It's official: D&D is returning to Ravenloft with a new sourcebook: Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft.
Set to launch on May 18, 2021, the new sourcebook will take 5th edition players deeper into gothic realms beyond just Barovia, introducing elements for more than 30 domains of dread!
The book will include "tools to create their own horrific stories" but will also detail a unique Darklord for each domain, AND include a ready-to-play adventure! It sounds like a wealth of new content.
The sourcebook will also include new monsters (appropriately themed, certainly), lineages, and subclasses. Some of the lineages we can confirm include the recently released Dhampir, Reborn, and Hexblood, which appeared in Unearthed Arcana.
The book also includes more terrifying dark gifts, which offer immense power, but come at a great personal cost. Seen originally in Curse of Strahd, it's unclear whether these Dark Gifts will be completely new, republish what was seen previously, or fall somewhere in between.
The guide introduces two new subclasses, the College of Spirits for bards and the Undead pact for warlocks, as well as new backgrounds and trinkets.
Van Richten, for those who may not be familiar with the origins of the character, was central to many Ravenloft stories in previous editions. He served as guide, or tutor, for those looking to understand the horrors of Ravenloft, very similar to the role that Volo plays in The Forgotten Realms.
Much like 5th edition has Volo's Guide to Monsters, 2nd Edition had Van Richten's Guide to Ghosts, to the Created, etc.. The lore elements of the book looks likely to be in the form of correspondence between Van Richten and other familiar heroes of the setting.
It comes in two cover versions, with the alternate art cover available only in game stores.
Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft releases on May 18, 2021.
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Images courtesy of D&D and used with permission.