D&D 5E [Updated with cover!] The D&D Book Is.... Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft!

Yesterday's hints that a new D&D book would be announced today have born fruit -- we now have a product description and a title! It's a Ravenloft setting book, with tools and new rules for horror-themed games, and new horror-themed character options. I'll update this post with a product image as soon as one is revealed -- the official announcement allegedly comes today!

D&D 5E - Here's the Ravenloft Alternate Cover!

As usual, there is an alternate hobby-store exclusive cover for the upcoming Ravenloft book. Here's a look at it! And here's the full wraparound art. https://www.enworld.org/threads/updated-with-cover-the-d-d-book-is-van-richtens-guide-to-ravenloft.678411/...

www.enworld.org

D&D 5E - Everything We Know About The Ravenloft Book

Here is a list of everything we know so far about the upcoming Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. Art by Paul Scott Canavan May 18th, 256 pages 30 domains (with 30 villainous darklords) Barovia (Strahd), Dementlieu (twisted fairly tales), Lamordia (flesh golem), Falkovnia (zombies), Kalakeri...

www.enworld.org

Here’s some info on Dr. Rudolph Van Richten! He's a vampire hunter (he appeared in Curse of Strahd, and he's been around in the Ravenloft setting for decades) and is basically Van Helsing to Strahd's Dracula. His name appears on a whole pile of 2nd Edition D&D sourcebooks, all titled "Van Richten's Guide to.... Vampires/Ghosts/Werebeasts, etc."

The Ravenloft setting, of course, features a bunch of 'domains' other than Barovia itself, each ruled by its own Dark Lord. Strahd rules Barovia, but even other signature D&D villains like Lord Soth and Vecna have been placed in Ravenloft ruling dread domains of their own, along with an assortment of other domain rulers.

The Mist Beckons

The image below is not of the upcoming book, but of one of the many D&D 2nd Edition Van Richten's Guides.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

That is basically how we play too and why I don't try to use "horror" for a long-term campaign.

I've seen it go the opposite way as well, i.e. players basically not wanting to go on after losing their PC, not in like a "ragequit" way, just in a "clearly no longer excited about this" way, and neither that nor "Who cares... I'll re-roll" really preserve the horror. I think one just has to accept that it's more of a "horror theme" rather than expecting horror every single session. Not even specialized horror-games like CoC can consistently manage that, in my experience.

 

[Eric V]

To me the best thing to set the mood for horror is a real fear of character death. That can be easily achieved without gimmicks and parlor tricks (as I understand the phrase). You do need player buy-in as that kind of fear doesn't work for everyone.

I'm mean, that is really the biggest "horror" aspect of Call of Cthulhu back when I played it in the 80s. It was the fear of my player dying or going insane. Nothing else mechanically really set the mood IMO. The idea that you are not heroes is different than most D&D, but it is pretty easy to achieve in D&D.

For my groups, what made "horror monsters" (basically undead) so terrifying was level drain. When that spectre hits you and now all of a sudden you're level 6, that is scary.

 

[embee]

For my groups, what made "horror monsters" (basically undead) so terrifying was level drain. When that spectre hits you and now all of a sudden you're level 6, that is scary.

Welcome to the Death Spiral.

 

[Charlaquin]

A more robust Sanity system would be nice for running in this setting. Even calling its treatment in DMG "short shrift" is being generous.

Ugh, I hope not. I’ve never met a sanity system I’ve liked, save maybe Bloodborne’s Insight. I’d rather that word count be used on something else.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I wonder if Innistrad could be one of the new Domains of Dread?

I would be surprised if it wasn't at least mentioned... like in a section saying "You can use this material for anything sufficiently spooky in a non-Ravenloft game, including your own homebrew world, or an entirely different horror-themed setting like Innistrad."

 

[Charlaquin]

Quite surprised that they didn’t use this as a pivot to an Innistrad setting book.

Do we know for sure Innistrad won’t be one of the domains of dread?

 

[Hatmatter]

2E but iirc pretty edition neutral.

Nice...I find converting 2E to fifth edition a breeze as well.

 

[Khozma]

For my groups, what made "horror monsters" (basically undead) so terrifying was level drain. When that spectre hits you and now all of a sudden you're level 6, that is scary.

There's still life drain and sometimes ability drain effects in the place of level drain in 5e, at least (i.e., HP max and ability score reduction mechanics). I hope the new bestiary has some gnarly monsters with interesting mechanics like shadows, maurezhi, wights, yagnoloths, and intellect devourers, which are a few that come to mind as having energy drain-esque effects.

 

[dave2008]

This is exactly what I was hoping for. Big changes, new darklords, entirely new domains. Pretty much the only way I'd end up buying this, and it sounds like they did it. Smart move from my perspective and I'm now actually kind of excited about this.

Just don't get to excited. I fear with 30 domains to cover you are not going to get a lot on each one. That being said, this is one of the factors that has increased my excitement as well.

 

[Professor Murder]

As someone stated elsewhere, say 2 pgs a domain should be healthy. What people should not expect are unique stats for all the darklords.