D&D General What Is In The New FR Books That IS Useful Outside FR?

[Scribe]

I assume that it must have some pretty good FR specific fluff. I was just pushing back against the idea that "everything" in it was useful outside the Realms. If I have to rewrite a bunch of history and setting specific stuff, that isn't useful. And to be clear, I don't expect it to be. But that was the assertion that was made.

Yeah, I dont have the books, but I'm also of the school that 'compatible' when looking at pretty much anything D&D (outside 4e) is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

So what makes it a FR product?

I am, of course, being flip, but if the whole thing is useful outide of FR, it is hard to imagine it being a true FR product.

Not at all. I just disagree with you on that point.

For example, what does it matter what world a quarry filled with cultists was written for? It's pretty easy for them not to be cultists of Bane, or whatever. Does a Purple Dragon Squire background change if you scratch out Purple Dragon and make it a squire of your homebrew setting's knighthood? Maybe a detail will need to change? Maybe not.

I guess I just don't have any trouble with liberal refluffing. I also feel like it can be done "on the fly" so it's not like I'm talking about a lot of rewriting here.

On the other side, there's an incredible ton of lore for those that care about FR.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I assume that it must have some pretty good FR specific fluff. I was just pushing back against the idea that "everything" in it was useful outside the Realms. If I have to rewrite a bunch of history and setting specific stuff, that isn't useful. And to be clear, I don't expect it to be. But that was the assertion that was made.

The gods and Gazetteers and the overview of Faerun are probably not of a lot of use outside the Realms. The rest can be used depending on how much work one wants to do.
Adventures and encounters can pretty much be placed anywhere (I have not read any in detail yet, but it looks that way). Feats, spells, subclasses and items do not need a lot of work. The faction stuff are templates only for non-Realms campaigns. Circle magic has nothing that cannot be used anywhere else. After that it becomes more and more work to convert stuff.

 

[Parmandur]

So what makes it a FR product?

I am, of course, being flip, but if the whole thing is useful outide of FR, it is hard to imagine it being a true FR product.

That's precisely what makes the FR so handy for WotC: it has flavor and texture, but basically everything can swapped out 8nto any Setting with standard D&D assumptions.

 

[Maxperson]

So what makes it a FR product?

I am, of course, being flip, but if the whole thing is useful outide of FR, it is hard to imagine it being a true FR product.

I think the point is that if something is about Hellgate Keep, a FR specific location, it's pretty easy to rename it the Pit of Despair in your world and use it. What makes it FR is the FR specific lore. What makes all that usable is that it's just words, so change a few of them and it works in your world.

 

[Reynard]

I think the point is that if something is about Hellgate Keep, a FR specific location, it's pretty easy to rename it the Pit of Despair in your world and use it. What makes it FR is the FR specific lore. What makes all that usable is that it's just words, so change a few of them and it works in your world.

Is that usable, though? Does it count as "generic" if I have to.ignore and/or rewrite the lore. Why shouldn't I just start from first principles, rather than have to convert lore?

 

[Horwath]

You can use any mechanical aspects anywhere if you re flavor them.

IE: we use Dragonmarks as sigil of noble houses of Waterdeep.

 

[Parmandur]

Is that usable, though? Does it count as "generic" if I have to.ignore and/or rewrite the lore. Why shouldn't I just start from first principles, rather than have to convert lore?

It's easier tonprep for a game with a functional map and a series of Wncointers set up than working from first principles, and it's easier to file the serial numbers off a faction and change a few proper coins than to build things from scratch.

 

[Maxperson]

Is that usable, though?

100%. Even if you don't find it useful for your setting, someone out there will. There's nothing in that book that can't be pulled out for use somewhere else. Hell, they can even keep the FR names, since their world isn't FR and FR doesn't have to exist in their multiverse.

Does it count as "generic" if I have to.ignore and/or rewrite the lore. Why shouldn't I just start from first principles, rather than have to convert lore?

I don't think FR specific stuff counts as generic, but that doesn't prevent it from being useful.

 

[Maxperson]

It's easier tonprep for a game with a functional map and a series of Wncointers set up than working from first principles, and it's easier to file the serial numbers off a faction and change a few proper coins than to build things from scratch.

If the Realms doesn't exist in your universe, you don't even have to file off the serial numbers and change the coins.

DM: As you approach the city, 6 Purple Dragon Knights ride out to meet you.
Player(s): Aren't those from the FR?
DM: The FR doesn't exist in my game, but I like the Purple Dragon Knights, so I'm using them.
Player(s): Cool!

And then play moves on.