Post/Author/DateTime	Post
drizzt420 06-27-07, 05:41 PM	In regards to Waterdeep source material - for those experienced in both, which do you prefer? I have limited experience with both but more with the 2nd edition incarnation from Volo. The huge selling point of this also happens to be the fold out map. Like others I am revisiting Undermountain and Waterdeep with the new Undermountain sourcebook. Thanks for any advice given! :D
Faraer 06-27-07, 06:07 PM	City of Splendors: Waterdeep is a top-down structural overview of the city, how it works, its history and people, like FR1 Waterdeep and the North and City of Splendors before it. Volo's Guide to Waterdeep is a close-up, street-level look at mainly inns, taverns, shops and dangerous alleys. They're complementary. It would be hard to run a long-term campaign in Waterdeep without the former, and hard to capture its atmosphere without the latter.
dave_the_DM 06-27-07, 09:33 PM	[i] It would be hard to run a long-term campaign in Waterdeep without the former, and hard to capture its atmosphere without the latter. I couldn't have said it better myself. BOTH are required reading if you want to really get a feel for what the city is about. I would also add that "City of Splendors" uses the same numbering system for the buildings as the "Waterdeep" hardcovers. "Volo's Guide" uses the "old" style numbering system, but there is an Appendix in "City of Splendors" that does the conversion for you. If you want to know what's in all those numbered buildings on the map, that you've got to get "Volo's Guide". For a couple of bucks you can download both from RPGnow.com. There is no reason not to get both... and get the original "Ruins of Undermountain" boxed set while your at it :D.
MerrikCale 06-27-07, 11:05 PM	City of Splendor if I had to chose. Its one of the better recent sourcebooks. But Volo's (all of them) are terrific and fun
pokie 06-28-07, 01:18 AM	just get both - it's not hard ;)
drizzt420 06-28-07, 11:27 AM	How is the resolution quality of downloads form rpgnow.com? I have heard of others complain about them in the past. Also, the huge selling point to Volo's guide is the map. Does this come with the downloaded version and in good resolution?
pokie 06-28-07, 01:01 PM	the ones i got from... other sources in pdf format were very good searchable (!) pdf files - high quality.
Faraer 06-28-07, 01:20 PM	The text in the PDFs that were done earlier in the process, including the Volo's Guides, is cleanly and accurately OCRed. Less good news on the maps, which are included as bitmaps with the same resolution as illustrations, though they often needed more. As well, the poster maps are divided into their folded 'panels'. And I think, can somone verify? that the VGW one *is* missing the poster map. (The best one-sheet map of Waterdeep, though, comes with the 1994 City of Splendors boxed set; the VGW one is a reprint of the older FR1 map.)
dave_the_DM 06-29-07, 01:37 PM	How is the resolution quality of downloads form rpgnow.com? I have heard of others complain about them in the past. Also, the huge selling point to Volo's guide is the map. Does this come with the downloaded version and in good resolution? Actually, the map from Volo's guide is pretty lame, its a cut down version of the map from FR 1 Waterdeep and the North. Waterdeep maps are a dime a dozen. Download "City System" and forget about it. The whole point of "Volo's Guide" is the descriptions of the city, from a traveler's perspective. Those numbers on the map... what are they? Volo's Guide answers that question in detail. Also, the "City of Splendors" boxed set is worth getting if only for the description of "The Blue Alley", the adventurer's quarter, and the index that cross references the old numbering system with the new one. Volo's guide, City System use the old system, while City of Splendors and the 3.5e Waterdeep use the new one. I have all these downloads and the quality on them is fine... not great, but its functional. Hey... they're only$4.95! :D
pokie 06-29-07, 02:54 PM	or free...
MarkusTay63 06-29-07, 07:00 PM	There is also a small 3d-style map in War Captain's Companion: Book 1, more of a picture really, but its nice. there is also some information in that book on things like shipwrights, tax collectors, dock sanitation, etc... and even a small write-up and stat block for Khelben. It says he's been thinking about leaving Toril...... Too Late. :weep:
Stigger 06-30-07, 03:43 AM	Think I liked the 2e City of Splendors boxed set more really... maps were much better than the embedded ones in the 3e incarnation. A lot more detail in there as well really, at least I thought. Not even going to go into the general omission of the Temple of Sune in the 3e one, at least beyond a 1 line mention in the ward key. At least we still hae Volo though.
Krash 06-30-07, 12:33 PM	There was a significant amount of material cut from Eric's work - as is evidenced by the lengthy web enhancement. Other faiths in Waterdeep and further noble families of the city were written up but didn't make the final edit. Nothing you have ever seen in print re Waterdeep wasn't considered for the product as written. -- George Krashos
Stigger 07-02-07, 03:01 AM	That is a real pity actually... my current campaign is focussing rather heavily on an arcane devotee of Sune, her band, and their various adventures.
Rasputen_Bel_Kuhr 07-11-07, 01:00 AM	Hello is there a copy of volo's guide to waterdeep available on the net and are we allowed to link to it if so could someone link to it please?
Old Sage 07-11-07, 01:09 AM	You'll find a legal PDF download of Volo's Guide to Waterdeep at paizo.com (http://paizo.com/store/brand/forgottenRealms/roleplayingGames/2ndEdition/v5748btpy7mk7&source=search) for just $4US.