D&D (2024) New D&D Edition's Player’s Handbook Cover Reveal

Game Informer has revealed the cover to the 2024 Player’s Handbook.

The cover features a gold dragon behind the old-school D&D characters Strongheart the paladin, Mercion the cleric, Elkhorn the dwarf fighter, and Molliver the thief. Ringlerun the wizard is absent (then again he got his showcase on one of the 1E AD&D Player's Handbooks), but a drow mage appears to have joined the party!

 

[MNblockhead]

View attachment 363361
what really are adventurers doing...

 

[MNblockhead]

Is every pose now just going to get called "marvel"? You have a guy ready to swing a sword, a woman with two crossed blades, a dwarf with an axe and shield, a woman with a mace and shield.... and it is MARVEL posing?

Yep. Every D&D artist must carefully review every pose, in every panel, in every comic ever published in the history of Marvel.

Also, seriously curious, why is it always a "Marvel" pose? Why not a "DCC" pose, or just a "superhero pose."

 

[MNblockhead]

5.5. Generic digital art similar to AI art. Very common. Not much D&D related maybe gold dragon. They're not unique to D&D though.

It's not bad but nothing outstanding one can go to other forums or AI art threads and see similar art style.

Okay, everyone who is playing, time to down another shot!

 

[MNblockhead]

You forgot the 1E Revised cover. Very posing.

View attachment 363420

And for the record, I DESPISE the 2E PHB cover as the worst PHB cover ever.

Just look at that geriatric Doctor Strange. A D&D wizard should be cowering behind a fighter.

 

[Zardnaar]

Yep. Every D&D artist must carefully review every pose, in every panel, in every comic ever published in the history of Marvel.

Also, seriously curious, why is it always a "Marvel" pose? Why not a "DCC" pose, or just a "superhero pose."

Okay, everyone who is playing, time to down another shot!

Nice dismissal.

As I said it's not that different from various AI art threads here and elsewhere

 

[MGibster]

Also, seriously curious, why is it always a "Marvel" pose? Why not a "DCC" pose, or just a "superhero pose."

Because we actually like the Marvel movies?

I will say this, we should all remember the artists who pour their creative energies into writing or producing art are human beings. Criticism is certainly acceptable, but try to make it constructive rather than mean spirited. In the grand scheme of things we're a small community and some of these folks could potentially read our statements. Even when the art isn't always to some of our preferences, I promise you they will serve as fodder for the imagination of many people for a long, long time.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Oof. That's a bit harsh, no?

It's really only the middle of the road for unnecessary hyperbole against art made before the turn of the century here on Enworld.

As in literally the most common lazy attack vector of the past two years.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Nice dismissal.

Should they have said the post was AI generated or like Lionsgate Entertainment?

 

[Vaalingrade]

Also, seriously curious, why is it always a "Marvel" pose? Why not a "DCC" pose, or just a "superhero pose."

Marvel is the popular thing that a certain segment prayed for over a decade to fail and felt they got their wish when they put out a couple of just okay movies and a couple of TV shows another certain segment really, really hated for reasons they wouldn't be able to describe here.

And that fits into a very common nerd point of argumentation of appealing to similarities to things 'everyone' is supposed to hate. See also 'Diablo', 'videogame', 'anime', and 'superhero'.

 

[dave2008]

5.5. Generic digital art similar to AI art. Very common. Not much D&D related maybe gold dragon. They're not unique to D&D though.

Just an FYI, Tyler (the illustrator for the new PHB) is traditionally trained and used traditional painting when he started working professionally (including for WotC). He later switch to all digital. However, if you look through his gallery you can't really tell which is which.

My point being, please stop conflating digital art with AI art. They are not the same and it just reflects poorly on you.