Ravenloft and the Storyteller System

[Le Noir Faineant]

How does one convert D&D monsters, like from Denizens of Dread to WoD?

What I usually do is to follow the rules in World of Darkness: Antagonists, the chapter on those wacky monsters (Aswang, Beast of Bethlehem etc.). It's all a matter of tweaking their supernatural abilities. A bit of work, but from past experience (with the Death's Head Tree I converted), it's worth it especiually if you foucs less on the stats and more on the storytelling.

Thank you! I still haven't got that book, but I will look if I find it somewhere... Gaah! Gaming budget explodes!

[Dion of the Fraternity]

World of Darkness stats (my creation)

----------
Strahd von Zarovich
Count and Darklord of Barovia

Clan: n/a ("Clanless" rules from Storyteller's Handbook)
Virtue: Fortitude
Vice: Lust

Intelligence: 4
Wits: 3
Resolve: 4
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 3
Stamina: 5
Presence: 4
Manipulation: 5
Composure: 3

Skills
Academics: 2
Crafts: 1
Investigation: 3
Occult: 4
Politics: 5
Science: 2

Athletics: 1
Brawl: 3
Firearms: 1
Ride: 3
Stealth: 4
Survival: 2
Weaponry: 5

Animal Ken: 1
Expression: 2
Intimidation: 4
Persuasion: 2
Socialize: 3
Subterfuge: 4

Merits
Allies: 3
Contacts: 5
Haven Security: 4

Flaws
Fascination with all things Tatyana
Cannot leave Barovia

Disciplines
Dominate: 3
Majesty: 1
Protean: 3
Vigor: 3

Health: 9
Willpower: 7
Vitae: 12/100
Blood Potency: 10
Humanity: 5 (Obssession)

Size: 5
Defense: 3
Initiative: 6
Speed: 13

Supernatural Abilities
Closing the Borders - at will Strahd can summon a poisonous mist that surrounds Barovia. Anyone entering the mist takes 1 point of aggravated damage per round unless he or she turns back.

[alhoon]

Dion: Sorry to tell you, but IMO Strahd the powerful necromancer, doesn't feel quite right as you made him.
He misses much.

Try this adjustments:
- Animalism 3 (he commands animals, calls them etc)
- Protean 5 (he becomes bat/wolf and mist)
- Resilience 5
- Celerity 4

- Stamina 5
- Blood Potency 7 (it is more than enough)
- Wits 6, intelligence 5, Resolve 5
- Strength 4, dex 4
- Presence 6, Composure 4

- Academics 3 (he is well educated... ), Politics 4 (He is a bit distanced from his subordinates), Occult 5 (Ravenloft specialty)
- Athletics 2, Brawl 4 (grappling specialty), Stealth 3, Weaponry 3 (swords specialty)
- Animal ken 4, Expression 3, Intimidation 5, Persuation 4

- Some sword-fighting merit 3, fast reflexes 2, quick draw (melee), languages (about 5-6 languages)

- Humanity 2 (he is pretty close to the beast the way he acts. A Brutal murder would not shock him)

- Necromancy discipline at 5. Yeah, there isn't one. You have to make one. Use Cruac and Theban sorceries as guidelines. And for ideas look what he does in the Strahd books etc. Don't worry too much if it ends up unbalanced. He is a dangerous necromancer after all.

[Dion of the Fraternity]

Thanks, alhoon. I knew something was off with my version.

So here's how Strahd's stats might look like:

==========
Strahd von Zarovich
Count and Darklord of Barovia

Clan: n/a ("Clanless" rules from Chronicler's Guide)
Virtue: Fortitude
Vice: Lust

Intelligence: 4
Wits: 5
Resolve: 4
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 3
Stamina: 5
Presence: 4
Manipulation: 5
Composure: 3

Skills
Academics: 3
Crafts: 1
Investigation: 3
Occult: 4
Politics: 4
Science: 2

Athletics: 2
Brawl: 4 (grappling 5)
Firearms: 1
Ride: 2
Stealth: 4
Survival: 2
Weaponry: 3 (swords 4)

Animal Ken: 4
Expression: 2
Intimidation: 5
Persuasion: 3
Socialize: 3
Subterfuge: 4

Merits
Allies: 3
Contacts: 5
Fast Reflexes: 2
Haven Security: 4
Languages: 6
Sword-Fighting: 4

Flaws
Fascination with all things Tatyana
Cannot leave Barovia

Disciplines
Animalism: 3
Dominate: 3
Majesty: 1
Protean: 5
Resilience: 4
*some sort of Necromancy Discpline: 5 (combo of Cruac, Theban Sorcery and Coils of the Dragon)

Health: 9
Willpower: 7
Vitae: 4/10
Blood Potency: 7
Humanity: 2 (Obssession)

Size: 5
Defense: 3
Initiative: 6
Speed: 13
==========


Next up: Azalin Rex, using Mage: the Awakening rules.

[Le Noir Faineant]

*Watching with interest*

[alhoon]

Thanks, alhoon. I knew something was off with my version.

No Problem Dion. Also remember 1. that Strahd is a character that should have some surprises up his sleeve, that is why I proposed that Necromancy discipline (a tool for the DM to say "Boo! He does that!")

and 2: That Azalin's curse is that he cannot learn new magic but he can work with what he has... Awakening is <really> allowing too much freedom.

[Dion of the Fraternity]

Azalin's curse is that he cannot learn new magic but he can work with what he has... Awakening is <really> allowing too much freedom.

I'm thinking that Mage: the Awakening rules are perfect for Azalin, but his character needs to be tweaked as an undead.

For example: his mana reserves (maximized) act like vitae: every sunset or so, his mana reserves drop by one point. To activate some sort of "spark of life" facade, he's required to use up another mana point. Plus, the only way he could restore his mana is through "memory absorption."

As for the spells he knows, I figure that he would know up to three dots in each discipline (Fate, Forces, etc.) except Death, with five dots. He can't learn more than three dots in the rest.

[alhoon]

That sounds quite good. Also if you want a more "close to canon" version of Azalin you can take a look to his spellbook and allow him to cast spells only close to the ones proposed there. Or take some time to think what you liked of him from all the sources detailing his magic (I Strahd, King of the Dead, Gazetteers etc) and make these the only effects available to him.

Also Azalin IMO should have mind 4 and intelligence 6-7. Phantasms, heavy memory alteration etc are all Mind 4. He should also have superhuman intelligence.

[Dion of the Fraternity]

Ah, updates!

I know that I should've put Azalin's Magestats up first, but I just had to put this first:

==========
Ivana Boritsi
Sefeasa of West Borca

Virtue: Faith
Vice: Pride

Intelligence: 4
Wits: 4
Resolve: 3
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 4
Stamina: 5
Presence: 5
Manipulation: 5
Composure: 4

Skills
Academics: 4
Crafts: 4 (poisons 6)
Investigation: 4
Occult: 4
Politics: 6
Science: 4

Athletics: 2
Brawl: 3
Firearms: 1
Larceny: 3
Ride: 3
Stealth: 5
Weaponry: 3 (swords 4)

Expression: 5
Intimidation: 5
Persuasion: 5
Socialize: 5
Subterfuge: 5

Merits
Allies: 5
Contacts: 5
Haven Security: 5
Sword-Fighting: 4
("beauty" merit, forgot its name): 4

Flaws
Hideous appearance -- whenever Ivana sleeps (and for an hour after she awakes), all Social skills dice pool rolls are at -4.

Cannot leave Borca

Supernatural abilities
Toxic touch -- Any person touched by Ivana must make a Wits + Resolve roll or take 4 aggravated damage.

Kiss of death -- To succeed in this ability, Ivana must succeed in a melee attack. Any person kissed by Ivana must make a Wits + resolve roll or take 6 aggravated damage.

Health: 9
Willpower: 8
Humanity: 3 (Narcissism)

Size: 5
Defense: 3
Initiative: 4
Speed: 12

[alhoon]

And dear old al is here to give his piece of advice again. This time I have very few things to suggest.

1. As per the rules of poisons in the WoD rules, I would suggest the following:

Toxic touch: Dex+brawl - targets defence to touch.
Resolve + Stamina -3. A single success is enough to stop the damage. Failure means 3 Aggravated.

Kiss of Death: Resolve+Stamina -5. A single success stops the damage for a single turn. Failure deals 4 aggravated.
Rolls go on every turn until the victim dies, like Ivana's kiss in D&D Ravenloft.
If the target is unwilling, use the normal procedure for grapple. (Dex+brawl-defence to touch and then Strength + Brawl -Target's strength to initiate a grapple. In the next turn, strength + brawl again to kiss)
If you don't want such a fatal kiss, rule that the poison works for 3 to 5 turns (your choice). Even with the -5, a character has a reasonable chance to survive for 3 turns and a slight one for 5 turns. (Stamina 4 + Resolve 3 + toxin resistance 2 + Willpower 3 - poison 5 = 7 dice after all)

2. The merit you're looking for is called Striking Looks.

3. Fighting abilities:
- Well... Ivana seems very good fighter. That's OK if you want her a good fightet . I would suggest (but that's personal taste only) to tone down a bit her weapon wielding abilities. Not to make her totaly innept at swords however.
- Perhaps a Brawl specialty in grapple?
- Add a +1 to the grapple maneuver to initiate a kiss once she has started a grapple? Be careful however... to be kissed is to die soon after.
- Politics 6? She isn't that much knowledgable in politics IMO what about a 4 with a specialty in ruling?
What about Intimidation 4? Expression 4? Remember Expression is giving speaches after all, and dancing and singing...

- What about manipulation 6?

Out of topic: Ivana seems better fitted to be in these rules than Azalin or even Strahd IMO.

[alhoon]

Vlad Drakov:
Since Drakov is a big mean fighter and little more, he is easy so I take my try on him:

Attributes
Intelligence 3
Wits 3
Resolve 4
Strength 4(5 with gauntlets)
Dexterity 4
Stamina 4
Presence 3
Manipulation 2
Composure 3

Abilities
Academics 1 (Falkovnia)
Crafts 1
Politics 3
Warfare 3 (yes, I made it up. Governs making plans for battles and leading troops in battle)

Athletics 2
Brawl 2
Ride 3
Archery 3 (Composite Bow)
Survival 1
Weaponry 5 (sword)

Animal ken 2
Empathy 2
Intimidation 4
Streetwise 1
Subterfuge 1

Merits:
Fast reflexes 2
CS: Fencing 5 (applies to his sword normaly, without the -1 as it is the way he learned it)
CS: Archery 3
CS: Mounted combat 3 (make it up )
Sword aiming 2. (Gives him a +1 to aim specific parts)
Contacts 4
Iron Stamina 2
Strong Back 1
Fame 3
Castle Security 4

Supernatural Powers
Magic Resistant: -3 to all rolls in order to affect him with a SN power (discipline, spell, etc) He cannot voluntarily lower it

Equipment (This is important since he has a lot. I copied most of his equipment from the SotDR book)

Enchanted Plate Armor: Armor 5 defence -2 Speed -3
Enchented shield: -2 to attacks while holding it, +3 defence
Enchanted short Sword: +2 efficiency +1 durability
Enchanted Bow: +1 efficiency
Imbued cloak: +1 to all resistance rolls.
Imbued Gauntlets: +1 Strength (can take it over 5)
Imbued Ring: All magic attacks that would imobilize Drakov receive a -4 to activate.
Imbued Ring: +1 defence
Imbued Boots: Speed x2, +1 defence, +1 initiative
Imbued amulet: +1 armor

Stats
Size 5
Willpower 7
Morality 1 (Narcisism, increadible cluelty and probably a few more)
initiative +8 (+9 with equipment)
Speed: 12 (20 with equipment)
Armor: 0 (6 with equipment)
Defence: 3 (7 with equipment)

And just to show how bad would be to face him in combat:
Sword attack (equivalent for thrust): 14 dice-armor-defence
Sword attack (equivalent for Moulinet): 13 dice -armor -defence. If he scores a hit, he does another 4 lethal. Costs one Willpower
Sword attack (Aimed heart, equivalent of moulinet): 10 dice -armor -defence. If he scores a hit, he does another 4 Lethal. Costs one will power.
BTW... with 5 lethal to the heart a mortal dies whatever his health level are. So you better have some good armor and defence if you go against Drakov because with one hit he kills a man.

(I didn't add merits like status and Resources since he is the lord after all)