When you draw cards to customize your version of the adventure, take some time to make sure they work together cohesively for your game and tweak if necessary. I was a D&D Adventurers League store organizer and lead DM when Curse of Strahd originally came out and learned a few tricks in running this adventure. These locations can also be determined with a regular deck of playing cards substituting for the Tarroka Deck or a DM could just select an option from the list, but since this set comes with the Tarroka Deck, why not use it? To create variables to the adventure, key aspects of the plot depend upon cards drawn to determine the location of three treasures that are necessary to defeat Strahd, a powerful ally who can help, and where to find Strahd for the final confrontation. The silver-ink embossed deck isn't just for mood or flavor. This deluxe set includes a tarot-like Tarroka Deck, which was originally sold separately.
The production design team, headed by senior art director Kate Irwin, put care and thought into CoSR's contents and packaging, such as including ribbon lifters so the snugly fit contents can be easily removed. Inside are two, heavy cardboard inserts to prevents the contents from bouncing around. The top of the box features Strahd's coat of arms and a smoky candle design on the sides along with the D&D logo ampersand. When slipped off, it reveals an attractively moody design made of gray ink and matte black with raised glossy black ink. The press photos made it look like the box was just a variant of the original Curse of Strahd cover. What’s InsideEvery part of CoSR has been carefully considered, starting with the over-sized, coffin-shaped box.
While Chris Perkins is the lead designer on CoS, it was created in consultations with the Hickmans, incorporating material they refined in their own games in the decades since its commercial launch. Distinct, evocative, and self-contained, Curse of Strahd had a flavor and mood unlike any of the 5th Edition adventures released to that point, or since. Ravenloft was the first of D&D's classic settings to be revived for 5th Edition, and it was a good choice. The setting was so popular it launched several novels and videogames. That begs the question of why his innocent subjects were trapped with him, but that's another issue. Ravenloft is also known as the Demiplane of Dread and is a pocket dimension that contains and traps Strahd as punishment for his evil acts and depravity. He was created by Tracy Hickman (also known for co-creating Dragonlance with Margaret Weis) and Laura Hickman. Welcome to RavenloftOriginally introduced in the 1983 module Ravenloft, the vampire Strahd von Zarovich is the villain and ruler of Barovia.