Rating: 
Summary: An excellent resource
Review: 3rd edition Forgotten Realms is easily the single greatest fantasy campaign setting in terms of production value and wealth of material. This book follows that tradition with a fantastic look and feel that delivers a lot of useful information.I am definitely of the school of thought that Gods do not need statistics, but I certainly know that a large percentage of gamers feel otherwise, and so I think this book hits its mark perfectly. The only complaint I have about the book would be that I would ahve liked to have seen it be longer. The major human deities get full treatment, but minor human deities, as well as the other racial of minor pantheons, have really only a few paragraphs alongside incredible artwork. I would have liked to have seen full treatment for the other pantheons as well as the major portion of the Faerunian pantheon. Aside from that small complaint, I think that this is the latest in a line of books of incredible quality.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent resource
Review: 3rd edition Forgotten Realms is easily the single greatest fantasy campaign setting in terms of production value and wealth of material. This book follows that tradition with a fantastic look and feel that delivers a lot of useful information. I am definitely of the school of thought that Gods do not need statistics, but I certainly know that a large percentage of gamers feel otherwise, and so I think this book hits its mark perfectly. The only complaint I have about the book would be that I would ahve liked to have seen it be longer. The major human deities get full treatment, but minor human deities, as well as the other racial of minor pantheons, have really only a few paragraphs alongside incredible artwork. I would have liked to have seen full treatment for the other pantheons as well as the major portion of the Faerunian pantheon. Aside from that small complaint, I think that this is the latest in a line of books of incredible quality.
Rating:
Summary: For those that need more information
Review: As with most of the hardcover Forgotten Realms sourcebooks, Faiths and Pantheons isn't necessary to play the game. The major deities of Faerun are given short but thorough introductions in the FR Campaign Setting, and these will suffice for all but the most picky DMs and players. That said, if you ARE the most picky, and want some obscure but interesting deity as your patron, then this sourcebook will provide everything you require. One of the interesting things about the Realms is that the gods are killable entities, though it would take a godly character (and then some) to take one down. To facilitate this, the deities all have stat blocks, both in their normal planar and avatar forms. Of course, being deities they get some seriously nice perks. For example, greater deities always get the max value on any roll. As is to be expected, the gods have some very nice treasure, and their chosen weapons and equipment are detailed along with their stats. All of the gods in the FRCS are recapped here, along with a slew of others, including many that you've probably never heard of. Perhaps best of all, many deities of the non-Faerunian pantheons are added, including the Mulhorandi (Egyptian, really), Drow, and Gnomish gods. One notable deity that isn't included is the overdeity Ao, for the simple reason that he doesn't do much of anything. Each section has a short history, description, dogma, and clergy/temples block, and then a big section on the deity's powers and avatar if applicable. Deities are ranked by a numbering system, with a higher number meaning more power, and therefore more worshipers. Additionally, Faiths and Pantheons boasts a large number of new prestige classes related to particular deities, and aligned accordingly. This provides some great new possibilities for villain NPCs, especially. There is also a section that describes several temples with maps, NPCs, and adventure hooks. A few new feats are added, as well as some creatures and two templates- Chosen of Bane and Zin-carla. Some downsides to the sourcebook are a few quirks in layout. Many deities that I would have thought to be 'major Faerunian' are instead 'others,' and vice versa. It looks as though the authors were not so sure themselves as to how to organize this book. It would have been easier if they simply grouped them according to pantheon, alignment, simple alphabetical, or even by divine rank. Luckily, there's a table of contents to help you find your religion. All in all, I would say Faiths and Pantheons is worth having. The prestige classes and adventure hooks make good material for play, and the book's illustrations are great. Additionally, it's interesting to know how your patron stacks up against all the rest of the crowd. Also, knowing about all these lesser deities can be fun for some variety in characterization. Though I would never call this sourcebook essential, it is a nice thing to have.
Rating: 
Summary: thorough and in depth...to a fault...
Review: first i'd like to say that i find this book fascinating. the level of detail thats put into everything forgotten realms related has always awed me, and this book is no different. the amount of information on each deity is astounding and has stat blocks down to stats and feats and personality quirks. HOWEVER
i cant imagine being in a campaign where 1% of this information would come into play. if you're running a forgotten realms campaign its a good (though not necessary)accessory, otherwise its useless. thats my rationalization for my mediocre rating, being that i run a campaign that exists in a different world, i never have reason to pick it up, and even for a campaign in faerun its not required.
Rating: 
Summary: this is an excellent book.
Review: First off, this book lists all of the major dieties of the Forgotton realms, it gives stats and powers, and explains how the gods work. Anyone who actually reads this book instead of looking at the stats for the gods will find it to be incredibly useful. It explains how everything about the gods and their power should be used, it gives history of their church, and it's central dogma, and in many cases their ascension. The Prestige classes are faith specific for a reason, so if you're bitching about that, shut up. The race specific pantheons are in less detail because they are used less, and the book would have easily cost $ if the writers had gone into full detail about EVERY god in the FR, let's face it, there are a lot of them.
Rating:
Summary: this is an excellent book.
Review: First off, this book lists all of the major dieties of the Forgotton realms, it gives stats and powers, and explains how the gods work. Anyone who actually reads this book instead of looking at the stats for the gods will find it to be incredibly useful. It explains how everything about the gods and their power should be used, it gives history of their church, and it's central dogma, and in many cases their ascension. The Prestige classes are faith specific for a reason, so if you're bitching about that, shut up. The race specific pantheons are in less detail because they are used less, and the book would have easily cost $ if the writers had gone into full detail about EVERY god in the FR, let's face it, there are a lot of them.
Rating:
Summary: This is what we wanted!
Review: For all those who must know just what Lurue or another minor deity looks like, and similar details, this book will answer all your questions about Forgotten Realms deities. The artwork, in most cases, is excellent. Most interesting to me were the descriptions of the major deities' churches and clerics. Holy days can be a very nice focus for adventures, and a reminder to PC clerics of their duties beyond hacking, slashing, and looting. This detail to worldly aspects of worship is what puts Faiths and Pantheons far above Deities and Demigods, though that is also a nice resource. Once again, the cover and page edges tie in this book with other Forgotten Realms sourcebooks. The prestige class section, which at least one was seen in Dragon magazine, has some quality ideas for villains and PCs alike. In conclusion, Faiths and Pantheons makes very clear why religion is such an important part of life in this campaign world.
Rating:
Summary: Well...It's better than Deities and Demigods...
Review: I found the book to have very useful information. It had many deities that I had not heard of before, and it also had states on alot of deities. The bad part about it is the Monster deities are thrown aside as if a campaign dealing with deities didn't need them at all. Another thing is when it gets deeper into the diffrent humanoid pantheons, it gets a little vague, and it doesn't have there stats ethier. But lets try to ignore the bad parts. It is very very useful when running a 'normal campaign', with the same old 'human priest, gnome priest' thing. It also gives some deity based prestige classes and it also gives a couple major worship sites. I would suggest this book OVER Deities and Demigods, which gives fewer AD&D deities and more Olympion and other lost religion's deities.
Rating:
Summary: I really wanted to like it, but...
Review: I was distracted by this book's seeming split personality. It appears to me that the writers were attempting to satisfy 2 groups of gamers, but did't quite make it with either. The bulk of this book is descriptions of the gods of the FR setting. I mean that literally- Hit points, class levels, spells per day, AC, etc. Very similar to the old 1st Ed. Dietys & Demigods book. This appeals to the power-oriented game, in which players can expect to eventually say "I rolled a 50 on attack roll- Did that hit Cyric?" However, the gods are presented as so powerful, that I don't see how even an out of control power game can make a battle with one of them make sense. I have nothing against power gaming, mind you. I personally find a more 'realistic' (if you'll pardon my using that word in a FRPG review) game more enjoyable. In my games, gods are gods and you are not going to be beating one up with a sword. I would have liked more detail on the role of the power in the world, the nature of the priesthood and church, and samples of power centers for the church. I think this would have been a better product if it had focused on making the gods less powerful, so that PCs can hope to compete with them, or ultra-pwerful so that the stats were uneeded and the space could be used with more setting oriented info. The book is still useful (hence the third star). Some of the lesser powers not covered in detail in the main FR book are described. There are a few prestige classes, although they are very much faith specific. I just wish it would commit to one style or the other.
Rating:
Summary: Avery good book for clerics
Review: If you play a creric in the Forgotten Realms setting this book will help you expand your character in may ways. it has all the deities that affect the life on Faerun, including demihuman and monster panteons, several intriguing prestige clases and a few magical items that will make your game more enjoyable. For a DM it is a must as it explains all the churches and the deities motivations to interact with the people of Faerun.
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