| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Werthead |
Posted - 27 Aug 2024 : 19:15:36
Forgotten Realms is to get a brand new pair of campaign setting books in 2025.
The Forgotten Realms Player's Guide and the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide will both launch in late 2025.
Apparently there will be several "focus areas" for the new edition and these will be, surprising nobody, Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. However, there will be a renewed emphasis on Calimshan, the Dalelands and the Moonshae Isles as well. There will also be a "giant elvish dungeon" but it's unclear what canon location (or new location) that will be. The setting will use these focus areas as examples of different types of campaign: Baldur's Gate for urban fantasy, Icewind Dale for survival horror, the Moonshae Isles for fey/fairy-based stories and stories that can be solved more through RP rather than violence, and the land of Calimshan for a darker type of campaign.
Emphasising the new idea that the entire D&D Multiverse is the new default setting, the new D&D Starter Set due in 2025 will be set in Greyhawk, and will riff on the Keep on the Borderlands adventure from 1E.
I eagerly look forwards to how they're going to mess up the maps this time around :) |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| DoveArrow |
Posted - 11 Nov 2024 : 19:43:37
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
Is there an audience for this?
Yes there is interest and I'll tell you why. We dont' know what happened to the lands of Calimshan after the Second Sundering. While there's plenty of information about what happened to the lands up to 1479 DR, there's absolutely no information on what happened after. Did the Forest of Mir return? What about the Spider Swamp? Did Sudolphor recover? There's simply no information on these topics.
My one concern, and it's a completely selfish one, is that I wrote a five part adventure series set in the region for the DMs' Guild. If they come out with this new supplement, it will likely conflict with material I wrote for my adventure series. For example, I liked the idea of the Spires of Mir so I wrote in my adventure series that the lands of Calimshan did not change back after the Second Sundering like the northern regions did. Will WotC contradict that? I did send a copy of my adventure series to Ed Greenwood as a thank you and I know he read them. However, I don't know if anyone else at WotC has read them or even if they would care about what I wrote if they did.
Regardless, I love this region of the Realms and have ideas brimming for what to do with it. If they actually support the region, it's possible we might get additional, official adventures set in the lands of Calimshan. To me, that would be so worth it. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 31 Oct 2024 : 23:45:36
The 3e RAVENLOFT material was done superbly well. It still had such subtle ties to the old lore and felt like it was an extension of “The Domains of Dread” rather than feeling like a soft reboot. |
| Werthead |
Posted - 31 Oct 2024 : 23:25:20
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Heck. I’d love to see some new DARK SUN material.
I would like to see it done well, but after Spelljammer (terrible) and Planescape (mediocre), and with WotC's refusal to depict slavery at all (even as a obviously bad and evil thing), I don't see modern WotC being able to do it.
Maybe they could licence it to someone to run as a third-party setting, like they did for 3E with Dragonlance and Ravenloft, that could work. I could see someone like Free League doing something very interesting with it. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 27 Oct 2024 : 23:59:49
Heck. I’d love to see some new DARK SUN material. |
| Werthead |
Posted - 25 Oct 2024 : 20:49:55
The core setting for 5.5E (and, unofficially, the last few years of 5E) is "the entire D&D multiverse." Forgotten Realms will likely remain the "base D&D" setting simply because of cross-marketing synergy (urgh) because when they say "Baldur's Gate," "Waterdeep" or "Neverwinter" people's ears prick up and they immediately rush to buy it. But it also sounds like they're happy to tap Planescape, Spelljammer, Eberron, Greyhawk and Dragonlance stuff going forwards, maybe Ravenloft a bit (but probably never Dark Sun, and by this point I assume they've forgotten Gothic Earth, Birthright and Mystara even exist).
I'll be honest and say that between the quality of the recent material and also being older and having much less free time to sit down and absorb new FR material (which I was able to in droves in the 1990s and 2000s), a relatively restrained release schedule is no bad thing. Complete newcomers learning the ropes on FR right now probably spend 90% of their learning curve catching up on 1-3E material and maybe 10% on 4E-5E material combined. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 25 Oct 2024 : 01:14:08
quote:
Originally posted by HighOne
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Heh. I remember the days when EBERRON was intended to take the place of GH and FR as the main core D&D setting.
I kind of thought the Critical Role setting would become default eventually. There was even an official campaign setting book. But I never hear about Critical Role any more, so maybe it's not as popular as it once was.
Interestingly enough, I just picked up that book the other day because it has some fascinating tidbits I’d learned about elsewhere… that I’d like to drop into my current Realms campaign.
It’s a shame this book hasn’t been expanded upon. It has the groundwork for some truly thrilling campaigns and lore-development. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 25 Oct 2024 : 01:11:55
quote:
Originally posted by Delnyn
Should there necessarily even be a so-called main core setting? I am skeptical.
I think for some game elements… it’s suggestively necessary. Like outlining deities, planes and cities and races. But then again, so many third-party generic rules-sets and settings establish themselves without a main core world forming the background for it…
I suppose the argument could be made either way. Just depends on the DM and the players themselves. |
| HighOne |
Posted - 25 Oct 2024 : 00:59:53
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Heh. I remember the days when EBERRON was intended to take the place of GH and FR as the main core D&D setting.
I kind of thought the Critical Role setting would become default eventually. There was even an official campaign setting book. But I never hear about Critical Role any more, so maybe it's not as popular as it once was. |
| Delnyn |
Posted - 24 Oct 2024 : 18:49:42
Should there necessarily even be a so-called main core setting? I am skeptical. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 24 Oct 2024 : 00:35:51
Heh. I remember the days when EBERRON was intended to take the place of GH and FR as the main core D&D setting. |
| lordsknight185 |
Posted - 22 Oct 2024 : 20:57:06
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
As much as this would suck for fans of Greyhawk, I'll be glad when WOTC focuses on a different setting (which is looking to be Greyhawk). Why don't they create an entirely new contemporarily-correct playground? By the way, ye gods...I hope WOTC doesn't take cues from that spectrum bile pile known as Baldur's Gate 3 when working on the next iteration of the campaign setting.
Be careful,you almost said the quiet part outloud.
OT: I am very excited for the new books and being a "spectrum bile pile" myself I hope that they take as much as possible from Baldur's Gate 3 for it. |
| Diffan |
Posted - 21 Oct 2024 : 13:05:45
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
Why don't they create an entirely new contemporarily-correct playground?
They did, it was called the Pools of Light (PoL) setting with locations like the continent of Nerath and had a pretty extensive continent map. Albeit they definitely pilfered from Greyhawk locations, namely well-known dungeons like the Tomb of Horrors, White Plums Mt, and Vault of the Drow. It has a pretty good history and fluff regarding the other races and stuff. I'd be happy with an update for the revamped system.
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
By the way, ye gods...I hope WOTC doesn't take cues from that spectrum bile pile known as Baldur's Gate 3 when working on the next iteration of the campaign setting.
Thankfully this opinion is in the minority. |
| Azar |
Posted - 21 Oct 2024 : 09:09:49
As much as this would suck for fans of Greyhawk, I'll be glad when WOTC focuses on a different setting (which is looking to be Greyhawk). Why don't they create an entirely new contemporarily-correct playground? By the way, ye gods...I hope WOTC doesn't take cues from that spectrum bile pile known as Baldur's Gate 3 when working on the next iteration of the campaign setting.
quote:
Originally posted by Scots Dragon
And the usual suspects are already bitching and moaning about it on Twitter because apparently 'the last full campaign setting was released sixteen years ago, and the last good one twenty-three years ago' is too frequent
Good. The delay was and will always be absurd. |
| Gyor |
Posted - 15 Oct 2024 : 04:06:02
quote:
Originally posted by HighOne
quote:
Originally posted by Gyor
The way I look at at the Forgotten Realms Players Guide will be like most of chapters 1 thru 7 of the 3.5e Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book, except for the much expanded Dalelands section with some additions. The Forgotten Realms Adventure Guide with be more like chapters 8 and nine and its adventure plus multiple guides on regions like Dalelands got in the FRCS and Loudwater got in the FRCG in 4e and like the city guides in BG: Descent into Avernus and Waterdeep Dragonheist, plus more DM advise and more monsters and such.
I'm thinking it will be about as interesting as the SCAG, albeit longer.
Also, I think the death of the novel line killed the Realms. The setting doesn't feel alive anymore.
The novel line has shown hints of being revived at least some what, so it's not just Drizzt keeping it on life support now.
The movie helped.
And there were the adventures.
As for the SCAG had flashes of potential, but no room to flesh them out, too much to cover and so little space to cover it.
I will also note that the SCAG was not made by WotC, it was made by Green Ronin, and published by WotC. Early 5e was understaffed and contracted out some of their books to other companies to write. Just the SCAG & the Tiamat adventures I think which were done by Kobold Press and maybe the EEPG too.
|
| Bragi |
Posted - 10 Oct 2024 : 23:23:34
As a diehard collector, I plan on buying the books even though I doubt they'll be of much use to me. My campaign is set in the 1360's DR and I have no intention of advancing the calendar forward 100 years. My hope is that they'll be good enough quality to kindle interest in the younger generation of players and give them a thirst for older lore. |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 23 Sep 2024 : 23:55:26
Ill check it out. Doubt Ill buy it. I have my OGB and the 1E FR 1-6, and what came after to tide me over. Plus ED keeps producing those excellent YouTube video's that one could use in an earlier time frame... |
| Scots Dragon |
Posted - 23 Sep 2024 : 16:47:21
The setting's alive as long as its fans continue supporting it.
I'd rather continue with stuff the fans and old developers do, in fact, over anything put out by Wizards of the Coast. Nothing WotC's put out in the past sixteen years gave me as much vive for the setting as Under Illefarn Anew did. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 23 Sep 2024 : 07:47:33
Heh. I recently started a marathon reread of ALL Realms novels in July. It’s an incredible testament to the “life” of the setting by just how quickly I slipped back into feeling like I was returning to the days of published 2e novels. |
| HighOne |
Posted - 22 Sep 2024 : 23:43:13
quote:
Originally posted by Gyor
The way I look at at the Forgotten Realms Players Guide will be like most of chapters 1 thru 7 of the 3.5e Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book, except for the much expanded Dalelands section with some additions. The Forgotten Realms Adventure Guide with be more like chapters 8 and nine and its adventure plus multiple guides on regions like Dalelands got in the FRCS and Loudwater got in the FRCG in 4e and like the city guides in BG: Descent into Avernus and Waterdeep Dragonheist, plus more DM advise and more monsters and such.
I'm thinking it will be about as interesting as the SCAG, albeit longer.
Also, I think the death of the novel line killed the Realms. The setting doesn't feel alive anymore. |
| Gyor |
Posted - 22 Sep 2024 : 23:20:49
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by deserk
I don't think the old guard will have much enthusiasm for this unless Ed has some direct involvement in the shaping of this book.
I've been burned too many times by WotC to muster a great deal of enthusiasm. I will more than likely buy this book, but I'm not getting my hopes up that it will compare favorably with with pre-4E material.
quote:
Originally posted by deserk
Otherwise to me, it's just bad fan fiction made by corporate hacks.
I won't call it fan fiction... But I will note that the design decisions made since the end of the 3E era were enough to break me of my desire to adhere to published canon as much as possible. If I ever DM, everything from the 3E era and later will be strictly optional.
quote:
Originally posted by deserk
It's also interesting that they call it a Campaign Setting book when it seems like they are only going to cover a select few places of Faerun? And barely more than what Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide covered.
This is my biggest concern about the book, and a large part of why I fear that I will be disappointed yet again. In particular, I fear that the "Campaign Guide" will focus very heavily on the specified areas and barely touch anything else.
Key information is actually in the D&D Beyond Article.
The video misspoke when it called the DM focused FR book Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, it's actually called for now (name us not set in stone) Forgotten Realms Adventure Guide and it does not contain the Update for the general Forgotten Realms Setting, that is actually in the Forgotten Realms Players Guide (which makes sense Players both new and old need an update on regions, species, and other general lore to build characters anchored in the setting, the name of this is open to change as well).
The way I look at at the Forgotten Realms Players Guide will be like most of chapters 1 thru 7 of the 3.5e Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book, except for the much expanded Dalelands section with some additions. The Forgotten Realms Adventure Guide with be more like chapters 8 and nine and its adventure plus multiple guides on regions like Dalelands got in the FRCS and Loudwater got in the FRCG in 4e and like the city guides in BG: Descent into Avernus and Waterdeep Dragonheist, plus more DM advise and more monsters and such. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 22 Sep 2024 : 07:19:46
I seem to recall a degree of dev debate about whether to include entire Realms maps in Neverwinter Nights… back in the day. |
| Seravin |
Posted - 21 Sep 2024 : 09:47:27
BG3 didn't even have a world map. It's just a series of connected by loading screen areas. I think a world map would have done a lot more to have people into the setting and wanting to know the Sword Coast if they were new to the Realms. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 21 Sep 2024 : 02:23:30
quote:
Originally posted by deserk
I don't think the old guard will have much enthusiasm for this unless Ed has some direct involvement in the shaping of this book.
I've been burned too many times by WotC to muster a great deal of enthusiasm. I will more than likely buy this book, but I'm not getting my hopes up that it will compare favorably with with pre-4E material.
quote:
Originally posted by deserk
Otherwise to me, it's just bad fan fiction made by corporate hacks.
I won't call it fan fiction... But I will note that the design decisions made since the end of the 3E era were enough to break me of my desire to adhere to published canon as much as possible. If I ever DM, everything from the 3E era and later will be strictly optional.
quote:
Originally posted by deserk
It's also interesting that they call it a Campaign Setting book when it seems like they are only going to cover a select few places of Faerun? And barely more than what Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide covered.
This is my biggest concern about the book, and a large part of why I fear that I will be disappointed yet again. In particular, I fear that the "Campaign Guide" will focus very heavily on the specified areas and barely touch anything else. |
| Gyor |
Posted - 20 Sep 2024 : 18:11:58
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
quote:
Originally posted by deserk
I don't think the old guard will have much enthusiasm for this unless Ed has some direct involvement in the shaping of this book. Otherwise to me, it's just bad fan fiction made by corporate hacks.
It's also interesting that they call it a Campaign Setting book when it seems like they are only going to cover a select few places of Faerun? And barely more than what Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide covered.
Nah, considering that their "50 years of history of D&D" was basically a book written to slander the creators, I really doubt they'll get Ed involved. The current guys absolutely love to discredit those who came before them, while taking credit for their work.
Hopefully there will be none of that none sense in these books. |
| Irennan |
Posted - 03 Sep 2024 : 23:14:08
quote:
Originally posted by deserk
I don't think the old guard will have much enthusiasm for this unless Ed has some direct involvement in the shaping of this book. Otherwise to me, it's just bad fan fiction made by corporate hacks.
It's also interesting that they call it a Campaign Setting book when it seems like they are only going to cover a select few places of Faerun? And barely more than what Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide covered.
Nah, considering that their "50 years of history of D&D" was basically a book written to slander the creators, I really doubt they'll get Ed involved. The current guys absolutely love to discredit those who came before them, while taking credit for their work. |
| Galuf the Dwarf |
Posted - 03 Sep 2024 : 17:48:56
I just don't have the time, finances or - above all else - shelf space to really keep adding new books to my collection. I'm plenty fine with my 3rd and 3.5 Edition material I've got, as many of you know me. |
| deserk |
Posted - 03 Sep 2024 : 16:27:27
I don't think the old guard will have much enthusiasm for this unless Ed has some direct involvement in the shaping of this book. Otherwise to me, it's just bad fan fiction made by corporate hacks.
It's also interesting that they call it a Campaign Setting book when it seems like they are only going to cover a select few places of Faerun? And barely more than what Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide covered. |
| Irennan |
Posted - 01 Sep 2024 : 11:37:48
quote:
Originally posted by Scots Dragon
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
Is there an audience for this?
Old timers have the old stuff (and WotC will most likely just rehash it), plus Ed's constant updates. Ten years ago, with the hype of the reboot, a lot of people wanted these books, but now?
Newer players who came in due to BG3 (likely the audience WotC is targeting) don't seem to really care about the setting itself, as much as the companions and their interactions. IME, I've never heard any BG3 enthusiast say "damn, I really want to know more about the FR|" only stuff like "give me more of X companion".
The wiki is also fairly well curated and referenced, and is probably more in-depth than anything they will put out. And it's available as a digital option, while WotC still refuses to sell pdfs of their new products, and instead wants to force people into their subscription stuff for digital access. Older books are also super easy to access as pdfs, and readily available for purchase.
So, I dunno, it doesn't seem like there are many reasons that could lead people to buy these books. Maybe they would be better off just making another videogame, I know I'd personally prefer that (because WotC's storytelling is abysmal, so the less they directly make, the more chances the product might actually pique my interest).
I've seen some interest in the Forgotten Realms and its lore from modern players, many of whom are surprised to learn that it actually has that much lore. It might get some onboarding done, and I can't exactly view that as a negative.
I see that as a positve too. Granted, the writing has to be decent at least, so my expectations aren't high, but fingers crossed nonetheless. |
| bloodtide_the_red |
Posted - 01 Sep 2024 : 02:22:26
I've seen a lot of interest by tabletop RPG players...that play BG3..and want to know more about the Realms. Of course, most answers are something like "Well you'd have to read an out-of-print book from 20+ years ago"......
But, the book is likely to be like 75% crunch with all the 'new' backgrounds, spells and such.
I'd guess most of the lore will just be cut and pasted from the old books...with bits to make it 'cooler'. Like Calimshan sunk into the Underdark and is now Upside-down! |
| Scots Dragon |
Posted - 01 Sep 2024 : 01:03:45
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
Is there an audience for this?
Old timers have the old stuff (and WotC will most likely just rehash it), plus Ed's constant updates. Ten years ago, with the hype of the reboot, a lot of people wanted these books, but now?
Newer players who came in due to BG3 (likely the audience WotC is targeting) don't seem to really care about the setting itself, as much as the companions and their interactions. IME, I've never heard any BG3 enthusiast say "damn, I really want to know more about the FR|" only stuff like "give me more of X companion".
The wiki is also fairly well curated and referenced, and is probably more in-depth than anything they will put out. And it's available as a digital option, while WotC still refuses to sell pdfs of their new products, and instead wants to force people into their subscription stuff for digital access. Older books are also super easy to access as pdfs, and readily available for purchase.
So, I dunno, it doesn't seem like there are many reasons that could lead people to buy these books. Maybe they would be better off just making another videogame, I know I'd personally prefer that (because WotC's storytelling is abysmal, so the less they directly make, the more chances the product might actually pique my interest).
I've seen some interest in the Forgotten Realms and its lore from modern players, many of whom are surprised to learn that it actually has that much lore. It might get some onboarding done, and I can't exactly view that as a negative. |
