Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DM_Rennick 01-08-07, 10:07 PM	Well, this is my Forgotten Realms collection so far: The FRCS Lost Empires Dragons of Faerun CoS: Waterdeep Underdark. Now the area of my campaign is rather large and while I am focusing on a section of Faerun (specifically two Sword Coast, with some major development in Cormyr as well. So here are my pros and cons for the other books, I'd like your opinions as well, and let me know if I forget something. The Mysteries of the Moonsea: I'll be honest, the whole book of adventures thing really bugs me. The Shining South: Looks interesting, but I have no plans to bring the campaign here for quite a while. Serpent Kingdoms: Same as the south PG to Faerun: Looks helpful, but more to my players than me, and it sells out fast! Power of Faerun: Looks awsome and useful for higher level games, at the moment though my campaign is at level 4. The Champions of Valor and Champions of Ruin: I worry I won't be getting my money's worth. Silver Marches: Out of print, is it useful? Did I miss any?
vezina 01-08-07, 10:18 PM	PG to F is essential if you're going to play in 3.5 (I'm assuming that you are since you didn't specify 3.0): PrC's, feats, and regions have all changed. Silver Marches is a very nice sourcebook if your players are going there (which is possible considering you have the Waterdeep book). Same with Serpent Kingdoms: a great book but no good if you're not gonna use it. No point to Mysteries of the Moonsea. If you want your players to go there, get the 2e sourcebook foir the region. I liked PoF, CoV, and CoR. I'd have to say that PoF was my favorite for those three.
DM_Rennick 01-08-07, 10:42 PM	I'll admit PG to F is one I'm taking as a given, I have a PDF placeholder but any time I go to buy the book, the store is sold out, and I check about once a week. Power of Faerun I have flipped and enjoyed and plan on buying as the PCs become more central to the politics of the Sword Coast. The Silver Marches I'd love to get, espeacially as R.A Salvatore's novels are what introduced me to the Realms, but I haven't been able to find a copy in either city I live in, both of which have two game shops each. I wonder if it's out of print? I suppose I could search the web for a PDF but I'd rather support the franchise, and besides holding a book and reading is so much better than reading a computer screen. Would you know the name of 2e sourcebook for the Moonsea, I may be able to find it on Amazon, or failing that, to download. Thank you for your help, by the way
Faraer 01-09-07, 01:03 PM	The so-called Player's Guide is only essential if you need to play strictly by the latest rules. If you use them more loosely, you don't need it. Also get the free downloads (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads) of The North and Volo's Guide to the North if you haven't yet. You certainly want Silver Marches, given where your campaign is set. It's available from dealers like nobleknight.com, amazon.com sellers, etc. Power of Faerūn is not just for high-level play: that's more marketing spin. It's a book about the political processes of the Realms that useful for all campaigns (except hack and slash ones). The main pre-3E sources on the Moonsea North are The Moonsea (http://paizo.com/store/brand/forgottenRealms/roleplayingGames/2ndEdition/v5748btpy7mm0), along with Forgotten Realms Adventures, Ruins of Zhentil Keep, Polyhedron #60, 64, 66–68, 77–86, and "Elminster Speaks: Voonlar" (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/es/20030514a).
Merlin_Durwood 01-09-07, 02:01 PM	The so-called Player's Guide is only essential if you need to play strictly by the latest rules. If you use them more loosely, you don't need it. I don't necessarily agree with this. It does provide useful things such as Epic level progressions of some PrC's, and goes slightly into the Cosmology of Toril, showing you how things are laid out among the realms of the Gods. Not to mention, if you missed Magic of Faerun, PGtF gives you spells that were in that book as well as recommended Regions for the various races. Silver Marches was like the second book I got for the setting and I have used it for a few campaigns. If you're that close to the Marches, you might want to look into it. Powers of Faerun does go more into a political style game, which can be fun...with the right players. But you'd have to have a core group of players that enjoy playing politics and bantering about amongst each other, while you're just there to keep things in check. It does give you ideas for Epic Level characters and how they may influence the Realms, so if you can do without it, I'd wait until they're level 15 or higher before picking it up. CoV and CoR...ok, this is my opinion on these two books. I've seen both of them; I've got CoR on PDF and I do think it's phenominal, updating some information from Lords of Darkness on more of the major evil players, such as the Eldreth Veluuthra in the Realms. CoV, however, I've flipped through several times and each time I have interest in purchasing it, I look through it and I'm not interested anymore. It has some good stuff, but not enough in it to make me want to purchase it. The Shining South is wonderful and definately worth the information about Haluura and the outlying areas, but if you're not planning on going there, don't pick it up. As for Serpent Kingdoms, the one thing I was hoping to be in there was available as a free Web Enhancement, so I didn't bother getting that book. If you plan on using the Yuan-Ti as a major opposition, then yeah, I'd look into it. The best thing I can recommend Mysteries of the Moonsea for is if you're planning on either A) doing a campaign in the Moonseas or B) having the players be part of the Zhentarim, or a merc group for them. Otherwise, just go for the 2nd ed. PDF on the Moonsea. Underdark and Dragons of Faerun are good additions, always giving you good info on two big elements of the Realms. Lost Empires is one of those books that give you good feats, spells and magic items, as well as wonderful back history on the former Empires of Toril. As for any other books you might have missed? You can do without Unapproachable East, although if you can find Races of Faerun, it is an interesting book, giving you a vast wealth of races that inhabit the realms other than just the ones listed in the FRCS and the PHB. But, like I said, you could also do without it. I do agree with how you feel nothing compares to having the book right in front of you as you look through it. It just makes it easier. Hope that helped.
GothicDan 01-09-07, 02:15 PM	I don't necessarily agree with this. It does provide useful things such as Epic level progressions of some PrC's, and goes slightly into the Cosmology of Toril, showing you how things are laid out among the realms of the Gods. Not to mention, if you missed Magic of Faerun, PGtF gives you spells that were in that book as well as recommended Regions for the various races. So, basically, it's a bunch of updating and other miscellaneous mechanical BS that has nothing specifically aimed at playing IN FAERUN? EDIT: Sorry if that seemed a little aggressive. PGtF just has a special place in my heart of hatred. It was immensely disappointing, and I regret buying it altogether.
Faraer 01-09-07, 02:42 PM	I don't necessarily agree with this.You're not disagreeing with anything I said. I didn't say this book has nothing of interest, I was just clarifying vezina's claim that it's essential for playing with 3.5 rules, which is only the case with certain play styles.
MerrikCale 01-09-07, 04:06 PM	Silver Marches, Races of faerun, Magic of Faerun
Jiggawha 01-09-07, 05:27 PM	The Mysteries of the Moonsea: I'll be honest, the whole book of adventures thing really bugs me. I would recommend this only if you have extra money to spare, yep there's 2E Moonsea book, I don't know where I've left mine, though I remember that I wasn't satisfied with this one (short), try Paizo for download, Zhentil Keep box is much better The Shining South: Looks interesting, but I have no plans to bring the campaign here for quite a while. Nothing special, if you're not playing there, though I admire how the author rewrote older edition books Serpent Kingdoms: Same as the south only for serpent campaigns, though the book possesses decent quality PG to Faerun: Looks helpful, but more to my players than me, and it sells out fast! this is a waste of DM's money (maybe the brief description of Tree cosmology), only if players like extra PrCs, updated huge collection of feats Power of Faerun: Looks awsome and useful for higher level games, at the moment though my campaign is at level 4. This is a very good book, reminds me of 2E days, essential to real roleplayers, useful for all levels The Champions of Valor and Champions of Ruin: I worry I won't be getting my money's worth. CoV is a surprisingly good book, very useful for PCs and a bit less for the DM, it has some unique game mechanics that unfortunately haven't repeated in the products released after it. CoR, IMO this is the worst 3E FR book, with many faults (bunch of epic monsters that take half a book and have wrong stats, uninteresting villain groups ... and everything else really less than average) Silver Marches: Out of print, is it useful? This is the best regional book in 3E, I only wish that it had more pages
MerrikCale 01-09-07, 09:43 PM	I would recommend this only if you have extra money to spare, yep there's 2E Moonsea book, I don't know where I've left mine, though I remember that I wasn't satisfied with this one (short), try Paizo for download, Zhentil Keep box is much better Nothing special, if you're not playing there, though I admire how the author rewrote older edition books only for serpent campaigns, though the book possesses decent quality this is a waste of DM's money (maybe the brief description of Tree cosmology), only if players like extra PrCs, updated huge collection of feats This is a very good book, reminds me of 2E days, essential to real roleplayers, useful for all levels CoV is a surprisingly good book, very useful for PCs and a bit less for the DM, it has some unique game mechanics that unfortunately haven't repeated in the products released after it. CoR, IMO this is the worst 3E FR book, with many faults (bunch of epic monsters that take half a book and have wrong stats, uninteresting villain groups ... and everything else really less than average) This is the best regional book in 3E, I only wish that it had more pages Wow. I agreed with everything you said (except maybe you're a little high on CoV). You must be a genius or something
Andyr 01-10-07, 05:09 PM	As well as the PGtF, I'd recommend Faiths and Pantheons--unless you've got the older-edition equivalents, in which case it's not so useful.
vezina 01-11-07, 03:51 AM	You're not disagreeing with anything I said. I didn't say this book has nothing of interest, I was just clarifying vezina's claim that it's essential for playing with 3.5 rules, which is only the case with certain play styles. It is essential for playing with 3.5 rules(just like the 3.5 PHB is essential for 3.5 as both are the official 3.5 updates...using rules from the FRCS that are updated in PGtFis officially not playing by 3.5 rules) I did not say it was essential to everyone. :) Anyways, as Faraer mentioned, The Moonsea and Ruins of Zhentil Keep are what you need for the area.
Faraer 01-11-07, 11:26 PM	It can't be essential, since you can do the absolutely necessary conversions from 3 to 3.5 on the fly. You don't need to play by the absolutely exact 'official' 3.5 rules: that's a particular play style.
vezina 01-12-07, 05:07 PM	You don't need to play by the absolutely exact 'official' 3.5 rules: that's a particular play style. Absolutely, but not playing by official 3.5 rules is not playing 3.5....it's playing something else. You add house rules(which is perfectly fine...I'm not saying that 3.5 is the only way you can play the game) and you have '3.5 with house rules'. You play with a 3.0 PHB and newer books, and you're playing some amalgamation of rulesets...whatever floats your boat! :D Woe is the DM that has to convert those rules on the fly...Polymorph? Save DC modifiers into caster levels(which screws up all kinds of PrC's and feats)? Rangers? Screw that. Just buy the new book or don't worry about 3.5 rules. :)
Merlin_Durwood 01-16-07, 10:20 PM	As well as the PGtF, I'd recommend Faiths and Pantheons--unless you've got the older-edition equivalents, in which case it's not so useful. Definately agree with you there, Andyr. I have my copy of Faiths and Avatars still and was given Faiths and Pantheons as a gift. F&P is good, but if you've got Faiths and Avatars, I wouldn't worry about it.
GothicDan 01-16-07, 10:28 PM	Woe is the DM that has to convert those rules on the fly...Polymorph? Save DC modifiers into caster levels(which screws up all kinds of PrC's and feats)? Rangers? Screw that. Just buy the new book or don't worry about 3.5 rules. ....? How exactly are those things hard to convert? And more importantly, would it damage gameplay if they weren't?