Post/Author/DateTime	Post
emereck 06-14-05, 12:15 PM	Hi! I've just seen the FRCS at the book store and am very intrigued. I'll probably buy it, but I've noticed: * there are many FR rulebooks/supplements * they are very expensive What should I buy to play FR? I already own the D&D 3.5 Core Rulebooks, and I know I should buy the FRCS, but is that all I need? Or are there some other rulebooks that I should get? Could someone help me with this, or point me to a thread that answers this? Thanks.
Kuje31 06-14-05, 12:21 PM	What should I buy to play FR? I already own the D&D 3.5 Core Rulebooks, and I know I should buy the FRCS, but is that all I need? Or are there some other rulebooks that I should get? Could someone help me with this, or point me to a thread that answers this? Thanks. You can start with the FRCS and then maybe buy the Player's Guide since that book updates FR to 3.5. After that, it's up to you depending on where you are going to start a game. I'd wait a week or two until Waterdeep comes out and then pick up that book since a city is a good place to start a campaign. :) Because it's a home base for PC's, it's got NPC's, it's got rumors/gossip/etc they can hear and follow. Waterdeep has many villian's and shady groups. Undermountain for later, which is a huge dungeon beneath Waterdeep. Skullport, an evil city, on the 3rd layer, etc. :) But you'll probably get 20 different answers on what sourcebooks you need. :) Myself, I prefer the 1e and 2e material because they contain more lore.
bobsan 06-14-05, 12:24 PM	Well, that depends on where you're running your campaign. since your new, I'd either recommend the Silver Maches Sourcebook and/or the Waterdeep sourcebok (just released). Plus, the Players guide, Races of faerun, and Faiths & Pantheons are good books as well. If you're big into Magic, Magic of faerun is also a nice addition.
emereck 06-14-05, 12:27 PM	I've heard some bad reviews about the Player's Guide to Faerun. But I'll definitely pick up the FRCS. Thanks a bunch.
bobsan 06-14-05, 12:29 PM	But you'll probably get 20 different answers on what sourcebooks you need. :) Myself, I prefer the 1e and 2e material because they contain more lore. I agree with Kuje31 on this as well. the old 2nd ed books contained alot more fluff than the newer books. My biggest recomendations for old school materials if you can find them are any ov Volo's Guides, The City of Splendors box set, and my absolute favorite, Aurora's Wholesale Realms.
Ssussunriyh 06-14-05, 02:14 PM	You can find several useful 2E FR supplements on the free downloads page --> just click here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads)
Ty 06-14-05, 06:28 PM	Your best source for material for the Forgotten Realms is right before you. The WotC has several free downloads on the Forgotten Realms right here on their site. These downloads will provide you a good base to judge where in the Realms you want your game to be located. Some posters make good suggestions with respect to Waterdeep, Silverymoon, and other places and sourcebooks but I think it depends on the tone you want your campaign to take really.
Lashan 06-15-05, 11:21 AM	I am suprised that people didn't mention the free download page sooner. From that page, I highly recommend the "Volo's Guide" series. They give a lot of flavor no matter what edition of the game you are running. If you are running a 3.5 game, I would recommend the Player's Guide. I think people were wanting a lot of new stuff from it, but it just updated a lot of older stuff to 3.5. If you don't have the older stuff, then it's great for you. I highly recommend the Races of Faerun book. It has a lot of good info on the various histories and specilaities of the various races of FR. it covers all areas and has a lot of history in it too. There is crunch as well as flavor in these books. I have not had a chance to review the Lost Empires of Faerun, but I belive it to be an excellent book and would be a good book to have. It will give a lot of info for a new DM to help make great modules and adventures. I wouldn't get any of the regional books (Waterdeep, Silver Marches, and Unnapprochable East) until you consider where you want to play. If you like the Dalelands based on your review of the Volo's Guide books, the Silver Marches book will do little for you.
Halornn_Kaala 06-15-05, 02:16 PM	The FRCS is essential, of course. I found the Player's Guide to Faerun to be a bit of a disappointment at first but as a DM in the Realms I have lately found it to be somewhat more useful than I originally thought. If you play 3.5 it's worth the investment to have character region stuff and the full(er) list of FR spells etc. If you're only going to be a player, then I agree that Races of Faerun and Faiths and Pantheons are probably the two most valuable books after that. I think that Champions of Ruin was aimed somewhat toward players who wanted to play bad (or at least not-good) guys, but it seems weak to me. I hope Champions of Valor (due out in the Fall) is better. For most players, it would probably be more useful anyhow. For DMs, I think Lords of Darkness is indispensable, and Lost Empires of Faerun and the Monstrous Compendium are useful but not essential. I love the area sourcebooks in general but they are less essential for players unless your character is from one of those regions. Can't wait for the Waterdeep book though! Don't have Underdark or Serpent Kingdoms, so can't comment on those, but I wouldn't think they'd be really necessary for you unless you're playing a race detailed in those books. As for 2e, I only have one of the Volo's Guides (the North) but it is great and I think two others are free for download.
Halornn_Kaala 06-15-05, 02:30 PM	Forgot to mention Magic of Faerun, which I think is very valuable to both players and DMs. :)
Phaeryl 06-16-05, 02:29 AM	I would suggest that you get second hans books or ones from the AD&D sets because the information will be generally the same ( cities, countries, guilds, etc. ) and it will be cheaper. I know this advice is not golden but it will help keep your wallet heavy and get you the basics of running/playing a FR setting. I have a lot of these said books and would gladly part with them but I know that that is not practical.....plus I am in China right now..... D&Dless in China....ugh...you can usually find these 2nd hand books around the net. I know this doesn't help much but best of luck to you!!!! Forgotten Realms is a fantastic setting that lets you explore all character possibilities! Good Luck!
emereck 06-17-05, 06:05 PM	The Volo's Guides on the free downloads page are great! Thanks again.
emereck 06-17-05, 06:14 PM	Just to clarify, as a DM, I could use the FRCS and the Player's Guide along with Volo's Guide to the Dalelands as my regional source book? It doesn't matter that its 2E material, right?
Kuje31 06-17-05, 06:45 PM	Just to clarify, as a DM, I could use the FRCS and the Player's Guide along with Volo's Guide to the Dalelands as my regional source book? It doesn't matter that its 2E material, right? Volo's? Nay, it matters not. The lore in that book should still be usable. You might have to fudge some of the stat's but most of them were just mini stats, not a large stat block.