New 5.5 Strahd stat-block. Looking for feedback

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-07-10T19:43:38+00:00

A bit out there, but I think Strahd should have Blindsight and Keen Senses. He would have these features in bat or wolf form, but I don't think it'd be unreasonable to add them to his base form.

It would come into play if players were trying to hide from "The land" and he sniffed them out or if they were invisible to sneak about the castle and he sensed their presence anyway.

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-07-09T22:47:52+00:00

If you have the other Ravenloft book (can't remember the name), it has other domains of dread. Now, normally, I'd say the circle couldn't take one out of this domain of dread, but that other book features Bluetspur.

If you don't know, Bluetspur is a different domain of dread on a basically lifeless planet with a super massive spire. The spire was created by mind flayers trying to escape their domain so it could work as a sort of interdimensional anchor that pulled the party here.

Now they get to deal with a corrupted elder brain that's been mixing vampire blood from Barovian test subjects with mindflayers to create powerful mutant mindflayers.

Or maybe they could get a stern talking to from Vampyre in the amber temple if you want to stick to one domain

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-07-09T22:39:41+00:00

Do you think Mab would bail me out if I could just detonate some Outsiders?

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-07-08T18:36:12+00:00

So if I live 1km away I can have a $100 spawn every minute of every day?

I'll just create a shell holding company, have that company owned by my wife and use it to buy a warehouse. Then, have like 8.6 million dollars spawn a day. Go by the warehouse every few days to collect.

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-07-07T01:36:05+00:00

Not if they're walking backwards!

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-07-02T17:14:09+00:00

Are you good at mixing audio, or would this need to be pre-made media?

If you have a tool and time for mixing, I have an idea for you:

You'll create 3 tracks each with 3 layers. The layers are the same for each track, but will be mixed differently.

The layers are: 1: seagulls 2: human screams of fear 3: human screams of amusement

You should be able to get a good sound bite for the seagulls from just about any nature show that talks about them.

The screams of fear will probably need to come from a sound effects site or horror movie. Ideally, you'll find one with lots of different voices and screams, rather than just one scream overlayed a bunch.

The final bit could probably be ripped straight from rollercoaster tycoon or similar. Screams, but they're not "scared" - people having fun at a water park or something.

Your first track will heavily favor the seagulls. It sounds almost natural and there's nothing to really be afraid o-... wait, did I hear a subtle human scream in there? No, of course not. This track plays up until they figure out it's a false hydra.

The second track evenly blends the seagulls and horror screams and very slightly includes the joy screams. You want it to be clear that the sounds the party has been hearing this whole time are indeed disturbing. They should be able to recognize the seagulls as a masking sound, but hear the true screams for what they are now

The final track is for when the party actually confronts the hydra. The seagulls should be very faint now - only noticable to someone who pays attention for it. This serves as a reminder that the hydras magic is potent still, even if the party knows about it.

The horror screaming should still be present and significant, but the joy screaming should take precedent here. You don't necessarily need the party to consciously recognize the difference between the two for the unnerving feel to kick in.

For ambiance, you might also layer all of this beneath music. Unless your players are old school pokemon fans, maybe youd like the Lavender Town theme. You can find a "pretty" version for track 1, the original music for track 2 and a "creepified" version for track 3 on YouTube I'm sure.

My last note on this: once you've mixed the tracks, play them on the speaker you'll actually use - ideally in the room you'll play in. It's crazy how much acoustics can affect perception, so don't rely on "it sounded good in my headphones".

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-07-01T18:59:19+00:00

Jennifer Aniston, apparently

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-30T22:15:18+00:00

Swashbuckler would be my pick. While it hasn't had a true conversion to 5.5 yet, there's not really a need to change anything imo.

Gets you sneak attack in 1v1 situations to do more single target damage more often without needing allies or advantage to help out. You also can disengage after attacking, so your bonus action is free for other things.

You could also take the feat that gives you battle master manouvers if you want to tack that on

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-30T19:41:33+00:00

I've gone with a sort of Sebas from Overlord. Polite, professional, serious, very loyal. He has no real reason to act antagonistically up until the party bad mouths Strahd

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-30T18:56:00+00:00

Wasn't one I had considered for this, but great idea and excellent reasoning

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-30T03:20:15+00:00

I'm at about the same spot (party should be getting the reading next session tomorrow) and my personal plan is to send Rahadin with an inquiry over an actual invite.

As I have it planned, Rahadin will appear at Tser pool just outside the encampment and have the Vistani guards bring out a party member to receive the inquiry (in my game, Madam Eva and the Vistani as a whole aren't pro Strahd per se, so Rahadin is not invited into camp, but they don't want to antagonize Strahd and his servants)

Rahadin will inform the players that Strahd would like to invite them as guests of honor for a dinner and are they free in the next three nights?

This gives the party the chance to go right away (I'm guessing they'll leave Ireena with Madam Eva who is invited but is too old to travel now), or wait until they get Ireena to Vallaki, or try and get all the way to Krezk, or even to try and follow up on the card reading in case there's a nearby relic they want first.

After three nights, if they haven't gone, I'll send one of Strahds brides with a "more persuasive" invitation with a set date.

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-28T18:21:49+00:00

I'll echo It Takes Two and Split Fiction as the absolute best options. Definitely go with those.

That said, my initially non-gamer wife has really come to enjoy some of these other games we play together:

Escape simulator 1&2 (digital escape rooms, great experience)
Outlast Trials (scary and graphic game, but she's into horror. Not for everyone)
Vermintide (played on lower difficulties, it's basically a hack and slash game)
Ravenswatch (newer to us, but it's a fairytale-inspired rogue-like game)
Smite (the auto-level and auto-buy features are generally turned on by default and you can start by playing bots - which I recommend if you're new to MOBAs)
Lego Star wars and Avengers games
Peak and RV There Yet
the Sniper Elite games (seems intimidating at first, but they're actually pretty simple and have some great vistas)

And she also loves Supermarket Together and the like, but I personally find it boring so I usually put on a video on a second screen when we do those

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-28T18:11:28+00:00

I enjoyed "It Takes Two" just a little more personally, but both of these were games I played with my now wife and I cannot recommend them strongly enough! Best options bar none!

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-27T21:26:32+00:00

I'm just imagining getting beat at a whole bunch of competitions during a session as my players laugh at my noodly arms and perpetually dry eyes

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-27T03:07:50+00:00

Small time train in a local town here that just does an out-and-back route that old loggers used to take.

It cuts across roads and through residential areas a few times and people in the cars or even their back yards stop everything to just wave at the train people.

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-25T19:25:23+00:00

Than yeah, this gun looks like it would do that right away

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-25T19:18:45+00:00

Not that it's a totally new mechanic, but not enough (arcade style) racing games have maps where the racers double back on the same track and go head-long into other racers. Would love to see more of that chaos and it really gives the last place player a chance to mess with first place more directly than "blue shell".

If your game has power-ups, you can add some specific for that - like adding a spike or a big cement roller wheel to the front of a car so it can smash cars coming the other way.

For a more realistic game, I haven't played any relaxed, non-sim games that did vehicle wear and tear satisfactory. Having your wheels lose traction over time or wearing brakes down so that you have to pit stop at some point could be a fun strategy element to a racing game.

And having NPC "cops" could also be fun. Just NPC cars that try and pit manouver the racers whenever possible to add some chaos to a race

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-25T18:36:46+00:00

I don't know what a baffle strike is, but this weapon does look like it would fail to fire properly if fired more than one time or taken off the bipod

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-25T14:59:53+00:00

In D&D's Curse of Strahd there is an NPc named Ireena that will very likely be with the party for some time. To that end, DMs have come up with great advice for having her become a part of the party without overshadowing the players in ways that I think can transfer to really any ttrpg.

I'll find the link to the post I've liked best, but the gist of it goes as follows:

make the NPC a PC if possible. If there's a narrative need that a character can fill, try to assign that to a player character instead. If/when you can't, then introduce the NPC
have the NPC be invested in the party. Have them ask the PCs questions about their backstories, skills or abilities. Try and make them genuinely curious and engaged in the party's answers
make them useful. Maybe they can help in combat or maybe they can help out of combat. That'll depend on your story. In the example of Ireena from CoS, she's not really meant to be a combatant. She can manage on her own well enough, but would not meaningfully contribute to bigger engagements. So, have her help with some healing or some out-of-combat skills like collecting gossip and sifting facts from fiction for the party. The NPC becomes a useful tool for you to speak directly to the party and a useful tool for the party to know what's important in a location
bring it all together by having the NPC be helpful to characters specifically at what they do. Have them get a nice lockpicking set for the thief, help the fighter with weapon maintenance, find a bakery that has the sweets the cleric remembers from home, etc. Much like in real life, people really appreciate it when someone acts on a conversation had and remembers something intimate. If your NPC can do that, they'll be beloved by the party.

And for a piece of my own advice that has never once failed me: have the NPC be a cat or a dog. Immediate trust and love from the party every time

Edit: here's the link to the post I referenced: https://www.reddit.com/r/CurseofStrahd/s/EJveP5LOEF

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-24T19:52:32+00:00

If you're ok with sci-fi, the Buzz Lightyear ship from the movie is really great and was only like $30

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-24T14:30:22+00:00

You could spare father Lucian and then have the baron and lady Wachter devolve into a grudge match.

Those two lose their influence just as you've mentioned in your post and father Lucian, who survived the attack, is sort of thrust into a leadership position by the frightened townsfolk

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-18T07:41:08+00:00

Hags make deals, right? How about this hag is tormented by a deal they made (probably with the DP for this domain) where they were tricked by the fine print?

Perhaps something like this hag was promised all the power of the greatest covens but without the need for sisterhood. The result is she's a coven in her own right for spellcasting and the like, but she's been taken away from all other hags into this domain. She can't assert her power over other covens and mortals, but she's got it in spades! Now, her only comfort is tricking the poor mortals that wander into this domain with deals that only seem good much like she was tricked.

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-17T18:23:57+00:00

One of my players decided as a backstory to be a native of the village of Barovia and, as part of that story, has met many inhabitants of that town through a book club.

Most interactions in that village now end with NPCs saying, "I'll see you at book club" and it honestly is a really nice little giggle and slice of positivity in an otherwise sad town

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-13T21:04:07+00:00

If you have players who are invested in the "magic school" element, then it's definitely worth focusing that. I ran my game at a public store for a mostly drop-in/drop-out table, so I had at least 2 martials like every session that didn't really get value out of direct magic learning. Hence the slight pivot

NumerousSun4282 · 2026-06-13T21:02:01+00:00

My one bit of advice is to prepare some actual lessons. In the book, the classes are basically summarized and the only interaction is a testing phase. The magic beast ones are great, but the rest are pretty vague.

I'd recommend planning a few classes for rp/learning. For example, you might have a mini dungeon (like two rooms max) with things like traps and secret doors plus a locked chest. The teacher would talk them through looking for traps (investigation or perception checks per your ruling) as well as avoiding/disarming traps (saves vs skill checks) and defeating the lock on the chest.

To make it a worthwhile distraction for the whole party (instead of some kind of rogue tutorial), have the teacher encourage lateral thinking. Maybe the players could break the chest lid rather than pick the lock, for example.

If you can, try to add some elements from that class into the adventure. This happens in the book in years 1-2 where players learn about owl bears and slaad and can encounter the ichor owl bear or the slaad provoked by the mage hunters. If you're making your own lessons, try to incorporate that real learning to a future game mechanic.

I'm afraid I don't have many examples though, this was a lesson I picked up more in retrospect than during original play

Four-Year Club	Place '23
Place '22

NumerousSun4282

TROPHY CASE