players guide to faerun... do you need it to play Forgotten Realms? [Archive] - Wizards Community

players guide to faerun... do you need it to play Forgotten Realms? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Aragorn
05-05-04, 09:44 PM I've been playing the 3.5 core D&D NO THIS ISN'T A CORE D&D THREAD and havn't actually played the Forgotten Realms campaign setting but am looking into starting. My question is do you need the Players Guide to Faerun in order to play with the new 3.5 rules? Or is the Forgotten Realms Campain Setting book all you need?

Any help would be great. Thanks,

Aragorn...
Autosponge
05-05-04, 09:51 PM The more books the better. It just allows you to add more flavor to the game is all. Grab what your budget will allow and don't forget the free downloads of 2nd ed. FR stuff--it's worth its digital weight in gold for source material.
The_Declaration
05-05-04, 10:00 PM Player's guide is updating the 3.0 previous info to 3.5. If you plan to play in the realms for a while, you'll need it i think. But FRCS is usable alone. Depends how much the Realms mean for you, and how much you want to invest in it (time-energy-money).
Mr. Wilson
05-05-04, 11:19 PM No. You don't.

The updates aren't that big a deal. This is the first FR book that I won't buy.

It's to crunchy, IMO.
Heron_Marked_Blade
05-05-04, 11:54 PM Originally posted by Mr. Wilson
It's to crunchy, IMO. Crunchiness has its place. I find the book useful, although it doesn't begin to take the place of the FRCS. Fluff-wise, you can't beat the 2E products. They're packed with all kinds of invaluable information. Besides which, it's so much fun converting all those spells and items to 3.X....
Laszlo Koller
05-06-04, 12:05 AM So far I think the replies to date seem to lean towards using the PGtF in your upcoming Forgotten Realms game. I'm going to throw my hat into the "it's a useful book if you're going to play in the 3.5 version of the Realms".

Just my 2 cents.

It updates some of the PrC's found in the FRCS (Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting) hardcover, as well as adds new PrCs, feats, spells, and even some Epic, Vile, and Exalted classes and feats.

The two things I liked most about the new book are:
1. The new definition and implementation of Regional feats. (They're actually going to be used in my campaign now.)
2. The FR-based outer planes are finally fleshed out--not in great detail but enough for a creative DM to use as a starting point. (I know there has been considerable debate regarding the outer planes in the Realms... but I happen to like 'em.)

Again, my 2 cents for a total of 4 cents.
Mr. Wilson
05-06-04, 02:00 AM I wouldn't argue that crunch doesn't have a place in RPGs, or in the FR in general.

I liked the mix of crunch and fluff mix in books like UE, SM, and even the Races of Faerun. Heck, I even could overlook stating the Gods, simply for the rest of the book.

I just think the crunch factor of the PGtF is a bit to high for me. I'm not a huge fan of feats or PrC's, so I just skimmed that part of the book.

I read the two pages worth of updates to the world, and it seems to follow only the storylines of the novels, so again, I'm not entirely thrilled about that part.

The cosmos section was ok, again, I skimmed it, 99% of my games won't deal with that, but it's nice to have if needed.
Ranger REG
05-06-04, 04:22 AM Originally posted by Mr. Wilson

No. You don't.

The updates aren't that big a deal. This is the first FR book that I won't buy.

It's to crunchy, IMO.
"It's too cruncy!"

"Not crunchy enough!"

Kids, don't make me come back there! :behold:

It's a book to update FR to use with the 3.5e core rules, so it has to be crunchy. It also did updates some of the happenings by giving spoilers to current and upcoming FR novel series (IOW, there is fluff). But all in all, it's a sister companion to the main book, FRCS. So, it makes no sense rehashing the same fluff material that's already in the FRCS and upping the cost of the Player's Guide already.
Plunderer_of_the_planes
05-09-04, 11:46 AM for someone like me that doesn't use 3.5 fully and has most of teh books printed before the players guide; I skimmed over it at first and have bought two other books instead. There's too much rehash and reprint for my taste as well.

I'll keep playing without it and maybe I'll get it used somewhere later on but I wasn't that excited over it when I flipped through it at the store.
Aesyka the Forlorn
05-09-04, 02:59 PM I've personally found it very useful, especially in clarifying character creation and for the spell revisions.
protonik
05-10-04, 12:04 AM It isn't necessary at all, just a nice addition to your game. Very little in the FRCS needs tweaking at all. Now when you get into other books like Magic or Lords of Darkness, well, then you start to get a headache because that takes a LOT of conversion... then it becomes essential unless you don't really care about some of the semi-necessary tweaks you would need to make to feats or prestige classes...

Jason
Sarta
05-10-04, 04:41 AM I'd say it depends.

If you plan on never having the characters do any extraplanar exploring or intend to stick to the great wheel cosmology then it is not needed. It may be found to be very useful, but ultimately not as important as the FRCS.

If however, you intend to use the new FR cosmology it is invaluable and at this point very needed.

Sarta
AvengedMutablegenus
05-10-04, 11:47 AM i find it very nessacary if playing epic or 3.5, if not, it's not really that nessacary
Purple Dragon Knight
05-10-04, 06:23 PM I have all 3.0 and 3.5 books, and I've been a FR DM for 16 years now...

Here's a list of books I deem essential to play FR now: (i.e. those are ALWAYS in my gaming bag; I need them during every game)

-- FRCS
-- Faiths and Pantheons
-- Races of Faerūn
-- Magic of Faerūn
-- Player's Guide to Faerūn (PGtoF)

Here's a list of "good to have" books: (especially if you play a spellcaster, as Und. and Una. both complete the spell list found in PGtoF)

-- Underdark
-- Unapproachable East
-- Lords of Darkness (DM only)

Here's a list of the ones I am not using anymore: (however Silver Marches is ESSENTIAL if your campaign occurs in, well, the Silver Marches! :rolleyes: My campaign doesn't, which is the only reason why I have classified the book here)

-- Silver Marches
-- Monsters of Faerūn
Kuje31
05-10-04, 06:43 PM The only 3/3.5e sourcebook I keep falling back on is the FRCS. If you have the old books and a rules lite DM, like me, then no you don't need the Player's Guide.
Chaotic Monk
05-10-04, 06:56 PM My judgement of it is beautiful artwork, cool Prcs, some good fluff.

the only downside is the price (duh) and the minor spelling errors.

for example under the secting depicting different subtypes of humans, there is a picture clearly depicting a thayan red mage, and next to it is the label "illuskan".

i give it 4 out of 5 gp
Acererak
05-13-04, 01:29 PM Necessary? No. Useful? Eh. It's nice to have the updated PrC's and regions, but it's not necessary by any stretch of the imagination.

I think I got more use from the PGtF web enhancement that from the actual book.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aragorn 05-05-04, 09:44 PM	I've been playing the 3.5 core D&D NO THIS ISN'T A CORE D&D THREAD and havn't actually played the Forgotten Realms campaign setting but am looking into starting. My question is do you need the Players Guide to Faerun in order to play with the new 3.5 rules? Or is the Forgotten Realms Campain Setting book all you need? Any help would be great. Thanks, Aragorn...
Autosponge 05-05-04, 09:51 PM	The more books the better. It just allows you to add more flavor to the game is all. Grab what your budget will allow and don't forget the free downloads of 2nd ed. FR stuff--it's worth its digital weight in gold for source material.
The_Declaration 05-05-04, 10:00 PM	Player's guide is updating the 3.0 previous info to 3.5. If you plan to play in the realms for a while, you'll need it i think. But FRCS is usable alone. Depends how much the Realms mean for you, and how much you want to invest in it (time-energy-money).
Mr. Wilson 05-05-04, 11:19 PM	No. You don't. The updates aren't that big a deal. This is the first FR book that I won't buy. It's to crunchy, IMO.
Heron_Marked_Blade 05-05-04, 11:54 PM	Originally posted by Mr. Wilson It's to crunchy, IMO. Crunchiness has its place. I find the book useful, although it doesn't begin to take the place of the FRCS. Fluff-wise, you can't beat the 2E products. They're packed with all kinds of invaluable information. Besides which, it's so much fun converting all those spells and items to 3.X....
Laszlo Koller 05-06-04, 12:05 AM	So far I think the replies to date seem to lean towards using the PGtF in your upcoming Forgotten Realms game. I'm going to throw my hat into the "it's a useful book if you're going to play in the 3.5 version of the Realms". Just my 2 cents. It updates some of the PrC's found in the FRCS (Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting) hardcover, as well as adds new PrCs, feats, spells, and even some Epic, Vile, and Exalted classes and feats. The two things I liked most about the new book are: 1. The new definition and implementation of Regional feats. (They're actually going to be used in my campaign now.) 2. The FR-based outer planes are finally fleshed out--not in great detail but enough for a creative DM to use as a starting point. (I know there has been considerable debate regarding the outer planes in the Realms... but I happen to like 'em.) Again, my 2 cents for a total of 4 cents.
Mr. Wilson 05-06-04, 02:00 AM	I wouldn't argue that crunch doesn't have a place in RPGs, or in the FR in general. I liked the mix of crunch and fluff mix in books like UE, SM, and even the Races of Faerun. Heck, I even could overlook stating the Gods, simply for the rest of the book. I just think the crunch factor of the PGtF is a bit to high for me. I'm not a huge fan of feats or PrC's, so I just skimmed that part of the book. I read the two pages worth of updates to the world, and it seems to follow only the storylines of the novels, so again, I'm not entirely thrilled about that part. The cosmos section was ok, again, I skimmed it, 99% of my games won't deal with that, but it's nice to have if needed.
Ranger REG 05-06-04, 04:22 AM	Originally posted by Mr. Wilson No. You don't. The updates aren't that big a deal. This is the first FR book that I won't buy. It's to crunchy, IMO. "It's too cruncy!" "Not crunchy enough!" Kids, don't make me come back there! :behold: It's a book to update FR to use with the 3.5e core rules, so it has to be crunchy. It also did updates some of the happenings by giving spoilers to current and upcoming FR novel series (IOW, there is fluff). But all in all, it's a sister companion to the main book, FRCS. So, it makes no sense rehashing the same fluff material that's already in the FRCS and upping the cost of the Player's Guide already.
Plunderer_of_the_planes 05-09-04, 11:46 AM	for someone like me that doesn't use 3.5 fully and has most of teh books printed before the players guide; I skimmed over it at first and have bought two other books instead. There's too much rehash and reprint for my taste as well. I'll keep playing without it and maybe I'll get it used somewhere later on but I wasn't that excited over it when I flipped through it at the store.
Aesyka the Forlorn 05-09-04, 02:59 PM	I've personally found it very useful, especially in clarifying character creation and for the spell revisions.
protonik 05-10-04, 12:04 AM	It isn't necessary at all, just a nice addition to your game. Very little in the FRCS needs tweaking at all. Now when you get into other books like Magic or Lords of Darkness, well, then you start to get a headache because that takes a LOT of conversion... then it becomes essential unless you don't really care about some of the semi-necessary tweaks you would need to make to feats or prestige classes... Jason
Sarta 05-10-04, 04:41 AM	I'd say it depends. If you plan on never having the characters do any extraplanar exploring or intend to stick to the great wheel cosmology then it is not needed. It may be found to be very useful, but ultimately not as important as the FRCS. If however, you intend to use the new FR cosmology it is invaluable and at this point very needed. Sarta
AvengedMutablegenus 05-10-04, 11:47 AM	i find it very nessacary if playing epic or 3.5, if not, it's not really that nessacary
Purple Dragon Knight 05-10-04, 06:23 PM	I have all 3.0 and 3.5 books, and I've been a FR DM for 16 years now... Here's a list of books I deem essential to play FR now: (i.e. those are ALWAYS in my gaming bag; I need them during every game) -- FRCS -- Faiths and Pantheons -- Races of Faerūn -- Magic of Faerūn -- Player's Guide to Faerūn (PGtoF) Here's a list of "good to have" books: (especially if you play a spellcaster, as Und. and Una. both complete the spell list found in PGtoF) -- Underdark -- Unapproachable East -- Lords of Darkness (DM only) Here's a list of the ones I am not using anymore: (however Silver Marches is ESSENTIAL if your campaign occurs in, well, the Silver Marches! :rolleyes: My campaign doesn't, which is the only reason why I have classified the book here) -- Silver Marches -- Monsters of Faerūn
Kuje31 05-10-04, 06:43 PM	The only 3/3.5e sourcebook I keep falling back on is the FRCS. If you have the old books and a rules lite DM, like me, then no you don't need the Player's Guide.
Chaotic Monk 05-10-04, 06:56 PM	My judgement of it is beautiful artwork, cool Prcs, some good fluff. the only downside is the price (duh) and the minor spelling errors. for example under the secting depicting different subtypes of humans, there is a picture clearly depicting a thayan red mage, and next to it is the label "illuskan". i give it 4 out of 5 gp
Acererak 05-13-04, 01:29 PM	Necessary? No. Useful? Eh. It's nice to have the updated PrC's and regions, but it's not necessary by any stretch of the imagination. I think I got more use from the PGtF web enhancement that from the actual book.