D&D General Initial Thoughts on the Two 2025 Forgotten Realms books

[Horwath]

That skil? Ive seen similar quality on local Facebook D&D groups with people trying to sell their art.

There's lots of people doing it.

Local guy here is doing ye olde fantasy oil paintings. Looks better than a lot of WotC art.

AI can also do better now.

5.5 is kinda in that bright, boring generic cartoon way. I've been buying the alt art ones because normal ones look so bad.

I agree 100% that PHB24 is too cartoonish,

maybe I am spoiled by all 4K images you can get, with huge object details, but I have seen pencil art that is 5× better than anything in PHB. And honestly PHB24 has too much art, it's like it was used to fill out page count.
we could have got artificer and 10 subclasses per class instead of bunch of artwork that is IMHO substandard.

now, I do not have new books, I only go with OPs page count and word count in comparison to price, but going with art style in previous books, I cant hope for any decent art. I hope that I am wrong.

and to quote my GF about PHB art, they all have been "yassify-ed"

 

[Zardnaar]

I agree 100% that PHB24 is too cartoonish,

maybe I am spoiled by all 4K images you can get, with huge object details, but I have seen pencil art that is 5× better than anything in PHB. And honestly PHB24 has too much art, it's like it was used to fill out page count.
we could have got artificer and 10 subclasses per class instead of bunch of artwork that is IMHO substandard.

now, I do not have new books, I only go with OPs page count and word count in comparison to price, but going with art style in previous books, I cant hope for any decent art. I hope that I am wrong.

and to quote my GF about PHB art, they all have been "yassify-ed"

Generally I like the 5.5 phb art.

The bad is very mid though. Cartoonist isnt for me but arts so subjective.

Pretty art works on casuals though. DiA looks great think I broke one my players hearts when I said it was mid adventure being generous.

 

[dave2008]

I agree 100% that PHB24 is too cartoonish,

That is 100% not what @Zardnaar said

maybe I am spoiled by all 4K images you can get, with huge object details, but I have seen pencil art that is 5× better than anything in PHB.

I call BS - prove it please.

So here is the first piece of art in the PHB. Please let me know how it is to "cartoony" and what pencil art is 5x better (whatever that means)

 

[Zardnaar]

That is 100% not what @Zardnaar said

I call BS - prove it please.

So here is the first piece of art in the PHB. Please let me know how it is to "cartoony" and what pencil art is 5x better (whatever that means)

View attachment 421087

That piece isnt bad at all.

Theres also a bard picture. She looks like Jem and the Holograms refugee. Kinda like it though it may not fit ones viewpoint of D&D tbf.