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Ravenloft Character Creation?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Goken100
Sep 23, 2010 13:37:06 I was just thinking about how the announced Ravenloft product, to come out at the end of 2011, is planned as both a stand-alone game and a D&D setting. Here's the GenCon announcement as reported by Critical Hits:

critical-hits.com/2010/08/07/gen-con-201...

"Then in the 4th quarter, there will be a Ravenloft game released, where PCs can play Vampires, Werewolves, and more as well as the usual character options. While keeping most of the information about this hidden for now, they did say there would be some interesting new physical components to the game of some kind. It will be both a standalone game as well as fully useable in core D&D."

That sounds cool, I guess. But doesn't that mean that someone that buys it should be able to play with nothing else but the Ravenloft boxed set? If so, what sort of characters will be available in Ravenloft?

We were promised playing as vampires and werewolves, for example, so we know that's in there. I was also thinking maybe a Van Hellsing type of class would be cool. With Dr. Rudolph van Richten an already established major player in Castle Ravenloft's history, that seems to make sense.

How will this work? Will it be like the Gamma World game, and the purported compatibility with D&D will be a separate way of playing? That doesn't seem quite right, but on the other hand, if it is fully D&D compatible but playable without other products, you'd need content for characters on a level similar to Heroes of the Fallen Lands. I can't imagine this product introducing a whole slew of new classes and races that you can only get by buying Ravenloft. The nerd rage would be deafening.

I can't figure out what the middle ground between Gamma World and Heroes of the Fallen Lands might be. Something like the Red Box, so that it's only playable on its own for a few levels? Any thoughts people?
#2
Nautilus
Sep 23, 2010 15:36:43 My guess is that they'll have a way to generate 'native' characters similar to what Gamma World does with origin/mutations, only with a gothic-undead theme. Vampire and werewolf might be class/races unto themselves (shades of original Red Box nonhumans).

Going by what I've heard about Gamma World, you could run a normal D&D party in its setting with a little effort, even if the rules don't explicitly support it. Ravenloft would take the extra steps to provide that support.
#3
zylo_drizzt
Sep 23, 2010 18:33:14 instead of new classes and such I think they will use themes and feats to represent a good portion of the options, might be new class builds but this is just what I see from seeing ds and even psionic power along with heritage feats and such from dragon
#4
mellored
Sep 23, 2010 21:11:07 Castle Ravenloft (that's already out) is a stand alone board game. With it's own rules and such.

Not bad, but IMO it's better to run a delve.

I don't know anything about any future release.
#5
Goken100
Sep 24, 2010 6:55:42 I've added the a link to my first post. I should have done so in the first place in insure everyone knows what I'm talking about.

mellored: So there you go, it's nothing to do with the board game (although the board game is awesome).

Zylo_Drizzt: That sounds great to me, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards, as one aspect of Ravenloft will be a stand-alone game that doesn't need D&D products to play.

goldomark: As you can see, werewolfs and vampires are a big selling point, so those will definitely be in there and probably usable outside of Ravenloft. You've got some good ideas for classes, and I could more readily see the game providing a handful of new builds for existing classes than creating a slew of all-new classes. That covers both the stand-alone and the D&D-compatible angles. Good thinking! As for gods,WotC said Ravenloft would be in the Shadowfell, so will be non-world-specific. If they include gods for primal characters to cover the stand-alone aspect, my money is on Points of Light content.

Nautilus: Characters a-la-Gamma World with rules to run Ravenloft as a D&D setting is certainly one way to go. But that doesn't seem like a very elegant solution. Hopefully the new content for characters will be useful in regular D&D, unlike Gamma World.
#6
mellored
Sep 24, 2010 7:43:42 From your link
Then in the 4th quarter, there will be a Ravenloft game released, where PCs can play Vampires, Werewolves, and more as well as the usual character options

Seems like it might be it's a standalone game.

Perhaps a stripped down version of 4e.
#7
snarls_at_fleas
Sep 27, 2010 11:54:23 I really hope to see something like Gamma World.
#8
mortavius
Oct 01, 2010 11:06:23
From your link
Then in the 4th quarter, there will be a Ravenloft game released, where PCs can play Vampires, Werewolves, and more as well as the usual character options

Seems like it might be it's a standalone game.

Perhaps a stripped down version of 4e.

The problem with that theory is that they announced it as a new campaign setting for next year. How could they announce it in that way, if it was it's own game? It can't be a campaign setting if it doesn't have something to play off of, i.e., 4th edition D&D.

The announcement also says: "It will be both a standalone game as well as fully useable in core D&D."
#9
mellored
Oct 01, 2010 11:23:09
From your link
Then in the 4th quarter, there will be a Ravenloft game released, where PCs can play Vampires, Werewolves, and more as well as the usual character options

Seems like it might be it's a standalone game.

Perhaps a stripped down version of 4e.

The problem with that theory is that they announced it as a new campaign setting for next year. How could they announce it in that way, if it was it's own game? It can't be a campaign setting if it doesn't have something to play off of, i.e., 4th edition D&D.

The announcement also says: "It will be both a standalone game as well as fully useable in core D&D."

It still could still be a stripped down version of 4e. Have a few pre-gen characters, and a nifty dungeon. It can contain it's own unique creatures and it's dungone can have it's own rules, and it would still work with 4e. I mean i've done eniroment effects in my game. (the area is foggy, so light sources are halfed), (your in a volcano, everyone get's +5 to cold vs cold saves), (your in Strads castle so "specific rule here").

Of course, this is all speculation.
#10
mortavius
Oct 04, 2010 9:59:00 I guess it's a question of semantics. To me, something like the red box, which has pre-generated characters, a dungeon, etc. is more of a stand-alone game, than a campaign setting. Conversley, a campaign setting has new races/classes, new rules, and a new world with new NPCs. But you still need the base books to play the game. But that's just my interpretation of the words.
#11
The_Jester
Oct 04, 2010 18:24:48 I'm really hoping that the stand alone part is because the game will be a lower power level, and that PCs will have to gain a few "Ravenloft" levels to reach the power of a L1 D&D PC. Kinda an "Everyman Tier".
And hoping the monster rules will be optional or a part of the replacement for Dark Power checks / corruption / taint. I don't want to play some fantasy version of the X-Men with a werewolf, mummy, vampire, and ghost.
Ravenloft =/= the BBC's Being Human!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Goken100 Sep 23, 2010 13:37:06	I was just thinking about how the announced Ravenloft product, to come out at the end of 2011, is planned as both a stand-alone game and a D&D setting. Here's the GenCon announcement as reported by Critical Hits: critical-hits.com/2010/08/07/gen-con-201... "Then in the 4th quarter, there will be a *Ravenloft* game released, where PCs can play Vampires, Werewolves, and more as well as the usual character options. While keeping most of the information about this hidden for now, they did say there would be some interesting new physical components to the game of some kind. It will be both a standalone game as well as fully useable in core D&D." That sounds cool, I guess. But doesn't that mean that someone that buys it should be able to play with nothing else but the Ravenloft boxed set? If so, what sort of characters will be available in Ravenloft? We were promised playing as vampires and werewolves, for example, so we know that's in there. I was also thinking maybe a Van Hellsing type of class would be cool. With Dr. Rudolph van Richten an already established major player in Castle Ravenloft's history, that seems to make sense. How will this work? Will it be like the Gamma World game, and the purported compatibility with D&D will be a separate way of playing? That doesn't seem quite right, but on the other hand, if it is fully D&D compatible but playable without other products, you'd need content for characters on a level similar to Heroes of the Fallen Lands. I can't imagine this product introducing a whole slew of new classes and races that you can only get by buying Ravenloft. The nerd rage would be deafening. I can't figure out what the middle ground between Gamma World and Heroes of the Fallen Lands might be. Something like the Red Box, so that it's only playable on its own for a few levels? Any thoughts people?
#2 Nautilus Sep 23, 2010 15:36:43	My guess is that they'll have a way to generate 'native' characters similar to what Gamma World does with origin/mutations, only with a gothic-undead theme. Vampire and werewolf might be class/races unto themselves (shades of original Red Box nonhumans). Going by what I've heard about Gamma World, you could run a normal D&D party in its setting with a little effort, even if the rules don't explicitly support it. Ravenloft would take the extra steps to provide that support.
#3 zylo_drizzt Sep 23, 2010 18:33:14	instead of new classes and such I think they will use themes and feats to represent a good portion of the options, might be new class builds but this is just what I see from seeing ds and even psionic power along with heritage feats and such from dragon
#4 mellored Sep 23, 2010 21:11:07	Castle Ravenloft (that's already out) is a stand alone board game. With it's own rules and such. Not bad, but IMO it's better to run a delve. I don't know anything about any future release.
#5 Goken100 Sep 24, 2010 6:55:42	I've added the a link to my first post. I should have done so in the first place in insure everyone knows what I'm talking about. mellored: So there you go, it's nothing to do with the board game (although the board game is awesome). Zylo_Drizzt: That sounds great to me, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards, as one aspect of Ravenloft will be a stand-alone game that doesn't need D&D products to play. goldomark: As you can see, werewolfs and vampires are a big selling point, so those will definitely be in there and probably usable outside of Ravenloft. You've got some good ideas for classes, and I could more readily see the game providing a handful of new builds for existing classes than creating a slew of all-new classes. That covers both the stand-alone and the D&D-compatible angles. Good thinking! As for gods,WotC said Ravenloft would be in the Shadowfell, so will be non-world-specific. If they include gods for primal characters to cover the stand-alone aspect, my money is on Points of Light content. Nautilus: Characters a-la-Gamma World with rules to run Ravenloft as a D&D setting is certainly one way to go. But that doesn't seem like a very elegant solution. Hopefully the new content for characters will be useful in regular D&D, unlike Gamma World.
#6 mellored Sep 24, 2010 7:43:42	From your link Then in the 4th quarter, there will be a Ravenloft game released, where PCs can play Vampires, Werewolves, and more as well as the usual character options Seems like it might be it's a standalone game. Perhaps a stripped down version of 4e.
#7 snarls_at_fleas Sep 27, 2010 11:54:23	I really hope to see something like Gamma World.
#8 mortavius Oct 01, 2010 11:06:23	From your link Then in the 4th quarter, there will be a Ravenloft game released, where PCs can play Vampires, Werewolves, and more as well as the usual character options Seems like it might be it's a standalone game. Perhaps a stripped down version of 4e. The problem with that theory is that they announced it as a new campaign setting for next year. How could they announce it in that way, if it was it's own game? It can't be a campaign setting if it doesn't have something to play off of, i.e., 4th edition D&D. The announcement also says: "It will be both a standalone game as well as fully useable in core D&D."
#9 mellored Oct 01, 2010 11:23:09	From your link Then in the 4th quarter, there will be a Ravenloft game released, where PCs can play Vampires, Werewolves, and more as well as the usual character options Seems like it might be it's a standalone game. Perhaps a stripped down version of 4e. The problem with that theory is that they announced it as a new campaign setting for next year. How could they announce it in that way, if it was it's own game? It can't be a campaign setting if it doesn't have something to play off of, i.e., 4th edition D&D. The announcement also says: "It will be both a standalone game as well as fully useable in core D&D." It still could still be a stripped down version of 4e. Have a few pre-gen characters, and a nifty dungeon. It can contain it's own unique creatures and it's dungone can have it's own rules, and it would still work with 4e. I mean i've done eniroment effects in my game. (the area is foggy, so light sources are halfed), (your in a volcano, everyone get's +5 to cold vs cold saves), (your in Strads castle so "specific rule here"). Of course, this is all speculation.
#10 mortavius Oct 04, 2010 9:59:00	I guess it's a question of semantics. To me, something like the red box, which has pre-generated characters, a dungeon, etc. is more of a stand-alone game, than a campaign setting. Conversley, a campaign setting has new races/classes, new rules, and a new world with new NPCs. But you still need the base books to play the game. But that's just my interpretation of the words.
#11 The_Jester Oct 04, 2010 18:24:48	I'm really hoping that the stand alone part is because the game will be a lower power level, and that PCs will have to gain a few "Ravenloft" levels to reach the power of a L1 D&D PC. Kinda an "Everyman Tier". And hoping the monster rules will be optional or a part of the replacement for Dark Power checks / corruption / taint. I don't want to play some fantasy version of the X-Men with a werewolf, mummy, vampire, and ghost. Ravenloft =/= the BBC's Being Human!