I can't say that surprises me, as many people have actually guessed the name recently, but it's still nice to see. I'm definitely getting this book. Subclasses, lineages, monsters (oh my!) are my thing. It already looks like the art in this book is going to be great, which is another plus.
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
I can't say that surprises me, as many people have actually guessed the name recently, but it's still nice to see. I'm definitely getting this book. Subclasses, lineages, monsters (oh my!) are my thing. It already looks like the art in this book is going to be great, which is another plus.
Same. I am super excited for the Undead Warlock, but I really want to see the printed Lineages so we can get an idea of what we might see in future books.
Also I love gothic and eldritch horror so both in one book is exciting.
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.
They will never get it right if they don’t keep trying. I hope they try both.
I can't say that surprises me, as many people have actually guessed the name recently, but it's still nice to see. I'm definitely getting this book. Subclasses, lineages, monsters (oh my!) are my thing. It already looks like the art in this book is going to be great, which is another plus.
Same. I am super excited for the Undead Warlock, but I really want to see the printed Lineages so we can get an idea of what we might see in future books.
Also I love gothic and eldritch horror so both in one book is exciting.
Yeah, I super hope they fix the jank with existing characters' racial traits disappearing when they get Dhamped or Hexed or Rebirthed, or just remove "apply to an existing character" entirely so they're starting races for new characters only.
Not only are there Dragonborn (and Lizardfolk and Kobolds), but there's also the Draconic Lineage Sorcerer, so they'll have to get real creative to make a Dragon Lineage at all interesting.
I'm not encouraged by the UA lineages being in this book -- we all know they don't pay attention to the feedback polls, but I really think the lineages aren't ready for prime time. The book's introducing new backgrounds as well, so I'll be interested to see if there are any changes in those backgrounds that take some of the issues people have raised about the lineages into account, but I'm not holding my breath.
I REALLY like that there are a ton of new demiplanes with their respective leaders, that's going to be great for running all kinds of horror scenarios and keeping it fresh from Ravenloft.
Wasn't there a dragonblood/scale race in previous editions? (I'm probably getting the name wrong.) They could do something like that or a half-dragon template for players in a Draconomicon/Dragonlance book.
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Maybe there will be a Draconic Lineage UA to go with the Draconic Subclasses UA before the next book.
That certainly would be interesting. There already is the dragonborn though, so I don't think we will get more then 1 or 2 lineages for that.
Well currently there are Dragonborn, which are different from Draconians (whose return to D&D haven't been UA'd but have been teased in a ramping up of buzz for Dragonlance, whether as a PC species or monster is unclear) , and then there's Half-Dragon (which exist as template in the MM). I could see Draconic lineage being used to sort of retcon/coral Dragonborn under a broader umbrella of draconic lineage possibility (reinforced with a broader feat system assigned to draconic lineage, as there would be for fey, fiend, undead, etc). Though that's speculation of what could happen. If the lineage ramifications do become more solidified and grounded, I could see a system where all existing races can be reconstructed through a fleshed out lineage system (aside from the one that has multiple +2s, but even that might be worked out through feats). Again, I'm not aware of any specific WotC writing, but it's a possibility I've seen given some of the broader notes on lineage in the Gothlines UA that will be incorporated in some form in this new work.
For VRGtR hoping there's more than two subclasses, that or expanded backgrounds or feats that could capture gothic traits from fearlessness (The Fearless Vampire Killers is basically the sort of Horror that can easily be done with D&D, it is basically all iterations of Strahd, in fact I'd say the Hammer sub-genre/imprint probably is more twirled up in D&D's DNA that you'd think) to foreboding sensitivity (heightened feelings around things eerie, basically a mechanic for "I have a bad feeling about this..."). Maybe some more puzzle mechanics for those doing horror games where D&D party nova strategies just won't win, so a solution must be found in serving a greater mechanism (in game through the solving of a puzzle or assembly of an apparatus ... a la something like Quatermass and the Pit).
I'm not really a digital dice collector, but largely because of the cover, if DDB creates a book-tied dice set that has an explosion of ravens on a nat 20, I'll actually buy a set of digital dice.
They could do what 4e did where they made Draconians as sub-races to Dragonborns.
On another note, apparently there are to be 30 different Domains of Dread in this book, each with their own Darklord according to a Polygon Article. The article itself does have some inconsistencies when compared to the DnDbeyond article though so take this with a grain of salt.
Holy crap that cover rules
Well, the Article is out. Will be interesting to see if and how the lineages and subclasses have been revised.
"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
College of Spirits and Undead Warlock was confirmed, though we already kind of knew that.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
I can't say that surprises me, as many people have actually guessed the name recently, but it's still nice to see. I'm definitely getting this book. Subclasses, lineages, monsters (oh my!) are my thing. It already looks like the art in this book is going to be great, which is another plus.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
I was hoping the Draconomicon would be out first since that UA material is older than the Ravenloft UA that just came out. 😢
Same. I am super excited for the Undead Warlock, but I really want to see the printed Lineages so we can get an idea of what we might see in future books.
Also I love gothic and eldritch horror so both in one book is exciting.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
The college of Spirits and Undead Warlock UA came out first.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Okie dokey, but I meant the UA with Dhampir, etc.
They will never get it right if they don’t keep trying. I hope they try both.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Maybe there will be a Draconic Lineage UA to go with the Draconic Subclasses UA before the next book.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Yeah, I super hope they fix the jank with existing characters' racial traits disappearing when they get Dhamped or Hexed or Rebirthed, or just remove "apply to an existing character" entirely so they're starting races for new characters only.
That certainly would be interesting. There already is the dragonborn though, so I don't think we will get more than 1 or 2 lineages for that.
When players get creative.
Yeah, I don't know what they would do. Maybe Draconians if it is a Dragonlance book?
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Not only are there Dragonborn (and Lizardfolk and Kobolds), but there's also the Draconic Lineage Sorcerer, so they'll have to get real creative to make a Dragon Lineage at all interesting.
Draconains, Dragonwrought Kobolds, Blackscale Lizardfolk, and Half-dragon templates? Who knows.
"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'm not encouraged by the UA lineages being in this book -- we all know they don't pay attention to the feedback polls, but I really think the lineages aren't ready for prime time. The book's introducing new backgrounds as well, so I'll be interested to see if there are any changes in those backgrounds that take some of the issues people have raised about the lineages into account, but I'm not holding my breath.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
I REALLY like that there are a ton of new demiplanes with their respective leaders, that's going to be great for running all kinds of horror scenarios and keeping it fresh from Ravenloft.
Wasn't there a dragonblood/scale race in previous editions? (I'm probably getting the name wrong.) They could do something like that or a half-dragon template for players in a Draconomicon/Dragonlance book.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
Well currently there are Dragonborn, which are different from Draconians (whose return to D&D haven't been UA'd but have been teased in a ramping up of buzz for Dragonlance, whether as a PC species or monster is unclear) , and then there's Half-Dragon (which exist as template in the MM). I could see Draconic lineage being used to sort of retcon/coral Dragonborn under a broader umbrella of draconic lineage possibility (reinforced with a broader feat system assigned to draconic lineage, as there would be for fey, fiend, undead, etc). Though that's speculation of what could happen. If the lineage ramifications do become more solidified and grounded, I could see a system where all existing races can be reconstructed through a fleshed out lineage system (aside from the one that has multiple +2s, but even that might be worked out through feats). Again, I'm not aware of any specific WotC writing, but it's a possibility I've seen given some of the broader notes on lineage in the Gothlines UA that will be incorporated in some form in this new work.
For VRGtR hoping there's more than two subclasses, that or expanded backgrounds or feats that could capture gothic traits from fearlessness (The Fearless Vampire Killers is basically the sort of Horror that can easily be done with D&D, it is basically all iterations of Strahd, in fact I'd say the Hammer sub-genre/imprint probably is more twirled up in D&D's DNA that you'd think) to foreboding sensitivity (heightened feelings around things eerie, basically a mechanic for "I have a bad feeling about this..."). Maybe some more puzzle mechanics for those doing horror games where D&D party nova strategies just won't win, so a solution must be found in serving a greater mechanism (in game through the solving of a puzzle or assembly of an apparatus ... a la something like Quatermass and the Pit).
I'm not really a digital dice collector, but largely because of the cover, if DDB creates a book-tied dice set that has an explosion of ravens on a nat 20, I'll actually buy a set of digital dice.
EDIT: Oooh, that alt-cover.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
They could do what 4e did where they made Draconians as sub-races to Dragonborns.
On another note, apparently there are to be 30 different Domains of Dread in this book, each with their own Darklord according to a Polygon Article. The article itself does have some inconsistencies when compared to the DnDbeyond article though so take this with a grain of salt.
https://www.polygon.com/2021/2/23/22295817/dungeons-dragons-ravenloft-reboot-van-richtens-guide-release-date-price
"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