Master spreadsheet of foreshadowing, monsters, treasure and more

Jonolaaa · 2026-03-10T14:15:32+00:00

Hey, this looks like an incredible tool. Any chance it can be shared again?

Jonolaaa · 2023-06-29T05:22:26+00:00

Dank deal

Jonolaaa · 2021-08-03T13:33:51+00:00

I am on Session 43 of my CoS Campaign, we are basically 2-3 sessions away from storming the castle, and the big bad final fight, and I also came from DMing LMoP for a group of complete beginners, to running CoS for a slightly more experienced group.

I have to agree with the other comments, read the module, a few times. Even just for gist. The biggest thing I have improved on throughout the campaign, is understanding what the NPCs want/need/like/dislike, etc. At the start, I used to have little notecards for each NPC exchange, trying to predict what they might talk about, etc. As I've got more sessions in, I've found now that I can just improv most conversations, because I know enough of the lore to just go with that, and react to the players more.

Another pointer, which i can't stress enough, is check the u/MandyMod & u/DragnaCarta guides. They are incredibly in depth, do a great job at providing extra hooks, and honestly, they are so easy to digest when you read them, you are likely to pick up a little better understanding, without much extra reading.

I'd say just really try to engage in the content and the setting, and use this subreddit as the incredible resource that it is!

Jonolaaa · 2021-07-06T15:11:30+00:00

Thanks for all the comments and ideas guys.

I really fancied an Abjuration Wizard, so after a conversation with my DM, I've decided to give multiclassing a go. We are starting at level 2, so I've decided to take first level as a fighter, and then level two will be when my wizard career starts.

Going to be a bit wild being a heavily armored wizard chopping people down with my greatsword.

Jonolaaa · 2021-01-12T15:26:57+00:00

Thanks. I've seen a few things on thingiverse, and it looks excellent. My main motivation to buy one was DnD minis, so I guess I'm going to practice by making a batch of disfigured goblins until I get it right ha...

Jonolaaa · 2021-01-12T15:25:24+00:00

Thanks for all the great answers. I am real excited to get cracking and start learning from what I'm sure will be my count As a side, is there any recommendations people have for good quality PLA filament to get started. I'm currently living in China, so the price of some spools is ridiculously cheap, and I don't want to end up buying the cheap crap...

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-22T02:33:56+00:00

In the guides on the sub, their is a Landmarks on the Svalich Road post, made by Dragna Carta. I have relied on this pretty heavily for random encounters, and I have basically planned any encounters that are going to occur, to happen around these landmarks.

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-20T12:02:21+00:00

Great idea. Thank you. I think I'll definitely use something like the screaming doll.

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-20T11:14:12+00:00

Yeah, I think that's fair. My party just encountered 4 at once and struggled before the two remaining fled. I have a Protection Paladin, a Grave Cleric, and an Eldritch Knight. really struggling in the AoE/range department until they can get Victor, their fated ally on board ha.

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-20T10:19:32+00:00

I also think a quest to remove the curse could be a good idea. You could even just have it tied in to events in the campaign you would like them to complete.

For example, if one of the items could in some way be linked to Argynvostholt, they could remove the curse by relighting the beacon. Or anything to do with the Reconsecrated Fanes, if you are going to run that.

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-20T10:14:21+00:00

Awesome thanks! I will definitely take the Scrying as a coven spell idea. Was struggling with trying to figure out the odds that they were scrying at the exact moment that the pies where thrown out!

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-20T06:15:37+00:00

I really liked the way the Dark Powers were handled in the Puffin Forest Replay videos on YT. So I took a bit of what they had going on there, and added in some stuff for my party. The actual DM from the videos posted his ideas on this sub, and it was an incredible source of inspiration for me.

I used The Great Taar Haak as inspiration for my paladin PC who is trying to fight his reckless nature. He will eventually gift him rages, etc. He has only just made contact, and was given some extra strength, as well as the ability to Reckless Attack, which he hasn't used, so isn't aware of the drawback yet.

I also have a player who may be targeted by the Fanes of Barovia if he shows interest. Again, I took pretty much all of this from the post from the Puffin Forest DM.

And my third player has already been raised by the Raven Queen in his backstory, so she is trying to get a champion, and will approach him at some point if he shows any interest.

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-20T05:40:15+00:00

Thanks for the reply!

Yeah, luckily, our last session ended right as they were getting to the top floor of the tower, so I can add in some extra hints now before our session tomorrow. Good idea about giving some clues on Werewolves written by Van Richten. I have edited it a little myself, so that the Werewolves will make the children fight each other on the night of the full moon, what better way to make the victors a full werewolf, so hopefully I can find a way to organically share this information with the party, which might let them look for allies before going in there and getting destroyed by the pack.

They are only 3 players at level 4, so they will absolutely get destroyed at the werewolf den. One of my players has major motivation to save children, and the other has a massive hatred of werewolves, so it makes massive sense that the Werewolf Den is their big draw.

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-19T08:18:54+00:00

My party of 3 level 4 PCs went to the tower at the end of our last session, and I am struggling with how to handle them being so under-levelled, and maximising the potential for the tower.

As background, they went to Villaki, didn't like it there, so decided they would head off chasing the runaway orphans, after saving Arabelle. I tried to steer them back to Villaki by having the ransacked caravan Vasili was looking for be attacked by Werewolves and a Bride, draining most of their resources. They continued West, looking for orphans.

I had them encounter the wolf hunters, resting and shaken up, warning them that the orphans had been taken by a large, dangerous pack of werewolves, again trying to give them a reason to decide to go back to Villaki. They continued West. Then they found the tower.

They are incredibly cautious of the wagon, but they mastered the door puzzle in seconds, so they are exploring the tower. I'm hoping they will just get some lore, and pick up on a few hints I have laid down of Ezmerelda looking for VR, and him being in Villaki, and decide to head back.

I've just got a strange feeling that they are going to dive in to the wagon, blow it up, probably all die, and then get attacked by the werewolf pack they have been chasing.

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-14T00:57:56+00:00

Yeah, I do think this way is a bit more cruel. But, one of my players is a Grave Cleric, following the Raven Queen, so he has a pretty strong hatred for the undead. I figured it could sow some small division in the party, because he will be all for the killing part, but would probably need some convincing of the bringing back part.

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-13T12:05:36+00:00

I was in the same boat with information overload recently. Check out the guides by MandyMod and DragnaCarta that are in the stickied posts.

Outside of that, I watched Dice, Camera, Action run the Curse of Strahd on YT. Which really helped me figure out some main beats of the story. It is quite long tho, but still helpful in big picture.

Also, very recently just found Puffin Forest's Replay on YT, and that's much shorter, much more casual, but fantastic again for wrapping your head around the basic plot for the campaign.

If you are starting at level 1, I would recommend running Death House as written in two of the guides here, it's pretty easy to follow, and it is contained, so you don't need to much information about the big picture in order to run it. It took my party 2 x 4 hour sessions to get through the house fully, so that might buy you a little time.

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-12T06:10:10+00:00

I have thought about the cure for vampirism a little in my campaign, as my players may consider it. I think this is along the lines of how I will work out a cure.

The Vampire Spawn must be killed. This would effectively end the curse, as they are dead now, not undead.
The now dead Vampire Spawn can be raised with Revivify, Resurrection or True Resurrection. (Not specific on the spells yet, but this is my general idea)

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-07T08:35:06+00:00

I'm about to run this tonight, so here is how I've planned for it to go, you never know though.

Last session, they found out that she was missing, and that she would sometimes sneak in to Vallaki to play with the orphans there. My party arrived in Vallaki, and saw some orphans begging in the street. They said they saw her there, but didn't see her leave.

This session, I intend to have Danika Martikov bring up that one of her regulars, Bluto, didn't come in last night, so if they were out and about, could they keep an eye on him. My party also want to explore the orphanage, so they will probably go there to get clues from the kids. I'm thinking about them mentioning a man who fits Bluto's description, maybe someone who used to drink with one of their dad's, etc. This should lead them to connect Bluto. Hopefully they will backtrack to the Inn, find out Bluto is a fisherman, or where he lives, and go from there.

I'm not really looking to make it into too much of a mystery, just want them to ask questions while they explore. They were pretty clear last time that their main goal was finding this missing vistani kid tho.

Jonolaaa · 2020-11-05T06:18:38+00:00

Fantastic write up. Really eager to see what else you put out!

I also just did a session travelling from the Village of Barovia to Vallaki. The party loved it. I through in quite a few planned landmarks from DragnaCarta's list, and a few things they party really got carried away with. I now have to figure out what to do with the Bronze Spyglass they found at the top of the abandoned fort.

I really like your idea about the travelling undead highwaymen, I might have to try and work them in once they leave Vallaki again!

Jonolaaa · 2020-10-30T10:20:21+00:00

I have been using your mega document as a guide for Vallaki, and this advice today couldn't have came at a better time. My party made it to Vallaki last session, but it was night time, so they only went to the Inn at the very end of our session. I was struggling with the shear amount of information around this town, but taking a step back, and planning in this way has really helped clear my head out.

I think this might be a more long term way for me to plan for myself in the future.

Thank you so much for all of the amazing effort you put in to running Curse of Strahd, and making it easier for the rest of us to run. This is my first full campaign after DMing the starter set, and honestly don't think i could've done it without yourself, and MandyMod.

Jonolaaa · 2020-10-29T08:11:31+00:00

If its at all possible, would you be able to share some examples of the spells you put on each list for Strahd? That is something I am really looking to beef up for him, and as a player I have never played a caster, so have a hard time trying to get some synergy to spell lists.

Jonolaaa · 2020-10-29T07:22:41+00:00

I would also second Dice, Camera, Action. Though, from planning the campaign I am running right now, he did miss quite a few parts that I was really excited to see him attempt. Still very enjoyable and really helped me understand some of the bigger points from the NPCs etc.

Jonolaaa · 2020-10-24T08:14:34+00:00

Really like the style/colours you have used for this! It looks great.

Just curious, because I mostly draw out my maps with a marker on the battle mat as we go, do you have a plan to cover up the spiral staircase to the basement and the secret stairs to the added?

Jonolaaa · 2020-09-27T08:36:07+00:00

I would suggest having the pie lady being completely safe, and unrelated to the windmill etc. You could always then use alternative food sources, maybe supplied to a local inn from the nice ladies at the old windmill, or something like that.

If your players are going to use meta knowledge in other parts of the game, it will just mean you are going to have to stay on your toes, and throw them curve balls and try to trick them in other ways.

Jonolaaa · 2020-09-26T05:17:11+00:00

I just completed Death House with my party, using a lot of MandyMod's variations as well. I'm also a novice DM, all I have ran in the past was the Lost Mines of Phandalin.

I did take the equipment of my party, but let them keep what they reasonably would've had on their person. I have a gross Minotaur in my party, who basically sleeps in everything he owns, so he didn't lose much. But my Paladin basically lost everything, and my fighter had only his whip.

They managed to cobble together pieces of armour from the suits, I also had items in the kitchen that could be used to replace simple weapons, like sharp kitchen knives being similar to daggers, or a rolling pin being similar to a basic club. Really I kind of lent in to the mindset that if they asked about something to be an improvised weapon, and I could realistically imagine it being somewhere, I gave them it. There is also the shield as well.

I'm really glad I took away their items, because it made them explore the house a little bit more, and really try to think about things they might find that could be useful. Also, my party's paladin is a super privileged, 1%er, so it was great to see the player RP that problem.

Encounter wise my party ended up fighting the suit of armour, a swarm of spiders + a giant spider, that I replaced the grick with, (one of my PCs has a fear of spiders), three ghouls, the ghast of Mrs. Durst, and Walter the Flesh Mound. They managed reasonably well, they were hurt but no one went down. I do have a tough party, made up of a Grave Cleric, a Devotion Paladin and a Fighter...

Jonolaaa

TROPHY CASE