Art in the Revised Monster Manual that you'd like to see redone

[aNenuphar]

Kobolds

Tritons

Locathath

Sahuagin

Displacer Beast (please, please, PLEASE redraw this one - it's gone from being one of my favourite monsters to looking like my anorexic sister (though she's a little paler and her tentacles don't stick out quite so much).

Most of the Fey

Vampires


I also want one picture per monster. Period. No exceptions. And if you're going to do a group picture - for heaven's sake label them.

 

[JohnClark]

It'd be nice if they added pictures of the stuff that was left out of the MM, demons, devils, elementals, the template creatures and what not.

 

[Oni]

Maybe they ought to hold a contest to get some fan illustrations into the MM.

[edit: to fill some of the holes, or replace some of the more universally disliked pictures (and some of them do seem pretty darn universal in the distaste held for them).]

 

[Richards]

Nobody's yet mentioned what to me is the absolute worst artwork in the entire Monster Manual: the carrion crawler! I HATE HATE HATE that picture! Read the description of the creature (which hasn't changed from previous editions) and then look at Sam Wood's horrible new "interpretation" of the carrion crawler. All that says to me is, "Hey, I'm a bigshot artist in charge of the 'new look' for 3E, so I'm going to make my own mark on the traditional D&D monsters and I don't give a rat's ass what the description says."

This is especially disturbing when you look at Tony DiTerlizzi's carrion crawler in the 2E Monstrous Manual. Again, read the description and look at his artwork. What that says to me is, "Hey, I'm an artist talented enough to ensure that the monsters I illustrate match their descriptions and still look great!"

Okay, deep breath, Richards, calm down...

Okay. I'm feeling better.

On a similar note, until the 3E Monster Manual was published I was unaware that homunculi were made of lumpy green mashed potatoes, or that a xorn which has at least a +12 natural armor bonus would have saggy, baggy, floppy skin. Those two could definitely use an overhaul as well.

My prediction, though: we'll see little, if any, new artwork. Hopefully I'm wrong, but I tend to doubt it.

Johnathan

 

[Sir Edgar]

I'm sure Peter Adkison would love to read this thread all over again. LOL. He once said the thing he hated most was hearing from fans how bad the they thought the art was in the Monster Manual.

 

[Knight Otu]

I hope they leave the dragons alone. (unless they happen to include the gem dragons. They could need an overhaul )

Displacer beasts and certain undead could benefit a bit from new art.

 

[demiurge1138]

I never liked the outfit they put it in. Hell, it's frayed and looks like a dead albatros was strapped to its' back.

I think the "dead albatross" is supposed to be a pair of wings. Vampiric celestial, maybe?

What I don't get is why so much great art was done as concept scetches, then abandoned. The tarrasque, which looked like he just needed a hug in the MM, looks damn vicious as a concept. The gargoyle, while hardly traditional, is awe-inspiring. Check it out:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/ag/ag20010316d

On an aside, I don't see why everybody's complaining about the rather emanciated displacer beast. It's different, but it's cool.

Demiurge out.

 

[Xarlen]

Wow! Some of those *are* neat. I like the Drider's upper half (Not the lower; I prefer that version in the MM now). The Yuan-Ti, the Drow (Without the funny Lodoss Wars rabbit ears), and the Bugbear Rocks.

The origional sketch for the Grey Render was much more interesting, too. It had these enormous talons for thumbs.

 

[Chauzu]

Manticore - Needs a more human-like face.

Ropers - They don't look hideous to me.

That's all.

 

[Abraxas]

I would like to see the following changed - but don't expect to...

Critters whose limbs don't look right - athach, basilisk, behir, displacer beast, girallon, Umber hulk (legs just to skinny, not hulking enough)

Critters that look too cartoony to me - ettercap, ghoul (egad - purple!?), kobold, kuo-toa, spirit naga, ogre, phantom fungus, planetouched - Aasimar (actually i truly dislike all planescapesqe art work - tall, skinny, goofy), tarrasque (b&w version just looks better), xorn

Critters whose pics I just don't like - drider, homunculous, tojanida, yeth hound

Hope they leave the blue and black dragon pics alone.