SuperCurse of CyberStrahd - Heroes of New Neo Barovia

Creating your character

We will be doing character creation as a group during Session 0. Your characters will likely be starting at level 3, although there is an optional segment where you start at level 1 as your secret identities if the group decides they want to do that. We'll also be using a customized Hero Power system that will let your characters gain abilities outside the normal bounds of a typical D&D player character. Be prepared to come with an open mind, as there are a lot of options. This can lead to a bit more of a complex character than average, but I should be able to guide newer players through the process and perhaps coach them towards some of the simpler options.

Preparing for the session

Please make sure Zoom is installed on your computer and working properly. Also make sure you have a working microphone and a reasonably quiet place to play. If you have a webcam you will be welcome to use it, but it is not required. Also, please make sure you have created an account on Roll20. The accounts are free, I just want to make sure we're ready to go at the start of Session 0. Other than that the only thing you need to bring is enthusiasm!

What NickTheDM brings to the table

In my opinion, I have built Super Curse of CyberStrahd to rival the depth and detail of published modules. I have customized House Rules to polish the experience we're looking for and have commissioned a world map for New Neo Barovia. Much like the original module I've also prepared a system to make sure every run of Super Curse of CyberStrahd is Unique. The placement of key items and significance of certain NPCs can change dramatically based on how your fortune is told at the beginning of the campaign. I also have a founder subscription to Roll20 and several map assets so that brings access to all the bells and whistles of the platform. But most importantly of all I bring 20+ years of experience behind the GM screen, and a passion for helping you tell your own stories.

How NickTheDM creates a safe table

As a setting that mixes Cyberpunk and Gothic Horror, New Neo Barovia can get a little grim at times, but playing a group of Out-of-Place Superheroes also has some built-in comedy from the very premise. This module intentionally has a deep seeded clash of tones. It is designed to have broad swaths of both levity and fear, which should lead to a feeling of something along the lines of an 80s comic book or Campy Horror Movie. It is easy to lean further into one side or the other depending on what the group decides they are interested in and what themes you’d prefer to explore. During Session 0 we'll discuss whether you want to play this more like a Saturday Morning Cartoon where the evil and darkness are mostly a backdrop, or if you would prefer to examine the grit and grime of the setting and how your characters would be effected by it. This is also a game that involves a fair amount of custom mechanics to make the settings work. You're going to play very high power characters, but the rules as written will have to bend a little to make this story flow smoothly. I will do my best to communicate any differences clearly and concisely, but if you would have difficulty with "Rule of Cool" moments or narrative taking precedence over mechanics, then this probably isn't the game for you.