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 (Indian folklore, dark rainforests), Valachan (hunting PCs for sport), Lamordia (mad science)
• NPCs include Esmerelda de’Avenir, Weathermay-Foxgrove twins, traveling detective Alanik Ray.
• Large section on setting safe boundaries.
• Dark Gifts are character traits with a cost.
• College of Spirits (bard storytellers who manipulate spirits of folklore) and Undead Patron (warlock) subclasses.
• Dhampir, Reborn, and Hexblood lineages.
• Cultural consultants used.
• Fresh take on Vistani.
• 40 pages of monsters. Also nautical monsters in Sea of Sorrows.
• 20 page adventure called The House of Lament - haunted house, spirits, seances.

​

D&D 5E - Full Wraparound Cover Art For Ravenloft

We've seen the cover already, but here's a look at the full wraparound art by Anna Podedworna. https://www.enworld.org/threads/updated-with-cover-the-d-d-book-is-van-richtens-guide-to-ravenloft.678411/ https://www.enworld.org/threads/heres-the-ravenloft-alternate-cover.678414/...

www.enworld.org

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 - [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...

www.enworld.org

 

[dave2008]

That's part of the point. Horror doesn't really have heroism in that sense. Action-adventure stories that use horror tropes and horror monsters do. Horror itself? Not so much. In horror that would be something like the final girl in a slasher flick. That's a far cry from Castlevania. Castlevania isn't horror, at best it's an action-adventure story with spooky set dressing. If that's as close to horror as you want to get, that's your choice, of course. But don't confuse Castlevania with horror.

But that is not necessarily true. Many adaptations of horror have a hero. Alien has Ripley, slasher films have the "final girl," Dracula has Van Helsing, Stranger Things has Eleven, etc. I think your are trying to narrowly define the horror genre and I personally don't see the need for that. Heck, one of my son's favorite movie genres is horror-comedy.

 

[dave2008]

I'm not going to argue with you point by point, because I hate dividing my quotes up. But no, I don't agree that horror is all about disempowerment. Sometimes, it's a powerful hero coming up short. If you ever watch the end of the Gold Age Arc in Berserk, which is pretty horrific for many reasons, it's a case of a very powerful hero coming against an impossible foe. His allies and friends all around him are killed and abused, and his best friend does a truly unspeakable (for this forum) act. At no point did I think the hero Guts was disempowered, but I did think that all of his power came up short against this foe, and for that he pays a heavy toll.

So no, I think your definition of horror is frankly too narrow. That said, D&D is not truly built for horror of any type, because the heroes are expected to triumph in the end. No player I know of really wants to lose. Knowing it is a possibility is different than actually wanting it to happen because it "fits the genre." The players want to confront the horror and win. This is not really on-theme for horror.

And yes, I do find arguing with you on definitions largely tedious. Largely, because I know I'm not going to change your mind. So in the end we will point at the same thing and call it different things, and what's the point? We aren't going to agree, neither of us is going to change our mind, so I'd rather talk about something else.

I've put in a trailer for the upcoming Castlevania show, which does a pretty good job of encapsulating what "Horror D&D" is typically going to look like. I'm not going to show Berserk because that's NSFW on a whole range of levels. If you want something that's disempowering for your D&D game, well, I might recommend a different game honestly, because that's not really what D&D 5E is, and would require a heavy rework to do so.

Berserk is a great example, nice job!

 

[overgeeked]

I'm not going to argue with you point by point, because I hate dividing my quotes up. But no, I don't agree that horror is all about disempowerment. Sometimes, it's a powerful hero coming up short. If you ever watch the end of the Gold Age Arc in Berserk, which is pretty horrific for many reasons, it's a case of a very powerful hero coming against an impossible foe. His allies and friends all around him are killed and abused, and his best friend does a truly unspeakable (for this forum) act. At no point did I think the hero Guts was disempowered, but I did think that all of his power came up short against this foe, and for that he pays a heavy toll.

So no, I think your definition of horror is frankly too narrow. That said, D&D is not truly built for horror of any type, because the heroes are expected to triumph in the end. No player I know of really wants to lose. Knowing it is a possibility is different than actually wanting it to happen because it "fits the genre." The players want to confront the horror and win. This is not really on-theme for horror.

And yes, I do find arguing with you on definitions largely tedious. Largely, because I know I'm not going to change your mind. So in the end we will point at the same thing and call it different things, and what's the point? We aren't going to agree, neither of us is going to change our mind, so I'd rather talk about something else.

I've put in a trailer for the upcoming Castlevania show, which does a pretty good job of encapsulating what "Horror D&D" is typically going to look like. I'm not going to show Berserk because that's NSFW on a whole range of levels. If you want something that's disempowering for your D&D game, well, I might recommend a different game honestly, because that's not really what D&D 5E is, and would require a heavy rework to do so.

The trailer kind of proves my point. That's not horror. I'm not interested in breaking forum rules by posting a link to an actual horror movie trailer.

At best Castlevania is an action-adventure story with spooky set dressing. There's nothing wrong with that. But to point at that and say it's horror is like pointing to a balloon and calling it a car. It might be the closest to horror that D&D can get (which is to say not at all, besides extra blood, gore, and "horror" monsters), but to then claim that's horror is to again point to a balloon and call it a car.

 

[overgeeked]

But that is not necessarily true. Many adaptations of horror have a hero. Alien has Ripley, slasher films have the "final girl," Dracula has Van Helsing, Stranger Things has Eleven, etc. I think your are trying to narrowly define the horror genre and I personally don't see the need for that.

Note how I did call out the final girl in slasher flicks in my post you quoted but apparently didn't read.

What's the one thing that separates the characters you've listed and what we typically see in D&D and Castlevania?

The protagonist(s) showing fear. D&D characters typically don't (unless forced to on a failed save). Ripley expresses fear. Van Helsing expresses fear. Eleven expresses fear. Unless the main character(s) are showing fear it's really hard for it to be horror. Not impossible, but really really hard.

Heck, one of my son's favorite movie genres is horror-comedy.

If he hasn't seen Tucker and Dale vs Evil, he should. I think it's fantastic.

 

[dave2008]

The trailer kind of proves my point. That's not horror. I'm not interested in breaking forum rules by posting a link to an actual horror movie trailer.

At best Castlevania is an action-adventure story with spooky set dressing. There's nothing wrong with that. But to point at that and say it's horror is like pointing to a balloon and calling it a car. It might be the closest to horror that D&D can get (which is to say not at all, besides extra blood, gore, and "horror" monsters), but to then claim that's horror is to again point to a balloon and call it a car.

That is not your definition of horror, but it works for some. You are welcome to like what you like, but you don't get to define what horror is.

FYI, according to dictionary.com

Horror
an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust.

 

[dave2008]

Note how I did call out the final girl in slasher flicks in my post you quoted but apparently didn't read.

I read it, but after I had written that part. I just decided not to edit my post, though I did think about.

What's the one thing that separates the characters you've listed and what we typically see in D&D and Castlevania?

I don't know what "typical" D&D is. I just know how we play D&D (which based on these forums is not typical). I'm sure you have an idea of what you want the answer to be so just tell me.

The protagonist(s) showing fear. D&D characters typically don't (unless forced to on a failed save). Ripley expresses fear. Van Helsing expresses fear. Eleven expresses fear. Unless the main character(s) are showing fear it's really hard for it to be horror. Not impossible, but really really hard.

I scare the pants of my players all the time. So I guess I am doing D&D horror and I didn't even know it!

If he hasn't seen Tucker and Dale vs Evil, he should. I think it's fantastic.

He has and said he liked it. I've thought about it a couple times, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I liked horror more when I was younger, but not so much as I get older. Not sure if I have changed or horror movies.

 

[Faolyn]

The protagonist(s) showing fear. D&D characters typically don't (unless forced to on a failed save). Ripley expresses fear. Van Helsing expresses fear. Eleven expresses fear. Unless the main character(s) are showing fear it's really hard for it to be horror. Not impossible, but really really hard.

That 100% depends on your players. My players generally do a great job of showing their character's fear. Your players need to be willing to be scared.

 

[overgeeked]

That is not your definition of horror, but it works for some. You are welcome to like what you like, but you don't get to define what horror is.

FYI, according to dictionary.com

Horror
an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust.

Note that's not the definition of the horror genre. Which is what we're talking about.

I read it, but after I had written that part. I just decided not to edit my post, though I did think about.

Fair enough.

I don't know what "typical" D&D is. I just know how we play D&D (which based on these forums is not typical). I'm sure you have an idea of what you want the answer to be so just tell me.

What I gather from forums is the majority of D&D is quite like that Castlevania trailer. Lots of big badass heroes doing lots of big badass things. The trailer might have more blood and more horror monsters than most D&D games, but it's far closer to that than say the Saw franchise.

He has and said he liked it. I've thought about it a couple times, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I liked horror more when I was younger, but not so much as I get older. Not sure if I have changed or horror movies.

Yes, horror movies have absolutely changed over the years. Part of the genre is transgression. Once you've pushed a certain line it become stale so you have to push new, different lines. Compare Dracula (1931) to Horror of Dracula (1958). Or The Blob (1958) to The Blob (1988). Where the lines are changes over time. The horror genre (at least a large part of it) is about transgression and crossing those lines. Once crossed, they seek out a new target.

 

[overgeeked]

That 100% depends on your players. My players generally do a great job of showing their character's fear. Your players need to be willing to be scared.

No. Your players need to be willing to role-play scared.

 

[Faolyn]

No. Your players need to be willing to role-play scared.

Yes. But some players like to actually be scared, or at least creeped out with good, creepy descriptions. Mine do--they've said so--and so do I.