D&D 5E (2024) Opinions on the Topaz Dragon Reverse Wings?

[Steampunkette]

Dragons couldn't hope to fly without magic, anyway...

Personally I'd prefer WotC just acknowledge that all dragon flight is magical and the wings are vestigial mating displays.

 

[Worrgrendel]

Absolutely no. This looks like it was designed by AI like all the wrong and backwards hands problems that seem to crop up in those AI generated images. It doesn’t make it “exotic”. It makes it nightmare fuel. Hard pass.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Enantiornithes are extinct bird-like avialans distinctive for having 'backward wings', so maybe the Topaz dragon followed that similar 'opposite' wing articulation, not quite what the image depicts, but not impossible given that dragons are significantly larger than the enantiornithes fossil we know

Nope. They have somewhat different wing anatomy than modern birds, but their wings aren't actually backwards.

 

[Corinnguard]

Gem Dragon artwork

This article has pics of all 5 Gem Dragons for 2024 D&D.

 

[Charlaquin]

Given that gem dragons now have floating gems as part of their bodies, having other impossible body features seems fine to me.

I mean, for me, the problem isn’t that it’s impossible. I enjoy all sorts of impossible things in my fantasy media. The problem is that it’s ugly.

 

[dave2008]

Gem Dragon artwork

This article has pics of all 5 Gem Dragons for 2024 D&D.

Thank you for sharing! The only one I really "like" is the crystal dragon. Of course, i don't really care much about the gem dragons so the fact they are my least favorite doesn't have much impact. It is more of a shrug then move on.

 

[SkidAce]

 

[Scribe]

Gem Dragon artwork

This article has pics of all 5 Gem Dragons for 2024 D&D.

I like Emerald.

 

[Corinnguard]

Thank you for sharing! The only one I really "like" is the crystal dragon. Of course, i don't really care much about the gem dragons so the fact they are my least favorite doesn't have much impact. It is more of a shrug then move on.

You're welcome. After checking out this article, I have to go for both the Amethyst and the Crystal Gem Dragons as my favorites.

 

[DEFCON 1]

No opinion. The only time it matters is when someone is actively pulling up the image to look at it, which does not happen during gameplay. And to me, D&D is about the gameplay at the table, not the extraneous stuff that sits alongside of it (like art). If the game is good, then the art doesn't matter. Same way I don't care about the covers of the books.