Dungeons & Dragons isn't done with the Forgotten Realms. Not by a long shot. A two-book bundle is coming November 11: Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun, a Player Expansion; and Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerun, a Dungeon Master Expansion.
Aimed at players, the Heroes of Faerun is a 192-page book that introduces:
Two examples of the new subclasses are the wizard Bladesinger, first introduced in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, and the rogue Scion of the Three, who snuck into this book by way of the Unearthed Arcana 2025 playtest materials.
The all-new Circle Magic technique enhances magic with group spellcasting. It'll be interesting to see how that works amidst the chaos of tabletop combat.
Eight factions throughout the Forgotten Realms make plain their loyalties. The Lord's Alliance is one, if you strive to bring order to chaos. The secretive but heroic Harpers are another faction; one you would have caught in the D&D Honor Among Thieves movie.
No less than 42 gods populate the pantheon. That's entirely too many. But you can pick one and begin earning Renown as a reward for your devotion. Citizens of the Forgotten Realms will be like, See that lady? She's pretty much the pope for Lathander the Morninglord.
Adventures in Faerun is a 288-page guide aimed at Dungeon Masters that includes:
Adventures in Faerun will focus on five regions of Forgotten Realms. Even though we're returning to Baldur's Gate (see Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus) and Icewind Dale (see Rime of the Frost Maiden), D&D 5e will travel to Calimshan, the Dalelands, and the Moonshae Isles.
Descent Into Avernus comes with a Baldur's Gate gazetteer. The city is wealthy from commerce and has a corrupt mercenary force policing its streets. Icewind Dale is the Skyrim of the Forgotten Realms. Subzero temperatures in a near-uninhabitable land that is populated by only the toughest frontiersmen, pioneers, and barbarians.
Calimshan is in the southwestern corner of the continent. There's the Calim Desert and the Spider Swamp. It comes with a significant highway running through the desert, where rich merchant caravans bask in the Arabian ambiance.
The Dalelands are a region in the north filled with dense forests and rolling farmlands. It's a loosely organized group of countries (called dales), each with its own unique government, military, industry, and culture.
The Moonshae Isles are west of the Sword Coast between the Sea of Swords and Trackless Sea. These islands are known for their dark forests, tall mountains, and ancient standing stones. Even the most civilized parts of the Moonshae are wild and untamed. There are druids.
Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in. I can't think of a single Dungeon Master that isn't ready to expand beyond D&D 5e's Sword Coast and into other places on the continent. And I can't think of a single player not ready to go along for the ride.
Again, this Forgotten Realms two-book bundle launches November 11. It's available for pre-order on D&D Beyond, which nets you extra goodies and, very likely, early access by a couple weeks.
