Bandits rove in gangs and are sometimes led by thugs, veterans, or spellcasters. Not all bandits are evil. Oppression, drought, disease, or famine can often drive otherwise honest folk to a life of banditry. Pirates are bandits of the high seas. They might be freebooters interested only in treasure and murder, or they might be privateers sanctioned by the crown to attack and plunder an enemy nation's vessels.

Vistani Bandits

These Vistani servants of Strahd (bandit) march through the Barovian wilderness, laughing and telling ghost stories. They are searching for graves to plunder or hunting small game. For a price of 100 gp, they offer to serve as guides. As long as these Vistani are with the party, roll a d12 instead of a d12 + d8 when determining random encounters in the wilderness. In addition, wolves and dire wolves don’t threaten the characters as long as the Vistani are traveling with them and aren’t their prisoners.

Treasure. One Vistani bandit carries a pouch that holds 2d4 small gemstones (worth 50 gp each).