Reception
Jim Bambra reviewed Waterdeep and the North for Dragon magazine #140 (December 1988). Bambra wrote that the "physical quality of this product is high, and color is used to good effect to show contour levels and sea depths", and that the book's descriptions of Waterdeep give an idea of what life is like within its boundaries "in an evocative manner which brings Waterdeep to life and makes it an ideal setting for urban adventures". He felt that the presentation of the North was less successful than that of Waterdeep, writing that while "the history of the North is colorful, the descriptions of the various settlements are sketchy", and cited the absence of a wilderness map showing the relationship of the various settlements to Waterdeep and to each other. Bambra stated that although "the section on the North is weak, the sections describing the City of Waterdeep are very strong", adding "Waterdeep has a rich background which gives the city great character. The laws and customs of the city are colorfully presented, as are the various guilds and factions of the city." He commented on how few of the city's buildings are detailed, which leaves that work up to the DM with the help of included tables and sample floor plans, and that the book instead provides "a useful look at the workings of the city, outline descriptions of its various wards, and details on the services available". He wrote that the adventure outlines provided "require a bit of work to bring them to life, but they provide a good cross section of the types of adventure available within the city". Bambra concluded by saying: "With its emphasis on atmosphere and personalities, Waterdeep is a very strong city pack. It lacks any street encounter tables, which is a pity, as this would have added even more to the city's feel and given PCs a better handle on life in the city. As it stands, Waterdeep is a good urban location in which to base adventures in the Forgotten Realms setting. DMs will need to add to the provided information to personalize the city and breath life into its daily routines, but the background is provided and contains plenty of ideas just waiting to be developed."
In his review for City System in Dragon magazine #156 (April 1990), Ken Rolston also comments on Waterdeep and the North. He felt that Waterdeep and the North "presents a Forgotten Realms city on a vast scale—too vast a scale for my liking". He felt that anyone who owns and enjoys Waterdeep and the North ought to have City System as well, but that if a player had to chose between Waterdeep and the North and the more expensive City System, "by all means the former is the better deal, and all you really need; City System is only a big, colorful, and unnecessary secondary accessory to Waterdeep and the North".
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