Forgotten Realms 4e reviews?

[TheSleepyKing]

I disagree.

From what I have seen the 4e realms seems to have much more in common with the feel of the old 1e boxed set than the rather over stuffed 3e version.

That to me is a good thing.

My read is exactly the opposite. I've seen a number of posters who have compared this to the 1e Realms, but to me it seems diametrically opposed. From what I remember, the grey box went into a fair bit of detail about a small part of the realms (the Dalelands, Cormyr and the North), while leaving most of the rest of it as a mysterious "otherlands" that DMs could develop if they thought the heartlands were a little too well travelled for their tastes.
The 4e FRCS, on the other hand, gives a very small amount of information about a lot of places, but no detail about any one place. It's a mile wide and an inch deep, where the grey box was an inch wide and a mile deep (or at least that's the way I remember it).

 

[jdrakeh]

I've seen a number of posters who have compared this to the 1e Realms, but to me it seems diametrically opposed. From what I remember. . .

The overall information on specific areas of the Realms is actually quite sparse, save for the Dalelands and Cormyr (and that information is by no means encyclopedic).

The AD&D 1e Cyclopedia of the Realms from the grey box has about 1 1/4 pages of information on Cormyr in general, and approximately one or two pargaraphs for each major city therein. It has about 1/2 a page of information on the Dalelands in general, and about one or two paragraphs for each dale.

Almost no information is presented in the Cyclopedia for the North. This region was later covered in two supplements — Waterdeep & The North and The Savage Frontier (I own these, as well, because I found them necessary to obtain any useful insight into the North).

If the new 4e setting book pulls back a little bit to encompass more information about the rest of the setting, it will actually appeal more to me than the 1e grey box does

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

I've still haven't read very far through it. But I did notice that it has sky pirates, which can only be a plus.

 

[jdrakeh]

I've still haven't read very far through it. But I did notice that it has sky pirates, which can only be a plus.

Oooo. . . but you're wrong. . . that's at least two plusses

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I've still haven't read very far through it. But I did notice that it has sky pirates, which can only be a plus.

Does that mean that 4E FR is Earthdawny?

Spoiler

(I think there was some kind of "sky pirate/raider" archetype in ED, right?)

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Does that mean that 4E FR is Earthdawny?

Spoiler

(I think there was some kind of "sky pirate/raider" archetype in ED, right?)

Well, I think I have seen a few references to "floating rocks".

And there are some lands suffering from mystical plagues, similar to the Wastelands of Earthdawn.

 

[Jhaelen]

Well, I think I have seen a few references to "floating rocks".

And there are some lands suffering from mystical plagues, similar to the Wastelands of Earthdawn.

I'll rather wait for the real thing: Age of Legend

 

[TheWinslow]

The 4e FRCS, on the other hand, gives a very small amount of information about a lot of places, but no detail about any one place. It's a mile wide and an inch deep, where the grey box was an inch wide and a mile deep (or at least that's the way I remember it).

FYI, Cormyr has 3.5 pages of info, the Dalelands get 5-6, and Waterdeep gets 5-6. Most everything else gets two pages. While I can't compare it to the 3.0 setting, it seems to stack up against what the OP has said about Grey Box.

I think what's written about the setting is good, evocative material to stir the imagination. Not perfect, but not lacking either; what's not detailed is stuff for me to make up myself, and due to the reboot I feel like I finally have the freedom to do that.

 

[TheWinslow]

Thank you for the detailed overview of the book's high point and low points, TheWinslow! And welcome to ENWorld!

Many thanks for your warm welcome! I'm glad to be here in such a warm and well-read community.

 

[El Mahdi]

. . . If you play in the Realms and want to be up to date with the setting then buy it, but if you tend to do your own thing with the Realms you can easily pass on it.

I agree with dm4hire on his synopsis/review, but I would add this: If you are someone who keeps up with the setting, this book has most of what you need to DM the Realms. There are some gaps, such as specifics of what happened during the 94 years the timeline has jumped. Most of that info will probably be filled in as novels are written about events during this time, and will be available on DDI as articles and updates - but that means you'll need a DDI subscription to get the missing info and be able to keep up. Since this book and the upcoming FR Players Guide are going to be the only sourcebooks* for 4E FR, any updates and expansion are planned through DDI.

*WoTC is planning only two books per campaign settings: a Campaign Guide and a Players Guide.