D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook Reveal #1: "Everything You Need To Know!"

Each day this week, Wizards of the Coast will be releasing a new live-streamed preview video based on the upcoming Player's Handbook. The first is entitled Everything You Need To Know and you can watch it live below (or, if you missed it, you should be able to watch it from the start afterwards). The video focuses on weapon mastery and character origins.

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There will be new videos on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week, focusing on the Fighter, the Paladin, and the Barbarian, with (presumably) more in the coming weeks.

 

[mellored]

D&D art has been fairly tame for many years now. I see no reason for that to change. People making a big deal about this are just looking for another outrage to get mad about.

Fake outrage for the clicks.

 

[Reef]

Wizards wouldnt even print what the AI allows, note this was the only 1 out of likely hundreds generated for this prompt. The AI absolutely COULD generate what you are talking about, but they intentionally prevent those from being shown because, well we dont dare offend.

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My god. Of all the things to be outraged about in the new books (and there seems to be a lot, based on this board), the fact there isn’t enough T&A is what you’re focusing on? You’ve got an entire international database of naked people at your fingertips, and you’re complaining you don’t see enough flesh in the rule book?

“don’t dare offend”? I wasn’t sure what people meant be “twee”, but apparently it’s synonymous with “woke”.

If a shot like that showed up, I would be offended. By the stupidity of the design. Who in their right mind wears armour like that? And don’t say it’s not a sexy woman thing. Can you imagine anyone putting a male warrior in crop top plate mail?

I just can’t take any argument seriously that is basically “why can’t we go back to the good old days, when the game pandered to men”.

 

[Parmandur]

My god. Of all the things to be outraged about in the new books (and there seems to be a lot, based on this board), the fact there isn’t enough T&A is what you’re focusing on? You’ve got an entire international database of naked people at your fingertips, and you’re complaining you don’t see enough flesh in the rule book?

“don’t dare offend”? I wasn’t sure what people meant be “twee”, but apparently it’s synonymous with “woke”.

If a shot like that showed up, I would be offended. By the stupidity of the design. Who in their right mind wears armour like that? And don’t say it’s not a sexy woman thing. Can you imagine anyone putting a male warrior in crop top plate mail?

I just can’t take any argument seriously that is basically “why can’t we go back to the good old days, when the game pandered to men”.

Years ago, people were asking Mark Rosewater, the head designer of Magic: The Gathering, why there wasn't ao much cheesecake art in Magic anymore. He said it ia because cheesecake art depresses sales, because it turns off way more people than it attracts.

Yes, commercial art for all ages products these days will nit have that sort of cheesecake anymore, because companies have better data, and it turns out sex doesn't sell.

 

[Thommy H-H]

Anyway, there is some sexy art - look at the dwarf bringing those cakes to his husband! You think that wasn't drawn to appeal to the male gaze?

 

[Staffan]

If a shot like that showed up, I would be offended. By the stupidity of the design. Who in their right mind wears armour like that? And don’t say it’s not a sexy woman thing. Can you imagine anyone putting a male warrior in crop top plate mail?

That's kind of where I stand. There's a time and place for sexy, perhaps even in RPGs. That place is not "chainmail bikinis".

For example, this is the picture used to illustrate the Dragonmark Heir prestige class from the 3.5 Eberron book:

I have no problem with something like this. The lady in question is clearly dressed for a social occasion, not for going into a dungeon, and she has chosen clothing that emphasises her Mark of Storm (and, well, other assets). It'd be nice if you had equal opportunity pretty folks, but in isolation it's fine. Now, if the art had shown the same lady, in the same clothing, but getting ready to fight a bunch of Darguun mercenaries somewhere out in the wilds? Yeah, then there'd be an issue.

I find this to be more obnoxious:

I mean, this lady is clearly dressed for war. She's wearing bulky armor on her arms and legs, and wields a HUGE sword (because she's a giant totem barbarian), and yet she leaves her stomach unarmored. You know, the place where she keeps her vital organs.

 

[Scribe]

I wasn’t sure what people meant be “twee”, but apparently it’s synonymous with “woke”.

No, those are completely different.

 

[Reef]

No, those are completely different.

I’m sorry, but “where is all the blood and female cheesecake, and omg people might be offended!” sounds awfully similar to people arguing against ‘worrying woke trends’.

 

[Scribe]

I’m sorry, but “where is all the blood and female cheesecake, and omg people might be offended!” sounds awfully similar to people arguing against ‘worrying woke trends’.

I dont blame you, but I've been asking for this actually. Twee is as far as I can tell an actual style.

The example I provided earlier was an AI exception, literally 1 out of hundreds of images that more often look like this.

 

[Reef]

Well, to be fair, you did talk about chain mail bikinis..

Anyway, hasn’t most of the class art looked like that? The domestic scenes have all been exclusively species pics. Which makes sense, as not everyone springs from their parent a fully formed murder hobo. I appreciate they are taking some effort to make the world lived in and believable.

And I’m sure for every piece showing dwarven bakers, I’m sure there are many more swinging axes and wielding battle magic.

 

[Scribe]

Well, to be fair, you did talk about chain mail bikinis..

Anyway, hasn’t most of the class art looked like that? The domestic scenes have all been exclusively species pics. Which makes sense, as not everyone springs from their parent a fully formed murder hobo. I appreciate they are taking some effort to make the world lived in and believable.

And I’m sure for every piece showing dwarven bakers, I’m sure there are many more swinging axes and wielding battle magic.

There certainly has been, and likely will be more, examples of some kind of action, its still awfully safe looking, and stylized in a way that isnt what I'm looking for.

Which is fine, I get it. In this thread or one similar I've already noted. People who want what I want have to go to other products, we 'lost'. Have since Tashas, if not earlier.