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!

 

[Konrad13]

The cover art isn't bad, though I feel it could be refined a bit more. Still not enough to make me buy the new books though.

 

[Aellic Mornbringer]

Aleena's dead. I thought everyone had heard.

Too soon...sniff

 

[Aellic Mornbringer]

For you poor souls that didn't grow up with the LJN figures, these were that era's "iconics":

(Note that "Melf" was renamed "Paralay" for his 2nd figure card and here)

Wow, I have never seen those pages. Which book are those from if I may ask?

 

[Moonmover]

The adventurers on that cover are dead meat. Not only is the gold dragon ridiculously huge, there's a red dragon sneaking up beneath them. And I'm pretty sure the creatures in the foreground are hostile dragonborn; they look too big to be kobolds.

Although...gold dragons are usually benevolent. So maybe he's actually here to back them up.

 

[Parmandur]

The adventurers on that cover are dead meat. Not only is the gold dragon ridiculously huge, there's a red dragon sneaking up beneath them. And I'm pretty sure the creatures in the foreground are hostile dragonborn; they look too big to be kobolds.

Although...gold dragons are usually benevolent. So maybe he's actually here to back them up.

I am getting a DM NPC for back-up vibe.

 

[Yaarel]

Probably a factor, honestly. Possibly also part of why they added aasimar (though it's also an obvious contrast with the tiefling). And why shouldn't they? That's smart marketing.

Wait. When did they add the Aasimar? To the 2024 Players Handbook?

I assume it wont be in there.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

Wait. When did they add the Aasimar? To the 2024 Players Handbook?

I assume it wont be in there.

In the Game Informer article where most of this news has been coming out:

D&D (2024) - Aasimar, Crafting Rules, and more in Gameinformer Magazine feature

I'm reading the magazine feature, and they've mentioned the following bits included in the 2024 PHB: Aasimar included as a playable species. "A new section with tools with specific actions connected to each and a newly expanded item crafting section, including rules for spell scrolls and...

www.enworld.org

 

[MNblockhead]

I am getting a DM NPC for back-up vibe.

Yeah. I can relate to this art. The first game my youngest son DM'd had my 1st level character run encounter an adult red dragon. I'm like "well, I'm dead, can I run away." "Don't worry dad, two silver dragons come to help you."

 

[Kurotowa]

Wait. When did they add the Aasimar? To the 2024 Players Handbook?

I assume it wont be in there.

Really, it makes all the sense in the world for them to be there. The devs signaled their intent to add a celestial counterpart to tieflings for the Revised PHB all the way back at the start of the UA process. The Ardlings proved unpopular, and everyone just kind of assumed they gave up on the idea, but instead it seems they quietly pivoted to adding Aasimar instead.

Now, I hope we get Aasimar with a light refurbish and a new coat of paint. Something with a better visual hook than "generically pretty and can very briefly have wings once a day". But at least in theory, I'm not opposed to the idea.

 

[Superchunk77]

I really want to like 3.5, but every time I try to play or DM it I have a bad time. Aesthetically it appeals to me very strongly, but gameplay wise, it just doesn’t click with me.

I've had a much different experience DM'ing 3.5e. Maybe it's because I know the rules by heart and most of the quibbles with it can be addressed by plugging in Pathfinder changes. I dunno, but I like how it scales a lot better than 5e does, and I love the plethora of options for it.