Those clever goblins at Beadle & Grimm's are at it again!
B&G has made its reputation by producing gorgeous, well thought-out luxury editions of Dungeons & Dragons products. From metal adventure “artifacts” brought to life to maps, NPC cards, and more to softcover versions of the book broken into small sections so they fit better behind a DM screen, B&G finds ways to make game mastering easier for DMs . The only complaint I ever hear about B&G products is the price because all of those items and design mastery isn't cheap. Clearly, B&G has been listening.
For Keys to the Golden Vault, B&G has released its DM Vault, a slim, square folder packed with material that still enhances the experience for DMing and playing KttGV but without minis, artifacts, or a copy of the book, to keep the cost down. B&G has been selling items like character dice sets and standalone artifacts such as the Waterdeep Watch Badge, to diversify its price range. That's a very smart move. This adds to it.
Don't let the thickness of the folder (about a half an inch) fool you into thinking it doesn't have much. It's packed full of maps – player, DM, and battle, as well as in-world paperwork that will enhance game immersion. But the clever designers at B&G have even turned the folder into part of the game if you wish.
One side of the navy blue folder has a golden key across the flap. DMs can read an introduction and then hand players the folder to decipher information written on the four corners of the folder's other side to give them the code to unlock it. Don't worry, DMs – instructions for how to break the code are included. Once solved, players can even act out “unlocking” the box by turning a paper dial to align it with the arrow on it. The folder itself actually has a magnetic clasp, which is a nice touch in my opinion.
Obviously, this edition doesn't come with a poster tube to hold giant sized battle maps, but it does have six battle maps. They come as three folded, double-sided sheets printed on heavy paper. Additionally, the DM Vault has 13 player maps, one for each adventure – and one of those maps is carefully torn to make it seem more realistic.
The 13 DM maps demonstrate what a great job B&G does in planning out their sets and thinking what will make a DM's life easier. First, the DM maps are laminated so you can write on them with a dry or wet erase marker. The backs of each are blank for additional notes. Second, each DM map is annotated to put key information at the DM's fingertips. Lastly, the set contains in-world invitations and other paper items, like a ticket for the Concordant Express, to help bring the adventure to life for your group.
I've been impressed with Beadle & Grimm's products for some time now, as you can see from my other reviews. Not only is the quality of their sets top notch, they also keep finding ways to do something new or to find another way to make things easier for a DM.
With the DM's Vault for Keys to the Golden Vault, Beadle & Grimm's did both – and delivered it at a lower price point ($95). It's a worthy addition to the official and a solid A in my book.
B&G has made its reputation by producing gorgeous, well thought-out luxury editions of Dungeons & Dragons products. From metal adventure “artifacts” brought to life to maps, NPC cards, and more to softcover versions of the book broken into small sections so they fit better behind a DM screen, B&G finds ways to make game mastering easier for DMs . The only complaint I ever hear about B&G products is the price because all of those items and design mastery isn't cheap. Clearly, B&G has been listening.
For Keys to the Golden Vault, B&G has released its DM Vault, a slim, square folder packed with material that still enhances the experience for DMing and playing KttGV but without minis, artifacts, or a copy of the book, to keep the cost down. B&G has been selling items like character dice sets and standalone artifacts such as the Waterdeep Watch Badge, to diversify its price range. That's a very smart move. This adds to it.
Don't let the thickness of the folder (about a half an inch) fool you into thinking it doesn't have much. It's packed full of maps – player, DM, and battle, as well as in-world paperwork that will enhance game immersion. But the clever designers at B&G have even turned the folder into part of the game if you wish.
One side of the navy blue folder has a golden key across the flap. DMs can read an introduction and then hand players the folder to decipher information written on the four corners of the folder's other side to give them the code to unlock it. Don't worry, DMs – instructions for how to break the code are included. Once solved, players can even act out “unlocking” the box by turning a paper dial to align it with the arrow on it. The folder itself actually has a magnetic clasp, which is a nice touch in my opinion.
Obviously, this edition doesn't come with a poster tube to hold giant sized battle maps, but it does have six battle maps. They come as three folded, double-sided sheets printed on heavy paper. Additionally, the DM Vault has 13 player maps, one for each adventure – and one of those maps is carefully torn to make it seem more realistic.
The 13 DM maps demonstrate what a great job B&G does in planning out their sets and thinking what will make a DM's life easier. First, the DM maps are laminated so you can write on them with a dry or wet erase marker. The backs of each are blank for additional notes. Second, each DM map is annotated to put key information at the DM's fingertips. Lastly, the set contains in-world invitations and other paper items, like a ticket for the Concordant Express, to help bring the adventure to life for your group.
I've been impressed with Beadle & Grimm's products for some time now, as you can see from my other reviews. Not only is the quality of their sets top notch, they also keep finding ways to do something new or to find another way to make things easier for a DM.
With the DM's Vault for Keys to the Golden Vault, Beadle & Grimm's did both – and delivered it at a lower price point ($95). It's a worthy addition to the official and a solid A in my book.
