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Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is set within the iconic city of Waterdeep. Situated along the Sword Coast, the western coast of the continent of Faerûn in the world of Toril, also known as the Forgotten Realms.

Where does Waterdeep: Dragon Heist take place?

While Waterdeep: Dragon Heist does not have a specific year attached to it, it is assumed to take place in the year 1492 DR in the Forgotten Realms. The story takes place after the adventures within "Hoard of the Dragon Queen," "The Rise of Tiamat," "Princes of the Apocalypse," and "Tomb of Annihilation," but does not directly depend on any of these adventures.

When does Waterdeep: Dragon Heist take place?

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is designed to take characters from 1st - 5th level.

The average duration of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is between 15-20 3-hour sessions, however, depending on your interest in faction missions, investigating mysteries, or exploring all that Waterdeep has to offer, the amount of time it takes to complete Waterdeep: Dragon Heist can vary drastically from group to group.

How long does it take to finish Waterdeep: Dragon Heist?

Published in 2018, "Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage" picks up where Dragon Heist leaves off, and takes characters all the way from level 5 to 20!

What adventure comes after Waterdeep: Dragon Heist?

A solid module that has plenty of intrigue and social interaction as well as plenty of combat, particularly with the Alexandrian Remix my DM used to mix things up.  It made a great level 1-5 (hit 6 upon completion) campaign that we've now used to launch into an open-world sandbox around the Sword Coast and the North, based out of Waterdeep.

Jason

Finally, a D&D adventure that isn’t about crawling through dungeons but instead throws your party into Waterdeep’s high-stakes criminal underworld, where they can scheme, betray, and backstab their way to fortune—or die trying.

Despite the title, this is NOT a traditional heist adventure. There’s no “gather your crew, break into the vault” moment. Instead, the campaign is more of a city-based treasure hunt, where different factions, villains, and shady nobles are all vying for a massive hoard of stolen gold (aka the “Dragons,” which are Waterdeep’s gold coins).

The adventure heavily depends on which villain the DM chooses—each one changes the season, motivations, and key events. Your players will likely get caught up in crime syndicates, noble feuds, and the occasional fireball explosion in a crowded street.

Pros:
✔ Fantastic setting—Waterdeep feels alive, full of intrigue, politics, and crime waiting to unfold.
✔ A more social and roleplay-heavy adventure—you can go entire sessions without rolling for initiative (unless you annoy the wrong people).
✔ Multiple villain options keep it fresh—each villain changes the entire campaign’s tone and conflicts.
✔ Your party gets their own tavern—which always leads to ridiculous business ventures and side quests.

Cons:
✘ The heist is misleading—there’s no single elaborate vault-breaking moment, just a city-wide scavenger hunt for gold.
✘ Which villain you pick changes a LOT—so if the DM doesn’t prepare, some plot points can feel disconnected.
✘ Combat is light—great for social players, but murderhobos will be confused and frustrated.
✘ The finale can feel rushed—without DM tweaks, the ending can feel more like a footrace than a true showdown.

Final Verdict:
If your party loves intrigue, roleplay, and urban adventures where every choice has consequences, Dragon Heist is an incredible city-based campaign. If they just want to bash monsters and loot dungeons, they’re going to hate it.

7.5/10 – The Real Heist is the Friends You Betray Along the Way.

DuChampion (JJ)

An urban campaign done right. Waterdeep is alive, brimming with factions and intrigue. Navigate villains in the city underworld. Keep your eyes on the prize. The vault chase feels like an Ocean’s Eleven heist in a fantasy setting.

Perfect for groups who love roleplay and city politics.  Best run as an urban sandbox.  Build a bastion along the way!

Noralf

This adventure set in Waterdeep has some of the best replay ability for a DnD module. With hooks for different villains, events, and interactions, Dragon Heist makes for a great introduction to the setting while helping players find their footing in a massive city. The adventure gives good guide rails for players to help them find the story and stay invested in it. The situations they find themselves in require special thought as the Laws of Waterdeep, and the people that enforce them tend to be pretty powerful compared to the group.

I do think that this adventure is made better if the Game Master is able to combine some of the plotlines rather than only focusing on one. The villains introduced are all interesting and favorites of those familiar with the setting, and giving players a chance to interact with them all as friends or foes can lead to some great roleplay. The ‘heist’ of this adventure feels a bit misleading as it ends up being more of a dungeon delve than anything else, but I think adding the tavern and its operation to the players gives them immediate investment into the story. There are a number of resources available to expand this campaign and the city itself which I would encourage anyone planning to run this game to look into.

This is a good campaign if you want something short and exciting to introduce a group to the setting. It was written with an expectation that Dungeons of the Mad Mage would be run afterward which if you ended up doing, you likely could do even more to expand the city and the people within. If you are running it to the planned level 5, however, I think it has enough of all aspects of play to keep players coming back to the table for more.

Chris

This is one of my favorite DnD modules! So good that is the only module that I have run twice to completion and each time has been very different! It does an extraordinary job at involving politics into a TTRPG setting without making it boring, and the vast and detailed information about Waterdeep makes it a very interesting module to play and run.

Atari

A fun campaign for level 1-5 set in the City of Splendors, Waterdeep. As a player, you will interact with numerous factions, have both sandbox-y and more structured chapters of adventure, and get a chance to live out the greatest fantasy of all: owning property! As a GM running this adventure, you will have a choice of four distinct villains, each with their own motivations, and can mix and match these as you choose if you (like me) have trouble deciding on just the one bad guy! Very good adventure for new players, and a good starting point for newer DMs as well - with plenty of room to make it your own, invent your own storylines, and tweak it to your heart's content.

Marius

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is set in a kaleidoscopic city teeming with enemies, festivals, and plot threads, and although the entirety of the campaign takes place in the city, it can be quite engaging, with some wonderful villains and villain lairs in the module. Despite that promise, however, the module requires a lot of work to run: it is very linear, it doesn’t have a heist as such (despite the module title), unless player characters mess up along the way, and many of the encounters could use some sprucing up to encourage interesting and impactful player decisions. With some effort and ties to player backstories, the campaign can be quite engaging.

Justinian

This module is where I got my start as a DM. It is a fun module that lends itself to role play with a side of combat. There are tons of NPC's for players to meet, enjoy, and potentially romance. (Because of course SOMEONE wants to romance the noble!) My players were delighted by the handouts provided, the robust world building that exists for Waterdeep, and the ability to truly immerse themselves and their characters in a city for levels 1 - 5. 
As a DM, this module is a bit challenging, which is where my 4 stars comes from. I won't give away spoilers in a review, but threads can get pretty tangled up if you're not careful. Plan ahead from the start and check out the shared resources online. The plotlines can be assisted with some amazing bonus content out there. 
Personally, I found this to be a great jumping off point for my homegame that has now been running for years. It's a great place to start to really build and learn a crew of PC's.

If you are looking for a game set in a city of political intrigue and not just another dungeon crawl then you are going to love this story.
Set in the magnificent city of Waterdeep on the Sword coast you will be drawn into a story of politics and gang warfare, who's side you choose to take then opens the paths available to you as you hopefully go from strength to strength or get taken out by a big bad boss. 
Another great story from the early days of D&D 5e with the scope to run into a very long term campaign.

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is a unique urban adventure that takes characters from level 1 to 5, setting them loose in the vibrant, intrigue-filled city of Waterdeep. Unlike traditional D&D adventures that focus on dungeon crawling and wilderness exploration, Dragon Heist is all about social encounters, investigation, and faction politics—making it a fantastic choice for groups who enjoy roleplay-heavy campaigns.

The central hook revolves around a hidden treasure trove of half a million gold pieces (dragons) somewhere in Waterdeep. However, the city is full of powerful factions—including the Zhentarim, the Xanathar Guild, the Cassalanters, Jarlaxle Baenre, and Manshoon—all vying for control of the hoard. The players get caught in the middle, forced to navigate an ever-shifting web of alliances and betrayals.

One of the strongest aspects of Dragon Heist is the seasonal villain system. The DM selects one of four villains—Manshoon, Jarlaxle, the Cassalanters, or Xanathar—each of whom alters the adventure’s tone, encounters, and locations. This means the campaign has built-in replayability, allowing different playthroughs to feel fresh.

Waterdeep itself is a fantastic setting, full of colorful NPCs, political intrigue, and opportunities for player-driven storytelling. The adventure provides detailed city maps, faction quests, and plenty of hooks to keep players engaged in Waterdeep’s bustling life. Additionally, players get the chance to own and operate a tavern, adding a fun base-building aspect.

However, the biggest drawback of Dragon Heist is its lack of a true heist. Despite the name, there is no structured heist mechanic—the treasure hunt is more about chasing clues and dealing with rival factions than executing a grand, elaborate theft. Many DMs have modified the adventure to expand or enhance the heist elements, but as written, it can feel like a missed opportunity.

Another issue is the abrupt ending. The storyline wraps up quickly at level 5, and while the treasure hunt itself is engaging, the adventure doesn’t provide much of a resolution beyond that point. DMs who want a more satisfying conclusion will likely need to homebrew additional content or transition into Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage.

Pros:
✅ Vibrant, living city full of intrigue, unique NPCs, and roleplay opportunities
✅ Seasonal villain system offers replayability and varied experiences
✅ Faction politics and moral dilemmas create engaging social encounters
✅ Players get to own a tavern, which adds a fun side activity

Cons:
❌ No actual heist mechanics, despite the adventure’s title
❌ Abrupt ending at level 5, requiring additional content for long-term campaigns
❌ Not ideal for combat-heavy groups, as it leans more toward roleplay and intrigue

Final Verdict:
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is a fantastic urban adventure that shines in roleplaying, investigation, and faction intrigue. While it lacks a true heist and ends a bit too soon, it provides a richly detailed setting and memorable villains, making it a great low-level campaign. For groups who love politics, social manipulation, and city-based adventures, this is one of the best options in D&D 5e.

Darren

I ran this campaign recently for a group who enjoyed investigating a mystery and checking out the many neighbourhoods of Waterdeep. Investigate the seedier areas, meet the nobles and famous criminals of the great city of Waterdeep as you seek out fabled gold (dragons, in local parlance). A good adventure for new players and those who want to run a tavern and explore the big city.

Allison - Ajax DM

Hi, I’m BusyBeeSarms! I started playing DnD in 2018 when I stumbled upon a local group in the Philippines (DnD AL PH) and dove right into Waterdeep: Dragon Heist with my friend N**o as GM. We finished the campaign in Adventurers League, facing the Summer villains and debating which side to back, so many fun memories! As of January 2025, I’ve finally polished my own campaign outline for Dragon Heist, and I’m thrilled with how it turned out.

Dragon Heist is an iconic city-focused adventure that offers fascinating NPCs, rich lore, and varied plot hooks. However, it does demand extra prep and a willingness to fill in narrative gaps, especially if you want a true “heist” feel. Because it’s relatively open-ended, brand-new DMs may find it overwhelming, but with some experience and creativity (and a lot of time and effort), it can really shine. The multiple potential villains keep things fresh and replayable, and if you pour yourself into fleshing out characters and story arcs, you can achieve an incredibly cinematic and story focused campaign. If you like urban intrigue, flexible narratives, and a something super plot-y and cinematic that isn't Curse of Strahd, I’d wholeheartedly recommend giving Waterdeep: Dragon Heist a try, just be ready to put in some work!

Bee Sarmiento

Welcome to Waterdeep, the Crown of the North, where a wondrous tale of urban adventure is about to unfold.

Adventurers gather at the Yawning Portal Inn and Tavern. Volothamp Geddarm, the famous explorer, has a quest for them—one that entangles them in a bitter conflict between two nefarious organizations. If the adventurers complete his quest, Volo will reward them handsomely. But the real prize lies hidden somewhere in the City of Splendors, waiting to be claimed.

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is an urban heist adventure designed to take characters from first level to fifth. Be sure to check out the follow-up adventure, Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage, which picks up where Dragon Heist leaves off.

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

Dungeons & Dragons 5e

Why wait for magic items when you can build your own? The Artificer makes use of tools and science to make magic. This gives you a grab bag of abilities from healing to damage dealing to quickly making a necessary tool. Artificers can enchant normal items to take on magical properties, outfitting their team with powered-up gear or giving themselves a fantasy Iron Man suit. 

Artificer

This one’s for those who love to play the undying tank in video games. Barbarians use their rage to perform great feats of strength and halve incoming damage. You can also channel the protection of the world tree, bond with animals, or just kick butt like Grog from Vox Machina. It’s a simple but rewarding playstyle, one that’s perfect for new players who don’t want to get into the complexities of magic. 

Barbarian

Your inner theatre kid probably brought you to the Bard. This class uses a variety of performance styles to cast spells and inspire other characters. Let your imagination run wild as you unleash your power through dance, song, spirit calling, or sword dancing, to name a few. You’ll be charming enough to talk your way out of a fight, but tricky enough to hinder opponents once the fists start flying. 

Bard

MMO players might see Cleric and think dedicated healer, but that’s not the case. While a Cleric can harness powerful healing magic, their full suite of abilities depend on their god. As such, they can wield damaging radiance, craft illusions bestowed by trickster gods, or become the hammer of a war deity. Clerics end up with a nice balance of damage, utility, and sturdiness. 

Cleric

When you gotta have an animal companion (or twenty) in every game, Druid is for you. Druids draw upon nature’s fury to heal allies, bind enemies, and transform into animals themselves. You can also summon a pet or many deadly pets at higher levels. Become a feral freedom fighter by playing a Druid. 

Druid

If your power fantasy is being the big guy with a big sword, look no further than Fighter. This classic DnD class gives you all the weapons and straightforward rules for using them. Just hit the bad guys a lot. If you want to get tactical, some Fighters can use fancy maneuvers or magic. Whether you want to be swift like Legolas, strong like Guts from Berserk, or versatile like Link from Legend of Zelda, Fighter’s got you covered. 

Fighter

The martial arts fantasy is alive and well in the Monk. While Fighters often rely on heavy armor and lots of weapons, the Monk is meant to move swiftly and strike with many blows. DnD Monks wield an inner power that’s not quite magic but still lets you perform all sorts of gravity-defying maneuvers. As more abilities unlock, you can become a shadowy assassin, heal with your hands, or wield all four elements like the Avatar. 

Monk

The image of a knight in shining armor is iconic to medieval fantasy, and the Paladin delivers with magical flair. They wear armor like the Fighter and can heal like the Cleric, but pack an extra punch with their signature smite. This attack lights your weapon up with divine power and lets you roll extra dice which always feels nice. You can design your Paladin as a holy warrior of justice, guardian of nature, or tortured warrior of vengeance. 

Paladin

Become a lone warrior of the wilds, a wandering blade that protects the fringes of society from evil. The Ranger commands nature magic with pure survival skill to guide the party on long journeys. In battle, they wield weapons with precision to hunt down targets. With level ups, you can boost your Ranger’s abilities with fey powers, shadow magic, or give them a beast companion. 

Ranger

A good stealth character can tear enemies apart from the shadows or discover secrets that stop the battle before it even begins. The Rogue is where you go to get that fantasy. You can choose from a variety of skills to customize your Rogue, such as poisoning your blades to become an assassin, learning magic for illusions, or just being a crafty thief. 

Rogue

The Sorcerer class leans into the glass cannon build popular in video games. Their health is on the lower side and they don’t wear armor, but they cast some of the most powerful spells in the game. Sorcerers also have magical mutations that let you empower your spells beyond those of other spellcasters. You also get to choose the source of your magic, be it eldritch mystery, pure chaos, or the blood of dragons. 

Sorcerer

If you like your magic creepy and mysterious, check out the Warlock. These characters get magic from a patron, which can range from a demonic pact to an unknowable elder god. This unique approach to magic grants warlocks a few spells that they specialize greatly in. When a Warlock takes their turn in combat, everyone notices. Warlocks are also fantastic for roleplay as they have a built-in storyline with their patron. 

Warlock

The original spellcaster, and the one who gets all the spells. Wizards don’t get divine help or a mysterious patron, so they have to learn magic the old-fashioned way: by reading. This allows Wizards to gain more spells than any other class as long as they can find books. Wizards can come to the rescue in almost any situation, as their magic can save allies, fool enemies, boost physical abilities, learn secrets, and blow things up. 

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

Frequently asked questions about Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

Virtual table tops for Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (VTTs)

Buy the book!

Find a Waterdeep: Dragon Heist group and Start Playing today!

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

Frequently asked questions about Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

Where does Waterdeep: Dragon Heist take place?

When does Waterdeep: Dragon Heist take place?

What level is Waterdeep: Dragon Heist?

How long does it take to finish Waterdeep: Dragon Heist?

What adventure comes after Waterdeep: Dragon Heist?

Virtual table tops for Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (VTTs)

Buy the book!

Find a Waterdeep: Dragon Heist group and Start Playing today!