D&D 5E (2024) Here's The Covers of BOTH of November's Forgotten Realms Books

We've known for some time that in November, WotC will be releasing not one but two Forgotten Realms books--one aimed at players, the other at Dungeon Masters. Thanks to Game Informer, we now have a look at the covers of Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun and Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerun. The article showcases more art, and is well worth checking out--and for those who want more, the print magazine has a full feature previewing the books.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

The first picture, the one for the Player's Guide, the whole thing is blurry / not crisp. The only thing that is, is the text, so to me the picture is just a bad, low detail, blurry mess. That has nothing to do with my device and everything with the picture. I circled the most egregious parts

View attachment 412374

Compare that to

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and tell me you do not notice a difference

I see both as different styles but there little to no difference in quality in my opinion. I would buy a book because of either but I would not buy a book because of them either.
I do not think of any of them as great.

 

[Scott Christian]

Back in the '80s you also had halflings getting high off of cheese. The forgotten realms were never serious.

To be fair, one line in a constitute mood or how something is portrayed. A cover, on the other hand, sets the mood and tone for the entire book. Then, there are the hundreds of other sentences that create that mood and tone. About the only thing someone can cherry pick out of a D&D book is literally the artwork's cover. It is meant to capture the mood and tone of the book.

In all books, even Ravenloft, there can be subtle humor. But that one variable does not make the total.

 

[mamba]

I would buy a book because of either but I would not buy a book because of them either.

same, just not liking the new cover, at all, not that SCAG was great… thematically they are similar, but at least I prefer the actual picture for SCAG over the new one

 

[bedir than]

That 80s cover shared earlier made me realize that 100% of the complaints about the format for the current book apply to the 80s one (except for twee which now appears as some kind of not-quite-slur towards art with any modern woman).

The 80s cover has no sense of action, no sense of adventure. It's a blurry dude on a horse that is somehow floating over the a rough land, almost as if an AI forgot how horses walk. The image doesn't show anything unique to the Forgotten Realms. It doesn't evoke danger, merely twilight. The muted colors mean that there is a lack of definition. There's no focal point or activity. There's no magic. There's no party, as if D&D is played for one person only.

If that cover came out today the people railing against the modern cover wouldn't like it either (except they wouldn't call it twee).

 

[Amphytrion]

The new cover art is fine and serviceable. I don't mind it and I won't think too much about it.

I do think Tyler Jacobson's SCAG cover is a vastly superior execution of the same concept. Tyler Jacobson's other covers are even better (I find Rime of the Frostmainden's gorgeous, for example).

I don't think anyone is convincing anyone else of the beauty of one cover or another. It's subjective.

 

[Parmandur]

That 80s cover shared earlier made me realize that 100% of the complaints about the format for the current book apply to the 80s one (except for twee which now appears as some kind of not-quite-slur towards art with any modern woman).

The 80s cover has no sense of action, no sense of adventure. It's a blurry dude on a horse that is somehow floating over the a rough land, almost as if an AI forgot how horses walk. The image doesn't show anything unique to the Forgotten Realms. It doesn't evoke danger, merely twilight. The muted colors mean that there is a lack of definition. There's no focal point or activity. There's no magic. There's no party, as if D&D is played for one person only.

If that cover came out today the people railing against the modern cover wouldn't like it either (except they wouldn't call it twee).

I agree, though I do like the original box set picture as well myself. I'm kind of easy to please with fantasy art?

The main thing I see goijg on is thwt the Player's Guide is coded to match with the PHB usigng FR apeckfic charactes, while the DM book is coded to match the DMG cover but with an iconic FR BBEG.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

To be fair, one line in a constitute mood or how something is portrayed. A cover, on the other hand, sets the mood and tone for the entire book. Then, there are the hundreds of other sentences that create that mood and tone. About the only thing someone can cherry pick out of a D&D book is literally the artwork's cover. It is meant to capture the mood and tone of the book.

In all books, even Ravenloft, there can be subtle humor. But that one variable does not make the total.

Frankly your claim that there is any subtlety in the Realms is even less credulous than the claim that it is serious.

FR is the literary equivalent of a Michael Bay film.

 

[Parmandur]

Frankly your claim that there is any subtlety in the Realms is even less credulous than the claim that it is serious.

FR is the literary equivalent of a Michael Bay film.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

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[Remathilis]

I love how these threads bring us all together to share in our negativity and complaining . . . . fandom is fun sometimes . . .

WotCs could place crisp $20 bills in the back of each book and people would complain it's not a $50.

Then again, I'm increasingly convinced fandom is a net negative for any given franchise. I've yet to meet a a fandom that isn't overwhelmingly critical of the thing they claim to enjoy. Things are always better before, the franchise is always dying, the current owners are incompetent/greedy/hateful and it's the burden of the True Fans to save the franchise from the casuals who are watering it down.

I think the Internet has solidified what petty, vindictive and unsatisfied people the world is really full of.