| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 19 Jan 2020 : 19:11:28
I know I’m in a minority regarding setting material; but I have found some wonderful benefits from using the OGB as my NEARLY only resource in running my realms games.
1) The major players in that box, both good and bad, are not all arch-magi or “epic” level. Sure, Manshoon is still high level, but there aren’t many like him floating around.
2) My players (and more importantly myself) haven’t HAD to read tons of novels and new sourcebooks to be able to immerse in the setting.
3) There is room for me as the DM to create as I go without having to worry about getting something “wrong” here or there.
4) At the same time it allows me enough material so that I don’t have to create too much if I don’t feel like it or have the time. There is “just enough” there already.
5) It is easy to “reset” when we start a new game. My son, as mentioned already, didn’t have to read a veritable library of books before he felt he could start his own game.
What benefits have those of you like me found (regardless of rules used) in keeping your Realms simple? |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Renin |
Posted - 22 Jan 2020 : 01:05:51
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I've become convinced that Wizards should just reset the Realms to the OGB and start over from there. It's not what I, personally, would do, but it's the last time all the fans of the Realms were on the same page.
Maybe Takhisis could come over from the Krynn sphere, and state that she had created a copy of Toril and sent it careening through a chaotic space she created, and the 'real' Realms we all know is still back at 1385, waiting for this version at 1492 to be cleansed away. Or co-exist for fans who like that! ;) |
| Renin |
Posted - 22 Jan 2020 : 01:02:56
quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
What benefits have those of you like me found (regardless of rules used) in keeping your Realms simple?
I think it's a great tease into so many greater and bigger things to come.
Now, that could be more supplements that (did) come from the company, or it's from how you explored and made it your own entirely.
The 'simplicity' I play with is that I'm the only real lore/historian/rules lawyer player amongst us. And as I am the primarily consistent, ok, actually only one running adventures, when I need to visit a new area, I choose where I want that area's history to start. Do I keep it back at the OGL, or do I really like something about a place from 3.5 and use that as the 'current' time? That's what I do. The scroll of my years is at 1375, but Azoun has not died (yet), Halaster is also not going to die this year, and there are no Shadovar, but the events of reclaiming are underway, just a year later than actual lore.
It's my Realms. Made it my own. ;) |
| Seravin |
Posted - 20 Jan 2020 : 07:58:39
OGB and Forgotten Realms Adventures are really all I need to run a campaign. That said, I never understood the "there's too much lore for me to play" aspect; which seems to rely on the premise that one must include everything or nothing ever published in the Realms to run a campaign. Why not just make it your own campaign, and use what works for you?
It's that attitude that brought us the awful 4th edition/Spellplague. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 20 Jan 2020 : 05:02:31
quote:
Originally posted by Arivia
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I've become convinced that Wizards should just reset the Realms to the OGB and start over from there. It's not what I, personally, would do, but it's the last time all the fans of the Realms were on the same page.
The problem with that is the incredible amount of cash cows you end up throwing out. You can reprint the first three Drizzt books, but you lose say Baldur's Gate without doing the Avatar Crisis.
Nope! You reset and then start over. So some of the cash cows could be readily revisited, while other decisions could be made in other places. |
| Arivia |
Posted - 20 Jan 2020 : 02:26:42
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I've become convinced that Wizards should just reset the Realms to the OGB and start over from there. It's not what I, personally, would do, but it's the last time all the fans of the Realms were on the same page.
The problem with that is the incredible amount of cash cows you end up throwing out. You can reprint the first three Drizzt books, but you lose say Baldur's Gate without doing the Avatar Crisis. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 20 Jan 2020 : 01:25:49
I've become convinced that Wizards should just reset the Realms to the OGB and start over from there. It's not what I, personally, would do, but it's the last time all the fans of the Realms were on the same page. |
| Arivia |
Posted - 20 Jan 2020 : 00:16:31
No matter what edition of the Realms you're running, it's always worth setting a baseline. Even if your players don't really get what it means, being able to reference "hey our game is set in Hammer 1372 DR and products produced up through 3rd edition are canon" allows you to sort things out when they DO inevitably go looking at FR Wiki pages or whatever.
I like running a more involved Realms because a lot of what I love about the setting is the intricate details developed over time through careful writing. That said, I definitely agree with you, Dalor Darden, that there's an appeal to the simplicity and sketch-level detail of the OGB. I have thought about running an OGB-only game, probably with a similarly old-school gaming system like a 1e AD&D retroclone. (You could even use those fascinatingly odd dragon capturing rules!) I don't think it's worth stopping at JUST the OGB though. In particular I'd include The Magister and Lords of Darkness for a bit more general setting content, and then take your pick of Waterdeep, the Savage Frontier, or the Eastern Heartlands as your campaign area and use the relevant campaign supplements. But don't engage with the novels, don't touch Hall of Heroes or the Moonshaes or the Bloodstone Adventures. OGB, FR1, FR4, FR5, and REF5 is something really special. That's the beginning of the Realms. That's all you really need for years! |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 19 Jan 2020 : 22:21:52
1E Manshoon is only 16th level, yes? Not quite high enough level to cast stasis clone or wish. Not even high level enough (in 1E rules) to fashion a phylactery or reasoably expect to survive a traditional liching.
Evidently the OGB contains some "unreliable narrative" or Manshoon must resort to other methods (like scrolls, spells, or items from higher-level magic-users) for achieving his longevity.
And my favourite character - Korth, the barbarian - is in the OGB. He never amounted to much but still my fave. And, oddly, the word "korth" is apparently an exclamation of alarm and danger in draconic languages, lol. |
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