Keys from the Golden Vault

First and foremost, the premise of 'Keys from the Golden Vault' is wonderfully intriguing. The campaign leans into heist and intrigue themes, giving it an atmosphere that feels less like traditional dungeon crawling and more like a gripping narrative filled with nuance. Each session has provided us with a blend of problem-solving, role-playing opportunities, and, yes, combat when the situation calls for it. However, what I appreciate most is the adventure's emphasis on options beyond combat. The scenarios are thoughtfully crafted, allowing players to tackle challenges using various skills, subterfuge, and clever thinking. The design encourages creativity, making it easy for players to come up with their own tactics to overcome obstacles. It’s been rewarding to watch my groups brainstorm and collaborate on intricate plans to execute their heists, which has led to some delightful and unexpected moments that even I, as the GM, didn’t foresee. The pacing of the adventure is another strong point. Each mission is designed to stand alone if desired, which allows for modularity to use one or some in other campaigns. This structure has made it easy for my players, who often have busy schedules, to jump in and out of sessions while still feeling connected to the overarching story. If I had to nitpick, I would say that some of the NPCs could use a bit more depth. While they serve their roles well, a few of them could benefit from expanded backgrounds or motivations to make interactions feel even more impactful. However, this is something that I can easily flesh out as the GM, so it hasn’t detracted from our enjoyment. The materials provided in the adventure are well-organized and easy to reference, which has helped streamline the GMing process. The art and layout are visually appealing, adding to the overall experience and inspiring me as I prepare for each session. 'Keys from the Golden Vault' has been a fantastic addition to my campaign repertoire, for which I am, at the time of this writing, actively running two tables full of players for. It strikes a wonderful balance between stealth, strategy, and excitement, making it a delight for both new and experienced players. If you’re looking for an adventure that encourages your players to think outside the box and engage creatively with the story, I highly recommend it. My players are having a blast, and so am I!

Keys from the Golden Vault is a very versatile collection of one-shot adventures that can be strung together rather easily to create a campaign. It's not difficult for a GM to create a throughline, and the high-stakes heists are a fun and engaging challenge for the players. This is a great module whether you're looking to play one session or thirteen!

Finally, a D&D book that asks, “What if your players actually had to think before kicking down the door?” Keys from the Golden Vault is Ocean’s Eleven meets high fantasy, a collection of heist adventures where your party gets to steal, infiltrate, and cause absolute chaos—assuming they don’t botch their stealth rolls immediately and turn the whole thing into a discount version of The Fast and the Furious. Instead of the usual “go kill the bad guy” routine, this book gives you missions that require planning, deception, and creative problem-solving. Will your players pull off the perfect job? Or will they alert every guard in a 5-mile radius and set the vault on fire? (Hint: It’s probably the second one.) Pros: ✔ A refreshing twist on D&D—less dungeon crawling, more tactical shenanigans. ✔ Heists have multiple solutions, meaning your party can get creative (or completely derail everything). ✔ The Golden Vault is basically Mission Impossible—your crew gets secret jobs from a mysterious organization, and that’s just cool. Cons: ✘ If your players are murderhobos, they will be VERY confused. ✘ Planning a heist requires brain power, which means some groups will spend 90% of the session debating step one. ✘ Your rogue will be smug the entire time. Final Verdict: If your group wants high-stakes capers, disguises, and elaborate schemes, this is one of the best adventure books D&D has put out. If they prefer hacking goblins to pieces and looting their shoes, this will feel like a very weird job interview. 9/10 - Roll Stealth or Roll Initiative.