If I were to revisit the classic Forgotten Realms as the players who first adventured in this world, I could play this in a few games. D&D 5E is not one of them, nor are the original AD&D 1st or 2nd Edition PoD reprints. D&D 5E doesn't do the setting any favors, at least not in our interpretation of it —a gritty, dark, realistic, low-magic, massive setting where the majority of the world was monster-infested wildlands. The original (TSR) map scale was much larger, making the setting the size of half of the world instead of a Europe-sized mini-setting (D&D 3E and Wizards).
Why not the PoD reprints? Honestly, we have better books these days, with easier and more accessible content for new players, faster reference, easier table reference, and better organization.
Since most of this setting took off in Second Edition, and if you are focused on playing the Second Edition adventures, the obvious choice would be For Gold and Glory, an excellent retro-clone of this edition. Some down on this game due to its use of classical public domain art, but I think the selection here is fantastic, and the game has some of the best fantasy art ever created in history by the original masters. The art here is evocative and gets me in the proper mindset to play a gritty, dark, realistic, and low-magic game.
Sorry, public domain detractors, the art is fantastic. This is precisely as I would picture the Forgotten Realms with a grim, deadly, and realistic tone. What other type of art would I want than something actually painted in a world close to what the world actually is?
The downsides? It does not include the entire monster and magic list from AD&D 2E. If you care about it, consider buying the PoD PDFs for 2E and using them as a reference. This book is far better organized and easier to use at the table than the official 2E books, which drone on and on with pages of pontificating, have terrible layout, and some horrendous art choices. I can be "in and out" of FG&G for a rule or table in a few seconds, whereas in the 2E books, I could flip through hundreds of pages and search endlessly.
I can't imagine new players and those 2nd Edition softcovers.
Some of the conceptual and fantastical pieces make me see the evil and darkness in the realms entirely differently. The above is horrific, and the art raises the stakes in the fight between good and evil.
Oh, and the FG&G PDF is free. This is zero-cost for new players. For the official books, the prices are as follows: three PDFs for $10, three softcovers for about $30 each; while FG&G's hardcover is for $65, and a softcover book is for $30.
Another benefit to FG&G is that the rules feel more focused on the classic races and classes. This is particularly notable since Faerun was based on AD&D, which didn't have the cartoonish options we have today. The only real oddity to the Faerun setting is the 101 different types of elves, but they all can just be "elf," and the subtype is a flavor choice, just like humans.
The setting feels more realistic and grounded without the D&D 4E races, with humans as the predominant species, which is how we first encountered it. Tolkien was a significant influence on this setting, and returning it to the classic game's races feels right. Oh, and the above is from the FG&G rulebook; just because the book uses classic art, it doesn't mean it isn't diverse. Seriously, the use of classic art elevates this game, and it would do the same to the Faerun setting.
FG&G is a game where death happens at zero hit points, but you could houserule in the "death's door" rules that allow you to go as low as -10 hp. I like the hardcore rules, and this is also what a few other old-school games do. Again, the art in this book rules. If I had a Forgotten Realms like this, I would still be playing in it.
Another missing piece in FG&G is statistics for demons and devils, just like in AD&D 2E, these were removed from the game due to pressure from the Satanic Panic, and later "snuck in the back door" via an Outer Planes Appendix to the Monsterous Compendium. The above book works fine with the game, so you are covered. FG&G does not include these, either. It is an extra purchase, but it is worth noting. For me, not having them means the gods got extra careful in allowing them access to the world, and it forced us to focus on other bad guys.
FG&G is a solid choice and allows you to play the classic 2nd Edition adventures without issues. I could say the same honestly about a First Edition game, but if we are focusing on the heyday period of the Realms and the novels, then FG&G would be my go-to game.
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