Thank you. That is not part of my belief system.
The AI art debate has reared its ugly head again in the TTRPG industry/hobby and I feel obliged to tilt at more windmills. Every time this subject comes up I get just a little more depressed and a little closer to finding a human therapist who will have no clue what I’m on about or why. (It’s okay. My extradimensional therapist is just as confused.) But seriously, let’s get into round 1,002 of this argument.
I have to go back to my argument about the fact that I’m a poor, starving TTRPG writer. That means I can’t hire any of you artists as much as I might want to. So complaining about not earning commissions from me is like McDonald’s complaining about not selling me a cheeseburger that I can’t eat. (Gluten allergy.) Sorry. Maybe try talking to the big corporate game companies who can afford you, like Wizards of the Coast.
And before any genius decides I need to take art classes and learn to draw, paint, and sketch my way to victory—Just NO! I don’t have that kind of time. There just comes a point in time in any TTRPG project where something needs to be outsourced to make up for the producer’s shortfalls. If someone can do all their own writing, layout, art, marketing, and so on, good for them. That ain’t me.
And before we get the tired old argument of “just use stock art,” know that I’m not making a supplement that talks about ordinary everyday anything. Sure, if I need a normal deer the stock art is sufficient. If I need a river in the mountains, that’s great. But a flying ball of tentacles with six different eyes and a massive wasp stinger? Even if I photoshop it together, it ain’t gonna look right. But ChatGPT does listen to me a 3:00 AM when I come up with it.
Speaking of WotC…
So, WotC is owned by Hasbro. Hasbro is run by Chris Cocks. Mr. Cocks is something of an AI bull. He wants to leverage AI as much as possible to help maximize his company’s profits. If replacing Magic: the Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons artists with AI doesn’t enter into that picture like it already has, think again. They’re doing it. They’ve been doing it.
The worst part is the companies that can afford $500+ single piece commissions are the ones leaning into AI art in order to maximize profits. One of these days, mark my words, someone big is going to get caught with their fingers in the AI cookie jar. That’s okay because I’m pretty sure the smarter artists have figured out how to leverage AI in order to reduce their production times on digital art. WotC has already gotten caught doing that once with Bigby’s Giant Fist or whatever it was called.
So all of you “Rah-rah” D&D ‘community’ people who are all about inclusivity and diversity but still hate AI? You might want to start showing some human understanding to your fellow humans who use AI because it’s a-coming. It’s already here, but I think some of y’all don’t see it yet. It’s okay, though— indie writers are going through it, too.
Companies like WotC/Hasbro deserve the outrage over AI art use. They sell thousands of copies of books that go for $60-$80 MSRP. They have websites like D&D Beyond with subscriptions that probably net close to a million dollars per month or more. Those big companies are already using AI internally (Chris Cocks has said as much. D&D has already been fed to the Level 30 AI Dragon at the end of the maze.
Meanwhile I’m down here playing with Tinker Toys. I sell less than a handful of items on DriveThruRPG.com and I haven’t gotten the courage to sell anything for more than $2.00 yet. I have plans to start increasing my page counts and content. Unfortunately that include adding art of some kind.
I took most of 2026 off because of the AI art debate. I’m not kidding about the depression and anxiety around this topic. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’m scared of the backlash from other creators. I’m trying to grow my brand and go to conventions where I could actually meet some of these people. The last thing I want is a major argument/brawl breaking out.
Art sells games.
Gates of Krystalia is my favorite example of this. My email has been getting bombarded by requests to back the Human Art Edition of the game and cards. I admire their efforts to bring the game back out with paid artists. I’d do the same if I could.
See, they proved that they could put out a game and do all the writing, layout, etc. and handle the crowdfunding campaign along with it. Top Notch International deserves a freaking medal for their efforts. I don’t think they’re getting the praise they deserve.
I listened to a live stream tonight where I listened to an artist try to say that you can produce a TTRPG with no art. Has he tried it? Well, no because he’s an artist and he can do all his own art. So, I’m going to try a zero-art supplement once to see how it does. I’m not necessarily holding my breath. We’ll all get a good laugh.
Dude, I’m sorry you’ve got turned down for your $1,000 commission because AI can do it cheaper. I have to eat, too. My sincerest sympathies. But if I couldn’t afford you before AI, and I can’t afford now that we have AI, please let me create my product without your input. I’ll take ChatGPT’s input, use my discernment, and possibly accept it. At least ChatGPT doesn’t go on social media and make a spectacle out of it.
The anti-AI virtue signaling needs to freaking stop.
I mentioned this on X (Twitter) the other day. I’m so sick of the pretentious platitudes coming from the anti-AI crowd. I’m a raging liberal and I think the other side of the AI debate has gotten out of control. I’m all about DEI and I still love AI. You don’t have to. It’s okay. I’m not trying to say, “we should all love AI.”
All I’m saying is, “If I want to use AI art and people are willing to buy the game or supplement, let them.”
Let me do my thing and I’ll happily let you do yours, Mr./Mrs./Ms./whoever artist. I’m happy you possess a talent I don’t have and can’t seem to manifest. When I can afford you, I will. Gladly. But if no AI art means no game? We have a problem.
This is another classical case of live and let live. What drives me absolutely bonkers is when I see some crowdfunding group project or game jam that has to slip in that little “No AI use allowed.” Wow, I didn’t realize people hate spelling and grammar check so much. Time to break out that paper dictionary. Look, your project has judges or whatever. Make them do their jobs.
In the end, it’s gatekeeping. I’m being actively discriminated against at multiple levels because I can’t afford an actual human artist. I don’t have a million-dollar BackerKit or a $3.2 Million dollar Kickstarter. I don’t get to sit up in my ivory tower and complain about the peasants using AI to try to get a foot in the door of the damned industry. Because if I had a project like that? I’d be working my ass off every day to make sure my team and I were making the magic happen. I’d be putting out the best product I could to make sure the backers were happy with it instead of crying about what people do with the tools available to them.
Think about it from another perspective. I don’t tell you what artists to hire. I don’t set the prices for TTRPG artwork. No one said you can’t hire a human artist. You do you. Just don’t tell me what I can’t do. If it works for me, please just let it.
“AI slop” producers.
I see it on DriveThruRPG.com every day when I browse the new games. We have companies that put out three new game products every day like clockwork. I don’t know a human that can pump out games that fast. They must have a room full of creatives working day and night on that game. Or they’re using AI writing (which is taboo on DTRPG) and AI art to pump out gaming “content” with little-no editing by a human being.
There’s an important distinction I want to make:
I use generative AI art responsibly.
If you can’t bloody distinguish between the guy that puts out one product per year or three products all year with some AI art (as well as a text only version) from some faceless DTRPG account that pumps out three pieces of junk per day; I’m sorry. That lack of distinction is a you problem. If people buy one of my supplements and use it, that’s what it’s there for. Great. Welcome. I love you.
I’m not trying to defend a company that willy-nilly grinds out low-quality product just to turn a quick buck. That’s not my operation. By now that should be obvious to most people. I’m here to share ideas and TTRPG resources at what I feel are a reasonable price, if any. I’d rather undercharge and put the value out there for others to use than turn a quick buck on a bunch of cheap-but-pretty junk. Again, I’m not saying that’s what other people have to do. But it’s my approach and I happen to like creating game resources for the hobby I’ve been in since 1983.
AI art style matters.
The last thing I want to talk about is the way we use AI. Yes, anyone can enter a prompt and get a pretty picture. We could sort of do that before with just a search engine. The only difference is now a Large Language Model (LLM) can go out and find a specific piece or just create one.
The art has to speak a little bit to the customer. Look at Corpse Kings for example. Here’s someone with a great game concept that uses a very distinct art style for his game. He’s got his LLM trained to do a very specific style and tone that fits the game.
I try to do the same thing with the Monday Monster and my DTRPG offerings. I usually ask for a black & white pen and ink drawing or an old-fashioned B&W wood cut print. Some of my more recent projects have required me to step out of that box, but the style remains consistent throughout the whole project, and I hope it shows if/when those two items ever get published.
You can use AI Art openly, honestly, and consistently. You can ask the AI to redraw or recreate the same piece of art until you’re satisfied with it, and it will never complain or ask for more money. Try calling up a human artist at 2:57 AM and asking him to make a drawing of a hentai monster that you just cooked up in your head. Unless he’s a good friend, I think we know what that conversation will sound like.
I’m doing the best I can with the tools I have available to me.
The subtle nuances of this argument is lost on the TTRPG crowd on social media/YouTube. I’ve been chased out of spaces because I’m pro-AI. This article might get me in trouble in some of those same spaces for all I know. The point of, “You do you and I’ll do me” is lost on people for some reason when it comes to AI art and any Internet debate.
Ironically the sales numbers seem to reflect apathy in terms of the argument. It’s mostly the creatives who are hollering the loudest about AI anything. I know as a writer I already have to compete with AI product. That’s life. Hopefully discerning buyers will choose me. If they don’t, then I probably need to work on my marketing.
As a writer and as a human being with a bit of a skewed brain, I use AI to help me on the days when I’m scattered. I have a good friend who is dyslexic and suffers from other neurodiverse issues. He has no choice but to use AI tools to help him get by. Yet people in the TTRPG hobby/industry/”community” are telling us we can’t use those tools. Wow.
What’s next? I shouldn’t wear glasses, either? Maybe I should stop taking all of my medications while I’m at it. You going to tell people they shouldn’t have hearing aids or wheelchairs, too? Where do we draw the line? Why is AI the boogeyman?
Okay, before a member of my family has to physically drag me away from my computer.
This AI debate is not going away. Data centers are still being built. Fear of AI use is just that—fear. People fear what they don’t know or understand.
AI is no better or worse than any other person. It just happens that LLMs are good if not great at certain tasks. Some days I’d rather deal with ChatGPT than some of the people out in the TTRPG sphere telling me I shouldn’t have access to cheap, decent quality art. At some point we have to accept that the old way of doing things is going away to make room for new technology.
Yes, practice your creativity. There will still be plenty of room for it once the AI art craze settles. As long as people are being honest about their AI use you can still filter it out. Eventually it’s just going to be another artist. Love it or hate it, fine. Just let people participate in the industry as they wish. We don’t need all the judgement and negativity around our use of AI tools.
I say it every year, but I think 2026 bears repeating it. This year I intend to write more, read more, and discuss cool TTRPGs as well as supplements. Most of all, let’s just have more fun. Let’s explore. Let’s save the kingdom from the evil warlord. Let’s discuss all the fun stuff in gaming that we love.
With the world in the state it finds itself in today, please be kind. Please be considerate to one another even if we don’t agree. Lastly, please pursue the thing that brings you the most joy without harm to others. Thank you!
