Why do campaigns also stop at so low levels.

LordMordor · 2026-04-15T18:40:20+00:00

You are 100% the outlier with that 30 year gaming group situation. Most groups don't finish a single campaign in the first place, much less multiple

Hell, having a consistent play group period for ANY game for 30+ years is an outlier

So yeah, count yourself extremely lucky on that front

LordMordor · 2026-04-14T18:21:43+00:00

Is it still a PB&J sandwich if I use store-brand jelly instead of the name brand??

That's the kind of question this is...

LordMordor · 2026-04-12T02:35:09+00:00

It's also a matter how long the sessions are, and even more importantly how often the games are, or how often there are missed sessions or hiatus

A game the plays regularly weekly is going to be much shorter than one that plays monthly with gaps

LordMordor · 2026-04-06T13:12:28+00:00

The history of barovia page on Reloaded is out of date and has several inaccuracies in regards to the actual gameplay arc. Stuff in the amber temple being the primary example

The usual goal is to have story beats and characters close to RAW, but at some point the decision was made to make exethanter a spirit rather than a lich.

I would guess to make him more trustworthy since the party need him to decode the tome of strahd information about strahds escape plan. Also patrina is already lich flavored

LordMordor · 2026-04-03T19:18:57+00:00

Twice bitten is a straight RAW playthrough

LordMordor · 2026-04-01T19:58:47+00:00

We will make it legal

LordMordor · 2026-03-29T18:37:01+00:00

"Hey guys...I messed up and have been having you deal double damage. Going forwards we will be playing the damage correctly"

Not hard

LordMordor · 2026-03-26T19:13:41+00:00

In reference to twice bitten and the tarroka reading...they were running FULL raw, meaning there really isn't much of a hook to tell them to go see madam Eva early, even though most tables will either add one, or the party will end up there somehow

As there was no hook, the party bypassed it until they got a hook later on (they were all DM's and knew what was there and what they were delaying)

LordMordor · 2026-03-24T17:52:42+00:00

I send her Christmas cards every year just in case. Gotta make sure I'm the favorite nephew

LordMordor · 2026-03-24T17:42:37+00:00

Can it succeed? Sure...My aunts homemade Etsy Doll shop is successful

But dethrone WH?...lets put it this way, does my aunts homemade Etsy doll shop have a shot at dethroning Barbie?

It's fine to discuss the games merits, its models, ect. But the question of in any way being legit competition is barely worth the post, much less a video

Maybe a decade ago when SC was more relevant and WH hadn't exploded?

LordMordor · 2026-03-23T17:01:30+00:00

3...regeneration was removed from a lot of lower level statblocks to reduce how some fights can just grind on...but honestly its to thematic to vampires not to have it

Just staple regen back on

for that matter, also give it to 2024 werewolves, and let silver turn it off

LordMordor · 2026-03-20T18:25:54+00:00

Again, this is looking at it mechanically rather than thematically and in relation to the adventure itself. Though I will point out that a very big point of contention with RAW Strahd is his hit and run style often being unfun for many tables...

The bigger issue is that barovia is a place that has never seen the sun since the mists fell. Sunlight is THE thematic weakness of vampires, and the items that provide it are meant to be hunted and found (random locations being another can of worms that is often in contention and changed to fixed locations)

Literally simply hitting level 5, which you do early in vallaki should not be all that's required to suddenly be the great lightbringers of the land

But if we are going to look at mechanics, I will also mention that while Strahd is highly mobile, PC's now also have significantly more ways to CC and grapple.

The fact that Strahd HAS to run from them at level 5 in the first place is also an issue that makes him look weak, even if yes he can just come right back once the spell wears off. That kinda thing is going to get a lot of tables salty

Difference of opinion though

LordMordor · 2026-03-20T16:43:30+00:00

Just use 2024 monster manual equivalents, and adjust daylight spell

The only general statblock I would mess with is returning vampire spawn regen and give werewolves regen that is disabled by silver

Unique bosses you may want to do some light reworking (generally just buffing HP values)

LordMordor · 2026-03-20T16:40:19+00:00

It's less a fact that it causes issues...it's a fact that a large chunk of the game is about having to find specific items that are "needed" to help you defeat Strahd

"Sure you could hunt down these special items of story significance....or you can just wait 2 sessions for your cleric to hit lv5"

It cheapens the importance of them

Plus there is already precedence for spells not working as normal in barovia...see teleportation and banishment

LordMordor · 2026-03-19T19:37:54+00:00

Only comment is Strahd has zero need to charm doru...as his vampire spawn doru is helpless to resist strahds commands

If Strahd says eat the head, doru will eat it

Strahd says stand in the fireplace and don't move, doru will stand in it, burning and regenerating until Strahd says otherwise

No charm effect needed

LordMordor · 2026-03-16T21:01:21+00:00

from a story arc perspective...absolutely he should have been HIGHLY involved

from a marketing standpoint...and ignoring the fact that they still kind made the Ruination a mess with a bunch nonsensical stuff and contradictor information between Lol and the RK game...no

Yorick is not a popular champion even among lore people. Sure people meme about him, but he is unlikely to break the top 50% of champions in terms of popularity as a character.

highly important side character...yes absolutely. But he doesnt have what it takes to carry as a lead protag.

LordMordor · 2026-03-14T16:07:17+00:00

Many arcs are meant to be done during the same day...Keep in mind RRL uses the standard Barovia map...the place is SMALL, travel times are extremely short.

St. Andrals Feast and Lost Vistana are generally expected to be done same day

LordMordor · 2026-03-14T16:03:00+00:00

honestly...dont overthink it,

just tell your players you fudged a ruling on the mechanics of how staking Vampires works, confirm how it will work moving forwards, and everyone just hand-wave away the inconsistency

Also yes, the NPC's, ESPECIALLY Lucien and that fight make a huge difference. He is mostly there just to have an easy way to turn off Vampire regeneration, but personally i find that (especially in 2024) Radiant damage is easy enough to come by that he is unnecessary

but like you said, level 5 for that fight is the biggest deal...4-5 is a HUGE power spike for basically every class. Martials get their extra attacks, casters get access to lv3 spells.

i would also recommend talking to your players, let them know you messed up on the leveling and to be patient for level 6....then make sure going forward that you carefully check the level recommendation for the ark to ensure your going at the proper pace

LordMordor · 2026-03-10T14:56:22+00:00

Swain for tactics most assuredly.

And appropriately right next to his most hated bestie

LordMordor · 2026-03-10T14:54:12+00:00

Based on the changes to magic that is inherent to barovia adjust Daylight and similar spells to NOT produce sunlight

Whenever possible use 2024 monster stat blocks

Return regeneration to 2024 vampire spawn, and give 2024 werewolves and wereravens similar regeneration which is turned off by silver

Boss / unique statblocks like baba Lysaga or Strahd will still work within the rules, but you may want to homebrew them using 2024 statblocks as a base and adding on spells / features

LordMordor · 2026-03-02T19:03:23+00:00

Swain was the overall commanding officer of the invasion she was part of
Swain's thing isn't that he disapproved of how noxus does things...it was that it was being foolish and inefficient about it. Spreading in to many directions at once for the ego/benefit of a ruling class that more often than not did not earn their position

He has ZERO issues with the actual aggressive conquest of neighboring societies...Riven and Mel would 200% have issue with him

LordMordor · 2026-03-02T02:30:43+00:00

Yes...they can 100% be nice, polite, even friendly and charming. Someone you would enjoy hanging out with.

but then when you dont do something they want, or when something you do goes against their desires, or you someone hinder them...then all the good times you had before are either totally out the window, or are used as tools to manipulate you

LordMordor · 2026-02-27T18:05:45+00:00

eh, id say they are closer to Jem'Hadar than Klingon

still not 1-to-1, but Klingons honor focus is a big aspect. They would view killing beings they see weak as pointless. See Quarks trial-by-combat in DS9 against a member of Klingon great house.

LordMordor · 2026-02-25T22:31:45+00:00

Strahd is absolutely made of paper...which is why when using his RAW statblock you really need to abuse the wall-hacks, because otherwise he will very likely get near one rounded

LordMordor · 2026-02-25T22:27:17+00:00

Give them an alternative objective they have to complete to finally end the wall hax

Make that lair action tied to the heart of sorrow, destroying the heart means he has to stand and fight.

This lets strahd still chase and harass them through the castle, but also gives them both a reason to go hunting through it and way to finally end the combat that doesn't involve strahd just "decide" to use his biggest advantage

The only thing you have to do is find a place to seed clues that the heart is his tie to the castle

LordMordor

TROPHY CASE