Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:Got mine yesterday as well. It's truly a beauty. To be honest, I bought it mainly as a collector, but seeing it makes me want to learn 5e and play with it ASAP. Sadly, there's a pandemic going on, and this really needs to be seen in person to be appreciated. I wouldn't want to play this one over webcam. At least that gives me some time to learn 5e, I guess.
I quite like 5e. It quickly became my preferred version of D&D. The focus on DM empowerment and away from min-maxing and hard rules really enables as world like Ravenloft to shine.
And
Curse of Strahd would be a fine first foray into 5e.
Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:Also, once we are able to gather again, the choice of playing my established campaign vs. running new characters through CoS, is going to be a tough one. But it is begging to be played. Maybe I'll find a way to run an abbreviated version inside my campaign? I dunno.
Thankfully, campaigns don't expire. This will still be there in six months or a year, after your return to your established campaign for a bit.
Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:I was pleasantly surprised that the main box fit nicely on a shelf, unlike the Revamped version.
No kidding. One of these is a extra-deluxe $400 limited edition collector's box. And the other is a slightly pricier boxed set:
They look reversed.
Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:The map tube is more of a pain to store, but worth it, as the maps are gorgeous.
I have a cardboard Strahd standee, so I slipped the tube in there, giving it extra weight.
Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:Did you find the "in-world map of Barovia" or the "Dinner with Strahd" tips? I didn't dig through everything yet.)
Saw the "dinner with Strahd" tips but didn't read.
Didn't look through all the maps. Really, I should. Official maps of the castle in non-isoelectric fashion are probably a must-examine.
Haven't really flipped through everything beyond snapping pictures. The collector in me is afraid of damaging something.
Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:And yes, the finger puppets are adorable, and they even printed "is no fun, is no Blinsky!" on the plastic baggie that holds them. Attention to detail is amazing throughout.
Tragically, I just tore open the bag rather than using scissors (to avoid cutting a puppet) and destroyed the baggie before I noticed that. A horrible mistake.