Shapechanger. If Strahd isn’t in running water or sunlight, he can use his bonus action to polymorph into a Tiny bat, a Medium Swarm of Bats, a Large wolf, or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into his true form. While in bat or wolf form, Strahd can’t speak. In bat form, his walking speed is 5 feet, and he has a flying speed of 30 feet. In wolf form, his walking speed is 40 feet. His statistics, other than his size and speed, are unchanged. Anything he is wearing transforms with him, but nothing he is carrying does. He reverts to his true form if he dies. While in mist form, Strahd can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. He is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 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 he can’t pass through water. He has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and he is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage he takes from sunlight. The mist has advantage on stealth checks and creatures have disadvantage on perception checks to locate the mist while in the domain of Barovia.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the vampire fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Misty Escape. When Strahd drops to 0 hit points outside his coffin, he transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that he isn’t in running water or sunlight. If he can’t transform, he is destroyed.
When Strahd transforms in this way, he moves up to his speed (20ft) without provoking opportunity attacks. While he has 0 hit points in mist form, he can’t revert to his vampire form, and he must reach his coffin within 24 hours or be destroyed. Once in his coffin, he reverts to his vampire form. He is then paralyzed until he regains at least 1 hit point. After 1 hour in his coffin with 0 hit points, he regains 1 hit point.
Regeneration. The vampire regains 20 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. Strahd has the following flaws:
Forbiddance. He can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants. This flaw is not in effect if the Forest Fane is still under his control.
Harmed by Running Water. He takes 20 acid damage if he ends his turn in running water. He is not harmed by water in this way if he still controls the Swamp Fane.
Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into his heart while he is incapacitated in his coffin, he is paralyzed until the stake is removed. A stake does not affect him outside of his coffin.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. While in sunlight, Strahd takes 20 radiant damage at the start of his turn, and he has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. He is immune to Sunlight effects if the Mountain Fane is still under his control.
Gift of Vampyr. If Strahd is killed without using the Sunsword, he reforms in his coffin, fully healed, at nightfall on the next full moon.
If he is killed with the Sunsword, the Dark Vestige Vampyr will try to escape to roam the Domains of Dread in search of a new willing host. Vampires cannot resist Vampyr's possession. Any other Evil aligned character can make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw to resist Vampyr's attempt to posess their body. Vampyr can only be trapped with a binding ritual (found in the Amber Temple Library).
Heart of Sorrow. 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 100 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 ability of the Heart of Sorrow to absorb damage is suppressed if it or Strahd is fully within an antimagic field.
Magic Weapons. Strahd's attacks are considered magical for the sake of overcoming resistances
Unholy Persistence. Strahd is immune to effects that turn undead
Combat Awareness. Strahd has lead many armies, and won many duels in his two millennia of rule. He has advantage when defending against marital melee abilities (such as those using ki points, combat superiority dice, grapple, pin, shove, etc).
The Forest Fane. The Forest Fane grants Strahd continual nondetection and the ability to scry on and know the location of anyone who mentions his name. If Strahd's connection to the Forest fane is severed, he loses this benefit.
Forbiddance does not apply while he controls the Forest Fane
The Mountain Fane. As a result of his connection to the mountains of Barovia, Strahd is surrounded by a field of force armor that grants him a +4 armor bonus to AC. Because it is made of force, this armor protects him against incorporeal attacks and it also applies when Strahd is in gaseous form. If Strahd's connection to the Mountain Fane is severed, his Armor Class is reduced by 4
Strahd is immune to sunlight while he controls the Mountain Fane.
The Swamp Fane. While he controls the Swamp fane Strahd has resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning and thunder damage.
Strahd is not affected by running water while he controls the Swamp Fane
Spellcasting. Strahd is a xxth-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19 +11 to hit with spell attacks).
He has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost or chill touch, minor illusion
1st level (4 slots): comprehend languages, fog cloud, sleep, shield
2nd level (4 slots): detect thoughts, gust of wind, mirror image, misty step
3rd level (4 slots): animate dead, fireball, nondetection, counterspell, major image
4th level (3 slots): blight, greater invisibility, polymorph, wall of fire, sickening radiance
5th level (3 slot): animate objects, scrying, cone of cold, negative energy flood, steel wind strike
6th level (1 slot): create undead, chain lightning
7th level (1slot): reverse gravity, simulacrum
Multiattack. (Vampire or Wolf Form Only). Strahd, in Vampire Form or Wolf Worm makes two attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack.
Unarmed Strike (Vampire Form Only) or Claw (Wolf Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (1d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. In addition to dealing damage, the vampire can grapple the target (escape DC 18, Vampire form only).
Strahd's Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 15 (1d10 + 10) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. Strahd's longsword is +2 and it allows him to channel his necrotic magic through the blade.
Bite. (Bat, Wolf or Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the vampire, incapacitated, or restrained. The creature does not need to be grappled if Strahd is in Bat or Wolf form. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) 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 18 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.
Shapeshift. If Strahd isn’t in running water or sunlight, he can use his bonus action to polymorph into a Tiny bat, a Medium Swarm of Bats, a Large wolf, or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into his true form.
Children of the Night (Recharge 6). 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.
Shield. Strahd can cast shield as a reaction, using a spell slot as normal.
The vampire can take several 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. The vampire regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Bite (Costs 2 Actions). The vampire makes one bite attack.
Cast a Cantrip. Strahd may cast a cantrip, using Ray of Frost or Chill Touch
Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). Strahd casts a leveled spell.
Move. The vampire moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Misty Step. Strahd turns into a cloud of mist, teleporting a distance up to his speed (30ft).
Sword Strike. Strahd makes a melee attack with his sword
Unarmed Strike. The vampire makes one unarmed strike or claw attack.
Description
The intent of this Strahd statblock is to make him very difficult for a level 12 party, but not impossible. He does not have the ability to phase through walls, which makes him impossible with a skilled DM, unless they let the PCs win, so this allows the DM to go all out while making it a fair challenge. He now has the HP to last more than a couple rounds, and the heart of sorrow now has 100 HP (though this may be destroyed ahead of time depending on how your campaign plays out). I welcome feedback, but this resulted in a 4-session epic battle with the PCs just barely winning in the first campaign he was used.
This statblock also assumes the DM is running the extra content from the r/CurseOfStrahd sub, such as the fanes of Barovia. Once Strahd is killed with the Sunsword, Vampyr will seek another vampire or an evil creature to inhabit unless he can be bound by the rituals found in the Amber Temple (see Lunch Break Heroes for details on this).
*CR is arbitrary, I didn't increase it so as to avoid increasing the proficiency bonus. I'd estimate this statblock at around CR 20 if the party has reconsecrated the fanes and perhaps lower if they have all the story artifacts.
Lair and Lair Actions
A Vampire’s Lair
A vampire chooses a grand yet defensible location for its lair, such as a castle, fortified manor, or walled abbey. It hides its coffin in an underground crypt or vault guarded by vampire spawn or other loyal creatures of the night.
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.
If the vampire is destroyed, these effects end after 2d6 days.
Strahd also gains the following Lair Actions while in Castle Ravenloft:
-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.
-A 40-foot radius sphere of fog appears centered on a point within 120 feet of Strahd. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. It lasts until Strahd uses another Lair Action or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it.
-Grasping ghostly hands sprout from the ground and walls in a 10-foot cube starting from a point within 90 feet of Strahd. For 1d4 rounds, these hands turn the ground in the area into difficult terrain. A creature in this area must immediately make a Strength saving throw or be restrained by the grasping hands until this effect ends. A creature restrained by these hands can use an action to make a DC 18 Strength saving throw; on a success, it frees itself.
-A 10-foot diameter sphere of fire appears in an unoccupied space of Strahd's choice within 60 feet. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the sphere must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 3d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The sphere ignites flammable objects not being worn or carried, and it sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. It lasts until Strahd uses another Lair Action or until dispelled.
-Strahd magically calls four swarms of bats or swarms of rats. Each swarm appears next to a hostile creature that Strahd can see, makes an attack against that creature, and then exits the area. (Alternative for the DM is to have these stay as enemies, either as minions with 1 hp, or as the regular statblock).
-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.
Previous Versions
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