Hi folks,
I have the opportunity to purchase the 3rd ed Living Greyhawk Gazeteer, and I wanted to have the humble opinion of Greyhawk's veterans on this one.
Is it any good? Will I have enough to have a better idea of Greyhawk as a world, its history, its intrigues, etc...?
I'm asking cause I know very little about Greyhawk apart from the basic stuff, and playing the TOEE back in the day, and that would be my first real encounter with the world.
So any feedback is welcome!
Thanks a mil
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Get it. Period.
The main problem many greyhawk fans had with this book was, that it contained nothing new - that is no problem for you, since you don't know the old stuff. I have plenty (though not nearly all) of the old greyhawk stuff, yet I still was glad I bought it, since I had the most important information in one book that I could easily carry around. The LG Gazetteer will give you a pretty good Idea about the flanaess, its history, its people, gods etc.
P.S. I'm sure Erik Mona and Sean K. Reynolds would support the "Get it" advice, since they are both among the writers of the book.
I would also say get it. A few points to give you insight:
*It is a great, comprehensive history of the Greyhawk world. It captures many of the general details of the numerous Greyhawk supplements, modules, etc and puts in a whole framework. And honestly, that's a lot of material - especially during the Greyhawk Wars phase when TSR was publishing stuff so randomly and it was a mess to find it.
*It gives you a great starting point if you plan on running a campaign there - especially if you want to then supplement with some of the newer supplments/modules that Wizard's released during the D&D Anniversary to work with it. There was also some great stuff from Dungeon Magazine that worked well with the updated setting.
*The major criticism I've heard is that Gazeteer is too much of a "Forgotten Realms" duplication in execution. I don't really agree with that opinion - if anything it made me want to revisit all my old Greyhawk materials.
So yes - get it. I think you'll get something of an "old-school" vibe from it - but in a good way!
I know I'm not adding anything here, but GET IT.
I got hooked on Greyhawk while reading that book. And until then, practically everything I knew about Greyhawk was from the 3.0 core rulebooks.
I'd say "Get it," but with one caveat - make sure the copy you're getting has the map. I bought it from a dealer that claimed the copy was "Like New," but the map was absent. You could clearly see the leftover paper from where the map was crudely ripped out.
I'd say "Get it," but with one caveat - make sure the copy you're getting has the map. I bought it from a dealer that claimed the copy was "Like New," but the map was absent. You could clearly see the leftover paper from where the map was crudely ripped out.
While useful if you don't have another one, the map in the LGG is probably one of the least useful maps of the campaign setting that I have. The folio version and the Paizo-4 segment versions are much better.
The book is a good resource. The greatest complaint I believe I've every really heard about it was that it's post-Greyhawk wars. Plenty of GH fans don't like the whole post war thing in the first place. I consider that a fairly small objection to the book.
The book is a good resource. The greatest complaint I believe I've every really heard about it was that it's post-Greyhawk wars. Plenty of GH fans don't like the whole post war thing in the first place. I consider that a fairly small objection to the book.
While I'm no expert, I got the impression that many people didn't like the post-war thing... and some of those people got to write WotC's Greyhawk books and reverse some of those changes, resulting in a Flanaess more true to the original.
(And thanks for the commentary on the map. I always wondered if I had been missing out on something.)
It is f-ing awesome, and almost ruined my life it was so much work to coordinate.
And we thank you soooo much for it! Job well done, sir!
I am considering getting a second copy of it, my FLGS had one still last time I checked. If you want a comprehensive, all-in-one sourcebook on the setting, this is the one to get. Be careful, though - there was a Greyhawk Gazetteer a little earlier, just after 3e came out, I believe. This is a rather short (32 pages or so) extract of GH stuff. While ok in itself, the LGG offers much more.
While we´re at it, other GH stuff I´d recommend is
- from the GH 98 series
9577 The Adventure Begins (great setting intro)
9576 Return of the Eight (nice adventure with a few cool twists)
9578 Player’s Guide (can´t really recall that one, but I dimly remember it as being good)
11374 The Scarlet Brotherhood (sourcebook)
11413 Against the Giants: The Liberation of Geoff (adventure with source material)
11621 Slavers (dito)
- boxed sets:
City of Greyhawk (lots of information, cool maps - pre war)
From the Ashes (the setting immediately after the war)
World of Greyhawk (original setting pre-war)
Be warned, though: much info is always reprinted in later sourcebooks.
Greyhawk Adventures hardcover: nice to have, has some cool places, NPCs, magic items and "named" spells - all in 1st Ed. format, however.
9386 WGR3 Rary the Traitor (adventure and sourcebook)
9398 WGR4 The Marklands (sourcebook)
9399 WGR5 Iuz the Evil (sourcebook)
online: Ivid the Undying (should be found on the Wizards homepage somewhere)
The Marklands, Iuz and Ivid are probably some of the best sourcebooks ever written for the setting. (I still miss Carl Sargent)
9270 WG12 Vale of the Mage (pre-war adventure and sourcebook - less important)
9279 WGA1 Falcon’s Revenge
9289 WGA2 Falconmaster
9302 WGA3 Flames of the Falcon (three adventures in the City of Greyhawk - need some work IMO)
9317 WGS1 Five Shall Be One
9337 WGS2 Howl From the North (the war prelude as adventures - I think they are more an interesting read than good adventures)
Just some opinions about it, YMMV.
Stefan
Hi folks,
I have the opportunity to purchase the 3rd ed Living Greyhawk Gazeteer, and I wanted to have the humble opinion of Greyhawk's veterans on this one.
Is it any good? Will I have enough to have a better idea of Greyhawk as a world, its history, its intrigues, etc...?
I'm asking cause I know very little about Greyhawk apart from the basic stuff, and playing the TOEE back in the day, and that would be my first real encounter with the world.
So any feedback is welcome!
Thanks a mil
Must-have. There are a few other things I would recommend, if you can get your hands on them. About 10 years ago Living Greyhawk Journal had some killer stuff, and Paizo used to sell pdfs of From the Ashes and The Adventure Begins. I know that they can no longer sell TSR/WotC pdfs, but both of those are also really cool if you can track them down.
I love it merely for all the coat of arms. Everything else is gravy.
So yeah, get it.
I have almost everything that was published and my available commercially for the Greyhawk setting, and if it's not the best Greyhawk product available out there, it's pretty damn close... so get it! No hesitation! You won't find a more comprehensive overview of the World of Greyhawk.
Am I the only one wishing someone would post "Don't get it," just so we can hear an opposing view?
I don't think you should get it, and here's why:
1) Just kidding, it IS F-ing awesome.
2) Get it.
(j/k, in some ways, being a dead setting is a blessing) ;-)
Yeah, most folks won´t mess with the dead - if out of respect or out of fear that the dead may mess with them in turn, I can´t tell. (besides, judging from what I´ve heard about FR, there would not be much left of GH if WotC were to revive it.)
Stefan
I've got a related question. What issues of Dungeon were Living Greyhawk Journal in?
I've got a related question. What issues of Dungeon were Living Greyhawk Journal in?
This information is easily found on canonfire . On the main page, left hand side, under the heading "Features". The list contains the issues published separately as well as those published as part of either Dragon or Dungeon, up to issue 24 in Dungeon 106, which was the last one IIRC.
Stefan
I've got a related question. What issues of Dungeon were Living Greyhawk Journal in?This information is easily found on canonfire . On the main page, left hand side, under the heading "Features". The list contains the issues published separately as well as those published as part of either Dragon or Dungeon, up to issue 24 in Dungeon 106, which was the last one IIRC.
Stefan
Thanks.
Concerning the overwhelming answer in this thread, I guess one should ask: Greyblade, does that answer your question? ;-)
As you can see, despite it's age and supposed death, I think you'll find many Greyhawk fans still lurking around.
As you can see, despite it's age and supposed death, I think you'll find many Greyhawk fans still lurking around.
And might even argue that many fans are aged (and maybe even supposedly dead) as well :-).
Editions change. Greyhawk endures.
Stefan
Editions change. Greyhawk endures.
Indeed. Nice list of suggested materials above, by the way.
Indeed. Nice list of suggested materials above, by the way.
Editions change. Greyhawk endures.
Well, I wasn´t named a "first-rank Greyhawk geek" for nothing :-)
I just remembered the Oerth Journal fanzine today while looking at the Canonfire web site. #25 was published last December, they are always worth reading, especially considering that they are free. Kudos to the folks producing them, great work over the years - or more exactly, the past 15 years.
Stefan
Get it, but beware that the setting is addictive. Once you start your descent into Greyhawk canon you'll end up buying dozens of OOP 1E products on eBay looking for ridiculously uninfluential details like Mordenkainen's hair or architecture in ancient Empire of Sulm.
...looking for ridiculously uninfluential details like Mordenkainen's hair or architecture in ancient Empire of Sulm.
And being frustrated at the overall lack of such details - but Mordenkainen had hair at some point.
[nitpick]
I would have been most happy if there really had been *dozens* of 1e products for GH. Well, counting all the modules, you might end up with perhaps two dozen products overall, if that much.
[/nitpick]
Stefan
If you get into GH, and I hope you do, the 1st 6 volumes of the Living GH Journal (numbered 0-5) were print copies, and not to be found in issues of the (RIP) magazines. That said, they're not easy or cheap to get ahold of.
But start w/ the Gazetteer, which is a great damn book and labor of love.
Hi guys,
Thank you all so much for your replies, amazing feedback!
Even though I'm sure it's great, and I have liked the bits of Greyhawk lore I have stumbled upon in the past, I have recently acquired some books from the Scarred Lands line, and I'm really really impressed with this setting. So much impressed that I have decided to start a campaign on Scarn.
So for now, I think I will be just fine!
Again, thanks so much for taking the time to reply, and wish you all great games!
Even though I'm sure it's great, and I have liked the bits of Greyhawk lore I have stumbled upon in the past, I have recently acquired some books from the Scarred Lands line...
As all the Greyhawkians groan:"Awwww, man....foiled again!" ;-)
Good luck with your campaign, Greyblade!
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Hi folks,
I have the opportunity to purchase the 3rd ed Living Greyhawk Gazeteer, and I wanted to have the humble opinion of Greyhawk's veterans on this one.
Is it any good? Will I have enough to have a better idea of Greyhawk as a world, its history, its intrigues, etc...?
I'm asking cause I know very little about Greyhawk apart from the basic stuff, and playing the TOEE back in the day, and that would be my first real encounter with the world.
So any feedback is welcome!
Thanks a mil
Go for it !
It is a bit short for my tastes, but is as good a primer as you'll ever get
Greyhawk rules and always will! (At least in this old timer's book!)
And even though I mostly play in pre-Greyhawk wars era, the Living Campaign resource is chock full of gaming goodness.
Don't get it....GET IT TWICE!!!
I did!
I did!Don't get it....GET IT TWICE!!!
Heh... so did I, actually... :-)
Hi guys,
Thank you all so much for your replies, amazing feedback!
Even though I'm sure it's great, and I have liked the bits of Greyhawk lore I have stumbled upon in the past, I have recently acquired some books from the Scarred Lands line, and I'm really really impressed with this setting. So much impressed that I have decided to start a campaign on Scarn.
So for now, I think I will be just fine!
Again, thanks so much for taking the time to reply, and wish you all great games!
Yeah, BUT... If you should choose to run a Greyhawk campaign in the future, you may be turning your back on getting the best out of print Greyhawk resource available! What's another couple of bucks for a gem of that quality? :-)
Ah well... best wishes with your Scarred Lands campaign...
Look who's back! :)
I eventually bought the LGG quite recently, and I indeed love the setting, thanks guys, your efforts were not in vain!
Well, who said there won´t be any new fans for the setting? Do yourself a favor and look at all the fan-produced material out there, with canonfire at the center.
Sadly, my GH campaign ended this summer as one of my three players moved too far away to make playing feasible any longer...
Stefan
Thanks, and don't worry, I'm sure you'll find new players to join your group very soon, I noticed it's always working by periods for finding new players :)