As revealed in the recent D&D Direct, two new campaign setting books will be released in 2025 which centre around the setting of Baldur’s Gate 3, the Forgotten Realms.
Okay, okay. I am a big Baldur’s Gate fan, but I have to give a little more respect to the source material. While the massive success of Larian Studios’ latest RPG banger further solidified D&D’s place within pop culture, Dungeon & Dragons had obviously cemented itself as one of the best tabletop RPGs long before Astarion and co. ever even set foot on the Nautiloid, and the Forgotten Realms has been one of the most popular D&D settings for about as long as that.
It’s also worth noting that despite its references to further-out settlements, the entire events of Baldur’s Gate 3 take place in a surprisingly small stretch between Fort Morninglord and the eponymous city. So, if you loved the world you experienced in BG3, there’s a whole lot of Faerûn left to explore.
If you want to scratch that itch to find out more about Faerûn, you do have other CRPG options in the way of classics like Icewind Dale or Neverwinter Nights but nothing quite matches the experience of getting a party together and experiencing it the old fashioned way. That’s – hopefully – where the new Forgotten Realms books will come in.
The D&D Direct includes the claim that “there hasn’t been a Forgotten Realms guide in 5th Edition” which sure helps in setting the Realms up for a triumphant return, but is really only true on a technicality. There was a notable absence of a full blown Campaign Guide for the Realms but the likes of Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide and Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus delivered big chunks of Forgotten Realms goodness that were compatible with D&D 5E.
My hope is that what’ll really set these two new additions apart from the rest of the lineup of Dungeons & Dragons books is not just compatibility with the OneDND system but also a proper deep dive into the world of Faerûn. In particular, I’m holding out for the inclusion of more under-appreciated lands. For one, a visit to the vast desert of Anauroch would definitely be novel.
Speculation aside, there were a select few details that were revealed. Given that the Forgotten Realms encompasses roleplaying and gameplay opportunities ranging from urban fantasy to survival horror, it makes sense that a single campaign setting book would leave things feeling too cramped. “It’s too much to fit into one book,” explained lead rules designer Jeremy Crawford in the live streamed showcase , “so our return to the Realms is going to be in two books. One tailor-made for Dungeon Masters, and another a book that is tailor-made for players – but also of use to our DMs.”
In the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide, you can expect to find plenty of information on new backgrounds, feats, subclasses, spells, as well as joinable Faerûn factions like the Harpers and the Red Wizards of Thay. Meanwhile, the more DM-centric Campaign Guide will offer lore and guidance on how to take players through areas including Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dales, the Dalelands, Moonshae Isles, and Calimshan.
If all of this has you ready to roll up characters and start a new adventure, the bad news is you will have to wait until the book’s Late 2025 release to properly set those plans in motion. In the meantime though, we’ll be on hand with any updates regarding new D&D releases and more rundowns of everything announced on the D&D Direct.
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