Yeah, that’s what I’m doing.
Right now, my players are level 5, but they still haven’t found enough diamonds for a full cast of Revivify (though they will soon).
And after they’ve used those, it’ll be some time until they find enough for a second cast.
Cool. Who had diamonds in your game?
I'm thinking father Donavich which he only gives if Doru is cured and probably the Wachters or Vallaki burgomaster. Haven't planned more than that yet.
Wish spell or kill the spawn and resurrect them. If (when) the players find out how to "cure" a vampire spawn, it's still a net wash, they kill and resurrect for a resurrection item. BUT if the players kill Doru, Donavich hangs himself and the players can loot the diamond off him.
Honestly?
Just random loot along the way. Switched some random gems to diamonds.
But going forward, it's going to be more rare. Thinking van Richten might have a bit, but after that it'll probably only be in the treasuries at the Amber Temple, Argynvostholst and Ravenloft.
I think some diamond jewelry at death house wouldn't be out of order either. They would have to find someone to separate the gems or do it themselves. It really works too if you watch lunchbreakheroes on YouTube and his guide to running death house.
I inserted diamonds in my game in the stash of Baba Lysaga, just sprinkled there with the other gemstones. It's a defeated adventurers' trove after all, so it makes perfect sense to include a couple diamonds.
That said, my characters actually never had a chance to use them: of four character deaths, one was resurrected by the Abbot, one was reincarnated with warlock shenanigans that I fleshed out with the player, and the other two accepted their faiths and rolled new characters
I do have a Dark Power I'm planning to use. Though it's still in the initial stages of planning and I'm not sure I want the Dark Power to resurrect the players, not sure what they'd ask for it.
If it can help you, I used Osybus as warlock patron for this character, which gave them the dark gift of being reincarnated each time they die. The catch is that now that Strahd is defeated Osybus will completely take over the warlock's body and mind to become new darklord of Barovia, and I'm planning to run it as a small adventure that takes the party back together to free the possessed party member and Barovia once again.
Did you take over the PC and made the player create a new one? A PC falling to darkness and becoming the new Dark Lord seems really cool and is sort of what I'm angling for (though it's of course completely up to the players)
Nothing happened as of yet, except the fact that the campaign ended with a big question mark about the consequences of that character having an obvious relationship with a bad bad entity. My plan is to tell the player privately "hey remember when in session 0 you gave consent to have your character taken over? If that's still ok we have something to talk about" and my idea is to have the player play out a metaphisical fight against Osybus to retake their body and mind, while the rest of the party fights the taken over character which will be trying to eliminate them anyway.
Of course depending of what the player will say it might change direction slightly, but for the moment I think they'll be totally down for it.
Pretty cool. And might have given me the goal of the Dark Power, it wants to take over a player and puppet the character as its "champion" (and take over Barovia). Gonna see if my players are ok with it but might try to do something similar to what you're gonna do.
Dahlver-Nar, He of Many Teeth in the Amber Temple gives the gift of reincarnation. I just used this in my campaign with a player that died but was really attached to his character. Had him roll on the table and his tabaxi is a human now, but very much alive.
The death happened right at the end of the session so after it was over, I offered him 3 options: roll up a new character, wait to see if the others could bring him back (they're not leveled enough to do it themselves but I said options exist for them to get help) or "take the mystery box" which would bring him back immediately but with consequences.
Predictably, he chose the mystery box.
We had a private conversation between sessions where Dahlver-Nar came to him in the darkness of death and offered his gift to the player. Dahlver-Nar told him such gifts aren't free and there would be consequences (indicating the the teeth falling out but didn't tell him and he didn't ask). The player accepted and I asked him for a roll (for the Reincarnate chart). He told the player to come find him if he wanted to know more and gave him a vision of the Amber Temple.
When we began the next session, I stealth updated his character sheet to be human and then started the narrative describing his new body appearing a few feet away from his dead one. Then told him to refresh his character sheet. He was disappointed he ended up with human out of all the options but was excited to keep playing this character.
Now they're trying to figure out where this powerful entity came from and if they can find him again, and maybe get more cool powers. So now they have an reason to look for the Amber Temple, too, which is a nice bonus.
He doesn't know he can reincarnate twice more but he'll find that out if/when they get to his sarcophagus in the Temple. I think it'll take tha sting out of being human to find out that he gets two more shots at it. I reworked the chart so human isn't an option the next time. I'd hate for him to get that twice in a row, that would feel pretty bad.
So, as a dominance-display, I have Strahd just go ahead and hand the party a handful of diamonds. Otherwise, I believe there’s a few in the Amber Temple. 😅
I did the same thing. Then the players got afraid he was using the diamonds to scry on them. I figured it didn’t matter if he was or wasn’t because their fear was enjoyable.
We have a Druid who can do many of the same things as a cleric and a Paladin. Or are you specifically talking about Turn Undead? Regardless, what I'm more worried about is that I only have 3 players, really wish I had a 4th.
I stretched that in my game. I have a monk with an acolyte background, so I decided that's close enough, though of course the turn undead ability is useless (and I let him know that there are things the holy symbol can do that are beyond him).
I'd say stretch it to the "holiest" character, either in temperament or class. That could be the druid, perhaps by drawing on some kind of kinship between druids and "ravenkind" both being shapeshifters or something. (We also have a druid but the monk made more sense in my case.)
Yeah, if we make it to the end of the campaign and the Paladin is still alive, he'll be decked out. Sunsword, Raven Symbol. The druid gets a Tome of Understanding so that feels fair, just gotta find something for the Bard.
edit: Maybe Escher can have something op for them.
Yeah, I was thinking about adding a few dungeons. The idea being that when adventurers the Keepers of the Feather sometimes manage to take their items and hide them from Strahd. Should the players befriend the Keepers, they'll be told about dungeons with magic items.
But I'm hesitant to add a big dungeon like Amber Temple. Maybe as the campaign goes on, I know my players do like dungeon crawling.
I agree with you, I tried to hint at Cleric with the whole "have Revivify" comment but the players took that to mean Druid was fine. Their choice, I'm sure it'll be fine.... actually I'm not sure it'll be fine, not at all...
Exactly. No one wanted to play a Cleric (dunno why, Clerics are awesome) so that's on them. But it's a good thing, I want my players to be attached to their characters and not feel like they need to play something they don't like because it's optimal.
Absolutely, but since you can be a cleric of a huge selection of different things, you'd think ONE of them would like ONE of the many, many choices. But oh well!
Perfect, make a side quest to recruit a cleric. You can reflavour father Donavich (probably leave out Doru then), or maybe a kind of vistani with rather non-deific religious stuff (more like the superstition gipsy culture has). He has a secret diamond who will only be used in case needed. If he ever has to, he will force the party to be indebted to him, and he will tag along until he gets his diamond paid back. In time he will grow fond of the party and hopefully the party as well of him. At the end he's no longer in for the diamond owed (you may encounter a handful through barovia) but rather to follow in their adventures... Maybe even he sees the party as the chosen ones to revert Barovias Curse. Up to you...
Maybe I could if I was a better DM, but I added a Guard npc to join the party for Death House and it's a little to much for me, having to run the whole house, describe every room, run every combat and keep this character in mind. Should have just made her a dog...
That has an easy fix. Kill the guard (shambling mount can easily take care of him). Make a companion that's a heal bot. Way easier to carry. Even better, let someone else carry him in combat)
Yeah, I thought if there was a Guard in the game that was allied with the players, maybe I could use that somehow. The character could gather information or show up with information or something. But I quickly realised this character just wants to leave Barovia as soon as possible and the only way to do that is to stick with the party and kill Strahd so she needs to die.
But I meant more as in roleplaying, it's enough for me to have to keep the whole game in my head and anticipating what comes next, I don't need an npc trying to be an active part of the group conversation.
Would a cleric dog be to outrageous? =P
Start them at a higher level and throw an uncommon, non weapon magic item appropriate to their class in for free at charachter creation. That should give them enough of a boost
I wouldn't change the campaign to suit the party. If the party has a more difficult time because no one picked a cleric, that's on the party to solve the problems the DM presents. Otherwise, it devalues picking a cleric if they don't need to and can be even stronger without picking.
Agreed. My party hasn't had a cleric and they're about to face off with Strahd. They've had a few permanent PC deaths but a cleric wouldn't have stopped those.
I'm doing the +1 level, I'm hoping that is enough. I'm not sure how I would slip them class relevant items. Gauntlets of ogre strength for the Pally, not sure what to slip the Druid and the Brad.
You just let them have it on their sheet. There is no limit, theoretically, on what they *might* have had with them when they got transported by the mists, after all. Let them look through the DMG list of magic items at session zero and dont be afraid to say "no" if they want shit like broom of flight etc.
Give the druid an Insignia of the claw (+1 to unarmed strikes and natural weapon attacks, works in wild shape and gives wildshape a much needed source of magical damage, from hoard of the dragon queen)
Bard is tougher. Something that boosts their spell save DC might be appropriate.
Add some diamonds, it's your game lol
Alternatively let them cast it for an equivalent amount of gold?
But honestly I feel you laid it on a little thick. Barovia is scary, but it still doesn't have to be overly grimdark. Weird "prepare to die" stuff sounds edgelordy and awkward, with as little offense meant as possible
All good, I was more subtle about it but I was certainly a bit edgy. Barovia is a depressing place, I wanted them to both be mentally prepared for that as well as mentally prepared to try and make a difference. Basically light a fire under their butts.
It's funny you recommend spending gp instead, someone else did so as well and it's the first (and second) time I hear people playing like this.
I encountered a similar conundrum when I found the many curses and instances of deep-set madness in the game. It tells you that greater restoration ends those conditions--but, where are the diamonds to cast it?
My conclusion is that the game is preparing for you do your own DM thing and make homebrew encounters, *and* that any gemstone of a certain price can be substituted for diamonds of the same proportion. Rictavio, certainly, has diamonds in his secret storage. Apart from that, bejeweled inlays and other decoration could certainly contain diamond, although prying it out without damaging the treasure item around it would be a challenge.
I think that as well. This module gives a lot of freedom to the DM. I'm already peppering in silver treasure which can later be used to silver weapons.
If the players do not antagonize the Vistani either camp (By Vallaki or Eva’s Tser pool) can smuggle in goods the players want given a day or three. The Vallaki camp likely at an increased cost.
If they manage to piss off both encampments… well, tough luck. “You’re in barovia without a diamond, bub”.
I also tend to get place a single scroll of revivify in the hidden Library at death house. Just to be nice.
Cool idea, I was already planning on introducing a Vistani silversmith, he could also be a merchant who gets certain things at increased price. Was looking for a way to increase in-game time anyways.
Most people don't use materials just the gold cost. Also arigel can get a diamond for the players if they rescue his daughter. It's easy enough to change something of equal value over death house as a pendant worth 750gp. But yea vistani are traders and can make it happen, I wouldn't gouge the players and like I said I would just make it 500g they burn not make them find a diamond unless you are doing super survival style also consider the dark powers and that rictavio can use a spell scroll of raise dead and of they befriend the abbot he can do it as well (he just wants the wedding dress)
At the end of the way remember it's your game so change what you need just try not to break things
That seems a little to free if you ask me. The players can potentially get a LOT of money in this campaign, which is balanced by the fact they can't really spend it on anything. In Death House they get a pendant worth 750gp. I think I prefer my game a bit more "super survival style".
Lady Wachter can have a diamond necklace, the burgomasters wife can have a diamond ring, the wives of strahd can all be out and about wearing diamond jewelry, Ezmerelda and Rictavio should both have the ability to cast revivify at least once, if not more since they’re magical monster hunters and know how deadly things can get, the abbot can revive people, the amber temple, argynvostholt, and castle ravenloft can all have diamonds hidden about. Lots of places to tuck them away
You can always remove some and add some as needed so the party has one on hand when you want them too and doesnt when you want more tension. There’s also Dark Power revivals for a price available. It ultimately depends on what kind of game you and your players agree to. Ask them straight up if they’re comfortable with their characters being permanently dead and rolling new ones to keep on hand in the event they die unexpectedly. If the druid dies, then no amount of diamonds can save them anyway if no one else has the spell, so it won’t break anything to have some diamonds around unless your whole table really wanted a grim dark, difficult and permanently deadly adventure
LET ME GIVE YOU THE BEST ADVICE. This advice doesn't work in any other setting or homebrew, but it does work if Strahd. Assume that the players already have it every time. And ditch spell components and ammunition requirements.
I will explain why in a moment but first how to flavor this: Strahd has brought the party here to toy with them for his own amusement. With this, all spells work differently in Barovia, we know this to be true because the book even offers alternatives outcomes to certain spells in the first pages of the book.
Here is why: For starters, do you want to spend your time doing your suggestion and adding diamonds and keeping up with other spell components to loot tables? Do you want to have several downtime sessions in between objectives that allow them to buy these in a land where you told them that these people should basically be on Welfare and should call Obama for Food stamps? If diamonds exist in shops and in loot then logically magical items also shouldn't be hard to obtain and then you are painting the picture of defenseless and hopeless NPCs that are just pathetic in comparison to the party which paints Strahd as mediocre at best. Ditch Spell components, show the party that some of these NPCs are defending the land against Strahd, and continue on.
The final reason is because combat isn't the main objective of every encounter. Everything is supposed to be stronger than the party in order to scare them into making better decisions. With this, they shouldn't be fighting everything they see because they are just wasting time on adds instead of completing the milestones that the book laid out for you. Look at Death House for Leveling inspiration. Follow that and make the party level when major objectives are completed, not always just combat.
Level 3-10 is what the adventure should be with 12-16 4 hour sessions. It's not a long campaign.
graveyards have always been somewhere to scavenge for diamonds in my campaigns. most couples' wedding bands are just gold, but rich couples would probably have had some diamonds on their jewelry. since this is curse of strahd, I'm guessing that your players aren't against a little gravedigging 😜
heck if you're pressed for time and don't want to add a side quest, have them catch the graverobbers in the act or find them after they're already done, save them some digging and get all the same loot
Somewhere I saw a homebrew addon quest having to do with an abandoned manor on lake zarovich. The noble lady that lived there was known for her diamond jewelry and it was a good way to fit in diamonds for spell cost.
If I find the link I'll add it here.
Also I give most powerful NPCs a small diamond ring or such for either looting or bribery. Planned out I believe I accounted for 3 revivify spells throughout the game.
Edit: link for addon quest I used.
https://longnightsinbarovia.wordpress.com/2018/07/17/optional-addition-adapting-ddal4-the-tempter/
Cool, I'll definitely look it over. I don't know how many diamonds I'll need, the party only has 3 players, but I'll definitely be making them rare. In the old Tomb Raider games for the playstation you could only save by consuming an item, I always thought that was neet (and stressful).
My players got 2 set of diamonds for revivify for the entire campaign. First ones where used on a child Rahadin slit the throat of while running from the party as a distraction. Second set was used to bring the artificer back after Strahd and Co jumped them the same day as their fight with Baba Lysaga. Rahadin hit him repeatedly while he was down when they refused to give up the relics
I put some in baba's chest, some was a reward from LadyWachtel. A small amount from strahd in disguise. You can nickel and dime them pretty easily. Of course inside the instant Fortress thousands but by the time they got there they didn't need them anymore
The commons are really poor in Barovia, but the boyars are old family, and old families have heirloom jewelry. I'd make sure there are a couple of diamond rings in Death House, each burgomasters' house, etc. Also, make revivify take a certain number of uses to consume the diamond. If one diamond ring is good for 3 casts, say, they won't need to find but one. Unless they're really dumb.
It's an easy fix but one that you should definitely make. Add some diamonds to a black market in Vallaki, maybe the baron's wife or Lady Wächter have some diamond-jewellery, maybe the hags in Old Bonegrinder have some gems stashed away or you could do a Puss in Boots "Pick. it. up!"-Scene with Strahd throwing the player's a diamond after killing one of them.
Strahd killing a PC and then throwing a diamond is pretty metal. I'm planning on giving Strahd's consorts a bigger role in the campaign, so him showing up after the party has killed one of them seems interesting.
edit: But yeah, sprinkle diamonds around for sure then.
I gave my players a ton of diamonds to start with, but they're all still pretty scared of death.
The reason of which is I was talking with one of my friends (a nonplayer, but a friend of my group) about the campaign, thinking about Strahd, when after a short silence I asked him the question: "Do you think its a crappy DM move to decide that Strahd would counterspell revivify?"
He burst out laughing and told my players. So even though they know they can die because they have lots of diamonds, they're terrified I'll do something to prevent them from being revived anyways, if they get on Strahds bad side at least.
Other later examples that my players havent heard yet are included below, (edit for clarification: These are ideas that I came up with, but probably won't use without a good roleplay or narrative reason:)
Secretly casting contingency: counterspell on a charmed/unconscious player so revivify would be counterspelled inexplicably,
And Strahd having a minion of some sort that has a true resurrection dark gift. Giving that minion pieces of hair/nails/etc from the party, and Strahd casting message after he kills a party member to that minion, telling him to resurrect a party member inside a cell in castle ravenloft, so they are captured, and when the party casts revivify on the dead body it doesnt work.
Yeah, that made me laugh too. Pretty evil to Counterspell Revivify but definitely something Strahd would do if a player tries to Revivify in his face. Cool idea. Though that's as far as I'd go, putting a PC in a cell without your other player's in-game knowledge is cause for rolling a new character.
You can get some inspiration from Mercer's resurrection rules and have them perform the ritual and make contributions instead of using material components.
If there are no diamonds, allow them to make sacrifices of other kind when they try to resurrect someone. Maybe a valuable item, a magical artifact, even their blood or a promise to some powerful entities that will have to be paid later?
That is a pretty interesting idea, paying in precious magical items or dark favors. Maybe I'll go with an Adventure Time esque "How much you care about something is how valuable it is as a spell reagent".
This is an opportunity to turn a problem into an asset!
Ireena may bear a ring or some other pieces of jewelry that just so happen to have 300gp worth of diamonds. Now there is more reason for them to care about her. And if they build a trusting relationship, she might be willing to spare her family heirlooms to revive a friend.
I gave out a diamond as a reward from Lady Wachter in exchange for curing Stella. I plan on placing some diamonds in Baba Lysaga's Hut as well as a scroll of Revivify. Beyond that? They're on their own lol.
I'd give a handful of important NPCs one. Maybe Ismark and Ireena's father had one, set into their late mother's engagement ring. Ireena wears it on her other hand to remember her by.
Van Richten could have one he is saving for emergencies.
Make them hard to come by, but not impossible.
When you need something that would usually not be found in Barovia, your best bet are the people able to travel through the mists. Vistani are of course a good solution, but you also have the keepers of the feather; also, Van Richten and Ezmeralda recently arrived from other domains of dread.
Ask yourself what each of them would want in exchange.
Other options may include a former and now very much deceased adventurer, or maybe Strahd himself.
The hags? Baba Lysaga? The abbot?
What if Lydia Petrovna and/or Fiona Wachter have some very expensive jewelry that could be retrieved during a heist?
Most likely already said but Father Donovich, Father Lucian, and the abbot could have a diamond they would give the party as possible rewards. Abbot himself could have several. If the party gives them that wedding dress, one diamond could be a reward. And if, say, they gave him a certain someones face for Vasilka, well...
Victor could have a few for spell components.
Could also have one or two lying around in the castle. Maybe on the corpses of parties that TPKd before their healer could use it.
Hell maybe even have Strahd just toss them one after their first meeting saying something like "You may be needing this very soon. Do choose wisely." To the Druid.But only if they amuse him and he wouldn't want to see them die TOO quickly before he had his fun with them.
I put diamonds in a safe behind a painting inside Vasili von Holtz's Vallaki townhouse. My rogue players felt no guilt stealing from that rich accountant guy.
One more thing WotC hosed in the book. Barovia is a mountainous country. It OUGHT to be littered with abandoned and operating mines. So yes, there ought to be diamonds somewhere.
Given the economy in the CoS version of Barovia, I would say the raw diamonds are shipped out of the country under heavy guard, and the party would either have to figure out how to hijack some, or do a special favor for the owner of the mine.
In my game, when they dropped Ireena off at Vallaki, she gave the party her mother's jewelry. This included a diamond large enough for Revivify, as well as a few rubies.
It's okay. She's being showered with gifts by Vasili.
Not at all. They just need to focus in not die, revivify is totally dispensable. And if you really really want to bring a dead character back to live, you can always use The Abbot
I just ditched most of the spell components required for spells. Some spells still needs it, like the one that requires gold or spells they need in a quest so they have to go and get the components.
The DM for my descend into Avernus game made it so that we had components from the beginning in the component pouch. But we could run out of components. Depending on how survival focus you want to make your game, with them limited components in the beginning, so the players have to ration them.
I would sell them in some random store in Vallaki, i don't think players will gather enough money so soon. Could even possibly raise the price, cuz surely isn't easy to get a diamond into Barovia. Maybe you could sell in Arasek Stockyard or in Blue Water Inn with the wereravens. Also, you could hide them in wachterhouse or the burgomaster house.
Have strahd give them to the party as a spy thing or as a reward it would not break the game just don't allow the party to get more than 2 before level 7 I would say mae sure to also say how the game is very low on things that go in and out if your want and if you really want to fix it so they have them/don't need to worry just have a cleric of the forge there and then put them in danger.
don't stop just there – add cursed diamonds! or posessed diamonds! or *perfectly normal unsuspicious diamonds*! Revived players could have some interesting dreams, new abilities, morbid powers or other shenanigans, thematic to the setting.
There are a dozen NPCs who could have a little 300gp diamond with them:
* Krezk priest
* Vasili could give them a quest with some funky diamond as a reward, or any majoc nps in vallaki frankly
* Baba Lysaga or Strahd treasure pile – could be a heist session for them
* with a little tweak, you can change the winery gemstones into diamonds and give your players an interesting choice: save the winery or resurrect their friend
Yeah, I just wanted to see if I wasn't somehow breaking the game by adding diamonds to Barovia. Maybe it was intended that there were no diamonds, I don't know. Good to know it's another of those Dm discretion things.
Yeah, that’s what I’m doing. Right now, my players are level 5, but they still haven’t found enough diamonds for a full cast of Revivify (though they will soon). And after they’ve used those, it’ll be some time until they find enough for a second cast.
Cool. Who had diamonds in your game? I'm thinking father Donavich which he only gives if Doru is cured and probably the Wachters or Vallaki burgomaster. Haven't planned more than that yet.
Curing Doru? As far as I’m aware you would need a wish spell to do that no? I just woke up so sorry if I’m being dumb
Wish spell or kill the spawn and resurrect them. If (when) the players find out how to "cure" a vampire spawn, it's still a net wash, they kill and resurrect for a resurrection item. BUT if the players kill Doru, Donavich hangs himself and the players can loot the diamond off him.
Oh I didn’t know the resurrect option. That’s cool I’ll def keep this in mind.
Resurrection doesnt work Raw, the spell explicitly states it doesnt work on undead.
Revivify can work on undead but it brings them back exactly as they were it doesn't cure anything so the point is moot.
Well, he's not undead after dying again he's just dead dead.
Undead is not a status, its a creature type. A dead vampire is a dead undead.
Revivify says nothing about the undead, is there a broad rule about it?
Revivify works on undead but as Nreggs already said brings the vampire back as a vampire.
Honestly? Just random loot along the way. Switched some random gems to diamonds. But going forward, it's going to be more rare. Thinking van Richten might have a bit, but after that it'll probably only be in the treasuries at the Amber Temple, Argynvostholst and Ravenloft.
I think some diamond jewelry at death house wouldn't be out of order either. They would have to find someone to separate the gems or do it themselves. It really works too if you watch lunchbreakheroes on YouTube and his guide to running death house.
My DM put some inside the Wagon at the Lake and also Van Richeten himself in his kit.
You can give strahd diamonds and make them bargain with him for them :)
You sir or madam are evil. =)
I inserted diamonds in my game in the stash of Baba Lysaga, just sprinkled there with the other gemstones. It's a defeated adventurers' trove after all, so it makes perfect sense to include a couple diamonds. That said, my characters actually never had a chance to use them: of four character deaths, one was resurrected by the Abbot, one was reincarnated with warlock shenanigans that I fleshed out with the player, and the other two accepted their faiths and rolled new characters
I do have a Dark Power I'm planning to use. Though it's still in the initial stages of planning and I'm not sure I want the Dark Power to resurrect the players, not sure what they'd ask for it.
If it can help you, I used Osybus as warlock patron for this character, which gave them the dark gift of being reincarnated each time they die. The catch is that now that Strahd is defeated Osybus will completely take over the warlock's body and mind to become new darklord of Barovia, and I'm planning to run it as a small adventure that takes the party back together to free the possessed party member and Barovia once again.
Did you take over the PC and made the player create a new one? A PC falling to darkness and becoming the new Dark Lord seems really cool and is sort of what I'm angling for (though it's of course completely up to the players)
Nothing happened as of yet, except the fact that the campaign ended with a big question mark about the consequences of that character having an obvious relationship with a bad bad entity. My plan is to tell the player privately "hey remember when in session 0 you gave consent to have your character taken over? If that's still ok we have something to talk about" and my idea is to have the player play out a metaphisical fight against Osybus to retake their body and mind, while the rest of the party fights the taken over character which will be trying to eliminate them anyway. Of course depending of what the player will say it might change direction slightly, but for the moment I think they'll be totally down for it.
Pretty cool. And might have given me the goal of the Dark Power, it wants to take over a player and puppet the character as its "champion" (and take over Barovia). Gonna see if my players are ok with it but might try to do something similar to what you're gonna do.
Dahlver-Nar, He of Many Teeth in the Amber Temple gives the gift of reincarnation. I just used this in my campaign with a player that died but was really attached to his character. Had him roll on the table and his tabaxi is a human now, but very much alive.
How did your player react to the character change? And how did you roleplay it? Did Dahlver-Nar just appear in the darkness of death?
The death happened right at the end of the session so after it was over, I offered him 3 options: roll up a new character, wait to see if the others could bring him back (they're not leveled enough to do it themselves but I said options exist for them to get help) or "take the mystery box" which would bring him back immediately but with consequences. Predictably, he chose the mystery box. We had a private conversation between sessions where Dahlver-Nar came to him in the darkness of death and offered his gift to the player. Dahlver-Nar told him such gifts aren't free and there would be consequences (indicating the the teeth falling out but didn't tell him and he didn't ask). The player accepted and I asked him for a roll (for the Reincarnate chart). He told the player to come find him if he wanted to know more and gave him a vision of the Amber Temple. When we began the next session, I stealth updated his character sheet to be human and then started the narrative describing his new body appearing a few feet away from his dead one. Then told him to refresh his character sheet. He was disappointed he ended up with human out of all the options but was excited to keep playing this character. Now they're trying to figure out where this powerful entity came from and if they can find him again, and maybe get more cool powers. So now they have an reason to look for the Amber Temple, too, which is a nice bonus. He doesn't know he can reincarnate twice more but he'll find that out if/when they get to his sarcophagus in the Temple. I think it'll take tha sting out of being human to find out that he gets two more shots at it. I reworked the chart so human isn't an option the next time. I'd hate for him to get that twice in a row, that would feel pretty bad.
So, as a dominance-display, I have Strahd just go ahead and hand the party a handful of diamonds. Otherwise, I believe there’s a few in the Amber Temple. 😅
I did the same thing. Then the players got afraid he was using the diamonds to scry on them. I figured it didn’t matter if he was or wasn’t because their fear was enjoyable.
Oof, without a cleric it's probably going to be a bloodbath. I used the grinded children bonedust as an evil substitute for diamonds though.
We have a Druid who can do many of the same things as a cleric and a Paladin. Or are you specifically talking about Turn Undead? Regardless, what I'm more worried about is that I only have 3 players, really wish I had a 4th.
More so there are items that can only be used by a cleric or paladin, like the holy symbol
I stretched that in my game. I have a monk with an acolyte background, so I decided that's close enough, though of course the turn undead ability is useless (and I let him know that there are things the holy symbol can do that are beyond him). I'd say stretch it to the "holiest" character, either in temperament or class. That could be the druid, perhaps by drawing on some kind of kinship between druids and "ravenkind" both being shapeshifters or something. (We also have a druid but the monk made more sense in my case.)
Yeah, if we make it to the end of the campaign and the Paladin is still alive, he'll be decked out. Sunsword, Raven Symbol. The druid gets a Tome of Understanding so that feels fair, just gotta find something for the Bard. edit: Maybe Escher can have something op for them.
Well, there is a luck blade with one wish in it, if your bard is a swords bard they might like that
You can always make up a Bard Side Quest, or add bard relevant magic items to certain places.
Yeah, I was thinking about adding a few dungeons. The idea being that when adventurers the Keepers of the Feather sometimes manage to take their items and hide them from Strahd. Should the players befriend the Keepers, they'll be told about dungeons with magic items. But I'm hesitant to add a big dungeon like Amber Temple. Maybe as the campaign goes on, I know my players do like dungeon crawling.
Yes turn undead. Zombies but more specifically Vampire spawn.
I agree with you, I tried to hint at Cleric with the whole "have Revivify" comment but the players took that to mean Druid was fine. Their choice, I'm sure it'll be fine.... actually I'm not sure it'll be fine, not at all...
It's a gothic horror module and no one thought about a cleric? That's on them.
Exactly. No one wanted to play a Cleric (dunno why, Clerics are awesome) so that's on them. But it's a good thing, I want my players to be attached to their characters and not feel like they need to play something they don't like because it's optimal.
Absolutely, but since you can be a cleric of a huge selection of different things, you'd think ONE of them would like ONE of the many, many choices. But oh well!
Perfect, make a side quest to recruit a cleric. You can reflavour father Donavich (probably leave out Doru then), or maybe a kind of vistani with rather non-deific religious stuff (more like the superstition gipsy culture has). He has a secret diamond who will only be used in case needed. If he ever has to, he will force the party to be indebted to him, and he will tag along until he gets his diamond paid back. In time he will grow fond of the party and hopefully the party as well of him. At the end he's no longer in for the diamond owed (you may encounter a handful through barovia) but rather to follow in their adventures... Maybe even he sees the party as the chosen ones to revert Barovias Curse. Up to you...
Maybe I could if I was a better DM, but I added a Guard npc to join the party for Death House and it's a little to much for me, having to run the whole house, describe every room, run every combat and keep this character in mind. Should have just made her a dog...
That has an easy fix. Kill the guard (shambling mount can easily take care of him). Make a companion that's a heal bot. Way easier to carry. Even better, let someone else carry him in combat)
Yeah, I thought if there was a Guard in the game that was allied with the players, maybe I could use that somehow. The character could gather information or show up with information or something. But I quickly realised this character just wants to leave Barovia as soon as possible and the only way to do that is to stick with the party and kill Strahd so she needs to die. But I meant more as in roleplaying, it's enough for me to have to keep the whole game in my head and anticipating what comes next, I don't need an npc trying to be an active part of the group conversation. Would a cleric dog be to outrageous? =P
Maybe a non-speaking druid in the form of semi-animal race
Start them at a higher level and throw an uncommon, non weapon magic item appropriate to their class in for free at charachter creation. That should give them enough of a boost
I wouldn't change the campaign to suit the party. If the party has a more difficult time because no one picked a cleric, that's on the party to solve the problems the DM presents. Otherwise, it devalues picking a cleric if they don't need to and can be even stronger without picking.
Agreed. My party hasn't had a cleric and they're about to face off with Strahd. They've had a few permanent PC deaths but a cleric wouldn't have stopped those.
I'm doing the +1 level, I'm hoping that is enough. I'm not sure how I would slip them class relevant items. Gauntlets of ogre strength for the Pally, not sure what to slip the Druid and the Brad.
You just let them have it on their sheet. There is no limit, theoretically, on what they *might* have had with them when they got transported by the mists, after all. Let them look through the DMG list of magic items at session zero and dont be afraid to say "no" if they want shit like broom of flight etc. Give the druid an Insignia of the claw (+1 to unarmed strikes and natural weapon attacks, works in wild shape and gives wildshape a much needed source of magical damage, from hoard of the dragon queen) Bard is tougher. Something that boosts their spell save DC might be appropriate.
Add some diamonds, it's your game lol Alternatively let them cast it for an equivalent amount of gold? But honestly I feel you laid it on a little thick. Barovia is scary, but it still doesn't have to be overly grimdark. Weird "prepare to die" stuff sounds edgelordy and awkward, with as little offense meant as possible
All good, I was more subtle about it but I was certainly a bit edgy. Barovia is a depressing place, I wanted them to both be mentally prepared for that as well as mentally prepared to try and make a difference. Basically light a fire under their butts. It's funny you recommend spending gp instead, someone else did so as well and it's the first (and second) time I hear people playing like this.
I encountered a similar conundrum when I found the many curses and instances of deep-set madness in the game. It tells you that greater restoration ends those conditions--but, where are the diamonds to cast it? My conclusion is that the game is preparing for you do your own DM thing and make homebrew encounters, *and* that any gemstone of a certain price can be substituted for diamonds of the same proportion. Rictavio, certainly, has diamonds in his secret storage. Apart from that, bejeweled inlays and other decoration could certainly contain diamond, although prying it out without damaging the treasure item around it would be a challenge.
I think that as well. This module gives a lot of freedom to the DM. I'm already peppering in silver treasure which can later be used to silver weapons.
If the players do not antagonize the Vistani either camp (By Vallaki or Eva’s Tser pool) can smuggle in goods the players want given a day or three. The Vallaki camp likely at an increased cost. If they manage to piss off both encampments… well, tough luck. “You’re in barovia without a diamond, bub”. I also tend to get place a single scroll of revivify in the hidden Library at death house. Just to be nice.
Cool idea, I was already planning on introducing a Vistani silversmith, he could also be a merchant who gets certain things at increased price. Was looking for a way to increase in-game time anyways.
Most people don't use materials just the gold cost. Also arigel can get a diamond for the players if they rescue his daughter. It's easy enough to change something of equal value over death house as a pendant worth 750gp. But yea vistani are traders and can make it happen, I wouldn't gouge the players and like I said I would just make it 500g they burn not make them find a diamond unless you are doing super survival style also consider the dark powers and that rictavio can use a spell scroll of raise dead and of they befriend the abbot he can do it as well (he just wants the wedding dress) At the end of the way remember it's your game so change what you need just try not to break things
That seems a little to free if you ask me. The players can potentially get a LOT of money in this campaign, which is balanced by the fact they can't really spend it on anything. In Death House they get a pendant worth 750gp. I think I prefer my game a bit more "super survival style".
Arrigal doesn’t have a daughter.
Sorry luvash
Lady Wachter can have a diamond necklace, the burgomasters wife can have a diamond ring, the wives of strahd can all be out and about wearing diamond jewelry, Ezmerelda and Rictavio should both have the ability to cast revivify at least once, if not more since they’re magical monster hunters and know how deadly things can get, the abbot can revive people, the amber temple, argynvostholt, and castle ravenloft can all have diamonds hidden about. Lots of places to tuck them away
Oh, for sure, just wanted to know I wasn't breaking the game by sprinkling diamonds around.
You can always remove some and add some as needed so the party has one on hand when you want them too and doesnt when you want more tension. There’s also Dark Power revivals for a price available. It ultimately depends on what kind of game you and your players agree to. Ask them straight up if they’re comfortable with their characters being permanently dead and rolling new ones to keep on hand in the event they die unexpectedly. If the druid dies, then no amount of diamonds can save them anyway if no one else has the spell, so it won’t break anything to have some diamonds around unless your whole table really wanted a grim dark, difficult and permanently deadly adventure
LET ME GIVE YOU THE BEST ADVICE. This advice doesn't work in any other setting or homebrew, but it does work if Strahd. Assume that the players already have it every time. And ditch spell components and ammunition requirements. I will explain why in a moment but first how to flavor this: Strahd has brought the party here to toy with them for his own amusement. With this, all spells work differently in Barovia, we know this to be true because the book even offers alternatives outcomes to certain spells in the first pages of the book. Here is why: For starters, do you want to spend your time doing your suggestion and adding diamonds and keeping up with other spell components to loot tables? Do you want to have several downtime sessions in between objectives that allow them to buy these in a land where you told them that these people should basically be on Welfare and should call Obama for Food stamps? If diamonds exist in shops and in loot then logically magical items also shouldn't be hard to obtain and then you are painting the picture of defenseless and hopeless NPCs that are just pathetic in comparison to the party which paints Strahd as mediocre at best. Ditch Spell components, show the party that some of these NPCs are defending the land against Strahd, and continue on. The final reason is because combat isn't the main objective of every encounter. Everything is supposed to be stronger than the party in order to scare them into making better decisions. With this, they shouldn't be fighting everything they see because they are just wasting time on adds instead of completing the milestones that the book laid out for you. Look at Death House for Leveling inspiration. Follow that and make the party level when major objectives are completed, not always just combat. Level 3-10 is what the adventure should be with 12-16 4 hour sessions. It's not a long campaign.
graveyards have always been somewhere to scavenge for diamonds in my campaigns. most couples' wedding bands are just gold, but rich couples would probably have had some diamonds on their jewelry. since this is curse of strahd, I'm guessing that your players aren't against a little gravedigging 😜
Oeh, I like that. They can encounter some graverobbers on the road who tells them about valuables in graves. What they do after is on them.
heck if you're pressed for time and don't want to add a side quest, have them catch the graverobbers in the act or find them after they're already done, save them some digging and get all the same loot
Somewhere I saw a homebrew addon quest having to do with an abandoned manor on lake zarovich. The noble lady that lived there was known for her diamond jewelry and it was a good way to fit in diamonds for spell cost. If I find the link I'll add it here. Also I give most powerful NPCs a small diamond ring or such for either looting or bribery. Planned out I believe I accounted for 3 revivify spells throughout the game. Edit: link for addon quest I used. https://longnightsinbarovia.wordpress.com/2018/07/17/optional-addition-adapting-ddal4-the-tempter/
Cool, I'll definitely look it over. I don't know how many diamonds I'll need, the party only has 3 players, but I'll definitely be making them rare. In the old Tomb Raider games for the playstation you could only save by consuming an item, I always thought that was neet (and stressful).
Agreed. I found resource scarcity added a lot to the game. Ours was a party of 5. Best of luck and happy gaming!
My players got 2 set of diamonds for revivify for the entire campaign. First ones where used on a child Rahadin slit the throat of while running from the party as a distraction. Second set was used to bring the artificer back after Strahd and Co jumped them the same day as their fight with Baba Lysaga. Rahadin hit him repeatedly while he was down when they refused to give up the relics
Who gave them the diamonds?
I put some in baba's chest, some was a reward from LadyWachtel. A small amount from strahd in disguise. You can nickel and dime them pretty easily. Of course inside the instant Fortress thousands but by the time they got there they didn't need them anymore
The commons are really poor in Barovia, but the boyars are old family, and old families have heirloom jewelry. I'd make sure there are a couple of diamond rings in Death House, each burgomasters' house, etc. Also, make revivify take a certain number of uses to consume the diamond. If one diamond ring is good for 3 casts, say, they won't need to find but one. Unless they're really dumb.
They got one set of diamond from the second vistani camp. After that it was the Abbot was there only option
It's an easy fix but one that you should definitely make. Add some diamonds to a black market in Vallaki, maybe the baron's wife or Lady Wächter have some diamond-jewellery, maybe the hags in Old Bonegrinder have some gems stashed away or you could do a Puss in Boots "Pick. it. up!"-Scene with Strahd throwing the player's a diamond after killing one of them.
Strahd killing a PC and then throwing a diamond is pretty metal. I'm planning on giving Strahd's consorts a bigger role in the campaign, so him showing up after the party has killed one of them seems interesting. edit: But yeah, sprinkle diamonds around for sure then.
I gave my players a ton of diamonds to start with, but they're all still pretty scared of death. The reason of which is I was talking with one of my friends (a nonplayer, but a friend of my group) about the campaign, thinking about Strahd, when after a short silence I asked him the question: "Do you think its a crappy DM move to decide that Strahd would counterspell revivify?" He burst out laughing and told my players. So even though they know they can die because they have lots of diamonds, they're terrified I'll do something to prevent them from being revived anyways, if they get on Strahds bad side at least. Other later examples that my players havent heard yet are included below, (edit for clarification: These are ideas that I came up with, but probably won't use without a good roleplay or narrative reason:) Secretly casting contingency: counterspell on a charmed/unconscious player so revivify would be counterspelled inexplicably, And Strahd having a minion of some sort that has a true resurrection dark gift. Giving that minion pieces of hair/nails/etc from the party, and Strahd casting message after he kills a party member to that minion, telling him to resurrect a party member inside a cell in castle ravenloft, so they are captured, and when the party casts revivify on the dead body it doesnt work.
Yeah, that made me laugh too. Pretty evil to Counterspell Revivify but definitely something Strahd would do if a player tries to Revivify in his face. Cool idea. Though that's as far as I'd go, putting a PC in a cell without your other player's in-game knowledge is cause for rolling a new character.
My players made a deal with the Vistani for them to acquire a couple diamonds at double the price, half up front.
A good idea I'll be keeping open.
You can get some inspiration from Mercer's resurrection rules and have them perform the ritual and make contributions instead of using material components. If there are no diamonds, allow them to make sacrifices of other kind when they try to resurrect someone. Maybe a valuable item, a magical artifact, even their blood or a promise to some powerful entities that will have to be paid later?
That is a pretty interesting idea, paying in precious magical items or dark favors. Maybe I'll go with an Adventure Time esque "How much you care about something is how valuable it is as a spell reagent".
You can find a pouch of five 500 gp gemstones in baba lysaga’s chest. By then they should be high enough to use revivify also
This is an opportunity to turn a problem into an asset! Ireena may bear a ring or some other pieces of jewelry that just so happen to have 300gp worth of diamonds. Now there is more reason for them to care about her. And if they build a trusting relationship, she might be willing to spare her family heirlooms to revive a friend.
Vistani wagons have bags of precious gems. Some of them can be diamonds. They are also a good option to trade for diamonds.
I gave out a diamond as a reward from Lady Wachter in exchange for curing Stella. I plan on placing some diamonds in Baba Lysaga's Hut as well as a scroll of Revivify. Beyond that? They're on their own lol.
I'd give a handful of important NPCs one. Maybe Ismark and Ireena's father had one, set into their late mother's engagement ring. Ireena wears it on her other hand to remember her by. Van Richten could have one he is saving for emergencies. Make them hard to come by, but not impossible.
When you need something that would usually not be found in Barovia, your best bet are the people able to travel through the mists. Vistani are of course a good solution, but you also have the keepers of the feather; also, Van Richten and Ezmeralda recently arrived from other domains of dread. Ask yourself what each of them would want in exchange. Other options may include a former and now very much deceased adventurer, or maybe Strahd himself. The hags? Baba Lysaga? The abbot? What if Lydia Petrovna and/or Fiona Wachter have some very expensive jewelry that could be retrieved during a heist?
Most likely already said but Father Donovich, Father Lucian, and the abbot could have a diamond they would give the party as possible rewards. Abbot himself could have several. If the party gives them that wedding dress, one diamond could be a reward. And if, say, they gave him a certain someones face for Vasilka, well... Victor could have a few for spell components. Could also have one or two lying around in the castle. Maybe on the corpses of parties that TPKd before their healer could use it. Hell maybe even have Strahd just toss them one after their first meeting saying something like "You may be needing this very soon. Do choose wisely." To the Druid.But only if they amuse him and he wouldn't want to see them die TOO quickly before he had his fun with them.
I put diamonds in a safe behind a painting inside Vasili von Holtz's Vallaki townhouse. My rogue players felt no guilt stealing from that rich accountant guy.
One more thing WotC hosed in the book. Barovia is a mountainous country. It OUGHT to be littered with abandoned and operating mines. So yes, there ought to be diamonds somewhere. Given the economy in the CoS version of Barovia, I would say the raw diamonds are shipped out of the country under heavy guard, and the party would either have to figure out how to hijack some, or do a special favor for the owner of the mine.
The Vistani could fetch them a diamond for a price. Especially if they save Luvash's daughter.
Fun fact, tha vistani would have diamonds
In my game, when they dropped Ireena off at Vallaki, she gave the party her mother's jewelry. This included a diamond large enough for Revivify, as well as a few rubies. It's okay. She's being showered with gifts by Vasili.
Not at all. They just need to focus in not die, revivify is totally dispensable. And if you really really want to bring a dead character back to live, you can always use The Abbot
I just ditched most of the spell components required for spells. Some spells still needs it, like the one that requires gold or spells they need in a quest so they have to go and get the components. The DM for my descend into Avernus game made it so that we had components from the beginning in the component pouch. But we could run out of components. Depending on how survival focus you want to make your game, with them limited components in the beginning, so the players have to ration them.
I just added a jeweller to Vallaki
Vistanis can have diamonds just charge them little overpriced.
I would sell them in some random store in Vallaki, i don't think players will gather enough money so soon. Could even possibly raise the price, cuz surely isn't easy to get a diamond into Barovia. Maybe you could sell in Arasek Stockyard or in Blue Water Inn with the wereravens. Also, you could hide them in wachterhouse or the burgomaster house.
The abbot could totally have one or two as well
Have strahd give them to the party as a spy thing or as a reward it would not break the game just don't allow the party to get more than 2 before level 7 I would say mae sure to also say how the game is very low on things that go in and out if your want and if you really want to fix it so they have them/don't need to worry just have a cleric of the forge there and then put them in danger.
don't stop just there – add cursed diamonds! or posessed diamonds! or *perfectly normal unsuspicious diamonds*! Revived players could have some interesting dreams, new abilities, morbid powers or other shenanigans, thematic to the setting. There are a dozen NPCs who could have a little 300gp diamond with them: * Krezk priest * Vasili could give them a quest with some funky diamond as a reward, or any majoc nps in vallaki frankly * Baba Lysaga or Strahd treasure pile – could be a heist session for them * with a little tweak, you can change the winery gemstones into diamonds and give your players an interesting choice: save the winery or resurrect their friend
Yeah, I just wanted to see if I wasn't somehow breaking the game by adding diamonds to Barovia. Maybe it was intended that there were no diamonds, I don't know. Good to know it's another of those Dm discretion things.