Check Out This Beefed-Up CR17 Strahd!

EN World member dave2008 maintains what is, in my opinion, one of the most useful, fun, and interesting threads on the whole forum. His 5E Epic Monster Updates thread contains dozens of gods (of the greater, intermediate, lesser, and demi flavours), primordials, demon princes, archdevils, dukes of hell, aberrations, abominations, constructs, dragons, elemental lords, arch-fey, monstrosities, and undead. While the thread is great to read at any time, he's just added a beefed-up CR17 version of Strahd von Zarovich (he's CR15 in Curse of Strahd). You can see it below, but click on the image and check out all of his epic monsters, as well as his 5E Epic Characters thread.

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[dave2008]

It might be decent if there are more legendary actions on the next page. Perhaps the ability to cast a spell as a legendary action, or to raise up or call some undead to fight with/for him.

Lair actions in CoS cover this.

 

[dave2008]

Also, +2 Half Plate shouldn't be AC 18 anyway. It should be AC 19 after Dex. It's weird that he doesn't use a shield for AC 21--he should at least have the option.

Yeah, I wrote the +2 half plate and then forgot to go back and check it. Bumping his AC to 19 doesn't change is CR, so I should get that corrected. You could definitely give him a shield, but that would impact his ability to grapple and thus bite. Plus, I don't think Strahd is traditionally a shield user. I wasn't trying to redesign him to make him uber-powerful. Just a bit of a tweak to fit his traditional abilities really.

 

[dave2008]

Sounds like you're still caught up in 3e thinking, where AC values are somehow tied to level ranges. AC means a whole lot less in 5e. You need to look at everything in its entire context, and how each ability, the environment, and occupants all tie in together. Also, whether or not there is mechanical support there doesn't make him interesting. How the DM uses him does.

Agreed, his lair actions are particular interesting and make him very difficult in combination with his standard and legendary actions.

 

[Ath-kethin]

I've corrected all the typos that WORD could find (there where only 4, mostly wold instead of wolf) and re-posted it. Let me know if you see anything else.

But really - it is not like I'm publishing these things!

This stuff happens to all of us; I seem to have an eagle eye for typos and grammatical errors on absolutely everything - except my own writing, of course. There, I'm blind as a bat. It's a good idea to read a page out loud to yourself if you don't have a second pair of eyes to go over it for you. Not that I ever do, but it's still a good idea.

Anyway, what I noticed:

". . . invitation FORM one of the occupants."

". . .advantage on rolls against EFFECT that turn undead."

". . . while in bat or WOLD form . . ."

". . . in WOLD form . . ."

"obeying HI SSPOKEN word . . ."

"His statistics, other than size and speed are unchanged." Either needs another comma or to have the one already there removed.

That's all I see for errors, and I imagine you caught most of them on another pass. You might want to tighten up some of your phrasing though.

 

[dave2008]

I do not play 5e - but that layout looks reasonable. The 3.5 version was terrible. You do not need to see every single feat (esp if it is just an adjustment to reflect in the numbers) and have tons of skills that just do not matter just to make him more like a PC (that was a huge downfall of 3e on the DM side). All that does is create a higher risk of "oh crap, that would not have happened because I totally missed he had Super Awesome Evasion!" That happens no matter what, but cluttering the page with excess material makes it much more likely.

So listing lots of cool things he can do - good.

But Listing lots of thing he can do that do that he will never actually do and would be uncool if he did do them (Profession - Greengrocer) is bad design.

Also, I think the vampire has the largest stat block in the MM. Most are much more reasonable.

 

[dave2008]

This stuff happens to all of us; I seem to have an eagle eye for typos and grammatical errors on absolutely everything - except my own writing, of course. There, I'm blind as a bat. It's a good idea to read a page out loud to yourself if you don't have a second pair of eyes to go over it for you. Not that I ever do, but it's still a good idea.

Anyway, what I noticed:

". . . invitation FORM one of the occupants."

". . .advantage on rolls against EFFECT that turn undead."

". . . while in bat or WOLD form . . ."

". . . in WOLD form . . ."

"obeying HI SSPOKEN word . . ."

"His statistics, other than size and speed are unchanged." Either needs another comma or to have the one already there removed.

That's all I see for errors, and I imagine you caught most of them on another pass. You might want to tighten up some of your phrasing though.

Thanks! I fixed the WOLD ones WOLF already, but missed the others. I get them fixed and re-post tonight.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Hey. I am really sure AC 18 or 19 as well as all the utility strahd has should male sure hebis indeed CR 17.

 

[MechaPilot]

Have you seen his lair actions? Those combined with his legendary move action and magical equipment, higher HP, and regeneration make him really hard to kill. Plus he can dish out 170 hp of damage per round.

As it is now he cast a spell and still move and/or attack with his legendary actions. But I don't even know if I would bother with it.

No. I don't have the adventure yet. Waiting for payday, and even then I'll still have to have my copy ordered because the FLGS in my area designates an area that's about one foot tall by three feet wide by three feet deep for D&D books of all editions. So, all I have to go on is what was in the OP.

 

[dave2008]

No. I don't have the adventure yet. Waiting for payday, and even then I'll still have to have my copy ordered because the FLGS in my area designates an area that's about one foot tall by three feet wide by three feet deep for D&D books of all editions. So, all I have to go on is what was in the OP.

Sorry, I didn't want to give up to much from the adventure. But I can see the lair actions, used correctly, being very effect. Plus he gets an HP boost from a magic item that is not in the stat block. All of those features are dependent on him being in the Castle.

FYI, I don't have it either, just skimmed it and found it posted (image of Strahd and his lair actions) posted on Reddit.

 

[MechaPilot]

Sorry, I didn't want to give up to much from the adventure. But I can see the lair actions, used correctly, being very effect. Plus he gets an HP boost from a magic item that is not in the stat block. All of those features are dependent on him being in the Castle.

FYI, I don't have it either, just skimmed it and found it posted (image of Strahd and his lair actions) posted on Reddit.

No worries. I think a lot of people around here do have it: it's a fairly safe assumption to make for the most part. I am definitely looking forward to seeing the adventure. The only downside is that I won't get to play it, just run it.

It would be nice to see other Ravenloft notables show up somewhere, even if it's not more adventures. Strahd is cool, but he's not my favorite darklord. That title belongs to Miss Jaqueline Renier, who I might try statting up one of these days.