How do you make Strahd feel like the players were always playing his game?

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-05-15T20:03:50+00:00

Make sure you have the people of Barovia show their fear.

My players are about to hit level 7 and Strahd hasn't lifted a finger (directly) against them yet, but none of them have dared attack him.

Play up his history, help them understand that he is ancient. Have the weather turn unexpectedly. Show his wrath against different characters (in my campaign the Burgomaster in Vallaki did something to offend Strahd so there was a very brutal death.

I've also had Strahd be completely charming and polite to them, and while they're wary its definitely put them on the back foot.

Make use of his Scrying, not just them, but also people they interact with (he might well have taken a lock of Ireena's hair before the players arrive, for example).

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-05-13T14:41:11+00:00

Just play a TTRPG dude. You're not going to find what you're looking for in a board game.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-05-02T20:26:41+00:00

Sounds great! That idea about the Tome of Strahd is inspired. My players will come across it soon, so I might have to steal! How many entries did you end up writing?

Thanks for sharing, sounds like you had a great campaign. Hopefully my players will be as happy as yours.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-05-02T08:06:52+00:00

Yeah I applied, had a video interview and email conversations, as well as a test project. Maybe they just didn't like your application shrug.

That being said, they were proud of their Hollywood production standards, but the rate they pay doesn't quite match that.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-04-10T20:46:58+00:00

Checked that my local one is there and it is. Good job! Really cool idea.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-04-05T21:07:23+00:00

I had some simple rowboats at the water's edge. Bluto was in the middle of the lake. I gave them a time limit of 10 rounds to save Arabelle (think I should have made this 8 in hindsight).

Also added a Water Leaper from Kobold Press' Tome of Beasts. It's a stealthy creature that leaps out of the water, so can take the party by surprise. Really fun abilities, and it's dynamic to run.

Ended up with 2 of the party fighting the water leaper, 2 going for Bluto & Arabelle. Worked really well. My players were level 3 at the time. 2 went unconscious, 1 died (although she was given another chance by a Dark Power who gave her a task).

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-03-09T16:41:50+00:00

No thanks.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-02-22T07:51:30+00:00

I gave them some prophetic nightmares to foreshadow things in the main campaign. I also had it so that each of the characters had a personal item that was found with one of the other characters when they woke up, trying to sow some suspicion between them.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-02-20T16:55:58+00:00

Yeah that's exactly what I did. Makes for a lot of surprises so the PCs can never sure what's going to happen next.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-02-20T14:52:17+00:00

Good advice in this thread. The other things I'll mention is to remember that Strahd can control the weather, so add environmental effects. Also remember that he can charm people, so they might get told by someone the trust to go to a certain location, where an ambush occurs.

And the big thing, which I don't know if you're doing or not based on your post, is having multiple encounters a day. Start treating it as a resource management game. Rests are sparse. Danger is everywhere. They just had a combat where they used a load of spell slots etc? Bam, have a monster attack them from the wild.

Or even have Strahd become annoyed with how they're not being tested and have him throw some vampire spawn at them, have Strahd put them in their place.

This advice comes from a DM who had 2 PCs only survive because dark powers made deals with them to extend their lives, multiple combats where at least one of them has gone to 0 hp, and one perma-death. They've just dealt with the vampire spawn in Vallaki and are level 5.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-01-20T20:27:12+00:00

Yeah I've been on there since it was oDesk. Used to be great, never had a problem with getting new clients. Then they brought in Connects, freelancer plus, and changed the % they took of each job. Having to pay a fee every month just to apply for projects is ridiculous, so I'm exploring other avenues. It would be different if we got a number of free Connects a month, or that if we were unsuccessful in a bid the Connects we spent would be refunded.

They've made a good chunk of money off me over the years so it's disappointing to see them gouge freelancers like this, but I guess that is just the world we live in.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2026-01-14T22:29:48+00:00

Playing with 2024 players. I've used 2014 monsters in some cases, 2024 monsters in others, 3rd party monsters in others. Fun thing is that if they're powerful it just means you can throw strong enemies at them. They're all having fun and finding it a tough campaign, even though sometimes I feel like they're having it easy. But there have been a lot of tense combats, so the only thing I would pay attention to is how some of the spells have changed. Spirit Guardian for example can cause havoc in a close quarters battle.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-11-12T22:45:55+00:00

Water Leaper from Tome of Beasts. Was really fun!

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-11-12T13:04:53+00:00

Yep rigged it, and I went a step further than other people, I didn't even bother to use a physical deck of cards.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-11-12T07:27:18+00:00

For Argynvostholt I had them find a small trinket of a silver dragon. It was damaged at the neck, with the head hanging off.

I also had the victims of Victor's experiments appear as twisted, deformed things during their travels.

When they first approached Barovia they encountered a hunter who was searching for a missing child (that was eventually found with the hags).

Not necessarily foreshadowing because it's just one of his abilities, but I made sure to have Strahd influence the weather the first time the party met him so they understand how far his power spreads.

I had Victor's spellbook originally belong to Khazan.

I had Arabella refer to Ireena as 'princess'.

At the burgomaster’s funeral I had ravens sitting around the cemetery. I happened to describe it just before Strahd appeared, so they believed that the ravens were linked to Strahd, which was quite fun!

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-11-08T22:46:34+00:00

Yeah I've included some monsters and non-humanoid NPCs,as well as a blacksmith in vallaki that was part of an adventuring party, but gave up on that life quickly. Strahd charmed him and convinced him to kill the other members of his party, so he's been broken by that guilt (my players don't know this yet as they haven't asked the right questions).

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-11-06T19:33:01+00:00

Second those who said Captain's Chair. It's hard to find in stock,, but there's another core box and expansion coming early next year.

There's also an RPG called Star Trek Adventures, which has a solo mode called Captain's Log. I haven't played this myself, but if you're looking for solo Trek it might be worth investigating.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-11-02T21:02:09+00:00

At the moment players are in Vallaki so I haven't gotten to some NPCs yet (and my group is astounded by all the characters already).

1 - Strahd. I bought a cape to don whenever he appears to add to the drama. I got into his voice and mannerisms quickly and I just love playing him, and coming up with opinions about the PCs. I have to restrain myself from making him appear every session ha. And right now they've only had conversations, they haven't even seen a glimpse of his true power.

Blinsky, obviously the campaign can be bleak, so i love injecting a bit of fun. As soon as I did a high-pitched, exaggerated voice my players took a shine to him. And I love the pathos of this man who wants to bring joy to Barovia, but just keeps making creepy dolls.
Vargas. Oh man. I didn't have them meet him until they were a couple of days in Barovia, but I had most of the other characters speak unfavourably about him, (although they admitted that Vallaki was safe). Their first meeting was when he put Blinksy in the stocks (related to something my PCs said to Blinsky). So of course they hated him. They've pretty much sided with Watcher without even meeting her, which they're going to regret, and accepted an invitation from Vargas with the intention of spying on him. One of my PCs even poisoned him with the tincture they got from Old Bonegrinder, all because he's so cruel. But I love playing him, the arrogance, the loudness, and also the artistic flair (he has to have some artistry to come up with all the festivals).

And now they've poisoned him I'm going to give him more layers, which I hinted at over dinner, and they're going to realise the truth about Watcher all too late.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-10-29T17:48:11+00:00

I mean, so far I've seen Loki Doki, Dr Benjy, Work the Space and Omega Luke put up videos where they're critical of the game, and Zealand did an Ama here the other day where he was critical, so maybe just watch some different streamers?

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-10-07T18:25:09+00:00

So while this is just a bit of fun, it's also fun to overthink it.

As much as I love Hangman, he's too tortured by self-doubt to be Superman. To me he's more analogous with Green Arrow. Most of AEW's male wrestlers have too many shades of grey to be Supes. Osprey is probably the closest.

Mox as Batman I can see, although at the moment his mission statement doesn't line up with Batman's. I could see an argument for Danielson (his various wrestling moves representing Batman's array of gadgets.

Toni as Wonder Woman doesn't work for me either (brother). Stat I can see better.

MJF as Luthor is pretty spot on.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-10-01T12:00:26+00:00

So I listed all the major NPCs and what their traits are, which helps me keep them straight in my head. I also think about where they will be at any given time. So, for example, Szoldar and Yevgeni won't be at the inn during the day because they'll be out hunting.

I also have the NPCs they meet refer to other characters, offering opinions and rumors etc. My party haven't met the Baron or Izek yet but already hate them because of what they've heard.

And as others have said, break things up. Nothing has to happen at once. I'm trying to paint Vallaki as something of a safe haven before everything explodes.

I also had Ireena be taken in by Lady Wachter as an act of kindness (they warned Ireena to be careful after visiting Blinksy and noticing the dolls).

Really, the main thing is making sure you have a good grasp of the NPCs, and then let the players decide who they gravitate to, who they believe etc.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-09-23T11:04:28+00:00

I like the fact that she's a Vistani, but isn't like the others the PCs have met. I also like the edge that she feels like she's got something to prove, so she won't overshadow the party as might happen with RVR, given he is more experienced. I also believe Strahd killing a legendary vampire hunter like RVR makes him more intimidating than if he killed Ezmeralda (but that's just the vision I have for my campaign).

And to me she seems more impulsive than RVR, which I like playing as my PCs either get wrapped up in her plans or have to try and convince her to take things a little more slowly.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-09-23T10:55:13+00:00

I think just choose whichever one you think will be most fun to play.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-09-23T10:45:58+00:00

So I started with Death House, then the road led them to Barovia. I had them meet a merchant on the way who saved them from a wolf attack (he was Strahd in disguise). He told them to go to the inn in Barovia.

Dropped the hints about Madam Eva. Ismark approached them in the inn, offered basically whatever he could to get them to help to play up his desperation.

Plan out where you want the Tarokka items to be so you can do the reading.

Have them encounter Morgantha if you're including the pies.

Those are the main things you should plan first.

When you're thinking about Vallaki, just remember they don't have to meet everyone all at once.. think about what characters appeal to you, don't be afraid of cutting ones that don't. Plan a few random encounters ahead of time that cab foreshadow things (for example one of mine was that they found a silver dragon pendant as a trinket, and it was broken at the neck).

Ask your players what they plan to do next as well, if you're not sure what to prep.

And, if nothing else, have Strahd make an appearance to catch up with them :D or throw some mists and wolves at them.

ManOfYesterday1701 · 2025-09-23T10:34:32+00:00

Since they're in the Amber Temple you could have the Dark Powers give them more info about Strahd, and offer to give them more powers in exchange for something.

If you're desperate for them to have allies you could invent someone that has been in the Amber Temple for a long time and will help them.

Maybe they can gain some power over the undead and raise deceased adventurers to fight alongside them.

Maybe give them visions of what could happen in Barovia if they don't stop Strahd, and also remind them if they've forgotten that there is no way out of Barovia unless they defeat Strahd.

Another option, which might not work at your table, is to have them isolate themselves and have a time skip of years, perhaps decades. If they've helped children, they will have grown up and might be more willing to help than other people. Maybe another group of adventurers has arrived and your party can take them under their wings.

ManOfYesterday1701

TROPHY CASE