Just in time for Halloween!
Wizards of the Coast on July 27 announced a collector’s edition Dungeons & Dragons boxed set that resurrects one of its most iconic adventures: Curse of Strahd Revamped.
Packaged in a coffin-shaped box and out now just in time for Halloween, Curse of Strahd Revamped provides everything a Dungeon Master needs to stage chilling and thrilling scenes starring the legendary vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich. The deluxe box is packed with adventure content and an illustrated and foil-stamped Tarokka fortune-telling deck.
The Curse of Strahd Revamped Collector’s Edition breaks down the revised 2016 Curse of Strahd adventure into three parts: a softcover 224-page adventure book for characters of levels 1–10, a 20-page Creatures of Horror booklet describing new monsters that appear in the adventure and an eight-page Tarokka Deck booklet.
“The adventure includes the latest errata and a revised depiction of the Vistani that aligns with the Dungeons & Dragons team’s mission to be as welcoming and inclusive as possible,” Wizards said in a statement.
In addition to some public struggles with diversity on its own staff, the D&D team has been attempting to address issues with its monolithic depiction or “evil” fantasy races, as well as ableist representations of characters with disabilities, and this isn’t the first and also likely not the last time they will revisit existing products with an eye toward greater inclusion.
In a June statement, Wizards said that “in recent reprintings of Tomb of Annihilation and Curse of Strahd, for example, we changed text that was racially insensitive. Those reprints have already been printed and will be available in the months ahead. We will continue this process, reviewing each book as it comes up for a reprint and fixing such errors where they are present.
“Later this year, we will release a product (not yet announced) that offers a way for a player to customize their character’s origin, including the option to change the ability score increases that come from being an elf, a dwarf, or one of D&D’s many other playable folk. This option emphasizes that each person in the game is an individual with capabilities all their own.
“Curse of Strahd included a people known as the Vistani and featured the Vistani heroine Ezmerelda. Regrettably, their depiction echoes some stereotypes associated with the Romani people in the real world. To rectify that, we’ve not only made changes to Curse of Strahd, but in two upcoming books, we will also show—working with a Romani consultant—the Vistani in a way that doesn’t rely on reductive tropes.”
The Tarokka deck in Curse of Strahd Revamped helps determine the heroes’ path through the adventure and comes with its own storage box. Other components of the boxed set include a sturdy Dungeon Master’s screen designed for use with the adventure, a double-sided poster map showing the domain of Barovia on one side and Castle Ravenloft on the other, and a dozen illustrated postcards depicting four spooky locations in Barovia: Castle Ravenloft, Old Bonegrinder, the Abbey of Saint Markovia and Death House.
“Dungeon Masters can use these postcards as invitations, beckoning their players to explore Barovia and put Strahd back in the ground where he belongs.”
Despite the changes and the additional features in Curse of Strahd Revamped, Wizards said the story presented is the same one that enchanted fans when the adventure was first published in 2016: “Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind’s howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia. Far below, yet not beyond his keen eyesight, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd’s face forms the barest hint of a smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they came — all according to his plan. A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air.
“The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.”
“Spending a night in Castle Ravenloft has become a Halloween tradition,” said Christopher Perkins, the principal narrative designer for Dungeons & Dragons. “Curse of Strahd Revamped is the adventure delivered in its finest form, with everything the Dungeon Master needs to terrify players in one coffin-shaped box.”
Curse of Strahd Revamped collector’s edition, which requires the D&D 5th Edition edition Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, and Dungeon Master’s Guide, is available from Oct. 20 for $99.99.
Not to be outdone, Beadle & Grimm’s Pandemonium Warehouse will follow suit with its own, higher-end “Legendary Edition” of the Ravenloft re-release:
