D&D Curse of Strahd (Adventure Book)

I am familiar with every 5e adventure up through Tomb of Annihilation (and I have DM'd Out of the Abyss, Storm King's Thunder, and Lost Mine). In my opinion this is the best, though the best parts of OOTA are at this level. I was skeptical about running a horror-themed adventure b/c my group is sort of into traditional swords and sorcery, but the story was so good that this objection was quickly swept away. What I like (and the below includes spoilers that are inappropriate for any non-DMs): 1) The overall atmosphere is wonderfully spooky, with lots of superb little touches -- a pool of water that reflects a character's face but much older, abandoned children's toys, dead people hanging mysteriously from a gallows beside the road, villagers who are afraid to speak to the PCs, a duplicitous invitation to Strahd's realm to kick things off, a tower with a huge live heart beating in it that causes the tower to shake and tremble, and that explodes in blood when attacked. 2) Strahd is a wonderful villain -- it is fun for everyone the way he is supposed to escalate his attacks on the players. First he might just watch them, or send his spies to gauge the characters' powers (which is itself a spooky encounter), then he might change shapes (a lost dog scratching at the door, an orphaned child) to try to lure the players to allow him to come close. Then as they become a true threat he tries to kill them, most likely in his castle, which contains all sorts of areas ripe for an ambush. As the DM, you control Strahd and get to cook up his murderous schemes, but the book also gives you plenty of ideas and guidance. It is also fun to have him identify particular players that he particularly likes or hates; I had him try to kidnap a player he fell in love with, and another player he tried to destroy above all others (after first charming that player and trying to chop off his hand, in full view of the others). 3) The basic structure is straightforward to run, and the players are never left to feel that they are wandering around pointlessly (as occasionally occurs in SKT); they have a clear objective, which is to escape from the valley controlled by Strahd, and which can be done only by killing Strahd. Such a simple plot, but so many twists along the way. To succeed the players have to (a) visit two towns, both of them fully brought to life and invested with dread in dozens of little ways, with great NPCs, (b) visit several locations to obtain magic items that will help them defeat Strahd, and then (c) go to Strahd's castle to kill him. The locations with the magic items are determined by a tarot card reading -- a really great and spooky thing in and of itself. Of course I rigged the card reading to pick my favorite locations, e.g., a mill where children's bones are ground up into pastries sold by night hags, or an abbey run by a lunatic, full of his gruesome Frankenstein-like creations, including a bride to be offered to Strahd and made from dead bodies.... 4) There are some great fun traps -- eg a doorway that can be opened only by mimicking the body positions of the stick figures etched into the lintel, in the order indicated by a line connecting the stick figures. Strahd's castle is just excellent in every way, full of wonderful NPCs, and far from the standard hack and slay D&D climax. 5) The writing is excellent. This adventure has gone thru multiple iterations, and it has the feel of a classic that has been improved and deepened and broadened several times. Chris Perkins is the writer for pretty much all the best D&D modules, and he said this one he wrote easily and quickly -- I think he really got in a groove and did a great job adding on to the older versions (which were justly celebrated in their own right).

I have now run this adventure 4x. Once as a player and 3x as a DM. Everyone of my games have been a far different experience. Like all the 5e Pre-made adventures, there is quick introductory one-shot adventure before the campaign starts, called Death House, which alone is one of the best adventures available in 5e. After the introduction, the land of Barovia is open to the players to explore. This is both good and bad. The Good is that the players have complete freedom to explore and pick their battles. The book is well crafted to accommodate most any off the cuff player decisions. The Bad is that the players can easily find themselves well over there head. There is one particular early encounter that is well above the players level and 100% deadly if the players are not discerning. The most unique part of this adventure is an early encounter that randomly determines the location of 3 story items, which will then determine some of the locations the players explore and even the pacing of the overall game. This allows room for repeat sessions without retreading too much. There is still a good bit of retread for return players, but a DM will find freshness with multiple play throughs. Additionally, there is a lot room for DM improvisation. In the 3 runs I have DMed, I have added a great bit of content of my own. In my 2nd game, I even had the players working directly for Strahd to rid his land of rivals. The biggest grip is that there are parts of the land that will likely go unexplored if the players do no draw the properly random adventure hooks. Another small grip is that there little reason why escorting a vampire victim to a neighboring town is safer than where she is. This is doubly a problem considering this adventure is the hook that sets the adventure. This can be reasoned when its presented in a later chapter that the church in the town has a permanent protection against evil that repels vampires. Overall, Curse of Strahd is a very dynamic adventure that can easily serve as a Campaign setting with near endless potential for DM expansion and creativity.

A must have for any DM or player who just wants to be very engagedged

"Curse of Strahd" for Dungeons & Dragons is an absolute masterpiece that deserves a full five stars for its depth, complexity, and sheer fun. Immersive Storytelling: The story is incredibly engaging, plunging players into the eerie and atmospheric realm of Barovia. The narrative is rich with lore, suspense, and mystery, creating a compelling and immersive experience from start to finish. Complex Villain: Strahd von Zarovich is one of the most well-crafted villains in D&D history. His presence is felt throughout the campaign, and his complex personality and motivations make him a formidable and memorable antagonist. Players will find themselves both intrigued and terrified by his character. Atmosphere and Setting: The gothic horror setting is beautifully detailed, with hauntingly vivid descriptions that bring the world to life. Every location, from the foreboding Castle Ravenloft to the mist-shrouded villages, is meticulously crafted to enhance the eerie atmosphere and sense of dread. Varied Encounters: The campaign offers a fantastic mix of combat, role-playing, and puzzle-solving encounters. Each session feels fresh and exciting, with plenty of opportunities for players to shine and make meaningful choices that affect the story. Player Agency: "Curse of Strahd" excels in giving players the freedom to explore and interact with the world in a meaningful way. The sandbox nature of the campaign allows for a high degree of player agency, making every decision impactful and memorable. Replay Value: With multiple paths and outcomes, "Curse of Strahd" has excellent replay value. Different groups can experience entirely different adventures based on their choices, ensuring that no two campaigns are exactly alike. Comprehensive Guide: The book itself is well-organized and easy to follow, with clear instructions and helpful tips for Dungeon Masters. The included maps, NPC descriptions, and plot hooks make preparation and running the campaign a breeze. Conclusion: "Curse of Strahd" is a must-have for any Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast. Its immersive storytelling, complex villain, atmospheric setting, varied encounters, player agency, replay value, and comprehensive guide make it a standout campaign. It's a thrilling adventure that will keep players on the edge of their seats, earning it a well-deserved five stars!

I honestly can't recommend this adventure enough!!! We are about 1/3 of the way thru the campaign and it's seriously one of the best I've ever seen. Here is my list of suggestions....some SPOILERS AHEAD. 1. I would recommend waiting until the characters are 3rd level or so. That way your players are really starting to gel as a team, caring about each other and their characters. The reason for this is the adventure will scare the stuffing out of them because death is literally everywhere. I've never seen my players so freaked. 2. I would also highly recommend anyone who runs the campaign spend about a week reading it and then do yourself a HUGE favor and map out all the possibilities. Take note. PREP PREP PREP. 3. Use the Ravens to move your characters along when they get stuck on what to do or if they head somewhere WAY over their head. 4. Use the Dream Pastries. Anyone who eats one give them madness/depression where they feel like they will never get out of Barovia and they are going to die. Additionally anyone who eats on is hooked/addicted and can't sleep (short or long rest) because it's all they think about, which means they can't heal except through the use of magic. A remove curse should take care of this. Also have beggars, who beg in the streets, beg for pastries or coin to buy pastries but only after your players are hooked. Finally, once hooked give the hint what's in them. Fabulous! 5. If anyone gets bit my a werewolf DO NOT ROLL the save right away!!! Take notes who got bit. Wait until the 2nd or 3rd rest and THEN make them make the save. Anyone who fails turns during the night and OH BOY THE FUN REALLY STARTS!!! 6. Finally, I suggest playing Strahd like a bad ex boyfriend. Have him pop up a few times, beat the stuffing outta of the party, and leaving them crying. Good luck! It is awesome!

The adventure came in surprisingly fast, and in good condition! The quality is great, and I can't wait to run a game for my friends soon!

This is a very well-done adventure that is somewhat of an adventure/campaign hybrid. Probably a lot more places that the PCs can go than you'll need for a standard adventure, but not enough for a fully detailed campaign. This adventure rocks on two accounts 1. It has many sub-plots with complex characters that will help the DM weave the outlines of a detailed story, and the resolutions are open-ended enough that the PCs can use their decisions to help flesh out those stories. 2. It doesn't skimp on the crunch either, with many fully detailed maps, traps, interesting encounters, etc. So, it's a great boon for DMs who like the story assist, and for those who don't want to have to design dungeons, come up with reasons for rooms, set up traps, determine multiple monsters and challenges for parties of different levels, etc. However, it does have one big drawback -with all of the detail in this book, it is very challenging to run the adventure due to a lack of summary, important details scattered, and just general lack of good organization. It basically says, "Here's how the PCs start, they'll search around to find 3 items and 1 ally, they'll level up, and here's how it ends". As a result, there are quite a few people asking how to actually run the adventure on the D&D forums, because it's not very clear. There are actually a smattering of details in each area that help link to other areas, but they're often buried in the text so it's very easy for the DM to forget to drop hints about where the PCs can go next. It would have really helped if the adventure had included 1-2 pages of a few sample ways that the PCs might progress from the adventure -They start in Barovia and are recruited by Ismark, who suggests they then go to Vallaki or Krezk. If they run into Rictavio in Vallaki, he drops clues about his tower, ...etc. I know the adventure is supposed to be open-ended, but at least a vague outline of at least ONE possible way to run the adventure would have been really helpful. It is a lot easier to modify/adapt an existing outline than to create one from scratch! As I said, there are a few details in each section that can lead into other sections. My suggestion would be for DMs to make a list of each area (perhaps in a spreadsheet), and then document the following: 1. The suggested level for the area. (The PCs might not be at this level, but at least the DM will have a head's up). 2. What quests or NPCs suggest going TO this area. For example, Ismark suggests Vallaki, and he and Donavich both suggest Krezk. 3. What quests/tasks can the PCs do while AT the area, which includes what interesting NPCs can they deal with. 4. What quests/tasks lead FROM this area to other areas. 5. What treasure is in this area (Optional). I include this because the intro Death House adventure contains a modest and balanced amount of treasure, but then the adventure is pretty skimpy until near 10th level at Amber Temple and Castle Ravenloft. Either treasure doesn't exist (defeating the very difficult Hag Coven at Old Bonegrinder gets you a total of only 150 gp in necklaces!), or it exists as the PCs robbing/burgling innocent NPCs. This kind of outline should help the DM be prepared for setting up future sessions, and to know where to go if the PCs get stuck and don't know what to do in any given area. "Aha, since the PCs are at Krezk, I can hook the following quests/dungeons!" Other drawbacks in my opinion: 1. The book comes with a very nice fold-out map of Barovia, which includes maps of other areas. However, it would have been helpful if the maps did NOT have the labeling on them, so you can use them for the PCs (unless they play dumb). After all, the maps otherwise exist in the book, so the fold-out would be better suited for the PCs. 2. The book is organized in the order of the areas from East to West, not necessarily the order in which the PCs would encounter them. For example, the first area chapter is in the Village of Barovia (near where the PCs start), but the very long next chapter is Castle Ravenloft itself, which is the end-game! 3. There are a number of useful bits of information, such as a list of random Barovia names, details on which spells work different, suggested level for different areas, etc. Unfortunately, they tend to be scattered in different areas and it can take many rereadings and searching to find something that you knew you read but can't remember where to find. An index would certainly have helped too! There are some random good points that I rather liked though: 1. There are quite a variety of NPCs in this adventure, both good and evil. The PCs can actually work with quite a few of the evil NPCs due to converging goals, which gives greater nuance. 2. I was worried that the adventure was going to be somewhat coy with Strahd, as it was in the old computer game Strahd's Possession, and it would take half of the adventure before the PCs realized what he was and that he was the villain. My fears were unfounded -he's established as the main villain from the beginning, and everyone in Barovia knows that he's evil and a vampire. 3. I was curious how actually "horrifying" this adventure could be, since it takes place in an action game. While the adventure may or may not be horrifying to the players depending upon their personalities and how the DM runs the game, there are certainly many, many unsettling things found within the adventure itself. A common one involves various horrifying things done to children, and/or loves ones (one NPC casts Gentle Repose on the corpse of her dead husband so she can sleep with him every night!). I think many of these stories work well with the Gothic Horror concept, as many stories in this genre involve horror caused by the weaknesses and/or moral failings of humanity (Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, etc.), as opposed to Eldritch Horrors being scary because they defy human comprehension. Anyways, as my headline says, this is a very awesome sandbox to run a horror game. You'll have plenty of interesting dungeons for your PCs to explore and dramatic stories to tell -just be prepared for a lot of note-taking to help you do so!

Wonderful art and story, just wish it was a bit easier to adjust for higher levels.

Good book

I bought this book to run for my group once we finish our current campaign, Princes of the Apocalypse. Wanting something of a change from the big, glorious dungeons of Princes, we talked back and forth and decided to go for Curse of Strahd thinking the atmosphere and horror elements would be refreshing. After receiving the book and reading through, I honestly can not wait to run this adventure. Firstly, the quality of the book itself is excellent. The accompanying artwork, layout, color scheme and maps are all beautifully thought out, well ordered and presented on very good quality paper. DnD books obviously cost a good amount of cash and, thankfully, this book feels like you are really getting your money's worth. The campaign is very well written with solid characters, lore and locations. Strahd himself is described well, he is a fun villain and there are plenty of tips on how to make him a diabolical, scheming foe for your players. There's also an interesting semi-random element to the campaign structure, which I won't go into detail about for spoiler reasons, but it's a novel idea that I think will be a lot of fun, especially if you end up running this adventure again. This is a pretty open ended game which means you, as a DM, will need to put the work in beforehand to get it all ready, but every step of the story is well explained and laid out so once the work is done I think even new DMs will be able to run this easily. Again, the book guides you with helpful tips and details on how to create the atmosphere of horror, run the monsters and role play all of the non-player characters. The only minor gripe I have is Castle Ravenloft. Though the included map is beautiful, expansive and will make for an incredibly memorable location, the map is isometric and highly stylized. This means it is quite impractical as a battle map if you want to use it like that, either online or with miniatures. With all of the maps in the book being really wonderful Mike Schley top-down examples, the jarring difference for Castle Ravenloft, the finale and main focus of the entire game, is a big shame. Saying that, the map is still usable, even if just for reference and flavor but personally I am going to re-draw it in a more practical format for when my players decide to visit.

Questo è un modulo rivisto per la quinta edizione di D&D, ma lungi dall'essere semplicemente un adattamento. Ha moltissime storie, background, dettagli, è curata in modo maniacale e l'arte all'interno del libro è di altissima qualiltà. L'avventura poi è gestita in modo da avvolgere completamente i giocatori, farli sentire braccati in un mondo che non li vuole, e farli sentire eroi quando riusciranno ad affrontare ciò che la Curse of Strahd getta loro. Consiglio vivamente di entrare nel mondo di Ravenloft :)

Quality is good

Inspired to dm