Which FR focused sourcebook should I buy?

[Desdichado]

I'm not a huge fan of Forgotten Realms for what it is, but I've gotta give them their due; they've got plenty of great ideas to steal for use in homebrews, or kitbash settings, or whatever. Thinking along those lines, I've been considering picking up one of the more focused regional setting books that kinda piqued my interest from the 3.5 era of FR sourcebooks, but I wanted to solicit feedback from folks who may have these books and can tell me more about what's in them.

The sourcebooks I'm considering are:

Lost Empires of Faerûn
Serpent Kingdoms
Shining South
Unapproachable East
Underdark

 

[Renshai]

I would suggest Unapproachable East. I thought it was an excellent source book, and could definitely be transplanted to another setting. Its full of very unique traditions and backgrounds.

 

[Storminator]

The only ones I have on that list are Unapproachable East and Underdark. UE is pretty good. I built an entire campaign around it. I cranked the Thayans up to eleven, because nothing annoys me more than incompetent evil, but I lifted a lot right out of that book.

PS

 

[Desdichado]

I have to admit that that one was probably at the top of the list, because I hoped that it was sufficiently "foreign" to be an interesting source to raid for my kitbash settings. I'd hoped Shining South was the same way, but I don't really know anything about either of them.

 

[Windjammer]

Another vote for Unapproachable East.

In particular, the Great Dale entry therein. Some spectacular info on climate and vegetation (and history thereof) which really brings the dale alive. I usually couldn't care less for that sort of information, but here it made the place become real, easy to immerse myself in ... which is when, for me, prepping a campaign in the area becomes both enjoyable and comparatively effortless. (Comparison: prepping Ptolus always felt like work. It's an amazing write-up, but I never got the 'feel' of the place.) Lot of the later specifics in the chapter on the Great Dale (on factions and NPCs) I could do without, but on the whole it's an exceedingly well done mini-setting in its own right. You could run a ten-level campaign (at least) from that chapter alone.

 

[Riley]

Yep: Unapproachable East. I don't play FR, but I love that book. It's bursting with great ideas.

I flipped through all the other books on your list several times, but never felt the inclination to buy any of them.

 

[diaglo]

reading the shelf behind me of the d02 FR stuff i have:
Magic of Faerun, Monsters of Faerun, Underdark, Faiths and Panteons, Unapproachable East, Races of Faerun, Dragons of Faerun, Power of Faerun, City of the Spider Queen, Dungeon Masters Screen, Lords of Darkness, Shining South, Player's Guide to Faerun, Forgotten Realms Campain Setting, Cormyr, Silver Marches, Serpent Kingdoms, City of Splendors: Waterdeep, Mysteries of the Moonsea, Champions of Valor, Champions of Ruin, and Lost Empires of Faerun.

i have read all of them. i have used FRCS, CotSQ, and the Monsters and Magic book.

i don't recommend most of the list. it is complete and utter drivel.

but of your list Hobo. Unapproable East is worth a read. just not worth using.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I personally got a lot of use out of Lost Empires of Faerun (#1) and Underdark (#2) -- but it depends on the type of campaign you want to run.

Unapproachable East left me cold, personally.

 

[Desdichado]

Unapproachable East left me cold, personally.

Great! So I can use it with Frostburn!

 

[Desdichado]

Well, it looks like Unapproachable East has overwhelming support, as well as being probably the one I was leaning most towards anyway.

So thanks for the advice, guys!