D&D Book Cover Discourse Has Gotten So Weird

[@SupergeekMike]

Do you have a favorite TTRPG book cover? Thank you so much to the Luminous Lore Kickstarter for sponsoring this video! Check out the Kickstarter now: www.kickstarter.com/projects/luminousages/luminous-lore-5e-guide?ref=2yypd6

[@jackst-pierre5459]

I also like how the golden drangon could be the reprensentation of the DM. They are present but not directly in the fight, pointing and reaching almost like what a DM would do while describing a scene. Plus if that scene would happend in game the DM would be the voicing the gold dragon. So the cover basicaly show all role someone could want to play as.

[@sandwichdoctor8652]

I LOVED the 3rd edition books aesthetic looking like old, special tomes. The small notes & scribbles inside adding lore & info. The idea you were really reading a handbook from a Fantasy world is what got me into the hobby as a kid.

[@allthesmallthingmin]

Same. Like it felt like it helped with immersion of the game by having it by your side.

[@SeldonnHari]

3rd has my favorite art for this reason. Despite being super text heavy, it always felt easy to navigate.

[@SeldonnHari]

This comment gets me!

[@wyattmason8838]

just that cover alone has almost convinced me to try third edition multiple times

[@SummerOtaku]

I also enjoyed that because I could pretend that maybe I’d be sucked in to the D&D world like Fushigi Yugi or Never Ending Story style~

[@jakelevinson7802]

It’s phrased so well that the point where you realize what the trap is, it’s exactly when he acknowledges it. I think it’s just very fun. your videos always have so much heart.

[@nexinline9343]

Now that you point it out there are SO MANY two player vs big combat scenario Illistrations- i have no idea how i didnt notice before but wow. The new players handbook cover in comparison I like even more; a circling standoff with a dragon and a party of friends backed up with a litteral dragon- And said group of friends feels more like something you'd find around a table. I love this cover so much.

[@ehoog7]

At the beginning of the video I wasn’t crazy about the art for the 2024 PHB, but coming back to it at the end, I adore it. This was very fun, and I would absolutely be up for a vid about the DMG cover art.

[@tylereggleton2257]

I love when Mike makes these longer videos and delves into stuff he's passionate about. Keep it up Mike! Hope to see a 'Dungeon Master Cover Art' video eventually :)

[@SanjayMerchant]

Y'know, I got the 5e PHB when it came out, and until you pointed out that it follows the "two heroes facing a big monster" visual trope, I don't think I ever realized the guy in the corner was ever there.

[@FaeQueenCory]

Nothing beats the 3e ancient tome aesthetic. It's just so clutch and just looks superb on the shelf.

[@cyhtny13]

When you first showed that red dragon cover with the sole hero, I thought it was a girl... The slender build, the longish hair and the "half naked" left thigh ... so, the controversy was just very amusing to me.

[@Cassapphic]

the warrior on the red box is really androgynous looking which I think is perfect for what thr art is going for, facing away from the camera so we can project onto their face

[@GsmeOutLoud]

This was my response as well, I always thought she was a woman.

[@ANDELE3025]

How? Its the full package classic barbarian, even with the fake viking horns.

[@dabeef2112]

The red box basic set was my introduction to the game 40 years ago. I was today years old when I learned that it WASN'T a women.

[@benjaminmckay6983]

The Erol Otus Basic set and Expert set covers are the most stylish D&D covers to ever come out IMO. His art style is so distinct and striking in a way that just fires my imagination unlike any other edition. They do kinda fall into the "D&D cover trap" but I find the artwork itself so evocative it doesn't really matter.

[@super_sloth_man6443]

I think it’s really fun as a player and DM to see the characters headlining books you own in other five adventures. Especially for the ones where they have their own little special anecdotes. It gives you a sense of their personality and it’s almost like your character has read the book as well.

[@RonPower]

Also DnD 3/3.5 had iconic characters before Pathfinder did. They actually used quite a few of these characters for years on the covers of adventure modules, art in splatbooks, for minis, for a line of fictional novels, for an animated DVD movie, on and on. I have a soft spot to this day for Lidda, Regdar, Jozan, Mialee, Devis, and the others.

[@bradleyhurley6755]

I don't think anyone has a problem with iconic characters. I think the problem is the characters chosen aren't iconic. I have yet to meet someone who has a clue who any of the characters are on the cover. There are more interesting and iconic characters in D&D.

[@RonPower]

Strongheart is pretty recognizable to Grognards.

[@bradleyhurley6755]

@@RonPower Given how many people have called Strongheart simply "a female paladin." I'm not sure Strong heart is recognizable. I've yet to meet anyone who didn't read the article tell me who the characters are.

[@camiblack1]

And there were jokes with them... Aside from one image Regdar (the Human Fighter) was always just "hanging out".

[@chris-the-human]

Lidda my beloved I regularly use a picture of Tordek. the dwarf fighter, holding a dragon themed flintlock gun in discussions on whether firearms belong in dnd

[@super_sloth_man6443]

I think a series is on campaign settings, and pre-written campaigns would be great. The way campaign books show off their villains and invite speculation and intrigue. It’s awesome.

[@luccamostra]

Ironically enough the "dnd bookcover trap" is exactly how my games are, most of my campaigns i can only get 2 players to fit the game in their schedule and for sake of balance they always get a caster and a martial class lol

[@savnana3605]

I think the best part of 4e's PHB is actually the 4e DMG, where a dragon is scrying and scheming on the PHB heroes. It did an amazing job of showing the DM what THEY are going to do.

[@shawnenjump]

I like your long form content! I listen to it in the background when I'm doing chores around the house, it makes it much nicer

[@dolphin64575]

Mike I just have to say I love your elongated silence after dropping a joke 😂

[@רבידמטסאס]

would love to see more videos about art cover! never thought about them like that and I loved your take and input

[@colton3989]

I'd honestly love a video on Pathfinder's Iconics! There has to be a good lesson in what Pathfinder has done, especially when you realize that D&D has iconic class heroes since 3rd edition, but they've never seemed to invest much into making them the face of their systems. Big love for PF's iconics!

[@decio1311]

The 3/3.5e Iconics were pretty awesome they were the example characters for all the base classes and progressed though the books.

[@mentalrebllion1270]

Now I want that figure, if only because you are right, we so rarely get buff warrior women figures that aren’t overly sexualized. But it’s also just pretty neat. (And I play a female/nonbinary trans character who is, of all the characters I actively play, my absolute favorite, and she/they are the buff fighter for the party). Anyway! Thanks for bringing that to my attention!

[@firelordeliteast6750]

Honestly, the ampersand on her chest kinda ruins it for me. Makes her look more a mascot than an adventurer

[@Enn-]

I appreciate your perspective, and would be glad to hear more of your thoughts on different covers.

[@birdfurnace]

I know you primarily cover 5E content, but PLEASE cover the Pathfinder iconics!!

[@Lycaon1765]

The thing about the red box warrior drama is that it's annoying they insist that's it's a woman and decided they must make it a woman and call everyone sexist when corrected, as well as that's there's plenty of iconic DnD women they could've highlighted. If they just did that, or said "we're doing this for fun as a reinterpretation" then I know at least folks like me women and people who believe representation is important, would be much more on their side. But instead they went the buzzfeed route of intentional instigation to try and drum up money. Also damn that loot box thing I didn't even know about! That's a great shout, probably intentional. 🤔 Anywho to the more interesting parts: I find it SO weird how much malding has been going on over the book covers and how everyone wants to insist they're bad. Like not just "oh i personally wish they did something different" no, it's just insistence that these covers are terrible. It's WILD to me, like yeah art is is subjective but we can all agree at least that these covers are conventionally pretty right?? The trend of the cover trap is quite a funny thing to point out lol. Never really noticed how they nearly never have a full party. Neat. Fun video 👍 Also yes please do another for the other covers!! I love the Lolth cover so mcuh! It's great. :D

[@notanotaku1101]

I love iconic characters as a concept, so if you did a video on them, either a specific set like those from pathfinder or a more general video on the concept itself, I would absolutely click on that thumbnail in an instant!

[@cwispygiraffe]

I literally burst out laughing at the end of the sponsored segment, well done Mike

[@emrysdragon]

At work. Just listening to different rpg videos while putting stuff away. Had to stop my work to like the video at the end of the sponsored segment.

[@dennisnick5559]

Declaring the cover character that was originally conceived of as a man and reimagined to be a woman is now just 100% canonically trans, is the best rage bait I have seen in a while. The lack of narrow-minded comments shows how good of a community you have gotten here! Love your stuff.

[@ladyfoxytales]

I enjoy that you take your time and really think about the aspects of this hobby. It's important in a world of gut reactions. certain events around the world make me feel that is important more and more even in our silly little game of pretend. It gives topics longer life as well.

[@markdavies3700]

The AD&D 2nd edition is clearly a reimagining of the White Box cover artwork.

[@hawkname1234]

GREAT closing line. "This cover is good. Y'all are just being weird about it."

[@telarr9164]

Looking forward to a similar retrospective of the DM's guides !

[@justinsinke2088]

From what I can recall of the Pathfinder iconic heroes, part of the intent was commission expediency. With the "iconics", they didn't have to come up with a fresh design for every piece of art to represent a particular class or hope that the artist's interpretation of a class worked with what they wanted, they could tell them "draw these characters" and keep a cohesive vision. And with a singular set of heroes per class, you recognize each class represented in every image, so there's no potential confusion on if someone's a fighter or a paladin, or even between a paladin and a cleric, among other potential classes whose themes can overlap in areas if they lean the right way. Assigning the iconics names also means that, assuming you started with the core books and continued with the supplements, examples can be described with PC names instead of classes and still be fairly clear, reinforcing the idea to the reader that you're not, for example, just playing "the cleric", you are embodying a name and identity; you're roleplaying, not videogameing.

[@armorclasshero2103]

I remember the 3e/3.5 iconics to this day...

[@willn9568]

Series please! Especially setting campaign adventure books too

[@w4iph]

Looks like someone watched Treantmonk! "Im gonna sit back, relax and have some fun. D&D is for everyone!"

[@justincolgan1833]

A series on this sounds awesome. As someone who is about to jump into Daggerheart as a new GM with new TTRPG fans I am in love with the new art. The gold dragon overseeing as if they are DMing and rhe players all stacked up to fight together. Good shit

[@andrewshandle]

Most of the anger around D&D is so disingenuous now, I just assume most of it is just people seeking engagement numbers. It's a book cover that most people will never think twice about after they own it (assuming they don't buy it digitally and never look at it) , but there's anger to be had.

[@bradleyhurley6755]

I'm 100% not buying the book. I'm going to buy like 3 copies of the alt cover instead so I have no need for the regular edition. (Specifically because I don't like the regular edition cover)

[@FernandoDolande]

I'm SO HERE for more Pathfinder videos. Would love to hear your thoughts on the lore too.

[@PyrotechNick77]

Yes I love this analysis of the covers. Do make it a series!

[@Stephen-Fox]

Very glad you covered the _actual_ problem with these minis in the tangent. I have some level of nostalgia for the 3.5e PHB cover - it's the first TTRPG book I ever owned, even though I only got to play in one campaign of 3.5 how could I not have nostalgia for it - and as such emotionally wouldn't want to see anything changed about it... It's... Not a good TTRPG core book cover. It doesn't communicate _anything_ about the game. I may want to critique some covers for hyper-focusing on one specific aspect of the game (but, hey, I kind of also feel like the rules of the game hyper-focus on that one aspect), but at least they tell you something about the game in them. For me the AD&D cover remains the best D&D PHB cover for me for that reason, but definitely agree that 5e an improvement on some recent efforts (no shade intended to the artists, I'm sure they all delivered exactly what was asked for and did an excellent job, the screw ups have been the person commissioning the cover art) I'd love to see you do this sort of analysis on other games if that strikes your fancy, ever. Particularly as someone who gives the impression that they've mainly played D&D, I'd be very interested to see what impression the covers of various non-D&D games is leaving on you about those games - You might even be able to do that unscripted and record it via a live stream like you do your Many Ways To Make A Character videos if you set up a way for people to submit covers for you to look at. And, absolutely, would love to see you cover the Pathfinder Iconics. And, yeah, a follow up looking at the DM guide covers would be cool as well. And campaign setting covers and adventure covers. Basically I want you to do more cover comparisons and analysis videos because these are fun. Xanathar's Guide To Everything looks like a book focusing on magic items to me (So, no, I wouldn't think it would include player options, but instead things fo the GM to hide in dungeons to give to players) Tasha's Cauldron looks more player focused to me, though... I'm not sure _what_ I'd expect it to contain from the cover specifically.

[@ThomasBD]

This video is like, the complete antithesis to Esper the Bard's video, and I love it!

[@awesomnessq]

Honestly it just kind of weirded me out because I’m used to the covers being so busy, and the new one is actually pretty decipherable.

[@badmojo0777]

1983 Red Box Larry Elmore cover CANNOT be topped. soo ICONIC and what made me want to play the game!

[@MrSchutz912]

I would definitely watch videos about the new DMG and MM covers. This actually made me appreciate the new art more

[@Godzilla2000312]

Yo that dungeon masters guide art is sick. That players handbook art is sick. Lets make this a series

[@LegendarySquoth]

I tend to avoid social media but we have been talking about this on a Discord server I am a member of. Our consensus was that it is indeed good art and that it makes an effective cover for a PHB, especially as it showcases a full adventuring party for a change, but we were rather baffled about the choice of characters. Although Valor's Call have been around for a long time they don't have a lot of lore behind them and they are comparatively obscure but the notion of them going adventuring with Queen Yolande of Celene is quite frankly bizarre for a whole list of reasons. Incidentally, the idea of a set of Iconic Characters being used as examples as well as for marketing purposes as seen in Pathfinder was actually the continuation of a tradition started in D&D 3e. They introduced them in the 3.0 PHB but they also featured in a number of accessories, as pregens in the starter set, in the D&D boardgame and even had their own series of novellas. It is a very interesting topic and well worth looking into.

[@bencarter1646]

Yes please to a series on this, but happy to wait until Supergeek Tyke is giving you an easier time of it ❤ 3.5 was my true entry point into the hobby, and those "ancient tome" covers were glorious in evoking the feel of immersion in the world.

[@TheOtakuFoxBronie]

My favorite is always going to be the red box art, simply because of how iconic it is, but also the small trick of the Dragon being so large, that not even the borders of the art itself can contain it. The claws are outside the border making it both seem very large and also like it reaching toward you the player.

[@Darth_Harvey]

I love this channel so much, this cover has gotten so much hate for the dumbest reasons. I love the art style and that it includes a full party. Keep up the great work!

[@TamTroll]

fun fact about the Pathfinder Iconics: The Paladin, Seelah is a major character in the video game version of "Wrath of the Rightous". She has a distinct personality and voiced lines you can connect too and learn about, even a few story quests around her. They're not just stand-ins for the characters, they're canonical members of the world that have their own adventures as well. Not sure, but i think the Cleric and the Rogue are in a relationship too, might be thinking of someone else though, i don't know too much about the Iconics myself. Edit: When you're done with covers, any interest in covering spash-art inside the books themselves? i don't know about D&D books, but in the Pathfinder player's handbook, there are all sorts of different pictures and images of the Iconics in a variety of situations and encounters, almost all of them have a small paragraph or two describing the scene from one of the character's point of view.

[@aurtosebaelheim5942]

The Iconics are also the pregens for older adventure paths with... um... variable build quality. 'Hard mode' Harsk is iconic mostly because his build is utter garbage (he's a crossbow+axe switch-hitter ranger with no way to ever full-attack with that crossbow, also he has Favoured Enemy: Giants at level 1, which is optimistic). I remember someone posting about 'Harsk Mode' as a challenge-run through an AP where everyone plays as Harsk.

[@J_CtheEngineer]

I rarely comment on sponsors. It man does that dream magic focus of luminous lore REALLY make me want to play a sleep token inspired great old ones warlock/cleric blend.

[@ArinThemb0]

A video on Pathfinder iconics would be great! The design choices and their diversity is a very good encapsulation of how often the game moves away from Eurocentric fantasy with so many well handled non-western influences

[@Painocus]

One you completly skipped was B/X, which despite not being based on the PHB/DMG destinction had what I think is one of the best formulas for it, the Basic box showed a party, using their special skills, fighting a dragon in a dungeon/cave, while the Expert box showed a wizard magically looking over the same scene, like he was in control of it. (It falls into the "art trap", but the version of the same scene on the inside-cover by another artist shows the entire paty. It also makes a bit more sense for an older book as Fighter and Magic-User were unoffically somewhat considered the two core classes, and Cleric and eventually Theif were seen as sort of variants.) The 4th edition DMG (which is actually probably my favouite D6D core-book cover, despite not really caring that much about 4e, either for or against) tried to do the same trick, but I personally don't think the 4e PHB pulled of it's part of that equation as well, also it just looks weirdly too zoomed in to me. My actual favorite RPG cover at the moment is *maybe* the first edition Wizardry TTRPG cover. If we keep to corebook/box covers for standard dungeon-crawl-based fantasy.

[@BlackOpMercyGaming]

13:25 first time watching through the episode and im gonna GUESS that the "d&d cover art trap" that you keep mysteriously referencing has something to do with table size/how many people it takes(generall) to fully play the game

[@BlackOpMercyGaming]

nailed it! buuuutttttt it took me all but like 1 extra minute to figure it out lol... i started to get the hint, but PH1 for 4E is what secured my guess

[@practicepositiveprogress5396]

As someone who doesnt pay a whole lot of attention to the covers, i like this new one. I totally agree that books like the 5e PHB and DMG are too one-color. There isnt a good focal point my eye is drawn to, and so i just gloss over it.

[@Ryoko41]

I also really like Pathfinder 2e's Iconics. It's a cool way to show off the classes and it allows them to demonstrate other things using these characters. It kind of creates a "canon" party that they can use in fiction and art and whatnot.

[@bryanmccrary139]

What an excellent video, I daresay. A little late in getting around to it, but I can't say as I've dropped what I was doing so readily to watch a video before; eloquently said for it all, as always, Mike!

[@tatoscout]

Great analysis! Waiting for the series!

[@dalerasmussen295]

Your video is my first exposure to the new cover art and, as you say, all art is subjective, so I won't presume to decree how anyone should feel, but after some staring and soul searching, I just don't like it very much. I like pretty much everything about the heroic group in the center, but it feels like they're an island of interesting in a sea of bland. The outer half is largely dominated by beige, pale gold, and pastel pinks and blues. It's pretty; but it's almost soothing, and I think DnD is better served by striking, vibrant colors. Further, the way the dragon and the background meld together gives a watercolor, impressionist vibe, which, in my opinion, serve to actively detract from building a sense of specificity in the players' mind's eye. As a piece of DnD art, it's impressive, and it strikes a very interesting balance between "action" and "chill" that I think any established DnD fan with a funky art sense would dig the most. But as THE piece of DnD art used to stoke the fires of a new player's imagination, well, I wish they'd gone a different direction.

[@PlatinumAltaria]

Before watching the video and desperately looking at the cover trying to find what people are gonna be mad about. I mean, I don't see a cleric in the party, and that's highly unrealistic xD

[@BigKlingy]

Price: $10. Lol how times change. 9:10 I don't know if this is on purpose, but I can actually see this warrior as any gender, too. (And lol, sure enough a few more seconds into the video...) Interestingly, woman was actually the first thing my mind went to when I saw the image. Funny you say the game isn't really about Rogues anymore, in the campaign I'm in I often get fomo because we've been in a dungeon for a year and the Rouge gets all the fun looking for/disarming traps. Okay, so here's a weird thing. When I pictured the vague idea of the 5e Player's Handbook art I had in my mind, the FIRE GIANT was the adventurer. And in my head, it was a solo Barbarian hero and no-one else was on the cover. I wonder if that says something? To me, it felt like the ultimate cover art trap: "This game is about playing a big burly MALE physical brawler and nothing else." Maybe that's a downside of putting the "iconic" front-and-center: to someone with no knowledge of D&D lore, I didn't realize that was meant to be the antagonist. I agree that the new art is good because it shows a party of 5 (a decently sized table). D&D should emphasize the team aspect.

[@ARhetorician]

This is probably my favorite of SupergeekMike's videos, though I strongly disagree with a lot of what he says. I study persuasion/communication, and he makes fantastic arguments about how each different images communicates different things to the viewer. I disagree because the purpose of the art is advertising to get people to check out the book (who'd be interested enough to then buy the book), not to accurately depict playing D&D. Almost all of these images convey a party, in a fantasy world, where you can be a hero. I think the "trap" he described is them doing--and accomplishing--exactly what they intended. My favorite is the 3.5e PHB, then the AD&D cover (very dynamic, and depicting classic fantasy archetypes), then--agreeing with Mike--the One D&D cover.

[@dorothymccomb2244]

Given the existence of gender-changing magic in early D&D, I think the very muscular female warrior makes perfect sense,

[@HorizonOfHope]

That hero went through the wrong door in the Tomb of Horrors.

[@hawkname1234]

Oh man. You're right. There was a TON of strange gender magic and effects in earlier editions. I'd forgotten about that. Like the Girdle of Femininity/Masculinity. What would the grognards say if they released that today?

[@Thagomizer]

​@@hawkname1234Uh..... I remember that, good job?

[@thor30013]

Really cool to take a look at how D&D art has changed over time. Would totally love entries looking at the other core books or setting books. I'd also be interested in a video looking at iconic characters, both from Pathfinder and other games. I know Fantasy AGE has their own sets of iconic characters for their 1st and 2nd editions. (Also, technically Fantasy AGE 1e has 3 heroes on the cover, but one is in the back and blends in with the mist)

[@garethhamilton1252]

I seem to remember in AD&D there was a magic item (considered a cursed item at the time) called the girdle of masculinity/femininity. When worn it would change the sex of the PC from female to male, or from male to female. This seems to me to be the perfect ‘in lore’ explanation of how the warrior on the red box changed from male to female. (Not forgetting’Wish’ is a thing as well).

[@southron_d1349]

There's another "Warrior versus Dragon" piece by Elmore which was intended for Basic D&D. Again, we see the warrior from behind as the character struggles to control the white horse and hold a sword and shield as a Bronze (Gold?) Dragon bears down on them. A poster version adorns my study wall. Then there's the Warrior facing a Giant (Verbeeg? Firbolg?) on the cover of the AD&D Monster Manual II. It's still my favourite piece of cover art. In both cases, it's easy to imagine the Warrior as male or female as I've done over the past 40 years. So it's baffling why anyone is bothered over interpreting a figure as female when it's not clear which it might be in the first place. As for the new cover, I do not like it. Most of the D&D covers have been less than stellar so Mr Jacobson is in good company.

[@jloost-gamer]

I love history. And art. And D&D. And game design. Amazing video which combines it all, I'm happy that you made more cover-related videos and I look forward to watching them!

[@zefiewings]

I know you didn't get into it because it wasn't relevant to your video topic; but man I loved the 'tomb' art for 3.5 I've always been a person who significantly prefers 'prop' merchandise. Like I have the Fallout bobbleheads, tin lunch kit, prop guns, and the pip-boy. I don't have any statues, or figures from it. Not to say I don't own ANY geek figures but I much prefer the other style. The 3.5 books were somehow both a necessary game tool and a sort of Prop merchandise and I loved it so much, it really helped me feel sold on the idea that I wasn't playing a board game or a video game here; I was REALLY going to be pretending to BE someone in this universe.

[@FenrirWolf203]

I find funny that the original red box cover didn't fall for the same trap, since, it had two more characters, a sorcerer/cleric casting a spell, and a halfling/gnome rogue too busy putting some of the gold from the hoard inside of a bag. To me, that seems a lot more dnd than the red box cover, since in that last one, it has more of the chaotic essence that I feel is quite usual in a dnd table and allows the player to see that it is a team game

[@deeverine]

I'm so glad to see a level headed take on this cover, lol. It feels like none of the critics of this cover are thinking about the **purpose** of it besides it being a cool piece of art. It's a tough pill to swallow but the covers of these books are advertisements. If you're a veteran player, they're simply not for you, because your nose is already buried deep somewhere in chapter 9 or whatever. I suppose it'd be nice to imagine a world in which a book cover doesn't have to serve the purpose of selling more copies of the book, but you've gotta understand where the production team and the artist are coming from to be able to form meaningful criticisms.

[@manueltorresart2345]

I completely agree that the new cover conveys better what I believe D&D is about. What I'm sad about is that we can't see in the books (not only in the covers) more stylized art styles and that gives the idea that those artist can't work making art for those games.

[@ethanacton3779]

Doing as requested. I would like this to be a series

[@FattyMcFox]

Sometimes cover simplicity is a good thing. The new covers actually have design nods to that. "you use the orange book, i use the purple book." was very easy to get new players to understand what they needed in the moment. The new covers have dominate colors as well. The new PHB is mostly Gold and cool gray, the new DMG is Fluorescent-pink and and Neon-teal. They may be busier but they read well by color dominance. I honestly don't think any of the covers are bad. They are all readable, identifiable, and distinguishable from other products.

[@AMRosa10]

Fun fact about the OD&D cover. The cover art showing a sword-wielding Viking warrior on a rearing horse was copied from Strange Tales #167 comic book.

[@2g33ksgamingttv3]

Slight addendum. If you buy the Dragons of stormwreck isle players starter pack you get a few of the cartoon minis. Mainly the knight and I think the juggler chick

[@salempistorius7395]

On the last note of the new Dungeon Master's Guide, I wish it wasn't always some big bad villain staring down the viewer and instead maybe a small collage of NPCs both friend and foe and locations. I know a cover like that could be way too busy if not composed correctly and it could send the message to new players that every NPC is either hostile or working for the villain but being a DM is more than just playing the villain and I wish the cover reflected that.

[@jordanwhite8718]

Honestly, at this point, I think people are just wanting to be unhappy. So far for a solace company wizards of the Coast is actually seeming to listen to their fanbase. We have a lot of third-party content on D&D Beyond. Everything on fifth edition is in the SRD as far as I know, And it seems like they’re genuinely doing their best to gain good. Will back after the whole OG fiasco. So at this point, I think people are just upset for the sake of being upset.

[@kingcrowbro2486]

If it was worth starting, its probably worth finishing, right? I'd absolutely love to see your takes on more D&D art covers.

[@noahthehoneyboy6294]

Just a note about that pathfinder 1e cover. That is the sorcerer icon not the wizard, not exactly a great distinction but just something I noticed as a fan of pathfinder.

[@HoosierJedi]

3rd edition D&D had it’s own iconics. Remember Devis the bard and Lidda the rogue?

[@davidsantos1299]

I've be very interested in hearing you talk about the Pathfinder Iconics!

[@Cassapphic]

I think my literal only gripe with the 2024 phb cover art is the very border of it is a tad too vibrant, the constant mix and shifting colours just messes with my brain a little it feels more like a movie poster than a book cover. Its still very good at being evocative of what the game is supposed to be, just an incredibly minor nitpick that bothers literally just me and I will probably get used to it the moment I see the cover physically in print.

[@Paxladar]

Really liked this video Mike, very good breakdown of the covers.

[@Kay_Lock]

I didn't get into D&D until 5E, but it definitely wasn't the art that drew me in. In fact, the 5E is my least favorite of the art, especially if we're talking about drawing in new players. As a new player, I had no clue who King Snir (sorry if I misspelled that) or any of the other lore characters on the 5E covers where & the covers being so heavily dominated by one color it made the art incredibly forgettable for me & I still to this day refer to the 5E player handbook as the orange one. 😅 As far as the other cover art. Before even playing D&D, when I thought of D&D, I would think of the iconic red box cover & I can see why it's iconic, although I do like the simplicity of the white box covers. I really like a lot of the art from older editions of D&D in general. However, my favorite is the 3rd edition. I look at that cover & immediately think of being a young adventure finding an ancient tomb, which I think would have really drew me if I had been aware of D&D at the time. Now, moving on to the new cover. I like it for many of the same reasons Mike does. I like its a group, in a combative scene rather than just 2 characters posing. I like the dragons (I also got the vibe that the golden dragon was an ally of the party). I like the colors, I like the art style. I understand being wary of a.i, especially companies using a.i instead of hiring artist but, this was proven to be art done by human artists, so yeah, I think I'm done now. TL;DR: 5E cover art is my least favorite, 3E is my favorite, & I like the new one. ❤

[@tilen873]

Yes, I would absolutely love another one of these.

[@bryanduncan6954]

Holy crap was that Venger on the DMs cover? YES let’s talk about that.

[@willschoonover8654]

A series about D&D would be cool

[@michaelrussell1672]

Mike! You have surpassed "comics explained" as the top channel on my subscriptions page

[@SLorenzo-in-cyberspace]

Possible spoilers for The Wild Beyond the Witchlight: I don’t know if it’s been mentioned below, but Valor’s Call (Strongheart and the gang) first appeared during AD&D 2e as toys, but in 5e, they’re also story NPCs, along with their enemies, the League of Malevolence. Also, I’m not sure where you got Yolande from that group, because Yolande is not a drow. It seems like she (the new drow wizard on the cover) is a substitute for Ringlerun, the “wizard who seems to be coming out of the mist summoning monsters” you mentioned earlier. Although he’s an iconic part of the group, I actually don’t mind them replacing him with a female drow wizard. This cover, along with the alternate cover, are both badassssss. PS. The DMG features two of the League of Malevolence (Skylla the warlock and of course, Warduke). The one horned demon sorcerer is Venger of course, from the cartoon!

[@JazzyBassy]

She is not a drow, she is black. Most drow have distinct white hair and while it's hard to tell from the lightning, you can see her melanin skin tone is a shade of dark brown. They confirmed it's Yolande in the game informer article. Yolande is the elven queen of the isolationist elven realm of Celene in the setting of Greyhawk. It's interesting to see her here as a patron to so many adventurers, as she is known for being a grieving isolationist who didn't help allies during the Greyhawk Wars. I imagine we might be getting more stories set in Greyhawk to develop her, since there will be a convention game in this year's Gencon that features her as the patron quest giver. They did race lift her, which is cool, but it kinda clashes with the subrace of Grey Elves which she is supposed to be. She would have to be a "Faerie" Grey Elf from the hair, but it's supposed to be pale golden rather than dirty blonde, and while we can't see it from the magic casting, she should have violet eyes. I imagine they didn't give her grey skin because that would make her look like a drow.

[@RottenRogerDM]

Thank you Thank You. Wash Out is a major problem I have with a lot of current D&D art. Especially inside art.

[@EKproductionsarg]

Really loved this video. And really love this new cover. Never really liked the original player handbook, but I'm getting this one

[@ar3klis]

Looked at the artist that did the covers for 4e. DM's guide has a nice detail connecting to the player's handbook. Can't wait for the supplements to get their turn. Though, it needs be said, the way some fall into the D&D bookcover art trap is weird. While the actual pictures may actually depict a full party in an adventure, the picture on the outside cover only super zooms on one of them. (Eberron campaign setting, most striking example)

[@alvarovictor]

Yes! Yes! Make a video on the new DMG's covers! And, bonus, the alternative covers! :)

[@AndyD773]

I’d definitely enjoy another video about the art and aesthetics of the games. And I think the new PHB art looks great, a big improvement over the current one IMO (as many times as I’ve seen it, I doubt I could ever describe what was happening without looking, because in my eyes it always becomes an abstract wash of orange)

[@bristowski]

This is a good channel. I like Mike.

[@justiceiro47]

mike, please go check(and maybe make a video) about the pathfinder iconics. each one of them has their own backgrounds, as if they were player characters in the world. they are so interesting. one of my favorites is ezren. how his story explains and justifies him being the old man wizard archetype. its incredibly interesting.

[@Paleo411]

New to D&D and about to DM for the first time. Thanks for this video, please make it a series. I’m subbing with the hope that you do.

[@beezany]

some of the "celebrity" cover characters started life as PCs: Gygax played Mordenkainen, and his son played Bigby

[@pedrogarcia8706]

Tasha, mordenkainen, volo, and bigby were also PCs like the person you mentioned from aq inc

[@andyenglish4303]

I don't think Volo was ever PC.

[@pedrogarcia8706]

@@andyenglish4303 yup you're right