D&D General The thread where I review a ton of Ravenloft modules

[TiQuinn]

IMNSHO, the 2E rules are a poor fit for Ravenloft, and the adventure designers just couldn't get past that (which I think was a huge reason we ended up with Masque). But the lands of Ravenloft do hit a lot differently when the party is majority human (and, at best demi-humans of elves, dwarves, halflings, half-elves, gnomes and on the far outside half-orcs) instead of the wild variety of races available in 5E.

I’ve always felt Masque played so much better overall than core Ravenloft because of its restrictions on races and magic becoming a more investigative game with a firearms system that worked.

 

[Remathilis]

IMNSHO, the 2E rules are a poor fit for Ravenloft, and the adventure designers just couldn't get past that (which I think was a huge reason we ended up with Masque). But the lands of Ravenloft do hit a lot differently when the party is majority human (and, at best demi-humans of elves, dwarves, halflings, half-elves, gnomes and on the far outside half-orcs) instead of the wild variety of races available in 5E.

I chuckle at this because even with the full variety of 5e races open to them, my group ended up two humans, a half-elf/hexblood, a dhampir, a reborn, and a custom made sentient cat ala Thackery Binx. The menagerie is more theoretical than evidence.

 

[TiQuinn]

I chuckle at this because even with the full variety of 5e races open to them, my group ended up two humans, a half-elf/hexblood, a dhampir, a reborn, and a custom made sentient cat ala Thackery Binx. The menagerie is more theoretical than evidence.

To be fair, I think some would still call that a menagerie.

 

[Remathilis]

I’ve always felt Masque played so much better overall than core Ravenloft because of its restrictions on races and magic becoming a more investigative game with a firearms system that worked.

MotRD is a game I've wanted an update for so badly, since 2e is a poor fit for that type of game. But the 3e and 5e updates left my ice cold. I'd love to see the simplicity of the original box but with a nice modern system running it. Maybe one day...

 

[TiQuinn]

MotRD is a game I've wanted an update for so badly, since 2e is a poor fit for that type of game. But the 3e and 5e updates left my ice cold. I'd love to see the simplicity of the original box but with a nice modern system running it. Maybe one day...

Did you ever try out the 5e version by Jeremy Forbing? Is that the one you’re referring to? I read it recently and there’s a few things that seem odd but haven’t heard from anyone who actually used it.

 

[Remathilis]

To be fair, I think some would still call that a menagerie.

They all look human on the surface. Which is the point, they aren't a tabaxi, dragonborn, tortle and goblin running around. They can walk into a town and fit in at first glance. But then again, the humans are a blood hunter and an artificer who built his own Frankenstein, so the whole group is effectively cursed in one way or another.

 

[Remathilis]

Did you ever try out the 5e version by Jeremy Forbing? Is that the one you’re referring to? I read it recently and there’s a few things that seem odd but haven’t heard from anyone who actually used it.

I looked at both the 3e RPGA and the Arthaus versions and didn't like either, and I forget which 5e version I saw (it was in production after CoS and before VRGR, but I don't remember much anymore) I recall the preview did not light my world on fire though.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I mean, is it?

I can go into the Complete Works of Lovecraft knowing his beliefs and STILL be shocked when I encounter his racist language and ideas. I think it's fair to call it out, even if you're well aware of the historical context of it.

Being offended is not the same as being surprised. We know the racism is there , “I didn’t expect to find that!” is an odd response. “That’s horrible!” Is not.

 

[TiQuinn]

Being offended is not the same as being surprised. We know the racism is there , “I didn’t expect to find that!” is an odd response. “That’s horrible!” Is not.

Let’s be fair, though. This comes up because someone finds the thread several weeks after it started, takes issue with the first review’s tone, and it continues from there. Subsequent reviews have dwelled less on these issues unless something egregiously different reared its head.

 

[Voadam]

I chuckle at this because even with the full variety of 5e races open to them, my group ended up two humans, a half-elf/hexblood, a dhampir, a reborn, and a custom made sentient cat ala Thackery Binx. The menagerie is more theoretical than evidence.

When I ran my 5e conversion of the Pathfinder 1e gothic horror adventure path I told the party it was gothic horror themed and the party was a bunch of humans and a half-orc and a half-elf and it worked great.

I think Gothic Horror works better with more humanish PCs in general as part of the horror angle is people who are monsters and corruption of people, so a human or an elf mostly works but a furry monstrous bugbear does not have the same perspective to be horrified at turning into a bestial werewolf. I think this applies the same for using the 2e Book of Humanoids or dragonborn in 5e.