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Curse of Strahd

Curse of Strahd

The vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich, one of D&D’s most iconic villains, is the undisputed master of his hidden domain of Barovia. While his reign of terror breaks the spirits of his subjects, he himself is a prisoner; Barovia is a demiplane, a pocket dimension which traps both the vampire and his victims, to Strahd to possess, enthrall, or dispose of as he sees fit. Perhaps the heroes who now wander into its mists will slay Strahd and free Barovia once and for all… or perhaps they will simply die, just like all who have come before. Curse of Strahd is a gothic horror adventure module for the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Based on the classic Ravenloft by Laura and Tracy Hickman, Strahd revamps the beloved adventure with tons of new NPCs, locations, and a full history of the dark lord Strahd himself. It’s a good example of a “sandbox” or open-world adventure; while Barovia’s borders trap the heroes, there’s nothing stopping them from exploring wherever they like, and deadly danger can appear anywhere. As such, players need to play smart and be cautious, as even the devilish vampire himself can show up whenever he likes to torment them. The adventure begins with a divinatory card reading that can completely randomize the locations of important characters and treasures, so the module can even be replayed without retreading too much old ground. Heroes will need to gather allies, grow in strength, and ultimately know their enemy to resist Strahd’s charms and temptations and put him in the ground for good!

Authors: Jeremy Crawford, Laura Hickman, Tracy Hickman, Adam Lee, Chris Perkins, Richard Whitters

Game System

Dungeons & Dragons 5e

Release Date

March 2016

Themes

Gothic Horror
Horror
Supernatural
High Fantasy

Details

4-6 Players
120-150 Hours
45-55 Sessions
Level 1-10
Curse of Strahd Reviews (25)

See what other Game Masters and players are saying about Curse of Strahd

Chris avatar

Chris

New review

This adventure is probably the most talked about one in 5e. A vampire in charge of a demi plane that exists solely to punish him immediately brings some images to anyone’s mind regardless of the lore they’re aware of or not. I think this adventure offers a lot of good hooks to bring a character into the location and to keep them invested in the story. Whether they wish to be the hero and keep people safe, whether they are thirsty for battle and glory, whether they are desperate to escape, the campaign sets up reasons to encourage players to make attainable goals for their characters. The locations throughout the adventure feel very flavorful and interesting giving a city full of danger to explore, an ancient site where a terrible ritual is being performed, haunted castles, ruined cities, and so many more. The fortune telling mechanic near the beginning of the module helps to give players focus and direction, and npcs that connect to different locations give opportunities for quests and jobs that encourage exploration. Some issues that I have had is that the locations feel a little bland at times, and the book pretty much states that players will only see maybe a third of these locations if they run the adventure as expected. There is a formula for this adventure guiding the players to the locations of certain items, pushing the players toward the castle, and ending with a final confrontation which can put the rails on the adventure for better or for worse. With all that said, I do think that the book is enhanced by utilizing other resources as well. Books have been written about Strahd that give insight into his mind and the reason for why he does what he does. Posts and 3rd party material exist for this campaign more than any other I’ve seen and the level of detail people have gone into to enhance the story and player experience is amazing. You have to balance it of course. If you add too much, it can be very overwhelming, but what you do choose to add can be what makes the campaign remembered by your players for a very long time.

Rodrigo avatar

Rodrigo

New review

Ran 51 sessions

I dont know why I waited so long to DM this campaign. It is easily one of my favorites now. It offers a very different feeling from classic DnD and other pre-written modules. The sandbox freedom, the horror atmosphere, the many encounters that can really kill powerful PCs and a recurring villain players love to hate. It all combines to offer a unique experience that is hard to replicate with other campaigns. It sure is not for everyone though. Those who dont want to roleplay often or who want to be in a power fantasy will not have that much fun, but everyone else should have a blast Im definitely going to DM more of this, as each party catches me by surprise on how they navigate the dangers of Barovia and how I get to make the world react to their actions, usually in a really...really bad way :-D (all with the consent of the players, who love having their actions have dark consequences)

D&PhD avatar

D&PhD

New review

Ran 1 sessions

Of all the 5th edition published adventures this one is by far the best. I have run it twice for friends and so it was a no-brainer to run it as my first adventure here on start playing. The thing that sets this adventure apart and makes it great for Dungeon Masters is the absolute treasure trove of community support and content that has been generated to streamline and improve the module. Despite being a pre-made campaign the land of Barovia is perfect for you to insert whatever twisted horror filled creation sparks your imagination as a dungeon master. For players, the atmosphere and challenges presented in this adventure lead to intense roleplay and combat encounters that keepbthings fresh and exciting session to session.

Cone of Cool avatar

Cone of Cool

New review

Ran 27 sessions

he’s my best friend, he’s my pal. He’s my home-boy, my rotten soldier. He’s my sweet cheese, my good-time boy. Curse of Strahd is my favourite module ever hands down. Strahd is so fun to play as a DM. Barovia is such a fun and mysterious setting. Nothing but love for this module. ❤️❤️

Eric avatar

Eric

New review

Love this dark horror. There is so much to do. As a DM I had so many things to use and toss at my players. The players I had loved it. We didn't do all of it because there is many things to do. But fun was had all around.

Ty avatar

Ty

New review

Ran 31 sessions

Curse of Strahd is a classic adventure, and one I've run a number of times. The lore and legacy of the setting are incredible, and combined with the gothic theme and nonlinear "sandbox" nature, makes for a unique campaign. Perhaps my favorite part of the adventure, and the reason I've both played in and run the campaign so many times without getting tired of it, is the wealth of community-created content surrounding it. Look here or on reddit and you'll find a dozen-plus variations -- genderbend, western, extended versions, and more -- so that even if you've played it once, there are plenty more interesting and fun interpretations of the story. If you're a DM looking to run it I'd highly recommend looking up DragnaCarta, MandyMod, or Lunch Break Heroes' versions (among many others who have added tweaks, re-writes, or whole additions to the base campaign).

Curse of Strahd map makers

Mike Schley

Over the years, Mike Schley has worked in a variety of positions, including lead designer, art director, and freelance illustrator for top-tier publishers. Their art is well recognized among fans of Dungeons and Dragons, having created art and maps for everywhere from The Sword Coast to Barovia, and countless places in between. Mike says that they "aim to ignite the viewer's imagination in a way that inspires their own creativity" with their illustrations.

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Curse of Strahd community artists

JamesRPGArt

James creates animated background scenes for TTRPGs, and releases new scenes each month. As a concept artist and digital painter, they have a great passion for running and playing a wide variety of role-playing games, creating their art and animations to add atmosphere and immersion to your favorite games.

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Frequently asked questions about Curse of Strahd

Roll20 Module

D&D Beyond Module

Fantasy Grounds Module

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