Savage Wombat
Hero
If that's the way you want to go, I'd suggest limiting how often he can use the ability rather than altering it. Once per short rest would be the obvious choice, but something less predictable might be an option.
D&D 5E I'd really, really like to hear about some fights with Strahd . . !
House_Of_Dexter
Explorer
Here's my writeup of CoS which we finished last year.
Just finished Curse Of Strahd...Took us over a year...We spent about 4 months in Beast of Graenseskov. The final session was epic like it should be. My group was 7 players at 9th level. 3 of the players are experienced, the other 4 are pretty new to D&D. (2 males, 5 females including my wife).
So we began the session at the top of the Heart of Sorrow(K60). Pidlwick II didn't like the Druid, who kept threatening to smash him into bits(my wife). So Pidlwick tried to trip her down the stairs and fails. Druid threatens Pidlwick again but Pidlwick gets support from the fighter, who keeps him safe from the Druid and carries him in his backpack.
They go all the way down the tower without incident and take stairs to the Guards Room. They then encounter Strahd in the Hall of Bones(from their Tarot reading). Strahd is ready for them. He has 4 Vampire's Spawn hiding in the Darkness in the hall. Strahd has been upgraded to CR 17(From the Elven Tower suggestions). I made a change to 2nd level spells in adding Darkness and removing Gust of Wind. Darkness lets the vampires have a safe place to regenerate out of harm's way.
Strahd asks the Warlock (who has a Charisma of 22) to become his bride and also tries to charm her. She refuses so Strahd opens the battle with a fireball and then slips into the Darkness. The Vampire Spawns jump out of the darkness and bottle the party in Kingsmen Hall. Strahd harasses the party out of the Darkness by casting Blight on the spell casters. One of the Vampire Spawn falls to overwhelming damage from the Spell Casters and fighter before being able to get to the Darkness. Strahd moves up to the doorway hidden in the darkness and strikes the Paladin multiple times with his blade. During the battle he continues to strike the Paladin with legendary actions, Strahd takes the Paladin down. The 2 healers with Beacon of Hope are able to revive the Paladin and heal the Spell Casters.
One of the Vampire Spawns retreats into the Darkness...The warlock in the party can see through the Darkness and points Strahd's location to the Paladin. Who then rushes past the Vampire Spawn to smite Strahd with the Sun Sword. Another Vampire Spawn retreats into the darkness, extremely hurt. The Warlock is able to destroy this Vampire Spawn. Strahd is smacked by the Paladin even though he was striking Strahd with disadvantage. Strahd then uses a legendary action to run by the Paladin and Fighter (who has moved into the Hall of Bones) and strikes the Druid. The Druid falls to the onslaught. Strahd then uses a Legendary lair action to slam the door shut, locking the Spell Casters in the room with Strahd, and the Melee with the 2 remaining Vampire Spawn. Fear runs through the Spell Casters as they see the Druid easily fall to Strahd.
One of the healers a small gnome has been living in the backpack of the Paladin. He tries to knock the door down with the help of his God. The Fighter and the Paladin join in and knock the door down. Strahd seeing the door-busting open, bolts across the room, and opens the door to his servant Rahadin. The Paladin misty steps next to Strahd and smites him with the Sun Sword and turns Strahd into mist. Rahadin misty steps past the Paladin and attacks the Spell Casters. He attacks the Druid who has been healed and again the Druid is taken down. Strahd in misty form goes through the secret door down to the Dungeon and Catacombs(K79). The Paladin is attacked by the Shadow Demon. One of the healers grabs the fighter and Dimension Doors past the secret door to follow Strahd. The fighter then opens the secret door, Rahadin seeing that his master is in danger misty steps to the Healer and attacks her. She is hurt seriously, but with the help of the fighter, they are able to kill Rahadin. The Paladin destroys the Shadow Demon, the rest of the spell casters destroy the remaining Vampire Spawn.
They follow the mist and then run into the Illusionary Strahd. At first, fear instills in them, but they quickly surmise this is an illusion. They make their way to the Brazier Room, the Paladin wants nothing to do with the Brazier. The warlock uses the Yellow Stone and then touches the flame and disappears. I slowly start counting, letting them see that the sand is falling out of the hourglass. The fighter touches the flame and also disappears. Much discussion from the rest of the group, but no one else touches the flame. The rest of the party leaves the brazier alone and follows the mist.
We then cut over to the Warlock and Fighter in the Tomb of Strahd. The 3 Brides try to seduce the 2, but they don't fall for it. Pidlwick (who has been hiding in the backpack of the fighter) helps the fighter get an advantage against one of the Vampires. The Vampire then turns around and breaks Pidlwick into pieces. A nasty fight begins, the 2 of them easily kill one of the Vampire Spawns but that leaves the Warlock without any spells and heavily damaged. One of the Vampire Spawns takes the Warlock down, Then two of the Vampire Spawn start mauling the fighter. He's not able to kill the second vampire, the gets close but unable to get a killing blow before it's able to regenerate enough to keep her in the fight. He's taken almost down by the 2 Vampire Spawns. Then the tide turns for Vampire Spawn, the Warlock rolls a 20 on her Death Saving Throw. She then Eldritch Blast the almost dead Vampire Spawn and destroys it. The 3rd Vampire Spawn can't hit the fighter(without advantage) and can't reach the Warlock. The fighter and Warlock unleash everything they have(which is just base abilities) taking her out.
After the battle I let the Warlock use Mend to repair Pidlwick from his damage(though he now has a very bad limp). Strahd later shows up in misty form, with the 2 of them waiting for him. They plunge a stake in his heart. Next week we will do a follow-up, I'm thinking of offering the Warlock the kingdom of Barovia. I had Zantras be her patron, I think it would be fitting for him to make her queen and who knows who will be the next Vampire Leader.
Used Fighting Strahd – Tactics and Strategy - Elven Tower Adventures highly recommend the Elven Towers Guide to Curse of Strahd.
Just finished Curse Of Strahd...Took us over a year...We spent about 4 months in Beast of Graenseskov. The final session was epic like it should be. My group was 7 players at 9th level. 3 of the players are experienced, the other 4 are pretty new to D&D. (2 males, 5 females including my wife).
So we began the session at the top of the Heart of Sorrow(K60). Pidlwick II didn't like the Druid, who kept threatening to smash him into bits(my wife). So Pidlwick tried to trip her down the stairs and fails. Druid threatens Pidlwick again but Pidlwick gets support from the fighter, who keeps him safe from the Druid and carries him in his backpack.
They go all the way down the tower without incident and take stairs to the Guards Room. They then encounter Strahd in the Hall of Bones(from their Tarot reading). Strahd is ready for them. He has 4 Vampire's Spawn hiding in the Darkness in the hall. Strahd has been upgraded to CR 17(From the Elven Tower suggestions). I made a change to 2nd level spells in adding Darkness and removing Gust of Wind. Darkness lets the vampires have a safe place to regenerate out of harm's way.
Strahd asks the Warlock (who has a Charisma of 22) to become his bride and also tries to charm her. She refuses so Strahd opens the battle with a fireball and then slips into the Darkness. The Vampire Spawns jump out of the darkness and bottle the party in Kingsmen Hall. Strahd harasses the party out of the Darkness by casting Blight on the spell casters. One of the Vampire Spawn falls to overwhelming damage from the Spell Casters and fighter before being able to get to the Darkness. Strahd moves up to the doorway hidden in the darkness and strikes the Paladin multiple times with his blade. During the battle he continues to strike the Paladin with legendary actions, Strahd takes the Paladin down. The 2 healers with Beacon of Hope are able to revive the Paladin and heal the Spell Casters.
One of the Vampire Spawns retreats into the Darkness...The warlock in the party can see through the Darkness and points Strahd's location to the Paladin. Who then rushes past the Vampire Spawn to smite Strahd with the Sun Sword. Another Vampire Spawn retreats into the darkness, extremely hurt. The Warlock is able to destroy this Vampire Spawn. Strahd is smacked by the Paladin even though he was striking Strahd with disadvantage. Strahd then uses a legendary action to run by the Paladin and Fighter (who has moved into the Hall of Bones) and strikes the Druid. The Druid falls to the onslaught. Strahd then uses a Legendary lair action to slam the door shut, locking the Spell Casters in the room with Strahd, and the Melee with the 2 remaining Vampire Spawn. Fear runs through the Spell Casters as they see the Druid easily fall to Strahd.
One of the healers a small gnome has been living in the backpack of the Paladin. He tries to knock the door down with the help of his God. The Fighter and the Paladin join in and knock the door down. Strahd seeing the door-busting open, bolts across the room, and opens the door to his servant Rahadin. The Paladin misty steps next to Strahd and smites him with the Sun Sword and turns Strahd into mist. Rahadin misty steps past the Paladin and attacks the Spell Casters. He attacks the Druid who has been healed and again the Druid is taken down. Strahd in misty form goes through the secret door down to the Dungeon and Catacombs(K79). The Paladin is attacked by the Shadow Demon. One of the healers grabs the fighter and Dimension Doors past the secret door to follow Strahd. The fighter then opens the secret door, Rahadin seeing that his master is in danger misty steps to the Healer and attacks her. She is hurt seriously, but with the help of the fighter, they are able to kill Rahadin. The Paladin destroys the Shadow Demon, the rest of the spell casters destroy the remaining Vampire Spawn.
They follow the mist and then run into the Illusionary Strahd. At first, fear instills in them, but they quickly surmise this is an illusion. They make their way to the Brazier Room, the Paladin wants nothing to do with the Brazier. The warlock uses the Yellow Stone and then touches the flame and disappears. I slowly start counting, letting them see that the sand is falling out of the hourglass. The fighter touches the flame and also disappears. Much discussion from the rest of the group, but no one else touches the flame. The rest of the party leaves the brazier alone and follows the mist.
We then cut over to the Warlock and Fighter in the Tomb of Strahd. The 3 Brides try to seduce the 2, but they don't fall for it. Pidlwick (who has been hiding in the backpack of the fighter) helps the fighter get an advantage against one of the Vampires. The Vampire then turns around and breaks Pidlwick into pieces. A nasty fight begins, the 2 of them easily kill one of the Vampire Spawns but that leaves the Warlock without any spells and heavily damaged. One of the Vampire Spawns takes the Warlock down, Then two of the Vampire Spawn start mauling the fighter. He's not able to kill the second vampire, the gets close but unable to get a killing blow before it's able to regenerate enough to keep her in the fight. He's taken almost down by the 2 Vampire Spawns. Then the tide turns for Vampire Spawn, the Warlock rolls a 20 on her Death Saving Throw. She then Eldritch Blast the almost dead Vampire Spawn and destroys it. The 3rd Vampire Spawn can't hit the fighter(without advantage) and can't reach the Warlock. The fighter and Warlock unleash everything they have(which is just base abilities) taking her out.
After the battle I let the Warlock use Mend to repair Pidlwick from his damage(though he now has a very bad limp). Strahd later shows up in misty form, with the 2 of them waiting for him. They plunge a stake in his heart. Next week we will do a follow-up, I'm thinking of offering the Warlock the kingdom of Barovia. I had Zantras be her patron, I think it would be fitting for him to make her queen and who knows who will be the next Vampire Leader.
Used Fighting Strahd – Tactics and Strategy - Elven Tower Adventures highly recommend the Elven Towers Guide to Curse of Strahd.
Flamestrike
Legend
How? Strahd cant see in magical Darkness and Blight requires a 'target you can see'.
How come? Surely the advantage and disadvantage cancel each other out?
Did you give Strahd the ability to see in magical darkness?
House_Of_Dexter
Explorer
Yes basically gave him Devilsight...but not to the Spawn...I also took away his ability to walk through walls.
He got disadvantage because Strahd could see him...
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Flamestrike
Legend
I was thinking either that or Trueseeing (seeing as you upped his caster level).
You said he was hidden in the darkness as well. Did you give him a bonus action Hiding ability, or where you prepared to waste his action taking the Hide action?
House_Of_Dexter
Explorer
no...just hiding in the darkness...not as an action...Warlock was able to see him...because she also had DevilSight.
Flamestrike
Legend
So he wasn't actually hidden. He was just in the radius of darkness. He needs to take the Hide action to Hide in darkness like anyone else.
The PCs (other than the Warlock) couldn't see him, target him with most spells, benefit from the Dodge action vs his attacks, or make opportunity attacks against him, but they could attack him (at disadvantage) with ranged and melee attacks just fine.
The Paladin didnt need the Warlock to tell him where Strahd was. He could have just walked over and attacked him (at disadvantage).
Nebulous
Legend
In the walkthrough I'm using he has stolen the powers of the three Fanes of Barovia, each granting him huge buffs. The Mountain Fane alone is +4 AC so he's up to 20. I forget the others, but they're equally strong. Trying to debuff him by consecrating the lost Fanes becomes an important side quest.
House_Of_Dexter
Explorer
I know...he wasn't hidden per the rules...just per the English language...
In my campaign...I'm stricter on attacking...If you can't see them...even if they haven't hid per the rules, I treat them as hidden and you have to guess as to where they are.
Flamestrike
Legend
Interesting house-rule that devalues Cunning action (Rogues) and buffs invisibility and darkness to the hilt.
Any reason you dont use the actual rules on this (you don't have to guess where an unseen creature is unless its hidden via the Hide action) and just allow automatically successful hiding, no action required, and no Stealth check required?
