There are many fun modules to play in Dungeons & Dragons, but a standout is Curse Of Strahd. It is a very different setting from other campaigns, taking place in the terrifying realm of Barovia. It is a brutal, unforgiving setting that works perfectly as a horror campaign. The party is trapped in Barovia and must take on the evil vampire lord Strahd to escape.
Running Curse Of Strahd can be daunting. The module is good, but there are many ways to improve it. Here are some suggestions to build upon this incredible campaign module and fully embrace the horror of this spooky domain of dread.
Warning: This Article includes spoilers for Curse Of Strahd.
10 Give Your Players Links To Barovia
Barovia is an isolated setting. It is easy to focus on the player's escape rather than their backstories, but this is a mistake. You must invest your players in the campaign to make the most of it. At session zero, consider the party's backstories and see what you can link to Barovia.
For example, a character from a player's past could be stranded in Barovia. You could make Izek in Vallaki the unknown brother of one of the players instead of Ireena. Speaking of Ireena, you could have a PC be the reincarnation of Strahd's unrequited love interest instead of her. The more links the party has to Barovia, unknowingly or otherwise, the more invested they will be in its fate.
9 Strahd Should Appear Regularly
The book does not give you many chances to show off the charismatic, formidable Strahd. It is down to you to incorporate him more into the adventure. Encountering him, especially at a low level, is incredibly thrilling. For example, he could show up at the Burgomaster's funeral.
These meetings do not need to be combat encounters. They are a chance for a frightening social encounter with the vampire lord. He enjoys toying with his prey, after all. Strahd can have a lot of fun messing with the party, playing mind games, and trying to turn them against one another. Having Strahd check up on the party from time to time reminds them that nowhere is safe from him.
8 Give Ireena More Agency
Ireena is an integral part of Curse Of Strahd. Her brother wishes for her to be taken somewhere Strahd cannot find her. But this is a near-impossible task. Because of this, Ireena will likely be part of the adventure for quite a while, so you want her to be a memorable NPC. Make her a valuable part of the team, forming bonds with the party along their journey. Perhaps one player can train her in sword fighting. Maybe she will learn how to become a healer with a healer's pack.
Ireena also has quite a disappointing ending in the module. If she reaches the pool in Krezk, she is given memories of her previous life and pulled into the pool to be with Sergei. She loses her agency and is just gone. Instead of this abrupt conclusion, allow her to regain her memories but remain here as Ireena. She can use this past life knowledge to help the party. Ireena will now be determined to defeat Strahd rather than hide.
7 Have The Mists Play Tricks
The world of Barovia is surrounded by formidable walls of mist that no one can venture through without dying. You can give the mist a personality of its own, making it determined to mess with the party.
The Mists can lead the group into elaborate puzzles or teleport them randomly. It is a great way to keep the party disorientated during their adventure. The mists can give them horror visions or make them hear things that are not there. The mist is also helpful to guide them into areas you think they should go to next.
6 Make Strahd Unstoppable (For Now)
Every town in Barovia is terrified of Strahd for a good reason. But, as the party grows stronger, he can seem a little too easy to defeat. You want Strahd to be an unforgettable final battle, so making him impossible to take on without clever tactics is crucial.
There are many stronger versions of Strahd's stat block available online. His pact with the Dark Powers of Ravenloft also makes him unkillable. Your players must find a way to weaken him before the final confrontation. For example, they could restore ancient deities to weaken Strahd's hold on Barovia. The final battle should feel earned by the party's creative efforts.
5 Let The Dark Powers Go Wild
Curse Of Strahd mentions the dark powers and vestiges a little in the Amber temple. The Dark Powers are formidable entities that, even restrained in the Amber Temple, still influence the world around them. You should use them to create interesting moral dilemmas for your players.
The Dark Powers could mess with the party in subtle ways, such as altering how their cantrips work. But, they are best used as whispering voices trying to corrupt the party one by one. You can design a Dark Power for each player specifically. They can offer boons to aid the player. But there will be dangerous consequences the more they fall under the power's influence.
4 Give The Party Some Hope With Friendly Characters
This campaign setting is full of terrifying locations and not many positive encounters. Almost everyone they meet is evil. This fits with the spooky setting but can get a bit too much after a while. It is essential to have some glimmers of hope. So, some characters they meet need to be friendly.
For example, the Vistani are far better suited as a warm, welcoming group. They are not loyal to Strahd and are instead indifferent toward him. This makes meeting the Vistani at the various camps a far more joyous moment to take a break from the bleak world around them.
3 The Consorts Should Have Schemes
Strahd has four consorts in his castle: Escher, Ludmilla, Anastrasya, and Volenta. They are all loyal to Strahd but have ulterior motivations as well. Even though there is not much detail about them in the book, they make great mini-bosses for the party to encounter.
Make sure to give them all a unique personality and motivation. For example, Ludmilla might be in charge of St. Andral's Feast rather than Strahd, trying to get into his good books. Volenta might be eager to kill off Ireena subtly. Trying to stop the consorts in their schemes will make for fun side quests.
2 Make Use Of Van Richten's Guide To Ravenloft
Van Richten's Guide To Ravenloft is an invaluable sourcebook for this campaign. It has unique, creepy backstories and classes for your players to enjoy. The guide also provides inspiration for corrupting gift ideas from the Dark Powers.
Additionally, the book has other domains of dread for you to use. For example, the wandering carnival could appear in Barovia to provide a new threat to deal with. The party might also venture into these other domains after defeating Strahd on the journey back home. Van Richten's Guide To Ravenloft is full of fun concepts that are perfect for Curse Of Strahd.
1 Expand Upon The Potential Endings
The ending can be a make-or-break moment of a successful campaign. The conclusion of Curse Of Strahd suggests that killing Strahd is only temporary. The mists clear just long enough for the party to escape, and then eventually, Strahd returns to rule the domain once again. It isn't the most satisfying of endings after such a grueling adventure. So, here are some other ways for the campaign to conclude.
With the help of a Dark Power, a corrupted PC could become the new Dark Lord. A descendant of Strahd's family could take on the role. The party could break Strahd's pact with the Dark Powers or defeat the Dark Powers directly to end the curse. The party might harness the power of the mists and crash Barovia back into Faerûn or another domain of dread. There are lots of creative ways to conclude this fantastic story.