Curse of Strahd: Opinions?

[Dreamakuma]

In chapter 2, Page 39, The Mad Mage of Mount Baratok.

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Mordenkainen has gone mad and lost his spellbook and staff after confronting Strahd. He cast a mind blank spell on himself.

[alhoon]

Okaaaay, another thing that I'll change. Mordenkainen is way more powerful than Strahd, he's one of the most powerful wizards in the multiverse. CR12 archmage? LoL.
He should at the very least have legendary actions and legendary resistances.

I'll change it to a non-epic level wizard, the sole survivor from an ill-fated attack on Strahd.

[Guardian of Twilight]

I'm having to order a new copy as mine is beginning to have problems with the spine of the book. Using it last night to look up some information during the vampire spawn encounter caused it to pop loudly and I could feel it in my hand as it shifted. Aside from that, which can happen, the book was in really good condition.

[Hazgarn]

I'll change it to a non-epic level wizard, the sole survivor from an ill-fated attack on Strahd.

If he's apparently gone mad, you could always have him be a non-epic level wizard who thinks he's Mordenkainen.

[alhoon]

I'll change it to a non-epic level wizard, the sole survivor from an ill-fated attack on Strahd.

If he's apparently gone mad, you could always have him be a non-epic level wizard who thinks he's Mordenkainen.

Where's the like button?!
Thanks.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

I'll change it to a non-epic level wizard, the sole survivor from an ill-fated attack on Strahd.

If he's apparently gone mad, you could always have him be a non-epic level wizard who thinks he's Mordenkainen.

Where's the like button?!
Thanks.

Here, you go, click on this until it works:

[Dreamakuma]

Some of the things I'm doing to run CoS:
1. Castles and Crusades, I like the rules and converting 5e and 2e to C&C is easy as pie.
2. Using Domains of Dread's powers checks and fear, horror & madness checks. Maybe a PC could become a successor to Strahd.
3. Definitely use gazetteer 1 to intermingle with CoS
4. 50% of the population will have souls and I won't mention reincarnation one bit till Tatyana or Ireena. They need to be special and not explained. Those that are soulless could be agents of Strahd or possible monstrous threats. I feel like 90% is too much.
5. Drop the shadowfell entirely.
6. Borrow Hazgarn's idea for mordenkainen. Brilliant idea dude!
7. Put in an undead silver dragon skeleton in the castle.

[alhoon]

If I may ask, why not use 5e horror rules (DMG + Out of the Abyss)?

[Dreamakuma]

Partly because I don't own 5e yet . I've played 5e and enjoy it, but leave DMing 5e to another person in my group. That DM isn't a big ravenloft fan however. CoS is the first 5e book I've bought.

I'm a big OSR fan, and have run classic modules using retroclones and old school style games like Labyrinth Lord, Dungeon Crawl Classics, and Castles & Crusades. C&C is great for converting AD&D 1st and 2nd edition and by the looks of things, very compatible with 5e. However C&C's fear rules are kinda weak compared to domains of dread. So I'll swap them wholesale.
I figure using the mixture of those three books will add a spooky twist to some old school fun.

[alhoon]

Well, 5e is free. The rules for madness are in the SRD I think, and expansion of those rules is in the also free Out of the Abyss DM's supplementary book.

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

Anyone catch the Vecna reference yet?

[Resonant Curse]

Okaaaay, another thing that I'll change. Mordenkainen is way more powerful than Strahd, he's one of the most powerful wizards in the multiverse. CR12 archmage? LoL.
He should at the very least have legendary actions and legendary resistances.

I'll change it to a non-epic level wizard, the sole survivor from an ill-fated attack on Strahd.

Nowhere has it ever been said that he is one of the most powerful in the multiverse. He was very strong for Greyhawk, moderate power for Forgotten Realms, the planes, etc. Some of the Circle of Eight were as low as 12th level if I remember correctly. Mordenkainen is (in)famous, that does not necessarily equate to actual power. He had a lot of connections and allies, not to mention a personal army to back up his ne in Greyhawk.

[IrvyneWolfe]

Personally I read this adventure with a very specific head cannon. The Time of Unparalleled Darkness occurred on schedule and almost everyone in Ravenloft managed to make it out in some form (actual escape or death being the most common). It was such a complete collapse that the Dark Powers almost ceased to exist, but as it turns out their favorite plaything, Strahd, rather than try to escape made one more grand attempt to claim Tatanya before everything went to hell. He failed of course, and the DPs were able to hold onto Barovia. In the chaos reality got a soft reboot and bits and pieces of the old reality survive, bleeding through into "new" Barovia. some souls tied tightly to the demi-plane were drawn back in and the Dark Powers decided to make escape even harder by populating the world with mostly empty shells and never, ever, letting go of the souls of the departed who actually had them (hey you never know when you'll need to reincarnate someone). In essence they created a stronger, but smaller prison. They may attempt to expand, but for the time being they are so weak from TToUD that they don't dare try.

[alhoon]

Anyone catch the Vecna reference yet?

Yeap

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

Where is it? I've not found it.