So...this is the new Ettercap?:(

[grimslade]

I agree, but a simple solution is to SHOW the players that creepy ass picture of the CoW ettercap and simply use the plastic grasshopper as the token. They'll be plenty creeped out.

Alternatively, the "less threatening" miniature in the new set (which i agree is not particularly scary) might look like a pushover (a bug under a rock so to speak), but maybe it packs a serious wallop that sends low level PC's running for the hills.

It's more than not being scary. The 4E (Desert of Desolation) ettercap is not evocative of a spider. It looks like a bloated grasshopper or a grub with legs. An ettercap is a bloated man spider. The bloated part comes from the large bulbous abdomen of a spider. The new art misses the monster and puts a 6 legged melted thri-kreen in its place.

I will admit the complete set looks a lot better than the partial set we originally saw. I put it at a little better than Harbinger.

The CoW art is a little to close to an aranea for me but it looks very cool.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

I agree, but a simple solution is to SHOW the players that creepy ass picture of the CoW ettercap and simply use the plastic grasshopper as the token. They'll be plenty creeped out.

Alternatively, the "less threatening" miniature in the new set (which i agree is not particularly scary) might look like a pushover (a bug under a rock so to speak), but maybe it packs a serious wallop that sends low level PC's running for the hills.

My post wasn't about the miniature, though it could be, so much as it was about the art overall. The minies are really just placeholders (the best can still be cool), but the real action of the fight is happening inside the heads of the players. Having good monster art to show the players and inspire the DM is very important. It's not like there's a shortage of good artists and WoTC isn't going bargain basement on their art for 4e. So it pains me when I see subpar art where even minimal diligence could have pointed them to those who do a much better job.

 

[NarlethDrider]

LOVE the CoW spider thing---will find some use for it

 

[Nebulous]

So it pains me when I see subpar art where even minimal diligence could have pointed them to those who do a much better job.

It is very sad that there are phenomenal artists out there who are not hired by Wizards. Their current art is not bad by any means, but i often think that if they had more variety it would be so much better. Point in case with that CoW ettercap; if that was in the MM i would just about cry with joy.

And who would like to see full page artwork of stuff actually happening in the MM's? I'm thinking of the original Fiend Folio that had a whole party of adventurers up against githyanki. Sure, it was b/w, but it was a very evocative picture. I'd love to see more interactive action scenes rather than exclusively static portraits of monsters.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

It is very sad that there are phenomenal artists out there who are not hired by Wizards. Their current art is not bad by any means, but i often think that if they had more variety it would be so much better. Point in case with that CoW ettercap; if that was in the MM i would just about cry with joy.

In agreement here, for the most part it's not that the art is bad. Most of it seems to at least fairly decentwith quite a few very good pieces, but they are limiting themselves and that means the art isn't what it could be. From the art I've seen the core books are using maybe half a dozen artists for most of the art. This isn't a good idea regardless of how talented any single artist is. Instead they should determine how much art they need, get down a rough description of the qualities those pieces of art need, then go cruising art sites looking for artists that meet the description. No single artist should be doing too many images for the core books, instead each should be pointed at images most suited to their individual style and many more artists used.

And who would like to see full page artwork of stuff actually happening in the MM's? I'm thinking of the original Fiend Folio that had a whole party of adventurers up against githyanki. Sure, it was b/w, but it was a very evocative picture. I'd love to see more interactive action scenes rather than exclusively static portraits of monsters.

Wouldn't mind seeing that myself, not for every picture but intersperced with static portraits. Also they might add a scale silhouette to monster entries that compares their size to a normal human.

 

[Klaus]

It is very sad that there are phenomenal artists out there who are not hired by Wizards. Their current art is not bad by any means, but i often think that if they had more variety it would be so much better. Point in case with that CoW ettercap; if that was in the MM i would just about cry with joy.

And who would like to see full page artwork of stuff actually happening in the MM's? I'm thinking of the original Fiend Folio that had a whole party of adventurers up against githyanki. Sure, it was b/w, but it was a very evocative picture. I'd love to see more interactive action scenes rather than exclusively static portraits of monsters.

For my part, I've been sending portfolio links like crazy, but got no reply.

 

[Nebulous]

Wouldn't mind seeing that myself, not for every picture but interspersed with static portraits. Also they might add a scale silhouette to monster entries that compares their size to a normal human.

Yeah, maybe just two or three large pages in the whole book. And i agree with the silhouette, that was a great innovation from the Monsternomicon that i've never seen another d20 book replicate.

For my part, I've been sending portfolio links like crazy, but got no reply.

I'm sorry to hear that. I like your stuff. They could at least say "No" so you don't waste more time with them.