WHich FR product is the best for using in a non-FR campaign?

[johnsemlak]

In particular, I'm deciding on whether to buy the Player's Guide to Faerun, or the FRCS.

I've looked at the FRCS many times and while I'm not a Realms 'guy' I do think it's one of the best 3rd edition products out there, period. It's chuncky, very readable, well-illustrated, and has loads of gaming features for making play in the Realms interesting, and a lot of game material that can be ported. It contains a lot of feats, spells, domains, and other stuff I'd love to use regularly in my games.

Now, the Player's Guide to Faerun has just come out. It's 3.5, and seems to contain much of the 'crunch' from the FRCS and many other FR sourcebooks, all updated to 3.5. I don't view the 3.0/3.5 difference as critical but as I generally play 3.5 (I always choose it, but some PbP games I am interested in joining use 3.0) I'd prefer up-to-date stuff. In short, the PGtF seems to contain much of what a person not running the realms would want, though I havne't seen the book yet so I could be wrong.

Oh, just out of curiosity, can someone post the links to lists of the PrCs and other crunch in the PGtF?

Anyway, which of the two would you recommend?

There are more focused books as well. I have Magic of Faerun, Underdark, and I recently ordered Lords of Darkness on Ebay. Might be interested in picking of Races of Faerun.

 

[Celtavian]

re

Probably Player's Guide to Faerun because it contains less of the fluff of the FRCS. You obtain more pure crunch useable in other campaign worlds all updated to 3.5.

 

[Thanee]

One problem with the PGtF is, that it refers to other FR products (i.e. many spells are simply not explained, just listed in the overview).

But it's 3.5 and still has a number of useful rule pieces (i.e. feats) in it, so it's probably still preferable.

I've used one of the regional feats in a greyhawk campaign, for example, by changing the background of the feat completely, of course.

Other than that, MoF probably has the most 'crunch' in it, but some of that is quite overpowered (and I honestly do wonder why they didn't nerf Kiss of the Vampire in 3.5 - this spell is just insane).

Bye
Thanee

 

[diaglo]

the Grey Boxed set from pre 2edADnD.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

Player's Guide is good, but you really do need the FRCS, Races of Faerun, Underdark, and Unapproachable East to FULLY use it, but it can be used on its own if you know a bit about the Realms.

 

[Westwind]

Silver Marches is a great book if you have any portion of your world with arctic/tundra conditions. Some of the larger cities won't port terribly well (Silverymoon doesn't really work elsewhere) but most of the small villages and towns are interesting and generic enough.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

the Grey Boxed set from pre 2edADnD.

My first Forgotten Realms purchase...I remember our DM ran us through Myth Drannor at 2nd level. Without pre-reading what was in the dungeon. Suddenly the lich didn't attack, but wanted to talk. A good cover, we didn't realize he'd toned down the adventure till I read it myself later.

 

[diaglo]

i have all the 1edADnD, 2edADnD, 2000ed, and now the 3.11ed for Workgroups books/supplements/boxed sets/adventures for the FR.

concentrating on the 2000ed or 3.11ed for Workgroups. you have:
FRCS
Magic of Faerun
Monsters of Faerun
Lords of Darkness
DM's Screen
Faiths & Pantheons
Silver Marches
City of the Spider Queen
Races of Faerun
Unapproachable East
Underdark
Player's Guide to Faerun


soon: Serpent Kingdoms and Shining South


and don't forget the whole basically 1 a month line of novels.

 

[Thanee]

You need to get a new system. Yours is outdated.

Bye
Thanee

 

[JoeGKushner]

I think both are great but if you're doing 3.5, the Player's Guide is probably the better choice as it concentrates on crunch. Note that due to the innate higher power level you might want to go with the FRCS.