| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Uzzy |
Posted - 25 May 2009 : 17:07:35
Right, there are a few 3rd Edition Realms books that I'm missing from my collection, and I'd like to know what's in them and whether or not it's really worth getting them. I would like to complete the collection though, so try to focus on the positives. 
These are the ones I'm missing:
Underdark
City of the Spiderqueen
Lords of Darkness
Expedition to Undermountain
Monsters of Faerún |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Auzoros |
Posted - 27 Jun 2009 : 10:32:34
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
However, what I do have a problem with is the way 4E basically ignored them. While reading those modules, I particularly liked the fact that it was all but openly stated that Shar was in for a fall. And then comes the Sellplague -- the PCs go thru all this time and effort in these adventures, and then the fecal matter hits the air-moving device, anyway. And though they kept talking about Shar's coming weakness, she somehow wound up more powerful -- maybe not in divine rank, but certainly more popular and influential, and minus a major enemy. It was a serious disconnect, even if the rest of the Sellplague had been logical.
Ok...not a 4e fan and I'm not going there. But when I finally get the chance to run these modules they will set the stage for an epic adventure that will end with the adventures saving the world from disaster (ie the Spellplague). My goal is to have Shar weakened, Cyric's plan to kill Mystra fail and Mask regaining his formal glory.
Im totally ignoring the senseless death of Helm. Instead, through the subtle manipulations of Mask, the heroes (PC's) will discover Cyric and Shar's plot to murder Mystra. And so begins a recruiting effort to defeat Shar and Cyric.
Desiring to make amends for the destruction of the second Mystra during ToT, Helm pledges to protect Mystra. Selune wants in too, even if only for the chance to strike against Shar. Azuth and Savras, understanding that the Weave and all magic is at stake also offer to help.
With the aid of Mask (after much grumbling from Helm), a trap is set for Shar and Cyric. When sprung and the battle is over and done with. Shar and Cyric are both weakened but not destroyed. Mask's scheming succeeds (finally!), winning back the portfolio of intrigue from Cyric and he also manages to steal away with Shar's portfolio of unrevealed secrets.
I haven't figured out the details of the trap or the battle yet. Perhap's there is no fight, only Cyric and Shar are literally trapped. In either case a trial is called where Ao decrees that Cyric is placed under house arrest for 1000 yrs, seriously hindering any future murderous schemes against his peers.
Shar, with her tail between her legs, returns to the Plane of Shadow to brood. Overcome with a deep depression, she does not answer the prays of her faithful for a number of weeks causing some of her followers to believe she is dead. While many Sharrans go in hiding and patiently wait to hear from their goddess, in some cells hesteria breaks out and many of these follows commit suicide.
Helm's church gains a boost in popularity. Selunites have mass celebrations, but these are short lived as the church, recognising their oppurtunity, organise attacks against the church of Shar. Mystra, her magic allies, and the Weave remain unharmed. And Mask...well Mask is happy |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 28 May 2009 : 23:26:43
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
When I first saw the Delve Format, I thought it was terrific. All the encounter information in one or two pages. But running through the books, I realized that flipping back and forth between the 'story' and the 'delve' made it very difficult to keep track of where the party was.
And of course, the flipping back and forth was what the delve format was supposed to prevent. |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 28 May 2009 : 22:59:43
When I first saw the Delve Format, I thought it was terrific. All the encounter information in one or two pages. But running through the books, I realized that flipping back and forth between the 'story' and the 'delve' made it very difficult to keep track of where the party was. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 28 May 2009 : 22:43:44
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
The biggest problem all three suffer from was having to conform to the space eating "delve format."
Oh gods, yes. That delve format does not accomplish anything other than wasting pages. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 28 May 2009 : 22:03:19
I think, in order, Shadowdale was probably the strongest of the three, followed by Anauroch, and then Cormyr. Cormyr felt the lightest on lore of the three to me, with most of the lore being "namedropping" instead of actual important integration of said lore, while Anauroch kind of suffers from a lot of the setting being integrated, but having to "fill in the gaps" when it comes of how PCs get from point A to point B later on in the adventure. My feeling was that Shadowdale was the strongest both in utilizing the setting and actually presenting a fully fleshed out adventure.
The biggest problem all three suffer from was having to conform to the space eating "delve format." |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 28 May 2009 : 16:47:40
quote:
Originally posted by HawkinstheDM
P.S. On a similar note, ignoring the whole "4e is coming" overtones, how did everyone enjoy the super adventures (Mysteries of the Moonsea, Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave, Shadowdale: The Scouring of the Land & Anauroch: The Empire of Shade)? They are the only hardcover bits of 3.Xe Realms that I do not own.
Mysteries of the Moonsea, despite being a combination module/sourcebook, still had some good lore in it. I liked it. I'm not remembering a thing about the adventures, though.
I read thru the final trilogy of modules. I've not run or played thru them, but I have read them. Other than the death of Syluné, I didn't have any problems with the modules.
However, what I do have a problem with is the way 4E basically ignored them. While reading those modules, I particularly liked the fact that it was all but openly stated that Shar was in for a fall. And then comes the Sellplague -- the PCs go thru all this time and effort in these adventures, and then the fecal matter hits the air-moving device, anyway. And though they kept talking about Shar's coming weakness, she somehow wound up more powerful -- maybe not in divine rank, but certainly more popular and influential, and minus a major enemy. It was a serious disconnect, even if the rest of the Sellplague had been logical. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 28 May 2009 : 16:37:17
I really enjoyed each of these books, except for Expedition to Undermountain (my favorite part of that book was the detailed Yawning Portal Inn).
P.S. On a similar note, ignoring the whole "4e is coming" overtones, how did everyone enjoy the super adventures (Mysteries of the Moonsea, Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave, Shadowdale: The Scouring of the Land & Anauroch: The Empire of Shade)? They are the only hardcover bits of 3.Xe Realms that I do not own. |
| Jorkens |
Posted - 28 May 2009 : 09:54:49
I am probably the wrong person to answer as my opinions on 3ed. has been stated more than once.
I have not read all of these, but of those I have:
Monsters of Faerun, not bad and I would recommend it if you used the editions. Not all of the creatures fit that well in the Realms though.
Underdark: I almost like this one. A bit to generic, but a nice companion to Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark, as it focuses more on the wilderness.
Lords of Darkness: Many people like this one, so there is a good chanse you will to. For me personally it as (together with the 3ed. campaign setting) the reason I kept away from the Realms for a period. There's nothing about the book I like. The changes, the new organisations and the illustrations, everything about it rubbed me the wrong way. |
| freyar |
Posted - 26 May 2009 : 14:05:41
I don't have the others  , but I'd agree with Wooly about Monsters of Faerun, if only because I'm a bit of a monster junkie. It's also pretty well presented. Now, the following comments are fair:
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
Monsters of Faerun was actually decent in its day, but a lot of the monsters in it weren't even actually just native to Faerun, they were just monsters that never got converted to 3.0 when the Monster Manual came out. There are a few monsters that are Faerun specific, but the best, most iconic ones got put into things line Lost Empires of Faerun. I don't think the Maulaugrym made it into any other 3rd edition source, but I wasn't thrilled with how they worked mechanically for what they were suppose to be able to do.
When it comes to just old edition monsters that have some Realms tie that got into this . . . I can think of a company that is reprinting better versions of leucrottas and perytons . . .
but there are a number of good monsters in the book, including several that are WotC IP and won't be showing up in Paizo's (or anyone else's) products (like the sharn, for example). Also, Paizo's versions of these monsters are being spread out over multiple Pathfinder volumes, and I'm not sure they'll all be compiled into the bestiary.
Besides, you can never have too many versions of a monster! 
If you get the book, don't forget the PGtF web enhancement with 3.5 updates to the monsters (and a new take on the phaerimm) here. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 25 May 2009 : 19:14:38
quote:
Originally posted by Uzzy
Right, there are a few 3rd Edition Realms books that I'm missing from my collection, and I'd like to know what's in them and whether or not it's really worth getting them. I would like to complete the collection though, so try to focus on the positives.
These are the ones I'm missing:
Underdark
City of the Spiderqueen
Lords of Darkness
Expedition to Undermountain
Monsters of Faerún
Underdark wasn't bad, but I think I still referenced Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark more in my games than Underdark. There were a few "updates" on some regions with 3rd edition era significance, but there were also regions in the 2nd edition material that was never revisited. If its down to absolutely must have for Underdark adventures, the 2nd edition material is definitely more compelling.
City of the Spider Queen is an interesting adventure. It was worked into the continuity of the setting during the 3rd edition era, and the adventure itself is fine (but a bit grueling), although the supporting RP aspects of the book are off in a few places. For example, the actual placement of the drow city in question, as well as the details on Hillsfar, which seem to come way out of left field compared to any source before or since (but the Hillsfar information is just kind of thrown in there to give you a large city for purchases and services anyway).
Lords of Darkness was actually pretty interesting to me. It had a lot of updated information and some new organizations that were fun bad guys. The biggest complaint I'd have about it has to do with the fact that most of the best potential villain organizations were heavily co-opted for Realms Shaking events over the course of the 3rd edition era, thus altering a lot of material therein. If you are diverging and/or keeping things to what is current at the beginning of 3rd edition, its a great source.
Expedition to Undermountain is kind of problematic for me. The adventure I could care less about, because its an obvious set up for 4E era changes. On the other hand, there were some interesting bits on some of the different levels and changes that had happened since the original boxed sets. The problem was that that material was about a fourth, maybe, of the books, and the rest was a really rushed adventure whose whole point is, "you can't really solve the real problem and 4E is coming."
Monsters of Faerun was actually decent in its day, but a lot of the monsters in it weren't even actually just native to Faerun, they were just monsters that never got converted to 3.0 when the Monster Manual came out. There are a few monsters that are Faerun specific, but the best, most iconic ones got put into things line Lost Empires of Faerun. I don't think the Maulaugrym made it into any other 3rd edition source, but I wasn't thrilled with how they worked mechanically for what they were suppose to be able to do.
When it comes to just old edition monsters that have some Realms tie that got into this . . . I can think of a company that is reprinting better versions of leucrottas and perytons . . .
Hope this is helpful. |
| Purple Dragon Knight |
Posted - 25 May 2009 : 18:53:46
Uzzy, I think I got all of these, and I'm still selling my 3.5 collection, by the way... 
Fifty canadian dollars for the whole lot is what I'm asking for them. I live in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Best way to get them is if you drive by my place (right off the Queen Elizabeth's Way, HWY 403, which is the main highway going to Toronto if you cross the Buffalo/Niagara/Lewiston border from the U.S.); otherwise you'd have to pay for shipping on top of that amount.
If anyone is interested please let me know. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 25 May 2009 : 17:34:57
Underdark had some nifty stuff, but overall, it wasn't something I'd rank too highly.
City of the Spiderqueen has a reputation as a fun but brutal adventure.
Expedition to Undermountain isn't branded as an FR product. I've not finished reading it, but from what I've seen, if you want Undermountain lore, forget this and track down the original Ruins of Undermountain boxed set. One thing I did note in EtU: Just a few pages after noting what all kinds of spells don't function in Undermountain, we have a NPC successfully using one of those spells, in Undermountain, on a regular basis.  Also, there is next to no info on what Halaster was doing or how it caused him to die.
Lords of Darkness is great -- get this one. It's one of the few real bright spots in 3E lore.
Monsters of Faerûn is something I'd consider a must, if only because it updates a lot of the 2E monsters. Oddly (and I'm sure because of marketing), it's also not branded as an FR product. |
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