Exploring pre-written Dungeons & Dragons campaigns such as 'Curse of Strahd' offers an exhilarating experience for both novice and veteran Game Masters interested in dungeon mastering. These adventures provide a robust foundation, rich in encounters and immersive settings. But as a GM, you have the creative freedom to add your unique touch. In this guide to personalizing D&D adventures, we focus on 'Curse of Strahd,' offering essential Dungeon Master tips to bring your unique flair to this beloved campaign. So, grab your GM’s notebook, and let's delve into the art of customizing these adventures!

(Art: Magic the Gathering by Tyler Walpole)

Tailoring an Adventure

Looking at a pre-written campaign, official Dungeons & Dragons or 3rd party, and feel like it takes away from the creative process inherent to Dungeon Mastering. Let's take 'Curse of Strahd' as a specific example to illustrate these ideas.

I had my own reservations about the idea of running a pre-written adventure when I first looked at Curse of Strahd. Whenever you hear stories about some of the more legendary D&D stories, they often involve DMs crafting worlds all their own. Even some of the more famous D&D media, such as Critical Role, built a world all their own to adventure in. This may lead many to believe they must tell a story in Dungeons and Dragons. Yet, that is not always true. From my firsthand experience, I can tell you that running Curse of Strahd, I was still doing a lot of creating.

"The 'Curse of Strahd' module provided a structured framework for the campaign's progression, guiding my approach to Dungeon Mastering. I had the world (in this case Barovia) as well as the events that were occurring in it. I had some major characters, both good and evil, that would interact with the party as they adventured through the land. I also had some big goals for the players to achieve, placing challenges between them and their escape of Barovia. While I had the big pictures, I saw the module as an outline for the story I wanted to tell with my players.

Player Characters - The Spice of Life

Whether it is Curse of Strahd, Wild Beyond the Witchlight, or Out of the Abyss, no two campaigns will be the same, and a lot of that comes from the players and their player characters, or PCs. The main cast in the theatre that is the TTRPG table, the details of each character will have a large effect on how the campaign plays out.

Let’s take, for example, two different parties in a hypothetical Curse of Strahd campaign. The first group is a stereotypical group of adventurers who met together at the tavern, with a Paladin in the group. This paladin, an Oath of Vengeance, is looking for clues about the creatures that killed her parents at a young age. The only evidence she had was an unopened letter from her late father, and the knowledge that werewolves had apparently attacked both. Thrown into the Mists of Barovia, our imaginary Paladin might find themselves drawn to the roaming lycanthropes found in the misty lands, seeing that as a potential answer to a lot of her questions. This will mean that, given the chance, this character (and her player) will try to make choices that push towards the areas of the game.

Alternatively, let’s say that instead of this paladin, we have a Warlock Pact of the Undead. This character, saved from death by a deal that might leave them questioning if it was worth it, has been told of powers that could give them the upper hand in their current deal. They just need to quest into the mysterious land of Barovia. Such a character would be more interested in any secrets or rumors of power laid throughout the lands of Barovia. They might even be interested in meeting with the Devil of Barovia Strahd Von Zarovich in order to further their choices.

Now these two characters will have distinct personalities, and they will cause both them and their characters to push towards different areas of the story. As long as each player understands the motivations of each character, it will lead them in vastly different directions. As a Game Master, this means that you will create different content for each of them. While the world remains largely unchanged, the uncovered details reveal contrasting tales. With our paladin, you will work out Werewolf sightings and focusing on factions like the Wolf Hunters of Barovia in order to push their goals. The Warlock will prioritize finding any hidden magical secrets in Barovia. They may even potentially look for powers beyond their understanding to make more powerful bargains with. Following either thread can and will lead to a much different story.

I have had my share of unique interactions at the table from my party. The characters, thrown together seemingly by chance, have shaped the direction of the story through their unique stories. From the Time-Altering Wizard seeking power at any cost, a Warlock unsure of the truth of his past but certain of his main goal, a bard seeking her family’s shadowy past, a Paladin seeking redemption and purpose, to a Sorcerer whose journey has led to an awakening of an ancient Draconic blood, each has brought something new to the story.

Deviating from the Recipe

As I had mentioned prior, I view a published adventure like Curse of Strahd like an outline. The big elements exist, but there are a lot of fine details just waiting to be filled in by me when I start the adventure. While a lot of that can be done without making large changes to the adventure itself, sometimes as a Dungeon Master you will feel the call to change the world you will play in. I discovered this by examining a significant amount of community content for Curse of Strahd.

Anyone who plans on running Curse of Strahd should definitely look at the popular material out there. Creators like Dragnacarta, Lunchbreak Heros, Mandymod, and Wyatt Trull all have taken the time to provide alterations, additions, and changes that take the adventure and alter it. Some of it seeks to make encounters more challenging, while others seek to enhance or improve existing stories. Others just create new encounters that can provide interesting possibilities for the players to explore and interact with.

Just like these amazing creators, you, as a Dungeon Master, might find inspiration while leafing through your campaign. Something might feel incorrect or incomplete based on your experiences or your party composition, leading you to want to flesh out these changes yourself. I did such a thing in my game.

For me, Dragnacarta’s Curse of Strahd Reloaded series has helped me better grasp how to adjust the campaign. Dragnacarta looks at the full campaign, adjusting it from beginning to end while explaining the reasoning. The guide has truly helped me get my footing in this iconic adventure.

(CURSE OF STRAHD SPOILERS BELOW)

(Art: Magic the Gathering by Cliff Childs)

In Curse of Strahd, the Amber Temple holds power and temptation for the players. One of those comes in the forms of Vestiges, slivers of ancient evil gods locked away in Amber Sarcophagi. These entities offer the players the possibility of power, but often at a heavy cost. One such being offers the ability to bring any being back from the dead through True Resurrection, in returning for turning the user’s appearance into that of a rotting corpse. I loved this idea, but felt the official material was lacking in its execution. These entities offered small deals and felt somewhat shallow in their identities. I knew I wanted more, so I rewrote them.

The beings I made were all ancient elder gods of various forms of fears. These beings fed off of inflicting their various fears into mortals, and feeding off of the terror created because of it. In my Barovia, one entity, Vampyr, had escaped through a pact made with Strahd. These new beings, now a being born of the fear of being hunted and exsanguinated, had full reign to feast off the fears created in within the boundaries of Barovia. I had various fears for each entity. Each offered certain powers that would align with its chosen fears, granting power while the user inflicted such a fear onto others, feeding the entity. While this was a quite involved process, I was happy with the results. The party now had more interesting powers to consider bargaining with.

Playing to Your Crowd

While different player characters can call for different stories, the players themselves can also create the need for those same deviations in those stories. Players, like characters, also have likes and dislikes. Two major things can cause these deviations: likes and dislikes.

Imagine if you have a player that, in preparing for the campaign, mentioned that they wanted to lean more into the social pillar for their character. They have a character with a background of full of royal meetings and being able to understand and appease a target. To ensure player enjoyment, create opportunities for the character to shine. While you certainly could find areas in a written adventure, try to adjust or write situations where the character can really shine.

Alternatively, imagine you have a player that has told you they have a strong case of arachnophobia. Maybe they mentioned it ahead of time, or it was mentioned during the pre-campaign pitch. Your adventure is mostly spider-free, but a few areas have swarms and giants spiders. Being aware of your player, you will want to replace the spiders with something else entirely.

In my Curse of Strahd game, I had a player very interested in time related magic. They played a Chronurgy Magic Wizard whose background had events involved issues with time shifting around them. Due to this, I made sure there would be character hooks for them to build off of.

Both examples can lead to you as a Game Master wanting to rewrite the story a bit. Whether it’s to pull a player in more, or avoid an unpleasant situation, you will end up sculpting the story to make it your own.

Tips for Making Campaigns Your Own

If you’re reading this, you might be eager to dive in and personalize your campaign. Maybe the idea of starting your own adventure with a pre-written module like “Curse of Strahd” is even sparking some excitement. But before you take the plunge, let me share a few tips to ensure you make the most out of tailoring your campaign. These suggestions are aimed at helping you navigate the process efficiently, enhancing your game while preserving the essence of the original adventure.

Fully Read the Adventure, Then Explore Community Modifications: It’s crucial to get the complete picture of the campaign first. Afterwards, examine the modifications made by others. This doesn’t mean you have to adopt these changes, but it’s useful to understand the reasoning behind popular community modifications. It could spark some great ideas for your own game.
Discuss with Your Players & Keep the Conversation Going: Give a high-level overview of what to expect in the campaign to your players. Include themes, play styles, and potential triggers, and ask for their input. This feedback will be key in shaping the adventure. And don’t stop there – keep checking in with your players to see how they’re feeling about the game as it progresses.
Change Thoughtfully and Keep the Big Picture in Mind: There’s a lot of fun in tweaking a module, but every change should have a reason. Too many adjustments can overshadow the core of the pre-written adventure. Always ask yourself: “Does this change enhance the story and experience?”
Enjoy the Process and Avoid Burnout: Remember, you’re all gathering to tell a story together and have a great time. If you find changing the campaign becoming too heavy, take a step back. It’s okay to take breaks and come back with renewed energy.

Conclusion

Running "Curse of Strahd" has taught me so much during my time. From the beginning, I've been drawn to this iconic adventure, but I had my doubts at first. Would running a pre-written adventure be as rewarding as crafting a campaign from scratch? To my delight, I discovered that pre-written campaigns offer just as much room for creativity as home-brewing. While “Curse of Strahd” provides the main structure, the magic lies in the details that you bring to it. Your unique party dynamics, player backstories, and your own storytelling flair turn this familiar adventure into something distinctly yours. Each table brings its own flavor, ensuring that even a well-trodden path like “Curse of Strahd” becomes a fresh and memorable journey.

Have you ever taken the helm of a pre-written campaign? How did you put your unique stamp on it? What were your players’ reactions? I’m eager to hear your stories and experiences. Share them in the comments below and let’s celebrate the diverse ways we all bring these adventures to life.

Revamping Pre-Written RPGs: Creative Tips for Dungeon Masters