D&D 5E [Updated with cover!] The D&D Book Is.... Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft!

Yesterday's hints that a new D&D book would be announced today have born fruit -- we now have a product description and a title! It's a Ravenloft setting book, with tools and new rules for horror-themed games, and new horror-themed character options. I'll update this post with a product image as soon as one is revealed -- the official announcement allegedly comes today!

D&D 5E - Here's the Ravenloft Alternate Cover!

As usual, there is an alternate hobby-store exclusive cover for the upcoming Ravenloft book. Here's a look at it! And here's the full wraparound art. https://www.enworld.org/threads/updated-with-cover-the-d-d-book-is-van-richtens-guide-to-ravenloft.678411/...

www.enworld.org

D&D 5E - Everything We Know About The Ravenloft Book

Here is a list of everything we know so far about the upcoming Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. Art by Paul Scott Canavan May 18th, 256 pages 30 domains (with 30 villainous darklords) Barovia (Strahd), Dementlieu (twisted fairly tales), Lamordia (flesh golem), Falkovnia (zombies), Kalakeri...

www.enworld.org

Here’s some info on Dr. Rudolph Van Richten! He's a vampire hunter (he appeared in Curse of Strahd, and he's been around in the Ravenloft setting for decades) and is basically Van Helsing to Strahd's Dracula. His name appears on a whole pile of 2nd Edition D&D sourcebooks, all titled "Van Richten's Guide to.... Vampires/Ghosts/Werebeasts, etc."

The Ravenloft setting, of course, features a bunch of 'domains' other than Barovia itself, each ruled by its own Dark Lord. Strahd rules Barovia, but even other signature D&D villains like Lord Soth and Vecna have been placed in Ravenloft ruling dread domains of their own, along with an assortment of other domain rulers.

The Mist Beckons

The image below is not of the upcoming book, but of one of the many D&D 2nd Edition Van Richten's Guides.

 

[dave2008]

Van Richten travelling only to Barovia is true only so far as 5e lore. In prior editions he travelled to multiple domains in Ravenloft. Pre-5e lore made it very common for people to travel to other demiplanes of dread (i.e. other domains in Ravenloft). If they're drawing on that older lore then they really should include other demiplanes of dread in a guide to Ravenloft.

The product description already notes there is info on other Dread demiplanes

 

[jayoungr]

I am happy with the return of the setting, but I wonder when the metaplot is going to continue.

Metaplot is out of fashion.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Well, I am disappointed with the book but only because the Dread demiplanes has never been a setting I used much. I would have preferred a Dragonlance setting "World of Krynn" book, or something for FR in Kara-Tur, or maybe a 5E "Manual of the Planes"...

Oh well, it will be a welcome edition for the people want it.

 

[dave2008]

I'd believe you. It was a card company.

From wikipedia: "Nintendo Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational consumer electronics and video game company headquartered in Kyoto. The company was founded in 1889 as Nintendo Karuta[c] by..."

 

[embee]

The Upside Down from Stranger Things could either be the Far Realm or a demiplane of dread to me

You could use it to make an Upside Down of Faerun.

 

[dave2008]

im confused on what this book does

Is this book a campaign setting with a mini adventure (like wildemount) or a book guide for the strahd aventure or both. If you were running Strahd how much help would this really offer

From the product description it will have setting info on the various domains of dread, character subclasses and backgrounds and maybe lineages (not sure what the standard is now), rules for horror themed campaigns, advice on how to run horror, and new monsters. There as no mention of an adventure. It is basically similar to the other campaign settings they have published so far except without a short mini-adventure. I guess the have CoS for that (or the free death house)

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Well, I am disappointed with the book but only because the Dread demiplanes has never been a setting I used much. I would have preferred a Dragonlance setting "World of Krynn" book, or something for FR in Kara-Tur, or maybe a 5E "Manual of the Planes"...

Oh well, it will be a welcome edition for the people want it.

I agree. I am glad it is there for people! I have never gotten into the dread stuff.

that said I wonder how it’s bestiary will be. That might be worth checking out.

half the time now I just buy the books with reading pleasure in mind. So how much “use” I get is a complicated question.

then I also get stuck when I buy something I might play in and not run and am paralyzed and don’t want to spoil it by looking ahead!

that paid off recently when a pal started running descent into avernus. I loved the art and subject matter but forced myself to shelve it (and now am glad I did!)

 

[iltharanos]

The product description already notes there is info on other Dread demiplanes

Yes, I know. NotQuiteANoble was saying a guide to Ravenloft shouldn't include other demiplanes of Dread, which I was disagreeing with by pointing out the fact that older lore specifically supported other demiplanes of Dread.

 

[DariusArgent]

Will there be an alternative cover to this? So far I haven't noticed such announcement.

 

[Demetrios1453]

From the product description it will have setting info on the various domains of dread, character subclasses and backgrounds and maybe lineages (not sure what the standard is now), rules for horror themed campaigns, advice on how to run horror, and new monsters. There as no mention of an adventure. It is basically similar to the other campaign settings they have published so far except without a short mini-adventure. I guess the have CoS for that (or the free death house)

The last paragraph of the description mentions an adventure that can be run in Ravenloft of be dropped in a regular campaign for some quick gothic horror goodness...