The world of Dungeons & Dragons is impossibly rich. And that’s before everyone comes to the table and builds on it with their imaginations. The tabletop roleplaying game has continued to evolve with every edition. Dungeons & Dragons‘ fifth edition debuted in 2014, and in recent years, the game’s success has ballooned. A new book, Lore & Legends: A Visual Celebration of the Fifth Edition of the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, and Sam Witwer, delves into the art and history of D&D‘s Fifth Edition. We have an exclusive look at early character sketches featured in this Dungeons & Dragons book.
This spread of sketches shows off some of Dungeons & Dragons‘ most iconic dangers. We have a look at the deadly gelatinous cube from Conceptopolis (which also made an appearance in the recent Dungeons & Dragons movie). Below the cube are hook horror concepts from Cory Trego-Erdner. Then there’s a glimpse of a fresh owlbear look from artist Brynn Metheney. But my absolute favorite sketch on this page is the wereshark. That expression! Those teeth! Dungeons & Dragons rules.
The Lore & Legends synopsis is as follows:
When the reimagined fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons debuted in the summer of 2014, the game was on the brink of obsolescence. But within a few short years, D&D found greater success than it had ever enjoyed before, even surpassing its 1980s golden age. How did an analog game nearly a half century old become a star in a digital world? For the first time, Lore & Legends reveals the incredible ongoing story of Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition from the perspective of the designers, artists, and players who bring it to life. This comprehensive visual guide illuminates contemporary D&D—its development, evolution, cultural relevance, and popularity—through exclusive interviews and more than 900 pieces of artwork, photography, and advertising curated and analyzed by the authors of the bestselling and Hugo Award–nominated Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana.
Lore & Legends: A Visual Celebration of the Fifth Edition of the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game arrives on shelves on October 3. And if you can wait until November 28, you can get a special edition of the book. This edition comes with an adventure map, a custom d20, and even a pull-out drawer that doubles as a dice tray. Get all the details on the Lore & Legends special edition here.
