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!

 

[DammitVictor]

In the story it mentions interior art includes Raistlin and his brother

Drizzt and Elminster on the cover means it's a Realms book, Raistlin and Caramon on the cover means it's a 'Lance book. There aren't a lot of "generic D&D" iconic figures to choose from.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This is a better version, IMO, of the same picture:

View attachment 363077

At least you can see who they're fighting!

That makes more sense!

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Too generic and doesn't tell a story. The sorceress has her back turned on the only enemies shown. Sure, everyone is getting ready for combat, But against whom and why?

Remember this one?
View attachment 363005
It told a story. You can totally envision the delve into the temple, the battle that was fought, and the reward that is being gained as the two pry the gems out of the idols eyes.

Or this one;
View attachment 363006
Not very well done IMO, but again, you can see the fight against the evil monster. You see the treasure (i.e. the reward) they are going for.

I can see getting away from the whole reason for adventuring being about wealth, but where is the village the party is protecting? The prince and/or princess they are rescuing? Why are they getting ready to fight? And who?

Naw, I don't like it. It doesn't spark the imagination.

The party is squaring off against the Kobolds and Red Dragon while the cleric prepares a spell. And their Gold Dragon ally comes to aid them. That tells a story to me.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Drizzt and Elminster on the cover means it's a Realms book, Raistlin and Caramon on the cover means it's a 'Lance book. There aren't a lot of "generic D&D" iconic figures to choose from.

And those characters are likely to be inside, since in the article, they say that heroes from various settings will be featured in the PHB, while villains from the settings will be in the DMG.

 

[Meech17]

WotC owns Baldurs Gate 3's IP and people are literally going insane over Astarion and Shadowheart. They have all these talented writers like Larian or Bob Salvatore creating characters for them and they're like... "No, Yoldanda B. Elf, that's what gets peoples' blood pumping"

WotC's pen and paper arm seems extremely ambivalent about Baldur's Gate 3, for whatever reason. I would be flabbergasted if we got to see my girlfriend Lae'zel in the 2024 books.

These are such good points. If we don't get some BG3 based adventures where my party can meet the BG3 cast as NPCs, I'm going to have to write a strongly worded letter to Washington

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Hey, is this the Infernal Warlock Subclass Art?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

And what subclass is THIS:

Wild Mage?

 

[Bitbrain]

And what subclass is THIS:

View attachment 363081

Wild Mage?

That’s what I’m thinking, anyway.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

And what subclass is THIS:

View attachment 363081

Wild Mage?

That's a halfling wild mage, per Game Informer.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

So Goliaths are just in this because of critical role, right?

I just think they like the idea of "creature-type-blooded" races.

Dragonborn - dragon
Goliath - giant
Tiefling - fiend
Aasimar - celestial
Elf - fey
Genasi - elemental
etc.