Gold, secrets, and danger await behind every lock in Keys From the Golden Vault. These seven standout heists push Dungeons & Dragons into thrilling territory-where clever plans, moral choices, and a bit of luck can mean the difference between glory and ruin.
While all of the adventures inside the book are good, some are quite a lot better than others. Below are our picks for the top seven, listed in order of difficulty. Our notes include tips for eager Dungeon Masters looking to integrate these novel adventures into ongoing campaigns.
[Ed. note: This article includes spoilers for Keys From the Golden Vault.]
The Murkmire Malevolence (level 1)
A mysterious museum gala sets the stage for this thrilling first-level heist, where adventurers are sent to steal a strange artifact recently recovered from the swamps of Murkmire. The mission quickly twists into chaos as the object’s true nature reveals unexpected dangers, pulling the crew into a clash of greed, magic, and secrecy. With unsuspecting guards, curious scholars, and an artifact that refuses to stay quiet, The Murkmire Malevolence makes for an exciting introduction to the Golden Vault’s daring operations.
A fairly straightforward museum heist with lots of thinly written yet colorful characters, “The Murkmire Malevolence” is a single-sitting adventure that DMs will have a great time performing for their group. Even though it’s a first-level adventure, it’s a complex job with great visuals to share with your players. The best part here is what happens if the characters fail the adventure, which leads to a museum-wide hunt for a malevolent demon creature, with nods to Alien and Jurassic Park.
“The Murkmire Malevolence” would be a great way to kick off a new campaign with a new group of adventurers. With a little modification, it could also perform well for higher-level characters.
The Stygian Gambit (level 2)
Set in a luxurious casino beneath the city of Baldur’s Gate, The Stygian Gambit challenges players to pull off a high-stakes robbery during a grand tournament. The adventure mixes deception, charm, and quick strategy as the crew navigates scheming gamblers, infernal patrons, and unpredictable odds. With the eyes of devils and nobles alike watching every move, success depends on clever planning and nerve under pressure-making this heist a thrilling test of wit and luck.
Clever DMs will steal the setting for “The Stygian Gambit” even if they don’t want to run this particular adventure. It’s a fun little casino heist, pitting old gambling buddies against one another in pursuit of settling old grudges. If your group has been eyeing Poker Face, this is a great way to bring that kind of intrigue into your D&D night. The real pleasure in this one is the casino itself, a luxurious river grotto that runs through with multiple points of entry and exit.
Reach for the Stars (level 3)
A mission that begins among the clouds, Reach for the Stars challenges players with a grand theft aboard a flying observatory drifting through the skies. The adventure blends aerial tension with clever strategy as the crew must infiltrate a high-security vessel guarded by arcane defenses and skyward patrols. Every decision carries weight, balancing stealth and spectacle while the horizon itself becomes both ally and obstacle to a flawless escape.
“Reach for the Stars” is a haunted-house mystery, sure to appeal to fans of cosmic horror and games like Call of Cthulhu. The experience is elevated thanks to another band of adventurers that precedes the player characters – a smaller but no less skilled party that met with a grisly end. References to these prior adventurers keep cropping up throughout the heist, and there’s even a potential hook for future stories based on the outcome of the mystery.
Masterpiece Imbroglio (level 5)
A tangled web of art, greed, and deception defines this caper. In Masterpiece Imbroglio, the crew is hired to steal a priceless painting during an exclusive gala, but the real challenge lies in sorting through layers of intrigue and double agents. Every NPC seems to have a secret agenda, and the heist turns into a clever game of timing, disguise, and betrayal where the line between thief and victim changes with each new revelation.
This high-stakes heist attempt of a valuable painting allies the players with a group of allegedly forthright historians against the local thieves guild. The setting itself has a fairly small footprint – just a few floors and about a dozen rooms – but the experience is nonetheless dense and thrilling.
If you’re looking for a trap-filled location that could lead to a grisly total party kill, this is the adventure to run. The objective of the heist – a sentient painting of a historical hottie – also provides the role-playing glue that holds together the disparate pieces of this story.
Axe From the Grave (level 6)
A spectral warrior’s weapon is the centerpiece of this eerie heist, pulling adventurers into a chilling blend of tomb raiding and moral conflict. Tasked with retrieving a long-lost battle axe from a haunted graveyard, the crew must handle restless spirits, rival grave robbers, and cursed relics that fight to remain buried. The tension deepens as choices made in the crypt echo far beyond the grave, forcing thieves to weigh profit against peace for the dead.
“Axe From the Grave” may be one of the best adventures yet for 5th edition D&D. As written, it’s a delight from start to finish and should be on a short list for just about every DM who loves running games for their friends.
In this adventure, a stolen mandolin leads the characters on a rambling journey from a creekside fishing hole to a well-heeled musical conservatory. Along the way, players will run into multiple aspiring musicians – and the undead. In so doing, “Axe From the Grave” remixes themes and tones from the classic “deal with the devil” setup and the Charlie Daniels song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” in a charming and surprising way.
This section actually provides the book with its most lively adventure, even though there’s a zombie in the mix. The book also includes advice on how to run “Axe From the Grave” multiple times – including with willing players who want to try it again. This is also the first adventure in a long while that specifically mentions bringing a bard along just to be sure someone in the party can jam.
Shard of the Accursed (level 8)
A daring infiltration into a cursed temple, Shard of the Accursed challenges players to recover a powerful relic sealed behind layers of undead guardians and twisted magic. The adventure balances stealth and strategy as adventurers must decide whether to outwit cultists or fight through their ranks. Its tension grows with each chamber explored, rewarding creative planning and teamwork more than brute force.
Keys From the Golden Vault includes several unconventional heists, among them “Shard of the Accursed,” which is a reverse heist. In it, players are tasked with returning an object to the sacred location where it belongs. It’s a higher-level adventure, which means it won’t be accessible to newer players without significant modification, but of all the adventures in the book, it feels like the one with the most narrative potential. What at first blush appears to be a plotline borrowed from an Indiana Jones movie ends up having many additional layers to it, and it ultimately serves as a good test of the moral compass of a given group.
Affair on the Concordant Express (level 9)
A runaway incident aboard a luxury train turns into a tense mission of intrigue and deception. In this level 9 adventure, players must uncover a spy’s plot while surrounded by nobles, secret agents, and dangerous contraband. Every carriage hides a potential ally or threat, and success depends on quick thinking as the train speeds toward disaster. The blend of social manipulation and high-stakes action makes this heist a thrilling mid-campaign challenge.
In addition to “Axe From the Grave,” “Affair on the Concordant Express” is required reading for 5th edition DMs. It’s a train heist that elevates the concept of a train heist – literally, with a flying train.
Players must board a mechanical conveyance built and designed by modrons, sentient mechanical constructs that have a long history in the worlds of D&D. This adventure is notable in that it easily connects to Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel, and that it features a mind-flayer cosplaying as Sherlock Holmes doing his best Hercule Poirot impersonation. As a reward for their service, successful players will be able to earn one of several powerful boons that they can use to their advantage in unrelated adventures. That alone makes it an excellent interstitial quest for longterm players whose DMs are looking to mix things up a bit at the next game night.
Keys From the Golden Vault is available now. The book was reviewed using a retail copy of the physical book provided by Wizards of the Coast. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find additional information about AELGAMES’s ethics policy here.
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Summaries of the worst heists in Keys From the Golden Vault
Keys From the Golden Vault Weakest Heists
Reviews of Keys From the Golden Vault consistently flag a few adventures as the weakest due to lackluster premises, frustrating mechanics, or poor heist execution compared to the anthology’s standouts. ScreenRant ranks these at the bottom, while other critiques echo issues like weak locations or convoluted plots.
Ranked Bottom Performers
Here’s a summary of the four most criticized heists, drawn from rankings where they score 11th-8th out of 13:
| Adventure | Level | Summary of Shortcomings |
|---|---|---|
| Fire and Darkness | Players raid a prison fortress to steal the Book of Vile Darkness from an efreeti tyrant; feels like a generic high-stakes dungeon crawl with little heist subtlety or originality. | |
| Party at Paliset Hall | Infiltrate a feywild gala for a magical diamond amid hags and Far Realm threats; premise drags with deceptive twists that undermine planning, plus an overly complex diamond entity plot. | |
| Reach for the Stars | Retrieve a stolen book from a mansion guarded by cultists and Far Realm horrors; basic dungeon delve disguised as a heist, with repetitive combat over clever infiltration. | |
| Prisoner 13 | Steal a tattoo keystone from an inmate to access dwarven gold; unconvincing setup (easily caught criminal, illogical vault) makes the premise feel contrived and immersion-breaking. |
Common Criticisms
These fall short on core heist elements like meaningful planning, multiple paths, or thematic flair-often devolving into combat-heavy romps or mysteries without payoff. DMs note they’re playable but lack the spark of top entries like Axe from the Grave.
Why are Fire and Darkness and Murkmire Malevolence ranked lowest
Fire and Darkness Criticisms
Fire and Darkness, a level 11 adventure, ranks low because it plays more like a straightforward dungeon crawl in a prison fortress than a true heist. Reviewers note the lack of subtlety, planning opportunities, or creative infiltration options, with players facing generic high-level threats like an efreeti tyrant and the Book of Vile Darkness in a combat-heavy slog.
Murkmire Malevolence Shortcomings
This level 1 museum egg heist is often called the weakest for its bare-bones structure and predictability-players break in to retrieve an eldritch egg before it hatches, but options feel limited and run-of-the-mill. Critics say it lacks surprises, meaningful heist elements, or engaging twists, resembling a basic dungeon delve despite surface appeal.
Ranking Context
ScreenRant places both at the bottom (13th and 12th) for failing heist tropes like rival crews or multiple paths, prioritizing combat over stealth or roleplay. Other reviews agree it’s functional for beginners but lacks the anthology’s standout creativity.
