D&D 5E DDN Concept Art

[Sunseeker]

As already noted, that is clearly from japanese/anime influence, most likely the gods-awful look popularized in Lodoss War, which I will not even dignify with a link. We HATESSS extended, oversized and ridiculously angled (WoW anyone?) ears on elves. HATES THEM!

There are two styles of ears in WoW, the night elves, and the blood/high elves, and both are distinct.

Blood elves have shorter, more vertically-inclined ears that stay fairly flat against their heads.
Night elves have the wide, almost animal-like droppy ears that are more horizontal and stick out from the sides of their heads.

Please know your stuff before trash talking please.

 

[JeffB]

I'd take Jeff Dee's Art over this any day. And Willingham. And .....And..

That said, I found some of these pieces good despite the proportion problems. Some were not to my tastes at all. THAT said...I've seen much worse in D&D books since WOTC bought the property.

Overall I think I would like to continue to see the "heroic scene" art of 4E's style with more of O/AD&D's grounded in reality-ness (as much as can be, in a game of make believe faeries and goblins). Please no more steroid popping humanoids, or "hey, check me out..how cool am I standing here in this awesome pose for the artists looking all badass with my spikes, and belts, and straps, and stuff" look of 3.X and Pathfinder art.

Actually If I had my druthers, give me lower cost books sans but a few pieces of art in a clear, concise, easy to use at the table presentation ala Moldvay/Cook. I can do the majority of my own imagining, thanks.

 

[Li Shenron]

Overall I think I would like to continue to see the "heroic scene" art of 4E's style with more of O/AD&D's grounded in reality-ness (as much as can be, in a game of make believe faeries and goblins).

I am not a fan of this "high heroic" culture (not artwork only, but also rules). I don't see anything wrong with being heroic at mid-high levels, but if everybody is heroic at level 1, nobody really is (the PC at least)... it starts feeling like there's nothing much to achieve once the game is started. I remember I felt this first when I browsed through 3ed Epic Level Manual, I was expecting epic artwork but it felt totally un-epic, and maybe the reason was that the epicness had already been exhausted at lower levels.

Yeah, I gotta admit, the whole over compensation thing that we see with male weaponry is a bit wonky. Could we at least get in the ballpark of something that could be actually used as a weapon?

Absolutely! I can't stand human characters with fists larger than their head, arms larger than their trunk, and weapons larger than themselves whole! When did this trend started? I don't think that was so common in 3.0 books...

 

[steeldragons]

I'm well aware of what WoW elves look like. It was my understanding (and opinion) that both types of elves' ears are about a foot too long, whether sticking out or pointing back or whatever. So, yes, they [Blood and Night] are "oversized and ridiculously angled".

Thanks, though, for policing my "trash."

EDIT: Whoops. Didn't hit Reply with Quote apparently. This is intended in response to [MENTION=93444]shidaku[/MENTION].

 

[Grogg of the North]

I liked most of it.

Unfortunately, the female dwarf and halfling gave me the impression that the artist drew a male version and added breasts as an after thought.

 

[JeffB]

I am not a fan of this "high heroic" culture (not artwork only, but also rules). I don't see anything wrong with being heroic at mid-high levels, but if everybody is heroic at level 1, nobody really is (the PC at least)... it starts feeling like there's nothing much to achieve once the game is started. I remember I felt this first when I browsed through 3ed Epic Level Manual, I was expecting epic artwork but it felt totally un-epic, and maybe the reason was that the epicness had already been exhausted at lower levels.

I said nothing about high heroics. Rather heroic scenes, i.e, action scenes involving heroic actions. It has nothing to do with power levels of PCs. It could be a group of novice PCs fending off some giant rats terrorizing the farmer and his children milking cows in the barn.

 

[Li Shenron]

I said nothing about high heroics. Rather heroic scenes, i.e, action scenes involving heroic actions. It has nothing to do with power levels of PCs. It could be a group of novice PCs fending off some giant rats terrorizing the farmer and his children milking cows in the barn.

Aha! Now I see I thought you meant something else

 

[Tortoise]

I like the coloring and clarity of the art. I am not however a fan of the cartoonish nature of some of it. The art is good in and of itself, though some breaks with the sense of D&D for me.

There was a rumor going around that Disney was interested in buying Hasbro (and with it WotC). I could easily see this art fitting into Disney produced adventure cartoons without change.

The Ogre looks too much like a ball and not scarey enough, though it could qualify for stupid brute status. The bugbear looks more like an anorexic gorilla with tusks instead of a relative of goblins, and nothing like I've always pictured them.

I like the Kua-toa. Not sure how I feel about the Sauhagin.

The gnome appears to have hands far too big, and the one arm appears way too long.

I need to look the images over again later and might add more thoughts then.

 

[Howndawg]

Generally, I like the art. I love the creepy looking old man look the gnome has. There are too many pretty boy races as it is. However, I detest the oversized axes. I would much rather see axes like the Vikings actually used.

 

[Pseudopsyche]

Maybe it's just me, but I like what I'm seeing. I want to be able to distinguish among the core PC races at a glance. I never knew Lidda was a halfling until I began reading EN World. The proportions of the halfling heads might need adjustment, but I like the direction of the design. The elven ears are remarkable, but not nearly as over the top as World of Warcraft or some anime.

I think it should be easier to tell the D&D races apart than it is to tell the real-world human races apart. Let the D&D races be fantastical. I welcome diversity in racial physiologies.