D&D 5E (2024) Next issue of Game Informer will have details on the two upcoming Forgotten Realms books

[Parmandur]

I want them to lean into factions, but since 2016 they haven't done so

They are in these books. Maybe not the Adventures League style factions, but joing factiosn and renowned are something they are leaning into here, including tying the FR factions into the DMG Bastion rules.

 

[bedir than]

They are in these books. Maybe not the Adventures League style factions, but joing factiosn and renowned are something they are leaning into here, including tying the FR factions into the DMG Bastion rules.

Factions can do so much to help build a setting. I love this news. Thank you.

 

[Demetrios1453]

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From the Game Informer article. It sounds like it'll be in the DM book!

Good to know. I wish they mentioned how far south it went - FR setting maps waver between going all the way to the south coast and cutting that part off. At least with Thay mentioned, it's definitely going far enough east.

Does the article mention how much text coverage will be given to the areas outside the five mini-settings?

Also, I'm glad we have this thread to discuss the actual contents of the book; the covers thread has collapsed into the inevitable never-ending circular arguments about aesthetics.

 

[Parmandur]

Factions can do so much to help build a setting. I love this news. Thank you.

Yeah, particularly with the Forgotten Realms the various factions are a big part of what sets it a little apart from other generic High Fantasy Settings. The Subclass options in the UA seemed to suggest that factions play a big part in Backgrounds (the Purple dragon Knight Fighter emphasizes that not all Purple Dragon K lights had this Subclass or were Fighters, which suggests a Background related to the factions to me).

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Good to know. I wish they mentioned how far south it went - FR setting maps waver between going all the way to the south coast and cutting that part off. At least with Thay mentioned, it's definitely going far enough east.

Does the article mention how much text coverage will be given to the areas outside the five mini-settings?

Also, I'm glad we have this thread to discuss the actual contents of the book; the covers thread has collapsed into the inevitable never-ending circular arguments about aesthetics.

Spellfire subclass also mentions the Old Empires Region, so that suggests the eastern part of FR and at least reasonably south. For me it's really just a question of will the Faerun map go right to the hoardlands amd south to the Shining South.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Yeah, particularly with the Forgotten Realms the various factions are a big part of what sets it a little apart from other generic High Fantasy Settings. The Subclass options in the UA seemed to suggest that factions play a big part in Backgrounds (the Purple dragon Knight Fighter emphasizes that not all Purple Dragon K lights had this Subclass or were Fighters, which suggests a Background related to the factions to me).

Yeah I figured too that Purple Dragons are a faction now.

So far for Factions I figure it's Harpers, Order of the Gauntlet (honestly perhaps one of weakest lore wise because it's never really had a real presence in the novels), Zhents, Emerald Enclave, Lords Alliance, Red Wizards, and Purple Dragons. I think there will probably be 10 factions, so that leaves 3 unknown factions and I think they will want one from the South East & South West, because the rest seem to have more Northern & Western origins, except for Emerald Emclave, which comes from Turmish.

I think Griffin Brotherhood is solid possibility, except like Zhents they are mercanies, though less dark, maybe too much other lap. I hope it's in. It's origins are Thayan, but it mostly works in the Old Empires Region now.

Maybe Fire Knives Guild? Or Nightmasks?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yeah I figured too that Purple Dragons are a faction now.

So far for Factions I figure it's Harpers, Order of the Gauntlet (honestly perhaps one of weakest lore wise because it's never really had a real presence in the novels), Zhents, Emerald Enclave, Lords Alliance, Red Wizards, and Purple Dragons. I think there will probably be 10 factions, so that leaves 3 unknown factions and I think they will want one from the South East & South West, because the rest seem to have more Northern & Western origins, except for Emerald Emclave, which comes from Turmish.

I think Griffin Brotherhood is solid possibility, except like Zhents they are mercanies, though less dark, maybe too much other lap. I hope it's in. It's origins are Thayan, but it mostly works in the Old Empires Region now.

Maybe Fire Knives Guild? Or Nightmasks?

Wychlaran; Arcane Brotherhood (still active in RotFM, even if the current status of the Hostower is vague); Scholars of Candlekeep.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Wychlaran?

Interesting choice, I like it, but it's very gender focused and I don't know how much of a presence they have outside Rashemen? I suppose it could be Wychlaran and allied forces like Barbarian lodges and such.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Interesting choice, I like it, but it's very gender focused and I don't know how much of a presence they have outside Rashemen? I suppose it could be Wychlaran and allied forces like Barbarian lodges and such.

One thing to do would be to look at the prestige class list from 3e. Quite a few of those are based around factions.

NB, I'm editing my earlier post as I think of stuff.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

One thing to do would be to look at the prestige class list from 3e. Quite a few of those are based around factions.

NB, I'm editing my earlier post as I think of stuff.

Doing so the best candidate is Cultist of the Shatter Peak, which is an anti Arcane Tyrant group founded by descends of Netherese. That could make for an awesome faction dedicated to fighting evil magic.