<div class='wide'> # Curse of Strahd Campaign Rules <br>Unless otherwise stated, RAW is followed as closely as possible. ## Character Creation ### Races - Dwarf (Hill, Mountain) - Elf (Dark, High, Wood) - Halfling (Lightfoot, Stout) - Human (Variant) - Dragonborn - Gnome (Forest, Rock) - Half-Elf (Including PHB variants) - Half-Orc - Tiefling #### Races Changes Dragonborn can add their Constitution modifier to their breath weapon damage. ### Available Content - Player's Handbook - Xanathar's Guide to Everything #### Class Changes A Ranger: Hunter or Ranger: Beast Master has access to the Unearthed Arcana ["The Ranger, Revised"](https://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA_RevisedRanger.pdf) class. Warlocks can use Intelligence for their spellcasting ability modifier. The Warlock: The Hexblade's Hex Warrior feature has been moved to the Pact of the Blade. ### Free Feat in Exchange for a Seed of Fear Players will be able to choose a starting feat of their choice in exchange for the DM rolling on the Seed of Fear table for their character. ## Gameplay ### Stress When a character makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, they must apply their current Stress Score as a penalty to the roll. During any frightful encounter, a character may be called on to make a saving throw to resist being stressed. The character must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or receive one level of stress. Any of the following circumstances might be reasons to have one or more characters make saving throws to resist being stressed: - The character experiences one of their Seeds of Fear. - An enemy is immune to the character’s attacks or spells. - An enemy demonstrates it can deal enough damage to reduce a character to 0 hit points in one blow. - A creature is alien or monstrous in ways the character never could have imagined. - An object undermines a character’s understanding of reality. #### Reducing Stress A character who spends an entire day relaxing or in otherwise calm circumstances reduces their Stress Score by 1 when they finish their next long rest. The *calm emotions* spell effect used to suppress the charmed and frightened conditions also suppresses the effects of one’s Stress Score for the spell’s duration. A *lesser restoration* spell reduces the target’s Stress Score by 1, and a *greater restoration* spell reduces a character’s Stress Score to 0. ### Variant Encumbrance Pg. 176 of PHB </div> \pagebreak <div class='wide'> ### Magic Backpacks and Quivers As long as you have the encumbrance for it, one backpack, quiver, etc. will carry everything that you can. ### Diagonals Pg. 252 of DMG ### Spell Point Variant for Sorcerers (This is optional.) See Pg. 287-288 of DMG ### Renaissance Firearms & Explosives The Pistol, Musket, Bombs, and Gunpowder, are available to players. (Chapter 9 of the DMG) You can take a "Firearms Expert" version of Crossbow Expert that will apply its benefits to Firearms and Pistols. ### Group Checks and Helping Whenever someone attempts an ability check and someone wants to help, the helper must have proficiency in that skill or tool to grant them advantage on that check. Additionally, the Help action has to be reasonable. Additionally, when several people want to attempt a check after someone already has, it becomes a group check that uses the first roll as that player's part of the group check. For RAW, see Pg. 175 of PHB ### Spell Scrolls Anyone can attempt to use any spell scroll, but if the spell is not on your class spell list, or of a higher level than you can normally cast, you must make an Arcana check equal to 10 plus the spell's level. For RAW, see Pg. 200 of DMG ### More Difficult Identification Pg. 136 of DMG ### Mixing Potions & Scroll Mishaps Pg. 140 of DMG ### Powerful Build Creatures with the **Powerful Build** feature count as one size larger for the purposes of grappling/shoving other creatures. ### Owlbear Whisperer You can target a monstrosity with spell that would otherwise only target a beast, provided the creature's Intelligence score is 3 or lower. ## Combat ### Hitting Cover Pg. 272 of DMG ### Action Options Climb Onto Bigger Creature,* Disarm, Overrun, Shove Aside, Tumble Pg. 271-272 of DMG \* see below for a more streamlined "Climb Onto Bigger Creature" option </div> \pagebreak <div class='wide'> #### Climb onto a Bigger Creature When you want to climb onto a larger creature, you can make a grapple check against a creature at least one size larger than yourself. If you win the contest, you move into the target creature’s space and cling to its body. While in the target’s space, you move with the target and have advantage on attack rolls against it. You can move around within the larger creature’s space, treating the space as difficult terrain. The larger creature’s ability to attack you depends on the smaller creature’s location, and is left to the DM's discretion. The larger creature can dislodge you as an action—knocking you off, scraping you against a wall, or grabbing and throwing you—by making a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by your Strength (Athletics) check. ## Resting ### Who Takes Short Rests? We Take Short Rests Short rests are only 10 minutes, but are limited to two per long rest. Additionally, any feature or spell with a duration of 1 hour or less ends upon finishing a short rest.