D&D 5E Curse of Strahd (and limitations on 1st level play)

[overgeeked]

This is my second time running Curse of Strahd. With this group, I tried to emphasize that Barovia was a scary place in an attempt to get the most out of the theme.
It's backfired.

The group is running away from every challenge, accomplishing no story progress, defeating no threats, etc. I was going to keep up with XP behind the screen to have an idea of when to advance their levels (along with milestone). In three sessions, they've earned 80 XP.

Yep. That's generally my experience with 5E. Anything that even remotely challenges a group, they run the other way and keep on running. The game isn't designed to do that. It's designed to provide and endless series of incredibly easy encounters that make the PCs look awesome. Basically the polar opposite of anything remotely recognizable as a horror story.

They ran away from the kids from the Death House without going in.

Wow. That's...damn. LOL. Good job.

It's like they're going to be perpetually stuck at 1st level. As they've fled deeper into Barovia, they are creating a self-fulfilling prophecy: every encounter around them is too strong.

What's a DM to do?

Talk to your players. That usually solved 99% of issues at the table. Chances are there's a mismatch of expectations. You want to challenge the PCs and reinforce the horror vibe of Strahd; the players want a typical easy-mode 5E experience with a Disney-land coat of "horror" paint.

 

[MGibster]

Yep. That's generally my experience with 5E. Anything that even remotely challenges a group, they run the other way and keep on running. The game isn't designed to do that. It's designed to provide and endless series of incredibly easy encounters that make the PCs look awesome. Basically the polar opposite of anything remotely recognizable as a horror story.

I think horror in D&D has always been difficult partly beacuse vampires, ghosts, ghouls, and zombies aren't any scarier than your typical fantasy monsters. At least in 1st edition something like wights were incredibly scary because they could drain your hard earned levels.

 

[overgeeked]

I think horror in D&D has always been difficult partly beacuse vampires, ghosts, ghouls, and zombies aren't any scarier than your typical fantasy monsters. At least in 1st edition something like wights were incredibly scary because they could drain your hard earned levels.

Well, level drains, instant death, and save or suck were what made horror work in 1E and 2E. Let's see. Ghosts have magic jar, age on sight, and save or flee. Ghouls have paralytic touch. Vampires have level drain and a list of powers. And these were save once or suck for awhile. No save every round. And I mean...Ravenloft. You can do horror just fine with TSR D&D, the various clones, and OSR games. You have an infinitely harder time doing horror with WotC D&D. Because it's designed with the opposite aesthetic in mind.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Well, level drains, instant death, and save or suck were what made horror work in 1E and 2E. Let's see. Ghosts have magic jar, age on sight, and save or flee. Ghouls have paralytic touch. Vampires have level drain and a list of powers. And these were save once or suck for awhile. No save every round. And I mean...Ravenloft. You can do horror just fine with TSR D&D, the various clones, and OSR games. You have an infinitely harder time doing horror with WotC D&D. Because it's designed with the opposite aesthetic in mind.

Weren't all those in 3e?

And also weren't those also just things other random, non-horror monsters pulled up on you with past level 5 anyway?

Being unfairnessed to death by a vampire isn't different from being unfairnessed to death by a catebelopas.

 

[MGibster]

Being unfairnessed to death by a vampire isn't different from being unfairnessed to death by a catebelopas.

Heck, rust monsters were one of the most terrifying creatures in 1st edition.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Well, they picked it, knowing full well the theme.

Maybe talk to them and see if their horror is being unable to effectively fight back or being Ash.

 

[pukunui]

Not having much time before today's game - and not reading this thread until 30 minutes after the game ended, it's too late for me to take that advice.

They "beat" it - well up to defeating the shambling mound - they haven't escaped yet. Honestly without much trouble. I ran it by the book - excepting they had 6 characters.
So it looks like they'll beat Death House, become level 3, and probably not be challenged by the rest of the campaign (which is pretty standard for 5e).

Well, I guess you're just going to have to try your hardest to kill them with the doors then.

Something I am going to do next time I run CoS is not allow the PCs to take a long rest in the wilderness. In fact, it should be very difficult for them to get a long rest anywhere. That should make things tougher for them.

Also, Strahd doesn't fight fair.

 

[dave2008]

So it looks like they'll beat Death House, become level 3, and probably not be challenged by the rest of the campaign (which is pretty standard for 5e).

Just want to remind you that it is not a 5e issue. If an adventure is easy - that is an adventure or DM issue. It is fairly easy to make 5e challenging.

 

[TheSword]

Well, they picked it, knowing full well the theme.


Yeah. And I wanted to make sure to start the power level "right" to be able to follow the themes. Maybe I went too hard the other way?

Not having much time before today's game - and not reading this thread until 30 minutes after the game ended, it's too late for me to take that advice.
Not having enough time to throw something else together, I ran it.
They "beat" it - well up to defeating the shambling mound - they haven't escaped yet. Honestly without much trouble. I ran it by the book - excepting they had 6 characters.
So it looks like they'll beat Death House, become level 3, and probably not be challenged by the rest of the campaign (which is pretty standard for 5e).

Why do you have to level them up to 3? Slow down the progression and keep them at level 2 for a while.

Hopefully now the fear effect that was paralyzing then from engaging with the elements of the world will have been overcome.

The principle is sound though. Keep them under leveled.

 

[DEFCON 1]

A big thing might also be to get from them and remind them of their goals in playing this particular adventure. Are they playing to "kill things and take their stuff"? Are they playing to "get out of Barovia alive"? Are they playing to "experience fear"? Are they playing to "rescue the good people of Barovia from the greater evil"? What is inspiring them to want to play this campaign (both as players, and as what they want their characters to do?)

Whatever their ultimate goal is... just do what you can to really reinforce it. And if they are running away at everything... it also means they are running away from their goals. So make it clear that whatever it is they want is not going to occur if they don't do things towards accomplishing them.

If they want to kill things and take their stuff... obviously running away ain't going to accomplish that. They will just need to finally gut up and go find things to kill.

If they want to make it out of Barovia alive... have them walking on the road at night when they come upon a wall of mist. And if they walk into it, they reach the other side of the wall of mist and find themselves back in the Village of Barovia. And if they try to escape again, they arrive back again. And then someone in the Village can make it plain to them that so long as the Lord of the Castle has sat in his seat, no one has ever been able to leave. At that point it gives them a clue as to what has to happen to escape.

If they want to just experience fear... then keep doing what you are doing. And if it seems like they get frustrated with it... then it means their goal is changing and be prepared to pivot towards whatever their new goal becomes.

If they want to help the good people of Barovia from the evil that permeates the land... have them find Ireena on the side of the road surrounded by a pack of 4 wolves. At that point they can run if they want, but then Ireena gets devoured. Or, it forces them to act and come to her rescue. At that point it's simply a matter of putting good people in bad situations and let them gut up to come to their defense. And they'll either do so, or they'll continue to run. And at that point again... you find out from them what their actual goals are now is for this game, because obviously helping the unfortunate is no longer it.