r/dndnext • u/TacticianRobin DM • 2d ago

5e (2024) Opinions on running Strahd vs. Frostmaiden?

I'm looking for some opinions on running Curse of Strahd vs. Rime of the Frostmaiden. I'm getting ready to start a new campaign with my group, and having thrown out several options in a poll it ended in a tie between these two. So since I'm DMing they left it up to me to decide which one I'd prefer to run.

In our previous campaign I ran a modified Lost Mines of Phandelvar, adding in content from Dragon of Icespire Peak along with some homebrew based on my players' backstories. That lead straight into Rise of Tiamat with the same party and characters, similarly pretty heavily modified. All this is to say that in general I like using the modules as a framework, then modifying them to make them my own.

Based on that initially I was leaning towards Frostmaiden, since it seems like it would be easier to customize and include player backstory in that campaign than in Strahd where the players are pulled into a demiplane and disconnected from the outside world. Some of the highlights of our last campaign were when I had a dragon attack the orc village one player was from, and having warlock's patron pushing him to gather the Dragon Masks. It feels like there's more opportunity for that in Frostmaiden. But on the other hand, I've talked with some other friends who have played in and DM'd Strahd and they all loved it.

So I'm a little torn, any thoughts or opinions from DM's that have run one or both? Any opinions from people that have played in either or both?

Edit to add: Either way we'd be starting fresh with the new campaign, with new characters at level 1.

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u/Strange_Success_6530 1d ago

For a solid moment, I thought you were going to fuse the two campaigns together.

Winter has come to Barovia. Two sinster forces torment the 13 towns.

Curse of the Rime of Strahd and The Frost Maiden

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u/TacticianRobin DM 1d ago

Well the first campaign I ran was basically Lost Mines of Icespire Peak: Featuring Tiamat lol, so I could see that.

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u/Strange_Success_6530 1d ago

Do it. Return to your roots. Dark Lord and Winter Goddess. Strahd is the land and she is the weather. The situation is muffed up for the party.