Why is Curse of Strahd for DnD so popular?

Curse of Strahd is one of the most popular D&D 5E campaigns of all time, for good reason. It blends the player autonomy of open-world exploration with classic horror elements. It lets GMs dial the tension up or down as needed. Players are given meaningful moral choices and can build consequential relationships with various factions and characters.  The adventure rewards both role-play and tactical combat. Additionally, the Tarokka card deck changes key locations each time you run the adventure, providing unique replay value. 

And of course, Strahd is just such a cool and memorable vampire villain whose motivations are revealed throughout the adventure!

Is Curse of Strahd good for new players?

Yes, but it can be harder than a new player starter adventure. DM’s can scale encounters as desired, and the book gives guidance on how to adjust for different numbers of players, but parties with between 4-6 players will have the best experience. Because it’s so popular, the community has created a lot of resources to help Dungeon Masters build out the adventure via DMsGuild, which we’ll cover in the DM’s Guide section further below!. Here are some great options to get you started.

Hundreds of homebrew and community created Curse of Strahd resources available on

How long does Curse of Strahd take?

Most groups finish in 6-9 months of weekly play or 30–40 four hour sessions. It's an epic length campaign that you and your friends will remember for the rest of your lives. Most groups in fact are happy to extend the experience to make it even more epic. See the many options listed in the DM Tips section below to add to the adventure via DMsGuild!

Who is Strahd, anyway?

Check out our complete guide to Strahd Von Zarovich for details on the fascinating background of this iconic D&D villain.

What levels does Curse of Strahd take players through?

Levels 1 - 10. 

Is there a Curse of Strahd PDF?

No. But there are digital editions with every stat block pre-loaded and the book’s isometric art rebuilt as playable maps with dynamic lighting and interactive environments. 

Should I play Curse of Strahd online or in person?

You should play wherever your group is! Curse of Strahd is a fully fleshed out product both digitally and physically. If your group is online, the digital edition offers: 

- 47 fully prepped adventure maps with Dynamic Lighting, doors, and windows
- Reimagined Castle Ravenloft maps, in a haunting top-down perspective only on Roll20.
- 360+ drag-and-drop tokens and handouts for every monster and major NPC

Curse of Strahd DM Tips

Session Zero: Be ready to share themes with your table so they know what they’re getting into and agree on horror boundaries (mind-control, child endangerment, body horror). Looking for guidance on running Session 0? Ginny Di’s video on the topic is one of our fav’s!  Horror games can put players in uncomfortable situations. Roll20 provides a free safety cards addon for your games.

Tarokka Flow: Perform a reading before session 2 and note the five card draws down in order to determine critical narrative driving items and key NPC companions in your world.

Prepare your maps! Giving you and your players a sense of space is critical to controlling tension and pacing at your table. Have the physical books but just need the digital maps? This Roll20 map pack gives you all the visuals you need. The Roll20 Marketplace and DMsGuild also have plenty of other maps to build out roadside/campsite encounters as well as areas throughout Barovia that don’t have maps explicitly drawn in the book. 

Pacing: Alternate village roleplaying opportunities with one major horror set-piece each session to avoid fatigue. Look for spaces for players to bring moments of light and levity through roleplay and provide them plenty of chances to see their hard work rewarded.

Useful Tools: Hide parts of the map your players cannot see to force them to commit to actions before revealing what happens next. This will keep the party from standing in doorways with their tails between their legs. Digital modules on Roll20 feature auto-reveal maps and handle dynamic lighting for you, but groups that meet in person with physical maps may want to cover elements of the map with paper to achieve the same effect. 

Rules as written, important magical items in the adventure may require attunement by Clerics or Paladins - however DM’s can choose to homebrew that element and allow other characters to use them if you don’t have one of those classes in your party.

Curse of Strahd Player’s Guide 

Helpful Classes in Curse of Strahd:

• - Paladin auras help characters improve saving throws or even become immune to fear. Their radiant damage from divine smite is something several undead characters are vulnerable to.
• - Cleric’s have spells like Daylight (the bane of every Vampire) or Turn/Destroy Undead
• - Rangers can choose favored enemies and gain helpful bonuses when facing them. Choosing undead for this feature makes them incredibly formidable in Curse of Strahd.

Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft provides subclasses like the Bard’s “College of Spirits,” Dark Gifts that tie players more deeply into Barovia or other Domains of Dread, character lineages like Dhampir (half vampire)  or Reborn, and thematic backgrounds that bring horror tropes to the spotlight.

Background Hooks can provide classic horror elements: Haunted One, Investigator, or you can create a custom one with your DM that ties into Barovia’s tragedies.

Supplies to consider when stocking up in town: 

• - silvered weapons
• - holy water
• - hooded lanterns

Travel Tips: Roads are dangerous at night and random encounters scale fast in the wild. Plan your paths carefully to limit nights camping on the road and rest in walled villages or protected wagon camps whenever possible.