D&D 5E Forgotten Realms Prep

[VenomousFiligree]

I really liked the D&D Next playtest, however I've not previously played much D&D so I'm not very well researched on the Forgotten Realms.

Can anyone suggest some prior reading so I can hit the floor running with the release of Next.

Thanks in advance.

 

[DEFCON 1]

The Forgotten Realms Wiki has a lot of information.

 

[am181d]

I really liked the D&D Next playtest, however I've not previously played much D&D so I'm not very well researched on the Forgotten Realms.

Can anyone suggest some prior reading so I can hit the floor running with the release of Next.

Thanks in advance.

You shouldn't need any special knowledge of the Realms to play through any of the upcoming 5e adventures. Also, in the recent Escapist interview, Mearls indicated that there would be Realms specific info in the DMG. (And, of course, you're under no obligation to run games in the Realms, just because it's the official status.)

BUT if you're looking for older source material, I'd recommend the 3e campaign setting hardcover, the 4e setting hardcover and/or some of the novels.

 

[Shiroiken]

If you like to read novels, the Sundering series of books that has come out over the last year will give you a good concept of what the Realms looks like and what many of the people are like. The fact that most of them are great reads helps too

 

[Faraer]

If you want to try the Realms and see how you like it, you'll get the best overall sense of what it's like from Ed Greenwood's original 1987 Forgotten Realms Campaign Set. The 3E setting book has a lot more words, but it's a compendium pulled together from many years of published development and doesn't convey that core feeling and ethos as clearly as the first campaign set does. The details of the 5E version of the Realms haven't been released, but the stated aim is to recapture those dynamics.

A very good introductory sketch was included on a promotional poster called the Forgotten Realms Conspectus; the text has been posted here.

 

[JeffB]

I am partial to the original set with a handful of books from later edition material.

But the recent Elminster's Guide to the FR is a fantastic fun read that will give you a great feel for the setting .

 

[Jan van Leyden]

As of yet the direction of the new Realms seems to be unclear, so the viability of old sources is a matter of speculation.

Your best bet might be the realms grounded adventures.

And probably the upcoming adventures of the Tyranny storyline will contain additional setting information as well as ancillary stuff to be published on the net.

 

[delericho]

But the recent Elminster's Guide to the FR is a fantastic fun read that will give you a great feel for the setting .

That would be my recommendation as well - it appears to be the most recent summary of the Realms as written by Ed Greenwood (who, as creator, is usually accorded special status).

It's probably also worth checking out the Sundering novels, though I'm hesitant to recommend them as I haven't read them myself.

 

[gyor]

The Grand History of the Realms is good place to start.

 

[Halivar]

I've been picking up books at my local 2nd & Charles. So far I got the following:

• Original box set
• 3E campaign guide
• 4E campaign guide
• Grand History of the Realms

After reading them, I am more convinced that FR is not my cup of tea. But if I ever need to run it, I got everything I need.