Waterdeep: Dragon Heist First Impressions

I love heist/caper stories and urban fantasy adventures so the minute the D&D team announced Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Now that I've got it? I'm still excited.

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My full review will follow after I finish reading the book but a few quick impressions.

1. The choice of four villains to choose from is a nice touch for replay-ability. Each villain is tied to a season. The full reading will reveal why.
2. I like the adventure flowchart and encounter chains.
3. It has a pronunciation guide! That makes a DM's life much easier.
4. Players have three additional factions they can play, one of which is Force Grey. Critical Role fans will love that.
5. Lots of cool NPCs are in the adventure, including well-known ones like Laeral Silverhand, though she may not be the same as the last time you saw her in an official Waterdeep adventure.
6. The building maps are nice and could be reused in other adventures.
7. For background material, it includes a section labeled “Volo's Waterdeep Enchiridion” that should get DMs new to Waterdeep up to speed.

After the freeform aspects of Tomb of Annihilation, the fact that Waterdeep: Dragon Heist has a bit more structure while still a sandbox is a smart choice. Being set in Faerun's most famous city also presents some nice dilemmas for players. Murder hobo tactics are likely to get them killed or imprisoned, so players should have to be more strategic – of course, that's never guaranteed.

While these are just quick takes based on a flip through of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, they definitely whet my appetite for more. City-based adventures aren't explored enough in D&D, in my opinion, Waterdeep is a rich enough setting to allow for as much variety as any wilderness or dungeon setting.

This article was contributed by Beth Rimmels (brimmels) as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. We are always on the lookout for freelance columnists! If you have a pitch, please contact us!

 

[Tiles]

DMs guild would be a great spot for your home brew if that’s how you go. I’m in the market for an epic heist!

 

[Demetrios1453]

I’m just realizing that there’s no Heist at the end of Dragon Heist. It’s bumming me out. We had a Great session 0 and I can’t wait to run the build up with the Stone and all the city fun, but it doesn’t deliver an epic heist as advertised. I feel like the DM’s Guild would be a great place to fill this need. A grand skill based-trap filled-construct defended vault
that ends with the same boss.

You want a heist? Or maybe more than one? It's pretty simple - the wording of the adventure gives you free reign to do so. In Chapter 4, in the Vault Keys section, it says: "The three keys needed to open the vault are chosen by you or determined randomly by rolling on the Vault Keys table." So, the book itself states that you don't have to use the random chart, but can make three keys of your own choosing. Just place one or more of those keys in the any of the four lairs outlined in the book (three of the factions have each found a key, and are attempting to gain the other two; if you want to use all four lairs, just have four keys instead of three). The Performance of "Your Beardy Face" key even gives an example item (a glass jar in the Cassalantar estate) that could be used for this exact purpose.

And if you choose to have one of the keys held by the Xanathar, it will of course need to be placed in Sylgar's fishbowl. Heck, perhaps one of the keys is Sylgar!

 

[HawaiiSteveO]

I'll give you a taste of what I am thinking and where I am going with my transposing Waterdeep to Sharn.

Zhents = Order of the Emerald Claw, but Boromar Clan could be another option, or they could be in cahoots with each other.
Manshoon = wizard necromancer of the Emerald Claw
Xanathar - could leave the same, change his name, or if you want to go full-tilt Eberron, make him a Daelkyr (Dreaming Dark).
Xanathar's Guild - Planning on using Daask
Jarlaxle = Use a Lhazaar Principalties figure such as Prince Kel from the Eberron Player's Guide (makes changing disguises easier instead of using a hat of disguise since he is already a Changeling) or Syrina d'Lyrander from the Explorer's Guide to Eberron
Cassalanters = Could keep them as the same, or change them to another family within Sharn. Are they aligned with the Dreaming Dark/Inspired? Are they involved with a local cult, such as Kielsten Marquan's radiant idol, Zotharr? Lots of options here.

There so many Eberron-ish things that parallel with Waterdeep, such as the different city wards, the Sharn Watch vs. Waterdeep Watch, etc.

How did I forget Emerald Claw..? Nice! The adventure already has it more or less set up.

[SBLOCK] The Doom Raiders can easily be used as rivals to the PCs [/SBLOCK]

 

[Tiles]

The keys are a great idea and opportunity to play with the other lairs! I read all last night and I’m headed towards using all four villains pushing the players. I’m hoping to beef up player motivation and simultaneously play with all the toys the book provides. The keys would help push players into the unvisited lairs. Great ideas Demetrios 1456!

 

[darjr]

Yes the keys are key to the Heist. As well as getting the gold and not getting killed. Talking isn’t the only option.

 

[Tiles]

The keys definitely could put the heist in Heist! Dropping glimpses or word of the keys before the reveal, and picking just the right locations/defenses.....!! I’m still thinking the final lair is in need of an expansion. It feels to me like all the villains are aware and involved no matter which is chosen. The unicorn, the fish,...

 

[CapnZapp]

I think one of the main complaints is going to be the maps. They are...utilitarian and basic. I'm actually okay with them. But players and DMs used to the detailed, colorful Schley maps in recent books I think may feel these seem cheap in comparison.

Schley or GTFO

 

[CapnZapp]

A surprising amount of dice-rolling going on in places where you might expect more story. For an adventure containing intrigue, mystery, and investigating, it's disappointing to see that a lot of the actual investigation and information gathering is resolved by "spend a tenday making three DC 13 Investigation checks per day" rather than actually describing how those investigations might be played, what clues can be found, or who can be spoken to. DMs and players are often left on their own if they want to bring that stuff to life.

D&D have almost never understood investigative RPG:ing.

(The market they're catering to wants to get the cluedo phase over and done with quickly to get back to the exciting monster killin')

 

[CapnZapp]

use:

Spoiler

text to be hidden

, but replace "spoiler" with "sblock"

Sadly, one tag works on desktop, the other in the app.

If you want an universal solution, you need to teach people to use both, one nested inside the other.

 

[CapnZapp]

For me, when it comes to maps, it's a matter of quality over style. I would rather have a good pen-and-ink map than a shoddy full-color one. Luckily, Dyson Logos makes some of the best pen-and-ink maps around.

Oh, is it Dyson - that's just as good news as Schley.

As long as they stay away from people that think maps are artwork first, information third (like Blando), I'm good!