Quote from: Zachary The First;621804Interesting responses so far! Was the 2e boxed set really that bad? Is time clouding my memory?

The 2e boxed set corresponded to the change of editions of AD&D from 1e AD&D to 2e AD&D.  They chose to model the changes in the game system in the game setting as well; hence, the Time of Troubles.  This turned the game setting upside with many changes which included killing off certain gods and the gods literally walking the Forgotten Realms.

Quote from: Drohem;621822The 2e boxed set corresponded to the change of editions of AD&D from 1e AD&D to 2e AD&D.  They chose to model the changes in the game system in the game setting as well; hence, the Time of Troubles.  This turned the game setting upside with many changes which included killing off certain gods and the gods literally walking the Forgotten Realms.

Oh, that's right; I forgot that was a BIG deal back in the day. I knew about the massive 4e changes to the setting, but forgot just how drastic that was.

Quote from: Zachary The First;621815Is there a version that features less of Greenwood's alter-ego?

Elminster has one redeaming feature.

He could kill Drizzt.

I love the grey box, but I really appreciate how the third 3E version is collected and laid out. That's a great book.

If there was a 1E version in a hardbound like the 3E book, I'd be all over that.

The Grey Box has that sense of mystery that future boxed sets and supplements just don't have.

I remember not getting people's complaints of FR being high magic and cheesy, when my experience with the Grey Box was of this kick-ass, sword & sorcery world like the Conan books and comics I was reading at the time.

The cover art alone says it all:

1e - An exotic horseman in a forlorn plain

2e - Magic!  Iconic characters!  EXPLOSIONS! (I made the last one up)

The 1e grey box is a setting for your D&D game.
The later stuff is more like a setting for novels, complete with characters and plots.

I'm sorry, but the Forgotten Realms just has got too many GMPC Mary Sue's in any version of it to make me interested in running for a group.

Quote from: jeff37923;621881I'm sorry, but the Forgotten Realms just has got too many GMPC Mary Sue's in any version of it to make me interested in running for a group.

I am no forgotten realms fan, but in all fairness, just execute the gmpc's and call it a day

OK, what one of your crazy buggers voted for the 4e version, and why?

1e, no contest. Easier to ignore the annoying NPCs and the novel-peddling metaplot, and focus on the vast open spaces and the isolated settlements between them, flickering lights of dawning civilization amidst the dark, monster-haunted wilds.

Quote from: Zachary The First;621780(FWIW, I think he'd be using either Castles & Crusades, Basic Fantasy, or BareBones Fantasy with it).

Of the above I'd use Castles & Crusades, properly houseruled, but I'd beg the DM to consider proper AD&D 1e, or one of the "1e lite" clones such as Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion, or Swords & Wizardry Complete Edition. Not familiar with Barebones Fantasy.

Quote from: Zachary The First;621804Interesting responses so far! Was the 2e boxed set really that bad? Is time clouding my memory?

2e was the "Time of Troubles" when TSR bent over to MADD and removed assassins, demons and devils from the game.  It was only later, after everyone was pissed, including Roger Moore, that Jim Ward tried to backpedal and claim that the renaming to Baatezu and Tanarri was planned all along.

2e Realms got remade in that image.

It destroyed the Realms and began the Retcon Train that the Realms has rode until today.

Quote from: The Were-Grognard;621870The Grey Box has that sense of mystery that future boxed sets and supplements just don't have.

This.
It's a bit sad that the maps were not reflecting this. I found them extremely dull and pedestrian. All of the FR maps, of all versions.

OTOH, a Realms map in Darlene's style...

I guess the only other official FR product I would use would be the intro module Under Illefarn. And everything else I would extrapolate/houserule from the box.

My experience with the Forgotten Realms is a bit different than most of the other players. I never had masked gunmen breaking into my house and forcing me to implement the Time of Troubles or any metaplot bullshit - as, I see, sadly happened to many others. I wrote my own Time of Troubles - which had nothing in common with the Avatar debacle - and I use the novels/timelines mostly for ideas.

To put things in context, my campaign is currently set in Waterdeep in 1356 D.R. The timeline says that at this point the war against Dragonspear Castle is at its peak. This leads to a lessened presence of the City Guard, severe shortages of goods coming from the south (due to the interruption of the Luskan - Amn trade route), increased piratery and economic depression. On this tapestry I weave my plots in the city.

I have all the editions of the FR. The very best one is the third (where, BTW, ironically one can ignore most of the late '80s/90s metaplot since it already happened ). Playing in an earlier moment in time, however, I of course find useful to have all the references I need readily available.

Generally speaking, it is exceedingly easy either to ignore the metaplot or to make it work as an enrichment for your campaign (flavour, source of ideas, context for events...) More so, the metaplot is actually a surprisingly tiny part of the FR's DNA. Places, cultures and countries do not really change so much from edition to edition. If in your game, let's say, Zenthil Keep is aced by the PCs ten years after or before the official timeline, just make a note about that and place the supplement about its ruins in the new appropriate year. Try once, and you will see how easy it actually is.

My suggestion: use 3E for completeness and a rich background depth, but, if you can, start your timeline with 1E and get the rest in PDFs (now that they are again available) as historical reference. I will however repeat my caveat: I never suffered from PTSD due to enforced metaplot, so it was not difficult for me to do that. Other's mileage can vary.

Grey box is good.

But I'm most familiar with and most comfortable with very early 2e post-time of troubles stuff so were I to run FR it would be in that era.

Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;621910I guess the only other official FR product I would use would be the intro module Under Illefarn. And everything else I would extrapolate/houserule from the box.

This, and then also FR1 Waterdeep and The North and FR5 The Savage Frontier, for a great sandbox campaign.  

That said, nearly the entire FR series (even some of the 2e-era ones) has utility.  The exceptions are FR7 Hall of Heroes (unless you really need stats for the novel characters), FR12 Horde Campaign, and FR15 Gold & Glory (blatant cash grabs packed full of ugly color plates and marginally useful fluff).  FR8 Cities of Mystery is a weird duck - it presents itself as a product based around cardboard scenery (something I actually like, but YMMV), however there are some nice city creation guidelines in there.  FR4 Magister is pretty much a compilation of magic items and spells, mostly from Greenwood's "Pages From The Mages" series in Dragon, and it's great if you want some variation from the standard DMG/UA items.  The rest are region supplements, and they all provide great structure for local campaigns (generally, the earlier ones are better, but they all have use depending on how much work you're willing to put in).

I'll add that the Volo's Guide series are mightily useful as sources of adventure hooks and local color.