The Campaign Setting Books

[Dannyalcatraz]

There is a new guy in our group who may be running 4Ed some time this year.

Because of this, I may be purchasing one or more of the Campaign setting books, assuming they have what I'm looking for...namely, races/classes/spells that are unique to the settings. I'm thinking FR, Eberron & Dark Sun in particular.

So, how much is in them, and how do they differ from their 2Ed/3Ed predecessors?

I'm asking because, even though I'm no fan of the game, I've been known to buy certain game supplements for games I'm going to be playing a lot of in order to facilitate play- I did that with GURPS, for instance.

So, would the setting books be a decent value for me to purchase?

 

[Nightson]

Races - FR has genasi, Eberron has warforged, possibly changelings

Classes - FR has the swordmage, Eberron has the artificer

Spells - Wrong edition.

DDI (Dungeons and Dragons Insider) - has everything

For fluff go ahead and get the setting book, for crunch grab one month of DDI

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Spells - Wrong edition.

You know what I mean- do the books add anything to the extant classes?

DDI (Dungeons and Dragons Insider) - has everything

For fluff go ahead and get the setting book, for crunch grab one month of DDI

Mmmmm...not gonna go for DDI for a variety of reasons.

It doesn't sound like there's much in the FR or Eberron campaign settings besides the settings' fluff.

Is there any news popping up about the contents of Dark Sun?

 

[I'm A Banana]

Dark Sun ain't quite out yet.

The FR stuff has a pretty strong negative reaction from people who liked the setting, largely because the blew it up again, but if you don't have any particular baggage going into it, it could be fine. The Player's Guide has rules for drow and genasi and swordmages, which are all solid additions to the game.

The Eberron stuff has been better received, possibly since they didn't blow it up. Shifters, changelings, warforged and artificers are Eberron's claims to fame. Great for a steampunk/magitech/"advanced magic" style, still some useful bits if you aren't into it.

The Campaign Guide books are more from a DM's angle, with organizations and monsters (which are almost always useful), with the Player's Guide books being with the races and classes.

IMO, the 4e FR guide focuses too much on the weirdness. The spellplague and Returned Aebir with it's weird, dissonant critters...does not appeal to me at all. But the 4e player's guide is solid. The Eberron stuff is all solid.

There's not a lot "unique" to any setting in 4e -- if it's in a setting book, it is, at this point, part of the assumed core, so it's everywhere. The setting books just present a focus. Dark Sun might be changing that a bit, but we don't really know yet for sure.

Which means you could shell out $10 for one month of DDI, download the Character Builder, and have all the races/classes/etc. that your character could use, right at your fingertips. I'd recommend going that route if you're a player, and you're not planning on being in the setting (rather, grabbing the stuff to use in some other setting). If you're actually playing FR or something, I'd pick up the books, since that's got fluff that the computer stuff lacks. But if you're just looking for rules, I'd go that route, out of a combination of cheapness and completeness.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Did they bother trying to shoehorn Spellfire into 4Ed FR? Dragonmarks into Eberron? If so, how well do they mesh?

 

[I'm A Banana]

Dragonmarks are in Eberron as feats. I'm a fan of 'em 'cuz they're pretty thematic.

Spellfire is mentioned, but not in mechanically, really. It's kind of treated as a DM Fiat thing. Which is probably appropriate.

Instead, you could have a horrific scar from a magical plague!

Dark Sun is going to have something like "themes," that transcend class and add powers, but we don't know much about 'em yet. Probably fan-favorite races (thri-kreen, possibly muls, possibly half-giants). The "DMG" has been cast more as a monster/hazard book, which I'm a little excited to see.

If you're interested in playing a swordmage, genasi, artificer, or shifter, even in a generic campaign, the player's campaign books are useful (especially with the classes, especially without DDI). Otherwise, no special need for 'em.

 

[Glade Riven]

Mechanically, you're better off with PH2, PH3, or supplimental books such as divine power. The campaign books are slightly stronger on fluff, but do contain campaign specific options (a few new races, a new class, and a bunch of paragon paths and setting-related feats). It all depends on what you are looking for.

4e Forgotten Realms is sorta Dragonlanced by the spellplague (post apochalypitc fantasy), while Eberron is more of a lateral transition (stays pretty well with magi-punk).

 

[Rechan]

Don't forget that the Campaign books (rather than the player books) are chocked full of NPCs w/ stats.

We know that Dark Sun will lack a Player book; the Campaign book and the Player book will be smooshed together. So if you wanted one book to suit both, that may be the way to go (of course, it ain't out for a few months yet).

Although I'd be leery of taking setting specific rules and plopping them into a campaign where the setting isn't suited for it. Dragonmarks, without the Dragonmarked Houses, are kinda lame and broken; they should have the in-game connectiosn linked to them. Except for the classes; those work just fine.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Went and looked at some stuff...may pick up PHB2 & 3 and Dark Sun if the guy actually does try to run 4Ed.

It won't be easy for me though...looking at the Githzerai and Minotaur didn't exactly wow me, and those are 2 of my favorite "monster" races to play.

 

[Dykstrav]

Of the various options, the Forgotten Realms Player's Guide is probably my favorite setting book. Genasi are pretty cool. The swordmage is a solid class, and they actually have a new warlock pact. The dark pact is surprisingly cool, despite my general apathy toward the drow.