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

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Heavy cavalry predates medieval as well.

Fighting on horseback required the invention of the stirrup (so you don't fall off whenever you swing at someone). Which, if my memory serves (not using Google) dates to the Byzantine (i.e. late Roman) period?

 

[Zardnaar]

Fighting on horseback required the invention of the stirrup (so you don't fall off whenever you swing at someone). Which, if my memory serves (not using Google) dates to the Byzantine (i.e. late Roman) period?

Byzantine had cataphracts but probably learnt from Parthians/Sassanids.

One of those three though depending on where you draw the line.

 

[Horwath]

still better than 5e halfling or ranger art.

 

[Zardnaar]

still better than 5e halfling or ranger art.

Heh every edition has its turkeys.

 

[teitan]

Heh every edition has its turkeys.

Usually they're halflings. They should just make the official art a halfling ranger riding a turkey.

 

[ezo]

Yeah, but young people that play will rarely, if at all, want to play an old geezer? I know I didn't and I still don't (why be someone old when I'm experiencing being middle age in real life).

It's been decades since tired old men defined what a wizard is. And, honestly, beyond that you could probably have found some classic fantasy wizards in the pulps that were women and POC.

Your desire to see the perpetuation of tired stereotypes is transparent and shameful. Please move on so the rest of us can enjoy what fantasy's future holds.

How can some people complan about D&D being too superhero but want the wizard class picture to be an "old archmage"?

A youngish wizard with glowing eyes is perfect for inspiration for a mage who only learned fireball 2 levels ago.

but last thing I want to see is old man wizard with long whitebeard. Boring.

I really don't know why it keeps coming back to this when it has nothing to do with the original disccusion. I was never talking about what people want to play.

So, just to clear this up: I never said I want the old bearded man picture for the new PHB. I refuted a post claiming this image is more "wizard" than the old bearded man, which I argued is still more recognizable to most people of what a wizard would look like than this image. This image would make more people think of a superhero, which is one reason why it doesn't appeal to me. That's all.

Nothing at all about what people want to play.

Medieval Knights would have been in chain mail.

Full plate Renaissance.

While I completely agree full plate would be more Renaissance, it was available at the very end of the late middle ages (1500 AD). There is a period of overlap (or transition) between the two.

I've personally never liked the idea of full plate in D&D, but as so many keep pointing out, D&D isn't "history", it's a game.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The the reason for the renaissance-style knight in D&D is fairly straightforward. During the renaissance Arthurian literature became extremely popular. But of course they didn't worry about "historical authenticity". So, although the stories had their roots a thousand years earlier, they were told as if they were "in the present day". Later, Hollywood picked up on those stories, D&D's creators watched Hollywood movies, and so those misplaced renaissance stylings found their way into D&D.

And, of course, there is no clear break between historical periods. January 1st 1600: "Good morning, welcome to the renaissance, throw away all that medieval stuff". (Just to be clear, this did not happen.)

 

[Minigiant]

I really don't know why it keeps coming back to this when it has nothing to do with the original disccusion. I was never talking about what people want to play.

So, just to clear this up: I never said I want the old bearded man picture for the new PHB. I refuted a post claiming this image is more "wizard" than the old bearded man, which I argued is still more recognizable to most people of what a wizard would look like than this image. This image would make more people think of a superhero, which is one reason why it doesn't appeal to me. That's all.

Nothing at all about what people want to play

What I was inferring was the difference between the image of a PC wizard and the image of the NPC wizard.

The old bearded man is more the image of the NPC wizard. This is because of the way D&D works or is structured, it is highly unlikely a PC wizard would get that old during play.

The young superhero wizard upstart is more likely what the players would play as PCs as adventuring by D&D's nature is a cheat over self study or academic training.

 

[Yaarel]

The Wizard is a young knight in training, or an accomplished lord at the height of power.

Because of magic extending life and maintaining youthfulness, the Wizard who CHOOSES to appear as an elder is rare.

 

[CreamCloud0]

You mean the Pope? Roman Catholicism is just one religion amongst many, and in that Cardinals wear red and priests wear black. You going to ban wizards from wearing black and red as well for looking too religious?

Prediction: any cleric illustrations will avoid colours associated with real world religions.

when did i ever mention this was specifically in relation to IRL religion or banning anything? it's just as, if not more prominent a thing in media, i didn't even say that wizards can't wear white and gold only that there is an existing thematic bias there