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.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The cover of Van Richten's Guide to Vampires is one of the all-time greats. A "cape" made of translucent bat wings is creepy.

 

[darjr]

Squint and it looks like planar travel.

 

[Marandahir]

I KNEW it would be "Van Richten's Guide to XXX."

I'm just surprised it's formatted like a Campaign Setting (Setting details, Monsters, Class Options & Ancestry Options) rather than Monsters + Ancestry Options. I wonder if we're still in for another Monsters+Ancestries sometime soon?

 

[robus]

Do we know for sure Innistrad won’t be one of the domains of dread?

I don’t, so perhaps it is. Just surprised that it’s still playing second fiddle given the investment they‘ve made (and the ongoing duplication of effort...)

 

[Kurotowa]

I don’t, so perhaps it is. Just surprised that it’s still playing second fiddle given the investment they‘ve made (and the ongoing duplication of effort...)

The business calculus (which is different from the artistic calculus) to using a pre-existing IP is how much recognition and attachment that audience has for it. And yes, I understand Innistrad is one of the more popular MtG settings. But the interviews released today have repeatedly dropped that Curse of Strahd is one of the most popular 5e books they've done. So even for newer or younger D&D players without the attachments to 2e or 3e, Ravenloft is a name with weight. And if they can put out a book that appeals to both groups at once, all the better for them.

 

[Parmandur]

I KNEW it would be "Van Richten's Guide to XXX."

I'm just surprised it's formatted like a Campaign Setting (Setting details, Monsters, Class Options & Ancestry Options) rather than Monsters + Ancestry Options. I wonder if we're still in for another Monsters+Ancestries sometime soon?

Setting books may have replaced Monster books at this point in the Edition, frankly.

 

[Parmandur]

I don’t, so perhaps it is. Just surprised that it’s still playing second fiddle given the investment they‘ve made (and the ongoing duplication of effort...)

Anything in Innistrad ruleswise is likely to be in this book: a sidebar referring people to the free Innistrad 5E resource and the Art book should suffice.

 

[MGibster]

I really want rules for corrupting player characters. It's something I feel was missing from Curse of Strahd.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Setting books may have replaced Monster books at this point in the Edition, frankly.

The third party market is also very robust. Other than stuff that's Wizards IP -- like the Ravenloft monsters -- I don't know that I'd want a big book of WotC monsters, when I could get them from Cawood Publishing, or one of the Tome of Horrors, or the Kobold Press monster books, etc.

I prefer something specific when I pick up a monster book now -- Monsters of the City works for me, because I run Ptolus, and I am open to books of aquatic monsters for the piratical campaign I'm running my dad and son through -- and that's not an approach WotC seems likely to go for, unless we suddenly start getting region sourcebooks like Frostburn again, which I would be stunned to see.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I really want rules for corrupting player characters. It's something I feel was missing from Curse of Strahd.

I suspect the Dark Gifts will include a discussion on that. Getting players to trade their moral code for more powers is a D&D tradition.