D&D 5E Post-Strahd

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

That is an interesting point, given fear (a requirement for horror) usually involves a lack of power, and people play RPGS to feel powerful. And games can also turn into comedies.

 

[Unwise]

Horror shouldn't be dependent upon character lv. If it is you're doing something wrong....
But what could be more horrifying than finding out that your STILL vulnerable - even though you're likely the most powerful group around?

I don't really agree with this bit for the most part. Powerlessness is pretty integral to horror and it is really hard to manufacture with high level PCs, especially if you play by the book (which I don't). An unkillable horror stalking them becomes less of an issue if they can just teleport away, make force cages, resurrect or any other tricks you might expect. Playing within the rules also mean HP loss is slower the higher level you are. Low level PCs can get in over their heads and get 1-2 shot by a powerful creature. Something powerful enough to do that to a level 15 fighter stretches believably and world building in many cases. It also precludes a great many standard horror monsters as being legitimate threats.

The second half I agree with though, I have played a few games and only ever had one horror game actually feel creepy. Strangely that was a GURPS Cthulu-Punk adventure. It was splitting the party to go investigate a derelict submerged subway station. The gathering of clues to learn more and more about what had happened to the place was good at building suspense. It takes some great GMing though, and players willing to not feel silly playing with low lights and creepy background music. My current players would tell me to get my hand off it if I tried that.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

WotC will probably not release a sequel, but remember that with the release of CoS, Ravenloft is now available to use for DMs Guild products, so keep an eye there and someone may release something higher level.

 

[Bruce Vistani]

Vampires were scary AF in 1st edition. If they successfully hit your character they absorbed 2 experience levels! Now you can argue all you want about whether thats metagaming but I am telling you, players were propperly frightened.

 

[jayoungr]

Are they keeping the whole Domains of Dread setting? There could be adventures set in others of those.

 

[MechaPilot]

Vampires were scary AF in 1st edition. If they successfully hit your character they absorbed 2 experience levels! Now you can argue all you want about whether thats metagaming but I am telling you, players were propperly frightened.

I would argue that they weren't frightened of the vampire, but of the bookkeeping nightmare of rolling back two levels. I know that was always my experience with level/ability drain. That, and that rounds where someone got level drained would take forever as they rolled back their character.

 

[Bawylie]

Let's get some hot lich action.

 

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

WotC will probably not release a sequel, but remember that with the release of CoS, Ravenloft is now available to use for DMs Guild products, so keep an eye there and someone may release something higher level.

They do seem to be taking a modular and DIY approach these days.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Let's get some hot lich action.

Bawylie!

I know there are some more great plays on words here using the word "lich" but I must not be crude enough.

 

[Bawylie]

Bawylie!

I know there are some more great plays on words here using the word "lich" but I must not be crude enough.

In the case of the Lich, 10 separate puns were up for consideration as to whether they'd make the cut for this post. No pun in 10 did.

I just really like liches.