New PHB cover: How do you find it?

[Tonguez]

Now we know what a Bronze Dragons vomit looks like - thanks WOTC

 

[Zander]

Egads. Looks like they took some cardboard and shot it up with the Bedazzler(tm). The "frame" doesn't extend around it, nor does it drop off at a point on the edge that would look stylish or sensible (like the corner clips of the original). Artistically it looks off-balance, and structurally it looks feeble. Good thing it's just a picture pasted on the cover.

It's meant to look as if there's an extra flap that partly covers the book. If the cover were real, the flap would be an extension of the back cover that wraps round and can be fixed in place on the front.

I'm glad they kept the tome look, but I don't particularly like the design they came up with. I consider it average.

 

[tieranwyl]

I voted "good" on how the picture looks. The picture at gaming report looks a little out of focus. I think maybe a more clear picture would do more justice to it. It looks like there are more gems and they are bigger, which will be cool. It looks like more metal was added too.

 

[Umbran]

Hm. Why don't they put some art on the cover? They did. It isn't a scene, but it's artwork.

If they chose to put a particular scene on the cover, that would make a statement about the kind of action you'd find in the game. I'd personally prefer to avoid that. I think it a wise move to make the cover art pretty non-committal, in that respect. Make it catch the eye, but not actually say much about what the stuff inside will generate.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

I'll second Umbran as far as the art bit goes. That said, I don't really care for the new cover — it's all too much. I rather like the basic look that most of the books have (3.0 core, MotP, PsiHB, and all that) and the tendency to push past that and do more (MM2 cover, frex) doesn't do anything for me. I put down "below average" in the poll, just so folks know where I stand.

Best,
tKL

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Not someone from that era... Swekel !

Like the covers for the Psionics Handbook, the Manual of the Planes, Deities & Demigods, Epic Level Handbook, Savage Species...

Absolutely. Arnie Swekel's probably my favorite artist for 3e — with Lockwood, Reynolds, and Wood somewhere behind...

Best,
tKL

 

[Kai Lord]

Hm. Why don't they put some art on the cover? They did. It isn't a scene, but it's artwork.

If they chose to put a particular scene on the cover, that would make a statement about the kind of action you'd find in the game. I'd personally prefer to avoid that. I think it a wise move to make the cover art pretty non-committal, in that respect. Make it catch the eye, but not actually say much about what the stuff inside will generate.

Well, at least no one has to be worried about being embarrassed carrying the thing up to the register at Barnes & Noble. Swish your arms at a normal rate while you walk and all references to "Dungeons & Dragons" get lost in the kaleidoscope of gawdiness gracing the front.

 

[Balgus]

Looks like a fairly even distribution across the borad. I placed it below average. I can see where someone would see good points in it. But all in all, it looks very gaudy, and a bit exaggerated.

Not as bad as some poeple make it out to be, but not one of their best works.

Actually, I have found that though FR has a lot of dry works, they have been consistently good. And every now and then, a couple pieces that really sticks out. WOTC, OTOH hans some great art, but also some hideous ones (see MoF)

 

[Krug]

Average = 2.86

 

[TalonComics]

First off, since this is still 3E related the cover should, in my opinion, should still be a reflection of that. Personally, I think the Savage Species style cover looks, well, cheap. The Forgotten Realms books have had some really awesome covers especially the Races of Faerun cover but I'd still prefer the corebooks to look like actual books.

Hopefully, after GAMA, we'll see some clearer pictures of the covers for all three books.

~D