Herobizkit
Adventurer
Are there any tips that advise on how you could conceivably used the Book of Vile Darkness in conjunction with this work? That book simply doesn't see enough use.
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Running Expedition to Castle Ravenloft
- Thread starter Talmun
- Start date
Herobizkit said:
*Possable Spoilers*
Sure. In fact, Strahd already has at least one Vile feat, and maybe two (I don't have the book here at work.
I flirted briefly with the idea of giving Strahd some Dark Speech powers, but it semed to be a bit much, Strahd is already a very complex character. The module does include notes and side-bars on using Taint and Sanity from Heroes of Horror, which, IIRC, first appeared in BoVD.
Beyond that and off the top of my head:
- Strahd or his minions could be given access to Vile spells.
- Vile damage could be added to any number of encounters in any number of ways.
- There is an area where the existing monsters (giant insects) could be replaced by the insectoid race from the back of BoVD, I'm sorry but the name escapes me.
In short, I think there is ample oppurtunity to use Vile content in ECR, and I think the main reason that the adventure doesn't (mentioning HoH instead) is that BoVD is 3.0.
Ian Demagi
Explorer
EtCR
If you want you can look at our D & D blog- a rendering by one of our players (BBR on this board). It gives a blow by blow discription of what has happened:
http://cincidnd.blogspot.com/
BBR does an excellent job of recounting what has happeded in the game. It also has some of our other campaigns-Worlds Largest Dungeon, Heart of Evil, and "the Valley" Campaign.
So far 6 PC's have bitten the dust along with Ashlyn (npc). I am generally a " medium soft DM", but I was admonished to be a real wannker this time....The players have removed the links and have just gone into the castle.
I think the players did an excellent job in removing Strahds links to the Land.
I omitted very little and tried to run the module straight up. I did incorporate some of the first Ed feel-Strahd moves around and reacts to things, He scrys, and uses his spies. I removed the halfling vistani-they were not important so why detract from the creepy feel?
They were turned into short humans. Strahd's spell list changes with each encounter.
I think this makes it fun.
I am the DM so if you want to compare notes let me know, Ian.
If you want you can look at our D & D blog- a rendering by one of our players (BBR on this board). It gives a blow by blow discription of what has happened:
http://cincidnd.blogspot.com/
BBR does an excellent job of recounting what has happeded in the game. It also has some of our other campaigns-Worlds Largest Dungeon, Heart of Evil, and "the Valley" Campaign.
So far 6 PC's have bitten the dust along with Ashlyn (npc). I am generally a " medium soft DM", but I was admonished to be a real wannker this time....The players have removed the links and have just gone into the castle.
I think the players did an excellent job in removing Strahds links to the Land.
I omitted very little and tried to run the module straight up. I did incorporate some of the first Ed feel-Strahd moves around and reacts to things, He scrys, and uses his spies. I removed the halfling vistani-they were not important so why detract from the creepy feel?
They were turned into short humans. Strahd's spell list changes with each encounter.
I think this makes it fun.
I am the DM so if you want to compare notes let me know, Ian.
MadMaxim said:
*Spoilers*
Strahd is not just a straight caster, although he does have 10 levels of necromancer, he is listed as an Augmented Undead. He can certainly hold his own in melee (He drains 2 levels per slam, for instance), although as the players level up that becomes less and less a good idea. Still, in the initial game, one of the fighters is now level 10, and she has backed out of melee with Strahd on two recent occasions, both because of the level drain - as you might guess.
Running Strahd both in and out of combat is all about knowing what he can and can't do and keeping in mind that he is really, really smart and very, very old. He won't just stand toe-to-toe with the party's bruiser until he's almost dead, at least not without switching to an alternate form, of which he has several. I found that it was best to approach playing Strahd like running an older dragon...he has so many options open to him that he's really easy to play poorly. The flip side of that is this - I have rarely had this much fun playing a villain.
One note: For some reason, Strahd is not listed with any SR at all. I find this unacceptable, so I gave him SR of 11+CR, which is appropriate for his status as the BBEG.
Primitive Screwhead
First Post
Regaindg maps..
Any chance some high speed graphics wiz could chance these to the right battlemap size?
I would love to spend some more $$ and send these over to the Gamer Printshop for printing/laminating....
And yes, Ravenloft is my favorite module/setting
DrNilesCrane said:
Any chance some high speed graphics wiz could chance these to the right battlemap size?
I would love to spend some more $$ and send these over to the Gamer Printshop for printing/laminating....
And yes, Ravenloft is my favorite module/setting
Ian Demagi
Explorer
Sr
Its because vampires do not get spell resistance. Giving him Spell Resistance makes him over the top, and if your party wizard is using the orb spells or spells like them -Hail of Stone, a waste of time.
My players now have:
Dwarven Fighter
Half Orc Barbarian
Human Paladin of Kelemvour (with all his FR-goodies)
Human Cleric ( Light Bringer)
Human Wizard
Strahds ideas are dominate the weak willed ones, kill the strong ones. Some spells are very dangerous to Strahd-a maximized Life Bolt really un- makes his day. The cleric is now salavaiting over casting Righteous Wrath of the Faithful in a party that has 3 melee types, so getting into melee with the bashers is not something he wants to do.
Still he normally arives with Greater Invisibilty, Mage Armored, Mirror Imaged, Blured, Demension Jumping, and Flying.
For the first time last night, they forced him to go gaseous. Time to make use of Evards and Gaseous form....I can't wait for the encounter with Thredra Aranx in the bowels of Ravenloft, Ian.
Its because vampires do not get spell resistance. Giving him Spell Resistance makes him over the top, and if your party wizard is using the orb spells or spells like them -Hail of Stone, a waste of time.
My players now have:
Dwarven Fighter
Half Orc Barbarian
Human Paladin of Kelemvour (with all his FR-goodies)
Human Cleric ( Light Bringer)
Human Wizard
Strahds ideas are dominate the weak willed ones, kill the strong ones. Some spells are very dangerous to Strahd-a maximized Life Bolt really un- makes his day. The cleric is now salavaiting over casting Righteous Wrath of the Faithful in a party that has 3 melee types, so getting into melee with the bashers is not something he wants to do.
Still he normally arives with Greater Invisibilty, Mage Armored, Mirror Imaged, Blured, Demension Jumping, and Flying.
For the first time last night, they forced him to go gaseous. Time to make use of Evards and Gaseous form....I can't wait for the encounter with Thredra Aranx in the bowels of Ravenloft, Ian.
Last edited:
Ian Demagi said:
*Spoilers*
Two reasons why I gave him SR:
Story internal - Strahd is not a normal vampire. He became one after making a pact with some type of power or deity that seems tied to blood. His vampirism is undiluted and direct from the source....hence he has power that other vampires do not.
Story External - As the main villain, not having SR is a glaring weakness that any party worth their salt would exploit to the fullest (I know I would). IMO, this weakness removes a significant portion of the challenge from any encounter with him, and I feel it would ruin the game at higher levels, especially if the party has a dedicated wizard (which one of mine does). Notice I did not make him immune, 11+CR is pretty standard for 'boss'-type creatures. Yes, I know that the adventure is designed for 6-10, but both parties that I am running through ECR have encountered him on more than one occasion; SR seems to fit perfectly well with both the story and the feel/challenge of the game.
*End Spoilers*
My group make-up:
Group 1 was the initial group that started on this adventure back when I started this thread; they are about 2 sessions from finishing the adventure. All are now level 10.
Fighter/Exotic Weapons Master (Bastard Sword)
Warlock/Rogue
Spirit Shaman/Cleric
Paladin
Cleric of Pelor
Group 2 started playing through ECR about three months ago, but we only play once every two weeks, so it's slower going. They are almost 8th level.
Wizard (Transmuter)
Ranger (Bow path)
Wizard/Cleric
Cleric of Heironeous
Fighter/Rogue/Soon to be Shadowdancer
Fighter
Barbarian
DragonLancer
Adventurer
As of tonight I added EtCR to my Age of Worms campaign as a side plot that I have tied into the main plot on a small level. One of my players knows the original module quite well but for him this is a cool nostalgia replay so I don't mind.
Next bit under spoiler...
They are higher level than expected to start (they are 9th) and have still found the zombies to be rather tough especially onmass.
I might consider giving Strahd SR but I will decide that closer to their encounter with him and after they decide what route they want to take to defeat him.
Next bit under spoiler...
So far they have only entered the village and fought their way past a number of tough zombies, rescued the paladin at the well and retreated into the tavern to rest.
They are higher level than expected to start (they are 9th) and have still found the zombies to be rather tough especially onmass.
I might consider giving Strahd SR but I will decide that closer to their encounter with him and after they decide what route they want to take to defeat him.
Ian Demagi
Explorer
EtCR-spoilers
I guess it depends how you play the game. I guess I have taken some liberties by letting him have all the spells from the Complete Mage, Arcane, & Spell Compendium. He let loose with a Many Jaws and a Blood Star combo that was very, very nasty.
Strahd in my game just got free of the shapeless spawn -making him go nuts (the players took it out in 5 rounds and its little gibbering mouthers too), so he will be more devious than ever. The party is getting pretty smart: the wizard and the cleric both had 2 dispels each and an invisibilty purge too. Strahd needs to find a way to counterspell invisibilty purge, it is ruining all his fun!
Next big problem is now the cleric has Righteous Wrath of the Faithful and 3 big hitters to make it work (Fighter, Barbarian, & Paladin). If Strahd gets trapped, He is in for world of pain-may as well go gaseous right then.
BTW-do you think the Light Bringer destroy undead option is too strong? It certainly speeds up game play rather than waiting for the fighter types to dispatch all the undead critters that were turned...Ian.
I guess it depends how you play the game. I guess I have taken some liberties by letting him have all the spells from the Complete Mage, Arcane, & Spell Compendium. He let loose with a Many Jaws and a Blood Star combo that was very, very nasty.
Strahd in my game just got free of the shapeless spawn -making him go nuts (the players took it out in 5 rounds and its little gibbering mouthers too), so he will be more devious than ever. The party is getting pretty smart: the wizard and the cleric both had 2 dispels each and an invisibilty purge too. Strahd needs to find a way to counterspell invisibilty purge, it is ruining all his fun!
Next big problem is now the cleric has Righteous Wrath of the Faithful and 3 big hitters to make it work (Fighter, Barbarian, & Paladin). If Strahd gets trapped, He is in for world of pain-may as well go gaseous right then.
BTW-do you think the Light Bringer destroy undead option is too strong? It certainly speeds up game play rather than waiting for the fighter types to dispatch all the undead critters that were turned...Ian.
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