D&D 5E Let's talk about WoTC Book Covers

[Parmandur]

I like to think that while the highs of 1e art are higher than 5e's, the lows of 5e art are higher than 1e's lows.



Generally speaking, I'm lukewarm on the regular covers, but the alt covers are mostly way more striking. Those Hydro74 core rulebook covers!

I dunno, dude, 5E has some big highs.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Definitely, though I'm not sure I'd rate them above, say some of the yellow spine and Dragon magazine covers. But I'll readily admit, nostalgia probably colors my ranking in no small degree.

I dunno, dude, 5E has some big highs.

 

[Parmandur]

Definitely, though I'm not sure I'd rate them above, say some of the yellow spine and Dragon magazine covers. But I'll readily admit, nostalgia probably colors my ranking in no small degree.

I lack the direct nostalgia element myself, though I did see the cover art around when I was a kid in the 90's, not putting it down. But I'd put the cover of Volo's Guide to Monsters or Rise of Tiamat up against any of them.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Those are two great pieces, though I think the covers could be zoomed out a little more so you see more of the artwork. For my part, of the regular covers I'd rate Ghosts of Saltmarsh and Tasha's Cauldron (which gives me some Unearthed Arcana cover vibes) towards the top.

I lack the direct nostalgia element myself, though I did see the cover art around when I was a kid in the 90's, not putting it down. But I'd put the cover of Volo's Guide to Monsters or Rise of Tiamat up against any of them.

 

[pukunui]

Tasha's cover wins the 5e cover art stakes for me. It has even usurped my usual outer space desktop wallpapers, I love it so much!

 

[Burnside]

I legitimately like the original 1E PHB & Monster Manual covers better than the 5E ones, crudity and all. They feel like really interesting outsider/folk art, whereas most of the 5E covers feel like pretty forgettable commercial art, with a few exceptions. I quite like the special edition Theros, Witchlight, and Tasha’s covers, and the special edition Candlekeep is cute.

The 5E PHB and Volo’s are kinda sorta okay I guess. Most of the rest I actively dislike.

 

[GetInTheHole]

I don't think you can go wrong with the 1E Orange Spine covers by Jeff Easley. The contents may be screwy, but even the Dungeon and Wilderness Survival Guides are stunning covers.

For 5E specifically, the upcoming Wild Beyond the Witchlight looks pretty good. I also liked Tasha's, Icewind Dale, Eberron and perhaps most of all, Ghosts of Saltmarsh.

 

[Casimir Liber]

And then I see something like this that just pops....