The classic Dungeons & Dragons cartoon character Venger makes a return on the new Dungeon Master’s Guide cover.
Tyler Jacobson, the artist behind the new Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master’s Guide cover, recently revealed his redesigned rendition of Venger, the well-known villain from the 1980s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon series. Jacobson’s artwork features Venger with his iconic one-horned headdress, bat wings, and pale white skin, while introducing new elements like elongated arms, a narrower face, red eyes, slitted nostrils, and a mouth filled with pointed teeth. The concept art also includes a rough sketch of Venger’s bicorn steed.
Character Background and Series Information
Venger originally appeared in the 1980s Dungeons & Dragons animated series as the primary antagonist. He is depicted as the son of the Dungeon Master, a character who transformed from a human into a “half-fiend” after turning to evil. Venger has a connection with The Nameless One, an eldritch entity whom he calls his master.
Upcoming Release Information
Dungeons & Dragons has confirmed that Venger will feature in upcoming adventures, with a high likelihood of appearing in a forthcoming book. Additionally, Wizards of the Coast has commissioned artwork of adult versions of the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon characters, set to appear in the new 2024/2025 Core Rulebooks, scheduled for release later this year.
Embracing 1980s D&D Characters
The redesign of Venger is part of a broader initiative to reintroduce characters from the 1980s era of D&D into modern content. Besides Venger, the revamped Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide will feature characters from a popular line of D&D action figures released in the early ’80s. While some characters from this line have statblocks from supplements like Quest for the Heartstone and Shady Dragon Inn, they saw their first adventure appearance in the 2021 release The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. Confirmed upcoming adventures will include both Valor’s Call (a group of good-aligned characters) and the League of Malevolence (a group of evil-aligned characters) from the action figure line.
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Wrapping Up
This renewed focus on iconic characters from the 1980s underscores Dungeons & Dragons‘ ongoing commitment to its rich historical roots while introducing them to a new generation of players. For more information and to stay updated, visit HitPlay.
