1 Ranger 13

Introduction 3 Rogue 13

Updated Rules for Ravenloft 4 Sorcerer 14

Fear, Horror and Madness 4 Warlock 14

Powers Checks 4 Wizard 15

Outcast Rolls 4 Character Customization 16

Detection Spells 4 Backgrounds 16

Turn Undead 4 Anchorite 16

Destroy Undead 5 Arcanist 16

Channel Divinity 5 Avenger 16

Domain Lords 5 Doctor 16

Closed Domain Borders 5 Gypsy 16

Races 6 Languages 16

Caliban 6 Feats 17

Dragonborn 7 Back to a Wall 17

Drow Elves 7 Cold One 17

Half-Vistani 7 Courage 17

Humans 7 Firearms Expert 17

Teiflings 8 Ghostsight 17

Classes 9 Jaded 18

Barbarian 9 Open Minded 18

Bard 9 Skills 18

Cleric 9 Animal Handling 18

Druid 10 Deception 18

Fighter 11 Hypnosis 18

Monk 11 Equipment 19

Paladin 11

2 Credits Welcome to the 5th Edition Player’s Guide for Based on the Ravenloft Setting created by: the Ravenloft Campaign Setting. These are fan Bruce Nesmith and Andria Hayday created in the spirit and ideal of the setting as an aid to help bring Ravenloft games forward. Domains of Dread Setting written by:

The overall intent of this update is a William W. Connors and Steve Miller desire to return Ravenloft back to its core ideals; a feeling that I believe was lost with the 3rd Edi- Sword and Sorcery Edition written by: tion rules and, of course, never even explored in 4th Edition. Andrew Cermak, John W. Mangrum and Andrew Wyatt This is a labor of love and an ongoing process so I hope that what I create is useful to Fan Update written by fans and DMs of Ravenloft from all over. Ravenspyre

What to Expect; Updated Rules: This file contains information and data that hopefully updates all present and Legalese past Ravenloft games to the current setting of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, RAVENLOFT, the th 5 Edition D&D. RAVENLOFT logo, D&D, PLAYER’S HANDBOOK, DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE, and MONSTER Modular: The attempt is to make this feel as MANUAL are trademarks of Wizards of the close to the Ravenloft setting rules as possible, Coast. Cover art from the CASTLE RAVENLOFT but DMs should in no way feel obligated to use Board Game. Back art from RAVENLOFT: Van these rules, as this will be drawing from all eras Richten’s Guide to Werebeasts. Additional inte- of Ravenloft. rior art within this guide from various other RAVENLOFT sourcebooks and are all owned by their respective owners and are used out of re- What not to Expect; spect in this guide for their work they put in. Replacement: This is not intended to be a re- This is a fan created rules update and as such I placement for previous products and it is ex- claim no ownership of said products, only a love pected that players own previous editions of for the setting itself. Ravenloft in order to fully utilize these rules up- dates.

Mandatory: These are fan made rules in an at- tempt to bring the spirit and feel of the Ravenloft setting forward into the 5th Edition of D&D, and in no way should anyone feel re- quired to use them.

Excuse for Piracy: These rules are not intended for players to not buy any products from WotC, and not a legal excuse for piracy. Buy the prod- ucts and insure that D&D will live on and con- tinue to provide entertainment into the future!

3 aged to broaden their horizons on what is con- The following are updated rules for Ravenloft sidered natural and unnatural, such as nonhu- interpreted for 5th Edition D&D. This is an at- mans, familiars and other spells might be con- tempt to cover 2nd and 3rd Editions to the best sidered unnatural. of my interpretation. Uses of these rules are not Undead receive a bonus in that they get required. a Wisdom save with Advantage against said spells to be considered natural or not. Self-willed Fear, horror and madness undead are further pro- checks now correspond tected from mental inva- to an Ability check. Fear is sion and if they make a Wisdom check. Horror their save they can reveal is an Intelligence check. whatever the creature Madness is a Charisma wishes. check.

Under the new Undead gain Advantage rules when bonuses are on their saving throw in applied from the chart a Ravenloft. Intelligent and player gains Advantage self-willed undead that now on their save. When fail their save are not penalties are applied compelled to flee but are from the chart a player unable to approach a cleric or paladin with a gains Disadvantage on their save. If both an Ad- presented holy symbol. Turn the Unholy and vantage and Disadvantage are present, then Turn the Faithless are similarly affected. Abjure neither is applied and the save is made normal- Enemy the save is not made with a Disad- ly. Bonuses and penalties from other sources vantage. apply to the roll normally.

Powers Checks remain unchanged in this sys- tem still relying on a percentile roll. The only exceptions are specific to classes in these cases. Sinkholes of evil still exist. Whenever a player is near a minor sinkhole of evil, the creatures gain a +1 bonus to their saving In White Wolf’s rules for 3rd Edition D&D, races throw when Turn Undead is employed. A had an outcast rating that would determine major sinkhole of evil increases this bonus penalties or bonuses on specific social rolls. In to saving throws versus Turn Undead to a these updated rules, Outcast Rating is now a +2. Disadvantage on social rolls. In the case of rolls used to Intimidate or Frighten others gain Ad- When a domain lord is in close vantage on said rolls. proximity, they grant a cumulative +1 bonus as well to any saving throw when Turn Undead is employed. This means Spells, abilities and items that grant a player the that if a domain lord is nearby on a major ability to detect other beings, such as detect evil sinkhole of evil, any saving throw made and good do not reveal what the beings are. would have a +3 bonus to Turn Undead. Instead, the player gets a sense of something is either natural or unnatural. DMs are encour-

4 The effect of this is half in Ravenloft. When con- sulting the chart on page 59 of the PHB always half the value, thus ½ becomes ¼, 1 becomes ½, 2 becomes 1, etc.

The presence of the divine is felt less in Ravenloft than in other worlds. As a result, un- less otherwise noted, Channel Divinity effects are reduced. Damage dice are reduced by a grade (d8 becomes d6) and bonuses imparted are reduced by half (+10 becomes +5).

Normally domain lords are pretty much unstop- pable forces. However, sometimes there is a chance that a player can overcome their influ- ence. However, in these cases, domain lords always have advantage. In instances where a domain lord is the master of whatever the con- test concerns, such as a domain lord that can control all the wolves in his domain, the domain lord wins automatically.

Domain lords also know when someone is trying to pry into their minds. As a result any save required is automatically passed unless the domain lord wills it otherwise. Prying into the thoughts of such an evil being requires a Mad- ness check, at the very least.

In the case of special closed domain borders, such as Strahd’s Poison Fog, any special protec- tions or other effects that would provide im- munity for the character are ignored. These are special effects that go beyond any protection the player characters might have and thus those protections do not apply. Thus poison still af- fects those immune to it, darkness still affects those able to see in darkness, and extreme heat or other weather conditions cannot be ignored or altered magically or otherwise.

5 and dim conditions. You can see in dim This section only includes Ravenloft races, clari- light within 60 feet of you as if it were fies what races are not native to Ravenloft, and bright light, and in darkness as if it were provides rules for handling truly bizarre races dim light. You can’t discern colors, only from the PHB and beyond. shades of grey.  Menacing: You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. Orcs are unheard of in Ravenloft and thus there  Relentless Endurance: When you are are no natural born half-orcs. Caliban take their reduced to 0 hit points but not killed place instead, misshapen humans that were outright, you can drop to 1 hit point in- exposed to foul, corruptive magic while still in stead. You can’t use this feature again their mother’s womb. Average features tend to until you finish a long rest. be hump backs, tusk like teeth and tough hide  Savage Attacks: When you score a criti- bodies, abnormal facial features, etc. cal hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage  Ability Score Increase: Strength is in- dice one additional time and add it to creased by 2 and Constitution is in- the extra damage of the critical hit. creased by 1.  True Outcast: Your standing with others  Age: Same as humans. never improves because of your cursed  Alignment: Having been born outcasts appearance. You always have a -2 pen- and rejects, Caliban tends towards neu- alty on social rolls in addition to Outcast tral or chaotic alignments. rules, and others tend to look on you  Size: Average sizes for humans. with pity, disgust or both. This is a +2 in  Speed: Base walking speed of 30 feet. the case of rolls used to intimidate or  Darkvision: Whether thanks to whatev- cause fear in others. er foul magics corrupted you or the fact  Languages: You speak two of the lan- you were hidden away in darkness, you guages of the Core. have developed superior vision in dark

6  Survivors: You gain proficiency in Sur- vival skill.  Moon Madness: During the night of There are no native Dragonborn in Ravenloft. and the night preceding and following All Dragonborn are outsiders of the Land of the the full moon, the Half-Vistani’s mind is Mists. Due to their incredibly alien appearance, clouded by restlessness and anxiety, of- they suffer a -3 penalty with all social rolls in ten called lunatio. They are unable to addition to normal Outcast rules, or a +3 bonus rest properly and cannot benefit from a when trying to intimidate or frighten. DMs can short or long rest during this time peri- also opt to encourage Fear checks upon first od. The physical toll taken on the char- seeing a Dragonborn if they are revealed or take acters body is extreme and all saving no actions to disguise themselves. throws and skill checks are at a Disad- vantage until they are capable of taking Drow are unheard of in Ravenloft and any Drow a long rest. in Ravenloft are always outsiders. Due to them  Tribal Heritage: Choose a tribal herit- looking more like some dark fey creature, they age. It imparts one additional perk. receive a -1 penalty on their social rolls in addi- - Canjar: Arcane Proficiency tion to Outcast rules. This becomes a +1 bonus - Corvara: Sleight of Hand Proficiency on rolls intended to intimidate or cause fear, of - Equaar: Animal Handling Proficiency course. - Kamii: Advantage when using skills that deal with metals or metallurgy. - Naiat: Performance Proficiency The giogoto, or Half-Vistani, are a troubled lot. - Vatraska: Medicine Proficiency Welcomed in neither their Vistani families nor - Zarovan: Advantage on initiative rolls. their human ones, they are a race between  Languages: They can learn one of any worlds, much like half-elves. They resemble language of the core plus the Half– their Vistani parents, with angular or aquiline Vistani is familiar with Tralaks (a series features, dark brown to raven black hair and of glyphs used by Vistani). When at- dusky or olive complexions. Like their Vistani tempting to read the symbol the Half- parents, the Half-Vistani tends to wander the Vistani makes an Intelligence check. On countryside, never staying in the same place a successful check, the DM rolls a d20. twice. This wanderlust has giv- On a 2 to 20 the Half-Vistani en them some added benefits correctly identifies the glyph. as well. On a roll of a 1, however, the Half-Vistani misreads the sym-  Ability Score Increase: bol and completely gets its Wisdom is increase by meaning wrong. 2 and Charisma is in- crease by 1.  Age: Same as humans. Humans are the most repre-  Alignment: Half-Vistani sented race in Ravenloft with tends towards chaotic very few exceptions (such as alignments due to their Sithicus). As such, as most rac- carefree nature. es tend to be human, humans  Size: Average sizes for also don’t react as negatively humans. to them.  Speed: Base walking speed of 30 feet.

7  Socially Accepted: Humans tend to be more accepted with the denizens of It should not be unusual to say that the Ravenloft, thus they do not naturally more unusual the race the less likely they suffer Disadvantage on rolls as outcasts are to receive any response at all in unless they make their foreign nature Ravenloft. DMs should be ready to place apparent or dealing with nonhumans. penalties on social rolls if not inspire Fear checks from NPCs that see player charac- Teiflings are extremely rare in Ravenloft, but ters that come from strange and unusual there are a few. Due to the tales often told, the races, such as Outsiders. folk of Ravenloft take Teiflings as the devils they In those cases where even a resemble. Whenever a Teifling’s nature is first glance such characters could not pass as discovered, Fear and/or Horror checks may be human or one of the core four races, then called for. Teiflings will never gain the trust of the social roll should automatically have the superstitious Ravenloft folk and thus will a -1 penalty. This penalty should go up always be outcasts, having a base -3 penalty on the harder it would be for such a race to social rolls, or +3 on intimidation and fear rolls. disguise themselves to a maximum of -3. Furthermore, any reaction on a failed social roll This becomes a bonus on rolls made to will always be hostile to outright lethal. Most intimidate or cause fear. naturally born Teiflings never even get a chance Types of responses that DMs at life, hence why they are so rare. might even consider could very well bor- der on running the player out of town to lynch mobs that think that the character will bring bad luck to even wanting to sacrifice them to appease some evil spirit. Life as a nonhuman is very rough indeed, and for a fantastical nonhuman can be downright deadly.

8 pews remain empty except during the most What follows are rule changes to the specific special of circumstances. Most clerics from classes that can be found within the PHB. This Ravenloft tend to be theologians or anchorites will not give full details on any classes and it is more than pious men devoted to earning con- expected that a copy of the 5th Edition PHB be verts. Clerics, that come from other worlds, owned in order to receive the full benefit of note an almost immediate feeling of disconnect these class changes. or loss of presence of their particular deity. As such, cleric abilities are perhaps the most im- pacted in Ravenloft. Barbarians are uncommon in the Core of  Ravenloft as nomadic tribes tend to be small Spells: Many spells in Ravenloft have and spread out. However in the less civilized different functions. domains, sparsely populated tribes can be  Divine Intervention: Receiving Divine found. Many barbarians tend to hail from the Intervention is less likely to happen in land of Vorostokov with a few scattered tribes Ravenloft. As a result, the roll chance is in the densely forested region of Verbrek. halved, thus a level 10 cleric counts as a level 5 one and a level 20 cleric counts  Barbarian Rage: While under the af- as a level 10. fects of rage, a barbarian gains Ad-  (All) Divine Strike: The damage die on vantage on all Fear, Horror and Mad- this is reduced by a grade from a d8 to a ness checks. d6.  Mindless Rage: Barbarians are not im-  (Knowledge) Channel Divinity: Read mune to Fear checks but do gain Ad- Thoughts: Domain lords always know if vantage. The barbarian still has to roll a you are attempting to read their saving throw if the charm is from a do- thoughts and as per earlier rules can main lord or closed domain border. decide if you succeed or fail. A domain lord that allows a cleric to read their thoughts requires a Madness check The largest contingent of bards in Ravenloft from the cleric. Any suggestions that tends to hail from Kartakass, with a few notable can result in death or cause the being to colleges coming from Nova Vaasa, Falkovnia, make a Power’s Check requires the cler- and Mordent. Most, regardless of origin, aspire ic to actually make the Power’s Check to perform at the renowned Harmonia Hall lo- instead. cated within Kartakass, and as such most of the  (Knowledge) Visions of the Past: colleges tend to be of lore. Falkovnia is the only Ravenloft does not reveal its secrets domain with a prominent college of valor, due easily; as such clerics using this power to the campaigns of conquest attempted every are always at Disadvantage with their several years. rolls. Scenes of gruesome acts or items apart of gruesome acts may require a  Spells: Many spells in Ravenloft have Horror check from the cleric on success- different functions. ful rolls.  (Life) Channel Divinity: Preserve Life: The amount healed by this power is re- Finding a truly devoted cleric in Ravenloft is not duced to three times the cleric’s level. an easy task as the presence of the divine is  much weaker than in other worlds. Temples Light Domain: The light from this do- and churches lay in dilapidated states or in main seems dimmer, but still retains its complete disrepair due to lack of actual use as 30 foot range.

9  (Light) Channel Divinity: Radiance of  Land’s Stride: This will not allow a druid the Dawn: The damage die type is re- to cross a closed domain border. In ad- duced; changing the damage from 2d10 dition, domain lords that control the + cleric’s level to 2d8 + half the cleric’s plants of their domain are treated as level. magical, unless the domain lord wills it,  Plant Domain: Plants performs normal- for purposes of effects of this power. ly except when in conflict of a domain  Nature’s Ward: Druids are not immune lord’s power or a closed domain border, to effects from domain lords and closed then the domain lord wins automatical- domain borders. Charms, fear effects, ly or the border remains unaffected. poisons and diseases can still affect the  Tempest Domain: Mostly unchanged, druid, though they get a saving throw in except as noted, and unless it conflicts those cases. directly with a domain lords power or a  Nature’s Sanctuary: Creatures con- closed domain border then a domain trolled by domain lords do not have to lord automatically wins or the border make a saving throw and can attack the remains unaffected. druid freely.  (Tempest) Wrath of the Storm: The damage die is reduced to a d6.  Trickery Domain: Largely unaffected, except the illusions created by invoke duplicity and improved duplicity have a chance to create actual shadows in- stead of illusions. On a roll on 1 on a d20, one of the illusions becomes a shadow instead and may attack the cleric or others. It will often wait for an opportune moment.  War Domain: Bonuses granted from this domain are reduced by half from +10 to +5.

Druids, like barbarians, are uncommon in the core lands of Ravenloft, and druids from other lands tend to note that ones from Ravenloft tend to be more morose in their nature. The  Circle of the Moon: In Ravenloft, the ones that appear typically come from Verbrek, user chooses an animal type (i.e. wolf, Forlorn (very rarely) and Souragne. Those from bear, etc). As the druid levels up they the swamp lands of Souragne tend to look and gain the features of that animal type smell more like a swamp hermit. Druids from but slowly start resembling a lycan- other lands tend to note that the land itself thrope of that type (such as a werewolf seems to emit an indescribable feeling of ma- or werebear). People witnessing a druid levolence, but are never quite sure if they are use this power may require a Fear truly feeling this. and/or Horror check and this power  Spells: Many spells in Ravenloft have may get superstitious folks hunting the different functions. druid.

10 and can attack a protected monk nor- Fighters are everywhere within the Land of the mally. Mists. From men-at-arms, to guardsmen, to  (Way of the Open Palm) Quivering mercenaries they are readily available, though Palm: Crossing a domain border counts training can be sporadic at best. Falkovnia and as entering another plane for purposes Nova Vaasa tend to produce the best trained of the duration of this effect. Further- fighters in Ravenloft. Of the paths, Battle Mas- more, domain lords are unaffected by ter tends to be the most often pursued with this effect. very few actually choosing the path of the  (Way of Shadows) Shadow Step: A do- Champion. Eldritch Knights are extremely rare, main lord that controls the shadows can though those that do exist tend to come from prevent a monk from using those shad- Hazlan or Darkon in the Core, with a few of the ows with this power. This cannot be gypsies learning the path of the Eldritch Knight used to cross a closed domain border. as well.

Paladins are exceptionally rare in Ravenloft. Monks tend to be uncommon in most of There are many reasons for this, least of all Ravenloft, and many just view them as another which the very presence of a paladin causes form of cleric, despite there being obvious dif- disruption to the land itself, like salt on a gaping ferences. A few monastic orders of monks exist wound. Most paladins tend to be outsiders of throughout the Core of Ravenloft and a few of Ravenloft, and like clerics, note almost an im- the Islands; however most of the orders tend to mediate disconnect from the presence of the lean towards the Way of Shadows. The Way of divine. The few paladins in Ravenloft that exist the Open Palm and Four Elements tends to be are usually due to some crusade or oath sworn rarer with either only supposedly having a dedi- for vengeance and as such most Ravenloft pala- cated place of training on the island of dins tend to follow the Oath of Vengeance. Rokushima Taiyoo.  Spells: Many spells in Ravenloft have  Stillness of Mind: This power does not different functions. automatically end a fear effect from a  Disruptive Presence: The Land reacts to failed Fear check. Instead it allows the the presence of a paladin. As such do- monk to make a new Fear check. Ad- main lords always know when a paladin vantages and Disadvantages apply as is in their domain and instinctively know normal. where the paladin is within 10 miles of  Purity of Body: Domain lords are still their location. As the paladin gains lev- able to inflict disease and poison on els their power increases thus making monks as well as the effects of closed their location more and more obvious, domain borders. and thus every 2nd level the range de-  Timeless Body: The aging effects creases by 1 mile, to a minimum of 1 caused by domain lords or from closed mile by level 18. If the paladin is bran- domain borders will still age a monk dishing a holy avenger weapon or some normally. powerful holy artifact (such as the sym-  Empty Body: Attempting to use the as- bol of ravenkind) then a domain lord tral projection portion of this power au- knows where the paladin is within 100 tomatically fails in Ravenloft. yards of their location, regardless of  (Way of the Open Palm) Tranquility: level. This is why few paladins naturally Domain lords do not have to roll a save exist to old age within Ravenloft.

11  Divine Sense: Ravenloft does not natu-  (Oath of the Ancients) Turn the Faith- rally give up secrets easily. When em- less: See Turn Undead on page 4. ploying this power, the paladin only  (Oath of the Ancients) Undying Senti- gets a sense if something is natural or nel: Attacks from domain lords or unnatural. Undead receive saves with closed domain borders that age the Advantage from this effect and domain paladin will affect them normally. lords are completely immune able to  (Oath of the Ancients) Elder Champion: determine their status as they see fit Using this power may cause Fear and/or and how the DM decides it should be. Horror in those around them due to  Divine Smite and Improved Divine their superstitious nature in Ravenloft. Smite: The damage dice is reduced The forms appearance is usually twisted from a d8 to a d6 in Ravenloft due to or menacing as well, such as choosing a the disconnect with the divine. tree like appearance the paladin might  Divine Health: Diseases inflicted by a assume a form more closely resembling domain lord or a closed domain border a dead man’s tree or look more savage take effect normally on a paladin. if choosing an animal.  Aura of Protection: The bonus from this  (Oath of Vengeance) Abjure Enemy: is reduced by the presence of a Sinkhole Undead and demons do not have Dis- of Evil or a domain lord. See Sinkholes advantage on their rolls. See Turn Un- of Evil sidebar on page 4 for more de- dead on page 4 for other rules. tails.  (Oath of Vengeance) Avenging Angel:  Aura of Courage: This only gives Ad- In Ravenloft, the twisted sense of hu- vantage on Fear check rolls to the pala- mor of the Land twists this form into a din and those within 10 feet of the pal- mockery, making it appear as a shad- adin. owy angel of death instead of one of  Cleansing Touch: Attempting to remove vengeance. Seeing such a transfor- an effect from a domain lord only mation may cause Fear and/or Horror grants the target a new saving throw at checks in others. a chance to end the effect.  (Oath of Devotion) Sacred Weapon: This bonus from this effect is reduced in half to a minimum of +1. The light emit- ted also seems dimmer, but still power- ful.  (Oath of Devotion) Turn the Unholy: See Turn Undead on page 4.  (Oath of Devotion) Aura of Devotion: Effects from domain lords or closed domain borders still affect the charac- ters normally.  (Oath of the Ancients) Nature’s Wrath: Domain lords with power over plants can ignore the restraint completely. Other domain lords might have other methods for easily getting out, such as a mist form.

12 beast a domain lord has control over Rangers tend to be wanderers, more at home in automatically fails. the wooded areas of Ravenloft. Uncommon by most standards they are definitely more visible than druids and barbarians. Attunement to the land gives them a natural sense, though rangers from other realms take note that the land has a dark mystery to it, and an almost unwillingness to divulge its secrets. Some rangers from other realms even claim that the land purposely tries to disorient them. Due to how beasts act in Ravenloft, most rangers tend to be Hunters.

 Spells: Many spells in Ravenloft have different functions.  Primeval Awareness: Ravenloft does not divulge its secrets easily. As it other sensing powers, any information the ranger might glean would be given as whether it is natural or unnatural. See page 4 for further details.  Land’s Stride: This will not allow a rang- er to cross a closed domain border. In addition, domain lords that control the plants of their domain are treated as magical, unless the domain lord wills it, for purposes of effects of this power. Rogues are everywhere within Ravenloft proba-  (Beast Master) Ranger’s Companion: A bly even more so than any other class. Street ranger’s companion that is of a type urchins, to conmen, to even wandering gypsies that a domain lord can control must might have some skill with the larcenist arts. Of make a Wisdom saving throw (TN = the archetypes, thief tends to be the most 8+Proficiency+Wisdom of the lord) common one that one will run into though in when entering the domain with the the lands of Darkon, it is whispered that assas- ranger. If the saving throw succeeds the sins abound in the employ of the Kargatane. companion is in full control of its facul- Wandering gypsies and Vistani especially tend ties, but is always cowering or whim- to favor the arcane trickster, using illusions and pering and pacing as if uneasy while trickery to wow spectators and fool the clue- remaining in the domain, urging its less. There is a reason many tend to be guarded master to leave. A new check is made when the gypsies are in town. for every day the ranger remains in the domain. If confronted by the domain lord the companion will flee outright. If Sorcery is often looked at negatively in the Land the saving throw fails, the companion is of the Mists as some sort of curse or ill omen. A now under the control of the domain child that has magical ability without use of lord, and will attack the ranger if com- some sort of implement is using witchcraft and pelled to. The companion is forever lost typically get ran out of town or killed all the at this point, even if the ranger leaves same. Of the two types, Wild Magic is the most the domain. Attempting to bond with a common as Draconic Bloodlines tend to be rare,

13 though it is rumored that Hazlan and Darkon greater understanding of the world around both host a few draconic bloodlines. Sorcerers them, or greater power. They often, foolishly, do not have a favored land they come from as refer to themselves as arcanists as if such a title anyone has a chance to be born with such pow- would change what they would do. In the lands ers, but they do tend to float towards Hazlan or near to the Shadow Rift, warlocks tend to take Darkon for possible help in controlling their pacts with the Archfey but in other lands tend powers, eventually. to focus either on the Fiend or the Great Old One. It should come as no surprise then that  Spells: Many spells in Ravenloft have when a warlock uses their magic that they tend different functions. to be in danger of falling to the Dark Powers  Draconic Origin: Using powers that more than most other classes as well. Becoming cause outward appearance changes, as a warlock is a secret endeavor and usually the parts of this origin often include, may result of despair or a witless dark pact with require others to roll a fear and/or hor- some entity in the search for greater knowledge ror check in response. or power. There are no teachings or schools for  Wild Magic Origin: While wild magic ef- a warlock; this is a lone endeavor on a road of fects are uncontrollable, effects gener- personal damnation. ated are still under the affects of any al- tered magic rules that apply. Any effect  Spells: Many spells in Ravenloft have that would require a power’s check, still different functions. applies in these instances as well.  Power’s Check: You willingly truck with dark forces, and as such the Dark Pow- ers tend to notice you easier. Whenever you advance in a level you make a Pow- er’s Check equal to 5% multiplied by your level. Thus making it impossible to avoid corruption completely.  Horror Checks: Due to the fact that warlocks tend to truck with things that no mortal was meant to deal with, war- locks gain Advantage on any Horror check they make.  (The Archfey) Fey Presence: Using this power to charm others into doing dan- gerous or deadly things requires a Pow- er’s Check. You cannot charm a domain lord with this power.  (The Archfey) Misty Escape: You cannot use this power to cross a closed domain border.  (The Archfey) Beguiling Defenses: A domain lord trying to charm you in- vokes a saving throw instead where you have advantage. If you succeed the charm fails instead of rebounding. Warlocks are a strange lot in the Land of the  (The Archfey) Dark Delirium: Using this Mists; seekers of knowledge they willingly truck power invokes a Power’s Check. with dark powers directly to often try to gain a

14  (The Fiend) Dark One’s Own Luck: The those that anger them. It’s made even harder bonus from this is actually increased, when one considered that the land itself makes within the Land of the Mists, to a d12. certain darker magic much more powerful. However invoking this requires a Pow- er’s Check.  Spells: Many spells in Ravenloft have  (The Fiend) Hurl Through Hell: This different functions. power instead buffets the target with  Benign Transposition: You cannot use images of the lower planes, burning this power to cross a closed Domain them deep into the recesses of their border. mind. The damage still occurs, and if  Divination: There are no master’s of the target survives they are required to Divination in Ravenloft as Divination make a Fear, Horror and Madness magic is highly unreliable. As a result check. Invoking this power causes a the Divination school cannot be chosen Power’s Check. for mastery, though many still teach the  Path of the Great Old One: In spells they find in that school. Ravenloft, following this path actually  Necromancy: As one finds out in starts to wear at the mind of a warlock Ravenloft, necromancy is much strong- as the unfathomable alien nature of er, but it also carries with it a terrible their benefactor is slowly revealed. price. Necromancy is not normally Each level the warlock gains require a taught where others might here and as Madness check from the warlock. such tends to be a more hidden school.  (The Great Old One) Thought Shield: Using necromancy is Ravenloft always Domain lords that can read the minds requires a Power’s Check. of others can attempt to read the mind of the warlock instead. The warlock makes a saving throw, though they don’t know why. If the warlock fails the domain lord reads their mind normally, if it fails they are still unaware of why they needed to make the save.  (The Great Old One) Create Thrall: Cre- ating a thrall requires a Power’s Check.  Witch Sight: This does not allow you to detect vampires transformed into other forms or lycanthropes. Only spells of an illusory or cast by magic can be seen this way.

Wizards are uncommon in the Land of the Mists but have slowly been gaining popularity, espe- cially in Hazlan with the recently opened school and reports of smaller schools springing up in Darkon and Falkovnia. Most lands have few wizards in them though, so finding a teacher can be exceptionally difficult, or expensive. Many tend to give wizards a wide berth given their reputation for employing dark curses on

15 Like any other campaign setting, characters made in Ravenloft have several choices to help flesh out their characters. Most of these choices can be found in the PHB but some new ones are added within the Land of the Mists as well.

Backgrounds in Ravenloft have their place and the many that can be found in the PHB still serve greatly as a common source of inspiration for backgrounds within the Land of the Mists.

The untrustworthy folk are hard to sway within the misty confines of Ravenloft. However, those strongly devoted can persuade them if they fol- low similar religious ideals. This variant feature of the Acolyte background allows the character to use their faith as a bargaining chip for sup- plies or shelter in Ravenloft with someone. This grants Advantage on said rolls, though some Noble background changes a few facets. The folk may still demand a price. two skills of proficiency become hypnosis and medicine. Your tool proficiency is a doctor’s kit (see page 19). The feature of position is still This variant feature for the Sage background maintained, though it might not bring privilege gives the character Advantage rolls when it con- with it in Ravenloft. cerns lore, history, or even knowledge concern- ing Ravenloft itself. As long as the information and roll in question is knowledge about the This is a variant of the Outlander background. Lands of the Mists, the character always re- The gypsies of Ravenloft have a tendency to ceives Advantage on said rolls. glean information from the most bizarre of places from basic tavern talk to just eavesdrop- ping in on conversations from around the cor- This variant of the Soldier background allows ner. As such, gypsy characters can make an In- you to choose the class feature of Revenge. You telligence check (skills can be applied, if appli- are seeking revenge on someone or something cable) to see if the gypsy might have knowledge and are doggedly pursuing them. Whenever you of something. How much the gypsy might know confront a subject that reminds you of your is left up to the DM. nemesis, you gain Advantage on any roll related to that enemy from attack, saving throws to skill checks. You must describe what your nem- Balok: Spoken throughout the central core as it esis is like when choosing this variant. has become a trade language, it is also the old- est language in Ravenloft. It is guttural and not very pleasant to the ears. Nobles in Ravenloft often are not much higher than the common vagrant. However a few do Darkonese: Spoken primarily in the domain of stick out from time to time. This variant for the Darkon, only of note due to how large that do-

16 main is. Many who pursue a magical profession also tend to enjoy the language as it lends itself You are at your best when things are at their well to magical formula. worst.

Falkovnian: This is a complex sounding lan-  Gain +2 to Attack and AC when you are guage that is very hard to follow unless one at one quarter or less of your HP. knows what to listen for as the consonants al- ways sound to be mutating. This language is rarely spoken outside of Falkovnia, which lends Prerequisite: You must have suffered the effects itself well to the lord there. of an energy drain attack.

Mordentish: A very common tongue spoken You are cold and clammy to the touch. throughout the core it comes in two varieties; high and low. Common from other realms will  Mindless undead ignore you unless you probably sound the closest to Mordentish, attack them. though there will probably be differences.  Intelligent undead must succeed at a Wisdom check to realize you are not Vaasi: A very harmonious sounding language, it undead. is a requirement to be used in the Church of the Lawgiver. Bards tend to mix this with the Sithican elf dialect to create a highly poetic You are oddly fearless in the face of danger, or sounding language. foolish.

Sithican: An interesting dialect of elvish that is  You gain Advantage on any Fear checks. not spoken by any other elves in the Land of the Mists is a very lyrical, harmonic sounding tongue, which inspires many of the bards of Thanks to your extensive practice with firearms, Kartakass to employ its use. Sithicus is an unu- you gain the following benefits: sual domain in that it has more elves in it than  You can reload firearms you are profi- humans. cient with as a free action. Draconic: Dragons are rare in Ravenloft, to the  Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature point that most think they are purely legends, doesn’t impose Disadvantage on ranged but strangely enough the language of the drag- attack rolls. ons is still used by practitioners of magic. Most  When you use the Attack action and at- scholars of Draconic tend to be found in Hazlan tack with a one handed weapon, you and Darkon. can use a bonus action to attack with a loaded pistol you are holding.

Feats are optional rules used to enhance and Prerequisite: You must have survived an en- expand upon characters. As stated in the PHB, counter that you were reduced to 0 hit points. whenever a character gains ability points, the player can opt to gain a feat instead. These are  You can see ethereal beings as if they optional and should be discussed with the DM if were normally visible. This does not al- they are allowed. For some obvious reasons not low you to see through illusions and all of the feats from 3rd edition Ravenloft would th you are also vulnerable to gaze attacks be viable in 5 edition. from such creatures.

17 Seduction: The art of seduction is an old one, You have been hardened to the horrors that and in the Land of the Mists, a few well placed exist within the Land of the Mists by cruel expe- compliments, words, and even small gifts can rience. gain lots of information. This is a contested roll of deception against a wisdom check from the  You gain Advantage on any Horror target. Again, if the player role plays the scenar- checks. io well the DM can even give an Advantage roll or other bonuses if they see fit.

You keep yourself adaptable to the situations helping to fortify your sanity. Hypnosis is the ability to induce a deep, calming trance in your subject. You can only attempt to  You gain Advantage on any Madness hypnotize one target at a time with this skill, checks. and it requires a peaceful situation and at least 1 hour of work per check. If the subject is un- willing, you have to first succeed at a deception Within Ravenloft, some check to disguise your of the core skills in the intent. PHB might have some altered or new uses. A hypnosis check is opposed by the sub- ject’s wisdom check. Loud Any attempt to try and or distracting surround- change or improve the ings give Advantage to attitude of an animal that the targets wisdom is currently under the check. Willing targets can influence of a domain voluntarily choose not to lord, automatically fails. make their wisdom check.

Deception ability tends to Once the target is be all encompassing but hypnotized you can plant in Ravenloft it is useful in a suggestion as per the a few extra trades that are often dealt with spell or aid the recovery of a target who suffers within the Land of the Mists. from the effects of a failed Madness check. If the character is proficient in medicine they gain Telling Fortunes: This is the ability to invent advantage on their hypnosis checks. plausible fortunes from thin air. It is the art of picking up on subtle clues from the person you This skill cannot be used without profi- are talking to and telling them what they want ciency. to hear; it does not actually allow someone to peer into the future.

This is a contested roll of deception ver- sus the targets perception roll. If the player role plays rather well during the scenario even play- ing off bad rolls, give them Advantage on said rolls and possibly Disadvantage to the target.

18 is mad. Bandage gauze, medicines and other such items can also be found. Ravenloft is a land that crosses many different periods of time, sometimes within the span of a Silvered Weapons: Getting a weapon silvered in domain border. As such it is possible to see eve- Ravenloft isn’t an easy process. The require- rything from a Stone Age ecology up to one that ments usually are in those domains that are resembles a Renaissance. As such it is not un- usually sophisticated enough and even then the common to see someone using a primitive bow cost might actually be higher. Silvering a weap- and spear next to an armored soldier utilizing a on can cost anywhere from the base of 100 gold well crafted crossbow. to as much as double the normal price, or more.

Firearms in Ravenloft: Firearms are an exotic Other Items: Other knick knacks that can be weapon and thus are their own category. When found within Ravenloft, such as pocket watches, players attempt to gain proficiency with said clocks, straight razors, and the like follow their weapons they have to choose whether it is pis- normal rules one would find in the Ravenloft tols or muskets. Most firearms take one stand- book. ard action to reload after use. Use the damage presented from the 3rd edition rule book. The Parthian Rapier is also present and follows all standard rules, as they apply, from Bards and Rogues can opt to take pistol the Ravenloft book, except the critical hit rules. instead of hand crossbow as a weapon profi- ciency. Automaton’s also exists and are the preview for the super rich as trinkets and toys Sorcerers and Wizards can opt to take to be displayed for amusement, most of the musket instead of light crossbow as a weapon time. proficiency.

Folk Hero, Sailor and Soldier back- grounds can also choose either pistol or musket as a proficiency.

Gunpowder and Bullets: Gunpowder can be crafted as long as someone has the proper pro- ficiency to do so. Using the standard rules of 5 gold piece of material crafted per day, it would take 7 days for a player to be able to create two pounds of usable gunpowder (enough to fill a horn) or 50 days to fill a keg.

Bullets for rifles and muskets can gen- erally be made in batches of 13 per day depend- ing on the materials used. Doing so requires a casting kit to be able to make them.

Doctor’s Kit: A doctor’s kit is usually several in- struments such as surgical scalpels, mask, gloves, stethoscope, small rubber hammer, bone saw, and several other implements that would lead some to believe that the individual

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