Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft has been announced as the next setting book for Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition. It will contains details as to how to use the world of Ravenloft in your Dungeons and Dragons fantasy games.

Ravenloft is D&D’s horror setting. Inspired by the classic scenario of the same name, Ravenloft is a game of gothic horror and fantasy. Though fifth edition has touched on horror before with the adventure book ‘Curse of Strahd’, this is the first time the full horrors of the Domains of Dread has come to fifth edition.

Unlike other worlds in D&D, Ravenloft is unrelentingly gothic and dark, which is probably why it’s so beloved by fans. The land is split into various Domains, each with their own unique challenges and monsters. This new book will allow players to create characters with lineages tied to vampires, undead, and hags, an option that has recently been extensively play-tested by the community. Horror-themed subclasses will be introduced as well as special powers called Dark Gifts which may be much more dangerous than the character would like.

The book will also detail how to adapt your current campaign into something a bit darker, just in case you think your players are finding things a little too easy. For DM’s with less time on their hands, the book features over 30 Dread Domains to plonk your players into.

“I’m a huge fan of all things horror, so it was an absolute thrill to frame this book around bringing frightening elements like mummy lords, cosmic terrors, and urban legends to more D&D tables,” said Wes Schneider, senior game designer and lead designer of Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. “Working with exciting new voices in horror and visual artists like D&D concept artist Shawn Wood was essential to make sure we’re updating the aesthetic for today’s fans while staying true to the roots of Ravenloft.

The new hardback will feature the correspondence of Rudolph Van Richten and other heroes of Ravenloft, such as Ezmerelda d’Avenir and the Weathermay-Foxgrove Twins, introducing a new generation of monster hunters to the Lands of the Mists. Some of the Domains of Dread might feel eerily familiar to fans such as Lamordia, which explores the horror of experimentation on creating undead beings from deceased body parts by Dr. Viktra Mordenheim. Other horrors include the surreal, fairytale masquerades of Dementlieu; treachery in the war-torn rain forests of Kalakeri; and the endless zombie hordes of Falkovnia. Van Richten’s Guide includes rules and advice for DMs to create custom domains and Darklords by portraying established horror tropes or whatever special new blend of terror they can imagine.

Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft features a cover by Anna Podedworna available everywhere and an alternate cover by Scott M. Fischer only available through game stores.

Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft will be available online and from your friendly local games shop from May 18th, 2021.

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