D&D General Keys from the Golden Vault look through.

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The Yawning Portal writeup was both odd, and completely irrelevant to the assembly of Adventures, so I think this may be about a wash with that.

To be fair, the Yawning Portal is a really, really dumb idea.

Yes, let's put a giant pit in the middle of a room full of drunks. Sure, the pit goes down to where a bunch of dangerous monsters are, but don't worry: The drunks are all armed.

 

[pukunui]

The Yawning Portal writeup was both odd, and completely irrelevant to the assembly of Adventures

I can't argue with that. It was very much an optional framing device. It would have made more sense to include that level of detail on the inn in one or both of the Waterdeep adventures.

so I think this may be about a wash with that. Candlekeep and the Radiant Citadel did get quite good write-ups: it strikes me that the reasont o make the Golden Vault so light is that a DM could just make them into Candlekeep or the Radiant Citadel government without blinking an eye, or the Harpers, or the real villains, or what have you. My first thought was to file the serial numbers off the Golden Vault and just make them The Chamber in Eberron, but it looks like it conveniently doesn't need much filing.

Yeah, since there's that hint that dragons are involved, I'm thinking about making the Golden Vault something that Strixhaven's Founder Dragons are involved with so I can use the organization as a side quest giver in my upcoming episodic Strixhaven campaign (which will also include side quests from Candlekeep and Radiant Citadel).

 

[Parmandur]

To be fair, the Yawning Portal is a really, really dumb idea.

Yes, let's put a giant pit in the middle of a room full of drunks. Sure, the pit goes down to where a bunch of dangerous monsters are, but don't worry: The drunks are all armed.

It seems that, Xanathar's Guide and the Waterdeep books were meant to tie into the WB movie thst died on the vine.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Not sure how I feel about a heist-but-not-really book of heists. Just make a book for murderhobos who want to rip people off. Not everything needs to be church group-approved.

I echo the thoughts about there being a missed opportunity in having dragons running a thieves guild. And, again, even good dragons like their hoards -- just let the thieves steal stuff in return for the dragons getting a cut. Not every adventure needs to be about saving the day.

So, for people who've got the book, are there any new monsters, magic items, etc., that would be worth buying piecemeal on DDB?

What are you talking about there are lots of heists.

 

[pukunui]

Not sure how I feel about a heist-but-not-really book of heists. Just make a book for murderhobos who want to rip people off. Not everything needs to be church group-approved.

I'm confused by this, because the whole premise of that other thread is that one of the adventures is very much not church group approved.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

@MonsterEnvy @Zaukrie:
Are there any other new "heist mechanics" in the adventures like the Prisoner 13 "Suspicion" rules?

A few though suspicion is not reused.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

To be fair, the Yawning Portal is a really, really dumb idea.

Yes, let's put a giant pit in the middle of a room full of drunks. Sure, the pit goes down to where a bunch of dangerous monsters are, but don't worry: The drunks are all armed.

Yeah, I don't know how Durnan gets insurance for that place!

 

[Rabbitbait]

The Yawning Portal writeup was both odd, and completely irrelevant to the assembly of Adventures, so I think this may be about a wash with that. Candlekeep and the Radiant Citadel did get quite good write-ups: it strikes me that the reasont o make the Golden Vault so light is that a DM could just make them into Candlekeep or the Radiant Citadel government without blinking an eye, or the Harpers, or the real villains, or what have you. My first thought was to file the serial numbers off the Golden Vault and just make them The Chamber in Eberron, but it looks like it conveniently doesn't need much filing.

Yes, I was thinking The Chamber as well, or possibly a Rakshasa posing as The Chamber. In between adventures the group finds clues to the identity of their benefactor, but it goes much deeper than they think. I like the idea of one secretive faction using another secretive faction as a cover.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

To be fair, the Yawning Portal is a really, really dumb idea.

Yes, let's put a giant pit in the middle of a room full of drunks. Sure, the pit goes down to where a bunch of dangerous monsters are, but don't worry: The drunks are all armed.

Well no the guy built a bar around the giant pit.

 

[Reynard]

Well no the guy built a bar around the giant pit.

At least they spent more than a paragraph on the Yawning Portal.