D&D 5E (2014) With the release of each new setting book, the SCAG looks worse and worse...

[Prakriti]

At 159 pages, the SCAG is the shortest setting book released for 5E so far. Out of all the 5E setting books (Ravnica, Eberron, Wildemount), the SCAG has the least amount of lore, the fewest player options, the fewest monsters (zero), the fewest magic items (zero), and the fewest adventures (zero). I really want to like it, but it's just so... slight. And... inadequate. It needs about 100 more pages to be really good.

I know it will never happen, but I wish Wizards would release an updated and revised version of the SCAG. Failing that, I wouldn't mind another Forgotten Realms setting book that matched the quality of Eberron and Wildemount. Because as it is, despite getting a lot of attention this edition, FR definitely got shafted in the setting-guide department.

 

[Parmandur]

At 159 pages, the SCAG is the shortest setting book released for 5E so far. Out of all the 5E setting books (Ravnica, Eberron, Wildemount), the SCAG has the least amount of lore, the fewest player options, the fewest monsters (zero), the fewest magic items (zero), and the fewest adventures (zero). I really want to like it, but it's just so... slight. And... inadequate. It needs about 100 more pages to be really good.

I know it will never happen, but I wish Wizards would release an updated and revised version of the SCAG. Failing that, I wouldn't mind another Forgotten Realms setting book that matched the quality of Eberron and Wildemount. Because as it is, despite getting a lot of attention this edition, FR definitely got shafted in the setting-guide department.

There is certainly room for a bigger, better FR Setting book, though they are continuing to put out focused micro-Gazateers in the Adventure books.

SCAG suffers from being an experiment: they iterated, learned some lessons, and reiterated the format with tremendous positive changes. I still really love what's in the book, but it is easily surpassed by what followed.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Professional writers want to write new stuff, not regurgitate old stuff. That's why so many of the recent setting books have been for new settings. Most of SCAG is dedicated to trying to find different words to say the exact same thing as the 3rd edition book.

WotC are quite happy to leave FR to 3rd party writers, like Ed Greenwood and the Acquisitions Inc people.

 

[Badvoc]

I quite like SCAG, but it does look a little thin when compared to more recent sourcebooks.

There's such a huge amount of FR lore at this point that it makes sense to break new 5e material into regional books. I'd like to see more options than just the Sword Coast make it to print - whether they are direct WotC products, or sanctioned third party releases.

 

[Shiroiken]

Similar to the Tiamat AP, the earlier books tend to be more poorly designed than later ones. Early in the edition (by book count, not years), they're not sure how things should be done. SCAG was both the first setting book and the first character expansion book, so I imagine they were being cautious with both. Personally I would like to see a FR setting book that goes beyond the Sword Coast (because I'm sick of it, and Faerun has a lot more to it) that has maybe just a little more character options. I know Ed's done a 3PP, but most of it has been limited in nature.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Personally, and I can only speak for myself, I found the SCAG to be just the right size. I know very, very little about the Forgotten Realms. I had no real interest in being buried under decades of lore. SCAG gave me just what I needed when 5e was fresh to run the game using the Adventures.

I just had to let it be known that my FR knowledge was limited to the SCAG and that anything outside that would be ignored or mutilated as needed.

The new campaign settings have too much info for me and my eyes start to glaze over about 2/3 of the way through.

But, as I said above, it's a personal thing.

 

[gyor]

The SCAG is a regional book with a quick bare bones summary of what's going on elsewhere, it is not a setting book at all, but it's been pushed into the akward position of acting in the job of a setting book, because thin lore is better then no lore at all.

I mean the whole of Faerun doesn't even have a proper, detailed Map in 5e! This when the very geography and nations of Faerun where so restructured.

 

[gyor]

BTW this issue and folks asking for a 5e FRCG is likely built enough pressure that I think we will be getting a proper full FRCG book either in Q4 2020 or at some point in 2021.

When the SCAG first came out I said it was well written, but way, way too small to do the job that was needed, yet people thought I was crazy or something, now we have these bigger, fuller books that are able to tackle a lot more, and now folks are waking up to the fact that the SCAG is just to small to cut it.

 

[humble minion]

Professional writers want to write new stuff, not regurgitate old stuff. That's why so many of the recent setting books have been for new settings. Most of SCAG is dedicated to trying to find different words to say the exact same thing as the 3rd edition book.

I'm not so sure TBH. Professional writers want to get paid, and if WotC wanted to commission a new FR campaign book then I refuse to believe they have nobody on staff or on retainer with sufficient love and enthusiasm for the Realms to take the job on. The vast amount of 5e FR material on DM Guild (including from respected pro writers) certainly argues there's still a lot of people out there who'd love to write the Realms.

It really seems a deliberate strategic choice at this point. FR is treated as the 'default' setting in campaign books (a bit like Greyhawk was in 3e), and gets a bit of fleshing out piece by piece in those, while new campaign books are largely those with a pre-existing built-in audience that WotC are trying to leverage - MtG players, the Critical Role audience, or Eberron players.

 

[gyor]

Professional writers want to write new stuff, not regurgitate old stuff. That's why so many of the recent setting books have been for new settings. Most of SCAG is dedicated to trying to find different words to say the exact same thing as the 3rd edition book.

WotC are quite happy to leave FR to 3rd party writers, like Ed Greenwood and the Acquisitions Inc people.

Do you realize how many folks at WotC and free lancers are huge FR fans, folks like Matt Sarnet.

And it's not about regurgitating old stuff, it's about updating stuff to the current era allowing new interesting stories to be told.