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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lancelot" data-source="post: 5404770" data-attributes="member: 30022">Some random comments, although it was a long time ago when I ran it (before 4e was released):Mechanical Comments<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There is at least one creature that is named, but not described in any way, in the module (no flavor text, no picture). We'll call it the Aspect of "C". It's not found in any other source either, to my knowledge. It'd probably be worth coming up with your own home-grown description of what it looks like, before the PCs encounter it. Or better yet, replace it with something more appropriate to your own setting.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Party balance is key. If there are a lot of clerics/paladins/etc, they're going to have a heck of an easier time of it than a party of rogues. Adjust encounters accordingly.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Don't rush it (assuming you plan on running this as a mini-campaign). You can go quite a few sessions without even getting near the Castle itself, and you should provide some useful reasons for multiple visits back to the castle. Maybe the party liberates some prisoners on their first visit, who need to be escorted back to the village. Maybe the party needs to rest to regain spells (...resting in the castle should be treated as a bad mistake; at least some of the denizens should start hunting the PCs if they just try to bed down for the night in the catacombs).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">This helps break up the feel of a monstrous dungeon crawl in the castle itself. It can get a bit draining after a while, especially given 3e combats (yes, and 4e) are a lot longer than the classic 1e version.</li> </ul>Story Comments<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Play up the Strahd interactions as much as possible, from an early stage. We had a memorable event when one of the PCs (I intentionally picked the least trustworthy PC) received a personal invite by letter to talk to the Count as soon as they arrived in Barovia, with a sworn promise of safe passage. He went along and had a pleasant meal with Strahd, who played it entirely on the level. All manner of courtesies, and no attempt to mess with the party. However, I also asked the player to leave the gaming room and described the pleasant dinner in private. When he returned to the table, the other players were immediately paranoid - despite his protestations that nothing happened.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I used a variation of the above several times more. Quick one-on-one briefings with players who examined items, or read from old books, or who made successful Spot/Listen checks. Nearly every time, it was simply to tell them something trivial and unrelated, but you could cut the fear and suspense with a knife every time they came back to the table. Everyone knows that vampires can use dominate and similar, so everyone suspects the worst.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If your players are just going to attack Strahd on sight anyway, have him interact by proxy. Leave messages. Use projected images. Have the party come across evidence of his misdeeds, moments after seeing a huge bat fly away into the night.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Don't roll randomly for goals and suchlike. I know it's traditional for Ravenloft, but it's better to pick and choose what works best for your group (...which is typically the outcomes they expect least). You can still create the illusion of random outcomes by doing draws from a card deck, but simply nod sagely when they draw a card... fake consulting some pages in the book... then go with whatever description/outcome you've alread pre-selected as the DM. Tell the story you think your party (and you) will enjoy most.</li> </ul></blockquote>

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