D&D 5E What's so great about Elminster?
Ymdar
Explorer
I think most people's problem is that there are very high level personas in the FR setting who are basically way cooler than your PC will ever be.
When does your PC ever get to level 29-35? Not in my games, not really.
When does your PC ever get rescued by Greater Deity? Not in my games, not really.
When does your PC ever get to be a chosen of a deity? Not in my games, not really.
My games are not epic enough? Maybe. Do my players enjoy it? Yes they do.
This might be a question of play styles and since I try to keep FR flavor when DMing I will have PCs meet important named NPCs if it is appropriate. But those high level NPCs will not help them at all.
I think Elminster level epic gaming lost popularity at the end of the 90s but I might be wrong.
Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
Wrong soda! From the Wizards Three Article at Elminster's place.
"It was early in the evening; it’d be hours yet before my study was invaded by three mighty mages. Or so I’d thought. I was strolling unconcernedly down the hall, laden with a case of cola and some bottles of ice wine, when a sudden, well, hoofing sound from above made me look up, dump the drinkables onto the broadloom with a hasty crash, and dive into the nearest closet."
Who would you say is the biggest offender, because I know it's not Drizzt, Drizzt doesn't have the magical fire power to handle a tenth of the threats to the Sword Coast and the Realms.
I know it's not Nezram The World Walker (the title makes him some like someone from MtG), he's powerful, maybe the most powerful mortal archmage in the Realms with all the power the Chosen of Mystera lost, he might even be responsible for the return of the Mulhorandi Gods, but until 4e he was out traveling the planes and no where near Toril. Plus he has his hands full helping his Gods to rebuild Mulhorand.
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Elderbrain
Guest
Originally, Elminster was merely a 21+ level Wizard, on a par with Mordenkainen and the like. Then 3e decided to give him a major buff and some levels in other classes, such as Cleric, making him a ludicrous CR 37 or so. If Elminster turns up in my FR game, he will be statted up as an Archmage NPC, same as Mordenkainen got in Curse Of Straad...
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
... that's not what a Mary Sue is.
Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
This has never been the case, but is used by said haters as a weak justification to dislike the Realms. There are as many epic bad guys as good guys and so they pretty much check each other, leaving everything else bad to the rest of the adventurers. When something potentially world ending happens, the PCs are literally the only ones available, because everyone else is busy with each other and THEIR world ending plots
[MENTION=23751]Maxperson[/MENTION] back in the 90s Elminster was for FR what Mordenkainen and the rest of the Circle of 8 was for Greyhawk, and Fizban for Dragonlance.
FR back then was an interesting alternative setting with its own flavor, you had the undermountain / underdark myth drannnor, things like dead magic and wild magic zones and mythals. These were very much FR gimmicks, like Psionics in Athas or dragonmarks in Eberron. It was new and cool and the setting was not such a kitchen sink as it is today.
NPCs like Elminster back then served some purposes, being a mentor, being the balancing force of good versus many evil threats and therefore logic:
Imagine FR with all the drow and orc hordes Zhentarim, undead, some eveil dragons: Who keeps them at bay if they go for an all out attack? There have to be some strong forces of good to keep up a "balance of power" for pure logic reasons. NPCs like that could interfere in scenarios to even the odds like a when an end boss would summon an avatar of an evil deity or some demon overlord to his aid in the end fight, a sort of Gandalf on the bridge scenario, the players still got to fight the end boss but the out of their league mob is occupied with Elminster.
FR back then was an interesting alternative setting with its own flavor, you had the undermountain / underdark myth drannnor, things like dead magic and wild magic zones and mythals. These were very much FR gimmicks, like Psionics in Athas or dragonmarks in Eberron. It was new and cool and the setting was not such a kitchen sink as it is today.
NPCs like Elminster back then served some purposes, being a mentor, being the balancing force of good versus many evil threats and therefore logic:
Imagine FR with all the drow and orc hordes Zhentarim, undead, some eveil dragons: Who keeps them at bay if they go for an all out attack? There have to be some strong forces of good to keep up a "balance of power" for pure logic reasons. NPCs like that could interfere in scenarios to even the odds like a when an end boss would summon an avatar of an evil deity or some demon overlord to his aid in the end fight, a sort of Gandalf on the bridge scenario, the players still got to fight the end boss but the out of their league mob is occupied with Elminster.
Ymdar
Explorer
Why is it a kitchen sink today? I don't see any changes since 3e. Actually I've started reading into 2e guides and for me it looked even more kitchen sink at that time.
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