Question to Greyhawk fans - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Question to Greyhawk fans

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Mar 15, 2004 17:05:56 I'd love to start getting into this setting, as I know basically nothing about it other than the deities from the Core Rulebooks.
This is weird as I have been playing Dungeons and Dragons (all editions) for the past 20 years.

Here's my question: What is the best product to use as the Setting for Greyhawk? Is it World of Greyhawk, From the Ashes, or Living Greyhawk Gazeteer? What I am looking for is cities, people, churches and history for this world.

Thanks a bunch!!
#2
zombiegleemax
Mar 15, 2004 17:33:31
What is the best product to use as the Setting for Greyhawk?

The answer depends heavily on where you ask.

Here, I believe the most favored would be From the Ashes.

The Living Greyhawk Gazateer will most deffinately be the most common answer if you ask on the Living Greyhawk forums.

If you swing over to Dragonsfoot, I'm sure they'll say the World of Greyhawk folio is the best.

And yet other places may recommend the [i]Greyhawk Wars[i] box.

You'd pretty much have to supply more information as to what kind of feel you want the setting to portray for you and your players before you could get real solid and unopinionated feedback.
#3
zombiegleemax
Mar 15, 2004 17:33:32 double postage...
#4
cwslyclgh
Mar 15, 2004 19:33:58 I would say that the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer would be the best, most readily available rescource, and it is realy all you need. From the Ashes, the 83 boxed set, etc. are good ways to fill in slightly more detail about certain areas, but they tend to be filled with rule statistics and if you are playing a 3e game these statistics (such as the Wandering Monster tables) can throw you off. The LGG is nice in that it has no rules at all in it other then occasionaly mentioning somebodies class and level (such as Human fighter 10) which makes it great for use with any edition.

of course the decision also lies upon weather or not you want to play before, during, or after the greyhawk wars.
#5
omote
Mar 15, 2004 20:34:12 I would say that if you use the most recent version of the game (3rd edition), I would go with the LIVING GREYHAWK GAZETTER, suplemented by the PLAYERS GUIDE TO GREYHAWK for 2nd ed.
While FROM THE ASHES, THE WORLD OF GREYHAWK BOX SET, etc are all awesome in their own regards, I find the LGG and PLAYERS GUIDE a great intro into the best setting for Dungeons and Dragons.

As you go on and read and want to learn more, you will probably in no doubt start to pick up the rest of the Greyhawk stuff in one fashion or another.

.........................Omote
#6
Argon
Mar 15, 2004 21:37:44 I for one enjoy the From the Ashes Box set the most. Yet I would be foolish if I recommended you pick up this box set first. In your case the best of the bunch to pickup is clearly the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. This book will give you a ton of background informationon the setting without confusing you with game statistics so this way regardless of which edition you use it is 100% easily incorporated into any GH campaign.

Now I would suggest that if your interested in picking up the 83' boxset or From The Ashes that you visit rpgnow.com or svggames. I believe they have a pdf format downloadable to your pc I know that rpg now can if you wish send you a copy on cd.

Of couse if you wish to be a fanatical purist then you can search for original boxsets on Ebay or elsewhere. The not quite 2nd edition Greyhawk hardcovered book is not a bad pickup as it does have reigion or country specific magical items and the spells of GH's most famous mages. Perhaps you've heard of Nystul, Rary, Bigby, Otto, Mordenkanien, Melf, & etc.

As you can tell above GH is responsible from many of the spells thought to be common place everywhere else.
#7
zombiegleemax
Mar 15, 2004 21:55:27 Thanks a lot to all of you. While I am very familiar with the good ol' 2ed stuff (spent the better part of my elementary, high-school and university playing it), I am currently playing 3.5. I have had my eye on From The Ashes for a while now, but wanted whatever product gave the most information. The LGG does sound pretty good. I do have a question though. Is LGG something you can pick up without knowing ANYTHING about the setting, or is it a more advanced thing for those already familiar with Greyhawk?

Again, a huge thanks for the quick replies.
#8
zombiegleemax
Mar 15, 2004 22:13:19 the LGG deffinately caters to some one new to the setting.
#9
zombiegleemax
Mar 16, 2004 5:56:05 Greyhawk sucks. You won't like it. And the LGG is HARDCORE lame. I recommend Forgotten Realms.

(trying some reverse psychology for once...)
#10
Steel_Rabbit
Mar 16, 2004 12:34:34 Must...Raid...Cormyr...Bah! You got me there Iksander, ya got me. Unfortunately I'm a little stronger thant th...Ooooo Elminster, red.

But in all seriousness *sits in businesslike desk* The Living Greyhawk Gazeteer is what you want if you want to play in Greyhawk in 3rd edition.

-Steel Rabbit
#11
zombiegleemax
Mar 16, 2004 14:21:57 don't limit yourself in your choice of material. Gather all of it up, do your research and put your own spin on Greyhawk. That's the beauty of it, it's easily molded to fit what you want to do. I've been trying to get my DM to write a supplement book for years. He's got tons of steno notebooks filled cover to cover with notes.
#12
omote
Mar 18, 2004 8:54:01 Did someone say Cormyr? Did I hear a mention of FR? I've never heard of these things? They can't be in the Flanaess, I would have most certainly read about them 100s of times. What are these foul words you speak *points* HERETIC!!!!!!! Foul spawn of Tharizdun, you shall be SMITED!!!!!!

[blinks][wakes up]
Wow, what an awful dream...

..............................Omote
#13
zombiegleemax
Mar 19, 2004 18:20:05 Personally I like using the LGG in conjunction with The Adventure Begins. That's right The Adventure Begins. I like TAB and think it (like Secret of Bone Hill) is one of the most undeservedly maligned products out there.

That said I will also readily admit to being a fan of WG7-Castle Greyhawk. That puppy deserves its maligning though.
#14
Gnarley_Woodsman
Mar 20, 2004 8:30:30 Greyhawk sucks. You won't like it. And the LGG is HARDCORE lame. I recommend Forgotten Realms.

ROFL!!!

Thats great!!

OT:

FTA is a good source of info. If you actually play the timeline presented the wars have just ended, and the collective economies of the Flaness are in turmoil. Many outlying communities have resorted to bartering, rather thant accepting minted coin. And my favorite part is noone trusts anyone. Who knows if the friendly PC band aren't actually agents of the scarlet brotherhood, or members of an advanced party of IUZ's new invasion.....It all makes for great suspense and gives huge opportunity for role-play.

I highly recommend the LGG in any case. There is plenty of story potential in every entry for any timeline!!!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Mar 15, 2004 17:05:56	I'd love to start getting into this setting, as I know basically nothing about it other than the deities from the Core Rulebooks. This is weird as I have been playing Dungeons and Dragons (all editions) for the past 20 years. Here's my question: What is the best product to use as the Setting for Greyhawk? Is it World of Greyhawk, From the Ashes, or Living Greyhawk Gazeteer? What I am looking for is cities, people, churches and history for this world. Thanks a bunch!!
#2 zombiegleemax Mar 15, 2004 17:33:31	What is the best product to use as the Setting for Greyhawk? The answer depends heavily on where you ask. Here, I believe the most favored would be From the Ashes. The Living Greyhawk Gazateer will most deffinately be the most common answer if you ask on the Living Greyhawk forums. If you swing over to Dragonsfoot, I'm sure they'll say the World of Greyhawk folio is the best. And yet other places may recommend the [i]Greyhawk Wars[i] box. You'd pretty much have to supply more information as to what kind of feel you want the setting to portray for you and your players before you could get real solid and unopinionated feedback.
#3 zombiegleemax Mar 15, 2004 17:33:32	double postage...
#4 cwslyclgh Mar 15, 2004 19:33:58	I would say that the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer would be the best, most readily available rescource, and it is realy all you need. From the Ashes, the 83 boxed set, etc. are good ways to fill in slightly more detail about certain areas, but they tend to be filled with rule statistics and if you are playing a 3e game these statistics (such as the Wandering Monster tables) can throw you off. The LGG is nice in that it has no rules at all in it other then occasionaly mentioning somebodies class and level (such as Human fighter 10) which makes it great for use with any edition. of course the decision also lies upon weather or not you want to play before, during, or after the greyhawk wars.
#5 omote Mar 15, 2004 20:34:12	I would say that if you use the most recent version of the game (3rd edition), I would go with the LIVING GREYHAWK GAZETTER, suplemented by the PLAYERS GUIDE TO GREYHAWK for 2nd ed. While FROM THE ASHES, THE WORLD OF GREYHAWK BOX SET, etc are all awesome in their own regards, I find the LGG and PLAYERS GUIDE a great intro into the best setting for Dungeons and Dragons. As you go on and read and want to learn more, you will probably in no doubt start to pick up the rest of the Greyhawk stuff in one fashion or another. .........................Omote
#6 Argon Mar 15, 2004 21:37:44	I for one enjoy the From the Ashes Box set the most. Yet I would be foolish if I recommended you pick up this box set first. In your case the best of the bunch to pickup is clearly the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. This book will give you a ton of background informationon the setting without confusing you with game statistics so this way regardless of which edition you use it is 100% easily incorporated into any GH campaign. Now I would suggest that if your interested in picking up the 83' boxset or From The Ashes that you visit rpgnow.com or svggames. I believe they have a pdf format downloadable to your pc I know that rpg now can if you wish send you a copy on cd. Of couse if you wish to be a fanatical purist then you can search for original boxsets on Ebay or elsewhere. The not quite 2nd edition Greyhawk hardcovered book is not a bad pickup as it does have reigion or country specific magical items and the spells of GH's most famous mages. Perhaps you've heard of Nystul, Rary, Bigby, Otto, Mordenkanien, Melf, & etc. As you can tell above GH is responsible from many of the spells thought to be common place everywhere else.
#7 zombiegleemax Mar 15, 2004 21:55:27	Thanks a lot to all of you. While I am very familiar with the good ol' 2ed stuff (spent the better part of my elementary, high-school and university playing it), I am currently playing 3.5. I have had my eye on From The Ashes for a while now, but wanted whatever product gave the most information. The LGG does sound pretty good. I do have a question though. Is LGG something you can pick up without knowing ANYTHING about the setting, or is it a more advanced thing for those already familiar with Greyhawk? Again, a huge thanks for the quick replies.
#8 zombiegleemax Mar 15, 2004 22:13:19	the LGG deffinately caters to some one new to the setting.
#9 zombiegleemax Mar 16, 2004 5:56:05	Greyhawk sucks. You won't like it. And the LGG is HARDCORE lame. I recommend Forgotten Realms. (trying some reverse psychology for once...)
#10 Steel_Rabbit Mar 16, 2004 12:34:34	Must...Raid...Cormyr...Bah! You got me there Iksander, ya got me. Unfortunately I'm a little stronger thant th...Ooooo Elminster, red. But in all seriousness sits in businesslike desk The Living Greyhawk Gazeteer is what you want if you want to play in Greyhawk in 3rd edition. -Steel Rabbit
#11 zombiegleemax Mar 16, 2004 14:21:57	don't limit yourself in your choice of material. Gather all of it up, do your research and put your own spin on Greyhawk. That's the beauty of it, it's easily molded to fit what you want to do. I've been trying to get my DM to write a supplement book for years. He's got tons of steno notebooks filled cover to cover with notes.
#12 omote Mar 18, 2004 8:54:01	Did someone say Cormyr? Did I hear a mention of FR? I've never heard of these things? They can't be in the Flanaess, I would have most certainly read about them 100s of times. What are these foul words you speak points HERETIC!!!!!!! Foul spawn of Tharizdun, you shall be SMITED!!!!!! [blinks][wakes up] Wow, what an awful dream... ..............................Omote
#13 zombiegleemax Mar 19, 2004 18:20:05	Personally I like using the LGG in conjunction with The Adventure Begins. That's right The Adventure Begins. I like TAB and think it (like Secret of Bone Hill) is one of the most undeservedly maligned products out there. That said I will also readily admit to being a fan of WG7-Castle Greyhawk. That puppy deserves its maligning though.
#14 Gnarley_Woodsman Mar 20, 2004 8:30:30	Greyhawk sucks. You won't like it. And the LGG is HARDCORE lame. I recommend Forgotten Realms. ROFL!!! Thats great!! OT: FTA is a good source of info. If you actually play the timeline presented the wars have just ended, and the collective economies of the Flaness are in turmoil. Many outlying communities have resorted to bartering, rather thant accepting minted coin. And my favorite part is noone trusts anyone. Who knows if the friendly PC band aren't actually agents of the scarlet brotherhood, or members of an advanced party of IUZ's new invasion.....It all makes for great suspense and gives huge opportunity for role-play. I highly recommend the LGG in any case. There is plenty of story potential in every entry for any timeline!!!