Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd Review

Like many Ravenloft tabletop adventures, five adventurers are plucked from the realms by the mists to find themselves in Barovia. As usual, Strahd sends one of his minions to invite the newcomers to his castle to enjoy his hospitality, a.k.a. for Strahd to mess with their minds and tempt them.

The characters are:

• Rotrog: An arrogant Orc wizard apprentice
• Kah: A shy Kenku cleric from Waterdeep
• Fielle: A cheerful human artificer from Baldur’s Gate
• Alishai: A moody, hot-tempered Tiefling paladin to Selune
• Chivarion: A good-natured Drow barbarian with a hairless tressym named “Murder” as his pet.

Over the course of the novel, you discover that each one was taken when they were faced with a terrible choice or were poised to take an awful action. That sets the stage for the crux of the novel—which character(s) will succumb to either Strahd’s temptations and/or the malevolent energy of Barovia, embracing their darkest impulses.

Should You Buy It?​

I found Heir to Strahd interesting because while it presented elements of Barovia that Ravenloft players and DMs will be very familiar with, not everything was what I had expected, even though I’ve GM’d Ravenloft adventures. The spirit of Tatyana most notably was presented in a way I did not expect based on the prior information I had read.

I don’t want to explain too much about Tatyana, and how she factors into the plot because it could ruin the mystery of who falls prey to the darkness to become the titular character. I will say that I suspected the doomed character at first, then talked myself out of it, assuming it was a feint to distract from another option. A later character reveal reinforced my original suspicion, but I still thought there might be a twist to go in the another direction. There wasn’t but instead of being unsatisfying, the ending makes me eager for a sequel.

Regardless of how one feels about the mystery and certain aspects of the ending, this Ravenloft novel can be very useful for anyone thinking of DMing an adventure set in Barovia. Dawson, the author of a few Star Wars novels and several fantasy novels, not only sets the tone very well for Barovia but also shows how Strahd could be played by a DM. The audiobook in particular showcased how even a simple conversation with Strahd can be equal parts charming and sinister.

For those who like or prefer audiobooks, the narration by Ellie Gossage was very good. It’s also available in hardcover and ebook editions.

Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd: B+.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

"The book does not have strong themes of race". I think that is part of the race commentary in the novel.

These traditionally Evil/dark "monsters" are now "normal" player character species.

Would you prefer that wa constantly had characters annoyingly pointing out how unusual it is to see a smart Orc or Tiefling paladin?

Despite being traditionally Chaotic Neutral, the Kenku connote ravens of death, corpses, Shadowfell, the Raven Queen, burglars, and "suffer from a sinister reputation that is not wholly unearned".

I literally cannot think of single adventure where Kenku were ever used as villains. Closest is opening adventure in 2e's A Hero's Tale, and even then they're more doing dumb stuff in hope of getting their curse lifted.

Not around here.

Then about time this changes.

Can you define what "1e Tolkienism" means? Never heard it and my mind is coming up a maiar, a hobbit and some dwarves in the case of the Hobbit. In the Trilogy you have a Maiar, an elf, an dwarf, four hobbits and two humans (well one is part elf, maiar and human... distantly).

So yep, I'm confused what 1e Tolkienism even means. Mostly non humans there in those four books. Majority non human. Feels like your being critical just to be critical and hair splitting? Or am I reading this all wrong?

It means humanocentrism so huge that all heroes, even if they are not supposed to be human, look like human (usually also white ones, go figure) and at best are unusually short. It's humans, humans with pointy ears, short humans with beards on their faces and short humans with beards on their feet and one angel who disguised himself as a human so well 99% of fans have no idea he is not human and in fact he redefined whole wizard character archetype he became face off, despite the fact he is not actually a wizard and is not using magic but god-granted miracles, but he played it off so well endless legions of cliches wizard characters are based off him regardless.

 

[Paragon Lost]

Would you prefer that wa constantly had characters annoyingly pointing out how unusual it is to see a smart Orc or Tiefling paladin?

I literally cannot think of single adventure where Kenku were ever used as villains. Closest is opening adventure in 2e's A Hero's Tale, and even then they're more doing dumb stuff in hope of getting their curse lifted.

Then about time this changes.

It means humanocentrism so huge that all heroes, even if they are not supposed to be human, look like human (usually also white ones, go figure) and at best are unusually short. It's humans, humans with pointy ears, short humans with beards on their faces and short humans with beards on their feet and one angel who disguised himself as a human so well 99% of fans have no idea he is not human and in fact he redefined whole wizard character archetype he became face off, despite the fact he is not actually a wizard and is not using magic but god-granted miracles, but he played it off so well endless legions of cliches wizard characters are based off him regardless.

So, humanocentrism is bad and Anthropomorphism is desired? I swear, it feels like we are trying to make having fun while playing ttrpgs as difficult as possible. In other words, sucking all the fun out of gaming.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

So, humanocentrism is bad and Anthropomorphism is desired? I swear, it feels like we are trying to make having fun while playing ttrpgs as difficult as possible. In other words, sucking all the fun out of gaming.

I will gladly answer your questions once you're done fighting a strawman of my post and adress what I actually wrote.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

Would you prefer that wa constantly had characters annoyingly pointing out how unusual it is to see a smart Orc or Tiefling paladin?

I literally cannot think of single adventure where Kenku were ever used as villains. Closest is opening adventure in 2e's A Hero's Tale, and even then they're more doing dumb stuff in hope of getting their curse lifted.

Then about time this changes.

It means humanocentrism so huge that all heroes, even if they are not supposed to be human, look like human (usually also white ones, go figure) and at best are unusually short. It's humans, humans with pointy ears, short humans with beards on their faces and short humans with beards on their feet and one angel who disguised himself as a human so well 99% of fans have no idea he is not human and in fact he redefined whole wizard character archetype he became face off, despite the fact he is not actually a wizard and is not using magic but god-granted miracles, but he played it off so well endless legions of cliches wizard characters are based off him regardless.

How is this different to 5E? Every player just plays tieflings as red-skinned horned queers humans. And so forth.

Sometimes I feel I get roleplaying from an all human party, to be honest.

 

[Tonguez]

Would you prefer that wa constantly had characters annoyingly pointing out how unusual it is to see a smart Orc or Tiefling paladin?

I literally cannot think of single adventure where Kenku were ever used as villains. Closest is opening adventure in 2e's A Hero's Tale, and even then they're more doing dumb stuff in hope of getting their curse lifted.

Then about time this changes.

It means humanocentrism so huge that all heroes, even if they are not supposed to be human, look like human (usually also white ones, go figure) and at best are unusually short. It's humans, humans with pointy ears, short humans with beards on their faces and short humans with beards on their feet and one angel who disguised himself as a human so well 99% of fans have no idea he is not human and in fact he redefined whole wizard character archetype he became face off, despite the fact he is not actually a wizard and is not using magic but god-granted miracles, but he played it off so well endless legions of cliches wizard characters are based off him regardless.

Merlin the Wizard was also a half-demon so that trope is much older than Gandalf

and how is it better having a party that all have beaks, horns, tusks or scales but who all behave like humans anyway and are all treated like 'normal people' because prejudice doesn't exist even if your granddaddy is a soul stealing demon from hell?.

 

[Distracted DM]

I literally cannot think of single adventure where Kenku were ever used as villains. Closest is opening adventure in 2e's A Hero's Tale, and even then they're more doing dumb stuff in hope of getting their curse lifted.

Age of Worms, they're there for service to Vecna. I happen to be running that campaign so it was an easy answer

 

[Paul Farquhar]

So, humanocentrism is bad and Anthropomorphism is desired

What is drawing a lot of people into D&D is the fantasy of being whenever you want to be, looking like whatever you want to, and not encountering prejudice because of it. That includes pointy ears, furry feet, green skin, horns, tusks, tall, short etc etc etc.

It’s the cosmetic options that matter. A bunch of video games make most of their money by selling options that are purely cosmetic.

 

[wizard71]

I really don’t like the party composition and really think it reflects a lack of understanding in the Ravenloft setting. Most domains in Ravenloft aside from Sithicus were very human centric. This party would be viewed as a band of monsters that would be barred entry everywhere. It’s so slapstick with no forethought for party composition in any real way. That might work for a typical D&D game where you are playing with friends but it doesn’t make any
sense in a realistic way.

 

[delericho]

I think the last time I remember any player choosing to play a human character was 20 years and two editions ago. By and large, my experience since has been people choosing characters as far from human as the campaign would allow. Though, in fairness, they did also consider which race gave the best ability adjustments for their chosen class, back when either 'race' or 'racial ability adjustments' were a thing.

Having made that choice, players would then near-universally write it on their character sheet and promptly ignore it, giving it more more thought than the alignment they wrote next to it.

 

[delericho]

I really don’t like the party composition and really think it reflects a lack of understanding in the Ravenloft setting. Most domains in Ravenloft aside from Sithicus were very human centric.

That has been true in the published materials prior to 5e, but isn't really true of the 5e revised setting - WotC have deliberately taken an "anything goes" approach to their settings, and equally deliberately chosen to drop any prejudice associated with species. Even the prejudice Tieflings were said to face in the 2014 PHB has been almost entirely absent since.