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

[Parmandur]

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

Yes, bit to what end? It had nothing to do with anything. The Golden Vault is just a plot hook to provide an explanation for why a group of heroic characters would have a career of heisting.

 

[TravDoc42]

Are there any new creatures in the adventures?

 

[pukunui]

Are there any new creatures in the adventures?

Judging by the table of contents, most of the included stats are for named NPCs. The only new monsters that I can see are a Clockwork Defender and a Clockwork Observer. There is also a sidebar on "Ashen Creatures".

 

[Zaukrie]

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?

I don't understand this. Almost none of this can be handled by fighting. It is all heists all the time. Not really many statblocks at all. So, no on the monsters IMO.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

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

It has more than a paragraph.

 

[Reynard]

Yes, bit to what end? It had nothing to do with anything. The Golden Vault is just a plot hook to provide an explanation for why a group of heroic characters would have a career of heisting.

I have been freelance writing for RPGs for a couple decades now, and the number 1 rule is that the stuff you write for RPGs should inspire and enable the GM. It isn't wasted words if it gets the GM thinking about how to use the thing in adventures. Look at Keith Baker's Eberron work -- every paragraph is an adventure seed.

I will not apologize for saying this is straight up lazy development. It's minimal effort to write 2000 adventure seed laden words.

 

[Parmandur]

You know, it strikes me that the Dead in Thay adventure from Yawning Portal could really work as a Golden Vault heist...

 

[Reynard]

It has more than a paragraph.

Ok. Well, multiple people asked and all we got was 2 sentences in response.

 

[Parmandur]

I have been freelance writing for RPGs for a couple decades now, and the number 1 rule is that the stuff you write for RPGs should inspire and enable the GM. It isn't wasted words if it gets the GM thinking about how to use the thing in adventures. Look at Keith Baker's Eberron work -- every paragraph is an adventure seed.

I will not apologize for saying this is straight up lazy development. It's minimal effort to write 2000 adventure seed laden words.

Maybe they did and it was cut for space. The adventure modules are the thing, not the light framework to connect them.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I have been freelance writing for RPGs for a couple decades now, and the number 1 rule is that the stuff you write for RPGs should inspire and enable the GM. It isn't wasted words if it gets the GM thinking about how to use the thing in adventures. Look at Keith Baker's Eberron work -- every paragraph is an adventure seed.

I will not apologize for saying this is straight up lazy development. It's minimal effort to write 2000 adventure seed laden words.

So you praise Eberron’s stuff including the mourning which I compared the Golden Vault to.