D&D 4E I really don't like the new 4E PHB cover

[Steely Dan]

But the PHB is the book I will be reaching for every other minute during play

One of the points of 4th Ed is not to have to do that.

..I don't even do that now, with 3rd Ed.

 

[Dausuul]

One of the points of 4th Ed is not to have to do that.

I'll believe that when I see it. Given the increased rate of advancement and the use of "exception-based" mechanics for all classes, not just casters, I will be surprised if we don't spend more time referring to the 4E books rather than less. Which is okay by me--it's the flipping back and forth that bugs me, not reliance on a reference book per se.

 

[MaelStorm]

So what people want is the two magical ingredients (a party fighting a monster or dragon). Because there's no interaction, it's boring. Plus possibly the third and most cheesy one, a big chest with treasure. What I get from this is that if this recipe does good don't change it (or if it's not broken keep it). That does mean WotC is penalized for introducing another approach to its covers.

I personally like the generic tome covers of 3E, it least it was neutral. Now I guess WotC is unaligned completely! After the problems with the first PHB cover, maybe the internal marketing division should have payed for a study with different pictures and chose the picture that got the most positive feedback.

 

[Dausuul]

Of course, this could turn out to be a very smart marketing move by WotC to increase sales of the deluxe edition this fall. Make the regular version ugly, then the deluxe edition will seem that much more attractive.

...Although we still don't know what the deluxe edition cover will be like.

 

[WheresMyD20]

Bah. We see too many comparisons between 4e and a boardgame as it is.

Both of those covers look a lot like traditional D&D covers, but that's the whole point. Descent and Talisman are boardgames that use their covers to promise potential buyers a D&D-like experience. Both of those boxes are recent releases (Talisman is an old game in a new box) and they've sold pretty well, so I don't see why using a picture of a party fighting a dragon is such a bad marketing move- especially when D&D was the game that started that trend. If the look and feel works, then why abandon it?