Reddit reviews I, Strahd : The Memoirs of a Vampire (Ravenloft Books)

I find it completely awesome, and as far as the quintessential milestones in 5e, I can't recommend it strongly enough. Every DM needs to at least decide whether or not to run it. It's that good. It's meaningful, too, and relatively deep. We're not tagged for spoilers here, so I won't ruin it, but it's definitely a 'thinker' on many, many levels. And the module itself doesn't answer all the questions directly.

> Has anyone run it or played it?

Running it right now. We 'officially' started on February 2nd, and are about 50% done with all the stuff outside the castle. 25% overall, I'd say.

> If so, did you enjoy it?

Everyone enjoys it a great deal, but it's not pure enjoyment. See, the setting is gothic horror, and there's a good amount of grimdark in it, as written. Dark, horrible stuff. Everything is ruined in some way, and/or tragically flawed. It can make you sad inside. But that's part of the appeal. There are highs and lows. It's a journey.

> What were the stand-outs and things to look out for/cut/avoid?

As mentioned, it gets dark, and that's not for everybody. Someone once asked whether it would be good for a church youth group, and I'd have to say 'no' on that idea. Don't think "Lord of the Rings" for this one. Think "Cabin in the Woods", "Dawn of the Dead", and/or "Cloverfield". It's just different, when you do it right.

There's also a ton of prep you can do before running, like getting your hands on I, Strahd : The Memoirs of a Vampire, which reveals a lot of the detail under the hood for the story. Tons of advice online to read, too. Dig through that a bit before you decide.

I have a bunch of specific spoiler-filled advice to give on the topic, too, if you do decide to run it.

And to the other question here...

> If it's just a rail-road with any real role-play or freedom, then I'll pass. THANKS

It is and it isn't. In general the adventure design is about as sandbox as it gets. You can go where you like and do as you please. You can easily wander out of your level range and cause a TPK. Super, super easily. But the PCs are utterly trapped in Strahd's Dread Domain. They're completely at his mercy until they either deal with him or fail completely. So that's definitely a form of 'railroad' if we're using the term properly. Best description is a 'sandbox on rails'. Do whatever you please, so long as you're preparing to confront Strahd at the end.

Ravenloft proper is actually the castle of Strahd Von Zarovich, and this is located in a country called Barovia, which he rules with an iron fist. Barovia is not the only country, but it's the central one.

So yes, Ravenloft is a distinct setting, but it's connected to the other realms/settings by the Mist (the Dark Powers) that transports people of other realm into itself. The Mist toys with people and seems to be sentient--and it has a cruel sense of irony, especially when it comes to tempting people to madness/evil and letting their own actions/temptations be their downfall.

It's hell and purgatory and a prison--but not for you or its citizens, though they very often get caught up in the evil that surrounds and penetrates the realm. Each country is the prison/hell/purgatory of its ruler, a person who has committed a deed so heinous, they have gotten the attention of the Dark Powers and were given a country to rule over and be bound within.

No major rule changes that I can remember, though I believe older editions had extra rules for horror and madness.

For a good story of what it feels like to play in a well-run Ravenloft campaign, check out this video by a game-review/D&D player called Spoony: Die a Hero & Die Long Enough To See Yourself Become the Villain. Spoony tends to ramble a bit, but the story and the moral quandaries and humor are almost always worth it.

Edit: Check out this comment below that has some game play changes I hadn't remembered.

Also, if you're interested, there are plenty of novels set in the Ravenloft campaign that are really enjoyable if you like the old-school gothic horror style, particular I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire.

I, Strahd : The Memoirs of a Vampire (Ravenloft Books) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1560766700/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rcFlDbKGX3V6H

This book describes how Strahd became a vampire. It’s a quick read, and it’s pretty good.