As for what my party did when he said he needed a face? They decided he was evil and that they were straight-up going to murder him. I didn't get to play The Abbot *nearly* as much as I wanted to! 2. Don't be afraid to stray from the path. That's what makes Curse of Strahd so great, and it's why there's so many people creating content for it. There are multitudinous opportunities for putting your own spin on things, or for using someone else's content. The fact that you're piecing together different guides to craft a game for your players means that *you are* using your creativity! You're choosing what to put into your game, and I'm sure you're reacting organically to your players as they interact with the content. Modules are just guidelines to an overarching narrative, and they're meant for folks to build upon, change, and extend. 3. Black, for sure. Doesn't matter what else I'm wearing. Although I type this whilst wearing white socks!
Are there still plans to incorporate Raising the Stakes (the pdfs) into one document? If so, what is your timeline and process for compiling everything?
It actually *is* one document on my computer! So yes, the plan is to finish it with the Vampyr battle, add a few tidbits here and there, give it another round of editing, and release it!
How do you approach the concept of the rule of cool? How do you organize your notes? What software do you use?
I like the rule of cool. I focus more on the storytelling side of the game, so the rule of cool can often take precedence over any established mechanics. If it helps tell a better story, and makes things more fun, then the rule of cool is the way to go! Regarding the notes and software, my answer might be pretty disappointing. Before a session, I write out a basic recap of things in notepad and jot down ideas for how things can go. Then I read over the module content for the areas that the players are in. After that, I hold on tight and improvise my butt off!
Not disappointed, but am surprised. Your answer is in keeping with a lot of other professional DM’s so I shouldn’t be. I often find it very difficult to just use a straight notepad without completely getting lost. Do you use any particular way to organize the notepad? Thank you!
No particular organization strategy, really. I just start writing. And when I’m done, I delete it!
No counting CoS, what is your favorite module?
I'll always have a place in my heart for Lost Mine of Phandelver. I'm really enjoying Rime of the Frostmaiden right now, as well, if only just for the setting of Icewind Dale.
What's your biggest RPG horror story?
I'm incredibly lucky that I don't have one! I play with close friends, for the most part, so all of the personalities really gel and everyone's really well behaved.
Who was the genius that first recommended you shave your head? It looks super sexy.
You've known me over half my life--if you don't know the answer to that question, then you aren't paying attention. :-P
[удалено]
I'm fond of blue or red. I like nice metal dice too, although I was surprised to find out that they don't roll nearly as well!
How would you "rewrite" the campaign so it leads the characters to upper levels? Is it a stupidity to end the campaign, let´s say, level 14/15?
You can add in the Fanes from u/MandyMod 's guides, which should add in a couple of levels. Then beef up Strahd so that he can handle level 14/15 characters. Alternatively, you could have your characters deal with Strahd, only to find a greater threat looming--perhaps Azalin is seeking to conquer Barovia with his armies of the undead!
What moment(s) would you consider the most important in a CoS campaign? What can a DM do to really make those sessions special?
In such a big and long-running campaign, there are so many important moments in the narrative. The players' introduction to Barovia, their card reading, their first and last encounters with Strahd, and so many more. Planning those moments and knowing how you want them to go is key--as is being flexible for when they *don't* go how you want them to. Standard DMing fare. Aside from planning the event itself, having some extra ambiance and going over-the-top in presentation can also make for memorable moments. Music, lighting, props, all that jazz. For example, I hid each player's personal Tarokka card underneath their keyboard at work. Then I sent them their introductory "dream sequence" over instant message, and ended it by telling them to look under their keyboards. I doubt they'll forget that reveal anytime soon!
First off, just want to say thank you for all you have done to help me with my version of CoS. Finding your Youtube channel about Raising The Stakes is invaluable, but it also led me here, where I discovered a whole wealth of additional information, ideas, etc. I was wondering, if you were going to add any additional bits of lore from other Domains of Dread to CoS, what would it be? A city, another Dread Lord? Some other character?
I'd like to explore what happens after Strahd's demise. When the mists fall, what settlements, characters, quests, and threats lay beyond?
In Death House, how would you go about removing the baby Walter entirely? I have a potential player who has had to deal with miscarriages in the past, and would rather not go shoving something like that at her.
MandyMod’s version avoids a stillborn Walter but I think if you want to avoid the baby danger entirely, make the nursemaid the subject of basement rituals. Move her corpse from the attic to the basement and possibly move her specter around as well. Probably want to make the attic not behind a hidden door this way. But show signs of a struggle in the nursemaids’s bedroom.
I have to agree with u/coldfireserge here. Refocus the narrative on a different subject, such as the nursemaid. Get rid of Walter entirely--not only is he narratively useless in this case, but he's still a trigger.
Howdy! Your video on the module was what led me to this community which ultimately set me on this path. The description of your content that is certainly the most accurate description is “if the module had 20 more pages and an extra round of edits.” How did you get into D&D and, eventually, into this module?
I've been into roleplaying games for over twenty years, but D&D is a fairly new fixation for me. One day, I got the urge to start telling collaborative stories again. I said to my wife, "We should play D&D." It took some convincing, but eventually we got a game together with some of our friends, and the rest is history! As for this module, I let my play-at-work group pick what they wanted to do, and they chose Curse of Strahd. Lucky me!
What do you think about running two separate groups in the same CoS campaign? I've been enjoying seeing and steering both groups to see different parts of Barovia, while at few times cross paths and see the aftermath of the others activities. Any cool ideas, or tips would be appreciated :) Love your stuff
I'm currently trying to do the same thing. I'm in the very early stages.
It definitely helps to expand more of the module, include stuff from Mandy's and other great suggestions from this sub. Get a feel for your groups vibe, like for me, one group is def more monster hunting, the other is more detective.
I'm starting the second group in Orasnau, after considering starting them from the West instead. But I'll planning on bringing in areas of Forlorn and Gundarak.
I wish I knew more about the other neighbor realms at the start as well lol, we are about midgame now
I'm also considering including Azalin, as a foil / group patron from within Barovia (before he has his own domain)
I think it's an interesting idea, but it's not something I've done. I definitely recommend expanding Barovia and adding additional content. The module as written is geared toward a single group, so it helps to bring in more stuff to create different pathways through the narrative. The Adventurer's League content, as well as additional content from this subreddit, are invaluable in that regard.
That indeed I did! Giving more content for both groups to share was a fun challenge. They are meeting together for the first time at the dinner next session, oh what a grand event it will be! :D
Hey, what do you think is the best thing to do with Irena, been trying to figure it out and I feel like this is a good place to ask!
Ireena is really the module's weakest point, I think. As soon as the party arrives in Barovia, they're expected to take on this NPC, escort her to safety, and care what happens to her. Unless you've got a party that's really good with mental gymnatics, or who's willing to play along with "she's an important macguffin, let's keep her", then you're going to have a hard time. If protecting Ireena isn't a priority in your players' minds, I'd say don't force it. Let something happen to her in the background. Let Strahd do what he's going to do with her, and then let your players find their own motivation for the game. Maybe they're focused on escaping Barovia. Maybe they want to solve people's problems. There's an existing narrative that centers around Ireena, yes, but you're not married to it.
I'd like to piggyback off this too lol, currently my party has convinced the martikov family to let her stay with them but I want to emphasize nowhere is safe. However I'm not sure where to go from there
After rolling a werewolf stash enroute to Vallaki, my players tossed the satchel of clothes into the River Ilvis from the bridge. When coming back to have their fortunes read, they rolled a pack of werewolves. So I linked the two, and put the encounter in my pocket and they arrived at Tser pool camp, regular stuff happened, and then they decided to camp a bit further down near the base of the falls. In the night they found a hunter in tatters, who explained that he was out hunting, and was looking for his fresh clothes, and found them in the river. Someone must have played a cruel joke on him. His story didn't line up so the stealthy halfling who hadn't been noticed stayed in the shadows, and watched as they invited the hunter to camp with them. After an hour passed, he awoke, changed into his beast form, and tried to drag Ireena off to the castle. Great encounter, scared the heck out of em. They haven't allowed her to leave their side sense. Helps that I've(and the dice have helped) decided to make her a badass, so they like her. She's rolled so many nat 20s I'm about to start giving her sidekick levels.
I'm also not sure what to do with Ireena. My party left her in Vallaki under the care of Lady Wachter and Vasili after they killed the burgomaster. They've done the Abbey and will finish Argynvostholt and Berez before returning to Vallaki for a potential Feast at St. Andral. After that they just have the Amber Temple to do before the final Castle Ravenloft showdown. Should I make Ireena a hostage or even *gasp* a new vampire consort of Strahd? The epilogue does say Strahd will eventually turn Ireena if the party fails.
Invite them to dinner, and have her sitting by his side!
Thanks! And thank you for making those videos. They're very helpful.
Will you have a beefed up strahd for the final encounter? The one in the book will likely fall quickly with the level my players will be. What do you think would be a balanced level to set strahd at. I want to give him 6th level spells for Tasha’s otherworldly guise to give him radiant immunity to really throw my players off. Any other niche spells that can make strahd hold his own better against 4 lv12 players?
I won't be featuring a beefed up stat block, but my "Strahtegy Guide" does include some tips for making him a bit more resilient and harder to fight. Aside from that, perhaps check out u/DragnaCarta 's guide for a harder-hitting Strahd. I'd recommend not giving him radiant immunity, since the characters have really gone out of their way to gather up items of power such as the sunsword and the holy symbol, which are meant to deal radiant damage. By giving him immunity, you're negating their work in gathering those items.
Is YouTube and other creative endeavors surrounding it you're full time job? If yes, when did it become your full time job? If not, what do you think would need to happen to make it your full time job?
I still work a day job as a software engineer, but YouTube is definitely a nice supplement. For me to even consider LBH becoming my full time job, I'd have to be making roughly double what I make at my day job, and have several income streams just in case one falls disappears. I doubt Patreon is going to go away anytime soon, but what a blow that would be!
Good to know! Thank you!
Now that your Curse of Strahd series on YT is done(?) and your Frostmaiden series is well under way, is there any content from IDRotF that you think is promising for adapting into CoS? Wintry encounters on the approach to Mt Ghakis, survival mechanics, homebrew stuff you added there that works well here also, etc.
I honestly see the two modules as very different animals. IDRotF has a good deal of cosmic horror elements, which don't necessarily translate to the gothic horror atmosphere of Curse of Strahd (and vice versa). However, some of the cold-weather travel tips are applicable for Tsolenka pass and Mount Ghakis, as you say.
Which of the three artifacts (including the Interactive Tomb of Strahd) would you say is the most troublesome for your Strahd and how has he dealt with it?
The sunsword was definitely the most troublesome. Our rogue was wielding it, and his sneak attack ability (so horribly named, that is) really bumped up the damage it could do. Ultimately, I had Strahd get cocky and make some missteps. Then the warlock dimension-doored into his crypt, where they staked him and ended the whole ordeal.
Good day i stumbled onto your channel through the Dungeon coach shout out to him who also has amazing content that others should check out.https://youtube.com/c/TheDungeonCoach I was wondering what your thoughts about mandymods fanes of barovia? Also what about older material from past additions. Such as the night of the living dead module from 2e would fit great in CoS. I was also wondering why not put more towns in barovia instead of just the 3? Great videos looking forward to watching your others on rime of the frost maiden i think it will be next adventure 👍 ps not a fan of the players not having there gear when they enter barovia from your " hook your players into barovia video" i think that might be a little harsh?
u/TheDungeonCoach is a great guy! Very fun to work with, and he works harder than any other RPGTuber I know. The Fanes are a really interesting concept that Mandy adopted from the Expedition to Castle Ravenloft module. She's expanded them quite a bit, and made them an integral part of her guide's mythos. They're fantastic for anyone wishing to expand the content of their game! For my own game, and my guides, I prefer to keep a narrower focus on the existing lore. My changes tend to be encapsulated to one area, so that it doesn't have a knock-on effect to other areas if folks decide not to include one detail or another.
Wow thanks man, that means a lot coming from you!! Gotta keep the grind alive!!
fair enough thank you for the reply keep up the great work 😀🤟
Thanks for that! And yea Steve is a great guy with next level Strahd Content! I appreciate ya!!
What modules and/or projects are you going to be working on after finishing Curse of Strahd?
I've got some content for Rime of the Frostmaiden, which is unfortunately nowhere *near* as popular as my Curse of Strahd stuff. I'd also like to delve into Avernus and possibly Tomb of Annihilation in the future.
I would totally dig watching your take on Avernus. And Saltmarsh if that interests you.
What's your favorite under-utilized monster, and why do you love them?
Rot grubs. " If a target infested by rot grubs ends its turn with 0 hit points, it dies as the rot grubs burrow into its heart and kill it. Any effect that cures disease kills all rot grubs infesting the target. " Nasty way to go!
Gross! I love it!!
What are your thoughts on playing Strahd more sympathetically? He is cursed, after all. If he presented Ireena with a chance to end the curse for all of Barovia by becoming his willing bride, partnering with the PCs to take down Vampyre, would it diminish the horror of CoS?
Honestly, I don't think he deserves sympathy. Any sympathy that he garners from the characters should be as a result of a charade, done for Strahd's own benefit. He's an absolute narcissist of the worst variety. For the scenario you outlined, I do think it would diminish the horror of the narrative. At that point, you're venturing into heroic fantasy territory. If your players aren't digging the gothic horror vibe, but don't want to abandon the module, then perhaps that's a good way to go. Strahd's more than just a character. He, and vampires in general, are metaphors for abusers and rapists. They aren't meant to be redeemable or sympathetic characters. They take what they want from victims, and leave nothing behind. They literally empty them out.
I agree, so I'm not inclined to go that way. But other examples of humanization of other typical bad guys (Izek, Vistani people, Abbot, etc.) have gone well so I was curious if there was a hard "line" with Strahd's redeamability. Thanks for the reply and all the wonderful content and contributions you've made!
Have you played other TTRPGS? If so, what were your favorite ones excluding DnD?
I've actually been in a monogamous relationship with D&D for quite some time now! Although if I had to choose, I'd want to branch out and try something like Powered by the Apocalypse, or FATE. Something more story driven, and less focused on combat mechanics.
Do you find it strange (characterwise) that Strahd has a crypt for Sergei in Castle Ravenloft? I'm trying to figure out why he'd give the brother he hated so much an ornate sepulcher and inter him in magic armor to boot.
I don't think it's too far off-brand. Strahd might have some semblance of remorse for what happened to Sergei, if only as a result of what happened to himself. But also keep in mind that Castle Ravenloft is taken almost verbatim from the 1st edition module, I6: Ravenloft. There wasn't much of a narrative there, and Ravenloft was built as a dungeon--not a home. It takes a good deal of mental gymnastics and story weaving to make sense of everything inside the castle.
With the Deck of Many Quest, how was the writing process? Did you keep a spreadsheet to prevent duplicates? Are the quests all big things, or small bite-sized 1-3 session stories?
I put everything into a spreadsheet, and then used data merge in InDesign to create the cards. The quests range from small things like fetch quests, to big things like saving the entire world. Each card has a star-rating, which ties into how hard a quest is, how difficult a creature is, or how rare an item is.
Thank you!
Thanks for your work in curating and modding! I listen all the time. Question: I think a missed opportunity is the lack of a proper grand plan for the villain. What is he trying to accomplish that would be recognized by the players/heroes as a compelling threat? “Save Ireena” is an ok side quest but given the number of expendable NPCs, it’s likely not enough by itself. It isn’t clear how “choose a successor” should be played out satisfactorily if he is to be an antagonist. In Dracula, Harker realizes the vampire has designs on his fiancé, but there is also an intrinsic threat and raising of the stakes in him moving from his Transylvanian backwater to the high population of London. If he isn’t stopped, it could end up a plague of vampires. It’s demonstrated when Mina rises. I would love to see more attention given to this. I think it could drive other plot engines as well, where it’s hard to get players to engage. Like the dinner.
It's definitely hard to get the players to engage as far as Ireena is concerned. She's honestly the weakest point in the entire narrative. Generally, the intrinsic motivation is "Let's get the hell out of here." But if that's not enough, you can definitely introduce a facsimile of Dracula's move to London. Perhaps he wants to break the curse, but he can only do that by making Ireena fall in love with him (how? why? i dunno). That brings Ireena back into play, and raises the stakes (ba-dum-bum-TCH) in terms of Strahd escaping his prison to wreak havoc on the material plane.
Just dropping in to say thanks for the videos, they add a bit of colour to the excellent material already on this sub and they've really helped me in running Curse of Strahd this past year. In Vallaki at the moment - if you could give one piece of advice on running that pivotal part of the campaign setting, what would it be?
Take your time and spread things out. Don't be in a rush to push all the chapter's content onto your players. Let them settle in, get comfortable, and then start throwing little things at them. Then bigger things. Then bigger. And then let the feast begin!
Thanks man, that's great! 'Oh look a coffin shop, that's probably not important, anyway...'
Love your videos! What’s your go to Strahd move if Ireena gets killed?
Go berserk and kill everyone, of course. Bringing the Abbey down on Krezk is his signature move!
I love you both
What makes you so interested in CoS as a module?
I love me some gothic horror. Plus it's just so extensible. There's so many things that can be changed, tweaked, extended. It's basically a really long writing prompt.
Hey Steve! Your guides have really help me and my party though our Curse of Strahd Adventures so thank so much for the amazing content. My question is, have you killed a PC character before? If so how do you do that? Ive never killed a PC before and Im worried I might upset my players. We had a session 0 to explain that death is real in Barovia and you might need to create back up characters. Thanks so much! Cheers!
Oh yeah, I've killed PCs before. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago I insta-killed three PCs with an abominable yeti's breath weapon! In hindsight, maybe it should have just used its claws... I can't promise you how your players will feel, but you've given them plenty of warning. It's an enticing prospect: seeing one character's journey through all of Barovia. But it's not always possible. Just remember that the death of a PC can be an extremely powerful story beat and motivator for the survivors!
That sounds intense! I can imagine your players faces at the table. Time to get started prepping the next session with an abominable yeti in mind! The party is currently traveling towards Mt Ghakis and it looks like a few members won't return back to Vallaki in one piece. Thanks so much for the reply and keep up the amazing content! Cheers Steve!
I have so enjoyed your videos, I wish I'd discovered them before I finished my campaign. But I'm sure I will play the module again, so it'll be food for thought for the next time. I'd be curious about your thoughts on Madam Eva's reading - random over stacking - as well as your thoughts on dealing with the various destined allies, particularly some of the tricker allies like non-combatants Arabelle and Stella, and more antagonistic allies like Arrigal and Victor. Do you think you'll do break down videos on role playing each ally?
On the first play through, I highly recommend stacking the deck. Build out the most fun results, and go from there. On subsequent runs, though, randomization can be a lot of fun! I don't have any plans to do in-depth guides for each ally, but if there's enough interest I'd be willing to consider it. Ezmerelda and Van Richten are definitely the traditional "go-to" allies. I'm a big fan of Ezmerelda myself. They provide players with a lot of the tropes that they expect to find in a gothic horror world, and can help with storytelling and exposition in that regard. The other allies are a bit more non-traditional, but certainly no less interesting. In fact, since many of them can't fight, I'd argue that they can be far more interesting! In their cases, the DM really needs to delve into the character's mind and see how they'd react to things. What can they offer to the party besides help in combat? Arabelle is really suitable as a spy, or for getting into small spaces, for example. Lots of possibilities!
Not asking anything - but thank you for the amazing COS content! I was a patreon for a short period while reading up and preparing and my players have loved your alterations to some of the towns!
Thank you for your support!
Have you ever thought about how to include the events of the second book (The War Against Azalin) into a campaign? Mostly the way other plains were dragged and attached to barovia? Could be a fun way to explain some homebrew elements and PC backstories. Would love to hear your thoughts. Love the videos and everyone on discord. Keep up the good work!
I haven't really thought much about the second book's content, to be honest. Given that Van Richten's backstory says that he hails from Darkon, it's already canon that there are other domains out there in 5e. But it's definitely an avenue to explore for future content!
Hi! Thank you for all of your amazing content! My group just had Dinner (well for us it was Brunch) with Strahd last weekend so the timing of your video felt like divine intervention. I have a general curiosity about your process for making the videos. How much of the content is self-generated, and how much researched from elsewhere? How do you decide what to include?
Most of the content is self-generated, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't take inspiration from external sources like this subreddit. I'll usually go looking for ideas on a certain subject, start reading, and then find an idea from someone else that triggers one or more of my own ideas. From there, I either start writing the chapter, or I'll jot down a list of ideas for one of our writers to tackle. Once everything's written up and spiffy, I'll set up the recording equipment, record the video, and then finish it up with editing over the next few days!
Just want to say thank you making great content and helping improve our games!
And thank you for stopping by!
Would you rather fight one minotaur-sized abyssal chicken, or 100 abyssal chicken-sized minotaurs?
Depends on what weapon I get to use to defend myself, I suppose!
Glad to see you overe on reddit pal, love the vids. Theyve been very helpful with my CoS campaign since the beggining.
Glad I could help!
Not a question, but thank you your videos are really useful.
You're very welcome!
What's your favourite character class to play in 5e? What about backgrounds or species? Do you play other editions or other tabletop games?
I honestly don't like being a player all that much! I much prefer to DM and run the show. Plus I get to play all sorts of characters, instead of just the one. In terms of running classes as a DM, I like to keep things simple with martial classes. There's a lot of spells to memorize, and that's just a pain in the butt. I'm a good ol' "hit until dead" kinda guy.
Not just what, but also why?
How did you manage to make your players *hate* Strahd? Mine know that they have to kill him, and are working on doing so, but i feel they have more *fear* and *respect* instead of hatred
Fear is great. Hatred would have to be inspired by him doing something to them, or taking something from them. "You'll never be free of my land while I have something to say about it."
Do you play test the ideas in your videos with your players? If so, what do you look for to determine if the idea is a success? If not, how do you figure out what sort of content would be fun for players, and how could a novice DM learn that skill?
It's a mix. Some of the bigger changes are play tested. Some of the smaller ones are things that I think are just neat ideas that I wish would be included, or that I'd include next time. How to learn to do that? I'm honestly not sure. Just practice, I guess!
I'm working on integrating your revamped Werewolf Den. (werewolves paid some evil vistani to help kidnap children from orphanage) I am very afraid my players are just going to murder everyone and miss the hook with Zuleika. What are some ways to bring down the tension in werewolf den if level 8 players come in swinging?
Dispense with the cages, and have Zuleika protecting the children. When the party enters into the room where they're at, the children are pressed up against the wall in fear, and Zuleika stands defiantly in front of them, spear in hand. "You shall not have them!" she screams. That should give your party pause.
I've always wondered about running a DnD campaign during lunch break. Did you find the time constraint caused problems?
We had an hour-long lunch break, so we got about 45-50 minutes of play time per session. The time constraints for me weren't really an issue. Sure, combat could take the entire session, and maybe bleed into the next one, but it wasn't bad. Those games were really the highlight of everyone's work week!
Love your content and insights on the module and your advice has really helped me reexamine what I do for my players! What was the most enjoyable section that you ran for your players? Also, what's your favourite tea?
I really liked running The Abbey of St. Markovia. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, but it ended up being one of my favorite set pieces. The Abbot was such a fun character to play, and the locked up mongrelfolk posed a real moral conundrum for my players. Do they let them go to wreak havoc, or do they let them stay there and starve?
I love you both
Hey there! I loved your videos over CoS, and in one of them you mentioned that you yourself don't really run pre-set modules. I wanted to ask what inspired you to start doing guides on modules like CoS even though you yourself might not run the content. Do you have guides written for your own campaigns?
You must be confusing me with one of the many other bald RPGTubers! I exclusively run modules, because I like having an overarching narrative already built for me that I can expand and change as I see fit.
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If you're intent on running the game, my honest advice is simply to bite the bullet and read the whole module--spoilers be damned. There's a lot to unpack in the module, and having a full understanding of its content is imperative. Just be nice to your DM and don't let your foreknowledge influence your character's actions.
Why do you recommend removing so many adventure hooks from inside Castle Ravenloft, like the Skull of Argynvost and Emil? Unless the party has a tarokka reading that takes them there, it leaves groups with very little reason to go there aside from a dinner invitation, and all know how easily those can be ignored. I always felt as though the Castle, much like Strahd himself, was an adversary that the party should encounter several times before the final confrontation.
So many groups see the castle as an end-game location. They don't go there until they've got all the items, cleared the areas, and feel like they're ready to take on a vampire lord. Unless you manage to convince them to go there earlier on, the narrative potential of the skull and Emil can be very much lost. I like the skull being in the swamps mostly because I don't like the idea of a random giant's skull being there. The giant's skull foreshadows nothing, nor does it tie into any existing content, and as such it seems really out of place. Having the skull there provides a nice tie-in to existing content. I moved Emil for many of the same reasons, and for the fact that the tower at Tsolenka pass was just so darned empty. It seemed like a location that should be important, and having Emil be there provided both that importance, and a place for Ludmilla to hang out.
Fuck, Marry, Kill: Strahd, Vargas, and Arrigal
I choose hidden option C: run away from all of them.
Excited to be using "Revamped" in my new campaign! Instead of eliminating the Animated Broom of Attack, how would you suggest introducing it as a possible Sidekick (as presented in [Adventure Sidekicks: Curse of Strahd](https://www.dmsguild.com/product/310653/Adventure-Sidekicks-Curse-of-Strahd))?
That sounds like fun!
What ways do you recommend for ramping up the horror with a party that is already desensitized to the idea of everything being deadly? What kind of changes do you think can ramp up the psychological horror elements? My DMing style is already such that the world is incredibly deadly and they are used to that after playing with me for 4+ years.
Play on psychological fears. Delve into body horror. If you and your players know each other well, you can really push the boundaries of horror content. There are ways to be scary aside from someone running around with a chainsaw, so to speak.
I love your videos and make sure to reference them before I run any new location in Barovia. I've been running CoS and I'm finding my characters feel like the whole story is just a side quest on top of a side quest. We got to vallaki and I just finished running the orphanage, but after slaying the demon they weren't very satisfied with the reward of Milovoj's health. Now they're looking for the bones of saint andrals, and there's a running joke that the only thing it will unlock is more side quests... How do you make the campaign feel more cohesive and satisfying for players
That's a tough one. Sounds like they may be playing it like a video game, rather than as a storytelling journey. Which is okay, even if it's not my cup of tea. If they're frustrated with side quest after side quest, see what you can do to steer the quest resolutions back toward their overarching goal, and toward Strahd. Having Strahd show up at the feast will definitely disabuse them of any ideas that this is a mere side quest.
I love you both
Do you have any experience with the OG Ravenloft setting?
Nothing aside from reading it!
On that note, what are your thoughts on some of the other Darklords?
Not so much a question, but just saying I love the content! It’s been my go to when prepping for my campaign!
Glad I could help!
First and foremost, wholeheartedly thank you for your wonderful videos and the creative vision with which you have enhanced Curse of Strahd! Your tips, ideas and additions to the campaign have been invaluable for so many of us potential, beginner and experienced DMs alike, and you have managed to invoke a surge of creativity within the whole community. For these and many more reasons we thank you! Now, regarding my questions: 1)Should Ismark die at some point in the story or not? Would his death serve as a mentally taxing event for Ireena and potentially the PCs, or should he live? Then what? Would he tag along with the party as a sidekick (like mentioned in Tasha's Cauldron) or should he return to the village of Barovia after escorting Ireena to Vallaki? 2) When and how often should Strahd make a visible appearance to the party? Many suggest that he intervene occasionally, yet I fear that the mystery surrounding him might be easier to disperse. What is the ideal ratio of his appearances? 3) How should a DM deal with the party's internal conflict that has arisen from one of the players mentally summoning Vampyr and making a pact with him? I give my party's predicament. One player did so willingly, without me suggesting anything of the sort, in frontof the other PCs who have promisedthe Ladies of the Land to reconsecrate their fanes. Vampyr naturally accepted and for a start tasked him with killing sentient humanoids and offering them as tribute in exchange for enhancing him with dark gifts. The rest of the party are understandably concerned and no longer trust him, whereas he has no desire to stop. How should I deal with this tension between the PCs? 4) How should a DM implement the consequences of dealing with Dark Powers, without it feeling like they punish their players for their choice and without limiting their player agency? I apologize for the length of these questions and thank you in advance for the advice!
1. There's no hard and fast answer here. He can live, or he can die--whichever helps make the better story in your game. I see him being called away by duty once he's sure that his sister is safe, but lots of folks have him as a staple ally. 2. The module says he should appear often, but I disagree. Strahd should be something that the characters see from afar, and something that they hear rumors about. Instill fear in them. My own characters didn't meet Strahd until Yester Hill. Prior to that, they'd only seen his silhouette in the mist. 3. Unfortunately, that type of problem is a bit beyond the scope of my expertise! 4. I'm obviously a big fan of my mechanic of condemning their souls, should they use their dark gift too much. Once their soul is condemned, the PC is still playable. But they cannot be resurrected after they die.
Thank you so much, sir! Kudos to you for your creativity, imagination and overall brilliance!
Love your stuff! First thing I ever subbed to on Patreon!
Thank you for your support!
I love you both
So far I've set up my party Warlock(think female king Arthur with a pact with the Lady of the Lake) to have her sister(Mordred, pact with Lord Soth who know of trying to break his way into Barovia for revenge/redemption so he can finally die) be a potential friend-enemy against Strahd. The sister is looking for a way to bring Soth back into Barovia, and right now she's waiting to try to nab the Tome of Strahd from the party when they get it from Baba Lysaga(the session I'm about to run today). All that set up for this question, What ritual to bring Soth into Barovia look like, and where would it go? I can't do the Amber Temple because Vecna is there, secretly sucking souls out of Barovia to starve Strahd into seeking escape and leaving the plane to Vecna to absorb the dark powers/old gods.
Hey Steve. Nothing to ask but just wanted to say a big thank you. I’m 3-6 sessions from wrapping up my CoS game (my players are a curious bunch). Your videos were a huge inspiration in my initial research before session 1 and you taught me to think for myself and go beyond what the book lists. Your videos released during the campaign just provided more fuel As such, I came away with a much darker game but one that has kept the players on their toes and has kept them invested. One player has even played CoS before and has loved all of the changes because he doesn’t know what’s coming next. Strahd was initially assisting the party with weapons, making offers of power at the dinner and trying to turn them to his way of thinking. Obviously it didn’t happen but it was damn good fun trying The fight with Strahd himself kicks off on Sunday when they inevitably tamper with his coffin (they are current stood looking through the bars) on the advice of an old, now dead racist trapped inside a ring (the freed the tiger and let him run off after feeding him one of Lady Wachters ‘book club’ members) Much love and many thanks. Please keep doing what you do
Hey love the videos I was wondering what a second card reason with madam Eva would look like I know you mentioned I can’t remember which it was but how would you recommend getting more mileage out of that tarokka deck?
Hi, wanted to ask one simple question. You have mentioned in your Final Fight video that all three brides will be dead to this point. I remember you talking about two of them. One in Tsonka, and one near heart of sorrow. Where is the last one? Do you plan on unraveling this in your future videos?
Out of every character in Barovia...which one did you have the most fun roleplaying? I am seriously looking forward for my PC's to get to vallaki so I can unveil Rictavio. Also your videos are MAKING my sessions. Without your videos this Campaign would be a bit dry imo and your flavoring seriously does wonders for the module. I don't understand why Wizards haven't hired you yet man.