Tinker Gnome
Explorer
Have you ever played in or GMed Ravenloft? If so, what system did you use? And how long did the campaign last? Did you enjoy it?
Ravenloft-Your Experiences
kitsune9
Adventurer
The only time I played in Ravenloft was a module at a con in which the characters are supposed to fight a headless horseman and lose with their heads getting chopped off and then go onto the next scene.
Unfortunately, the DM who ran this game was a real doofus and a combat that was supposed to take only a few minutes he ran for a total of three hours because the only way for the character to lose their head was to either get their hp to 0 or roll a natural 20. Well, the horseman's stats sucked and couldn't hit worth crap and he didn't roll nat 20's on us either. The horseman had an ubertough AC and when we did hit, it wasn't supposed to make a difference anyways, but as players, we thought we were onto something so we kept trying.
Three hours later, we're all dead and he goes into the box text of the next scene. He gets halfway through it, looks at his watch, and says, "I got to go." He packs up his stuff and doesn't even finish the box text before we're complaining to the con manager. The con manager asks him what the deal is and kicks him out of the convention, the DM wasn't allowed to return for the following day.
So, in short, my experience wasn't great. But it's still a cool campaign setting.
Unfortunately, the DM who ran this game was a real doofus and a combat that was supposed to take only a few minutes he ran for a total of three hours because the only way for the character to lose their head was to either get their hp to 0 or roll a natural 20. Well, the horseman's stats sucked and couldn't hit worth crap and he didn't roll nat 20's on us either. The horseman had an ubertough AC and when we did hit, it wasn't supposed to make a difference anyways, but as players, we thought we were onto something so we kept trying.
Three hours later, we're all dead and he goes into the box text of the next scene. He gets halfway through it, looks at his watch, and says, "I got to go." He packs up his stuff and doesn't even finish the box text before we're complaining to the con manager. The con manager asks him what the deal is and kicks him out of the convention, the DM wasn't allowed to return for the following day.
So, in short, my experience wasn't great. But it's still a cool campaign setting.
Stormonu
Legend
I love me some Ravenloft (as a DM), especially Count Strahd von Zarovich. Gothic horror, for some reason, seems to be a genre that just both appeals to me and I can do well.
Ever since I learned of I6, my groups have had to endure a trip into the mists - usually to Castle Ravenloft itself. I've had good experiences with I6 - Ravenloft and to a lesser degree I10 - House on Griffon Hill and Night of the Living Dead. (Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is just "too busy" for my taste). Generally, I pride myself on the fact that when I bring up Ravenloft my players remember it as "a great game, but I don't want to risk my character again." Or better yet, they just stare at me at horror and yell 'No!' and rant about "the mists! Beware the mists!" until the folks from Belvue come to take them away.
Unfortunately, most of the Ravenloft modules are horrible railroads which inevitably involve the PCs being bent over in some way - marooned, cursed, killed or even all three - in the opening of the adventure. While it's supposed to put the players off-balance all it usually tends to do is piss them off. If you're going to run any, I highly suggest going through the adventure with a red pen and modify or remove the railroady bits.
Ever since I learned of I6, my groups have had to endure a trip into the mists - usually to Castle Ravenloft itself. I've had good experiences with I6 - Ravenloft and to a lesser degree I10 - House on Griffon Hill and Night of the Living Dead. (Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is just "too busy" for my taste). Generally, I pride myself on the fact that when I bring up Ravenloft my players remember it as "a great game, but I don't want to risk my character again." Or better yet, they just stare at me at horror and yell 'No!' and rant about "the mists! Beware the mists!" until the folks from Belvue come to take them away.
Unfortunately, most of the Ravenloft modules are horrible railroads which inevitably involve the PCs being bent over in some way - marooned, cursed, killed or even all three - in the opening of the adventure. While it's supposed to put the players off-balance all it usually tends to do is piss them off. If you're going to run any, I highly suggest going through the adventure with a red pen and modify or remove the railroady bits.
Stormonu
Legend
The only time I played in Ravenloft was a module at a con in which the characters are supposed to fight a headless horseman and lose with their heads getting chopped off and then go onto the next scene.
Unfortunately, the DM who ran this game was a real doofus and a combat that was supposed to take only a few minutes he ran for a total of three hours because the only way for the character to lose their head was to either get their hp to 0 or roll a natural 20. Well, the horseman's stats sucked and couldn't hit worth crap and he didn't roll nat 20's on us either. The horseman had an ubertough AC and when we did hit, it wasn't supposed to make a difference anyways, but as players, we thought we were onto something so we kept trying.
Three hours later, we're all dead and he goes into the box text of the next scene. He gets halfway through it, looks at his watch, and says, "I got to go." He packs up his stuff and doesn't even finish the box text before we're complaining to the con manager. The con manager asks him what the deal is and kicks him out of the convention, the DM wasn't allowed to return for the following day.
So, in short, my experience wasn't great. But it's still a cool campaign setting.
I know this module - I started to send my players through it, but it failed so miserably we stopped and made it all "it was a dream" sort of event.
Dice4Hire
First Post
I played a short adventure in 2E in about 1989 or so. The DM loved Ravenloft, but was torn between being born again and doing D&D. A nice guy but flaky. I think we did three sessions separated by 6 weeks or so and then he went over to the side of evil and stopped running.
I have never really been a fan of horror, so have not tried to get into another game.
I have never really been a fan of horror, so have not tried to get into another game.
InVinoVeritas
Adventurer
kitsune9
Adventurer
I know I asked this before, but what was that module's name?
kitsune9
Adventurer
I will add that even though it wasn't part of the campaign setting per se, I did play the original Ravenloft module that our DM converted for 3.0. I played a high-stressed out monk who had meditative issues.
This was a fun mod as my DM was an artist and he provided props that he made by hand such as stairways, gothic statues, and so on.
For campaign setting, I did read a lot of the Ravenloft novels. Knight of the Black Rose was the best one for me.
This was a fun mod as my DM was an artist and he provided props that he made by hand such as stairways, gothic statues, and so on.
For campaign setting, I did read a lot of the Ravenloft novels. Knight of the Black Rose was the best one for me.
