Daily Art Preview

[Klaus]

I know. I think the clothing/positioning bothered me more than the rest. Which is why I tinkered with the image quickly to try and search my feelings (I knew them to be true... ). I aldo made the skin paler and a bit greenish.

Here:
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[dblade]

I like the new gnome. He looks like he is in touch with the nature magic. His clothes look like they are reacting to magic in the atmosphere by spreading out in an unnatural manner. The swirling energy around the wand and hand supports this impression. Definitely not bland.

 

[hong]

So...things that make no sense to anyone

They are perfectly unobjectionable to me. Well, except for Fuchsia Exploding Whatsit, because fuchsia doesn't explode.

who doesn't play the game are fine, as long as they're brand new?

It's all about establishing a level playing field.

Seems like kind of a dumb standard to allow dumb neologisms, while needlessly ditching old things that worked for some reason or another. Down with the hobgoblins, long live the shadar-kai? Not really what I'm looking for...

This is because you have 25 years of D&D anachronisms to let go. Give it time.

 

[Vempyre]

I know. I think the clothing/positioning bothered me more than the rest. Which is why I tinkered with the image quickly to try and search my feelings (I knew them to be true... ). I aldo made the skin paler and a bit greenish.

Here:
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I had the same feeling, that something wasn't right with the picture. The right hand, the posture, stuff like that. Your modifications make the picture way better than the original.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Except that he's not pale, his eyes aren't "obviously inhuman" at first glance, The robes don't make much sense (and are of a fashion that'd put Devis to shame), the hand holding the wand is awkwardly placed (he has to be really straining his tendons to flex his arm and hold his wand like that), and there are barely any swirling leaves. And featuring a tree and grass in the picture is hardly a "fey-only" feature in a fantasy game.

Shrugz. He's not excellent by any stretch, but he's about par for what I'd expect from WotC art. Hits the major notes I was expecting. A new direction without a complete overhaul.

They are perfectly unobjectionable to me. Well, except for Fuchsia Exploding Whatsit, because fuchsia doesn't explode.

Explodes your mind.

It's all about establishing a level playing field.

Right, but that's kind of independent of any legacy whatnots and/or new whatnots. Its not like anyone who knows what a D&D hobgoblin is kind of typically like is at some sort of advantage in any way.

This is because you have 25 years of D&D anachronisms to let go. Give it time.

I think it's because my litmus test is "What do I want to use in a game?" I want to use militaristic enemies who can form evil empires and march on, and whom the players can slaughter righteously. I'm not sure at all I want to use shadow people of eternal suffering.

Or, to bring it back to the original item, I want to use devil cat people from hell who can be a constant hidden evil at the edge of your vision. I don't really care where it comes from or how long it's been around. My only measure is how interesting it is to use in my own D&D games. The invisible stalker has been around for that long and I'm STILL not very interested in using one of those.

 

[hong]

Explodes your mind.

Why are you creating stuff to explode your mind?

Right, but that's kind of independent of any legacy whatnots and/or new whatnots. Its not like anyone who knows what a D&D hobgoblin is kind of typically like is at some sort of advantage in any way.

Hobgoblins are easy. Rakshasae are hard.

I think it's because my litmus test is "What do I want to use in a game?" I want to use militaristic enemies who can form evil empires and march on, and whom the players can slaughter righteously. I'm not sure at all I want to use shadow people of eternal suffering.

This is because you have 25 years of D&D anachronisms to let go. Give it time.

 

[Zulithe]

The gnome is certainly not bad, but I would have likes if WotC/the artist had given them a more noticeable trademark visual.
Without any size reference its really easy to mistake them for elves.

I agree. That is my main problem with the piece. I think, if you had to choose one image to stick in the MM to represent the Gnome... why this? It's not horrible (though nearly borderline so) but it just does nothing for me. That VERY weird hair. That outfit that makes absolutely no sense. Who would really wear such a thing? Could you imagine that being a real set of clothing. Never would it work. And even approaching it from a romantic perspective, it still doesn't work.

Guess we'll be waiting for the PHB II (if even then) before we see some decent Gnomes.

 

[dblade]

I had the same feeling, that something wasn't right with the picture. The right hand, the posture, stuff like that. Your modifications make the picture way better than the original.

Now he looks a little nauseated. I like the original better.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

I agree that the gnome pic is missing a badger for size comparison...

other than that, Im fine with the new gnome

 

[I'm A Banana]

Why are you creating stuff to explode your mind?

Your enemy's mind. In an explosion of fuscia monkeys.

Hobgoblins are easy. Rakshasae are hard.

It's not like anyone who knows what a D&D rakshasas is kind of typically like is at some sort of advantage in any way.

This is because you have 25 years of D&D anachronisms to let go. Give it time.

Why would I want to let go something that makes the game good, since a "level playing field" is pretty pointless?