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.

 

[Weiley31]

Technically, they had male hags before. Except they were usually referred to as Hag spawn before. And male Medusae have been a thing since 2nd edition IIRC. (although, I can't remember if they ever went beyond 2nd edition. If not then they are back).

 

[Umbran]

Did they provide a different story for male hags? If not, I don't see how this provides any modification or nuance to the symbolic form.

Well, that's okay, as I didn't say that it provided "modification or nuance".

 

[Micah Sweet]

Technically, they had male hags before. Except they were usually referred to as Hag spawn before. And male Medusae have been a thing since 2nd edition IIRC. (although, I can't remember if they ever went beyond 2nd edition. If not then they are back).

The male medusae (and they've been around since 1e) are mechanically different creatures with their own lore. Since this gender addition appears to be merely art-deep, they're not really the same creature (although the art's existence will likely ensure the maedar won't make a return any time soon).

 

[Micah Sweet]

Well, that's okay, as I didn't say that it provided "modification or nuance".

Then I misunderstood you. What does it do again?

 

[Lidgar]

A male hag is, of course, a "hog".

 

[Weiley31]

Just remember: any probs or issues can be solved by just choosing/using/picking however you want things flavored. You want only female hags, go nuts. You want 4E Gnoll lore for your 5E Gnolls? Rock on.

 

[Minigiant]

D&D was fairly consistent in its succubi not being temptresses, though (up until the end of 3E, at least). They weren't using the promise of sex as a lure to convince people to commit evil acts. Rather, they used sex as a weapon, literally able to kill with it (via negative levels). In that way, they made perfect sense as demons; their desire was simply to kill, and sex just happened to be their method of doing so.

To put it another way, they were femme fatales rather than temptresses.

It would be cool of the Incubus and succubus were a mutable form of fiend that transformed its trope and style of play based on which type of fiend it copies

Devil- Tempter or Temptress (Sex is a lure. Kiss charms)
Demon- Femme/Homme Fatale (Sex is fatal. Kiss incapacitates and harms)
Daemon- Gold Digger (Sex buffs fiend. Kiss heals fiend)

 

[dave2008]

I don’t think gnolls are in the line at all, is the thing.

I don't really think any species that hasn't been stated yet is in line either. I don't think that is how it works. However, I don't think gnolls have any more or less chance of being the next new PC species we get either. Mostly, I don't think what you or I believe has any impact on the likelihood of getting an "official" gnoll species.

 

[Upper_Krust]

I think they missed a trick by not giving the male Medusa a beard of snakes.

 

[TravDoc42]

Unsure if it's been said yet, but Princes of the Apocalypse has a male medusa NPC.