Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt is a massive 5E expansion, seamlessly blending the grim intensity of Soulsborne games with the cosmic dread of Lovecraftian horror.
This supplement invites players to become Jaegers, embarking on perilous hunts against nightmarish entities, all while battling the encroaching tide of madness.
Prepare to delve into a world where liberating cities and uncovering eldritch mysteries are paramount, demanding both skill and a fragile grip on sanity.
The guide offers a unique experience, featuring extensive weapon customization and a campaign structure designed to immerse players in thrilling, unsettling adventures.
Overview of the Setting
Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt unfolds within a decaying world teetering on the brink of annihilation, a realm profoundly influenced by the cyclical appearance of Eldritch Moons. These celestial bodies aren’t mere astronomical events; they are harbingers of chaos, warping reality and unleashing monstrous entities upon the land.
Civilizations cling to existence within fortified cities, desperately attempting to stave off the encroaching darkness. The setting is characterized by a pervasive atmosphere of despair and dread, where the line between reality and nightmare blurs with each passing lunar cycle. Players will navigate through landscapes scarred by eldritch corruption, encountering remnants of fallen kingdoms and forgotten lore.
The world is steeped in a history of failed hunts and shattered defenses, a testament to the overwhelming power of the entities that stalk the shadows. It’s a place where survival demands not only martial prowess but also a resilient mind, capable of withstanding the horrors that lie in wait. The setting is designed to be relentlessly oppressive, fostering a sense of constant vulnerability.
Inspiration: Soulsborne and Lovecraftian Horror
Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt draws heavily from the challenging combat and oppressive atmosphere of the Soulsborne genre – Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro. Expect deliberate, punishing encounters demanding precise timing and strategic thinking, mirroring the intense difficulty found in those titles.
Simultaneously, the setting is deeply rooted in the cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft. The entities encountered aren’t simply powerful monsters; they represent incomprehensible forces beyond human understanding, capable of inducing madness with their very presence. This inspiration manifests in the creature design, the lore, and the overall sense of existential dread.
The fusion creates a unique experience where mechanical challenge is intertwined with psychological horror. Players will face not only formidable foes but also the creeping realization of their own insignificance in the face of cosmic indifference. The guide aims to capture the feeling of desperate struggle against overwhelming odds, a hallmark of both genres.
Core Themes: Madness, Despair, and the Hunt
Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt revolves around three central, interwoven themes. Madness is not merely a narrative element but a core mechanic, impacting characters’ abilities and perceptions as they confront the Eldritch. Despair permeates the setting, reflecting the futility of resisting cosmic forces and the constant threat of annihilation facing the world’s cities.
However, amidst this bleakness, the Hunt provides a desperate purpose. Jaegers, the central class, are driven to confront the Eldritch entities, offering a fragile hope for survival. This hunt isn’t about glory or heroism, but a grim necessity – a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable.
The guide explores the psychological toll of this struggle, forcing players to confront their characters’ breaking points. Every session plunges into thrilling eldritch mystery and madness, testing the limits of sanity and resilience.
The Jaeger: A Central Class
Jaegers are the primary protagonists, elite hunters tasked with confronting the Eldritch horrors plaguing the world, embodying resilience and skill against overwhelming odds.
Jaeger Abilities and Skills
Jaegers possess a diverse skillset focused on both combat prowess and the mitigation of Eldritch influence. Core abilities include Eldritch Sight, allowing glimpses into the unseen world, and Resonant Strikes, channeling energy into devastating attacks.
Skills are categorized into three branches: Weapon Mastery, enhancing combat effectiveness with various armaments; Eldritch Wardings, bolstering defenses against sanity-rending effects; and Hunter’s Instincts, improving tracking and monster knowledge.
Unique abilities like Spectral Step offer tactical mobility, while Rune Etching allows for temporary weapon enhancements. Advanced Jaegers can unlock specializations, further refining their combat style and granting access to powerful, signature techniques. Mastering these skills is crucial for survival against the horrors that await.
The Weapon Workshop plays a vital role in augmenting these abilities.
Weapon Workshop and Customization
The Weapon Workshop is a cornerstone of the Jaeger experience, offering unparalleled customization. Players can combine various components – blades, hilts, runes, and firearm parts – to forge truly unique weapons.
Runes imbue weapons with Eldritch energy, granting effects like spectral flames or chilling frost. Firearm modifications enhance precision, range, or even add elemental damage. The system allows for thousands of possible combinations, catering to diverse playstyles.
Beyond raw stats, customization impacts weapon handling and special abilities. A blade might gain a parry bonus, while a firearm could unlock a charged shot. This workshop isn’t merely about power; it’s about crafting a weapon that reflects the Jaeger’s individual approach to the hunt, ensuring no two armaments are ever truly alike;
This level of detail extends to the Jaeger’s overall Progression.
Progression and Specializations
Jaeger Progression isn’t simply about leveling up; it’s about mastering the Hunt and resisting the encroaching madness. Experience gained from defeating Eldritch entities and completing objectives unlocks new abilities and enhances existing ones.
Specializations allow Jaegers to refine their skills along distinct paths. Options include the ‘Nightblade,’ focusing on stealth and swift strikes, or the ‘Warden,’ specializing in defensive tactics and bolstering allies. Another path is the ‘Artillerist’, mastering ranged combat and explosive weaponry.
Each specialization grants unique talents and modifies core Jaeger abilities. As Jaegers advance, they gain access to powerful ‘Eldritch Techniques’ – desperate measures fueled by a fragment of the entities they hunt, offering immense power at a significant cost to their sanity.
This intricate system encourages players to define their Jaeger’s role within the perilous world.
Eldritch Entities and Monsters
Steinhardt’s Guide presents nightmarish creatures influenced by Eldritch Moons, demanding strategic tactics and exploiting unique weaknesses for survival against annihilation.
Nightmarish Creature Design
Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt doesn’t simply re-skin existing monsters; it delivers truly unsettling and original creature designs, deeply rooted in both Lovecraftian and Soulsborne aesthetics.
Expect to encounter beings warped by eldritch energies, exhibiting grotesque anatomies and unsettling behaviors. These aren’t just enemies to defeat; they are manifestations of cosmic horror, designed to evoke a sense of dread and psychological discomfort.
The guide emphasizes visual storytelling, with each monster’s appearance hinting at its origins, powers, and the fate of those who encountered it before. Creature designs are intricately detailed, providing ample inspiration for Game Masters to describe them vividly and create truly memorable encounters.
Furthermore, the creatures aren’t merely powerful; they are wrong – violating natural laws and challenging the players’ understanding of reality, amplifying the feeling of helplessness against the encroaching darkness.
The Influence of Eldritch Moons
Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt introduces a dynamic celestial element: the Eldritch Moons. These aren’t merely aesthetic additions; they exert a tangible influence on the game world, dramatically altering encounters and the very fabric of reality.
Different moon phases trigger unique effects, ranging from increased monster aggression and the manifestation of new, terrifying creatures, to shifts in the local environment and the intensification of madness-inducing phenomena.
The moons’ influence isn’t static; their cycles are unpredictable, forcing Jaegers to adapt and strategize based on the current lunar alignment. This creates a sense of constant unease and reinforces the feeling of being at the mercy of cosmic forces.
GMs can utilize the Eldritch Moons to introduce unexpected challenges and narrative twists, ensuring that no two hunts are ever quite the same, and heightening the overall atmosphere of dread.
Monster Weaknesses and Tactics
Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt doesn’t present monsters as simple damage sponges. Each nightmarish creature possesses unique weaknesses and requires tailored tactics for effective engagement. Brute force alone is rarely sufficient.
The guide details specific vulnerabilities – some to particular weapon types, others to elemental damage, and still others to exploiting behavioral patterns. Understanding these weaknesses is crucial for Jaeger survival.
Tactics extend beyond simply what to attack with, encompassing positioning, timing, and utilizing the environment. Many monsters are susceptible to traps, lures, or exploiting their own inherent flaws.
Furthermore, the guide emphasizes that monsters aren’t monolithic; variations exist, each with subtle differences in abilities and weaknesses, demanding adaptability and observation from players. Successful hunts require preparation and cunning.
Madness and Sanity Mechanics
Steinhardt’s Guide features sanity as a vital resource, constantly threatened by encounters with eldritch horrors, leading to debilitating effects and potential character unraveling.
Sanity as a Resource
Within Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt, sanity isn’t merely a narrative element; it’s a core mechanical resource, functioning much like hit points, but for the mind. Jaegers begin with a maximum sanity score, and this value is diminished through exposure to the horrific realities of the Eldritch world.
Unlike traditional saving throws against fear, sanity loss is often inevitable, representing the psychological toll of witnessing cosmic horrors. Encounters with Eldritch Entities, the influence of the Eldritch Moons, and even the discovery of forbidden knowledge all contribute to the erosion of a Jaeger’s mental fortitude.
The system emphasizes that sanity isn’t simply “lost”; it’s spent. Players may choose to deliberately sacrifice sanity to gain temporary advantages, such as heightened senses or bursts of unnatural strength, creating a compelling risk-reward dynamic. This mechanic reflects the desperate measures taken by those who confront the abyss.
Effects of Losing Sanity
As Jaegers in Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt succumb to the horrors they face, losing sanity manifests in tangible, debilitating effects. These aren’t simply roleplaying prompts; they are mechanically represented through a tiered system of mental afflictions.
Initial sanity loss may trigger minor quirks – unsettling obsessions, fleeting hallucinations, or a growing distrust of allies. However, as sanity depletes further, these effects escalate into more severe conditions, such as debilitating phobias, uncontrollable panic attacks, or even temporary bouts of catatonia.
Critically, sanity loss can also grant “Eldritch Boons” – twisted gifts bestowed by the entities themselves, offering power at the cost of further mental degradation. These boons represent a descent into madness, blurring the line between hunter and hunted. Ultimately, complete loss of sanity results in permanent derangement, rendering the Jaeger incapable of continuing the hunt.
Recovering from Madness
Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt acknowledges that the relentless horrors take a toll, and offers pathways – though arduous – to recover from the brink of madness. Simple rest rarely suffices; true healing requires confronting the source of trauma or seeking specialized aid.
Certain rare herbs and alchemical concoctions can temporarily stabilize a fractured mind, offering respite but not a cure. More potent recovery comes through ritualistic practices, often involving confronting personal demons or undergoing harrowing psychological trials.
Furthermore, finding solace in companionship, sharing burdens with trusted allies, and engaging in acts of selfless heroism can slowly mend a shattered psyche. However, the scars of madness linger, and even full recovery may leave a Jaeger forever changed, haunted by the echoes of the Eldritch.
The Hunt and its Objectives
The Hunt centers on liberating cities from annihilation, uncovering eldritch mysteries, and demanding Jaegers confront terrifying entities while preserving their dwindling sanity.
Liberating Cities from Annihilation
Steinhardt’s Guide presents a world teetering on the brink, where cities aren’t merely threatened, but actively consumed by the encroaching Eldritch influence. The core objective for Jaegers frequently revolves around preventing total annihilation, a task far exceeding simple monster slaying.
Each city possesses unique vulnerabilities and escalating stages of corruption, demanding strategic intervention and careful resource management. Players must investigate the source of the blight – often a nexus of Eldritch energy or a particularly potent entity – and sever its connection to the urban center.
Liberation isn’t guaranteed; failure results in the city’s fall, adding a layer of grim consequence to every decision. Success, however, offers temporary respite, allowing the populace to rebuild and providing the Jaegers with valuable resources and information for the ongoing Hunt. The fate of civilization rests on their shoulders.
Uncovering Eldritch Mysteries
Steinhardt’s Guide doesn’t simply present monsters to be slain; it weaves a complex tapestry of forgotten lore and cosmic secrets. A central pillar of the campaign involves Jaegers piecing together fragmented knowledge about the Eldritch entities, their origins, and the nature of the encroaching madness.
This investigation takes the form of deciphering ancient texts, exploring haunted ruins, and interrogating (or extracting information from) those touched by the Eldritch. Each discovery unveils a piece of a larger, terrifying puzzle, often raising more questions than answers.
Uncovering these mysteries isn’t merely academic; it provides crucial insights into monster weaknesses, potential countermeasures, and the ultimate goal of the Hunt. However, delving too deep risks attracting unwanted attention and accelerating the loss of sanity.
The Role of the Hunter
Within Steinhardt’s Guide, the Hunter – or Jaeger – isn’t a traditional hero, but a desperate bulwark against annihilation. They are tasked with protecting dwindling pockets of civilization from the horrors unleashed by the Eldritch influence, a role demanding both combat prowess and mental fortitude.
Jaegers operate on the fringes of society, often viewed with suspicion due to their proximity to madness and the unsettling nature of their work. They are investigators, monster slayers, and, ultimately, the last line of defense against complete cosmic unraveling.
Their actions directly impact the fate of cities and settlements, determining whether they succumb to the Eldritch or endure. The weight of this responsibility, coupled with the constant threat to their sanity, defines the Jaeger’s existence.
Gameplay and System Integration (5e)
Steinhardt’s Guide adapts 5th Edition rules, introducing new mechanics for sanity, weapon customization, and Eldritch influence, enhancing the immersive Soulsborne experience.
Adapting 5th Edition Rules
Steinhardt’s Guide doesn’t simply overlay a theme onto 5th Edition; it thoughtfully adapts and expands upon the existing framework to capture the unique feel of the Soulsborne and Lovecraftian inspirations.
Core class features are modified to emphasize deliberate action and resource management, mirroring the punishing yet rewarding combat of the source material. Existing skills receive nuanced interpretations, reflecting the setting’s focus on investigation, occult knowledge, and resisting mental corruption.
The guide introduces a layered approach to combat, prioritizing positioning, timing, and stamina – concepts central to the Soulsborne experience. Furthermore, it builds upon existing 5e rules to create a dynamic system for weapon modification, allowing for thousands of unique combinations, from eldritch-infused blades to spectrally precise firearms.
This isn’t about replacing 5e, but rather enriching it with mechanics that amplify the themes of desperation, resilience, and the constant struggle against overwhelming odds.
New Rules and Mechanics
Steinhardt’s Guide introduces several key mechanics to enhance the atmosphere of dread and challenge. Central to this is the Sanity system, functioning as a crucial resource alongside hit points, directly impacting a character’s abilities and perceptions.
The “Eldritch Resonance” mechanic governs the influence of the otherworldly moons, introducing unpredictable events and altering monster behaviors. A unique “Weapon Workshop” system allows for extensive customization, enabling players to craft truly unique armaments with specialized properties.
Furthermore, the guide features a “Stamina” system, vital for combat and exploration, demanding strategic resource management. “Corruption” tracks the lingering effects of exposure to eldritch energies, leading to both debilitating drawbacks and potential, albeit dangerous, benefits.
These additions aren’t merely bolted on; they’re interwoven with the 5e ruleset, creating a cohesive and immersive experience.
Campaign Structure and Flow
Steinhardt’s Guide facilitates a campaign built around a series of interconnected “Hunts,” each focused on investigating and ultimately confronting an Eldritch threat plaguing a specific location.
The flow is deliberately non-linear, allowing players to choose which cities to liberate and which mysteries to unravel, fostering a sense of agency and consequence. Each Hunt typically progresses through stages: investigation, preparation, confrontation, and aftermath, with the latter influencing future events.
The overarching narrative involves uncovering the source of the Eldritch influence, a task demanding exploration, puzzle-solving, and difficult moral choices.
Campaigns can range from localized outbreaks to continent-spanning sagas, adapting to the party’s level and choices. Expect a blend of exploration, combat, and psychological horror, constantly testing the Jaegers’ resolve.