In Dungeons & Dragons' newest adventure book, Keys From The Golden Vault, players will be sent out on heists, so knowing which spells are the best to choose is essential. Some spells might draw too much attention and alert the authorities to the party's shenanigans, but others can make all the difference in a tight spot. While rogues might be the first choice for many for these kinds of capers, there is a lot Dungeons & Dragons' spellcasters can offer a heist crew.
Heists require a lot of different skills depending on the circumstances a player finds themselves in. Some heists in Keys From The Golden Vault might find the players breaking into a prison, while another stealing an artifact or even returning one. Whether the DnD group needs a boost to stealth or needs to get intel out of a less-than-willing NPC, there are a few spells that can give the adventuring party the upper hand.
D&D Heist Parties Can Use Disguises For Ultimate Stealth
Disguise Self is one of the spells in Dungeons & Dragons that lends itself perfectly to heists. This illusion spell is available for bards, wizards, artificers, sorcerers, and Trickery domain clerics and lets the player turn themselves into someone else for one hour. Although the illusion won't hold up to a physical inspection, it is great for getting past large groups where stealth would not be an option.
Alter Self works similarly to Disguise Self as it lasts for one hour, and the caster can change their appearance. Alter Self as other options available such as one for combat and an aquatic form like one of DnD’s unique races, however, when using alter self to change form, the caster's appearance truly changes, meaning it will hold up to closer scrutiny.
Seeming is also a great fifth-level DnD spell for bards, sorcerers, wizards, and certain warlocks in a heist. With Seeming the entire party's appearance can be changed for up to eight hours without concentration. Although an Investigation check can be made to see through the illusion, Seeming is a fantastic way to sneak into a party, prison or any other place the group needs to be.
Although disguise isn't always necessary, stealth and cunning is an important part of any heist. With these disguise tools at their disposal, a party of adventurers can be in and out with the loot, and without alerting any of the enemy.
Heists In D&D Take A Lot Of Planning
Heists usually involve breaking into somewhere and stealing something, so Knock is the perfect spell for any bard, wizard, or sorcerer in DnD to prepare. The spell can unlock objects held shut by locks or other means, such as barred doors. While Knock can also suppress magical locking, such as Arcane Lock, it does make a loud audible knock that can be heard up to 300 feet away, so this might be one to hold on to in case the party runs out of lockpicks.
A spell that should be in the toolkit of any cleric, druid, or ranger undertaking a heist in Dungeons & Dragons is Find Traps. Find Traps does exactly what it sounds like, as it allows the player to sense any traps within 120 feet, including magical and nonmagical traps. While the spell can't help with disarming them, the player would learn the trap's location and general nature.
When a quiet distraction is needed, Silent Image is a great spell choice. Available for bards, sorcerers, and wizards, this first-level illusion DnD spell creates an illusory image no larger than a 15 feet cube. Although the image can appear to move, it is purely visual with no sound or smell; however, as it can be cast 60 feet away and lasts for ten minutes, it can be a great quick distraction spell. For something a little more realistic, there is also the third-level version called Major Image.
While Pass Without Trace gives the party a +10 boost to any Stealth check, another great way to sneak around is by using Silence. If the party is sneaking through an area where no one can see them but being heard is the problem, then Silence is a good option. The spell creates a 20-foot radius sphere that stops all sounds passing through it, and no sounds from within can be heard, but luckily, there are some DnD spells that can be cast while silenced to keep the party safe. Casting silence on a sleeping or inattentive guard can also be a great way of getting passed them.
Arcane Eye is a brilliant fourth-level spell for wizards, artificers, and certain cleric domains that conjures an invisible floating eye. This eye is perfect for scouting ahead of the DnD party with a speed of 30 feet and Darkvision. While the arcane eye can't see through walls, it is tiny enough to fit through gaps as small as 1 inch letting it zip around to check for guards.
D&D Spells For Charming Or Controlling NPCs Are Useful In Heists
There are a few spells that can be used to charm or calm any NPCs the party comes across. These spells can sometimes make the difference between avoiding violence, so the party doesn't spend the entire DnD session in combat, and alerting the area to the player’s presence. Spells like this can be used to make NPCs more sociable or even to control them, making any heist a little easier.
Friends is a cantrip in DnD that can be useful for passing any Persuasion or Intimidation checks. For one minute, the player has advantage on all Charisma checks directed at one target that isn't hostile to the player. The only downsides are it only affects one target, and once the spell ends, they know they were under a spell and become hostile/non-friendly.
For those time when guards or other NPCs have information or the party simply need them to leave peacefully, Charm Person is a perfect choice. Charm Person is a first-level enchantment that lasts for one hour and requires the target to make a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed, which is a status condition in DnD. Charmed targets will see the caster as a friendly acquaintance and will not be hostile unless attacked, which will end the spell. The player caster will have advantage on all ability checks when they socially interact with the target making this an excellent way to bypass any fights with sentries or bystanders. While there are many classes that can cast charm person, bards, and warlock can also use a similar spell, Enthrall, which charms a target within 60 feet who fail a Wisdom saving throw.
A step up from Charmed Person or Enthrall is Fast Friends, available for bards, clerics, and wizards. Fast Friends lasts for one hour, and rather than view the caster as an acquaintance, the target will treat them as a friend. Fast friends is a third-level enchantment spell in DnD but can be cast at a higher level to affect more than one target.
When being friendly with any NPCs who have crossed paths with the DnD party has failed, but the team doesn't want to hurt them, then Command is a good way to get around combat. This first-level enchantment lasts for only one round but, depending on the command given, can make the difference between escaping or harming a potentially innocent NPC. The caster must speak one command word, and if the target fails a Wisdom saving throw, they must follow that command to the best of their ability. There are examples given in the Player's Handbook, but the best choices for a heist situation would be “flee,” which would make the target run, or “halt,” which would hold them in place.
For a DnD spell that can actually break the game and control an NPC for longer, Suggestion is a fantastic choice. Party wizards, sorcerers, warlocks, and bards can suggest something to a target, and if they fail their Wisdom saving throw, the target will carry out that suggestion to the best of their ability. Although it is a concentration spell, it lasts for 8 hours, meaning guards could be suggested to take extended breaks or even show the party around as guests. There is also a sixth-level version called Mass Suggestion that affects up to twelve targets and lasts for 24 hours.
Finally, Gift of the Gab is perfect for any heist and is one of the best reaction spells in DnD. With this spell, wizards and bards can reshape or erase the memories of any listeners within five feet of themselves, making them forget everything said to them in the last six seconds. Perfect for any situation where a Dungeons & Dragons party member has accidentally let something slip to the wrong person.
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