What do you think of Power of Faerun?

[MerricB]

I bought Power of Faerun hoping that the non-setting specific advice about running high-level campaigns might come in handy. In general, I found the book disappointing - a lot more handwaving that solid advice, and very little for the DM in terms of solid hooks and tools for constructing adventures.

I'm not so sure that if I'd bought the book for an ongoing Realms campaign I would have found it much more useful.

Have you used the book in your campaign? What was it like?

This thread includes a poll, so you can rate the book without needing to comment.

What did you think of the book?

Cheers!

 

[00Machado]

Reading through the book I generated pages of adventure and campaign arc ideas - of the plots and schemes and political machincation variety.

 

[MerricB]

Reading through the book I generated pages of adventure and campaign arc ideas - of the plots and schemes and political machincation variety.

That's cool. Have they seen use in your game?

Cheers!

 

[Nightfall]

I have the book Merric. But much like many of my FR stuff, it's not seen use. (Mostly cause I can't get any players! )

That said I found the stuff for religions of some pretty good guidance, more so than Complete Divine and/or Complete Champion. That said, it's not a perfect book (the editing and layout was kind of rough). Honestly I like the attempt and applaud Eric and Ed's attempt to make the book useful outside of Faerun. It probably won't work for some, but eh. It's fine with me!

 

[MerricB]

My problem from the book stems from its high level approach to most of the material.

What I wanted was a guide for helping me make high-level campaigns (that weren't just monster-smashing). Thus, the book gives a few themes for conflict ("intrigue!"), but then didn't aid me with showing me how to actually implement that in my game.

To compare it to another book - Heroes of Horror - the Horror book discusses the actual encounters you give your PCs, how they fit into adventures, and how they can all come together in a campaign. I would have much preferred that sort of approach.

The encounter level seems to be given no attention at all, and it's something that isn't obvious for high-level games. So, the Lords of the realm are worried about taxes? What happens next?

Cheers!

 

[Nightfall]

So, the Lords of the realm are worried about taxes? What happens next?

Peasant revolt over high taxes and watch them turn into a violent sadistic mob that eats everything in their path while being led by a charismatic cult leader of some Archfiend.

(I admit. I stole this idea from Memories of Ice by Steven Erickson from his Malazan Book of the Fallen Series. That was some SCARY stuff, even for a hardcore guy like me.)

 

[MerricB]

(I admit. I stole this idea from Memories of Ice by Steven Erickson from his Malazan Book of the Fallen Series. That was some SCARY stuff, even for a hardcore guy like me.)

Well, it's only one of the great fantasy series of all time. Very lootable for ideas - I use a variant of his warrens in my game.

Cheers!

 

[Nightfall]

Merric,

Didn't feel that way until I started reading Memories of Ice. Although there are some very memorable characters in both "threads" I've been reading.

I don't loot for the magic. I loot for the characters. Even the gods. Well their personalities more than their actual portfolios.

 

[Li Shenron]

What I wanted was a guide for helping me make high-level campaigns (that weren't just monster-smashing).

That's the same reason why I was originally very interested in PoF.

I haven't bought it yet because I wanted to read some reviews first, but I've heard comments like yours.

I must be such a nonstandard gamer... Wizards pulls out well-done and highly successful "stuff books" that don't interest me the least anymore, and when they make a book that strikes my interest and finally makes me say "that's something I want to improve my game", it always ends up that the book doesn't do what it says it would, or at least what I think it should :\

 

[Shade]

I found the book basically useless for the type of campaign I run.

However, it didn't look too bad quality-wise.