Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft is the newest Dungeons & Dragons book, which is set to release on May 18th. It will take players through some classic horror-themed settings and is a follow-up to one of the most beloved campaigns of D&D 5th edition: Curse of Strahd. However, some people may be wondering who Van Richten actually is.
After starting out as an adventure module taking place in Strahd's castle, Ravenloft eventually became its own campaign setting and universe. The book, Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, will feature an impressive bestiary of monsters and adds several new D&D subclasses to 5e. For anyone who loved 5e's Curse of Strahd or any of the older Ravenloft modules, Van Richten's Guide seems especially great. So, just who is Van Richten anyway?
Dr. Rudolph Van Richten is a fictional vampire hunter and author. In D&D's universe, he's written a lot of books on monsters and the supernatural. Based off of Van Helsing from Bram Stoker's classic novel, Dracula, Van Richten is a go-to authority when it comes to vampires and other things that go bump in the night. So, it makes a lot of sense that Van Richten will appear in the Ravenloft campaign setting.
Van Richten's History With Dungeons & Dragons Explained
Dr. Rudolph Van Richten's history with Dungeons & Dragons goes all the way back to the early Ravenloft adventure modules. He was featured in the Bleak House modules of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the 1990s as well, and appeared in D&D's 5th edition with Curse of Strahd. Because of this, many longtime players will already be somewhat familiar with Van Richten, since he's been a part of Dungeons & Dragons for over thirty years.
For newcomers - or anyone else unfamiliar with Van Richten - the most important things to know about him is that he's well-versed in vampire lore and an excellent (but aging) vampire hunter. After a somewhat small but notable appearance in Curse of Strahd, it will be interesting to see if and how Van Richten will play a larger role in Ravenloft's book - and what kind of fate befalls him.
Curse of Strahd has been one of the most popular D&D campaigns for 5e, and Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft looks like a great follow-up for the setting. Dr. Rudolph Van Richten has had a long history with the franchise, so it's great to see the clever vampire hunter returning as well. The Dungeons & Dragons book is set to arrive on May 18th, 2021.
