Found these low-res images of the upcoming Elemental Evil book covers on EN World:
They could just be stand-ins, but at least it's something to look at, right?
My birthday's in March. I think I know what I'll be getting ... 
I love the princes of the apocalypse art. 
My Three Thoughts:
1) I expected the title to be "Elemental Evil Adventurer's Handbook" not just "Adventurer's Handbook". The latter sounds far too generic and not storyline specific with the title being so large and the little corner logo being so small. It will be harder to have an Adventurer's Handbook for other Adventure Paths without possible confusion.
I imagine this accessory *could* be a little more generic to serve as your standard splatbook in addition to player sourcebook on elemental evils. But that's a little lame when elemental power is such a cool theme in and of itself. There's nothing in the cover or title that screams "this is the book if you want to make an elemental themed character!!"
2) The covers are kinda bland. I'm not getting "phenomenal elemental power" from the Adventurer's Handbook. I'm getting pissed off druid. Ditto Princes of the Apocalypse. It doesn't seem very culty or Evil Elemental Eye-ish. Is that meant to be an evil sylph?
3) It's neat to see the covers. But what I *really* want to know is the pagecount, to see if they're large enough to justify the expense. Or if they're little tiny things. We know they're $40 and $50 respectively. As it's priced the same as the Core books, is the adventure a 320-page book? Or is it 200-pages, like two Tyranny of Dragons books combined? Is the Handbook at *least* 200-pages as well? (If so, why is it $10 cheaper.)
The_Jester wrote:
The_Jester wrote:
Zardnaar wrote:
Reius wrote:
I like giving them all the name "Adventurer's Handbook." Giving them one consistent name like that is equivalent to naming them all "Player's Option" books. As long as the "Elemental Evil" thing from the upper left of the cover also appears on the spine to make the different Adventurer's Handbooks easy to tell apart on the shelf, I don't have any issues with it.
The_Jester wrote:
Reius wrote:
The_Jester wrote:
Zardnaar wrote:
The_Jester wrote:
The_Jester wrote:
"Adventurer's Handbook" clearly seems to echo the "Player's Handbook". So with each big "storyline", it seems WOTC is making one book for players and a second book (the adventure) for DMs. WOTC said they wanted to stay away from splatbooks, system bloat, and not releasing new material unless it's been playtested. I guess we'll see how this plays out.
Zardnaar wrote:
The_Jester wrote:
So these are the PHB II, III, IV, etc.
Brock_Landers wrote:
Oh, I am totally into this approach: an all encompassing spectrum, new elemental themed races (genasi), subclasses (sorcerer), etc.
Nice covers!
It look like instead of having Player's Handbook 2, 3 etc... we'll get a supplement book supporting campaigns adventure, like a set of options that ties to the theme and flavor of the storyline. I like the concept and think it may even help drive more sales for these splat books but giving them an additional purpose. Brilliant!
Adventurer's Book: Elemental Evil
Adventurer's Book: Alice's Wonderland
Adventurer's Book: Against the Giants
etc...
source: http://www.nerdsonearth.com/2014/12/dungeons-dragons-5e-release-schedule-2018/
I think the "angel" might be an avariel, a winged elf.
Brock_Landers wrote:
I like it. A lot. Both style and concept
I don´t buy books since years ago, and altough I wanted, I can´t buy English languange ones. If I buy books again, it will be ones with new classes and races. I am not interesed about prestige classes, parangon paths, builts or backgrounds.
* The cover art is cool.
* Is there any relation between Tharizdun, the elder elementa eye and the temple of elemental evil? I don´t like a divine fool character who only wants to destroy all.
LuisCarlos17f wrote:
I think its smart marketing featuring 'Adventurer's Handbook' with the EE logo featured less prominently on the top left corner. It lets potential buyers be drawn to the brand and not see this as a module. As a fan I want a book that I can use in any of my campaigns, whether or not I plan on using the EE story arc, this cover gives me that sense of ownership.
Plus I really like Wizards decision to release these expansions attached to story arcs, very clever. The covers are very epic seeming, very nice D&D classic feel to them, and I like that they are not 'married' to the EE brand per se because I want these books to have wide appeal.
The art seems nice, but the colours seem a little too mono chrome for me.
I really wish they would give some info on upcoming content. Specficaly what crunch (classes, sub-classes, rule modules, races, feats) are going to be in these books.
pukunui wrote:
Azzy1974 wrote:
pukunui wrote:
Azzy1974 wrote:
The releases remind me a lot of how WOTC handles Magic. Something new every "season" with something to sell to players and something to sell to DMs. What it doesn't look like we will be getting is much variety beyond that.
It's really too bad because 5e is a fantastic set of rules and instead of giving WOTC my money I'm just trolling ebay for old product I never got the first time around.
guachi wrote:
arnwolf666 wrote:
Azzy1974 wrote:
I'm dissapointed that it seems they are putting out a PHB add-on/splat book that's official WotC published abventure specific.
I really don't want to buy published adventures, ever. But, my group and I want all the 'official' class/sub-class, race/sub-race, spell, item, etc. options we can get.
Just wait a year, and give us a PHB 2. Please.
seti wrote:
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
Brock_Landers wrote:
Shasarak wrote:
I understand that, but I dislike a small themed 'character options' book for each published adventure arc.
I'd rather have a PHB 2. ie: 340 pages. Lots of new options. Period. Elemental, psionic, everything they left out of PHB 1. In one hardcover.
What they seem to be doing is publishing a 96 (or whatever) page PHB add-on, and a 96 page (or whatever) adventure. Repeat. That might sell well, but it's annoying for me, as a consumer/gamer.
seti wrote:
MonsterEnvy wrote:
seti wrote:
I get that, and see its good points.
I'm not talking about a "complete dwarf", though.
I'm talking about (and wanting) a PHB 2. Options for everyone, for any campaign, to take or leave, all in one glorious tome.
Although, there was something nice about class(2e and 3e)/power source(4e) books...You buy what you play, and nothing more. That does make sense to some PC's who stick to one class for years....
Elemental stuff is great, but, again, I don't like WotC linking it (or any other new character options) to their published adventure schedule.
In everything there will be sacrifices. Some will be unhappy. I think published adventures should be totally seperate from new and additional PC build info.
seti wrote:
Seti, you are kind of in a position where you are either asking for too much too fast - a ~340 page book full of options completed in the time it would take to get ~96 pages of options with adequate quality control - or you are asking for content that is ready to be released to be held back for no reason other than how many pages end up between the covers - a ~340 page book full of options completed in the time it takes to get all of that with adequate quality control, instead of 3 releases over the same period of time.
...and what about those that want the one theme of options, but have zero use for another theme of options? With WotC's actual plan, they might get some sales from those sorts of fans, where if they throw what those folks want into a book that costs a lot more and comes with a bunch of stuff they don't want it greatly decreases the chance they make any purchase at all, since not every group wants every possible option (psionics, for example, is a theme many groups insist on avoiding).
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
seti wrote:
I've been listening to The Tome Show podcast for a while now, and these guys sum up exactly how I feel about future releases. Big campaign setting books vs. Smaller splat book, and even .PDF releases. I'm not so sure we need whole huge releases. At least not right now.
http://www.thetomeshow.com/e/round-table-50-setting-speculation/
Hasit offficially been annoucned that these books will be 96 pages, or is this just some assumption being made?
Karnos wrote:
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
No more races, classes please
Themed option for a themed adventure yes please
TheNovaLord wrote: