CONFIRMED: Ravenloft for 5th Edition

[tomokaicho]

Ravenloft is still in the Shadowfell like in 4e, but it's defined more as a sub-plane of that. So it's moved from being a demiplane in the deep ethereal to a demiplane in the Shadowfell.

If is just a change of location from ethereal plane demiplane to a shadowfell demiplane, that would be acceptable. After all RL always did abut the plane of shadow anyway. Just as long as they keep the setting of the domains, the mists, the darklords, etc. If they don't and it is like the 4E version then it just isn't RL.

[alhoon]

I don't think they legally CAN use the 3E material from a different company, and they probably don't want to do a reset. So I actually don't expect the campaign world of Ravenloft to be back in the adventure, but just Barovia with vague references about other domains.

[Dion of the Fraternity]

If is just a change of location from ethereal plane demiplane to a shadowfell demiplane, that would be acceptable. After all RL always did abut the plane of shadow anyway. Just as long as they keep the setting of the domains, the mists, the darklords, etc. If they don't and it is like the 4E version then it just isn't RL.

We'll just have to get used to the fact that Ravenloft is anything we want it to be.

[Buzzclaw]

I have a feeling this adventure will combine I6, From the Shadows, and Roots of Evil.

[Le Noir Faineant]

Don't be a cynic Raf!
And the Hickmans are involved, they're not the ones writing the module.

Hehe, I am sorry, old friend! I know I sound a lot like that. I wish the project all the best, and I sincerely hope it, well, does not tank. I am, however, a pretty disillusioned with the hobby's general embrace of consumerism. There's nothing "casual" about investing 200 bucks per season in game supplements. My concern is not so much about the money; moreover, I find the baroque quantities of material that are used for gaming these days quite simply unnecessary. - Like, y-e-a-h, I am so totally going to run the campaign, run the twelve AG scenarios, read the novel, listen to the audioplay, follow the webcomic, and install at least five different mobile apps to get the full story. That is totally going to happen.

[alhoon]

50$ again... Oh well. I'll save money.
It seems ... close to the original from what I've read here. http://dnd.wizards.com/products/tableto ... rse-strahd

The good news is there will be support for more adventures in Ravenloft in the Adventurers league.

I'm totally buying Ravenloft just to show my support, but I believe the bulk of the benefit for me will be the other, shorter adventures.

Curse of Strahd is produced by Wizards of the Coast. It was written by Chris Perkins, Tracy Hickman, and Laura Hickman, edited by Kim Mohan and Jeremy Crawford, and art directed by Kate Irwin. The adventure incorporates material from the original Ravenloft adventure as well as new story content created by Tracy and Laura Hickman, Chris Perkins, Adam Lee, Richard Whitters, and Jeremy Crawford.

A lot of good people there. Let's see if they make something as memorable as the original.

[alhoon]

Hehe, I am sorry, old friend! I know I sound a lot like that. I wish the project all the best, and I sincerely hope it, well, does not tank. I am, however, a pretty disillusioned with the hobby's general embrace of consumerism. There's nothing "casual" about investing 200 bucks per season in game supplements. My concern is not so much about the money; moreover, I find the baroque quantities of material that are used for gaming these days quite simply unnecessary. - Like, y-e-a-h, I am so totally going to run the campaign, run the twelve AG scenarios, read the novel, listen to the audioplay, follow the webcomic, and install at least five different mobile apps to get the full story. That is totally going to happen.

You said it yourself Raf. You don't HAVE to spend 200$ and like 300 hours. The adventures are standalone. I assume the books and audio and apps are also standalone.
Out of the Abyss was very good by itself.

Find it too pricey? You can buy a short adventure for levels 1-3 for 4$ from the Temple of Elemental Evil storyline.
You fancy a story? You can buy a novel. If it happens to be about the rage of demons doesn't mean it will require you to have the books, the apps, the adventures and all.

[hidajiremi]

I am, however, a pretty disillusioned with the hobby's general embrace of consumerism.

Which embrace of consumerism? Because the hobby's always been oriented toward sales, what with it being a business. The modern movement away from the perpetual supplement treadmill is actually way better than it used to be, as far as I'm concerned.

[Jester of the FoS]

50$ again... Oh well. I'll save money.

That's what all the others cost. I don't see why this one would be cheaper.
And it's a 256-page hardcover. Those are pricey.

I am, however, a pretty disillusioned with the hobby's general embrace of consumerism. There's nothing "casual" about investing 200 bucks per season in game supplements. My concern is not so much about the money; moreover, I find the baroque quantities of material that are used for gaming these days quite simply unnecessary. - Like, y-e-a-h, I am so totally going to run the campaign, run the twelve AG scenarios, read the novel, listen to the audioplay, follow the webcomic, and install at least five different mobile apps to get the full story. That is totally going to happen.

It's not that bad. Especially when you compare things to 3e and 4e, which both had monthly books. The AP every six months with an occasional accessory release schedule is refreshingly lite.

The other stuff is secondary. You can play the video games and board games, which are nice if you don't have a tabletop group. And Adventurer's League is nice for folk without a regular homegame. You're not expected to run the AL scenarios *and* the storyline adventure.
They just want to give people a choice over how to experience D&D, lots of different ways to play.

It's arguably better than Paizo with it's six $20 AP volumes, the related campaign expansion book, the map folio, and pawn set. To say nothing of the dozen books or so expected to run a campaign.

Especially since you can play D&D with just the Basic rules (free) or SRD (also free) and the campaign book. Especially if they release another Basic rules expansion like they did for the first two adventures. You could play both Tyranny of Dragons and Princes of the Apocalypse for just the cost of the adventure.

[alhoon]

50$ again... Oh well. I'll save money.

That's what all the others cost. I don't see why this one would be cheaper.
And it's a 256-page hardcover. Those are pricey.

AGAIN? Are you sure? It's just 10 levels this time, not 15.
If it is indeed full-sized (as in 15 lvl adventures) but it's just for 10 levels... That leaves like 50 pages for fluff! Like power checks, how to make gothic adventures etc!
That's indeed wonderful news, if we get a semi-campaign setting as well.
Out of the Abyss was a quasi-campaign setting and it was 256 pages and 15 levels.

[Ender]

While I'm excited, I'm also super hesitant. I have this sense that it will be a great adventure... but it won't feel like the Ravenloft I know and love. I'm also particularly sad that Talon wasn't even contacted for artwork

[Joël of the FoS]

More collected info here : http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.ph ... p1AdvnhCM9

Joël

[alhoon]

While I'm excited, I'm also super hesitant. I have this sense that it will be a great adventure... but it won't feel like the Ravenloft I know and love. I'm also particularly sad that Talon wasn't even contacted for artwork

I think you're right, but I'm not that concerned. I still have my old Ravenloft books for traditional Ravenloft and I'll just take the Ravenloftian parts out of the new adventure, shape them up and use them as I like.
To be frank, I expect this adventure to be closer to I6, rather than the more evolved and deep Ravenloft setting of the late 90s where I was introduced to it.

[Ender]

While I'm excited, I'm also super hesitant. I have this sense that it will be a great adventure... but it won't feel like the Ravenloft I know and love. I'm also particularly sad that Talon wasn't even contacted for artwork

I think you're right, but I'm not that concerned. I still have my old Ravenloft books for traditional Ravenloft and I'll just take the Ravenloftian parts out of the new adventure, shape them up and use them as I like.
To be frank, I expect this adventure to be closer to I6, rather than the more evolved and deep Ravenloft setting of the late 90s where I was introduced to it.

So Polygon's article on it has Chris Perkins saying this:

"And so I asked [Hickman] what are some of the things that he added, and what were some of the ideas that he’d had since 1983 when he wrote the original that he thought would make good additions to the story. And out of those conversations came piles and piles of ideas for the new campaign book. Not only specific locations that Tracey had dreamt up, but just more information about the vampire himself."

This sounds to me like it's wiping the slate clean, as though they're not just making a lore-agnostic adventure, but actually rewriting the story we've been given. IF that's the case, I'll be very upset, even if it's a good adventure. Maybe I'm reading too much into it or being too cynical... but this feels like a completely different approach than the way they've advanced the Forgotten Realms setting.

[Ender]

And in addition, the Geek and Sundry article refers to this as a "reboot". Not sure if that's accurate or an accidental misrepresentation, but it doesn't instill me with confidence.