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.

 

[Remathilis]

As somebody who read the Encyclopedia for fun as a child...that is kind of a fun part?

But, yes, hopefully these books take more of a cue form the game able structure of the new core books.

The issue was that (as I said) it was a mile wide and an inch deep. It didn't give me enough info to actually sell me on Icewind Dale or Cormyr or the Moonshaes. I know a lot of people criticize the focus on the Sword Coast for 5e's run, but it got enough detail that I actually got a feel for most of it's locations. In an era when we're aren't going to be getting large regional sourcebooks, I feel the "encyclopedia of the world" style is just to limiting.

But luckily, I think the new book is going to thread the needle between interesting places to explore in detail and general overview of the rest.

 

[Mournblade94]

Great... Now I have to buy TWO of them because my Daughter is going to abscond with the Players guide with Karlach on the front. I'll literally never see the book when I need it. But I'm hoping for alternate covers because this art is cartoonishly bad.

 

[Mournblade94]

The art is okay, but when I look at it, I think everyone looks a little too happy. Where's the excitement and danger?

That's the trend with the art of 5e 2024. Unfortunately. 5e 2024 is a great ruleset but my god the art is awful. Skillfully done I'm not going to lie. I lay alot of the blame on the current Art Director. Too bad she didn't leave for Daggerheart instead of Perkins and Crawford.

 

[Mournblade94]

Well it has been awhile--maybe never--that I'd consider not buying a book based on the cover art, but here we are.

The good thing about this book is Ed Greenwood is doing alot of the writing. I am now worried with the "Character point of view" that he was not as involved in writing as I thought. The art I can ignore. I'm REALLY hoping for alternate covers. This Lichqueen doesn't even look like the BG3 one. Its more of making everything pretty instead of lore accurate.

 

[Mournblade94]

Non-rhetorical question for anyone who doesn't like these covers: What would you prefer to be on the cover of a Forgotten Realms product?

I'm genuinely curious.

A lich queen that looks like a lich. Adventurers that look like they are adventuring and not walking down the street to a bar or walking in a parade. The characters are all fine, and I think the BG3 characters look good. Jarlaxle lloks awful and the Lich Queen looks like she won a beauty pageant.

The best Forgotten Realms Campaign guide, the 3rd edition one just looked like a book. I think that was the best. Even something like Yawning Portal where Durnan is DARING you with shadowy silouettes in the background of other characters. Its smart to use the BG3 characters. This is sanitized Hasbro Art.

 

[Mournblade94]

Thanks, she looks cool! My knowledge of the realms is about 2.5 editions out of date lol.

Steven Schend put her in there. A prolific FR Designer and Author.

 

[Mournblade94]

Those days are over.

Wizards of the coast is really over compensating for representation. It is STARK how much they are overcompensatiing. Even under Human species in 2024 you have 1 white human represented and they are the example for a Small Human. 5th edition itself in 2014 had a very good representation of art. Tanji the art director makes representation a Zero Sum game and it is not.

 

[Mournblade94]

I'm personally someone for whom art never dictates whether or not to purchase a book. I'm playing the game in my imagination, not with the actual art pieces... so if the game is good, then that's all that really matters. If bad art ever stopped me, then I never would have bought the original AD&D in the first place, because a lot of that artwork sucked, LOL! Both on the covers and the black and white images and cartoons within the books themselves.

For the technology of the time this art is just as good as what we are getting now.

 

[Mournblade94]

I have to disagree, at least a bit, with the comments about the cover characters simply because the vast majority of people who see these covers won't have any idea who these characters are (or even know that they are supposed to be established characters within the game universe). Using established characters is a nod to the fans but the real goal is simply to come up with striking art that might entice someone to pick up the book from a shelf, take a look, and then purchase it.

BG3 characters on the cover will draw lots of extra sales. I think anyway.

 

[Remathilis]

The art is okay, but when I look at it, I think everyone looks a little too happy. Where's the excitement and danger?

Where indeed. Where indeed.

AD&D 2nd edition Players Handbook.