D&D General Forgotten Realms - why do you still like running games here? +

[Older Beholder]

I always liked the Forgotten Realms Pantheon. So, there's that.

The setting itself is varied enough that you can do anything you want. There's enough available lore/info that you could run a campaign without ever having to create a single town or NPC name on your own. Alternatively, there's enough empty space that you could create every single element of your campaign/world and still find a place to drop it into the Forgotten Realms.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

One thing I love about the realms is that it doesn’t pretend that the wider world doesn’t exist. Hat I mean by that is, in a lot of fantasy you basically have a psuedo-Europe that is somehow untouched by other continents, which is completely absurd on every possible level.

Faerun has an psuedo-Andalusian coastal nation, and influences from the far east, etc. It’s great cities have people from all over the globe, but it isn’t just in “not London” that you might see a stranger from a strange land, it’s in any port, or trade hub.

As a Medieval European History nerd, this appeals to me a great deal, because it is much more “real” than an isolated monoculture.

 

[earthsea_wizard]

If one were to look at the 1e gray box and 3e FRCS side by side, how much of the 3e book is useable with that first gray box? Did they do anything to disentangle what happened with the setting throughout the 90s? Where are you going to run into hiccups between the two?

Also, any links to these posts by @Yora that were mentioned?

 

[SableWyvern]

Also, any links to these posts by @Yora that were mentioned?

Lots of FR posts on his blog here.

Discussion of FR5 on EnWorld here.

 

[Demetrios1453]

If one were to look at the 1e gray box and 3e FRCS side by side, how much of the 3e book is useable with that first gray box? Did they do anything to disentangle what happened with the setting throughout the 90s? Where are you going to run into hiccups between the two?

Also, any links to these posts by @Yora that were mentioned?

It shouldn't be too hard, since, although the timeline did advance, it didn't advance by a lot (compared to the disaster of the 4e timeskip), so most of the NPCs and locations are still valid. The 3e FRCS also had a history section that focused on recent years, which helped bridge the gap a bit.

 

[SableWyvern]

It shouldn't be too hard, since, although the timeline did advance, it didn't advance by a lot (compared to the disaster of the 4e timeskip), so most of the NPCs and locations are still valid. The 3e FRCS also had a history section that focused on recent years, which helped bridge the gap a bit.

A quick search finds me another thread by the prolific Yora (this time on rpg.net), where he points out the following substantial changes just between 1e's FR5 Savage Frontier and 2e's The North:

• The Harpers destroyed Hellgate Keep.
• Tanta Hagara and the Blue Bear tribe are killed.
• The Tree Ghost tribe rediscovered the location of Grandfather tree again.
• Radoc the One disappeared, and so did most of his mongrelmen over the years.
• The Zhentarim killed Elrem the Great Worm.
• The two largest orc hordes of King Greneire and King Obould Many Arrows destroyed each other.
• Dwarves kicked out the Orcs of the Citadel of Many Arrows.
• Clan Battlehammer took back Mithral Hall.
• The business with the Crown of Horns in the Stronghold of the Nine is not mentioned again.
• The cities of the Silver Marches united.

Unless 3e rolled things back (which, as far as I'm aware, didn't happen), the differences are only going to be even more distinct.

 

[TheSword]

1. Why

It’s a high magic setting that has really well established setting structures - areas, gods, magic system, organisations. These are well detailed and supported, with tons of ideas for inspiration.

2. How do you approach the setting (everything is in, stick to one edition, gray box only etc.)?

I decide on a case by case. The FR I run is my version of FR. While I would welcome player engagement in areas I wouldn’t accept being told that something in my world is wrong. Particulary around NPC details. If I decide that Elminster is a 7th level wizard with an excellent PR team then so be it.

3. How long has it been your campaign setting of choice?

Ooh, about 25 years

4. What are your favorite game supplements?

Highlights for me would be the FRCS for 3rd edition best value product, Lords of Darkness 3e, Magic of Faerun 3e, Ruins of Myth Drannor AD&D, Shadowdale: Scouring of the Land, All the Waterdeep products (including much maligned Dragon Heist), all the Volo’s guides.

5. Do you like any of the novels? Which ones? And do you use the novels for game material?

Yes lots. I’m currently reading the Return of the Archwizards trilogy which is really well done. Some of my favourites are War of the Spiderqueen (probably the best written), I also like the Drizzt prequal trilogy Homeland, Exile, Sojourn. The Last Mythal is great, so is the Year of Rogue Dragons trilogy. I would definitely use them for inspiration and to help get into a descriptive mood. They add a lot of flesh to the bones of a setting in terms of daily life, that doesn’t come across in a game accessory.

I wouldn’t get too hung up on how the setting has progressed. None of it is obligatory. If you want Tilverton to be a thriving market town again rather than a shadow filled hole in the ground then so be it. The Time of Troubles gets a lot of stick but I actually like it quite a bit but it may be because I got into the game just after it had happened with the Revised Campaign Setitng. I quite liked the fact that the gods had worked the earth I pretty much ignore all the stuff from 4e onwards. Though in some cases I go with the 5e setting info - like Waterdeep. In short I do whatever the hell I want.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

A positive post about this setting which is simultaneously legendary and divisive. Over the decades we've read endless posts about the high level PCs (overblown, imo), the world shattering events, the neverending pages of canon that weigh the setting down etc. etc.

Yet many people still game here. Some never left.

So for those of you who still choose to run their games here:

1. Why

I know it well so it’s easy to trot out odd bits of lore.

And these days I can’t be bothered with homebrewing a world. Done that.

2. How do you approach the setting (everything is in, stick to one edition, gray box only etc.)?

I use the stuff I like best from whatever edition. And lots of stuff from the various computer games that use the setting.

3. How long has it been your campaign setting of choice?

It’s not my “setting of choice” it’s just one of several that I use.

4. What are your favorite game supplements?

I don’t buy lots of supplements, but the 3rd edition FR setting book is the one I use often, and FR wiki.

5. Do you like any of the novels?

Some of them are almost reach the level of mediocre, but most are terrible.

Which ones? And do you use the novels for game material?

I’ve used stuff from Darkwalker over Moonshae and The Crystal Shard, but I’m far more likely to use computer games. Most of them are better written (Even Sword Coast Leg Ends had a better story).

 

[Hussar]

Honestly? Because that's where most of the WOtC AP's have been set and I've been running a lot of WotC AP's.