D&D 5E New Monster Manual Cover

From IGN, the cover of the 2025 Monster Manual!

@Morrus

 

[TheSword]

Doesnt really spark interest in me. Dont like his horns, colors, of pose. All subjective, just not my tastes.

What colours were you expecting Venger to be. How were you expecting his horn to look?

Would you prefer this pose?
He always was a drama queen.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Are these covers trying to be easter eggs for upcoming adventures like the original 5e ones were?

Is Venger the next BBEG after Vecna?

Is Zarak going to become a full orc assassin? Is he still evil? Does he still have the Battle-Matic stabbing action?

View attachment 366169

Zarak already showed up in Wild Beyond the Witchlight.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

We don't talk enough about Dungeon Master's mullet.

 

[DarkCrisis]

No Uni? Or a Nightmare?

 

[Stormonu]

Vajra Safahr, I think.....

I had to look up who that was as the name didn't ring a bell - apparently the new Blackstaff introduced in Dragon Heist. With it being a hundred years, I guess Khelbin "Blackstaff" Arunson* has long passed, but I thought he was a Chosen and thus enjoyed an unusually long lifespan like Elminster.

* Never thought about this, but is that name a subtle parody/nod to Arneson & his Blackmoor?

 

[pukunui]

I had to look up who that was as the name didn't ring a bell - apparently the new Blackstaff introduced in Dragon Heist. With it being a hundred years, I guess Khelbin "Blackstaff" Arunson* has long passed, but I thought he was a Chosen and thus enjoyed an unusually long lifespan like Elminster.

* Never thought about this, but is that name a subtle parody/nod to Arneson & his Blackmoor?

I think Khelben got killed or something. Also Vajra was technically introduced in 4e, not in Dragon Heist.

 

[Remathilis]

I had to look up who that was as the name didn't ring a bell - apparently the new Blackstaff introduced in Dragon Heist. With it being a hundred years, I guess Khelbin "Blackstaff" Arunson* has long passed, but I thought he was a Chosen and thus enjoyed an unusually long lifespan like Elminster.

* Never thought about this, but is that name a subtle parody/nod to Arneson & his Blackmoor?

Well jeez, it's nice that SOMEBODY died in the100-year time jump! Because most everyone else made it through just fine. I get the elves like Drizzt would be there, as would the nigh-immortals like Elminster and Allustriel, but Mirt, Durnan and Volo, Wolfgar and Cattie-Brie, Minsc and Boo, they were all humans and got hit with plotonium 181 to make it over 100 years hale and hearty! I kind wish there was SOME repercussions for jumping a century into the future with the timeline...

Anyway, I digress.

 

[DarkCrisis]

I had to look up who that was as the name didn't ring a bell - apparently the new Blackstaff introduced in Dragon Heist. With it being a hundred years, I guess Khelbin "Blackstaff" Arunson* has long passed, but I thought he was a Chosen and thus enjoyed an unusually long lifespan like Elminster.

* Never thought about this, but is that name a subtle parody/nod to Arneson & his Blackmoor?

4E pretty much ruined 99% of Faerun.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Well jeez, it's nice that SOMEBODY died in the100-year time jump! Because most everyone else made it through just fine. I get the elves like Drizzt would be there, as would the nigh-immortals like Elminster and Allustriel, but Mirt, Durnan and Volo, Wolfgar and Cattie-Brie, Minsc and Boo, they were all humans and got hit with plotonium 181 to make it over 100 years hale and hearty! I kind wish there was SOME repercussions for jumping a century into the future with the timeline...

I still don't get why the freaking bartender was someone they felt they had to keep around. Surely Forgotten Realms fans could make room in their collective heart for two different bartenders. People loved both Coach and Woody on Cheers!

 

[Remathilis]

4E pretty much ruined 99% of Faerun.

I'm growing to appreciate that WotC is resetting most of their settings back to their original date and just not advancing the timeline. Considering all the hoops Faerun had to go through to reset things back, it probably would have been simpler to just go back to 1392 or whatever it was...