Curse of Strahd

Creating your character

Character creation will begin during our Session Zero, where we will discuss the party together and make sure the characters work well as a group, both narratively and in terms of their abilities. You do not need to arrive with a finished character, and I will be available to help both new and experienced players develop their ideas. Characters can then be completed individually before the first session, with my support if needed. All characters will be created and managed through D&D Beyond within the campaign dedicated to our group. Characters will normally begin at level 3. If the entire group would like to experience Death House, the introductory adventure to Curse of Strahd, we can instead begin at level 1 and progress to level 3 before entering the main campaign. We will primarily use the D&D 5.5e rules. All official D&D 5.5e character options are allowed. Official D&D 5e material may also be considered when an updated 5.5e version does not yet exist, provided I have access to the relevant sourcebook. If you are unsure whether a particular option is available, just ask me before building around it. Ability scores and any other character creation details will be discussed during Session Zero so that everyone uses the same rules and we can choose an approach that works for the whole group. Content sharing will be enabled in our D&D Beyond campaign, giving players access to all the sourcebooks in my collection. You will not need to purchase any additional books or content to create your character.

Preparing for the session

To join the campaign, you will only need a few simple tools. All required accounts, software, and browser extensions are free, and you will not need to purchase anything beyond your seat in the game. Before playing, you will need a free D&D Beyond account. We will use D&D Beyond to create and manage your character, access your character sheet during sessions, and use the books and other content I will share through our campaign. You will also need a free Discord account. Discord will be our main communication platform both during sessions and between games. A microphone is required and, if possible, I encourage the use of a webcam to make the online table feel more engaging and closer to an in person gaming experience. We will use Google Chrome to access our virtual tabletop through AboveVTT, a free browser extension integrated directly with D&D Beyond. AboveVTT will be used for maps, tokens, exploration, tactical combat, and dice rolls while remaining connected to your D&D Beyond character. Before the campaign begins, you will receive all the links and instructions needed to join our Discord server, D&D Beyond campaign, and AboveVTT game. If you have never used D&D Beyond, Discord, or AboveVTT before, that is absolutely fine. I will help you set everything up and show you how the tools work before we begin. No previous experience with online D&D is required.

What Patrizio brings to the table

At my table, you will not simply play through a published module page by page. I use the original adventure as the foundation, then adapt it to the group and the characters who are actually experiencing it. Your backgrounds, motivations, personalities, relationships, and decisions can all become part of the adventure. Even when running a published campaign, my goal is to make the story feel like it belongs to your group. Your choices will matter, and Barovia will react to what you do. I have a strong knowledge of the D&D rules and use them to provide consistency, balance, and a common framework for everyone at the table. At the same time, I do not want the rules to become an obstacle to creativity or a memorable moment. Clever ideas and creative solutions are always welcome, and I am comfortable using the Rule of Cool when it makes sense without undermining fairness or the abilities of other characters. Combat encounters will be carefully prepared and balanced, with detailed VTT maps supporting tactical movement, positioning, exploration, and environmental interaction. When appropriate, you may also encounter carefully designed homebrew creatures or mechanics intended to surprise experienced players without creating unfair challenges. Music and ambient sound will accompany the adventure, with particular attention to the gothic horror atmosphere of Barovia and the mood of individual scenes. I will provide access through D&D Beyond to the original English language D&D books and materials in my collection that are needed for the campaign and character creation. Content sharing will be enabled for the group, so you will not need to purchase these books or any additional D&D Beyond content yourself. I will also be available to help with character creation and management, D&D Beyond, AboveVTT, and the rules themselves. New players are welcome, and I am happy to explain not only how a rule works, but also the options and possibilities available to your character. My goal is to create an experience where roleplay, exploration, mystery, and tactical combat all contribute to the same thing: building a memorable story together that belongs to the group.

How Patrizio creates a safe table

Player safety and comfort come before the story and the rules, especially in a gothic horror campaign like Curse of Strahd, which can explore dark themes and potentially sensitive situations. During Session Zero, we will discuss the tone of the campaign, everyone's expectations, and the kinds of content that may appear during the adventure. We will also establish some fundamental table rules, including mutual respect, sharing the spotlight, and no PvP without the consent of everyone involved. We will use Lines and Veils to establish the group's boundaries. Lines are subjects that will not appear in the game at all, while Veils are subjects that may exist within the story but will happen off screen or without detailed description or roleplay. Players will never be required to explain or justify their boundaries, and Lines and Veils can be added or changed at any point during the campaign. During a session, any player can let me know if a scene or subject is making them uncomfortable. This can be done openly at the table or privately through Discord. We can immediately stop the scene, change its direction, or simply move past it. No explanation will be required, and keeping the game moving will never be more important than a player's comfort. There will also be space after sessions to talk about the game and how everyone is feeling about the campaign. Feedback, concerns, or problems can be discussed with the group or sent to me privately. I welcome feedback throughout the campaign rather than limiting these conversations to Session Zero. Curse of Strahd is meant to be frightening, unsettling, and occasionally disturbing, but that experience should always exist within boundaries established by the people at the table. The horror should come from what happens to the characters in Barovia, never from making the players themselves feel unsafe or unwelcome.