Curse of Strahd designer says Strahd is an irredeemable monster

For the 10th anniversary of Curse of Strahd, principal designer Chris Perkins insists Strahd von Zarovich should remain an irredeemable villain. Perkins notes Strahd murdered his brother and his wife out of jealousy, turned a literal angel into Doctor Moreau, and exterminated his own worshipers out of boredom, and said, “In the original Ravenloft, Strahd is irredeemably evil, and you don't feel bad about killing him, nor should you, because that's the whole point of the adventure.” Perkins argues fidelity to the original portrayal matters: “No,” he said when asked if he would change Strahd today.

“I feel pretty strongly that you have to be faithful to the original. Otherwise, create something new. If you want to create a sympathetic villain, create a new sympathetic villain. Doing something that fundamentally different means Strahd is no longer Strahd.” He describes the character as “an irredeemable predator monster,” a clarity of villainy that echoes classic D&D’s simpler moral lines.

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