Forgotten Realms Guide Announced [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

CyberThread

2015-07-22, 04:18 PM

About time! Looks like we'll get the finished product of swaswashbuckler and storm sorcerer from UA along with other goodies.

Don't really care about the setting itself though. Hoping for Planescape!

This isn't what folks have been looking for. They are wanting a full blown setting handbook , this guide is more of a background dealing one very specific adventure.

For 40 bucks, I won't really be getting this one for my personal collection. I will wait for one of the other players at the table to grab it and read through it then.

DanyBallon

2015-07-22, 06:26 PM

I really hope it's similar to the old greyhawk gazetteer, with just enough information on the setting to help running a campaign, but not too much that would prevent you to quickly adapt it to suit your needs.

EvanescentHero

2015-07-22, 06:28 PM

I look forward to finding out what subclasses and subraces make it in, and I'm hoping they release them in pdf form like they've been doing so far, because I likewise probably won't buy this.

coredump

2015-07-22, 07:25 PM

Wait.... if the information you want is given away in a free pdf, you will buy the book. But if the book is the only way of getting the info you want, you will not buy it... wut??

CyberThread

2015-07-22, 07:28 PM

Wait.... if the information you want is given away in a free pdf, you will buy the book. But if the book is the only way of getting the info you want, you will not buy it... wut??

AKA, this isn't the forgotten realms we wanted. I want a setting book not focus on a microcosm of the setting that is already well published and treaded on .

RazDelacroix

2015-07-22, 09:04 PM

About time! Looks like we'll get the finished product of swaswashbuckler and storm sorcerer from UA along with other goodies.

Don't really care about the setting itself though. Hoping for Planescape!

Ah, a fellow planeswalker! Alas, I think we can only hope for a decent Manual of the Planes. As to the FRG announcement, I am going to choose to be positive about it. Is it a comprehensive campaign setting material? Probably not, but it may provide options for additional fun at the table. And that is what I am most interested in at this time.

obeseboywonder

2015-07-22, 09:15 PM

Interested to see what the Bladesinger looks like for 5e.

Envyus

2015-07-22, 09:44 PM

This isn't what folks have been looking for. They are wanting a full blown setting handbook , this guide is more of a background dealing one very specific adventure.

No it has details for that Adventure but it's also an update to the Realms and focuses on the Sword Coast Region as a campaign setting.

Did you ever read the Neverwinter Campaign Setting.(Also known as one of the best setting books to appear.) It's going to be like that but focused on the Sword Coast as a whole instead of one of it's cities.

Anyway I vastly prefer focusing on regions rather then the entire setting, because we don't get that many details on the regions otherwise.

AKA, this isn't the forgotten realms we wanted. I want a setting book not focus on a microcosm of the setting that is already well published and treaded on .

AKA it's what I wanted. Books like the Silver Marches campaign setting, the Neverwinter campaign setting are much more interesting then the stuff that covered the whole thing. As it allows them to really go indeapth with the areas.

JAL_1138

2015-07-22, 09:53 PM

Really hoping the swashbuckler doesn't have the version of Panache that appeared in UA. Mind control, which it amounted to, shouldn't be a non-supernatural, at-will ability.

Envyus

2015-07-22, 09:56 PM

Really hoping the swashbuckler doesn't have the version of Panache that appeared in UA. Mind control, which it amounted to, shouldn't be a non-supernatural, at-will ability.

As mentioned the Swashbuckler was not play tested and was a rough draft. The full Swashbuckler will likely look much better.

JAL_1138

2015-07-22, 10:04 PM

As mentioned the Swashbuckler was not play tested and was a rough draft. The full Swashbuckler will likely look much better.

That's why I said I hope. But that anyone they paid to write things thought even the untested version of Panache was a good idea does not leave me hopeful. (I really hated the way that ability worked.)

Arcuriel

2015-07-22, 10:08 PM

Seconded on the bladesinger excitement.

dropbear8mybaby

2015-07-22, 10:11 PM

About time!

I'm OK with them taking their time on this. I'd rather quality over quantity.

I also think it's a smart strategy as it will combine neatly into the release of Sword Coast Legends as well as promoting their backstock of adventures like Lost Mines of Phandelver, Princes of the Apocalypse, Tyranny of Dragons & Rage of Demons.

My hope is that this will end the run on Forgotten Realms and that they'll move on to the next setting for further adventure modules, AL seasons & eventually a similar guide book. Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Planescape could end up being the next three years of D&D releases, one year for each setting. That would be utterly, stupefyingly, amazingly awesome :)

PhantomRenegade

2015-07-22, 10:38 PM

I'm still sitting here waiting for the beastmaster fix they said they'd make.

Ralanr

2015-07-22, 10:47 PM

*Crosses fingers for new barbarian subclass*

GiantOctopodes

2015-07-22, 11:03 PM

I'm OK with them taking their time on this. I'd rather quality over quantity.

I also think it's a smart strategy as it will combine neatly into the release of Sword Coast Legends as well as promoting their backstock of adventures like Lost Mines of Phandelver, Princes of the Apocalypse, Tyranny of Dragons & Rage of Demons.

My hope is that this will end the run on Forgotten Realms and that they'll move on to the next setting for further adventure modules, AL seasons & eventually a similar guide book. Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Planescape could end up being the next three years of D&D releases, one year for each setting. That would be utterly, stupefyingly, amazingly awesome :)

I'd rather Dark Sun than Greyhawk or Dragonlance, personally.

SharkForce

2015-07-22, 11:34 PM

Really hoping the swashbuckler doesn't have the version of Panache that appeared in UA. Mind control, which it amounted to, shouldn't be a non-supernatural, at-will ability.

i don't mind the "supernatural" or at-will portions. i mind that it was ridiculously reliable. a skill challenge when one of the two people has a compelling reason to have proficiency, expertise, and inability to roll lower than 15? and the attribute involved is their third-most important? being opposed by what is likely to be non-proficient monsters? that's a problem. even proficient monsters are likely to lose that challenge, which means that basically no matter how smart you are you're going to be wasting your time chasing around a swashbuckler any time it is to their advantage for you to do so.

Safety Sword

2015-07-22, 11:40 PM

I'd rather Dark Sun than Greyhawk or Dragonlance, personally.

Ravenloft. Such a good setting for D&D because you can float in and out of it as you (well, not you...) will it.

Ralanr

2015-07-22, 11:52 PM

Ravenloft. Such a good setting for D&D because you can float in and out of it as you (well, not you...) will it.

Reading up on Ravenloft, I would love to see it. Ironic hell gothic horror? Fun!

Also Ebberon. Because Magic Trains.

Rhaegar14

2015-07-23, 12:39 AM

@obeseboywonder and Arcuriel, I highly doubt we'll get a dedicated Bladesinger option. We already have Valor Bard and that is really close to what a Bladesinger is meant to be.

Personally I am hoping for some kind of Swordmage, though there's a difference between hoping for it and actually believing I'll get it. I'm intrigued by the idea of Purple Dragon Knight, though I wonder what class it'll be part of.

EvanescentHero

2015-07-23, 12:41 AM

@obeseboywonder and Arcuriel, I highly doubt we'll get a dedicated Bladesinger option. We already have Valor Bard and that is really close to what a Bladesinger is meant to be.

The article literally says the word bladesinger. I'd call that confirmed.

Rhaegar14

2015-07-23, 12:47 AM

The article literally says the word bladesinger. I'd call that confirmed.

Huh. I didn't really look outside the "New Character Options" bullet point for new character options, and now I feel kinda dumb.

Jaredino

2015-07-23, 01:01 AM

Chaosvii7

2015-07-23, 03:24 AM

I'm incredibly excited for this release, because it sounds like it's gonna pack a lot of flavor on top of a bunch of new interesting options. As an AL DM, a book all about the place where(so far) every story season has taken place is a sound investment to me. I'm most excited for the player options - because both Bladesinger and Purple Dragon Knight are IMO things that one can build reasonably well already thanks to the breadth of options in the PHB without the outright flavor of them, but I'm excited to see how they handle these rather special archetypes and how they mechanically compare and/or stack up to the current ones we have. I would hate to open that book up and see that PDK is "like Battlemaster, but not!" and the like.

That said, I am worried as I consider the fact that this book will set the precedent for all 5e splatbooks/campaign settings books to come. This book itself will set the very standards we hold non-core content to for the rest of the edition's lifespan. That is both a frightening and promising prospect, but at the very least I'm hyped for the first one. Whether or not subsequent releases do the same thing will depend solely on how they stack up to this book for me. Let's see if they can deal with splatbook power creep that's plagued them for so long, here's hoping.

dropbear8mybaby

2015-07-23, 03:48 AM

I'd rather Dark Sun than Greyhawk or Dragonlance, personally.
Well, who knows what setting will be next? They did a poll awhile back but I don't think we got any news about the results? Personally, I wanna see Spelljammer make a comeback :smallbiggrin:

That said, I am worried as I consider the fact that this book will set the precedent for all 5e splatbooks/campaign settings books to come.
I'm actually not terribly worried about it. Short of an utterly overpowered class feature, the system has inherent limitations on power that I think are fairly solid and can take a bit of a beating without breaking. I also think that there probably won't be anything overpowered given the time frames and testing that is hopefully going on.

Guran

2015-07-23, 06:35 AM

I am most certainly looking forward to this book. Honestly I do not care much for settings. As long as there are neat little pieces I can convert to my own campaign worlds, I am happy. And if I get som extra player options, then I'm even extra happy. Looking forward to the bladesinger, swashbuckler and purple dragon knight (whatever that might be) and the other stuff they will be putting into it. Any chance we will be seeing extra feats in this book?

And don't worry about your favorite settings, they didn't make an entire survey about what settings and races we want to see in 5e just to mees with us. At least I hope so. My feeling is that this is possibly the last FR book and that we will move on to another setting next year. I have complete faith in WOTC.

JAL_1138

2015-07-23, 06:55 AM

i don't mind the "supernatural" or at-will portions. i mind that it was ridiculously reliable. a skill challenge when one of the two people has a compelling reason to have proficiency, expertise, and inability to roll lower than 15? and the attribute involved is their third-most important? being opposed by what is likely to be non-proficient monsters? that's a problem. even proficient monsters are likely to lose that challenge, which means that basically no matter how smart you are you're going to be wasting your time chasing around a swashbuckler any time it is to their advantage for you to do so.

I mind both. Even if it wasn't broken as written--maybe they only have to pass a DC10, or even DC5 save--it would still aggravate the blazes out of me. Because mind-control should be supernatural (and, if that strong, regardless of reliability, not be a cantrip--Vicious Mockery, an explicitly magical effect, only works for one attack roll, for example), and any other "cheesing the monster off so it hits you and only you" should be roleplayed rather than mechanical. AND, out of combat, it works as a resource-free one-minute Charm effect that doesn't have any of the drawbacks of the Charm spells.

And movement restriction that absolute should be either supernatural or involve a physical explanation (like "the Fighter grabbed you, and s/he's a REALLY good grappler, so have fun with that DC20+ escape check"), not "the rogue insulted your mother." An insult shouldn't be a better movement restrictor than a big burly sonofagun in platemail grabbing you and holding you, even if it's made extremely unreliable. The way it's written it lasts ten rounds, automatic, with no concentration. Even if they made it unreliable to get, that's insane. You can break away from a Goliath wrestler easier--meaning, you can at all.

And it reminds me too much of 4e, but I'll let that go at just that.

Ralanr

2015-07-23, 06:56 AM

I'm betting purple dragon knight will be a new paladin oath.

TheTeaMustFlow

2015-07-23, 07:18 AM

I'm betting purple dragon knight will be a new paladin oath.

Hmm. I'm going to put my metaphorical money on a Fighter Archetype. As a Paladin Oath, it seems to close to Devotion.

DireSickFish

2015-07-23, 07:43 AM

What are we thinking the bladesinger is an archetype for? We already have valor bard so I doubt bard.

Ralanr

2015-07-23, 07:48 AM

Hmm. I'm going to put my metaphorical money on a Fighter Archetype. As a Paladin Oath, it seems to close to Devotion.

I was thinking fighter also, but reading up on it felt paladin. It might be a mount based subclass though.

What are we thinking the bladesinger is an archetype for? We already have valor bard so I doubt bard.

Maybe barbarian? I kinda hope not, but it sounds like a dex based barbarian.

Inevitability

2015-07-23, 07:49 AM

What are we thinking the bladesinger is an archetype for? We already have valor bard so I doubt bard.

Wizard. Just like the Eldritch Knight is 'wizardy for fighters', Bladesinger will probably be the 'fighterness for wizards'.

Ralanr

2015-07-23, 08:27 AM

Wizard. Just like the Eldritch Knight is 'wizardy for fighters', Bladesinger will probably be the 'fighterness for wizards'.

So basically a gish?

dropbear8mybaby

2015-07-23, 08:45 AM

So basically a gish?

Yes but hewing far closer to the wizard side like the EK hews closer to the fighter-side.

Then again, it could also be a warlock sub...

DireSickFish

2015-07-23, 09:20 AM

Yes but hewing far closer to the wizard side like the EK hews closer to the fighter-side.

Then again, it could also be a warlock sub...

I really doubt it about the warlock. We already have pact of the blade for warlocks and it requires some vague soul selling. The fluff on bladesingers has always been that it's an elvin discipline that others can learn.

I could see it being Wizard, that would be kind of unfortunate as they already have the most subclasses. I could see it being ranger, the archtypical ranger is already very elvin just give them some more wizardly spells to add to the list and some dancing ribbons and let it go.

ZenBear

2015-07-23, 10:25 AM

Wizard. Just like the Eldritch Knight is 'wizardy for fighters', Bladesinger will probably be the 'fighterness for wizards'.

Is "Bladesinger" considered an arcane school? Cuz that's what all of the Wizard subclasses have been.

Do we know for certain it's a subclass? If it's a seperate class, maybe it's the real Arcane Paladin/Swordmage/Gish we've been waiting for.

obryn

2015-07-23, 10:30 AM

I'd rather Dark Sun than Greyhawk or Dragonlance, personally.
We just had Dark Sun in 2010. It's time for Spelljammer to make its triumphant return, IMO.

techsamurai5000

2015-07-23, 10:52 AM

Bladesinger was a prestige class for Elven Fighter/Wizard MCs that allowed them to ignore some of the spell failure chance for wearing armor. Since we don't have ASF anymore, I'm guess it'll be like the EK but with more emphasis on magic.

But I would love a full class like a Paladin but with an arcane tilt instead of divine.

ImperiousLeader

2015-07-23, 11:44 AM

Basically, if the 4e Bladesinger is any guide, it's a Wizard school that adds some swordplay to the wizard chassis. So, another option for gishes.

Ralanr

2015-07-23, 12:33 PM

Basically, if the 4e Bladesinger is any guide, it's a Wizard school that adds some swordplay to the wizard chassis. So, another option for gishes.

Hopefully people can wait to theory-craft how it will or will not be broken until after its spoiled or released.

Baptor

2015-07-23, 12:56 PM

AKA it's what I wanted. Books like the Silver Marches campaign setting, the Neverwinter campaign setting are much more interesting then the stuff that covered the whole thing. As it allows them to really go indeapth with the areas.

This. While I'd love a massive tome o knowledge, Envyus has it right. Those region-focused books were better for me as a DM than the FRCG. The Silver Marches book made me fall in love with Silverymoon.

Heck, for many years Neverwinter was "a really nice city with some fantastic bridges and fancy clocks that never gets cold." Seriously, that's all I ever knew about it until the 4e Neverwinter Setting came out. Then holy cow, what a city!

So I have high hopes for this book and I hope they make at least a few more covering the South and the Heartlands like Cormyr and the Dragon Coast.

That said, I think it would be cool if they did a book like this for the city of Greyhawk and its environs or something like that. Or even better, a book focused on...SIGIL! :D :D :D

CyberThread

2015-07-23, 02:31 PM

Basically, if the 4e Bladesinger is any guide, it's a Wizard school that adds some swordplay to the wizard chassis. So, another option for gishes.

I hope not, because the bladesinger has always been someone who was more a blader then a singer. I personally would love to see a more native ranger approach for the aspect, although I don't feel the class gets the right set of spells to really enjoy it that way.

bladesinger has always been a eldritch knight or valor bard of sorts.

Safety Sword

2015-07-23, 05:53 PM

We just had Dark Sun in 2010. It's time for Spelljammer to make its triumphant return, IMO.

New edition, all bets are off.

D.U.P.A.

2015-07-23, 06:18 PM

Some time ago I found this http://www.nerdsonearth.com/2014/12/dungeons-dragons-5e-release-schedule-2018/ I quite believe them, now the material is coming out slowly, so settings like Eberron and Dark Sun will have to wait a little.

About Purple knight I presume it will be a fighter with a slightly paladin feel, some sort of eldritch knight, but with divine powers. However I think it is too setting specific. There are no purple knight in Eberron, but there are for example Artificers in Forgotten realms (gnomes).

Rhaegar14

2015-07-23, 08:43 PM

Is "Bladesinger" considered an arcane school? Cuz that's what all of the Wizard subclasses have been.

No, the Wizard subclasses are called Arcane "Traditions." While all of the official subclasses in the PHB are school specializations, the use of that broader term opens up more options. For example, the Unearthed Arcana for Eberron had an Artificer Arcane Tradition. Bladesinger could absolutely be a Wizard subclass.

And I really, really, really hope it is. My Swordmage character from 4e is the only concept I'm particularly attached to that I can't come up with a good way to stat from level 1-20 and presumably a Bladesinger would do the job.

My bet for Purple Dragon Knight is a Fighter subclass, possibly focusing on mounted combat? It'd be cool to see support for that on the Fighter chassis.

Inevitability

2015-07-24, 04:24 AM

Is "Bladesinger" considered an arcane school? Cuz that's what all of the Wizard subclasses have been.

The Artificer subclass from Unearthed Arcana hasn't been. Which, while not completely official, does show WOTC is at least thinking in that direction.

Gnomes2169

2015-07-24, 06:24 AM

I'm betting purple dragon knight will be a new paladin oath.

Purple Dragon Knight has always been more of an anti-magic fighter with slightly paladin themes, strongly tied to Cromyr. If I remember right, every one of Cromyr's truely professional knights are Purple Dragon Knights. Its inclusion makes me think that we'll be seeing Cromyr in this book as well, and that makes me hopeful that we'll also see some other places along the sword coast (like Amn) that are neighbors to but not quite part of the "major cities" of the Sword Coast. Am I the only one who holds that hope?

D.U.P.A.

2015-07-24, 07:20 AM

And I really, really, really hope it is. My Swordmage character from 4e is the only concept I'm particularly attached to that I can't come up with a good way to stat from level 1-20 and presumably a Bladesinger would do the job.

Eldritch knight is quite good approximation of Swordmage, you may think that Swordmage had more things, but this is because of 4e style, which overall had more mumbo jumbo. Also the light armor of the Swordmage is a consequence of 4e AC calculation, which included Int too, which was this class' main attribute. Ironically, this way you got more AC than Paladin in the end. In 5e only Dex gives you AC, otherwise you must rely on heavy armor. As for attacks, there will be probably more spells in the future which could be more weapon focused.

Ralanr

2015-07-24, 07:33 AM

Purple Dragon Knight has always been more of an anti-magic fighter with slightly paladin themes, strongly tied to Cromyr. If I remember right, every one of Cromyr's truely professional knights are Purple Dragon Knights. Its inclusion makes me think that we'll be seeing Cromyr in this book as well, and that makes me hopeful that we'll also see some other places along the sword coast (like Amn) that are neighbors to but not quite part of the "major cities" of the Sword Coast. Am I the only one who holds that hope?

Anti-magic fighter?

Please tell me more.

ThermalSlapShot

2015-07-24, 07:36 AM

AKA, this isn't the forgotten realms we wanted. I want a setting book not focus on a microcosm of the setting that is already well published and treaded on .

It isn't the FR you wanted but it's the the FR you deserve.

Dizlag

2015-07-24, 09:09 AM

Question is, who's writing this thing? Kobold Press (Tyranny of Dragons), Sasquatch Games (Princes of the Apocalypse), or Green Ronin (Out of the Abyss) ... or is it going to be a Wizards of the Coast creation in house without the collaboration of these three studios?

Personally, I'm looking forward to Primeval Thule by Sasquatch Games for 5th Edition. =)

Dizlag

obryn

2015-07-24, 09:42 AM

Ralanr

2015-07-24, 09:48 AM

Um...what?

So what are they doing?
Edit: in D&D

Dizlag

2015-07-24, 09:57 AM

It's Green Ronin doing all the work.

WotC, apparently, is no longer in the business of making D&D books.

Just the 3 core rule books (PHB, DMG, MM), right? =)

Thanks!

Dizlag

Baptor

2015-07-24, 12:02 PM

It's Green Ronin doing all the work.

WotC, apparently, is no longer in the business of making D&D books.

They've said this is a misnomer about how they are doing things. It's a collaborative effort between WotC and the third party publishers, not straight up outsourcing.

Either way, I don't care as long as the content is solid.

Gnomes2169

2015-07-24, 04:35 PM

Anti-magic fighter?

Please tell me more.

Ah sorry, not anti-magic... I just thought they were because they are from Cromyr, and thus all of them hate magic so much. However, it seems like (http://dndtools.pw/classes/purple-dragon-knight/) they are built more for the leadership and challenge role, so maybe a bit of warlord will show up here?

dropbear8mybaby

2015-07-24, 05:45 PM

Either way, I don't care as long as the content is solid.

Yeah, that to me is what's most important. It seems like that's what they're mainly focusing on. The third-party produces the content, the people at WotC test it and ensure it's quality. I'm OK with that.

Envyus

2015-07-24, 05:52 PM

It looks pretty good except for one thing. The article mentions the second sundering, and I honestly don't care about what events WOTC says already happened in the campaign settings, I just want the default setting that I can play around with.

Well people want to know the current state of the Realms. No one is quite sure what the Sundering actually did, other then bring a bunch of gods back to life, and apparently make it so they have a less active role in the setting. So this should tell us what exactly has happened and some history. Also this will be the default stetting you can play around with.

On the Purple Dragon Knight. The 3.5 version was pretty much the proto Warlord. Being super warlordy.

SharkForce

2015-07-24, 09:12 PM

mephnick

2015-07-24, 10:07 PM

Forgotten Realms is probably the most boring setting they have to work with, so the fact they keep focusing on it really inspires me to create my own settings.

Ralanr

2015-07-24, 10:15 PM

Forgotten Realms is probably the most boring setting they have to work with, so the fact they keep focusing on it really inspires me to create my own settings.

This is pretty much my reason why I love dragonborn. They feel like a blank canvas that I must paint on.

dropbear8mybaby

2015-07-24, 10:17 PM

This is pretty much my reason why I love dragonborn. They feel like a blank canvas that I must paint on.

Really? The dragonborn have a large body of text on them, mainly from the... Forgotten Realms...

Rhaegar14

2015-07-24, 10:21 PM

Eldritch knight is quite good approximation of Swordmage, you may think that Swordmage had more things, but this is because of 4e style, which overall had more mumbo jumbo. Also the light armor of the Swordmage is a consequence of 4e AC calculation, which included Int too, which was this class' main attribute. Ironically, this way you got more AC than Paladin in the end. In 5e only Dex gives you AC, otherwise you must rely on heavy armor. As for attacks, there will be probably more spells in the future which could be more weapon focused.

This is a tangent, but I really disagree. EVERY SWORDMAGE POWER was some kind of a spell. Eldritch Knight doesn't have enough spellcasting for my taste and because of that doesn't capture the flavor I want. That's really the issue, and that's why I'd like to see Bladesinger as the casting-heavy version of the Fighter/Wizard combo.

Ralanr

2015-07-24, 11:04 PM

Really? The dragonborn have a large body of text on them, mainly from the... Forgotten Realms...

Doesn't mean I can't expand upon it. Segregate the clans by color, put those clans in specific areas and build up similar but separate cultures between them.

I might white dragonborn in my DM's campaign function like barbarian tribes in areas where ferocity is needed to survive. I try to focus a trait from their dragon color into their cultures.

Green, black, and most metals are a bit too difficult to work with though...The best I have for green are keepers of ancient dragon lore, which doesn't really work well with manipulative dragons.

Edit: Wouldn't (and I don't want to start making theory craft here) a heavier spell casting melee class make eldrich knight pointless?

dropbear8mybaby

2015-07-24, 11:14 PM

Doesn't mean I can't expand upon it.

Sure but I thought your point was that it was a blank slate. I mean, you could do that for all the races and all the lore as well.

Ralanr

2015-07-25, 12:08 AM

Sure but I thought your point was that it was a blank slate. I mean, you could do that for all the races and all the lore as well.

Fair enough. I've seen a lot (relative I guess, it's probably not a lot) of complaints on how dragonborn don't really seem to have a culture. I just take it as they are a blank canvas.

I'm honestly surprised how some people dislike the idea of expanding upon something. But I'm not other people.

dropbear8mybaby

2015-07-25, 12:41 AM

I'm honestly surprised how some people dislike the idea of expanding upon something.

I never said I disliked it.

Rhaegar14

2015-07-25, 12:44 AM

Doesn't mean I can't expand upon it. Segregate the clans by color, put those clans in specific areas and build up similar but separate cultures between them.

I might white dragonborn in my DM's campaign function like barbarian tribes in areas where ferocity is needed to survive. I try to focus a trait from their dragon color into their cultures.

Green, black, and most metals are a bit too difficult to work with though...The best I have for green are keepers of ancient dragon lore, which doesn't really work well with manipulative dragons.

Edit: Wouldn't (and I don't want to start making theory craft here) a heavier spell casting melee class make eldrich knight pointless?

Not if the Eldritch Knight is still better in melee. Presumably Eldritch Knight would still have action surge, more hit points, fighting style, and an earlier extra attack, and would still be the only class that gets more than two attacks eventually. Then it's just caster vs. mundane but with each borrowing a little from the other.

MeeposFire

2015-07-25, 02:19 AM

It looks pretty good except for one thing. The article mentions the second sundering, and I honestly don't care about what events WOTC says already happened in the campaign settings, I just want the default setting that I can play around with.

Then you should avoid the Realms as something like that happens with every edition change. The forgotten Realms people believe you have to explain every little change in teh rule books with a big change in the universe. I am also not much of a fan of that but that has always been true.

D.U.P.A.

2015-07-25, 05:17 AM

This is a tangent, but I really disagree. EVERY SWORDMAGE POWER was some kind of a spell. Eldritch Knight doesn't have enough spellcasting for my taste and because of that doesn't capture the flavor I want. That's really the issue, and that's why I'd like to see Bladesinger as the casting-heavy version of the Fighter/Wizard combo.

The thing is that in 4e every power was some kind of a spell for every class, only called in a different way. Compare with 4e Avenger and 5e Paladin with oath of vengeance, which should be equivalent, but use different mechanics.

Ralanr

2015-07-25, 11:12 AM

I never said I disliked it.

I didn't mean to imply that if I did. My apologies.

Sigreid

2015-07-25, 11:17 AM

i dunno, i've seen a fair number of people saying they *don't* care about what's happened in the realms recently.

but then, i suppose that just means that this book is not aimed at them, particularly.

I'll get the book and use it the same way I've been using their campaign path books. I take the pieces out, ignore any story line in favor of my own and use the pieces to help flesh out my world without having to do a tonne of work.

Princess

2015-07-25, 05:52 PM

If they stick to the flavor (and make them similar to how they worked in 3.5), Purple Dragon Knight will probably be a Fighter with some party support and utility abilities, giving them something like the bard's inspiration ability.

And I'm also hoping Bladesinger is a full on arcane half caster, because otherwise they'd probably be redundant with EK or Valor Bard.

Definitely annoyed that they are focusing on the most-used part of the FR setting at the expense of the rest of it, though - Huge tracts of land have been largely ignored since the initial 2e release of everything. Halruaa, Kara-tur, Maztica...

And speaking of things largely ignored, a Planescape update would potentially be useful to multiple other settings as well - tons of ideas, including the original Tiefling, came from there.

But my money is on Eberron or Darksun next, because they are relatively popular and have less in common with FR. And then they have to give us psionics or nerd rage will ensue.

CyberThread

2015-07-25, 05:58 PM

Doesn't mean I can't expand upon it. Segregate the clans by color, put those clans in specific areas and build up similar but separate cultures between them.

I might white dragonborn in my DM's campaign function like barbarian tribes in areas where ferocity is needed to survive. I try to focus a trait from their dragon color into their cultures.

Green, black, and most metals are a bit too difficult to work with though...The best I have for green are keepers of ancient dragon lore, which doesn't really work well with manipulative dragons.

Edit: Wouldn't (and I don't want to start making theory craft here) a heavier spell casting melee class make eldrich knight pointless?

Honestly if your going by FR settings, that wouldn't really work. They were slaves of the dragons and intermixed and utterly hated the dragon kings of the land they came from before they should up into the setting. Also I mean if you think FR is a bland setting, forcing them all to be the same color and behave because they are a certain color ..isn't very...unique either.

Ralanr

2015-07-25, 06:36 PM

Honestly if your going by FR settings, that wouldn't really work. They were slaves of the dragons and intermixed and utterly hated the dragon kings of the land they came from before they should up into the setting. Also I mean if you think FR is a bland setting, forcing them all to be the same color and behave because they are a certain color ..isn't very...unique either.

True. Despite my DM's love of the setting she uses a homebrew setting that the gaming group as a whole put together. She really likes to make maps, very good maps if I do say.

As for the color, it was mainly an idea. I wanted to make it because of their habitat and I developed the cultures a little bit. Whites aren't so much ferocious as they are pragmatic in combat.

To give an example, to them a duel is between two warriors. Doesn't specify what makes a warrior, doesn't ban anything, and only stops being a duel when more than two enter. Never challenge a white dragonborn to a duel, they will not follow your code if you do.