[DF] Forgotten Realms as DF setting

[Rotwang]

I'm almost totally unfamiliar with the Forgotten Realms setting for DnD; haven't played since 2e came out. But as we're starting up a DF campaign as a summer break and some of my players were fondly remembering it form their youth, I thought I might look into to it. I can get the basic 3e setting book cheep on eBay...

So has anyone used it in their DF campaign? What did you think of its suitability? Will I be able to get what I need (general sketch of the setting) from the 3e core book or is it mostly DnD crunch?

I'm not planing on emulating any DnD rules or anything at all like that, just need a semi-generic home for the hack n slash to take place in.

[umbros]

I've run a DF game set in the Realms and it worked fine. You may need to tweak racial templates or make up a few, depending on your interpretation of the setting.

As for the D&D 3e Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book it gives a good if broad overview of the setting. If you are looking for something a little tighter in focus one of the regional books (Silver Marches, City of Splendors, Unapproachable East, etc.) are pretty good and more manageable in scope.

[shivafang]

To answer the question about the core player's guide - avoid it if all you want is world information. It's about 95% crunch, and the little bit of flavour (deities, mainly) are for Greyhawk, which was the 'core' setting for 3e.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by shivafang

To answer the question about the core player's guide - avoid it if all you want is world information. It's about 95% crunch, and the little bit of flavour (deities, mainly) are for Greyhawk, which was the 'core' setting for 3e.

On the other hand, the Forgotten Realms guide for 3e, which is what he is asking about, is fairly decent for a world guide.

Granted, I'd miss a lot of good 2e stuff if using only that, but I guess you could try it. I'd recommend 2e stuff over it, though, if WotC hadn't made it illegal to sell PDF copies of their older stuff. Given that, I think that they actively hate older players and want nothing to do with anyone not up to the latest 4e MMORPG.

[shivafang]

Originally Posted by Icelander

On the other hand, the Forgotten Realms guide for 3e, which is what he is asking about, is fairly decent for a world guide.

That information was covered in the post before mine and didn't need repeating. I was specifically addressing the question in the OP "Will I be able to get what I need (general sketch of the setting) from the 3e core book or is it mostly DnD crunch?" - the answer being it's mostly crunch and what is not crunch is not applicable to Forgotten Realms (except for a few of the deities which happen to be in both Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk.)

I own both the 3e Forgotten Realms book (and a few of the additional supplements) as well as the 4e Player's Guide and Campaign Setting. I like both versions for different reasons, but I'd be more likely to run a campaign in the 3e setting, since most of my friends prefer it (That and my roomate always wants to play a priestess of Mystara, who no longer exists in the 4e timeline)

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by shivafang

That information was covered in the post before mine and didn't need repeating. I was specifically addressing the question in the OP "Will I be able to get what I need (general sketch of the setting) from the 3e core book or is it mostly DnD crunch?" - the answer being it's mostly crunch and what is not crunch is not applicable to Forgotten Realms (except for a few of the deities which happen to be in both Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk.)

I think you are confused what book he is refering to. There are no Greyhawk deities in the 3e Forgotten Realms book.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Rotwang

I'm almost totally unfamiliar with the Forgotten Realms setting for DnD; haven't played since 2e came out. But as we're starting up a DF campaign as a summer break and some of my players were fondly remembering it form their youth, I thought I might look into to it. I can get the basic 3e setting book cheep on eBay...

So has anyone used it in their DF campaign? What did you think of its suitability? Will I be able to get what I need (general sketch of the setting) from the 3e core book or is it mostly DnD crunch?.

You might want to clarify what you mean by "core book">

[Rotwang]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

You might want to clarify what you mean by "core book">

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting for 3e: http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Camp.../dp/0786918365

[shivafang]

My bad. Since I actually am a D&D Player, I interpreted 'Core Book' as the D&D Player's Guide. The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting isn't a core book, it's a setting book ;). Now that that's been clarified I understand the reasons why people thought they needed to correct me.

The 3e Forgotten Realms Campaign setting contains both Crunch and Setting, and is great for learning about the world as a whole, though you may want to pick up the region books specific to the region you are playing in.

Avoid Magic of Faerun, though, most of the book is spells mechanics for D&D, though I suppose you could have a look at it if you wanted to try to convert the spells into gurps for some reason, or an overview of how magic works in Toril as a whole.

If you are curious at looking at the 4e books, the Forgotten Realms Player's Guide is nearly all Crunch, with enough Fluff to get the players an idea of the player they are making, whereas the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting is pretty much all Fluff.

[Rotwang]

So, if I were to get the campaign setting book, which of the regional books do you recommend as a supplement? I'd be looking for something generally European middle ages inspired…

Unapproachable East is the setting from 1e oriental adventures, right?