The art itself, by Jeff Easley, is quite good. It is very reminiscent of a chapter header, in fact.
This cover art is monotone and the subject is still like a paper doll, not striking a mighty pose. Slightly different from the typical profile window that became the standard for the first Complete series, as well as others. This may be the first sourcebook released with the profile window style cover. True, the races mostly weren’t new, but being able to play them? This book could be a huge win or a huge disappointment. Published long before the Races Of series, Savage Species was one of the first books to introduce new playable races. I closed the door and went back to the Player’s Handbook. Although it presented options for playing certain races, their level adjustments scared me away. When I was still new to 3.0 D&D, after I had a few characters under my belt, I began to consider what options the Monster Manual had to offer. Savage Species takes most creatures from the first Monster Manual and offers them as playable races. Dungeons & Dragons is at its best when its versatility is streamlined.
