best supplement to purchase [Archive] - Wizards Community

best supplement to purchase [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Athenna
06-20-04, 03:31 AM I'm going to be ordering the FRCS so i don't have to borrow it anymore tomorrow. I'm buying online because of a deal (35% off, when all is said and done) and free shipping on orders over $37. The CS comes to just under that, like $36.11 or something (Canadian funds).

So which of the supplements should I also order? Might as well get two books for $10 than i would pay for the CS itself at a local store. I was looking at the Players Guide to Faerun, but i don't know if it is overly worth it or not. Any help would be appreciated :)
Valgard
06-20-04, 05:45 AM the PGtF is the 3.5 revision of the FR specific rules so, it's up to you. Monsters of Faerūn is good if you like a great variety of Monsters, and they are FR specific. Races of Faerun is one of the best books for FR I saw.
Raspu
06-20-04, 07:00 AM Magic of Faerun is my favourite.
Zanan
06-20-04, 07:39 AM Even though they are AD&D, most of the FR text is still relevant and thus I would suggest to get your hands on the "Faiths & Avatars" series, namely, Faiths & Avatars, Demihuman Deities and Powers & Pantheons. You can either buy them in print or as ESD pdfs (http://www.rpgnow.com/default.php?cPath=1_294_308&). Of the 3E books, Magic of Faerūn is a must have, Underdark and Unapproachable East are fine (3RE) supplements as well. Be wary with Races of Faerūn, but only when it comes to elven and drow history ;).
Athenna
06-20-04, 07:13 PM Thanks :)

I was thinking of the underdark one, since a campaign i'm planning in my head (from what i currently know of the realms) might end up down in there, and I would like to have a good book on it, whether or not it's 3 or 3.5 (I run 3.5) I can pick apart anything that doesn't properly match.
Cunning Linguist
06-20-04, 08:16 PM Underdark is a great book, however, Players Guide to Faerun is a great book if you don't have anything else but FRCS.
It gives you PrC, magic items and spells from several books, it also gives you lots of info on the planes and some info on Epic play, and BoED and BoVD in the realms. (both of these things where great for my part)

I'd go for this one above all else if I where you, then I'd go down the list like this:

Races of Faerun
Silver Marches
Lords of Darkness (I loved this, but lots of people disagree on this one)
Underdark
Magic Of Faerun
UE
Alac Luin
06-20-04, 08:25 PM For my tastes , I loved Underdark.
Lords of darkness was much better then I first expected.

If you are a player, I'd say PGtF, then Races of Faerun. If you are a magic user, Magic of Faerun.

I'f you are a DM, start with Monsters of Faerun (then update to 3.5 by the PGtF web enhancement), then look at where you want to take your campain on what reginal area you want.
Athenna
06-20-04, 09:00 PM you've managed to help me make my final decision, thanks :)

I'm going to get the PGtF, because of it's release date and some 3.5 updates to the world. If i actually decide to take them into the underdark it won't be for months, so there would be plenty of time to get my hands on it.

As for getting Monsters of Faerun, i can't :( The store i'm ordering from doesn't seem to carry it (or have it in stock, either way).

Thanks for all the help :)
Cunning Linguist
06-20-04, 09:09 PM There might be a new monsters of Faerun type book out early 2005. Im hoping for a 196 page Monster book, but who knows..
Gray Richardson
06-21-04, 02:40 AM It depends on whether you are a DM or a player.

If you are a DM I would get Lords of Darkness. A fantastic book for background on all sorts of bad guys in the realms. It has pre-generated NPC stats for most of those organizations that you can use to throw up against your players quickly without a lot of work on your part. All the history and geography and flavor text has given me countless ideas and plothooks for my adventures.

As I DM I think I have used Lords of Darkness more than any other supplement. (After the FRCS of course!)

If you are a player I would get the Players Guide to Faerun next. Of course it has a ton of stuff in there for DM's too. I really love the Players Guide. Especially all the stuff about planes (natch!)

If you are DM'ing a campaign in the North, I think Silver Marches is one of the most wonderful supplements ever. I have probably referred to it second most of all the books after Lords of Darkness.

I love the Underdark book, if you are running an Underdark campaign I would strongly recommend it. It's also just a blast to read, I really enjoyed all the info in there.

If you are in the East of course you have to go with Unapproachable East. However, it is not so essential if you aren't going near that part of Faerun.

I have not found the Monsters of Faerun Monstrous Compendium to be essential. I have read it, but not really used it much for my campaign. I enjoy all the little bits after each monster entry that tells you a brief history and ecology of how and where those monsters fit into Faerun, but you could get by without the book if you are tight on money.

Magic of Faerun is very interesting, makes for good reading, but I haven't used much of it in my campaign. It has some good spells and some great magic items. But I think PGtF revised some of the spells so you might should get PGtF first.
Lashan
06-21-04, 01:06 PM Races of Faerun was one of my favorite FR products ever made.
Athenna
06-21-04, 09:47 PM Thanks again for all the advice. I already ordered the PGtF in addition to my CS.

The campaign i'm building is huge, and as such the original party i'm planning this for will likely never finish it, but i plan to use the same idea in a couple different campaigns so it will get finished eventually somewhere. It will likely encompass every part of the realms, taking years in character-time (and real time) to finish.

I really don't want to say too much about the campaign itself, as i'm planning on running it probably over on rpol.net. It will be fun, to see how group a will approach things, while group b might go to a different part of faerun first altogether.
Aesyka the Forlorn
06-21-04, 10:56 PM Count me as another vote for Underdark. I'd been avoiding sending my players to the Great Dark Below, then I read the book...and the wheels haven't stopped spinning since. I heartily endorse it.
warlockco
06-22-04, 03:05 AM Monsters of Faerun is out of print as far as I can tell.
It might be out there still, but a hard to find item.
My local gaming store hasn't had a copy in stock for at least a year. And this store sent the local WoTC store out of business.

Lords of Darkness was nice, but not that vital, just gave me some updated info on some of the organizations and some new ones. I have almost all the old 2E stuff so have tons of source material even if it might be a bit outdated. 3E

Player Guide to Faerun is a good book for both DMs and Players.
Has updates to the FRCS, MoF, plus updates of materials from other books. 3.5E

Underdark is great for Underdark games. For both DMs and Players. 3.5E

And for the most part almost all of the books are good to one extent or another. Just depends on what you are looking for. A Player Aid or a DM Aid or both.

Races of Faerun is a quasi 3E/3.5E book, came out during the changeover.

The rest of the books so far are all 3E.
Alac Luin
06-23-04, 11:36 AM Originally posted by warlockco
Monsters of Faerun is out of print as far as I can tell.

Yes, it is out of print. I do still find it at Waldens and Barns and Noble (even if this info doesent help the original poster)

And this store sent the local WoTC store out of business.

Actually, this was a choice from WotC to close ALL retail stores, saying "to better focus on game design"
Athenna
06-23-04, 02:58 PM That's interesting that it is out of print. I can still get it at a local games shop though, i just don't have the money to buy it.

Wouldn't it be nice to have enough money to buy them all :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Athenna 06-20-04, 03:31 AM	I'm going to be ordering the FRCS so i don't have to borrow it anymore tomorrow. I'm buying online because of a deal (35% off, when all is said and done) and free shipping on orders over $37. The CS comes to just under that, like $36.11 or something (Canadian funds). So which of the supplements should I also order? Might as well get two books for $10 than i would pay for the CS itself at a local store. I was looking at the Players Guide to Faerun, but i don't know if it is overly worth it or not. Any help would be appreciated :)
Valgard 06-20-04, 05:45 AM	the PGtF is the 3.5 revision of the FR specific rules so, it's up to you. Monsters of Faerūn is good if you like a great variety of Monsters, and they are FR specific. Races of Faerun is one of the best books for FR I saw.
Raspu 06-20-04, 07:00 AM	Magic of Faerun is my favourite.
Zanan 06-20-04, 07:39 AM	Even though they are AD&D, most of the FR text is still relevant and thus I would suggest to get your hands on the "Faiths & Avatars" series, namely, Faiths & Avatars, Demihuman Deities and Powers & Pantheons. You can either buy them in print or as ESD pdfs (http://www.rpgnow.com/default.php?cPath=1_294_308&). Of the 3E books, Magic of Faerūn is a must have, Underdark and Unapproachable East are fine (3RE) supplements as well. Be wary with Races of Faerūn, but only when it comes to elven and drow history ;).
Athenna 06-20-04, 07:13 PM	Thanks :) I was thinking of the underdark one, since a campaign i'm planning in my head (from what i currently know of the realms) might end up down in there, and I would like to have a good book on it, whether or not it's 3 or 3.5 (I run 3.5) I can pick apart anything that doesn't properly match.
Cunning Linguist 06-20-04, 08:16 PM	Underdark is a great book, however, Players Guide to Faerun is a great book if you don't have anything else but FRCS. It gives you PrC, magic items and spells from several books, it also gives you lots of info on the planes and some info on Epic play, and BoED and BoVD in the realms. (both of these things where great for my part) I'd go for this one above all else if I where you, then I'd go down the list like this: Races of Faerun Silver Marches Lords of Darkness (I loved this, but lots of people disagree on this one) Underdark Magic Of Faerun UE
Alac Luin 06-20-04, 08:25 PM	For my tastes , I loved Underdark. Lords of darkness was much better then I first expected. If you are a player, I'd say PGtF, then Races of Faerun. If you are a magic user, Magic of Faerun. I'f you are a DM, start with Monsters of Faerun (then update to 3.5 by the PGtF web enhancement), then look at where you want to take your campain on what reginal area you want.
Athenna 06-20-04, 09:00 PM	you've managed to help me make my final decision, thanks :) I'm going to get the PGtF, because of it's release date and some 3.5 updates to the world. If i actually decide to take them into the underdark it won't be for months, so there would be plenty of time to get my hands on it. As for getting Monsters of Faerun, i can't :( The store i'm ordering from doesn't seem to carry it (or have it in stock, either way). Thanks for all the help :)
Cunning Linguist 06-20-04, 09:09 PM	There might be a new monsters of Faerun type book out early 2005. Im hoping for a 196 page Monster book, but who knows..
Gray Richardson 06-21-04, 02:40 AM	It depends on whether you are a DM or a player. If you are a DM I would get Lords of Darkness. A fantastic book for background on all sorts of bad guys in the realms. It has pre-generated NPC stats for most of those organizations that you can use to throw up against your players quickly without a lot of work on your part. All the history and geography and flavor text has given me countless ideas and plothooks for my adventures. As I DM I think I have used Lords of Darkness more than any other supplement. (After the FRCS of course!) If you are a player I would get the Players Guide to Faerun next. Of course it has a ton of stuff in there for DM's too. I really love the Players Guide. Especially all the stuff about planes (natch!) If you are DM'ing a campaign in the North, I think Silver Marches is one of the most wonderful supplements ever. I have probably referred to it second most of all the books after Lords of Darkness. I love the Underdark book, if you are running an Underdark campaign I would strongly recommend it. It's also just a blast to read, I really enjoyed all the info in there. If you are in the East of course you have to go with Unapproachable East. However, it is not so essential if you aren't going near that part of Faerun. I have not found the Monsters of Faerun Monstrous Compendium to be essential. I have read it, but not really used it much for my campaign. I enjoy all the little bits after each monster entry that tells you a brief history and ecology of how and where those monsters fit into Faerun, but you could get by without the book if you are tight on money. Magic of Faerun is very interesting, makes for good reading, but I haven't used much of it in my campaign. It has some good spells and some great magic items. But I think PGtF revised some of the spells so you might should get PGtF first.
Lashan 06-21-04, 01:06 PM	Races of Faerun was one of my favorite FR products ever made.
Athenna 06-21-04, 09:47 PM	Thanks again for all the advice. I already ordered the PGtF in addition to my CS. The campaign i'm building is huge, and as such the original party i'm planning this for will likely never finish it, but i plan to use the same idea in a couple different campaigns so it will get finished eventually somewhere. It will likely encompass every part of the realms, taking years in character-time (and real time) to finish. I really don't want to say too much about the campaign itself, as i'm planning on running it probably over on rpol.net. It will be fun, to see how group a will approach things, while group b might go to a different part of faerun first altogether.
Aesyka the Forlorn 06-21-04, 10:56 PM	Count me as another vote for Underdark. I'd been avoiding sending my players to the Great Dark Below, then I read the book...and the wheels haven't stopped spinning since. I heartily endorse it.
warlockco 06-22-04, 03:05 AM	Monsters of Faerun is out of print as far as I can tell. It might be out there still, but a hard to find item. My local gaming store hasn't had a copy in stock for at least a year. And this store sent the local WoTC store out of business. Lords of Darkness was nice, but not that vital, just gave me some updated info on some of the organizations and some new ones. I have almost all the old 2E stuff so have tons of source material even if it might be a bit outdated. 3E Player Guide to Faerun is a good book for both DMs and Players. Has updates to the FRCS, MoF, plus updates of materials from other books. 3.5E Underdark is great for Underdark games. For both DMs and Players. 3.5E And for the most part almost all of the books are good to one extent or another. Just depends on what you are looking for. A Player Aid or a DM Aid or both. Races of Faerun is a quasi 3E/3.5E book, came out during the changeover. The rest of the books so far are all 3E.
Alac Luin 06-23-04, 11:36 AM	Originally posted by warlockco Monsters of Faerun is out of print as far as I can tell. Yes, it is out of print. I do still find it at Waldens and Barns and Noble (even if this info doesent help the original poster) And this store sent the local WoTC store out of business. Actually, this was a choice from WotC to close ALL retail stores, saying "to better focus on game design"
Athenna 06-23-04, 02:58 PM	That's interesting that it is out of print. I can still get it at a local games shop though, i just don't have the money to buy it. Wouldn't it be nice to have enough money to buy them all :)