I noticed the curse of Strahd doesn't use any rules for enforcing horror? Why is this? I liked the older Ravenloft rules for horror. I also still miss the xenophobia mechanic. A tiefling/dragonborn and even a half orc cannot just walk around a town in Ravenloft and freely talk to people. They would bar their doors, avoid them, maybe even be hostile. Its part of that whole feel the setting had. Are there any rumors of a official Ravenloft setting with rules in place? I am kind of wanting to see if WOTC will bring back Ravenloft.
D&D 5E Horror rules for curse of strahd/ravenloft?
- Thread starter OniDaimyo
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Page 7 in CoS has info on making the game a horror game. Page 24 has suggestions on how to change magic so it acts differently, and more horror related. And page 26 says the Barovians react to nonhumans the same way people in the real world would, so there's your xenophobia.
Not seeing your point, here.
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Not seeing your point, here.
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No, there is NOT my xenophobia considering that in "the real world" most people wouldn't be scared of elves and dwarves. They would only be scared of Tiefling, Dragonborn and Half-Orcs. In Ravenloft they are xenophobic vs everything non human and there was a scale of about -1 to -5 penalty on anything having to do with influencing someone. This penalty though was actually a plus for intimidation though. Those mere little pages aren't the real ravenloft. I remember things like familiars and pets become evil but not to the owner. Instead they are more super protective and loyal "to a fault." Like if you didn't like someone the pet may try to harm them seriously, kill them ect.
A. They did away with most of the random penalties and such. The DM can set the DC to any interaction to be whatever he wants. More penalties = more stupid math = slowing down an already slow game.
B. Going too far in that direction penalized players for playing anything other than human, which was preferable in the old games, because DND didn't want you playing anything other than human, but is not preferable in this edition, because then people feel their character choice is the wrong one. When yet again, the human barbarian in the group has better interaction with Npc's despite having an 8 in charisma, when the Teifling Bard specifically selected social interaction skills that are now voided because of a -5 penalty, the player of the Teifling will be miffed, and will eventually want to refill his character. Not everyone rolls characters specifically for Curse of Strahd. I had my current party randomly wind up in Barovia after a portal sucked them in. They didn't have a chance to roll humans because they knew what the setting would hold.
C. And this is probably the most important one. There is no real Ravenloft, because Ravenloft is not real. To miss quote Willy Wanda, "This is called Fanboyism, dear children, and is indeed frowned upon in most cultures."
And as Ravenloft is a setting in DND, there is a different Ravenloft for every DM that runs it. Arguing that the "real" Ravenloft is anything should be ignored.
D. If elves and dwarves showed up in the real world, real people would be pretty freaked out. Their whole understanding of the universe would be turned upside down.
E. Familiars aren't like they were in older editions, either. They are obedient servants, rather than independent helpers. If you want to take control of a familiar and have it do evil things, go right ahead. Except your players might take exception.
That said, they give the framework of all you're complaining about. The rest is up to the DM. If you want to run it like the old version, just run the old version.
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B. Going too far in that direction penalized players for playing anything other than human, which was preferable in the old games, because DND didn't want you playing anything other than human, but is not preferable in this edition, because then people feel their character choice is the wrong one. When yet again, the human barbarian in the group has better interaction with Npc's despite having an 8 in charisma, when the Teifling Bard specifically selected social interaction skills that are now voided because of a -5 penalty, the player of the Teifling will be miffed, and will eventually want to refill his character. Not everyone rolls characters specifically for Curse of Strahd. I had my current party randomly wind up in Barovia after a portal sucked them in. They didn't have a chance to roll humans because they knew what the setting would hold.
C. And this is probably the most important one. There is no real Ravenloft, because Ravenloft is not real. To miss quote Willy Wanda, "This is called Fanboyism, dear children, and is indeed frowned upon in most cultures."
And as Ravenloft is a setting in DND, there is a different Ravenloft for every DM that runs it. Arguing that the "real" Ravenloft is anything should be ignored.
D. If elves and dwarves showed up in the real world, real people would be pretty freaked out. Their whole understanding of the universe would be turned upside down.
E. Familiars aren't like they were in older editions, either. They are obedient servants, rather than independent helpers. If you want to take control of a familiar and have it do evil things, go right ahead. Except your players might take exception.
That said, they give the framework of all you're complaining about. The rest is up to the DM. If you want to run it like the old version, just run the old version.
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That's part of the setting? Yes, the barbarian would indeed have better interactions. Its supposed to be a xenophobic place. Being just dropped in it and dealing with how that setting is like is also part of the whole feel of it. Its gotten way too watered down. They ARE supposed to be penalized in Ravenloft. Deal with it? I bet you are the kind of player who would want metal weapons and water in DarkSun?
C is just a piss poor excuse to hand wave away how Ravenloft is really supposed to be in favor of watering it down so much that it loses the feel it orginally had which got it popular in the first place. It should not be ignored. If anything very inhuman looking PCs such as Dragonborn, Half-Orc, Tiefling should have disadvantage on certain checks with most people in Raveloft until they start to prove themselves. Heck, the whole group may have to. Ravenloft they are usually distrusting of strangers. Seriously in a world with all kinds of horrible monsters disguised as people, you're going to trust a bunch of strangers just in town? Unlikely. ESPECIALLY if some of them look demonic or otherwise monstrous? Nope. Not in Ravenloft.
D. Yes but not the same way as if a Dragonborn, Half-Orc or Tiefling appeared? Considering Elves are at least beautiful? You're totally missing the point 100%.
E. They are still obedient servants and it wouldn't do evil things to the player they belong to. Only to people causing said player grief or annoying them. That is ALSO a big part of Ravenloft. It affects things differently. I suppose you also want to be able to turn undead as normal don't you? Ignore the horror RP with a stoic face? You really really don't get Ravenloft...there is nothing to be gained by talking with you. Please leave my thread. You are adding nothing to it.
C is just a piss poor excuse to hand wave away how Ravenloft is really supposed to be in favor of watering it down so much that it loses the feel it orginally had which got it popular in the first place. It should not be ignored. If anything very inhuman looking PCs such as Dragonborn, Half-Orc, Tiefling should have disadvantage on certain checks with most people in Raveloft until they start to prove themselves. Heck, the whole group may have to. Ravenloft they are usually distrusting of strangers. Seriously in a world with all kinds of horrible monsters disguised as people, you're going to trust a bunch of strangers just in town? Unlikely. ESPECIALLY if some of them look demonic or otherwise monstrous? Nope. Not in Ravenloft.
D. Yes but not the same way as if a Dragonborn, Half-Orc or Tiefling appeared? Considering Elves are at least beautiful? You're totally missing the point 100%.
E. They are still obedient servants and it wouldn't do evil things to the player they belong to. Only to people causing said player grief or annoying them. That is ALSO a big part of Ravenloft. It affects things differently. I suppose you also want to be able to turn undead as normal don't you? Ignore the horror RP with a stoic face? You really really don't get Ravenloft...there is nothing to be gained by talking with you. Please leave my thread. You are adding nothing to it.
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ALSO you apparently have never ever heard of turning the tables? All of a sudden the face PC can't talk for the group because the locals are xenophobic to the "demonic freak" and the barbarian or other humans have to actually get off their butts and roleplay, or the non fighting PC is forced to fight, ect. These things do happen in D&D. It seems you would throw a fit if your optimized PC was forced to do something they are not optimized for....
Someone's got their panties in a twist.
The point is nothing is keeping you from adding these things in the game, if you're a DM, which I am most of the time. 5e leaves everything up to the DM. The game book gives a framework. The DM has to do everything else. They mention the people only like humans. They mention it's a horror setting, and give examples on how to make it more horror, including how to change spells to fit. INCLUDING Find Familiar, where it states the familiar is actually an Undead instead of a Celestial, Fey or Fiend, and immune to effects that turn Undead.
So, what exactly are you complaining about, considering everything you want is mentioned in the game, then given to the DM to do with as he sees fit.
And again, there is no Ravenloft, so there is no way Ravenloft is "supposed" to be. If I want to make Ravenloft a land of spider infested circuses run by clowns with red noses, it will likely scare my wife a lot more than what is currently written. Horror is subjective.
And you're obviously not able to engage in conversation with someone who disagrees with you without tossing what you believe to be insults. "I bet you're the type of player..." "I suppose you want..." "It seems you would throw a fit if..."
Lol, are these supposed to be insults? Are you really trying to insult me by attacking the way you think I play? Because obviously, only the way you play is the correct way. Oh, and anyone who disagrees with you, or in my case simply shows you that your complaints are invalid, must obviously play in such a way that is "incorrect" when compared to your purist way. Great job, I'm shaking in my boots at your well timed insinuations that I'm not as much of a purist as you apparently are. I'm so insulted that you would insinuate that I would, what is it? "Throw a fit that my optimized PC was forced to do something they are not optimized to do"? Because you've obviously seen the characters I create, how silly of me to have forgotten that I failed that wisdom saving throw during your attempts to scry my table while I play my Barbarian Wizard.
I'd stick around, but I make it a point to walk away laughing during any battle of wits when it is revealed my opponent is unarmed.
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The point is nothing is keeping you from adding these things in the game, if you're a DM, which I am most of the time. 5e leaves everything up to the DM. The game book gives a framework. The DM has to do everything else. They mention the people only like humans. They mention it's a horror setting, and give examples on how to make it more horror, including how to change spells to fit. INCLUDING Find Familiar, where it states the familiar is actually an Undead instead of a Celestial, Fey or Fiend, and immune to effects that turn Undead.
So, what exactly are you complaining about, considering everything you want is mentioned in the game, then given to the DM to do with as he sees fit.
And again, there is no Ravenloft, so there is no way Ravenloft is "supposed" to be. If I want to make Ravenloft a land of spider infested circuses run by clowns with red noses, it will likely scare my wife a lot more than what is currently written. Horror is subjective.
And you're obviously not able to engage in conversation with someone who disagrees with you without tossing what you believe to be insults. "I bet you're the type of player..." "I suppose you want..." "It seems you would throw a fit if..."
Lol, are these supposed to be insults? Are you really trying to insult me by attacking the way you think I play? Because obviously, only the way you play is the correct way. Oh, and anyone who disagrees with you, or in my case simply shows you that your complaints are invalid, must obviously play in such a way that is "incorrect" when compared to your purist way. Great job, I'm shaking in my boots at your well timed insinuations that I'm not as much of a purist as you apparently are. I'm so insulted that you would insinuate that I would, what is it? "Throw a fit that my optimized PC was forced to do something they are not optimized to do"? Because you've obviously seen the characters I create, how silly of me to have forgotten that I failed that wisdom saving throw during your attempts to scry my table while I play my Barbarian Wizard.
I'd stick around, but I make it a point to walk away laughing during any battle of wits when it is revealed my opponent is unarmed.
Sent from my iPhone using EN World
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