Forgotten Realms 2000 Survival Kit

"This survival kit gives people who are currently playing second edition Realms campaigns and want to convert a good starting point," he said, "especially for character race conversions and new god domains -- aspects of the Realms that differ the most from core D&D."

So if you want to know now which domains are available to your cleric of Tyr or how to update your sun elf to 3rd edition D&D, check out this Forgotten Realms Survival Kit, compiled by designer Sean Reynolds. Included in the links below are sections on ability score modifiers for race, the new domains and how they match up to FR deities, and a handful of feats, magic items, and spells.

If you don’t have the D&D Conversion Manual, download it now!

More information on the drow is available from the Monster Manual.

Races

Some of the races in the Forgotten Realms differ from those in the Player’s Handbook and other core D&D sources. Listed below are the ability score modifiers of the standard player character races. Note that these races have additional abilities beyond their ability scores; these will be revealed in the campaign setting book.

Multiclassing

Monks and paladins have the restriction that if they ever take a level in another class, they cannot return to the path of the monk or paladin. In the Forgotten Realms, there are some monk and paladin orders that loosen this restriction, allowing them to gain levels in a particular class without sacrificing the ability to return. A few examples of these groups, and their available multiclassing options, are:

Deities

The new Forgotten Realms campaign setting features more than 30 new domains tailored for the deities of Faerûn. Details of those domains and their granted powers is too lengthy to go into here (and we don’t want to spoil the surprise), but what follows are the living deities from the Faiths & Avatars trilogy (plus the entire orc pantheon) and their Player’s Handbook domains. Some of them look pretty skimpy, but that’s generally because it’s a neutral deity (and therefore doesn’t get any of the alignment domains) and has more of the new FR domains than PH domains. If you’re unhappy with the domain choices for your favorite deity, don’t worry, there’s plenty of good stuff in the campaign setting book.

Blueglow moss cannot survive outside of a mythal and cannot be created independent of spells that create a mythal.

Dove’s Harp: This type of item’s original name has been lost, and its current name derives from Dove Falconhand, who owns such a harp. This is a masterwork harp, triangular in shape, with 20 to 36 strings. When it is played, all within 20 feet of the harp are temporarily cured of any insanity (as if a greater restoration were in effect) and are protected by a calm emotions spell. Those who listen to it for 2 rounds or more receive a cure light wounds spell, although this power can only affect a being once every tenday. While its magic is being invoked, the harp and harpist radiate light. Use of the harp requires the Perform (harp) skill.

Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, calm emotions, greater restoration, healing circle, light; Market Price: 45,000 gp.

Fanged Mask: This half-mask is like one worn to a masquerade party, but the bottom edge has numerous sharp-looking catlike teeth. The wearer may use the mask bite in combat for 1d4 points of damage (assuming the wearer’s bite attack doesn’t already do normal damage) and the mask is +1 weapon. A bitten creature must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round.

Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, spiritual weapon; Market Price: 4,302 gp.

Harper Pin: Harper pins are fashioned from silver that has been magically made as hard as adamantine (hardness 20, 9 hit points, +5 on all saving throws). Their wearer is protected by the following constant effects: immune to magic missiles, nondetection, protection from elements(electricity), undetectable alignment, and +5 resistance bonus to saves against mind-affecting effects. Some harper pins turn black and make discordant jangling sounds when worn by evil beings.

Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, nondetection, protection from elements, resistance, shield, undetectable alignment (plus detect evil and ghost sound for harper pins that respond to an evil bearer); Market Price: 75,750 gp (78,750 gp for the version that reacts to an evil bearer).

Jump Dagger: When grasped, this +1 dagger acts as a ring of feather falling, and also allows the one holding it to make one jump (useable every other round). If the dagger touched to an object weighing 5 lbs. or less, the wielder can use the weapon’s jump power to gently propel the item up to 30 feet in any direction (usually used to pass weapons, keys, or valuables to someone else). If this power is used against an object held by a creature, consider the attack a Strike a Weapon action, and if successful have the targeted object’s owner make a Will save (DC 11) to avoid the effect; if the save is failed the creature may make a Strength check (DC 15) to grab or hold onto the item, preventing its loss.

Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, jump, mage hand; Market Price: 16,052 gp.

Mirror Mask: This mask is circular, with dark lines radiating outward from the point between the eyes. The wearer gains a +5 resistance bonus to all saves against gaze attacks and spells that work through sight (such as flare, pattern spells, a vampire’s domination ability, and so on). Furthermore, any creature that views the wearer’s face while the mask is worn sees their own face rather than the wearer’s.

Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, change self, resistance; Market Price: 8,759 gp, Weight: 1 lb.

Purple Dragon Ring: This item is a brass ring engraved with Purple Dragon symbol of the Obarskyr royal family. The wearer may use it to create light once per round, either on the ring or up to 40 feet away; this effect lasts 10 minutes, and (unlike the light cantrip) is not dispellable by the ring. Its second power is a combined detect magic and detect poison power activated by command word (usually inscribed on the inside of the ring, and typically "Bonthar"); when this power is activated and the ring touched to a food or drink, it glows an eerie gold-green if the substance is poisonous and a bright blue if it is enchanted (including potions), although the ring cannot identify what sort of poison or magic is present.

These rings are normally found only in the hands of the Purple Dragons of Cormyr (of lionar rank or higher), the royal family of that nation, or by individuals performing special missions on behalf of the crown. The Purple Dragons use them to protect the royal family from assassination attempts by poison, and also to verify that merchants claiming the sale of magic potions are not being fraudulent. Over 4,000 of these rings are known to have been made, and there are said to be stores of them in all three of Cormyr’s major cities in case many are needed in an emergency. It is likely that there are rings with similar functions in circulation, created for nobles or merchants fearing poison or trickery.

Caster Level: 1st; Prerequisites: Forge Ring, detect magic, detect poison, light; Market Price: 2,125 gp.

Ring of Dragons: These brass rings are created by the Cult of the Dragon and are greatly prized by the higher tiers of its organization. There are about 70 in existence; some look like snakes or dragons biting their own tails. The wearer can use the following abilities:

Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Forge Ring, detect thoughts, sending, silent image, tongues; Market Price: 100,000 gp.

Singing Sword: These silver greatswords are believed to have been created for use by the Harpers. When drawn, they sing loudly and constantly, although the singing can be countered normally by a skilled bard, a silence spell, and so on. As long as the bearer can hear the sword’s song, she gains a +3 morale bonus to hit and damage (the sword has only a +1 enhancement bonus). Furthermore, she gains a +5 morale bonus to saves against mind-affecting spells and effects (and the only sort of emotion spell that can affect the wielder is rage). The sword’s song quells shriekers, negates the song effects of harpies within 100 feet, and once per day can act as an enthrall spell to creatures with 2 or less hit dice (and affecting them with a suggestion spell if they fail a second saving throw). Some of these weapons are intelligent and aligned chaotic good.

Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bless, enthrall, suggestion, creator must have 3 ranks of Perform (the chaotic good intelligent singing swords must be created by a being of that alignment); Market Price: 9,585 gp.

Spectral Blade: Fashioned from the bone of a creature that died violently, this appears to be just a sword hilt made of bone. When grasped by a creature a "blade" of light similar to faerie fire appears. The blade has no attack bonus but is considered a touch attack; any target struck is affected by a chill touch spell. Different varieties of spectral blades have been created to resemble many different bladed weapons, from daggers to greatswords.

Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, chill touch; Market Price: 10,000 gp.

Winged Mask: The edges of this full-face mask are made to resemble feathers or wings. The wearer can fly at will, but glows with white light whenever this ability is used. The mask can only carry the wearer and 50 lbs. of other material. If grappled or weighted down in mid-flight, the wearer is borne to the ground under the effects of a feather fall.

Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, feather fall, fly, light; Market Price: 36,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb.

Skull Mask: This mask is shaped like a skull and painted black around the eyes. When worn, its transforms the wearer’s visage to look like an actual skull. The wearer gains a +4 morale bonus to saving throws against disease, fear effects, and paralysis, and is immune to life draining attacks. The wearer immediately recognizes any creature seen as alive, dead, or undead, or inanimate (never alive, such as a lifelike statue). Undead are drawn to the wearer of a skull mask, attacking that creature in preference to all others.

Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, deathwatch, detect undead, negative energy protection, remove fear; Market Price: 50,000 gp

Weight: 1 lb.

Staff of Night: The staff of black wood carved with runes of darkness, stars, and night, with one resembling an umber hulk. The staff has the following powers:

If the summoned umber hulk is slain, the staff crumbles to dust.

Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Staff, darkness, darkvision, dispel magic, summon monster VI; Market Price: 50,000 gp.

Staff of Vision: This staff has the following powers:

The staff has an unusual side effect that using it is mentally tiring, and each use requires a DC 12 Will save or suffer 1 point of temporary Intelligence damage.

Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Staff, darkvision, see invisibility, remove blindness, true seeing; Market Price: 24,000 gp.

War Wizard Cloak (Weathercloak): These full cut, black cloaks hang to mid-boot on your average human. Cut to overlap on the chest and cover the wearer’s arms, they have a high collar and a separate pull-over hood. They are embroidered with a white upraised human palm in a circle on the right collar, a purple dragon on the left collar, and another on the center point of the hood (so it is displayed to the rear when the hood is pulled back). The cloak constantly provides the wearer with the following benefits: endure elements (cold), darkvision, and feather fall (self only). Once per day, the wearer may use dimension door, lesser ironguard, protection from arrows, and sending.

These cloaks are normally only worn by Cormyrian war-wizards, nobles, or specially chosen agents, although with the number of dead war-wizards caused by the war against the dragon Nalavara, it is likely that some have been looted from corpses and can be found in other hands.

Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, darkvision, dimension door, endure elements, feather fall, lesser ironguard, protection from arrows, sending; Market Price: 30,375 gp.

Spells

As with magic items, the Realms is known for its unusual spells. The war wizard cloak (above) refers to the lesser ironguard spell (a converted form of the old ironguard dweomer), so this spell is included here to let you fully utilize that item’s abilities.

Lesser Ironguard
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)

You or a creature you touch becomes immune to nonmagical metal. Metal items (including metal weapons) simply pass through you, and you can walk through metal barriers such as iron bars. Magical or enchanted metal affect you normally, as do spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural effects. Attacks delivered by metal items (such as poison on a dagger) affect you normally. If the spell expires while metal is inside you, the metal object is shunted out of your body (or you away from the metal, if it is an immovable object like a set of iron bars). You and the object take 1d6 points of damage as a result (ignoring the object’s hardness rating for determining damage to it).

Because you pass through metal, you may ignore armor and hardness bonuses on opponents you attack with unarmed attacks.

Material components: a tiny shield of wood, glass, or crystal.

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