Eberron: Forge of the Artificer Alternate Cover Revealed

Wizards of the Coast has revealed the alternate cover to Eberron: Forge of the Artificer. The new cover, seen below, was first seen on ICv2. The cover shows an Artificer creating a metal construct, which may or may not be a Warforged. We'll note that, generally speaking, the average Artificer doesn't have the capabilities to create a sentient Warforged, as they were created by House Cannith via special Creation Forges. Unless there's a radical change to Eberron lore, it's more likely that this construct is a less sophisticated cration of some kind. The same Artificer can also be found on the cover of the standard Eberron: Forge of the Artificer.

This cover is exclusive to hobby stores. Eberron: Forge of the Artificer will go on sale on August 19, with a retail price of $29.99.

 

[AlViking]

People really reject books like this because of the art? I get if it's not exactly your style and I have preferences in art like everyone else. But it's not exactly high on my buy/don't buy criteria like, oh, whether or not I think it will be something fun to use at the game table.

 

[Ghost2020]

Counterpoint: 80% of their audience started with 5e and deserves their own versions of these things in the rule set they jumped into the game with.

Absolutely they do!

That's just where I'm at, LoL I'm old and cranky.
(Shakes fist at clouds)

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The whole set piece is also a Frankenstein homage, which is sci-fi.

When the original novel was written, sure. But the movie versions are all steampunk or magi-tech. And this is a bit of both. We have steampunk wheels and pully, we have magic glowy eyes and mouth, we have a 50s retro SF android body, we have turn of the 19th/20th century outfit.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

People really reject books like this because of the art? I get if it's not exactly your style and I have preferences in art like everyone else. But it's not exactly high on my buy/don't buy criteria like, oh, whether or not I think it will be something fun to use at the game table.

If it was just down to the art, I would have never played 3rd edition, because I hate that style (particularly the Eberron stuff).

However, if 1st edition taught me anything, it's that your game does not look like the art in the rule books.

 

[Azzy]

Meh, I'm not a fan of this cover. It's not bad, it just doesn't do anything for me.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

It doesn't impress me much, but it will probably look better with the foil treatment. They usually do.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm a little confused at how far in advance they're announcing these alternate covers, compared to when they're available to preorder at your FLGS. I've decided to use store credit at Noble Knight to get the FLGS cover for Dragon Delves, figuring WotC would have put it in the system for retailers to preorder as soon as they showed off the cover, and it's still not available.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I'm a little confused at how far in advance they're announcing these alternate covers, compared to when they're available to preorder at your FLGS. I've decided to use store credit at Noble Knight to get the FLGS cover for Dragon Delves, figuring WotC would have put it in the system for retailers to preorder as soon as they showed off the cover, and it's still not available.

I think the part that you find confusing is that the publishers USED to announce stuff to us retailers, THEN WE would announce them to fans. With the internet and direct sales, us retailers now hear about things at the same time the customers do (later if you follow a particular producer's social media and we don't).

This was literally just announced. Give 'em some time and they will have a place to preorder it. Our orders won't be due for a few months yet.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think the part that you find confusing is that the publishers USED to announce stuff to us retailers, THEN WE would announce them to fans. With the internet and direct sales, us retailers now hear about things at the same time the customers do (later if you follow a particular producer's social media and we don't).

This was literally just announced. Give 'em some time and they will have a place to preorder it. Our orders won't be due for a few months yet.

I'm not sure what the value is in showing off the FLGS cover so far in advance. Presumably that's done to get people to go to their FLGS, ask for the book, which triggers shop owners putting in an order. But if the form isn't going to be available for weeks or months, there's plenty of time for the impulse buy desire to cool off. It just feels like it'd be better timing to show off the cover the week before the preorder forms are in shop owners' hands.

Shop owners shouldn't be saying "I feel like I had four or five people ask about it; I guess I should talk to them about it next time I see them, just to make sure," instead of everyone being able to strike while the iron is hot.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I'm not sure what the value is in showing off the FLGS cover so far in advance. Presumably that's done to get people to go to their FLGS, ask for the book, which triggers shop owners putting in an order. But if the form isn't going to be available for weeks or months, there's plenty of time for the impulse buy desire to cool off. It just feels like it'd be better timing to show off the cover the week before the preorder forms are in shop owners' hands.

Shop owners shouldn't be saying "I feel like I had four or five people ask about it; I guess I should talk to them about it next time I see them, just to make sure," instead of everyone being able to strike while the iron is hot.

I agree 100%. I think that the "hype machine" has got to the point where it does more harm than good (I'm not saying to not pursue hype, just tone it down a notch).

We often have people ask for a comic that I have never heard of, only to find that it was announced at a con TODAY or shown in a creator's tweet, or whatever. But the customer asks for it like they expect it to be OUT. We look stupid, and we have to ask them to come back in September (or whatever) - assuming thar the release has actually been scheduled, which often it has not.

It's all a bit much.