D&D 5E New Monster Manual Cover

From IGN, the cover of the 2025 Monster Manual!

@Morrus

 

[Reynard]

I find the same social dynamics over the actual content and even specific content. You can't talk about anything D&D with a certain number of people taking drive-by shots.

I just mean that there seems to be a difference in the way people (here at least) respond to "That cover sucks" versus "That adventure sucks." Maybe people (broadly) tend to care less about art and more about writing/design, and therefore are more willing to push back or argue in the latter case?

Or, I could be imagining it. That is certainly possible. But this and the other art threads brought it to mind.

 

[Chaosmancer]

So folks, which do you like better the beholder on the 2014 MM or the beholder on this one? I'm surprised how many people don't like the 2014 MM cover. I loved it. I really like the beholder on this cover. But the 2014 cover is my favorite MM cover of any edition and my second favorite beholder art. The best beholder art remains:


I'm only half joking. What I DO like about this image is that it captures the outer-realms weirdness and sense of insanity that I think of when I think of a beholder. Beholders, for me, are much more than another toothsome boss fight. They are lunatic dreams made manifest. Not just another nightmare.

.

Looking down at my old 2014 MM... despite the fact that I generally prefer scaley and spikey beholders to fleshy ones... I like this new one better. It appears as more of an abomination, the glowing eyes give a sense of power, the lighting is better across the art, and the size is much more fearsome.

 

[Planescape]

Beholder front and center. As it should be

 

[beta-ray]

I really am happy with the new art! I did not like the alternate cover for the MM. most people preferred it!

When was that released?

 

[Clint_L]

When was that released?

Was maybe referring to the DMG?

 

[Stormonu]

So folks, which do you like better the beholder on the 2014 MM or the beholder on this one? I'm surprised how many people don't like the 2014 MM cover. I loved it. I really like the beholder on this cover. But the 2014 cover is my favorite MM cover of any edition and my second favorite beholder art. The best beholder art remains:

View attachment 366348
I'm only half joking. What I DO like about this image is that it captures the outer-realms weirdness and sense of insanity that I think of when I think of a beholder. Beholders, for me, are much more than another toothsome boss fight. They are lunatic dreams made manifest. Not just another nightmare.

...I do, however, often wonder whatever happened to the sexy beholders? What happened to those dreams?

View attachment 366349

They got proposed to and got married.

 

[Charlaquin]

None of the beholder's eyes are pointed at the PC's. It could have made a temporary alliance with them, because it wants all these inferior monsters out of its lair. Maybe they've appealed to its vanity and it thinks they will become its henchmen.

Or, maybe the beholder has only just silently floated up behind them while they were focused on the other monsters, and they haven't noticed it yet. Beholders can be very stealthy when they want to be.

I like this cover.

Maybe the mage is casting dominate monster on it

 

[Charlaquin]

I find it interesting how uncontroversial it seems to be to call the art "horrible" "bad" and worse, relative to how quickly folks come to designers and writers defense when folks criticise the actual content of the books/adventures.

I mean, personally I have been making a conscious effort lately to avoid the “you should say ‘I don’t like it’ instead of ‘it’s bad’” line of argumentation. I’ve seen that exact line used to shut down legitimate critique so often, I think we’d be better off just assuming that every instance of “X art is horrible” is followed with an unspoken “in my personal opinion,” and to investigate what factors are informing that opinion, rather than policing people’s word choice.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

So far this cover art is my favorite thing about 6e (or whatever it's called now).

 

[Kurotowa]

I mean, personally I have been making a conscious effort lately to avoid the “you should say ‘I don’t like it’ instead of ‘it’s bad’” line of argumentation. I’ve seen that exact line used to shut down legitimate critique so often, I think we’d be better off just assuming that every instance of “X art is horrible” is followed with an unspoken “in my personal opinion,” and to investigate what factors are informing that opinion, rather than policing people’s word choice.

I just wonder a bit at all the people for whom the cover art is apparently enough to sell or unsell them on the book. Seriously, you don't see the cover while it's on the shelf, you don't see it while you're reading the book, and it does nothing to change the contents of the game rules for better or worse. It is literally the least important part of the book, in my view.

Also, the easiest part to change. If you want to use the rules but hate the cover art, just buy a dust jacket for it with art you prefer. You don't even need DM permission, like you would if you wanted to change the rules content.