2025 Monster Manual to Introduce Male Versions of Hags, Medusas, and Dryads

The upcoming Monster Manual will feature artwork depicting some creatures like hags and medusas in both genders, a first for Dungeons & Dragons. In the "Everything You Need to Know" video for the upcoming Monster Manual, designers Jeremy Crawford and Wesley Schneider revealed that the new book would feature artwork portraying both male and female versions of creatures like hags, dryads, satyrs, and medusas. While there was a male medusa named Marlos Urnrayle in Princes of the Apocalypse (who had a portrait in the book) and players could make satyr PCs of either gender, this marks the first time that D&D has explicitly shown off several of these creatures as being of both male and female within a rulebook. There is no mechanical difference between male creatures and female creatures, so this is solely a change in how some monsters are presented.

In other news that actually does impact D&D mechanics, goblins are now classified as fey creatures (similar to how hobgoblins were portrayed as fey creatures in Monsters of the Multiverse) and gnolls are now classified as fiends.

Additionally, monster statblocks include potential treasure and gear options, so that DMs can reward loot when a player character inevitably searches the dead body of a creature.

The new Monster Manual will be released on February 18th, 2025.

 

[dave2008]

I haven't listened to the video yet. Did they say anything about making demons and devils more distinct from one another? Other than some hair-splitting aspects (unless you're playing a Planescape game), they've been way too similar to one another for most of D&D.

I had been hopeful that devils would be more humanoid and enticing, but the bone devil shows that's not the direction they're going with them as a category.

That didn't mention that in this video, but I remember hearing about earlier. Maybe from one of the convention appearances?

Anyway, I agree with your thought and the horned devil does seem more enticing and humanoid. Maybe it was just to hard to do with the bone devil. I am curious how the new pit fiend looks (not shown), the new balor is pretty awesome and monstrous.

4e obviously made a push to make them more distinct, and I appreciated that. However, they didn't really push it into the art so much.

 

[Epic Meepo]

I will never understand why the current D&D team is so opposed to sympathetic gnolls. Like, fiendish gnolls are fine as an option, but give us playable humanoid versions too, you cowards!

Now that gnolls are Fiends, one can presumably play a tiefling of gnoll descent.

 

[dave2008]

If any animals can be said to have the capacity for evil, it would be cetaceans. Even then though, I don’t think it’s correct to apply human morals to an animal’s behavior.

I might say apes (chimps in particular) as well. But I agree with your last statement.

 

[Charlaquin]

“The upcoming Monster Manual will feature artwork depicting some creatures like hags and medusas in both genders” … shouldn’t this be reworded to say more than one gender?

Yeah, or just “male and female”

 

[Charlaquin]

As far as I know, animals cannot be offended. So a demonic depiction of a hyena is pretty much guaranteed to pass the sniff test by even the most open minded sensitivity reader.

On the other hand, people who really like hyenas might be. Also, obligatory “offense is not the point.”

 

[Charlaquin]

Now that gnolls are Fiends, one can presumably play a tiefling of gnoll descent.

Ooh, that is a cool idea!

 

[TravDoc42]

Ooh, that is a cool idea!

I have a friend who loves hyenas and gnolls, so this is music to my ears!

 

[Leatherhead]

Fun fact:
Male Hags were first mentioned back in Monsters of the Multiverse.

 

[Chaltab]

That didn't mention that in this video, but I remember hearing about earlier. Maybe from one of the convention appearances?

Anyway, I agree with your thought and the horned devil does seem more enticing and humanoid. Maybe it was just to hard to do with the bone devil. I am curious how the new pit fiend looks (not shown), the new balor is pretty awesome and monstrous.

4e obviously made a push to make them more distinct, and I appreciated that. However, they didn't really push it into the art so much.

Ironically the bone devil is the devil nobody actually wants to bone.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Ironically the bone devil is the devil nobody actually wants to bone.

Yeah, Ice Devils at least have thri-kreen to lust over them.