D&D 5E Sword Coast Adventures v Xanathar's Guide

[Jack Hooligan]

So, I'm currently running LMoP/SKT and plan to go ToA afterward. Beyond that maybe OotA or CoS. I don't know anything about the Forgotten Realms beyond what's in the D&D starter, PHB, and in the campaign books.

Do I need either of these FR supplement books or are they more for DM's who are rolling their own? Is there anything missing that would enrich the official adventures I'm running?

 

[Adamant]

You don't need xanathar's guide, that's pretty much all mechanical options with no lore. Your players would probably appreciate being able to use the subclasses in it though. Sword coast adventurer's guide has an overview of many regions along the west edge of the continent, but I'd imagine the campaign books would tell you enough about the areas you would actually be using that you wouldn't need another book. Sword coast adventurer's guide also has a few player options, but they're mostly not as cool as the ones in xanathar's(Booming/Green flame blade and bladesinger wizard being exceptions).

 

[aco175]

There are some decent web sites that give the history on places and things. Some may be for older editions, but players will not know or care most likely. I think one site has an interactive map to assist you.

 

[toucanbuzz]

No, the PHB, DMG, and Monster Manual are all you need to run any of the modules, which are generically set for any fantasy world you want. Knowing lore about the Forgotten Realms isn't necessary at all.

Personally, I'd suggest getting Xanathar's Guide to Everything at some point because it adds a plethora of new character options for each class as well as clarifying rules (e.g. falling, observing spellcasting), more traps, more specific downtime, more detail on awarding magic items, and names tables. It also adds several spells, but in practice, I've found some to be unbalanced so caveat emptor. You won't need it to run anything and many features won't help you with prewritten adventures, but it gives your players some choices once they've gamed for a bit and want something fresh when making a character.

I never bought Sword Coast Adventures because it seemed a little skimpy on content, and I already had Realms books from prior editions (so I know the setting fairly well). I've been just fine without it.

 

[jayoungr]

You don't need SCAG, but I wish I'd had it when I ran my first campaign in the Forgotten Realms.

 

[CodeFlayer]

I find I am becoming quite attached to the art and prose of the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. I will often flip a few pages and find a another image that causes me to consider it a long while. I think it would be most useful to a DM in that world and very specific region desiring to know more about the cities and features (but which will only lead to more questions - so beware of that). It is a thinner book, but I find, for me, the art more than makes up for it.

XGE has fun new mechanical options for those inclined (which I am).

These are just my personal thoughts, and I have not read the entirety of these books. (disclaimer - not a 5e expert either).

 

[Jack Hooligan]

i guess if I buy these two, I'm more likely to keep committing future games to the Forgotten Realms. If a DragonLance (my first love) 5e setting book comes out...I'm already neck deep in FR stuff. same with Dark Sun, Eberron, etc. I guess it's more a personal question...go all in with FR now and make the campaigns as rich as possible or just play each campaign book as is and wherever that takes us...

 

[Weiley31]

You get SCAG for crunch.

 

[Li Shenron]

You don't need either book.

Get Xanathar if you feel you've played 5e long enough that some of your players feel running short of options or character concepts, as it almost doubles the class archetypes, and also adds lesser additions. However it doesn't contain fantasy setting lore.

Don't get SCAG for character options (they're very few and some are reprinted in Xanathar) but rather for the FR lore. However, older editions books can give you a lot more lore for the bucks, if you don't mind that stats won't be usable in 5e. Any Forgotten Realms main book for an older edition has a lot more lore information than SCAG. 3e also had many FR regional books with lots of details.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

I've bought like 12 5e books and Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (which I bought because I was DMing LMoP) is the only one I considered, on the whole, to be a bad product. Storm King's Thunder is really a better resource for actual DMing of adventures on the Sword Coast. Since you already have that I'd recommend just spending some time with forgottenrealms.fandom.com.

More importantly, just tell your players that this takes place in your version of the Forgotten Realms, so whatever they know from previous tabletop play, video games, or novels is irrelevant. Then make things up.

I do highly recommend Xanathar's Guide, but it has nothing to do with any of this.