Spellcasting. Lord Strahd is an 20th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 22, +15 to hit with spell attacks). Strahd has the following wizard spells prepared: (In Strahd Character Sheet)
Turn Immunity. Strahd is immune to any effect that turns undead.
Shapechanger. If Strahd isn’t in sunlight or running water, it can use his action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of mist, or a Large swarm of bats, or a Large Wolf, or back into its true form.
While in bat form, the vampire can’t speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and it has a flying speed of 50 feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but nothing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
While in mist form, the vampire can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 50 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing, and it can’t pass through water. It has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and it is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage it takes from sunlight.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the vampire fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Misty Escape. When it drops to 0 hit points outside its resting place, the vampire transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that it isn’t in sunlight or running water. If it can’t transform, it is destroyed.
While it has 0 hit points in mist form, it can’t revert to its vampire form, and it must reach its resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in its resting place, it reverts to its vampire form. It is then paralyzed until it regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in its resting place with 0 hit points, it regains 1 hit point.
Regeneration. The vampire regains 30 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn’t in sunlight or running water. If the vampire takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the vampire’s next turn.
Spider Climb. The vampire can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Vampire Weaknesses. The vampire has the following flaws:
Forbiddance. The vampire can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
Harmed by Running Water. The vampire takes 20 acid damage if it ends its turn in running water.
Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into the vampire’s heart while the vampire is incapacitated in its resting place, the vampire is paralyzed until the stake is removed.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Multi attack. (Vampire Form Only). Strahd makes two attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack.
Flying Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (4d6 + 7) slashing damage plus 22 (5d8) necrotic damage.
Unarmed Strike (Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (4d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, the vampire can grapple the target (escape DC 20).
Bite. (Bat or Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the vampire, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (10d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under the vampire’s control.
Charm. The vampire targets one humanoid it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the vampire, the target must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by the vampire. The charmed target regards the vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under the vampire’s control, it takes the vampire’s requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the vampire’s bite attack.
Each time the vampire or the vampire’s companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the vampire is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.
Children of the Night (1/Day). The vampire magically calls 2d4 swarms of bats or rats, provided that the sun isn’t up. While outdoors, the vampire can call 3d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of the vampire and obeying its spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until the vampire dies, or until the vampire dismisses them as a bonus action.
As an action Strahd can transform his body into the purest embodiment of the Vampiric Curse……..for 10 minutes while in this form the following changes apply to Strahd's original Stats:
Strahd gains 100 temporary hit points that remain while he maintains this form.
Movement speed becomes a flying speed of 90 FT.
Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (4d12 + 6) Slashing damage.
Necrotic Breath (Recharge 5–6). Strahd exhales in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63 (18d6) Necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Frightful Presence: Each creature within 120 feet of Strand and aware of it must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, Ending the Effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the Effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Parry. Strahd adds 6 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, Strahd must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon (If his Flying Longsword is within 30 ft. the sword may use its reaction to intersect between Strahd and the attacker.)
LEGENDARY ACTIONS-
Strahd can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Strahd regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Move. (one action) Strahd moves up to his speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Unarmed Strike. Strahd makes one unarmed strike. Bite (Costs 1 Actions). Strahd makes one bite attack.
Cantrip. (one action) Strahd may cast a single cantrip at a target
Bat Swarm: (costs 3 actions) Strahd turns into a bat swarm and moves 60 ft without provoking opportunity attacks. When he enters a creatures space they must make a DC 20 DEX save or take 10d8+5 Slashing dmg and fall prone
Description
With his mind sharp and his heart dark, Strahd von Zarovich is a formidable foe. Courage and lives beyond measure have been lost to him. Reread chapter 1, "Into the Mists," to understand his personality and goals.
Although Strahd can be encountered almost anywhere in his domain, the vampire is always encountered in the place indicated by the card reading in chapter 1, unless he has been forced into his tomb in the catacombs of Castle Ravenloft.
Because the entire adventure revolves around Strahd, you must play him intelligently and do everything you can to make him a terrifying and cunning adversary for the player characters.
When you run an encounter with Strahd, keep the following facts in mind:
- Strahd attacks at the most advantageous moment and from the most advantageous position.
- Strahd knows when he's in over his head. If he begins taking more damage than he can regenerate, he moves beyond the reach of melee combatants and spellcasters, or he flies away (using summoned wolves or swarms of bats or rats to guard his retreat).
- Strahd observes the characters to see who among them are most easily swayed, then tries to charm characters who have low Wisdom scores and use them as thralls. At the very least, he can order a charmed character to guard him against other members of the adventuring party.
Whenever Strahd appears in a location other than his tomb or the place indicated by the card reading, roll a d20 and consult the Strahd's Minions table to determine what creatures he brings with him, if any.
| d20 | Creatures |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | 1d4 + 2 dire wolves |
| 4-6 | 1d6 + 3 ghouls |
| 7-9 | 1d4 + 2 Strahd zombies (in this appendix) |
| 10-12 | 2d4 swarms of bats |
| 13-15 | 1d4 + 1 vampire spawn |
| 16-18 | 3d6 wolves |
| 19-20 | None |
If the characters are in a residence, Strahd's creatures break through doors and windows to reach them, or crawl up through the earth, or swoop down the chimney. The vampire spawn (all that's left of a party of adventurers that Strahd defeated long ago) can't enter the characters' location unless invited.
Strahd can afford to be bold in his tactics, for he has additional protection in the form of a giant crystal heart hidden inside Castle Ravenloft.
Any damage that Strahd takes is transferred to the Heart of Sorrow (see chapter 4, area K20). If the heart absorbs damage that reduces it to 0 hit points, it is destroyed, and Strahd takes any leftover damage. The Heart of Sorrow has 50 hit points and is restored to that number of hit points each dawn, provided it has at least 1 hit point remaining. Strahd can, as a bonus action on his turn, break his link to the Heart of Sorrow so that it no longer absorbs damage dealt to him. Strahd can reestablish his link to the Heart of Sorrow as a bonus action on his turn, but only while in Castle Ravenloft.
The effect of the protection afforded by the Heart of Sorrow can be chilling to behold, as damage to Strahd is quickly undone. For example, a critical hit might dislocate Strahd's jaw, but only for a moment; then the vampire's jaw quickly resets itself.
The ability of the Heart of Sorrow to absorb damage is suppressed if it or Strahd is fully within an antimagic field.
Lair and Lair Actions
While Strahd is in Castle Ravenloft, he can take lair actions as long as he isn't incapacitated.
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Strahd can take one of the following lair action options, or forgo using any of them in that round:
- Until initiative count 20 of the next round, Strahd can pass through solid walls, doors, ceilings, and floors as if they weren't there.
- Strahd targets any number of doors and windows that he can see, causing each one to either open or close as he wishes. Closed doors can be magically locked (needing a successful DC 20 Strength check to force open) until Strahd chooses to end the effect, or until Strahd uses this lair action again.
- Strahd summons the angry spirit of one who has died in the castle. The apparition appears next to a hostile creature that Strahd can see, makes an attack against that creature, and then disappears. The apparition has the statistics of a specter.
- Strahd targets one Medium or smaller creature that casts a shadow. The target's shadow must be visible to Strahd and within 30 feet of him. If the target fails a DC 17 Charisma saving throw, its shadow detaches from it and becomes a shadow that obeys Strahd's commands, acting on initiative count 20. A greater restoration spell or a remove curse spell cast on the target restores its natural shadow, but only if its undead shadow has been destroyed.
Regional Effects
The region surrounding a vampire’s lair is warped by the creature’s unnatural presence, creating any of the following effects:
- There’s a noticeable increase in the populations of bats, rats, and wolves in the region.
- Plants within 500 feet of the lair wither, and their stems and branches become twisted and thorny.
- Shadows cast within 500 feet of the lair seem abnormally gaunt and sometimes move as though alive.
- A creeping fog clings to the ground within 500 feet of the vampire’s lair. The fog occasionally takes eerie forms, such as grasping claws and writhing serpents.
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