D&D 5E running CoS - tell players in advance?

[GlassJaw]

I'm currently running LMoP for my group and trying to decide what to run when it's done.

Most of the players in the group are brand new to 5E and new to D&D in general. I absolutely love CoS but I'm wondering it will be too overwhelming for a relatively inexperienced group.

That said, everyone is picking up the rules very quickly (and doing research on on their own time!) and jumping right into role-playing.

I don't want the players to feel "trapped" if I spring CoS on them, since that's exactly what their characters will be. I could definitely be overthinking it but wanted to get some feedback on those that have run it. Did you tell your players in advance it was coming down the pike?

Personally, I simply want the mists to appear and bring them to Ravenloft. I feel Ravenloft works best when it's completely out of the blue and there's some initial confusion about what has happened.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I think it would be fine.

 

[cmad1977]

I say do it. A couple sessions into CoS ask the group if the switch works for them. If not...fog them back.


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[Ed Laprade]

Bait and switch. Always a bad idea. If they really hate it, they just might bail on you. Also, and very important for your new players who are making a great effort to learn the rules on their own, CoS will take at least some of that hard won knowledge away from them.

 

[Ath'kethin]

If they're new players, it's unlikely they're too heavily invested in the Forgotten Realms - to the extent that it has any identity of it's own anyway. Curse of Strahd would be just another D&D adventure to them, so I say do it. It's a great one.

Edit: how.many times do I have to type "D&D" in my phone before the autocorrect accepts that it is what I mean to type?

 

[Daern]

Yes. They will be stoked. Great adventure.

 

[ccs]

Beyond whatever details were needed to get things rolling for the 1st adv, I wouldn't tell the players upfront what adventure they were about to play. At least not if the adventure was coming to them. Now if they CHOSE to go on a vampire hunt & sought out entry into Barovia, well that's different.

 

[Al2O3]

For me Gothic horror or whatever genre CoS is would be a deal breaker in D&D. So at least warn them about the change of genre before.

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