New Forgotten Realms Player: The ABSOLUTE BEST FR Books? [Archive] - Wizards Community

New Forgotten Realms Player: The ABSOLUTE BEST FR Books? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
mtgfan101
10-02-06, 10:52 PM I am a fan of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, but I've never played it on actual DND. I've played FR video games, but I think that the tabletop version of FR would be for me when playing D&D (if I don't feel like using my original settings when I DM).

But as a person that doesn't have much to spend on D&D, I'm asking experienced people what books they've loved in their game. Not nly the FR books, maybe D&D Core Supplements that also cooperate with Faerun very well?
BrianCritchley
10-03-06, 01:42 AM some cynics will tell you to hit the used book stores and buy the old 2e stuff, (and too a degree they are right that a lot of the 2E stuff is damned good. you can get a fair amount of the old 2e stuff for free on the wotc website so I'd definatly download what you can) in terms of the BEST it really depends what your intrests are.

that being said obviously you want to pick up the forgotten realms campaign setting,

you'll also want the players guide to faerun.

beyond those two books it really is a matter of where your intrests lie,

if you wanna DM I'd reccomend trying to find Lords of Darkness, great book dealing with the bad guys in faerun,

you should also pick up faiths and pantheons, as the gods are a HUGE part of the realms.

the regional books, well you can pick em up if there is a region that intrests you. if you wanna play exclusively in cormyr no reason to buy The Unapprouchable east after all.
Jiggawha
10-03-06, 03:14 AM To me the best books are Silver Marches and Waterdeep (in 3E) but the Cloak and Dagger (2.99 E) is something special.
MazrimTaim
10-03-06, 06:55 AM Very simple for me. The best 2nd Edition book is Cloak and Dagger, and my favorite 3rd Edition book is Silver Marches. :D
BrianCritchley
10-03-06, 06:57 PM I'll agree silver marches is one of the better regional books. you just don't see that level of attention to detail in a lot of the other regional books.
mtgfan101
10-03-06, 08:03 PM Well, I have absolutely NO knowledge of where the campaign will take place, I might try Amn in the idea that I already know (to an extent) about Amn, and of Baldur's Gate.

Other than that, I'd prefer actual Rules Supplements (characters, races, etc.) as most of you have said that you can get a bunch of material to download from the site. But I will look into Faiths & Pantheons.

I was looking at the Champions of Valor/C. o. Ruin books (on the internet) and I don't know if they're any good. Anyone like these?
gratzu
10-03-06, 10:00 PM Just to clarify, you're not going to be the DM right?
mtgfan101
10-05-06, 09:46 PM Well, possibly. That's why I need to know which books to get. I could possibly be the DM. Maybe not.

But if I DM, this campaign probably won't take place until December or so, maybe even later.
theartistformerlyknownas
10-05-06, 10:15 PM I highly reccommend Lost Empires of Faerun if you plan on entering any dungeons....ever.
Dielzen
10-05-06, 11:02 PM If you're looking for #s, other than the two main books, I'd say Races of Faerun has the most games mechanics other than the two primary FR books.
MerrikCale
10-07-06, 09:40 PM Silver Marches, Lords of Darkness, Waterdeep, Magic of Faerun, Races of Faerun.
Mordrid Soud
10-08-06, 12:51 AM It also depends on what sort of campaign you want to run. Do you want to stick to FR cannon, or are you looking for a setting that is fairly well fleshed out and want to make it you own. If you are in the first category then you are going to want to invest more money into the regional books that are available. If you fall into the second catagory then you can for-go the regional books all together as the campaign book gives you enough information to start a campaign in most of the cities. Rather than the regional books (though I really like the unaproachable east) you should get the campaign setting, the forgotten realms players guide (it updates the setting to 3.5), races of faerun (describes the place/role of many of the races along with adding a handfull of new ones), faiths and pantheons (describes many of the major and minor gods along with history, and grudge lists which comes in very handy). I do like the lost empires of faerun though it is not nessecary to have. As for the the champions of valor/ruin books they are nice to have though in order to fully utillize them you will need the book of vile darkness, and the book of exalted deeds as there are many references to mechanics included in those two books (which while I understand why wizards did this, I still find to be a bit irritating). Well, there's my 2 cents. Hope this helps some.
Mace_Hammerhand
10-09-06, 05:52 AM The main issue IMO is what you wanna do.

If you want to be a player most of the books are off limits, since they contain too many DM infos.

If you wanna DM...of course the FRCS. Beyond that everything else is extra, you do not need more in the strictest sense. Maybe to give you an overview on the big political picture you should acquire Cloak & Dagger.
Delzounblood
10-09-06, 09:18 AM I have always belived that for a player all you need is the following:

1) An active imagination
2) A good DM
3) Players Hand Book

For a DM:

1) Dungeon Masters Guide
2) Players Handbook
3) Monster Manual
4) Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
5) Really good imagination

If you want to expand on these then it depends where yor campaign is going!

Arms and Equipment
Lost Empires of Fearun
Silver Marches
Races of Faerun

But most of all

1) Wotc Forum
2) Candlekeep Forum

These two though not books are probably the biggest source for DM's and Players out there, I know they help me!

Good luck and enjoy...
Jiggawha
10-09-06, 12:22 PM I was looking at the Champions of Valor/C. o. Ruin books (on the internet) and I don't know if they're any good. Anyone like these?

I wouldn't bother with CoR yet, Champions of Valor gives much more option to good PCs and is helpful to DM (more than Book of Exalted Deeds)
ChuutRiit
10-09-06, 12:42 PM snip
For a DM:

1) Dungeon Masters Guide
2) Players Handbook
3) Monster Manual
4) Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
5) Really good imagination

*snip*

But most of all

1) Wotc Forum
2) Candlekeep Forum

These two though not books are probably the biggest source for DM's and Players out there, I know they help me!

Good luck and enjoy...

Well, that's the configuration I am using right now...Although I'd like to have some source books, too, for it is rather impossible for me to look up sth in the 'nets during a session (due to gaming in a pub..).
Mace_Hammerhand
10-09-06, 05:05 PM Cloak & Dagger, 2e sourcebook, but if you wanna know about lots of the intrigues that span the world this is a must!

For the DM of course.

Personally, since I dislike encyclopedias, I tend to read a lot of novels and read up on topics that interest me...from various sourcebooks 1e, 2e, and 3e(3.5).

For that I have a kinda big library around.

But if you wanna DM the Realms get Cloak & Dagger, either as PDF from paizo or something, or check ebay or other sources if you can get one there.

Cheers
mtgfan101
10-09-06, 10:48 PM Wow. . . I haven't checked this in a while. I usually spend my time in Magic.
Thanks for these ideas, please give me more if you have them. I'll look into Cloak & Dagger (as well as everything else).

If I am DMing, it could possibly take place in Amn or Neverwinter (depending on if I get NwN anytime soon) because I would be at least roughly familiar with these regions. I also considered taking the BGII storyline, though I'd have to stretch lots of things.
empty
10-13-06, 09:07 AM A good choice for information about different cities and regions: "Volos Guide To.." series. 2 edition stuff, but barely any stats in there. Written like any travel guide, and detailing every important place in whatever region/city the book is about.

A few of those Volos books are avaible from Wizard's download site, the rest i really dont know where you could find.
HarperRanger
10-13-06, 11:11 AM If your up on the current time line in FR from a novel aspect, the Bloodstone Lands may be a great spot to start.

In the latest R.A. novel, PotWC, the paladin king of the Bloodstone Lands offers 10gp per goblin/orc ear and more for bigger monsters. Good way for the early level characters to earn some good hack and slash exp and get some loot to boot.

I've been thinking of running a game starting there. At some point I'd move them to the Silver Marches, but BL seems like a neat place to start.

HR
MerrikCale
10-13-06, 01:10 PM Bloodstone Lands are good place. Especially if you like ogres.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mtgfan101 10-02-06, 10:52 PM	I am a fan of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, but I've never played it on actual DND. I've played FR video games, but I think that the tabletop version of FR would be for me when playing D&D (if I don't feel like using my original settings when I DM). But as a person that doesn't have much to spend on D&D, I'm asking experienced people what books they've loved in their game. Not nly the FR books, maybe D&D Core Supplements that also cooperate with Faerun very well?
BrianCritchley 10-03-06, 01:42 AM	some cynics will tell you to hit the used book stores and buy the old 2e stuff, (and too a degree they are right that a lot of the 2E stuff is damned good. you can get a fair amount of the old 2e stuff for free on the wotc website so I'd definatly download what you can) in terms of the BEST it really depends what your intrests are. that being said obviously you want to pick up the forgotten realms campaign setting, you'll also want the players guide to faerun. beyond those two books it really is a matter of where your intrests lie, if you wanna DM I'd reccomend trying to find Lords of Darkness, great book dealing with the bad guys in faerun, you should also pick up faiths and pantheons, as the gods are a HUGE part of the realms. the regional books, well you can pick em up if there is a region that intrests you. if you wanna play exclusively in cormyr no reason to buy The Unapprouchable east after all.
Jiggawha 10-03-06, 03:14 AM	To me the best books are Silver Marches and Waterdeep (in 3E) but the Cloak and Dagger (2.99 E) is something special.
MazrimTaim 10-03-06, 06:55 AM	Very simple for me. The best 2nd Edition book is Cloak and Dagger, and my favorite 3rd Edition book is Silver Marches. :D
BrianCritchley 10-03-06, 06:57 PM	I'll agree silver marches is one of the better regional books. you just don't see that level of attention to detail in a lot of the other regional books.
mtgfan101 10-03-06, 08:03 PM	Well, I have absolutely NO knowledge of where the campaign will take place, I might try Amn in the idea that I already know (to an extent) about Amn, and of Baldur's Gate. Other than that, I'd prefer actual Rules Supplements (characters, races, etc.) as most of you have said that you can get a bunch of material to download from the site. But I will look into Faiths & Pantheons. I was looking at the Champions of Valor/C. o. Ruin books (on the internet) and I don't know if they're any good. Anyone like these?
gratzu 10-03-06, 10:00 PM	Just to clarify, you're not going to be the DM right?
mtgfan101 10-05-06, 09:46 PM	Well, possibly. That's why I need to know which books to get. I could possibly be the DM. Maybe not. But if I DM, this campaign probably won't take place until December or so, maybe even later.
theartistformerlyknownas 10-05-06, 10:15 PM	I highly reccommend Lost Empires of Faerun if you plan on entering any dungeons....ever.
Dielzen 10-05-06, 11:02 PM	If you're looking for #s, other than the two main books, I'd say Races of Faerun has the most games mechanics other than the two primary FR books.
MerrikCale 10-07-06, 09:40 PM	Silver Marches, Lords of Darkness, Waterdeep, Magic of Faerun, Races of Faerun.
Mordrid Soud 10-08-06, 12:51 AM	It also depends on what sort of campaign you want to run. Do you want to stick to FR cannon, or are you looking for a setting that is fairly well fleshed out and want to make it you own. If you are in the first category then you are going to want to invest more money into the regional books that are available. If you fall into the second catagory then you can for-go the regional books all together as the campaign book gives you enough information to start a campaign in most of the cities. Rather than the regional books (though I really like the unaproachable east) you should get the campaign setting, the forgotten realms players guide (it updates the setting to 3.5), races of faerun (describes the place/role of many of the races along with adding a handfull of new ones), faiths and pantheons (describes many of the major and minor gods along with history, and grudge lists which comes in very handy). I do like the lost empires of faerun though it is not nessecary to have. As for the the champions of valor/ruin books they are nice to have though in order to fully utillize them you will need the book of vile darkness, and the book of exalted deeds as there are many references to mechanics included in those two books (which while I understand why wizards did this, I still find to be a bit irritating). Well, there's my 2 cents. Hope this helps some.
Mace_Hammerhand 10-09-06, 05:52 AM	The main issue IMO is what you wanna do. If you want to be a player most of the books are off limits, since they contain too many DM infos. If you wanna DM...of course the FRCS. Beyond that everything else is extra, you do not need more in the strictest sense. Maybe to give you an overview on the big political picture you should acquire Cloak & Dagger.
Delzounblood 10-09-06, 09:18 AM	I have always belived that for a player all you need is the following: 1) An active imagination 2) A good DM 3) Players Hand Book For a DM: 1) Dungeon Masters Guide 2) Players Handbook 3) Monster Manual 4) Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 5) Really good imagination If you want to expand on these then it depends where yor campaign is going! Arms and Equipment Lost Empires of Fearun Silver Marches Races of Faerun But most of all 1) Wotc Forum 2) Candlekeep Forum These two though not books are probably the biggest source for DM's and Players out there, I know they help me! Good luck and enjoy...
Jiggawha 10-09-06, 12:22 PM	I was looking at the Champions of Valor/C. o. Ruin books (on the internet) and I don't know if they're any good. Anyone like these? I wouldn't bother with CoR yet, Champions of Valor gives much more option to good PCs and is helpful to DM (more than Book of Exalted Deeds)
ChuutRiit 10-09-06, 12:42 PM	snip For a DM: 1) Dungeon Masters Guide 2) Players Handbook 3) Monster Manual 4) Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 5) Really good imagination snip But most of all 1) Wotc Forum 2) Candlekeep Forum These two though not books are probably the biggest source for DM's and Players out there, I know they help me! Good luck and enjoy... Well, that's the configuration I am using right now...Although I'd like to have some source books, too, for it is rather impossible for me to look up sth in the 'nets during a session (due to gaming in a pub..).
Mace_Hammerhand 10-09-06, 05:05 PM	Cloak & Dagger, 2e sourcebook, but if you wanna know about lots of the intrigues that span the world this is a must! For the DM of course. Personally, since I dislike encyclopedias, I tend to read a lot of novels and read up on topics that interest me...from various sourcebooks 1e, 2e, and 3e(3.5). For that I have a kinda big library around. But if you wanna DM the Realms get Cloak & Dagger, either as PDF from paizo or something, or check ebay or other sources if you can get one there. Cheers
mtgfan101 10-09-06, 10:48 PM	Wow. . . I haven't checked this in a while. I usually spend my time in Magic. Thanks for these ideas, please give me more if you have them. I'll look into Cloak & Dagger (as well as everything else). If I am DMing, it could possibly take place in Amn or Neverwinter (depending on if I get NwN anytime soon) because I would be at least roughly familiar with these regions. I also considered taking the BGII storyline, though I'd have to stretch lots of things.
empty 10-13-06, 09:07 AM	A good choice for information about different cities and regions: "Volos Guide To.." series. 2 edition stuff, but barely any stats in there. Written like any travel guide, and detailing every important place in whatever region/city the book is about. A few of those Volos books are avaible from Wizard's download site, the rest i really dont know where you could find.
HarperRanger 10-13-06, 11:11 AM	If your up on the current time line in FR from a novel aspect, the Bloodstone Lands may be a great spot to start. In the latest R.A. novel, PotWC, the paladin king of the Bloodstone Lands offers 10gp per goblin/orc ear and more for bigger monsters. Good way for the early level characters to earn some good hack and slash exp and get some loot to boot. I've been thinking of running a game starting there. At some point I'd move them to the Silver Marches, but BL seems like a neat place to start. HR
MerrikCale 10-13-06, 01:10 PM	Bloodstone Lands are good place. Especially if you like ogres.