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Curse of Strahd: Roleplaying as Strahd
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<blockquote data-quote="Sammael" data-source="post: 6981553" data-attributes="member: 4475"><p>^This. Excellent advice. Strahd doesn't need to threaten - PCs should get the feeling that they are <em>so</em> far beneath him that he doesn't consider them as threats at all - rather, he believes they can be useful or entertaining to him.</p><p></p><p>Also consider the following:</p><p></p><p>- Strahd is not only an ancient vampire, he is also a tactical genius with a myriad plans and contingencies as well as a powerful arcane caster - so he pretty much has <em>everything</em> covered. The way I envision him, his one weakness (aside from Tatyana) is when things deviate from his plans and when PCs do unpredictable things. </p><p></p><p>For instance, if he learns they own (and have read) the <em>Tome of Strahd</em> he will likely lose it and replace his cool, calculating veneer with screaming rage. Same applies if PCs somehow harm Ireena, or allow her to be harmed by monsters, or if they let her reunite with Sergei. But, in order for this to play out right, they must first meet Strahd's composed, calculating, civilized persona several times - that will make his frenzied self even scarier.</p><p></p><p>- Strahd is bored after 400+ years of solitude. He needs distractions. As long as the PCs are providing some entertainment, he will let them live (unless they commit one of the capital offences noted above). Perhaps PCs should occasionally even receive gifts from him as "payments" for "their services." This should confuse or enrage the hell out of the players.</p><p></p><p>- Drop liberal clues about Strahd's past. I am writing a series of detailed excerpts from the Tome for that purpose - to share some of his history with the PCs and also make them think he has a human, redeemable side to him (he never got his father's approval, he wasted his youth on the battlefield, he made horrid decisions justified in the name of war). When they learn the full truth about the monster he later became because of those actions, it will make him even more horrifying. One story that got my players in particular was the punishment of dusk elves, where he had Rahadin slay all their females, effectively killing off their entire race. That's Hitler-level stuff and should make even the most jaded players a bit nervous.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sammael, post: 6981553, member: 4475"] ^This. Excellent advice. Strahd doesn't need to threaten - PCs should get the feeling that they are [I]so[/I] far beneath him that he doesn't consider them as threats at all - rather, he believes they can be useful or entertaining to him. Also consider the following: - Strahd is not only an ancient vampire, he is also a tactical genius with a myriad plans and contingencies as well as a powerful arcane caster - so he pretty much has [I]everything[/I] covered. The way I envision him, his one weakness (aside from Tatyana) is when things deviate from his plans and when PCs do unpredictable things. For instance, if he learns they own (and have read) the [I]Tome of Strahd[/I] he will likely lose it and replace his cool, calculating veneer with screaming rage. Same applies if PCs somehow harm Ireena, or allow her to be harmed by monsters, or if they let her reunite with Sergei. But, in order for this to play out right, they must first meet Strahd's composed, calculating, civilized persona several times - that will make his frenzied self even scarier. - Strahd is bored after 400+ years of solitude. He needs distractions. As long as the PCs are providing some entertainment, he will let them live (unless they commit one of the capital offences noted above). Perhaps PCs should occasionally even receive gifts from him as "payments" for "their services." This should confuse or enrage the hell out of the players. - Drop liberal clues about Strahd's past. I am writing a series of detailed excerpts from the Tome for that purpose - to share some of his history with the PCs and also make them think he has a human, redeemable side to him (he never got his father's approval, he wasted his youth on the battlefield, he made horrid decisions justified in the name of war). When they learn the full truth about the monster he later became because of those actions, it will make him even more horrifying. One story that got my players in particular was the punishment of dusk elves, where he had Rahadin slay all their females, effectively killing off their entire race. That's Hitler-level stuff and should make even the most jaded players a bit nervous. [/QUOTE]
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