Thanks! I really like that alternate cover! It's pretty interesting. Except for that zombie behind the lady,(Esmerelda?) It's a bit... not scary. Akward?
I was never a huge fan of Ravenloft and I'm old enough to remember when it first came out. Always thought it was TSRs answer to Call of Cthulhu. Still, it looks interesting and the fact that they are adding other Domains of Dread than Barovia is exciting. I'm always up for new undead monsters to throw at my players.It will be interesting to see how they handle the horror aspect of it.
Still hoping for Dark Sun or Spelljammer, someday...
I am going to guess that they won't go into a lot of detail on most of those 30 domains but will focus on a smaller number and just give a very brief overview of the rest.
I am going to guess that they won't go into a lot of detail on most of those 30 domains but will focus on a smaller number and just give a very brief overview of the rest.
Yes. I'm thinking this will probably look like the DMG's guide to the planar wheel, inspirational and expect a flood of DMsGuild with fleshed out takes for those who don't want to develop on their own. I'm inferring from the Polygon articles that "darklord" is the common term in the text for the top baddie in any demiplane. I could see a MM style description of each, sort of how to build a darklord out of regular MM baddie and then how to guide on how to utilize "creature features" as a way to define the Demi-plane, but the entries alone would 30-60 pages of space. Given that it it looks like there will be only two subclasses, I imagine the book has that space though.
The mists can go sit on the shelf with all the other fringe settings WoTC has published while passing over all the big core settings. Another useless book for me.
The mists can go sit on the shelf with all the other fringe settings WoTC has published while passing over all the big core settings. Another useless book for me.
. . . Ravenloft is a "big core setting", it's been around since 1983. We've had FR all of 5e. Ghosts of Saltmarsh takes place in a corner of Greyhawk (as do many of the adventures in TftYP). Eberron is also a big "core" setting for many people. Though Ravnica and Theros are not "big core settings", there are definitely major settings that have been reprinted/officialized in 5e.
I'm not telling you to buy it, I'm just saying your reasoning seems flawed to me.
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I understand not liking Raveloft, It's certainly not my first pick when we still have Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Dark Suns and other major classic settings that have had little or no published works in 5e. However, a lot of people want this so I'm not too bothered by it personally.
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"Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
I used to buy all WOTC 5E books, but for Candlekeep and this one I will just buy subclasses and monsters etc on Beyond. If I want to play horror I prefer other systems.
As for settings, all I really want is Spelljammer and Planescape.
I understand not liking Raveloft, It's certainly not my first pick when we still have Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Dark Suns and other major classic settings that have had little or no published works in 5e. However, a lot of people want this so I'm not too bothered by it personally.
I'm pretty confident we'll be getting a Dragonlance book in late summer of fall, following the publication of the novel. While Ravensloft is arguably (and I'd agree) a "classic setting" with a long legacy with D&D, an iconic BBEG, and a big tent pole module for 5e, that was subsequently released in an in house prestige format boxed edition ... I can also see how it can be seen as somewhat compartmentalized "away" from what some thing of as "mainstream" D&D. Maybe a bit limiting too, I mean demiplanes are claustrophobic, right? Anyway, I think it might be possible that Ravensloft may well have been an intentional roll out before a "bigger" setting like Krynn in that Ravensloft with it's "side space" status gives the designers more power to push out and pressure test some new ideas, like Gothlines and a further articulation of the lineage system. Rolling that out, builds shop experience with some of the new ideas D&D is playing with so a slightly more "main course" setting like Dragonlance is working with proven concepts. I don't know if that's an actual strategy behind the roll out, I mean in terms of timing to me Dragons speak more to spring, and Ravensloft would be better tied to fall or winter on a sort of aesthetic and mood level, but I don't think we'll ever get a clear picture of the production pipeline at Wizards beyond the marketing teases they put out as UA.
D&D in general doesn't do horror well. Good horror relies on disempowerment and preys on the weakness of humanity (in many different senses of the word 'weakness'). A typical D&D party is anything but disempowered. DMs trying to do straight-up horror are going to be super disappointed in the results.
Dark fantasy, though? Gothic fantasy? Adopting the aesthetic and putting some edge on one's game? That, D&D can accomplish. Hopefully this book leans more dark fantasy than 'horror' despite the billing.
You're not wrong. To pull it off, you have to keep it low level and definitely low magic. Power removes the fear.
I wonder if we will get lord soth stuff in this? I would love to see something about his domain and running a death knight as a villain
Doesn't look like it based on Todd Kenreck's stream from earlier today.
Sithicus won't be a domain in the book based on what he said during the stream. However, there will still be references and stuff to Sithicus. The book will also have tools to create your own domains and Dark Lords, so if you want Soth you could do it that way.
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I wonder if we will get lord soth stuff in this? I would love to see something about his domain and running a death knight as a villain
Doesn't look like it based on Todd Kenreck's stream from earlier today.
Sithicus won't be a domain in the book based on what he said during the stream. However, there will still be references and stuff to Sithicus. The book will also have tools to create your own domains and Dark Lords, so if you want Soth you could do it that way.
That's too bad. Then again they may be holding on to Lord Soth for the Dragonlance book. The I have heard a few rumors that the new novels seem to be going back to the Chronicles time frame so that would be before Soth got pulled in by the Mists to be a Dark Lord.
I doubt they will let you keep abilities from another race (as the power of different racial abilities varies greatly) but your dm could definelty let you keep powerful build or something. Dhampir Goliath means mechanically you are just one or the other, otherwise balancing would be a mess. I would compare them to aasiamr. You can be a dwarf or elf aasimar but your abilities don't change.
Design Note: Changes to Racial Traits In 2020, the book Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything introduced the option to customize several of your character’s racial traits, specifically the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, and traits that give skill, armor, weapon, or tool proficiencies. Following in that book’s footsteps, the race options in this article and in future D&D books lack the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, the Alignment trait, and any other trait that is purely cultural. Racial traits henceforth reflect only the physical or magical realities of being a player character who’s a member of a particular lineage. Such traits include things like darkvision, a breath weapon (as in the dragonborn), or innate magical ability (as in the forest gnome). Such traits don’t include cultural characteristics, like language or training with a weapon or a tool, and the traits also don’t include an alignment suggestion, since alignment is a choice for each individual, not a characteristic shared by a lineage. Finally, going forward, the term “race” in D&D refers only to the suite of game features used by player characters. Said features don’t have any bearing on monsters and NPCs who are members of the same species or lineage, since monsters and NPCs in D&D don’t rely on race or class to function. Moreover, DMs are empowered to customize the features of the creatures in their game as they wish.
I was referring to this section on what a race has but that is also a one of these new lineages, they really do need to express exactly what a race would keep with these lineages.
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Thanks! I really like that alternate cover! It's pretty interesting. Except for that zombie behind the lady,(Esmerelda?) It's a bit... not scary. Akward?
When players get creative.
Well, zombies aren't known for coordination or striking poses. They're missing a lot of bits.
I love Strahd's expression in the alt cover. Its so calm yet menacing
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I was never a huge fan of Ravenloft and I'm old enough to remember when it first came out. Always thought it was TSRs answer to Call of Cthulhu. Still, it looks interesting and the fact that they are adding other Domains of Dread than Barovia is exciting. I'm always up for new undead monsters to throw at my players.It will be interesting to see how they handle the horror aspect of it.
Still hoping for Dark Sun or Spelljammer, someday...
I am going to guess that they won't go into a lot of detail on most of those 30 domains but will focus on a smaller number and just give a very brief overview of the rest.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Yes. I'm thinking this will probably look like the DMG's guide to the planar wheel, inspirational and expect a flood of DMsGuild with fleshed out takes for those who don't want to develop on their own. I'm inferring from the Polygon articles that "darklord" is the common term in the text for the top baddie in any demiplane. I could see a MM style description of each, sort of how to build a darklord out of regular MM baddie and then how to guide on how to utilize "creature features" as a way to define the Demi-plane, but the entries alone would 30-60 pages of space. Given that it it looks like there will be only two subclasses, I imagine the book has that space though.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
I mean, there's exceptions to everything. I before E except after C, and all that.
The mists can go sit on the shelf with all the other fringe settings WoTC has published while passing over all the big core settings. Another useless book for me.
How is Ravenloft not a big core setting
. . . Ravenloft is a "big core setting", it's been around since 1983. We've had FR all of 5e. Ghosts of Saltmarsh takes place in a corner of Greyhawk (as do many of the adventures in TftYP). Eberron is also a big "core" setting for many people. Though Ravnica and Theros are not "big core settings", there are definitely major settings that have been reprinted/officialized in 5e.
I'm not telling you to buy it, I'm just saying your reasoning seems flawed to me.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
I understand not liking Raveloft, It's certainly not my first pick when we still have Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Dark Suns and other major classic settings that have had little or no published works in 5e. However, a lot of people want this so I'm not too bothered by it personally.
"Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
Characters for Tenebris Sine Fine
RoughCoronet's Greater Wills
I used to buy all WOTC 5E books, but for Candlekeep and this one I will just buy subclasses and monsters etc on Beyond. If I want to play horror I prefer other systems.
As for settings, all I really want is Spelljammer and Planescape.
I'm pretty confident we'll be getting a Dragonlance book in late summer of fall, following the publication of the novel. While Ravensloft is arguably (and I'd agree) a "classic setting" with a long legacy with D&D, an iconic BBEG, and a big tent pole module for 5e, that was subsequently released in an in house prestige format boxed edition ... I can also see how it can be seen as somewhat compartmentalized "away" from what some thing of as "mainstream" D&D. Maybe a bit limiting too, I mean demiplanes are claustrophobic, right? Anyway, I think it might be possible that Ravensloft may well have been an intentional roll out before a "bigger" setting like Krynn in that Ravensloft with it's "side space" status gives the designers more power to push out and pressure test some new ideas, like Gothlines and a further articulation of the lineage system. Rolling that out, builds shop experience with some of the new ideas D&D is playing with so a slightly more "main course" setting like Dragonlance is working with proven concepts. I don't know if that's an actual strategy behind the roll out, I mean in terms of timing to me Dragons speak more to spring, and Ravensloft would be better tied to fall or winter on a sort of aesthetic and mood level, but I don't think we'll ever get a clear picture of the production pipeline at Wizards beyond the marketing teases they put out as UA.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
I wonder if we will get lord soth stuff in this? I would love to see something about his domain and running a death knight as a villain
You're not wrong. To pull it off, you have to keep it low level and definitely low magic. Power removes the fear.
Doesn't look like it based on Todd Kenreck's stream from earlier today.
Sithicus won't be a domain in the book based on what he said during the stream. However, there will still be references and stuff to Sithicus. The book will also have tools to create your own domains and Dark Lords, so if you want Soth you could do it that way.
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That's too bad. Then again they may be holding on to Lord Soth for the Dragonlance book. The I have heard a few rumors that the new novels seem to be going back to the Chronicles time frame so that would be before Soth got pulled in by the Mists to be a Dark Lord.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Also
Todd Kendreck Ravenloft Video
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Design Note: Changes to Racial Traits
In 2020, the book Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything introduced the option to customize several of your character’s racial traits, specifically the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, and traits that give skill, armor, weapon, or tool proficiencies.
Following in that book’s footsteps, the race options in this article and in future D&D books lack the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, the Alignment trait, and any other trait that is purely cultural. Racial traits henceforth reflect only the physical or magical realities of being a player character who’s a member of a particular lineage. Such traits include things like darkvision, a breath weapon (as in the dragonborn), or innate magical ability (as in the forest gnome). Such traits don’t include cultural characteristics, like language or training with a weapon or a tool, and the traits also don’t include an alignment suggestion, since alignment is a choice for each individual, not a characteristic shared by a lineage.
Finally, going forward, the term “race” in D&D refers only to the suite of game features used by player characters. Said features don’t have any bearing on monsters and NPCs who are members of the same species or lineage, since monsters and NPCs in D&D don’t rely on race or class to function. Moreover, DMs are empowered to customize the features of the creatures in their game as they wish.
I was referring to this section on what a race has but that is also a one of these new lineages, they really do need to express exactly what a race would keep with these lineages.