Which Faerun setting guide?

[jgsugden]

The original boxed set was the best starting point for gaming in the Realms IMHO. Everything that followed was an obligatory sequel.

 

[Mercurius]

3.0 book and 1E "Grey Box" are the best main books.

This, with everything else a distant step behind.

For systemless lore, the Grand History of the Realms is a good book. It came out between 3.5 and 4E, I believe, and is a nice complement to the FRCS. Ad in Ed Greenwood's FR book and you've got a great quartet of FR books.

 

[delericho]

https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Campaign-Setting-Dungeons-Roleplaying/dp/0786918365/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544661192&sr=8-1&keywords=forgotten+realms+campaign+setting

This one has edition info, but it is easily converted, and outshined by the depth of the lore. It is also well organized.

IMO, it is the standard by which campaign settings should be measured.

Agreed on all points.

The 1st Ed Grey Box would also be a good one, but only if you're able to deal with the lore being several RSE's from 'current'.

 

[Li Shenron]

https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Campaign-Setting-Dungeons-Roleplaying/dp/0786918365/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544661192&sr=8-1&keywords=forgotten+realms+campaign+setting

This one has edition info, but it is easily converted, and outshined by the depth of the lore. It is also well organized.

IMO, it is the standard by which campaign settings should be measured.

I was going to suggest the same.

Surely there is a lot of crunch in it... but you can even use the crunch information as "lore". I've been doing that a lot with 3.0 "Faiths & Pantheons" (which would be my 2nd suggestion), never really used the deities stats and the vast majority of the prestige classes as such, but used a lot of it to design the story, quests, NPCs, custom magic items and world details.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Try:
https://www.nobleknight.com/P/13848/Forgotten-Realms-Campaign-Setting-3rd-Edition

Plus, you support a game store with a physical presence.

Wow, thanks, didnt know this site. Thanks a lot.

 

[Parmandur]

Agreed on all points.

The 1st Ed Grey Box would also be a good one, but only if you're able to deal with the lore being several RSE's from 'current'.

I think WotC has bent over backwards to make the current material compatible with 1E-3E versions of the setting, really.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Will also second the 3e FR Campaign Guide. It’s what I use for stuff not covered in the Sword Coast Adventurers Guide.

Now, for a more historical purchase, my heart will always go to the 1e Grey Box. That was where I started.

For super-granular, location-based lore, the various 2e Volo’s Guides are wonderful. The Waterdeep one is a long-time favorite of mine.

 

[GlassJaw]

darn....it had to be the priciest one to get in Canada

Try ebay.

 

[aco175]

I always liked Under Illefarn and got a lot of milage out of Daggerford. I do not have the updated 5e Scourge of Daggerford from the playtest, but think I could use that for a while.

I also expanded the box set LMoP for another couple campaigns based around the region. I have the Volo guide to the North that I use a bit as well.

 

[Eltab]

+1 more for 3e FRCS. This book is 1001 campaign hooks disguised as a setting guide.