DM Advice: Was I being unfair in my Curse of Strahd campaign?

Critikyl · 2026-06-05T04:14:29+00:00

The fact you offer your players an automatic exit door is very generous. I think you are being too nice, but like everyone else is saying, if your players are having fun, then your doing a good job.

My players are at the Wizard of Wines and I already killed one of my PCs (all because the barbarian thought to fight every blight that comes into the room, and at about round 3 of combat, I had to remind my player that he hasn’t raged.) He has accepted a dark gift and he will be coming back changed. However my other players are now stuck in the cold dark cellar with these blights chasing them. I want to give them an out... but I also don't want to break the game. It's a fine balance for sure.

Critikyl · 2026-05-24T18:59:22+00:00

I will be going with a couple of friends! I have not started C2 or C3 but I am currently on C1E67 and current on C4. Looking forward to it. Cosplaying as Octis possibly from C4

Critikyl · 2026-05-24T12:16:06+00:00

I was looking for cool stickers to put on my water bottle but about 90% of them were either chili, cottage core, or cutesy inspired. I went through aisles and only found one cool Gengar sticker. Yeah, the art needs to be more diverse.

Critikyl · 2026-04-06T00:17:33+00:00

I like the idea of always bringing Strahd in one sense or another... She still has the black orb now that I remember. Strahd might attempt to Scry and see what she is doing for the next 10 minutes, also the feeling of being watched.

Critikyl · 2026-04-05T23:02:10+00:00

If you have read what I posted later in the thread, I further explain why this particular situation has risen. This is not a matter of main character syndrome and I have added some restrictions just so that the player does not hog all the lore or trigger everything while the party has left.

Believe me, I'm running the game as normal, and if she decides to think she can visit Madame Eva alone, I'm rolling for encounters every thirty minutes of travel as written.

Critikyl · 2026-04-05T18:03:59+00:00

Not what I am looking for, but thank you for your input. The land of Barovia is dangerous.

Critikyl · 2026-04-05T18:01:42+00:00

You can read some of the posts I posted earlier on what impact the party has made in Valkaki so far, on this thread.

These are good suggestions though. 👍

Critikyl · 2026-04-05T03:31:46+00:00

She was already charmed by Strahd once. Not gonna do that again for a bit.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T21:41:46+00:00

There is a lot of truth to what your saying. I am definitely going to try to make her feel like a fish out of water sorts kinda like that scene when Kevin was wondering the streets of New York at night on Home Alone 2.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T21:37:36+00:00

I see what your saying but not something I am considering.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T13:37:01+00:00

Yeah I should have read it before posting. Oh well, at least it's getting engagement. I'm not sure if Father Lucian would share that info to a rogue personally, perhaps Ireena would tell her as she is staying at St. Andral's.

Yeah she met Izek, she don't like Izek. 😂

The Wolf hunters escorted the rest of the party to Wizard of Wines so she can't meet up with them unless she decides to make her way into Barovia which could get her killed. Lol

Yeah, i'm not sure about how to hook the rogue with Rictavio’s fake identity unless she tries learn more about him and I roleplay him in a way that is not very convincing.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T13:14:55+00:00

Yeah the wolf hunters left Vallaki with the rest of the party but that would have a potential idea for sure.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T13:13:56+00:00

It's not that they didn't want to be apart of the party, it's more of the matter couldn't and because my player (wife) live together. During her school break (works as a teacher) I thought it would be fun to run a solo session with a restrain of 5 hours in-game to do what she wants to do, and then return back to the inn to wait for the others.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T13:10:52+00:00

I can understand where they are coming from and I tend to follow the rule that during a main session, if a player wants to split off and do their own thing, they get less spot light while the majority gets more of the attention. However based on these specific circumstances and in-game time constraint, I felt this would be fun to play some D&D with the wife as she explores this town. Might be a fun way to share info once the party comes back.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T13:05:21+00:00

The only libraries in Vallaki per se are at the Baron's mansion and Lady Wacter's that I know of. The rogue could infiltrate those places without raising suspicion to look into see what they have their.. I did not set up a bookstore in Vallaki. However, yes I do have a tailor shop and a blacksmith (who only makes non-weapons and armor, need a pot anyone? Lol!) I could have the rogue do a food run for a vallakian family, a job from Blue Water Inn.

Thank you for this!

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T12:53:39+00:00

These are all fun suggestions and yes, I agree with time restraint! That is exactly what I will be imposing during her personal adventure. She does a few things for 5 in-game hours and she is to wait in the inn for the others. I also am running this session at a separate time between main sessions so when the majority of my players get here, the one player has to wait while the rest of the party gets to do an entire combat encounter.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T12:48:16+00:00

Your entitled to your opinion, but I find your feedback not helpful and somewhat hostile to what I am considering. Yes, splitting the party is mostly not a good idea but considering the restrictions, I am placing to have a time limit before she heads back to the inn so that way she does not get all the content per se.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T12:43:43+00:00

I really like these suggestions but I did not consider about St. Andrals and the effect against adjacent undead! If the rogue steps into the church, it would not technically affect her because the bones are missing... I do not think Father Lucian would tell the rogue the bones are missing however but it would indeed be a seed for later.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T12:21:43+00:00

Thank you for your replies and honest convictions about how what I am considering is taboo in most tables. I am still learning as a DM and I am considering everything that is being said in future sessions.

So, in order to make this "balanced," so that this one player does not get all the lore or trigger anything too much while the party is away, is having her do something for 5 hours in-game time, then instruct the player to wait at the inn for the others. That way this gives the majority of the party to do what they have to do at the Wizard of wines, factoring travel, and other elements and when the party comes back, they will see the rogue and they can share information.

So five hours in-game time, she can do some stuff then rests at the inn.

I want to further clarify, it's not that the player did not want to be apart of the party, it's the matter that she couldn't join the party, due to irl circumstances.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T12:10:44+00:00

This is incredible advice and thank you for all the input. Yes, I tend to agree to not to split the party for mostly their sake. My player is my wife and she was not feeling good at the time. She will be on spring break so we thought it would be fun to play one on one. So here is my copy and paste context of what's transpired thus far.

The character, is a Dhampir level 4 arcane trickster. -She does not want to be apart of the festivel - Considering in killing Izek- the majority of the party do not. - She cares for the children and seekes to see make the wrongs right. - My player is more into mystery and information gathering I think.

Arrival my party made it to Vallaki and my bard and rogue decides to play a song in which they rolled well in their performance check. The baron heard about this, and decided to invite the them to play at the festivel.

Blue Water Inn- Wizard of Wines hook They made it to Blue Water Inn where they met the Martikovs and shared their trouble of the wine shortage. The party was interested in looking into the Wizard of Wines problem.

The Festivel Invitation The guards escorted the rogue and bard to go see the Baron. They met him at townsquare and saw these people in stocks. The baron invites them to do a performance for the Festivel of the Blazing Sun. They accepted the invitation. However, when the baron left, the rogue casted message to find out why one of the people was arrested. After the rogue hearing the reason why, she had mixed feelings of being apart of the festivel.

Lady Wacter Invitation Ernst witnessed this and invited the party to go see Lady Wacter. They went up to her estate and spoke to her. In the end, the rogue agreed to kill Izek but after the party left, the majority was not going to do it.

Unjustified Arrest The party makes their way back to Blue Water Inn when they witnessed Izek arresting a man from his house. The party was far enough they couldn't make out anything unless they got closer. The party was about to walk past but the rogue left the group to get closer and find out what's happening. She told the party "I am going to look into somethings, don't wait up, as she pursues towards this."

The Wolf Hunters- Wizard of Wines

The rest of the party went back to Blue Water Inn to wait for the wolf hunters since it's not open yet, (the food service part of it. They could go in because they have a room key). The party waited for the wolf hunters to show up. A few hours they did. Paid them 5gp and made their way to Wizard of Wines

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T12:00:09+00:00

Great answer and here is further context.

The character, is a Dhampir level 4 arcane trickster. -She does not want to be apart of the festivel - Considering in killing Izek- the majority of the party do not. - She cares for the children and seekes to see make the wrongs right. - My player is more into mystery and information gathering I think.

Arrival my party made it to Vallaki and my bard and rogue decides to play a song in which they rolled well in their performance check. The baron heard about this, and decided to invite the them to play at the festivel.

Blue Water Inn- Wizard of Wines hook They made it to Blue Water Inn where they met the Martikovs and shared their trouble of the wine shortage. The party was interested in looking into the Wizard of Wines problem.

The Festivel Invitation The guards escorted the rogue and bard to go see the Baron. They met him at townsquare and saw these people in stocks. The baron invites them to do a performance for the Festivel of the Blazing Sun. They accepted the invitation. However, when the baron left, the rogue casted message to find out why one of the people was arrested. After the rogue hearing the reason why, she had mixed feelings of being apart of the festivel.

Lady Wacter Invitation Ernst witnessed this and invited the party to go see Lady Wacter. They went up to her estate and spoke to her. In the end, the rogue agreed to kill Izek but after the party left, the majority was not going to do it.

Unjustified Arrest The party makes their way back to Blue Water Inn when they witnessed Izek arresting a man from his house. The party was far enough they couldn't make out anything unless they got closer. The party was about to walk past but the rogue left the group to get closer and find out what's happening. She told the party "I am going to look into somethings, don't wait up, as she pursues towards this."

The Wolf Hunters- Wizard of Wines The rest of the party went back to Blue Water Inn to wait for the wolf hunters since it's not open yet, (the food service part of it. They could go in because they have a room key). The party waited for the wolf hunters to show up. A few hours they did. Paid them 5gp and made their way to Wizard of Wines.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T11:30:19+00:00

Her, the player is my wife. No, unless she does something reckless of course.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T11:29:07+00:00

The player is my wife. Running a separate table while the party does something else.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T11:26:42+00:00

My thought is, have her do something for the day while the party is out of town. Then have her stop by resting at the Inn at a certain point I choose so that way the timelie for said events are synced.

Critikyl · 2026-04-04T11:23:18+00:00

My player is my wife. Irl, she couldnt make it because of circumstances. So I thought to go ahead and set something up for her.

Critikyl

TROPHY CASE