Question for the Old Schoolers

[JoeGKushner]

No and yes.

The rules required some changes to the default assumptions of some things, like the availablility of magic, but by NOT beating the reader over the head with another realms shaking event like the avatar crisis or spellplauge or crisis of infinite earths or flashpoint, they allowed the GM to keep as much of it around as he wanted.

 

[TarionzCousin]

[grumpy old man]The Forgotten Realms lost a lot going from the Dragon Magazine article to the grey boxed set.[/grumpy old man]

Seriously, the pantheon he had in the ancient Dragon magazine articles kicked the ass of the published one.

Ooh. What article(s) were those in? I would love to check that out!

I was always a Greyhawk fan, though. And I never forgave FR for what they did to the drow. They used to be a perfectly fine evil race. Until Drizzt the Dippy came along. Grr. Ruined rangers, too.

I guess I turned the Grumpy Old Man tag off too soon.

Hey, you can't blame FR for that. It was Bob Salvatore's fault.

Of course, Dripp'zy allowed Bob to write full time, create his own worlds and get all kinds of stuff published, get his son published, and make him a minor celebrity in the RPG world, so I would bet that he doesn't regret it.

 

[Terath Ninir]

Ooh. What article(s) were those in? I would love to check that out!

I'll have to find my Dragon Magazine archive and see if it actually works on my current laptop. I know it was a very old Dragon. The first one I actually bought new was #72 and I know it was an older back issue I bought. I believe it was pre-AD&D, but I'm not sure about that. I've still got the magazine, but I'm not sure which box in the garage it's in.

Hey, you can't blame FR for that. It was Bob Salvatore's fault.

Of course, Dripp'zy allowed Bob to write full time, create his own worlds and get all kinds of stuff published, get his son published, and make him a minor celebrity in the RPG world, so I would bet that he doesn't regret it.

I can and I *will* blame Forgotten Realms for that. But I can't blame I guy for getting a real career from his hobby.

 

[TarionzCousin]

I've still got the magazine, but I'm not sure which box in the garage it's in.

I'll wait....


If you remember the title, you might be able to find it here: DragonDex - Index of Articles

 

[Terath Ninir]

I'll wait....


If you remember the title, you might be able to find it here: DragonDex - Index of Articles

Looks like it would be "Down-to-Earth Divinity", issue 54. Page 6, if I understand how the index works. So 1e, but just barely. The index also reminded me of "The Merry Month of... Mirtul?", issue 47. Another fund one. I loved that early stuff.

 

[diaglo]

the first grey box was 1edADnD too at its very end.

2edADnD FR did as howandwhy99 said. it detailed the setting via novelists. which goes against the old school tradition and feel.

3ed attempted to bring some back but lost a lot due to the 2ed crowd and FR novel fans.

4ed FR ain't anything like old school Dragon Magazine FR via Cyberzombie's posts.

there is a lot of material to use for the FR. if you want old school get out your collection and start butchering the hell out of the rules and changes.

 

[qstor]

At least they didn't have to advance the setting 100 years and obliterate a good chunk of the world in that transition!

Can I get an Amen!

Mike

 

[GreyLord]

Hmm, I hated what the time of troubles did to the FR setting. Thought it crazy stupid.

On the otherhand, I am a MUCH bigger fan of 1e, and even 2e than 3e. However, when it comes to FR...I think 3e's handling of it, and it's version is outstanding! They did an awesome job with the 3e version. It is leaps and bounds above what 2e's version was.

4e I think tried to appease some of the 2e haters by doing in Mystra and jailing Cyric...but you know what...I think it upset so many people that it just about destroyed the FR fanbase (I'd use stronger words than simply upset...but I think it is illegal on the forums to use such wording). In hindsight, probably a massive mistake that didn't work out so well.

Going back to 3e's handling of it however, I tried to get every book released for it. I loved reading the novels of 2e (and yes, I even like Drizzt), but not really playing in that setting as much. 3e I think actually had more massive fluff on the setting, and a LOT more info, but it was all great. I kept buying the rulebooks/fluff book as they came out.

3e handled FR about perfectly.