But "yes, and" should be for players, not characters. I shouldn't be saying "yes" to everything as a paladin. What I should always be doing is taking every other player at their word, fully believing in their character choices.If they say their characters think, say or do whatever, they did. You don't try to mitigate the consequences of their decisions because they're "losing" choices, or try to cajole them into acting some way to manipulate the numbers. You play for the story as it is.

Could Strahd cast polimorph in a zombie? That would be almost unfair.

Nightcrawler - Wraitblade from Auroboros: Coils of the Serpent. 3rd level they can teleport 15 feet as a bonus action.

that's actually somewhat helpful. Thanks. )

Nice video, will check out the PDF. The non-fantasy stock footage is a bit distracting :p

There is a right and wrong answer and rules for surprise in dnd 5e are idiotic. On the party side 5e uses the noisy cleric in full plate ruining surprise for the entire party based on fallable logic..... well they know you're there so they wouldn't be surprised. Anyone who's ever played paintball or airsoft after seeing their mates get unalived and leaving the field for their respawn. When they go into that area, they know something is there. Yet, they can be completely surprised when that proverbial paintball or airsoft bb hits you in the face. So this notion is assine you are not blessed with clairvoyance because you heard a noise. You're not blessed with divine insight divinating the parties exact location. What's even worse is even if I were to agree in principle they know the clerics there that is a moot point when it comes to the other players in the party. Let's say that bumbling cleric did make noise rising to that of a breaking vase. The guard is alerted and going to investigate the area where the noise came from. Before he gets to the clerics hiding place the Assassin and ranger attack from behind surprising the guard. Yes, I said surprise because he did not detect them. I'd argue making a noise is not enough. Yes, rules as written say if you're clearly visible or make a noise akin to a breaking vase you are discovered. Clearly being seen okay don't have an issue here. However, noise that's vague and indirect unless the loud noise results in you clearly be seen I'd argue it only heightens the potential to getting discovered. Again our clerics armor drew scrutiny to investigate the noise. What was that? Which direction did it come from? What in essence is occurring is the party is turning a potential discovery into an ambush. As mentioned before our Assassin and ranger are exceptionally skilled at stealth. While the would be guard is cautiously approaching, perhaps turning around to avoid someone creepy up behind him randomly andvuelling out i know your here. Perhaps he's peering into the darkness harkening to get a glimpse of movement or the shape or form of a creature or person but, detects nothing. Thusly, when our Assassin and Ranger attack he is unequivocally surprised. With an arrow lodged in its back and neck it gurgles and turns only to have the cleric leap from his concealing visage and bring it's hammer down on its head again surprising it. Initiative is irrelevant as to respect of the guard. If the guard drew his sword ran screaming and waving the blade frantically as he charged the direction the noise came from then I'd argue it's possible he surprises the cleric. In that situation the guard went first in Initiative order and in turn would be surprised when the arrows lodged in its neck and back. That's not what he's doing though he's probing being cautious so the players get to set the Initiative order they can both nod at each and fire at the same time or perhaps as one fires the other fires sequentially its moot all that maters is do they hit. Surprise is attacking your opponent when and where they don't expect it! You'll notice I did not say unaware. This guard was aware something was going on but didn't detect anything in the shadows. Basically use common sense ignore 5e and your game will be better for it!

For the Mad Scientist, I’d use Shadow Touched instead, plus, I’d use the Reborn lineage and the “Simic Scientist” background.

I think Portent is one piece of a larger puzzle. When you add the Lucky feat, silvery barbs, and counterspell to portent, now you have a lot of tools to shape the outcome of any encounter. Getting a friendly cleric to add guidance further helps. A big advantage for actually playing is that you have to stay engaged in the game to determine a good spot to use portent. Rather than just zoning out, you can jump in and help turn another PC's action into guaranteed success. This is much more collaborative than just dropping another fireball (but I do like a good fireball).

It’s pathetic what 5e did to Ravenloft. I’ll stick with AD&D

If any of my players wanted to pick up this subclass I’d let them use human sacrifices for this magic.

Appreciate the video. Im preparing to run strahd for the first time. I only have 3 players although experienced im worried that if i employ all the tactics youve outlined that not only will it not really be fun they wont stand a chance. I get strahd wont fight fair but how do i as a dm ensure that my players are capable to withstand a full length fight from the top of the tower to the bottom with strahd dping everything he can to survive and win?

This looks awesome!

My plan for the dinner will be, for Strahd to give each player a present matching their playstyle (Fighter gets a plate armor for example), in the final battle, those presents will work against the group, the armor turns into an hostile animated one, the spider climb boots will make the player stick to the ground, the wild shape improving ring would force them into their form and attack their friends...some stuff like that.

Don't forget Ritual Caster - that's given our Draconic Sorcerer more versatility, as has Metamagic Adept.

this was originally written as a 1st ed module, and they neutered undead in 5e while also making it basically a super hero game, or dnd with training wheels for the players.

I’m a hired DM, running this campaign for some middle schoolers. The only homebrewing I’m doing is tweaking Ireena. Rather than just being connected to Tatyana, blood magic is a special kind of sorcery born to one woman a generation, and Tatyana had it and Ireena does to. Strahd wants that power for his control to be complete, as he feels that though he can turn and control vampires, he doesn’t have quite enough control on the living without the magic. Please let me know if you have any tips for running CoS for a younger audience!

The last words before the barbarian slew the party where "damn that bat sexy!"

It's been a while since this was posted, but...any ideas for Illusionist's Bracers? So far: An eye taken from a vampire (hard one for a VR item, due to what happens to vampires when they hit 0hp) since the founder of Dimir was a vampire spellcaster. Beyond that... 🤷‍♂️

If you take 3 levels as an Assassin and 2 levels as a Grave Domain you can essentially quadruple your sneak attacks when you pull them off. If you are hidden within 30 feat and are a Shadar-kai you can teleport to the target and surprise them with this killer move. Also if you go 1 level Rogue to get the 4 prof. in skills and then 1 level into Twilight Cleric for advantage on init. and 300 feet darkvision and then back to Rogue to get 2 more levels and become an Assassin... this way starting as early as 4th level you can 'Assassinate' from 300 feet away with a longbow (take any elf that has the new trance, the one that gives you 2 prof. in weapons/tools)... Surprise! You're dead and you never see it coming! Ha Ha Ha!

The crossbow expert feat doesn't let you ignore loading the crossbow, it let's you ignore the 'loading' property which means you can attack more than once in a round with a crossbow now. You still need a free hand to load the crossbow and you still need to load ammunition into it.

How about some dual wield options. I know two-weapon fighting is nerfed to crap in 5e but I'd love to build on a 5 attack per round beast master ranger at level 11

Rather than just 1 destined ally, I want to run the game with multiple possible allies. Some good, some very bad and leave it up to the players to decide “do we really want this person in our group?” And then giving Strahd some more allies and/or magic to keep him from getting overwhelmed in the final showdown (maybe some evil potential allies the party turned down). Oh, and no using Ireena and Ismark as potential allies; Strahd’s going to be trying to kidnap Ireena all the time anyway, and Ismark is going to either follow his sister around or will get involved anyway to rescue her so why waste time on “recruiting” a guy who’s probably frothing at the mouth to kill Strahd anyway.

The funy thing is that I started to watch this video with my notebook open. And I was rewarded with a short, informative and no-nonsense video article! Youy are a blessing to KZbin, sir.

So, Strahd is Resistant to B, P, and S from non magical sources, and his bite does Necrotic damage that reduces max HP while healing him. I think you may be underestimating him in grapple. Not to mention he can still charm them or have his Children of the night all focus on the grappler. Keep in mind the Strahd has specicically attempted to precharm the party, so it os highly likely that half of them will jump the grappler as soon as they try to start fighting.

Excelente

Currently making a modified Silver Dragonborn [combination of Fizban's with Children of the Dragon homebrew pdf] Beast Barbarian who's been 'possessed' by the spirit of a long dead dragon that reawakens every time he rages. Thanks to the Children of the Dragon homebrew, I'm using what's called a Dreadcaller subrace that grants Powerful Build and effectively a Leonin Roar, on top of base Dragonborn being given a 1d4 Claw and Bite. Prior to seeing this video, I wasn't entirely sure if the build would be fun to play but now, I'm sold to go with it. Thanks for the very in-depth video and sharing your own ideas of how to flavor builds.

Great idea to do recommendations based on subclass concepts instead of a one size fits all list for the class.

Likes the idea.

Would a Bullywug Druid of Spores count as a “Bog Witch”?

Can I get some advice on keeping a good calendar?

I'm glad you mentioned saves, I think Resilient Wisdom is essential to resist magic, surely the biggest problem for fighters. Conditions like Frightened, Paralyzed and Restrained are also ones I would like to avoid - any feats to help resist those in particular?

I liked a build combo of Nature Cleric with Samurai Fighter as a Quarterstaff Polearm master, also makes them more a face if you require a persuading sort.

Something to think about my fellow DM! Ireena has been in survival mode since she's caught strahds eye. Strahd knows she's his beloved tatyana. He's been, just like anything else, having fun with what he thinks is his property. All enemies know not to harm her, in fear of strahd, but harrass her. Also her red hair is a symbol for bad luck in the lands of barovia. So the people have refused to help her. Now... to your point about ireena possibly be a pychic... her and tatyana have shared the same soul. What if you make tatyana a cleric or some other class you think fits... as ireena goes along through campaign, being protected by the Player Characters... she has violent siezers and begins to learn the skills and regain the memories of tatyana... that sun sword would look more appealing later in game. Other reminder... i had madam eva keep pulling cards for what companion that your players should look for help... the cards would start ablaze and reappear in her deck hand... then have her say something like "hmmm. this has never happened before. The one you seek to help you through your travels is up to fate." My players started trying to recruit almost everyone they met to take down strahd. Instead of focusing on one companion. They began to see everyone as important.

WOTC was getting increasingly bad at game design, and I think by now their team consists of the worst game designers they could find on the planet. But the average DM/Player is really bad at running the game, and especially monsters. I mean case in point, you made a mistake in assuming that Strahd follows the same rules for grappling as the PCs, by saying "[He] doesn't have great modifiers for grappling" and showing the +4 Athletics. Per the statblock, he rolls the +9 to hit, and then if he hits, he can grapple them instead of dealing damage. So it's decent, at least. Not making a comment on the general strategy of whether he should or not, just saying. Tho grappling an out-of-position PC that is squishy and relies on not allowing the enemy to get any attacks in lest he get nuked in a round or two seems like a good idea.

I had my fight at the room with Tatyana’s portrait. I felt that it was fitting because of his obsession with Tatyana/Ireena. But my advice is to not play the Krezck pool scene where Ireena is suddenly thrown out of the game. If you as a DM spent a lot of time trying to get her likable for the players, it just feels very out of left field. Either tweak the scene where it feels more like an actual choice your Ireena would make or just don’t do the scene. In my CoS campaign, Ireena was a very independent person and by that point in the game was absolutely done with Strahd and his obsession with her. And saw Sergei’s “Tatyana, my love” bs as him being no better than Strahd for failing to realize that she may be Tatyana’s reincarnation but she was not Tatyana.

I would start as Artificer to get the prof. in CON. Going to at least 3rd lvl. will get you a choice of 4 subclasses (my fav is Alchemist! Yeah, I said it!) and even though you're a half-caster you round up instead of down so as a 3rd lvl. caster you count as a 2nd lvl. caster... then multiclass into a wizard of choice and take it to 6th level to get the first two subclass features and a number of spellslots. (You'll be the equivalent of an 8th lvl. caster at your overall lvl. of 9th.) Then go back into Artificer for 4 more lvls. to get Flash of Genius, now your overall lvl. is 16, and since you don't have enough lvls. left to get the 14th lvl. wizard feature you might as well continue the last four lvls. in Artificer for a multiclass split of 11th lvl. Artificer/9th lvl. Wizard. 11 lvls. in Artificer gains you the 10th lvl. Magic Adept feature, attune to 4 magic items and craft common and uncommon magic items and the 11th lvl. feature Spell-Storing Item, store a spell and use it a number of times = 2xINT bonus. PS: You end up with a mix of 5 really good features compared to the wizards 4 and the artificers 4.

Saved the party's ass last night as a 4th level divination wizard. I rolled a 5 and 17. We were fighting a group of wizards and one of our party cast hold person on the most powerful member, as the DM's setting up to roll I declare 'he rolls a 5' bang, the BBEG is held. The paladin then proceeds to curb stomp him. At a critical juncture that 5 saved everyone, as the DM later told us he was about to fireball us all, (we were clumped together)

Way to go On tabletop Bob, Lutes! I really like your Dusk elf character! I'm kicking around just this idea.

Portent+Owlin Race+Keranos Champion= All-Seeing Owl Mage

Im surprised that strahd only gets 3 legendary actions. The whole world is his playground! He doesn't care unless someone isn't a part of his scemes and fun games he has created! Depending on your player skills. I'd modify any monster to fit their needs of excitement. But strahd and the boss battles of the land should make your players feel like the gravity around them from their POWER LEVEL BEING OVER 9000 so daunting!

I'm here in search of advice and ideas since I'm trying to prepare to run curse of strahd for my first campaign ever.. I have a really small party so I'm hoping for the best

Barb 11 rogue 9

I'm a relative new DM, I plan for players to recruit a few different allies through the campaign but Sir Godfrey is their destined ally. Don't ask me how we ended up with them recruiting Doru as an ally. They were hellbend on communicating with him, so they went out hunting to bring him a deer and then they allowed him to feed on one of them, with the threat of beheading if he killed the feeder, and they made a deal with him to keep him fed if he helped them in fights. I'll allow him to stick around for a while but at some point Strahd will order him to turn on them.

i would not rule that alchemist fire would not be applicable and I don't think crawford would either. The wording does not say when you make a ranged attack it says an "Attack with a RANGED weapon" you can apply sneak attack. Bows and the like have the "Ranged Weapon" Subtype as a classification. Alchemist fire does not. Plus it makes little sense why the contents of a vial of acid become more lethal regardless of where you hit them on the body its still acid or fire. Piercing weapons however can penetrate deeper into the body depending on where they hit is landed. "improvised weapon" is its own subtype attributed to an object you use as a weapon, by weapon does not get the "ranged" or "thrown" property suddenly just because i choose to throw it.