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The Forgotten Realms Player's Guide is of course the guide to making player characters for the NEW Forgotten Realms setting, which as in the “Avatar Wars” events was deliberately altered by the game company to reflect the changes they wanted to make in the system. At the same time the Realms, as an existing background, cannot completely follow the new D&D “Points of Light” concept of an unknown environment that PCs (and DM) have to feel out for themselves. In the Introduction the book goes over ten points where the new Realms differ from prior guides. Essentially, when the Evil god Cyric murdered Mystra the Goddess of Magic, the result created a “Spellplague” that not only warped the planet, creating magical zones and flying islands of rock (much like Outland...) but the structure of the cosmos, not coincidentally changing it to match the planar map of the new D&D world, with its own Feywild and such. In the midst of all this, Thay was taken over by the leader of the Necromancers faction, Szass Tam, who turned the nation into a realm of undead. Also, the Shade Princes restored the realm of Netheril. It is now over 100 years “since last we left” the setting in its previous edition.
Chapter 1: Races gives two PC races that are prominent in FR, and also examines the “common” races in terms of their FR cultural/ethnic backgrounds, along with brief reviews of some other “supporting cast” races like lycanthropes and shades.
Drow are of course Dark Elves. In the new reality they, like Elves, are considered descendants of the Feywild, and like Eladrin, can “trance.” They don't have much in the way of other racial abilities but can actually choose between one of two powers in an encounter: Cloud of Darkness (self-explanatory) or Darkfire (formerly 'Faerie Fire', which surrounds the target, making him easier to hit and in 4E terms granting combat advantage to its foes).
Genasi were, in the previous editions, humanoid magical “crossbreeds” with various elemental types including the more exotic elements like lightning. Here, they are considered inherent contradictions, bound to the “order” of a humanoid form but based in Elemental Chaos; their text says their philosophers believe they were created as a compromise between order and chaos but the introduction of the chapter implies they are the result of humans' prolonged exposure to Elemental Chaos. They speak Primordial as a native language and are based in one of four elemental aspects, which of course gives a specific Racial Power and some resistances.
Then you have the review of the core races as used in the Realms. Dragonborn were apparently natives of the “parallel” world of Abeir (in prior editions, the Realms planet was sometimes called Abeir-Toril, except this was really referring to Toril, and with the Spellplague, some of Abeir was plane-shifted to Toril and vice-versa, leading, among other things, to the Dragonborn showing up). Dwarves of the Realms are still classed as gold dwarves and shield dwarves. The moon elves, sun elves and silver elves of prior editions are here classed as Eladrin, while the wood elves (green elves/copper elves) and wild elves use the 4E Elves package.
Half-Elves, as in the basic game, are considered exotic and attractive by both parent races, and tend to a wanderlust that makes them natural adventurers. Halflings of the Realms were originally settled, but the Spellplague and other disasters destroyed their traditional homelands, forcing them to form pluralities in other nations. This has led them in turn to become more prone to adventuring. Humans of course are the most varied of the races and while they are not culturally dominant owing to the existence of more ancient traditions, their numbers give them the edge. However, the background of Tieflings is not as defined as it is in the core Players Handbook or as the Dragonborn background is here. Presumably these are the “classic” tieflings of earlier editions, in which case one wonders where the Aasimar (celestial breeds) are when the infernal and elemental breeds of humanoid exist (tiefling and genasi, respectively). As it turns out, the aasimars are defined here as the Deva race, formerly angelic servants of the Mulhorand (Egyptian) pantheon who had to take mortal bodies to act in the world. (Of course this isn't how either Devas or Aasimar were defined in prior editions. Usually most of the planar cross-breeds in those editions came about through sexual reproduction, which doesn't seem to exist in 4E.)
Chapter 3: Character Classes gives Realms-specific character classes, although two of these could usually be included in another campaign setting with no problem, given that they address character options that are not given in the core rules. The third is a “template” created by exposure to the Spellplague, and thus involves using multiclass feats.
Swordmages are effectively “fighter/magic-users”, somewhat resembling the old Elven Bladesinger concept, except that the combat and arcane abilities are more integrated with each other, with their abilities focusing on the sword as both a power requirement and an implement. They get cool tricks like getting to fire magic blasts from their swords, or using an electric lasso from the sword that allows them to pull a target towards them. The Swordmage class does everything it's intended to do: It fills a niche in the existing “role” structure (Arcane Defender), it's Kewl enough that everybody would want to play one, but at the same time it doesn't outclass the existing Defenders or make them obsolete.
The next class really isn't a class, but a new Pact for Warlocks. Dark pact Warlocks were originally Drow who gained their spells from the evil powers of the Underdark (their demon allies are enemies of the devils, so they can't use Infernal pact, they're cast out of the Feywild, so they can't have Fey pact, and they can't read the stars, so they can't learn Star pact) but as Drow emigrated, they spread knowledge of the tradition. The pact's core powers are “Spiteful Glamor” (doing Charisma-based psychic damage) and a Darkspiral Aura that adds in power each time the Warlock's enemy dies under the effects of a Curse. Otherwise the powers involve darkness, spiders and poison, deeply appropriate to a Drow magician.
The template of “spellscarred” can be applied to any character who has been given a spellscar through exposure to the Spellplague (which the book implies should be a decision of the player). The trait in itself causes the character to suffer a -2 on all defenses/saves against the Spellplague and afflicted creatures, on the other hand he can detect such phenomena within 5 squares. By taking the Student of the Plague multiclassing feat, the character studies the energy inside him and uses it to channel interesting little effects like Horrific Maw Bite ('Your jaw distends, and your teeth glow with blue flames' – 1d12+ ability modifier damage). At level 29, the spellscarred can use Metamorphosis of Spellflame, which does ongoing damage that increases each time the victim fails his saving throw, eventually causing him to dissolve into blue flame.
After the main section, this chapter goes over specific paragon paths, like the swordmage Coronal Guard, the genasi Elemental Tempest path (that allows a genasi to add to his natural element manifestations and use more than one at once) or the Purple Dragon Knights of Cormyr. The only Epic Destiny in this book is the Chosen (of a particular deity), which gives a specific level 26 utility power depending on the patron deity. This character's path of immortality simply means becoming a minor divinity in the god's service.
Chapter 3: Backgrounds includes a new element for D&D PCs. As in earlier editions of the Forgotten Realms players' books, a PC can choose a home region, which grants a certain benefit in character creation, which is shown in a sidebar paragraph of each section. This chapter briefly reviews each region's history (namely in light of the Spellplague), major settlements, and current events. Then, the chapter goes over possible backgrounds and roleplaying tips for PCs from the given region. For instance, the psuedo-Arabian land of Calimshan was recently seized by its two genie founders before they took their ancient war elsewhere. Since then genasi have become the ruling class and most of the human natives are slaves. The hot environment gives Calimshan natives resist fire 4 and +5 to Endurance checks due to thirst (the resist increases to 7 then 10 at 11th and 21st level respectively).
Chapter 4: Feats gives Realms-specific feats for the swordmage and spellscarred, racial feats (including feats for core races to reflect their Realms culture, as with the various elven subgroups defined in game as Eladrin and Elves) and Channel Divinity feats based on Realms deities.
Chapter 5: Rituals gives new rituals learned in the Realms. As in other 4E rules, one doesn't need to be an Arcane or Divine class to learn them (if one has the Ritual Caster feat, of course). Examples include the old Arcane Mark at 1st level, the level 18 Purify Spellscarred ritual (a spellscarred class cured with this ritual can choose other feats to replace the spellscarred feats), and the level 1 Simbul's Conversion (after performing this ritual, you sacrifice any number of unused arcane daily powers to regain an equal number of healing surges).
Chapter 6: Almanac gives player information for important facts about the new Realms, starting with the deities. It just wouldn't be a new edition Realms sourcebook without some major element getting completely screwed up, and in this case it was the local gods. In prior editions, the Realms deities included not only ALL the nonhuman deities of various races (Gnomes, Deep Gnomes, Goblins, Hobgoblins, Xvart...) but a scad of human gods with various portfolios. Boy, did the Realms have a lot of gods. Here the list of greater deities has been pared down to several essentials, although some are rather odd re-interpretations (for instance the Druid goddess Chauntea is aligned as Lawful Good). They also briefly review nineteen lesser deities, including Bahamut (a core deity in the main D&D lore) and the smith god Gond. These are considered to inhabit the realms of greater gods, apparently as tenants. Then they mention that some minor deities and deified mortals are now classed as “exarchs” who serve the actual deities. The deities are still important, since of course they are still patrons of the Clerics and other Divine classes. Some of the minor deities are even referenced in the powers and feats available to Divine classes in the game.
The “Lore of the Land” section centers on Faerun, the main, somewhat Europe-like continent of the planet Toril (which again is in the same space as the parallel-dimension world Abeir, which had portions of 'Returned Abeir' switched with the Aztec-like land of Maztica in the Spellplague). Rainfall and proximity to water makes the central area around the Sea of Fallen Stars a “generally pleasant place to live”. This chapter also includes the main calendar and also mentions “the roll of years” which varies from place to place. In this book as in prior editions, the main roll is Dalereckoning (DR), from the time that the elves of ancient Cormanthor allowed humans to settle in what are now the Dalelands. In this book it is now 1479 DR, Year of the Ageless One. Whoever he is.
The Realms actually have a variety of languages compared to core D&D, although only a few scripts (Thorass for human languages, Dethek foe Dwarven runes, etc.). Culture somewhat resembles the medieval period, with the notable exception of adventuring groups; it is mentioned that nobles and merchants “often view adventurers with great suspicion” due to their place outside the social order and their ability to disrupt it. Some of these rich classes even hire adventurers for quests in which they are likely to die- for instance, a datarun on the Renraku office complex. In most lands, adventuring parties can set up their own charters, which is the recommended course for those operating in more organized lands like Cormyr. The Spellplague, of course, changed much of the terrain, and it is also mentioned in passing that the disruption it caused set back technological development somewhat.
SUMMARY
One needs the Forgotten Realms Player's Guide and the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide to update a Forgotten Realms campaign to the new rules, given that a lot of the lot of the main D&D rules assume a cosmology that has to be adapted to any given setting (for instance, if you have fey warlocks, you need a Feywild, just as you need the Hells for an infernal warlock). However, this also requires shoehorning an existing setting's material into the core D&D paradigm – for instance making Elves an effectively separate species from Eladrin even though the Realms eladrin are really subraces of what used to be called elves or high elves and are likewise interfertile with humans. This remains the case in the new Realms, but it's pretty clear (from how the terms are used interchangeably) that the new terms are basically tacked on. Thus, like a lot of comicbook universes that get renovated mainly for the sake of attracting sales- and for that matter the LAST great upheaval of the Realms- this project is more a commercial venture than one that is called for story-wise.
This raises the question: Do these changes really make sense? Ehh, not really. But if you want to take the genuinely cool aspects of the Realms (a long history, myriad cultures and landmarks, and a sensibility that is a bit more Renaissance than Dark Ages), ditch all the “Mary Sue” stuff of previous editions, and use the setting with the official rules, then you should be able to roll with this. If all the changes offend you too much, you're probably one of those who was offended by all the changes made to the basic D&D material, and wouldn't be using the altered Realms anyway. So... there you are.
Style: 3
The Forgotten Realms Player's Guide is a workmanlike presentation of how the Realms have been changed and how you design a 4th Edition character for that setting.
Substance: 4
The book deserves a high Substance rating for the excellent Swordmage class and various other elements (namely backgrounds) that would be good core elements for the new D&D game.
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