D&D shows new Keys From the Golden Vault cover and details on the down-low

Keys From the Golden Vault cover artwork, showing two Rogues rappelling into a building — (Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

More info for Keys From the Golden Vault - the next D&D adventure book - has emerged ahead of its release this February. However, these details arrived without an announcement of any kind and came from an unexpected source.

Covers and the full blurb for Keys From the Golden Vault landed by surprise on Wizards Play Network (an official website for retailers) just a few weeks in front of the D&D book's launch. This information still isn't available on the D&D social media accounts or website, and that silence is potentially due to the ongoing D&D OGL controversy that's been rocking the industry for most of January.

Although they're designed for characters from level 1 - 11, these missions are "daunting" so will require lots of Oceans 11-style planning over in-world maps. Because no heist would be complete without it all going wrong, adventures in Keys From the Golden Vault also feature multiple paths to success (a feature that's becoming increasingly common for modern Dungeons and Dragons books).

Standard and alternate covers for the book (which can be pre-ordered for 10% less at Amazon right now) have also been revealed. The first shows off characters rappelling into a building like a scene from Mission Impossible whilst a demonic quasit patrols the area, and the latter focuses on a stylized golden keyhole.

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Keys From the Golden Vault standard cover — (Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

"Some jobs require more than simply wielding a sword or slinging a spell," the blurb reads. "Whether it’s procuring a well-guarded item or obtaining crucial information from an imprisoned contact, these tasks require careful planning and flawless execution. The secretive organization called the Golden Vault specializes in hiring crews for such jobs, and for the most daunting assignments - pursuing fabulous treasures and stopping dire threats - that crew is your characters… These adventures can be placed in any setting and you can run them as one-shot games or link them together into a campaign. This book also includes in-world maps to help players plan their heists, plus advice for running nontraditional games with high risks and huge rewards."

This drop (first spotted by Wargamer) marks the second time info for Keys From the Golden Vault has been revealed in an appropriately underhand manner; late last year, Amazon posted the Keys From the Golden Vault release date by surprise.

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I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news.