Is Forgotten Realms worth it?

[zhouj]

Is Forgotten Realms worth the cost I would incur to buy the necessary books which would be rather expensive?

 

[EricNoah]

Totally depends on a) how much you need a pre-fab campaign setting, and b) what kind of gaming you like to do. I personally find it worth it. Plus with all of the ESDs available you'll never want for source material again.

So my vote is "maybe."

 

[Teflon Billy]

I"m not a big fan of the Realms, but I voted yes.

The FRCS has pretty much set the bar (with the Rokugan Campign Setting by AEG) for what a Campaign Setting Supplement should be like.

I have no great love for the Realms, but the quality of the FRCS is inarguable if you are leaning toward them

 

[Buttercup]

I voted yes, although I will never, but never, run a game in the Realms. The campaign setting book is excellent. It's filled with all sorts of crunchy bits that you can port into whatever campaign you are running. The Magic and the Monsters books are also worth having for the same reasons.

I don't think you need to bother with the rest of them if you aren't running a game in the Realms.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Gaming is a luxury. A rather cheap luxury, but a luxury nonetheless. The second you're wondering if you can afford a book is when you have to back off.

There is nothing wrong with homebrew. There are a number of settings on the web that are free. Some of them are up for an ENnnie award. Look for best free product here: http://enworld.org/ennies2002.htm

Edit: That being said, the FRCS is the best setting book for 3e that I've seen.

 

[Crothian]

Yes. I've yet to play a game in the Forgotten Realms. I have yet to play a game that FRCS and MaOF were not used many, many times.

 

[Irysangel]

Skip it!

One word for you: Cheeeeeeese.

Go with something else.

 

[Nightfall]

Wish you had a maybe on there...

I like the Realms, at least the 3rd edition Realms. That said, they still are too light hearted for me to take too seriously in some places. Yeah there's undercurrents of strife, deception and general fear...but not enough to make me believe that Elminster and his cronies won't do something about it and thus "save" the day. I'll grant you this, there are some pretty sweet bad guys...but they'll screw up or get screwed some how. Just the way things turn out in the realms. I will say this though, Bane has at least CHANGED his way. I find him more believeable as LE than I did in 2nd.

 

[Davelozzi]

Totally depends on a) how much you need a pre-fab campaign setting, and b) what kind of gaming you like to do. I personally find it worth it. Plus with all of the ESDs available you'll never want for source material again.

So my vote is "maybe."

Exactly.

As for the 3e FR books, I have the campaign setting and Silver Marches and both are excellent. I run in a homebrew myself but I still don't regret purchasing these books.

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

As much as it pains me say this I voted yes because the Realms books are very well done and I can use the material for my own Greyhawk campaign or anyother campaign I'm DMing or playing in.