Forgotten Realms Heroes of Faerûn Player Expansion (Deep Dive)

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It’s been almost 40 years since the first official Forgotten Realms publication was released for Dungeons & Dragons. Since then it’s gone on to become one of the most popular campaign settings of all time, spawning hundreds of Forgotten Realms novels, toys, video games, trading cards and of course, game books.

Now, D&D is heading back to the legendary setting with Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn. The player-focused book feature new subclasses, feats and backgrounds, and is designed to be a companion piece to the Forgotten Realms Adventures in Faerûn DM expansion. The book is available for order now on D&D Beyond and Amazon.

So is this Return to the Realmls worth picking up? Below, we offer our take. (In the interest of full transparency, we have received a review copy from Wizards of the Coast, but have not been compensated in any other way).

Table of Contents

• What’s included in Heroes of Faerûn?
• When was Heroes of Faerûn released?
• How much is Heroes of Faerun?
• Is there an alternate cover of Heroes of Faerûn?
• What other tie-in products will be available?
• What previous Forgotten Realms Player Guides are available?
• Is Heroes of Faerûn worth picking up?
• Final Thoughts & Review Score

What’s included in the Forgotten Realms “Heroes of Faerûn” Player Expansion?

Heroes of Faerûn is a 192-page sourcebook (which is a little lighter than our supplements we’ve seen) and includes a range of content that’s geared primarily for players (although there’s plenty of information inside that Dungeon Masters will find useful). Notably, all of the material is fully compatible with the new 2024 Player’s Handbook and 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide, with the book tapping into the feats and backgrounds that have been dramatically overhauled within the new DnD 5e rules. The book includes:

Character species notes

The section offers a range of advice and lore on the various playable species that inhabit the Realms. This includes notes on where they can be found geographically, the types of gods they worship and their overall culture. The section includes rarer species (scuh as Aasimar, Dragonborn and Goliaths) along with familiar species that have appeared in past editions, including Gold and Shield Dwarves, as well as Sun and Moon Elves. It’s solid information that can really help players flesh out their characters within the new D&D 2024 Species framework.

New subclasses

Heroes of Faerûn also includes eight new subclasses that were previously unveiled in a January 2025 Unearthed Arcana playtest. Notably, three of the subclasses have previously appeared in D&D 5e, but have been significantly overhauled. The remaining five subclasses are completely new (as noted below).

• College of the Moon Bard (New): Draws upon the myths and folklore of the Moonshae Isles, using ancient stories to buff allies and hinder foes.
• Oath of the Noble Genies Paladin (New): Divine warriors who can wield elemental power derived from ancient genies.
• Winter Walker Ranger (New): Masters of of survival in frozen wastelands who are also capable of wielding icy magic.
• Scion of the Three Rogue (New): Call on the power of the Dead Three (the gods Bane, Bhaal and Myrku) to bring death and terror to enemies.

• Spellfire Sorcerer (New): Uses the unpredictable power of Spellfire to tap directly into the Weave itself.
• Bladesinger Wizard (Revised): Originally appearing in the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide and Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, these sword-wielding sorcerers have been significantly overhauled for the book.
• Banneret Fighter (Revised): Also first appearing in the Swordcoast Adventurer’s Guide as the Purple Dragon Knight, the subclass was later revamped in an Unearthed Arcana playtest, before being revised again in this final form.
• Knowledge Domain Cleric (Revised): Originally appearing in the 2014 Player’s Handbook, this updated subclass is all about uncovering lost wisdom and lore.

While it’s great to see such a diverse range of subclasses, some are definitely better than others. The College of the Moon, Banneret Fighter and Spellfire sorcerer all feel like solid additons, while the Winter Walker Ranger, Scion of the Three Rogue and Oath of the Genie Paladin all feel a little thematically narrow.

New Backgrounds

The book features 17 new Backgrounds using the new D&D 2024 rules, with them broken out between Regions and Factions, which is a novel way to really bring character optoins into the world of the Forgotten Realms.

There are 10 Regional Backgrounds, which cover familiar locations in the Sword Coast, as well as lesser known geographies. They include the Chondathan Freebooter, Dead Magic Dweller, Flaming Fist Mercenary, Genie Touched, Ice Fisher, Moonwell Pilgrim, Mulhorandi Tomb Raider, Mythalkeeper, Rashemi Wanderer and Shadowmasters Exile

The remaining 7 Factional backgrounds are focused on both good and evil organizations across the Realms. This includes Dragon Cultist, Emerald Enclave Caretaker, Harper, Knight of the Gauntlet, Lords’ Alliance Vassal, Purple Dragon Squire and Zhentarim Mercenary.

It’s a great mix that balance lore and mechanics, but likely will require some clever work from both players and DMs to make them work.

New Feats

Heroes of Faerûn also features 34 new Feats (8 Origin, 13 General and 13 Epic Boons). Origin Feats run the gamut from sketchier choices like the Zhentarim Ruffian and Cult of the Dragon Initiate to more lawfully aligned options like Harper Agent and Emerald Enclave Fledgling. General Feats cover a wide range of options, from Fairy Trickster and Purple Dragon Commandant to the Spellfire Adept. Epic Boons all tie-in to the many gods of the Realms and offer high level abilities.

As with some of the other character features, not all of the Feats are winners, but the vast majority are solid and many are far superior and more unique than what we’ve seen in the 2024 Player’s Handbook.

A Guide to the Realms

The book also offers a fairly in-depth section on what life is like in the Realms. This includes information on currency, how adventurers are viewed, local languages and brief overviews of various regions. It’s essentially a Gazeteer, and while it’s great information for new players, it’s not exactly treading new ground for fans who already know their Zhentil Keep from their Dalelands.

That being said, the book does look beyond the familiar locations in the Sword Coast and digs into areas that may not be familiar to some players, including the Anauroch Desert, the Trackless Sea and Vilhon Reach.

Gods of Faerûn

This section offers a detailed look at 42 unique deities, from Amaunator to Waukeen. For each god details are listed for their home plane and typical worshipers. For example, Deneir is listed as the god of writing who dwells on the plane of Elysium and is worshiped by sages, scribes, students and teachers.

The book also includes details on various forms of worship, the afterlife, religious insitutions and offers an overview of how divine magic and holy intervention works in the Realms. Again, this information is great if you’re new to the Forgotten Realms, but it’s not exactly treading new ground in terms of lore and doesn’t really offer anything new mechanically.

New equipment, weapons & magic items

Heroes of Faerûn also marks the return of Aurora’s Whole Realms Catalog featuring a range of Realms-specific equipment, weapons, tools and mounts (including the iconic Axe beak). Nothing here is particularly groundbreaking and this section feels a bit rushed and limited in terms what’s available.

The section also includes 3 new magic items: The Adventurer’s Ring (a simple ring which provides a small bit of flame), the Prosthetic Limb (which is a magically powered appendage) and the Windskiff (a piece of jewellery that essentially turns into a magical wind sail). It feels a little light and it would have been great to see them drop some of the equipment and offer more unique magic items options for players or additional rules on magic item crafting.

Circle magic and new spells

Easily one of the best additions to the book in the inclusion of new Circle Magic (something which has been mentioned in the lore of the Realms many times of the years, but has never really been covered in terms of the rules). This allows multiple spellcasters to channel their magic together to enhance the power of spells. It’s a unique concept and feels ripe for use by both players and DMs.

The book also includes 19 new spells. Almost all of these are solid additions, and standout spells include Holy Star of Mystra (a hovering star that fires radiant bolts and reflects enemy spells back at their caster), Blade of Disaster (you create sword made out of a rift in existence that can cut through almost anything) and Doomtide (a rolling sphere of psychic darkness that creeps across the battlefield like a living nightmare).

Factions of the Realms

The book also includes a detailed breakdown of 10 factions in Faerûn: Cult of the Dragon, Emerald Enclave, Harpers, Lordsʼ Alliance, Order of the Gauntlet, The Purple Dragon Knights, Red Wizards, Zhentarim, Criminal Syndicates and Other Organizations.

While none of the lore of these organizations will be new to longtime fans, what is unique is the inclusion of new random tables that cover everything from Renown to items that a faction may give a character. The section also breaks out special Bastion facilities that are specific to each faction. It’s the type of useful in-game material that it would have been great to see more in some of the other sections of the book.

Atlas of the Realms

Finally, the book does include an appendix which features a full scale map of Faerûn from artist and cartographer Mike Schley. Again, this isn’t anything fans haven’t seen before in virtually every edition of D&D, but it is beautifully designed and really does a great job of going beyond the Sword Coast and covering a much broader geography.

When was “Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn” released?

Heroes of Faerûn is scheduled for release on November 11th, 2025. However, if you pre-ordered the digital and physical bundle via D&D Beyond you got your hands on the digital copy on October 28th, 2025.

Notably, this is also the case pre-order a physical copy of the book from any local game store that is enrolled in Wizards of the Coast’s DnD early access program.

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How much is the Forgotten Realms “Heroes of Faerûn”?

The physical print copy of Heroes of Faerûn retails for $49.99 USD. On D&D Beyond you can also purchase a physical-digital bundle for $79.98 USD (discounted to $59.99 if you pre-order). A digital-only version is also available on D&D Beyond for $49.99 USD.

Notably, if you purchase either option on D&D Beyond you’ll also received an exclusive Forgotten Realms: Dallabad Oasis Animated Map for the Maps VTT as well as the Atlas of Faerûn, which is a digital map of the entire Faerûn continent.

Notably, you can also purchase a new Ultimate Bundle on D&D Beyond for $159.99 USD. This includes the physical and digital versions of both Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn and Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn, along with the following:

• Baldur’s Gate 3 Digital Map Pack​
• Forgotten Realms Factions Digital Dice Set​​
• The Atlas of Faerûn
• Astarion’s Book of Hungers: One of three digital expansions that includes rules for the playable dhampir species and vampire-themed adventures (to be released November 11th, 2025)
• Netheril’s Fall: The second digital expansion, where players can explore the lost Netherese Empire in a time traveling adventure (to be released November 18th, 2025)
• Lorwyn: First Light, a tie-in supplement to the Magic: The Gathering set of Lorwyn-Shadwmoor that includes new monsters, species, backgrounds, feats, magic items and adventures (to be released November 25th, 2025)

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Is there an alternate cover of “Heroes of Faerûn?”

Yes, there is an alternate cover for Heroes in Faerûn. It retails for the same price as the standard version. There is, however, a unique twist. When the front and back cover is combined with the front and back cover of the Adventures in Faerûn book they create a single art piece.

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What other tie-in products will be available?

Notably third-party publisher Beadle & Grimm’s is releasing a Forgotten Realms Premium Map Collection as a tie-in to this new product, which features a range of new maps focused on the locations mentioned int he book.

In addition, Heroes in Faerûn is also available on all major VTT platforms, including Roll20.

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What previous Forgotten Realms Player Guides are available?

Over the years, Wizards of the Coast (and their predecessor TSR) have released a number of dedicated player’s guides for the Forgotten Realms, including:

• Forgotten Realms Adventures (2e): Released in 1990, the book offered a ton of information on numerous locations (including maps on almost every page), along with gods, monsters, NPCs and new spells.
• Player’s Guide to the Forgotten Realms (2e): Published in 1993, the book offers a detailed overview of key locations, factions and NPCs. The goal is to provide players with a solid understanding of the history and geography of Faerûn.
• Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide (4e): Published in 2008, the book was designed to help players create a Forgotten Realms character using the fourth edition rules and included new feats, powers, paragon paths and introduced the swordmage class.
• Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide (5e): Published in 2015, this book presented players with new options for subclasses and spells in addition to offering a high level overview of the popular Sword Coast area.

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Is Heroes of Faerûn worth picking up?

Pros

• Player-Focused Content: Unlike recent D&D releases that cater mainly to DMs, Heroes of Faerûn brings a wealth of new player options, with 34 feats, 17 backgrounds and 8 subclasses, all of which are fully compatible with the 2024 ruleset.
• Character integration with the setting: The book effectively ties player options into Forgotten Realms lore, with options that really ground characters within the setting in a way we haven’t seen in many recent DnD 5e supplements.
• Circle Magic System: The introduction of Circle Magic is a solid addition, enabling multiple spellcasters to combine their powers for stronger magical effects (although it remains to be seen if clever players will find a way to break this).
• Solid Art and Design: The book features some of the best artwork in recent years and really bring Faerûn’s heroes, monsters and regions to life.

Cons

• Uneven Subclass Quality: While several new subclasses are inventive, others feel narrow or underdeveloped, such as the Winter Walker Ranger and Scion of the Three Rogue.
• Recycled Lore and Content: Much of the setting information (especially on deities and geography) reuses material long familiar to Forgotten Realms veterans. Fans expecting a dive into the lesser known corners of Faerûn may be disappointed.
• Sparse Magic Items and Equipment: With only three new magic items and limited equipment options, this section feels underwhelming compared to the book’s overall scope and potential.
• High Price Point: The $49.99 USD price tag may feel steep for players, particularly given the relatively low page count and the fact that a lot of the lore material has been covered in past editions.

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Final Thoughts & Review Score

The Forgotten Realms remains Dungeons & Dragons’ most popular and iconic settings, so it’s no surprise that Wizards of the Coast would return there with their new 2024 version of the game. At the same time, the Realms remains a setting that has been almost exhaustively detailed in hundreds of books released over the decades, so even with new rules, it’s an uphill climb for Wizards of the Coast to really explore any new ground.

That being said, Heroes of Faerûn does manage to break into some new territory in terms of offering some unique character options that feel like they’re truly linked to the world. There are also a few new bright spots, such as the inclusion of new Circle Magic and some unique new spells. The end result is a book that may be overly familiar, but is one that’s also welcome, proving that in the end, it’s not the destination that matters, it’s how you choose to get there.

Final Review Score: 16 out of 20

You can order the Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and Amazon.

Below is also a teaser trailer from the official D&D YouTube channel which offers more details on the new player guide.

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