D&D 5E The case for (and against) a new Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book

[Xenonnonex]

No, it was a statement of fact about how some of your posts have appeared. I very carefully didn't ascribe those motivations to you personally. Anyway, I'm just suggesting that the accusations of ignorance aren't going to get you a lot of interaction with what might otherwise be a valid point. I'm still not sure you're picking up what I'm putting down here, but I've given it the old college try.

Okay. Great. Make up whatever to justify your attacks. Good for you.

I think I have it kicking around somewhere. Hopefully its not in storage.

DMsGuild.
DMsGuild for similar products for 5e.

 

[Fenris-77]

Okay. Great. Make up whatever to justify your attacks. Good for you.

It's unfortunate that you feel you've been attacked. That isn't the case though. Anyway, I'll just give your posts a pass for the most part.

As for the DMs Guild, I could go that route, but I really don't want to pay again for a book I'm positive I already have. I'm just not sure if I have it with me or if it's in storage (1000s of km away, sadly). My seafaring Chult-y pirate-y campaign is probably a ways off, so I have time to look for it. I don't think I ever did more than page through it, so it'll be a voyage of discovery.

 

[Xenonnonex]

It's unfortunate that you feel you've been attacked. That isn't the case though. Anyway, I'll just give your posts a pass for the most part.

Note I have only criticized claims. Note I have only criticized opinions posted as facts. I have not attacked the poster. Up to you whether you want to try something similar.

As for the DMs Guild, I could go that route, but I really don't want to pay again for a book I'm positive I already have. I'm just not sure if I have it with me or if it's in storage (1000s of km away, sadly). My seafaring Chult-y pirate-y campaign is probably a ways off, so I have time to look for it. I don't think I ever did more than page through it, so it'll be a voyage of discovery.

Regardless. Good 3pp Supps for Chult are on there. Can sort by rating.

 

[the Jester]

well e.g. 20000 orcs to be fought in groups of 100s if conflict breaks out e.g. (greyhawk howl from the north trilogy for level 8 to 10 PCs). Even with 1e 2e assumptions of fighters sweep hitting multiple enemies if the enemies are lvl 1 or below that is simply undoable.
That one is one of the obvious examples but there aremany more.

Ah, you are probably overlooking the fact that 1e fighters, along with quite a few other classes, would have followers by then. My 1e DMG is at my girlfriend's house, but I'm pretty sure your average group of followers (for fighters) would number around several score, making this less overwhelming than it looks at first glance.

 

[Coroc]

Ah, you are probably overlooking the fact that 1e fighters, along with quite a few other classes, would have followers by then. My 1e DMG is at my girlfriend's house, but I'm pretty sure your average group of followers (for fighters) would number around several score, making this less overwhelming than it looks at first glance.

not in this case. The suggested pregens were all fighterish types with barbarian background. Even if they had, the orcish stronghold would have seen this as an invasion, and reacted full force.
i give you another example:
ravenloft thoughts of darkness hope i gpt this one right, the mind flayer domain.
Lvl 15 no followers and so deadly with the suggested enemy roster, that i cannot imagine any way to play this by the book.
analyse this yourself if you can, you will come to the same conclusion.

 

[the Jester]

not in this case. The suggested pregens were all fighterish types with barbarian background.

What do you mean, barbarian background? How does that stop a fighter from having followers? I mean, 1e barbarians could even summon a horde.

Even if they had, the orcish stronghold would have seen this as an invasion, and reacted full force.

It's not that hard to conceal 100 warriors, but again, not having the book you're talking about, maybe it addresses this. Or are you throwing up objections that aren't in there?

i give you another example:
ravenloft thoughts of darkness hope i gpt this one right, the mind flayer domain.
Lvl 15 no followers and so deadly with the suggested enemy roster, that i cannot imagine any way to play this by the book.
analyse this yourself if you can, you will come to the same conclusion.

Well, I don't have it, but having actually played a ton of 1e, there were often scenarios that you had to think your way through rather than just hacking and slashing. Perhaps both of these cases are some of those?

Even if they aren't, though, I've seen high level pcs wipe out hundreds of orcs in combat in 1e. I mean, one fireball alone will often do most of the work.

 

[Coroc]

What do you mean, barbarian background? How does that stop a fighter from having followers? I mean, 1e barbarians could even summon a horde.



It's not that hard to conceal 100 warriors, but again, not having the book you're talking about, maybe it addresses this. Or are you throwing up objections that aren't in there?



Well, I don't have it, but having actually played a ton of 1e, there were often scenarios that you had to think your way through rather than just hacking and slashing. Perhaps both of these cases are some of those?

Even if they aren't, though, I've seen high level pcs wipe out hundreds of orcs in combat in 1e. I mean, one fireball alone will often do most of the work.

the ravenloft example is 2e and i think the other one also.

in both examples even if you play out warriors having followers in both scenarios they have not.

in 2e you could get followers beginning at 9th for warriors, the suggested level for the orc scenario was 8-10

in ravenloft you are drawn into a Domain alone, not with your army.

the ravenloft example had oponents like 6x lvl 15 drow fighter mages each with +5 armor and weaponry and 18/** str.

so picking up your fireball example, if the pcs do not win initiative which is highly unlikely, they are subject to 6 delayed blast fireballs, or maybe some power word stuns instead to spice it up a bit.

that is instakill for all characters below 50 hp

do not forget that drow in 2e had 50+2..%/lvl magic resistance, so no shenanigans even if the party casters win initiative.

 

[Mercurius]

Another take. After reading much of this thread, and from various other conversations, I was starting to think that the chances of an FR campaign book were less likely than when I wrote the original post. But one important fact has come to my attention that has changed my view: the continued sales success of The Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, which is currently #16 in all Gaming books on Amazon, or the 9th best D&D hardcovers. Ahead of it are the core books, the splats, and the two recent settings; behind it is everything else, including a bunch of books published more recently. Meaning, it continues to sell fairly well, without the dive that most other books experience after initial sales.

That said, and where the new take comes in, what this makes me wonder is whether they'll eschew a full Faerun setting guide and instead continue with the regional "adventurer's guide" format. Sword Coast came out in November of 2015, after WotC had published four adventure books centered in the North. This makes me think that if and when WotC moves beyond the North for their story arcs, we might see another adventurer's guide book for whatever region they choose.

So I would speculate that we'll get a better sense of what their FR setting book plans are, depending upon the next two or three FR story arcs.

1. They're all set in the North. No setting book.
2. They're all set in another region of the Realms (e.g. Dalelands-Moonsea), then we'll see an adventurer's guide for that region.
3. They're set in a variety of relatively disparate regions that aren't the North, then we might see a full Faerun guide.

Assuming the next story arc is truly set in Icewind Dale, that puts my "2-3" back another story arc season. I think the key is two adventure books in a row--at least--implies a possible region guide. Two disparate areas implies a full campaign guide.

Now if there are two story arcs this fall, one in Icewind Dale and one elsewhere in the Realms, then the next story arc set in the Realms might tell us which of the three directions they're going in.

Maybe.

 

[Parmandur]

Another take. After reading much of this thread, and from various other conversations, I was starting to think that the chances of an FR campaign book were less likely than when I wrote the original post. But one important fact has come to my attention that has changed my view: the continued sales success of The Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, which is currently #16 in all Gaming books on Amazon, or the 9th best D&D hardcovers. Ahead of it are the core books, the splats, and the two recent settings; behind it is everything else, including a bunch of books published more recently. Meaning, it continues to sell fairly well, without the dive that most other books experience after initial sales.

That said, and where the new take comes in, what this makes me wonder is whether they'll eschew a full Faerun setting guide and instead continue with the regional "adventurer's guide" format. Sword Coast came out in November of 2015, after WotC had published four adventure books centered in the North. This makes me think that if and when WotC moves beyond the North for their story arcs, we might see another adventurer's guide book for whatever region they choose.

So I would speculate that we'll get a better sense of what their FR setting book plans are, depending upon the next two or three FR story arcs.

1. They're all set in the North. No setting book.
2. They're all set in another region of the Realms (e.g. Dalelands-Moonsea), then we'll see an adventurer's guide for that region.
3. They're set in a variety of relatively disparate regions that aren't the North, then we might see a full Faerun guide.

Assuming the next story arc is truly set in Icewind Dale, that puts my "2-3" back another story arc season. I think the key is two adventure books in a row--at least--implies a possible region guide. Two disparate areas implies a full campaign guide.

Now if there are two story arcs this fall, one in Icewind Dale and one elsewhere in the Realms, then the next story arc set in the Realms might tell us which of the three directions they're going in.

Maybe.

Well, just for the SCAG defined region, there are four places I'd expect to be featured as the focus of a full Adventure:

1. Icewind Dale, probably very soon, but eventually at any rate
2. Neverwinter, somewhat complicated by the continued run of the MMO
3. The Moonshaes, and maybe the other Islands of the North
4. Lantan, which has been slowly seeded in hooks across many books for yeeeeeeears now

Past those 4, I think they would move out of the Sword Coast. Maybe Coromyr, the Dalelands, or Amn.

 

[Mercurius]

Well, just for the SCAG defined region, there are four places I'd expect to be featured as the focus of a full Adventure:

1. Icewind Dale, probably very soon, but eventually at any rate
2. Neverwinter, somewhat complicated by the continued run of the MMO
3. The Moonshaes, and maybe the other Islands of the North
4. Lantan, which has been slowly seeded in hooks across many books for yeeeeeeears now

Past those 4, I think they would move out of the Sword Coast. Maybe Coromyr, the Dalelands, or Amn.

That makes sense, at least as one of several likely strategies. My personal hope is that they go to the Old Empires (Mulhorand, Unther, etc) and the desert regions south and east, like Raurin (Desert of Desolation), all the way to Zakhara. Probably not going to happen.