D&D (2024) Its till just me or is the 2024 MM heavily infused by more 4e influences?

[Corinnguard]

That is not what I said.

I said the 4e dragons in 4e looked all alike.

I like the 2025 MM design way more.

Sorry about that, I thought you were referring to the redesigns of the 2024 Dragons.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Sorry about that, I thought you were referring to the redesigns of the 2024 Dragons.

I really like them.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I don't get why the 2024 designers felt the need to make the Gold Dragon look like an Asian dragon

Because that’s how it was in 1st edition I suspect. 50th anniversary is making a number of visual references to heritage.

 

[Yaarel]

The funny thing for me is, I don't mind in principle many of the changes. I just find that a lot of them went overboard, or went REALLY hardcore for the few things I actually dislike. The Gold Dragon is probably the most conspicuous example; I don't mind a long noodly dragon, I don't mind wings that bring to mind fins, nor the "frill that runs the whole body length" thing.

I do mind the ridiculous "looks like a sword when stretched out straight" thing (who is ever going to see this?! Why would dragons look like that?!), and the incredibly stumpy wings that Gold dragons got. (I also dislike the Black Dragon...but only because those wings are straight-up nightmare fuel for anyone with arachnophobia, such as yours truly.) Some of the designs are quite smart, though personally I think they erred greatly by putting what is clearly copper patina on the Bronze Dragon, but that's a pretty minor complaint.

Like, I get that they wanted a new look, and that gold dragons in prior eras have looked different compared to other dragons. I just don't understand why the wings had to be so stunted. Why not have them be....y'know, grand? Something that actually befits the power and majesty of such a creature, as opposed to something that doesn't even look like it would be useful for gliding, let alone flying.

I view the 2024 Gold Dragon as buoyant and floating in the air, especially the one on the cover of the Players Handbook. The fins are more for stability during flight, not wings to keep it aloft.

 

[Bae'zel]

Because that’s how it was in 1st edition I suspect. 50th anniversary is making a number of visual references to heritage.

As a fan of non-“standard” dragons, I’m very pleased.

I really got nerdfully resentful of fantasy geeks insisting in what a “true” dragon looked like.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I view the 2024 Gold Dragon as buoyant and floating in the air, especially the one on the cover of the Players Handbook. The fins are more for stability during flight, not wings to keep it aloft.

Then why are they comedically over-large for that purpose and, more importantly, only located near the head? Wouldn't you want fins like that at several points along the body for fine control in flight?

 

[EzekielRaiden]

As a fan of non-“standard” dragons, I’m very pleased.

I really got nerdfully resentful of fantasy geeks insisting in what a “true” dragon looked like.

If they had actually committed to it being a proper Asian dragon, with no wings at all, I wouldn't be complaining.

The problem is that they sutured together something that isn't either one, because it does have wings, they're just stumpy. Anatomically it's barely different from any of the other dragons other than the stumpy wings, it just chooses to curl up on itself in the air for no discernable reason. It doesn't have the kirin-style forked antlers of Asian dragons, and the face is quite clearly European in shape rather than the "camel"- or "cow"-like head of traditional Chinese or Japanese dragons.

Like...if this is meant to be a compromise between the two, it comes across a lot more like something that doesn't want to commit to being an Asian dragon but doesn't want to be an Easternized adaptation of a Western dragon either. Because the stumpy wings, lateral frills, and extreme noodle-ness are the only things that even vaguely hint at being non-Western here.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The problem is that they sutured together something that isn't either one, because it does have wings, they're just stumpy.

I'm in the "trying to apply real world logic to dragons is silly" camp. There is no version of dragon that actually has wings that could possibly be functional. The only way any dragon could fly is MAGIC. And if it's magic, it doesn't matter how big the wings are.

The wings, fins, crests etc are clearly adornment. That is something that is found in real world animals (and humans).

And as for WotC, they haven't "committed to it being a proper Asian design" because they want to avoid cultural appropriation, whilst still paying homage to the original Asian influenced gold dragon design.

 

[AlViking]

I'm in the "trying to apply real world logic to dragons is silly" camp. There is no version of dragon that actually has wings that could possibly be functional. The only way any dragon could fly is MAGIC. And if it's magic, it doesn't matter how big the wings are.

The wings, fins, crests etc are clearly adornment. That is something that is found in real world animals (and humans).

And as for WotC, they haven't "committed to it being a proper Asian design" because they want to avoid cultural appropriation, whilst still paying homage to the original Asian influenced gold dragon design.

There are times when wizards can't win for some people. Design a gold dragon that doesn't look like the traditional Chinese dragon and all dragons look the same for some. Make them look too much like Chinese dragons and it's cultural appropriation for others. Go with the 24 dragons as a compromise that just continues a trend from the 5e books and it doesn't go far enough. Meanwhile we have people saying that you must have completely different system for physics for DnD worlds because justifying dragons flying being due to magic because of antimagic zone even though there are exceptions for things like artifacts. I accept that it's a game and don't get overly concerned with some of the details.

 

[Micah Sweet]

There are times when wizards can't win for some people. Design a gold dragon that doesn't look like the traditional Chinese dragon and all dragons look the same for some. Make them look too much like Chinese dragons and it's cultural appropriation for others. Go with the 24 dragons as a compromise that just continues a trend from the 5e books and it doesn't go far enough. Meanwhile we have people saying that you must have completely different system for physics for DnD worlds because justifying dragons flying being due to magic because of antimagic zone even though there are exceptions for things like artifacts. I accept that it's a game and don't get overly concerned with some of the details.

I never saw any reason to change the art design at all.