What do you think about the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting Book

[renau1g]

I spent some more time going through in detail last night and it's been growing on me.... I still liked the 3e FRCS better, but this one has some value...I realized that there's areas I most likely won't use, but others might.

I was quite disappointed with the extremely light details on the Spellplague (really it was pretty glazed over) as well as the gods... it just said, yup Mystra was killed by Cyric on her own plane, with Shar's help (I think)... how/why/when, etc.... not in there! How could the Goddess of Magic, be defeated on her own plane where the gods are at their strongest by Cyric??? Even if Shar and Cyric worked together I'm sure Selune would get involved as well as some of the other gods...

 

[renau1g]

Oh, I just realized too I was looking at Manshoon and there seems to be a power missing, it mentions that he waits until he's surrounded by enemies to use a certain power (I forget the name), but it's not in the stat block...

 

[Keefe the Thief]

My biggest complaint is they have this place called Gontal on the Returned Abeir map but don't bother to ever detail it in that chapter....or anywhere. Whats up with that?

Hasn´t there been an article about Gontal in Dragon?

 

[Tuerny]

Well what do you know, there is. I even read that article. That still does not excuse that not being in the book, however.

 

[renau1g]

Agreed, I shouldn't need to be online or have my lappy with me to look something up in the book/the realms.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

While i love the new organization of information to the death: Two concise books, and after that, countless little articles. Which i can mix, match, exploit, rip apart, insert and use as i wish.

 

[johnnype]

I bought it yesterday and spend a couple hours with it. Overall I'm a bit dissapointed by how light it is when compared to the 3rd edition book. It is certainly a good introduction for those new to the setting but if you are at all familiar to the setting you will find the high level view lacking in detail.

The intro adventure/town is a waste of space. There are surprisingly few PC writeups and not much is said about the famous (infamous) NPC's. We do find out that Bruenor is dead. Jarlaxel (sp?) is still around and still leads his band of mercinaries although all the actual work is doen by Kimmuriel, who I'm happy to see they mentioned by name. There is half a page wasted on Elminster only to say that he doesn't play that big a part in the setting any more (thank God). Who the hell cares about the old guy?The Shades are big in the North with Anauroch not really a desert any more. Again, not enough detail.

I like the changes to the setting. The addition of the new continent/island certainly breathes new life and much needed change but not enough is said about it.

Bottom line: if you like a lot of detail this edition will leave you wanting. If you like "big picture" and a frame to hang your own detail on then you might like this. You will like it even more if you are brand new to the setting.

I also took a look at the Pathfinder setting book from Paizo while at the store. I obviously haven't read it and it's not 4th edition (for those who care) but it was much, MUCH more packed with information than the FR book. In fact, all you have to do is hold the book and look closely at the spine and you will see that they front and back cover bulge out a bit, almost as if Paizo screwed up selecting the size of the spine! The size of the spine is a stupid way to judge the book, I know. But as I said I didn't buy it and only spent a couple minutes glancing through it. The text was far more dense than the 4eFR book. Nice artwork (although the piece on cover is a little blurry). It does have a bit more rules material than the FR setting book (for use with the 3.5 rules) but still a very small part of the overall book. Maybe 10% tops I'd say. I plan on picking it up and giving it a good read. Ultimately it's the text content that will decide which is the better setting for me. I'll start a thread when the time comes.

 

[El Mahdi]

. . . I shouldn't need to be online or have my lappy with me to look something up in the book/the realms.

On this track I have one very large complaint. There is no timeline in the book. None. Nothing. Nada. From 1385 DR (the last entry in The Grand History of the Realms) to 1479 DR (present day), there is absolutely no timeline of what happened when. The advertisement here on ENWorld for the book even shows an abbreviated timeline, but there isn't one in the book, just a blurb on pg. 43:

"Dungeon Masters who are interested in the definitive history of the Forgotten Realms are encouraged to review The Grand History of the Realms supplement. In addition, updates to the Grand History's extensive and comprehensive timeline will periodically be made available online at D&D Insider."

In other words, if you want the timeline for the last 94 years, YOU HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FOR IT. You have to get a DDI subscription to have access to what should already be in the book you just paid $39.95 for!

Not Cool WoTC! Not Cool At All.

 

[Scribble]

The book sounds pretty cool to me... Definitely my style... An overview of a setting, with lots of wiggle room...

One thing that IS NOT my style though... A map bound into the book you have to tear out. LAME! I HATE that. With a passion.

I'm one of those people who can't stand the thought of even doggy earing a page in a book. Tear something oput of it? YUCK YUCK YUCK YUCK YUCK.

I don't even like it when they're glued in with those gummy glue strip things.

 

[Draksila]

After finally receiving my book in the mail yesterday and giving it a cursory examination, I can say that I saw potential. I'll have to read it in depth to see if it stands up to scrutiny.

And, sidebar, was I the only one that got the impression from the blurbs explaining the concept of the Chosen that they might be offered as an Epic Destiny in the PG?