Forgotten Realms Setting Content question

[Gooberosity]

This may have been asked before, so please excuse the repeat. I am just now returning to D&D after 20 or so years hiatus. Back in the day, we had the Forgotten Realms box set as a campaign setting guide, but I don't think that set exists today and is instead instilled in the campaign sourcebooks (e.g. Storm King's Thunder, Sword Coast, etc.), is that correct? How would I go about building up overall campaign materials if I can't find my old set? (I THINK I have it in and old box somewhere...) Is there a particular order of source material/books I should look into, or is it more about how/where I'd like to start the campaign, and going for that material? Does anyone have a good guide for which books cover what content?

(Sorry in advance, that's a lot of questions...)

[Zacchaeus]

I think there's a Wiki somewhere with FR material in it; but the main sources of current info are in the hardback issued for the 4e ruleset and as you have mentioned SKT and SCAG.

[Zhern]

@Gooberosity, you have a couple of options to do so. As Zacchaeus mentioned, there is the FR wiki (Forgotten Realms Wiki (https://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page)), which has a lot of good information from all eras of the Realms. You can also pick up the PDF of the original Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (Forgotten Realms Campaign Set 1e (https://www.rpgnow.com/product/16782/Forgotten-Realms-Campaign-Set-1e?term=forgotten+realms&test_epoch=0&it=1)), or you can glean info from the 5e materials.

I consider myself a Forgotten Realms curmudgeon (and consequently don't run anything in the Realms anymore) and really loathe what WotC did to the Realms post 2e. I personally feel that they ruined it completely, but that is just my opinion and I'm really glad so many newer players are embracing the setting and running with it. I still have my grey box FR 1e setting box and if I were to run a game there again, it would definitely be from the 1e/2e era.

In the meantime, WotC needs to get off my old Forgotten Realms lawn!! *shakes fist* (Okay, I really need to get off their lawn since they own the setting - which I did, and moved to the Lost Lands from Frog God Games.)

[Gooberosity]

Thanks. Not knowing what they've done with it in the past 20 years is probably keeping me from being as crusty myself. :) I did find my old core materials (both a grey box and the gold box update), so I just spent a couple of hours reading stuff and remembering sessions past. :)

[LordEntrails]

Welcome Gooberosity,

As mentioned, WotC has made and unmade several major cosmological changes to the Realms. It is said that they reveres much of this with the Sundering (including bringing back dead gods and NPCs), but... since they haven't said exactly what they reveresed or what the current situation of the Realms is, it's hard to know. You would have to read the books being published (i.e. fiction from people including Ed Greenwood), as well as the adventure paths such as SCAG and SKT.

The other place besides the FR Wiki is to check out Candlekeep forums (https://forum.candlekeep.com/default.asp).

All of that said, my best advice is to find an era that you like (perhaps as detailed in your old box set, if you can find it) and ignore anything else :)

[TMO]

I think there's a Wiki somewhere with FR material in it; but the main sources of current info are in the hardback issued for the 4e ruleset and as you have mentioned SKT and SCAG.

Is this is the wiki (https://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page) you are referring to?

[TMO]

This may have been asked before, so please excuse the repeat. I am just now returning to D&D after 20 or so years hiatus. Back in the day, we had the Forgotten Realms box set as a campaign setting guide, but I don't think that set exists today and is instead instilled in the campaign sourcebooks (e.g. Storm King's Thunder, Sword Coast, etc.), is that correct? How would I go about building up overall campaign materials if I can't find my old set? (I THINK I have it in and old box somewhere...) Is there a particular order of source material/books I should look into, or is it more about how/where I'd like to start the campaign, and going for that material? Does anyone have a good guide for which books cover what content?

(Sorry in advance, that's a lot of questions...)

I returned to active D&D playing about 2 years ago after my own 25 year hiatus...so I can relate to your experience.

Since I am still busy with work and raising a family, I simply do not have time to create my own world. Therefore, for better or for worse, I am content to rely upon pre-published material. I prefer the official stuff from WotC since it is being published in Fantasy Grounds at the same time (which is where most, if not all, my role-playing is happening these days). Also, as already noted, Forgotten Realms has a wealth of pre-5e material. So, what I am doing is using the 5e stuff as canon and then referring back to older material (including the online resources) to supplement...especially when I need more background for a specific region or city.

I really appreciate rpgnow.com since this is the easiest and most computer-friendly way to get the old references.