D&D General WotC Reveals New Information and Covers for 'Keys from the Golden Vault'

Due in just a few weeks, Keys from the Golden Vault has receoved little fanfare so far. However, a cover and descrioption has appeared on the Wizards Play Network site. Wizards Play Network (WPN) is a network of WotC-approved stores.

An anthology of 13 heist-themed adventures for the world’s greatest roleplaying game.
 
Some jobs require more than simply wielding a sword or slinging a spell. Whether it’s procuring a well-guarded item or obtaining crucial information from an imprisoned contact, these tasks require careful planning and flawless execution. The secretive organization called the Golden Vault specializes in hiring crews for such jobs, and for the most daunting assignments—pursuing fabulous treasures and stopping dire threats—that crew is your characters.
Keys from the Golden Vault™ is a collection of 13 short, standalone Dungeons & Dragons adventures designed for characters levels 1–11. These adventures can be placed in any setting and you can run them as one-shot games or link them together into a campaign. This book also includes in-world maps to help players plan their heists, plus advice for running nontraditional games with high risks and huge rewards.

Contents:

• Book of 13 stand-alone adventures spanning levels 1–11, each focused on a single heist
• Adventures can be set in any D&D or homebrew world and can be played individually or as part of a full campaign
• Introduces the Golden Vault—a mysterious organization for which the player characters can work as heist operatives
• Each adventure includes a map to guide Dungeon Masters and a map to help players plan their heists
• Adventures emphasize player choice with each heist having multiple paths toward success
• Includes advice and detailed information for Dungeon Masters running nontraditional adventures with high risks and huge rewards

There's also an alternate cover.

 

[darjr]

Weird choice to not mention it in the marketing copy that they use to pitch the book to retailers, then.

I believe there was a dragon talk recently, since this started.

Also I think he’s been active on his public socials.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I believe there was a dragon talk recently, since this started.

Also I think he’s been active on his public socials.

 

[toucanbuzz]

Three thoughts.

1. Looks a bit like the Cornish Pixies from Harry Potter.

2. WOTC just needs to revise D&D characters to max out at 11th level and be done with it.

3. That guy looks way too happy for sliding down a rope with a bare-hand.

 

[darjr]

Well jokes on you for I am famous for being dense.

 

[Stormonu]

I wonder if the Wizkids “biggie” mini of the quasit is supposed to coincide with the release of this adventure.

Also, I’m fine with it ending at level 11. I have no love of “Avengers Assemble” that the game becomes past 9th level.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I’m fine with it ending at level 11. I have no love of “Avengers Assemble” that the game becomes past 9th level.

I think it's probably good once. My long-running campaign is planned out through level 20 -- we're currently at level 9 -- but I expect everything after that will just be a "one year later" montage by the players, as they go off and do various things, many of them epic level and beyond what I have the desire to wrangle.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

Certainly possible.....but giving up a percent of profit is better than having no profit. Like, I'd rather make so much money I have to pay a higher amount of taxes, than not make any money and have a low tax bill.....

Well sure, but WotC would have to front the costs for the book and would see less of the profit. WotC maintains a limited (and within that limitation pretty full) release schedule of books to ensure they each have a chance to get in front of consumers' eyes and don't compete with each other excessively for consumers' dollars, so a movie tie-in would (in this "they have to share tie-in profits" scenario which may or may not be true) supplant something they don't have to share profits on. It is notable that the times they have brand-partnered on 5e book products it has generally involved the brand partner substantially contributing to the writing of the book (I know that's the case with the Wildemount book, the Acq. Inc. book, and the Rick and Morty box set, I can't speak to the Stranger Things box set) which both saves costs for them and gives the product additional prestige. Which may also mean that the movie tie-in book, box set, or whatever will come at some point after someone tied to the movie who also has a D&D background gets a draft in.

 

[ersatzphil]

I believe there was a dragon talk recently, since this started.

Huh, has their been? I usually catch it when it hits YouTube, but they've been silent there for a month.

Edit: Hmph, there totally has been. I suppose they're shying away from venues that allow for comments.

 

[Cadence]

I do wonder what the contract looks like between Paramount and Hasbro. And all of the other folks with contracts.

It's possible Paramount and others get a cut of the movie tie in merch and Hasbro doesn't want to share

I assume it's not even as bad as 25% of all revenues over $750k for.the Hasbro produced stuff...

 

[Parmandur]

I assume it's not even as bad as 25% of all revenues over $750k for.the Hasbro produced stuff...

Paramount is the one licensing the property, not the other way around.

Though in terms of that number, the scuttlebutt I heard is that, one, 15-25% isn't unheard of for an IP holder, and two, it's always on revenue.