Dungeons & Dragons’ Fifth Edition (5e) had several great campaigns, butone is so enduringly popular that it deserves a re-release with the game’s new 2024 ruleset. 5e had over 20 campaign books, and that’s not including tie-ins from properties likeStranger Things,Critical Role, andRick and Morty. These books were a mixture of fully structured campaigns that led players through a complete narrative likeTomb of Annihilation, and collections of updated classic adventures likeQuests from the Infinite StaircasethatDMs can run as one shotsor build into their own campaigns.
It’s hard to say that there is an objective “best” campaign book from 5e, becauseDungeons & Dragonscampaigns vary wildly depending on the DM, the playgroup, and what everyone wants out of an adventure. Players who want more of a dungeon-crawling experience may gravitate toward something likeWaterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage, while those in search of roleplay and story may preferThe Wild Beyond the Witchlight. However, one 5e campaign seems to stay consistently well-liked and would be perfect for anupdate with the new 2024 ruleset.
Curse of Strahd Released In 2016 & Remains Popular
Curse Of Strahd Has Already Received One Update And Spin-Off Merch
D&D’sCurse of Strahdcampaignis nearly nine years old at this point, but it is still one of the most popular 5e campaign books. In fact, its legacy goes back even further, as it is based on the originalRavenloftcampaign from 1983. Like its titular vampire,the campaign seems to be gifted with eternal life, as players have yet to get tired of it.Curse of Strahdfrequently tops lists of bestD&Dcampaigns and somethingD&Dpublisher Wizards of the Coast has taken notice of.
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In 2020,Curse of Strahd: Revampedcame out, updating some of the game’s narrative elements and adding some rules clarification based on player feedback from the original version. While not a substantial overhaul,Revampedshowed thatWizards was aware ofStrahd’s popularity and willing to continue updating itfor new players. There have also been several accessories released for the campaign since its initial 2016 release date, including a set of Tarokka Cards and anIcons of the Realmsminiatures set for some of the campaign’s principal characters. An updated version could help Wizards continue to capitalize onStrahd’s popularity.
Why Strahd Deserves An Update With D&D 2024 Rules
Curse Of Strahd’s Previous Update Didn’t Change Much
Aside from its popularity,Curse of Strahddeserves a new update for one major reason. WhileCurse of Strahd: Revamped’s changes made it the better version for new players, its changes weren’t substantial enough to justify buying both books. Some players who boughtRevampedhave expressed frustration thatit was essentially the same book they already bought in 2016, with some handy new appendices. While Wizards of the Coast’s attempt to change some of the campaign’s potentially offensive elements was well-intentioned, it could be argued thatRevampedshould have been marketed as a second printing instead of a full update.
One example of an element that could have been updated inRevampedis the campaign’s Tarroka Card reading. The Tarroka Cards are used to randomly create a unique set of artifacts and allies for the players to encounter, and determine where in Barovia they can be found. Unfortunately, some combinations make the campaign nearly impossible, while others hand players incredibly powerful items too early in the campaign. Because of this, some players don’t even bother doing a true reading and simply arrange the cards how they’d like ahead of time.
The Tarroka Card reading’s randomization of campaign elements is one of the reasonsCurse of Strahdstayed fresh over the years, so it would be a shame to abandon it altogether. That said,players don’t want to go through weeks- or months-long campaigns only to discover that random chance has doomed themto a no-win scenario against the final boss. Having an option to ensure this doesn’t happen for players who don’t enjoy ending a campaign in a TPK would also be a welcome update toStrahd. Any updates could be made even better by includingD&D’s 2024 rules.
What Updates Strahd Could Get With The 2024 Ruleset
Curse Of Strahd Needs To Account For Big Changes In The New Ruleset To Stay Relevant
One of the 2024 updates toDungeons & Dragonsthat immediately jumps out as perfect forCurse of Strahdisthe game’s new crafting mechanics. Boththe2024 Player’s HandbookandDungeon Master’s Guidedetail new rules that allow players to craft potions, weapons, and even magic items under the right circumstances. Introducing crafting toCurse of Strahdcould cut down on the impact of a randomly assigned Tarokka Card reading and give players even more of a sense of accomplishment if they ultimately defeat Strahd.
For instance, if players learn they need sunlight or running water to kill Strahd, but aren’t lucky enough to get a random artifact from their reading to help, they could track down the necessary components for a spell scroll or magic weapon to supplement their assigned artifacts. This allows players to innovate their way out of a bad situation, so no campaign will be doomed from the start. It also gives players more agency in how they decide to defeat Strahd. An updated version ofCurse of Strahdcould include where crafting materials are found in different areas of Barovia.
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In addition to changes like crafting that could fuel player success inCurse of Strahd, some changes may also be neededto retain the campaign’s signature difficulty. WhileStrahduses plenty of Gothic horror elements, the true terror of the campaign comes from the feeling that players are facing insurmountable odds. While these odds shouldn’t actually be impossible to overcome, the campaign will need to ensure that new changes toD&D’s rules that empower players don’t make it too easy to defeat Barovia’s biggest threats.
It would be a shame to see a campaign as popular asCurse of Strahdbegin to feel old or unplayable after too many rule changes.
One example is the new Cleric ability, Sear Undead. This is a boost to the original Destroy Undead ability from 5e which allows Clerics to damage any undead creature, not just low-level ones. As vampires and many of Barovia’s other inhabitants are undead creatures, this new addition could make Clerics an easy counter to many of the realm’s threats. An updated version ofCurse of Strahdmay want to find a way to address this ability to keep its monsters feeling like major threats.
Dungeons & Dragonsis a constantly evolving game system. While this can be a huge benefit, it does also come at the risk of making older modules outdated. It would be a shame to see a campaign as popular asCurse of Strahdbegin to feel old or unplayable after too many rule changes. Hopefully, an updated version or at least some new erratas are made to keep the campaign fresh as new players discoverD&D.
