Thinking of buying that bad boy, but the old one came out over 4 years ago. By today's WotC standards, that was eons and eons ago. I figure a new one will be coming out soon, if only so they can sell more books. Should I wait?
I figure a new one will be coming out soon, if only so they can sell more books.
There is absolutely NO indication on WotC's site that they're going to revise or change this in the next year or so...
So get it now, and start playing ASAP!
My best friend, who got me into D&D 25 years ago, is currently working up a Forgotten Realms campaign to run every two weeks, using that very book.
I can't wait! I have not had a chance to "play" D&D in almost seven years....I rolled up a Cleric! I'm so excited!
Get the book, I looked through it and it rocks! Forgotten Realms as a player one weekend, Greyhawk as a DM the next, how cool is that!!!
Hey, everyone. Just have a couple of questions about the FRCS. Even since the Cities of the Realms:Crimmor article in Dragon, I have come to consider running a FR campaign more and more. At first I thought that all FR was good for was a cool setting for novels (of which I own many), and didn't even consider running a campaign. But now, I have LoD, CoS:W. and Underdark, with CotSQ on the way. So far, I have put off buying the FRCS because I think it trys to detail to many things all in one book, causing all of the material to be too vague to be useful. I am still wrestling with the prospect of buying the FRCS, and I was wondering what you guys think about it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
WaterdhavianFlapjack
The Forgotten Realms Campaign published for 3rd edition is one of the finest D&D products I've ever seen. The artwork and the printing is very attractive. There's a ton of information, but it's just an awesome resource--much, much, much better than the original boxed set, except for the map.
Get the Forgotten Realms Atlas on CD-ROM if you can find it...it'll be expensive, 'cuz it's out of print, but it's well worth it.
Thanks, guys. I'll have to get it. Yes, it sounds great!!
WaterdhavianFlapjack
|
Well, the maps inside the book are not that bad.
Four years old and already a classic.
It's still the No.1-ressource for playing in Faerun.
I agree that it is way better than the 2nd ed. boxed set, but i still love reading the old books.
It is really interesting to see which things changed between the editions.
And the 3.0-FRCS is a great, read by the way.
There's so much inspiration inside thse pages, even if you don't play in the FR.
FRCS is by far the best CS to play D&D in. Depth, history, great cities and cool NPC's all over the place. I'd recommend getting the FRCS and reading it a couple times before you use it.
Amen to that. There isn't much in the FRCS that isn't useful - even though it was put out 4 yrs ago. Maybe WotC can put out a web download for any 3.5 corrections...
Most of the FRCS is chewy RP stuff - not a whole lot of mechanics I can recall.
Amen to that. There isn't much in the FRCS that isn't useful - even though it was put out 4 yrs ago. Maybe WotC can put out a web download for any 3.5 corrections...
Most of the FRCS is chewy RP stuff - not a whole lot of mechanics I can recall.
Thats very, very good. Thanks people!!
WaterdhavianFlapjack
Anything from the FRCS that needed converting from 3.0 to 3.5 got the change in the Player's Guide to Faerun. It also converted things from Magic of Faerun and a few of the other 3.0 books as well. The biggest update as far as I am concerned was the revised way to handle Regions and Regional Feats.
If you play 3.5 Realms, you definately want the FRCS and the PGtF.
Just wanted to thank everybody again, just ordered the FRCS on Amazon. Can't wait to get that bad boy in the mail!!
WaterdhavianFlapjack
Anything from the FRCS that needed converting from 3.0 to 3.5 got the change in the Player's Guide to Faerun. It also converted things from Magic of Faerun and a few of the other 3.0 books as well. The biggest update as far as I am concerned was the revised way to handle Regions and Regional Feats.
If you play 3.5 Realms, you definately want the FRCS and the PGtF.
By the way, I heard the PGtF is realy bad. :) Is this true? What is in it?
Thanks.
WaterdhavianFlapjack
Its bad in that its about half full of material that is simply converting 3.0 PrC and feats to 3.5 rules. Not nearly enough new information in it, but neccissary to pick up if you want your game to work well in 3.5.
If you don't care about any FR feats or PrCs, you really don't need it, though it also has some information on the more recent novel series and the timeline involved with them.
|
|
I found PGTF very useful! They actually explain the outer planes (and their inhabitants) in detail, give you new campaign-based prestige classes (which I prefer to random drop-in prestige classes), upgraded some feats, overhauled the regional feat system to be useful, and introduced some new magic items.
I'd rate PGTF fairly well on a must-buy scale.
Lost Empires of Faerun is high on my list. GOOOOOD crunchy stuff in there.
Lost Empires of Faerun is high on my list. GOOOOOD crunchy stuff in there.
Like what? I had the impression it would be more fluffy.
WaterdhavianFlapjack
Lost Empires of Faerun is high on my list. GOOOOOD crunchy stuff in there.Like what? I had the impression it would be more fluffy.
WaterdhavianFlapjack
Crunchy as in a lot of fodder for adventure materials. A lot more ancient history (obviously...), such as the Crown Wars, Netheril, etc. There are new feats (ex. Create Sceptre), new PrCs (ex Sunmaster, Magelord), new spells, but not a whole lot of them, IMHO.
And we must not forget the three blades from Myth Drannor - Crownblade, Warblade and Artblade...
Perhaps instead of crunchy, I should have put "fluffy" - but I always felt the story was more crunchy than the mechanics.
|
|
Perhaps instead of crunchy, I should have put "fluffy" - but I always felt the story was more crunchy than the mechanics.
I've always regarded game mechanics (feats, classes, templates, etc.) as "crunchy", and story information as "fluffy".
In general I'd rather see more fluff than crunch in most books (LGG gets the balance between crunch & fluff about right IMO), and when they do do new PrCs I'd rather they spent an extra page on fluff than wasting it on sample characters.
And we must not forget the three blades from Myth Drannor - Crownblade, Warblade and Artblade...
Ughhh... no wonder Myth Drannor fell if it was led by people who thought that these were a good idea! :)
I liked Lost Empires in general, not too many PrCs and other crunchy bits, a reasonable number of statless character sketches, enough fluff to make the various ancient empires viable to base a game on.
I have had tons of fun introducing NPCs from the Old Grey boxed set for cameos and light roles in the Campaign, even though its set in 1372 DR.
Luvon Greencloak and Alok Silverspear are leading forces to keep Phearimm thralls and Shadovar from Myth Drannor from spilling out into the dales during the "Return of the Archwizards" timeline.
Wow, I've definitely got to get the new handbook. And I like the sound of the Lost Empires too. I run mainly an FR campaign, and I use the FRCS ALL the time. I have most of the supplements to it too: Monsters of Faerun, Races, Underdark, Oriental Adventures, just have to get a few of the newer ones is all. After reading the books I was hooked for good on FR. I'd suggest that to run a good FR campaign, that you need to read a couple of the books too.