My problem? I'm not going to let them win, but I want them to have a chance.
Kind of a contradictory statement. How can they have a chance to win if you're not going to let them get away with it in any case?
Anyway, yes, Strahd is pretty darn powerful. With the DP on his side, temporary defeat is possible but permanent defeat is near-impossible to achieve.
The usual trick of exposing him to sunlight doesn't work as Strahd needs to be exposed for at least 11 rounds to be destroyed (he is Ancient) but his contingency will teleport him to safety during the first round.
Dimensional Anchor/Lock would do wonders here, as would Greater Dispel Magic (to take care of his Contingency).
A stake through the heart would work too but good luck given his DR! A +2 Heartseeker spear could do the trick but given that's the equivalent of a +7 total bonus, not everyone will be able to afford one...
Their best bet would be to find effective ways to deal with the dozens (if not hundreds) minions Strahd will summon to his side at the slightest hint of trouble and then finish him off with one of the two methods outlined above. Of course, Strahd isn't going to stand still while this happens so I won't place any money on your PC unless they manage to corner him far away from Castle Ravenloft and during a moment of temporary weakness.
Possible ways to improve their chances:
- having a 6th level (or higher) Herald of Dawn (Gaz1 PrC) on their side (for his Strike of the Rosy Dawn ability)
- get help from: Azalin, Inajira, Malocchio or another one of Strahd's powerful (but, alas, totally unreliable) enemies
- have a fiend perform a power ritual in Barovia at the exact same time they attack Strahd. That could weaken him just enough to give the PC a fighting chance. Good luck on (finding &) convincing a fiend though!
- use the current incarnation of Tatiana as bait (not a "good" act..)
Ah well, nobody said it would be easy...
- get help from: Azalin, Inajira, Malocchio or another one of Strahd's powerful (but, alas, totally unreliable) enemies
Inajira might be especially fun as I suspect that he secretly would sabotage the group-- why let Strahd get out of his suffering so easily as long as he's still stuck here?
- have a fiend perform a power ritual in Barovia at the exact same time they attack Strahd. That could weaken him just enough to give the PC a fighting chance. Good luck on (finding &) convincing a fiend though!
And this sounds like an excellent case of "what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul"...
Inajira might be especially fun as I suspect that he secretly would sabotage the group-- why let Strahd get out of his suffering so easily as long as he's still stuck here?
And this sounds like an excellent case of "what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul"...
You could even combine the two..
PC: "Say, you hate Strahd, don't you? So, if you agree to perform a power ritual at the exact time we strike him, he'll go down and you'll have your vengeance!"
Inajira: "Why, certainly! What a masterful plan. Of course, given I would literally risk my life to help you, I am going to have to ask you a little thing in return. Oh, not much. Just sign here in this big black book. Don't mind the leathery cover. No, but really."
Later, as the combat begins
PC: "Inajira, NOW!"
Inajira: "I beg your pardon? Oh, the ritual. Well, rest assured I'll go through it some day. Just not today. Hey, why the dark look? I wasn't the one who forgot to specify a time frame here. Don't worry though, even if you lose, Strahd won't have your immortal soul to toy with. It's mine already..."
Also, about Tatyana, IMC the PCs will go to Hazlan for some reason I havn't figured out yet. They will get lost and be cought outside at night, enough to make any Barovian panick, then madame Eva shows up because she sensed that the liberation of the Vistani depended on her being there. She will escort them to Hazlan, where they will meet Tara (Tatyana) and try to convince her to come back to Barovia. They fail at first, but after the PCs have a few more adventures, she decides she should have listend to them, and is waiting for them the next time they get home from adventuring. Madame Eva is telling the Vistani to keep quiet, because one of the PCs is actually Sergei reincarnated (though he dosn't know it) and will be the only one other than Laryssa that can ascend the throne, and can quite easily override her by pretending to be Strahd's son after he dies (as Strahd did so many times with himself) he can then help the Vistani in many ways. Eva knows Strahd will eventually find out on his own, but she's trying to give the PCs as much time to get ready to face Strahd as she can.
Eventually Strahd finds out on his own, and captures Tara. Eva shows up, and offers the PCs infromation on Strahd if they promise to help the Vistani afterwards she dosn't tell them about the reincarnation, she's trusting them to figure that out for themselves. So, how long would it take Strahd to find out about Tara without the help of the Vistani? how much does Eva know about Strahd (she won't offer suggestions, just information)? And how will Tara's presence affect Strahd? I imagine it will at least give him a penalty on concentration checks. Sorry if this is long.
Barovia without Strahd
One way to pull this off is a Contingency perhaps you may choose to have him use a Thinaun dagger (Complete Warrior pg.136).
It's tricky to work out but you might manage to have a Contingency linked with a Raise Dead cast earlier by a Dominated cleric of Lathander. You should leave clues about this before hand without giving it away. Now Strahd has used the PCs to regain his mortality. Perhaps in time for Tatyana's return? He will have another Contingency put into place immediately however, so that if he dies at their hands again he rises as a vampire.
Another option is for him to have used the Magic Jar spell. Strahd could be possessing a doppelganger. He would have all of his non-vampire abilities, he will look like Strahd, have his mind, but be able to safely return to his body if killed. If he casts the spell Kiss of the Vampire he will have of the vampire abilities in his doppelganger’s body. In this case however he should be wearing a fake von Zarovich ruby, he will never allow the real one to be lost. Plus it's a great clue that something is wrong.
Of course there are many scenarios you could use. Have fun!
Kind of a contradictory statement. How can they have a chance to win if you're not going to let them get away with it in any case?
What I ment was that I wasn't going to just hand them victory. Of course I'll let them win fair and square, but I won't "let them win". Y'know what I mean?
And by getting their hands on the holy symbol of ravenkind, the PC would actually have a chance to accomplish their goal (although the dark powers probably wouldn't allow Stradh to be killed (as seen in the first novel) - but at least banished for some time). Depending on your timeframe, you might even include Jander as a potential ally for the PCs.
Making use of Stradhs opponents - as has been pointed out already - might or might not work.
I personally would include all three elements; the holy symbol of ravenkind, Tatjana as a possible bait and one (or more) of Stradh's enemies...