D&D 5E I just don't see why they even bothered with the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.

[Mirtek]

Only sort of. Tymanther didn't go back to Abeir, it got Unther put back on top of it, and Airspur is still floating in the sky. One exception doesn't break the rule.

Well, in this case it does. Either Abeir and Toril are separated again or they are not. And they clearly are not.

Given that there were only three parts that Abeir and Toril exchanged (Laerakond<>Matztica, Tymanther<>Unther,/Mulhorand and Akanûl<>Chondath) , having two of them stay can't even be called an exception.

And Unther hasn't really been dropped "on top" of Tymanther, then Tymanther would be covered by tons of rock and no one would even know it was still there. Some parts of Tymanther just stayed were some parts of Unther did not come back after all.

It also reads as if Mulhorand has not returned at all and the pharonic pantheon just rallied the remaining mulhorandi people

 

[pukunui]

Meh. I don't care enough to quibble over such a minor thing.

 

[CrusaderX]

The SCAG is meant to be a springboard, not an encyclopedia.

This is a good description of the book. And a springboard is fine with me. I think the book gives enough info for both players and the DM to run adventures in the Realms. Every last detail about the Realms isn't present. But every last detail about the Realms isn't really needed to run a game there.

 

[Mirtek]

Meh. I don't care enough to quibble over such a minor thing.

The minor thing that the lands that were exchanged are still exchanged? That's the whole point of the exchange and 2/3 of it had not been re-exchanged. Both worlds are still linked by millions of tons of exchanged lands

They simply changed their minds since writing some of the earlier sundering stuff during the playtest, likely due to the popularity of the Brimstone Angel novels

 

[pukunui]

But every last detail about the Realms isn't really needed to run a game there.

And having every last detail laid out for us isn't necessarily a good thing either. It can actually be quite stifling. I seem to recall the level of detail for the Realms being one of the main sticking points for many people back in the 3e days. People would go on about how there wasn't anywhere left to adventure because all the places were explored and mapped out and the like.

They simply changed their minds since writing some of the earlier sundering stuff during the playtest, likely due to the popularity of the Brimstone Angel novels

Maybe. I think it's more likely that they got a little overzealous in their early descriptions of the Sundering. Besides, that added bit of conflict between Tymanther and Unther sounds much more interesting than if they'd just had the two nations swap back as if nothing had ever happened.

I also appreciate how they didn't categorically state what was out there across the Trackless Sea. People who like Maztica can say it came back and can have adventures there, while people who enjoyed the new lands of Returned Abeir from 4e can decide to have it still be there. Win-win.

 

[Mephista]

Do you want to know why the dragonborn land was left behind? The idea was for you to play the Realms with dragonborn if you wanted to. So, they need a presence. Thus, it became necessary to leave a country of dragonborn behind.

The Sundering swept away most of the changes that the Spellplague did. Yes, the realms separated, yes all the lost countries came back, even Mulhorand. There was more to the lands merging than just 3 countries appearing; there's plenty of lore, including the arrival of primordials beyond the usual elemental gods, flying landmotes, and more. With the Sundering, all that extra stuff was taken away. Tythmander (spelling?) was left behind so people who like dragonborn can play one. That's a good thing.

Trying to say the writers are changing their minds simply isnt' true - this was planned from the start. The dragonborn realm was always planned to stay behind. The realms are separate, and a little bit was left behind. That is all. There's no need to turn molehills into mountains. I'm sorry if you don't like dragonborn, but even Salvator and Greenwood welcome them into the Realms. And those two are the ones who designed the entire Sundering story plot ever since 4e was first released. Keeping the dragonborn was included in their method of "fixing" the Realms.

 

[JeffB]

I took a look at it on saturday. As a setting supplement I think its a poor value and dont see the need if one owns any of the major pre 4e campaign references. Its decent as a intro to give to new (to the realms) players, but again a crappy value.

At the amazon price its a bit more palatable. If I see one pop up used down the road for 12 or 15 bucks I might pick it up.

 

[hawkeyefan]

So mine just arrived! I'll be digging in soon enough.

Until then, all I can say is that I can understand those who were hoping for more crunch. I don't mind the amount there seems to be, but I can imagine how someone who had their heart set on a "Complete Warrior" type of handbook being disappointed.

And I can understand the lack of specifics about the Sundering being an issue for some. Personally, my game ignores any of the Spellplague or Abeir altogether, so I don't need a Sundering. The only Realms Shaking Events I use in my game are the Time of Troubles (which happened an unspecified number of years ago, around 25) and the return of the City of Shade. Both of those have played big parts in my campaign.

I guess I'm just a little surprised by the amount of folks who want to know the details of all the changes and so on. I'd think if anyone was into the story that much, they'd read the novels (although it seems those didn't really address everything). As far as the setting stuff goes, I feel like they've left in intentionally vague so that folks are free to make up whatever they want.

 

[gyor]

For the record I don't think anyone is complaining tha Tymanther still exists along side Unther, its just that alot more of the 4e changes appeared to have remained them expected, but most of the good stuff came back, so I don't think anyone will have a problem with the 4e remanants.

The 4e remanemants that I found are Tymanther, a floating Airspur, the Elf Harrows, Dragonborn, Dambrath as being a werenation inside of being a half drow nation, some of the geopolitical factors, Many Arrows sort of, the Feywild, and odds and ends.

As for what I'd like to see in a FRCG.

This is just a possible example:

A chapter on the planes, and the Gods including all the Gods/demigods/archdevils/primordials from 1e/2e/3e/4e and any new additions from 5e (and there is new additions, there is a new Gnome God and Ra and Horus split again as are Lanthander/Amauthor). This includes the Mulhorand, Unther, Monster (Gobliniod, Giant, Dragon, ect...), and the Imperial Buracary of the Shue, enough Shue have immigrated to Faerun in Westgate, Thesk, Tezziir, Nethlekh ect... to justify this.

A chapter on the sword coast, including its islands.

A chapter on all the kingdoms of the Lands of Intrigue, including Amn, Tethyr, Calimshan, the Lake of Steam, ect...

A Chapter on the Old Empires including Mulhorand, Unther, Chessenta, and I'd include Tymanther, High Imaskar inexile and Mulhorand off shots like Thay, Moghom, and Sempar in that.

A Chapter on the Heartlands, Sembia, Dales, Cormyr, Eltur (misspell it), Westgate Nathlan, the Moon Sea.

A Chapter on the North, Vaasa, Sossil,Damara, ect..

A Chapter on the Shining South, Dambrath (amd the underdark beneath it), Ulgarth, Dupar, Estagund, Luirien, Var, Halruaa, any remaining beastlands.

A Chapter on East, Alagorond, Rasheman, Narfell, ect...

A Chapter on any other regions.

A Chapter on other Continents of Toril, doesn't have to be detail as the other chapters, hell you can even keep returned Abier if you want as well as Maztica. This will give those who like less detailed areas somewhere to explore, while giving of us who wantca more detailed core Faerun what we want in the other chapters.

Not every detail needs to be given, but enough that can set a campaign anywhere in the realms. See 3e FRCG as an example.

 

[gyor]

I'd donate to a FRCG kickstarter if they had one.