D&D (2024) Here's The New 2024 Player's Handbook Wizard Art

 

[Yaarel]

And it's not about historical accuracy, never has been.

"Generic medieval fantasy" has long been a turn of phrase touchstone people use, and everyone has generally understood what they are talking about.

Yeah. Clearly we are talking about "quasi" medieval with many cultural and anachronistic influence.

I'll explain why I am not a particular fan of the new iconic Wizard art from Wotc.

To Be Clear: This is all My Subjective Opinion, YMMV, etc,...

First: We have an earlier piece from the same artist that I like:

View attachment 354269

When I think of a fantasy realm like Games of Thrones; that has castles, dragons, knights, and where people still fight with swords and bows; There is a certain imagery that comes to mind... And for me, the art piece shown above fits it.

And again, it's not about "historical accuracy":

The Witcher RPG and CRPG are not 'historically accurate', but its art direction has a look that ties in with what is presented in the books.
The latest edition of Rune Quest is also not 'historically accurate', but its art direction also has a certain look that ties in with Glorantha.

The Tolkien movies do this, but I think they get it right. When they portray humans, it is gritty and dirty. When they portray elves, it is glamorous and impossibly clean and groomed.

When I see "clean and shiny", I dont think "modern" or "videogame". I think Elf.

But when I see "Dungeons and Dragons" art like this:


I don't see it as being very stylistically different from stuff like this:


i.e. In my opinion: There is nothing artistically that sets her apart as a "Dungeons and Dragons" wizard.

Fair point. Is there a distinctive "D&D" iconography? D&D has always been eclectic in its illustrations. Should there be recognizable visual D&Disms?

I do think, the magical emanation of a seals of complex geometry and sigils, feels like an "Arcane" iconography.

You could call the 2024 PHB Wizard the 'White Wizard' and slot her straight into a Modern Marvel comic, and she'd fit right in...

It just has this very generic fantastical look to it that I just don't find appealing.

Maybe.

If ALL arcane casters to these geometry-sigil manifestation, that starts to get recognizable.

Especially contrast with: divine manifestations of sacred words and culturally holy symbols, along with urbanization motifs.

Then, Primal manifestations of auras, sky, land and sea, plant and animal.

Not the artists fault, they do what they are paid to do. And evidently lots of people like the art. Certainly the people at Wotc that commissioned it.

But, It's not for me. But that's just like my opinion, man...

Of course.

 

[mamba]

When I see "clean and shiny", I dont think "modern" or "videogame". I think Elf.

do you think that Wizard image depicts an elf?

I do think modern or superhero though

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Fair point. Is there a distinctive "D&D" iconography?

There are some very well-known D&D illustrations and images, but they don't really support his point, because they're stuff like this:

Which has far more in common with superheroic comic books than it does with Game of Thrones stuff, which he was inexplicably pointing to as "D&D-esque".

I mean, you know what the above image inspired more than anything else? Diablo 2. The Paladin in Diablo 2 not only looks like this, but even adopts that pose with a certain (I forget which), and is often glowing brightly like that as he mows his way through armies of demons. And relative to the way some people see D&D, Diablo is a sort of superheroic ARPG.

There are a lot of other images, but they vary wildly in tone, like here's another classic:

Which certainly exemplifies an era of D&D, even if killing barely-out-of-the-egg baby dragons who weight maybe 200lbs soaking wet is no longer considered terribly sporting.

Here's another classic that, oddly enough, feels like it's more still applicable today.

There's a lot of stuff from the '90s and some stuff from later eras which is pretty distinctively "D&D" as well, but it's not terribly consistent.

 

[Yaarel]

do you think that Wizard image depicts an elf?

Yep.

When I look at her, and imagine a slightly simpler white linen longsleeve dress, I see a Norse alfr, personifying beauty and sunlight with hints of a swan. Specifically, her staff suggests a norn fate-speaker carrying the volur-staff of a shamanic vǫlva.

Similarly, the Wizard image seems spot on for the Tolkien elves from the movies and tv series.

I do think modern or superhero though

Heh, when I think of Superman, I think of a primal nature being, personifying air (flight), earth (strength of steel), water (cold breath), and fire (laser beam eyes). He is more like a jǫtunn to me.

 

[mamba]

Similarly, the Wizard image seems spot on for the Tolkien elves from the movies and tv series.

I guess we simply disagree, to me it was a near perfect match to the Scarlet Witch image that was posted here, same pose even, color shift one of them and they could almost be twins

I don't see it as being very stylistically different from stuff like this:

There is something wrong when D&D is out-Superhero-ing the MCU

 

[Parmandur]

I guess we simply disagree, to me it was a near perfect match to the Scarlet Witch image that was posted here, same pose even, color shift one of them and they could almost be twins



There is something wrong when D&D is out-Superhero-ing the MCU

But they have been doing so since the very beginning, 50 Yeats ago...?

D&D and Marvel are a pretty natural combo.

 

[Azzy]

I guess we simply disagree, to me it was a near perfect match to the Scarlet Witch image that was posted here, same pose even, color shift one of them and they could almost be twins

What? Those two picture only share only very superficial similarities. And, no, the pose is not the same.

 

[mamba]

What? Those two picture only share only very superficial similarities. And, no, the pose is not the same.

they are pretty similar, both depict superheroes in the same pose. Have you seen the full Wizard image?

yes, still very generic and without context, reverse image search found this one

View attachment 353198

near identical…

 

[Tonguez]

Here’s the X-man Gateway, note his grey beard and superhero pose

 

[Yaarel]

Being able to do things via magic doesn't make you superheroic. Being (super)heroic is in what you choose to do, not how you do it.

Now, as far as "super powers" are concerned, IME (admittedly, I could EASILY be wrong!) superheroes in comic and movies don't have "per use" type powers. They are simply always on (barring psychological issues or kryptonite-type stuff). But in D&D, anything that comes close to bordering on super powers are very limited in use.

D&D isn't a superhero game, unless you house-rule to make it one. I'm not saying you can't do superhuman/superheroic stuff from time to time, but it isn't really the design of the game.

D&D isnt a superhero game. But the high tiers, levels 13 thru 16 and 17 thru 20, should be!

The main feel of the superhero genre is thematic always-on powers.

At the highest tiers, it helps to consolidate all of the lots of fiddly little stuff, into a manageable handful of impactful always on powers.