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

 

[Parmandur]

After all we now know that the “producer” of the book pitched it.

Out if curiosity, how is that?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

No, I am saying I am not gatekeeping. I am just not being an idiot either when people tell me they were great fans but then criticize just about everything about the setting, including its essence. That is like saying "I loved scarface" except for all that violence and drugs nonsense: it needed more slapstick. Why was scarface so prejudice against Buster Keaton fans?

How can you say what the "essence" was when you didn't include the original author? If you look at the Hickman's other work, then you would conclude that the essence of I6 was "movie parody".

So, what you mean by "not gatekeeping" is "anyone who disagrees with me is an idiot"?

 

[Parmandur]

Why wasn't it? Only reason: The authors didn't like the other stuff.

It's a shame they didn't bring in Laura Hickman...

It's funny, many of the elements in this book some are upset with come from Curse of Strahd, which introduced these ideas directly from....Laura and Tracy Hickman.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Why wasn't it? Only reason: The authors didn't like the other stuff.

How would you even know that. We don't know what their reasons were. I suspect they realized Ravenloft was a gothic/classic horror module, so let's make a gothic/classic horror setting, and let's put someone on it who loves classic horror. If they had made the black box multi-horror genre, it wouldn't be as good. What gave Ravenloft its feel was classic horror. You take that away you just have dark fantasy.

 

[Bedrockgames]

It's a shame they didn't bring in Laura Hickman...

I don't know why Laura and Tracy Hickman weren't involved in it. But I do know, at least for me, Bruce Nesmith and Andria Hayday, hit it out of the park (as did many of the people who worked on the line in the 90s). They made the right choice in my opinion putting Nesmith and Hayday on the black box.

 

[David Murrell]

I am sorry but if it you didn't think it was very good, you are not an old fan (you are an old critic who didn't like it)

Excuse me, but thinking something can be improved upon does not stop you being a fan. I'm clearly not Paul, but I also started playing D&D in 1984, I also bought the Ravenloft setting when it came out in 1990. It was my setting, I ran a four year long campaign in that setting, which not only i but also my players enjoyed enough that we still talk about it over a quarter of a century later. Was the setting back then perfect? No, I didn't notice all the flaws at the time, I was 15 when the setting came out, but even back in the day there were parts I didn't like or use. 30 years later would I use the old setting? Sure, but it would need some reworking, it is 3 decades old and there were bits I didn't enjoy even when I was a teenager, my tastes and opinions have I matured. Am I looking forward to the new book? You bet I am, I have been a fan of Ravenloft for over 30 years, I am looking forward to seeing what has been changed and hopefully improved. Will I like all of it? Probably not because no matter how big a fan I am, I am not expecting a perfect book without any flaws.

So you don't know me, and I don't know you, please refrain from telling me what I like or don't like, or how I am meant to react to a book I have no read yet. I am in my mid 40's and have been making my own opinions and using my own judgment long enough that I don't appreciate strangers attempting to do that for me. You have every right to your opinions, as I do mine, but please don't attempt to portray your opinions as mine. Either directly or as 'older players think this, and if they don't they're not real fan'. I am not a gate and I don't need a keeper.

 

[Bedrockgames]

How can you say what the "essence" was when you didn't include the original author? If you look at the Hickman's other work, then you would conclude that the essence of I6 was "movie parody".

Because we are talking about the Ravenloft setting, not the module. The setting is based on the module. And crypt puns aside, it was still classic and gothic horror. I am not dismissing it at all. I am just pointing out it is a little odd to say you hated the classic and gothic horror feel of Ravenloft, and say you were an enthusiastic fan.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

How would you even know that. We don't know what their reasons were.

Textural analysis. Wot people what of studied Literature learn to do.

I suspect they realized Ravenloft was a gothic/classic horror module,

It's not, it's a parody. Like Dungeonland/Land Beyond the Magic Mirror that came out just before. If you don't believe me go and read the names on the tombs.

 

[Remathilis]

No, because there are plenty of people who liked Ravenloft who like the new changes. I am talking about the people who have mostly been crapping on the old Ravenloft material while asserting they were big fans.

No True Scotsman would ever complain about the setting, they'd just fix or ignore it in their home game.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Excuse me, but thinking something can be improved upon does not stop you being a fan. I'm clearly not Paul, but I also started playing D&D in 1984, I also bought the Ravenloft setting when it came out in 1990. It was my setting, I ran a four year long campaign in that setting, which not only i but also my players enjoyed enough that we still talk about it over a quarter of a century later. Was the setting back then perfect? No, I didn't notice all the flaws at the time, I was 15 when the setting came out, but even back in the day there were parts I didn't like or use. 30 years later would I use the old setting? Sure, but it would need some reworking, it is 3 decades old and there were bits I didn't enjoy even when I was a teenager, my tastes and opinions have I matured. Am I looking forward to the new book? You bet I am, I have been a fan of Ravenloft for over 30 years, I am looking forward to seeing what has been changed and hopefully improved. Will I like all of it? Probably not because no matter how big a fan I am, I am not expecting a perfect book without any flaws.

So you don't know me, and I don't know you, please refrain from telling me what I like or don't like, or how I am meant to react to a book I have no read yet. I am in my mid 40's and have been making my own opinions and using my own judgment long enough that I don't appreciate strangers attempting to do that for me. You have every right to your opinions, as I do mine, but please don't attempt to portray your opinions as mine. Either directly or as 'older players think this, and if they don't they're not real fan'. I am not a gate and I don't need a keeper.

I haven't said anything about your opinions. I don't know where you are coming from or what you think about the setting. I am saying this doesn't look like it is made for the old fans. Doesn't mean some old fans won't like it. But the posters I was talking about were posters who were almost entirely critical of old ravenloft- down to the foundation (not people who just thought it could be improved upon)